Montevallo Today

HOMECOMING ON THE RANGE | CAMPUS NEWS | CLASS NOTES | ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

MontevalloTODAYthe magazine for the alumni of the University of Montevallo

Spring 2011

MONTEVALLO TODAY Vol. C, No. 1 Spring 2011 Montevallo Today (ISSN 1052-3634) is published three times a year by the University of Montevallo, Alumni Relations/Public Relations, Reynolds Hall, Highland St., Montevallo, AL 35115. Periodicals postage paid at Montevallo, AL, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER, send address changes to Montevallo Today, Station 6215, P.O. Box 6000, Monte-vallo, AL 35115. Text, photographs and graphic images included in this publication may not be reproduced without written permission from the editor. The University of Montevallo does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or in the provision of services.

In the 11 months since I moved to Montevallo, I have been impressed with the degree to which our students and community members live out-side their own pleasures. Last fall, members of UM’s Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity went door-to-door in the Montevallo community dropping off empty grocery bags along with a letter asking people to donate food for a local charity. They fol-lowed up with collection of the bags in early November. The overwhelming community response allowed the group to donate 27,232

pounds of non-perishable food to Shelby Emergency Assistance, Inc. (SEA) in Montevallo, an organization that helps those in need. In March, a group of 11 University students elected to take an al-ternative spring break to Greensboro. The focus of their trip, which was sponsored by Hero of Hale County and organized by UM’s new Office of Service Learning and Community Engagement, was to assist in the renova-tion of the 100-year-old Martin Stewart schoolhouse, which was relocated from Stewart and is now housed on the campus of Project Hero, where it will become a multi-purpose building for the community. On the heels of spring break, nearly 400 UM students volunteered their time for The Big Event. They were divided into groups and sent to an assignment at one of 32 job sites in Montevallo and the surrounding area. Students assisted with everything from landscaping maintenance to painting to serving as parking and booth attendants and more for the FFA Farm Day. Since the April 27 storms in Alabama, the UM community and city have worked together to help meet the needs of storm survivors. The efforts began with a donation drive and have continued in the form of “Thankful Thursdays.” Each Thursday we take donations, as well as volunteers from among our students, faculty, staff and community, into the affected areas to assist where needed. These serve as snapshots of plenary good works executed from our campus each day. As our nation works to produce a generation of givers, the University is purposefully introducing service learning into its curriculum. The 2011 edition of “America’s Best Colleges,” published by U.S. News & World Report, ranks Montevallo as the top public master’s-level university in Alabama. In addition, UM has been listed by the publication as the 15th best public university in the South in its division. As the University’s president, I am deeply proud of our traditions of academic excellence, but even more humbled by the depth of social responsi-bility exhibited by our students, faculty and staff. It is gratifying to live and work in such a family of learners and, more broadly, in a community that is at once tolerant and kindhearted.

President’s Message

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Cynthia Shackelford [email protected]

MANAGING EDITORTiffany Roskamp-Bunt ’[email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Diane Kennedy-Jackson [email protected]

CLASS NOTES EDITORMarsha [email protected]

ALUMNI EDITORRacheal Banks ’[email protected]

COPY EDITORSusan Howard ’[email protected]

PHOTOGRAPHERSMatt Orton, Andrea Echols ’12, Brittany Headley ’14, Ashlynn Postell ’13

CONTRIBUTORSJustin Barron ’12, Sean Forrester, Susan Howard ’11

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

UMNAA President—Kit Waters ’78

President-Elect—Jim Methvin ’73

Past President/ParliamentarianKaren Kelly ’80

Alumni Council RepresentativeRay Jones ’60

Admissions RepresentativeLynn Gurganus ’83

Faculty RepresentativeCarolyn Miller Kirby

SGA PresidentPatrick Talley ’11

UMNAA Vice PresidentsBarbara Bonfield ’58, Cynthia Cephus ’88, Sandi Falkenhagen ’68, Wadia B. Josof ’79, Larry Peevy ’67, Laurl Self ’94, Keith Shoemaker ’98

Members at LargeJeffery J. Adams ’85, Matthew Arnold ’93, Glenda L. Bland ’89, Barbara J. Bradford ’56, Vera Cox ’56, Anne Caley Hamilton ’64, Claudia Harrell ’73, Michael E. Malone ’69, Andy Meginniss ’68, Jalete J. Nelms ’90, J. Corey Stewart ’03, David W. Thomas ’97, Missy Watkins Wood ’80, Warwick Mann Woodall ’82

Ex-OfficioJohn W. Stewart IIIRacheal B. Banks ’99Jeremy M. Ward ’05Greg Lee ’99

Montevallo TodayUniversity of Montevallo alumni magazine

In this Issue 4 Homecoming on the Range

Alumni came from far and wide to attend Montevallo’s 2011 Homecoming events. Amy McDonald, Mark Brandon and Willie Phillips were honored at the UMNAA Awards and Recognition Luncheon, Travis Baldwin and Tabitha Stott were named Mr. and Ms. Montevallo, and the late Mary Decker Seagle received the College Night dedication. The Golds brought home a GV to complete the weekend’s festivities.

8 Myrlie Evers-Williams speaks on Black HistoryMyrlie Evers-Williams, nationally known civil rights activist, was the guest speaker at Montevallo’s Black History Month pro-gram. Dr. John W. Stewart III presented her with the President’s Award at the conclusion of the program.

9 Research takes center stageIn March, the Faculty Research Symposium and Undergradu-ate Research Day showcased the work of 20 Montevallo faculty members and 72 students respectively. In addition, 16 students presented their research at the National Conference on Under-graduate Research in Ithaca, N.Y., later in the month. More than 30 faculty members served as advisers to these students.

Departments 4 Campus News

10 Sports

11 Guest Essay

12 Montevallo Profile

14 Class Notes

19 Alumni Activities

On the cover

Several young Montevallo alumni are mak-ing names for themselves in their current pursuits. Pictured clockwise from top left

are Alisha Schmitt ’10, John Walter ’10, Kelly Kilpatrick ’05, Blake Hudson ’02 and Terra

Moody ’06. Their mini-profiles are featured beginning on page 12.

COVER PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: MATT ORTON

page 4

page 8

page 9

|Campus News|

|Three receive awards at Homecoming 2011|

Three University of Montevallo gradu-ates were honored at homecoming with awards from the UM National Alumni Association. Mark Brandon ’75 received the Distinguished Alumnus Award, Amy McDonald ’91 received the Nathalie Molton Gibbons Alumni Achievement Award and Willie Phillips ’00 received the Nathalie Molton Gibbons Young Achiev-er’s Award at the UMNAA Awards and Recognition Luncheon on Feb. 12. Brandon graduated from UM in 1975 with a bachelor of arts degree in history. In 1978, he received his law degree from the University of Alabama. He also holds a master of arts degree from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. from Princeton University.

Brandon currently serves as a pro-fessor of law and a professor of political science at Vanderbilt University Law School, where he has served since 2001. Prior to joining the Vanderbilt faculty, he held teaching positions at the Uni-versity of Michigan, the University of Oklahoma and Princeton University. In the 2008–2009 academic year, Brandon was named a fellow of Princeton University’s Law and Public Affairs pro-gram. He was named Vanderbilt’s FedEx Research Professor of Law for 2005–2006. While at the University of Michi-gan, he thrice received the Award for Excellence in Education from the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. He also received the Class of 1923 Memorial

Teaching Award and the Panhellenic As-sociation’s Outstanding Teaching Award. A Vanderbilt colleague of Brandon’s said, “He is the rare combination of out-standing scholar and superb teacher.” In addition to his success in the classroom, Brandon has been nationally recognized for his research and scholarship of the U.S. Constitution, political theory and law. Brandon is the author of Free in the World: American Slavery and Constitutional Failure, published by the Princeton University Press. He has also authored several book chapters and journal articles in peer-reviewed academic journals. According to various nominators, Brandon credits his beginnings at UM

From left: Amy McDonald ’91, Mark Brandon ’75 and Willie Phillips ‘00 received UM’s National Alumni Associa-tion awards at Homecoming 2011.

Montevallo Today4

as contributing to his academic suc-cess. While at Montevallo, Brandon served as student trustee. He was also named Senior Elite and was a member of Phi Alpha Theta and Eta Sigma Pi. “He proudly wears the mantra of his alma mater—as the liberal arts institu-tion which nurtured him as an aspir-ing scholar, as a citizen, and as what I wish also to attest he is: a kind, good-humored and generous person,” one of Brandon’s nominators explained. “That should not surprise us, but it should make us proud of Mark—proud that someone who has gone so far in academe has never forgotten his roots at this tree-shaded, brick-street haven we cherish.” McDonald earned a bachelor of sci-ence degree in social work from Monte-vallo in 1991. In 1995, she completed the M.Ed. degree at UM with a concentra-tion in secondary social science education. McDonald currently teaches U.S. his-tory and Holocaust studies at Shades Val-ley High School in Birmingham, where she has served since 1997. Additionally, she served as assistant coach of the varsity

girls’ basketball team from 1997–2004. In addition to her work as a teacher, McDonald is the founder and co-director of Honor Flight Birmingham, a program that flies World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to see the World War II Memorial at no cost to the veterans. She and co-director Pam Nichols have obtained funding for the program, organized volunteers and directed 13 trips to the nation’s capital. To date, more than 700 veterans have taken the Honor Flight. “Without Amy,” one nominator said, “hundreds of World War II veterans would have never seen the memorial built in their honor. They also would have never had the opportunity to visit with so many other veterans. Amy took an idea and developed the skills needed to bring that vision into reality.” Prior to joining the Shades Valley faculty, McDonald taught social studies at Mountain Brook Junior High School and coached Mountain Brook’s var-sity girls’ basketball team. Those who know McDonald praise her work in the classroom. A nominator said, “She cares about her students and wants them to learn, and that professional ethic is evident in everything that she does. Amy constantly strives to make herself a better educator and a better person.” According to one of McDonald’s nominators for the award, she maintains close ties to the University, occasion-ally taking night classes to enrich her education for her own benefit and for the benefit of her students. He said, “She is always prepared, participates readily in class, and submits thoughtful papers concerning various historical subjects.” As a UM student, McDonald played on the women’s basketball team and was a member of Chi Omega sorority and Lambda Sigma Pi women’s honor society. She maintained a 3.8 grade-point average and graduated summa cum laude. Phillips earned a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from UM in 2000 and went on to receive a doctor of law degree at Howard University School of Law in 2005.

Phillips currently works as an at-torney for the North American Electric Reliability Corp. in Washington, D.C. Prior to that appointment, Phillips held positions at Van Ness Feldman PC in Washington, D.C. and Balch & Bing-ham LLP in Birmingham and Atlanta. A resident of Washington, D.C., Phillips serves as a volunteer for the Cap-ital Area Reach Program, a non-profit organization that mentors and trains at-risk youth. He has also provided leadership and guidance for other UM students and alumni who have pursued internships in the nation’s capital. “Willie is someone who always puts others ahead of himself and goes the extra mile for anyone who needs it,” a nominator said. In 2004 and 2005, Phillips served an internship in the executive office of President George W. Bush. He worked as a legal intern in the office of general counsel and the office of administra-tion. From 2000 to 2002, Phillips served as deputy press secretary for U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.). At Montevallo, Phillips served as SGA president, a Montevallo Master and president of Kappa Alpha Psi Fra-ternity Inc. According to one of Phil-lips’ nominators, “his [SGA] adminis-tration spear-headed one of the largest construction projects in school history, the sponsorship of the McChesney Stu-dent Activity Center.” Under Phillips, the SGA Senate passed a resolution stat-ing its desire for a convocation center and its willingness to partner with UM to help pay for the cost of the facility. A nominator described Phillips as having made “an incredible impact not only in his professional career, but also in the lives of others at the local, state and national level.” Another nominator said, “While Willie’s educational and professional accomplishments are numerous and notable, I am most impressed by the humility and grace displayed by him in his pursuits. Willie’s focus and deter-mination has not only led to many personal successes, but has been the fuel that has fired the successes of others.”

Mark Brandon, recipient of the 2011 Distinguished Alumnus Award, addresses members of the National Alumni Association at the Awards and Recognition Luncheon Feb. 12.

www.montevallo.edu/alumni5

|Campus News|

|College Night|The Gold Side broke a three-year chain of Purple Victories on Saturday, Feb. 12, at the finale of the 93rd annual College Night, claiming the first Gold Victory since 2007. SGA President Patrick Tal-ley made the announcement by reciting Rudyard Kipling’s poem, “If,” conclud-ing with the Gold Side’s catchphrase, “This is our fairytale.” The Gold production, titled “A Tale of Two Wolves,” was a twist on several classic fairy tales, going beyond “happily ever after” to tell the story of Waylon and Willie, the two sons of the Big Bad Wolf. Waylon and Willie have been exiled from the village and spend the majority of the play running from an angry mob led by Little Red Riding Hood and Granny. The Purple show, titled “A Totally Zombie Musical,” brought the dancing undead to Palmer stage as the result of an evil scientist’s failed experiment. Brian, a brainy college student who sets

out to cure the dancing zombies, falls in love with the zombie queen, Ashley, who turns out not to be a zombie at all. The Gold Side had a 12-point lead in pre-production points, winning all athletic events but the men’s basketball game. With a final of 566.5 to 489.5, the 2011 College Night was an indis-putable Gold Victory. During intermission at the Friday evening performances, seniors Travis Baldwin and Tabitha Stott were crowned Mr. and Ms. Montevallo. Baldwin is a choral education major, and Stott is pursuing a degree in theater. On Saturday evening, Talley and side leaders Jenna Bellamy, Philip Green, Elizabeth Minyard and Logan Reid dedicated College Night to the late Mary Decker Seagle, who served as a library assistant in UM’s Carmichael Library for ten years. Seagle died of cancer in Janu-ary. Her children attended College Night to accept the dedication on her behalf.

the 93rd Annual

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1. Dotti Bailey ’11 and Laurel Hitchcock, as-sistant professor, at the social work reception. 2. Family and consumer sciences reception. 3. Melanie Poole ’86 makes her selection at the Alumni Art Auction. 4. UM president, Dr. John W. Stewart III, SGA president, Patrick Talley ’11, and UMNAA president, Kit Waters ’78, at the Flowerhill reception. 5. Seniors Tabitha Stott and Travis Baldwin are named Mr. and Ms. University of Montevallo. 6. Gold wins! 7. Harry Hamilton, associate professor, Daniel McBrayer ’08 and Katie Marchiony at the Ste-phens College of Business reception. 8. Robert Wright, professor, and Sara Jo Fontaine Bagley ’56 at the music reception. 9. The Purple side performs “ A Totally Zombie Musical.” 10. The Gold side performs “A Tale of Two Wolves.”

|Myrlie Evers-Williams speaks during Black History Month|Nationally known civil rights activist Myrlie Evers-Williams was the featured speaker for the University of Monte-vallo’s Black History Month program on Feb. 22, in Palmer Auditorium. The topic of her lecture was “Forging the Dream: Leadership by Action and Not by Design.” Widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers, she has never been con-tent to rest on her late husband’s laurels. She garnered the national spotlight as the first woman elected board of direc-tors chair of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She was elected chairperson of the organization in 1995 at a time when it had been surrounded by scandal and controversy. Her positive reputation among civil rights activists made her election a cause for renewed optimism among NAACP supporters. At the February program, Evers-Williams offered a message of self-worth to the audience. “Know who you are. Have respect for yourself. Others will, too.” To explain how she came to be a national leader, Evers-Williams told the story of the day that her husband was shot and killed in front of their home in Jackson, Miss. As her husband died in her arms, Evers-Williams promised him that she would continue the work that

he had started and do everything in her power to see that justice prevailed. Although devastated personally by her loss, Evers-Williams became a symbol of courage as well as tragedy in the civil rights movement. “If you believe in something,” she said, “you keep persevering until it happens.” She stressed the importance of serving the larger community and encouraged young women to never sell themselves short. “I am not just ‘the widow of…’ I am a person in my own right.” Evers-Williams was born in Vicks-burg, Miss., and was raised by her grand-mother and an aunt. Starting in 1954, she worked full-time as field secretary for the NAACP in Mississippi. She served as her husband’s secretary in the Jackson office of the NAACP until his death in 1963. She moved to California in 1964, where she received her B.A. from Po-mona College in 1968, lectured for the NAACP and began a career in business. She remained active in civil rights work and politics, running unsuccessfully for Congress of the United States in 1970 and serving as commissioner of public works for Los Angeles in 1987. She also worked for two years for an advertising agency, and for 10 years she was the director of community affairs for a Los Angeles corporation.

Her life has been the inspiration for two movies, For Us the Living: The Medgar Evers Story and Ghosts of Missis-sippi. Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg portrayed her in Ghosts of Mississippi. Evers-Williams explained during her lecture that by taking steps no woman had taken before, and certainly not a black woman, she “opened the doors for other women to come in as well.” She also stressed to the audience the impor-tance of exercising the right to vote. “I won by one vote,” Evers-Williams said of her appointment to the NAACP chair, “so don’t tell me your vote doesn’t count. You can be a leader in your own right by casting that just one vote.” In early 1998, Evers-Williams decided not to run for another term as NAACP chairperson and instead chose to pursue other projects. In particular, she started the Medgar Evers Institute to promote education, training and economic development. “Each and every one of you, regard-less of how you feel about an issue, can be a leader,” Evers-Williams said. Following the lecture, Dr. John W. Stewart III presented Evers-Williams with the President’s Award. She re-ceived a standing ovation.

|Campus News|

Myrlie Evers-Williams delivers her lec-ture, “Forging the Dream: Leadership by Action and Not by Design” in Palmer Auditorium Feb. 22.

Montevallo Today8

Dr. John W. Stewart III presents the President’s Award to Evers-Williams following her lecture.

|Research all around|

|Blackmon delivers Hallie Farmer Lecture|Pulitzer prize-winning author Douglas Blackmon spoke to a full auditorium in LeBaron Recital Hall on the evening of March 7. He came to Montevallo as part of the Hallie Farmer Lecture Series. Blackmon is the author of Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II, which explores neo-slavery in the post-abolition United States. In addition to receiving the Pulitzer Prize, the book was a New York Times bestseller, was awarded the 2009 American Book Award, the 2009 Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters non-fiction book prize and the NAACP Freedom Fund Outstanding Achieve-ment Award, among other honors. A PBS documentary based on Slavery by Another Name is in production and is scheduled to air in the fall of 2011. At the lecture, Blackmon read an excerpt from his book and discussed his exposure to racism as a child growing up in rural Mississippi. He also fielded questions from the audience regarding his experience researching and writ-ing about the controversial topic of the treatment of black Americans in the post-slavery United States. The University of Montevallo’s Hallie Farmer Lecture Series was es-tablished in 1985 in memory of former

UM professor and civic leader Hallie Farmer. “Farmer was very conscious of some of the major social justice issues of her day, includ-ing prison reform, women’s education and the Alabama Poll Tax,” chairman of the 2011 Hallie Farmer Lecture Series committee Carey Heatherly said. He explained that the charge of the com-mittee is to “bring distinguished figures in the social sciences to Montevallo for two to three days of lectures and infor-mal appearances.” In addition to the formal lecture and book signing, Blackmon addressed two social work classes and led a small expedition to the Cottingham Planta-tion graveyard. Additionally, he met with members of Montevallo’s Cotting-ham family who are descended from individuals Blackmon wrote about in Slavery by Another Name. “He also addressed two journalism classes. Blackmon’s book discusses the Southern convict lease system, especial-ly in Alabama, which fits well both the

charge of the committee and Farmer’s legacy,” Heatherly said. Currently, Blackmon serves as senior national correspondent for The Wall Street Journal. A graduate of Hen-drix College in Conway, Ark., he wrote for several different newspapers before joining The Journal in 1995. He lives in Atlanta with his wife and two children. He is also chairman of the board for the Georgia Charter School Association.

Research efforts are ongoing among faculty members and students alike at the University of Montevallo. In March, researchers shared their work with the UM community at the Faculty Research Symposium and the 14th annual Under-graduate Research Day. Several students also had the experience of presenting research at the national level. The Faculty Research Symposium on March 7 showcased the work of 20 UM faculty members from all four colleges. Presentations were organized into five themes, “Learning Curves,” “Interven-tions,” “Soundings and Discoveries,”

“Recoveries” and “Creative Processes.” Seventy-two students partici-pated in Undergraduate Research Day on March 23. Students con-ducted research individually or in groups with the guidance of faculty advisers. More than 30 faculty members served the students in this capacity. The students presented their research orally or via poster displays in Harman Hall. At the end of March, 16 undergrad-uate students traveled to Ithaca, N.Y., with faculty mentors Kristen Gilbert and Michele Bunn to present their research

at the National Conference on Under-graduate Research (NCUR). Participat-ing students were Rachel Davis, Brittany Ford, Cristin Foster, Melissa Frennea, Crystal Hall, Brittani Hill, Mercedes Jones, Caitlin Kite, Joie Molden, Crystal Nichols, Raven Pfaff, Heather Patrick, Jessica Richard, Patrick Talley, Ellen Walker and Ashley Williams.


Pulitzer Prize-winning author Doug-las Blackmon delivers the 2011 Hallie Farmer Lecture in LeBaron Recital Hall March 7. He spoke on the topic of rac-ism in post-slavery America and about his book, Slavery by Another Name.

|Sports Update|Men’s Basketball: The men’s bas-ketball team was selected to its sixth NCAA Tournament in the past eight seasons under head coach Danny Young. The Falcons, a sixth-seed, advanced to the second round of the tournament after beating the third-seed, Georgia Southwestern, 62-59. UM lost to the eventual region champi-ons, Anderson University, 82-76 in the second round. The Falcons finished the season with a 19-11 record and made it to the semifinals of both the Peach Belt Conference Tournament and the NCAA Region Tournament. Women’s Basketball: The women’s basketball team made their first PBC Tournament appearance in program history under interim head coach Brittany Godsey. The Falcons fell in the first round to eventual national champions, Clayton State University, 90-48. UM finished the season with a record of 10-17. Men’s Golf: The men’s golf team wrapped up its 2010-11 season with a 10th place finish at the PBC Champi-onships. The Falcons were led by senior Ruwaldt Viljoen, who finished tied for 34th overall. Women’s Golf: The women’s golf team finished its 2010-11 season with a fifth place finish at the PBC Champi-onships. UM was led by senior Emily Gibson, who finished in eighth place overall with a two-round score of 157. Gibson was named the PBC Women’s Golfer of the Year prior to the tourna-ment and was selected to compete in

the NCAA Super Regional in early May. Women’s Tennis: The women’s tennis team finished its 2011 campaign with an overall record of 4-19. The Falcons were under the direction of first-year head coach Mark McGuigan, who sees a bright future for the program. Baseball: The baseball team is reaching the end of its season at press time. The Falcons are currently 20-25 under first year head coach Chandler Rose. UM has won seven more games then the 2010 squad and still has five games remaining on the schedule. Community Service: The athletic department has been working hard all year to get out and help the local com-munity. The department has accumu-lated more than 1500 hours of service through various events. Many of the student-athletes took part in The Big Event hosted on campus. The department joined forces with Montevallo Connection to give more than 100 local fifth graders an experi-ence of higher education and collegiate athletics at the University of Montevallo. UM student-athletes, coaches and ath-letic department staff volunteered their time to play basketball, soccer, tennis and volleyball. Some of the students also received some cardiovascular training and agility training from the coaches. Every team at Montevallo has also com-pleted many small projects throughout the year including helping out with Habitat For Humanity as well as raising funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

On March 26, nearly 400 Univer-sity of Montevallo students volun-teered their time for The Big Event. The students met at Johnson Field at 8:45 a.m. to receive their T-shirts and tools. Jason Newell, assistant professor of social work, spoke on the importance of community service. Then each group departed the baseball field and headed to its assignment at one of 32 job sites in Montevallo and the surrounding area. UM’s SGA, which sponsored the event, served lunch for the volunteers at the baseball stadium at noon. Campus organizations that volunteered include:• Alabama Arise• Alpha Delta Pi• Alpha Gamma Delta• Alpha Kappa Lambda• Baptist Campus Ministries• Black Student Union• Chi Omega• Delta Chi• Delta Gamma• Freshman Forum• Gamma Phi Delta• Housing and Residence Life• Inspirational Voices of Christ• Lambda Chi Alpha• Montevallo Organization of Gaming• Montevallo Presbyterian Church• Phi Mu• Social Work Club• Student Government Association• UM Cross Country• UM Men’s Basketball• UM Men’s Soccer• UM Women’s Basketball• UM Women’s Soccer• UM Volleyball

|UM students converge on area for The Big Event|

|Campus News/Sports|

Montevallo Today10

The spring semester’s feverish College Night activity makes it easy to assume that the reason Montevallo is so special is because of its unique traditions. I beg to differ. I did not start my college education at UM. Previously attending three other higher education institutions and working for a few years in the corporate world has given me a unique ability to see UM in a comparative light. While I took a scenic route to get here, I made it here and at a time and place that allowed me to truly appreciate what this university has and what sets it apart. Before I enrolled here, I lived in Birmingham and worked in the corporate headquarters of a large company. I planned to return to school as soon as I was able. I had several friends that graduated from UM, UAB and other schools around the state. Although my friends were all intelligent and prepared in their fields, I noticed a vast difference in the anecdotes, memories and opinions I heard when talking to UM alumni. Their stories focused on classes and professors that

made them see the world in a new light, colorful characters on campus, ways that they were able to find their own niche in the community and, of course, telling me if they were a Purple or Gold and trying to classify me as they saw fit. When asked if they would recommend the school to me, the answer was always an emphatic yes. The conversations with alumni of other universities seemed to take on a different tone. When asked if they would recommend the school to me, there was always a, “yes, but...” I did not want a “yes, but...” university, so I chose the University of Montevallo. Going back to school after an extended absence can be a little scary. Although I was always good in school, the years and experiences since my last time in school had taken a toll on my self-esteem and made me wonder if I had what it takes to succeed and go on to graduate school. It is difficult not to know anyone and to be older than the traditional students and younger than most of the non-traditional students. I could have easily gotten lost in the middle somewhere. This did not happen to me because from the beginning of my dealings with UM, working with the registrar’s office to transfer my credits, going to orientation and applying to the McNair Scholars Program, everyone was so warm, helpful and accepting. From the start, the faculty and staff have been willing to take a chance on me. Although the McNair Program does not normally accept first-semester transfers into the program, they made an exception for me. I now refer to McNair faculty, staff and fellow scholars as family. They have cheered me up on bad days, recognized me for my accomplishments and abilities and even watched over me on the office couch when I was sick. The friends and experiences I have gained from

this group of people are innumerable. My research mentor, Dr. Jason Newell, has continued to challenge, advise and work with me even after our research together ended. Dr. Megan Sherod is always willing to make time to answer my questions and provide me with resources, since I hope to follow the same career path as she did. Although Dr. Clark Hultquist’s responsibilities had just increased exponentially with his appointment as chair of the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, he still agreed to supervise me in another line of research. When a rough economy and budgetary constraints made this year’s trip to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research uncertain, Dr. Kristen Gilbert and Dr. John Burling fought to give students the opportunity to take the trip. Dean Mary Beth Armstrong and the UM National Alumni Association worked diligently so that all accepted students would be able to attend the conference. What I see that sets UM apart is a kind of reciprocity that is rare on university campuses. The professors and staff are willing to devote as much time and energy to you and your future as you are willing to put in yourself. We don’t loathe our professors as harbingers of hours of misery and studying; we love them for their accomplishments and ability to push us to achieve our goals. We may compete during College Night, but during the rest of the year we don’t have to because at UM, there is room for anyone who wishes to make a difference. While the road here has been long and at times tumultuous, I am happy and proud to call UM my academic home. I know that no matter where graduate school and life take me, I will always be glad to come back to this place where the faces may change but the spirit remains the same.

|The Long Journey to Finding My Academic Home|By Crystal F. Nichols ’11

|Guest Essay|


|Montevallo Profiles|

Mark Montgomery earned a master of education with a concentration in histo-ry from UM in 2008. During his time at Montevallo, he found significant inspiration in one particular professor, Dr. Terry Roberson. “Dr. Roberson absolutely changed my life. Obviously the courses and other excellent professors equipped me with the skills and understanding

necessary to be a good teacher, but Terry was truly an inspiration, a muse,” Montgomery said. His favorite Monte-vallo memory is “being plugged into lo-cal middle and high schools and having the opportunity to teach.” Today, Montgomery is an Ameri-corps Vista living on the World Hunger Relief Farm in Waco, Texas. There he teaches gardening and nutrition in low-

income schools in inner city Waco. He is also working toward de-veloping and implementing appropriate technologies and agricul-tural techniques to be used at farms in Haiti and other developing nations.

Alisha Schmitt ’10Research Assistant

Vanderbilt University Alisha Schmitt graduated from Monte-vallo with a biology major and a psychol-ogy minor. She is now working as a re-search assistant in investigative pathology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Her main research interest is in tissue engineering, but she is also interested in Golgi trafficking, “the sorting and movement of proteins through the cell and how malfunctions in the trafficking process lead to disease.” Schmitt said her UM professors pushed her “to be a better thinker, a better scientist and a better person.” She added, “UM’s science faculty are among the best scholars and researchers I’ve had the honor of knowing.” In the coming years, Schmitt plans to pursue a Ph.D. in cellular, molecular and developmental biology with con-centrations in tissue engineering and cancer biology.

John Walter ’10Served as activist in Mexico John Walter was a political science major at Montevallo with a pre-law minor. After graduation, he spent roughly one month in Ensenada, Mexico, “working to help incarcerated young men raise bail money; all in hopes of getting them into a dis-cipleship program where they could grow closer to God while learning useful trades such as mechanics and construction.” During this time, Walter said, “I was simply applying the research skills that had been drilled in by Dr. Scott Turner while drawing from the business and economic principles that were passed down by Dr. Alexander Mechitov and Dr. Roderick MacPherson. And of course, all those Spanish classes became very useful as well.” Walter is currently at UAB pursu-ing a master’s degree in public adminis-tration with a concentration in non-profit management.

Mark Montgomery ’08Americorps Vista, World Hunger Relief Farm

Cedric Norman was a communication studies and marketing double major at Montevallo. Since graduating, Norman has started his own company, NVision Marketing Solutions. “Printing or ink has always been in my blood since my younger days run-ning a printing press, but my time at Montevallo coupled with the evolution of the printing industry has caused me to think beyond just print,” he said. As a child, Norman found inspiration in his grandfather, who owned his own busi-ness, Hall Printing. During his time at Montevallo, Norman was able to develop a market-ing portfolio. “Whether it was designing fliers for my fraternity or developing a concept for a commercial that was used across the Southeast, Montevallo gave me the opportunity to explore new pos-sibilities. Montevallo challenged me to think outside the box and dream beyond what I thought was possible.”

Cedric Norman ’09Marketing entrepreneur

NVision Marketing Solutions

Montevallo Today12

Kelly Kilpatrick studied history at UM and went on to complete a Master of Studies degree at the University of Oxford in 2006. She is nearing comple-tion of a Ph.D. in medieval history at Oxford as well. Upon completion of her terminal degree, Kilpatrick would like to continue historical research and hopes to remain in academia. “The University of Montevallo was the perfect place to begin my academic career,” Kilpatrick said. “The faculty and library staff had an important role in helping me pursue my ambitions and preparing me for graduate school. The Undergraduate Research program especially prepared me for doctoral research and also [for] what to expect in post-doctoral studies, because it provided me with the opportunity to design and conduct an independent re-search project and to work closely with a project supervisor. The unique and interdisciplinary courses in the Honors Program also played an important role in my personal development.”

|Recent graduates changing the world|

Blake Hudson ’02Duke Law School ’07

Terra Moody, a mass communication alumna, is now completing a Ph.D. in health communications at the Univer-sity of Alabama. Moody is the founder of a non-profit organization that offers scholarships and other services to adult returning students. She has volunteered with the American Diabetes Association, the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Dr. Susan Love Foundation. She serves as a mentor to UA students, holds positions in the National Commu-nication Association and is involved with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Moody attributes her success to her beginnings at UM. “I am grateful for the liberal arts curriculum and unique expe-riences at Montevallo—I may not have majored in business or textiles or music, but my exposure to these different ways of thought and expression has influenced my perception of how my work fits into the bigger picture and how I fit into the bigger picture,” she said. After she finishes the Ph.D., Moody would like to pass the “bigger-picture perspective” on to others in the health communications field. “My ultimate goal is to give back to others what has been given me,” Moody said. She recently spoke at TRIO Day on the UM campus, as pictured above with Dr. Tracy Payne, director of the McNair Scholars Program, and Robert Robinson, coordinator of Multicultural Student Affairs and Minority Student Affairs.

Terra Moody ’06Humanitarian and mentor

Blake Hudson went from undergraduate studies in biology and history to becom-ing a doctor of law with a master’s degree in environmental science and policy. He currently serves Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Fla., as an assistant professor of law, property, natural re-sources and the environment. Hudson’s appreciation for nature stems from a childhood on private tim-berland in South Alabama. He became interested in environmental protection and private property rights at Duke Law School, where he earned the juris doctorate in environmental law. Hudson said the University of Montevallo was instrumental in prepar-ing him for his career. “I would not be doing what I am today without the liberal arts education I received,” he said. Hudson also found inspiration in his UM professors. “My mentors and professors at Montevallo really mod-eled for me what it means to be a good teacher —not that I am there by any means, but they are definitely some-thing to aspire to!” he said. Hudson returned to UM this summer to teach a May term course, “Environmental Law and Policy: Local, National and International Perspectives,” for the new environmental studies minor.

Kelly Kilpatrick ’05Ph.D. candidate

University of Oxford


|Class Notes|1935

The late Ada Ruth Stovall was inducted into the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame recently. She was recognized for her many contribu-tions to the field of vocational home economics at both the teaching and the administrative level. She received numerous awards over the span of her career including UM’s Alumna of the Year in 1958 and Distin-guished Home Economics Alumni Award in 1991. Ruth died in 2008.

1951 Class Reunionsee page 19 for photo

1953Della Dobbins Scott of Winston Salem, N.C., writes that, after her retirement and the loss of her husband, Donald, she is enjoying substituting and volunteering at the school where she worked. She says she especially enjoys the students in the alternative school.


Mary Louise Rice Dabbs of Montgomery writes that she enjoyed UM’s Homecoming this year with her classmates as well as her daugh-ter, Adele Dabbs Bryant ’86, and granddaughter, Mary Kathryn Bryant (UM class of 2024?). For the past five years, Mary Louise has been working part time for Family Guidance Center of Alabama as coordinator of Senior Caregivers, a program for adults 55 and older who are raising their grandchildren.


1964Wallace Murphree retired in 2001 from Mississippi State University and has had a book,

titled From Faith to Doubt...and Life as a Failed Believer, published by Booklocker.com Inc.

1967Thomas Ronald “Ron” Harris M.A. ’82 of Huntsville has retired after a 40-year career in education, most recently as director of Lee High School’s drama magnet pro-gram. Among his many awards are the 2000 Marion Gallaway Lifetime Achievement Award for Alabama Theatre and the 2006 Huntsville Volutneer of the Year Award. He has written a book and written and directed a number of plays. He recently hosted An Evening with Ron Harris at the Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center in Huntsville, a retrospective on his early life in rural Alabama.

Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins Jr. M.Ed. ’71 recently received the Chief Executive Leadership Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). The award recognizes the chief executive of a District III member institution for outstanding leadership and service in support of education. Jack is the first chancellor or president of an Alabama university to receive this award. He was also appointed to the board of the Birmingham-based Daniel Foundation. That organiza-tion works to strengthen Alabama communities and improve the quality of life for Alabama citizens by supporting quality educational programs, arts and culture, civic and community programs and medical care and research.

1968Suzanne Durham, CEO of YWCA Central Alabama in Birmingham for more than 30 years, was named to B-Metro magazine’s inaugural “A”

List. Business and civic leaders are selected by the magazine’s staff and are described as “people who care, people who are good at what they do and people who are making this city feel great again.”

1970Carol Still Barineau recently retired after a 39-year career in education. Her last 12 years were spent as prin-cipal of Canopy Oaks Elementary School in Tallahassee, Fla., where the media center was named in her honor after her retirement.


1973Henrietta Presley M.Ed. ’79 of McKenzie writes that she plans to retire at the end of the school year after teaching for 36 years.

Margaret Gorum Sanders of Andalusia, a teacher for 38 years (37 at Pleasant Home School) and spon-sor of several student organizations, plans to retire and travel with her husband, Larry.

1974Jane Mitchell Howard of Charlotte, N.C., is managing director of the Center for Applied Cognitive Studies, a business that she and husband Pierce founded almost 25 years ago. The Howards have recently published the second edition of their book, The Owner’s Manual for Personality at Work, and have traveled extensively, both over-seas and in the U.S. While attend-ing Jane’s high school reunion in Opelika, they were able to visit with Karene Childress Henson.

1976Conchita Hernandez Hicks, daughter of long-time UM math professor Angela Hernandez, has had a book published by AuthorHouse. Leaving Havana describes the fam-ily’s experiences leaving Cuba in pursuit of freedom and starting over in the United States.

1977Rolland Casey of Montgomery has retired after a 33-year career in public utility regulation at both the

federal and state levels. His first job after graduating from UM was with the U.S. Treasury Department.

Riley Bernard “Benny” Harris recently received the Robert E. Burt Boy Scout Volunteer Award from the Sons of the American Revolution. Benny has been active with the Boy Scouts of America since the age of eight and has served in numerous volunteer positions with BSA up to and including the national level. He is employed by the State of Alabama as a plan-ner with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency.

1978Frank West and wife Denise reside in Alabaster where Frank is employed at Docupak. He serves as marketing contractor for the Alabama National Guard, assisting with recruiting and retention. The Wests have five children and seven grandchildren. Their son and daugh-ter-in-law, Trey and Jordan West, graduated from UM in May 2010.

1979Jamie Davis of Birmingham recent-ly played an organ concert at Bluff Park United Methodist Church.

Montevallo Today14

Jack Hawkins Jr. receives the Chief Executive Leadership Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

Jamie Davis performs at Bluff Park United Methodist Church.

Benny Harris receives Boy Scout Volunteer award.

Randy Fuller M.Ed., Ed.S. ’93, superintendent of Shelby County schools, was recently named the Dr. Joyce M. Sellers Superintendent of the Year by the Alabama School Communicators Association at their annual conference. Randy was recog-nized for two new programs utilizing good communications as well as for the recent tax renewal campaign.

1980Michael Eliou and his wife, Eve, have relocated to Greece where Michael is president of MAM Eliou World Trade Inc. He sends greetings to all his friends in and around Montevallo.


James Kramer was recently re-elected district judge for Shelby County where he serves as presid-ing juvenile court judge. He is past president of the Alabama Associa-tion of Juvenile and Family Court Judges’ Association.

1984

Jim Purcell M.Ed. has been named Louisiana’s commissioner of higher education. As the highest ranking employee of the Louisiana Board of Regents, he oversees the admin-istration of the board’s policies and decisions. Jim had previously served as director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.



Hoy Hughes has formed The Hughes Law Firm LLC in St. Rose, La., near New Orleans.

1992Terri Elder, librarian at Wylam School in Birmingham, recently achieved certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Terri is the co-author of Twice Upon a Time: A Guide to Fractured, Altered, and Retold Folk and Fairy Tales.

Leda Devaney Gore has been elected first vice president of the Alabama Press Association, the fourth woman in APA history to be elected to the position. She is the general manager for Price Publications.

1994Sheila Jett M.A. ’97 was recently named Montevallo Middle School’s Achiever of the Day. Sheila teaches physical education and coaches volleyball and basketball. She has received certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Sherri Phillips Kelley and her hus-band, Steve, recently relocated from Dallas to the San Francisco Bay area where Sherri is employed as manager of communications at Chevron Federal Credit Union’s Oakland headquarters.

Tommy McGregor and his wife, Andrea Webb McGregor ’96, reside in Montgomery where Tommy has started a new ministry, The Trans Mission, that serves as a national network for helping high school seniors make a healthy spiri-tual transition to college. He has also authored Lost in Transition: Becoming Spiritually Prepared for College.

1995Amanda Oswalt of Old Hickory, Tenn., is an advertising consultant for Wilson Living and also is a free-lance writer.

1997Resia Brooks M.Ed. ’01 has been named principal of Chelsea Inter-mediate School. She has served 13 years in education and is an Alabama Reading Initiative partner with the Alabama Department of Education.

Lisa Green and her practice, Jemison Eye Care, were named

Business of the Year at the Farm-City Week banquet sponsored by the Chilton County Chamber of Commerce. Lisa opened her practice in 2002 after receiving her O.D. degree from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis.

Walt Merrell has been elected district attorney for the 22nd Judicial Circuit of Alabama and has named Emmett Massey ’07 to his staff. Walt, his wife, Hannah Gantt Merrell ’96, and their three daughters reside in Andalusia.

2001Heather Andrews Latiri of Silver Spring, Md., has accepted the posi-tion of marketing manager at Olney Theatre Center, a professional, award-winning regional theater located in Olney, Md. She also serves as artistic director for the Kensington Arts Theatre 2nd Stage. Heather recently directed Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile for the Montgomery Playhouse in Gaithersburg. The set was designed by her sister, UM alum Jennifer Andrews ’09.

2002Amos Snead is a principal at Story Partners, a public relations firm in the Washington, D.C., area. He is also a co-author of FamousDC.com, a popular politics-and-media blog that writes about the less-than-famous people inside the Beltway. Until recently, he and Josh Shultz wrote the blog anonymously and had their readers speculating about the identity of the writers.

2003C. J. Robinson of Clanton has been appointed Deputy District Attorney for Chilton County. He had previ-ously served as an Assistant District Attorney in the 19th Judicial Circuit.

2004Fred Miller recently completed the 35th Marine Corps Marathon in Arlington, Va. Fred and his running were featured on FamousDC.com, a widely-read blog in the Washington, D.C. area. (See ’02 Snead)

2006Amy Johnson was featured in a recent article on al.com about her role in the Red Mountain Theatre Company’s country music comedy, Bubba’s Revenge. She related that one of her favorite roles ever was in a UM acting/directing workshop when she played Maggie in a scene from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams.

2008Perry Barnett and his wife, Jillian, have relocated to Huntsville where Perry has accepted the position of IT manager and marketing director with Star Super Market & Discount Pharmacy.

Deborah Hill is a development associate at UAB Department of Ophthalmology and the Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital. She has initiated a recycling program there and is preparing Songs for Sight 2011, a musical show featuring Vince Gill.

2009Stefanie Liles is a master of fine arts candidate at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

2010Kendra Satterwhite was recently named major gifts officer in the division of University Advancement at Montevallo.


Jim Purcell named Louisiana’s commissioner of higher education.

Lisa Green of Jemison Eye Care.C. J. Robinson, left, appointed Deputy District Attorney for Chilton County.

|Class Notes|

Weddings1999

Amanda Johnson and Jeremy Borchardt were married June 26, 2010, in Foley. Bridesmaids who are Montevallo alumnae included Jennifer Barnette ’00, Aimee Carroll Beddingfield ’00, Anna Killian Cavnar ’99, Libbie Payne Eddins ’99, Sarah Lefebvre Hancock ’99, Tracey Waddell Roberts ’99 and Lisa Smaha ’99. Michelle Little Shoemaker ’98 sang at the ceremony. After a honeymoon trip to Marathon and Key West, Fla., the Borchardts reside in Foley where Jeremy teaches forensic science and physics and coaches soccer at Foley High School. Amanda is the users group coordinator at CPSI, a hospital software company in Mobile.

2000

Mamie Elizabeth Scott and Andrew Glenn Putman ’00 were

married Dec. 31 at the office of Dr. Stancil Handley in Columbiana. Bridesmaids included UM alums Amy Lynn Pate Gibbins ’00, Leslie Ann Grimmer ’02 and Gabby Wood Griffin ’00, M.Ed. ’01. A honeymoon trip to Europe is planned for later in the year. The Putmans reside in Buford, Ga., with their two mini schnauzers, Sgt. Schultz and Rolfe. Mamie is employed with Adventure Advertising, and Drew is a freelance designer.

2004

Elizabeth Gassel M.A. ’05 and Brian Perkins were married March 27, 2010, in front of Reynolds Hall on the UM campus. Serving Elizabeth as maid of honor was UM alum Kimberly Jones ’04. Bridesmaids included UM alums Meredith Hubbard ’03, M.A.

’05 and Amanda Beck ’10. Other members of the wedding party included Mindy Miller Hermecz ’07, Alana Hataway ’06, M.Ed. ’10 and Jodie Ferguson ’06, M.Ed. ’07, as well as current stu-dent Frank Deming and former students Kelley Glass Emerson and Crystal Teer. The Perkins reside in Leesburg, Ga. Elizabeth was recently named interim Dean of Humanities at Darton College in Albany, Ga., where she also serves as an assistant professor of English. Brian is the broadcast journalism program coordinator at Darton.

2005Maurice Joseph FitzGerald III married Ashely Lauren Vagnone Oct. 8 in Birmingham. He is a captain in the U.S. Army Special Forces deployed in Iraq, and she is an elementary school teacher in Birmingham.

Brandye Leigh Maddox and Ryan Matthew Griffin M.Ed. were married Sept. 25 on the sands of Orange Beach. After a honeymoon trip to Jamaica, the Griffins reside in Gardendale where Ryan teaches classes in government and econom-ics and coaches basketball. Brandye is an operating room nurse at UAB Hospital.

Births1993

Lisa Godwin and husband Juan Gonzalez welcomed the birth of a daughter, Gloria Mae Gonzalez, July 30. The family resides in Kenya where Lisa is a foreign service offi-cer with the United States Agency for International Development and Juan is an HIV doctor.

1999

Racheal Brantley Banks, UM’s director of development and alumni affairs, and husband Lee Banks ’00 celebrated the birth of a son, Brantley Jacob, March 19. Brantley was welcomed to the Banks home in Tuscaloosa by big sister Maddie, 3. Lee is employed with Regions Bank in Tuscaloosa as a private banker.

Leah Haney Dueffer and her husband, Heinz, of Birmingham announce the birth of their son, Alexander Heinz Dueffer, Jan. 2. Leah is enjoying being a stay-at-home mom, and Heinz is the emer-gency department director at Shelby Baptist Medical Center in Alabaster.

Montevallo Today16

Mamie and Andrew Putman

April Bjurman ’04 and James Cullom were wed April 24, 2010. (See wedding announcement in Fall 2010 Montevallo Today)

Photo: Local Focus Atlanta

Elizabeth and Brian Perkins

Amanda Johnson Borchardt ’99 with flower girl Ali Smith and bridesmaids.

Madeline (big sister) and Brantley Banks

2000

Kelly Berry Morgan and husband Rob celebrated the birth of twin sons. Mack Patton Morgan and Miles Patton Morgan were born Sept. 1. The family resides in Mobile where Kelly is director of client services at Database Solutions Inc.

2001

Julia Warren Mayhew and her hus-band, Ronnie, welcomed the birth of a son, Josiah Daniel, July 10. The Mayhew family resides in Danville, Va., where Julia is an adjunct faculty member at Averett University.

2002

Scott Ellison M.Ed. ’04 and his wife, Alex, celebrated the birth of their son, Dylan McNeill Ellison, Nov. 15. The Ellison family resides in Jemison where Alex and Scott teach third and sixth grade respectively. Scott also is an adjunct professor in the history department at UM.

Nicholas Kopp and his wife, Kathleen, of Alabaster announce the birth of their daughter, Caroline Grace, Nov. 24. Nicholas writes that they enjoyed spending the Thanksgiving holiday in the hospi-tal, as they “had plenty to be thank-ful for.” He is a financial representa-tive with Pittman Financial Partners in Birmingham.

2003

Melissa Janney Higgins and hus-band Josh announce the birth of their second child. Natalie Jane, born July 19, was welcomed into the Higgins home in Thorsby by big sister Madison “Maddie” Lynn. Melissa is a staff accountant at UM, and Josh is a lab technician at Tommie Corporation in Thorsby.

2004

Laura Harris Twilley and her hus-band, Gene Twilley ’03, welcomed the birth of a son, Jude Shannon, Nov. 22. The Twilleys reside in Philadelphia.

Deaths1931

Myra Belle Smith Jackson, 100, of Mountain Brook died Jan. 29.

1935Martha Funderburk Leatherwood, 97, of Carrollton died Dec. 11. She was a retired teacher and reading consultant for Holt, Reinhart and Winston Publishing Co.

Ermine Wiggins Moseley, 95, of Gadsden died Nov. 25. She was a homemaker.

Rubye Salter Waldrup, 98, of Bessemer died March 8. She taught in the Bessemer and Jefferson County school systems for 35 years.

Survivors include her sister, Madge Salter Cirillo ’38.

1937Delia Beech Headley, 94, of Birmingham died Dec. 22.

LeVerne Stephens Sanders M.Ed. ’71, 93, of Hueytown died March 26. She was a social worker for 10 years before she began teaching and served her students as both teacher and principal for 35 years.

1940Rebecca Smith Baker, 93, of Warrior died April 8. She was a retired teacher, guidance counselor, school evaluator and interim special education coordinator in Jefferson County schools.

Mildred Nixon Mallette, 92, of Greenville, recently of Birmingham, died Jan. 18. She was a retired teacher of home economics.

Dorothy E. McLeod, 92, of Camden died April 3. She was a retired teacher with 38 years of ser-vice to Fairfield High School.

1942Elizabeth Taylor Wallace, 91, of Columbiana died Oct. 4. She worked with her husband, Wales, at his law firm for more than 30 years.

1943Sara Rebecca Radney Edge, 88, of Alexander City died Dec. 2. She was a retired home economics teacher.

Nell Grace Stone Goessling, 89, of Memphis, Tenn., died Jan. 20.

Genevieve Creagh Poulsen, 89, of Cumming, Ga., died Dec. 15. After retiring from the circuit clerk’s office in Dallas County, she relocat-ed to Winter Park, Fla., where she worked at the University of Central Florida for several years.

1945Jean Vandiver Findlay, 87, of Indian Springs died Feb. 3.

1946Jeanie Patterson Newell, 86, of Fayette died Dec. 15. She co-authored at least eight books with her husband, Herbert.


Alexander Heinz Dueffer Photo: Melissa Wells

Mack Patton Morgan and Miles Patton Morgan

Maddie and Natalie Jane Higgins

Jessican Crohn Alred and husband Adam with their daughter, Camille Findley Alred, born April 13, 2010.

Dylan McNeill Ellison

Jude Shannon Twilley

|Class Notes|1947

Ethel Southard Simmons, 85, of Athens died Jan. 20.

1949Martha Phelps McGee, 82, of Tuscaloosa died Feb. 26. She was a retired teacher.

1950Jean Pickett Page, 82, of Birming-ham died March 24. She taught in the Birmingham school system for 29 years and served as choir direc-tor and organist at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church for 19 years.

1957Yvonne Worrell Chappell, 74, of Vestavia Hills died Feb. 18. She was a retired librarian.

Christine Simpson Roberts, 76, of Napa, Calif., died Feb. 7. She was a retired teacher with more than 30 years in the classroom.

1958Shirley Pike Corcoran M.Ed. ’77, 74, of Sylacauga died Jan. 29. She was a teacher and coach for more than 35 years.

1966Michael Bryant McPoland, 68, of Grand Bay died March 29.

1970Stephen Lloyd Bailey M.Ed. ’73, 63, of Birmingham died Jan. 9. He was a teacher and principal for a number of years, most recently at Crumly Chapel Elementary School.

1971Columbus Boswell Jr. M.Ed. of Birmingham died Dec. 21. He was a

mathematics teacher in the Jefferson County schools.

1972Jennifer Harvey Coleman, 60, of Sylacauga died Dec. 12. She taught school for more than 30 years, most recently at Zora Ellis Junior High in Talladega.

Gwenda Henderson Shotts Johnson, 60, of Huntsville died Dec. 15. She retired from teaching after 27 years in the classroom.

1973William Michael Lopez, 59, of Birmingham died Feb. 26. He worked in the compressed gases industry as a trainer, consultant and expert witness.

1974Davis Hunt Thompson Jr. of Vincent died March 16. He was a long-time employee of the U.S. Postal Service.

1975Reita Joyce Thweatt Browning, 81, of Leeds died Dec. 18. She was a retired teacher.

1977Gegory Pendleton, 56, of Monte-vallo died Dec. 17. He was employed with Lhoist North America, formerly Chemical Lime, for more than 30 years and had served on the Monte-vallo City Council since 2002. Survivors include his wife, Karen Nappier Pendleton ’77.

1978Woodrow W. Waldrop Jr., 68, of Helena died March 29. He was a highly decorated retired colonel in the Army.

1980James E. Jeffrey M.Ed., 74, of Hoover died Feb. 25. He was a retired teacher and coach.

1982Vonna Netria Carson Knight, 50, of Huntsville died Dec. 4.

1983James E. Chapman, 50, of Hoover died April 4. He was a manager with Alabama Power Co. Survivors include UM alumna and Alabama Secretary of State Beth Killough Chapman ’84.

1990Connie Phillips Evans, 42, of Decatur died July 1, 2010. She was the guidance counselor at Fairview School.

Kathryn Henckell Smith M.Ed., 71, of Birmingham died April 4. She was an organist, pianist and music teacher in both Birmingham and Dallas.

1994John Timothy Petty M.Ed., 69, of Keener died Feb. 4. He was a specialist in solar energy research for the Southern Company and a counselor.

2001Matthew Russell Embry, 33, of Munford died March 28. He was employed with Honda Motor Co. Survivors include his brother, Gregory G. Embry ’96, M.Ed. ’99, UM’s associate director of admissions. The Matthew Russell Embry Memorial Scholarship Fund has been established in his memory at Montevallo.

Condolences1944

To Julia Ward Rotenberry, associ-ate professor and assistant librarian emerita at Montevallo on the death of her husband, William Russell Rotenberry, Jan. 27.

1956To Elizabeth Matthews Barker of Bessemer on the deaths of her son, Wallace Jr., March 5, and her grand-son, Rick Norris III, Feb. 25.

1969To Malcolm Braid, professor emeri-tus of biology at Montevallo on the death of his wife, Linda Lee Grimm Braid, March 3.

1978To Judy Mims Williams M.Ed. ’82 of Jemison on the death of her sister, Janette Mims Frost, of Clanton on Jan. 21. Janette’s daugh-ter, Rhonda Reynolds, is a science specialist in UM’s Inservice Center and Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative site.

1985To Penny Robertson Crawford M.A. ’89 of Birmingham on the death of her mother, Edna Robertson, of Bessemer Jan. 1.

To the family of Maude Lemley Guy-Vincent of Montevallo who died Jan. 26. She was employed in the university’s office of admissions and records for 21 years, retiring in 1985.

To the family of Mary Decker Seagle, library assistant at UM’s Carmichael Library, who died Jan. 1.

Montevallo Today18

|Alabama College Beach Trip|Bobbye Kirkland Lightfoot, Margaret Hamner Utley, Delyn Flournoy Rouze, LaDayne Preister Spencer and Wanda Wolbrink Beasley, members of the class of 1952, enjoy a Spring Break trip to the beach.

|Homecoming 2011 reunion photographs|ALABAMA COLLEGE SOCIETY From left: (first row) Julie Tatum, Jeannine A. McElroy, Billie Kohen, Della Scott, Anne Sparks; (sec-ond row) Bobbye Kirkland Lightfoot, Lois Oliver Odom, Margaret Utley, Dolly Brumfield White, Libby Queen, Margaret Pope, Carolyn B. Knowles, Martha E. Rogers

CLASS OF 1951 From left: Bettie McDonald Martin, Helen Fomby Williams, Pat Alexander Brandon, Joyce Moncrief Harrell Blake, Jean McVay McCurdy

CLASS OF 1956 From Left (front row) Anne Martin, Mary Louise Dabbs, Trudy DeLoach, Barbara Bradford; (second row) Jo Fuller, Ann Oliver Mobley, Sue Faulkner, Miriam Finch, Lila Lee; (third row) Dean Drake Green, Anita Ray Giordano, Wiladele LeBlanc, Nell Marshall, Sarah Booth Mooneyham; (fourth row) Lela Poythress, Sara Jo Fontaine Bagley, Carol White, Roberta Dobbs, Joyce Greathouse, Vera Cox


CLASS OF 1981 From left: (first row) Alicia Liles Gour-lay, Elaine Marina Salas, Judy Peacock Bridges, Donna Stiers Garrett, Susie Smith Humphries, Loretta Moody Hawkins, Lynn Johnson Smith; (second row) Mark Bentley, Rita Eads Milazzo, Laura Whitman Sims, Teresa Rothwell Hollihan, Pam Adams Hanners, Jan Roberts Brugge, Richard Matthews, Robyn McQueen ; (third Row) Lynn Ea-kin Murray, Rick Ernst, Melanie Odom, Lynn England, Neal Bridges

CLASS OF 1961 From left (first row) Christel Ludewig McCanless, Shirley Beavers Reynolds, Mary Dunlap Bauer, LeVonne Taylor, Patricia Allen Goree; (second row)Margie Stallworth Denton, Mary Thornton Gleason, Barbara Newton Trentham, Eleanor Henderson Carter; (third row) Wanda Meadows Pollard, Nelson Forbes, Bobby Harrison, Arthur Garrett

CLASS OF 1971From left: (first row) Richard J. Laborde, John R. Wible, Linda L. Yearty, Cynthia T. Moseley, Teresa Causey Leo; (second row) Phillip E. Rose, Erica Burquist Khalsa, Claire G. Kimbrell, Sydney Parker Whitley

Montevallo Today20

CLASS OF 1986 (Above left) From left: John Eubank, Adele Dabbs Bryant, Melanie Poole, Scott Brunner

CLASS OF 1991 (Above) From left: Mary Reid How-ard, Audrey McDonald Atkins, Cedric Burden

PURPLE SIDE(Left) Young alumni - those who gradu-ated 15 or fewer years ago - represent their purple side.

GOLD SIDE(Left) Young alumni - those who gradu-ated 15 or fewer years ago - represent their gold side.


The mission of the University of Montevallo Junior Board of Directors is to foster interaction between the University of Montevallo and those who have graduated from the University during the past 15 years.

OfficersPresident Greg Lee ’99Vice President Patrick McDonald ’01Treasurer Jeff Purvis ’04Secretary Cathy Sherbet ’07Social Chair Julie Harbin ’00

Zach Banks ’08Jason Booi ’04Ashley Burge ’08Reagan Denson ’03Trent Friday ’07Matthew Fridy ’98Angie Gibson ’97Andrew Heaton ’04Debbie Hill ’08Blake Hudson ’02

Charissa Lambert ’05Dan McBrayer ’08Terra Moody ’06Regina Pollard ’06Tiffani Robbins ’98Tiffany Roskamp-Bunt ’00Lynsey Sherill ’07Jeff Walker ’08Dana Wright ’06

Directors

If you are interested in serving a term on the Junior Board (or know someone who is), please visit our website and submit your nominations today!www.montevallo.edu/alumni/ JuniorBoardofDirectors/juniorboard.shtm

Nominations

www.facebook.com/UMyoungalumni

Registration FormPlease return form to: University of Montevallo Station 6215 • Montevallo, AL 35115 or fax to: 205-665-6218

Event Cost No. of Participants5k Run $15 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk $15 Tennis Tournament $15 Racquetball Tournament $25 Golf Tournament $60 Donation* Amt. TOTAL

Please select shirt size:RUN/WALK ______ S ______ M ______ L ______ XLTENNIS ______ M ______ L ______ XLRACQUETBALL ______ M ______ L ______ XLGOLF* ______ L ______ XL ______ XXL(*If you are registering/paying for a golf partner, please select his/her shirt size and indicate which shirt size goes with which golfer)

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Pre-registration deadline: July 22, 2011Pre-registration is required to guarantee Olympics Day shirt size.

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Card No. Please sign waiver: in consideration of my participation in the day's events, I do hereby waive for myself, my heirs, my executors, administrators and assigns all rights and claims for damages I might have against the Univer-sity of Montevallo, the Alumni Association, their agents, successors, and assigns for any and all claims of liability.

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UNIVERSITY OF MONTEVALLO

OLYMPICS DAY

44TH

ANNUAL

Montevallo Today22

|Junior Board of Directors|

|Sign up for Olympics Day, August 6, 2011|

Please return form and payment to: UM Foundation, University of Montevallo Station 6220, Montevallo, AL 35115 - 6000

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A. Years Rich and Fruitful, Montevallo’s centennial history written by the late Mary Frances Tipton ’57. $34.95

B. Stadium cushion. Vinyl-dipped. 9x16-inch bench-seat cushion with cut-out handle. Limited quantity available. $12.00

C. Auto tag. University of Montevallo auto plate. $12.00

D. Embossed notecards. Paneled notecards on natural stock with gold-embossed University seal with envelopes (8 count). $8.00

E. Logo Umbrella. Auto-open in purple or gold. $12.00

Posters: 18x24-inch, full color, printed on archival-quality paper. F. “The Essence of Montevallo” Poster. Unframed: $8.75 G. “The Walks of Montevallo” Poster. Unframed: $8.75 H. “The Columns of Montevallo” Poster. Unframed: $8.75

I. Mug. Stainless steel travel mug with UM logo. $8.00

J. Reynolds Hall print by John Lee signed and numbered. Unframed: $20.00

K. Scarf. Embroidered knit logo scarf (56” long). $15.00

L. Necktie. 100% woven silk with University seal. $28.00 Necktie in reverse colors also available.

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Joseph McFadden, adjunct instructor of music at Montevallo and principal bass with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, was the featured performer for the ASO’s concert at UM in March. Members of the Montevallo family (both university and city) filled Palmer Auditorium to enjoy the music of Brahms, Haydn and Bottesini. The free concert was made possible by the Michael E. Stephens Colllege of Business and the Shelby County Commission.

Montevallo Today

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