Volume XL, Number 31

www.abac.edu

March 18, 2002

Monday, March 18

6:00 p.m.-American Chemical Society Dinner (Magnolia Room)

Tuesday, March 19

9:00 a.m.-Regents' Exam (Cordell Conf. Room)

Noon-IAAP Meeting (Magnolia Room)

1:30 p.m.-Regents' Exam (Cordell Conf. Room)

2:00 p.m.-Softball: Fillies vs. Santa Fe (Fillie Field)

6:00 p.m.-Regents' Exam (Cordell Conf. Room)

7:00 p.m.-Student Union Talent Show (Dining Hall)

7:30 p.m.-Christian Student Fellowship (Chapel)

Wednesday, March 20

11:00 a.m.-Catch the Spring Break Fever (Dining Hall)

11:30 a.m.-DAR Luncheon (Magnolia Room)

1:00 p.m.-Customer Service Workshop (Cordell Conf. Room A)

2:30 p.m.-Tennis: Fillies & Stallions vs. Georgia Southwestern (ABAC Tennis Center)

Thursday, March 21

8:00 a.m.-Customer Service Workshop (Cordell Conf. Room A)

11:30 a.m.-Faculty/Staff Luncheon (Magnolia Room)

7:00 p.m.-ABAC Spring Formal Dinner/Dance (Dining Hall)

7:30 p.m.-Christian Student Fellowship (Chapel)

7:30 p.m.-Peach State Stampede (Rodeo Arena)

Friday, March 22

2:00 p.m.-Police Academy Graduation Rehearsal (Cordell Conf. Room)

3:00 p.m.-Baseball: Stallions vs. South Georgia (Stallion Field)

7:30 p.m.-Police Academy Graduation (Cordell Conf. Room)

Saturday, March 23

8:30 a.m.-PREP Workshop (Cordell Conf. Room)

1:00 p.m.-Baseball: Stallions vs. South Georgia (Stallion Field)

5:00 p.m.-H&R Block Annual Banquet (Dining Hall)

Monday, March 23

Today-Spring Break begins

The Regents' Test will be administered on Tuesday at ABAC. Students must sign in today at the Student Development Center to confirm their registration for the test even if they pre-registered. The test will also be administered at the SGREC in Valdosta and at ABAC on the Square in Moultrie, coordinated from ABAC.

Students requesting extended time needs should contact Phyllis Bennett. International students should sigh up at the Student Development Center today and will be tested on Tuesday. If you have questions, contact Dr. Maggie Martin at 3231.

New Website Address

The ABAC website address is now www.abac.edu, thanks to the work of Dr. Chrystle Ross and her staff. Your email address has also changed. Without making any changes to Eudora, you can receive your mail at (your name)@abac.edu. Make certain all new business cards and publications reflect the change of address for both the ABAC website and your email address. The former website address, as well as your former email address, will continue to provide access until further notice.

Peach State Stampede this Week

The Ninth Annual Peach State Stampede will ride high on the campus of ABAC Thursday through Saturday.

The ABAC Rodeo Team will battle it out with Michigan State University, University of Tennessee-Martin, University of West Alabama, Southern Arkansas University, Mississippi State University, and nine other colleges in Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky.

ABAC Rodeo Team Coach Doug Hicks said some of the best bulls and horses in the Southeast have been selected to give spectators what is sure to be the most exciting college rodeo yet.

Peach State Stampede Rodeo events include men's bareback, saddle bronc, steer wrestling, team roping, calf roping, and bull riding. Female competitors will be entered in break-away calf roping, goat tying, team roping, and barrel racing. A calf scramble for the kids will be held during intermission on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Thursday, Friday, and Saturday performances will start at 7:30 p.m.. Gates will open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the gate. Children six and under are admitted free.

Who's Who Nominations Due Friday

The ABAC Office of Student Life is now accepting applications for nominations for Who's Who at ABAC and Who's Who Among American Junior Colleges. Applications must be submitted by Friday.

Student nominees should have a GPA of 2.5 for Who's Who Among American Junior Colleges and 2.0 for Who's Who at ABAC. The student should also have made positive contributions to campus life. The honorees will be chosen from among the nominees selected by a student/faculty committee. This recognition is the highest non-academic honor a student may receive on campus. Mr. and Ms. Baldwin will also be selected from this group and will be recognized for extraordinary service and leadership.

Call Gillian McWhorter at 3233 for more information.

ABAC Newspaper Wins First Place

 The Stallion, Abraham Baldwin's student newspaper, was recently awarded first place for best two-year college newspaper of the year by the Southern Regional Press Institute (SRPI).

  In addition to the overall first place win, The Stallion also received second place for best sports coverage. Editor Nathan Johnson of Tifton took first place for best column, and Vickie Harsey of Enigma placed second for best feature writing.

The Stallion also earned first place for General Excellence among two-year colleges from the Georgia College Press Association (GCPA) in January. Eric Cash serves as advisor for the ABAC paper.

Johnson Wins Mr. ABAC

Nathan Johnson claimed the title of Mr. ABAC last Thursday in the 12^th annual Mr. ABAC Contest. Rounding out the top five were David Brady, Eustace Griffin, Joel McKie, and Carlos Montenegro, Jr. Special awards were presented to Brett Marshall, Most Enthusiastic; George Farmer, Best Smile; Montenegro, Best Eyes; Angel Aguilar, Most Photogenic; Harold Glover, Jr., Best Personality; and Michael Baskett, Funniest. Glover was also the recipient of the Contestants' Award.

Sponsored by the Family and Consumer Sciences Club, the event included 24 competitors. Darby Thompson and Ken Kaufman are advisors to the group.

Scholarship Honors Tobacco Legend

A scholarship has been established with the ABAC Foundation in memory of the late B. Frank Strickland, Sr., a Lanier County farmer and a devoted supporter for tobacco farmers.

The $500 B. Frank Strickland Memorial Scholarship will be presented annually to an entering freshman or rising sophomore from a tobacco-producing county in Georgia who plans to attend ABAC for the fall semester.

Applications may be obtained from high school counselors in tobacco producing counties, by writing to Georgia Farm Bureau Federation, Commodities/Marketing Department, P.O. Box 7068, Macon, Ga. 31209, or by calling 1-800-342-1192, Ext. 5218. Completed applications should be returned to the GFBF by April 15. The first scholarship will be awarded to a student attending ABAC this fall.

Relay for Life Cake Raffle

A seven-layer chocolate cake made by Bobbie Baldree will be this week's featured item in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life's weekly cake raffle. Each week through April 19, a different homemade cake will be raffled through a drawing to be held each Friday at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through noon each Friday at a cost of $2 each from Lori Pearman, Patricia Barber, Shirley Wilson, Gillian McWhorter, Hazel Purvis, Michelle Barton, Janice Payne, Vickie Wilson, Kay Weeks, Dina Willis, Kristi Abad, or Judy Shiflet.

Nominate Pacesetters by April 1

The campus newspaper seeks your nominations for the 2002 Pacesetter Awards. To nominate an individual, send in his/her name and write up to 200 words explaining why that person qualifies for the honor. The deadline for nominations is April 1. Nominations may be sent to The Stallion at ABAC 32, dropped by the newspaper office on the third floor of the Student Center, or sent via email to stallion@abac.edu.

Pacesetters are students, faculty, and staff at ABAC who have made contributions which embody the spirit of the college. They are those individuals who exemplify the best of ABAC by their scholarship, their service, and their commitment to this institution. Pacesetters will be recognized at the Student Leadership Banquet on April 24.

Cordell Lecture on April 4

The Cordell Lecture Series will be held at 7:30 p.m. on April 4 in the Cordell Conference Room of the Carlton Center. The speaker is Gywn Hyman Rubio author of Icy Sparks. Please make plans to attend.

Spring Sports Lineup

The Golden Fillies' fast pitch softball team will host Santa Fe Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Fillie Field. The men's and women's tennis teams will take on Georgia Southwestern at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the ABAC Tennis Center. The Golden Stallions' baseball team will host South Georgia at 3 p.m. Friday and for a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday. Come out and enjoy ABAC spring sports.

Lecture at ABAC Today

In celebration of Women's History Month, Dr. Su Senapati will discuss the writings of Indian author Jhumpa Lahiri today at 3 p.m. in Room 202 of the Baldwin Library.

Senapati's presentation is part of the lecture series, Literature as a Reflection of Culture. The lecture series is part of the project Celebrating Cultural Diversity, which is sponsored by ABAC's Division of Humanities. Born in India, Senapati is an assistant professor of English at ABAC.

Lahiri is hailed as a fresh young voice who writes about the Indian immigrant's experience in the United States. Her first book, a collection of short stories for which she won the Pulitzer Prize in 2000, is called Interpreter of Maladies.

Celebrating Cultural Diversity is a project supported by the Georgia Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities and through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly.

Catch the Fever Wednesday

The ABAC Health Center, ABAC Student Life, and ARAMARK Dining Services will sponsor Catch the Spring Break Fever on Wednesday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Donaldson Dining Hall. Casual attire is suggested. Dress for fun and good times. Lunch will be served at the regular price, but special features will include a character artist, under the influence driving, and vendors sponsoring information on sun care, road safety, and free educational tips for spring break.

Presidents from ABAC

Local Rotary Clubs will have not one, but two presidents from ABAC, during the upcoming year which begins July 1. Bertha Daniel is the President-Elect of the Tifton Rotary Club, and Dr. Earl Bennett is the President-Elect of the Rotary Club of Tift County. Congratulations to both these two fine ABAC individuals, and we wish them well during their upcoming Rotary years.

Scarborough Honored

Kim Scarborough from the ABAC Public Safety Office was recently named one of the Tift Elks Lodge's Law Officers of the Year. Public Safety Director Bryan Golden said Scarborough came to work for him in 1994 and is "a very hard worker, very diligent, and a self-motivator."

Care & Concern

Mandy Vassey was admitted for tests at Tift Regional Medical Center last Wednesday. Bernice Hughes had her wisdom teeth removed on Wednesday. John Settimi's father-in-law underwent surgery as the result of a heart attack on Wednesday. Please keep all these members of the ABAC Family in your prayers.

Weill Named Gordon President

Dr. Lawrence V. Weill, Dean of Academic Affairs at Hopkinsville (Ky.) Community College, has been named president of Gordon College by the Board of Regents and University System of Georgia Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith. He will begin his duties April 1.

ABAC Homecoming 2002 April 5 - 6

Alumni from across Georgia and surrounding states will return to the ABAC campus on April 5-6 for Homecoming 2002. The theme for this year's event is "A New Era . . . A New Vision."

Homecoming 2002 will be dedicated to ABAC's new president, Mike Vollmer, and his wife, Lennie. Several activities have been planned for alumni to interact with the Vollmers.

A Presidential Reception will take place April 5 at 11 a.m. in the Carlton Center, providing alumni with the opportunity to meet the Vollmers. The Golden Alumni Luncheon, honoring the Class of 1952, will begin at noon in the Donaldson Dining Hall.

A special candlelight memorial service will pay tribute to deceased alumni on April 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel of All Faiths. Alumni will be given the opportunity to light a candle in memory of a former classmate, family member, or friend.

The Homecoming Dinner and Dance will begin at 7:30 p.m. on April 5 in the Donaldson Dining Hall. The dance, which begins at 8:30 p.m., will feature the music of the Jim Newton Band. The dinner and dance are open to alumni and anyone who would like to attend at a cost of $20 per person.

A Presidential Reception and Horticulture Building Open House will take place on April 6 at 9:30 a.m. Alumni will have the opportunity to meet the Vollmers and tour the new Horticulture Building. The Ag Alumni Council's Forum on Agriculture will be held at the site of the Ag Sciences Building (in the grassy area between the Yow Building and the Alumni Office) on April 6 at 10:30 a.m. Vollmer will be the keynote speaker. He will discuss his goals for agriculture at ABAC, including a four-year degree program with the University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. The forum will be followed by the groundbreaking for the new $7 million Agricultural Sciences Building.

Eight Alumni Awards will be presented at the Awards Luncheon on April 6 at noon in the Donaldson Dining Hall. The Young Ag Alumni Cookout will take place at noon at the Rowan Pavilion at Lake Baldwin. The Alumni Golf Outing will be held at 2:30 p.m. at ABAC's Forest Lakes Golf Course.

Pre-registration is strongly recommended for ABAC's Homecoming 2002 events. Contact the Alumni Office at 386-3231 to register or purchase tickets.

Positions Open

Atlanta Metro:

Assistant Director of Student Accounts

Georgia Southern:

Research Associate II (deadline 3/22)

Contact the Office of Human Resources for details.

ABAC to Utilize New Technology

Approximately 120 students at Abraham Baldwin will be provided with personal digital assistants (PDAs) for use in their classroom activities beginning with the upcoming fall semester. The PDAs were purchased with grant money received from the University System of Georgia.

Instructors in four different classes will use the new technology, which involves the Classroom Wizard, a product by Scantron that allows a student to download an electronic Scantron form onto the PDA and use the stylus to key in answers.

Dr. Chrystle Ross, Professor of Information Technology and Interim Executive Director of the Office of Information Technology and Services, said technology should enrich students' lives beyond providing new avenues of entertainment.

"This project provides ABAC with an opportunity to test technology," Ross said.

Professors who will be using the PDAs this fall include Dr. Erin Campbell for a literature course, Kip Smith for an accounting course, Paul Foote for an American government course, and Dr. Jeff Seela, (tentative) for a chemistry course.

Currently, ABAC is the only public post-secondary institution testing the validity of this teaching technology to enhance student learning. Plans are to provide wireless access at key on-campus locations to the college's local area network (LAN), allowing students to check e-mail and surf PDA-friendly web sites.

Abraham Baldwin Family

President Mike Vollmer spoke to the Camilla Rotary Club on Feb. 28 and to the Nashville Rotary Club on March 5, with assistance from Mike Chason. He also accompanied Jimmy Grubbs, Dr. Doug Waid, and ABAC wildlife technology students on a trip to Sapelo Island, March 14-16.

Dr. Kay Weeks attended the annual conference of the Southeastern American Society for 18^th Century Studies held in Chapel Hill, N.C., Feb. 28-March 3, where she presented her paper "'Amazed, Affrighted, Vexed, and Ashamed': Henry Fielding Looks at (and from) the Upper Orders of Eighteenth-Century England." She also chaired the session "Ways of Viewing Marriage," and presented a colleague's research on "The Life and (Public) Opinions of Tristram Shandy." She also recently attended the National Communication Association Convention in Atlanta, where she participated in sessions on speech course assessment, the use of technology, and the rhetoric of terrorism.

Mary Jane Rootes' master thesis, A Prolegomenon to Information Ethics, will be published through the Advances and Library Administration and Organization Company. The work is a reassessment of the moral debate between librarians Robert Hauptman and Robert Dowd.

Garth Webb and Anita Hobbs attended a joint meeting of the Regents Advisory Committee on Records and Admissions and the Regents Advisory Committee on Financial Aid at Unicoi State Park on March 14-15.

Bruce Applewhite visited Camden County and Brunswick high schools, March 13-14. He also accompanied the ABAC Ambassadors on their spring retreat to Orlando, March 15-17.

Carlos Howard visited Peach County High School on March 12 and attended Career Fairs at Baldwin High School and McIntosh Academy on March 13 and 15.