Category Archives: Alumni

Faculty Members Honored for Dedication with Presentation of Annual Awards

Advancement, Alumni, Current Students, Faculty/Staff, Home, Media Relations, Parent, School-AH, School-Business, School-Education, School-MS, School-Music, School-PS, Visitors

anderson

Anderson

thomas lee

Thomas-Lee

Davis

Davis

mcnally

McNally

Mullins

Mullins

Reinhardt University Honors Faculty Dedication with Presentation of Five Awards; Students Present Faculty Mentor Award

At the final Faculty Senate meeting of the academic year, University administrators underscored the crucial role that faculty play in making Reinhardt a true community of challenge and care. Among the outstanding faculty honored at the meeting were Dr. Matt Anderson, Dr. Paula-Thomas Lee, Jym Davis, Robin McNally, and Joe Mullins, and Dr. Catherine Emanuel was recognized during Honor’s Day.

Jane England Faculty Award for Excellence – Dr. Matt Anderson

Dr. Matt Anderson, instructor of music and a resident of Cumming, Ga., was honored with the Jane England Faculty Award for Excellence. The $500 award is named for a long-time Reinhardt faculty member who retired in May 2001 and passed away in January 2007. England was a professor of history and political science for 31 years at Reinhardt. She also served in numerous leadership roles, including advisor to the student newspaper and faculty chair. Upon her retirement, Reinhardt established this annual faculty award, along with a scholarship fund, in her honor. Anderson has been a faculty member at Reinhardt for almost three years.

Faculty Research and Scholarship Award – Dr. Paula Thomas-Lee

Dr. Paula Thomas-Lee, assistant professor of music, received a Faculty Research and Scholarship Award for her contributions to the artistic community. Thomas-Lee, a resident of Woodstock, Ga., has taught at Reinhardt for more than seven years.

“It was such a tremendous honor to receive this award for research,” said Thomas-Lee. “Conducting research is something that I find incredibly exciting! I think as educators we should always strive to look for ways to be more effective and applicable to our students. By researching on varying topics in the field of music education, I think I’ve become a stronger and more influential educator.”

Faculty Artistic Award – Jym Davis

Honored with the Faculty Artistic Award was Jym Davis, associate professor of art and a resident of Canton, Ga., who has taught at the University for more than eight years.

“Receiving the Faculty Art Award was a tremendous honor,” Davis said. “It was nice to have my art recognized and to hear so many encouraging words from my colleagues at Reinhardt University. There is a tremendous amount of creative energy at Reinhardt so it was nice to receive recognition from my peers.”

United Methodist Exemplary Teacher Award – Robin McNally

Robin McNally, assistant professor of mathematics, received the prestigious United Methodist Exemplary Teacher Award. McNally, a resident Acworth, Ga., has taught at Reinhardt for more than 21 years.

“I am very honored to have received this meaningful award,” said McNally. “I have been blessed for the last 20 years working with wonderful faculty members, amazing students and outstanding staff/administration at Reinhardt University.”

Funded by the Division of Higher Education of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church, the Exemplary Teacher Award is given annually to a Reinhardt faculty member to recognize excellence in teaching, commitment to value-centered education and service to students at the University.

Vulcan Materials Company Teaching Excellence Award – Joe Mullins

Honored with the Vulcan Materials Company Teaching Excellence Award was Joe Mullins, assistant professor of sport studies. Mullins, who is a resident of Jasper, Ga., has taught at the University for almost three years.

“I was excited to be nominated for the Vulcan award because the nominations come from students and faculty,” Mullins said. “I love to teach, and I am truly blessed to get to work with wonderful students and faculty every day. I was surprised to win the award and thankful to be recognized for something I love to do.”

Established in 1991, the Vulcan Teaching Excellence Awards annually honor an outstanding professor on selected member campuses of the Georgia Independent College Association. The award recognizes an outstanding faculty member who demonstrates strong academic skills in the classroom and provides leadership and support in the other areas of campus life. The recipients are faculty who assist the institutions in nurturing an academic climate which fosters teaching and who provide leadership to enhance the campus community.

Elizabeth Moss Bailey Faculty Mentor Award – Dr. Catherine Emanuel

The Elizabeth Moss Bailey Faculty Mentor Award was presented during Honors Day by Student Government Association President Alexander Bryant. Catherine Emanuel, director of the Center for Student Success, was selected by the students to receive this award.

“I certainly wasn’t expected this award, but it’s nice to have students acknowledge my efforts,” said Emanuel, a resident of Marietta, Ga. and faculty member for more than six years. “I feel very honored to have been recognized.”

The Elizabeth Moss Bailey Faculty Mentor Award was created in 2003 by the College’s Student Government Association (SGA) as an opportunity for recognizing a faculty member that renders outstanding mentorship to students. The SGA takes nominations for the honor from students, and then the members of the Student Senate vote on the faculty recipient. The award is named for Elizabeth Moss Bailey ’28, a distinguished alumna and former professor and dean of women who helped create the work-study program at the College.

Reinhardt Expands Title IX Past the Playing Field

Alumni, Current Students, Faculty/Staff, Media Relations, Parent, School-AH, School-Business, School-Education, School-MS, School-Music, Visitors

Reinhardt Expands Title IX Past the Playing Field

In the higher-ed world, the term “Title IX,” has always been synonymous with equality on the playing field. In the old days, the only Title IX question many colleges and universities considered was the number of scholarship opportunities for men and women athletes. If the number was equal, then institutions were thought to be compliant. Today, in the increasingly complex cultural landscape of U.S. college campuses, Title IX has expanded beyond equality to also address safety and accountability.

According to KnowYourTitleIX.com:

Title IX prohibits any type of sex-based discrimination in education. “It addresses discrimination against pregnant and parenting students and women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs. It also addresses sexual harassment, gender- or sex-based discrimination, and sexual violence. Sexual violence includes attempted or completed rape or sexual assault, as well as sexual harassment, stalking, voyeurism, exhibitionism, verbal or physical sexuality-based threats or abuse, and intimate partner violence.

Focused on Raising Awareness and Publicizing Resources

For the past several years, administrators and student leaders at Reinhardt University in Waleska, Ga., have been hard at work addressing the varied issues related to Title IX. Efforts last year focused on raising awareness and publicizing resources. This year, online training was provided for students at MyStudentBody.com and for faculty and staff on In2vate; the student handbook was revised to include a nondiscrimination notice; grievance/code of conduct procedures have been updated; and a Title IX Intervention Committee of faculty and staff has been formed and trained.

According to Dr. Roger Lee, vice president of student affairs and dean of students, the Intervention Committee has several critical responsibilities. “The overall role is to provide oversight in making our campus a safer environment to live and learn and also to guide our commitment to meeting the requirements of the Title IX federal mandate,” Lee said. “This committee has been hard at work, especially in the last few months, presenting Title IX strategies/updates/initiatives to the University Board of Trustees, participating in a state-wide ‘Commitment to Act’ statement through GICA/Legislators and learning Title IX compliance in state-wide training opportunities.”

Student-Activated Efforts

On March 7, 2013, the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization was signed into law, which required colleges and universities to adopt new policies and procedures pertaining to the reporting, discipline procedures, victims’ rights and prevention programs. The Reinhardt Student Government, in collaboration with the committee, took an active role in seeking to eliminate sexual violence on campus through the changing of student policy and providing prevention resources. This includes the primary prevention tool used for all incoming new students called MyStudentBody—an online tool that helps students tackle and reduce their risk of drug and alcohol abuse and sexual violence. Additional secondary prevention resources developed by SGA include campus resource contact cards and bystander intervention informational door hangers.

Title IX Web Section

A section on Reinhardt’s website developed by student Stephen Vosika, coordinator of student involvement and orientation, will serve as an institutional resource about Title IX policies and resources for students, faculty, staff, their families and Reinhardt visitors.
“It is our commitment to support the rights of all members of the Reinhardt University community to work, live, and study in an environment free of sexual violence,” said Vosika. “The new Title IX web section will assist individuals in the understanding of new procedures that will apply for reporting and discipline procedures while connecting them to national, local, and campus resources to report incidents of sexual violence.”

“Stop. RU Ready to Talk?”

Another student-activated effort included a campus-wide sexual awareness marketing campaign, which was created by an Advertising and PR Strategies class, under the direction of Dave Garner, adjunct instructor. The class created four different flyers, each with three different statistics about sexual assault, as well as a coordinating brochure advertising the campaign.

“Our campaign slogan was “STOP. RU Ready To Talk?” said Jayde Crowe, co-coordinator for the class campaign. “So many people experience sexual assault and are scared to say anything. That was the main thing we wanted students to understand. It’s time to talk about it. If it has happened to you and you stay quiet and don’t tell anyone then that could be harming someone else’s safety.”

The campaign was implemented during Sexual Awareness Month and students were invited to take a pledge to help stop sexual violence on college campuses. Two large posters were created with blue handprints and signatures of the students who made the pledge.
“We had great results from this campaign,” said Crowe. “I think, as college students, we don’t realize how often sexual assault occurs. However, being on a college campus you are even more prone to it happening to you.”

Increased Safety and Accountability

Overall, the efforts of implementing all the Title IX procedures and policies have increased the safety and accountability of all Reinhardt students, faculty and staff. Educational programming at all constituency levels has improved; sexual violence awareness training is more consistent and thorough; and because of greater awareness, incident reporting has increased.

“How will we know if our energies put forth have been successful in helping the campus understand Title IX?” said Lee. “We will know this by how our students, faculty and staff are proactive, as well as reactive against sexual violence on campus; when there are more campus-wide discussions regarding awareness; and when violence issues have been prevented because of training. It all goes hand-in-hand and it will continue. Our goal is to make Reinhardt somewhere where all will want to be because it’s a safe place to live and work.”

Reinhardt Expands Title IX Past the Playing Field

Alumni, Current Students, Faculty/Staff, Home, Media Relations, Parent, School-AH, School-Business, School-Education, School-MS, School-Music, Visitors

Reinhardt Expands Title IX Past the Playing Field

In the higher-ed world, the term “Title IX,” has always been synonymous with equality on the playing field. In the old days, the only Title IX question many colleges and universities considered was the number of scholarship opportunities for men and women athletes. If the number was equal, then institutions were thought to be compliant. Today, in the increasingly complex cultural landscape of U.S. college campuses, Title IX has expanded beyond equality to also address safety and accountability.

According to KnowYourTitleIX.com:

Title IX prohibits any type of sex-based discrimination in education. “It addresses discrimination against pregnant and parenting students and women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs. It also addresses sexual harassment, gender- or sex-based discrimination, and sexual violence. Sexual violence includes attempted or completed rape or sexual assault, as well as sexual harassment, stalking, voyeurism, exhibitionism, verbal or physical sexuality-based threats or abuse, and intimate partner violence.

Focused on Raising Awareness and Publicizing Resources

For the past several years, administrators and student leaders at Reinhardt University in Waleska, Ga., have been hard at work addressing the varied issues related to Title IX. Efforts last year focused on raising awareness and publicizing resources. This year, online training was provided for students at MyStudentBody.com and for faculty and staff on In2vate; the student handbook was revised to include a nondiscrimination notice; grievance/code of conduct procedures have been updated; and a Title IX Intervention Committee of faculty and staff has been formed and trained.

According to Dr. Roger Lee, vice president of student affairs and dean of students, the Intervention Committee has several critical responsibilities. “The overall role is to provide oversight in making our campus a safer environment to live and learn and also to guide our commitment to meeting the requirements of the Title IX federal mandate,” Lee said. “This committee has been hard at work, especially in the last few months, presenting Title IX strategies/updates/initiatives to the University Board of Trustees, participating in a state-wide ‘Commitment to Act’ statement through GICA/Legislators and learning Title IX compliance in state-wide training opportunities.”

Student-Activated Efforts

On March 7, 2013, the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization was signed into law, which required colleges and universities to adopt new policies and procedures pertaining to the reporting, discipline procedures, victims’ rights and prevention programs. The Reinhardt Student Government, in collaboration with the committee, took an active role in seeking to eliminate sexual violence on campus through the changing of student policy and providing prevention resources. This includes the primary prevention tool used for all incoming new students called MyStudentBody—an online tool that helps students tackle and reduce their risk of drug and alcohol abuse and sexual violence. Additional secondary prevention resources developed by SGA include campus resource contact cards and bystander intervention informational door hangers.

Title IX Web Section

A section on Reinhardt’s website developed by student Stephen Vosika, coordinator of student involvement and orientation, will serve as an institutional resource about Title IX policies and resources for students, faculty, staff, their families and Reinhardt visitors.
“It is our commitment to support the rights of all members of the Reinhardt University community to work, live, and study in an environment free of sexual violence,” said Vosika. “The new Title IX web section will assist individuals in the understanding of new procedures that will apply for reporting and discipline procedures while connecting them to national, local, and campus resources to report incidents of sexual violence.”

“Stop. RU Ready to Talk?”

Another student-activated effort included a campus-wide sexual awareness marketing campaign, which was created by an Advertising and PR Strategies class, under the direction of Dave Garner, adjunct instructor. The class created four different flyers, each with three different statistics about sexual assault, as well as a coordinating brochure advertising the campaign.

“Our campaign slogan was “STOP. RU Ready To Talk?” said Jayde Crowe, co-coordinator for the class campaign. “So many people experience sexual assault and are scared to say anything. That was the main thing we wanted students to understand. It’s time to talk about it. If it has happened to you and you stay quiet and don’t tell anyone then that could be harming someone else’s safety.”

The campaign was implemented during Sexual Awareness Month and students were invited to take a pledge to help stop sexual violence on college campuses. Two large posters were created with blue handprints and signatures of the students who made the pledge.
“We had great results from this campaign,” said Crowe. “I think, as college students, we don’t realize how often sexual assault occurs. However, being on a college campus you are even more prone to it happening to you.”

Increased Safety and Accountability

Overall, the efforts of implementing all the Title IX procedures and policies have increased the safety and accountability of all Reinhardt students, faculty and staff. Educational programming at all constituency levels has improved; sexual violence awareness training is more consistent and thorough; and because of greater awareness, incident reporting has increased.

“How will we know if our energies put forth have been successful in helping the campus understand Title IX?” said Lee. “We will know this by how our students, faculty and staff are proactive, as well as reactive against sexual violence on campus; when there are more campus-wide discussions regarding awareness; and when violence issues have been prevented because of training. It all goes hand-in-hand and it will continue. Our goal is to make Reinhardt somewhere where all will want to be because it’s a safe place to live and work.”

4/10 – Year of India Symposium: Hinduism in Metro Atlanta

Advancement, Alumni, Current Students, Faculty/Staff, Home, Media Relations, Parent, School-AH, School-Business, School-Education, School-MS, School-Music, School-PS, Visitors, Working Adults

Year of India Symposium: Hinduism in Metro Atlanta

You are invited to attend our Year of India Symposium: Hinduism in Metro Atlanta, Friday, April 10 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

8-9 a.m.: Registration

9-9:50 a.m.: Lecture – Dr. Steven Ramey University of Alabama, associate professor religions of Asia, Diaspora Indian Religions and Global Identities, Indian Identities in the US South

10-10:50 a.m.: Presentations – Brother Shankara, spiritual director and resident minister of Vedanta Center of Atlanta; and Mr. Manhar Valand, vice president of the Chinmaya Mission Atlanta

11-11:50 a.m.: Panel Discussion by Presenters

12 p.m.: Traditional Indian Lunch – catered lunch is free for the first 30 who register online (see below for link)

*All sessions held in the Hill Freeman Library and Spruill Learning Center

Online Registration

Generous Gift from Tarpley Estate to Fund Scholarships and Stage Arts Center

Advancement, Alumni, Current Students, Faculty/Staff, Home, Media Relations, Parent, School-PS, Visitors

Reinhardt Will Use Generous Gift from Tarpley Estate to Fund Student Scholarships and Stage Arts Center

The estate gift of Mrs. Mozelle Tarpley was recently voted by the Reinhardt Board of Trustees to be restricted to serve the University’s theatre program. The gift will continue to draw interest that will be awarded at 5% for student scholarships until an additional amount is raised to construct a theatre building. The Stage Arts Center, as it’s also known, will be named for Fred and Mozelle Tarpley.

“The Tarpley name has long been associated with Reinhardt University,” said Billy Hasty, Jr. ’67, board chairman. “Family members live in Waleska, home of the University, and others have lived in other parts of the state. Regardless, the Tarpley family has remained committed to Reinhardt with gifts and support.

“Reinhardt has again been blessed by the Tarpley famly with a gift from the estate of Mrs. Mozelle Tarpley. The family recently gave $1,670,500 as an unrestricted gift; however, the University has elected to restrict the gift to its thriving theatre program. We are very grateful to the Tarpley family and their dedication to Reinhardt.”

A Passion for Education.

Education was woven into the fabric of the Tarpleys’ lives. He began his career as a teacher, and she devoted her life to the profession. Both attended Reinhardt in the late 30s. During their time at Reinhardt, the Tarpleys worked hard to achieve their goals, and both worked on campus to help their parents with tuition costs and give back to the college for the education they received.

After graduating from Reinhardt, Mr. Tarpley taught at Oak Grove Junior High School. In 1942, he joined the U.S. Naval Reserve, serving aboard a ship in the Amphibian Fleet in the Pacific and invaded Okinawa during WWII. Mrs. Tarpley entered the teaching profession at Eton Elementary School while she waited for Mr. Tarpley to return from war.

The couple married on June 1, 1946, after the war ended, and moved to Dalton, Ga. Mrs. Tarpley continued her teaching career in the Dalton City School system, and Mr. Tarpley entered the banking field at First National Bank of Dalton. After 40 years in banking, Mr. Tarpley retired as a group vice president.

In 1998, the Tarpleys also gave Reinhardt a $1 million gift to fund a new academic building on campus—the Fred H. and Mozelle Bates Tarpley Education Center.

Leaving a Legacy.

“As an alumnus of Reinhardt, I appreciate loyal alumni, with a continuing interest in and support of their alma mater,” said Ken White ’61, board member. “Mr. and Mrs. Tarpley not only made the naming gift for the Tarpley Education Center at Reinhardt in 1998 , they left a legacy through this most generous planned gift that will help transform the lives of many young people.”

David Nisbet, assistant professor of theatre, added to White’s sentiments. “The theatre program would like to thank the Reinhardt Board of Trustees for seeing our need and taking decisive action to meet it. We are looking forward to the day when we have a dedicated space for our students to learn their craft and the public can enjoy even higher quality productions.”