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PERSpECTIVEUNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA SPRING 2014InnovatorsGo WestUWG Partners withTanner Health SystemMeet Coach Will Hall2014 ALUMNI Weekend
PERSPECTIVE46101622New technology is now available for UWG nursing students.On the cover: This sculpture of the Caduceus, the symbol formedicine, is found in the lobby of the Nursing building.Partners in Care:UWG School of Nursing partners withTanner Health SystemLife’s a Daily Grind for UWG Alum:Entrepreneur Timothy Aldridge launchescoffee businessCoach Will Hall Joins UWG:Meet UWG’s new head football coach2014 ALUMNI Weekend:Alumni are invited to participate in a fullweekend of eventsEducation Beyond the Books:Adapting Pedagogical Methods in aTechnologically Advanced WorldVisit Perspective Onlineat www.uwgperspective.com forthe latest in events, news, features,photos, videos and more.
PERSPECTIVESpring 2014 Vol. 70 No. 2Dr. Kyle Marrero, PresidentDr. Bill Estes, Vice Presidentfor University AdvancementJami Bower, Associate Vice Presidentfor Communications and MarketingINNOVATORSG o W estMaggie Worth, Executive EditorElizabeth Stone, Associate EditorContributing WritersTaylor BryantMatthew Clay ’92 ’94 ’96Matt Cooke ’04Joy Esiemokhai ’13Kevin Hemphill ’07Julie LinebackMeredith N. Ledbetter ’09Blynne OlivieriFrank Pritchett ’88 ’92Dr. Ben SteereRachel WilliamsTypography and DesignTeresa PyronApril SaundersPhotography and VideographySteven Broome ’89 ’93Xiaojuan ChristianAlumni AssociationGreg Benda ’05, presidentPrinted byUniversity of West GeorgiaPublications and PrintingWest Georgia Perspective (USPS 021302)is published biannually by the University ofWest Georgia, 1601 Maple St., Carrollton,GA 30118-0001.POSTMASTER: Please send addresschanges to West Georgia Perspective,Office of Development and AlumniRelations, University of West Georgia,1601 Maple St., Carrollton, GA 301186100.2 PERSPECTIVEGreetings!At the University of West Georgia, we are in the business of transforming lives. In2014, we are looking toward a bright future, filled with new possibilities for scholarlyachievement, creative expression, and service to humanity. UWG is not only agreat place to work and study, but it also inspires us to think in a new direction,push the boundaries, and discover a new world of opportunity.In this issue of Perspective, titled “Innovators,” you’ll find that UWG constantly strivesto be on the cutting edge, including the development of an exciting partnershipwith Tanner Health System that will enable our School of Nursing to provide morescholarships and access the latest in technology. You’ll also read about: One student’s entrepreneurial endeavor that led to an exciting business plan How a UWG theatre alum is using her passion to help others in her fieldbridge talent and success Exciting advancements in technology for the College of Education The 1 million in grants awarded to the College of Science and Mathematics One professor’s journey to unlock the history of the Cherokee Indian culture News and other success stories from alumni, faculty, staff, and studentsWith so many advancements at UWG, our campus is constantly brimming withexcitement. I would like to personally invite you to visit us firsthand. Join us incheering on the Wolves at an athletic event, soak in the arts with our theatredepartment, music department or the Townsend Center for the PerformingArts, or simply explore our new additions to campus. Let us know about youraccomplishments as well. Send us an email, submit a class note, or visit ourwebsite. Discover how UWG is blazing trails to a bright tomorrow and preparingthe way for future innovators.Sincerely,Dr. Kyle MarreroPresident of the UniversityPERSPECTIVE 3
Partners in CareUWG School of Nursing Partners with Tanner Health SystemBy Elizabeth StoneThe School of Nursing at the University of West Georgiahas long been synonymous with high quality care, and inNovember 2013, UWG took yet another ambitious step toensure that innovative educational opportunities and supportwill be available to regional nurses for years to come. Througha partnership with Tanner Health System, the UWG nursingprogram will continue to expand its impressive facilities,increase enrollment numbers and offer scholarships and stateof-the-art technology to students interested in nursing.“The partnership forged by this generous commitment fromTanner Health System will enhance the quality and prominenceof UWG’s nursing program, provide much needed scholarshipsupport for our nursing students and build the bridge to futurehealth science programs,” says Dr. Kyle Marrero, president ofUWG.Through this innovative relationship, practicing nurses will alsohave access to UWG’s nursing facilities, including the learninglabs, as well as opportunities for continued education. Thisensures that future and current nurses are constantly refiningtheir skills, therefore providing the best nursing care availableto patients in the region.“This agreement accomplishes several things,” explains LoyHoward, president and CEO of Tanner Health System. “Forone, it expands the nursing program at the University of WestGeorgia, so more residents from our region will have theopportunity to pursue careers in nursing. Looking five to 10years ahead, that will be critical to both our region’s healthand our region’s economic prospects. Also, this investmentprovides ways to enhance the skills of Tanner’s current staff ofnurses.”On November 12, 2013, the University of West Georgia hosteda dedication ceremony honoring the official partnership andnaming of the Tanner Health System School of Nursing. Theevent included representatives from Tanner Health Systemand UWG, community members, UWG nursing alumni andcurrent UWG nursing professors and students. Following theceremony, a reception was provided for guests that includedtours of the new nursing building.Dr. Marrero welcomed the guests to the dedication ceremonyand offered gratitude to all those who made the partnershippossible. He also said that this partnership would serve topropel the university into the future.“This venture will transcend this glorious building where(from left to right: Dr. Kathryn Grams, dean of the Tanner Health System School of Nursing; Dr. Kyle Marrero, president of UWG; DanielJackson, chairman of Tanner Health System; and Loy Howard, president and CEO of Tanner Health System.Betty Ishoy, UWG assistant professor of nursing, demonstrates state-of-the-art learning labs that offer realistic experience for students.we house the School of Nursing,” Dr. Marrero says. “It willtranscend the relationship that we currently have and move usforward in the west Georgia region.”Mr. Howard also explained the importance of the relationshipbetween Tanner Health System and the university, and that thepartnership of the two organizations is strengthened by theorganizations’ commonalities.“I think there are two characteristics that these twoorganizations have in common,” he says. “It’s not just that theyare great places to work or that they are great facilities, but it isthe pursuit of excellence. The pursuit to be great really joins usand will allow us to accomplish what we really want to do in thecoming decade.”Mr. Howard pointed to the future, and that this partnershipwill help to prepare for the predicted shortage of nurses infuture years. He said that this is a move by UWG and Tanner toaddress the shortage at the local level.“This will also help our clinical staff to be better,” he adds.“These new learning labs are quite impressive, quite amazing,and will allow us to be able to train our nurses and help them tobe even better nurses in their pursuit of great quality. This willreally allow us to plan for the future.”Daniel Jackson, chairman of the Tanner Health SystemBoard of Directors and president/CEO of the Carroll CountyChamber of Commerce, reiterated the importance of nursesin the future. “On behalf of Tanner, we are excited about thisuniversity endeavor,” he says. “It creates two things: first isan opportunity for more students to participate and to havea chance to study nursing, and secondly, for Tanner, it is anopportunity to hire those students as they graduate.”The learning labs, which allow students to practice nursingon simulation mannequins and are located in the new64,000-square-foot nursing building, are only the beginning ofwhat the university will be able to provide to students throughthe partnership.Dr. Kathryn Grams, dean and professor of nursing at UWG,further explained how the gift and partnership will provide4 PERSPECTIVEopportunities for UWG students to work with and among themembers of the community and Tanner Health System, whilealso expanding the presence of innovation, growing studentcapacity and ultimately improving the overall quality of care.“The partnership will lead to innovation, innovation in practice,education and research that will promote evidence-based,person-centered care and benefit the citizens of west Georgia,”says Dr. Grams. “Specifically we hope to increase studentcapacity with this partnership, provide quality and quantity oflearning resources and opportunities in the practice setting,offer scholarships and fund program support and equipment.UWG will have access to Tanner’s clinical nurse experts tofacilitate education. Tanner will have access to UWG’s facultywith clinical academic and research expertise. There willalso be an opportunity for Tanner staff to come here to oursimulation center, so that we can work together. Ultimately,I believe that it will improve patient outcomes, and that reallyis what we are here to do, is to improve the quality of caredelivered to persons in this area.”Dr. Grams added that the partnership itself is innovative, andthat Tanner and UWG are the forerunners. “Partnerships ofthis type are being formed across the country to help advancenursing practice, improve the quality of care and enhancepatient outcomes,” she says. “UWG and Tanner are nowamong those who are leading the way.”The School of Nursing currently houses 475 nursing students,plus 800 pre-nursing students, approximately 10 percent of theoverall UWG student body and making nursing the number onemajor on campus. UWG offers a pre-licensure BSN degree,RN-BSN education for registered nurses seeking to advancetheir education, master’s degree programs in health systemsleadership and nursing education and an Ed.D. in nursingeducation. The partnership will only serve to increase theseimpressive statistics.“There are ample career opportunities for highly skilled, welleducated nurses,” says Dr. Grams. “This is a field that willexperience dynamic growth. It’s also a field that will play animportant role in expanding access to health care.”PERSPECTIVE 5
Fellow Alumni,Expanding the Newnan CenterBy Elizabeth StoneIn fall 2013, construction on the new UWG Newnan Centerofficially began. This expansion will relocate the NewnanCenter to the site of the historic Newnan Hospital facility onJackson Street, increasing the center’s usable space from15,000 square feet to 51,000 square feet. Along with thisexpansion, the Newnan Center plans to increase studentenrollment to 1,200, doubling the current enrollment by theprojected opening of the Newnan Center in January 2015.The center currently offers graduate degrees in business andeducation as well as undergraduate degrees in early childhoodeducation and nursing. With more space, the Newnan Centerwill be able to provide more program opportunities, specificallyin the lab sciences, like chemistry, biology and microbiology.Elizabeth JennetteUWG Newnan’s completecore curriculum programoffers hybrid and onlinelearning options. With thenew expansion, the centerplans to offer additionalfull or partial programswith more sections andoptions related to corecompletion. High schoolstudents also have theopportunity to gain collegecredit through the dualenrollment program, whichthe new building will serveto strengthen and expand.As an integral extension of the main campus, the NewnanCenter contributed to UWG’s 443 million overall regionaleconomic impact in 2012. The addition of the new Newnanfacilities will increase the impact in the west Georgia region,especially in Coweta County.In order to work toward these goals, the UWG Newnan Centeris proud to announce Elizabeth Jennette as the NewnanDevelopment Director. Elizabeth offers a strong involvement inthe Newnan community as well as an impressive backgroundfilled with development and fundraising experience.“Having lived in Newnan for 10 years, I am thrilled to have theopportunity to work on such an exciting project,” she says.“In a time when tradition is often disregarded in the name ofprogress, Newnan has managed to grow while maintaining somany of the characteristics that first made it great. The newNewnan Center is a testament to that ideal.”Elizabeth previously served as the director of major giftsfor the American College of Rheumatology Research andEducation Foundation and as the director of developmentfor Habitat for Humanity. Before joining Habitat for Humanity,she was also the mission delivery and corporate accountsmanager for the American Cancer Society. Elizabeth mostrecently served as the fundraising chair for the Carolyn BarronMontessori School.“As the UWG Newnan Center embarks on this new journey, weare blending the old with the new,” adds Elizabeth. “The newstate-of-the-art campus will bare the markings of the historicNewnan Hospital but will create opportunities for educationand career development that will be felt for decades to come.”For more information, please visit www.westga.edu/newnan.It is a wonderful time to be a University of West Georgiaalum. I hope you share in my excitement and enthusiasmfor the direction that the university is heading. On behalf ofthe UWG Alumni Association Board of Directors, I wouldlike to say that we support the leadership of the universityand vision that President Marrero has presented.I am equally excited about the future of the AlumniAssociation as we look to engage our alumni across theworld through our Alumni Networks. These new groupswill provide opportunities for engagement, service initiatives and support for the UWGAnnual Fund. As we grow our alumni networks, we want to remind everyone that it isnot how much you give of your time, talent or treasure; but THAT you give. Please go toour website at www.westga.edu/alumni and find a way to connect with UWG.Be on the lookout this spring for an alumni survey. The knowledge gained from thisproject will be instrumental in ensuring that we are exceeding the expectations of ouralumni. We value your input.I am privileged to lead such a dedicated and innovative group of volunteers these nexttwo years and excited about the impact we can have on each of our alumni. I hopeyou will join us on April 12, as we celebrate the many accomplishments of your fellowalumni during the Alumni Association Awards Gala at the Townsend Center. There willbe many other events as part of Alumni Weekend.Thank you for all you do for UWG! We want to hear from you at alumni@westga.eduand look forward to seeing you on campus. The best and brightest “Went West!”At Homecoming, UWG transitioned to newleadership for the volunteer Alumni Board ofDirectors as Greg Benda ‘05 began his roleas president. UWG’s Alumni Association is ingood hands.SupportSince 2006, the Annual Fund has been alignedwith the Alumni program. In the two years priorto the economic downturn, our alumni giverate grew to 8 percent. The national average iscurrently just above 9 percent. Our give rate in2013 was 3.99 percent. This means that 3.99percent of all graduates, more than 54,000,6 PERSPECTIVEsupported the UWG Foundation with a gift.To secure major gifts, we have partnered withthe Foundation’s Board of Trustees to developa matching gift challenge with the goal ofincreasing our support to 8 percent within thenext three years. Remember, the Annual Fundis about participation, not the amount of yourgift. Every gift has a major impact on UWG andits students.Greg Benda ’05President, Alumni AssociationAlumni SurveyThis spring an alumni survey will beadministered through the Richards College ofBusiness. We want to hear from you so pleaseparticipate in the process.VolunteerEngagementOur alumni networks will engage alumni incertain geographic areas, inviting members toparticipate in at least one group service projectin the network’s region and raise awareness ofthe importance of alumni support.UWG is working collaboratively withvolunteer groups to increase alumniengagement opportunities. AlumniNetworks are being established acrossthe nation, as well as events to betterserve our graduates who live abroad. TheGreater Los Angeles Network held a socialevent earlier this year featuring a Southernpotluck at Natalia Baudin’s home.Cindy Saxon ’82 ’91 ’94, vice presidentof the Alumni Association Board ofDirectors, will lead a task force to updateAffinityThrough a more robust engagement program,our goal is to increase affinity among ourgraduates. Think of affinity as a pride quotient.Where are you on a scale of zero to 10 (lowto high) if you were to measure your affinity toUWG?T HE S OLU T IONName: Artagus Newell ’97 ‘05Hometown: Carrollton, GeorgiaProfession: Zoning Administrator, CarrollCounty, GeorgiaRecent accomplishments: Fourteenyears with Carroll County as ZoningAdministrator; co-chairman of the 2013“A Day” campaign; incoming 2014 chairof the “A Day” campaign; UWG AlumniAssociation board member; chairman ofthe Alpha Tau Omega Board of Trustees;recent panelist at the Black StudentAlliance forum.Best Regards,Alumni UpdateChanges in LeadershipU W G FA C E SI Give Because the constitution and assist in identifyingthe best structure to serve the AlumniAssociation as a whole, including the newnetworks.Come Home to UWGAlumni Weekend, now referred to asWent West Weekend, is April 10 – 12 andwill include a 5K run, the spring footballgame, a service project and the awardsgala, plus reunions and a geocachingexcursion on campus. Find more detailson pages 16-17.Have questions or suggestions? Email us at alumni@westga.edu.In his words: “Attending West Georgiafor both undergraduate and graduateschool was an incredible experience forme. Not only did I make my best friendshere, I learned so much about life, theworld and myself. My professors alwaysencouraged me in my studies and arestill great influences on my life. The staffat UWG was always so great in helpingme with everything from financial aid,to assisting me in starting my career.My education attained at UWG hasbeen instrumental in my career, and Ioften credit my years at West Georgiafor helping to shape me into the personI am today. I am honored to remain inan active role at West Georgia, servingand volunteering in various capacitiesincluding the Alumni Board and as apast instructor in political science.”PERSPECTIVE 7
By Taylor BryantChallenged with the task of creatinga business in his New VentureManagement course, University ofWest Georgia senior Timothy Aldridgewanted more than just a good grade –he wanted an idea that he could actuallybring to fruition. As he wrote his initiallist of nearly 30 business ideas, Timothyrealized he wanted to sell something thatpeople couldn’t go a day without.“Then it hit me,” he recalls. “I wasdrinking coffee throughout the entireprocess of thinking of a business, andI love coffee! I mean, everyone drinkscoffee, and it’s the one thing people runout of.”That’s when Timothy realized that hecould set his business apart from therest by delivering high quality coffeestraight to the doors of his customersevery month. Excited about theconcept, Timothy jumped on the ideaand immediately started brainstormingnames for the company. “I just reallyliked ‘Expresso,’” he says. “It’s kind ofa play on words: ‘espresso’ spelledincorrectly, plus ‘express.’”After completing the course, Timothytook the knowledge he’d gleanedand conducted a significant amou
of UWG’s nursing program, provide much needed scholarship support for our nursing students and build the bridge to future health science programs,” says Dr. Kyle Marrero, president of UWG. Through this innovative relationship, practicing nurses will also have access to UWG’s nursing
