News from

Michael D. Chason Director of Public Relations ABAC 30, 2802 Moore Hwy Tifton, GA 31793-2601 Phone 229-391-5055 Fax 229-391-5051 mchason@abac.edu

For IMMEDIATE Release December 22, 2009

A Memorable Year For ABAC In 2009

TIFTON—In the calendar year 2009, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College sent students and faculty to China, Brazil and all points in between. ABAC also transitioned its academic divisions into schools of study in the first year of its second century of service. Those stories were just the tip of the iceberg as ABAC embraced its status as a bachelor’s degree granting institution.

Here are some of the highlights of 2009 at ABAC:

---President David Bridges announced that the ABAC academic curriculum will be divided into six schools of study and appointed deans for each school. The new deans and their schools of study included Dr. Tim Marshall, Agriculture and Natural Resources; Dr. Jeff Gibbs, Business; Wanda Golden, Nursing and Health Sciences; Dr. Darby Sewell (Interim), Human Sciences; Dr. Bobbie Robinson, Liberal Arts; and Dr. Ray Barber, Science and Mathematics.

---Dr. Gerald Williams, Jr. became the new Director of Student Support Services on Feb.

--Paul Willis became the Director of College Enrichment on Feb. 13.

---New inductees into the Athletics Hall of Fame included Ellen Vickers, Dorsey Brooks, P.W. Bryan, Jr., Cook Holliday, Newell “Sarge” Dorsey, and the 1984 men’s tennis team which won the national championship.

---The ABAC student newspaper, “The Stallion,” claimed 17 awards at the annual Georgia College Press Association contest, including first place in the General Excellence category. The newspaper also received top statewide honors from the Southern Regional Press Institute.

---Junior Chapman, an agriculture education major from Jasper, won the title in the 18^th annual Mr. ABAC competition.

---ABAC Police Chief Bryan Golden was appointed to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council by Governor Sonny Perdue.

---ABAC student Tanya Rafferty was featured in a Georgia Public Television video as the winner of a Regents’ Scholarship. She became the first four-year scholarship winner in the history of ABAC.

---Gene Ragan from Dothan, Ala., received the Distinguished Alumnus award from the ABAC Alumni Association during the Celebrate ABAC weekend.

---Amanda Bridges was appointed to the position of Chief Financial Officer of the ABAC Foundation.

---Dr. Eddie Seagle and eight students from the bachelor’s degree program in Turfgrass and Golf Course Management attended and taught classes on a visit to China on March 12-27.

---Laura Tucker (Class of ’88) from Ocilla was selected as the new President of the ABAC Alumni Association.

---Dr. Larry Moorman and his wife, Debra, transitioned ownership of the clubhouse at Forest Lakes Golf Club to the ABAC Foundation. The Moormans donated the 91-acre Forest Lakes Golf Club to the Foundation in 2002.

---On March 23, ABAC unveiled its newest bachelor’s degree program in Rural Studies. Classes in the program began during the fall semester.

---The Student Affairs area completed a Rapid Process Improvement (RPI) initiative from the Governor’s Office of Customer Service. The result was improved service in enrollment services including admissions and financial aid. Diane Kilgore and Dr. Chrystle Ross headed up the project.

---Students from ABAC finished third in the Southeastern Wildlife Student Conclave in Little Rock, Ark. The University of Georgia won the competition, and Arkansas State finished second. ABAC finished ahead of Auburn, Florida, Clemson, North Carolina State, Louisiana State, Tennessee, and other major universities.

---At Honors Day, Hector Olguin, an engineering major from Ty Ty, received the J.G. Woodroof Scholar award, representing the top academic student at ABAC. Faculty/staff award winners included Geoff Clement, W. Bruce and Rosalyn Ray Donaldson Award for Teaching Excellence; Shirley Wilson, Roy R. Jackson, Sr., Award for Staff Excellence; Dr. Jeff Gibbs, E. Lanier Carson Leadership Award; and Dr. Jewrell Rivers, W. Bruce and Rosalyn Ray Donaldson Excellence in Advising Award.

---The ABAC women’s tennis team won its 16^th consecutive NJCAA Region XVII title behind the play of MVP Monika Lalewicz. The Stallions also won the men’s championship led by MVP Rasid Winklaar. Lalewicz was later named Player of the Year in the entire NJCAA for the second consecutive season. She finished second in her bid for back-to-back national titles. Assistant Coach Dale White was named NJCAA Assistant Coach of the Year.

---Dr. Eddie Seagle and Diane Kilgore were selected as recipients of the 2009 Governor’s Commendation for Excellence in Customer Service quarterly award.

---Edwin Glover, Richard Irvin, Garrett Jones, and Joshua Lanier became the first bachelor’s degree recipients in the history of ABAC at the spring commencement ceremony. Keith Lee from Cartersville received the prestigious Donaldson Award at the ceremony. ABAC alumnus Jim Sparks was the guest speaker.

---Assistant Chief of Police Billy Purcell received a Raymond B. Merritt Officer of the Year award from the Tifton Optimist Club.

---Matt Holland won the national championship at #6 singles for the Stallions’ tennis team, which finished in third place overall in the national tournament.

---Dr. Jeff Gibbs, Alan Kramer, Lorie Felton, and Dr. Brian Ray led a group of 15 educators on a month-long trip to Brazil in June as the result of a $76,425 Fulbright-Hays Grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

---Enrollment Services Director Donna Webb said ABAC recorded its highest spring semester enrollment ever with 3,234 students.

---Amy King Howell was selected as the new Director of Institutional Research.

---ABAC student Dorminey McCrae was selected for the National Association of Police Organization’s “Top Cop” award for his heroism in a Tifton grocery store robbery. President Barack Obama presented McCrae with the award at the White House.

---Dr. Mary Ellen Hicks was selected to participate in the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association 30^th annual Young Cattlemen’s Conference.

---The U.S. Department of Education awarded a $411,354 federal grant to ABAC for the College Assistance Migrant Program.

---ABAC golfer Kenneth Bragg received Academic All-America status from the NJCAA.

---ABAC initiated a new alumni-based student recruitment effort called the Alumni Connecting To Involved and Outstanding New Students (ACTIONS) team.

---Work began on the historic Front of Campus project on Sept. 8. The project begins with the renovation of Tift Hall.

---ABAC President David Bridges received the Gold Outstanding Customer Service Leadership Award from University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis, Jr.

---A State of Georgia Employee Satisfaction Research report showed that employees of ABAC gave the institution top marks in regard to quality of the workplace and employee satisfaction. In a comparison with five other state agencies, ABAC earned the highest score.

---Javier Gonzalez and Dr. Billy Reynolds were selected for the University System of Georgia Leadership Institute.

---Keith Barber was named Vice President of External Affairs and Advancement.

---Governor Sonny Perdue visited the ABAC campus on Oct. 13. He also stopped by the ABAC exhibit at the Sunbelt Expo on Oct. 20.

---Student Development Specialist Rebecca Cofer was named one of five Outstanding New Advisors by the National Academic Advising Association.

---ABAC President David Bridges received the Honorary American FFA degree from the National FFA Organization at the annual convention in Indianapolis, Ind.

---Dr. Jordan Cofer was named as the Emerging Scholar for the 2009 fall semester by his alma mater, Virginia Tech.

---The ABAC Foundation received a $48,297 grant from AT&T to expand the use of video instruction and communication at ABAC.

---In a visit to the campus on Dec. 7, Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr., commended ABAC for having its own “statewide brand.”

---The United States Poultry Foundation awarded Dr. Tim Marshall and ABAC a $5,800 grant.

---Sara Ervin from Commerce received the Donaldson Award at the fall commencement ceremony. Javier Gonzalez was the guest speaker.

Spring semester classes begin at ABAC on Jan. 11, 2010.

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