Heart andsoul - Columbia College

Sara Nalley ’63
Professor of Communication
and Theatre, Program
Coordinator for Theatre
Sara Nalley earned her graduate
degree at University of Florida
before returning to Columbia
where she taught at Dreher High
School for twelve years. In 1975,
she left Dreher on a temporary
leave of absence to fill a lastminute
faculty opening at Columbia
College. “When I came here 34 years
ago, it was only to be for one year,” she
says, but at the end of the year she decided
to stay. Nalley had loved teaching high school and, in fact, had just
been named district teacher of the year. “It seemed that twelve
years had been a long time, though, so I took the opportunity to do
something a little bit different.”
At the time, the department was called Speech and
Drama. She taught speech courses, which are now called
communication courses, but her field was always primarily theatre.
In addition to teaching, Nalley directed plays, promoted the play
performances and even ran the box office. The director of the
department was Gene Eaker, and Nalley studied under Gene and
Catherine Eaker while an undergraduate at Columbia College.
It was both appealing and “a bit scary” to come and work for her
former mentors, she remembers. “It took me a long time to call
them by their first names.”
Changes came to the program as an opportunity arose
to invigorate the communication side of the curriculum. A new
minor evolved into the hugely popular communication major now
offered. “It was sad to lose the theatre major, but we do still have
the theatre program, and good things came out of the changes
too.” Nalley says that because of the time-intensive nature of
theatre, part of her challenge has been to find ways to meet the
needs of students who perhaps enjoyed theatre in high school
but want to major in another discipline in college. The Shorts
productions began as an experiment to try short-format plays that
required less rehearsal time and still provided a valuable stage
production experience. “Shorts works so well because it provides
an outlet for students who also have an interest in trying theatre
for the first time too, with opportunities to participate in larger or
smaller ways. You can find five short plays with roles for fifteen
women, whereas it’s awfully hard to find one long play with so
many women’s roles.”
To balance the theatre offerings, Nalley has worked in
recent years to bring in guest performers to present full-length
plays, which can create opportunities for students to participate in
backstage support and learn how a travelling production operates.
She emphasizes that “Theatre is very much a part of the core
liberal arts experience at Columbia College, where many students
are introduced to theatre for the very first time and come to love it.”
Many of Nalley’s students develop an appreciation that emboldens
them to audition for community theatre or simply cultivates a
desire to support the performing arts. “I often hear from former
students who want advice on what play to see on a trip to New
York,” she laughs.
She recalls, “When I came to Columbia College as a
student, I don’t think I’d ever seen a play. I did a play my freshman
year and just fell in love with it. I thought I was going to be a clinical
psychologist. Then, theatre changed my life and influenced my career
choice. Lots of my students have gone on to do exciting things: one
is running a children’s theatre touring company for instance. In June
I had dinner with five former students in New York who work in arts
education and performing arts.”
Nalley says she became a theatre major because of Anne
Frierson Griffin ’24, for whom Griffin Theatre is named. “Mrs. Griffin
was a Columbia College alumna, too, and she was so wonderful as an
instructor and also a writer. Dr. Henry Rollins was another remarkable
teacher.” Nalley double-majored in English and recalls, “I once had a
paper returned from him and he’d written on the top ‘Your papers are a
pleasure to read.’” I know now that teachers have stock phrases they
use, but I’ve always remembered how much it meant to me that Dr.
Rollins wrote a compliment on my work. Now when I grade papers, I
always pick one that is particularly outstanding and I write that phrase
on it, in memory of Dr. Rollins. I keep it as a reminder to myself that
faculty must be so careful in what we say to students, both positive
and negative. Something that seems so casual to us might change
their lives.”
Since she also provides communication training for
businesses and state government, she often hears, “send us people
who can read and write and think critically. We can teach them the
technical skills, but we can’t teach them to be well-rounded educated
people.” She believes that is what liberal arts education achieves.
“Liberal arts add texture to people’s lives, a depth that you don’t
have if your only experience with ideas comes from television and
the internet.” Nalley recalls a student who wanted to go to graduate
school in broadcast journalism and applied to the very prestigious
program at New York University. She had an undergraduate minor
in communication, not a journalism or media arts degree. “I was
surprised, quite frankly, that she got in,” says Nalley. “Once she got
there, one of her professors told her that she was one of the first
liberal arts graduates they had ever accepted, but he said they were
going to look for more. ‘Because,’ he said, ‘we can teach people to run
a camera, but we can’t teach them to write and think.’”
Nalley believes that the women’s college experience
is still a very powerful and unique education. “It’s still only at a
women’s college that women can experience the kinds of leadership
opportunities that we give our students. In my classes, every class
discussion is led by a woman; there’s no sitting back and waiting
for the man to be quiet so that I get a chance to talk. In our extracurricular
activities, every important role is being played by a woman.
And that’s not to say that it’s more important than having a man do the
job, but that at this formative stage in young women’s lives, they get
lots of opportunities and sometimes a little extra push that they might
not get at a coeducational college.”
As to the heart and soul of Columbia College, she says,
“You can’t ignore the fact that Columbia College is a community led
by women.” “I went to a session at a conference not long ago where
faculty were discussing how women can have a more important and
active role in the lives of their campuses. I just sat there and listened,
and finally somebody turned to me and asked ‘what’s it like on your
campus?’ I said, ‘I bring you greetings from Utopia!’”
Stephen Nevitt
Professor of Art,
Program Coordinator for Art
Steve Nevitt joined the Columbia College
faculty in 1976, became chair of the
program in 1985, and continues
to serve in a leadership role. He
completed his undergraduate work
at the University of South Carolina,
studying with renowned printmaker
Boyd Saunders. “It didn’t take long,
once I got into his printmaking studio
as a sophomore, to know what I wanted
to do with my life. Based upon Boyd’s
example, I knew I would make art and
teach.” He completed his graduate study in the
State University of New York system. Nevitt feels incredibly lucky
to have found a path that allowed him to pursue his passion. He
remembers his parents had doubts about art as a viable career
choice. “My dad felt obligated to try to talk me out of it, but he was
ultimately understanding and supportive.” Reminiscing about his
early days at Columbia College, Nevitt says, “There used to be a
congregation of older faculty who would get together at 10 a.m. every
morning in the old dining hall and get free donuts and coffee from
Cliff and Marie Hill, the couple who ran the campus food service.
Bill Tidwell, then art chair, told me I needed to come over and get to
know everyone. I was a little intimidated at first, but I’d go over and
be cordial. And now here I am, one of those old guys,” he laughs.
Under Nevitt’s leadership, the Columbia College art program earned
national accreditation in 1996. Columbia College was the second
school in South Carolina to be accredited by the National Association
of Schools of Art and Design.
“Years ago I remember receiving a long letter from a
former student who had moved to North Carolina. She was updating
me on her life and actually apologizing for going to graduate school
in social work instead of pursuing art,” recalls Nevitt. “My response
was that it actually made a lot of sense because she’d had a liberal
arts education that prepares one to explore and segue into other
areas. I’d known through her artwork and our discussions that she
had always been concerned with social justice and related issues.
I assured her it’s the most natural thing in the world to follow one’s
heart, and our passions certainly evolve with time and experience.
Her art had been part of a process to visualize those concerns, and
she was taking a next step. I have no doubt she is doing wonderful
and important work.” Nevitt talks about former students that have
become leaders in the classroom and a variety of fields. “Jackie
Keane Adams ‘98 is a prime example. I first met Jackie when I
taught for the Governor’s School for the Arts summer program at
Furman University and recruited her for Columbia College. After
graduation, she taught public school through the PACE program,
worked with prominent South Carolina artists like Clark Ellefson and
Guy Lipscomb, and then returned to Columbia College where her
management of Goodall Gallery has been outstanding.”
In addition to teaching at Columbia College, Nevitt has
worked for the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and
Humanities for over 15 years. Summers at Furman became a
tradition for his family. After 10 years of teaching exclusively women
in the Columbia College studios, he found the Governor’s School a
seasonal change of pace with a coed environment. “The great thing
about it was not only the opportunity to work with incredibly talented
high school students, but the relationships I cultivated with art
educators statewide and still maintain. We actively recruited through
the Governor’s School.” He recalls, “High school students learn that
there are three distinct ways to pursue an art degree: professional
arts schools, large universities, and small liberal arts colleges. Of
course, the small liberal arts college environment correlates closely
to the Governor’s School experience, so it’s a very attractive option
to them.” Nevitt is an active member of the art education community,
volunteering for many years to assist with the Tri-District Arts
Consortium, the Archibald Rutledge Scholarship program sponsored
by the State Department of Education, and other organizations. He
also serves frequently as an exhibit juror and guest lecturer.
“Through the years I’ve often told students that the
most important year of their artistic education is the year after
they graduate. They need to continue producing art and make it a
priority. I’ve had to follow that rule too, to stay current with my own
craft, keep my skills at appropriate levels, and consistently create
new work. I came here when I was 26 years old, and I get a lot of
energy from the students to this day. Developing your own voice
and message is very important, and their journey is part of my
own.” Nevitt’s work has been featured in over 200 exhibitions and is
represented in public, private and corporate collections throughout
the United States.
“The most important part of my Columbia College
experience by far for over thirty years has been our students,” says
Nevitt. “Graduates of our program share a significant bond. We
have a steady stream of visits by art alumnae, many with impressive
careers or personal accomplishments to share, and some who
are still finding their way. It means a great deal to me to hear from
each of them. Few things bring me greater joy than to see a former
student drop by my office or to receive an e-mail, a note, or a phone
call from one of them.”
Dr. Sandra O’Neal
Professor of English
Sandra O’Neal remembers that the job
market was very tight in 1976 and
college teaching jobs were scarce.
She had decided her senior year of
college that she wanted to pursue
graduate work and a teaching career.
She adds, “Back then, lots of women
stayed home, and I’d married and
had two babies while I was in college.
I waited to begin work on my master’s
degree at Wake Forest until my youngest
child was in first grade and the older one
was in third grade.” From there, she proceeded
to Duke University to complete her Ph.D. in English literature and
soon heard about an opening at Columbia College.
Dr. Jerry Savory was head of the English department for
the College, and O’Neal recalls cornering him at a conference to
ask for an interview. “Luckily, he was too much of gentleman to turn
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