Archive for December, 2010
Two Oglethorpe Alumni Named Teachers of the Year
Posted by: | December 22, 2010 | CommentsOU Blog sends a big congratulations to OU alumni Wanda Nesbitt ’09 and Kevin Travis ’02 who were named by their school districts as Teachers of the Year for the 2010-2011 school year.
Wanda Nesbitt is City Schools of Decatur's system-wide Teacher of the Year. Photo: oakhurst.csdecatur.net
Wanda Nesbitt, a kindergarten teacher at Oakhurst Elementary School in Decatur, Georgia, earned her Masters of Arts in Teaching at Oglethorpe after receiving her undergrad degree through OU’s Evening Degree Program. Prior to winning the district-wide honor, she had been named Teacher of the Year at her school as well—a fitting accomplishment for someone who is “a fantastic born teacher,” according to Beth Roberts, Oglethorpe’s Division of Education Chairperson.
Dunwoody High School's Kevin Travis is DeKalb County High School Teacher of the Year. Photo: www.dekalb.k12.ga.us
Over on the north side of town, Kevin Travis was awarded the DeKalb County School System’s High School Teacher of the Year award. He teaches social studies at Dunwoody High School and also serves as the advisor for the school debate team. In a recent interview with Reporternewspapers.net, Travis is quoted as saying,
“I think on most days, I have more fun than most people do at their jobs…I love what I do.”
Congratulations, Wanda and Kevin!
Felicia ‘Diosa’ Stevenson ’10: Pop Princess & Businesswoman in the Making
Posted by: | December 22, 2010 | CommentsIn this age of MySpace superstars and wide-eyed music industry hopefuls, it’s refreshing to see a young start-up who is truly about the business of entertainment.
Enter Felicia Stevenson, better known as “Diosa” in the underground music scene. A 2010 graduate of Oglethorpe, she strategically chose to study business administration while aggressively pursuing a career in music. Her hard work paid off, as before she has even released her first album, Felicia has shared the stage with some of the music industry’s most popular acts, including Grammy Award-winning artist Lil’ Wayne and Atlanta rapper T.I. Now she’s working full-time to produce an album that’s will showcase her talent…and her business sense.
Up-and-coming pop sensation Diosa says her favorite professors at OU were Dr. Collins and Dr. Hetherington. "I love these guys! Thank you, Dr. Collins, for encouraging me to study abroad at Oxford University in England and thank you, Dr. Hetherington, for being a great advisor."
“I feel that life must have a balance of liberal arts education and the arts,” said Diosa. “I was a morning student at Oglethorpe, but there were times I had to take night and morning classes so my schedule wouldn’t conflict with my music career. I remember there were days I went to morning classes, then attended night school, left there at 10 p.m., drove to the studio, recorded music, left the studio at 8 a.m., and arrived back at class in the same clothes I wore to school the previous day. My life was exhausting!”
She says the experience of her father, who is her biggest musical influence, inspired her to make music and good grades. Read More→
Oglethorpe Receives Grants from Governor’s Office of Highway Safety & NCAA To Promote Alcohol Education
Posted by: | December 21, 2010 | CommentsFor the third year in a row, Oglethorpe University is the recipient of a $5,000 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). This past September, Oglethorpe was also awarded a $30,000 NCAA CHOICES grant to be used over the next three years. Both grants fund on-campus training and peer education in an effort to battle the damaging realities of alcohol abuse in college-aged adults.
These grants support several surveys that help school counselors and student groups gather data about alcohol use to be used to help students confront misconceptions and misinformation about alcohol use. The NCAA funding also will help support a student-athlete alcohol task force and a social marketing campaign.
SMASH, Oglethorpe's peer education group, created this mock graveyard on Halloween weekend to remind students of the consequences of alcohol abuse.
According to the GOHS, although young people (ages 16-20) account for only 7% of Georgia’s population, they were responsible for 13% of the total crash fatalities for 2005. Though shocking, it comes as no surprise that the number one cause of death for young adults aged 18-24 is due to traffic fatalities.
In an effort to curb irresponsible drinking and to educate its students about positive decision making, Oglethorpe continues to be a strong participant in programs like the Georgia Young Adult Program, a statewide initiative funded by the GOHS to combat high-risk behaviors, especially as it relates to highway safety. Read More→
Oglethorpe’s First Lady to be a Guest on the Martha Stewart Show
Posted by: | December 15, 2010 | Comments
It’s not unusual to hear about people giving their time and fortune this time of year. For Betty Londergan (also known around OU as President Schall’s wife), giving has literally been an everyday thing for almost a year.
An author and active community member, Betty has made local and national headlines with her “What Gives? 365” blog project, a year-long effort in which she donates $100 a day to a different organization or person doing good work in the community. Each day she hits her blog to express why she thinks the cause is worthy of support and encouraging others to do the same.
Betty Londergan with Project Compassion founder Kaziah Hancock at an Oglethorpe University event. "What Gives? 365" gave $100 to Project Compassion in September.
Her blog garnered national attention in USA Today and Huffington Post and recently was featured in the latest issue of Whole Living magazine. Now, she’s set to appear on the Martha Stewart Show on Wednesday in an episode that will spotlight charitable organizations, philanthropists, and giving.
By the end of 2010, Betty will have donated a grand total of $36,500—funded through a small inheritance she received from her father. On her blog, Betty reveals that her parents were incredible savers but also passionate givers and thinks that her mother would have approved. “Dorothy Mae would love that and say that it’s about time I stopped buying so many darn shoes and did something for others.”
After weathering some financial storms of her own, the old adage, ‘putting your money where your mouth is’ took on new meaning. “Giving away money is the absolute antidote to fear and insecurity about money,” Betty said in the Whole Living article. “Desire and clutching cause suffering—and when you let go, it’s a beautiful thing.”
Tune in to the Hallmark Channel on Wednesday, December 22, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. to see Betty chat with Martha Stewart!
Oglethorpe Named Among Colleges of Distinction
Posted by: | December 13, 2010 | Comments
After making the Forbes and U.S. News’ Best Colleges Lists, Oglethorpe has once again caught the eye of the nation.
Student Horizons, Inc has released its 2010–2011 list of Colleges of Distinction. The list, found at CollegesofDistinction.com, is a free, non-subscription online guide that recognizes colleges and universities that appeal to students’ unique and varied interests. This year’s list includes 170 schools in 39 states.
For the past eight years, Colleges of Distinction has honored colleges excelling in four areas of distinction: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant communities, and successful outcomes.
Founded by concerned parents and admissions professionals, Student Horizons, Inc.’s mission is to enable students to find colleges and universities that appeal to and complement their unique personalities and aspirations while helping to educate and produce well-rounded and varied individuals.
“Schools selected as Colleges of Distinction create well-rounded graduates and are among the very best in the country,” reports Tyson Schritter, the Executive Editor of CollegesofDistinction.com. “While each school is one of a kind, they all share a common theme: they are all a great place to get an education.”
…We agree.