fall 2003 - Austin Peay State University

The Publication for Alumni and Friends of Austin Peay State University 

Fall 2003 

inside: 

Alumnus’ gift 

kick starts 

capital campaign 

Playing ball with 

the big guys

Table of Contents 

Features 

Page 2 

Playing ball with the big guys 

He was the right man in the right place at the right time. And not by accident. 

Ronnie Carter (’88) leaves little to fate. Since high school, he has 

charted his own course—one that has taken him from America’s heartland 

through the Marine Corps and Harvard’s ivy-covered halls to the pulse-point of 

America’s slowly healing heart. By the time of 9/11, he had readied himself to 

assume a leading role in homeland security and to help ensure such a tragedy 

never occurs again on our country’s soil. 

Page 6 

Donor gift kick starts 

capital campaign 

Changing Minds. Changing Lives—Austin Peay’s first-ever capital campaign— 

proved to be an exciting challenge with its original goal of $15 million and 

interim goal of $7.5 million by September 2003. On May 3, 2003, when the 

public phase of the campaign was announced, the “thermometer” indicated the 

gifts were rising. More than $10 million already was committed. It was enough 

to make the dapper Gov swing his cane and cut a rug! 

Page 8 

From beakers to beacon 

At this point in his professional life, Howard W. Roddy (’71), Chattanooga, is 

in the driver’s seat. An administrator of a forward-looking, proactive healthcare 

initiative, Healthy Community, Roddy has steered a straight course 

toward success, using the principles of servant-leadership as his compass. 

Thanks to his belief in these principles, he’s enjoyed great happiness and personal 

fulfillment along the way. 

Page 12 

From Tennessee to Texas 

Love does work in mysterious ways! When Jolyn Pope (‘99)—fresh out of law 

school--was hired as an attorney by Exxon Mobile Corp., Houston, one of her 

first acts was to reach back and begin helping others. How? By establishing a 

scholarship at APSU in memory of her late grandfather, whom she loved 

deeply and who, while living, ensured that his precious granddaughter would 

have the means to achieve her highest educational goals. As she reflects on 

her upcoming wedding, she realizes her future husband has many of the traits 

she admired in her grandfather. 

Departments 

Making APSU Headlines...........6 

Alumni News..............................14 

Sports ..........................................22 

Class Notes.................................26 

Austin Peay/Fall 2003 

Special Sections 

Outstanding Alumni ...................10 

Homecoming Calendar................16 

Feedback.......................................25 

Honor Roll of Donors ............insert 

Readership Survey.................insert 

Photo: Bill Persinger 

Reader’s Guide 

“Austin Peay” is published bi-annually—fall and 

spring—by the Office of Public Relations and 

Marketing. Press run for this issue is 25,000. 

Dennie B. Burke Editor 

Bill Persinger (’91) Art Direction, Design & 

Photo Editor 

Charlotte Carlin Design and Layout 

Debbie Denton Writer 

Shelia Boone Alumni News and Events 

Sharon Silva Donor List 

Brad Kirtley Sports Information 

Ben Kimbrough (‘51) and 

his wife, Margaret, 

Clarksville, gave APSU’s 

first capital campaign a 

significant jump-start 

with a pledge of $2 million 

from their estate and 

an gift of $150,000 during 

the campaign. “Giving 

back to Austin Peay is 

one way Margaret and I 

give back to the community 

that has given us so 

much,” Kimbrough says. 

Laquita Maxwell Web Designer for Online Version 

How to change your address 

or receive the magazine 

Fill out and mail the form on page 26 or 

contact Alumni and Annual Giving in one of 

the following ways: 

Post us: Alumni and Annual Giving 

P.O. Box 4676 

Clarksville, TN 37044 

Zap us: alumni@apsu.edu 

Phone us: 931-221-7979 

Fax us: 931-221-6292 

How to contact or submit 

letters to the editor 

Fill out and mail the form on page 26 or 

contact the Public Relations and Marketing 

Office in one of the following ways: 

Post us: Public Relations/Marketing 

P.O. Box 4567 


Zap us: burked@apsu.edu 

Phone us: 931-221-7459 

Fax us: 931-221-6123 

Let us hear from you! 

Your opinions and suggestions are encouraged 

and appreciated. 

Austin Peay State University is one of 46 institutions in 

the Tennessee Board of Regents system, the sixth largest 

system of higher education in the nation. The Tennessee 

Board of Regents is the governing board for this system, 

which On is composed the Cover: of six universities, 13 two-year colleges 

and 26 Tennessee technology centers. The TBR system 

enrolls more than 80 percent of all Tennessee students 

attending public institutions of higher education. 

Austin Peay State University is an equal opportunity 

employer committed to the education of a non-racially 

identifiable student body. 

AP-039/08-03/25M/McQuiddy Printing/Nashville, TN


From the Director 

Welcome to the Fall 2003 

edition of “Austin Peay.” 

There’s certainly been lots of 

excitement since the last issue. 

APSU alumni were out in 

full force last spring to cheer 

on our men’s and women’s basketball 

teams during tournament action, with 

alumni receptions in Nashville for the OVC 

Tourney and in Boulder, Colo., and Birmingham, 

Ala., for the NCAA games. 

Thrilled to be back on campus, the class of 

1953 returned in April to celebrate its 50-year 

reunion. 

Then we were “on the road again” to 

Florida, Washington, D.C., Virginia and Texas for 

alumni events and visits. It was fun meeting 

alumni in these areas and promoting “Peay 

Pride,” and we were warmly welcomed. Some 

alums were surprised to see us so far from 

home, but they were eager to meet other alums 

in their area and hear the latest news from 

campus. 

Through these travels, we laid the groundwork 

for new alumni chapters—two in Florida, 

two in Texas and one in the Washington, D.C. 

area. Stay tuned for more information on this! 

My summer was spent preparing for fall 

events, pre-game tailgate parties, golf tournaments, 

Greek alumni event, “Round Up,” a new 

career-mentoring seminar, Phonathon and 

Homecoming, just to name a few! 

Speaking of Homecoming, this year is going 

to be tremendous as we pay tribute to our 

country, our armed forces and our alma mater. 

Blanche Wilson, director of student life and 

leadership, and I, as co-chairs of the Campus 

Homecoming Committee, merged student and 

alumni calendars into one list of events. 

Jay (’89) and Gena (’94) Albertia are 

Homecoming co-chairs for the National Alumni 

Association. The featured reunion group is 

from the College of Arts and Letters. Contact 

your fellow classmates, get a group together 

and make plans to be on campus Oct. 31-Nov. 1 

for Homecoming! 

Even if you’re unable to attend 

Homecoming, let us hear from you. It’s all 

about staying connected to this wonderful 

University. 

Peay Pride. Feel it. Share it. 

Shelia Boone (’71) 

Director 

Alumni and Annual Giving 

National Alumni Association 

Executive Officers & Board of Directors 

Executive Officers 

President 

Kevin Hackney (’89) 

District V Greater Nashville (hackneyk@comcast.net) 

President Elect 

Bob Hogan (’78) 

District X Robertson County (TheHoganCompany@att.net) 

Vice President 

Angela Neal (’98) 

District XI New York (presidentangela@yahoo.com) 

Past President 

Peter Minetos (’89) 

District XII Greater Atlanta (Pminetos@DCSAtlanta.com) 

Faculty Adviser 

Lawrence Baggett (’63) 

Montgomery County (baggettl@apsu.edu) 

Executive Director 

Shelia Boone (’71) (boones@apsu.edu) 

Directors 

District I . . . . . . .Dr. Robert Patton (’57, ’59) (rep.bob.patton@legislature.state.tn.us) . . . . . . . .2004 

District II . . . . . .Gary (’73, ’80) (sheppy82@aol.com) and 

Linda Fulton (’70) Shephard (linda4887@aol.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2003 

District III . . . . .Tony Marable (’81) (tmarable@tntech.edu) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2004 

District IV . . . . . .Fredrick Yarbrough (’70) (FTVP25@aol.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2003 

District V . . . . . .Kevin Hackney (’89) and Brandt Scott (’89) (brandt.scott@thehartford.com) . . .2004 

District VI . . . . . .(Nomination Pending) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2003 

District VII . . . . .Mark Hartley (’87) (hartleydad@yahoo.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2004 

District VIII . . . . .Bob Holeman (’78) (B_holeman@msn.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2003 

District IX . . . . . .Cynthia Norwood (’92) (cynthianorwood@hotmail.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2004 

District X . . . . . .Nelson Boehms (’86) (nboehms@earthlink.net) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2003 

District XI . . . . . .Angela Neal (’98) (presidentangela@yahoo.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2004 

District XII . . . . .Jim Roe (’65) (jroe@lmit.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2003 

District XIII . . . . .Ginny Gray Davis (’87) (ginnyg@fuse.net) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2004 

District XIV . . . . .Dr. Dale Kincheloe (’66) (drkinch@aol.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2003 

District XV . . . . . .Ellen Crawford (’84) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2004 

Student Rep. . . . .Gavin Roark, SGA President (sgapres@apsu.edu) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2004 

Chapter Presidents 

African American . . . . . . . . . .Vacant 

Tri-Counties of Kentucky . . . . .Patsy Brandon (’69, ’74) (pbrandon@hesenergy.net) 

(Todd, Trigg & Christian counties) 

Greater Atlanta . . . . . . . . . . .Peter Minetos (’89) (Pminetos@DCSAtlanta.com) 

Montgomery County . . . . . . . . .Garnett (’83) and Nancy (’80) Ladd (ngladd@clarksville.net) 

Greater Nashville . . . . . . . . . . .Vonda Fields (’91) (vonda.f.fields@cummins.com) 

Tri-Cities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lee Ellen Ferguson-Fish (’89) (leefishgop@peoplepc.com) 

Greater Memphis . . . . . . . . . .Jeff Schneider (’96) (schneider-j@mindspring.com) 

Trane Support Group . . . . . . . .David Jackson (’75) (david.jackson@trane.com) 

Columbia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nomination Pending 

Nursing Alumni . . . . . . . . . . . .Doris Davenport (’91) (davenportd@apsu.edu) 

Greater Carolinas . . . . . . . . . . .Mark S. Webber (’86) (Mark_Webber@hp.com) 

Greater Birmingham . . . . . . . . .Sam Samsil (’67) (samsil@bellsouth.net) 

Robertson County . . . . . . . . . .Bob Hogan (’78) (TheHoganCompany@att.net) 

Huntsville (Ala.) . . . . . . . . . . .Wayne Taylor (’66) 

Cheatham County . . . . . . . . . .Kevin Latham (’87) (klatham@qore.net) 


1

2 


PEAY Alum FACT: Nancy Washington (’99) is assistant general counsel with the Tennessee Board of Regents in Nashville. 

Ph 

Gr

Playing ball with 

the big guys 

By: DENNIE B. BURKE 


Public Relations and Marketing 

“I want your toughest job,” 

Ronnie Carter (’88) told the liaison 

during an interview in the White 

House Office of Personnel Management 

following the inauguration of 

President George W. Bush. 

Later, after Carter became a 

founding member of the 

Transportation Security 

Administration (TSA), the chief of 

staff told him, “I had no interest in 

interviewing you. But when I was 

told you asked for our toughest 

job, I said, ‘That’s the man I’ll 

make a place for.’” With assurance 

of a plum job in the U.S. 

Department of Transportation, 

Carter flew back to Nashville. His 

dream of serving in the federal 

government was within weeks of 

being a reality. 

Then came 9/11— and the rest, 

as they say, is history. 

By all indicators, Ronnie Carter should 

have been a musician, part of country 

music’s inner circle of pickers and singers. 

His father, Fred Carter, was once the top 

session instrumentalist in Nashville, playing 

guitar, mandolin and violin. Deana Carter, 

his sister, is a country-music star, perhaps 

best known for her hit single, “Strawberry 

Wine.” His brother, Jeff, is a picker and an 

up-and-coming songwriter. 

But while his father and siblings 

answered the call of country music, Ronnie 

Carter heard a different siren song—one of 

learning and leadership, of politics and 

power. His aspirations sprouted like errant 

weeds in a thick patch of musical talent. 

The sounds of the guitar are the background 

music of Carter’s childhood. “I grew 

up with musicians in our house all the time,” 

he says. “I’d wake at night and hear Dad 

playing with people like Kris Kristofferson 

or Paul Simon. It just seemed natural to me. 

“Dad played all the time. While we 

watched cartoons or sat and talked on the 

porch. His guitar strokes were part of the 

conversation.” 

Carter played the French horn in the 

Goodlettsville (Tenn.) High School Band 

and attended band camps at APSU. These 

visits were pivotal in his college choice. “I 

knew I was going to come to Austin Peay,” 

he says. “I felt comfortable here.” 

With his good grades and extracurricular 

activities, Carter would have been welcomed 

at any university. But even in high school, 

his scrutiny and assessment of colleges 

revealed maturity beyond his years. At band 

camp, he noted the close relationship 

between APSU students and faculty, and he 

realized how much such relationships would 

mean to him as a student. 

Despite mental observations about his 

“fit” at APSU, Carter’s college enrollment 

was not a given. He faced barriers. The most 

daunting: his father’s expectations. Although 

difficult to do, he had to rebel against the 

man he most respected. Fred Carter was of 

the old school, which held that after high 

school a young man should choose a craft 

and get busy mastering it. “I had to fight 

Dad,” Carter says, “but I was determined to 

go to school, come hell or high water.” 

Carter also lacked the financial means to 

attend college. To fund his college expenses, 

he got a job at Opryland Hotel, working 

there throughout his years at APSU. His senior 

year, he was recruited for management 

by Opryland officials. He tried it—but 

became frustrated with the seemingly rigid 

career-progression structure already firmly 

in place. Opryland administrators tied 

advancement to age or years served in specific 

areas, whereas Carter believed new 

ideas, hard work and initiative were more 

important. He was ready to assume more 

responsibility than was permitted. 

He knew he wanted a job in a quality 

organization, he wanted a challenge and he 

wanted more responsibility. The U.S. 

Marine Corps filled the bill. So he signed on 

and shipped off to Quantico, Va., to begin 

officer training. “It wasn’t easy, but it was 

wonderful,” he says. “I like doing difficult 

things; I like being pushed. I push myself—I 

always did.” 

He’s now a major in the USMC 

continued on next page 


Graphics: Charlotte Carlin 

Way to Go! 


3

Reserves, serving in the War Fighting 

Command/Joint Operations Center at 

Quantico. What derailed him from a career in 

the Marines? His openness to opportunity, 

desire for new challenges and the intrigue of 

Ivy League universities. Carter always 

recalled Dr. Tom Dixon, APSU history professor, 

telling about an Austin Peay graduate 

who went on to Harvard and did well there. 

“I always wondered if I could compete there, 

too,” he says. 

On a career path in the Marine Corps, 

Carter was eager to further the interests of 

the USMC at the most senior levels. To aid 

the Corps, he felt he must position himself at 

the national-policy level, and a master’s 

degree from Harvard would further advance 

his value to the Corps. 

A take-charge person, he admits he got 

the cart before the horse. “I applied to 

Harvard before I petitioned the Marine Corps 

to send me. Once I was accepted, the Corps 

asked me to wait a year, but I didn’t want to 

wait, so I attended on my own.” 

That meant he had to shoulder the cost of 

Carter’s college 

enrollment was 

not a given. He 

faced barriers. 

The most daunting: 

his father’s 

expectations. 

his Harvard education—with no guarantees 

for the future. Again, he took a leap of 

faith—and landed on his feet. He entered the 

prestigious Kennedy School of Government 

where he earned a master’s degree in public 

administration in 1996. 

Even then Carter was an avowed 

Southern conservative, so he felt exhilarated 

about his move to the Northeast and an Ivy 

League university that was an incubator for 

the political farleft. 

“I walked 

into the teeth of 

the liberal establishment 

to see if 

I could hold my 

own.” 

He could. And 

along the way, he 

became friends 

with several of 

today’s renowned 

public figures, 

including classmate 

and fellow 

conservative Bill 

O’Reilly, who, 

like Carter, had 

interrupted a 

career to return to 

college and earn 

a master’s degree 

in public policy. 

Now the host 

of “The O’Reilly Factor,” Fox News’ toprated 

talk show, O’Reilly was already a TV 

personality when he enrolled at Harvard, 

having earned his stripes as a print and 

broadcast reporter, including a stint with the 

popular news magazine show, “Inside 

Edition.” 

Carter defends O’Reilly’s cockiness as 

part of a show-biz persona. “Bill might have 

been a television celebrity already, but at the 

‘K School,’ he didn’t have a bully pulpit,” 

What Harvard offered O’Reilly was a 

unique forum in which to match wits with 

people whose IQs were in the stratosphere. 

Equal to them in intelligence, O’Reilly 

proved more skillful in the art of verbal 

jousting. “It was fun to watch him spar with 

students and professors,” Carter says. 

Small wonder the two men clicked. 

According to Carter’s professors at Austin 

Peay, like his friend O’Reilly, Carter never 

backed down if he thought he was right. 

“Just ask Betty Joe Wallace (history professor 

and adviser),” he says. “She’ll tell you 

about our heated discussions. If I felt I 

deserved a better test grade than I received, I 

would argue the merits with her. She listened 

respectfully—and then came back at me. 

Betty Joe challenged me; she pushed me. 

Today, I thank her and am honored to call her 

my friend.” 

Photo: ©Spencer Platt/Getty Images 

After his graduation from Harvard, Carter 

returned to Tennessee as a senior adviser to 

cabinet-level officers, first in the Department 

of Environment and Conservation and then 

in the Department of Transportation. “I 

needed time to legitimize what I’d learned in 

class,” he says. 

For five years, he served in state government, 

but when the Bush administration 

began occupying Washington, D.C., in 

January 2001, Carter couldn’t deny a yearning 

to be part of it. 

On Thursday, Sept. 6, he interviewed with 

the chief of staff of the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, who offered him a choice of 

two positions. Comfortable with his pending 

place in the administration, Carter flew back 

to Nashville, where his wife, Cheryl, was 

preparing their daughters— Alexandra, now 

7, Katherine, now 4, and Jacqueline, now 

2—for the imminent move back to her home 

state of Virginia. 

The following Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, 

terrorists attacked the Pentagon and New 

York City. Like the rest of the nation, 

Washington, D.C., was in chaos. Contacted 

by a Department of Transportation staff 

member, Carter learned rumors were flying 

that a new federal agency might be fasttracked 

to better secure America’s transportation 

systems. 

Over the phone, Carter heard the words: 

4 Austin Peay/Fall 2003 

PEAY Alum FACT: David Gleeson (’64) is president of Morflex Inc., in Greensboro, N.C. Way to Go!

“Ronnie, if you want either of the jobs I 

offered, it’s yours. But with your background, 

we could use you in starting up a 

“ 9/11 caused a shift 

of consciousness in 

our country... 

We’ve learned our 

good nature can be 

used against us.” 

new agency.” 

At the time, the organizational blueprint 

for the agency was sketchy, and its responsibilities 

were vague. But Carter knew, if the 

plan were approved, it would be the first pure 

federal government start-up in more than 70 

years. “I wasn’t inclined to say ‘no,’” he 

says. 

“As a K School graduate, I was committed 

to public policy, and I knew I’d never 

see another pure government start-up. I didn’t 

know what I would be doing when I got 

there, but I went. There’s no way to put a 

price tag on such an opportunity.” 

On Nov. 19, 2001, a bill creating the federal 

Transportation Security Administration 

(TSA) passed. Carter was on the job three 

weeks later—the fifth person selected for 

Transportation Secretary Mineta’s TSA task 

force. As the operations chief for the task 

force, Carter helped shape an agency that, 

essentially, would hold the security of the 

traveling public in its hands. 

The importance of the new agency was 

apparent in how quickly it received congressional 

approval. For everyone involved, the 

first few months were a blur. “It was so 

intense at first—like being involved in a 

business start-up,” Carter says. “I just 

worked the problems day-by-day.” 

Carter literally was involved with every 

major policy issue faced by TSA during the 

first six months. “ I hired 150 consultants in 

the first few months,” he says. “The ‘dotcoms’ 

had gone under, and we were flooded 

with MBAs, CPAs.” 

The enthusiasm and energy within the 

new agency was fueled by a red-hot patriotism. 

“We worked cooperatively with other 

agencies,” he says. “There were no politics 

involved. It was an energizing atmosphere.” 

Initially, Carter helped set the policy and 

programs surrounding the new national security 

initiative. Later, he was charged with 

establishing TSA’s nationwide logistics network. 

His official title today? Senior policy 

adviser to the Office of the Administrator. 

But, for Carter, a title always took a backseat 

to the mission. And he is passionate about 

TSA’s mission. 

“9/11 caused a shift of consciousness in 

our country,” he says. “The world’s a lot 

smaller. The essence of the American spirit 

was not damaged, but Americans are more 

pragmatic now. We’ve learned our good 

nature can be used against us.” 

Oversight of TSA, which at first was 

within the Department of Transportation, was 

shifted to the new cabinet-level Department 

of Homeland Security in March 2003. What 

does he think of his new boss? “Tom Ridge 

is a dedicated public servant. He’s intelligent 

and, more importantly, he’s effective. His 

experience in the military, the public sector 

and politics prepared him to be successful in 

this job.” 

Although an admirer of Ridge, Carter 

laments the increasing bureaucracy as TSA 

matures. 

What Carter does like is to “work the 

problem,” and he does it well. His desire to 

“work the problem” echoes the admonition 

of his high school band teacher, an admonition 

Carter took to heart: If you’re not part 

of the solution, you’re part of the problem. 

Now that TSA is humming along, one 

wonders if this adventurous young man’s 

heart is turning toward the next challenge. 

Thus, the question begs to be asked: Given 

his education and experience, does he aspire 

to public office —perhaps in his beloved 

Tennessee? The corners of Carter’s mouth 

turn up in a faint smile. He says, “I keep an 

open mind about everything.” 

Although not a musician, he’s become 

an experienced player, one who walked 

fearlessly into the spotlight of a different 

stage—the stage of public policy. 

Ronnie Carter (’88), senior policy adviser to the Office of the Administrator, U. S. Department of 

Homeland Security, returned to APSU to give the Spring 2003 Commencement address. 



5

Making APSU Headlines 

Changing Minds. Changing Lives: Alumnus’ gift kick starts capital campaign 

At a celebration May 3 at Pace Alumni Center at 

Emerald Hill, three key volunteer leaders unveil a 

thermometer showing the status of APSU’s first 

capital campaign. Ann Ross, center, is chair of the 

campaign with Don Jenkins, left, and Billy Atkins, 

right, serving as co-chairs. 

During the silent phase of Austin Peay’s 

first-ever capital campaign, University staff 

and volunteers vacillated between anticipation 

and anxiety, wondering if the goal of $15 million 

were attainable, especially since the 

APSU administration was bucking the advice 

of a consultant who researched the potential 

for private gifts to APSU. 

Given the lagging economy, the fiscal 

uncertainty of Tennessee higher education 

and the many other local nonprofit organizations 

already in the midst of major fundraising 

efforts, the consultant told APSU 

President Sherry Hoppe this was not the best 

time to launch a major fundraising initiative—especially 

a history-making first-ever 

capital campaign. 

Optimistic and confident APSU’s alumni 

and friends would support their University, Dr. 

Hoppe thanked the consultant—and moved 

forward with the campaign’s silent phase. 

Three community leaders stepped up to 

help with the effort—dubbed the Changing 

Minds, Changing Lives Campaign. Campaign 

chair is Ann Ross, Clarksville, who worked 30 

years as manager of the APSU Book and 

Supply Store. Co-chairs are Don Jenkins, 

owner of Jenkins & Wynne Automotive, and 

Billy Atkins, president of Legends Bank. 

Hopeful the $15 million ultimately would 

Heather Kennedy 

be reached, APSU officials set an interim target 

goal of $7.5 million by September 2003. 

But at a May 3 dinner at Pace Alumni Center 

at Emerald Hill, an enthusiastic Hoppe 

announced that more than $10 million already 

had been committed. 

She also announced that the largest gift to 

date was that of Clarksvillians Ben (’51) and 

Margaret Kimbrough, who pledged $2 million 

from their estate in addition to a gift of 

$150,000 during the campaign. A 1951 graduate 

of APSU, Kimbrough is the former president 

of First Trust & Savings Bank (now 

Bank of America). 

“I’m a great believer that, if you’ve been 

blessed with some of the resources of the 

world, you should show your appreciation by 

sharing,” Kimbrough said. “Giving to Austin 

Peay is one way Margaret and I give back to 

the community that has given us so much.” 

Because the campaign is going so well, 

Hoppe thinks it likely will top $25 million, 

and she urges all APSU alumni and friends 

join the effort. 

Gifts and pledges will go to academic 

scholarships or to any area the donor specifies. 

For information or to make a pledge, 

telephone 931-221-7127 or go to 

www.apsu.edu/development. 

Paces honored for philanthropy 

with statewide award 

At the May 3 dinner at Pace Alumni Center 

at Emerald Hill, Wayne (’68) and Bobbi (’69) 

Pace of New York City and Atlanta received 

the inaugural Tennessee Board of Regents 

(TBR) Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in 

Philanthropy. 

The honor recognized the more than 

$1 million the couple has given APSU. 

In presenting the award, TBR Chancellor 

Charles Manning, Nashville, cited numerous 

instances of the Paces’ generosity to APSU, 

both in time and money. Manning noted that 

the couple recently donated more than 

$500,000 to renovate and expand Pace 

Alumni Center at Emerald Hill, an antebellum 

mansion that is home to the APSU 

National Alumni Association. 

He also told how, in February 2002, the 

couple flew from New York City to Nashville 

to attend the Candlelight Ball, APSU’s annual 

black-tie fundraiser. There, Pace made a 

commitment for $400,000 to fund four fully 

endowed scholarships in honor of four professors 

at APSU, each of whom had a profound 

influence on his life. 

Clearly moved by his selection to receive 

the statewide award for philanthropy, Pace 

took the podium. “There’s so much we get 

called upon for our time and our money and 

our commitment. But this (giving to APSU) 

always seemed right to Bobbi and me.” 

Years ago when the Paces first began talking 

about supporting APSU, they came up 

with an amount they felt they “should” 

give—and then decided to stretch themselves 

as donors, he said. 

Pace challenged everyone to reach beyond 

what they think they should give, saying 

“Folks, it feels good…very, very good.” 

Echoing Pace’s sentiment that giving to 

others blesses the giver as much as the one 

who receives, Hoppe concluded the event by 

citing an ancient Chinese proverb: “He who 

gives flowers to others discovers the fragrance 

remains on his hands.” 

Hoppe named OVC president 

For the first time in its 56-year history, the 

Ohio Valley Conference Board of Presidents 

is under the leadership of two women. 

Dr. Sherry Hoppe, APSU president, was 


PEAY Alum FACT: The Honorable Larry Potter (’73) is general sessions judge for Shelby County, Tenn. Way to Go!

Making APSU Headlines 

chosen president and board chair. Eastern 

Kentucky University President Joanne 

Glasser was named vice president and board 

co-chair. 

In addition to being a first for the OVC, it 

is believed to be the first time in NCAA history 

that two women have held the top leadership 

positions of a Division I conference in 

the same year. 

The first woman to head a four-year university 

in Tennessee, Hoppe said, “I’m 

pleased to be able to serve in a leadership 

role at this important time in the Ohio Valley 

Conference’s history. 

“With two new institutions joining our 

conference and a new commissioner who 

brings fresh energy and ideas, it’s an exciting 

time in the league. I look forward to working 

with Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher in 

maintaining the strong traditions of the OVC 

while adapting to the ever-changing world of 

intercollegiate athletics.” 

Students groan as tuition 

jumps—again 

During the first few days of July 2002, the 

citizenry was on pins and needles as state 

government shut down while Tennessee lawmakers 

struggled to adopt a budget. Happily, 

on July 3, 2002, a compromise budget 

passed. Unhappily, it led to an increase in 

APSU tuition of 7.5 percent. 

This year, newly elected Gov. Phil 

Bredesen followed through on his promise to 

move toward resolution of ongoing statebudget 

shortfalls. As part of that, the base 

budget for all public colleges and universities 

was reduced by 9 percent. The process proceeded 

more smoothly than last year—but the 

outcome was even worse for students. 

Tuition for Fall 2003 Semester increased a 

whopping 14 percent. In fact, students have 

seen undergraduate tuition more than double 

since 1992. 

“There is certainly concern…students may 

reach the conclusion that access to higher 

education is too expensive,” said Mitch 

Robinson, APSU vice president for finance 

and administration. “Historically, enrollment 

has not declined as a result of tuition increases, 

but at some point it may—and the question 

is, where is that point.” 

APSU alumnus and Secretary of State 

Riley Darnell (’62), a member of the 

Tennessee Higher Education Commission, 

said, “I personally don’t see a light at the end 

Jennifer Adcock 

Brooke Armistead 

After unprecedented athletic success 

throughout 2002-03, Austin Peay capped off 

the year of achievements by claiming one of 

the Ohio Valley Conference’s most prestigious 

honors—the OVC Academic Achievement 

Banner—for the first time in history! 

The OVC Academic Achievement Banner is 

given annually to the school whose student-athletes 

have the highest combined grade-point 

average (GPA) compared to the average for the 

entire, full-time undergraduate student body. 

APSU’s student-athletes had a combined GPA 

of 2.89, which was slightly higher than the 2.74 

GPA of all full-time, undergraduate students. 

“The OVC Academic Achievement Banner is 

truly an award that demonstrates outstanding 

dedication of an institution’s student-athlete 

population to the importance of academics,” 

of the tunnel. I think we’re in for several 

more years of this. 

“But I’d rather see a 14 percent increase than 

watch the institutions slowly bleed to death.” 

Casey Kelley 

APSU athletes win in the classroom, too 

Jordan Eads 

Exemplifying the best in academic achievement among athletes are Jennifer Adcock in softball, Brooke 

Armistead in women's basketball, Casey Kelley in volleyball and Jordan Eads in women's cross country and 

women's track and field. Each received an OVC Medal of Honor for having a perfect 4.0 GPA. 

OVC Commissioner Jon A. Steinbrecher said. 

“Austin Peay deserves to be proud of this significant 

accomplishment of its student-athletes.” 

APSU’s performance marks just the fourth 

time in the coveted award’s 17-year history 

that it has gone to an institution in Tennessee. 

Past Tennessee recipients are UT-Martin, 

Tennessee State University and Middle 

Tennessee State University. 

OVC staff also announced that four APSU 

student-athletes received OVC Medals of 

Honor for perfect 4.0 GPAs: Brooke 

Armistead, women’s basketball; Jordan Eads, 

women’s cross country and women’s track 

and field; Jennifer Adcock, softball; and 

Casey Kelley, volleyball. 

Forty-eight APSU student-athletes were 

named to the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll. 

Racism at APSU? 

Actions speak louder 

than words 

Following protests by a small number of 

African American students regarding budget 

cuts, academic reorganization and a perception 

of racial profiling, the University’s decisions 

were investigated last spring by the 

Clarksville Chapter of the NAACP and the 

Black Legislative Caucus. 

President Sherry Hoppe appeared before 

the Black Caucus to respond to questions, 

and more than 1,100 pages of documents dating 

back as far as 1985 were generated by 

APSU in response to requests from the 

NAACP. 

After presenting the facts and documents to 

refute all allegations, APSU’s leadership team 

turned its attention back to ongoing initiatives 

to recruit and retain African American students, 

faculty and staff. 

Richard Jackson, the president’s senior 

adviser for affirmative action, diversity and 

legal affairs, is working with other members 

of the leadership team on these efforts. 

Examples are: 

ASTAR Program 

For the second consecutive year, APSU staff 

actively recruited African American students 

Continued on page 20 

Photos: APSU Sports Information 


7

“And o’er them the lighthouse looked lovely as hope— 

that star of life’s tremulous ocean.” 

—Paul Moon James 

Once a chemistry major, Howard W. Roddy (’71) practices a modern-day 

alchemy—bringing disparate elements together to create health-care solutions. 

In the process, he’s lighting his community’s darkest corners. 

From 

beakers toBeaco 

By: Debbie Denton, Marketing Manager 

Howard W. Roddy 

loves lighthouses. 

Prints of lighthouses 

grace the wall opposite 

his desk in the 

executive office 

suites of Memorial 

Health Care System 

in Chattanooga. 

Miniature lighthouses embellish wall-hung 

shelves and march across the window sill behind 

him. Decorative plates bearing images of lighthouses 

accessorize the tables to the right and left 

of the two comfortable chairs facing his desk. 

“I love their history, their beauty, the fact that 

they’ve survived in time,” he says, attempting to 

explain the attraction. 

But what Roddy doesn’t see, and others quickly 

do, is that lighthouses—structures whose purpose 

is to guide sailors and warn them of dangers—are 

the perfect metaphor for Roddy. 

His is a life dedicated to leading, guiding and 

protecting others. To making a difference. 

The phrase, “make a difference,” turns up frequently 

in Roddy’s conversations, and it turned 

up early in his life as a compelling personal motivator. 

As a student at Austin Peay, he was a member 

of Alpha Phi Omega, a fraternity whose purpose 

is “to develop leadership, promote friendship and 

provide service to humanity.” 

Roddy graduated with a BS and a major in 

chemistry in 1971. His plan was to pursue a job 

with a major chemical company like Dupont or 

Eastman-Kodak. But he was offered a job with 

the Hamilton County Health Department, and 

seeing the opportunity to “go home,” he immediately 

accepted. 

“I did everything from inspecting swimming 

pools to rodent control to licensing and inspecting 

day-care centers,” he recalls. “A little of 

everything.” 

After a couple of years, Roddy returned to 

school for a master of science degree in environmental 

health administration, graduating from 

ETSU in 1974. He worked as a planner and grant 

writer for two community health centers until 

1981, when the Hamilton County executive 

appointed him director of the health department. 

continued on page 32 

8 


PEAY Alum FACT: Dr. Phil Roe (’67) is an obstetrician in Johnson City, Tenn. Way to Go!

n 

Photos & layout: Bill Persinger 

Lighthouse photo: Getty Images 


9

2003 Alumni Awards 

The APSU National Alumni Association 

proudly presents its top awards during 

Homecoming weekend—a tradition that 

began in 1992. 

This year’s recipients will be honored during 

the Alumni Awards and Reunion Brunch, 

which begins at 10:30 a.m., Nov. 1 in the 

Tommy Head Atrium, Sundquist Science 

Complex—a choice spot to watch the 

Homecoming Parade. Friends and relatives 

are invited to celebrate with the honorees and 

enjoy a delicious brunch. 

The Outstanding Service Award was established 

by the APSU National Alumni 

Association to give special recognition to 

individuals who, through fund raising, 

recruiting, advocacy or faithful service, have 

brought honor and distinction to APSU. This 

award, which may be given to someone who 

is not an APSU alumnus/a, represents the 

highest honor conferred by the APSUNAA. 

The Outstanding Young Alumnus/a Award 

is given to a graduate of APSU who is age 42 

or younger. It recognizes outstanding accomplishments 

in one’s profession, business, community, 

state or nation that have brought a 

high level of honor and pride to the 

University. 

The Outstanding Alumnus/a Award is relatively 

new; it was established last year to 

honor an APSU graduate, regardless of age, 

for outstanding accomplishments in his/her 

profession, business, community, state or 

nation that have brought a high level of 

honor and pride to the University. 

The Outstanding Service Award for 2003 

goes to Brandon Buhler (’51), Perkins 

Freeman and James T. Mann, all of 

Clarksville. 

The Outstanding Young Alumnus/a Award 

for 2003 is shared by Nelson Boehms (’86), 

Clarksville, Dr. Valencia May (’86), 

Memphis, and Kathryn Shearer (’92), 

Huntsville, Ala. 

Recipients of the Outstanding Alumnus/a 

Award are Gordon Jackson (’61), Memphis, 

and Dr. Ramona Lumpkin (’67), London, 

Ontario, Canada. 

2003 Outstanding Service Award 

Brandon Lee Buhler (’51) 

As a student at 

APSU, Brandon 

Buhler was Dave 

Aaron’s right-hand 

man, working as 

the manager of several 

of Aaron’s 

teams. 

Brandon Lee 

Buhler 

Contributed photo 

Today, Buhler is 

known as a founding 

father of the 

Aaron Foundation at 

APSU. In memory 

of the beloved coach and athletics director, 

Buhler and several of Aaron’s former players 

established the foundation in 1991. Through 

their efforts, the Aaron Foundation stands at 

more than $175,000, with interest going 

toward athletic scholarships. 

During Homecoming, the founding fathers 

host a reunion for a closely knit group of 

men, all connected by a common thread— 

each played or worked under Aaron, who 

ingrained in them precepts that went far 

beyond the court or field, lessons that continue 

to light their lives today. 

Buhler was born in Stewart County, the 

son of Franklin and Gladys Buhler. When 

Camp Campbell was created in the 1940s, 

the farm was absorbed into the new Army 

post, and the family bought a farm in 

Christian County, Ky., which now belongs to 

Buhler and his brother, Andrew. 

Buhler earned a degree in secondary education 

from APSU. From 1951-55, he 

coached and taught at Montgomery Central 

High School and, during the summers, measured 

tobacco and sold jewelry, cookware and 

sporting goods. Such double-duty set the 

tone for his business career. 

After teaching, he became a partner in 

several restaurants and a jewelry/sporting 

goods business in Clarksville. Then he and 

his family moved to Atlanta where he got 

into construction and recreational-vehicle 

sales. In 1967 the family returned to 

Clarksville, and Buhler continued to sell 

RVs. From 1968-75, he was district sales 

manager for Winnebago Industries. After 

selling real estate briefly, Buhler was district 

sales manager for National Homes and 

National Building Systems from 1978-92. In 

1992 he retired to oversee the family farm. 

He is active in the Madison Street 

Methodist Church and has a 10-year record 

of service to the Governors Club. He is a 

Mason, Kentucky Colonel and Shriner. He 

belongs to the Winnebago VIP Club, 

National Homes Presidents Club and 

National Building Systems Chairman’s Club. 

Buhler has two children from a previous 

marriage, Deborah McCullough of 

Douglasville, Ga., and Mark Buhler of 

Dickson, and five grandchildren—Megan, 

Sara and Amie McCullough and William 

Brandon and Lori Leanne Buhler. 

In 1994 Buhler married Thelma McKenzie 

(’58), a highly respected speech pathologist 

with offices in Clarksville, Hopkinsville and 

Greenville, Ky. She has three grown sons, 

William, Bryon and Brad. 


Perkins Freeman 

With his ready 

smile, zest for life 

and quick wit, 

Perkins Freeman 

spreads happiness 

wherever he goes 

and, thankfully, 

years ago his career 


brought him to 

Clarksville and 

Perkins Freeman Austin Peay. 

One of 15 children, 

Freeman was born in 1919 on a farm 

near Gallatin. By scrubbing dorm floors, he 

was able to attend David Lipscomb his freshman 

year. The next year, he got a football 

scholarship to Cumberland University, 

Lebanon. Freeman didn’t make the team but, 

undaunted, he waited tables for three meals a 

day, seven days a week, to pay for tuition, 

room and board. 

Freeman’s struggle to attain a college education 

is perhaps one reason he has helped 

ease the way to college for young people in 

financial need. 

When the first military draft of Oct. 15, 

1940, rolled around, Freeman was too young, 

so he took a job with Southern Bell, 

Nashville—digging holes, setting poles. His 

pay? Thirty cents an hour. 

In December 1941, with WWII underway, 

he volunteered for the U.S. Navy and soon was 

called to active duty. Because he had experience 

with a telephone company, the Navy sent 

him to radio school. In 1942, he was issued a 

rifle and sent to the South Pacific to set up 


PEAY Alum FACT: Dr. William Russo (’67), Memphis, is a renowned cardiologist and science-fiction author. Way to Go!

adio equipment. After the war ended, Freeman 

was discharged in October 1945. 

On Dec. 1, 1945, he rejoined Bell, just as a 

new program was beginning. Headquartered 

in Atlanta, where Freeman and his wife, Ruth, 

moved, the program took telephone service to 

rural areas within the nine states served by 

Southern Bell. 

The couple’s only child, Cindy, was born 

during their time in Atlanta. She later enrolled 

at APSU, graduating in 1973. 

In 1953, the family moved to Nashville 

where Freeman worked nine years in 

Southern Bell’s Business Office before transferring 

to Clarksville as manager for a 13- 

county area. In 1968, AT&T and the “baby 

Bells” split, giving Freeman oversight of 25 

Middle Tennessee counties. 

Eventually, he was asked to transfer to 

Birmingham, Ala., headquarters of South 

Central Bell, but he didn’t want to move. With 

41 years of service, he retired July 1, 1981, so 

his family could remain in Clarksville. 

Freeman is a respected community leader. 

During his nine years in Springfield, Tenn., 

he was Rotary Club president and secretary 

and president of the Chamber of Commerce. 

After moving to Clarksville, he continued 

his community involvement. He is a lifetime 

member of the Conservation Club and a corporate 

member of the Association of the United 

States Army. He belongs to the Montgomery 

County Sportsman Club, the Pointer and Setter 

Club, Clarksville Country Club and is an elder 

and board chair of First Christian Church. 

His service to APSU is long and strong. He 

is a member of the Tower Club, Governors 

Club, APSU Foundation Board of Trustees 

and the President’s Circle of Advisers. 

He sponsors the Governors Club/Perkins 

Freeman Academic Achievement Award. 

From the $50,000 given or raised by 

Freeman, a $1,000 award is presented annually 

to a top student-athlete. 

With awards averaging $1,500, more than 

50 music students have received Freeman- 

Meise Scholarships, sponsored by Freeman. 

Few Gov fans are as loyal. Although he 

gives much of himself to APSU, he says he 

gets more than he gives. “APSU…is the 

greatest because of its people,” he says. 

“My great friends at Austin Peay have 

meant more than most of you will ever know. 

Thanks for letting me be a part of all the good 

times we have enjoyed.” 


James T. Mann 

In Clarksville, 

the name Jim Mann 

is synonymous with 

top-notch leadership 

in banking, education 

and the arts. 

Although not an 

APSU alumnus, 


Mann appreciates 

the University as if 

James T. Mann it were his alma 

mater. As a bank 

president and as a man who has drunk from 

the well of education, Mann understands 

APSU’s value to the community—from an 

infusion of $165 million annually into the 

economy to the University’s role as the area 

nurturer and provider of the arts. 

Mann earned his bachelor’s degree from 

Vanderbilt University and a master’s degree 

in mathematics from The Ohio State 

University. In 1964 he was commissioned a 

2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army and was in 

active service in 1970-71. 

Before entering the financial world, Mann 

was an academician—working nine years as a 

teaching assistant at The Ohio State 

University. In 1973, he joined First Federal 

Savings Bank and rose steadily up the ranks 

until becoming president and chief executive 

officer in January 1981. 

Mann is a “mover and shaker.” In 2001-02, 

he chaired the Clarksville Area Chamber of 

Commerce and the Clarksville Economic 

Development Council and has been on their 

board since 1986, including two terms as 

chair. Since 1991, he has been on the board 

of Intrieve, serving as board chair since 2000. 

He is on the board of the local United Way 

and was a board member and chair of the 

Clarksville Armed Services YMCA from 

1978-81. He served two terms as chair of the 

Clarksville Salvation Army unit. He was district 

chair for the Cogiobia District Boy 

Scouts for two years and area chair for the 

Middle Tennessee Council of Boy Scouts of 

America in 1997-99. He served in 1997-98 as 

chair of the Clarksville/Montgomery County 

Public Library Foundation. 

In addition to a successful presidency of 

the Clarksville Community Concert 

Association, he was co-founder and president 

of Leadership Clarksville and was chair of 

Youth Leadership Clarksville. He is active in 

Madison Street United Methodist Church. He 

is a member of the Kiwanis Club, where he 

was Distinguished Past President and 


Distinguished Past Lt. Governor. 

Among his many other honors, he was 

named the William O. Beach Citizen of the 

Year in 1995 by the local chapter of the 

American Cancer Society. In that same year, 

he received the Ovation Award from the 

APSU Center for the Creative Arts for his 

strong support and advocacy. The Middle 

Tennessee Council of Boy Scouts of America 

presented him with the Silver Beaver Award in 

2001, and in 2002 he received The Gracey 

Award for distinguished service to the 

Customs House Museum, Clarksville. 

Mann, who was chair of the Tennessee 

League of Savings Institutions in 1980-90 and 

president of the Southeastern Conference of 

Community Banks in 1995-97, is on the 

board of America’s Community Banks (ACB) 

and a member of ACB Legislative 

Committee, Mutual Institutions Committee 

and Technology Committee. 

He and his wife, the former Dorothy Anne 

Newton, have three grown children—Laura, 

31, James Jr., 29, and William Russell, 26. 

Dr. Valencia 

McChristian-May 


2003 Outstanding Young Alumna 

Dr. Valencia McChristian-May (‘86) 

Her office e-mail address, heavnsentdentist@msn.com, 

says a lot about what the practice 

of dentistry means to Dr. Valencia 

McChristian-May. But it says even more 

about what her care means to her patients. 

For them, she truly is Heaven-sent. 

McChristian- 

May of Memphis is 

in private practice at 

Plaza Dental Offices 

in the Poplar Plaza 

Shopping Center. 

Besides her private 

practice, she volunteers 

in free dental 

clinics, providing 

treatment to people 

with no insurance. 

She also donates her time to visit schools and 

talk with children about the importance of caring 

for their teeth. 

“The most rewarding aspect of my work is 

the smiles and hugs from kids when they’ve 

had their dental work completed with little or 

no discomfort,” she says, “or from adults who 

have conquered their phobias and cry when 

they see their smile restored.” 

May earned her bachelor’s degree from 

APSU in 1986 and a doctorate of dental science 

from the University of Tennessee- 

Memphis in 1989. 


11

From Tennessee to 

Texas: Blazing a trail 

By: DENNIE B. BURKE 


Public Relations and Marketing 

The skyscrapers of downtown 

Houston pierce the pale blue sky. A 

predawn storm that blew up from 

Galveston is just a memory. By 9 

a.m. the April sun has dried up any 

rain puddles, leaving the air clean, 

almost cool, with no hint of the 

cloying humidity that soon will 

wrap the city in a damp embrace. 

Flanked by a bright profusion of 

yellow and purple pansies, marble 

steps lead up from a wide sidewalk 

to the Bell Street entrance of the 

building. Inside the lobby, the familiar 

line of security people and paraphernalia 

prevent unescorted visitors 

from reaching the elevators. 

In a tailored, black suit, she strides quickly 

and confidently across the lobby, offering her 

hand and a welcoming smile. 

Her black hair is brushed sleekly back 

from her face, clasped at the nape of her neck 

in a ponytail. A no-nonsense style softened 

by her luminous, hazel-hued eyes. 

Jolyn M. Pope (’99) is an ambitious young 

woman who knows who she is, what she 

wants and how to get it. She embodies the 

essence of Houston—a bustling metropolis 

where country and cosmopolitan collide, an 

upstart, smart city full of the energy and optimism 

of youth. 

Pope has worked as an in-house attorney 

for ExxonMobil Corp. for a year, having been 

scooped up by the international oil company 

immediately after law school. 

Growing up, there was never a question 

she would attend college. After graduating 

from APSU, she went directly to the 

University of Tennessee School of Law. The 

person who propelled her toward higher education 

was her grandfather, the late Odell M. 

Hargis of Stewart County. 

As a tribute to him, within weeks of graduating 

from law school, Pope pledged to 

endow a scholarship in his name. The 

first Odell M. Hargis Memorial 

Scholarship was awarded in 

2003. Pope says, “I’m 

thrilled to endow the 

scholarship. It’s something 

I wanted to do 

for a long time.” 

Was her grandfather 

an attorney, 

too? “No,” she 

says. “But he was 

very smart. He 

finished the eighth 

grade—a rarity for a 

Tennessee farm boy 

back then.” 

After working for a 

while on the family farm, 

Hargis left Tennessee, traveling 

all over and working myriad jobs. 

Finally, he settled in Jacksonville, Fla., where 

he built a tool-and-die business from the 

ground up. There he met and married Pope’s 

grandmother. When he retired, the couple 

moved back to Tennessee. 

‘He lived an interesting, fulfilling life,” 

Odell M. Hargis 

Pope says, “but he regretted he never completed 

school. He did everything possible to make 

sure his children and grandchildren received a 

proper education, because he was never 

afforded an opportunity to go to college. I 

know he would be happy I’ve endowed a 

scholarship to help others.” 

Did her degree in political science prepare 

her for law school? “I don’t know if anyone 

can be prepared,” she says. “Law school is a 

different world.” 

But her honors prove she, indeed, was 

ready for the rigorous regimen. A member of 

Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity, she served 

as Student Bar Association secretary 

and chaired both the Faculty 

Appointment Committee and 

the Development Council. 

She was named to “The 

Law Review” and when 

she graduated in May 

2003 she received a 

Dean’s Citation for her 

contribution to the 

College of Law. 

A book she wrote, 

“Braving the Waters: A 

Guide for Tennessee’s 

Aspiring Entrepreneurs,” 

is being used as a college 

textbook. “The Tennessee Law 

Review” published her article on 

financial crime and disclosure of 

confidential information, and another of 

her articles was cited recently in a brief 

before the Supreme Court in Washington 

State. 

Before her law school graduation, Pope 

was not sure she wanted to work in a large 

law firm. Large firms rotate young associates 

12 


PEAY Alum FACT: Keri McInnis (’95) is senior vice president for Pinnacle Financial Partners (Green Hills office) in Nashville.

through several specialty areas, one of which 

generally is trial law. Pope felt time spent in 

litigation would be a waste for her because she 

had no interest in it. 

Large law firms also are notorious for pushing 

young associates relentlessly, sometimes 

working them around the clock. Pope was 

adamant about having a life outside work. “One 

reason I chose the corporate path was I don’t 

want to be here 70 hours a week. I have many 

interests, and I want balance in my life.” 

She enjoys working for ExxonMobil. Her 

daily schedule is fairly stable, and her cases are 

interesting. The job offers opportunities to 

work with esteemed colleagues and to travel 

within and outside the United States. 

“(My grandfather) 

lived an interesting, 

fulfilling life, but 

he regretted he 

never completed 

school. He did 

everything possible 

to make sure his 

children and grandchildren 

received a 

proper education.” 

Her specialty is environmental issues. 

Currently, she has a matter pending in the 

Congo—and that’s as much as she can say. 

When she is working on cases in another 

state, she hires a local attorney. Not only is the 

attorney licensed in that state, but he or she 

understands the nuances of local politics. In 

such a situation her supervisor might assign 

Pope the case and secure outside counsel. Pope 

continued on page 24 

Photo by Jeff Fitlow 

Way to Go! 


13

Alumni News & Calendar of Events 2003-2004 

September 

Sept. 13 

Sept. 16 

Sept. 27 

“Big Fat Greek Luau” 

(second annual APSU Greek alumni event) 

6 p.m., Pace Alumni Center at Emerald Hill 

Sponsored by Budweiser of Clarksville 

$30 per person, $55 couple. 

Book signing and reception for 

Joe Calloway (’74) 

4-6 p.m., Pace Alumni Center at Emerald Hill. Free. 

Pre-Game Tailgate Party 

5 p.m., APSU vs. Kentucky Wesleyan 

Armory parking lot, APSU. Free. 

Sept. 29- Phonathon 2003 

Oct. 23 6-9 p.m., Monday-Thursday 

Pace Alumni Center at Emerald Hill. 

October 

Oct. 9 

Oct. 13 

Oct. 18 

Oct. 25 

Cheatham County Alumni Chapter Reception 

6-8 p.m., New National Guard Armory, 

1935 Highway 12 North, Ashland City. Free. 

Career Explorations and Connections Seminar 

6 p.m., Keynote address by Wayne Pace (’68) 

music/mass communication concert theatre 

7 p.m., Breakout session. 8 p.m., Reception. 

Sponsored by APSU National Alumni Association. 

Montgomery County Alumni Chapter “Round Up” 

7 p.m., Ajax Distributing Co. Pavilion 

330 Warfield Blvd., Clarksville 

$25 per person; advance ticket purchase required 

Sponsored by Ajax Distributing Company and 

Miller Lite. 


11 a.m., APSU at Davidson, N.C. Free. 

(details TBA) 

Oct. 31- Homecoming 2003 

Nov. 1 See pages 16-17 

November 

Nov. 29 

14 

We’ll be calling 

From Sept. 29-Oct. 23, APSU will conduct its annual scholarship 

phonathon. Faculty, staff and students will be calling all 

alums to request pledges, remind you of upcoming 

Homecoming and alumni events and answer questions you may 

have about APSU. It’s one way we stay in touch. 


5:30 p.m., The Pyramid, Memphis. 

APSU vs. University of Memphis. Free. 


December 

Dec. 5 

Dec. 6 

March 

Senior Salute 

4-6 p.m. 

Pace Alumni Center at Emerald Hill 


5:30 p.m., Tuscaloosa, Ala. 

APSU vs. University of Alabama. 

Details to be announced. 

March 13 Candlelight Ball 

6:30 p.m., Hilton Suites, Nashville. 

$150 per person 

Call (931)221-7127 for more information. 

April 

April 17 50-Year Reunion (Class of 1954) 

Pace Alumni Center at Emerald Hill 

(details TBA) 

New alumni online community 

New and improved Alumni Online Community coming 

soon from Internet Association Corporation! 

Watch for the launch date and be sure to register 

online. Check out these easy-to-use features so we can 

keep you up-to-date on all alumni and University news: 

Class Notes Postings, Online Event Registration, 

Homecoming Registration and Information Online, 

Personal Photo Upload Capability, Online Alumni Directory, 

eMessage Center, Pager Messaging, Personal Pals Lists. 

Attention donors! 

In 1997, Austin Peay created a series of pewter plates 

for donors who contributed $1,000 or more. The first four 

plates depict the Pace Alumni Center at Emerald Hill, 

Harned Hall, the Browning Building and the Memorial 

Health Building. This series ended in 2000. 

The pewter plate for 2001 depicts the Sundquist 

Science Complex. The 2002 piece is a glass stein. 

If you believe you are entitled to one or more of these 

plates or steins and did not receive it or them, please 

contact the University Advancement Office at 931-221- 

7127. Your item will be delivered or mailed to you. 

We need your help! 

Can you help locate our “lost” alumni? Please go to the 

Alumni and Friends Web site at 

www.apsu.edu/alumni/lost1.asp to view the current list 

of “lost” alumni. We appreciate any information to help 

locate them. Responses can be made by e-mail, telephone 

or fax. 

PEAY Alum FACT: Rick Canady (’73) is executive administrator for Houston Eye Associates in Texas. Way to Go!

Alumni News & Calendar of Events 

50-Year Reunion 2003 

Want to travel? 

Special deals on travel are available through the APSU 

National Alumni Association. For details call 931-221- 

7979. You also can e-mail a request for information to 

alumni@apsu.edu. 

Left, Governors Guild members join with 

the Class of ’53 during their 50-Year 

Reunion in April. 

Photos: Heather Kennedy 

Right, Eleven members of 

the Class of ’53 returned to 

campus in April to 

celebrate their 50-year 

Reunion. (top row, l-r) Dr. 

Dawson Durrett, Waldo 

Young, Paul Welker, Jim 

Odum, Bobby Ladd, John 

Nolen, Dr. Herbert Rowland 

Cole. (front-l-r) Dr. William 

Ellis, Carrie Hadley Malone, 

Lelah Baggett McClearen, 

John McClearen. 

Above, Dr. Herbert Rowland Cole (’53), left, and 

Robert Thompson (’52) catch up on old times during 

the 50-Year Reunion dinner April 12. 

Above, Mrs. Agnes Ellis enjoys refreshments at the Pace 

Alumni Center at Emerald Hill during the 50-Year Reunion 

reception. 

Above, Governors Guild members Dr. and Mrs. 

Charles Waters attend a reception at Archwood 

hosted by Dr. Sherry Hoppe prior to the 50-Year 

Reunion dinner. 

50-Year Reunion 

Committee co-chairs 

Dr. William Ellis 

(left) and Dr. Herbert 

Rowland Cole present 

their "class gift" to 

APSU President 

Sherry Hoppe. 

President 

Hoppe chats 

with Class of 

’53 member 

John Nolen at 

Archwood during 

a wine 

and cheese 

reception. 

Classmates Dr. William 

Ellis (l-r), Dr. Dawson 

Durrett and Waldo 

Young look through 

their '53 yearbook during 

the 50-Year 

Reunion reception at 

the Pace Alumni 

Center at Emerald Hill. 

See more 

alumni photos 

on pages 30-31 


15

United We Stand... R 

Homecoming 2003 Calendar of Events 

Jay (’89) and Gena (’94) Albertia, Homecoming Co-Chairs 

Monday, Oct. 27 

War of the Wings (chicken wing 

cook-off), Campus Cookout and 

Chariot Races 

Times TBA; Intramural Field (corner 

of Drane and Marion Streets), open 

to the public. Contact Student Life 

and Leadership (931) 221-7431. 

Tuesday, Oct. 28 

International/Multicultural Event 

Time, location and admission TBA; 

open to the public. 

Contact Student Life and Leadership 

(931) 221-7431. 

Wednesday, Oct. 29 

Variety Show 

7 p.m. (with announcement of 

Queen and King Court). 

Clement Auditorium; admission 

TBA; open to the public. 


(931) 221-7431. 

Thursday, Oct. 30 

Event TBA 

Location, time and admission TBA; 

open to the public. Contact Student 

Life and Leadership (931) 221-7431. 

Staying overnight? 

Consider one of these host hotels 

Riverview Inn 

50 College Street 

Clarksville 

1-877-487-4837 or 

931-522-3331 

Quality Inn 

Downtown 

Highway 41-A 

Clarksville 

1-800-4CHOICE or 

931-645-9084 

Remember to ask for the special APSU 

Homecoming Room Rate when making 

reservations! There will be an APSU information 

table in the lobby of both hotels. 

APSU Percussion Ensemble 

Halloween Concert 

6 and 8 p.m., concert theatre, 

music/mass communication building. 

$3 per person or donation of two 

cans of food for Loaves and Fishes. 

Open to the public. 

Contact the department of music 

(931) 221-7818. 

Friday, Oct. 31 

25th Annual Homecoming Golf 

Tournament 

8 a.m., Swan Lake Golf Course; $55 

per person. 

Sponsored by Ajax Distributing Co. 

and Miller Lite. 

Fee includes ditty bag, refreshments 

on course and light lunch. 

Nelson Boehms (’86) and Jeff 

Turner, co-chairs. 

Open to the public. Contact the 

Alumni and Annual Giving Office 

(931) 221-7979. 

Alumni and Friends Card Party 

10 a.m., Morgan University Center; 

$8 per person. 

Advance reservations required. 

Larry (’67) and Kay (’62) Martin and 

Margaret Ann Marshall, co-chairs. 



(931) 221-7979. 

GHOST (Great Halloween Options for 

Safer Trick or Treating) 

5-7 p.m., location TBA; open to 

the public. Contact Student Life and 

Leadership (931) 221-7431. 

12th Annual Dave Aaron Reception 

6 p.m., Pace Alumni Center at 

Emerald Hill, free. 

Former players for the late Dave 

Aaron are encouraged to reunite 

during this special event. 

Creson Briggs (’51), Glyn Broome 

(’51), Brandon Buhler (’51), Ben 

Fendley (’51), George Fisher (’52), 

Hendricks Fox (’51) and Dick 

Hardwick (’49), co-chairs. 

Contact the Alumni and Annual 

Giving Office (931) 221-7979. 

Homecoming Street Dance 

7 p.m. – midnight; band starts at 8 

p.m., free admission. 

“Follow the beacon to The Brary.” 

Reunite with friends and dance the 

night away at the corner of 

University and Main streets and bid 

farewell to an old campus hangout. 

Music by The Beagles. Food and 

beverages for sale; sponsored by 

Budweiser of Clarksville and The 

Black Horse Pub and Brewery. 

Terry (’80) and Debbie Griffin, 

Nelson (’86) and Deborah Boehms, 

Craig (’85) and Lori (’87) O’Shoney 

and Garnett (’83) and Nancy (’80) 

Ladd, co-chairs. 



(931) 221-7979. 

Bonfire 

7:30 p.m., Intramural Field (corner 

Drane and Marion streets), free. 


(931) 221-7431. 

continued on page 16 (after insert) 

Don’t miss out on the 

College of Arts and 

Letters Reunion 

Call or visit our Web site 

for details. 

www.apsu.edu 

(931) 221-7979

Red,White & True 

Homecoming 2003 Calendar of Events 

(continued from page 16) 

Above photo: Robert Smith - The Leaf-Chronicle. Other photos: Bill Persinger 

Former Athletic Letter-Winners 

Reunion 

8-10 p.m., location TBA, free (cash 

bar). 

Hosted by APSU Athletics Office. 

Contact Athletics (931) 221-7904. 

Comedy Show 

8:30 p.m., Memorial Health 

Gymnasium; general admission $20, 

students $10. 

RJE Urban Comedy Cabaret Tour as 

seen on BET’s “Comic View” and 

HBO’s “Def Comedy Jam.” Hosted 

by Ms. B Phlat, with Steve Brown 

as opening act, Redbone the feature 

act and Joe Clair as headliner. 



(931) 221-7431. 

Saturday, Nov. 1 

Homecoming 5K Run 

8 a.m., registration fee $18 in 

advance, $25 day of race. 

Fee includes windshirt and continental 

breakfast; prizes and cash awards. 

Mike (’78) and Lisa (’81) Kelley, cochairs. 

Open to the public, all ages. Call 

the Alumni and Annual Giving Office 

(931) 221-7979. 

Homecoming Parade 

10 a.m., through downtown 

Clarksville, free. 



(931) 221-7431. 

Alumni Awards and College of Arts 

and Letters Reunion Brunch 

10:30 a.m. – Noon, Sundquist 

Science Complex, $20 per person; 

advance reservations required. 

Gather early to meet and mingle 

and view the parade from this prime 

location. After the parade, the 

brunch will continue in the Tommy 

Head Atrium. Highlights include 

the presentation of the 2003 alumni 

awards and recognition of graduates 

from the College of Arts and Letters. 

Jerry (’76) and Fessey (’75) 

Hackney, Gail (’77) and Rick 

Longton and Dottie (Elrod) and Pat 

Miner, co-chairs. 



(931) 221-7979. 

Tailgate Lunch 

Noon-1:30 p.m., parking lot on west 

side of Governors Stadium. 

Sponsored by Student Life and 

Leadership, National Alumni 

Association, University Advancement, 

Governors Club and SGA. Free. Open 

to the public. 



APSU vs. St. Joseph’s Homecoming 

Football Game 

2 p.m., Governors Stadium 

The grand finale is the presentation 

of the fourth annual National 

Alumni Association Wyatt Award. 

Free admission for reunion groups. 


For admission prices, telephone the 

Athletics Ticket Office 

(931) 221-7761. 

Family Event 

5-7 p.m., Morgan University Center 

Details TBA. Open to the public. 


(931) 221-7431. 

African-American Alumni Chapter 

Reception 

4:30-6:30 p.m., Quality Inn 

Downtown, Highway 41-A. 

Free except for cash bar. 

Makeba Webb (‘00) and Caryn 

Darwin (’00), co-chairs. 



(931) 221-7979. 

Wine and Cheese Reception 

5-7 p.m., Pace Alumni Center at 

Emerald Hill, free. 

Drop by to enjoy light refreshments, 

reminisce with fellow alumni 

and take a tour of this “gem” of 

the campus. 

Sponsored by the Nursing Alumni 

Chapter. Dr. Doris Davenport (’91), 

chair. Open to the public. 



Aaron Schmidt Alumni Reception 

6:30-7:30 p.m., music/mass communication 

building lobby, free. 

Former band members and 

Governettes who studied with the 

late Aaron Schmidt are encouraged 

to attend this special reunion. 

Dennis Noon (’66), Sherwin Clift 

(’60) and Larry Schmidt, co-chairs. 



Jazz Collegians Alumni Concert 

7:30 p.m., concert theatre, 

music/mass communication building; 

free, donations to the Aaron 

Schmidt Scholarship Fund will be 

appreciated. Open to the public. 



NPHC Step Show 

8 p.m., Memorial Health 

Gymnasium, open to the public. 

Admission TBA. Contact Student 

Life and Leadership (931) 221- 

7431. 

17

Outstanding Alumni Awards (continued from page 11) 

She grew up in Shelbyville, Tenn., the oldest 

of four girls and one boy born to William 

and Yvonne McChristian. 

Initially a math major at APSU, her main 

interest was playing basketball. Ironically, the 

need for braces on her teeth changed the 

course of her life. During visits the orthodontist 

kept telling her she would make a great 

dentist. Heeding his advice, she quit basketball 

and changed her major to pre-dentistry. 

With five children, her parents might have 

had a difficult time putting her through college 

and dental school. Fortunately, her scholarly 

achievements earned her academic scholarships 

to both. Since she changed majors 

her junior year, she credits Dr. John Foote, 

professor of chemistry, with helping her 

“keep my schedule and goals in order.” 

Despite studying hard to maintain a high 

grade-point average, she earned other honors 

at APSU, too. In 1983, she was crowned 

Homecoming Queen and also named Miss 

Black Clarksville. 

After dental school, she entered the U.S. Air 

Force so she could gain additional experience 

in dentistry while also serving her country. 

McChristian-May is a member of the 

American Dental Association, National Dental 

Association, Delta Sigma Delta Dental 

Fraternity and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, 

and she is active within Network of Memphis. 

She and her husband, James, have two 

children, Alex, 11, and Darragh, 7. 

Kathryn Anne 

Shearer 


2003 Outstanding Young Alumna 

Kathryn Anne Shearer (‘92) 

One of the country’s 

top experts on 

foreign anti-missile 

radar, Kathryn 

Shearer, Huntsville, 

Ala., works with 

anyone within the 

United States government 

needing 

such expertise — 

from soldiers in the 

field to policymakers 

in Congress and the Pentagon. 

Shearer earned her bachelor’s degree in 

physics from APSU in 1992. In 1994 she 

completed a master’s degree in physics at the 

University of Alabama at Huntsville. 

From 1995-2000, she worked as a research 

analyst for Dynetics Inc., Huntsville, where 

she designed, developed and tested software 

simulations of modern foreign surface-to-air 

missile systems. She specialized in radar 

simulation, vulnerability analysis and electronic 

counter-measure effective analysis. 

In 2000, she became a systems engineer 

and analyst for the Missile & Space 

Intelligence Center, Huntsville, analyzing 

foreign surface-to-air missile systems and foreign 

anti-tactical ballistic missile systems and 

providing threat information to American soldiers 

and policymakers. 

Shearer played a key role in Operation 

IRAQI FREEDOM, working as an air-defense 

expert at the European Command Joint 

Analysis Center (EUCOMJAC). Her stellar 

work garnered her a commendation letter 

from the commander of the EUCOMJAC for 

“providing immediate technical expertise to 

Command decision makers and Theater air 

assets operating over northern Iraq.” 

She has briefed defense officials and policy 

makers on foreign anti-tactical ballistic missile 

(ATBM) systems’ performance and provided 

assessment of its capabilities. She has 

written many articles for Pentagon and 

Defense Intelligence Agency officials, assessing 

foreign ATBM systems. 

Additionally, she has been involved in programs 

to evaluate the effectiveness of U.S. 

strike platforms, jamming techniques and/or 

electronic countermeasures against specific 

modern surface-to-air missile systems. 

Shearer is married to Daniel Todd Konkle. 

2003 Outstanding Young Alumnus 

Nelson Boehms (’86) 

Most people in 

Middle Tennessee 

consider Nelson 

Boehms one of the 

area’s most promising 

young leaders. 

Without doubt, he 

is one of APSU’s 


most loyal alumni 

volunteers. 

Nelson Boehms Boehms, as the 

son of Dr. Charles 

Boehms, former dean of students, almost grew 

up on the University campus, so he has a 

unique connection to APSU. Since family helps 

family, this perhaps explains his willingness to 

assist his alma mater as needed. 

After receiving a bachelor’s degree in business 

administration from APSU, Boehms 

graduated from the American Institute of 

Banking. In 1995, he attended the Robert 

Morris Associates Commercial Lending 

School at East Carolina University, and in 

1998 he attended the Tennessee Bankers 

Association Southeastern School of Advanced 

Commercial Lending, Owen School of 

Management, Vanderbilt University. 

In May 2003, Boehms was named vice 

president for commercial lending for Planters 

Bank, Clarksville’s newest bank. For the previous 

two years, he was vice president for 

commercial lending for Old National Bank. 

His banking career began in 1987 when he 

was named assistant manager and then manager 

of the Nashville branch of United 

Companies Lending of Raleigh, N.C. He 

became assistant sales manager for First Union 

Home Equity Company, Raleigh, in 1992. 

During 1993-96 he was with Central Carolina 

Bank and Trust Company, Raleigh, moving up 

the ranks to assistant vice president and commercial/real 

estate loan specialist. 

Boehms is committed to assisting APSU, 

the community and Hilldale United 

Methodist Church, where he chairs the 

Finance Committee. He is a 2000 graduate 

of Leadership Clarksville, treasurer-elect of 

the Downtown Kiwanis Club and a member 

of the Downtown District Partnership’s 

Promotions and Events Committee. He is 

active with the United Way in such leadership 

roles as a board member, board chair, vice 

president and campaign co-chair. 

Boehms’ loyalty to APSU is evidenced by 

his service to the University. He is a member 

of the Tower Club and the APSU Foundation 

Board of Trustees, serving as its treasurer. He 

is on the board of directors and is vice president-elect 

of the APSU Governors Club. 

He is district director of the APSU National 

Alumni Association, having been NAA vice 

president in 1998-2000 and president in 2001- 

02. He worked as Homecoming chair three 

consecutive years—1999, 2000 and 2001. 

He is a founding member and vice chair of 

the Tennessee Board of Regents Federation of 

Alumni Associations, established in 2002 to 

promote the education, welfare and common 

good by supporting a better-educated citizenry 

through TBR institutions. 

Boehms and his wife, Deborah, have three 

children, Charlie, 10, Analena, 8, and Samuel, 5. 


PEAY Alum FACT: Kathy Beach (’87) is owner of Direct Furniture Sales in Clarksville. Way to Go!

Dr. Ramona 

Lumpkin 


2003 Outstanding Alumna 

Dr. Ramona Lumpkin (’67) 

Dr. Ramona 

Lumpkin spent 

much of her professional 

life in the 

United States and 

Canada, preaching 

the importance of 

the liberal arts, lifelong 

learning and 

progressive higher 

education. 

On July 1, 2001, 

Lumpkin commenced her term as the 15th 

principal (president) of Huron University 

College in London, Ontario, Canada. 

At her APSU graduation, Lumpkin 

received the coveted William McClure Drane 

Award, which goes to the most outstanding 

baccalaureate graduate. After graduating with 

a degree in English, she left for England on a 

prestigious Fulbright Fellowship to study at 

the University of Birmingham. 

Upon completing her Fulbright Fellowship, 

she remained in England as a research fellow 

at Dartington College of Arts and, later, a 

high school English teacher at Talbot Heath 

Girls’ School in Bournnemouth. 

After returning to the U.S., Lumpkin 

received a master’s degree from UT- 

Knoxville. In 1977, she earned a PhD in 

English from the University of Kentucky, 

Lexington. Postdoctoral work included summer 

studies at the Institute for Women in 

Higher Education Administration at Bryn 

Mawr College and at Harvard University’s 

Institute for Educational Management. 

She began her academic career as a English 

faculty member at Kentucky State University, 

Frankfort, after which she was named director 

of the Appalachian College Program, where 

she administered research fellowships and 

development programs for humanities and 

social science faculty at 32 liberal arts colleges 

throughout Appalachia. 

Subsequently, she was appointed executive 

director of the Kentucky Humanities Council, 

a state agency of the National Endowment for 

the Humanities, where she worked to build 

bridges between communities and universities 

and to secure funding for innovative programs, 

including the literacy program “New 

Books for New Readers.” 

From 1990-92, she worked as associate 

dean of the College of Lifelong Learning at 

Wayne State University in Detroit and, subsequently, 

as dean of continuing education at 

the University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. 

Before assuming her current position, she 

served as vice president for learning and 

provost of Royal Roads University, British 

Columbia, Canada. 

Throughout her career, Lumpkin has been 

successful. As an example, during four years 

at Royal Roads University, she led in developing 

more than 20 new degree and certificate 

programs, primarily at the graduate level, 

and helped increase enrollment from 400 to 

1,200 full-time students. 

Lumpkin’s extensive research and publications 

center primarily on 19th century literature 

and adult and continuing education. Her 

commitment to lifelong learning was recognized 

by her induction as an Honorary Life 

Member of the Canadian Association for 

University Continuing Education and as an 

Honorary Lifetime Member of the Ontario 

Council of Universities for Lifelong 

Learning. 

She is on the board of Canada’s organization 

for the advancement of the high-speed 

Internet. Her community service includes 

work with Big Sisters, the Kentucky 

Women’s Resource Center, Windsor Women 

Working With Immigrant Women and 

Leadership Victoria. 

Lumpkin is a self-proclaimed “activist on 

behalf of the values of a liberal arts education.” 

2003 Outstanding Alumnus 

Gordon E. Jackson (’61) 

Gordon Jackson 

is a nationally 

renowned author 

and speaker on the 

subject of positive 

employee relations. 

He is the senior 

partner of Jackson, 

Shields, Yeiser & 

Cantrell, a management-oriented 

law 

Gordon E. Jackson 

firm with offices in 

Cordova, a suburb of Memphis. A specialist 

in labor relations and employment law, 

Jackson launched the firm in 1978, after earning 

a doctorate of jurisprudence from the 

University of Tennessee School of Law. 

Originally from Robertson County, he was 

one of seven children born to Carl and Cora 

Jackson. Dr. Carlette Hardin (’71,’79), professor 

of education at APSU, is his sister. 


As an APSU student, Jackson was president 

of the Student Government Association. 

In 1997, he was named to the Academic Hall 

of Fame for APSU’s chapter of The Honor 

Society of Phi Kappa Phi. 

He is a member of the prestigious College 

of Labor and Employment Lawyers, the 

Labor and Employment Law Section of the 

American Bar Association and the American 

Academy of Hospital Attorneys of the 

American Hospital Association. 

Jackson has authored many books on innovative 

management, including “Unlawful 

Termination and Employment-at-Will,” “Law 

of Employer and Employee Rights Case 

Manual” and the “Labor and Employment 

Law Desk Book,” a Prentice-Hall reference 

manual on federal and state labor laws. 

He is co-author of “How to Defend and 

Win Labor and Employment Law Cases,” and 

his book “Coaches Encourage—Bosses 

Punish” was published in 1999. Written to 

appeal to all, the book provides four “secrets” 

for excellence in relationships. 

A member of the National Speakers 

Association, Jackson was named to “Who’s 

Who in Professional Speaking” and was 

selected as one of 31 Consummate Speakers 

for 1996 by “Sharing Ideas,” the international 

magazine for meeting planners. 

He is one of fewer than 400 people worldwide 

to earn the Certified Speaking 

Professional (CSP) designation. He is a frequent 

speaker at management meetings and 

seminars throughout the nation, averaging 

more than 100 speaking engagements annually. 

Jackson and his wife, Sandy, live in 

Memphis. He is the father of two grown children, 

Amanda and Eric, and has one grandchild, 

Jackson, his daughter’s son. 


19

Photos: Bill Persinger 

Making APSU Headlines (continued from page 7) 

from area high schools for 

the summer ASTAR 

Program. Led by Darolyn 

Porter, the program’s enrollment 

goal was 100 students. 

“We hope our ASTAR 

Richard Jackson Program inspires students to 

concentrate the remainder of 

their time in high school on 

subjects that will make their 

entry into college easier,” 

said Jackson, who explained 

that taking college-preparatory 

math and English allows 

Dr. Sherry Hoppe 

students to enroll in for-credit 

college courses immediately, rather than 

having to attend remedial classes. 

ASTAR participants are exposed to APSU 

African American student leaders who serve 

as group leaders. In addition, they interact 

with African American faculty and staff. 

“ASTAR students have an opportunity to be 

exposed to potential career options and to 

become familiar with time-management and 

study skills, which are critical in attaining success 

in college,” Jackson said. “Hopefully, 

the ASTAR experience will demonstrate that, 

along with the freedom that comes with college, 

there also are responsibilities.” 

Stats reveal APSU to be a safe campus 

Bridge Program 

Dr. Jennifer Meningall, 

vice president for student 

affairs, wrapped up plans 

for APSU’s first Bridge 

Program, which enables 

first-time African American 

Dr. Jennifer freshmen to participate in 

Meningall early orientation. 

“The Bridge Program is a way to jumpstart 

these students,” Meningall said. “Before 

other freshmen arrive on campus, students in 

the Bridge Program have become acquainted 

with the campus and resources available. We 

talk with them about what they need to do to 

be successful. 

“We try to impress upon them the importance 

of avoiding ‘digging themselves into a 

hole’ —gradewise—that’s hard, if not impossible, 

to get out.” 

Students on Retention Pilot Project 

President Sherry Hoppe said APSU officials 

continue to study environmental, social 

and other factors that cause some African 

American students to be less successful in 

their studies at APSU and what can be done 

to assist and retain them. 

“This is a continuation of a pilot program 

for African American students facing academic 

probation,” Hoppe said. “We provide 

financial incentives, tutorial assistance and 

workshops on such issues as time-management 

to help them get off academic probation 

and on a path where they can experience academic 

success.” 

Recruitment Blitz for African 

American Faculty 

According to Dr. Bruce Speck, vice president 

for academic affairs, APSU is committed to 

adding minority faculty across the University, 

especially in under-represented areas. 

To strengthen this effort, Richard Jackson is 

partnering with a recently retired faculty 

member on a plan to create awareness of 

opportunities for African American higher 

education professionals at APSU, particularly 

in fields where it’s difficult to hire African 

American faculty. 

Jackson said, “Dr. Jim Mock (retired public 

management professor) is compiling an itinerary 

of conferences, association meetings 

and graduate programs we’ll attend to talk 

about opportunities for African American faculty 

at APSU.” 

African American Staff Development 

APSU continues to provide financial assistance 

for staff who want to improve their 

education. Jackson is making a point to meet 

regularly with participating staff to see if he 

can assist them in identifying possible careeradvancement 

paths. 

“I’m particularly interested in trying to 

match the skills they have or are acquiring 

with the requirements for faculty in certain 

departments,” he said. “We currently are providing 

funds for an advanced degree for a 

staff member who will fill a faculty position 

in a department where it’s been difficult to 

recruit candidates of any race.” 

Parents and prospective students concerned 

about safety on college campuses are encouraged 

to take another look at Austin 

Peay. 

APSU Police Chief Eric 

Provost is pleased with the 

University’s ranking in campus 

crime, based on the Tennessee 

Bureau of Investigation’s latest 

annual Crime on Campus report. 

Eric Provost “We are lower than the average 


in the vast majority of categories,” Provost said. 

“In the significant 22 categories, we are at or 

below the average in 16 of the 22.” 

“I do feel safe on campus,” senior David Baron, 

a residence hall director, said. “I rarely hear of any 

issue regarding safety.” 

For more information, go to www.apsu.edu and 

click on “Stats show APSU is safe,” which takes 

you to the full article published in The Leaf- 

Chronicle on May 25, 2003. 


Campus Policing Initiative 

Jackson is working with APSU Police 

Chief Eric Provost to put together a diversitytraining 

experience modeled after programs 

used by urban police departments. It emphasizes 

relationship-building between officers 

and community members. 

“All of Austin Peay’s police officers graduate 

from the state police academy, so they are 

ready to serve on any city or country lawenforcement 

squad in Tennessee,” Provost said. 

“But they’ve received no training on issues 

unique to a residential university community. 

20 


PEAY Alum FACT: Lt. Col. James M. Walker Jr. (’81) is director of Alabama’s Homeland Security. Way to Go!

New UC offers great places to meet 

Not only does the new Joe Morgan 

University Center serve as the 

University’s social hub, it also 

holds promise as a new economic 

fixture for Clarksville and 

Montgomery County. 

With its spacious ballroom, 

executive dining rooms and numerous 

meeting and reception areas, 

the 93,000-square-foot building is 

becoming a favored gathering 

place, not only for campus events 

but for community events as well. 

“We get anywhere from 15 to 25 

requests a day for facilities,” said 

Andy Kean, director of the UC. 

“We hold about 25 events a day in 

this building.” 

The pace slows only slightly on 

weekends, as conferences, luncheons 

and presentations give way to 

proms, breakfasts, large birthday 

parties and wedding receptions. 

With rental fees ranging from 

$50 for a regular-size meeting 

room to $750 for the ballroom, the facility 

holds significant financial promise. 

“Our ultimate goal is to make enough to 

sustain the operation of the building,” Kean 

said, “About $100,000 annually. But we’re 

Photos: Bill Persinger 

not even close to that 

yet.” 

With an average of five 

rentals per month by offcampus 

organizations and 

with word of the facility’s 

dining, dancing, exhibit and meeting areas 

spreading quickly, it’s only a matter of time— 

and space. 

Photo: Scott Thomas 

Photo: Scott Thomas 

“Some thought processes applicable to this 

environment may not be relevant to the larger 

community. We want our officers and security 

staff to be aware of that and adapt their 

strategies accordingly.” 

Take a tour 

Haven’t visited your alma mater for a 

while and would like to see what the campus 

looks like now? Like prospective students, 

you can visit APSU without leaving the comfort 

of your home. 

ECampusTours.com, a college-planning 

Web site specializing in virtual tours of campuses, 

is featuring APSU. The service is free, 

and the Web site is marketed to high school 

students nationwide as a way to research colleges 

and universities. 

EcampusTours.com, which is linked to the 

Austin Peay homepage, gives 360-degree 

views of the Dunn Center, Sundquist Science 

Complex, Pace Alumni Center, Browning, 

Ellington, Harned Hall, Kimbrough College of 

Business, Mabel Larson Fine Arts Gallery, the 

concert theatre of the music/mass communication 

building and Morgan University Center. 

To take a virtual tour of APSU, visit 

www.eCampusTours.com and type in Austin 

Peay, or go to APSU’s homepage 

(www.apsu.edu) and click on Admissions’ 

“Schedule a campus tour” and then “virtual 

tour of campus.” 

Graduating class is largest yet 

With 679 candidates for graduation, the 

May 9 commencement showcased the largest 

graduating class in Austin Peay’s history. 

Years ago, as numbers of graduates 

increased and seating for families became 

tight, University officials elected to hold two 

graduations annually—December and May. 


This year, once again, the Aaron Arena of 

the Dunn Center was packed to the ceiling, as 

graduates and their families and other guests 

heard Ronnie Carter (‘88) give the keynote 

address. 

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet 

returns to APSU 

One of the famed members of the Beat 

Generation of writers, internationally 

acclaimed poet Gary Snyder returned to 

APSU April 12. 

When Snyder, a longtime friend of Dr. David 

Till, professor of English, visited the University 

in 1976, he had just won the Pulitzer Prize for 

his book, “Turtle Island.” 

Speaking of Snyder’s visit, which he called 

“a return engagement of sorts,” Till said, “It 

was a wonderful occasion…and it’s equally 

wonderful we’re all still here—well, a lot of 

us are anyway. 

“Older now, so the coffee’s a little darker, a 

richer brew. But it’s a new generation of students, 

hearing the music for the first time.” 

Ronnie Carter (’88) gives the keynote address at 

the spring commencement. Continued on page 25 


21

Sports News & Upcoming Schedules 

Armistead sweeps awards, drafted by WNBA 

APSU basketball star Brooke Armistead 

added another first to her illustrious resume. 

After being named the 2002-03 OVC 

Female Athlete of the Year in late May, she 

was this year’s recipient of the prestigious 

Steve Hamilton Award, presented to an OVC 

athlete who best exemplifies the traits of the 

late Morehead State student-athlete, coach and 

administrator. Criteria are significant athletic 

performance along with good sportsmanship 

and citizenship. 

Armistead became the first OVC athlete to 

receive both Athlete of the Year honors and the 

Steve Hamilton Award in the same season. 

She was the 2002-03 OVC Women’s 

Basketball Player of the Year and OVC 

Tournament MVP for the second time. She led 

the Lady Govs to their third-straight OVC 

Tourney title and NCAA Tournament appearance. 

She was named first-team All-OVC for 

the third-straight time and OVC All-Tourney 

for the fourth straight year. 

Armistead led the Lady Govs to an 

unprecedented 27-4 record, including 22- 

straight wins and an unbeaten (16-0) conference 

season. She ended her career being 

named to every all-tournament team (10) in 

which she was eligible. 

This Elmwood, Tenn., native is APSU’s alltime 

leading scorer (2,508 points) and probably 

Brooke Armistead, seen here playing against North Carolina in the 

2003 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, became the first player in 

Ohio Valley Conference history to be named an OVC Player of the Year 

and receive the prestigous Steve Hamilton Award for sportsmanship. 

Armistead also was the Austin Peay athletics department’s 2003 

Female Joy Award recipient as the most valuable female senior athlete 

and the Most Outstanding Female Athlete honoree. 

would have broken the OVC 

scoring record (2,526) if an 

injury had not sidelined her for 

three games. She finished her 

career as the NCAA’s 29th allteam 

leading scorer and left as 

APSU’s career leader in scoring, 

field goals, field goals attempted, 

free throws, free throws attempted 

and free-throw percentage. 

Her 18.9 points per game ranked 

first in the OVC last season 

Armistead scored 32 points 

in the Lady Govs’ near-upset of 

third-seeded North Carolina in 

the NCAA Tournament and 

became the first OVC player to 

be drafted by the WNBA. 

Besides being a star on the 

court, Armistead shines off the 

court, too. In late spring 2003, 

she received the Governors Club 

Academic Achievement Award 

for owning the highest GPA 

(3.85) among all of APSU’s 

graduating athletes. She is a two-time OVC 

Medal of Honor recipient, a three-time member 

of the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll 

and a three-time honoree as a Lady Govs 

Scholar-Athlete. She was named 2002-03 second-team 

Verizon Academic All-American. 

Additionally, in recognition of her extensive 

volunteer service within the community, 

Armistead received this year’s coveted Halbert 

Harvill Civitan Citizenship Award at graduation. 

Robert Smith, The Leaf-Chronicle 

Basketball Govs sign juco, 

prep stars 

A pair of junior college standouts and one 

prep star joined the men’s basketball team, as it 

prepares to defend the Ohio Valley Conference 

crown. 

William Durden, a 6-5, 205-pound juco 

All-American forward from Three Rivers 

Community College (Poplar Bluff, Mo.) and 

Eric Young, a 6-6, 215-pound center from 

Southeastern Illinois College (Harrisburg), 

were the two junior college players signed. 

Fernandez Lockett, a 6-4, 195-pound wing 

from Bob Jones High School, Madison, Ala., 

was the prep signee. 

Durden averaged 11 points and a teamleading 

5.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore. 

He earned first-team, all-conference, 

All-Region XVI and third-team National 

Junior College Athletic Association All- 

America for the 30-6 Raiders, who advanced 

to the NJCAA tourney. 

“If you like Corey Gipson, then you’ll like 

Will Durden,” APSU Coach Dave Loos said. 

“He has many of the same qualities and intangibles 

Corey does. He is an excellent competitor 

and a great defender who, offensively, 

has a pretty good mid-range game.” 

Young, meanwhile, averaged 7.1 points, 

shooting 60 percent from the floor and getting 

5.2 rebounds as a starter for Southeastern, one 

of the nation’s top-two junior college programs 

most of the season. He is expected to 

provide relief up front for Josh Lewis and 

Adrian Henning. 

Lockett averaged 16 points and a teambest 

10 rebounds per game as a senior, helping 

lead his team to a 31-5 record and into the 

Class 6A state title contest. He was named 

first-team All-Metro Huntsville, All-Region 

and second-team 6A All-State. 

Gardner resigns; 

Blackston accepts 

After leading Austin 

Peay to three straight 

NCAA tournament appearances 

and an unprecedented 

27-4 (16-0 OVC) mark, 

Susie Gardner resigned in 

April as Lady Govs head 

Andy Blackston 

basketball coach to assume 

a similar post in Arkansas. 

“When you achieve the success that program 

has, especially this season, you have to 


22 


PEAY Alum FACT: Dr. Marcus DiLorenzo (’72) is a pulmonologist in Ocala, Fla. Way to Go!

ecognize other universities’ interest in pursuing 

Susie,” Dave Loos, athletic director, said. 

“We at Austin Peay appreciate her efforts in 

building this program to where it is today.” 

Loos and senior women athletics administrator 

Cheryl Holt moved quickly to find a 

replacement. Clarksville native and former 

Belmont University star Andy Blackston, who 

turned around a dormant Alabama-Huntsville 

women’s basketball program in two years, 

was hired. 

Blackston went to UAH as a men’s assistant 

in 1999-2000. After two seasons, he took 

over the struggling women’s program leading 

the team to a 14-12 record in his first season 

and 17-10 last season and earning Coach of 

the Year honors. 

Blackston began immediately to assemble 

his coaching staff. Kidada Holtzclaw, a former 

University of Alabama player who served 

the past two seasons as a Marshall University 

assistant, and Eric White, former assistant at 

Tennessee-Martin and MTSU, have been 

named assistant coaches. 

In addition, Brooke Armistead and Paige 

Smith, two former Lady Govs, will return as 

coaches—Armistead, as the program’s graduate 

assistant and Smith as student assistant. 

Lady Govs basketball team 

signs prep all-star 

Andy Blackston, new women’s basketball 

coach, signed one recruit in an attempt to fill 

some holes for the 2003-04 season. Christy 

Elliott, a 5-9 guard from Tuscaloosa, Ala., 

inked a scholarship in May. 

The Hillcrest High School star averaged 

15 points and six assists per game while leading 

her team to the elite eight of the 6A state 

championship, a 22-4 overall record and a 

No. 10 ranking in the final state all-tournament 

and regional all-tournament selections. 

Golf team takes third 

straight OVC title, comes in 

short at NCAA regional 

For the third consecutive year, the men’s 

golf team was the OVC champion. The 

Governors shot a final-round 296 on April 30 

and rolled to a 15-stroke victory at the par-72 

Country Club of Paducah (Ky.) to become the 

first team to win three straight conference 

titles since MTSU in 1996. 

The victory gave the Govs an automatic 

bid to their third-consecutive NCAA Regional. 

Junior Matt Gallant and Joe Humston 

were honored on the All-OVC team, while 

Peter Lockley 

From left, Joe Humston, Matt Gallant, Ryan 

Strickland, Richie Head, Adam Shanks and head 

coach Mark Leroux 

head golf coach Mark Leroux was named 

OVC Coach of the Year. 

The golf team brought national attention 

to the program. On March 27, they appeared 

on the Golf Channel’s weekly college show, 

after shooting a 32-under par 832 in the 

Colonial Classic at Eastern Kentucky 

University, Richmond. 

Three Bat Govs get 

shot at pros 

All three baseball seniors—catcher A.J. 

Ellis, shortstop Travis Beech and pitcher 

Dustin Smith—began their professional 

careers this past summer. 

Ellis was drafted by the Los Angeles 

Dodgers. Beech was selected by Tampa Bay, 

and Smith signed a free-agent contract with 

the Detroit Tigers. 

Ellis, Bethke, Mault named 

All-OVC baseball 

Senior catcher A.J. Ellis was named firstteam 

All-Ohio Valley Conference for a fourth 

straight year, while junior outfielder Ron Bethke 

and junior relief pitcher Jeff Mault earned firstteam 

recognition in a vote of league coaches 

and sports information directors. 

Gary McClure, who led APSU to its first 

regular-season title since 1996, was named 

OVC Coach of the Year. 

Lady Govs soccer set 

for second season 

Soccer coach Kelley Poole is confident the 

Lady Govs’ young program is on the fast 

track in the right direction. 

Despite playing almost all freshmen in 

their first season, the Lady Govs were competitive 

in most matches a year ago. Injuries, 

however, dealt a serious blow to the fledgling 

program as it went winless (0-13-3). With the 

returning players a year older, plus the addition 

of nine new recruits, depth shouldn’t be 

as great a concern. 

Heading the list of returnees is sophomore 

goalkeeper Sarah Broadbent, who led the 

nation in saves per game while earning second-team 

All-OVC, and forward Stephanie 

Shwetz, also a second-team all-league pick. 

Soccer’s Shwetz participates 

in NCAA leadership 

conference 

Women’s soccer player Stephanie Shwetz 

was selected to participate in the seventh 

annual NCAA Foundation Leadership 

Conference May 25-29 at Walt Disney’s Wide 

World of Sports Complex and Coronado 

Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. 

A Surrey, British Columbia, native who 

owns a 3.8 GPA, Shwetz was one of 302 student-athletes 

selected for the CHAMPS/Life 

Skills Program from the 1,172 nominees from 

296 NCAA member institutions. 

Football Govs prepare for 

season under new coach 

APSU football opened 

the 2003 season under a 

new football coach with the 

goal of improving on last 

season’s 7-5 mark. 

New coach Carroll 

Carroll McCray McCray will have some 48 

lettermen returning, including 

17 starters, as the Govs shoot for their 

first Pioneer Football League South crown. 


Lady Govs volleyball 

loaded with vets 

Lady Govs volleyball will have an experienced 

look in 2003. Eight of the top nine 

players from 2002 return, including senior 

middle hitter Amy Walk and junior outside 

hitter Sarah Schramka, both honorable mention 

All-OVC a year ago. 

However, the Lady Govs are coming off a 

10-19 season, a disappointing one, especially 

for longtime coach Cheryl Holt. 


23

From Tennessee to 

Texas: Blazing a trail 

Continued from page 13 

would meet with counsel, review the case, 

study local statutes and arrive at a strategy. 

All filings would be handled by outside counsel, 

with Pope serving as project manager. 

These cases can take her away from 

Houston for days, weeks, even months. 

During her first year with ExxonMobil, Pope 

oversaw cases in Louisiana, New Jersey, 

Pennsylvania and Vermont. 

But she loves it, especially since her job 

with ExxonMobil was, as she calls it, “a 

fluke.” During the summer before law school 

graduation, she interned with a top Nashville 

law firm, where she was offered a job. Before 

signing on, however, she 

wanted to check other 

opportunities. 

Her mother learned 

about an upcoming job fair 

in Atlanta, specifically to 

hire attorneys. The women 

perused the list of participating 

companies and liked 

what they read about 

ExxonMobil. The job 

description, however, indicated 

a preference for an 

attorney with a science 

background and proficiency 

in a foreign language. Pope 

had neither. 

Undaunted, she went for 

an interview. Two days 

later, she received a call 

from the Houston office, 

inviting her for a second interview. She flew 

out, interviewed and landed the job. Today, 

she is among 400-500 ExxonMobil attorneys 

who work in the Houston or Fairfax, Va., 

offices. 

Pope is well on her way to the top, professionally. 

And to her own amazement, besides 

finding the perfect job in Houston, she also 

found her soul mate. “I’ve always been 

career-oriented,” she says. “I wasn’t terribly 

interested in dating. I thought I would be the 

elderly aunt who helps send her brother’s kids 

to college and Europe.” 

But an introduction to a biomedical science 

graduate from Texas A&M knocked that 

notion out of the ballpark. Two weeks after 

Pope moved to Houston, a friend invited her 

to a Sunday brunch. Although she was busy 

beginning a new job, hunting for an apartment 

and studying for the bar exam, she 

went. Kyle Swanson was a guest also. 

“From the moment we met, we knew,” she 

says. “Neither of us has dated anyone else 

since that Sunday. ” At the time, Swanson 

lived in Corpus Christi, but his work took 

him through Houston often. Each time he 

came to town, Pope accepted his invitation to 

go out. Over several dinner dates, they 

learned they had much in common. 

“Kyle had lived and worked all over,” she 

says. “He was enjoying his freedom and had 

no desire to be tied down.” However, she 

Jolyn Pope and her fiance, Kyle Swanson, pose for their engagement photo. 

shared his love of travel. 

They learned they shared other interests, 

too. And their differing personality types balance 

each other: She describes him as laid 

back, whereas she’s a typical type A personality. 

A hard-driving perfectionist, Pope began 

suffering from severe headaches, so she went 

to a migraine clinic. 

Doctors advised her to try yoga for relaxation. 

So four mornings a week, she takes a 

yoga class that lasts almost two hours. Each 

class begins at 6 a.m. Although she says she’s 

not a morning person, she’s up with the sun. 

“Yoga gets my day started off right,” she 

says. “It’s a calming experience.” And no 

more migraines! 

Swanson, who also is a calming influence on 

Pope, relocated to Houston after they began dating 

and, within weeks, the couple decided to 

marry. Because she shares his appreciation of 

history, he took her to Iloff’s, the city’s oldest 

jeweler, for an engagement ring—a breathtaking 

sapphire flanked by brilliant-cut round diamonds. 

The wedding—less than a month away—will 

be in Houston. Her brother Justin will give her 

away. Her mother, Melinda Pope, and grandmother, 

Mary Evelyn Hargis, both of 

Clarksville, will be part of the wedding party. 

Excitedly, Pope outlines plans for the wedding 

and reception, both of which will be held in 

the historic Rice Hotel, Houston’s oldest hotel, 

dating back to 1870. Since many guests are 

from out of town, the couple has planned several 

casual events, including a Texas-style barbeque 

and a Houston Astros baseball game, so friends 

and family can get to know each other. 

“We want it to be a big, fun 

party,” she says. 

Pope has chosen a classically 

simple Vera Wang gown. It 

champagne in color and features 

a netted back that ends in a 

chapel-length train. Her custom 

veil is ivory illusion trimmed in 

champagne-colored ribbon. 

Her nine bridesmaids will 

wear black dresses of their individual 

choosing. “I have an 

eclectic group of friends, and I 

want their dresses to reflect their 

personalities,” she says. Two 

bridesmaids, Melanie Dennis 

(‘00) and Mesina Bullock (‘01), 

are Pope’s best friends from 

APSU. 

Besides commemorating the 

couple’s love and commitment, 

the wedding is to be a celebration 

of friends and family. Everyone Pope loves 

will be there—except her late grandfather. 

Happily contemplating the approaching wedding, 

yet wishing could be there, Pope says softly, 

“You know, Kyle reminds me of my grandfather. 

They have the same values.” 

Although she’ll miss not having her grandfather 

with her on this special day, she recalls his 

matchless gift to her when he made it possible 

for her to enroll at Austin Peay State. 

He told her at the time: “In giving you your 

education, I’m giving you the world.” 

Jeff Fitlow 

24 


PEAY Alum FACT: Dr. Jimmy Dixon is a plastic surgeon at St. Simons Island, Ga. Way to Go!

Feedback 

Feedback 

Shawn and I were glued to the TV, elated 

to hear updates on APSU during their NCAA 

basketball game. We tried our best to get 

tickets to the game. 

My last attempt was calling the Ticket 

Office and asking the operator to buy the 

tickets for us! Alas, the line was busy, so I 

took it as a sign to watch the games at home. 

(While Shawn is overseas), I got the job (I 

wanted in Washington, D.C.) Specific 

strengths cited were my graduate work and 

experience in the Office of Public Relations. 

Austin Peay continues to bless me even now! 

Cristina Henley (‘01) 

Herndon, Va. 

Super article on Fred and Judy (Landiss) 

and the Boehm collection. 

Ned Crouch (’72) 

Clarksville 

Just got the latest “Austin Peay” publication 

and, as always, it’s interesting and inspiring. 

When I read (the) feature articles, I feel as 

if I’m sitting in the room during (the) interview. 

I could almost reach out and touch the 

Boehm porcelains. 

Shelby H. Draper (’67) 

Mount Juliet, Tenn. 

Judy and I are still getting calls and e-mail 

regarding the article (“Lucy’s Love and Other 

Lasting Treasures,” Spring 2003). 

Fred Landiss (’71) 

Clarksville 

Having grown up in Clarksville and as a 

1991 graduate of Austin Peay, I wanted to let 

the entire Clarkville area know how proud they 

should be of the Lady Govs. 

As a resident of the Denver area, my family 

and I were able to attend the NCAA first-round 

game versus North Carolina. I was extremely 

impressed with how hard the ladies played. 

Their effort brought attention to Austin 

Peay and Clarksville. Coach Gardner has 

done a tremendous job with the program and 

is truly an asset to the University. 

I fielded many questions from fans at the 

game inquiring “exactly where is Austin Peay 

located?” and “what conference is it in?” 

Everyone in attendance, as well as a national 

audience watching on ESPN, should now 

know that answer. 

The ladies on the team should hold their 

heads high and feel tremendous about what 

they accomplished this year. I was proud of 

their effort, especially against a nationally 

ranked program. 

Although disappointed in the outcome, I 

was proud to walk out of the arena as an 

Austin Peay alumnus. 27-4, 22 consecutive 

wins, undefeated in OVC play—quite an 

impressive season. 

Thanks for making everyone associated 

with the University and Clarksville proud! 

Bryan Alsobrooks (’91) 

Aurora, Colo. 

(© 2003, The Leaf-Chronicle, reprinted with permission.) 

It was perhaps the greatest athletic year in 

the history of Austin Peay State University. 

First, it was the football team ending their 

season with a winning record. Then it was the 

magical seasons of the men’s and women’s 

basketball teams. Both went to the NCAA 

tournament, which allowed the school to 

claim some $40,000 for their efforts. 

Not long after that, it was the men’s golf 

team capturing their third straight OVC title. 

They also advanced to the NCAA tournament. 

Just a couple of weeks ago, the baseball 

team joined in the championship party and 

won their first OVC title since 1996. 

With all of this success barely in the 

rearview mirror, the administration at APSU 

must find a way to make over $130,000 in 

athletic budget cuts. This is a problem that 

the Peay shouldn’t be facing. 

For a school like the University of 

Tennessee, that amount of money is nothing. 

Their athletic budget is $55 million, with 

about $21 million of that going toward football. 

Even more astounding is the fact that 

Austin Peay’s entire athletic budget is less 

than 5 percent of the UT football budget. 

What do all these facts and figures mean? 

Nothing really. Maybe they will serve as 

notice to the citizens of Clarksville that we’ve 

got a nice little university of our own to worry 

about before we worry about its big stepbrother 

in Knoxville. Austin Peay is Clarksville’s 

university. Whether you went there or not, you 

probably have some connection to it. 

It’s the same song we’ve heard for years. 

But now, more than ever, the words have 

meaning. Austin Peay needs our support. 

Let’s Go Peay! 

Justin Wamble 

Clarksville 

(© 2003, The Leaf-Chronicle, reprinted with permission.) 

Send us your feedback 

We want to hear from you. Tell us what you 

like and dislike about your alumni magazine. 

You can contact us the following ways: 

E-mail: 

publications@apsu.edu 

Phone: 931-221-7459 

Mail: 

In person: 

Austin Peay Alumni Magazine 

P.O. Box 4567 


Public Relations & 

Marketing Office 

206 Browning Building 

Making Headlines 

(continued from page 21) 

Former news correspondent 

gave insight on UN, Iraq 

On March 5, 2003, Tom Osborne gave a 

talk at APSU titled “Iraq and the U.S,”—a 

most timely topic as America was preparing 

to go to war in Iraq without approval of the 

United Nations. 

Osborne was an ABC reporter/producer to 

the United Nations in 1990, just before the 

first Gulf War. For 10 years, he covered the 

UN for “ABC World News Tonight with 

Peter Jennings,” “Good Morning America,” 

“Nightline” and “20/20.” He also provided 

editorial oversight of several primetime specials 

and general coverage of the UN for 

ABC News through 2000, when he moved 

south to Tennessee Ridge in Houston County. 

Just prior to his APSU talk, Osborne completed 

work as executive producer for the 

documentary “In Shifting Sands—The Truth 

about UNSCOM and the Disarming of Iraq,” 

which received the highest award of the 

Arkansas Film Festival. 

Osborne’s talk was sponsored by Pi Sigma 

Alpha (political science honorary) and the 

political science department. 


25

Class notes 

1930s 

RUTH GARRISON KOSTER (’39) is 

enjoying retirement in DePere, Wis. 

Koster was an assistant professor of 

health and director of physical education 

and recreation at Austin Peay. 

She received her master’s degree in 

health, physical education and recreation 

from the University of 

Tennessee. 

1950s 

JAMES CORLEW SR. (’58) received 

the first Distinguished Gentlemen’s 

Award from The Network, a group of 

about 35 local businesswomen. 

Corlew is the owner of James Corlew 

Chevrolet-Cadillac-Oldsmobile, 

Clarksville. As president of the New 

Car Dealers of Clarksville, he helped 

develop the Automotive Business 

Code of Ethics to educate dealers 

and customers about their rights and 

responsibilities and won his dealership 

the 2001 Torch Award for 

Marketplace Ethics from the Better 

Business Bureau for his efforts. 

Personal Information 

Name 

Street 

1960s 

JIM CHARLET 

(’63), 

Brentwood, 

retired after 22 

years of federal 

service with the 

International 

Trade 

Jim Charlet 

Administration. 

He received the 

U.S. Commerce Department’s Silver 

and Bronze medals for healthcare 

technologies work. He was the 

director for trade missions to Russia, 

Hungary, Poland, Romania, Austria, 

France, Switzerland and the 

Caribbean. His wife BARBARA (’79), 

is acting director for the State of 

Tennessee Department of Correction, 

Management Information Services in 

Nashville. The couple has two 

grown children, Jamie Katherine and 

Caldwell. 

Been promoted? Honored? Awarded? 

Recently moved? Married? Had a baby? What’s the scoop about you and your family? 

We want to hear from you! 

Date 

(first) (middle) (maiden) (last) 

City State Zip 


COL. DAVID HACKWORTH (’64), 

Greenwich, Conn., one of the U.S. 

Army’s most decorated soldiers, was 

interviewed by Mike Wallace on “60 

Minutes” in February 2003. 

✁ 

Hackworth 

warned that 

American troops 

deployed to the 

Persian Gulf had 

inadequate protection 

gear to 

survive a chemical 

or biological 

David Hackworth 

attack. In his syndicated newspaper 

column that same week, Hackworth 

criticized the Pentagon for sending 

soldiers “into a potentially poisonous 

caldron…without the right gear.” 

Colleges/universities attended (include undergraduate and professional schools even if 

degrees were not earned) 

Institution 

Major/Minor 

Degree 


DR. MILDRED B. PERRY (’65, ’69), 

Pittsburgh, is president of this year’s 

Pittsburgh Conference—PITTCON 

2003—the world’s biggest exposition 

and technical conference on 

laboratory science. PITTCON is a 

meeting of people and companies 

striving to solve scientific problems 

related to energy and the environment, 

agriculture and foods, pharmaceuticals 

and health, and other 

concepts and products to improve 

the quality of life worldwide. 

MARLON CROW (’68, ’76) was honored 

at the JFK Center for the 

Performing Arts 

in Washington, 

D.C., for his 

three years of 

service on The 

Kennedy Center 

Partners in 

Education 

Marlon Crow 

Advisory 

Committee. Crow assisted with 

membership meetings and advised 

the Kennedy Center Education 

Department on new initiatives in 

professional development as well as 

on policies affecting membership. 

Year 


DICK LITTLETON (’68, ’73), 

Clarksville, was named the No. 1 

Prudential real estate agent in 

Tennessee for 2002. He and his 

wife, KATHY (‘85), own Littleton and 

Company, a part of Prudential 

Professionals Realty. 

DON M. BUCK (’69), president of 

Buck Contractors Inc., has had a 

busy year. He is on the board of 

directors of the newly established 

Planters Bank in Clarksville. He 

received the 2003 Jerry Thompson 

Spirit of Survivorship Award, which 

Phone SSN Grad Class 

E-mail address 

I would like my name and e-mail address to be included in an online directory of APSU 

alumni: ❏ Yes ❏ No 

Campus Affiliations and Activities 

Family Information 

Spouse’s Name 

SSN Did spouse attend APSU? Grad Class 

Spouse’s Employer 

Personal News 

Address 

Position 

Children’s names and ages 

Phone 

Employer 

Address 

Position 

If retired, former occupation and retirement date 

Phone 

Attended APSU? Class SSN 

Please return survey to Alumni Office, P.O. Box 4676, Clarksville, TN 37044, 

or complete the online form at www.apsu.edu/alumni 


PEAY Alum FACT: Neil Whit Darnell (’90) is a special agent for the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team, Washington, D.C. Way to Go!

Class notes 

is named in honor of a newspaper 

columnist for The Tennessean and 

APSU alumnus who died after a 12- 

year battle with cancer. Buck 

received the award, not only because 

of his own struggle with cancer, but 

because of his efforts to fight cancer 

within the larger community. He 

served as board member and president 

of the local chapter of the 

American Cancer Society and now 

counsels others with cancer. 

1970s 

Shelia Mayhew 

York 


Stanley, New York City. 

The mystery book 

“Star Struck 

Dead,” written by 

SHEILA MAYHEW 

YORK (’71), is 

slated to be 

released in 

October. York is a 

supervisory analyst 

for Morgan- 

DOUG BARBER (’71), Clarksville, 

received WorkForce Essential’s 2003 

President’s Award of Excellence for 

his commitment to the community. 

A case manager for the Montgomery 

County Career Center, Barber was 

honored for his service as a board 

member of the Clarksville Downtown 

District Partnership and as co-chair of 

Clarksville’s Rivers and Spires Festival. 

MITCHELL ROSS (’72) is on the board 

of directors for Clarksville’s Planters 

Bank. Ross is one of eight local 

business leaders chosen to help 

organize the location and develop 

the new bank in Clarksville. Ross is a 

partner in the law firm of Rudolph, 

Ross, Fendley and Hogan. 

BEVERLY BERARD (’72, ’73), a biology 

and physiology teacher at 

Northeast High School, Clarksville, 

was one of two teachers named 2003 

Distinguished Classroom Teacher of 

the Year by the Tennessee Education 

Association. 

DR. V. MICHAEL CARRIGAN (’73) was 

designated by the Certifying 

Commission and Council of Fellows 

in Medical Management as a fellow 

with the American College of 

Physician Executives. Carrigan has 

practiced medicine in Clarksville for 

20 years and serves as the medical 

director for Premier Medical Group. 

CHARLES A. (CHUCK) HENDERSON 

(’73), Hopkinsville, Ky., was appointed 

Civilian Aide to the Secretary of 

the Army for 2003-05. Henderson is 

president and general manager of 

Kentucky New Era Corp. He is a 

founding member of the 

Hopkinsville-Christian County 

Military Affairs Committee and of 

Operation Eagles Nest Fund Drive. 

Henderson has been an active member 

of the Association of the United 

States Army (AUSA) since 1979 and 

is a former president of the 

Kentucky/Tennessee Chapter of 

AUSA. He and his wife, Cathy, have 

three children. 

SAM L. WAMBLE (’73) recently moved 

to Pine Bluff, Ariz., with his wife 

Susan and daughter, Caithyn. He is a 

physical education teacher for 

Watson Chapel Schools. 

MICHAEL L. WORSHAM (’73) is the 

new human resources director for 

the city of Clarksville. He brings 

more than 20 years of experience to 

the position, having worked with 

Levi Strauss, Kenneth O. Lester 

Company and, most recently, Tire 

Distribution Systems, where he was 

responsible for more than 2,000 

employees at 100 different locations 

in 15 states. 

Dr. Andrew N. 

Barrass 

Contributed photo Photo: Bill Persinger 

DR. ANDREW N. 

BARRASS (’74, 

’76) returned to 

APSU July 1, 

2003, as the new 

director of the 

Center of 

Excellence in 

Field Biology. 

JOE CALLOWAY 

(’74) of Nashville 

added the word 

“author” to his 

list of achievements. 

His book, 

“Becoming a 

Category of One,” 

Joe Calloway was released in 

August 2003 by 

Wiley & Sons Publishing. He is a 

partner in Mirror, an award-winning 

Nashville restaurant, which was featured 

on television’s Food Network 

and reviewed in The New York Times. 

A nationally renowned speaker on 

business competition and consultant 

on successful branding in today’s 

marketplace, Calloway was inducted 

into the Speakers Hall of Fame. 

RICK N. WHITFIELD (’74) recently 

received his doctoral degree in higher 

education management from the 

University of Pennsylvania, where he 

is employed as vice president of 

audit and corporate compliance. He 

and his wife, Nancy (’75, ’90), live 

in Bryn Mawr, Penn. He is the sonin-law 

of Virginia Quick (42), 

Clarksville, former secretary in 

APSU’s Alumni Relations Office. 

CARL WILSON (’74) has been elected 

chair of the Clarksville-Montgomery 

Industrial Development Board for 

2003-04. General manager of 

Cumberland Electric Membership Corp. 

for the past six years, Wilson has 

been with the company since 1973. 

JERRY HACKNEY 

(’76), Clarksville, 

has been 

appointed 

national sales 

manager for 

eLynx, a leading 

provider of electronic 

document 

Jerry Hackney 

delivery solutions for mortgage 

lenders and the first Web-based 

service to offer electronic capabilities 

directly to homebuyers. In this 

position, Hackney is responsible for 

developing the company’s marketing 

strategy and directing sales efforts 

of the company’s flagship products—eLynx 

Web Posting Service and 

eLynx uSign. 


MARGUERITE SALLEE (’77), who was 

named “Businesswoman of the Year 

2001” by “Business Nashville,” 

resigned in April 2003 as chief executive 

of The Brown Schools, a Texas 

company that provides residential 

treatment and educational services 

for troubled young people. She now 

works in the Washington, D.C., office 

of U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander as 

staff director for the Children and 

Families Subcommittee, which 

Alexander chairs and which is part of 

the Senate’s Health, Education, 

Labor and Pensions Committee. In 

her new role, Sallee is positioned to 

influence national policy in the area 

in which she has specialized for the 

past 25 years. 

RANDY CLOUSER (’78), Clarksville, 

joined Cumberland Bank and Trust as 

executive vice president, bringing 

with him more than 20 years of 

experience. 

Former New York City resident and 

production manager for NBC’s 

“Today” show, NANETTE 

(NOFFSINGER) CROWELL (’78), 

Nolensville, Tenn., continues her 

work for NBC. During the first two 

months of 2003, her travels included 

numerous trips to Fort Campbell, Ky., 

to cover the deployment of the 

101st Airborne Division (Air 

Assault). Her work, also, took her 

to Norfolk, Va., to cover a story on 

the Coast Guard, to North Carolina, 

where there was a major factory 

explosion with fatalities, and to 

Houston’s Kennedy Space Center following 

the breakup of the Columbia 

space shuttle. 

LINDA A. SITTON (’78, ’81), director 

of Austin Peay’s Tennessee Early 

Childhood Training Alliance (TECTA), 

was selected to receive the Family 

Child Care Advocate Award at a 

TECTA banquet in April. Sitton’s 

selection was based on her work in 

enhancing family child care through 

early childhood coursework, promoting 

attendance at state and national 

conferences through assistance with 

fees and providing focused consulting 

for National Association for 

Family Child Care (NAFCC). Thanks to 

her efforts, seven of the nine programs 

accredited in Tennessee are 

from the APSU-TECTA site. 

VICKI CHAMPION CARTER (’78) is 

building her retirement home in 

Tuscaloosa, Ala., after traveling the 

world “compliments of Uncle Sam.” 

She retired in 1998 as a major in the 

U.S. Army Signal Corp. She spends 

winters skiing in Lake Tahoe, Nev., 

while visiting LTC ALICIA NYLAND- 

ALGARD (’78) and summers, in 

Navarre, Fla., visiting DONNA 

WOODARD-ORBIK (’78). 

ROBERT W. MARTIN (’79) was named 

Hopkinsville’s chief financial officer 

following the closing of 

International Paper Co. in 

Hopkinsville, Ky., where he was 

accounting supervisor. 

JIMMY STEPHENS (‘79), a theatre 

and social studies teacher at 

Montgomery Central High School, 

was appointed assistant principal of 

Liberty Elementary for the 2003-04 

academic year. 



27

Class notes (continued from page 27) 

1980s 

NANCY LEWIS LADD (’80) and CURTIS 

JOHNSON (’86) are on the board of 

directors for Clarksville’s new Planters 

Bank. Ladd and Johnson are two of 

eight Clarksville business leaders 

chosen to help establish the bank’s 

Clarksville location. Ladd is a partner 

in Lewis, Smith and Ladd, 

Certified Public Accountants; 

Johnson is president of Johnson 

Auto Sales. 

KAY DREW (’81), a 10-year employee 

of Clarksville Academy, was appointed 

head of the school in June 2003, 

after the former headmaster resigned. 

Before joining the Clarksville 

Academy faculty, Drew was a teacher 

in the Fort Campbell School System 

for eight years. She and her husband, 

U.S. Army Maj. Tom Drew, have a 

10th-grade daughter, Kaley. 

ROCKELLE P. DANIELS (’82), judicial 

administrative assistant for Circuit 

Court Judge Michael R. Jones, 

Tennessee 19th Judicial District, 

completed advanced skin-care program 

at the International Derma 

Institute, Postgraduate School of 

Skin Care and Body Therapy. She 

holds a clinical cosmetician certificate 

from the Advanced Skin Care 

Institute, a division of the department 

of dermatology and burn center, 

USC Medical Center, San 

Francisco. As a trainer for the 

American Cancer Society’s national 

Look Good-Feel Better Program, she 

has volunteered her services to cancer 

(and burn) survivors since 1989. 

Rhonda J. 

Kennedy 


RHONDA J. 

KENNEDY (’83, 

’86), principal of 

Hazelwood 

Elementary 

School, was recognized 

at the 

2002 national 

Born to Win 

Leadership 

Conference for her many achievements. 

A member of the 2002-03 

Class of Leadership Clarksville, she has 

worked in the local school system for 

20 years. She received the 

Distinguished Classroom Teacher Award 

and was selected as one of Clarksville’s 

Outstanding Young Women by the 

Jaycees. She and her husband, attorney, 

KEVIN (’78, ’79), have three children, 

Kevin Jr. (K.C.), Kenneth and 

Katelin. Following a family tradition, 

older son, K.C., is a freshman at APSU. 

Kathie Scobee 

Fulgham 


Shortly after the 

space shuttle 

Columbia broke 

apart, Jan. 28, 

2003, KATHIE 

SCOBEE FULGHAM 

(’84), 

Chattanooga, 

found herself 

once again in the 

national spotlight—this time to 

offer comfort to others like her. 

The daughter of the late Dick 

Scobee, commander of the 

Challenger, which exploded on takeoff 

in January 1986, Fulgham knows 

what it’s like to lose a parent in 

such a public tragedy. In addition 

to meeting with the Columbia families, 

Fulgham was featured in various 

broadcast and print media, including 

an article titled “Love and Loss: A 

Daughter Remembers,” in the Feb. 

17 edition of “People” magazine. 

EDDIE BURCHETT (’85) was named 

2002 Homebuilder of the Year by the 

Clarksville-Montgomery County Home 

Builders Association. Since 1985, he 

has constructed more than 1,000 

homes ranging from $70,000 to 

$500,000. Burchett was elected the 

first president of the local Home 

Builders Association in 1991 and 

again in 1992. He serves as board 

adviser to the Association’s directors. 

GREG SMITH (’85) was elected president 

of the Clarksville Zeta 

Parliamentary Chapter #73 of the 

American Institute of 

Parliamentarians. Smith is the chief 

financial officer of Forensic Medical 

in Nashville. 

NELSON BOEHMS 

(’86) was named 

vice president for 

commerce and 

lending for 

Planters Bank, 

which opened for 

business in 

Nelson Boehms 

Clarksville in 

Spring 2003. He and his wife, 

Deborah, have three children, Samuel, 

6, Analena, 8, and Charlie, 10. 


JACKIE JONES (’89, ’90, ’02) was 

appointed assistant principal at 

Byrns Darden Elementary School for 

the 2003-04 academic year. She has 

worked in the Clarksville-Montgomery 

County School System since 1990. 

DAVID ALFORD (’89), described as 

“Nashville theatre’s heavy-hitter” by 

The Tennessean, attended the byinvitation-only 

premiere of “Charlie’s 

War” on May 2 at the Nashville Film 

Festival. Others attending were 

Oprah Winfrey and her longtime 

beau, Stedman Graham, Natalie Cole 

and film co-stars Diane Ladd and 

Bobbie Eakes. Alford studied acting 

at Juilliard in New York City and is a 

member of the supporting cast for 

the film. 

1990s 

MELISSA ALEXANDER GROSS (’90) 

was hired as project-information 

coordinator for the American Leprosy 

Missions in Grille, S.C. She resides 

in Piedmont, S.C., with her husband 

Randy, a network administrator for 

National Electric Carbon, and daughter, 

Jordan Samantha. 

CHIP KNIGHT (’90), business banker 

with Clarksville AmSouth, was honored 

for his top performance in 2002 

at the annual Chairman’s Club’s 

Banquet on Paradise Island, the 

Bahamas. AmSouth awards the top 

15 percent of its bankers with an 

annual trip to celebrate their sales. 

MARTIN KOON (’91) was named 

Montgomery County’s new 4-H coordinator 

this past March. Koon is a 

10-year 4-H coordinator veteran in 

Wayne and Davidson counties. 

SHELBY H. (BYARD) DRAPER (’81), 

the mother of SHELBY LYNETTE 

BYARD STERLING TAYLOR (’91) and 

TAMMY RAY BYARD COWAN (’92), 

wrote to share both her daughters’ 

accomplishments. Taylor, who 

earned a master’s degree at Middle 

Tennessee State University, teaches 

special education at Sango 

Elementary School. She lives in 

Clarksville with her son, Zach. 

Cowan received the “Kentucky Young 

Mother of the Year” award in March 

2003. She lives in Hopkinsville with 

husband, CARY SCOTT COWAN (’91), 

son, Blake and daughter, Lauren. 

Her husband works for Hillard Lyons. 

BRIAN MCKINNEY (’94), Clarksville, 

was appointed assistant principal at 

East Montgomery Elementary School 

for the 2003-04 academic year. 

KERI MCINNIS (’95), Brentwood, 

made The Tennessean’s “Top 40 

Under 40” list of accomplished 

Middle Tennesseans. She is a senior 

vice president and market manager 

for Pinnacle Financial Partners’ Green 

Hills office. In addition to many 

contributions to the community as a 

financial leader, McInnis volunteers 

to work with community groups, 

such as the Junior League of 

Nashville, United Way, Red Cross and 

the PENCIL Foundation. 

GABRIEL SEGOVIA (’96) made The 

Tennessean’s “Top 40 Under 40” list 

of accomplished Middle Tennessee 

men and women. Segovia, who is 

mayor pro tem for Clarksville and 

school resource officer for Northeast 

High School, volunteers with Boy 

Scouts of America, Click It or Ticket, 

Adopt a Street, the Clarksville- 

Montgomery County Adult Literacy 

Council, Hispanics Organized for 

Progress and Education (HOPE) and 

Big Brothers/Big Sisters. 

WALTER WAYNE STUCK II (’96) is the 

project geologist at Kemron 

Environmental in Marietta, Ohio. 

Stuck resides with his wife, Stacie, 

in Mineral Wells, W.Va. The couple 

has two children, Krystal Lee, 18, 

and Levi Nathaniel, 1. 

MARC WHITAKER (’96) is the art 

director and art department manager 

for Compendia Music Group, 

Nashville. From 1990-2001, he 

worked for the Nashville advertising 

agency Steve Diggs & Friends, first 

as a graphic designer and then as 

the art director. 

CHRISTOPHER G. CLARK (’97, ‘98), 

Clarksville, recently completed his 

doctorate of jurisprudence from 

Nashville School of Law. 

DAVID STEPHEN FREELS (’98) is the 

pastor of Limestone Baptist Church 

in Bedford, Ind. He also teaches 

history at Oakland City University in 

Bedford. 

JOSEPH PAUL WEYANT (’98) recently 

earned the doctorate of jurisprudence 

from Mississippi College 

School of law. 

NATALIE PARKS (’99) is completing a 

pharmacy practice residency at 

Vanderbilt University after having 

received a doctor of pharmacy 

degree (with honors) from the 

University of Tennessee-Knoxville. 

She is married to GUY ADAM 

KITTRELL (’00), who works as a 

patient representative for 

Haemophelia Health Services. 


PEAY Alum FACT: William C. Ferguson (’58) is chair of Financial Information Systems, LLC in Hurst, Texas. Way to Go!

KRISTIN CARTWRIGHT (’99) and her 

husband, MARK CARTWRIGHT (’97), 

Woodlawn, were winners on “Wheel of 

Fortune” in February when the show 

was filming its “Sweethearts Week” 

edition in Nashville at the Grand Ole 

Opry. The couple won $52,900. 

NANCY WASHINGTON (’99) was hired 

as an attorney in the office of the 

General Counsel of the Tennessee 

Board of Regents, Nashville. While 

an APSU student, she was a student 

member of TBR and interned with 

TBR through the Nashville Bar’s 

Minority Law Intern Program. 

Washington graduated from 

Vanderbilt University Law School. 

TARA R. GARGUS-FIESE (’99), 

Cerulean, Ky., is employed by 

Pennyrile Allied Community Services, 

Hopkinsville, Ky., as an in-home 

therapist for family and community 

intervention. 

STEVEN G. FULLER (’99), Tulsa, 

received his jurisdoctorate from the 

University of Tulsa College of Law in 

May 2003. While in law school, he 

earned three “CALI Excellence for 

the Future” awards in administrative 

law, antitrust law and race, racism 

and American law. The award goes 

to the student with the highest 

grade in a particular area of study. 

Fuller and his wife, Lisa, have two 

sons, Jackson and Jefferson. 

AMANDA BURDEN (’99), who was 

named The Leaf-Chronicle’s 2003 

Tennis Coach of the Year, left 

Clarksville Academy to accept a job 

in Orange Park, Fla., teaching high 

school math and serving as the girls 

basketball assistant coach. 

2000s 

MATTHEW G. NAGEL (’00) has been 

named account executive with Ruane 

Communications Inc., an independent 

public relations agency based in 

Atlanta that specializes in health 

care, consumer products and sports 

marketing. Nagel was a television 

reporter for WKAG in Clarksville and 

a production assistant for WTVD in 

Durham, N.C. 

BETH MCKINNEY (’00) received a 

doctorate in physical therapy from 

Belmont University, Nashville, in 

August 2003. She is the daughter of 

DEWAYNE (’74) and CHERYL (’74) 

MCKINNEY, Hendersonville, Tenn., 

and her brother, Blake, is a senior at 

Beech High School, where their 

mother teaches. Their father is vice 

president of sales for Handling 

Systems, Nashville. 

CRISTINA HENLEY 

(’01) has been 

named a junior 

account executive 

with the 

American 

Institutes of 

Research, 

Cristina Henley 

Washington, 

D.C., where she assists with public 

and media relations on healthawareness 

campaigns. Henley earned 

a master’s degree in corporate communication 

at APSU and worked a 

year as the communication specialist 

in APSU’s Office of Public Relations 

and Marketing. 

HEATHER PIPER (’02), Clarksville, is 

the communications coordinator for 

the Southern Governors’ Association 

in Washington, D.C. 

Births 

Gray Stephan 

Davis 



GINNY GRAY 

DAVIS (’87) and 

her husband, 

Craig, Cincinnati, 

welcomed the 

birth of their 

son, Gray 

Stephan Davis, 

on June 17, 

2003. Gray, who 

is director of the District XII of the 

APSU National Alumni Association, 

received APSU’s Outstanding Young 

Alumna Award in 1996. Her husband 

is finance manager at Proctor & 

Gamble, Cincinnati. 

Watson William 

Persinger was 

born July 29, 

2003 at Baptist 

Hospital, 

Nashville, to LEE 

WATSON 

PERSINGER (‘91) 

Watson William and CHARLES 

Persinger WILLIAM (BILL) 

PERSINGER (‘91), Clarksville. He was 

welcomed by his four-year-old sister 

Lainey Katherine, and grandparents, 

SANDRA (’76,‘79) and DAVID WATSON 

(‘83) of Clarksville and MARY LU 

(’61) and CHARLES W. PERSINGER, 

SR. (’61), also of Clarksville. 

Watson’s mom is employee relations 

manager at Jostens, and his father is 

graphic design director, APSU Office 

of Public Relations and Marketing. 



Ashten Faith and Brennan Grace Byard 

DENISE POE BYARD (’91) and husband 

George, Clarksville, announce 

the birth of twin daughters, Ashten 

Faith and Brennan Grace, on Jan. 

16, 2003. Mrs. Byard works as a 

human resource generalist for Dana 

Corporation in Franklin, Ky. 

SHANNON SUE WILLIAMS (’94) 

announces the birth of her first 

child, Mackenzie Paige, born Dec. 

13, 2002. Williams is an accounting 

specialist for Notary Public @ Large. 

Cooper Stone 

Long 


KRISTEN (VOGLE) 

LONG (’95) and 

husband 

Christopher, 

Gracey, Ky., 

announce the 

birth of their son 

Cooper Stone 

Long, on Jan. 19, 

2003. Mrs. Long 

recently received her National Board 

Certification and is a middle-school 

reading teacher in Trigg County. Mr. 

Long is a lineman for BellSouth. 

JENNIFER (POWERS) BAGWELL (’96) 

gave birth to her second child, Sarah 

Elizabeth, Dec. 13, 2002. Bagwell 

resides in Clarksville with her husband, 

Jimmy, and son, Dawson. Her 

husband is a civil engineer. 

ANGELA CHILDRESS (’96), Nashville, 

and her husband, Maj. Ryan S. 

Jones, are celebrating the birth of 

their daughter, Chloe Elizabeth, on 

May 26, 2003. Chloe was welcomed 

by brothers, Daniel, 12, and Will, 2. 

Childress, former president of the 

Student Government Association at 

APSU, earned her doctorate of 

jurisprudence from the University of 

Angela Childress, right, with her husband, 

baby daughter and sons. 



Tennessee School of Law. She was a 

full-time attorney with the Nashville 

firm of Harwell, Howard, Hyne, 

Gabbert & Manner until July 2001 

when she became a stay-at-home 

mom and part-time attorney. 

KRISTI (KELLEY) JONES (’97) and 

STEVEN A. J. JONES (’96), West 

Chapel, Fla., announce the birth of 

their first child, Kaleigh Elaine, on 

Aug. 9, 2002. Mr. Jones is regional 

sales manager for Kobrand Corp., a 

New York company selling premium 

wines and spirits. 

SARAH JANE TINSLEY ROSS (’98), 

Murfreesboro, Tenn., and her husband, 

Jason, are the proud parents of Noah 

Harrison Ross, born May 4, 2002. 

MELISSA ANN SHEPPARD JONES (’98) 

and her husband, CHRIS (’96) welcomed 

the birth of Owen Christopher 

Jones on Feb. 10, 2003. Owen’s 

mother is a graduate student at 

Belmont University; his father is an 

attorney with Kay, Friffen, Enkema & 

Brothers, Nashville. 

Joseph David 

Fiese 


TARA R. GARGUS- 

FIESE (’99), 

Cerulean, Ky., and 

her husband, 

Bruce, are celebrating 

the birth 

of their first child. 

Joseph David 

Fiese was born 

Nov. 1, 2002. 

KIMBERLY ANN WEBER SMITH (’01), 

her husband, David, and their son, 

Matthew David John, 2, announce 

the birth of Caitlin Beth Ann on Feb. 

17, 2003. Mrs. Smith is a case manager 

for the Tennessee Department 

of Children’s Services, and her husband 

is an APSU police officer. The 

family lives in Clarksville. 

Deaths 

HUBERT T. (BUD) SCOTT (’59), 

Knoxville, died March 26, 2003. He 

was a retired insurance account manager 

for BlueCross and BlueShield of 

Tennessee and past president of 

Forrest School Alumni Association. 

He is survived by his wife, Mary 

Emma Harrison; a daughter and sonin-law, 

Susan and Samuel B. Adams, 

Mountain City; a son, James Winfield 

Scott, Atlanta; stepson and daughter-in-law, 

Russell L. and Lisa Coble, 

Knoxville; and five grandchildren. 


29

Alumni News & Calendar of Events (continued from page 15) 

Photos on this page: Alumni Relations and University Advancement 

Regional News 

Right, Nelson Boehms (’86), left, steps 

down as past president of the APSUNAA 

Board of Directors; Kevin Hackney (’89), 

center, is the new incoming president for 

2003-04, while Peter Minetos (’89), right, 

will serve as past president this year. 

Left, Austin, Texas alumni – William 

Kirkpatrick (‘78), Vera Kirkpatrick, Mary 

Pearce (‘77), Bill Pearce, retired APSU 

professor William Stokes and retired 

APSU professor Elizabeth Stokes, Eric 

Johnson (2001) and Amanda Johnson. 

Left, Gathering for 

dinner in Bedford, Texas 

in June were (l-r) Tina 

and Don (’68) McCall, 

Amy Hines (’01), 

William Ferguson (’58), 

Lance Buky and father 

Brad (’75). 

Dan Hunt (’89), left, Cynthia (’85) and 

Steve Harmon (’83), right, talk about their 

days at "the Peay" at a wine and cheese 

reception in Orlando in June. 

Above, in June, these alumni and friends attended a 

wine and cheese reception at the Eola Wine 

Company in Orlando in June. 

Right, meeting for 

dinner at Joe T. 

Garcia’s in Fort 

Worth were alumni 

and friends Jerald 

and Anita (’59) 

Plummer, Brad Buky 

(’75) and wife Sue, 

and Todd Wainman 

(’99). 

Center, San Antonio alumni -- Mark 

Hargreaves (‘85), Tammie Jones 

(‘93), Connie Ouellette (‘80), Ken 

Jones (‘95) 

Right, it was a large group of 

Washington, D.C., alumni who 

attended a reception held at the 

Senate Dirksen Building in May. 

From left, Houston alumni 

– Rick Canady (‘73), 

Donald Towe (‘70), Susan 

Towe (‘76), Jimmie 

Gibbons, Nancy Gibbons 

(‘50), Michelle Schroeder 

(‘96), Jennifer Conger, 

Warren Chaney (‘64), 

Bobby O’Brien (‘88) 

Left, these Tampa area alumni 

and friends gathered for a 

fun evening around the pool 

at the Temple Terrace Golf & 

Country Club in April, (l-r) 

Philip Farinella (’68) and 

wife Tonya; Bill Everett (’55) 

and wife Meletha; Dave (’68) 

and Sheryl (’67) Small and 

Jeff Wilde. 

Class notes (continued from page 29) 

PHILLIP THOMAS (’71), Clarksville, 

died April 15, 2003. He was director 

of Journey to Recovery in Clarksville 

and a U.S. Air Force veteran. He is 

survived by his wife Lina Adkins 

Thomas; two daughters, Fran 

Mackdanz and Amanda Thomas, both 

of Clarksville; his mother, and sister, 

Montez Arnold, both of Jonesboro, 

Ark.; and three grandchildren. 

The body of HENRY COCHRAN (’72), 

Clarksville businessman, was discovered 

early in the morning of June 27 

30 

in Kentucky Lake near Paris Landing. 

Preliminary results of an autopsy 

revealed the cause of death was 

drowning. Survivors include his wife, 

Jean Heath, Clarksville; a son, C.J. 

Cochran, Clarksville; a daughter, 

Misty Cochran, Nashville; and sister, 

Ann Bennet, Southern Pines, N.C. 

ALAN GEHRKE (’90), Chattanooga, 

died Feb. 26, 2003, following a long 

battle with Devic’s disease, a progressive 

form of Multiple Sclerosis. 

He was preceded in death by his 


father and a brother. He is survived 

by a sister, brothers and his mother, 

Marilyn Gehrke of Clarksville. 

RUTH NEWMAN (’99), Etowah, Tenn., 

died April 8, 2003. 

Weddings 

MALCOLM BRASHER JR. (’85) and 

Barbara Maygood were married Feb. 

7, 2003. Brasher is the residential 

life manager at Alabama Agriculture 

and Mechanical University in Normal, 

Ala. They reside in Huntsville, Ala. 

GREGORY PARKER (’95) and HEATHER 

(LYLES) PARKER (’01), Pleasant View, 

Tenn., were married in the summer 

of 2002. He is an art director for 

The Maverick Group, a Nashvillebased 

advertising agency, and serves 

as vice president of the Eta Tau 

Chapter alumni association of Pi 

Kappa Alpha. She is the emergency 

room registration director at Skyline 

Medical Center, Nashville. 

PEAY Alum FACT: Sheila Mayhew York (’71), New York City, works at Morgan-Stanley as a supervisory analyst.

Homecoming 2002 

Photos on this page: Bill Persinger 

Far left, that's Garnett Ladd 

III (and sister Elizabeth, 

left) riding in the APSU 

National Alumni 

Association, Montgomery 

County Chapter car in the 

Homecoming parade. They 

are the children of Garnett 

('83) and Nancy ('80) Ladd, 

co-presidents of the 

Montgomery County Alumni 

Chapter. 

Left, Cecil Morgan plans his 

put at the 24th annual 

Homecoming Golf tournament. 

Below, Jack Jackson on left 

with L.M. Ellis (’65), center, 

and Ted Smith (’65). 

Above left, the Alumni and Friends Card Party 

was a great success last year with approximately 

100 women attending. 

Far left, the first and second place winners of 

the annual Homecoming 5K run do a radio 

interview with Hank Bonecutter, center, from 

WJZM and Rip Watts (’76), right, of the 

University Advancement Office. 

Left, Homecoming Co-Chairs Sean ('92) and 

Gina ('92, '98) Castleberry, along with son 

Chris, joined in the Homecoming parade. 


Her new mystery book is to be released this October. Way to Go! 

31

From Beakers to Beacon (Continued from page 8) 

From his earliest days as an administrator, 

Roddy made a point of volunteering for various 

organizations. His environmental background 

allowed him to capably serve several 

terms as chair of Hamilton County’s Air 

Pollution Control Board during his 13-year 

tenure. 

He went on to become chair of the 

Chattanooga Area Urban League and president 

of the East Tennessee Area Health 

Education Center. In all, he has served on 

more than 50 boards since 1983. He doesn’t 

see such efforts as particularly noble. 

“As leaders, we’re called to be servants,” 

Roddy says, “to give back to the community 

and make it a better place. My parents 

instilled that in me. Both were teachers, but 

they were involved in a lot of things outside 

education as well. It was something that just 

stuck with me.” 

Roddy also sees volunteering as the perfect 

way to expand your professional and personal 

horizons. “You meet lots of people outside 

your niche,” he says. “If what you do is limited 

to the area you work in, you’ll only know 

people in that area.” 

Stepping outside one’s niche can lead not 

only to new friendships and knowledge but to 

major life changes, as Roddy discovered. It 

was in Leadership Chattanooga, a community 

service and leadership workshop, that he 

began working with County Executive Dalton 

Roberts and County Executive Claude 

Ramsey. “They made such an impression on 

me that in 1994 I decided to run for mayor.” 

Though his bid for mayor wouldn’t be successful, 

Roddy says it was a good campaign. 

“I got over 42 percent of the votes and really 

enjoyed the experience.” 

In 1998, he was offered another 

new challenge: to serve as the 

vice president for a new initiative 

called Healthy Community. 

Offered through the Memorial 

Health Care System, its goal is to 

develop partnerships that would 

improve health care in the 

Chattanooga area, particularly in 

underserved areas. 

“When I came here, Memorial 

had one primary-care clinic. 

We’re opening our fourth in 

July,” Roddy says proudly. “The 

clinics provide care to patients 

who previously didn’t have access 

to health care—TennCare 

patients, charity indigents, 

Medicare patients, the working 

poor.” 

The Northshore Center, which 

started in 1997, has seen such 

growth in the number of people 

served that Memorial is moving it 

a couple of blocks away to a larger 

facility. 

Healthy Community emphasizes 

not only medical care but 

also preventive care. Through 

area churches, Memorial has presented 

programs on diabetes, 

heart disease and weight management, 

among other topics. The programs have 

had a profound effect on some participants. 

“One man had high blood pressure, diabetes, 

and was overweight,” Roddy says. 

“Now, every morning at 5 a.m. he’s at the Y, 

teaching a class. He’s off all medication and 

preparing to run in a marathon.” 

Roddy sees Healthy Community as a perfect 

extension of Memorial’s mission. “Jesus 

Christ went about healing. That’s Memorial’s 

mission, to promote the healing ministry of 

Christ, emphasizing social justice, the dignity 

of the individual and a healthier community.” 


Memorial doesn’t do any of this alone, he 

emphasizes, but through community partnerships. 

The new clinic, for example, is being 

opened in partnership with the Salvation 

Army. “They build the facility, and we staff 

and operate it,” Roddy says. 

Similar partnerships support an effort 

called Project Access. The Medical Society 

will recruit 300 primary-care and specialtycare 

doctors who will agree to see patients. 

The hospital will provide in-patient admission, 

lab work and surgical suites. “The goal 

is to improve access to health care for the 

poor,” Roddy says. 

Again, the phrase “making a difference” 

enters the conversation. “The clinics, the 

health teams, my work with the boards of 

organizations like the Y, help our organization 

make a difference in the community,” he 

says. “It’s a chance to be creative. To work 

with others to find answers.” 

How does the 50+ executive maintain his 

equilibrium in the face of multiple demands? 

How does he balance work, family and community? 

It’s not easy, he admits. “There are a 

lot of competing forces.” 

A clue to one of Roddy’s antidotes for 

stress is found among the personal objects in 

his office. Just over his left shoulder is a 

model of a Corvette. 

“I love ’vettes,” he says, boyish excitement 

lighting his face. “I always wanted one. When 

I turned 50, I decided it was time.” With nary 

an apology, then or now, he went out and 

bought himself a low-slung little number in 

British racing green. He drives the Corvette 

to work every day. 

He also loves tennis. And the aforementioned 

lighthouses. And Hilton Head Island, 

which has both. 

He’s also more than a little fond of politics. 

“I just may try a run for mayor again someday,” 

he says. “If I could just convince my 

wife….” He trails off, and the sound of 

wheels turning in his head is nearly audible. 

Clearly, he’s exploring how he might achieve 

his objective in this unique and highly personal 

partnership. 

Whether he’s shaping politics or programs, 

Roddy’s forte is achieving objectives through 

partnerships, bringing sometimes disparate 

elements together to form new solutions. 

When you think about it, he’s still the 

chemist he set out to be. 


PEAY Alum FACT: C. Don Ladd (’69) is senior financial adviser with American Express Financial Advisors Inc., Nashville. Way to Go!

Rebecca Lynn Howard Concert 

Above, Howard signs a program for fan Paula Hallett, who was 

welcomed as Governors Club president for 2003-2004 at the 

event. 

Left, country music star Rebecca Lynn Howard performs her #1 

hit single, “Forgive,” at this year’s Athletic Concert Fundraiser. 

Above, Director of Corporate Relations Rip Watts shows off his 

auctioneering ability during the pre-concert festivities. The 

signed Beatles guitar, shown, was the night’s hottest auction 

item. 

Above, Howard not only donated her 

time for the concert but also took time 

to greet fans at a post-reception party. 


Photos: Heather Legg 

Above: Rebecca Lynn Howard, 

center, poses with the APSU 

athletic coaches at the Govs 

Club Appreciation Luncheon. 

Right: Athletic Director Dave Loos 

thanks Dr. Richard Ribeiro for 

serving as the 2002-2003 

Governors Club president. 

Right: Rebecca Lynn Howard 

speaks to Billy Atkins during the 

Govs Club Appreciation Luncheon. 

The event was highlighted by a 

special announcement and introduction 

of Howard as the guest 

artist for the concert. 



33

...is the greatest of all human forces. Change the mind, and you change the world. 

That quote, from film great Jay Griffin, captures the 

mission that has guided Austin Peay State University for 

more than 75 years—and has found fruition in the lives of 

thousands of graduates. 

Austin Peay. Changing minds. Changing lives. 

PRST STD 

U.S. POSTAGE 

PAID 

NASHVILLE, TN 

PERMIT NO. 1 

Alumni and Annual Giving 

P.O. Box 4676 


1-800-264-ALUM 

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fall 2003 - Austin Peay State University

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