VOLUME L
ISSUE 22
JANUARY 3, 2012
Looking Back at the 2011 ABAC Accomplishments
Two new bachelor’s degrees in the academic curriculum and a visit by a former
president of the United States
highlighted the 2011 calendar
year at ABAC.
President David Bridges
announced a new bachelor’s
degree in Natural Resource
Management with majors in
forestry and wildlife management on Feb. 10 when he and Dr. Bridges and others sawed a log in half Feb. 10
Dr. Rod Brown sawed a log in
to announce the new bachelor’s degree.
half as a symbolic start to the
program in the Agricultural Sciences
tal titled “myABAC” designed to make
building.
web access easier for ABAC students.
Bridges joined Dr. Ray Barber in EvLaurel Higginbotham from Baxley
ans Hall on June 9 to anwas crowned Ms. ABAC
nounce another bachelor’s
2011. Bernard Green
degree program in biology,
from Tifton was selected
designed for students pursuas Mr. ABAC 2011. Both
ing a career in biology as
students were members
well as for those who want to
of the ABAC Ambassaenter professional schools in
dors.
such areas as medicine, denABAC Alumni Association
tistry, and veterinary mediaward winners at the ancine.
nual Celebrate ABAC
Former President Jimmy
weekend were Mack
Carter cut the ribbon on an
ABAC began offering a
Crawford of Zebulon,
exhibit which honors his
Distinguished Alumnus;
B.S. in Biology last fall.
many accomplishments at
Jodi Rayl Snow from Belle
the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and
Glade, Fla., Outstanding Young AlumHistoric Village on Oct. 8. The exhibit
nus; Terry Clark from Moultrie, Master
will remain on display
through April, 2012. ABAC
began its second year of
operating the Museum as a
part of its campus on July 1.
The year actually had an
auspicious debut when the
first day of spring term classes was cancelled on Jan. 10
because of inclement weather which left the roads in the
area iced over. Classes began on Jan. 11.
Former President Jimmy Carter cut the ribbon on an exhibit at the
Matthew Keen, a rural
Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village.
studies major from Nashville, won the $3,000 top award for the
Farmer; Dr. Jerry W. Johnson from GrifWilliam Zimmer Prize in Art Criticism.
fin, J. Lamar Branch Award; Suellen
Dr. Chrystle Ross, Chief Information
Coleman Perry from Moultrie, OutstandOfficer, announced a new website poring Educator; Mark Mobley from
Moultrie, Outstanding Business Leader;
Dr. Jay Williams from Albany, Outstanding Health Care Professional; and Alan
Kramer from Tifton and Tommy Irvin
from Habersham County, Honorary
Alumni. The Ollie E. McMillan family
from Berrien County also received the
Family Legacy Award.
Due to popular demand, the ABAC
Alumni Association brought back a
“Gee Haw, Whoa Back” rodeo to the
Celebrate ABAC weekend. Grand Ole
Opry member Mike Snider headlined
the ABAC Foundation’s “Evening for
ABAC” scholarship fundraiser at the
Museum during the weekend.
Bridges placed the 100th Birthday
Time Capsule in a compartment in the
history room
of the renovated Tift Hall on
March 8. The
capsule was
sealed on
April 5, 2008
at the 100th
birthday celebration at
Homecoming.
Bridges placed the 100th
Dr. Gail
Birthday Time Capsule in the
Dillard took
over the lead- renovated Tift Hall.
ership of all activities at ABAC on the
Square in Moultrie, replacing Kay Powell, who expressed a desire to return to
the classroom. Dillard was previously
the Vice President for Student Affairs.
Academic Affairs Vice President Niles
Reddick assumed those duties along
with Dean of Students Bernice Hughes.
Spring Orientation Thursday
ABAC will welcome around 104 new
students for orientation on Thursday. You can view the schedule
online at www.abac.edu/orientation
For more information contact the
Academic Support Counselors at
391-4995 or email [email protected]
The AET Club debuted a new Agco
English award at the 2011 Conference
Jackson, Sr., Award for Staff Excellence;
Allis 9650 pulling tractor on March 19.
on College Composition and CommuniDr. Ray Barber, E. Lanier Carson Award
The club also completed renovations to
for administrators; and Dr. Mary Elthe original ABAC pulling tractor,
len Hicks, W. Bruce and Rosalyn Ray
“Cracker Jack.”
Donaldson
Melanie Partlow, asExcellence in
sistant professor of
Advising
mathematics and QualiAward. Rety Enhancement Plan
tirement
Director, received the
plaques were
2011 Regents’ Teaching
presented to
Excellence award at the
Stephanie
The ABAC Chamber Singers performed at the
seventh annual Regents’
Holcombe,
Awards for Excellence
Ken Newkirk, Lincoln Center in NYC on May 30.
in Education CelebraJerry Edtion on March 26. Ken
cation ceremony.
wards, Dr. Larry
Newkirk retired on
Governor Nathan Deal was the guest
McGruder, and
March 31 after 35 years The ABAC Fillies won their 18th consecu- Mike Chason.
speaker at the spring commencement
of service directing the tive Region XVII state championship.
ceremony. Cain Thurmond from JefferMost Valuable
Upward Bound Proson received the Donaldson Award.
Player Chanel
gram.
Thirty-one students received bachelor’s
Cunningham led the Fillies to their 18th
Inductees into the Athletics Hall of
degrees, the largest number ever to
consecutive Region XVII state tennis
Fame on April 2 included the 1995 nareceive bachelor’s degrees at an ABAC
championship on April 22. The Stallions
tional championship women’s softball
commencement.
also won the men’s title. Alan Kramer
team, Kyle Farnsworth, Benny Dees,
Kristen Ray from Alma was one of six
was named Coach of the Year for both
Harley Stewart,
students nationwide selected to serve
and A.B. Malloy.
on the Family, Career, and Community
On the same
Leaders of America Leadership Training
day, a new
Team. Ben Bennett from Valdosta rescoreboard for
ceived the Presidential Scholarship for
the ABAC Fillies’
2011-12. He is the state FFA president.
softball team
Dr. Darby Sewell, Dean of the School
was dedicated in
of Human Sciences, graduated from the
a ceremony
University System of Georgia (USG)
which honored
Executive Leadership Institute. The
donors A.B. MalABAC Chamber Singers performed at
loy, the Spurlin
Lincoln Center in New York City on May
family, and the
30. Dr. Susan Roe directs the group.
ABAC Fillies
Chason retired as the ABAC public
softball alumnae.
relations director on June 1. He began
ABAC Athletics Hall of Fame 2011 Inductees
Kevin Vanhis ABAC career on May 15, 1979. Ashtrees, a freshman from Douglasville,
ley Williamson was named Interim Diwomen’s and men’s tennis in the state.
was elected president of the ABAC SGA
rector of Public Relations.
The Fillies finished fifth, and the Stalin the spring election. Faculty member
Deal’s signature on the state budget
lions wound up eighth in their respecDustin Bass received the Impact Award,
allowed ABAC to continue work on the
tive national tournaments.
and Director of Student Activities Kris
historic front of campus project with
Bass was named the National OutLiebegott received the SGA President’s
$3.25 million in the budget to further the
standing Advisor by the National AgriAward.
rehabilitation of Tift Hall, Lewis Hall,
Business Association in Kansas City.
Michael Arena from Fitzgerald was
and Herring Hall.
The ABAC Cattlemen’s Club won the
selected as the
The Natural Resources Conservation
College Agtop academic
Workshop celebrated its 50th annivergies Online
student at ABAC
sary with its annual camp at ABAC on
Scholarship
during the Honors
June 5-9. Bridges attended the camp
Competition
Day ceremony
when he was a high school student.
of the Animal
when he was
Ross retired on
Agriculture
named the J.G.
June 15 from her
Alliance.
Woodroof Scholposition of Chief
The ABAC
ar. Faculty-staff
Information OfEnglish Deaward winners
ficer. She served
partment in
were Donna
the college in a
the School of
Hatcher, W. Bruce
variety of roles
Liberal Arts
and Rosalyn Ray
since her first day
received the
Donaldson Award
on the job on Sept.
Diana Hackfor Teaching Ex10, 1979.
er Outstandcellence; Dr. Amy Governor Nathan Deal was the guest speaker at
Fireworks lit up the skies over the
ing ProWillis, Roy R.
Georgia
Museum of Agriculture and
grams
in
the spring commencement ceremony.
Historic Village
ABAC with $2,500 to be used for the
sound recordings,
on July 2 for the
scholarship program.
books, and reannual IndeAn ABAC team of Rural Studies stusearch field notes.
pendence Day
dents finished second in the USG Social
Dr. Brian Ray spent
Celebration at
Business and Microcredit Forum. Forthe summer in Lonthe site. Country
mer ABAC President Stanley Anderson
don as a co-site
music artist Kevin
passed away on Nov. 26. He served as
director for the USG
Sport headlined a
president from 1975 through 1984.
European Council
concert that
Dr. Zsuzanna Boegre, a Fulbright
for its England Sumevening. It was
Scholar from Hungary, will teach classes
mer Study Abroad
the 35th anniverat ABAC during the fall and spring
Program.
sary of the found- Steam Train cake made for the Independterms.
Dr. Bobbie Robining of the muse- ence Day Celebration at the Museum.
Medal of Honor recipient and retired
son and Dr. John
um, known originally as the Agrirama. A 400-pound
Farrar were
cake made to resemble the Museum’s
selected for the
steam train was designed to feed over
USG Executive
600 people.
Leadership
Four athletes at ABAC were selected
Institute. Van
for NJCAA Exemplary Academic
McGriff retired
Achievement Awards. They included
after 26 years
Alexander Byrd from Byron on the baseat ABAC. Tarball team, Case Gard from Lakeland,
rah Mirus beFla., on the golf team, Charles Griffin,
came the ABAC
Jr., from Tifton on the men’s tennis team,
Registrar on
and Darylanne Thompson from Perry on
Sept. 1.
the softball team.
Melissa
The U.S. Department of Education
Johnson set the
An ABAC team of Rural Studies students finished second in the USG
named ABAC as one of America’s Most
ABAC record
Affordable Colleges. Tuition and fees
for goals
Social Business and Microcredit Forum.
for the 2009-10 year at ABAC were
scored in a
$2,696, well beMajor General of the Marine Corps
soccer season and
low the national
James Livingston was the fall comwas named the Naaverage of
mencement speaker. William Rogers
tional Junior College
$6,397.
from Brunswick received the Donaldson
Athletic Association
Shawn Thomas
Award.
Player of the Week.
was named the
Sigma Alpha will become the first
Attila Szekes was
new Director of
sorority on the ABAC campus on Jan. 20,
named the new genStudent Financial
2012. ABAC student Randi Walden reeral manager of SoServices on July
ceived a Wine and Spirits Wholesalers
dexo and Plant Oper5. Dr. Jeff Newscholarship worth $2,776. Marie Davis
ations at ABAC.
berry was selectwas named the interim director of the
ABAC set the Ameried to serve as
Baldwin Library.
can record for the
the new faculty
2011 was a great year for ABAC and
largest game of hideadvisor to the
we look forward to an outstanding 2012.
and-seek on Nov. 9
student newspa- Melvin Merrill received a Lifetime Achievement
Classes for the spring semester begin
with 419 students parper, “The StalJan. 9
ticipating.
Liebegott
Award from the Georgia Education Advancement
lion”. He also
coordinated the
Council.
advises the
event. Reddick was
ABAC literary magazine, “Pegasus”.
honored by the College of Arts and SciBeth Bland Oleson (Class of ’99) was
ences at Valdosta State University as an
the guest speaker at the annual FreshOutstanding Alumnus in the area of Phi3 Gina Wilson
man Convocation on Aug. 14.
losophy.
5 Ray Barber
The State Traditional Arts Research
Melvin Merrill received a Lifetime
Archive is now on loan to ABAC and
Achievement Award from the Georgia
5 Bobby Mathis
makes available to the community over
Education Advancement Council on
3,000 items including photos, videos,
Nov. 17. AT&T Georgia presented
ABAC Birthdays
The FOCUS is a weekly electronic
publication produced by the ABAC
Public Relations Office .
Please submit information by
Thursday at noon to Ashley Mock at
[email protected] for inclusion in the
next FOCUS.
ABAC will be closed Jan. 16 in
observance of the Martin Luther
King holiday. Classes and normal business hours will resume
on Jan. 17.
Save the Date
Celebrate ABAC Weekend
March 2&3. For more info
visit www.abac.edu/celebrate
or call the Alumni Office at
391-4900.