College of Coastal Georgia - the Magazine, Volume 3 Issue 1

college ofCoastal Georgiathe magazineVOLUME 3, ISSUE 12013 Southern States Athletic ConferenceGolfer of the Year Dylan FreemanJack Dinos Scholarship recipient

Game Time!Photo from Baseball game, Game Room or Bishop GateFreshman Rotary International Scholarship recipient Maria Trabanino looks on as Tyler Barber lines up his shot during a game ofpool in the student activity center recreation room. The room opened in April of 2013 and includes billiards, air hockey, foosball,card table, ping pong tables, bike rentals and three large flat-screen televisions for gaming, offering the students a place to relax andenjoy some friendly competition between classes.

A Message from the PresidentDr. Valerie A. HepburnWelcome to the latest issue of College of CoastalGeorgia – the Magazine.In these pages, we highlight our newest degree, aBachelor of Arts in American Studies. Just as AmericanStudies encompass an interdisciplinary, communitycenteredapproach to understanding the critical issuesfacing the United States – history, ecology, culture,communications, government, economic developmentand resource sustainability – these pages exploresimilar facets of the Coastal Georgia experience.You’ll read about new partnerships with the Schoolof Business and Public Affairs that will offer excitingopportunities for students to enhance their career options. We also showcase thecapstone course for the BBA degree which applies 21 st century knowledge and skills toenable classroom entrepreneurs to compete successfully in a global arena.Service-learning continues to take center stage as our signature academic initiative.Coastal Georgia is winning national recognition and, locally, Burt Brown with Habitatfor Humanity of Glynn County describes the difference our students make at thelocal level. You’ll also read about five students who traveled to the Gulf Coast to seefirsthand - and extend helping hands to - post-Katrina restoration.We are excited to introduce you to successful alumni, new graduates in the Class of2013 and students engaged in artistic, literary and cultural experiences on campus.Reviewing these milestones causes me to reflect on how quickly five years havepassed during my service as president of Coastal Georgia. The College and I havebenefited because of tremendous support provided by the Board of Regents and theUniversity System of Georgia, the Foundation trustees, our state elected officials, thelocal community, faculty, staff, students, and friends of the College – people who sawthe vision, wrote the mission and put this dream into action.Collectively, we share an amazing list of accomplishments: collaboration in craftingand successfully implementing a comprehensive strategic master plan, accreditationof ten new baccalaureate degree programs, creation of new academic schoolswithin the College, construction of new academic buildings and our first on-campusstudent residences, reorganization of the College Foundation, renovation of outdatedstructures, addition of new athletic programs and facilities, adoption of servicelearningas our educational enhancement plan, and cultivation of new cultural andarts programming. The magazine itself is one of the added innovations.These accomplishments have already netted key results. Enrollment has increased.Talented students are now remaining in the community - becoming teachers, nurses,leaders and entrepreneurs. Alumni are proud of their award-winning college andbeautiful campus. We’ve become a catalyst for economic development across theregion. And, the Golden Isles is an even better place to live because of campuscommunityengagement.This summer I will return to my professional field of interest, health and publicpolicy. The next issue of the magazine will introduce the fifth president of the Collegeof Coastal Georgia. Without question, I’m handing off a successful institution for whichthe sky is the limit. I look forward to continuing to support the progress of CoastalGeorgia in the coming years.VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 • May 2013A campus in color........................................................2First Class...................................................................4Rebekah Lindborg..................................................4Tiffany Curry..........................................................5Elizabeth Rackley-DeSalvo......................................6Larry Carter...........................................................7Rolling up her sleeves.................................................8Hottest ticket in town................................................. 10Building a better community..................................... 12Duo making waves nationally................................... 13American Studies....................................................... 14Power Couple............................................................ 17Alternative Spring Break............................................ 18The Writing Center.....................................................20Athletics Updates.......................................................22Put me in coach... ................................................... 24No student left inside................................................26Credit where credit is due..........................................28College of Coastal Georgia - the Magazineis produced by the Advancement Office of theCollege of Coastal Georgia, with the support ofthe College of Coastal Georgia Foundation.Advancement OfficeElizabeth Weatherly, Chief Advancement OfficerJohn Cornell, Director of Marketing and PRJessica Dickson, Coordinator of Alumni Services and EventsPaul Hearn, WebmasterRobin Flores, Department CoordinatorPeggy Golden, Staff Writer/Special ProjectsManaging Editor/Layout and DesignJohn CornellEditor/Senior WriterPeggy GoldenEditorial AssistanceRebecca Buchanan ‘14, Kevin Price, Diana LealPhotographyAll photographs by John Cornell unless noted.College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 1

2 College of Coastal Georgia – the MagazineFreshman Cameron Griffith, drenchedin color, joined millions of Holi Festivalcelebrants around the world rejoicing inspring on March 29.

A campus in colorArt Club inspires creative campus activityArt as creative play. Art as different ways for people to expressthemselves. Art as a break from the academic routine. Art as away to become involved on campus. Art as community service.This is the art of life, as articulated by members of the campusArt Club, and they want everyone to know that being an art studentis not a requirement for membership. For instance, Chris Smith’15 is a psychology major and Donny Simmons ’16 is focused oncommunications. Charles Poston ’15 has an associate degree in artbut is an education major with a concentration in history. FreshmanCameron Griffith is actually an art student, planning to transfer toSavannah College of Art and Design after his sophomore year.Poston is currently president of the club – or master of ceremonies,depending on the activity – noted for his top hat and magic coat ofmany colors. The club meets weekly.“Our meetings aren’t just art talk,” Smith stressed. “It’s very social –a chance for everyone to meet and interact.”Simmons agreed. “We discuss ideas for big projects, including thebusiness aspects. Sometimes we use the meeting to create miniprojects.And we’re open to ideas from anyone, not just Art Clubmembers. Artistic endeavors don’t have to be fine art or cultural to bea fun group activity.”To expand their perspective, the club organizes field trips tomuseums such as the Jepsen and the Telfair in Savannah or the HighMuseum and Emory University’s Michael Carlos Museum in Atlanta.Their current objective is a field trip to New York City during springbreak 2014.Poston considers the field trips to be invaluable. “Seeing the realpieces, we can examine the technique and experience the art firsthand. It’s a different perspective from photos in a textbook.”“There’s a raw energy that just can’t be captured in a photograph,”Smith said.“Like the difference between watching a concert on TV versus live,”Simmons added.Light-hearted energy is what inspires many of their endeavors,such as the Holi Festival, a Hindu celebration of springtime andcolor held annually for hundreds of years. Participants toss specialpowdered dyes to color themselves and each other. The dyes aremade from flower petals and chalk – non-toxic, biodegradable andorganic. “The Holi Festival celebrates the triumph of a greater goodover evil,” Griffith explained, “dramatizing happiness and freedom ofexpression.”This year’s inaugural Holi Festival was a collaborative adventureby the Art Club and International Club. Members of the local Hinducommunity also participated.Community service projects have ranged from painting a muralfor Goodwill Industries to renovating and painting the Hostel-in-the-Forest (a youth hostel south of Brunswick that utilizes tree houses andgeodesic domes) and designing costumes and applying makeup for ahaunted house benefitting the Marty Lyons Foundation .Art Club members are looking at new activities and collaborationsfor the coming year: an exhibit of 3-D design models; a tent built fromup-cycled, laminated plastic bags, dubbed “the pixilated scientist”; a filmshowing of cult-favorites “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Priscilla,Queen of the Desert”; and concepts for a memorial garden - earthworksthat could become a living memorial, including an herb garden.“To bury grief, you plant a seed,” Poston said softly. “That could befar-reaching in the community.” He would like to collaborate with theBiology Club, CHEF and the Psychology Club to bring the idea to fruition.Jeff LeMieux, Associate Professor of Fine Art, serves as the club’sfaculty adviser. During the academic year, members meet informallyevery Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. in the 2-D art studio on the firstfloor of the Coffin Building. uCourtesy of the art club, Opposite: Bobby HavenTaking a break during an Art Club field trip to Atlanta, pictured l-r, Professor Jeff LeMieux and students Shanelle Richardson, Zach Lingerfelt, Charles Poston andCameron Griffith.College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 3

First ClassCollege celebrates class of 2013, the first class of students who entered College of Coastal Georgia as freshman in 2009Rebekah LindborgRebekah Lindborg is passionate about vertebrate zoology –including sharks and other marine creatures. Coastal ecologywas her logical track choice for the BS in biology. She is looking atgraduate schools in the states of Georgia, Florida and Washingtonas well as the country of Australia – schools with programs inanimal behavior and conservation biology and with locations nearthe coast.Her choices seem to contrast with living on 50 acres of farmlandin Thalman, Georgia, and being home schooled. But when you areregularly moving all over the world with your family, traveling toplaces such as Hawaii, Fiji and Australia and living in Europe, homeschooling becomes a necessity.“We lived in Brussels long enough for me to complete 8thgrade in the international school and to learn some French,” shesaid. “But the home schooling was structured and challenging,with frequent field trips to actually experience the art andculture of the country we were in at the time. We frequented thelibraries, researching topics. The world was our classroom, butcertification required frequent testing and developing good studyhabits.”The family moved to Brunswick for the first time in 2000 – andkept returning.“I wanted to go to school in Georgia,” Lindborg said. “Igravitated to Coastal Georgia because it is comfortable, a smallschool with more faculty interaction, in a location I love.” Unlikeher older sister, Ester, who started at Coastal Georgia in 2003when the school was a two-year community college and thentransferred to Armstrong Atlantic, she stayed: “Primarily becauseof the one-to-one interaction. I didn’t need to transfer, starting overat a huge campus, when I could get my undergraduate degree inbiology where I really want to be,” she smiled. “The flexibility ofthe program worked for me. I selected my electives based on myown curiosity and interests.”Her extracurricular activities parallel her interests: BiologyClub, Adopt-a-Wetland, Adopt-a-Highway, and interning at theGeorgia Sea Turtle Center.After leaving for graduate school, she’ll still return to campusfrom time to time: her younger brother, Jedidiah, is a CoastalGeorgia sophomore studying criminal justice. Coastal Georgia hasbecome a Lindborg tradition. uChris Johnson4 College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine

First ClassTiffany CurryTiffany Curry transferred from GeorgiaSouthern to Coastal Georgia midfreshmanyear to be closer to home(Jesup) due to family concerns. Sheplanned a temporary move, but foundherself so in love with the school andher business classes, she never lookedback. By the end of her sophomore year,she expected to be an accountant. As agraduating senior, she’s still excited abouther BBA with a leadership concentration,but her career is shifting to highereducation – the business side.“After working as one of the firstresident assistants in campus housing,I became head resident assistant. Over350 students live in Lakeside Village andI bet I’m in contact with over half of themevery day. My job is to make a differencein their lives – a positive difference intheir campus experience,” she explained.“With my leadership concentration, Ilearned the theories and then put theminto practice every day as a life coach,supervisor, disciplinarian, mentor, friendand role model.”Curry cites the influence of Dr. MichaelButcher and Amber Sutor in re-directingher interest. “They are why I’m goingto graduate school. I started workingwith Dr. Butcher in May 2011 to buildour program. After such an incredibleexperience, I’m pursuing a MEd in highereducation while working as a resident halldirector. I have my eye on the two-yearprograms because I want to come back toCoastal for the new residence hall when itis built,” she said.She has been accepted to ArkansasTech, which she described as “what we’llCourtesy of Tiffany Currylook like in 10-15 years.” The graduate school offers a work-study programs that will enable herto pursue her degree full time while living and working in one of the 14 residence halls.“My goal is to have my PhD in higher education by the age of 30,” she concluded, “and youknow what? Someday I intend to return as president of the College of Coastal Georgia. Right nowI’m all about student housing, but I have this growing interest in public policy.” uCollege of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 5

First ClassElizabeth Rackley-DeSalvoElizabeth Rackley-DeSalvo used to think of herself as ahigh school dropout. “I was bored, so I dropped out themiddle of my senior year with only two credits to go,” theChandler, Arizona native confessed. “I took a correspondencecourse to complete my high school degree, but I had no plansor money for college.”After moving to the east coast and enrolling at theCollege of Coastal Georgia, Rackley-DeSalvo’s view of formaleducation altered dramatically. “By my sophomore year, I hadchanged my mind about majoring in middle grades educationand was thinking about graduate school atColumbia University for journalism and law.I’m passionate about social justice.” But afteran enthusiastic discussion with Dr. Carla Bluhmand learning about the BS in psychology, shebegan to ponder research in that discipline.By the time she walks in commencement onMay 11, the cum laude graduate will alreadyknow her next step. She applied to fourprestigious graduate schools with programsin her area of interest – the intersection ofneuroscience and psychology. By April 1 she hadalready been accepted to two of those schools,both in New York City: the Graduate Schoolof Arts and Science at New York Universityand the New School of Social Research (with aDean’s Merit Scholarship).“Increased funding is now available formapping brain activity. I want to be part ofthat,” she explained. She is fascinated withunderstanding where complex, emotional beliefsystems impacting social phenomenon formand develop in the brain.Her preparation, she contended, had moreto do with the structure of the psychologydegree program at Coastal Georgia than just thecourse work. “I could compete for these gradschools because of the collaborative natureof the program here – research, presentingat conferences, mentoring by professors andservice learning. I could immerse myself in thediscipline and really focus.”“I had multiple mentors, which I consideran important factor, and my service-learningexperiences helped refine my objectives. I’ve progressedfrom educating to advocating and then made the leap toimpacting through research,” she concluded. She’ll continueusing an electroencephalogram to measure brain activity andperceptions of infertility, religion, politics and pornography incollaboration with Dr. Kimberly Kinsey Mannahan, AssistantProfessor of Psychology. They plan to submit at least one ofthese studies for presentation at the Southeast PsychologicalAssociation annual conference later this year. u6 College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine

First ClassLarry CarterCourtesy of Larry CarterLarry Carter of Folkston worked 27 years for UPS– starting in high school – before a knee injurysent him back to school to craft a new career. Since hehad remained involved in sports, coaching and youthprograms at Charlton County High School, teachingseemed like a natural choice for him. He graduates cumlaude this May with a BS in middle grades education.“I had to rethink my life. I assumed I’d be retiring fromUPS some day, but it didn’t happen that way. The past fouryears have been busy. Man, is that an understatement,” hesighed! “But I’ve been dedicated to my education and theeffort is paying off.”Carter compared notes with his 29-year-old son who isa teacher and coach at Montgomery County High School.“My son attended a different college and said histraining wasn’t as rigorous. He didn’t feel ready forthe classroom when he graduated. I am. I benefittedfrom all the classroom exposure,” he said. He alsopraised the cohort system. “The members of mycohort have become my extended family – a realsupport network.”Carter opted for middle grades because he likesthe enthusiasm and teach-ability of that age. Hewould also like to coach wrestling, football and track.“I really like sports,” he laughed. “I video and scoutother schools’ games for pre-game review and evendrive the team bus if I’m needed. I’ve observed thatkids who become involved in sports are more likelyto stay in school and graduate. And they want theirteachers to be involved in extracurricular activitiesand show an interest in what they do beyond theclassroom. They are very vocal about that. In placeslike Folkston, sports and education are one of the fewways to discover opportunities - do more than justhang around the street corner waiting for somethingto happen.”He stressed the importance of his studentslearning to use technology and to develop criticalthinking skills. “You can’t get a good job withoutknowing how to use technology and you have tobe able to reason – to think through problems andput together solutions. If you can’t figure things outyourself, you’ll be back on that street corner, waitingfor someone to give you an answer. I can help themdo a lot more than that,” he concluded. uCollege of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 7

8 College of Coastal Georgia – the MagazineMark and Lillian Talbert still taketo the highway on two wheels.

Courtesy of Lillian Prosser TalbertRolling up her sleeves.Alumna of the Year Lillian Prosser Talbert ’68Alumna Lillian Prosser Talbert ’68 is willing to roll up her sleevesand get the job done. That quality is one of the reasons she wasnamed Coastal Georgia Alumna of the Year during the Honors Daycelebration on April 26.Elizabeth Weatherly, Chief AdvancementOfficer for the College, recalls her first lunch withTalbert. “She arrived with an armful of papers,archival material about the College during theyears she attended as well as information abouther classmates. Having returned to the area, shewas enthusiastic about becoming involved againwith the campus and volunteered to identify,locate and contact other alumni – one of the mosttime-consuming tasks we faced in establishing analumni association. With Lillian’s help, we couldfinally put the pieces of the puzzle together andactually launch the association.”As a Brunswick Junior College studentduring the early days of the school’s founding, Lillian was activelyinvolved on campus – secretary of the bowling league, The Lion’sTale (college newspaper) staff member, captain of the inauguralgirls’ intramural basketball team (she had played at Glynn Academy),sophomore class senator for the student government association,and Outstanding Sophomore Class Leader (1967). When she finishedher 4th term in December 1967, she was only the second woman tohave completed an associate’s degree in business. She went on tocomplete her studies at Georgia Southern University, graduating in1969 as a business major.“So many of us would never have been able to go to college if wehadn’t started here at home,” Talbert says. “We proved we couldmake it, encouraging our families to take the next step and allow usto go away to school to finish our degrees.”While living in Statesboro, she played guitar and sang with a folkgroup that entertained the military at Fort Stewart and Hunter ArmyAirfield. She met Army Captain Bill Talbert from North Carolina, apilot stationed at Fort Stewart, and they married in 1970.“That began my travels,” she reminisces, “as we moved fromGeorgia to bases in Arizona and North Carolina. After the military,Bill completed his B.S. in aeronautical studies and his careers tookus to Tennessee, California, and finally overseas. We lived in Munich,Germany for five years and explored Europe before returning to thestates with Bill’s transfer to corporate headquarters in Indianapolis.As president of Jackson-Lea, Bill became a real globe trotter, but mytraveling had slowed with the birth of our first son in Munich andstopped with the birth of our second.”In addition to flying, her husband has a passion for motorcycles.“I have been his passenger on many motorcycle rides throughout theUnited States and Europe. If I were on my own bike, we wouldn’t begoing as fast,” she laughs.Because of her multicultural experiences in Europe and theimpact of globalization she witnessed throughout her husband’scareer, Talbert is a strong proponent of international studentexchange programs and expanded internationalconnections for the College. “I am pleased that it ispart of Coastal Georgia’s mission statement,” shesays. “In today’s world, it’s important.”The family settled in the Conover-Hickory areaof North Carolina. With three sons, Talbert becamea soccer mom – and coached soccer, basketball andbaseball for the Recreation Department. “My lovefor competitive sports has followed me throughoutmy life,” she notes. “I played competitive clubtennis for 22 years and our family competed at thenational level in waterskiing for about 12 years. Idrove the boat! We were part owners of a water skilake, hosting tournaments throughout the springand summer, in Harmony, North Carolina.”Initially they retired to North Padre Island, Texas, but decidedto move closer to family and grandchildren. “We were looking foravailable UPS stores on the East Coast and found one in Brunswick.So after 43 years of living away, I returned home.”She contends that learning and trying new ventures isn’t limitedby age. “We were retired when I went to UPS University to learn howto operate a UPS store. You can be whatever you want to be if you’rewilling to learn new skills. While most of my friends are retiring, itseems that I am just beginning,” she laughs.Talbert had remained interested in her hometown alma mater,maintaining ties and visiting family in the area. “I would ask if analumni association had been started, but there wasn’t one,” sheexplained. “When we moved back, I wanted to get involved as abooster for the College’s growth.”Her penchant for history evolved into genealogical researchand an interest in archives. “I love the detective work of research. Iattribute my saving things, like the old Lion’s Tale newspapers andthe inaugural BJC yearbooks and campus snapshots, to that passion.At the time we were attending Brunswick Junior College, we didn’treally grasp the uniqueness of being the first – the first students,the first clubs, the first athletes. But in keeping those things, Iaccidentally became a historian. I was part of the genesis of theCollege of Coastal Georgia.”Talbert became a founding member of the College of CoastalGeorgia Alumni Association, serving first on the Advisory Counciland now as a member of the leadership group of the AlumniAssociation. She is the association’s membership chair. Whenever avolunteer is needed, from making posters and banners to welcomingstudents at move-in day in Lakeside Village, she is there.She concludes, “One thing I will say with certainty – alumni shouldbe proud of this school!” uThe Crest - 1968College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 9

The hottest tickets in town...Cultural programing enriches campusTrue to the vision of serving as a catalyst for culturaldevelopment in the Golden Isles, Coastal Georgia providedoutstanding programs this winter and spring - all new to thearea - and the community is calling for more. The concerts andlive performances filled the seats of the Thomas Auditorium andthe Coffin Gymnasium. Literary and film enthusiasts expressedappreciation for the smaller-scale events as well.A generous gift from the Julie and Eric Epstein CharitableFoundation established a new concert series, “From the City tothe Golden Isles,” bringing the area outstanding talent normallyappearing in New York City.The Ossia Chamber Players, members of New York City’s OssiaSymphony Orchestra, played for the inaugural series concert onDecember 7 in the Thomas Auditorium of the Southeast GeorgiaConference Center on campus. The concert included a guestappearance by internationally-renowned violinist Maestro LuisHaza. Orlando Alonso, artistic director and conductor of Ossia, and15 musicians with theorchestra played Grieg’sHolberg Suite, Op. 40 andTchaikovsky’s Serenadefor Strings with Haza asCo lege of Coastal Georgia Foundation Presents:Virtuoso and Jazz Journalists Association2011 Guitarist of the Year...Virtuoso and Jazz Journalists Association2011 Guitarist of the Year...RUSSELL MALONERUSSELL MALONECo lege of Coastal Georgia Foundation Presents:the featured soloist for Bach’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor.In early February, the College hosted a multi-mediapresentation by actor, author, jazz singer and filmmaker ByronMotley on The Negro Baseball Leagues: An American Legacy inthe Thomas Auditorium. As an entertainer, Byron Motley hasperformed on Broadway, on stage with the Boston Pops Orchestra,and worked with names such as Natalie Cole, Celine Dion, BarryManilow, Barbra Streisand and Dionne Warwick. He co-authoredRuling Over Monarchs, Giants and Stars: True Tales of BreakingBarriers, Umpiring Baseball Legends, and Wild Adventures in theNegro Leagues (Skyhorse/Sports Publishing, February 2012) withhis father, Bob Motley, who was an umpire in the League betweenAdmit One - $25.00Admit One - $25.00Brough to you through the generosity of theJulie and Eric Epstein Foundation:From the City to the Golden IslesBrough to you through the generosity of theJulie and Eric Epstein Foundation:February 21 - 6:30 p.m.February 21 - 6:30 p.m.From the City to the Golden IslesSoutheast Georgia Conference CenterTerri l Thomas AuditoriumCo lege of Coastal GeorgiaTerri l Thomas AuditoriumCo lege of Coastal GeorgiaSoutheast Georgia Conference CenterMembers of the Ossia Chamber Players opened the new concert series, “From the City to the Golden Isles.”10 College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine

COLLEGE of COASTAL GEORGIA PRESENTSthe mid-1940s and 50s. His father calledthe balls and strikes of such legendaryNegro League players as Hank Aaron,Ernie Banks, Willie Mays and SatchelPaige.Biographer Penelope Niven, authorof Thornton Wilder: A Life, was oneof the featured speakers for CoastalGeorgia’s celebration of The BigRead. The book selection for thecommunity’s 2013 Big Readfeatured Wilder’s novel, TheBridge of San Luis Rey, and hisplay, Our Town, both Pulitzer Prize winners.All of The Big Read campus programs were free.Step Afrika!, a professional dance company headquarteredin Washington, DC, rocked the walls of the Coffin Gymnasiumon February 15. The company began in 1994 as a cross-culturalexchange program with the Soweto Dance Theatre of Johannesburg,South Africa. Their first full production in January 2000 was asold-out run at theKennedy Center forthe Performing Artsin Washington, DC, aspart of the ImaginationCelebration. Nowthe ensemble toursthe U.S. annually, aswell as performinginternationally andon the stages of theKennedy Center, theLincoln Center inNew York City, andat the White House.The dance traditionof stepping, whichsprang from song anddance rituals practicedby African-Americancollege fraternities andsororities in the earlyFEBRUARY 15, 2013COFFIN GYM AT 8 PMTICKETS AVAILABLE THROUGHTHE LIGHTHOUSE BOOKSTORE:Phone Orders: 912-279-5972In Person: One College DriveBrunswick, GeorgiaTICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE,www.ccgabooks.comPUBLIC TICKETS $10FACULTY & STAFF TICKETS $5STUDENTS ARE FREE WITH CCGA IDTICKETS AVAILABLEAT THE DOOR AT 7PM20th century, uses the human body as an instrument to createstunning rhythms and sounds by combining footsteps, claps andspoken words.Jazz guitarist Russell Malone headlined the second “From the Cityto the Golden Isles” concert in late February. Born in Albany, Georgia,Malone began playing onstage in Atlantaduring 1986 with organist Jimmy Smith.He’s played on NPR and appeared inRobert Altman’s 1996 movie, KansasCity. He’s been a member of the HarryConnick Jr. Big Band; played on five albumswith Diana Krall, including three Grammynominatedalbums, and toured the worldwith her; and worked with such well-knownnames as Ron Carter (Golden Striker Trio),Branford Marsalis, B.B. King, Roy Hargrove,Benny Green, Ray Brown, Bill Frisell, ShirleyHorn, Christina Aguilera, David Sanborn, ArethaFranklin, Sonny Rollins and Natalie Cole – to namejust a few.Bassist Daryl Johns appeared with Maloneas his accompanist. Johns was a member of the 2012 TheloniousMonk National High School All-Star Jazz Sextet and was featuredas WBGO 88.3FM Jazz Star of Tomorrow at the 2011 Champions ofJazz benefit at Lincoln Center. In 2010, he was one of 30 high schoolstudents from across theU.S. selected by the GrammyFoundation to participatein the prestigious GrammyJazz Ensemble program.Johns’ composition, Toysfor Roy, was winner of the2010 Downbeat Magazinestudent music award forbest original song. As partof a College-sponsoredoutreach program, Johnsconducted an interactivebass workshop with localCoastal Youth Symphonymusicians during his visit.Campus organizationslaunched an internationalfilm festival in mid-April,free to the general public,showing titles from Brazil,France, Great Britain andSweden at the Stembler Theatre. Community members listed filmfestivals as a cultural enhancement the College could potentiallyprovide in research conducted during 2011 for the CollegeFoundation-sponsored report of the Planning Committee forCultural, Arts and Lifelong Learning Programs. uMusic flowed like water from the strings of his guitar as Russell Malone playedworld-class jazz to a packed auditorium for the second concert “From the Cityto the Golden Isles.”College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 11

Building a better community...one class at a time.In an announcement made on March 4 at the AmericanCouncil on Education annual conference in Washington, DC,the Corporation for National and Community Service includedthe College of Coastal Georgia in the 2013 President’s HigherEducation Community Service Honor Roll.According to the notification received by Dr. Phillis George,director of the College’s Center for Service-Learning & CommunityEngagement, the Honor Roll “recognizes higher educationinstitutions that reflect the values of exemplary community serviceand meaningful outcomes in their communities.” Selection isrecognition from the highest level of the College’s commitment toservice and community engagement.The application submitted by the College’s Center forService-Learning & Community Engagement focused on generalcommunity service initiatives, according to Dr. George. Projectslisted included CCGA Builds with Habitat for Humanity, a campuswideengagement project; the Coastal Emergency ManagementProject, an environment management system implemented andmade possible by a summer 2012 Coca-Cola Bin Grant from theCoca-Cola Foundation and Keep America Beautiful; and the CoastalBeach Sweeps on Jekyll Island, partnering with the Jekyll IslandAuthority, Keep Brunswick-Golden Isles Beautiful and the CoastalRegional Commission of Georgia.The College beach sweeps in 2011 and 2012 bagged over1,000 pounds of debris onthe Jekyll Island beach. Thisyear, College students, faculty,staff and friends teamed forthe annual Jekyll Island serviceproject, but instead of the beach,they tackled the trash alongthe causeway and marsh atthe request of the Jekyll IslandAuthority, Andrew Smith,Director of Student Activities, noted.Launched on January 21 as part of the Martin Luther King Jr.Day of Service commemoration, CCGA Builds was aCollege-sponsored construction project with Habitatfor Humanity of Glynn County. During spring term2013, College students, faculty, staff and friends,including a group of West Virginia Wesleyan studentson alternative spring break, built two new safe andaffordable homes on adjacent Blain Street lots in theneighborhood across Altama Avenue, within walkingdistance of the campus. The Center and the Officeof Student Life worked together to coordinate theproject and recruit volunteers on and off campus.“The involvement of CCGA in our most recentbuilding project was great and made a very positiveimpact in countless ways,” Bert Brown, executivedirector of Habitat for Humanity of Glynn County,recounted. “With over 150 volunteers from theCollege we were able to stay on the project planto complete two homes in the short span of threemonths. The efforts of the athletic teams, clubs andorganizations, students, faculty, and staff made thisproject a real joy for all, especially our constructionsupervisor and our regular volunteers. But that’s not all – theCollege extended the invitation to its community partners, such asCommunities in Schools and United Way Young Leaders Society, inthis building project.”“One of the complementary impacts of this partnership was theadditional leadership support that we received. Working closelywith Dr. Hepburn, Dr. George, Cody Cocchi and Andrew Smith was aspecial experience. We cannot thank them enough for their capableand encouraging leadership in connection with this project.”“The impact on the homeowners was heartfelt,” Brown said.”They were amazed at how many volunteers were willing to givetheir time to help with the construction. The son of one of theCourtesy of Student Activities12 College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine

new homeowners told me one Saturday that he had never livedin a house made out of wood. I told him that it is much morethan a house made out of wood. It is a home built with the caringsupport of volunteers who want to make our community a betterplace to live and want to see young people like him have all theopportunities that living in a safe, decent and stable home canbring to him and generations to follow.”Summing it up, Brown declared, “CCGA Builds - homes andcreates rewarding experiences that transforms lives!”“Inclusion on the Honor Roll is indeed the pinnacle for anengaged campus. In our first year of application, the College ofCoastal Georgia joined this elite group,” College President ValerieHepburn said. “Only seven other University System of Georgiainstitutions earned membership on the national Honor Roll.“The quality and quantity of community service and civicengagement are key criteria in the selection process. Our smallinstitution stands toe-to-toe with much larger and better resourceduniversities,” she said, expressing particular thanks to the St. MarysUnited Methodist Church Foundation for its financial support ofthe College’s vision and work in service-learning. “The real awardgoes to our wonderful students and the myriad services they haveprovided across Coastal Georgia.” uCollege GLO-BUS duo making waves nationallyCoastal Georgia student team, Roger Charnock andA Jean Daniell, earned a Global Top 100 ranking for theirperformance as part of an online business simulation. Within twoweeks of starting the simulation as a team, they tied for 26th bestworldwide during mid-February in overall game-to-date score andhave continued their competitive position.Dr. Graeme Coetzer, Associate Professor of Management, Schoolof Business and Public Affairs, introduced the organizationalstrategy simulation, GLO-BUS, in the capstone class for the BBAdegree in fall term 2012. According to Dr. Coetzer, the simulationis used by universities and companies around the world, requiringstudent and corporate teams to compete in running a globalmanufacturer and retailer of digital cameras.Jean Daniell and Roger Charnock are Coastal’s daunting duo in abusiness strategy simulation program.Four measures are used in compiling team position: overallscore for the current year, earnings per share, return on averageequity and stock price.Charnock and Daniell, both seniors, had never worked togetherprior to the class. They didn’t even start the class as a team, theyexplained, but were in two gender-based teams of four studentseach. After the first week of class, Dr. Coetzer mixed the teamsup, announcing the equivalent of a corporate spin-off and pairingCharnock and Daniell.For Charnock, a non-traditional student, the simulation wassimilar to what he had done in retail sales for over 30 years, butwith additional complexity. “We determine the grade of camera,manufacturing costs, market and selling price. The simulation setsthe scenarios. We compare what other companies in the programare doing. Then we predict and respond. Each week we have adecision to make. We can easily spend 20 hours every week justtweaking our variables and running the models to check results.”Daniell’s interest is marketing. Her skill is thinking outside thebox, looking for new angles, probing the risks and what-ifs. Goinggreen was her idea, which changed the image of their products andincreased demand at the retail outlets built into the simulation.She described the project as “building a castle out of a tree house”and extolled the immediacy of seeing the impact marketingdecisions make. “The simulation is very visual and the realism isvital. With this class, all my other courses have finally added up toan ‘aha!’ I can see it. I get it.”“It’s as close to real life as you can get,” Charnock agreed. Nowworking as a co-op student with FLETC, he is beginning his newcareer in procurement as a contract specialist with the goal ofbecoming an analyst.In addition to gaining invaluable experience, Daniell relishedcompeting successfully against much bigger schools.“They demonstrate that our students are capable of competingwith the best and brightest around the world,” Dr. Coetzer said. uCollege of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 13

Bachelor of ArtsAmerican StudiesCoastal Georgia becomes the first school in the University System ofGeorgia to offer a Bachelor of Arts in American Studiesf there are four things I love, they are history, politics,“Iwriting and arguing. American Studies takes all that andwraps it in a convenient package that promises a great careerwith those four things included,” freshman Nate Smith ofBrunswick said, describing his interest in Coastal Georgia’snewest degree program.Coastal Georgia will be the first school in the UniversitySystem of Georgia to offer a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies.The Board of Regents of the USG approved the new baccalaureateprogram in March for the School of Arts and Sciences.“Given the rich historical and natural resources of ourcommunities, the American Studies degree is a perfect fit forCoastal Georgia. We are honored to become one of more than300 top-ranking colleges and universities across the country tooffer this signature degree. And, we are thrilled to be the ‘firstand only’ in Georgia’s public university system!” said CollegePresident Valerie A. Hepburn.American Studies is a gateway (bachelor’s) degree,synthesizing popular areas of study into a coherent, robustprogram. As the inaugural Bachelor of Arts degree, it provides amarketable outcome for philosophy, English, communications,history, political science, art or sociology majors in the socialsciences and the arts and humanities departments of the Schoolof Arts and Sciences. Not only could the program provide a prelawcourse of study, for example, but it also provides a strongoption for many liberal arts and social science majors who wishto remain at Coastal Georgia to complete their undergraduateeducation.The American Studies degree will offer two areas ofconcentration: Environmental and Regional Studies (ERS) andCultural Studies and Communication (CSC).The two main components of the program are 60 credit hoursof required common core curriculum followed by 60 programhours that immerse students in the critical issues facing theUnited States. The rich opportunities for service-learning offeredby the coastal region significantly enhance the program. Studentsin the ERS track will benefit directly from proximity to the coastalecosystem that is also a major transportation and shippingcorridor. The acquisition of Cannon’s Point by the St. SimonsLand Trust provides unique field-learning resources. Students inthe CSC track will draw on the art, literary and cultural resourcesof the barrier islands, ranging from regional literary and artistic14 College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine

esources to the Gullah-Geechee culture and a wide range ofhistoric preservation, museum and archival settings.“The degree provides an interdisciplinary, communitycenteredapproach to understanding history, ecology, economicdevelopment, and resource sustainability, which can be studiedright here in a region steeped in tourism, industry and globaltrade. We are well-positioned to create this 21st century degreewhich prepares students for a variety of careers in management,technical writing, journalism, diplomatic service, law, archival/museum studies, emerging media, and ‘green’industries,” Dr. Hepburn said.Dr. Robert Bleil, Assistant Professorof English in the Department of Arts andHumanities, elaborated: “American Studiesallows faculty to collaborate across traditionaldisciplinary lines—in the case of theenvironmental writing course, for example,that combines topics and approaches inanthropology, biology, ecology, English, history,political science and sociology—and allows theCollege to respond to the changing needs ofthe local, regional, national and internationalcommunities.”“With our recent purchases of Cannon’sPoint, we are especially positioned to cooperatewith students who are pursuing this degree,”Ben Slade, executive director of the St. Simonsland Trust, wrote in October, supporting theAmerican Studies program development.“Opportunities for service learning abound inthe plans we have for Cannon’s Point.”Spud Woodward, director of the CoastalResources Division of the Georgia Departmentof Natural Resources, cited the need for askilled, competent workforce for the DNR andother state and federal agencies involved incoastal management. “We have particular needof individuals who can synthesize a variety ofinformation into a coherent body of knowledgeto inform conservation policymaking. Mostimportantly, these individuals must be ableto effectively communicate this knowledgeto policymakers and the general public,” hewrote.”I anticipate the proposed programproducing such individuals.”Heather Heath, a professional actress andexecutive director of Golden Isles Arts andHumanities, agreed in the letter she wrote. “Forour own region of Georgia, we are steeped inenvironmental, historic and cultural resources.Graduates from this new degree program may look no further thanGlynn County for opportunities to start their careers as employershere are always on the lookout for individuals with the skill setsthe American Studies program can provide.”Smith wants to become a music critic. “I take music veryseriously. I enjoy listening to practically every genre, I talk nonstopabout music, and above all I enjoy being cynical and snarky.American Studies provides different written opinions in prosethrough its studies of African American, Southern, and women’sHistoric assets on Cannons Point include shell middens dating back to 2500 B.C., ruins ofJohn Couper’s original plantation residence built in the 1800s, and slave quarters from theantebellum period.Courtesy of St. Simons Land TrustCollege of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 15

American Studies“American Studies graduates are highlyvalued by employers in both the publicand the private sector for the skillsand approaches that they bring to theworkforce.”—Dr. Robert Bleil, Assistant Professor of EnglishDepartment of Arts and Humanitiesliterature programs. This broadens the scope of opinion andallows different ways to approach all brands of writing. AmericanStudies is a great way to explore opinions so I can add my own.”Sophomore Byron Anderson, a Camden County High Schoolgraduate, wants to combine his interest in music, films andfoundations. “The fact that the new degree will enable me tocontinue to study communications and the broad fields of studywithin the degree are what interest me,” he explained. ”I want towork in the field of entertainment, specifically music and film,but I ultimately want to use music and film as platforms to startawareness and support foundations. I would use the interculturalknowledge, the communication and the writing skills that I gainfrom the degree to better enhance my chances of making mydream a reality.”“In order for me to be taken seriously, especially in the businessand corporate world, I have to be able to understand others, knowhow to communicate with others, and be able to express andarticulate my thoughts and plans intelligently, and I believe thisdegree…can be a door of opportunity for me,” Anderson summarized.Woody Woodside, President of the Brunswick-Golden IslesChamber of Commerce, would probably agree with Anderson’sassessment. In a letter of support for the program, he wrote:“The new degree program will also foster the development offuture community leaders who will possess strong written,oral, analytical, and problem-solving skills to be successful andproductive in a variety of job sectors.”“American Studies graduates are highly valued by employersin both the public and the private sector for the skills andapproaches that they bring to the workforce,” echoed Dr.Bleil.“In addition to finely honed analytical and communication skills,American Studies graduates are trained to approach problemscomprehensively; thus they are adept at bring constituentstogether to solve problems efficiently.”Dana Haza, former senior regional manager for the GeorgiaCenter for Nonprofits, noted in December that the Center’sresearch and experience led to the conclusion that the nonprofitsector had a vacancy of educated, developed leaders. “The needis immediate and vast,” she wrote. “A 21st century leader ofa charitable organization needs to have a sound educationalfoundation. With the two tracks of Environmental and RegionalStudies (ERS) and Cultural Studies and Communication (CSC)students will be able to draw on their own community as sphere oflearning. Such a degree would provide this balanced educationalapproach.” Haza currently serves as president and CEO of theUnited Way of Coastal Georgia.“Service-learning is a critical component of this kind ofprogram because it allows students to gain real-world experiencein analysis and problem-solving, and it strengthens crucial tiesbetween the College and the community,” Dr. Bleil concluded.“Service-learning partnerships create creative opportunities forthe community, and students build the community and industryconnections that will launch their careers.” u16 College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine

Power CoupleDuane and Carol Harris, volunteers of the yearAlumna Carol Thomas Harris ’75 and Foundation trusteeDuane Harris are the power couple most likely to be foundvolunteering on campus. Groundbreakings, athletic games, ribboncuttings, concerts, commencement, meetings, receptions, servicedays and even the Regents’ Awards for Excellence in Educationblack-tie gala in Atlanta – they are there to represent or work onbehalf of the College.They were recognized for their efforts during Honors Day onApril 26.Carol graduated with an associate in psychology from Coastal(then Brunswick Junior College), going on to UGA for her BA andGeorgia Southern for her MEd in psychology. “My parents werefrom Glynn County. My dad was in the Navy, so we lived all over.I was a high school junior in Hawaii when he received orders forGlynco, so I completed my senior year at Brunswick High School.With college, everyone was starting over, so I had an opportunityto make friends. I was into everything – the year book, drama club,and anything else that was fun. Even as a commuter college, wehad a recreation center and a very active student life,” she recalled.Duane was also from a military family; his dad was with ArmyAir Corps counter intelligence, which became the Air Force Officeof Special Investigations. “I was born in Illinois, lived in Japanduring the Korean War, spent second grade in San Antonio, wasin Denver until my sophomore year, then Guam, then back toColorado, where I got my BS in biological science and fisheriesfrom Colorado State. In Guam, when I wasn’t in class, I was in thewater. I think I was always destined to live on an island. My shellcollection is mostly from Guam, but some of my most significantfinds – like the wooly mammoth tooth – are from local dives.”With water and weather in mind, Duane applied for his first job- the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. He started in July1970 and remained with them until he retired in 2002. Now heowns Sea Georgia Adventures, a charter fishing and environmentalconsulting company.Originally Duane’s ties to the College stemmed from teachingdiving with Buddy Harris when the current weight room in theCoffin Building was a pool instead. He was recruited to serve onthe Foundation Board of Trustees for the community college byDr. Dorothy Lord, the president, serving as chairman the last twoyears of her term. “I was all set to transition off. Fat chance,” helaughed. Instead, he became involved in the restructuring, chairingthe steering committee for the College’s strategic master plan,2020 Vision: A Decade and Beyond (May 2009). “That was a greatexperience – probably my favorite time – as we envisioned thefuture and what the College could become,” he said.Carol recalled that Dr. Lord had expressed interest in startingan alumni group, but the idea never seemed to take off. “Then Dr.Hepburn recruited Glenn Carson ’80. Glenn knew my family; herecruited me for the Alumni Advisory Committee. Now the AlumniAssociation keeps growing!”They have a long list of reasons for why Coastal Georgia hasbecome such a special school. “Students don’t have to go away.They can get a wonderful, quality education right here,” Carolstressed.“People are starting to get it,” Duane added. “Coastal Georgiais a community resource – much more so now than it was as acommunity college. This isn’t about just educating your kids. Thisis for the region, enriching all our lives.”Their College volunteerism stems from a sense of duty andresponsibility. “That’s the mantra for any oldest child in a militaryfamily – which we both are,” Duane quipped, “but volunteering forthe College is also lots of fun!”They would like to begin ratcheting down. Travel is the lure –Australia, New Zealand. “Time to really retire,” Duane concluded,“so I can dive the Great Barrier Reef.”uCollege of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 17

Alternative Spring Breaknot just a trip to the beach(l-r) Karen Price, Holli Perry, Jamie Junot, Danielle Martin and Arron CampbellFive Coastal Georgia upperclassmen traveled to the MississippiGulf Coast for their five-day spring break in early March,but it wasn’t to soak up the sunshine. Instead, Arron Campbell,Jamie Junot, Danielle Martin, Holli Perry and Karen Price joinedDr. Phillis George, Director of the Center for Service-Learning &Community Engagement, and Assistant Director Cody Cocchi,for an alternative spring break inspired by author NatashaTrethewey’s memoir, Beyond Katrina.“This was our inaugural alternative spring break,” Dr. Georgesaid. “The participants placed a high premium on giving backand they sacrificed vacation days and well-earned leisure time inorder to go.”“I was blessed with an understanding job that allowed me totake the week off to go and experience this spring break,” nursingmajor Jamie Junot said.Singer and songwriter Danielle Martin, a middle gradeseducation major, decided to go on the trip to be more productive- helping people less fortunate, rebuilding a community, andvisiting Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana for the first time.“I was shocked at some of the devastation that remained in thecities of New Orleans and Biloxi,” she said. “I was grief stricken,imagining myself in the devastation of Hurricane Katrina - trulyheartbreaking at times.”Karen Price and Holli Perry, a mother-daughter duo,participated in two Jekyll Island Beach Sweeps together. Theydecided to share this service-learning opportunity as well.“I truly believe in service learning. I have had severalwonderful experiences and made numerous connections. Thiswas a phenomenal opportunity for me to see a part of ourcountry I’ve never seen, give help to a community that reallyneeds it, and share a once-of-a-lifetime experience with mydaughter,” Karen said.” I am an education major. As teachers, wesee the devastation of poverty impacting children’s educationevery day. When a child does not receive an adequate educationat home or in school, the child has virtually no chance of stoppingthe downward spiral.”The team hit the road, spending time in the field and inreflecting as they worked with the Land Trust for the MississippiCoastal Plain and the Gulf Coast Community Design Studio(GCCDS) to restore a wildlife/watershed habitat. They also18 College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine

Cody Cocchi (3)worked with Hope Community DevelopmentAgency to create a healthy marsh habitat as partof the Bayou Auguste Project—which seeks torebuild a sustainable community in east Biloxi.“Communities include parks, views andgathering places – not just safe shelter,” Dr.George noted. “GCCDS is not only buildinginnovative new houses based on FEMAregulations, but they’ve teamed with Hope CDAto assist residents in securing the financial meansto live in the houses. These programs include theenvironment as part of the community lifestyle.Rebuilding and restoring the bayou impacts the residents’ qualityof life. Picking up debris, pulling weeds and applying mulch has asurprisingly positive impact.”“The people you work with appreciate what you are doing,and they make sure you see things you would never have seenas a simple tourist,” Price stressed. “On our trip, for example, wesaw how a bayou became a dirty ditch. We helped to restore oneof those bayous, and we were taken to see an already finishedrestoration. It was beautiful! That’s something I never would haveseen as a tourist.”The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory of The University ofSouthern Mississippi in Ocean Springs served as their hub duringthe trip, with side trips to New Orleans to tour the 9th Ward andto visit Tulane, Loyola, and other cultural sites. They also visitedThe University of Southern Mississippi’s Katrina Research Centeras well as USM’s Gulf Coast Campus which was damaged byHurricane Katrina and, more recently, Hurricane Isaac.“I was surprised how damaged their society still is,” Perry said.Junot and Campbell kayak on Davis Bayou.Junot and Martin remove debris to help restore Bayou Auguste.“Buildings were rebuilt, establishments back up and running, butthe gap between the very wealthy and very poor had only beenworsened, it seemed, by the storm.”Junot also echoed surprise at the continued desolation anddislocation. “I even saw two houses with the spray-painted circleson the front telling authorities how many people were found[dead] in the residence. Where houses once stood there arenow tall, beautiful buildings that the original residents could notafford.”Martin responded to what she was witnessing by writing a songwhich begins:“Sitting here on Davis Bayou, days go by and hours fly tooIn my heart now I am longing to be home againOh my life in Mississippi, how my thoughts pass by so quicklyOne by one like ants they’re marching on to brighter days…”Arron Campbell was surprised by the unity achieved by thestudents while completing the restoration projects. “None of usknew one another. So, it was exciting to see us come together as ateam in such a short amount of time,” he observed.“The only aspect of the trip I would probably changeis the length. It seemed as soon as we were allworking as a team and getting into the groove ofthings, it was time to leave.”In addition to field work, the students interactedwith local biologists, USM faculty, Land Trustrepresentatives, the COO of Hope CommunityDevelopment Association and Connie Moran, OceanSprings’ mayor.“This trip was an opportunity to see how othersare fighting the impact of poverty and devastationto bring pride back to neighborhoods and families,”Price said. ”Given a sense of pride, people are givena sense of opportunity. Given a hand, they will usethose opportunities.”As a line of Martin’s song says, “In a world thatsometimes treats me wrong, I do press on.” uCollege of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 19

The Writing CenterA Collaboration of Coaches and Writerse use the title ‘coach’ for our writing center staff because“Wwe believe it better represents what we do. We provideoutside perspective and feedback, not remedial or editing services,and we view students as writers.”With these words, Dr. Jennifer Gray, Assistant Professor ofEnglish and Writing Center Director, and five of the Center’sstudent coaches began their presentation at the Student Successin Writing Conference in Savannah during February. The annualconference is sponsoredby Georgia SouthernUniversity.The Center’s topicwas TraditionallyNontraditional: Navigatingthe Spaces between WritingTeacher, Writing Tutor, andNon-Traditional WritingStudent. Ashley Cain,Hannah Carmichael, DavidFrey, Steve Strickland,Beth Tasciotti and Dr. Grayshared their insights andexperiences in creatingsuccessful strategies fornon-traditional students,moving beyond paperand writing skills to discussions about frustrations, timemanagement and strengthening study habits.“We are both advocates for the writing students and for thewriting teacher,” Dr. Gray continued. “We hear things from studentsthat teachers don’t hear, and we hear things from teachers thatstudents don’t hear. This provides us with a unique perspectiveabout writing at the college level…as we navigate the spacesbetween teacher, tutor and student.”“I’m not writing their paper. I can provide affirmation. I can confirmability, which helps to offset fear of criticism and to build confidence.But it is the student’s work.”— David Frey ’1320 College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine

Writing coach and student Beth Tasciotti reviews an assignmentwith student Brittney Mitchell.The Correll Center for Teacher Education andPreparation hosts The Writing Center.Although non-traditional students were the focus of theirconference presentation, the writers who utilize the Center are asvaried as the coaches themselves.Steve Strickland ’15, a biology major from Jesup, explained,“Writing is essential. I spent 30 years writing reports while in lawenforcement. I dreaded going to college and I dreaded composition.Discovering the creativity in composition was a new experiencefor me. Now I want to write a book about my years in lawenforcement.”Hannah Carmichael ’15, a Glynn Academy graduate, is applyingto the nursing program. “I love world lit, but I’m most helpful inreviewing structured writing. I intuitively understand the AmericanPsychological Association (APA) format. Different disciplines havedifferent styles – APA for the social sciences, Modern LanguageAssociation (MLA) format for the humanities. I can see the lightbulbs go off in students’ heads when they begin to understand APAformat for the order of information in citations.”Elisabeth Tasciotti’s parents were missionaries. The sophomorelived most of her life in Brazil. Bilingual in Portuguese and English,she taught English as a second language. Now she’s pursuing a BAin American Studies. “Starting as a supplemental instructor in theATTIC program for Dr. Gray’s class, I became a tutor and then aWriting Center coach. As coaches, our purpose is to help studentsfind a voice in their writing without hesitating because of structureor grammar.”“We examine assignments and provide feedback based onclass conventions” Carmichael elaborated. “We study what thedisciplines require and the professors expect, providing a broaderspectrum for looking at the assignment.”“We’re peer-to-peer,” Strickland added. “We’re not grading thepapers or correcting them.”“But we can help reduce a student’s anxiety, especially with theirfirst essay in a new class,” Tasciotti said.David Frey ’13, also a Glynn Academy graduate, is pursuinghis interest in sound design. He writes music scores and lyrics.“There is more to what we do than critiquing reports and papers,”he stressed. “I look at content more than format – not justfactual knowledge, but how the information is synthesized andassimilated. Writing isn’t cutting and pasting; it’s understanding.The student should absorb the information.”“The idea isn’t to transcribe – it’s to create,” Strickland agreed.““The writer should have an opinion or vision of their own toexpress the concept. Otherwise, plagiarism can become an issue,”Tasciotti warned, “not intentionally as much as not understandinghow to properly credit another’s intellectual property.”“I’m not writing their paper,” Frey emphasized. “I can provideaffirmation. I can confirm ability, which helps to offset fear ofcriticism and to build confidence. But it is the student’s work.”“Students catch most of their mistakes when they read theirwork out loud to a coach. They can hear themselves if the materialis organized and logical,” Strickland noted.“This isn’t something that can be accomplished last minute,however,” Tasciotti pointed out. “Writing requires planning. Someprofessors even give extra credit to students who use the Center’sresources. They tell us students become more engaged in learningas part of the process.”“Think of us as a consulting firm,” Strickland said. “Even goodwriters still need feedback to develop. We’re that audience.”“We’ve been through the same struggles,” Carmichael concluded.“We understand the process of writing. Conversations can begenuinely clarifying. We really like doing this – we learn ourselves.That’s why we’re here.” uCollege of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 21

Historic season on the hardwoodWomen’s basketball receives invitation to national tournament in first year of eligibility by Kevin PriceCollege of Coastal Georgia women’s basketball coach Betsy Harrisisn’t resting on any laurels after guiding the Mariners to thenational tournament in just the program’s second year of existence.She is already moving forward with recruiting and assemblinga team that can hopefully build on what the Mariners haveaccomplished in their first two seasons.But after returning home from the national tournament, Harrisstarted putting together a scrapbook full of newspaper clippingsfrom the team’s season. Andwhile reading some of thestories about the team, thecoach realized more thanshe had previously that whatthe Mariners accomplishedthis season was definitelysomething special.“What we did was prettyamazing, doing it in our secondyear,” Harris said. “We had toget a team together quickly lastyear and get everyone on thesame page.”Combine this year’s 24-9record with the 19-10 markthe Mariners recorded lastyear in their inaugural seasonand the Mariners are 43-19in the program’s first twoseasons.By making the nationaltournament, the Marinerswere one of only 32 teams whohad the chance to compete forthe national championship in Frankfort, Ky.Of the team’s nine losses, three were to Lee University, which wenton to play for the national championship, and one was to Cumberland(Tenn.) which defeated the Mariners in the opening round of thenational tournament before reaching the Fab Four, where the Bulldogslost to Lee. Coastal Georgia also lost two games to NCAA-levelprograms early in the season.Harris hopes the quick success by the Mariners will make theprogram even more appealing to potential players going forward.“I’m hoping it will attract even better talent to the program,” shesaid. “Every year in recruiting you always try to bring in better playersthan what you already have.”The trip to the national tournament also verified what Harrisalready felt like she needed to do to improve the program and take itto another level.The Mariners weren’t so much short on talent as they were overallconsistency.“We played hard most of the time,” Harris said. “We always playedto the level of our competition which can be a good and bad thing.“But I felt like we had the talent to match most everyone. We justTeam members: (kneeling l-r) Janne Tullius, Madel Madden, Olivia Melvin, Sofie Schedler, SequoyaAldridge, Courtney Saunds; (standing l-r) Assistant Coach Lanajia Ernest, Brittany Clark, Maria Marshall,Shaikiera Armstrong, Crystal Chaney, Margaret Harvey, Janele Tucker, Head Coach Betsey Harris.have to get our players to play smarter. The two things that hurt uswere not playing as smart as we should and not hitting shots. Thosetwo things were problems all year. When you get to the nationaltournament, you have to take better care of the basketball and makeshots to be successful.”Crystal Chaney led the Mariners in scoring with 11.7 points a gameand averaged 7.9 rebounds, the second-best total on the team.Maria Marshall was second on the team in scoring with 9.9 pointsand led the Mariners in rebounding with 8.8 boards a game.Together, the senior tandem was named to the All-Conference teamfor the Southern States Athletic Conference, becoming the first CoastalGeorgia student-athletes to earn all-conference honors. uKevin Price22 College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine

Mariners honored nationallyChaney named Honorable Mention All-America, Clark named Daktronics NAIA Scholar AthleteThe College of Coastal Georgiawomen’s basketball teamreceived a pair of national honorsafter their historic 2012-2013season.Senior forward Crystal Chaneywas named an NAIA Honorable-Mention All-America on Thursdayby the national office.Earlier this week, senior guardBrittany Clark was named as a2012-13 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete.By getting named an Honorable- Crystal ChaneyMention All-American, Chaneybecomes the first Coastal Georgia student-athlete to achieve All-American status in the NAIA.All Coastal Georgia teams competed in the NAIA last season forthe first time, but the school’s teams were not eligible for rankingsor postseason competition until this year while the athletes alsowere not eligible for conference or national awards until this yearas well.Chaney had already been named to the All-Conference team inthe Southern States Athletic Conference at the league tournament.In January, the senior fromLawrenceville also was named foran SSAC Player of the Week awardto become the first Coastal Georgiastudent-athlete to be named for theweekly award given by the conference.Chaney led the Mariners in scoringthis season with 11.7 points a gameand was second on the team inrebounding with 7.9 boards a game.Chaney, who ranked among thebest in the SSAC in several categories,scored a season-high 22 points in theseason opener against Concordia andrecorded a season-best 20 reboundsin a game at Truett-McConnell during the week she was namedfor the player of the week award. She also scored 20 points in thatsame game.Clark, who was lost early in the season due to an injury, wasone of 124 Division I women’s basketball players to be named ascholar-athlete. To be considered for the award, a player mustmaintain a 3.5 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale and must haveachieved junior academic status.Clark was also named to the SSAC All-Academic team. uFreeman named golfer of the yearJunior golfer and Jack Dinos Scholarshiprecipient Dylan Freeman was namedSouthern States Athletic Conference (SSAC)Golfer of the YearFreeman has the top stroke average amongSSAC players with a 73.0 scoring average whichis tied for 10th best in the country. Out of 17rounds played, the Coastal Georgia junior’slow score is a 69 and that is one of five sub-parrounds he has posted this season.Freeman has won twice this season inseven starts and has recorded two other topfive finishes and also has a top-10 and top-15finish. He has finished out of the top 15 in atournament only once this year.“He had a strong fall and has played wellthis spring,” Cook said. “He’s played really wellagainst some strong fields.”Freeman said the player of the year honorwas a goal of his coming into the season, butplaying well to help the team was his toppriority.“I think that’s the biggest reason I’ve playedas well as I have,” he said.In addition to Freeman, the four otherMariners, Chase Miller, Hunter Cornelius, AllenBradford and Alan Barnhardt were named tothe all-conference team. uSouthern States Athletic ConferenceCollege of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 23

Put me in coach...Former Brunswick Junior College baseball player Richard Moore ’69 recalls days on the diamondSophomore members of the 1969Brunswick Junior College Baseballteam: Steve Harris, Steve Gardner,Richard Moore, Freddy Tullos, andTony Tolbert.Brunswick24 College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine

The Crest - 1969If Coastal Georgia re-introduces baseball as a varsitysport, it will make some alumni - like RichardMoore ’69 - very happy. Moore played on the Collegeteam (Brunswick Junior College at the time) hisfreshman and sophomore years, after playing atGlynn Academy.“The baseball program was a young program. Wedidn’t have scholarship players, so we were playingsimply for love of the game,” Moore said. “We didn’twin any championships, but we were competitive andthe camaraderie among the players was exceptional.The baseball program was very important to meat the time because I had aspirations of pursuing abaseball career. Playing at the junior college level, Icould see the big step up in the level of competitionfrom high school to college. I realized the brightlights of playing professional baseball had to take a back seat to myeducation.”He recalls the quality of the professors – as well as the difficultyof some of the classes – as another important part of his BJCexperience.“I was completing my associate degree in business. By 1969, Iwas married, had a baby, and was looking for a four-year collegewhere I could complete my business degree through an accreditednight school program. In a conversation with one of my BJCprofessors about my situation, he related his experience withGeorgia State, recommending it as an excellent business schoolwith a comprehensive night program,” Moore explained.His professor’s recommendation led him to Atlanta. Moore’shigh school friend, current College of Coastal Georgia Foundationtrustee Jack Kilgore, was a college co-op student at Atlanta GasLight and helped him get an interview in sales there. Moore beganworking for Atlanta Gas Light, now a subsidiary of AGL Resources,after graduating from BJC in 1969. He completed his BBA atGeorgia State University in 1972 while working full time andlater graduated from the Economic Development Institute of theUniversity of Oklahoma as his career with AGL focused increasinglyon economic development, marketing and government relations.“Fairly early in my career I had the opportunity to go toWashington, DC on an executive loan program with our nationaltrade association, the American Gas Association,” Moore shared.“The program had five participants from other utilities locatedacross the nation and we were working in five different areas ofexpertise with regulatory agencies located in Washington. I wasworking in marketing with AGL, so that was my specialization forthe association. This was an incredible educational experience,not only broadening my industry base, but also introducing me tomany people willing to share their knowledge. This also provideda gateway to the governmental process, which I had not beenexposed to previously. I was able to parlay the new experience intoThe Crest - 1969Then and Now: Richard Moore’s class picture from the 1969 Brunswick JuniorCollege Crest yearbook along side a current picture of Moore.becoming a lobbyist for AGL when I returned to Georgia, enjoyingmany great years of working with Georgia’s legislators.”Moore was named managing director of Corporate CommunityRelations and Economic Development for AGL Resources in April2012. He also serves as a working partner on Georgia Allies, apublic-private partnership formed to help promote the state’smarketing efforts. He is a board member of the DevelopmentAuthority of Cobb County, the Georgia Academy of EconomicDevelopment and the Georgia Youth Science & Technology Centers.He was awarded a life-time membership to the Atlanta Chamber ofCommerce for his work in membership and is a past chairman ofthe Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s Red Carpet Tour, the state’smajor annual economic development event for bringing newbusinesses to the state. He is a member of the Georgia EconomicDeveloper’s Association and former chairman of its legislativecommittee.Now living in Marietta, he and his wife Mitzi have four grownchildren, two granddaughters and a slew of good friends. Some, likeFoundation trustee Jack Kilgore, have been friends for many years.“When Richard moved to Glynn County and was the new kidin school, I reached out to him because I had moved to GlynnCounty four years earlier and knew exactly how he felt,” Kilgorereminisced. “We had a lot of common interests and over that firstyear we just grew closer and closer. I think we became lifelongfriends because Richard is a very genuine and very loyal person. It’sa trite statement, but Richard is someone you would want with youif you had to go to war. He has never let me down and has alwaysbeen my friend through good times and bad. And it doesn’t hurtthat he can take a joke, loves to have a good time and lives life tothe fullest.”Next trip to the Golden Isles to visit the Kilgores, the Mooresplan to tour the much-altered Coastal Georgia campus as well. “Andwhen the College fields a new baseball team, you can count on mecoming back to see a game,” he laughed. uCourtesy Richard MooreCollege of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 25

No student left inside...Office of Recreation and Wellness offers students opportunities beyond walls of the classroomThe Atlantic Ocean was colder than usual on the final Friday inMarch. Small waves lapped on the shore, rushing cool waterover Taylor Ballard’s toes each time they delicately crashed. TheCollege of Coastal Georgia freshman pushed through the initialchill as she walked further out into the water – ankle deep at first,then to her calves, and finally to her knees. Today, she was goingto learn how to stand-up paddleboard.Ballard, a native of Lilburn, Ga., is no stranger to the outdoors.She’d kayaked before in the areas surrounding her parents’Gwinnett County home, but she’d never been able to experiencestand-up paddleboarding – think of an oversized surfboard withan oar – until now.“At first I was shaking so much it was hard to catch my balance,so I started on my knees,” Ballard admits. “My friend Kristina said,‘if you stand up first then I’ll do it.’“So with a little encouragement, I centered myself on theboard and put my right foot slightly in front of my left, like theinstructor said. Once I was up for a few minutes, I was a lot morecomfortable.”By the end of their first run, Ballard and her friends weresuccessfully navigating the paddleboards on the placid oceanjust off the beach of St. Simons Island, minutes away from theCollege’s Brunswick Campus.by Andrew SmithBallard is just one of the many students to partake in outdoorrecreation, one of the newest programmatic offerings of theCollege’s Office of Student Life. In the fall of 2012, the Recreationand Wellness department began offering trips, or as the staffcalls them, “excursions,” to engage the students in off-campusadventure activities available within the Golden Isles.Outdoor excursions during the 2012-13 academic year includedthe stand-up paddleboarding session, kayaking in the marshes ofBrunswick and the tidal creeks of St. Simons, bike riding on JekyllIsland, rock climbing at an indoor facility in Jacksonville, Florida.and attending a Jacksonville Suns baseball game.Heidi Leming, Vice President for Student Affairs, believes outdoorrecreation can have a positive impact on students and allow them toexperience life outside the boundaries of the institution.“The purpose of this program is to introduce students toopportunities beyond campus,” Leming says. “We want themto figure out how to engage in local community recreationalopportunities that will continue to foster physical fitness and helpthem make healthy lifestyle choices.”With more incoming students originating from Atlanta andother inland locations, it is likely they’ve not experienced thefull scope of coastal activities available in the area’s surroundingcampus.Sophomore Taylor Ballard’s first dayon a paddleboard was a success.26 College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine

Spending time at the beach is a fun escape during the week or onweekends for many students, but it’s an easily achievable pastime.Getting out on the water in a kayak or paddle board, biking throughmarshlands on eco-friendly pathways, or going camping on asecluded island are uniquely exhilarating experiences – ones thatCoastal Georgia seeks to make readily available to its students.Besides the physical benefits and the sheer fun of tryingsomething new and spontaneous, there are other benefits to theexcursions – like meeting new students and getting up close andpersonal with the coastal ecosystem.“For me it was fun to meet people I don’t see on a regular basisand get to know other students,” says Ballard, who has attendedmultiple trips. “Sure, my friends were there, but I was able to bondwith other students as well. I really extended my friend zone.”Alexander Tharpe, a freshman employed by the Recreation andWellness department as a student assistant, has seen numerousstudents make personal connections they might not normally makein the classroom or in passing on campus.“If you put two people that don’t know each other in a tandemkayak, they’re going to have to communicate and break downwhatever barriers separate them,” Tharpe says. “A lot of peoplestruggle with that at first but as the excursion goes on they end upworking together to complete the trip.”Brianna Ridings, a freshman from Alpharetta, Ga., can’t help butsmile when she recalls her first Coastal Georgia kayaking trip andhow she learned about the intricate coastal ecology.While gliding through a marsh estuary in a tandem kayak lastAlexander Tharpe enjoys a laugh on St. Simons IslandSeptember, Ridings and her kayaking partner came upon a clusterof juvenile shrimp just below the surface. As the kayak came closer,the tiny shrimp began to pop out of the water all around them and afew even landed in Ridings’ lap. The tour guide would later explainthe occurrence was common, but the experience, she says, is onethat will stick with her forever.“Being able to explore the coastal environment is a greatlearning experience for our students,” Ridings says. “I think it’sawesome that the College offers so many programs that promotethe coast and all it has to offer.”To run the excursions, the College works in partnership withlocal businesses and their staff who provide equipment, instructionand supervision when necessary. While the excursions are fundedprimarily from student fees, there is a deposit or small fee forstudents to secure their spot on the trip and cover some of the costs.The College can accommodate anywhere from 10-25 students foreach excursion depending on the activity.In his role on the staff, Tharpehelps lead the trips with other studentemployees and his supervisor the directorof student activities. Tharpe has madeevery excursion this spring and can’t waitfor the upcoming fall slate, which includesmore kayaking, paddle boarding and anovernight camping trip to CumberlandIsland.“In the future we could grow thisprogram rapidly, because there are somany different recreational opportunitiesfor the College to offer its students,” Tharpesays enthusiastically. “Kayaking, camping,sporting events and a host of otheropportunities—we just need to pick whatwe want to do.“If the College can create lastingmemories for students and allow themto try something new that they wouldn’tbe able to do at another institution, thenwe’ve accomplished our goal.” uStudent Activities Office (3)College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 27

Credit where credit is due...School of Business develops academic credit partnerships with FLETC and UGACollege signs agreement with FLETCLaw enforcement personnel receiving training in three basicprograms at FLETC can now receive college credit for theirwork through Coastal Georgia.Connie L. Patrick, Director of the Federal Law EnforcementTraining Center, and Dr. Valerie A. Hepburn, President of theCollege, signed a historic agreement between the two institutionson February 27 to provide college credit hours for FLETC trainingprograms with learning outcomes equivalent to college courses incriminal justice. Up to 12 hours of college credit can be earned andapplied towards degree programsat Coastal Georgia or potentiallytransferred to another college oruniversity. Through the UniversitySystem of Georgia’s eCore program– the electronic core curriculumavailable for online study –additional hours of academic creditcan be completed for an associatedegree in criminal justice fromCoastal Georgia.Patrick, who is a CollegeFoundation trustee, providesoversight to the training of themajority of federal officers andagents from more than 90 federalorganizations. FLETC also providestraining to state, local, andinternational police, graduatingapproximately 70,000 studentsannually.“Someday every U.S. borderagent could be an alumnus of theConnie L. Patrick, Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, and Dr. Valerie A.College of Coastal Georgia,” Dr.Hepburn, President of the College, sign the historic agreement on February 27Skip Mounts, Dean of the School ofBusiness and Public Affairs, pointedout. “In addition to an associate degree, the course work can beapplied to baccalaureate degrees in business administration, publicaffairs and psychology. The program offers some very real careerenhancementopportunities.” u28 College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine

Culinology Comes to the Coastsuggestion from Dr. Jim Jones, Vice PresidentA of Research and Development for RichProducts, led to a memorandum of understandingbetween the College and the Food Science andTechnology Department of the University ofGeorgia College of Agricultural and EnvironmentalSciences that will credit Coastal Georgia’s culinary arts program towardsrequirements for a BSA in food science.The partnership with the University of Georgia will assist Coastal Georgiastudents attain a specific baccalaureate degree – a BSA with a major in foodscience. The transfer admission agreement was executed in March.Coastal Georgia culinary arts students will be able to begin upper-levelcoursework immediately upon transfer. The culinary arts courses will be treatedas electives under the business area of emphasis within the food science BSA.“The UGA Food Science and Technology program is the only Institute of FoodTechnology-approved program in the University System of Georgia. CoastalGeorgia’s culinary arts program is the only American Culinary Federationaccreditedprogram in the University System of Georgia. For us to fosterresearch chefs and become a resource for food science was the creative idea ofRich Products’ Jim Jones, who serves on the food science industry board andour School of Business and Public Affairs’ hospitality industry advisory board,spanning both disciplines,” Dr. Skip Mounts, Dean of the School of Businessand Public Affairs, explained. “Without Jim's dual membership and our greatpartnership with Rich's this CCGA/UGA relationship would not have been onour radar.”“This will be a win for the students, both institutions, the Golden Isles andGeorgia,” Dr. Jones said. “This unique University System of Georgia programprovides students the opportunity to attain the highly productive and industryvaluededucational combination of both food science and culinary. Thesestudents will leave the University System of Georgia with the ability to blend thedirect connection of delighting the consumer with the food science backgroundneeded to be a food industry and restaurant new-product innovator.”“This UGA/CCGA or CCGA/UGA, depending on where the students begin,combined degree will bring top caliber food science students to CCGA and UGAand increase the notoriety and size of our local culinary program,” Dr. Jonesstressed. “Automatic acceptance to the UGA food science program for CCGAculinary students will also be a draw for our local program. The CCGA culinaryconnection to St. Simons Island and the Golden Isles will entice additionalstudents into the UGA food science program. Plus restaurants, hotels, caterersand food manufacturers like Rich Products in the Golden Isles will also benefitfrom this through work study programs, internships, temporary assignmentsand locally-trained highly-qualified prospective employees who are educated inboth culinary and food science.”“This is a marriage of two great programs,” Dean Mounts summarized. “Weare very proud of our work in culinary. It is one of the many things that makethe College so special within the University System of Georgia.” uCareer enhancement and skills development in the culinaryarts program expanded this year when a Jekyll Islandrestaurant, FINS, was opened for students to prepare andserve a four-course meal with wine pairings to a sold-outaudience on February 26 – the first time a culinary arts dinnerwas offered in Glynn County by the College program. Middlephoto: LaTrece Rudolph. Bottom photo: Walter Carithers.College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 29

Advancement OfficeOne College DriveBrunswick, Georgia 31520ccga.eduNON-PROFITU.S. POSTAGEPAIDBRUNSWICK, GAPERMIT NO. 245Grand Entrance!Workers complete finishing touches on the Colleges Founders Gate and James A. Bishop Arch,creating the signature gateway to Campus. The entrance will be completed in May, 2013.