August 2010 - We’re just a few days into the start of the fall semester and already the campus is full of life. Do you remember how it was? Freshmen arrived with a few butterflies in their stomachs, returning seniors ruled the campus, and everyone else was just glad to be back on the Hill. Though Shorter has grown over the years, our close-knit community is still a vital part of the Shorter experience – right along with challenging classes. We want you to come and experience the Hill again, creating new memories while sharing old ones.
 
Our annual Homecoming event on Oct. 2 is a perfect chance for you to reconnect with former classmates and cheer on the Shorter Hawks. In addition to the 3:30 p.m. football game against Faulkner, alums will be able to participate in alumni class parties and gatherings. We’re working on the itinerary now, and an invitation that includes dates and other important information will be mailed to you soon. Mark your calendars now; it’s going to be great!
 
Shorter’s goal is to provide excellence in education, and we continue to be recognized for it. We recently climbed one spot in the U.S. News and World Report’s “Great Schools, Great Prices” list. We also continued our 10-year tradition of being included in the “Best Regional College” rankings. We came in at No. 17 this year. The accolades don’t stop there. Shorter has also been named a “Best in the Southeast” college by the Princeton Review for the sixth-consecutive year.

As our academic achievements continue to shine, so do our athletic accomplishments. The Shorter Hawks will get to strut their skills under the bright lights of the Georgia Dome on Thursday, Sept. 2, as they match up with the Georgia State University Panthers. This gridiron clash under the dome is an exciting one for the Hawks, the entire university, our alumni and Hawks football fans. We encourage you to come out and support your Hawks that night, beginning with a special reception hosted by President Dr. Harold Newman. We’d love to see you there!

Shorter has SOLD OUT of our allotted tickets!! Contact Georgia State University for tickets.
 
Also, we have plenty of upcoming arts events to fill your calendar. Theatre, opera, arts and chorale performances – we’ve got them all! You can find an updated list of Shorter’s arts events by visiting http://www.shorter.edu/academics/arts/calendar.htm. And don’t forget our Facebook page and Twitter accounts for the latest Shorter news, events and photo galleries.

Did You Know?

With this series, we will highlight some of the individuals — faculty, staff and students, past and present — who are part of the amazing heritage of Shorter University.  

Did you know that the 1977 Shorter yearbook, The Argo, excitedly touts a class of 275 incoming freshmen? And oddly enough, the first day of class for the 1977 academic year began on Monday, August 23 — the same day and date as 2010’s first day of classes.
 
Since 1977, Shorter’s incoming freshman class size has continued to increase. Today, 454 freshmen are currently enrolled in classes on the Hill. The vast majority of those students come from Georgia (381), however Shorter continues to attract students from other states like Connecticut, Maine, Ohio, Texas, Washington and Louisiana, just to name a few. There are also nine countries represented in our freshman class. They include Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Kenya, Sweden, South Korea and the United Kingdom.


Do you have a favorite story about a faculty member that you’d like to share with us? If so, e-mail it to publicrelations@shorter.edu.

Learning Communities 101

“Why do I need this class anyway?”
 
That question has been heard at college campuses across the nation – Shorter included – for decades. When students arrive as freshmen, it may be hard to understand the importance of core courses in building a foundation of knowledge. They’d much rather dive straight into their major classes or something that really interests them.
 
That’s why Shorter now offers freshmen the opportunity to enroll in a Learning Community or LCs as we call them. In an LC, a group of no more than 20 students will enroll and have three common courses, including their Freshman Seminar course and two core classes. All three are centered around a common theme.
 
The idea is to help students begin to see how their courses are interrelated. LCs simply build connections, and that includes connections between students and their classmates, students and professors, students and Shorter University, and, of course, student interests with their class schedules.

Take a look at the LC options offered to this year’s freshman class. You might even find yourself wishing you’d had this opportunity when you were on the Hill.
 
Check out some of our interesting Learning Communities for 2010

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 alumniupdate@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 Shorter Public Relations. If you have questions, comments or suggestions for our e-newsletter, e-mail Aimee Madden at amadden@shorter.edu.

Read past Virtually Shorter issues.