Love on a Leash to Visit Athens State University

For Further Information

Guy McClure

256-233-8296

Guy.McClure@athens.edu

 

For immediate release
November 20, 2013
www.athens.edu


Love on a Leash to Visit Athens State University

ATHENS, Ala. - Love on a Leash’s Therapy Dogs will be visiting Athens State University in an effort to relieve student stress associated with the upcoming week of finals. The visiting dogs will bring smiles to the faces of numerous students, faculty, and staff.

All dogs affiliated with Love on a Leash Therapy K-9's are registered with the national organization

Therapy Dogs Inc. based in Cheyenne, WY. Their goal is to bring smiles and happiness to everyone they meet and at Athens State University, they plan to do just that.

This is the second time the therapy dogs have been brought to campus. Is July three dogs came and “shared the love” with many who took advantage of the opportunity.

Anyone interested in becoming a registered therapy team with their dog or would like more information about Love on a Leash Therapy k-9's may contact Sheila Wilbanks at 256-777-3388, ilovedogs247@ymail.com.

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Attached picture: Halli Smith gets some love from Miss Sophie Gray at last exam period’s event.

Athens State Community Band Christmas Concert Announced

For Further Information

Guy McClure

Guy.McClure@athens.edu

For immediate release
November 20, 2013
www.athens.edu

Athens State Community Band Christmas Concert Announced

2012 ASU Community Band Christmas Concert

Athens, Ala. - The Athens State University Community Band, under the direction of Dan Havely, is
gearing up for their annual Christmas Concert. The concert will be held in the Carter Gymnasium on Pryor Street on the northern border of campus.

The concert is scheduled for Sunday, December 8^th at 3:00 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public courtesy of the Livingston Concert Lecture Series with no reservations required.
A reception, hosted by the Athens State Alumni Association and the Athens-Limestone Hospital, will be held following the afternoon performance in the gymnasium.

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Athens State Promotes From Within To Fill Dean Position

For Further Information

Guy McClure

256-233-8296

Guy.McClure@athens.edu

For immediate release
November 19, 2013
www.athens.edu



Athens State Promotes From Within To Fill Dean Position  
ATHENS, Ala. – Athens State University has named Dr. Kimberly LaFevor as Dean of the College of Business. LaFevor, who currently serves as Associate Professor of Management and Department Chair at Athens State University, will begin her role as Dean with the upcoming spring semester. LaFevor will replace the retiring Dr. Linda Shonesy who has been Dean since 2005.

“It is a good day when we can celebrate an internal achievement such as this,” states Athens State President Bob Glenn. “After an intensive national search Dr. LaFevor’s commitment to the College of Business and her private sector experience made her the clear choice for this important position.”

Dr. LaFevor has been employed as a full-time professor at Athens State University since 2005, where

she also serves as Department Chair for both the Management and Human Resources Management programs. She has taught collegiately for 22 years at both the undergraduate and graduate level. These experiences have included teaching various management courses with a specialization in advanced human resource practices, labor relations and employment law, as well as course development at both an undergraduate and graduate level. She served in 2008-2009, 2010-2011, and re-elected again for 2013-2014 as President for the Tennessee Employment Relations Research Association (TERRA), the state labor-management forum for the national organization, Labor Employment Relations Association (LERA) in which she is also a member of the national Work and Labor Relations interest section. She actively promotes research and advancement of labor relations issues and has been a member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) for over 20 years, as well as acquired HR certification through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) in 1991 which she maintains. She serves as the chapter sponsor of the Athens State Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) student organization and the Phi Theta Kappa Alumni Association International Honor Society student organization, both nationally recognized award winning student chapters. Most recently, Dr. LaFevor was recently named to the 2014 Alabama SHRM State Council as the College Relations Director.
Prior to her current responsibilities she had a 21-year career with General Motors of which she spent the greatest portion of her tenure in progressively responsible HR positions. Prior to her retirement from the company, her most recent assignment was Plant Personnel Director at Saturn-GM Manufacturing in Spring Hill, Tennessee. There she managed human resources activities for Saturn Service Parts Operations including recruiting, selection, compensation administration, team member development and performance improvement, leadership development and labor relations activities, such as grievance resolution, contract negotiations and interpretation. During this time, she also served in collective bargaining agreement negotiations between GM Spring Hill Manufacturing and the United Auto Workers (UAW). In prior years with General Motors, Dr. LaFevor has held numerous human resource positions. These include Training and Development Team Leader, People Systems Crew Leader, Training and Development Consultant, Organizational Development Consultant, and Leadership Development Advisor. In these capacities, she has been involved with labor relations, facilitated training and development initiatives, as well as provided coaching and counseling services to leaders and team members.
Athens State’s College of Business is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs (ACBSP) and its curriculum complies with the recommended Common Professional Component. Instruction offered by the College of Business is designed to prepare students to become competent practitioners and effective professionals in the areas of accounting and management.
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Athens State Crowns 2013 Ms. Merry Christmas

For Further Information

Guy McClure

Guy.McClure@athens.edu

For immediate release
November 19, 2013
www.athens.edu

Athens State Crowns 2013 Ms. Merry Christmas

Athens, Ala. - This year's Athens State University Ms. Merry Christmas was crowned Tuesday, November 19 in the Parlor of Founders Hall. The crown went to Lauren Millican from Pisgah, Alabama.

Millican is the daughter of Greg and Lesa Millican. She is a junior at Athens State University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Collaborative Education after transferring to Athens State from Northwest Alabama Community College.

“I chose to pursue a career in education because I enjoy teaching children and helping them to succeed,” Millican remarked on her choice of majors. “I also want to be a positive influence for children.”

Millican serves as President of Mu Alpha Theta, is a Teacher Ambassador, in the Student Government Association, and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa and Sigma Kappa Delta.

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Photo Caption: Lauren Millican, Athens State’s Ms. Merry Christmas with Athens State President Bob Glenn.

Athens State University Library Hosting Karakuri Puzzle Exhibition

For Further Information

Guy McClure

256-233-8296

Guy.McClure@athens.edu

For immediate release
November 19, 2013
www.athens.edu

Athens State University Library Hosting Karakuri Puzzle Exhibition

ATHENS, Ala. - A collection of 24 Karakuri puzzle boxes is currently on display in the lobby of the Athens State University Library. The collection is on loan from Dr. Cathy Woodruff, Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education at Athens State. Woodruff and her husband have collected these unique puzzles for many years, and at one time, their collection consisted of over 300 of these small works of art.

The word Karakuri means a mechanical device to tease, trick, or take a person by surprise. Japanese Karakuri works are wooden interlocking puzzles and secret boxes, which generally include a puzzle element. To open a puzzle box, one or more sliding pieces, hidden within the patterns on the box, must be moved.

The Athens State University Library is located on Pryor Street in Athens and is open to the public Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., and on Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

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Attached picture: Dr. Woodruff and her puzzle collection at the Athens State University Library.

Athens State’s Center for Lifelong Learning to Host Author Rich Adams

For Further Information

Guy McClure

256-233-8296

Guy.McClure@athens.edu

For immediate release
November 18, 2013
www.athens.edu

Athens State’s Center for Lifelong Learning to Host Author Rich Adams

ATHENS, Ala. – The Center for Lifelong Learning at Athens State University will host a presentation Eben Kruge: How “A Christmas Carol” Came to be Written - a story about Charles Dickens. The event will be held on Monday, November 25 at 6:00 p.m. The Center for Lifelong Learning is located at 121 S. Marion Street on the east side of the Limestone County Courthouse Square in Athens.
 
Adams, a member of the original London “Dickens Fellowship,” sets the stage for Charles Dickens at the age of thirty to address an audience about the circumstances of his life and his great anticipation, searching out the man Eben Kruge, whose black turned to white quite literally overnight.

Eben Kruge is a recipient of a ForeWord Clarion five-star book review, is a story about what inspired Dickens to write A Christmas Carol, which for one hundred and seventy years at Christmas time has drawn people to their better nature and universally engendered a sense of concern and charity for the poor and downtrodden. The story setting is factual and will come as a surprise to most readers, as will the reality that A Christmas Carol was Dickens’s first completed fictional work after the events of Eben Kruge. 

In addition to being a writer and speaker, Adams is a forensic engineering consultant, a Vietnam veteran, a former Army aviator, and a former ski instructor for Vail Resorts. He is the first of three brothers to graduate from West Point. His first book, the award-winning historical novel, The Parting: A Story of West Point on the Eve of the Civil War,is the true and epic story of the West Point Class of 1861 during its final year at the Academy.

The presentation and book-signing are free and open to the public. For more information call 256-233-8260.

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Students Selected as Expert Advisors and Judges for International Competition

For Further Information

Guy McClure

256-233-8296

Guy.McClure@athens.edu

For immediate release
November 18, 2013
www.athens.edu

Students Selected as Expert Advisors and Judges for International Competition

ATHENS, Ala. - With the mindset that global collaboration must be a literacy in every curriculum, Athens’ State University’s Educational Technology minor pre-service teachers will be experiencing global education in a real way. Students enrolled in ED 408: Issues and Trends in Educational Technology during Spring and Summer semesters will be working as expert advisors and judges in one of the Flat Classroom Projects founded by Julie Lindsay and Vicki Davis, co-creators of The Flat Classroom Project. The Flat Classroom Project is a global collaborative project designed for students, typically in Grades 3-12, using Web 2.0 tools to support communication and collaboration between students and teachers from classrooms around the world.

These pre-service teachers will be gaining the experience of flattening classrooms and will take this invaluable education and experience into their classrooms to continue the move to global collaboration one step at a time, regardless of the curriculum topic.

The Flat Classroom Project will include over 200 students from 10 classrooms around the world. One of the main goals of the project is to 'flatten' or lower the classroom walls so that instead of each class working in isolation, two or more classes are joined virtually to become one large classroom. Grade 3-12 students work in groups from different schools and different countries to produce content on a wiki page from which they create an individual digital artifact (video), including outsourced video or multimedia from another student, which they embed into their team wiki page. Web 2.0 tools will be used to facilitate communication, interaction and collaboration between students and teachers from all participating classrooms. The topics studied and discussed are real-world scenarios based on 'The World is Flat' by Thomas Friedman.

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Athens State Nationally Ranked Among the Most Affordable

For Further Information

Guy McClure

256-233-8296

Guy.McClure@athens.edu

For immediate release
November 14, 2013
www.athens.edu

Athens State Nationally Ranked Among the Most Affordable 

ATHENS, Ala. - Athens University has been recently named among the most affordable institutions of higher education in two national publications. AffordableCollegesOnline.com ranks Athens State number one with the most affordable tuition rate for online coursework in Alabama. OnlineU.com ranks four disciplines in Athens State’s College of Business within the top 10 nationally with affordable online tuition rates.

“For-profit schools no longer dominate the distance-learning landscape,” said Dan Schuessler, founder and CEO of Affordable Colleges Online. “So many of today’s top universities have added full online degree programs to their catalogs, making it much easier for non-traditional students to receive a quality education.”

Affordable Colleges Online (AC Online) recently identified the colleges and universities in each state with the most affordable online degree programs. AC Online focused specifically on distance learning options from public and private non-profit institutions with full accreditation.

“Offering students great online programs is only half the battle,” added Schuessler. “The colleges on our list offer students quality, flexibility and affordability.”

OnlineU found Athens State to have the top ten most affordable tuition rates in four of its online disciples – Accounting, Business, Human Resources and Information Technology.

OnlineU is an independent resource offering authoritative alternatives in higher education. The SR Education Group, based in Kirkland, Washington, developed the site as a means for students to have a source for objective online education resources. Its mission is to refocus the higher education conversation around affordability and quality and make access to online college information more transparent.

“We recently completed extensive research into the cost of attending different online colleges to enable students to find the most affordable online degrees,” stated SR Education Group Head of Marketing Kim Wetter in a congratulatory email to Athens State. “With the average price of college skyrocketing forcing many students to rely on student loans to fund their education, we were impressed with Athens’ ability to continue to offer online degrees in accounting, business, HR, and IT at a reasonable price.”

While Athens State offers the lowest tuition rate in the State of Alabama for all of its traditional and online courses, OnlineU singled out four within the University’s College of Business as the most affordable nationally. Accounting was ranked #5, Business ranked #9, and a ranking of # 6 for both Human Resources and Information Technology.

“The White House released figures in August reporting that most college seniors are graduating with over $26,000 of debt from student loans,” states Athens State Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Ronald R. Cromwell. “Being recognized by these two national resources as offering a quality product at an affordable price speaks well of our mission and our ability to produce graduates who are unencumbered by crippling debt.”

In June of this year, Athens State University was similarly recognized for its financial effectiveness by the online journal, The College Database.

Athens State University offers a variety of fully online bachelor's degrees and certificates to students within several subject areas, with several online degree options available in business. Other degree options may offer distance-learning options, but still require students to take some courses on campus. Athens State is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

For a full listing of Athens State’s tuition and fees visit: http://www.athens.edu/admissions/tuition.php.

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Alabama State Parks Celebrate 75 Years of Service in 2014

From the beaches of the Gulf Coast to the Appalachian foothills, Alabama State Parks reflect every facet of the state's rich natural landscape and in 2014 the state’s park system will celebrate a milestone — its 75th anniversary. Throughout the year, Alabama’s 22 state parks will host a variety of hikes, nature walks and programs, dining and camping specials and various other events highlighting 75 years of service to the people of Alabama.

 

“Alabama State Parks recently launched a public relations campaign acknowledging the many partners we have in our parks,” said Greg Lein, Alabama State Parks Director. “We hope the 75th anniversary celebration will strengthen our connection with all the visitors and other partners who make these parks possible. Alabama’s park system exists thanks to their support and we need it now more than ever.”

 

The acquisition of land for public use has deep roots. The National Forest System began in 1891. In 1916, the National Park Service was established to oversee a growing network of parks that included icons such as Yellowstone, Yosemite and Sequoia National Park.

 

Alabama’s park system began in the 1920s with Cheaha State Park being the longest continually operating facility. There were 11 state parks in Alabama by 1933 including Bromley, Cheaha, Fort Toulouse, Geneva, Little River, Panther Creek, St. Stephens, Sumter, Talladega County, The Lagoons and Weogufka. Many of the original park structures and infrastructure were built by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) and can still be seen when visiting a modern Alabama State Park. The Division of State Parks, Monuments, and Historic Sites was created to oversee management of the park system in 1939.

 

Today, one of Alabama’s 22 state parks is within an hour drive from most any community in the state and offers a wide variety of outdoor recreation opportunities including:

 

• Five resort parks featuring lodge, restaurant and convention facilities.
• Ten parks with modern cottages and chalets.
• Twenty-one parks with modern campgrounds.
• Two parks with cave tours.
• The Parks Path Golf Trail. 
• The Gulf State Park Fishing Pier and Gulf Adventure Center Hummingbird Zipline. 
• Three parks with marinas and many more fishing and boating opportunities.
• Picnic pavilions perfect for any outdoor gathering.
• Various museums highlighting the rich cultural and natural heritage of the local communities.
• More than 200 miles of hiking, biking, horseback riding and walking trails.
• Thousands of acres of water-based recreation ranging from mountain lakes and rushing streams to the sandy beaches of the Gulf of Mexico.

More information about the Alabama State Parks 75th Anniversary Celebration will be posted at www.alapark.com during the coming months. Visit the website often for lodging, camping and dining specials and event announcements.

 

The Alabama State Parks Division operates and maintains 22 state parks encompassing approximately 48,000 acres of land and water. These Parks rely on visitor fees and the support of other Partners like local communities to fund the majority of their operations.  Partners Pay the Way. To learn more about Alabama State Parks, visit www.alapark.com.

 

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Local Management Organization Received National Recognition

For Further Information

Guy McClure

256-233-8296

Guy.McClure@athens.edu

 

For immediate release
November 8, 2013
www.athens.edu


 

Local Management Organization Received National Recognition

 

ATHENS, Ala. - The Tennessee Valley Chapter of Advancing Productivity, Innovation, and Competitive Success (APICS) has been recognized as a Bronze Award Winning Chapter by the organization’s national Chicago-based headquarters. The Tennessee Valley chapter Board of Directors president is Dr. Michael Essary, an Associate Professor of Management of Technology at Athens State University.

“This is the first time the Tennessee Valley Chapter has received this recognition,” states Essary. “It represents a significant achievement that few in the southeast, let alone Alabama, ever receive.”

Nationally, APICS is the leading professional association for supply chain and operations management and the premier provider of research, education and certification programs that elevate end-to-end supply chain excellence, innovation and resilience. The Tennessee Valley Chapter has been active for over 30 years.

The Athens State APICS student chapter holds its meetings jointly with the Tennessee Valley chapter. Students are well represented at the monthly professional development meetings which give them the opportunity to network with professionals in their field. Athens State students are encouraged to join the Tennessee Valley Board of Directors and graduates Tim Hobbs and Luana Waits joined the Board of Directors while they were students.

Athens State’s Acting Dean of the College of Education Thomas Pieplow remarks, “Our affiliation with APICS is a direct result of the good work done by Dr. Essary within both organizations. I have no doubt his leadership has played a part in this and the group’s other successes.”

Athens State offers the Operations Management Minor, which provides an opportunity for students to acquire the knowledge and specialized training to help prepare them to take the APICS certification exams desired by many employers. The Tennessee Valley Chapter provides APICS certified instructors to teach the Operations Management Minor classes.

For more information about the Tennessee Valley Chapter of APICS, visit their website www.apicstnvl.org.

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Calhoun Community College Announces Results of Health Program Licensure Exams

November 6, 2013

Calhoun Community College Announces Results of
Health Program Graduates on Licensure Exams

Calhoun Community College officials today announced that recent graduates from several of the college's health programs performed well on their respective licensure exams, in most cases outscoring their counterparts at both the state and national levels.

According to Bret McGill, dean of the college's Health Sciences division, results have been posted for the most recent graduates of the college's Clinical Laboratory (CLT), Paramedic, Surgical Technology and Nursing programs.  

Both the CLT and Licensed Practical Nursing (PN) programs saw a 100% passage rate on their respective tests, far surpassing the national and state averages.  National passage rate for the CLT program was 78.7%; state rates were not available. Passage rates for the PN program were 91.3% for the state and 84.7%, nationally.  Changes implemented in the spring by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing to the registered nursing exam resulted in anticipated decreases in passage rates at both the state and national levels.  Calhoun's scores for students taking the test for the first time was 77%, compared to the state rate of 82% and national rate of 84%.

Graduates from the college's Paramedic and Surgical Technology programs both posted impressive passage rates of 94%. Comparatively speaking, state rates for the Paramedic program were 64% for first-time testers and 76% at the national level.  Nationally, passage rate for those seeking the Surgical Technology licensure was 75.5%; no data was available for the state rate.

"I know I speak for the entire college when I say how proud we are of our students and their success," commented McGill.  "When you look at our health program graduates as a whole, our graduates did quite well on their licensure exams.  We do realize that there is work to do in some areas, and our faculty is already meeting to discuss strategies to help all our students do their very best the first time they take their exam," McGill added.

"In almost all cases, graduates from our health programs have exceeded state and national passage rates on their licensure exams as indicated by these most recent results," said Calhoun President Marilyn Beck.  "I applaud them for their hard work."

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SOUTHEAST TOURISM SOCIETY ANNOUNCES SHINING EXAMPLE AWARDS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE STS SHINING EXAMPLE AWARDS PRESS RELEASE CONTACT:  Tom Adkinson, APR tadkinson@bohanideas.com 615-341-8796 office 615-430-6947 cell Southeast Tourism Society Names Myrtle Beach Boardwalk Region's Travel Attraction of the Year Attractions, CVBs, Individuals Also Earn Shining Example Awards JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Nov. 5, 2013) - The 6.5 million, 1.2-mile-long Oceanfront Boardwalk and Promenade in Myrtle Beach, S.C., has received a Southeast Tourism Society Shining Example Award as the Escape to the Southeast Travel Attraction of the Year. The Southeast Tourism Society, which promotes travel in a 12-state region, presented 11 other Shining Example Awards as part of its 30th anniversary celebration in Jacksonville on Nov. 5. Three tourism promotion organizations received Shining Example Awards for their overall work: The Louisiana Office of Tourism was named the state travel department of the year. The Charleston, W.Va., Convention and Visitors Bureau received the award for CVBs with budgets less than $2 million. The Greater Ft. Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau received the award for CVBs with budgets greater than $2 million. In addition, the Governmental Tourism Leadership Award went to three jurisdictions in Virginia that recognized the power of cooperation and joint marketing. They are the City of Roanoke, the City of Salem and Roanoke County that united to support the Roanoke Valley CVB and its new tourism brand, "Virginia's Blue Ridge." John Dersham, executive director of DeKalb County Tourism in Alabama, received the Rising Star Award given to a tourism professional with fewer than five years in the industry  and Jim Wescott was the posthumous recipient of the Beacon Award for leadership. Wescott promoted the South Carolina Lowcountry for 27 years before his death earlier this year. Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, Tenn., received the Tourism for Tomorrow Award for its work in sustainable tourism. It was the 2012 Tourist Attraction of the Year. Festivals that won Shining Example Awards were the Peter Anderson Arts & Crafts Festival in Ocean Springs, Miss., and the Master Musicians Festival in Somerset, Ky. The top marketing award went to Visit Greenville in Greenville, S.C., for its "Yeah, THAT Greenville" promotion of the popular Carolina Upcountry destination, and the niche marketing award went to the Virginia Beach CVB for its work to promote wedding tourism. "The best work in travel and tourism wins Shining Example Awards, and winners are examples that others in the industry can follow," said STS President and CEO Bill Hardman. "Winners truly are shining examples in tourism, which is the largest, second-largest or third-largest industry in every Southeastern state." STS started the Shining Example Awards program in 1985. Here is the full list for 2013. Escape to the Southeast Travel Attraction of the Year Oceanfront Boardwalk and Promenade - Myrtle Beach, S.C. CVB of the Year (budget less than $2 million) Charleston, W.Va., CVB CVB of the Year (budget greater than $2 million) Greater Ft. Lauderdale CVB Top 20 Event/Festival of the Year (attendance up to 100,000) Master Musicians Festival - Somerset, Ky. Top 20 Event/Festival of the Year (attendance more than 100,000) Peter Anderson Arts and Crafts Festival - Ocean Springs, Miss. Tourism for Tomorrow Ruby Falls - Chattanooga, Tenn. State Tourism Office of the Year Louisiana Office of Tourism Governmental Tourism Leadership Award City of Roanoke, City of Salem and Roanoke County, Val, for support of the Roanoake Valley CVB and its new tourism brand, "Virginia's Blue Ridge" Rising Star Award (for extraordinary on-the-job performance by someone with fewer than five years in tourism) John Dersham - executive director of DeKalb County Tourism in Alabama Beacon Award (for demonstrated tourism leadership) Jim Wescott - executive director of the South Carolina Low Country Tourism Commission Best Marketing Campaign Visit Greenville (S.C.) for its "Yeah, THAT Greenville" campaign Best Niche Marketing Campaign Virginia Beach CVB for its wedding tourism campaign Chairman of the Board Award Alisa Bailey, President & CEO, Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau Spirit of STS Award Ron Kuhlman, VP, Tourism Marketing & Sales, Virginia Beach CVB __________________________________________________________________ About STS Founded in 1983, the Southeast Tourism Society is dedicated to promoting and developing tourism in its member states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Its headquarters are in Atlanta. The membership includes state travel offices, attractions, lodging properties, resorts, convention and visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce, travel media and other travel-related organizations. __________________________________________________________________

About Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA) AMLA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the travel industry within the 16 northernmost counties of the state. It is supported by 500-plus members consisting of chambers of commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureaus, attractions, campgrounds, festivals, communities, counties, golf courses, restaurants, tour operators, accommodations, vendors, financial institutions and individuals. Counties included within the AMLA region are Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston. Additional information on North Alabama destinations, accommodations and special events is available from the AMLA by calling 800.648.5381 or by visiting their web site at www.northalabama.org.

Southeast Tourism Society -- Bill T. Hardman

Bill T. Hardman 1926-2013 It is with sad hearts that the staff of the Southeast Tourism Society reports to you that Bill T. Hardman, the wonderful man we knew as Bill Sr., died Oct. 18 in Dahlonega, Ga. His good work for the tourism industry began in 1959 when he became Georgia's first tourism director. It will continue for many reasons, not the least of which are the Southeast Tourism Society and the STS Marketing College. Bill Sr. was a treasure and an inspiration. Everyone will miss his enthusiasm, his grand ideas, his smile and his friendship.  Visitation will be Monday, Oct. 21, from 6-9 p.m. at the Dahlonega Funeral Home, 20 Gibson Rd., Dahlonega, Ga. 30533, and Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m.-noon at Dahlonega United Methodist Church. The service will be Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 2 p.m. at Dahlonega United Methodist Church. Dr. Don Harp will officiate. There will be a reception after the service at the Cottrell Circle C Ranch from 5-7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dahlonega United Methodist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 455, Dahlonega, Ga. 30533. There is a link to a memorial page at SoutheastTourism.org.

New Director of Recruitment, Retention and Student Success at Calhoun

November 5, 2013

Calhoun Community College Announces
New Director of Recruitment, Retention and Student Success

Calhoun Community College President Dr. Marilyn Beck announces the hiring of Brian Gann as the college's new Director of Recruitment, Retention and Student Success.

Gann, who most recently served in the role of Director of the Talladega Center and Director of

Brian Gann

Institutional Advancement for Central Alabama Community College, brings a vast array of knowledge and experience in a number of areas related to community colleges.  He has also held several positions with Bevill State Community College, which included Director of Grants and Institutional Advancement, Director of Personnel Services, Website Coordinator and Continuing Education Coordinator.  While at Bevill State, he was able to secure over $6 million in federal, state and local grant awards for the college.

A graduate of Bevill State Community College, where he received an associate's degree in Liberal Arts, Gann earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and a Master of Arts degree in Higher Education Administration, both from the University of Alabama.

Gann is a graduate of Leadership North Talladega, Leadership Walker County, and the Alabama Community College Leadership programs.  His professional and community involvement has included serving as a member of the Alabama Community College System Human Resource Management Association (ACCSHRMA), the Council for Alabama Resource Development (CARD), the Alabama Community College System Public Relations Association (ACCSPRA), and the Talladega Rotary Club.  He has also served as a member of the boards for the East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission and the Region 5 Workforce Development Council.

Gann founded and served as CEO for the Central Alabama BEST Robotics program and was named Outstanding Educator for the Year in 2012 by the Southeast Regional Institute on Deafness.  A talented photographer, his work has been recognized with first and second place awards in the annual Alabama College System Chancellor's Art Exhibition.

"Brian truly understands the community college mission and the Alabama Community College System, having worked previously at two other institutions in our System," commented Beck.  "He has hit the ground running since coming to Calhoun and already has some very exciting plans for our recruiting, advising and orientation efforts at the College," Beck added.

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Calhoun Community College's Music Department Announces Fall Concert

November 4, 2013

Calhoun Community College's Music Department Announces Fall Concert

The Music Department at Calhoun Community College will conduct its Fall Concert on Tuesday, November 19, 2013, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Recital Hall of the Fine Arts Building, located on the college's Decatur campus. 

The Calhoun Guitar Ensemble, under the direction of Mrs. Emily Jones Davis, and the Calhoun Chorale, under the direction of Mr. Granville Oldham, will perform. 

Admission is $5.00 per person. For more information, call (256) 306-2699 or (256) 306-2958.

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Author Robert Antoni to speak at Athens State University

For Further Information

Guy McClure

256-233-8296

Guy.McClure@athens.edu

For immediate release
November 1, 2013
www.athens.edu

Author Robert Antoni to speak at Athens State University

    ATHENS, Ala. - Acclaimed author Robert Antoni will speak at Athens State University on November 12 at 7:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Founders Hall.  The free event is sponsored by Athens State’s chapter of Sigma Tau Delta and the Livingston Concert Lecture Series.  It is open to the public.

    New Yorker Antoni is the author of five books:  Divina Trace, Blessed is the Fruit, My

Author Robert Antoni

Grandmother’s Erotic Folktales, Carnival, and As Flies to Whatless Boys.  His fictional world is the British West Indies—the region’s characters, atmosphere, history, folklore, and above all its vernacular languages; it is informed by a pan-Caribbean consciousness of race, gender, religion, and class. 

    Antoni’s books have been widely translated, and have been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, Commonwealth Writers Prize, and an NEA grant. His short fiction was selected as an Editor’s Choice, included in The Oxford Book of Caribbean Short Stories, and chosen for the Aga Kahn Prize by the Paris      Review. Antoni recently received the NALIS Lifetime Literary Award from the Trinidad and Tobago National Library.

    Antoni holds an MA from the Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University, and a PhD from the Writers Workshop at the University of Iowa. He lives in Manhattan and teaches in the graduate writing program at The New School University.
     For more information call 256-233-8296.

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MOORESVILLE CHRISTMAS 2013

MOORESVILLE CHRISTMAS 2013

As featured in the November/December 2012 issue of SOUTHERN LADY magazine (and in the December 2009 SOUTHERN LIVING magazine), Historic Mooresville puts on its holiday finery every December to celebrate the season. Bright fresh greenery and red bows decorate our street signs, Della Robbia wreaths with colorful fresh fruit and natural materials hang on the doors of our historic public buildings, and our homes are decorated in the tradition of Christmas past.

Holiday Home Tour and Progressive Dinner

Saturday, December 14,  3 to 9 PM

$60 per person for Home Tour and Meal - $30 for Home Tour only

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM at the 1821 Stagecoach Tavern where you will receive a map and begin your walk through our beautifully decorated village. In order to visit all the homes and shops before they close at 7:00 and to allow time for your dinner reservation, we encourage you to check in as soon after 3:00 as possible.

Decorated houses and shops will be open, 3:00 to 7:00.

Entrée and salad at Limestone Bay Trading Co:  2 seating times: 5:45, and 7:00

Coffee Bar and dessert at the Peebles’ Barn, 5:00 to 9:00

Music in the 1839 Brick Church

For your Christmas shopping, the following will be open:

1818 Farms – hand-made bath products and gifts  www.1818farms.com

Hen House Art – artwork

JaVa.Mooresville – coffee and art

Limestone Bay General Store – canned goods  www.limestonebaytradingco.com

Lyla’s Little House – homemade candy and cheese straws

Mooresville Mercantile – traditional gifts and home furnishings  www.mooresvillemercantile.com

Post Office – support our 1840 Post Office - buy your holiday stamps

$60 per person for Tour & Dinner - $30 for Tour only. Tickets are limited, so make your reservations early through PayPal on Mooresville’s web site.  Payment required with reservation. www.mooresvilleal.com  Click on “Holiday Dinner.”

Or, mail a check with your seating time to PO Box 20, Mooresville, AL 35649.

Questions? Call 256-355-2683 or 256-350-7049.

Proceeds support the preservation of Historic Mooresville.

Dress: Warm business casual and comfortable shoes. Streets closed.  Walking required.  Open buildings are not wheelchair accessible.

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Athens State Names Religious Studies Center for Curtis Coleman

For Further Information

Guy McClure

256-233-8296

Guy.McClure@athens.edu

For immediate release

October 30, 2013

www.athens.edu

Athens State Names Religious Studies Center for Curtis Coleman

                ATHENS, Ala.  - Athens State University’s Center for Religious Studies and Ethics has been renamed the Curtis Coleman Center for Religious Studies and Ethics.  The name bestowed honors Dr. Curtis Coleman who died in 2010. 

                “This is truly a fitting and justifiable honor to rename the Center for someone who worked so hard in championing religious education in Athens,” state Dr. Robby White, Chairman of Religious Studies and Ethics.  “Dr. Coleman’s legacy and good work should be remembered in perpetuity. This will do just that.”

                Coleman was an ordained United Methodist minister before joining the faculty and staff of Athens College (now Athens State University) in 1966. He was Emeritus Dean and Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Athens State University.

                Coleman’s book, “Stop, Look, and Listen,” is a compilation of many of the articles he wrote for area newspapers.  He generously donated the profits from the book to the Religion Department.

                Coleman was a past president of the Athens Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow. He also was a past president of the Athens-Limestone Chamber of Commerce and was chosen as the Citizen of the Year in 1998. Coleman received the Outstanding Teaching Award from the Athens State Alumni Association. Athens State University also honored him by dedicating its new entrance sign in his honor in 2004.

                A reception is planned to formally introduce the name change.   Family, colleagues and friends of Coleman will gather on November 5 at 5:00 p.m. at the Center for Lifelong Learning to celebrate his legacy.  The Center for Lifelong Learning is located at 121 S. Marion Street on the eastside of the Limestone County Courthouse Square.

                The reception is free and open to the public.  For more information on the Curtis Coleman Center for Religious Studies and Ethics visit www.athens.edu/religion or call 256-233-8296.

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