College of Coastal Georgia Magazine

COASTAL GEORGIAMAGAZINE

college of

COASTAL GEORGIAMAGAZINEth

e VOLUME 2: ISSUE 2

Summer Break

While many college students were relaxing during their summer break, Coastal Georgia junior Luisa Lopes spent much of her summer helping with children in Equatorial Guinea, on the west coast of Africa. Read more about Luisa’s trip at www.coastalgeorgiasports.com/article/281.php

On the Cover: Freshman Madison Campbell from Powder Springs, Georgia, enjoys kayaking through the marshes of Glynn on the Georgia coast.

Photo courtesy of Luisa Lopes

Welcome to the latest issue of College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine. In

these pages you will find stories illustrating our College mantra: Serve. Learn. Succeed.

We highlight our signature academic initiative, service-learning, with students sharing their experiences and confirming the value of this approach to learning. Service-learning focuses on applied experiences and community engagement to enhance learning outcomes. It connects theory with real-world practice. Embedded throughout our curriculum and required in every discipline, service-learning produces action-oriented students who have the skills to change the world.

You will be introduced to two recent graduates, Barbara Nakigudde and Jody Carter, who exemplify that mantra. And you’ll also read the success stories of alumni, faculty and friends of the College whose impact on the community mirrors our campus engagement, enriching the cultural and literary life of the Golden Isles as well as encouraging economic development, promoting the arts, and mentoring and inspiring students.

Our student body is growing and becoming more richly diverse, with new students joining us from around the globe.

The College’s impact on the community is more than access to high quality, affordable higher education – although we’re delighted to again be listed in the top 10% of the nation’s public baccalaureate schools providing best dollar value, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The Selig Center for Economic Growth at UGA’s Terry College of Business reported the operations of the College had an economic output impact of over $84.3 million locally between July 2010–June 2011, an increase of 20% over the previous year, with more than 940 jobs indirectly spun-off from our presence in the area.

Our focus on “green science” represents 21st century knowledge and skills. Our “Improving Teacher Quality” initiatives highlighted on page 18 further expand our collaboration with the local school systems, using a multidisciplinary approach to add exciting and relevant new components to middle grade science classes. And, what great classrooms the marsh, tidal rivers and beach represent!

So turn the page, dive in, and discover today’s College of Coastal Georgia.

A Message from the President Dr. Valerie A. Hepburn To Teach or Preach.......................................................................................2

AlumniProfile:JodyCarter

Just a Normal College Student..............................................................4 StudentProfile:MaggieBee

C*-Algebras and Coneflowers ...............................................................5 FacultyProfile:VíctorVega-Vázquez

Maestro ................................................................................................................6 VolunteeroftheYearMaestroLuisHaza

Small World - Big Dreams .......................................................................8 AlumniProfile:BarbaraNakigudde

Halfway Around the World .................................................................10 StudentProfile:MalharMali

A Public Partnership ...............................................................................12 ProgramProfile:PublicAffairs

A Teacher’s Commitment .....................................................................14 FacultyProfile:MichaelHazelkorn

A Team Effort ................................................................................................15 TeamProfile:Women’sBasketball

Sharer-in-Chief ............................................................................................16 Executive-in-ResidenceProfile:RegMurphy

Summer School ...........................................................................................18 Grants bring local teachers to campus

Teacher in the Making ............................................................................19 StudentProfile:CarolineBurgess

Greensboro Dreamer put his Dreams in Action ...................20 StudentProfile:WilliamMitchell

Lessons Learned .........................................................................................21 Service-learningscholarsnamed

Cooking for a Cause ..................................................................................22 CampusOrganizationProfile:CHEF

Georgia Literary Festival.......................................................................23Young Alumni ...............................................................................................24Photo Essay: From Rome to the Golden Isles..........................25Alumni of the Year .....................................................................................26 AlumniProfile:MikeHodges

Around Campus ..........................................................................................28

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2 • September 2012

College of Coastal Georgia - the Magazine is produced by the Advancement Office of the College of Coastal Georgia, with the support of

the College of Coastal Georgia Foundation.

Advancement OfficeElizabeth Weatherly, Chief Advancement Officer

John Cornell, Director of Marketing and PRJessica Dickson, Coordinator of Alumni Services and Events

Paul Hearn, WebmasterRobin Flores, Department Coordinator

Peggy Golden, Staff Writer/Special Projects

Managing Editor/Layout and DesignJohn Cornell

Editor/Senior WriterPeggy Golden

Editorial AssistanceRebecca Buchanan ‘14, Logan Brown ‘14

Kevin Price, Diana Leal

PhotographyAll photographs by John Cornell unless noted.

College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 1

Jody Carter heard a calling: To teach or to preach.“I heard it just as plain as the conversation you and I are having,”

the summa cum laude graduate with the perfect 4.0 average said. “I believe kids are important, so I started working on my BS in education.” But for the non-traditional student and Marine, the path was not straight to the College of Coastal Georgia.

“I was just an average student at Wayne County High School, taking college prep courses and vocational courses in drafting,” Jody admitted. “Even in high school, I liked practical application – drafting – better than theory. We can all sit around and talk theory, but it’s putting it into action, testing the observations, that appeals to me. That’s why I like science and math – and teaching.”

When Jody graduated from high school in 1996, he thought his only options were military. “I had a career mindset and I could picture myself with a military career in the infantry.” He had an uncle who served in the Marines and often spoke of the brotherhood he had shared in the corps, as well as the challenges. So Jody enlisted, but two years into his service, a dislocated shoulder shattered his plans.

Jody moved on to computer information systems, enrolling at Altamaha Tech. With the benefit of his Marine training and discipline to guide him, he earned his CIS diploma with honors and was one of 12 in the state that year to win the Georgia Occupation Award for Leadership, based on his character and grades. But no job was forthcoming.

Jody Carter ’12 Alumni Profile:

Marine and former local business owner turns his focus to teaching

2 College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine

“By then, I had a family to support. So I combined my drafting skills from high school with the document design I learned in my CIS courses and bought a printing and sign business in Brunswick,” he explained. But after two years, the primary source for Jody’s business – contractors – began to fail as the economy started to slump.

That was when Jody heard the call, loud and clear.

“I had hired some kids at the print shop from Brunswick High School and I discovered I re-ally liked working with them. But I also saw some things that clashed with the values I grew up with and what I had experienced in the Ma-rines – things like honor, courage and commit-ment – aspects missing in their lives because they didn’t have male role models. Being a role model was a new chal-lenge. I decided, if I was supposed to choose, I’d answer that call by becoming a teacher and an advocate,” he said.

Jody enrolled at the College of Coastal Georgia. Finally, the timing was right. The new BS programs in education and teacher preparation had been announced. Jody could stay in Brunswick. And he could work in child advocacy and intervention with Morningstar Family and Children Services in Brunswick. Morningstar serves children with special needs.

“Kids need advocates – people who will respect them and be genuinely concerned about them personally. They will form a relationship once they realize you sincerely care. Positive relationships are missing in their lives.” Jody insisted, ”Kids don’t care about what you know; they want to know that you care.”

Jody pursued a BS in Middle Grades Education. He threw himself into his studies, managing 16 to 18 credit hours each semester plus observations in an actual school

environment, as well as working and tutoring for extra cash. “Too many teachers quit within their first five years.

Wanting the summer off is absolutely the wrong reason to take up teaching,” he said, shaking his head incredu-

lously. “At Coastal Georgia, we’re put in the real world from the beginning to make sure we are tempered and prepared. Every day is hands on. By being constantly ob-served and peer re-viewed, every day is demanding. Teaching in the middle grades requires learning all subjects plus social and life skills. I got those challenges I had been seeking.”

This time, when Jody completed his program of study, a new career was waiting for him. Jody is now a teacher at Coastal Academy, a program that serves

children in grades PK-12 with emotional behavioral disorders and autism.

“I start their day by making them smile,” Jody said. “We all need more smiles. If I can get them to change their attitude before they come to class, the day starts off better for all of us.”

This summer, he taught science in the field with 4th graders, creating a “critters notebook.”

“We went for walks and we looked really closely – scientific observations of animal behavior, which we then compared to human behaviors – experientially covering the required standards rather than through theoretical learning. We’re outdoors, we’re moving, and they’re learning as they look at the world around them,” he concluded.

He has also identified his next challenge. He agreed to serve as testing coordinator for Coastal Academy - rather daunting for a first-year teacher.

“I’ve learned to be joyful even during trials and tribulations,” he laughed. u

During his commencement remarks in May, Jody challenged hisclassmatestopersevere,“tofindjoyinfailurewiththehopeandbeliefthat success will be found in the next attempt,” to have courage, and to seek brotherhood “because together we are stronger.”

2 College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine College of Coastal Georgia – the Magazine 3

What is normal to Maggie Bee ‘14?

Her hometown, literally. The junior is from Normal in

the central farmlands of Illinois. The main campus of the state’s oldest public university, Illinois State, is in Normal. In fact, that’s what gave the town its name in 1865 – Illinois State Normal University – when a “normal” school was a teacher-training institute.

A hectic schedule is also nor-mal for Bee, who is a business major, president of the Student Government Association, and the setter and one of the team captains of the Mariners volley-ball team.

“Keeping the proper balance between academics, sports and student government is a challenge,” she admits, “especially at the start of fall term, which is volleyball season.”

Her BBA, with a concentration in communications, fits her long-term plan to open and operate a pre-school. “I considered an education major as well as psychology, but I finally decided knowing how to operate my own business should be my first priority. Once I have the BBA, I can go back to school for certification in early childhood education,” she explains.

“My dad is glad I finally made up my mind,” she laughs. “He said, ‘Whatever, Maggie, just pick something and graduate!’”

Her goals for the student government association hinge on one key word: involvement.

“We want to have a full and committed student government team with a secretary – no one ran for the office. We want students involved on campus and participating in programs over the weekends as well as coming to SGA meetings to get their information firsthand, not through the grapevine,” she says.

To facilitate student participation, the SGA plans to

overhaul their meeting structure. “We’re going to be more professional and more action-oriented,” she adds. “Our goal is to be a better forum for new ideas.”

The goal for volleyball? “We’re working for nationals! We are so psyched!”

This marks the second year for the volleyball program at Coastal Georgia and the first year the team will be eligible for tournament play. They finished their inaugural season with a 15-17 record – quite an accomplishment for a new team.

Maggie’s court position is setter. Sometimes compared to a football quarterback, the setter in volleyball calls and sets up the play when the opposition serves – but

without danger of being sacked.Volleyball is what brought Maggie to Coastal Georgia.

Coach Jeff Huebner recruited her – or rather his wife, Erin, did.

“I played volleyball for three years in high school. Erin was my coach senior year. In club volleyball, I was in the 16-year olds and we regularly scrimmaged against his team of 18-year olds. I participated in drills he ran, so I was familiar with his style,” Maggie recounts.

“My freshman year I attended the University of Illinois in Springfield, but shoulder surgery resulted in transferring home. I ran into Erin and she told me Coach Huebner was interviewing for a position at a college on the coast of Georgia. I was excited to find out he was here.”

Maggie says making the move to Coastal Georgia was one of the best decisions of her life. “It’s the people – the community, the faculty and staff. They genuinely care about you. I’ve not found that anywhere else.”

“And it’s not hard to be away from home during the winter in Illinois,” she smiles. “My dad and mom say they’d like to move here, too.” u

Just a Normal College StudentMaggieBeetacklesacademics,studentgovernment,andvarsityathletics


After a decade of winters in Iowa, Dr. Víctor Vega-Vázquez was ready to return to a warm weather climate and

the beach. He grew up in Puerto Rico and two of his four children were born there. But he had been accepted into the postgraduate mathematics program at the University of Iowa and Dr. Vega believed there would be more career opportunities in the continental U.S.

So after earning his MS and PhD in Mathematics from Iowa and progressing from Assistant Professor to Professor and Chairman of the Department of Mathematics, St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, Dr. Vega began looking for opportunities in Texas and Georgia.

“Iowa winters were cold – and getting colder,” he laughed, “so I began looking for schools that were on the coast and were growing institutions.” Those preferences led him to the College of Coastal Georgia in 2010.

In addition to transplant-ing his family, he also trans-planted flowers that he had learned to grow in the Mid-west – coneflowers, hybrid tea and grandiflora roses. An avid gardener, he has rose specimens noted for fragrance and beds of cone-flowers surrounding his home on St. Simons Island.

The gardening provides a change of pace from the intensity of teaching, student mentoring, and researching his areas of mathematical interest - real and complex analysis, C*-algebras, operator algebras, operator theory and graph algebras, Markov chains and Hilbert modules. The article he co-authored with Marius Ionescu and Paul S. Muhly, “Markov Operators and C*-Algebras,” was published this summer in the HoustonJournalofMathematics(Volume 38, No. 3, 2012; University of Houston). The quarterly journal is highly respected by mathematicians in the United States and is refereed by some of the world’s foremost experts in the field.

As a member of the National Alliance for Doctoral Studies in the Mathematical Sciences, Dr. Vega actively mentors students. In October 2011 he successfully nominated three Coastal Georgia math majors for the Alliance’s fall

conference in Tempe, Arizona. Student attendance is by invitation only and includes payment of travel, hotel and conference expenses.

“With our new baccalaure-ate degree in mathematics, I believed the time was right to introduce our students to an opportunity to experience first-hand the infinite possibilities available to them in the disci-pline of mathematics,” explained Dr. Vega.

Dr. Vega also mentors math students interested in the highly competitive research experiences for

undergraduates. During summer 2012,

Coastal Georgia math major Dayton Ireland of Brunswick participated in a program at the University of Arizona, Tucson, and Robert Chastain of Woodbine travelled to Morgantown for a program at West Virginia University.

“This is a significant achievement and will cer-tainly open new venues for them and for all of our stu-dents,” Dr. Vega enthusiasti-cally noted. “After instruc-

tion, mentoring is probably the most important thing I do – particularly helping math students realize all the career opportunities their major provides.”

His newest venture is the proposed campus math club. “The math club would provide students with an interest in math the opportunity to also become involved in campus life and extracurricular activities. The study of math may be intense, but it doesn’t need to be isolated.”

Math and natural sciences are almost a family affair, according to Dr. Vega. His wife, Noris Torres, is a lab coordinator at the Camden Center. But he says it is too soon to tell what his sixteen-year-old daughter may pursue. As for the other children, they’re just happy dad moved to the beach! u

C*-Algebras and ConeflowersDr.VíctorVega-Vázquezhasapassionformath,mentoringandgardening

Abutterflyvisitsaconeflower(Echinacea) inVega-Vázquez’garden.

PhotocourtesyofDr.VíctorVega-Vázquez


As an 8-year-old child in Santiago, Cuba, Luis Haza responded to an act of political violence by throwing

his heart and soul into music. All of his anger, grief and loss, his sense of being powerless to right a great wrong, poured out in passionate music pulled with a bow from the strings of a violin.

The act was the execution without trial of his father, the Chief of the National Police of Santiago de Cuba who supported democracy in Cuba, by Fidel Castro.

By the age of 11, Haza was touring the provinces of Cuba, performing on the concert stage. A year later, he obtained his first professional post as Assistant Concertmaster of the Lyric Theater and debuted as a conductor in a program which included one of his own orchestral compositions. As a child prodigy, he was offered opportunities to study abroad in his choice of Iron Curtain countries. Instead, he and his mother sought asylum in the United States, immigrating on Election Day in 1964.

Chance and circumstance eventually brought Haza to the Golden Isles – to the benefit of the community and the College – and he was recognized this spring as the 2012 Volunteer of the Year by Coastal Georgia. What were supposed to be Haza’s lazy days of retirement on the beach have instead become days packed with instruction, rehearsals, performances and arts-in-education advocacy.

A Brief History of a Prodigious TalentIn the United States, Haza studied on full scholarship at the Curtis Institute, the Peabody Conservatory, and the Blossom Music Festival with teachers including Daniel Majeske, Efrem Zimbalist, Robert Gerle and Eduardo Vidal Aviles, as well as being coached by Mstislav Rostropovich and Henryk Szeryng.

His extensive performing career includes 36 years as first violinist with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. He conducted the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras for 25 seasons.

As a soloist, he has performed extensively in the United States and internationally in Europe, Central America, and the Caribbean.

As a conductor, he has led the London Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the national orchestras of El Salvador, Panama, and Guatemala, and

Australia’s Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, among others. He served as director of the Virginia Chamber Orchestra, conductor of the Virginia Ballet Company, and member of the Board of Governors for the Grammy Awards. Former First Lady Laura Bush appointed him to the President’s Commission for Arts and the Humanities. He was the recipient of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (the GRAMMY’s) Hero Award – their highest honor presented in Washington.

MaestroLuis Haza named College of Coastal Georgia Volunteer of the Year


A Georgia peach from Augusta, Dana Owens, brought him to the Golden Isles. They married in 2004 on the grounds of the St. Simons Island Lighthouse. When he retired, they returned to the Georgia coast.

A series of conversations piqued his interest in the lo-cal youth symphony which, due to mandatory budget cuts for the school system, was challenged to maintain a strings program through the public schools. He committed to working with the Coastal Youth Symphony and December 12, 2010, marked his first performance as the music director and conductor.

The student musicians, ages 10 to 19, come from a multi-county region to rehearse weekly during the school year under his direc-tion. He began a rigorous schedule of weekly private violin instruc-tion for the more advanced stu-dents. The youth symphony’s two regularly-scheduled concerts be-came standing-room-only events. The community, responding to Haza’s vision and inspiration of young student musicians, provided financial support for group lessons, private instruction and coaching.

With such support, Haza began a local summer music camp on the campus of the College.

In prior years, students had attended camps across Georgia and in Jacksonville. The camps were based on type of instrument and level of experience. Those experiences, however, did not result in a cohesive orchestral sound, Haza observed. He believed the student musicians needed an intensive camp experience that would unite them as a team as well as increase their skills and technique.

So Haza polled regional talent and called friends with whom he had collaborated in the Washington, DC, and northern Virginia area. The result was the 2011 Coastal Youth Symphony Summer Music Camp. The inaugural music camp students were among the first to stay in the new on-campus residence center, Lakeside Village.

The camp grew from 60 participants in 2011 to 81 in 2012. One of the major highlights of the camp is a Thursday night

Artists’ Showcase on campus with camp faculty and select students performing classical and contemporary pieces during a one-hour program - a joint donor appreciation event for the College Foundation, the Coastal Youth Symphony, and the Coastal Symphony of Georgia.

When the College Foun-dation established an ad hoc Planning Committee for Cultural Arts and Life-long Learning Programs (CALL) to help define the attributes and potential uses for the Coastal Com-munity Center for the Arts, Haza was one of the first community members in-vited to participate.

Haza’s first public per-formance as a resident of the Golden Isles was at the request of College President Valerie Hepburn. On December 2, 2010, Haza took the stage with

his chosen accompanist, the Cuban-born pianist Orlando Alonso, founder and music director of the Ossia Symphony Orchestra in New York. The proceeds of the concert benefitted cultural and performing arts programming at Coastal Georgia.

Haza will reunite with Alonso on the stage of the campus’ Thomas Auditorium on December 7 when the Chamber Ensemble of the Ossia Symphony Orchestra inaugurates a new concert series, From the City to the Golden Isles.

Recognition as the Community Volunteer of the YearThe College’s award for volunteer of the year recognizes an individual demonstrating team spirit and unwavering support of Coastal Georgia through commitment of time and talents.

In presenting the award to Maestro Haza at the Honors Day ceremony in April, Foundation Trustee Anita Timmons said, “He has made a tremendous difference in our college community, our local community and in the world community.” u

HazagentlyteasesmusiccampstudentKateLaneaboutperformance jitters before they perform during the 2012 Artists’Showcaseoncampus.

Maestro Luis Haza will reunite with Orlando Alonso on the stage of the campus’ Thomas Auditorium on December 7 when the Chamber Ensemble of the Ossia Symphony Orchestra inaugurates a new concert

series, From the City to the Golden Isles, funded by a gift from the Eric and Julie Epstein Charitable Trust. For ticket information, call 912.279.5925 or visit www.ccga.edu/advancement/ossia .

From the City to the Golden Isles


It’s a small world. Barbara Nakigudde can say that not just because she’s 5’2”. Not just because she traveled half

way around the world to come to school – from landlocked Uganda to the coast of Georgia. She can say it because talking to a man while waiting in line has opened a new door for her future.

The line was at the Jekyll Island Convention Center. The wait preceded mounting the steps to the platform as one of several speakers during commencement. The man was A.D. “Pete” Correll.

Graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor’s in nursing, Nakigudde would present the charges to the Class of 2012. Correll was the featured commencement speaker.

“We were waiting in line with the rest of the platform party and we just started talking. The conversation ended with a business card that might very well have changed my life,” Nakigudde began.

“When I met Barbara and heard her story, it was obvious that she was a special young woman who had accomplished more than others dare to attempt,” Correll said.

Barbara’s story“Growing up in Africa is like growing up anywhere else in the world…except for the part where people are happier with much less,” she said. “People work hard, and they feel the same economic strain that seems to extend and engulf the world. Parents struggle to provide the best they can for their children. In spite of the hardship, there is an overwhelming sense of community and that’s what always makes it feel like home.”

“My favorite times were those spent with extended family because, no matter what was going on, we always found humor in a situation.”

Nakigudde’s mother is a nurse at a hospital in Uganda, but nursing wasn’t her daughter’s original career choice. “I was one week away from law school before I moved here and did a complete

Small World - Big DreamsBarbaraNakigudde’sdreamshavetakenheraroundtheworld,andshe’sjustbeginning

“Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your

sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.”

Ugandan countryside


career switch. I realized that my temperament would be better suited for something else.“

“They say good news travels fast. I think news of affordable education travels even faster,” she laughed. “I came to the College of Coastal Georgia to explore my options. So to those freshmen with undecided majors - you are not alone. I found myself gravitating towards the health sciences and then ultimately fell in love with the nursing profession.”

“Having been exposed to hospitals before, it seemed like a natural fit. I changed my major to nursing and told my mother about it after the fact,” she admitted.

“My mother influenced me by raising me to be considerate of others’ needs. I can honestly say that I learned compassion by watching her interaction with other people.”

“I have definitely changed since going to school here. You can’t take two psychology courses and two sociology courses and remain totally unaffected,” she continued. “I see the world differently. I’m more aware of the differences between people, but also of their similarities. I think we have a lot to learn from each other.”

In talking to Correll, she learned he was on the board of Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. (In fact, he’s the chairman.) He urged her to contact the hospital. His enthusiasm was contagious.

She looked into the RN residency program there and was sufficiently impressed to apply for a staff nurse position after she passed her licensing exam. Five weeks after commencement, she shared the news with Correll by e-mail. Correll responded by putting her in touch with Dr. Rhonda Scott, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, and added his personal recommendation.

“Great nurses can accomplish wonderful things for others. I felt Barbara had the potential to be a great nurse. I knew Grady was one of our country’s leading teaching hospitals. Under the leadership of Dr. Rhonda Scott, Chief Nurse, Barbara will have the opportunity to learn, grow, and realize her potential,” he said. “She had earned that

opportunity.”Nakigudde accepted a staff RN position in

the Intermediate Care Unit at Grady, starting August 6.

What is next for Barbara Nakigudde? “In terms of professional growth, graduate school is in the works as well, so I’m going to be quite busy for the next couple of years. My dreams tend to evolve over time, but the most recent one is to obtain a doctorate in Nursing Practice,” she replied.

“I definitely intend to return to Africa; it will always be home. I intend to be a nurse for the rest of my life. There is no way to predict the future, but I believe I will be ready and well equipped to handle it.”

She describes herself as incurably curious, and a realistic optimist. The optimism prevailed in the charges to her graduating classmates. “Having been on the other side of a podium many times before, I am familiar with the silent prayers that the speeches be either concise or really entertaining,” she observed. “The sound advice of a friend was to focus on sharing what I know. I chose to push that idea further and tell my classmates about what inspires me.”

She urged her classmates to thank those who had made their education possible and, in whatever jobs they end up doing, to do it to the best of their ability, every time.

She challenged them to not let popular culture define what success meant to them as individuals, declaring the true measure of character to be how an individual treats someone to whom they do not have to be nice.

She exhorted them to keep an open mind and continue to grow. “Don’t become set in your ways. Be open to possibilities, and don’t be afraid to explore a different path when faced with an opportunity…life may not turn out like you planned or expected, but if you keep an open mind and a flexible spirit, you will emerge at the end of it perhaps surprised, but definitely satisfied.”

She concluded with a quote that she considers her personal challenge: “Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.”

She doesn’t intend to stop trying to make the world more beautiful. u

Fromnursingschooltothenursingstation: BarbararecentlyjoinedthestaffofAtlanta’sGradyMemorialHospital.

PhotocourtesyofBarbaraNakigudde


Malhar Mali made a YouTube video to sell himself to potential colleges which might be interested in his

tennis talents. And once Coastal Georgia coaches saw the video and

made a connection with him, it actually wasn’t hard to sell Mali on coming to the Georgia coast to attend school and play tennis at the same time.

“I liked (Coastal Georgia) because of the location,” Mali said. “I liked that it was next to the coast. I liked the weather. I wanted a climate as close to back home as possible.”

Home for Mali is Brisbane, Australia, where the temperature has fallen below the freezing mark only once since records for such occurrences have been recorded.

“I don’t do cold that well,” Mali says.That almost instantly ruled out a school in Delaware that

was interested in having him come there. Mali eventually crossed out other schools that were on his list and ultimately chose to enroll at Coastal Georgia two years ago to further his education and also his tennis career with the new men’s program that formed that year.

For Mali, now a junior, the opportunity to get a college education and play tennis for the same institution fulfilled a dream. It was something he couldn’t exactly do at home.

“The college athletic system in America is unique to the U.S.,” Mali explained. “There is nowhere else really where you can compete at a high level and also pursue an

Halfway Around the World YouTube and a nasty forehand brought Malhar Mali from Australia to the Golden Isles

byKevinPrice


education. I know that is attractive to a lot of athletes, especially those from Australia, but really around the world.

“In Australia, you can go to a university, but tennis would be something you do on the side. You find an academy and play there or train with a coach on the side. They have teams, but they’re like club teams and not really super competitive.”

Whether it was Coastal Georgia or somewhere else that Mali chose, coming to the U.S. to attend college was going to be a major adjustment for him. He would be further from home than ever before, obviously for much longer than ever before. And of course, that meant being separated from his parents.

Mali knew what he wanted to do, though, and didn’t shy away from coming to the States out of fear for the unknown. “You have to go with the mindset that this will be your new home for the next four years,” he said. “You have to meet new friends, new people, and form a new support group.”

Mali said doing those things was easier at Coastal Georgia than it might have been elsewhere. For starters, it had the built-in surroundings he desired - the location and weather that made him more at ease from the beginning. But it is also a smaller college, where he sees many of the same faces whether he’s hanging out in the residence hall, eating in the dining hall or walking the campus sidewalks between classes.

Of course, it’s not surprising that his closest friends are his teammates on the men’s tennis team. The team concept in tennis was something new to Mali until he arrived at Coastal Georgia. It didn’t take long for him to realize it was a pretty cool deal.

“Tennis had been mostly an individual experience for me,” Mali said. “I like having a team that is cheering you on and supporting you, and there’s always a set group of guys that you practice with all of the time.”

Mali has become really good friends with teammate Connor Bond, his doubles partner on the Mariners team. Bond is a junior from Austin, Texas. This summer, Mali went home with Bond to work on his game rather than returning to Australia.

Mali felt it was something he needed to do after struggling through his sophomore season due to drastic changes he had made to his stroke and his approach on the court.

“Coach (Reinaldo) Valor and I made a lot of changes to my game, and I really struggled to figure out how to play

again,” he said. “We changed my strokes. They’re a lot more compact.”

“We also changed my mind set. I used to be more passive and relied on movement and outlasting people. Coach told me you can only go so far with that, and I agreed. I’m trying to be more assertive and more in control of what happens on the court.”

The adjustments have been hard for Mali to make. His record was 5-11 in singles and 7-9 in doubles last season.

He called it a disappointing season overall, but he was encouraged by some of his performances toward the end of the spring.

Had it not been for that, Mali doesn’t know if he would be playing for the Mariners this season. “I went through a phase last season where I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to do it anymore,” he admits. “Last year was a battle for me. Toward the end last season, I felt like I was figuring things out.”

“I’m starting to enjoy tennis again. I definitely think I made the right decision to stay in America and work on tennis and I enjoyed my summer. Connor and his family have been really great.”

Mali said his game still isn’t where it needs to be, but it’s getting there little by little. He hopes to have it back on track by the Mariners’ spring season, which will be their first in the Southern States Athletic Conference. Mali said Coastal Georgia’s tennis program is headed on the right track, too.

“We’ve got great facilities - 12 amazing courts,” Mali said of the new on-campus tennis complex. “I’ve seen a lot of tennis courts around the world, and we have fantastic courts. This can be a really solid program and a big winner in the region.”

If you’re talking about being solid, Mali has been just that in the classroom during his first two years at Coastal Georgia. He holds a 3.19 GPA and is planning to pursue a business degree over the next two years.

“Academics are obviously an important part of the experience,” Mali said. “You just have to be committed, find time and make time to get it done. It’s really a 50-50 balance between academics and athletics, or maybe even more than that toward academics. It has to be a priority.” u

Mali spent the summer with friend anddoublespartnerConnorBond(pictured behind Mali) in Austin, Texas, instead of returning to his native Australia.


Cory Mallard ’14 was the first Coastal Georgia student to qualify as a Public Affairs major

in the School of Business and Public Affairs. The Brunswick High School graduate hails from a family of entrepreneurs. His father owns Ed Mallard Construction, Inc., but instead of spending his past three summers on building crews, Cory has worked at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC).

“One factor was the economy. This has not been the best of times for construction,” Cory confessed. “While I was in high school, I was also enrolled in wildlife management courses at Altamaha Tech. I like hunting and fishing, so I began to think of the enforcement areas of wildlife services, such as working as a game warden or a ranger.”

A Public PartnershipCollege partners with FLETC on innovtive new Public Affairs degree

CoryMallard’14


“The federal interests me more than the state because of the variety of opportunities and locations. That’s why I started applying for summer work at FLETC – to learn more about what they do.”

This past summer, Cory was assigned to the Enforcement Operations Division (EOD). According to the FLETC website (www.fletc.gov/training), EOD provides state-of-the-art training focused on the operational and technical aspects of law enforcement for agents and officers in over 85 federal law enforcement agencies. Training is provided through lectures, laboratory and practical exercises which simulate actual law enforcement scenarios. When not working in the office, Cory sat in on classes ranging from the Fourth Amendment to the United Sates Constitution (search and seizure) to land navigation or the use of force.

Variety was also a factor in Cory’s selection of the Public Affairs degree. “Right now I’m concentrating on the business side of Public Affairs, but I’m looking forward to

upcoming classes in cyber crime and homeland security for the Criminal Justice and Security track. Since working at FLETC, I’ve become interested in customs and border protection as well,” he explained.

The BS in Public Affairs was approved by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia in April. According to College President Valerie Hepburn, the degree addresses specific workforce needs by preparing the next generation of capable leaders in the fields of public management and criminal justice.

Two areas of concentration will be offered:• Public Management, preparing students to face the

challenges of managing and leading nonprofit and governmental organizations; and

• Criminal Justice and Security, preparing students to manage criminal justice and security organizations as well as to develop and evaluate related policies.

Connie L. Patrick, Director of FLETC, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is enthusiastic about the new degree: “FLETC serves as an interagency law enforcement training organization for over 90 federal agencies, and also provides training to state, local, and international law enforcement

agencies and several other DHS components. The concentration of criminal justice and public management in this program will benefit many of FLETC’s current and future employees, complementing and enhancing our efforts to develop future leaders.”

Dr. Skip Mounts, Dean of the School of Business and Public Affairs, agrees. “FLETC is a key community partner, particularly for the Criminal Justice and Security concentration, providing faculty resources and internships for our degree program. The College offers development opportunities for their employees, particularly in leadership and management issues such as budgeting. They, in turn, provide development opportunities for our students.”

“The Criminal Justice and Security track is about much more than law enforcement practices such as policing,” noted Dean Mounts. “This is a concentration focused on leadership, policy development and evaluation.”

Working in the public sector requires ethical behavior, leadership, and the ability to make hard choices.

The two main components of the 60 credit hours required for the major are a common core curriculum and courses specific to the chosen concentration, both taken in the junior-senior years. The core curriculum provides students with instruction in the theories, research, budgeting, management practices, and methods of policy analysis in public affairs. Dean Mounts counted 19 students, including Cory, currently preparing for the public affairs major.

“One of the big advantages to our program is the combination of business and public affairs,” he stressed, “and this linkage to the business school is important to the community. Our graduates will benefit from the management competencies, quantitative tools and leadership training provided by the business school. There is commonality in a unique context – decision making, critical thinking, complex problem solving, teamwork, ethical behavior, and communication skills.”

“Our graduates will have the skills for effective leadership needed by government, nonprofit, NGO, criminal justice and security enterprises.” u

“The concentration of criminal justice and public management in this program will benefit many of FLETC’s current and future employees, complimenting and enhancing our efforts to develop future leaders.”

— Connie Patrick, Director of FLETC


To the new Dean of the School of Education and Teacher Preparation, Dr. Michael

N. Hazelkorn, teaching is fun – and also potentially messy.

“I remember when I was teaching art to a group of elementary children with behavioral and emotional problems. I was trying to unscrew a container of black tempera paint for an art project that we were working on. Needless to say, the supposedly washable paint and my brand new yellow shirt were a big hit for the rest of the day,” he laughs. “Sometimes everything doesn’t work out exactly as we want. But, the beauty is that we can reflect on what we’ve done and come back tomorrow and do a better job. You have to roll with the punches and, most of all, be flexible.”

Dr. Hazelkorn has teaching experience in elementary, middle, and high schools in Florida and Georgia, as well as having served as an assistant superintendent of personnel and pupil services in Wisconsin. He moved to the Golden Isles from Carrollton, Georgia, where he was tenured professor and former chair of the Department of Special Education and Speech-Language Pathology at the University of West Georgia.

“My vision for Coastal Georgia’s School of Education and Teacher Preparation is to graduate educators who want to teach, are qualified to teach, and will make a difference in the classroom,” Dr. Hazelkorn says.

“The School is a young program. We’ll soon have a model facility – The Correll Center for Teacher Education and Learning. The new center is critical, not just because of our need for more space and state-of-the-art classroom technology, but also because of what it tells the state and our community – how engaged Coastal Georgia will be in preparing teachers for the most critical areas our state needs.”

His goal is to maintain the quality of what has been established and grow the program in concert with the availability of jobs. That may mean graduates possibly relocate, he contends, in order to find jobs in their chosen profession. He also expects to recruit teachers from all over the state, retaining the best, graduating them, and sending them back to work in their own hometowns.

“I want parents and students across the state, when looking for a teacher education program – especially one that gives them dual certification in early childhood education and special education, or middle grades education, or a program in secondary math or biology education – to give Coastal Georgia a long, hard look,” he says.

“How children learn has changed,” he continues. ”We want our students out in the real-world environment of K-12

classrooms every day to experience that difference.” “Teaching is not for the faint of heart. If you want to be a

teacher so that you your day ends at 3:30 or 4 p.m. and you have your summers off, think again. It is a lot of hard work, but the payoff is worth it. Knowing that you can impact so many lives for the better – that is what makes you want to come back day after day,” he reflects.

Recognizing that a BS in Education is a good basic degree because of the breadth of knowledge required and practical applications beyond the classroom, he is impressed with the collegiality of the Coastal Georgia faculty and the level of interdisciplinary collaboration. “Teacher preparation is embraced as the responsibility of the entire faculty of the College, with good relationships between disciplines, critical for solid subject mastery in the sciences, math, social sciences, arts and humanities.”

“The quality of our program is excellent because of our excellent faculty. After our students take the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE), they return to tell us how prepared they were for the exams. When they start teaching, they know what they are doing. They have the ability to hit the ground running.”

“I’m excited to be at Coastal Georgia, preparing top-notch new teachers with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to become teacher leaders in today’ schools,” he concludes. u

A Teacher’s CommitmentDr. Michael Hazelkorn takes the reigns of the School of Education and Teacher Preparation


Coastal Georgia Golf ClassicSometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains...

The inaugural Coastal Georgia Golf Classic to benefit student-athletes at the College launched October 8

with a shotgun start on the King and Prince golf course, St. Simons Island. The morning began with a putting clinic by Sea Island Golf Learning Center instructor

Mike Shannon — one of the top-50 greatest teachers according to Golf Magazine and Golf Digest. The weather failed to cooperate for the 32 competing teams, but the tournament was still a winner for the Mariner athletic program.


Noted businessman, author and civic leader Reg Murphy joins the School of Business and Public Affairs at the College of Coastal Georgia as the

inaugural Executive-in-Residence for fall semester 2012. An early supporter of the College’s transformation to a comprehensive undergraduate institution, Murphy chairs the College’s Athletic Futures Committee, which has introduced a host of new and successful intercollegiate teams.

“Reg Murphy continues to be a significant catalyst for the College’s successful transformation,” College President Valerie Hepburn said, announcing his appointment. “Reg brings tremendous experience and unparalleled accomplishment combined with true compassion and wise counsel for our students. His incredible combination of talents makes him the ideal person to launch our executive-in-residence program. We all look forward to having Reg as a member of our faculty and as a regular contributor to academics and campus life.”

Murphy doesn’t think of himself as faculty. “Sharer-in-chief is more like it,” he said. “If people like me share their work and life experiences, we may help students find their real career interests. Most of the students I’ve met are eager to do well not just in school, but in life. That’s encouraging.”

In his role as Executive-in-Residence, Murphy will lecture in the business and public affairs degree programs, organize informal lunches with groups of students, consult with faculty, and provide career advising one-on-one. The Executive-in-Residence plays an important role advising students on job-search and interview skills and strategies, planning a career path, and recommending courses and extracurricular activities that can help prepare for various careers.

“I hope that my business and professional experience will add to the students’ understanding of the world they will be entering. What I would like to do is share some of the things I have learned and some of the mistakes I have made. Sometimes you learn more from the mistakes than from the successes,” Murphy explained. “Perhaps they will feel a little more prepared for whatever they undertake in their working lives.”

Reg Murphy is a Gainesville, Georgia, native, whose business and public affairs career is extensive. He is vice chairman of the National Geographic Society and served as president and CEO of the Society from 1995-98. Prior to that, he served as publisher and CEO of the BaltimoreSun, editor of the Atlanta Constitution, and editor and publisher of the San Francisco Examiner. He is on the board of directors of The Omnicom Group, MSD&T Funds, and SIRSI, as well as a trustee of Mercer University and former trustee of Brenau.

“Like a lot of people, I changed direction in college. Originally, my goal was to go to medical school,” Murphy noted, “but I needed income. The Macon Telegraph hired me as a summer replacement after my first year.

Sharer-in-ChiefReg Murphy named inaugural Executive-in-Residence


The summer replacement became a full-time job. I worked a 40-hour week and stayed in school.”

“Journalism just never turned me loose – or maybe I didn’t turn journalism loose. It was a great start to a career.”

Murphy never thought of journalism as a job. “It always seemed like fun that I got paid to do. Living in Atlanta, Boston, San Francisco, and Baltimore as a journalist, editor and publisher, and working in Washington, DC, at NationalGeographic – those were great adventures.”

An avid golfer, he joined the executive committee of the U.S. Golf Association in 1989, served as vice president of the USGA in 1992, chairman of the Championship Committee in 1993, and president in 1994. He co-chaired the World Amateur Golf Federation in 1994 and captained the U.S. team for the 1998 World Amateur Championship in Santiago, Chile.

Murphy recently returned to college to experience being a student again. He took Dr. Hepburn’s public affairs course surveying health care issues (“Was that ever enlightening!” he commented) and during spring term, he sat in on Dr. Jim Fullerton’s leadership class (LEAD 3100), noting how rapidly the students were learning while working in groups.

This fall, he hopes to work with students he met in those classes, such as George Horton, an intern with Congressman Jack Kingston, and student-athlete Shea Able, a member of the women’s golf team.

Horton, who will graduate in December with his BBA, recognized Murphy’s name from the column he regularly writes for The Brunswick News. “But I didn’t expect to be going to leadership class with him, much less asking him for advice about what to do after graduation,” Horton laughed.

“Reg is charismatic. He’s a great listener as well as a good storyteller,” Horton continued. “I’m learning that listening is an important aspect of success.”

Horton used the example of a jigsaw puzzle when describing his interactions with Murphy. “He sees the big picture, like the cover on the box, so he can suggest where the different pieces might fit together.” Horton admitted he isn’t sure yet of a post-graduation career, but said he’s feeling more secure about the direction he’s heading.

He also values Murphy’s take on ethical decision making. “I suppose it’s in the spotlight right now because of elections, but I appreciate his perspective of ethics as a series of daily choices we make to do what is right.”

“This is a man who personally covered the Martin Luther King, Jr., ‘I have a dream…’ speech. Before Reg, I had never met anyone who was ac-tually there,” Horton stressed. “This is the businessman who turned National Geographic around, cut-ting staff to save the publication. When you have the opportunity to talk to someone who has made hard choices and personally dealt with setbacks, it goes a long way towards putting things into an objective perspective instead of feeling like you’re at the bottom of a deep hole.”

Senior Shea Able, who is also a business major, first met Murphy

outside the classroom, when he invited the Mariners women’s golf team to play with the Mercer team at Frederica during fall 2010. She caught up with him again in Dr. Fullerton’s class during spring 2012.

“At first, I was intimidated,” Able admitted. “I was very impressed with his accomplishments. By the end of the semester, I was sharing a table with him – there were a lot of group discussions by table – and I always wanted to hear his thoughts. I was blown away by his humbleness, his knowledge, and his awesome work ethic.”

“I love his attitude. Through his actions and words, he makes it clear that success is not the most important thing in life, but how you help others is. I feel the same way and try to live by his example. The opportunity to have Reg Murphy interacting with students on campus is an amazing advantage for our school.”

Horton summed it up, “This is a man who truly cares, who makes time for students. I’m lucky to have him as a mentor and I know he is going to be a solid executive-in-residence.”

“Executives-in-residence bring energy and unique perspective to campus by working with students to explore life paths and clarify career opportunities and by bringing their life’s experiences to classroom discussions,” Dr. Skip Mounts, Dean of the School of Business and Public Affairs, said. “Their insights are invaluable, particularly as they mentor students. These relationships and connections provide additional meaning to the campus experience for business students, often impacting them for a lifetime. Clearly, executives will be valued members of the faculty.”

The Executive-in-Residence is appointed by the Dean of the School of Business and Public Affairs for renewable one-semester terms. u

Sharer-in-Chief

Senior Shea Able got to know Murphy in the classroom and

on the golf course.


A different kind of student can be found on campus during June and July: middle and high school teachers from

across the region. They come to Coastal Georgia for summer science camps – opportunities to learn new material and resources for use in their own classrooms.

“I need to recharge over the summer,” observed Richard Anderson, a 7th grade life sciences teacher at St. Mary’s Middle School in Camden County. “My passion is not sustainability, but rather, staying ahead of my students, who are really smart. But I learned a lot – and I was a hard sell,” he laughed.

“Good teachers are always learning,” noted Victoria Klahn, who teaches at Glynn Middle School. “Workshops are more rewarding than course work as a learning experience. I empathize with students who prefer kinesthetic learning – get out there and get your hands dirty – and I value the networking and community relationship building these workshops provide.”

Cynthia Tupper, who teaches earth sciences at Midway Middle School in Liberty County, wants her excitement to be contagious - to convey the urgency of science. “I valued learning more about the economics of sustainability. As a teacher, I impact many students. The more knowledgeable I am, the more effective I can be in sharing the message that we need to take steps now to preserve this planet for our great-grandchildren. The choices made today affect tomorrow.”

“The challenge is translating such condensed knowledge into examples easily understood by students and their families,” concluded Anderson. “Energy-saving light bulbs are an example. The savings may be mere pennies per day, but annualized, it adds up. I can get their attention if I point out that their Christmas presents might be more generous if they would turn off lights when they leave a room.”

Three programs were offered during summer 2012:• Education for Sustainability (EfS) Summer Teaching

Institute, sponsored by Honeywell Hometown Solutions• “Inspiring Youth Activism Through Classroom Citizen

Science Projects,” funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant for improving teacher quality (ITQ)

• “Implementing Engineering and Technology Science Education Standards Through Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Classroom Missions,” a second ITQ grant funded by the DOE

The Honeywell EfS program focused on experiences in coastal ecology, sustainable development and environmental education, using an approach that stresses balance between

economic prosperity and environmental integrity. Interactive sessions included a shrimping excursion on the LadyJane to explore sustainability in business and a trip to St. Catherine’s Island to observe sea level rise investigations.

Community partners added to workshop content. For example, PJ Newcomb, sustainability program manager with Coca-Cola Refreshments, discussed water stewardship and sustainable packaging. Helen Adler, an energy analyst, carbon reduction manager and certified sustainable development professional with Honeywell, explained greenhouse gas emission and reduction.

The College partnered with UGA’s School of Forestry and Natural Resources and the Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia DNR to present a professional learning opportunity on marine science and the use of citizen science (data collection by people who are not classically-trained scientists) to improve scientific investigations. The week included a visit to Sapelo Island to participate in sea turtle research and a day trip to Little St. Simons Island to explore coastal biodiversity.

The ROV program involved the College, NOAA Grays Reef National Marine Sanctuary and Georgia Tech. Teachers took an overnight trip aboard the Research Vessel Savannah to visit the marine sanctuary and participated in workshops building and piloting underwater robots. “Robots promote hands-on practice of concepts and principles in electrical and mechanical engineering, teamwork, and problem solving. They can also utilize skills in video gaming,” Dr. Timothy Goodale, Assistant Professor of Education, explained. Dr. Goodale served as program director for the three summer learning initiatives. u

Summer School Improving Teacher Quality grants bring local teachers to campus

Twelve local teachers participated in the Summer Teaching Institute,sponsoredbyHoneywellHometownSolutions.


Caroline Burgess of Jesup, Georgia, is the inaugural recipient of the

Coastal Georgia Alumni Association Scholarship, a one-year $2,000 merit award for an incoming freshman. A 2012 graduate of Wayne County High School, Caroline intends to pursue a BS in Middle Grades Education or in the Biology Secondary Education track at Coastal Georgia.

“My long-time dream has been to become a middle or high school biology teacher,” she explained. “Many of the teachers I have been fortunate to study under throughout the last 12 years have inspired me to follow in their footsteps.”

“My dad has been an educator for as long as I can remember. I’ve always loved school. I guess it’s in my blood.”

Caroline’s father is the principal of Arthur Williams Middle School in Jesup. Her mother also works in the school system as the bookkeeper at Jesup Elementary. Caroline hopes she’ll be assigned to a Wayne County school for her observations and eventually teach in the Wayne County school district. “I’m a homebody,” she laughed. “I like staying at home, being with my family and my twin cats, Old Dan and Little Ann.”

The cats’ names came from a favorite book, Where theRedFernGrows.

Another incentive to stay close to home is her fiancée, Matthew Reid ’15, who already attends Coastal Georgia..

According to Caroline, her science and social studies teachers have most influenced her. “I really enjoy those subjects,” she noted. In fact, her scholarship nomination letter was written by Melony Jones, her social studies teacher.

“What is very impressiveaboutCaroline is that she is avital part of any activity that she participates in,” Jones wrote. “Anyone can rest assured that if Caroline is given a task, it will be completed on time and correctly.” According to Jones, Caroline not only excels academically, but she is an active volunteer in school organizations, in the community, and in church.

Jones continued, “Herteacherswilltellyouthatsheisthetype of student that makes teaching worthwhile.” Paying her perhaps the highest compliment of all, Jones wrote, “Any student will be lucky to have someone of the caliber ofCarolineBurgess…Iwouldletherteachmychildwithouthesitation.”

Although not a legacy herself – neither of her parents graduated from Coastal Georgia – Caroline Burgess is proud to be the first in what may become a new family tradition – a legacy of Mariners.

The Alumni Association Endowment for Scholarships was established in April 2011.

For information on all scholarships offered by the College of Coastal Georgia foundation, visit

www.ccga.edu/scholarships. u

Teacher in the Making Alumni Scholarship Winner: Caroline Burgess


They are known as the “Greensboro Dreamers.” Fifty-four kindergarteners in Greensboro Elementary School were

promised a college education 12 years ago by Cathy and Tom Kelly, a CEO from Philadelphia who had retired to Lake Oconee in Greene County, Georgia. The promise came with strings attached: expectations of academic performance, community involvement and volunteering, good behavior and proper etiquette, group travel to expand horizons – social and life skills to improve the likelihood of success.

Forty-five students remained in the program and graduated from high school on schedule this spring. Twelve – more than 25 % of the Dreamers – selected the College of Coastal Georgia as their college choice.

Freshman William Mitchell from Union Point is one of them.

Making the change from the nur-turing school environment provided by Kelly and his wife, including inten-sive mentoring and tutoring, to a state college on the southeastern coast of Georgia entails much more than trad-ing the hills of Greene County for the marshes and beaches of Glynn.

That’s where the College’s minority outreach programs and academic support systems, such as the Center for Academic Success and TRiO, help bridge the transition. In fact, the College received a University System of Georgia grant this spring to establish a new program,SummerBridgeandGo, specifically supporting efforts to enhance the enrollment, retention and graduation of African-American males in the USG system.

Coastal Georgia used the grant to support a pre-college experience this summer for African-American males interested in attending the College this fall. Over the program’s three-week period in June, the recruits lived on campus in Lakeside Village; received coaching in reading, vocabulary and math; completed the admissions and financial aid process; and built supportive friendships with other students, mentors, faculty and staff. “They also developed a deeper understanding of leadership and community commitment,” explained Heidi Leming, Vice President of Student Affairs. “I’m confident they will successfully transition to existing support services designed to assist first-generation college students.”

“I feel prepared,” Mitchell says, “and I know what to expect from college life.” He already has a community mentor, Eugene Williams, a member of Fourteen Black Men of Glynn, and is interacting with support staff. “The program was fun, but just like Mr. K, they made it clear they want and expect me to succeed.”

Linell Bailey, Assistant Coordinator of Academic Services, stresses the minority outreach programs provide cultural support as well as academic support: “Community mentoring is important for students who are away from home for the first time.”

Mitchell enjoyed meeting classmates from around the state. “The Dreamers have stuck together a long time,” he admits. “One of my roommates in our dorm suite is Ronald Shelton – another Dreamer – but the other guys come from different places.”

One of their assignments during the summer program was to read and discuss Pulitzer prize-winning poet Natasha Trethewey’s memoir, Beyond Katrina: A Meditation onthe Mississippi Gulf Coast. The book examines the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the lives and culture of that

region. Mitchell liked Trethewey’s poetry and hopes he’ll have the opportunity to meet the U.S. Poet Laureate during the Georgia Literary Festival at Jekyll Island in November. He also plans to participate in the fall term service-learning project on the Gulf coast.

That Mitchell would prefer poetry is no surprise. He writes poetry himself and incorporates it in his hip hop routines. “I don’t play an instrument,” he says, “I use myself as an instrument.” So one of the things he’s looking forward to is open mic night on campus, when he can perform with poetry, music and everything in between.

With his eye on the goal of graduating in four years, his freshman year will be spent in core classes such as art, literature, and math. He is committed to campus involvement and community engagement, including volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club in Brunswick. His degree is the dream, but this Dreamer intends to enjoy the journey, one day at a time. u

A Greensboro Dreamer Puts His


Some lessons can only be learned by experience.Don Jones ’14 can cite numerous examples from life

as a single parent with a beautiful daughter who has been competing in beauty pageants since 3rd grade. “I’ll never forget the first pageant. We show up – and there’s no place for daddy. It’s all mommies. There is no dressing room where a daddy is allowed to help his daughter get ready for the show,” he laughs, shaking his head.

Ayla Wilson ’14 is passionate about helping people because of her experiences as a child. “I’ve been there. So, I want them to understand hurt matters…they matter…and hurt does not define who they are,” she explains. “Someone did this for me, and I want to pay back. You shed the shell of being self-serving by serving others.”

Service-learning courses are now integral parts of every degree program at Coastal Georgia. In service-learning, the community becomes a classroom. Students connect theory with practice while meeting a direct and immediate community need.

Dana Beckham ’13 says it is how she best learns, “Hands on, in the community. I’m out there actually doing it, physically.”

Beckham, Jones and Wilson are the inaugural recipients of Coastal Georgia’s service-learning scholarships.

Beckham is a psychology major. Her service-learning course assignment in Psychology and Nutrition introduced a healthy-eating nutrition program to Burroughs-Molette elementary school students in grades K-2. Burroughs-Molette is where Beckham went to school as a child.

Wilson, also a psychology major, teamed with other classmates to plan, dig out, plant, and maintain a garden to provide fresh vegetables and herbs for a local soup kitchen, Manna House.

Jones worked with two other classmates in Environment of Business to stage an art contest and exhibit for elementary and middle schools as part of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ annual CoastFest. The team visited schools, collected the art, set up the exhibits, arranged the judging, then returned to the schools with the students’ art and prizes. “It was an excellent study of logistics, problem-solving, and coordination,” Jones contends.

Wilson and Jones agree that the team interaction was a critical component of the structured service-learning experience.

“There is no way that you don’t learn from this type of experience. It is empowering. You grow and stretch.

It enriches the material. It is effective because it forces reflection. But you are experiencing it in a safe way - with your classmates, as a community,” Wilson explains.

Before enrolling in a service-learning course, Jones recalls not being fully engaged as a student: “The service-learning projects brought our class together, regardless of age and circumstances. This class made me feel [more engaged and] comfortable about being in college.”

Prior to enrolling in the School of Business & Public Affairs in pursuit of his BBA, Jones owned a recycling business for eleven years. “In high school, I rebuilt old cars. I went from selling used car parts to recycling old cars to recycling other metals. But between the economy and the wear and tear on my back and knees, I knew it was time to change. I came back for my degree to learn how to trust and how to manage [employees]. I recognized I couldn’t run a business by myself. I made money then, but with what I’ve learned in college, I could double that money now.”

While developing trust was an important component of his service-learning experience, Jones also cites the satisfaction of project responsibility. “This isn’t volunteering. I’ve done a lot of volunteer work in my life, especially for the Red Cross and helping out after Katrina. But with the DNR assignment, we were managing and completing a project – we saw the results.”

All three scholarship recipients have selected additional service-learning courses as well as targeted organizations with which they will continue to work. Beckham has already taken the next step. She has founded a non-profit association that is now a community partner for service-learning experiences by other students. u

ThegardenattheMannaHouseinBrunswickwasoneoftheservice-learningprojectsinauguratedduringspring2012.

Lessons LearnedService-learning scholarship winners excel outside the classroom

PhotocourtesyofAylaWilson


One of the newest student organizations on campus is not just for aspiring chefs.

“The acronym actually stands for Culinary and Hospitality Educational Fellowship,” Chef Whit Ward ‘14 explains. Ward, a sous chef at the King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort on St. Simons Island, is one of the original founders and serves as this year’s president.

The inaugural president, Jessika Daniels, graduated in May with a career associates degree in Hospitality Management, specializing in hotel operations.

“The emphasis is on fellowship,” Chef Thomas Waldrop ‘13, sous chef at the Mad Hatter Tea Shop in St. Mary’s and two-term vice president of the club, adds. Activities include networking, developing new community partners for internships and experiential learning opportunities, volunteering, and competing as the College culinary team.

Now in its second year, the organization has 15 active members who are eagerly looking forward to an influx of new students this fall.

CHEF requires community service as a condition of membership. Last year, CHEF members made and provided lunch at a Habitat for Humanity building site in Camden County. They also prepared and served food donated by Southern Soul BBQ at the Tides and Tunes fundraiser for the Okefenokee area council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Competing at cook offs is one of their favorite activities. CHEF teams participated in the Shrimp and Grits Festival on Jekyll Island, Stewbilee in the streets of downtown Brunswick, and both the Taste of Glynn and the chili cook off on St. Simons Island. The goal is not just local, however, as they look forward to rounds of competition at the regional and state level within the American Culinary Federation. Their local competition is the culinary apprenticeship program at Sea Island Resort.

“At ACF competitions, some events are similar to the Food Networkchallenges,” Waldrop explains. “You’re presented with a ‘blind basket’ – a tray of ingredients with your name on it. Whatever is on the tray is what you use to prepare the competitive entry.”

“CHEF members want more hands-on culinary experiences outside the classroom,” Ward laughs, “because we know there’s more to it than what you see on TV.”

“Competition definitely reinforces what you learn in the

classroom,” Waldrop agrees. “The additional experience makes a stronger foundation. And it adds excitement to the culinary field.”

“Plus winning reflects well on the culinary program, the College, and the community,” Ward adds. “But there’s more to it than competing. This requires teamwork. We work together - we don’t just look out for ourselves.”

“A comment Chef Steve [Ingersoll, Assistant Professor of Culinary Arts] made one day in the teaching kitchen stuck with me,” Waldrop concluded. “He pointed out that some day we might be colleagues, so we should treat each other professionally and learn to work together compatibly now.”

Membership in CHEF is open to any Coastal Georgia student. Meetings are held bi-weekly during the regular academic year at the Camden Center, which houses the Hospitality Management facilities . The organization hopes to secure American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) affiliation for the program’s hotel operations students. The College’s culinary arts program is accredited by the American Culinary Federation. u

Cooking for a CauseC.H.E.F.

Culinary and Hospitality Educational Fellowship

MembersofC.H.E.F.competedatthe2012GoldenIsles ChiliCook-off.

PhotocourtesyofC.H.E.F.


The College of Coastal Georgia is engaged in an exciting outside-the-classroom opportunity during fall

term. The College has joined with two other community partners - the Jekyll Island Authority and the Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau - to host the 2012 Georgia Literary Festival at the Golden Isles. On Saturday, November 10, over 30 authors from across the southeast – primarily from Georgia – will be discussing their books, reading excerpts, and interacting with participants at the Jekyll Island Convention Center.

Hosting the Festival was a light-bulb moment for Cary Knapp, Public Services Librarian for the Gould Memorial Library on campus. Attending the 2010 Festival in Statesboro, Knapp thought it would be a natural fit for the Golden Isles. She suggested the idea to Bill Starr, Executive Director of the Georgia Center for the Book, and to College President Valerie Hepburn. The Georgia Literary Festival, which is sponsored by the Georgia Center for the Book and the Georgia Humanities Council, has celebrated exceptional writing in a different part of the state since 1999. Just never in southeastern Georgia.

Dr. Hepburn saw it as an excellent opportunity to display the cultural wealth of the Golden Isles and promote cultural tourism. “We embarked on this literary adventure for several reasons. First and foremost, this is the kind of stimulating intellectual activity a college is intended to nurture,” she explained.

The Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) and the Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau (GICVB) were natural

partners for the event in Dr. Hepburn’s view. Because of the College’s relationship with the JIA, she was familiar with the plans for the new Jekyll Island Convention Center – the perfect oceanfront venue. In fact, Coastal Georgia’s 2012 Commencement was the first public event held there. JIA partners with the College to provide passes to the popular island for fulltime Coastal Georgia students. This fall, that means free access to the Festival as well as to the beach and bike paths.

“When you go, you’ll be able to explore topics as diverse as the coastal influence on American cuisine, emerging trends in thrillers and mysteries, regional and local history, ecological and environmental issues, and what monster ate peas in contemporary children’s literature,” Dr. Hepburn laughed. “You’ll have the opportunity to interact with Georgia’s poet laureate, best-selling authors, award-winning writers in many categories, and authors with new books hot off the press.”

Emory University Professor Natasha Trethewey, U.S. Poet Laureate and recipient of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize in poetry for her book NativeGuard, is the keynote speaker

The Georgia Literary Festival Comes to the Golden IslesU.S.PoetLaureateNatashaTretheweytodeliverkeynoteaddress

NatashaTrethewey

JekyllIslandVista

PhotocourtesyofNatashaTrethewey

PhotocourtesyofJekyllIslandAuthority


Alumni associations are what you join to keep in touch after you graduate,

right?“Not so!” says Jessica Dickson, Alumni

Director for the College of Coastal Georgia. “A student alumni association is a great way to network and build lasting relationships right now.”

Health Informatics major Akia Banks ’13 agrees. The Brunswick resident and Glynn Academy graduate attended the first career networking luncheon last year as a junior, where students met with graduates to get ideas about their future, and she ended up volunteering for the third annual Phonathon to alumni and friends of the College this autumn.

While some students might feel shy about calling alumni, Banks sees the Phonathon as a good opportunity to network. “I get to brag about the school – that’s fun. My call may bring in more money to help the school and my classmates. And you never know who you are going to get to talk to. It’s more like an adventure than a chore or a bore,” she laughs.

Recognizing she would be graduating in a year, she joined the student alumni association to gain additional career networking. “To get my foot in the doors,” she interjects. “I’m on my own and can move to wherever there would be a good job managing an electronic health records system. This is a way to meet other people outside the area who

know the school’s standards and might also know of an opening.”

“Any student, including a freshman, should consider taking advantage of the alumni association. That would give you more years to build relationships,” she adds. “Not only can I keep in touch, but I’ll be able to help someone else down the line by maintaining these links to the College.”

The student alumni associa-tion will meet throughout the year, according to Dickson, talk-ing about the legacy they want to leave for future students as well as working on service proj-ects to enhance the campus. “The association is a two-way street,” Dickson explains. “The students act as ambassadors for the campus, and the campus gets them involved in career networking.”

“It’s a great way to build relationships and memories,” Dickson concludes.

“All the events have been fun,” Banks agrees. “But truth-fully, I’m more into the big picture. It’s not all about the Col-lege experience – it’s about what I can do with my College degree.” u

on Saturday morning. Trethewey will be reading excerpts and discussing her latest collection of poems, Thrall.

Trethewey’s memoir, BeyondKatrina:AMeditation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, was selected as the common read for two living-learning communities on campus: the African-American Male Initiative and the Women Engaged in Leadership and Learning (WELL) programs. These students participated in a summer pre-College program in which they read the book and will have the opportunity, in an alternative spring break trip to the Gulf coast, to further explore the book’s themes.

For the Festival, over 200 volunteers will be needed, doing everything from introducing

authors to handing out programs to participants. “I hope our students will not only attend, but will also become involved through one of the many volunteering opportunities. This extra-

curricular opportunity is part and parcel of the College learning experience – a day to engage your mind and your soul in rich

diversity,” Dr. Hepburn summarized.A schedule of events and a list of the participating authors

and the books they’ll be discussing are posted online at www.GoldenIslesLiteraryFestival.com. u

The Young Alumni

Students and alumni participated in the inaugural Alumni Service Day across the

Golden Isles on September 8.


From Rome to the Golden Isles...FreshmanDentLawrecentlymadethejourneyfromRome,Georgia,

to begin his freshman year at College of Coastal Georgia

Photo Essay

Deborah Law chronicled her son’s departure from home and arrival at Lakeside Village, the on-campus student residence,

on Move-in Day, August 18. From saying good-by to the family dogs to trading in four wheels for two to get around the community, Dent’s college experience began with a warm welcome, helping hands, burgers and hot dogs grilled by the men of neighboring College Place United Methodist Church, and an ice cream social with other new freshmen scholarship recipients.


During the annual Honors Day program in April, Michael D. Hodges ‘73 was named the 2012 Alumni of the

Year. The award recognizes an alumni of the College who demonstrates leadership and dedication in advocating for, and supporting, the College.

Hodges graduated from Brunswick Junior College, now College of Coastal Georgia, in 1973, earning an Associate of Science degree. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1975 with a BBA in banking and finance. But he has been a banker since high school.

As a senior, he needed a job, so he started working at a bank after school and during the summers. He recalls working with his father, an electrician, one Christmas holiday and his father remarked, “As an electrician, you’ll make a good banker.”

Working at a bank is how he paid for his classes at Brunswick Junior College during 1971-73: “I started school here so I could go on to Athens. I could afford to get started by attending BJC. There were no scholarships available then – one reason I feel strongly about supporting scholarships

Alumni Profile:

Mike Hodges ’73


today. I continued to work in banking after enrolling at UGA.”Hodges worked for several banks, and in all aspects

in banking, but he considers the pinnacle of his career achievement to be returning to coastal Georgia to help found the First Bank of Brunswick, now Ameris Bank. “It was an entrepreneurial leap – for myself, as a banker, but also for helping other local businesses and entrepreneurs in our community get started and succeed.” Since 1989, he has served as president and CEO and continues today as market president for Ameris Bank.

The list of his service activities and civic involve-ment is lengthy, spanning Leadership Glynn and Leadership Georgia, Unit-ed Way, the American Red Cross, and both the local and state Chamber of Commerce. In addition to the College Foundation, he is also heavily involved in the Southeast Georgia Health System and the Jekyll Island Authority. In 2011, Hodges was the recipient of the Bruns-wick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce Shepherd Center Award for development of the community and promotion of the area and its worthy causes.

His role as chairman of the Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce during 2004-2005 crystallized his understanding of the need for a baccalaureate degree-granting institution in southeast Georgia. In 2007, he began co-chairing the Education Subcommittee of the Chamber with a key goal of securing state college status for the College.

“There are certain institutions any community must have to be successful: business, education, and a good health system,” he explains. “The College is a big part of the community. I’m investing my heart at home.”

When he began his service as a College Foundation trustee during 2005-2006, he recognized unmet needs as well as the College’s importance to the community. He currently serves as vice chair of the College Foundation, but views his work as chair of the Foundation’s Investment and Real Estate Committee as his most important to date. He is most pleased with the planning and financing of the first on-campus student residential housing, which opened in August 2011.

Former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue appointed Hodges to serve on the Jekyll Island Park Authority in

2005. He was reappointed by Governor Nathan Deal and serves as secretary of the JIA as well as chair of the Finance Committee. Through a unique partnership with the Jekyll Island Authority, full-time Coastal Georgia students receive special passes as a benefit of their student activity fee. The decals provide unlimited access to the island for one year.

“There is nothing that can affect development of the re-gion more than proper rede-velopment of Jekyll Island – which is owned by 9 million Georgians who should enjoy it,” he says. “And what other college in Georgia can of-fer a student pass to some-where like Jekyll Island?”

Since 2004 Hodges has served on the Glynn-Bruns-

wick Memorial Hospital Authority, which governs South-east Georgia Health System. The Hospital Authority and the Health System provides significant support to the College, including establishment of the College’s first named dean-ship: the Southeast Georgia Health System Distinguished Dean of Nursing and Health Sciences.

The serendipitous relationships between the institutions he serves are no accident. “Gary [Colberg, President and CEO of the Southeast Georgia Health System] says ‘working together works’ – and it does!” Hodges laughs. “I look forward to the day when a nursing student stepping out from home can turn one way to walk a couple of blocks to class or turn the other way to walk to work at the hospital.”

In making the award presentation, Rev. Dr. Glenn Thomas Carson, President of the Alumni Association, noted, “He has served as a tireless advocate, fundraiser, supporter, and wise counsel on behalf of the College’s administration and Foundation.”

“Mike Hodges is an accomplished businessman, active civic leader, respected public servant, and a dedicated alumnus of the College,” College President Valerie Hepburn concluded. “He represents the finest values and attributes to which the College of Coastal Georgia and its students aspire – educational access, scholarship, community service, civic engagement, and principled leadership.”

Hodges’ vision is simple. He wants and works for the College of Coastal Georgia to reach full potential - to be all it can possibly be for his community. u

Alumni Profile:

Mike Hodges ’73

“There are certain institutions any community must have to be successful: business,

education, and a good health system. The College is a big part of the community. I’m

investing my heart at home.”


College President Valerie A. Hepburn was recently featured as a guest columnist in her alumni publication for Agnes Scott College. Hepburn

discusses the value of a liberal arts education. The complete column is available at: www.ccga.edu/~PresOff/files/ASCColumn.pdf

Around Campus

Coastal Georgia in print...

Nursing faculty member Lee Hunter-Eades was recently featured in her

alma mater’s publication discussing her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Georgia Southern University. To read the complete article on Hunter-Eades, visit: www.ccga.edu/Academics/SchoolNursing/LHE.pdf

Continuing its maturation as a comprehensive undergraduate institution, the College has

established a School of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Keith Belcher, Professor of Biology and director of the Laboratory Sciences program, has been appointed dean of the new school.

Dr. Belcher, who previously served as Dean of the School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, earned his PhD at the Medical College of Georgia and completed his postdoctoral residency and fellowship at the Medical College of Virginia.

Dr. Andrea Wallace, Professor of Chemistry, serves as the inaugural chair of the Department of Natural Sciences. Dr. Wallace, who earned her PhD in Chemistry at Clemson University, was the College’s 2009-2010 Adviser of the Year.

Dr. German Vargas, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, heads the Department of Mathematics. He earned his PhD in Applied Mathematics at Wichita State University. Dr. Vargas was accepted to the National University of Colombia at the age of 14 to complete his BS in Physics.

Dr. Carla Bluhm, Associate Professor of Psychology, chairs the Department of Social Sciences. She earned her PhD in Developmental Psychology at Columbia University Teachers College in New York City. Dr. Bluhm is co-author of SomeoneElse’sFaceintheMirror:IdentityandtheNewScienceofFaceTransplants(2009).

Ricky Weaver, Associate Professor of English, is the interim chair of the Department of Arts and Humanities. A national search for an incoming chair is underway.

“This structure will encourage and promote interdepartmental and interdisciplinary activities, including opportunities for faculty and students to work in more integrative ways on community projects and scholarly activities,” Dr. Phillip Mason, Vice President for Academic Affairs, explained. “Additionally, it will more effectively support the efforts of the faculty of each department through the leadership of the department chairs.”

The changes were effective with the beginning of the fall 2012 term.

The new school on campus

School of Arts and Sciences


Lights, Camera, Action!

College of Coastal Georgia

sophomore business major Breanne Herrin takes direction during filming of the College’s student recruitment video.

Students, faculty, and staff recently completed the nine-minute video, which is available for viewing from the College website. Check out the video online at: www.discoverccga.com/video.asp

When Sequoyah Brown, RN, planned the employee health fair for Rich Product’s Brunswick facility, she

knew a community partner she wanted to include – her alma mater, the College of Coastal Georgia. As a result, nursing and culinary arts students participated in the program in mid-September.

Eight nursing students and two faculty members of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences provided blood pressure readings for participating associates: Megan Corrigan, Suzanne English, Associate Professor of Nursing Judith Gift, Chelsea Holcomb, Jennifer King, Joyce Lockyer, Joellyn Storey, Assistant Professor of Nursing Virginia Teel, Jessica Valtentich, and Ann Westberry.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for the nursing program to participate in health screening within the community and practice clinical skills such as blood pressure testing and teaching,” noted Dr. Patricia Kraft, Southeast Georgia Health System Distinguished Dean of Nursing and Health Sciences and Professor of Nursing.

Additionally, three of the College’s culinary arts students, accompanied by their program director, handed out a healthy snack alternative – homemade granola bars – with the recipe: William Grotto, Tyler Schaub, Dawnie Wright, and Assistant Professor Walter Wright.

Billboards, posters and advertising across the state of Georgia are encouraging visitors

to discover all of the exciting new things happening at the College of Coastal Georgia. The campaign is designed to reintroduce the College’s offerings, including new academic buildings, degrees, and student life opportunities.

Lending a helping hand

Around CampusDiscover


Advancement OfficeOne College DriveBrunswick, Georgia 31520ccga.edu

NON-PROFITU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDBRUNSWICK, GAPERMIT NO. 245

Welcome Home!Freshmen Kristian Payne-Haddock and Michael Baggott carry their things into Lakeside Village on Move-In Day 2012.

College of Coastal Georgia Magazine

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