June 2008

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TOP NEWS

Here comes Homecoming!

If your class year ends in 3 or 8, you should be getting excited because the date of your class reunion is right around the corner! Homecoming 2008 will be Sept. 26-28, and plans are moving forward for the weekend’s festivities. In fact, if you are part of any group interested in a reunion, please contact Stephanie Graves at sgraves@shorter.edu. The latest information about all reunion happenings will soon be accessible online at hawkspace.shorter.edu.

Many other events are also planned for the weekend. Friday night, Sept. 26, will include a dinner for the Athletic Hall of Fame, a campus pep rally and a performance by a comedian. Saturday, Sept. 27, will begin with a carnival of games and inflatables in the front circle (bring your kids!), followed by an alumni baseball game at Ledbetter Field. At noon, the action will move to downtown Rome for tailgating and the alumni auction prior to the Hawks homecoming football game at Barron Stadium at 2:30 p.m. The class reunion parties will take place Saturday night, and an alumni-led worship service will conclude the weekend on Sunday morning, Sept. 28.

Additional details and events will be added as the weekend gets closer. Visit hawkspace.shorter.edu for the current schedule and latest updates. For questions or comments, e-mail homecoming@shorter.edu.

Dr. Vanice Roberts named Shorter’s first Dean of Nursing

Dr. Vanice W. Roberts has been hired as Shorter’s first dean of the School of Nursing. In this role, she will lead the college in developing this new program. Earlier this spring, the Georgia Board of Nursing granted Shorter “developmental approval” for its proposal to offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. “The decision by the Georgia Board of Nursing gives us the authorization to proceed with developing the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program,” said Shorter College president Dr. Harold E. Newman. “We will return to the board several times during the two-year developmental process for additional approvals.” Dr. Roberts will now play a significant role in this process. As a professor emeritus, national nursing education consultant, published author, researcher and presenter, grant writer, and clinical examiner, she is a distinguished addition to the academic leadership at Shorter.

Dr. Vanice Roberts

“Dr. Roberts brings a wealth of nursing and academic experience to this role,” said Dr. Craig Shull, provost. “We are very excited about her leadership in the development of the School of Nursing.”

A 30-year veteran of Kennesaw State University’s faculty, Dr. Roberts retired in 2007 as a professor of nursing. During her time at KSU, she taught courses in a variety of health care areas including nursing fundamentals, advanced medical surgical nursing, women’s health issues and research methodology. She also held many administrative roles at KSU including associate dean of the WellStar College of Health and Human Services, acting chair of the School of Nursing, and director of the Center for Professional Development and Service in Health Care.

Dr. Roberts holds a Doctor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a major in nursing administration/adult health; a Master of Science in Nursing from Georgia State University with a major in adult health nursing/nursing education; and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and an Associate of Science in Nursing from Mississippi University for Women.

“As an educator, Dr. Roberts believes that classroom involvement and student interaction are important components in her role as a college professor,” stated a Fall 2007 article in KSU’s WellStar College of Health and Human Services newsletter. “She has secured more than half a million dollars of grant funding awarded for nursing education and student scholarships. In addition, she has received a number of honors for dedicating years of service to various organizations and community groups.” Her diverse professional service includes being secretary for the Georgia Association for Women in Higher Education.

Dr. Roberts and her husband of 35 years, Michael, reside in Kennesaw. They have three adult children.

In mid-February, Shorter announced its plans to make application to the state nursing board for approval to offer the BSN degree. The college’s plans for the program call for the inclusion of a medical missions experience in the curriculum, which would have Shorter students serving needy populations both domestically and abroad.

Interested students should begin enrolling in the prerequisite general education classes at Shorter beginning Fall 2008. Students completing the core sequence at Shorter will be the strongest competitors for the available spaces to begin the nursing curriculum in Fall 2010, pending final approval from the Georgia Board of Nursing. Individuals interested in pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Shorter are asked to e-mail nursing.students@shorter.edu or contact Dr. John Head at 706-233-7342.

Potential nursing faculty members who are interested in learning more about the program may e-mail nursing.faculty@shorter.edu or contact Shorter College Provost Dr. Craig Shull at 706-233-7203.

For additional information on the developing nursing program, click here.

Shorter athletics ranked 21st in the nation; finishes best year in history

With seven Top 20 finishes from its spring sports teams, Shorter ranked 21st nationally in the Director's Cup rankings, which was announced June 12 by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). Released annually, the Director's Cup rankings honor institutions maintaining broad-based athletic programs while achieving success in many men's and women's sports.

Shorter made the most significant improvement of any of the country's top ranked NAIA programs, jumping 65 places over the past year – the Hawks finished 86th in 2007. At the same time, Shorter's athletic program ranked higher than all of the teams in the two conferences in which the school competes, the Mid-South Conference (MSC) for football and track and the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) for all other programs. With more than 400 student-athletes competing in 16 sports – eight men's teams and eight women's teams – Shorter has been moving steadily to upgrade all of its athletic programs.

"Both Dr. Harold Newman, Shorter’s president, and Dr. Nelson Price, chairman of Shorter’s board of trustees, believe in excellence in all endeavors – from the arts to our business school to athletics. It is certainly our intent to honor that philosophy," said Athletic Director Bill Peterson.

Click here for more information on Shorter’s success in the Director’s Cup rankings.

MORE ALUMNI NEWS

See Italy through the eyes of the Chorale

As the summer progresses, the Shorter Abroad online journal continues to expand. Click here to read posts from Chorale members as they reflect on the most meaningful parts of their experience in Italy. Just this week, an expanded photo gallery was added online that includes their concerts and travels in Italy. Additionally, click here to see photographs from Dr. Alan Hix (’82) as he explored Israel in preparation for excavation trip he will lead for Shorter students in 2009. Students studying this summer in Austria and Italy have also submitted updates.

Shorter Chorale performing at The Vatican

"The experience of international travel is like none other,” explained Dr. Robert Wallace, Shorter’s director of international programs. “By looking at the Shorter Abroad updates, we can join our students and faculty along their trips this summer. I encourage anyone to read their updates and enjoy their photos."

Shorter welcomed as newest College Panhellenic

National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) Chairman Julie Burkhard and Southeast Advisor to New College Panhellenics Mary Ann Stark recently visited the Hill to welcome Shorter as the newest college panhellenic of the NPC. During the installation ceremony, the guests visited with Shorter’s panhellenic officers and delegates. Their visit to campus was posted on the homepage of the NPC Web site. The NPC is the premier advocacy and support organization for college panhellenics and will be the umbrella association for Shorter's three sororities on campus. Epsilon Sigma, Phi Mu and Zeta Tau Alpha are now the founding chapters of the Shorter College Panhellenic Association.

Click here to learn more about Shorter's Greek Life.

The first signs of a new fall semester

The Shorter community knows that the fall semester isn’t too far away when new students and their parents begin to visit campus for orientation sessions. The Shorter Orientation Staff (SOS) has been working hard in preparation for SUMMIT 2008, Shorter's new student orientation program, which began June 9. During each of six sessions through the summer, new students participate in advising, learn about campus opportunities and get acquainted with the friendly and helpful SOS members.

"SUMMIT is an important first step for new students as they transition to life at Shorter,” said Emily Messer, director of student activities. “Our Shorter Orientation Staff leaders are full of energy and advice. We couldn't provide helpful SUMMIT sessions without them!"

Click here for more information on SUMMIT and the SOS staff.

Carmichael tapped to lead information technology

Grant Carmichael has been named director of information technology at Shorter College, effective July 1. In this role, he will oversee the office of information technology, which provides support for faculty, staff and students in the areas of academic computing, administrative computing, training and support solutions. Carmichael has been a member of Shorter’s staff since 2005, serving as systems engineer. In that role, he supported the advanced implementation of middleware infrastructure components and distributed computing services. He was also responsible for the development and management of enterprise directories, Linux servers and software applications.

Carmichael holds a Bachelor of Science in information systems from Kennesaw State University. Additionally, he is in the process of completing a Master of Business Administration at Shorter. He is Net +, Security +, and Microsoft Professional certified.

Prior to joining the Shorter College staff, he worked in research and development information technology at Kennesaw State University. Carmichael lives in Rome.

Greetings from Indy! Representatives from Shorter College visited with many alumni and friends, prospective students, and pastors and delegates from across the nation during the 2008 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, held June 9-11, in Indianapolis, Ind. Shorter’s booth was manned by Dr. John Head ('87), vice president of enrollment management; Ken Fincher (’84), vice president of institutional advancement; and Tracy Batchelor, assistant director of institutional relations. The annual meeting drew more than 7,200 registered delegates, known as "messengers," and their families.

While in Indianapolis for the annual meeting, alumnus Dr. Ed Stetzer (’88), director of LifeWay Research and and LifeWay Christian Resources’ missiologist in residence, was the featured guest on the Albert Mohler radio program for a discussion on generational shift and denominational life. To listen to the interview, click here.

ATHLETICS NEWS

SSAC Athletic Trainer of the Year serves at Shorter

Shorter’s head athletic trainer, Adam Joseph, was named Athletic Trainer of the Year by the Southern States Athletic Conference during their annual meeting held at Southern Polytechnic State University in late May. Joseph has worked with Shorter College, through Floyd Medical Center, since September 2004. Joseph is responsible for all of the college’s sports. “We are really pleased with the hard work that Adam has done on behalf of all athletics,” said Shorter College Athletic Director Bill Peterson. “It is great that our conference has recognized his hard work. Through Adam's efforts, Shorter has truly become a first-class training program, and in turn, he has had a positive impact on the overall athletic program at Shorter. We congratulate him on this truly deserved honor.”

Click here for Joseph’s training background.

Summer camps at Shorter – Sign up now! The fun of summer always includes camps for the kids. Now is the time to register for the upcoming athletics camps, which will be held throughout June and July. Children of all ages will enjoy the campus and gain knowledge from some of the college’s finest coaches and students. Click on a camp below for online information and registration forms: Baseball Camp: June 23-27 Men’s Basketball Camp: July 14-17

Women’s Basketball Camp: June 23-26, July 7-10

Tennis Camp: June 23-26

NAIA National Championship to include a “spectacular show”

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock… Many can feel the clock counting down to Dec. 20. Thus, progress continues towards Shorter College and Rome-Floyd County hosting the 2008 NAIA National Football Championship game. The Host Committee for the 2008 and 2009 NAIA National Football Championship Games announced earlier this month that plans have begun for the pre-game and halftime shows. “We are currently trying to put together an arrangement for the National Anthem that could include every marching band in Floyd, Bartow and Polk counties,” said Jim Williams, chairman of the Special Programs Committee. “The committee is excited about the possibilities. They have asked me to think big, and I am trying to do just that.” Invitations will be extended to all local marching bands in the coming months.

In addition to planning for the pre-game show, Williams indicated that he is in discussions with several different groups about the halftime program. “This game is on national television, and we want to do all we can to showcase this community,” said Williams. “Our plan is to put on a spectacular event, showcasing not only the talent in the game, but also the talent from all over the nation, while at the same time providing entertainment for the thousands of fans.” Possible events include fireworks, drum lines, honor guard ceremonies and bands from all levels (including middle school, high school, college and military).

Those interested in any aspect of the entertainment program for the championship game may contact Jim Williams at (706) 676-8488.

For additional information, visit www.naianationalchampionship.com.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS

For more information on the events below, visit Hawkspace, call the Alumni Office at (800) 868-6980, ext. 7353 or (706) 233-7353 or e-mail sgraves@shorter.edu.

Fall semester classes begin
August 20

Convocation
August 22

Homecoming
September 26-28
If you graduated in a year ending in 3 or 8, this is your class reunion year!

Interested in serving on your class reunion planning committee? Contact the alumni office at cmitchell@shorter.edu

NAIA National Football Championship Game
December 20
www.naianationalchampionship.com

SHORTER ALUMNI BENEFITS

Liberty Mutual: Savings on auto and homeowner’s insurance to Shorter alumni

For a free, no-obligation rate quote, call Beth Blalock at 770) 924-6464 x 206 or e-mail Beth.Blalock@LibertyMutual.com.

"I've switched my homeowner's and automobile insurance to Liberty Mutual. Not only does Shorter receive a portion of my payments, but coupled with the discount for alumni, I've realized an annual savings of more than $1,300. I've also made a new friend in Beth Blalock, who
is Liberty Mutual’s quote representative for Shorter.”
Shorter alumnus Clark Samples (’71)

Shorter College Alumni Association Platinum Plus MasterCard Credit Card

"The Bank of America credit card is a wonderful tool for alumni to promote Shorter through name recognition. Every time I present the card, a new person sees the Shorter College name, and often asks about the college.
Shorter alumna Patsy Drummond (’62)

Travel Benefits: Savings on resort vacation
condominium rentals for Shorter alumni

To review available locations and dates as well as booking information, visit www.alumnitravelbenefits.com/shorter.asp or call (888) 729-3842. Use Shorter’s code AGA-002.

"We had a wonderful trip to Disney World! The condo through Alumni Travel Benefits was beautiful; it exceeded our expectations in every way!”
Shorter alumna Tina Chapman (’04)

Got news? Maybe a new job or a new baby? Recently married? Share the good news with your friends through class notes in Shorter magazine. E-mail your news to wtaylor@shorter.edu . Be sure to include your full name, class year, e-mail address, mailing address and phone number. Please let fellow alumni know that they can subscribe to Virtually Shorter by visiting Shorter's alumni web community Hawkspace. You also can reach the Alumni Office at (800) 868-6980.

Virtually Shorter is compiled by the Office of Institutional Relations. If you have questions, comments or suggestions for our e-newsletter, e-mail Tracy Batchelor at tbatchelor@shorter.edu.

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