Calendar of Events

Monday, January 13

1:30 p.m.-VP of Student & Enrollment Services Candidate Open Forum (Cordell Conf. Room A)

3:30 p.m.-Paraprofessional Information Session (Cordell Conf. Room A)

Tuesday, January 14

12:30 p.m.-ABAC Ag Alumni Council Board Meeting (Alumni Office)

5:00 p.m.-Fit for Life Info Session (Cordell Conf. Room A)

5:30 p.m.-Basketball: Fillies vs. Atlanta Metro (Gressette Gym)

7:30 p.m.-Basketball: Stallions vs. Atlanta Metro (Gressette Gym)

7:00 p.m.-First Tuesday Concert Series (Chapel)

Wednesday, January 15

8:00 a.m.-Georgia’s Choice Region H Instructional Coaches Meeting (Cordell Conf. Room)

Noon-Fit for Life (Magnolia Room)

Noon-Choice Luncheon (Dining Hall)

4:00 p.m.-VP of Student & Enrollment Services Candidate Open Forum (Cordell Conf. Room A)

Thursday, January 16

8:00 a.m.-Legal Conference (Cordell Conf. Room A)

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

Noon-Legal Conference Luncheon (Dining Hall)

Friday, January 17

Noon-TCHS ROTC Set-Up (Nickelodeon)

Saturday, January 18

8:00 p.m.-TCHS ROTC Military Ball (Nickelodeon)

Sunday, January 19

1:00 p.m.-TCHS ROTC Take-Down (Nickelodeon)

Monday, January 20

8:00 a.m.-MLK Celebration Breakfast (Dining Hall)

VP Open Forum Today

An open forum will be held for the second candidate for the position of Vice President of Student and Enrollment Services at ABAC today from 1:30-2:15 p.m. in Cordell Conference Room A. The candidate is Dr. John Colson, who is currently Director of Student Life at Waycross College.

The first candidate, Dr. Michelle Reliford, District Vice President for Student Services at Edison Community College in Fort Myers, Fla., went through the interview process on Friday.

The third and final candidate will be Tom Call who is currently serving on an interim basis in the position. His open forum will be held from 4-4:45 p.m. on Wednesday in Cordell Conference Room A. Call is the former Registrar for the college and faculty member in the Division of Agriculture and Forest Resources. These forums are open to anyone who would like to attend.

Audition for the Players

The Baldwin Players’ auditions for spring semester will be held Jan. 21-22 at 7 p.m. in Conger Hall, Room 319. The spring term presentation is Quazimodo, a tragedy with jokes. Three men and three women are needed. Two women will play gargoyles. No experience is necessary. Direct questions to Dr. John Galyean at 3099.

ABAC Enrollment Soaring!

At presstime, enrollment for the spring term at ABAC had topped 2,800 students. That compares to 2,656 students who were enrolled during the 2002 spring term, setting the stage for another alltime enrollment high at the college for a spring semester. ABAC Registrar Beth Saxon said final numbers are still several days away.

“I think this is fantastic,” ABAC President Mike Vollmer said. “I’d like to give all the credit to our faculty and staff who have made another enrollment record possible. We have had a lot of people put in a lot of work.”

Chamber Honors Daniel

Director of College Services Bertha Daniel received the prestigious Athena Award from the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce at Thursday’s annual banquet. A dedicated ABAC alumnae and a member of the ABAC Alumni Board, Daniel serves as president of the Tifton Rotary Club, is a former president and current board member of PLIGHT, Inc., a board member of the Tift County Foundation for Educational Excellence, and a member of the Tift County Library Board. She is also very involved with Shiloh Baptist Church, serving as the church treasurer and financial secretary and president of the Usher Board. The Athena Award recognizes achievement by a female in Tifton community.

Chancellor Applauds ABAC

University System of Georgia Chancellor Thomas Meredith was on campus Thursday to speak at the annual Chamber of Commerce Banquet. He applauded the efforts of ABAC President Mike Vollmer and the entire faculty and staff.

“ABAC is an excellent institution,” Meredith said. “Enrollment is up, and I think that is because of dedicated leadership, beginning with your President and extending all the way through the faculty and staff. We were here in October, and I was impressed. I continue to be impressed today.”

Meredith said University System funding has been cut 10.6 percent over the last year, while enrollment has risen 7.1 percent. The Board of Regents has asked for $1.8 billion for fiscal year 2004 from the Georgia Legislature. Meredith said one of the programs he is pushing for the next year includes more four-year programs based at two-year schools. He cited UGA offering a degree at ABAC beginning in the fall of 2003 as a prime example.

Chapel Concert Tuesday

Five different performers will be featured in the fourth concert in the First Tuesday Performance Series on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Chapel of All Faiths.

Arts Connection Director Wayne Jones said the concert will feature music teachers in the area who also perform on a regional basis. They include Jacqueline Greene, piano; Stephen Greene, tenor; Gina Lawhon, piano; Leli Bellflower Holton, mezzo-soprano; and Chris Robinson, tenor. Tickets are available at the door at a cost of $3 for adults and $1 for students. ABAC students are admitted free with ID. Patrons of the Arts and Entertainment Series can also attend at no charge.

Basketball on Tuesday

ABAC will host Atlanta Metro on Tuesday beginning with the Fillies’ game at 5:30 p.m. and continuing through the Stallions’ game at 7:30 p.m. Catch all the action on WTIF 107.5 FM.

New Calling System Thursday

On Thursday the GIST system that we have used for many years will be discontinued. Instead of dialing “8” before a long distance number, simply dial “9” then “1” plus the area code and phone number.

Coleman Honored

Director of Alumni Relations Nancy Coleman has been honored with the Circle of Leadership Award from the Georgia Agri-Leaders Forum. Executive Manager Jimmy Hill said the 11 individuals chosen for the award have achieved a great deal and attribute much of their success to their participation in the Georgia Agri-Leaders Forum.

Coleman was a 1999 graduate of Georgia Agri-Leaders. She is the co-owner of Rose Hill Farms with her husband, Thomas. She was named Woman of the Year in Service to Georgia Agriculture in 2001 and she has served as president of the Georgia Cotton Women, Inc.

Other Circle of Leadership Award winners were William Bowen from Tifton, Terry England from Auburn, Dot James from Cairo, Lynmore James from Montezuma, George Larsen, II, from DeSoto, Mary Alice McGee from Alapaha, Dr. Lee Myers from Good Hope, Ronnie Noble from Tifton, Jay Roberts from Ocilla, and Donnie Smith from Willacoochee.

Health Club Open

The ABAC Fit for Life Health Club is now open. Contact Diane Kilgore for your free membership information. This week a fitness orientation will be held at 5 p.m. on Tuesday in the Cordell Conference Room featuring Herb Hendrix. On Wednesday at noon, Pattie Clark and Judy Bland will talk about the weight management class in the Magnolia Room.

Holiday on January 20

ABAC will officially be closed for the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday on Jan. 20. Offices will reopen at 8 a.m. on Jan. 21.

Celebrating Birthdays

January

16 Mike Vollmer

18 Lennie Vollmer

20 Joann Brannen

20 Mac Rainey

PSBOC New Location

The Public Service and Business Outreach Center is now located in Weltner Hall. The phone number of 3267 is the same. The former Youth Connection program is now a part of the PSBOC. Vonda Doss and Mandy Vassey, who were previously located in Tift Hall, are now also located in Weltner Hall and can be reached at 3267.

Correction

In last week’s edition of this prized publication, the President’s Club dinner was listed as Feb. 24. That event will occur on Feb. 21. The FOCUS editor apologizes for the error.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Robert and LaRae Moore who are the proud parents of a new baby boy born on Jan. 9. Robert “Tre” Adonis More, III, weighed in at 8 pounds, 3 ounces and was 21 inches long.

Care & Concern

Jim May is recuperating after undergoing heart surgery on Jan. 9. Former faculty member Ellen Vickers continues to recover from her stroke at Tift Regional Medical Center. Please keep both these members of the ABAC Family in your thoughts and prayers.

Notes of Thanks

Faculty & Staff,

Thanks for the prayers, flowers, cards, and kindnesses shown during the loss of my sister. ABAC is a wonderful place to work.

Sherin Nixon

Thanks so much for the phone calls, cards, prayers, hospital visits, and the beautiful green plant that I received while in the hospital recuperating from my knee replacement. I appreciate your kindness, thoughtfulness, and continued friendship.

Dick Payne

Marion and I thank the folks in the ABAC community from the bottom of our hearts for such positive thoughts, words, prayers, and presence relative to our recent marriage. Hearing and seeing you made our simple rite especially sweet and memorable to us and our families…thanks to each of you.

Mike & Marion Curry

Positions Open

ABAC:

■ GEAR UP Program Specialist (deadline 1/24)

Permanent Part-Time, Salary $833.33 per month

Contact the Office of Human Resources for details.

ABAC Family

Annie Sims administered the ISAT to 10 students on Jan. 2.