November 2013
Homecoming 2013
What an exciting time it is to be a member of the Eagle Nation! Homecoming was a nostalgic weekend, and it was wonderful to meet so many of our alumni returning to campus. The weekend was full of fun reunions and reminiscing about college days. Some of the events included a barbecue at the Bishop Alumni Center and catching up with old friends at BAGS, the First 500 and the new Eagle Battalion Alumni Network. In the midst of these activities, Eagle men’s basketball hosted their season opener at Hanner Fieldhouse.
In addition to these events, Professor Emeritus Dr. Del Presley and his wife Beverly, along with the Georgia Southern Museum, opened The Presley Exhibition at the Nessmith-Lane Concourse. The permanent exhibit tells the story of the development of Georgia Southern and the University’s history through personal stories and mementos from alumni, faculty and staff. I encourage you to drop by and view the hundreds of artifacts showcased, ranging from clothing and report cards to scrapbooks and trophies.
The Presleys have also released a pictorial history of the University with their new book Georgia Southern University: The Campus History Series, a great keepsake that is available for sale at the University Store.
Shooting Sports Education Center Groundbreaking Scheduled
Our University is once again expanding this week with the official groundbreaking ceremony of the Shooting Sports Education Center. I hope you will make plans to join us on Thursday, Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. at the site, which is located across from the M.C. Anderson Pavilion at the corner of Old Register Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway.
Elite sports shooting, which includes archery and indoor-range shooting, is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and our Center will be one of only a few shooting sports sites nationwide.
The facility will offer instruction for the general public, students and other enthusiasts of all skill levels in firearms and archery at both indoor and outdoor facilities. Additionally, the Center will provide the capability of hosting national shooting tournaments and championships.
The Center is being funded in part by a $3.3 million federal grant acquired through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, along with private and corporate donations.
Southern Classic Tournament a Success
It was a pleasure for me to join the many alumni and supporters at Atlanta’s Peachtree Golf Club a few weeks ago for the Georgia Southern University Foundation’s inaugural Southern Classic Golf Tournament. More than 80 golfers hit the links in support of student scholarships, including PGA golfer Aron Price, former Georgia Southern quarterback Tracy Ham, Trip Addison, Teresa and Andrew MacCartney, Marshall Mize and Jim Van Epps.
We appreciate the support of our tournament sponsors, and many thanks to co-chairs Jim Medbery and Tommy Bond, as well as alumnus Hicks Milner for their hard work on this successful event.
University Hosts Undergraduate Receptions
Over the past several weeks, the University’s Office of Admissions hosted a series of successful Undergraduate Receptions in Atlanta, Augusta and Jacksonville, Fla. Hundreds of prospective students and their parents attended these events where they were greeted by Georgia Southern faculty and staff. Attendees had the opportunity to talk with faculty about majors, learned about student life and activities and gained information about their admission status. Many of our dedicated alumni, including Margot Dawkins (’76), Brian Brennan (’95) and Kristin Lord (’06) met with students and their families to talk about their Georgia Southern experiences. We are excited about these students joining the Eagle Nation!
Empty Bowl Project Breaks Record
Georgia Southern students and faculty have once again made an impact on the community with their annual Empty Bowl service project, hosted by the Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art. Ceramics students work year-round under the direction of ceramics professor Jeff Schmuki to create unique bowls filled with chili, which were then sold for $10 each at the Russell Union Rotunda. This year, the project broke a new record — more than $5400 was raised with all proceeds donated to the Statesboro Food Bank.
$1 Million Grant Awarded to Expand City Campus
Georgia Southern and the City of Statesboro have been awarded a grant of nearly $1.1 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to expand the University’s City Campus on E. Main St. to help entrepreneurs design, build and send their products into the marketplace while creating new jobs.
The grant will provide for the renovation of two buildings downtown for the creation of an innovation incubator and an eventual fabrication lab with 3D printing capabilities. U.S. Rep. John Barrow joined us at City Campus to make the grant announcement.
GUS in Space
Our University mascot, GUS, was launched into the stratosphere on a mission to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) learning. GUS was attached to a weather balloon and a rig with multiple high definition video cameras and tracking equipment. This project involved the efforts of the Center for Academic Technology Support, faculty, staff and two students, Cameron Cato and Jeremy Goodman, who were responsible for designing the telemetry system to track GUS. Our mascot reached an altitude of 102,000 feet and touched down near Mount Vernon, Ga. To read more about this amazing technology and watch the video, click here:
COE Professor Receives Department of Education Grant
Dr. Alejandro Gallard, the College of Education’s Goizeuta Distinguished Chair, has been named a co-principal investigator of a $2.5 million, five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. Known as Project ESCOLAR (Etext Supports for Collaborative Online Learning and Academic Reading) the project focuses on Latina/o populations and helps middle school students with learning disabilities learn science content with online sources.
Price Honored as ABET Fellow
Congratulations to Dr. Barbara Price, professor emerita of Quantitative Analysis and interim associate vice president of Continuing Education at Georgia Southern. She was recently named a 2013 fellow for ABET, the recognized accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology. This annual award recognizes individuals who have provided sustained quality service to the ABET-related professions, in general, and to education within the ABET disciplines.
Last updated: 4/2/2022