Off and running!
Next stop, the NCAA

Have you received an alumni postcard showcasing the athletic prowess of Berry's newly redrawn Victor the Viking mascot? If so, you already know that Berry has been accepted for provisional membership in NCAA Division III. Official word arrived in late July that Berry would begin the provisional process in 2009-10. This move, under consideration for nearly a decade, will enable Berry to expand the number of varsity sports available to students and heighten the visibility of Berry athletics in general. Equally important, membership in NCAA Division III will help our student-athletes to be fully engaged in the entire college experience — in the classroom and across campus.

More about the move, including answers to frequently asked questions, is available online at Berry and the NCAA. For more about the reasons behind the move, click here to read President Steve Briggs' column in the spring edition of Berry magazine.

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That's right folks, it's time to break out the travel calendar and start making plans now for Mountain Day 2009. Highlights of this year's event, scheduled for Oct. 2-3, include all of the traditional favorites as well as a second-annual mega-reunion involving nine different academy and college classes (1974A, 1979A, 1974C, 1979C, 1984C, 1989C, 1994C, 1999C and 2004C) on the grounds of Oak Hill and The Martha Berry Museum.

Special guests at this year's Mountain Day celebration will include John Coleman (04C), pictured, an award-winning writer and orator at Berry who is now a dual-degree candidate pursuing both his MBA and MPA at Harvard University. His first book, How to Argue Like Jesus, was published earlier this year. John will be the featured speaker at the annual Mountain Day Chapel Service, held Saturday morning before the picnic and Grand March.

The Mountain Day brochure should be in your mailbox soon. If you can’t wait that long, click here for event details and online registration.

Finishing touches

The campus has been a blur of activity in recent weeks as crews hurry to complete a number of projects designed with students in mind. Highlights include the addition of two new residence halls (see video at right), expansion of the dining facilities in Krannert Center, renovation of Central Dana and construction of athletic fields for lacrosse/soccer and women's softball. Click here for details and photos.

Sweet smell
(and taste) of success

For several months now, students, faculty and staff have been raving about the amazing quality of the milk, beef and other goods and services being marketed on-campus by Berry's new Student Operated Enterprises program. Now the word is spreading off campus as well. A recent on-campus farmers market drew a crowd estimated at 1,200 to 1,400, prompting one local columnist to declare that "something big is afoot" at Berry. He further challenged the institution to "milk its renewed entrepreneurial vigor for all it's worth, which could be a lot." Click here to read the column in its entirety. Other recent media hits include appearances on local radio and a mention in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Much more about these enterprising students will be featured in the next issue of Berry magazine, due out in late fall. If you would like to sample the fruits of their labor for yourself, be sure to attend the fall farmers market scheduled for 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26.

Help students — today

At a time when many colleges and universities are cutting financial aid programs due to budget difficulties, President Steve Briggs made it clear in his recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution editorial that Berry's commitment to student aid remains strong.

The Annual Fund provides you with the perfect opportunity to join Berry in this commitment. Gifts to the Annual Fund provide direct support for tuition assistance and the student work program, thus helping to ensure that a Berry education remains affordable for all students, regardless of the economy.

A student from the Berry call center will be contacting you in the near future asking you to pledge your support in 2009-10. Click here if you prefer to make a gift online. Please take this opportunity to make a difference in the life of a student.

(Photo by student photographer Sarah Garrett)

Firsthand memories
of mankind's "giant leap"

Forty years ago this summer, the world watched in wonder as astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first human beings to walk on the moon. Recently, Berry alumni who were involved with the space program at the time of the Apollo 11 moon shot shared their own firsthand experiences with Elizabeth Cady (08C) of the Rome News-Tribune. Among those interviewed were Wayne Wagnon (54C), Ann Fite Whitaker (61C), Jack Jones (57C), Bobby J. Duncan (50C), Larry Mullins (62C), Marion Sanders (53C) and retired Berry faculty member Malcolm McDonald (62C). Click here to experience history through their eyes.

(Photo courtesy of NASA)

Read any good books lately?

Fans of great literature aren’t going to want to miss two events scheduled for the Berry campus in late September.

First up is the Eighth Biennial Southern Women Writers Conference, scheduled for Sept. 24-26. This year's lineup includes two Pulitzer Prize winners — poet Natasha Trethewey and playwright Marsha Norman — along with a host of other notable talents. Presenters with Berry roots include Laura Reynolds (06C), Catherine Meeks (05C), Joanna Grant (94C), Alicia Clavell (97C), Paula Rawlins (07C), Becky McDaniel (09C) and student Jessica Hoover. Joanna holds the distinction of being Berry's first Rhodes Scholar, while Alicia is editor of a new journal, Southern Women's Review, that was inspired by the conference. Click here for more details or to register.

Three days after the conference comes to a close, Berry's Conson Wilson Lecture Series will welcome Paul Rusesabagina — the hotel manager whose story provided inspiration for the Oscar-nominated film Hotel Rwanda — for a special presentation in the Cage Center. His appearance is in conjunction with Rome/Floyd County's 2009 One Book/Many Voices literacy initiative. Click the link for more details.

Spiking the competition
in the classroom!

The Berry women's volleyball team has two new honors to go along with its 2008 Southern States Athletic Conference regular-season championship. Thanks to a sparkling 3.57 grade point average, the Lady Vikings have been lauded as an NAIA Scholar Team and an American Volleyball Coaches Association Team of Academic Excellence.

A total of 12 Berry squads were honored as NAIA Scholar Teams in 2009-10. Click here for more information.

Spyder lives on…
at least in book form

Spyder, the six-legged deer who drew national attention to Berry in July 2008 despite never setting foot (or feet) on the world's largest campus, is back in the news again. The ill-fated animal, which died just a month after discovery, lives on thanks to Seeing is Believing, a new book published by Ripley’s Believe it or Not. To watch a video of the famous deer, simply click the image at right.

(Photo courtesy of Brittany Hannah (09C), Rome News-Tribune)

Need help with your student loans?

If you used a Federal Stafford, Grad PLUS or Consolidation Loan to pay college expenses, there is a new opportunity to make your payments more affordable. The Income Based Repayment (IBR) plan allows you to cap your required monthly payment at an affordable level based on your income and family size. While your lender will perform the actual calculation to determine your eligibility, you can use the U.S. Department of Education's IBR calculator to estimate if you are likely to benefit from the IBR plan. If you have questions about this plan, contact your lender for more details.

Share your
Christmas memories

In preparation for the annual "Candles and Carols" celebration, staff members at Oak Hill are working on a documentary video that will feature high school, academy and college alumni recalling their first Christmas at Berry. Special emphasis will be given to any alumni with memories of Christmas during Martha Berry's day. Contact Patrice Shannon (08C) at 706-368-6775 or pclonts@berry.edu if you would like to take part. The deadline is Sept. 30, so don't delay!

Let's get together

We've already told you about Mountain Day (see story above), but there are a number of other events scheduled for late August and September that will provide the perfect opportunity for you to join your friends in the Berry Alumni Association for a little pre-homecoming celebration. Check out the calendar below for more details.

Unless otherwise noted, contact the alumni relations office at alumni@berry.edu, 706-236-2256 or 800-782-0130 for more information or to RSVP.

Alumni Council Meeting
8:30 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 29, Alumni Center. Members of the governing body of the Berry Alumni Association will conduct their first meeting of the 2009-10 academic year.

Class of 1951C Gathering
11 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 10, at the home of Milton (51C) and Frances Popham (51C) Morgan in Villa Rica, Ga.

Berry High School Breakfast Club Meeting
8 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 12, Alumni Center. This month's meeting will feature details about the high school/academy history book project. If you have a story you would like to have considered for inclusion, please contact Dr. Jennifer Dickey (77A, 80C) at jdickey@berry.edu or mail to P.O. Box 495018, Mount Berry, GA 30149 (attention: Jennifer Dickey).

Reunion Leadership Retreat – Alumni Weekend 2010
8 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 12, Alumni Center. Members of the following classes who would like to serve on a Reunion Planning Committee for Alumni Weekend 2010 are invited to attend this informative session: 1950H, 1950C, 1955H, 1955C, 1960H, 1960C, 1965A and 1965C. Contact Brenda Jenkins (97C) at bjenkins@berry.edu or 800-782-0130.

Pensacola/Mobile Alumni Chapter Meeting
Noon, Saturday, Sept. 12, Hall's Seafood Restaurant, Pensacola, Fla. Alumni President Frances Richey-Goldby (83A, 87C) will be the featured speaker. Contact Milton Chambers (78A, 82C) at mchambers@berry.edu or 800-782-0130.

Daughters of Berry Meeting
5:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 17, Garden Room at Oak Hill and The Martha Berry Museum. Special guest John Hamrick Sr. (43H, 47c) will share his experiences growing up and going to school on the Berry campus. This organization is open to Berry alumnae and wives of Berry alumni. Contact Chris Watters (89C) at cwatters@berry.edu or 706-236-2256.

Possum Trot Homecoming Celebration
10:30 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 20, Possum Trot. Join alumni of the Possum Trot school and current Berry College students for the annual worship service in the historic Possum Trot building. A picnic lunch will be held on the grounds after the worship service. An "afternoon singing" in the church will follow the picnic. Call 706-236-2217 to RSVP. The deadline is Sept. 16.