magazine - Troy University

MAGAZINE
Summer 2012
Dogs of Ashkelon: Students take
part in archaeological dig in Israel
In a Unique Twist, Alumnus
becomes an Ambassador of Fun
A first-class first class: 11 inducted to
TROY Athletics Hall of Fame
Deadly Season: Professor’s book
examines 2011 tornado outbreak
Jim Harvey takes a novel
approach to retirement
Troy University Magazine
Summer 2012
Publisher
Tom Davis (81)
Editor
Andy Ellis
Publication Designer
Rob Drinkard (09)
Contributing Editors
Loretta Clark (11), Matt Clower (04), Tom Davis (81), Clif
Lusk, Bailey Smith
Photographers
Cass Davis (06), Kevin Glackmeyer
Printer
Interstate Printing and Graphics
Chancellor
Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr.
SVC for Advancement and External Relations
Dr. John Schmidt
AVC for Marketing and Communication
Donna Clark Schubert
AVC for Development
Dr. Jean Laliberte
Alumni Affairs Director
Faith Ward (81, 87)
National Alumni Association President
Doug Mims (90, 01)
Troy University Magazine is published three
times a year for the alumni and friends of Troy
University. For more information contact the
Office of University Relations at:
253 Adams Administration Building
Troy, AL 36082
Phone (334) 670-3196
Fax (334) 670-3274
E-mail: [email protected]
Troy University Magazine welcomes comments, ideas
and suggestions from readers. Editors reserve the right to
decide if letters to the editor will be published and to edit
submissions for content and length. Copyright 2012 by Troy
University, all rights reserved. Troy University is accredited
by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools to award associate, baccalaureate,
master’s, education specialist and doctoral degrees. Contact
the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur,
Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about
the accreditation of Troy University. The Commission is to
be contacted only if there is evidence that appears to support
an institution’s significant non-compliance with a requirement
or standard.
www.troy.edu
Find us on:
FEATURED STORIES
8 Unique twist
A hobby balloons into a second career for
alumnus Doug Smith.
10 A Novel Approach
After retiring from two successful business-related
careers, 1967 graduate Jim Harvey has used
memories from his childhood to begin a new
career – published author.
12 TROY Athletics - Hall of Fame
ON
THE COVER
Jared Aguayo, a senior from Stone
Mountain, Ga., works to unearth a
delicate artifact at the archaeological
dig in Ashkelon, Israel. Aquayo is
one of five TROY students who,
alongside of students from Harvard,
Boston College and Wheaton
College, took part in this year’s dig as
a part of the Leon Levy Expedition
to Ashkelon.
The inaugural class of the Troy University Sports
Hall of Fame will be inducted during a banquet on
Aug. 10
18 Digging for Dogs
TROY students have gone to the dogs this summer
– Persian Period dog bones in Ashkelon, Israel,
that is. Discover the impact TROY anthropology is
having on modern-day archaeology.
20 Homecoming
TROY’s 2012 Homecoming celebration is
set for Nov. 17 and will feature the theme
“Trojans: Here, There and Everywhere!”
22 ‘Deadly Season’
Dr. Dan Sutter, TROY’s Charles G. Koch
Professor of Economics, talks about his new book
that examines impact of the April 2011 tornado
outbreak.
• The photo credit for the cover photo of the magazine is Melissa Woolley, Ashkelon Expedition Site Photographer.
IN EVERY ISSUE
3 torchlight
Alumni Named to Educational
Hall of Fame
7chapter news
Dickinson Joins Alumni Staff
24 athletics
Football Season Tickets
26 alumnotes
News from TROY Alumni
FROM THE DESK OF THE CHANCELLOR
If I were asked to explain Troy University’s
mission of globalization using just one anecdote,
I would be tempted to tell the story of Ashkelon,
the subject of our cover story in this issue of Troy
University Magazine. Ashkelon, located some 35 miles
from Tel Aviv, is the site of an archeological dig that
began in 1985, but it’s also the site of a new academic
partnership for our University.
Dr. Bill Grantham, a member of our social sciences
faculty, has sent TROY students to the Middle East
each summer for four years now to work on this
dig alongside faculty and students from Harvard,
Boston College and Wheaton College in unearthing
the secrets of the past. I am proud that this year
TROY was asked to join these outstanding institutions
in formal partnership on this project, which is a
testimony to the work of Dr. Grantham and our
students who have worked at Ashkelon.
Overseas projects such as Ashkelon were what
we had in mind when we began the process of
internationalization more than 20 years ago. Not only
do we want to bring students and scholars from other
lands to Alabama, we also want to expose our students
from the United States to the broader world, for that
is the stage on which the next generation of leaders
will perform. That’s why TROY students can be found
studying and learning in China, Italy, London, France
and Kenya, just to name a few of our study-abroad
destinations.
The Trojan Nation is producing its share of authors,
working in all genres. This edition reports on a faculty
member who has written a timely and well-received
work on the lessons society can take from the great
tornado outbreak of 2011 and its aftermath. We also
profile alumnus James Harvey, a retired businessman
who has added “successful author” to his resume.
Mr. Harvey has written a novel set in the Florida
Panhandle region during the World War II era and is
working on a second novel.
This issue also profiles the first class of our
Troy University Sports Hall of Fame, which will
be inducted this year. Those to be enshrined
represent the very best of the Trojan Spirit and the
establishment of a hall of fame to honor our Trojan
sports heroes is long overdue. The ceremony will be
held in our beautiful new Trojan Arena, where our hall
of fame will be housed.
TROY Magazine
2
Speaking of athletics, next football season promises
to be a season of firsts. It marks the first season
we have six home games since joining the NCAA’s
Football Bowl Subdivision and Mississippi State will
be the first Southeastern Conference school to visit
Veterans Memorial Stadium when the Bulldogs come
calling on Sept. 15. But the afternoon of Nov. 10 will
be meaningful in a sense that transcends athletics. On
that day the Trojans will play Navy and it’s the first time
a service academy has visited Troy for a football game.
It’s also Veterans Day and the 237th anniversary of the
United States Marine Corps, so we are planning several
special events for that day in addition to our traditional
“Salute to Veterans.”
Make plans to return to campus for these exciting
events and we especially want you back on Nov. 17th for
our annual homecoming celebration.
Jack Hawkins, Jr., Ph.D.
Chancellor
3
TORCHLIGHT
• Left to right, TROY Chancellor Jack Hawkins, Jr., inductees Dr. Joe Morton, Robert Lane, Daniel Washburn
and Dr. Lance Tatum, Vice Chancellor of Global Campus and former Dean of the College of Education.
Alumni among Educational Leadership Hall of Fame class
Two Troy University alumni were among the three inductees
into the University’s Alabama Educational Leadership Hall of
Fame during a recent ceremony on the Troy Campus.
Former Association of School Boards President Robert Lane
and retired Alabama High School Athletic Association Executive
Director Daniel Washburn joined past State Superintendent of
Education Dr. Joe Morton in the class of inductees. The group
was inducted by Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chancellor, and Dr. Lance
Tatum, Vice Chancellor of Global Campus and former Dean of
the College of Education.
The Hall of Fame was established in 1982 to recognize, by
cooperative effort of Troy University, the Alabama Association
of Schools Boards and the Council for Leaders in Alabama
Schools, outstanding leaders and to establish and maintain a Hall
of Fame to permanently record their achievements. Portraits
of the members hang inside Hawkins Hall, the home to the
University’s College of Education.
TROY Magazine
A 24-year member of the Lowndes County Board of
Education, Lane (1989) served as the 22nd president of the
Alabama Association of School Boards and served eight years
as a member of the National School Boards Association Board
of Directors. He is the third Alabamian to serve on the NSBA
board and is the second of three African-Americans to serve as
AASB president. Retired from the U.S. Navy, Lane also served a
stint as district office manager for former U.S. Rep. Earl Hilliard.
Washburn (1978) retired as executive director of the Alabama
High School Athletic Association in 2007 after 16 years in the
post. He began his education career as a high school teacher and
coach at Lanett and Prattville high schools for 21 years, followed
by eight years as superintendent in Lanett City Schools. He
served as National Federation of State High School Associations
president in 2005-2006, and established as a requirement
for eligibility the STAR Sportsmanship initiative, which has
registered more than 175,000 students, coaches, officials and
parents in the state since 2007.
3
• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance is one of five new programs offered this fall.
New programs offer expanded opportunities, flexibility for students
Five new programs
offered this fall at Troy
University will present
both undergraduate and
graduate students with some
additional degree options
and help better prepare them
to be competitive in the
marketplace.
The College of Arts and
Sciences will offer a bachelor’s
degree in anthropology and
a bachelor’s degree of liberal
studies; the Sorrell College of
Business will offer the Master
of Accountancy; and the
College of Communication
and Fine Arts will offer
a Bachelor of Fine Arts
in Dance and a Master
of Science in Strategic
Communications.
In June, the Alabama
Commission on Higher
Education granted TROY
permission to offer the new
degrees, with the exception of
anthropology, which received
approval in December 2011.
TROY Magazine
4
Dr. Jim Rinehart, dean of
the College of Arts and
Sciences, said the University
has offered a concentration
in anthropology in the social
sciences major for years, but
the major in anthropology was
created to satisfy a demand by
the students.
“We also have faculty
members, led by Dr. Bill
Grantham, the department
chair, who are well qualified
to teach anthropology, which
was a primary factor in our
decision,” Dr. Rinehart said.
The Bachelor of Liberal
Studies features a broad-based
curriculum designed to
foster critical thinking and
communication skills, Dr.
Rinehart said. He said the
degree would be attractive
to adult learners who have
vocational and professional
skills from on-the-job
experience but lack a college
degree or traditional students
who are planning to pursue
graduate degrees in areas
that demand critical thinking
skills, such as law, business
administration or public
administration.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts
in Dance is designed as a
comprehensive program for
students who either want
to pursue a career in dance
performance, teach dance
or work in the fine arts field
in areas involving dance,
according to Dr. Maryjo
Cochran, dean of the College
of Communication and Fine
Arts.
“This is a natural outgrowth
of the minor in dance that
we have offered for several
years coupled with our hiring
of Elie Lazar, internationally
known choreographer and
ballet master, for our dance
faculty,” Dean Cochran said.
The College is also home to
a new Master of Science in
Strategic Communications in
the Hall School of Journalism
and Communication. The
graduate degree features a
30-semester hour program
focused on contemporary
communication issues and will
prepare students to develop,
implement and evaluate
communication strategy in
an increasingly complex,
multifaceted and online
environment. The program is
designed to be completed in
one year.
“By launching this graduate
degree program in Strategic
Communication, the Hall
School continues to move the
standards in journalism and
communication education
forward,” said Dr. Steven
Padgett, Director of the
School. “This degree
responds to requests from
our Journalism Alumni
Association (JAA) and
industry demands, which are
being driven by the historic
shifts we are witnessing in
how the public communicates
through online and social
media.”
The Master of Accountancy
degree will enable
TROY graduates to be
more competitive in the
marketplace, according to Dr.
Kaye Sheridan, director of
the School of Accountancy.
Currently, the University
offers an accounting
concentration in the master
of business administration
program.
“Data from the American
Institute of Certified Public
Accountants show that 82
percent of students with
graduate degrees hired by
CPA firms have the master
of accountancy degree,” Dr.
Sheridan said.
Journalism Alumni Association
Honors Grads
Four graduates of Troy University’s Hall School of Journalism
and Communications have received awards from the Journalism
Alumni Association.
The awards were presented at the Hall School’s annual
awards banquet for current students and alumni. This year’s
banquet, held in the University’s Trojan Center, also celebrated
the 40th anniversary of the Hall School of Journalism and
Communications.
• TROY-STARTALK participants practice the traditional Chinese fan dance
during the 15-day residential program held this summer on the Troy Campus.
Grants Help Spread Chinese Language
and Culture in Alabama
High school students and teachers from throughout the country
were able to immerse themselves in the Chinese language
and culture this summer during an intensive program at Troy
University.
The 15-day residential program, TROY-STARTALK, was made
possible through nearly $200,000 in federal funds from the
National Security Administration.
Students who completed the program have the opportunity
to participate in study abroad programs in China through
the Confucius Institute at Troy University. In addition to the
language studies, students were exposed to Chinese culture
through learning Chinese Kung Fu and Dragon dance, making
Chinese-related arts and crafts, playing traditional games, cooking
and writing calligraphy.
Teachers of Chinese received intensive training and cultural
immersion opportunities similar to the student workshop to
broaden their understanding of Chinese culture and thought
when they return to their own classrooms.
Peggy Hoomes Jaye (1980) of Monroeville received the award
as outstanding alumna in public relations. Jaye is public affairs
manager for Georgia-Pacific’s Alabama River Cellulose facility
in Monroe County. She previously served as director of the
Monroeville Chamber of Commerce and as associate editor of
the Monroe Journal. She and her husband, Alan, have two sons.
Tiffeny Owens (2008), who received the award as outstanding
alumna in print journalism, is the Decatur City Hall reporter
for The Decatur Daily. She covers Decatur City Council, mayor’s
office, zoning, planning and personnel boards and finance work
sessions.
Aaron Taylor (2000), interim president of the Journalism
Alumni Association, received the Merrill Bankester Outstanding
Service Award for his work with the alumni association. The
award is named for the Dean Emeritus of the Hall School.
Taylor works with the TrojanVision News Department at TROY.
Taylor is engaged to 2001 Hall School graduate Robbyn Brooks.
Desmond Wingard (1999), winner of the outstanding alumnus
in broadcast journalism, is assistant news director for WSFA-TV
in Montgomery. A native of Letohatchee, Wingard began
working at WSFA 12 before he graduated. He has also served
as an interim assignment editor, executive producer and interim
news director.
Troy University establishes new home
for computer sciences
One of Troy University’s more popular academic programs—
computer sciences— is now a department of its own, according
to Dr. Jim Rinehart, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
The computer science program had been a unit of the
mathematics department since the 1970s. Dr. Rinehart said the
growth of the program, which serves more than 1,000 students,
warranted the creation of a separate department. Dr. Bill Zhong,
who joined the University faculty in 2005, will serve as chair of
the department.
Dr. Zhong said the computer science curriculum will be revised
to “reflect current trends in the profession.” In addition, the
department will collaborate with the Department of Criminal
Justice to offer a new academic minor in cyber security.
• Journalism Alumni Association award winners, from left to right: Tiffeny Owens,
Aaron Taylor, Peggy Jaye and Desmond Wingard.
5
Book chronicles
experiences of
former TROY
staffer during
World War II
The late Dr. Renwick Kennedy, a former director of public
relations at TROY, is the topic
of the latest book by Alabama
author and historian Tennant
McWilliams.
The book, “Chaplain’s
Conflict: Good and Evil in
a War Hospital, 1943-1945,”
provides a candid view of
what went on in the World
War II evacuation hospitals
through the eyes of Kennedy,
a former U.S. Army chaplain.
Kennedy served as field
visitor and director of public
relations at TROY during the
1950s.
“The Chaplain’s Conflict
employs the stage of a
World War II evacuation
hospital to tell the story of a
Christian struggle with killing
and war,” McWilliams said.
“The experience of serving
in World War II opened
Kennedy and deepened him
so profoundly that within
three years of coming home
he could no longer live the
full-time life of the minister.”
TROY Magazine
6
McWilliams collected
Kennedy’s war diaries and
postwar articles published
in “Christian Century” and
“Time” magazines to retrace
the steps of the Army’s 102nd
Evacuation Hospital in the
European Theater. He also
interviewed citizens of France
and Luxembourg who recall
the 102nd to further reveal the
local citizens’ reactions to the
army hospital that illuminated
both Kennedy’s severe
criticism and his enduring
praise for evacuation life.
McWilliams is a retired
professor of history and
former dean of the UAB
School of Social and
Behavioral Science.
Alumnus part of
Pulitzer Prizewinning coverage
of tornado
outbreak
Jamon Smith (2004) was part
of the Tuscaloosa News team
recently awarded the Pulitzer
Prize in the breaking news
category for its coverage of
the April 27, 2011, tornado
outbreak.
TROY alumnus retires from the classroom
Dr. Tom Hammett’s more than 40-year career in education
began even before he received his degree from Troy University.
In May, the 1971 music education graduate closed the classroom
door for the last time, retiring after teaching choral music in the
Chattanooga, Tenn. area for the last 29 years.
“I had already taught two years for the Troy City Schools prior
to graduation,” Hammett said. “I continued my teaching career at
Crestview High School where I served as choral director for four
years.”
During his time at Crestview, Dr. Hammett completed his
master’s degree in music education and moved to Phenix City
to teach music at the junior college level. He later earned a
doctorate in music education from Florida State University and
moved to a teaching position in Dalton, Ga. where he remained
for 17 years.
While in close proximity to Atlanta, Hammett realized a longheld dream of singing with the Robert Shaw Chorale, which
included concert tours to Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center.
The Shaw chorus and orchestra garnered numerous Grammy
Awards while Hammett was involved.
From Dalton, Hammett moved to Chattanooga where he has
lived ever since.
“I don’t think I’ll ever have the opportunity to enjoy quiet,
peaceful or boring days of retirement, even though I formally
retired from teaching in May,” Hammett said. “I presently serve
as director of music ministries at Brainerd Presbyterian Church
and have just begun a new career as a radio broadcaster for
WDYN Radio in Chattanooga.”
Hammett said he was grateful for the opportunities afforded
him through his TROY education.
“There is no way I will ever be able to thank the professors and
administrators at Troy University for all the doors they opened
for me,” he said. “They helped produce a life filled with fulfilled
dreams.”
Hammett and his wife, Faye, have four daughters – Emily
Grace, Charity, Rosalie and Stephanie.
• (above) The Hammett family pictured in front of a portrait of Dr. Tom Hammett’s
mentor Robert Shaw at Symphony Hall in Atlanta. Left to right: daughters Emily Grace
and Charity, Tom Hammett, Tom’s wife Faye, and daughters Rosalie and Stephanie.
Smith, who graduated
from TROY’s Hall
School of Journalism and
Communication and served as
reporter and columnist for The
Tropolitan student newspaper,
was a part of the news team
that made use of social media
to update the community
about the storms and their
aftermaths when Tuscaloosa
lost power.
In addition to providing
updates and tracking the
damage caused by the storm,
Smith also captured some of
the first video and photos
from the areas. His work
in the award-winning entry
package included the first
staff report on the damage
in Alberta in the stories
“Tornado Ravages City”
and “Survivors Crawl from
Rubble.” Also included was
his story “Authorities Restrict
Access to Rosedale Court,”
along with several tweets,
videos and photos.
This is the second Pulitzer
Prize earned by a Hall
School of Journalism and
Communication alumnus. The
first was won by alumnus Ed
Rouze, the news editor of
the Alabama Journal in 1988,
when that newspaper wrote a
series of articles about infant
mortality in Alabama.
Donation from Troy University Greek
Organizations to Help Save Lives
A donation made by Troy University fraternities and sororities
will help save the lives of children in need of heart surgeries in
developing countries.
• (left to right) Chris Hager, Morgan Blankenship, Dr. William Novick (75) and Scott Hubbard.
DICKINSON JOINS ALUMNI STAFF
Dickinson (2009, 2011)
holds bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in sport and fitness
management and served as
a graduate assistant to the
director of development
and annual giving for Trojan
athletics. He is a former
member of the TROY
baseball team.
TROY alumnus Dr. William Novick (1975), founder of the
International Children’s Heart Foundation (ICHF), was presented
with a check for $8,000 from TROY Greek Week co-chairs
Scott Hubbard of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and Morgan
Blankenship of Phi Mu sorority. The funds were raised through
events held during the University’s annual Greek Week activities
during the spring semester.
Since 1994, the mission of the International Children’s Heart
Foundation (ICHF) has been to bring the skills, technology and
knowledge to diagnose and care for children with congenital
heart disease to developing countries that request help. Through
the use of teams of professionals from world class cardiac
care centers, ICHF travels to developing countries performing
operations and educating local health care professionals. Since
its inception, ICHF teams have performed more than 6,000
operations in countries on all continents.
In his new position,
Dickinson will assist chapters
in managing and developing
alumni events, serve as a
liaison between alumni
chapters and the University,
promote University programs
and events within the chapters,
recruit new dues-paying
members and further work
to cultivate and maintain
relationships with alumni.
“I couldn’t be any happier
to begin my career at Troy
University,” Dickinson said.
“I had a great opportunity to
play baseball at TROY, then
continued on as a graduate
assistant within the athletic
department so I am excited
to be able to help TROY
continue to grow and excel.”
TROY Magazine
The donation not only went to a good cause, but also served to
demonstrate the spirit connecting Greek organizations, regardless
of their university affiliation, said Chris Hager, coordinator of
student involvement and Greek Week advisor. A fundraiser
to benefit the ICHF was being planned last year by Greek
organizations at the University of Alabama, but it had to be
canceled after a tornado ripped through Tuscaloosa on April 27,
2011.
TROY alumnus Andrew
Dickinson has joined the
Alumni Affairs staff as
membership coordinator.
7
Unique
Twist
By Elise Zwicky
TROY Magazine
8
• Peoria, Ill. Mayor Jim Ardis (left) presents TROY alumnus Doug Smith with
proclamation honoring him as the city’s unofficial “Ambassador of Fun.”
• Doug Smith (‘84)
Hobby expands into
second career for
TROY alumnus
What began as a hobby for Troy
University alumnus and Dothan
native Doug Smith has ballooned
into a unique second career and
recently earned him recognition
from the Peoria, Ill., City Council.
A TV news photographer for
WEEK/WHOI in Peoria for the
past 22 years, Smith started his
second career of twisting balloons
into nearly any shape imaginable
in 1995 as a way to entertain his
nieces and nephews. He is now
a sought-after balloon artist who
brings happiness to people of all
ages at festivals, restaurants, fairs
and other events.
“I like seeing the kids’ faces light
up when a balloon comes together
right in front of them,” said Smith,
who taught himself the craft and
has built his repertoire to include
more than 300 creations.
Smith was honored recently with
a proclamation signed by Peoria
Mayor Jim Ardis congratulating
him on his “Unique Twist” on
life and recognizing him as an
unofficial ambassador of fun in
this central Illinois city of 115,000.
The mayor’s proclamation
describes Smith as an “ever
popular (TV) cameraman by
day and creative balloon guy by
night (who has) perfected his lock
twist, expanded his repertoire,
and pumped his way into major
festivals, trade shows and private
parties.”
Smith can twist most balloons
into a shape in five minutes or less,
but a few can take more than an
hour or two. He’s even perfected a
six-foot Santa Claus that takes 90
minutes to create.
His most popular creation is a
monkey in a banana tree, though
he’s also skilled at making
everything from armadillos to
diamond rings.
“One of my newest creations that
people are asking for is a Perry the
Platypus hat from the animated TV
show ‘Phineas and Ferb’,” Smith
said.
Smith is an award-winning TV
news cameraman who has been in
the press pool when both former
President George W. Bush and
President Barack Obama visited
Peoria.
His two careers merge once a
month when he makes balloon
creations and banters with the
WHOI anchor team as part of the
morning news show. He has been
featured in numerous Peoria news
and magazine publications.
Smith graduated from TROY’s
Hall School of Journalism and
Communications in 1984 with a
bachelor’s degree in broadcast
journalism. He worked in Florida
and Louisiana for five years before
moving to Central Illinois. He is
the son of Al and Marilyn Smith
and the brother of David Smith,
who all reside in Dothan.
Zwicky is a freelance journalist based in
Pekin, Ill.
TROY Magazine
Smith’s demand for balloon
twisting has grown so much in
recent years that he changed his
business name to “The Unique
Twist” and “Twisting Crew” after
adding and training a few associate
artists.
“I’d venture to say that I do five
to seven events in a typical week,”
Smith said.
9
A Novel
Approach
After success in the business world,
TROY alumnus embarks on writing career
TROY Magazine
10
By Bailey Smith
In retirement, Jim Harvey is
calling on the passion that drove
his success in two business-related
careers along with a collection of
childhood memories to launch a
new career path – published author.
The 1967 business graduate has
published the novel “Grayton
Beach Affair,” set in the Florida
Panhandle against the backdrop of
World War II. The novel, Harvey
says, combines war action, danger,
intrigue and romance.
Harvey was born in a small
farming town in South Alabama
just a few miles from Monroeville.
He spent part of his childhood
years vacationing in the Florida
Panhandle, where he became
fascinated with stories of how
German U-boats roamed the Gulf
of Mexico during the war.
“My grandmother owned a home
in Fort Walton Beach on the
Intracoastal Waterway during World
War II, and my older brother lived
there in the summers as a small
child,” Harvey said. “He told me
about hearing explosions offshore,
where German submarines were
sinking Allied ships, and I always
thought it was an interesting part
of history.”
Harvey, who is currently working
on a second novel, began writing
full time on “Grayton Beach
Affair” in 2009, representing
a departure from his previous
business-related careers.
Following graduation, Harvey
began a successful career with
IBM while working toward his law
degree. He was awarded a Juris
Doctorate in 1984 from Woodrow
Wilson College of Law in Atlanta.
“TROY helped me determine
that business was the best option
for my skills,” he said. “It opened
doors in the business world, and as
a result of my degree, I was offered
a wonderful opportunity with IBM
and later law school.”
Realizing that most new lawyers
hardly make a living, Harvey
used his degree to advance in
the business world. After early
retirement from IBM, he began a
second career in commercial real
estate brokerage and development
in Atlanta, advancing to vice
president of one of Atlanta’s
largest office park developers.
While writing provides some
different challenges than his
previous careers, Harvey attacks it
with the same sort of passion that
led to his success in the business
world.
“Writing a well-written novel
requires a tremendous amount of
research, writing, rewriting, editing
and rewriting again,” Harvey said.
“It demands a commitment and
passion for the subject matter and
characters. I had that passion for
‘Grayton Beach Affair,’ and am
now developing it for my next
novel.”
Harvey and his wife, Marie, now
live in north Georgia. When he
is not writing, Harvey enjoys fly
fishing for trout in the streams
of north Georgia and the Rocky
Mountains. The couple also lives
part of the year in the Florida
Panhandle where he fishes the
Gulf waters.
Smith, a senior print journalism and
public relations major from Selma, is a
university relations intern.
TROY Magazine
11
(left to right from top)Ralph
Adams, Billy Atkins, Larry
Blakeney, Sim Byrd, Don Maestri,
Vergil Parks McKinley, Denise
Monroe, Charles Oliver, Chase
Riddle, Mike Turk and DeMarcus
Ware.
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First class of TROY Sports
Hall of Fame
Eleven former and current Troy University student-athletes, coaches and administrators
have been inducted as the inaugural class of the Troy University Sports Hall of Fame.
The class consists of Ralph Adams (administration), Billy Atkins (football), Larry
Blakeney (football), Sim Byrd (football), Don Maestri (men’s basketball), Vergil Parks
McKinley (football), Denise Monroe (women’s basketball), Charles Oliver (track and field),
Chase Riddle (baseball), Mike Turk (football) and DeMarcus Ware (football).
Fans will be able to enjoy a state-of-the-art interactive display for the TROY Athletic Hall
of Fame at the main entrance of the new Trojan Arena.
TROY Magazine
13
RalphAdams
Ralph Adams became President of Troy State College in 1964 and remained the University’s chief
executive for 25 years before retiring in 1989. Under his administration, Troy State achieved university
status and more than doubled its enrollment. Athletically, TROY won the NAIA national championship in
football in 1968, a pair of NCAA Division II football championships (1984 and 1987), two NCAA Division
II baseball titles (1986 & 1987) and numerous NCAA Division II national titles in golf and track & field.
Adams passed away on May 13, 1998.
Billy Atkins
Billy Atkins coached the Troy State football team for six seasons from 1966 to 1971 and led the Red Wave
to the 1968 NAIA national championship. Atkins also led TSU to three Alabama Collegiate Conference
championships (1967-68-69), and his 44 career victories rank as the second most in University history. He
was the two-time NAIA District 27 Coach of the Year (1967-68) and was the NAIA National Coach of the
Year in 1968. He served in the dual role of football coach and athletic director from 1969 to 1971.
Larry Blakeney
A 2009 inductee into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, Larry Blakeney has been at the forefront of the
move of the Troy University football program from the ranks of Division II, through Division I-AA and
into Division I-A. In the spring of 2011, the playing surface at Veterans Memorial Stadium was named in
his honor. Blakeney has led TROY to eight conference championships, including five straight Sun Belt titles
(2006-10) and has coached 61 players that have gone on to play professional football. Blakeney has guided
the Trojans to 15 winning seasons, including six seasons of 10 wins or more, and he currently stands fourth
among all college coaches to have manned a sideline in the state of Alabama with 164 victories. Blakeney
has guided the Trojans to five bowl game appearances. His 21 seasons on the sideline in TROY make him
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the third longest tenured coach at the Football Bowl Subdivision level.
Sim Byrd
One of the greatest players ever to play at Troy University, Sim Byrd still owns many of the program’s
all-time passing records. During his three seasons at quarterback (1966-68), he guided the Red Wave to a 24-8
record and the school’s first national championship (1968). He was named a first team All-American as well
as being named all-conference in the Alabama Collegiate Conference after his senior year. As a senior, Byrd
set then single-season records for passing yards (3,569), completions (260) and pass attempts (414). He is
the TROY career record holder for touchdown passes (68) and total offense (7,373), ranks second in career
passing yards (7,619) and third in attempts (924) and completions (575). He is a member of the Alabama
Sports Hall of Fame.
Don Maestri
Over the past 30 years, Don Maestri has guided the TROY men’s basketball program from a fledgling
Division II program to conference championships in three different Division I leagues. Along the way he
has racked up almost 500 victories, nine 20-win seasons and seven conference championships. Five different
conferences have called Maestri its coach of the year, tying him for the most among active coaches. Maestri,
who is TROY’s all-time winningest men’s basketball coach, has also gained acclaim for his scoring teams.
TROY has led the nation in scoring three times, as well as leading the nation in three-pointers seven times.
On Jan. 12, 1992, TROY became the first team to score 200 points in an NCAA basketball game, defeating
DeVry, 258-141. TROY hit 51 three-pointers during the game, still a NCAA record, and only one other team
at all NCAA levels has scored 200 points since.
Vergil Parks McKinley
A professor at the Troy Normal School, Vergil Parks McKinley was charged with the task of fielding the
school’s first football team. McKinley, who attended the University of Alabama, but never received a football
letter, had 14 players try out for the first team, but kept just 11. He guided that squad to a 1-0-2 record in
his only year as the head coach. He went on to serve as a faculty member at the University of Alabama from
1918 until his retirement in 1945. Both Troy University and the University of Alabama present a Virgil Parks
TROY Magazine
McKinley Employee Award on a regular basis. McKinley passed away on July 3, 1954.
15
Denise Monroe
The all-time leading scorer in TROY women’s basketball history with 2,024 points, Monroe took over basketball
games across the country from 1977 to 1981. Monroe led the Trojans to a 21-9 record during the 1978-79
season as she averaged 18.1 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. The Quitman, Ga., native also ranks second in
TROY history with 1,312 career rebounds and holds the TROY career records for field goal attempts (1,515),
field goals made (823), free throws attempted (609) and free throws made (378). She scored a season-high 31
points in a 76-70 victory over Auburn and set a school record with 26 rebounds in a 65-49 victory over South
Alabama during the 1978-79 season. A 1981 All-American, Monroe’s No. 30 uniform was retired on Nov. 14,
1998 and is still the only retired jersey in TROY women’s basketball history.
Charles Oliver
Charles Oliver, or Coach O, was a national champion as an athlete, a coach and an administrator. Oliver, who
is TROY’s 400-meter record holder at 45.71 seconds, was a national champion athlete at Troy State University,
winning the NAIA 400-meter championship in 1976. He was an alternate on two United States Olympic teams
in the 400 meter and the 4x400 meter relay. He sponsors two meets at TROY, the Coach O Cross Country
Invitational and the Coach O Track & Field Invitational. Oliver was a coach for the 1991 University of Tennessee
national champion track and field team and an administrator with the 1998 Tennessee national champion
football team. He is also a successful businessman and is heavily involved in supporting grassroots track and field
programs for kids. Oliver is a member of Theta Phi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, where he was one
of 20 brothers of the charter line that brought the first black fraternity to the Troy State campus. He was also
recognized as one of the charter members of the TROY Letterwinners Club.
Chase Riddle
Chase Riddle is the all-time winningest coach in TROY baseball history with 434 victories as the head coach
of the Trojan baseball program from 1979 to 1990. Riddle led the Trojans to the NCAA Division II national
championship in 1986 and 1987 and guided Troy State to 10 NCAA Tournament appearances in the 12 years he
was at the helm of the program. His teams won six regional titles, five Gulf South Conference championships
and played in six NCAA Division II World Series. Riddle’s teams posted a 253-59-1 record at the field that now
bears his name and produced 30 All-Americans and 36 first team All-Gulf South Conference players. He was
a member of the inaugural TROY Baseball Hall of Fame class in 1992 and is a member of both the Wiregrass
TROY Magazine
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Sports Hall of Fame as well as the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. Riddle came to TROY following 25 years as a
player, manager and scout with the St. Louis Cardinals. Riddle passed away on June 12, 2011.
Mike Turk
Mike Turk led the Trojans to a pair of NCAA Division II national championships in 1984 and 1987. He
earned first team All-Gulf South honors three times (1985-86-87) and first team All-America honors in 1987.
During his career the Trojans posted a 40-8-1 record and captured three Gulf South Conference titles. While
playing quarterback, Turk finished his career as the second leading rusher in school history with 2,533 yards.
He is second all-time in TROY history with 32 career rushing touchdowns, fourth in total offense (6,707),
sixth in career passing yards (4,174), sixth in pass attempts (490), seventh in completions (245) and seventh
in career touchdown passes (30). Following his playing career, Turk joined the Troy State coaching staff as
an assistant under Larry Blakeney in 1991 and remained at his alma mater for 12 years before taking over as
head coach at Huntingdon College.
DeMarcus Ware
DeMarcus Ware is one of the best defensive players to ever play at Troy University and has turned in a
wildly successful professional career. Ware, who was named to the Sun Belt Conference All-Decade Team,
has played in six Pro Bowls and was the 2008 NFC Defensive Player of the Year. Ware’s 55.5 career tackles
for loss are tied for the most in Trojan history while his 27.0 career sacks rank as the fifth best mark in
school history. He was a finalist for the 2004 Hendricks Award which is presented annually to the nation’s top
defensive end. Ware helped lead the Trojans to the 2004 Silicon Valley Football Classic – the University’s firstever bowl game – while earning Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year honors. The Dallas Cowboys selected
Ware with the 11th pick of the 2005 NFL Draft and he has been dubbed the best 3-4 outside linebacker in
the NFL by Sporting News and the most dynamic defender in the NFL by ESPN.
TROY Magazine
17
Digging for Dogs
By Clif Lusk
TROY Magazine
18
Seated: Jared Aguayo and Joel Jackson. Standing, left
to right: Harvard graduate student Alethia Williams,
Benjamin Conner, John Barbaree and Hailey Hillsman.
• (left to right) Oil lamp uncovered intact from the Ashkelon dig., Joel Jackson removes dirt from an artifact., Dr. Bill Grantham, now a TROY professor, took part in the Ashkelon dig nearly 25 years ago.
The dogs were buried during the Persian
period in Ashkelon, Israel, several
thousand years ago and unearthed by
TROY anthropology professor Dr. Bill
Grantham nearly a quarter century ago.
This summer five of Grantham’s students
returned to the Middle East as part of
the Leon Levi Expedition to Ashkelon
to study the skeletal remains for the first
time since they were encapsulated in
plaster and removed from their burial
places.
Barbaree and fellow students Joel
Jackson, a junior from Millbrook and
junior Benjamin Conner from Prattville
won’t be strangers in the Holy Land,
either. All three worked on the “Ashkelon
Dig” last summer.
Last year, Grantham and Wikle took all
students who applied for the summer
excursion. This year, she said, some 45
students – many from other disciplines –
applied and the field had to be narrowed
to just five.
“(Last year) we were introduced at
the site as ‘Bill Grantham’s students.’
Everyone there knew what I was about
when that happened,” Barbaree said.
“That says a lot about the quality that’s
expected of us all.”
“It’s a real mystery as to why the dogs
were buried,” Grantham said. “There’s
just not a good explanation as to why they
were buried.”
Joining the three veterans were Hailey
Hillsman, a senior from Sandersville, Ga.,
and Jared Aquayo, a senior from Stone
Mountain, Ga.
As part of the consortium agreement,
the University will send five students for
the next five years to Ashkelon. Since
1985, the Leon Levy Expedition has been
the premier America expedition in Israel,
training two generation of students to
appreciate the ancient culture and uncover
history, said Dr. Lawrence Stager, the
Dorot Professor of the Archaeology of
Israel at Harvard.
Equally perplexing is the fact the burials
only occurred over a relatively short time
period – perhaps 50 years of the more
than 200-year rule of the Persians, he
said.
“Our students are being recognized as
bone specialists and they’re being singled
out,” said Hillary Wikle, an anthropology
graduate who now directs TROY’s
Ashkelon component.
The students worked with
zooarchaeologist Dr. Paula Wapnish,
who worked with Dr. Grantham and
is the widow of his major professor at
University of Alabama - Birmingham,
Dr. Brian Hesse, who was a long-time
Ashkelon scholar.
The dog burials, she said, would
give a glimpse of the ritualistic life of
the ancient Persian people, but more
importantly the recognition TROY
students are receiving in the field is giving
contemporaries a unique view of the
University.
The 150-acre site alongside the
Mediterranean in southern Israel, the
Ashkelon area is home to at least 20
ancient cities dating from at 3500 B.C.
to 1500 A.D. Canaanite, Philistine,
Babylonian, Persian, Phoenician and
Israeli civilizations are reflected in the
strata of the excavation.
“When people think ‘TROY’ they don’t
think ‘archaeology,’” she said. “We want
to see that change.”
“It’s hard to put a price on it,” Wikle
said. “Our students are receiving Harvard
training, making contacts for graduate
school and Ashkelon is just an incredible
draw for students.”
For Grantham’s part, he’s enjoying
seeing both his students find meaningful
study while laying the groundwork for
future academic study. He’s also proud of
his institution.
“For TROY to be a part of the formal
agreement is very satisfying,” he said.
“It brings so many opportunities for our
students.”
Lusk is a coordinator of university relations.
TROY Magazine
“I’ll be a long way from Andalusia,” said
John Barbaree, a senior social scienceanthropology major. “But the people
there (Israelis and Arabs) do things just
like we do – they’re people just like us.”
Indeed, the archaeology program is
growing, thanks in part to the consortium
the University joined this year with
Harvard University, Wheaton College and
Boston College.
“Over the past two seasons, students
from Troy University have become an
integral part of this Ashkelon experience.
Their excitement about the work at
hand, capacity for learning new skills,
and leadership among their peers have
made them true assets to our team and
examples to our other participants,” he
said. “We are excited to see what new
abilities TROY students will bring over
the coming seasons and we are happy to
know that the excavation will continue to
benefit from their integrity and ingenuity.”
19
HOMECOMING CELEBRATION
S E T F O R N O V. 1 7
BY ANDY ELLIS
Troy University is borrowing a page
from the book of noted American
children’s author Dr. Seuss for the theme
of its 2012 homecoming celebration.
“Trojans: Here, There and Everywhere!”
will be the theme for activities leading
up to the Nov. 17 celebration, which will
culminate with the homecoming football
game against Sun Belt Conference
opponent Arkansas State. Kickoff for the
game is set for 2:30 p.m.
Along with the traditional activities
for students and alumni, the Student
Government Association will salute the
works of Dr. Seuss by partnering with
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local libraries to host book drives in an
effort to support childhood literacy.
The SGA also plans to coordinate a
volunteer program through which TROY
students can become reading coaches
for area youth, according to Cody Farrill,
SGA vice president of campus activities.
“Our most exciting addition for 2012
is the service initiative that we will be
tying in throughout homecoming week,”
he said. “Childhood illiteracy is a major
problem throughout our state, nation
and world, and we hope that Trojans will
come together and host book drives for
donation to their local libraries.”
Faith Ward, alumni affairs director, said
she hopes that all alumni and friends will
plan to return to campus and take part all
of the homecoming activities.
“Homecoming is always a special time
in the life of TROY, and this year is
certainly no exception,” Ward said. “Our
traditional homecoming activities provide
alumni the opportunity to renew old
friendships and see the many changes
that are taking place on campus. I’m also
excited about the opportunity that this
year’s theme provides to focus on a major
issue that impacts our communities, and I
appreciate the leadership of our Student
Government Association in providing
opportunities to give back and encourage
literacy for our young people.”
Trojan Trot 5K run for the afternoon of
Nov. 16.
Year can be made on the alumni page of
the University’s website (www.troy.edu).
The celebration will get a bit of a head
start this year with the announcement of
the homecoming court being made as
TROY opens the new Trojan Arena on
Nov. 9, kicking off the basketball season
with a visit from the Mississippi State
Bulldogs.
The annual homecoming parade
presented by the Pike County Chamber
of Commerce will kick off festivities on
Nov. 17 in downtown Troy. Pre-game
activities, including a performance by the
Sound of the South and the introduction
of the homecoming court, will begin at 2
p.m. in Veterans Memorial Stadium. The
homecoming halftime show will include
performances by the Sound of the South
and the Alumni Band, the crowning
of the homecoming queen and the
presentation of the Alumni of the Year
awards. Nominations for Alumni of the
Farrill said many other activities are
in the planning stages for students and
alumni alike.
Student organizations will take part
in various competitions throughout
homecoming week, leading up to a Nov.
16 pep rally on Bibb Graves Quad. In
addition, the SGA is also planning the
“Our hope is to host events where
TROY students and alumni across
the world can come together in a
social setting, which will provide many
networking opportunities and personal
growth for our student body,” he said.
Ellis is a coordinator of university relations and
editor of the Troy University Magazine.
TROY Magazine
21
‘Deadly Season’
TROY professor’s book examines April 2011 tornado outbreak
By Andy Ellis
Troy University economics professor
Dan Sutter felt a sense of relief. It was
March 2011, and he and his co-author,
Kevin Simmons of Austin College, had
finally seen their book “Economics and
Society Impacts of Tornadoes” published,
capping off a nearly two-year process.
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22
And then, a little over a month later,
on April 27, the United States and, in
particular, north Alabama, experienced
one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks
in history. The 2011 tornado season is
ranked as the fourth deadliest in U.S.
history, including the 321 fatalities during
the April 25-28 outbreak, 238 in Alabama
alone on April 27.
“We had barely gotten this book out
when we had the outbreak in April 2011,
and there was the fear that our previous
book was already outdated,” said Sutter,
Charles G. Koch professor of economics
in TROY’s Manuel H. Johnson Center for
Political Economy. “(In the first book)
we had addressed tornado warnings
and all the other things the National
Weather Service had done to reduce
tornado fatalities and then we have the
deadliest single tornado since 1947 and
the deadliest tornado day since 1925. All
of these things that tornado researchers
thought could never happen again, that’s
what we had.”
Sutter and his co-author immediately
began discussions with the book’s editor
at the American Meteorological Society
Press to decide what course of action
was best given the events of April 27.
A revised edition of the first book was
among the ideas discussed, but in the end,
the idea of a new book won out.
“Journalism is often referred to as the
first rough draft of history, and we took
some of that spirit into this project here.
It is sort of a first academic look at the
2011 season,” Sutter said.
The result of their research was “Deadly
Season: Analysis of the 2011 Tornado
Outbreak,” which was published in March
just ahead of the outbreak’s one-year
anniversary.
“We wanted to try to take what we had
just written and provide some perspective
on what happened in the April outbreak,”
Sutter said. “The big issue that arises is
that natural disasters are a combination of
what nature does and what we as people
do. If you are to look at the season of
2011 for tornadoes, you have such an
extreme season it would seem that there
could be two explanations. One would
be that it was just extreme weather – an
extreme number of tornadoes, where
those tornadoes happened to hit, how
strong they were – or it could be some
type of extreme, heretofore unrecognized
type of societal vulnerability. The big
question was, given the pattern of
tornado fatalities we had seen in our past
research, was 2011 a complete surprise?
The answer to that question, Sutter said,
was no but with a caveat.
and we don’t have a good explanation
for that,” he said. “I think it is really
important that we try to understand why
that is before we begin undertaking a lot
of half-baked ideas just to do something.
A physician has to diagnose an illness
before offering treatment because without
a diagnosis the actions taken can do more
harm than good. So, that is a question
that my co-author and I, and hopefully
other researchers, may take a look at in
the future.”
Despite the lessons learned from the
2011 tornado season, Sutter said there
are still many questions to be answered,
perhaps the most puzzling of which is the
regional differences in tornado lethality.
Ellis is a university relations coordinator and
editor of the Troy University Magazine.
“Tornadoes in the southeast are more
deadly than the rest of the country,
View more about Dr. Sutter’s
tornado research in a video segment
EconVersations w/ Dan Sutter episode
19 on TROY’s YouTube Page.
TROY Magazine
“The past patterns were telling us
that yes, given the length and strength
of those tornadoes that occurred, 100
fatalities in a single tornado wasn’t out of
the question,” he said. “The good part of
that is that last year was a really unusual
year in terms of the number of violent,
long-track tornadoes that occurred in
the U.S. There were six EF-5 tornadoes
last year. There had been two in the
U.S. as a whole during the 11 previous
years. In terms of whether it was societal
vulnerability or nature that led to the
outlier year, our conclusion is that it was
primarily due to nature. And, because
it was such an outlier year in terms of
tornadoes, we don’t think we will have to
worry about seeing a repeat of 2011 any
time soon unless nature happens to send
out another record year.”
23
Milestones to include
memorable match up
with Naval Academy
TROY Magazine
24
The 2012 season is one of
milestones for the Trojan
football program.
honor both current and past
members of the armed forces as
a Veterans Day tribute.
For the first time since
moving to the Football Bowl
Subdivision, TROY’s schedule
will include six home games,
including the first-ever visits to
Veterans Memorial Stadium by a
Southeastern Conference team,
Mississippi State, and a service
academy, Navy.
This year’s game takes on the
added significance of falling
on the birthday of the Marine
Corps, and several special
events are being planned to
commemorate the day, including
a birthday cake-cutting ceremony
prior to the game.
The Nov. 10 visit from Navy
will take on special significance
as the University celebrates its
annual “Salute to Veterans”
game. Since 2000, the University
has designated one home
football game in November to
In addition, special dignitaries
and representatives of the
Wounded Warriors will take
part in the pre-game coin toss.
A special halftime tribute by the
Sound of the South marching
band will also be a part of the
day’s festivities. The service
songs for each branch of the
military will be performed and all
veterans, active duty and reserves
and their family members will be
recognized as they parade across
the field during the performance
of their service song.
Attendees to the game will also
have opportunities to contribute
to the TROY for Troops
Scholarship, a program launched
last year that provides support to
the dependents of U.S. military
members killed in the line of
duty.
We asked our Troy University Facebook fans what
they were most looking forward to about the
upcoming 2012 football season.
Several comments were directed at Mississippi State’s
visit to Veterans Memorial Stadium on Sept. 15.
• Randy Ross: “Look
forward to the entire
season. Six home
games, two more
games in state and the
Tennessee road game.”
• David Marsh:
“Whupping MSU
in TROY.”
• John McClung: “We
need more cowbells
for Mississippi State.”
• Travis Adams:
“I’m excited. Six
home games and
the away games
are in good
driving distance.”
• Ricky Krause: “You
know I still remember
the 20-9 win TROY laid
on the Bulldogs [Oct.
13, 2001 in Starkville]. I
think I’m gonna make
that game.”
Still other comments were directed at the fanfriendly schedule, which includes six homes
games and easily-accessible road games.
TROY Magazine
Kevin Duplantis also commented that he is
looking forward to: “A 13-0 season.” We’re with
you, Kevin. Go Trojans!
25
26
ALUMNOTES
at Lake Blackshear in Cordele,
Ga.
Kathy Bozeman (1976)
has joined the Birmingham
accounting firm of Yeager &
Boyd, LLC in the company’s
tax division.
Brenda Russ (1979) was
recently appointed director
for the Office of Taxpayer
Advocacy at the Alabama
Department of Revenue.
The Rev. Frank Scott
(1952) , retired minister in
the Alabama-West Florida
Conference of the United
Methodist Church, was
recently honored during the
annual Blue Lake Family
Day near Andalusia. During
the ceremonies, the Frank L.
Scott Prayer Labyrinth was
dedicated. Scott, a native
of Brewton, was among
the group credited with
establishing the camp in the
late 1940s.
Larry Groce (1968) was
recently inducted into the
Limestone County Sports Hall
of Fame. Groce, who played
football at TROY, was a
two-sport star in football and
track at Tanner High School
before transferring to Athens
High School where he earned
all-state football honors.
Lt. Col. Joseph Paquette
(1970) was the first Marine
TROY Magazine
26
Corps officer to attend
TROY through the Marine
Corps’ Bootstrap program.
Paquette retired in 1980 with
30 years of service in the
Marine Corps. Now at age 80,
Paquette enjoys his retirement
Mary Frances Garner
(1980) has been named
assistant director of external
relations and projects for the
Alabama State Bar. Garner has
more than 25 years experience
in association management,
member service, community
development and hospitality
and travel. She has previously
worked with the Montgomery
Area Chamber of Commerce,
the Alabama Bureau of
Tourism and Travel and most
recently, the Alabama Society
of CPAs.
Forrest S. Latta (1980)
has been named to this year’s
Alabama Super Lawyers list.
Latta, who is a member of
the Troy University Board
of Trustees, works in Burr &
Forman LLP’s Mobile office.
He was selected to the list for
his work in business litigation.
The Super Lawyers list
recognizes lawyers who have
attained high peer recognition,
meet ethical standards and
have demonstrated a degree
of achievement in their field.
Only 5 percent of lawyers in
the state are named by the
Super Lawyers list.
Vann Thornton (1980,
1997) was recently named
head band director at Tift
County High School in
Tifton, Ga. He previously
served as head director at
Bacon County, Dougherty and
Colquitt County high schools.
Faith West Ward (1981,
1987) , Troy University alumni
director, recently completed
the Event Management course
work at Auburn University
Montgomery to obtain her
event planner certification.
Maj. Gen. David E.
Quantock (1983) recently
assumed responsibility as
the 14th provost marshal
general of the U.S. Army and
took command of the U.S.
Army Criminal Investigation
Command and the Army
Corrections Command. He
will be responsible for all
policing functions within the
Army, as well as leading and
directing the Military Police
Corps.
Dean C. Bryant (1987,
1989) has been named the
special agent in charge of the
FBI’s St. Louis Field Office.
He previously served as the
chief of the Critical Incident
Response Group’s Hazardous
Devices Operations Section
near Quantico, Va. He has
been employed by the FBI
since 1991.
Brenda Skinner (1987) ,
a first-grade teacher at Elba
Elementary School, was
recently honored as WSFATV’s “Class Act.” The Class
Act award is given each week
to a teacher who is known to
have gone above and beyond
the call of duty in reaching
her students.
Dr. Byron Cherry (1992) ,
chief executive officer of
Succeed to Lead, LLC,
has been appointed to
serve on the Norfolk State
University’s Board of Visitors.
Established in 2007, Succeed
to Lead provides services
in financial management to
include budget analysis and
accounting, professional
and administrative
support services, logistics
management, information
technology, leadership
education and development
and personal consulting and
coaching. As the President
and Chief Executive Officer,
Dr. Cherry is responsible
for corporate, strategic and
business planning, financial
management oversight, and
corporate business outreach.
Andrew Davis (1992)
has been named as the new
president of Carney Hospital
in Dorchester, Mass. Davis
is the former chief executive
of the Davis Regional
Medical Center in Statesville,
N.C. and also previously
served as chief executive of
Sandhills Regional Medical
Center in Hamlet, N.C. He
holds a bachelor’s degree
in accounting and a Master
of Business Administration
from TROY and is a Certified
Public Accountant.
Russel L. Honore (1992) ,
a retired U.S. Army lieutenant
general, served as the keynote
speaker for the Louisiana
State University E.J. Ourso
College of Business diploma
ceremony in May.
Dr. Gina McAllister
(1992) is the recipient of
the 2012 Kirkland Award
for Excellence in Teaching
at Chipola College in
Marianna, Fla. McAllister has
worked at the college since
1998 and presently serves
as a professor in Chipola’s
Teacher Education program.
The Kirkland Award, which
honors Carolyn and the late
Willis Kirkland of Marianna,
provides $1,000 to the annual
recipient.
Lt. Col. Karl Petkovich
(1993, 1994) is presently
the joint requirements officer
in Force Development, Joint
Requirements and Analysis
for the Office of the Deputy
Chief of Staff, headquarters
of the Department of the
Army. He has more than 30
years of military service.
Richard J. Sherlock
(1993) has been appointed
chief executive officer of the
Association of Air Medical
Services. The association
is the only international
trade association serving
the entire air and ground
medical transport community.
Sherlock will also serve
in a dual role as the chief
executive order of MedEvac
Foundation International.
Michael Chadwick (1994)
is head athletic trainer and
assistant athletic director at
the University of Montevallo.
Don Hersman (1994) has
announced his candidacy for
the Holmes County, Fla. office
of Clerk of Court. He is
employed by Piggy Wiggly. He
and his wife, Dawn, have two
children – Dylan and Dalton.
Priscilla Southall (1994)
recently became the first
female truck driver training
program coordinator/
instructor at H. Councill
Trenholm State Technical
College in Montgomery. She
has been employed with the
training program for the last
six years.
Jinni Frisbi (1995) is the
director of sports medicine
and associate athletic director
at the University of South
Alabama.
Chad E. Stewart (1995)
the Florida Department of
Corrections.
volleyball coach at Enterprise
High School. She previously
served as head coach for the
volleyball and softball teams
at Kinston. Wiggins and her
husband, DeWayne, have
three children – Alex, Ali and
Abigail.
Cathy Hoover (1999) ,
an instructor in the early
childhood care and education
program at Middle Georgia
Technical College, has been
named the school’s 2011-2012
instructor of the year.
Charles L. Kendall (1996)
has been recognized as a
top performer for his sales
achievements with Willis
North America, a global
insurance provider. His
achievements have qualified
him for the company’s
Exceptional Producers
Council. Schmidt is the son
of Dr. John Schmidt, TROY’s
senior vice chancellor for
advancement and external
relations, and his wife Vickie.
has been named head football
coach at Troup (Ga.) High
School. Kendall, who has
been employed with Troup
County School System since
1999, currently teaches social
science at Troup High and
serves as the head coach of
the boys’ tennis team and as
the assistant athletic director.
He had served as interim head
football coach for the school
since earlier this year.
Jeremy Lowery (1996) is
director of sports medicine
at Andrews Institute in
Pensacola, Fla.
Lee Borcik (1997) is a
physical therapist and athletic
trainer at the Southern Bone
& Joint in Dothan.
Heather Haney (1997) was
recently inducted into the
Limestone County Sports Hall
of Fame. She was a two-time
first team, all-state basketball
player and all-time leading
scorer at Athens High School.
She was named Alabama’s
Class 5A Player of the Year
during her senior year in high
school and went on to play
basketball at TROY.
Chief Master Sgt. Cynthia
Solomito (1997) is command
chief of the Air Force Global
Logistics Support Center
at Scott Air Force Base in
Illinois.
Lee Moss (1998) is seeking
the post of Holmes County
(Fla.) Clerk of Court. He
is currently employed as a
senior classification officer
at Holmes Correctional
Institution Work Camp with
Tim Schmidt (1999, 2000)
Richetta Scaife Stephens
(1999) was recently honored
by the People of Action for
Community Enrichment
organization in Auburn with
the group’s Outstanding
Member Award. Stephens,
who currently serves as office
manager for the OpelikaAuburn News, received the
award for her dedication and
love for her family, church and
community, her leadership
qualities and her giving spirit.
Courtney Boswell (2000) is
assistant athletic director and
athletic trainer at Columbus
State University in Columbus,
Ga.
Brian Dugan (2000) has
been named major over
District II of the Tampa
Police Department. Dugan
has been with the department
for 21 years.
Eron Green (2000) has
been named the new president
and chief executive officer of
South Texas children’s Home
Ministries. He previously
served as an administrator
of Florida Baptist Children’s
Home where he oversaw all
program operations in the
Central Florida area. Green
and his wife, Shelley, have two
children, Harper and Deacon.
Nico Melendez (2000) was
recently named Saddleback
College’s 2012 Alumnus
of the Year. He works as a
professional broadcaster/
communicator with the
Transportation Security
Administration. An officer
in the U.S. Navy Reserve,
Melendez was named the 66th
Assembly District Veteran of
the Year in 2011.
Carrie Stewart (2000)
was recently named director
of sports medicine and
head athletic trainer at the
University of West Georgia.
Marquita Wilkins (2001,
2002) has been named as
the new principal of HeardMixon Elementary School
by the Newton County (Ga.)
Board of Education. She has
served as assistant principal
at the school for the past four
years.
Lynn DiNardo (2002) has
been named principal at
Mansfield (Ga.) Elementary
School. She previously served
as the school’s assistant
principal. DiNardo has also
served as assistant principal
at both Ficquett and Rocky
Plains elementary schools
during her 21-year career with
the Newton County School
System.
Eric Law (2002) has
finished Medical School at
UAB and will return to Troy,
Ala. to practice medicine.
Felipe Usury (2002) has
been named chief of police
for the Fulton County (Ga.)
School System. Usury, who
holds a Master of Public
Administration from TROY,
is a 21-year law enforcement
veteran.
TROY Magazine
has been named a shareholder
in the Montgomery-based law
firm of Beasley, Allen, Crow,
Methvin, Portis & Miles,
P.C. Stewart joined the firm’s
Consumer Fraud Section
in 2011 and has focused
primarily on Medicaid Fraud
Litigation. He and his wife,
Becky, have three children –
Cate, Ann Presley and Bo.
Janie Wiggins (1995,
1996) is the new head
27
Barbara Edwards (2003)
is an athletic trainer at
Vanderbilt Sports Medicine in
Nashville, Tenn.
Suzanne Elmore (2003)
is the new volleyball coach
at Kinston High School. An
alumna of the school, Elmore
previously served as a teacher
and coach at Samson High
School.
Emily Millard (2003) is
an athletic trainer for men’s
and women’s ice hockey
at Middlebury College in
Middlebury, Vt.
Caleb Gardner (2003) is
an optometrist practicing in
Greenville.
Laquan Brunner (2004), a
member of Flowers Foods’
corporate information
technology team, was recently
promoted by the company. In
her new position, Brunner will
oversee user services, manage
the system’s engineering
team and lead IT’s disaster
recovery and internal controls
initiatives. She joined Flowers
Foods in 2004 as director of
information technology for
the decision support team and
in 2007, became the director
of information technology
for the user services and
IT governance teams. She
holds a Master of Business
Administration from TROY.
Kiel Odom (2004) has
been appointed manager of
the Regions Bank Branch in
Andalusia. Odom has been
employed with Regions since
2002. He and his wife, Katie,
have one son, Mathew Palmer
Odom.
David Slayton (2004) has
TROY Magazine
28
been appointed administrative
director of the Texas Office
of Court Administration. As
director, he will supervise
technical and administrative
services for courts across
Texas, supervise more than
200 employees and oversee
a $45 million annual budget.
He holds a Master of Public
Administration from TROY.
Michael Bond (2005) is the
principal of Kerang Christian
College in Kerang, Victoria,
in Australia. The college was
established in 1983. Bond will
oversee the growth of the
college as it expands further
into secondary school. He has
worked in government and
independent Christian schools
and has taught in Australia
and the United States.
Crystal Evans (2005) is an
athletic trainer at Andrews
Institute in Pensacola, Fla.
Casey Nordstrom (2005) is
an athletic trainer at Andrews
Institute in Pensacola, Fla.
Sarah Dollar (2006) was
recently selected as Potter
Street Elementary School’s
Teacher of the Year. Dollar, a
first-grade teacher, has been
working at the Bainbridge, Ga.
school for eight years. She and
her husband, Greg, have two
children.
Jenni Hogg (2006) is an
athletic trainer at Andrews
Institute in Pensacola.
Kyle Sampsell, MS, ATC
(2006) was recently named
head athletic trainer at Auburn
University-Montgomery.
Corey Lock (2006) is an
assistant athletic trainer for
football at Mississippi State
University.
Victoria Smith (2006),
a teacher at Girard Middle
School in Dothan, is one
of 14 new public school
teachers in Alabama to
receive a grant from the
Alabama Power Foundation.
The grant can be used of
needed classroom materials
and supplies. Candidates are
submitted from among the
state’s public teacher colleges,
and a committee that included
public education school deans
selected winners.
Cody Bush (2007) recently
graduated from UAB with a
Doctor of Physical Therapy
degree.
Amanda Pouncey (2007)
recently graduated from the
University of South Alabama’s
Physicians Assistant Program.
Tom Amesbury (2008)
has been appointed director
of safety and security at
Florida’s Polk State College.
He retired from the Orlando
Police Department in 2007 as
a master police officer after
an 18-year career with the
department.
Lt. Cmdr. Tina M. Cox
(2009) was recently selected
as the recipient of the St.
Charles Community College’s
2012 Distinguished Alumni
Award. Cox, a resident
of Highland Park, Ill., is
a perinatal clinical nurse
specialist and is the division
officer for the immunization
and administration clinics
for recruit training at the
Capt. James A. Lovell Federal
Health Care Center.
Wayne Watts (2009) has
been appointed fire chief in
Panama City, Fla. As chief he
oversees a $5 million annual
budget, five fire stations and
74 firefighters.
Andrew Wilkins (2009)
is employed at Andrews
Institute in Pensacola, Fla.
as an athletic trainer working
with Special Forces.
Lindsay D. Leverett
(2010) recently received
the Association of
Southeastern Biologists
Student Research Award
during the organizations
annual meeting in Athens,
Ga. Leverett, an East Carolina
Graduate Scholar, received
the award for her paper,
“Defining cryptic seed
heteromorphism in Packera
tomentosa (Asteraceae) using
seed mass characteristics and
germination.” The work is
part of her master’s thesis,
which was recently approved
by the ECU Graduate
School and is in review for
publication in “Annals of
Botany.” Leverett, who was
mentored by Dr. Michael
Woods during her time at
TROY, will begin work on
her doctoral degree at Duke
University this fall.
Sandra McDonald (2011) ,
a teacher at Eastside
Elementary School in
Lafayette, is one of 14 new
public school teachers in
Alabama to receive a grant
from the Alabama Power
Foundation. The grant can
be used of needed classroom
materials and supplies.
Candidates are submitted
from among the state’s
public teacher colleges and
a committee that included
public education school deans
selected winners.
Larry Riner (2011) has
been named city manager of
Tifton, Ga. He has served as
assistant city manager since
2005 and previously was
public works director from
1999 to 2005. Riner served in
the U.S. Navy for 27 years.
WEDDINGS AND ENGAGEMENTS
Krista LeAn Dyess (1991) to Robert Patrick Lyons (2011)
Casey Ryan to Hollis E. Reeves (2000)
Robbyn Brooks (2001) to Aaron Taylor (2000)
Kelly Burns Hawkins (2002) to Adam Kirkland Goodwin (2005)
Stacey McLendon Jones (2002) to Paul Lewis
Larissa Smith to Gerid White (2003)
Haley Nicole Bond (2004, 2006) to Samuel Heath Mims
Stephanie Nichole D’Andrea (2005) to William Cody Stinson
Danielle Leigh Ham to Dewey Sean Tucker (2005)
Jennifer Rena Adkins to Brandon Hamilton Apida (2006)
Stephanie Phillippe to Bradley Lilley (2006)
Caroline Elizabeth Bradford (2007) to Matthew Warren Morse
Anna Lee Hasenbein (2007) to John Richard Stephen
Rhonda Deanna Yeomans to Steven Trent Lester (2007)
IN REMEMBRANCE
Troy University Alumni
Mallory Cescutti (2008) to Donnie Payne
1949 — Herman L. “Bubba” Scott
Misty Majors (2008) to Jared Seay
1950 — Robert Coleman Waters
Amanda Carol Spitler to Daniel Kyle Tew (2008)
1951 – William Russell Buffkin
Amelia Margaret Walker (2008) to Jared Matthew Douglas
1962 — Dykes T. Rushing, Sr.
Robyn Leighann Granger (2009) to Wesley Robert Rowell
1964 — Danice Costes
Judith Lea Burnett to Joshua Haisten (2009)
1971 — Wade Firmin
Felisha Shabaka Johnson (2009) to Jhuan Pierre Nathaniel Reid (2009)
1971 — John R. Toole, Sr.
Lori Lynn Kirkland (2009) to Clifton Woodham (2006)
1984 — Edgar Joseph Harris
Kristen Lowrey (2009) to Dr. William Jenning Byrd
2006 — Judy K. Allen
Christen Luther (2009) to Morgan Keith Ezell
2006 — James Heath Lowery
Kathryn Elizabeth Martin (2009) to Jonathon Cory Culpepper (2010)
Kayla Shea Ziglar (2009) to Lucas Scott Davis
IN REMEMBRANCE
Troy University Friends
Ellie LaShea Parker (2010) to John Gregory Albritton
Gary Blackwell
Melissa Jane Martin (2010) to Joshua Thomas Yelverton
Kurt Crain
Heather Nickole Sanders (2010) to Seth McCothan Legg
William Wayne Frazier, Sr.
Lauren Keller (2011) to David Roland
Dr. Vito “Lou” Destito
Elizabeth Holly Odom (2011) to John Levi Nichols
Kelly Irving to Jason Vest (2011)
Jelie Welsh (2011) to Sage Dombrowski (2011)
Lacey Catherine Wilson (2011) to Jonathan DeWade Phillips
McKenzi Leigh Price (2012) to Joseph Grantham
Marjorie Yessick (2012) to Jonathan David Eiland (2009)
TROY Magazine
Shelby Miranda Putman to Samuel Peter Frichter III (2012)
29
TROY UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
ALUMNI AFFAIRS OFFICE
TROY, AL 36082
2012 TROY Football Schedule
9/1
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11/3
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UAB
Birmingham, Ala.
Louisiana-Lafayette
Troy, Ala.
Mississippi State
Troy, Ala.
North Texas
Denton, Texas
South Alabama
Mobile, Ala.
Western Kentucky
Troy, Ala.
FIU
Troy, Ala.
Florida Atlantic
Boca Raton, Fla.
Tennessee
Knoxville, Tenn.
Navy
Troy, Ala.
Arkansas State(Homecoming)Troy, Ala.
Middle Tennessee
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
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