The Office of Alumni Development and Historic Berry is proud to introduce Chris Watters (89C) as the new director of alumni relations. Chris (at left in photo) fills the vacancy left when Faye Fron (92c) accepted a position with the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution in Washington, D.C., earlier this year. Joining Chris on the alumni leadership team is Milton Chambers (78A, 82C), a longtime Berry employee and lifelong resident of the campus who has been appointed to the new role of director of alumni development. To learn more about these new appointments, go to www.berry.edu/pr/news/
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Winning combination
A flying start! The 2007-2008 academic year officially got under way Aug. 27, but the campus actually roared to life almost a week earlier with the arrival of approximately 575 first-year students and transfers for the annual opening-of-school celebration/orientation known as Viking Venture. These students — representing 27 states and nine countries — may be new to Berry, but statistics shared by Dean of Students Debbie Heida show that they already have embraced the college's three-fold emphasis on the head, heart and hands. More than half of Berry's new arrivals ranked in the top 25 percent of their high school classes, including seven valedictorians and eight salutatorians. Sixty-six percent have had at least one leadership experience, and 69 percent were involved in community service during high school. Just as impressive, 77 percent held jobs of one type or another in high school. While the first-year students were eager to begin a new chapter in their lives, upperclassmen were equally excited to continue their own Berry experience. As senior Meredith Lewallen (07c) noted to a local reporter, "Berry has exceeded my expectations in so many ways. I have formed lasting relationships with students, faculty and staff. Over the last three years, I have not only gained an education but life lessons and experiences that will help me succeed in all areas of my future." To read that story in its entirety, go to http://news.mywebpal.com/partners/680/
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If the written word stirs your soul, then all roads lead to Rome for the Southern Women Writers Conference. Scheduled for Sept. 27-29, this seventh biennial celebration will bring a plethora of award-winning authors to the Berry campus for three days of activities meant to focus attention on the unique perspectives and concerns of Southern women writers, past and present. The theme is “Homecomings,” and headliners include Jill McCorkle (photo courtesy of Tom Rankin). McCorkle is the author of eight works of fiction, five of which have been named New York Times notables. Her books include The Cheerleader, Ferris Beach, Crash Diet and a new collection of short stories, Creatures of Habit. Other participating authors include award-winning novelist Kaye Gibbons and National Public Radio commentator Vertamae Grosvenor, as well as Barbara C. Ewell, Minrose Gwin, Lorraine López, Harryette Mullen, Brenda Marie Osbey, Minnie Bruce Pratt and Minton Sparks. Also on the schedule for conference registrants is an off-campus presentation by Dr. Maya Angelou on Sept. 27. To learn more about the conference or to register, go to www.berry.edu/swwc2007. This year's conference is made possible in part thanks to a gift from Lee Pendley (67A) and Buzz and Barbara (61C) McCoy. Lee's gift is in honor of his late mother, Evelyn Hoge Pendley (34H, 38C).
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Indulge the writer in you Change in classification After many years of being classed as a regional comprehensive college in U.S. News & World Report’s annual “America’s Best Colleges” listings, Berry was included this year in the national liberal arts category due to a change in the basic classification system used by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education. Out of the 266 schools in this national category, Berry ranked 118 and was included on the list of 125 top-tier schools. The remaining 141 colleges and universities in this category were sorted into two additional tiers. President Stephen R. Briggs said the college was pleased to be included in a category that speaks to Berry's aspirations and reputation. He also emphasized that he concurs with presidents from other nationally-ranked colleges that these rankings often obscure what is most important about individual institutions. To read Dr. Briggs’ message to the campus community about the U.S. News rankings, go to www.berry.edu/president/rankingmessage.asp.
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It's that time again A new academic year is upon us, which means Mountain Day can't be far away. This year's celebration (set for Oct. 5-7) is jam-packed with activities that will keep you busy from the second you step on campus to the moment you leave. All the old favorites are there — the Friday afternoon golf scramble, the Saturday morning fun run/health walk and, of course, the Saturday afternoon picnic and Grand March — but several events unique to 2007 are scheduled as well. These include reunions for the college classes of 1997 and 2002, as well as a special celebration marking the 20th anniversary of Berry's 1987 national championship in women's soccer. Also planned is an invitation-only celebration honoring donors to the N. Gordon Carper Endowed History Scholarship, which recently reached the $100,000 milestone, as well as the Gordon and Joyce Carper College Bowl Room, the N. Gordon Carper Award and the Noel and Todd Carper Award. Any donors who do not receive a mailed invitation should contact Scott Breithaupt (91C, 96G) at 877-461-0039 or 706-238-5897. For more information about this year's Mountain Day festivities, watch your mailboxes for the brochure above or go to www.berry.edu/alumni to access the information online.
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| Provost search is under way
The search for Berry's next provost is under way. A 13-member committee composed of faculty, staff, students and trustees is working with Dr. Tobie van der Vorm, a consultant representing Academic Search Inc. of Washington, D.C., to identify candidates for this important leadership position. Alumni serving on this committee are Karen Holley Horrell (74C) and Buster Wright (73C), both members of the Berry College Board of Trustees. Both the position profile and the position advertisement can be accessed online at www.berry.edu/provostsearch. The goal is to have a new provost in place no later than July 2008.
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As student-athletes, Nancy Paris Simpson (77C) and John Thomas Horton (99C) were all-stars on two of the greatest teams in Berry history. Today, they are working to help athletes at two NCAA institutions achieve their own dreams. Nancy, the MVP during Berry's 1976 march to a national championship in women's basketball, is the new athletic director at Anderson (S.C.) University. Previously, she served as athletic director at Cal State San Bernardino. For more, go to www.ac.edu/ Like Nancy, John Thomas was a standout at Berry who helped lead the men's golf team to a national title in 1998. Now he has been tapped to coach women's golf at Tulane University in New Orleans when the team returns to action in 2008-2009. For more, go to http://tulanegreenwave.cstv.com/index-main.html and click the link to women's golf.
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Winners then and now
As an alumna and longtime faculty member, Dr. Janna Johnson (81C) is accustomed to living and working in the shadow of a mountain. This summer, however, she traded in the gentle slope of Lavender Mountain for the jagged peaks of the Alps as recreation coordinator for the Summer in Switzerland program at the Leysin American School. One of seven administrators for the program, Janna worked with 200 children, ages 13-19, representing approximately 50 countries. Janna was not the only member of the Berry community to work or study abroad this summer. Other destinations for faculty and staff included Spain, Mexico, Iceland, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Argentina, England, Ireland, Canada, India, Turkey, Tanzania, Korea and Israel. Students were equally ambitious, broadening their horizons in Argentina, Australia, China, Costa Rica, France, Ireland, Italy, Russia, South Korea and Spain. International programs involving students and faculty will continue throughout the academic year. For more information, go to www.berry.edu/academics/study.
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Summer in the Alps
More than 100 people flocked to Hamrick Hall on Aug. 11 for an open house marking the 30th anniversary of Berry College Elementary and Middle School. This is the first in a series of events planned for the 2007-2008 academic year. Next up is the Mountain Day brunch, reunion, children's fair and open house scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, also at Hamrick Hall. For updates and more information, go to www.berry.edu/elementary and click the “30th Anniversary Bulletin Board” link. Media coverage of the Aug. 11 event can be found at http://news.mywebpal.com/
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BCEMS: Remembering
Happy faces were in abundance Aug. 7 as friends and family members gathered in Dunwoody, Ga., to celebrate the 100th birthday of Edith Wyatt, a member of the high school class of 1924 and Berry's first junior college graduating class of 1926. The party was hosted by Tom (55H) and Martha (55H, 59C) Bowen, and several other alumni were in attendance. If reading about Ms. Edith has motivated you to do a little reconnecting of your own, check out the alumni calendar below. We all love Mountain Day, but as you can see, there are a number of other exciting events on tap for the fall. Unless otherwise noted, contact Fred Mercer at 800-782-0130, 706-290-2164 or fmercer@berry.edu for information or to RSVP. Meet and Greet with Dr. Stephen R. Briggs Rome Young Alumni Chapter Event Evening Discussion Series at Oak Hill Rome Young Alumni Chapter Event Pensacola, Fla./Mobile, Ala., Alumni Chapter Event East Tennessee Chapter Meeting Richmond, Va., Chapter Meeting Rome Alumni Chapter Halloween Party
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A life worth Got news? Maybe a new job or a new baby? Recently married? Share the good news with your friends through class notes in Berry magazine. E-mail your news, including your year of graduation, to alumni@berry.edu. If you would like to subscribe to or unsubscribe from this list, send an e-mail message to Justin Karch, gifts and records specialist, at jkarch@berry.edu. Please include your full name and e-mail address. You also can reach us at 800-782-0130.
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questions, comments or suggestions for our e-newsletter, e-mail Chris Watters at cwatters@berry.edu.