Latest Alumni
Omicron Delta Kappa Taps 2012 Inductees, Launches Fundraising Campaign
Posted by: | November 16, 2012 | CommentsAs the holiday season approaches, your thoughts may turn to buying gifts, decorating your homes, or celebrating break with family and friends. But for me, one thing comes to mind before any thoughts of winter vacation: there is a pig raring to be kissed, and some of you may see me kiss him.
Boar’s Head is an annual OU event centered around the annual induction ceremony of Omicron Delta Kappa, an esteemed leadership society that serves to recognize students, faculty, staff, and alumni for their service in at least one of five key areas. On November 30th, 17 new members will be inducted into OΔK, including Oglethorpe Trustee Arnold Sidman.
Trustee Arnie Sidman
“Arnie Sidman deserves this honor and we are very happy to recognize him,” says Jef Palframan ’13, current President of Oglethorpe’s OΔK Circle. “(We) are trying to move beyond just students to more faculty, alumni, staff, and trustee members… This shows that leadership doesn’t just start in your junior or senior year. It’s for a lifetime.”
Also being inducted are Dr. Mario Chandler and Dr. Nicholas Maher, alumni Eli Arnold ’06 and staff member Katie Paden. There are also 12 student inductees: Brittney Blalock ’14, Tirzah Brown ’14, Kirsten Glaeser ’14, Krista Gray ’14, Justin Munson ’14, Corey Ray ’14, Kate Siess ’14, Kendall Burke ’13, Jeet Budha Magar ’13, Marisa Manuel ’13, Caitlyn Mitchell ’13, and Lindsey Mitchell ’13.
In addition, through the end of November, you can assist the OΔK Circle by donating to their fundraising campaign. The campaign’s purpose is to help Oglethorpe’s OΔK Circle become self sufficient for at least the next five years. More than half of the $5000 goal has already been achieved, and OΔK hopes to double this goal. OΔK aspires to become self-sufficient and not require SGA funding, because membership is exclusive and extended beyond the student body.
If you would like to come to the Boar’s Head Concert & Celebration on November 30th, don’t forget to reserve your ticket by calling 404-504-1074 or visiting the Conant Performing Arts Center box office.
Oglethorpe Alumna Organizes Relief for Hurricane Sandy Victims
Posted by: | November 06, 2012 | CommentsIn the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which left millions of northeastern residents struggling, it’s hard to know what to do to help. With so much damage—and the resulting delays in travel and transportation, and subsequent delays in relief in the form of volunteers and supplies—the question that comes to mind is, where do we start?
Alumna Sharon (Rudy) Moskowitz ’82, who is the special events manager at Oglethorpe, has jumped right into the effort of organizing relief for those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Originally from the southern Jersey shore area (Atlantic City, Cape May, Margate), Sharon is determined to get materials and supplies where they are most needed. She’s started an initiative to get the Oglethorpe community involved in “making a difference” by organizing a drive for victims of Sandy.
“Oglethorpe was really involved with Katrina—and this is a completely different situation—but I want people to know this is happening,” said Sharon. “I want to get students involved in bringing the community together. I have this opportunity to embrace the students and get their response. We can’t sit back and not do anything.”
“It’s closer to home when you’ve grown up there,” she continued. “I want to hit the initial need, and then we’ll see what might be required beyond that. We’re seeking to help childcare centers and the Salvation Army in particular. The goal is to help the many families who have great need while restoring their homes and businesses ravaged by the storm. I have several friends who own businesses that are just not sure if they can re-open. Friends that have older parents that have huge clean-ups. So it is a bit of a nightmare.”
Students and staff members have already jumped on this chance to reach out to these hard hit communities. The Center for Civic Engagement and OU students will help with the packing and shipments of the items going to South Jersey.
You can help, too! The greatest needs are blankets of every size, toiletries, tarps, and rebuilding supplies. Donations may be dropped off at Sharon Moskowitz’s office on the second floor of Lupton Hall. The collection will be shipped Friday, November 9th at noon, with help from Brookhaven UPS shipping store, which is offering discounts and help to get the boxes on their way. You can also help by spreading the word about the drive by visiting and joining the effort’s Facebook page.
Questions? Contact Sharon at smoskowitz@oglethorpe.edu or call 404-364-8467.
New Sophomore Tradition Celebrates the Legacy of Thornwell Jacobs
Posted by: | October 17, 2012 | CommentsIn early October, the Oglethorpe sophomore class gathered for the inaugural Thornwell Jacobs Legacy Celebration, a new annual tradition for the sophomore class. The event celebrated Thornwell Jacobs, Oglethorpe President from 1915-1943, who fulfilled a lifelong dream of restoring Oglethorpe to its present location on Peachtree Road in Atlanta.
Sophomore students gathered to learn interesting history and facts about President Jacobs and his mission from award-winning author and historian Dr. Paul Hudson ’72 . Later over dinner in the Great Hall of Hearst, students heard from Sophomore Class President Kurt Reynolds, Alumni Association Vice President Austin Gillis ’01, and Georgia State Representative Dar’Shun Kendrick ’04, an Alumni Association Board member who spoke about her OU experience and how it helped to shape her career and future.
Celebrate the Season at Oglethorpe’s First Annual Fall Festival
Posted by: | October 15, 2012 | Comments
Oglethorpe University will host its first annual Fall Festival this Friday and Saturday, October 19-20.
On Friday the festival begins with events for Oglethorpe parents, including a chance to sit in on classes from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Later in the day, parents are invited to meet Eric Tack, director of the Academic Success Center, and to attend a seminar led by Dr. Jeffrey Collins about Oglethorpe’s study abroad opportunities. Friday’s activities end with Night of the Arts, an annual event put on by The Tower literary magazine to showcase the artistic talents of Oglethorpe’s students, faculty and staff. Expect a diverse range of acts, including spoken word, singing and piano.
Saturday’s invitation extends to the entire community! Experience “A Taste of Oglethorpe,” featuring local food vendors and artists from 12 noon-3 p.m. Enjoy face painting, games, a moon bounce, music from OU Radio Live and much more.
At 1:00 p.m., Oglethorpe alumnus Paul Hudson ’72 will lead a walking tour of Oglethorpe, providing interesting facts about our nearly 100-year-old campus. The OU Museum of Art, currently featuring the exhibit “Burden of Proof: National Identity and the Legacy of War,” will be open for visitors from 12:00 noon-5:00 p.m.
Read about all the exciting Fall Festival events and make your plans to celebrate the season here on campus!
“OU Unplugged” Connects Students and Alumni
Posted by: | October 12, 2012 | CommentsMeet the O Team—some of Oglethorpe’s most engaging students who share their stories about the Oglethorpe student experience at various alumni and campus events.
The O Team (l-r): Kai Street '14, Tirzah Brown '14, Stephanie Croston '13 and Weston Manders '12.
During Oglethorpe’s Fall Break on October 8-9, I had the incredible opportunity to accompany President Schall and Alumni Office staff to New York City as a member of the O Team to present “OU Unplugged,” a panel presentation about student life at Oglethorpe for New York area alumni.
Members of the O Team who traveled with me included Stephanie Crosten ’13, Kai Street ’14 and Weston Manders ’12. I had never been to New York City before so the whole experience was special from beginning to end. But, the star attraction of our trip was definitely the conversations we had with alumni gathered at the Charles Bank Gallery on the Lower East Side.
Before this trip, I was quite familiar with the passionate, interesting and all-together wonderful students at OU. However, I learned from my conversations at the event that alumni who graduated before I was even born share those same traits. Every person that I spoke with at the event is living a life of purpose.
I had the opportunity to connect with a fellow Alpha Phi Omega brother, discuss economics with a software engineer originally from Cameroon, and meet a sweet elderly couple that spends part of each year in my hometown of Ft. Myers, Fla. I treasured every conversation with each graduate and I enjoyed observing people who had never met each other connecting over their shared Oglethorpe experiences and memories.
Following the alumni event, my fellow travelers and I toured all over the city seeing as many sites as we could fit in to our 40-hour visit to the Big Apple. From Ellis Island to Times Square and Central Park, I loved the sights and sounds of New York City and can’t wait to return for another visit. I also look forward to attending alumni events when I graduate and meeting OU students of the future.
Oglethorpe’s Career Take Out: More Than Just a Meal!
Posted by: | October 11, 2012 | Comments
Oglethorpe students practiced their networking skills a few weeks ago by participating in Career Take Out—three community dinners planned by the Alumni Office and Career Services. About 20 students participated in the events, along with alumni and staff members. The program connects students who are focusing on their job search and preparation with Oglethorpe alumni in similar career fields.
Alumni in Atlanta graciously opened their homes to students for small dinner parties, bringing everyone together in a friendly environment for good food, conversation, career advice and camaraderie. This year’s event focused on three specific career/majors: English Communications, Pre-Law and undecided majors.
Janice McNeal ’97, a community volunteer and philanthropist, hosted the English/Communications group, along with Ashish Thakur ’99, executive director and CFO of The Indus Entrepreneurs of Atlanta, Megan Van Doran ’09, social marketing specialist for the InterContinental Hotels Group, and Danielle Hitchchock ’12, a marketing coordinator for the Heeney Company.
Deborah Lange ’03 , director of admissions for the Lovett School, and her husband Rocky Lange, a Financial Advisor for BB&T, hosted the Undecided group, along with alums Trevor Sheffield ’09, manager of marketing and customer relations at Geo Certs SSL, and Whitney Hockensmith ’09, customer service representative at Enterprise Fleet Management.
Joe ’91 and Andrea Shelton ’91 hosted the Pre- Law group. Joe is a partner in the Atlanta office of Fisher and Phillips LLC, and Andrea is an attorney and as well as president and founder of Heart Bound Ministries. Alex Johnson ’07, an attorney at Gillis and Creasy LLC, and Bobby Baker ’79, a partner at Freeman, Mathis and Gary, also joined the group.
La Tasha Bellamy, a senior majoring in Communication and Rhetoric Studies, felt participating was well worth it. “Attending gave us the opportunity to connect with one another and meet new and such resourceful and amazingly talented people within our degree/career interests.”
Felisha Ellison, a sophomore studying Communication also enjoyed the evening. “I participated in the Communications Networking dinner and found it to be extremely rewarding,” said Ellison. “I learned much valuable information, and met many new knowledgeable contacts. Thank you so much for organizing and helping to provide this special event for Oglethorpe students. It was a wonderful opportunity!”
Look out for the next Career Take Out, planned for the spring 2013 semester!
Amy Clemente, MS, NCC is the Career Counselor at Oglethorpe’s Center for Experiential Learning.
Finding My Way at the Modern Media Conference
Posted by: | October 05, 2012 | CommentsAs a senior at Oglethorpe, my current goals involve deciding where I want to go with my life, which paths I wish to embark upon and which journeys I will undertake. Ironically, on a physical plane, my navigational abilities are not exactly “present.” Maps and signs befuddle me, as do landmarks, and I can find myself getting lost in ways that are so bizarre as to be impressive… from a certain angle, that is. While my “impressive” skills at getting lost were no different at Georgia State’s Modern Media Conference (it took me half an hour to find the cafeteria), in a deeper sense, there was some direction to be found—the type of direction that every college senior ultimately desires.
Debra Bryant '12 and Marisa Manuel '13 at the conference
I chose to attend Georgia State’s conference because of my editor position with The Tower literary magazine, as well as my internship with Oglethorpe’s Pegasus Creative (the University Communication department’s newly-launched student communications agency that gives us the opportunity to gain real world experience in a collaborative team environment). The conference, held September 28-29, was packed with more than 20 guest speakers from major media outlets such as CNN, ESPN, WSB-TV, HLN, and WXIA. I was accompanied by Director of Communications Renee Vary, Assistant Director Debbie Aiken ’12, and Pegasus Creative’s Web Content Development Intern Debra Bryant ’12 (who also came on behalf of The Nightcap, the Evening Degree Program’s newsletter.)
The four of us had numerous lectures to choose from, some headed by photojournalists, others by newspaper editors, and a few by the professors at Georgia State themselves. The variety of seminars offered went far beyond what I had anticipated, and I used up an entire booklet taking notes on what was discussed.
Throughout the course of the day, I was able to attend five sessions, ranging from a passionate lecture called “Get to the Damn Point!” (something which I have admittedly not done yet—read on!) to an informative presentation on what makes student government an exciting body to report on. (As a member of our school’s SGA, this was especially topical for me!). Journalist and Editor Michael Koretzky ended the conference with several stories concerning his own experiences in the professional world; he encouraged the audience to “be fired for the right reason,” before recounting several situations in which he was fired for just that.
So, what is the “darn” point of me writing this? Well, there are several points I wish to share with you—I had fun, I learned a lot, and I hope to have more opportunities like this in the future. Is this where I want to go with my life? Do I want to work in PR, journalism, broadcasting, or some other form of media? I don’t know, but I now see them as options, which puts me a step closer to finding my way than I was before.
Oglethorpe Alumna Named Top Young Foreign Policy Leader
Posted by: | September 21, 2012 | Comments
Oglethorpe alumna Carlissa Carson ’05 has earned a spot on Diplomatic Courier’s “Top 99 Under 33 Foreign Policy Leaders” list for her “creativity, determination, and passion in tackling the world’s critical global challenges.” The global affairs magazine releases the annual list to highlight 99 leaders under the age of 33 who strive to impact the global community through use of their entrepreneurial talents. The list divides the leaders into seven categories, and Carlissa was distinguished as a “Practitioner” for her professionalism and skill in improving foreign policy.
Carlissa is an activist, military officer, and attorney for the Morgan Law Firm. She serves as the Regional Political Director of the Truman National Security Project (Southeast). She also sits on the Board of Directors for GA WAND, an organization that empowers women to speak persuasively on issues related to national security and environmental justice. She is a Judge Advocate in the Air National Guard and previously served nine years in the Army Reserve, including six years in military intelligence and three years as a Judge Advocate. As a Judge Advocate in the Army Reserve, she was Chief of International and Operational Law and a subject matter expert on the Commanding General’s Anti-Terrorism Force Protection Group.
With this stellar experience Carlissa cemented a spot on the list, and according to the Top 99 Under 33 Committee, has the potential to excel as a leader during her career and to leave a long lasting mark on her community.
Doesn’t that sound just like an Oglethorpe grad? Congratulations, Carlissa!
Oglethorpe Alumna Creates Change in Costa Rica
Posted by: | September 17, 2012 | CommentsKerri Dawkins`12, a sociology and urban leadership major, was a key participant and student teacher in the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation Service & Social Entrepreneurship Program Summer Institute in Huacas, Costa Rica during the summer. The institute teaches students to utilize social entrepreneurship principles to address social problems and create systemic change. Many regard social entrepreneurship as the new hope for alleviating seemingly intractable social ills because of its great successes in various forms around the world.
Dawkins (in center with glasses) gathers with her group in Costa Rica
Dawkins and a group of dedicated students representing a dozen colleges and universities affiliated with the Sullivan Foundation commenced their summer experience with a rigorous study of social entrepreneurship, including designing a theory of change, developing marketing and fundraising strategies, and creating social business plans. Upon completing the coursework, the students began an internship in which they applied their newfound knowledge of entrepreneurial principles and developed social business plans for locally-owned small businesses in and around Huacas, Costa Rica. Participants also assisted a youth summer camp with CEPIA, a Costa Rican, non-governmental organization that promotes culture, health, sports, and education for impoverished children, teenagers and their families. The summer concluded with each student presenting their business plan to CEPIA, community partners and local residents.
“Oglethorpe University is dedicated to providing its students with opportunities to expand their learning experiences,” said Tamara Nash, executive director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Oglethorpe. “Our faculty encourages student participation and is actively involved in the efforts of the Sullivan Foundation. We believe that our students who learn, first-hand, the unique possibilities of Social Entrepreneurship and the practical applications of its principles will greatly benefit from their experience.”
The small businesses receiving assistance as a result of the students’ efforts included Harmonia Pura, a mobile spa operated by eight low-income women, and GuanArte, a group of women artisans launching their own business; and a start-up ecotourism company spearheaded by high school students. A fourth group of American students assisted CEPIA with generating support for a new integrated community center (CCI). The underlying goals of each project included empowering community members, alleviating poverty, and building a model for sustainable operations.
Dawkins worked directly with Harmonia Pura to help create a business structure for their mobile spa venture.
Earlier this year, other Oglethorpe students participated in additional opportunities provided by the foundation to learn about social entrepreneurship. And, in 2011, the foundation bestowed upon Oglethorpe University the honor of presenting two seniors with the annual prestigious Algernon Sydney Sullivan and Mary Mildred Sullivan Awards.
Evening Degree Program Graduate Awarded Prestigious International Scholarship for Graduate Study
Posted by: | June 07, 2012 | Comments
Cleo “Fifi” Sloan, a 2011 graduate of Oglethorpe, has been awarded a prestigious scholarship to attend Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London to study in the Masters of Arts in Art Business program, commencing in September 2013. The school is the educational wing of Sotheby’s, one of the world’s largest auctioneers of art and jewelry.
Sloan joined Oglethorpe’s Evening Degree Program (EDP) in 2008 as a communications major and planned to pursue a career in the field of integrative medicine. However, once she took her first art history course, she says, “I realized that a passion for art steadily pumped through my veins, and there was nothing that I could do to suppress it.” With some encouragement from her mentor, Dr. Jeffrey Collins, she developed an Individually Planned Major (IPM) in Art Business. She says that she soon found herself “being molded into a prime candidate” for the Master in Arts Program at Sotheby’s.
While at OU Sloan served as the David Willis Presidential Fellow and received Oglethorpe’s coveted “Art History Achievement Award” for two consecutive years. She also participated in several study abroad programs in Oxford, Paris and Italy. She graduated in 2011 as the first EDP student in Oglethorpe’s history to graduate Magna Cum Laude with an IPM in Art Business.
Sloan’s advice for other adults considering continuing their education is this: “Dream, and dream big! And when you open your eyes, know that there are others at Oglethorpe who are dreaming big for you.”