News        from ABAC

Michael D. Chason Director of Public Relations ABAC 30 -- 2802 Moore Highway Tifton, GA 31793-2601 Phone 229-391-5055 Fax 229-391-5056 mchason@abac.edu

IMMEDIATE AUGUST 29, 2005

FRESHMAN CONVOCATION GETS HIGH MARKS

TIFTON--Almost 1,500 students, faculty, staff, and administrators at Abraham Baldwin College gathered Friday in Gressette Gym for an energetic lift-off at the first Freshman Convocation in recent history.

    Dr. Rodney Bennett, vice president of student affairs at the University of Georgia, challenged the students to “go to class every time that class meets and be an active participant in that class.”

    Bennett referenced the fact that ABAC attracts students from 148 Georgia counties, 21 states, and 21 countries.

“Come out of your comfort zone and interact with people who are not like you,” Bennett said. “Your actions this week and this year will have a tremendous impact on the rest of your life.”

Bennett said this year’s freshmen have been “exposed to vast amounts of information technology.” He said the result was that “this is the most informed generation to ever inhabit this planet. It’s truly an exciting time to be a student at ABAC.”

The keynote address highlighted a program which also included remarks by Interim President Tom Call, Student Government Association President Ellis Washington, III, Student Services Vice President Gail Dillard, and freshman class representative Kayla Futch.

Washington is an ABAC sophomore from Tifton, and Futch was salutatorian at Tift County High School in May. She will play on the ABAC softball team this year.

    Bernice Hughes, director of ABAC’s student life and housing, coordinated the event. ABAC classes began Monday with an enrollment that is expected to be an all-time high of over 3,400 students.

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