Latest Legends & Traditions
Oglethorpe’s New “Short Courses” Are Long on Fun & Learning
Posted by: | April 23, 2012 | Comments
OU shook things up this semester by adding a variety of short courses that focused on fun topics and experiences. Many students took advantage of the 13 one-time learning and recreational experiences, mostly taught by Oglethorpe staff.
This semester’s short courses have explored interesting topics like “How to Survive in the Woods…in a Hammock” with Jon Nooner, technical director for the Conant Performing Arts Center, and “Extreme Couponing” with Bre Berris, director of Greek affairs. Students indulged their sweet tooth with Kim-Marie John, Emerson Cafe’s baker, in a short course that introduced the art of decorating your own cupcake. Residence Life Coordinator Alyssa De Gazon led a short course discussion about the The Hunger Games book series. Students also toured Elm Street Gardens, a two-acre community organic garden, founded by alumnus Robert Currey, which provides food for hundreds of families in Hancock County, the poorest county in Georgia. Students also gathered to learn “Sign Language: 50 words you need to know”, a short course taught by Jay Gardiner, OU’s athletics director (pictured above). Gardiner shared his knowledge in a fun and interactive environment that left the students asking for more.
The short courses were so popular that there are already plans for them to return in the fall semester. The Office of Campus Life invites students to submit ideas for short courses. If there is a skill you would like to learn—or teach—send your suggestions to Kendra Hunter at khunter@oglethorpe.edu and the Office of Campus Life will do their best to make it happen!
OU students toured a two-acre organic community garden founded by OU alumnus Robert Currey.
2012 Symposium Spotlights Oglethorpe Students’ Academic Accomplishments
Posted by: | April 13, 2012 | Comments
On Tuesday, the OU community gathered for the 2012 Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium to celebrate the academic achievements of our students. The annual event provides OU students with a platform to present their own work—and fellow students, faculty, parents, and staff take the opportunity to learn more about the various topics, support the presenters, and engage in passionate discussions. Nearly 200 students presented during more than 30 sessions about topics drawn from a wide variety of disciplines.
We asked students Joscelyn Stein, Dayana Diaz, and Weston Manders to give us their thoughts about the Symposium:
This year’s topics ranged from “The Homeric Hero: What Winston Churchill and Odysseus have in common…or not” to “Mosquito in the Room: America’s Cuban Obsession and the Need for a New Era of Cuban-American Relations,” to “The Evolution of Fairies in Literature: From Oral Folk Tales to Peter Pan” and “The Benefits of Cooperative Interspecies Evolution: Why Would you have a Dog?”
A new addition to the day-long event was StoryCore, where students from the OU radio station video recorded students and faculty sharing “OUr Core moments,” reflections on the Core Curriculum. Oglethorpe’s Core Program helps shape our academic community and is regularly the focus of shared stories. Many of us have our “Core moments”—when something we encounter reminds us of something we learned in a Core course, when ideas are suddenly are connected. The collection of 90-second videos will be posted on the StoryCore page over the next few weeks. Here’s the first StoryCore video in the series, by Chelsea Reed ’13, a Communications and Rhetoric major.
Also new to the Symposium this year was an “Homage To OUr CORE in Poetry and Creative Verse.” The poetry slam/creative word jam took place in the Lupton Auditorium and gave a stage to students and faculty to share their poetry, spoken word and freestyle compositions, penned in honor of our Core Curriculum. The friendly competition chose winners in a few categories:
Judges’ Choice: Kaci Palmore
Most Creative: Chou Thao
Connection to Core: Will Carter
The day-long celebration of student achievements ended in the Conant Performing Arts Center with the annual Honors and Awards Convocation, which recognized individuals who had excelled during the academic year. Congratulations to all of the honorees!
View photos from the 2012 Liberal Arts & Sciences Symposium!
Oglethorpe’s First Annual Sullivan Awards – Nomination Deadline: March 8
Posted by: | March 05, 2012 | Comments
Oglethorpe University was selected in 2011 by the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation (www.sullivanfdn.org) to have the honor of presenting the highly prized Algernon Sydney Sullivan and Mary Mildred Sullivan Awards to two deserving seniors. Oglethorpe joins an exclusive list of only 60 Sullivan Award Schools nationwide (including Davidson, Duke, Elon, Furman, Guilford, Rhodes and Sewanee.)
The awards were created 100 years ago to honor the husband and wife for whom the awards are named. The awards are presented to a male and female graduating senior whose nobility of character, integrity and dedication to service sets them apart as examples to others.
Sullivan Awards, represented by a bronze medallion, are highly prized. Previous recipients who have proven their ability to live up to the standards set by this honor range from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to Fred Rogers, noted star of children’s television.
The first Oglethorpe Sullivan Awards will be presented at the Honors and Awards Convocation on April 10, 2012 in the Conant Performing Arts Center, replacing the President’s Community Service Award.
“Since 1835, we have helped students make a life, make a living and make a difference through our commitment to the ideals of service, citizenship, and humanitarianism,” said President Larry Schall. “As we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the founding of our Center for Civic Engagement, we are proud to once again be recognized for the extraordinary efforts of our students, faculty, and staff.”
The deadline date for nominations is THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2012. A selection committee of faculty, staff and students has been assembled to review and choose two outstanding seniors. Nominations of worthy candidates may be made online. Oglethorpe faculty, staff, students, alumni and members of the Board of Trustees are eligible to make nominations.
Questions? Please contact Tamara Nash or Caroline Weimar.
Oglethorpe Magazine Examines “The Art of Critical Thinking”
Posted by: | February 27, 2012 | Comments
Attention all OU alumni, parents, students and friends—the latest issue of Oglethorpe’s award-winning Carillon magazine is here!
This issue delves into the role of liberal arts and sciences in the 21st century and features articles written by senior Foss Baker and Dr. Brian Patterson, assistant professor of computer science & mathematics, President Schall, and our new provost, Dr. Denise von Herrmann.
Read stories about Oglethorpe alumni using their liberal arts education—sometimes in unusual ways! Did you know an OU alum wrote the 2010 CMA Song of the Year? Or, that an OU alum’s thriving business was featured on HGTV, and that another alum is the editor of a top magazine?!
Get a sneak peek into the plans for a new student center. Learn about the freshman class’s new What the Dog Saw common reading program, and hear from the newest additions to the Office of Campus Life—Danny Glassmann, Kendra Hunter and Bre Berris—about the plans they have for student life at Oglethorpe.
Alumna Chloey Mayo’s “Oglethorpe in Lights” offers a glamorous twist on some campus events of Hollywood proportion with a review the TV shows, movies and commercials that have used OU as their backdrop.
Read the Carillon here or look out for the magazine at your home—and let us know what you think!
Oglethorpe’s Got Spirit! (Yes, we do!)
Posted by: | February 16, 2012 | Comments
Last week marked the beginning of a new tradition on campus as Oglethorpe University experienced its first-ever Spirit Week, leading up to the weekend’s Homecoming basketball game and dance.
Each day of Spirit Week ushered in a different theme:
- Monday, February 6 was Geek Day and the suspenders were in full swing as students embraced their inner geek spirit.
- February 7 was Tacky Tuesday, when being tacky was the new chic as students broke out their ugliest sweaters. (Wow!)
- Wednesday was the annual Oglethorpe Day, honoring our school’s namesake. Students showed their Oglethorpe pride and came out in record numbers to watch the Petrels of Fire Race, a decades-long tradition in which runners try to circle the quad and beat the tolling of the noon bells. (Still no winner this year…)
A contest for highest class participation on Oglethorpe Day was won by the Class of 2015. As a prize, February 15 was declared Freshmen Day and members of the class enjoyed a Freshmen Feast, provided by Campus Life.
After the race, students (and staff!) participated in a shopping carts “floats” parade, decorated by student organizations and university departments. Sigma Sigma Sigma took home the prize for the best 2012 Homecoming Float.
The ladies of Sigma Sigma Sigma - winners of the 2012 Shopping Cart Parade contest
The parade led to the Conant Performing Arts Center for a presentation on “What Happens in Cuba Doesn’t Stay in Cuba,” given by faculty and students who traveled to Cuba over winter break as part of a semester-long study of the historic, economic, political and cultural facets of the country.
- Thursday was deemed Black & Gold Day and students proudly wore the OU colors and participated in that evenings Homecoming bonfire.
- Friday was Spirit Shirt Day and the day of the Homecoming games. The battle with Sewanee was set and Oglethorpe students were riled up from a week of spirit-building. The game ended with a 69-49 win over Sewanee.
Kappa Sigma Fraternity - Winners of the 2012 Homecoming Spirit Award.
Students seemed more passionate than ever at this year’s Homecoming game and that was not overlooked. Student Government Association awarded the first-ever Oglethorpe University Homecoming Spirit Award trophy. This year’s winner was Kappa Sigma, a new fraternity on campus.
The grand finale of the Spirit Week fun was “A Starry Night in Paris,” Saturday’s Homecoming dance at the Westin Hotel Atlanta.