Issue 1: September 2015

View this issue in its original PDF form.

DiPaula receives grant from USG Office of Faculty Development

DiPaula, Ph.D., associate professor of English, has been awarded a $1000 mini-grant for the fiscal year 2015-16 from the University System of Georgia (USG) Office of Faculty Development. The grant will be used for developing the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) at Georgia Southwestern State University.

The USG Office of Faculty Development offers these mini-grants for use in expanding and strengthening smaller Centers for Teaching and Learning or Faculty Development Offices at USG institutions. Funds are used for purposes ranging from purchasing books and resources for faculty development to providing stipends for faculty to participate in workshops.

The USG Office of Faculty Development awarded a total of $5,025 to seven different Georgia institutions, with Georgia Southwestern being one of only three universities to receive the full amount of $1,000.

Georgia Southwestern's grant will serve a dual purpose.

"This grant is to be used to offer five people $200 to attend a 5-session teaching academy during which they would study some aspects of teaching and learning," said DiPaula, who is also the director of the CTL at Georgia Southwestern.

DiPaula hopes that those who attend the teaching academy can then assist in building an advisory board to further develop GSW's CTL.

Faculty development is already an important focus at Georgia Southwestern, with vibrant programs such as the teaching circles, coordinated by Stephanie Harvey, Ph.D., professor of biology, and the "Caught in the Act of Great Teaching" award, designed by DiPaula to recognize faculty for teaching excellence. With the assistance of the USG grant, DiPaula feels that more opportunities for faculty development will arise.

"This project is meant to make the Center more robust and effective," said DiPaula. "Now with the help of the USG system, this has a great chance of further enhancing teaching and learning here at Southwestern."

For more information about GSW's Center for Teaching and Learning, please contact Lauren DiPaula at lauren.dipaula@gsw.edu.

Students swap t-shirts on College Colors Day

Keith Michlig (left) from Athletics presents sophomore soccer players Sholeh Rezaee (center) and Bri Reda
(right) with new GSW t-shirts after they traded in shirts from other colleges for College Colors Day last week.

GSW Athletics kicks off new season

The fall athletics season has begun! Don’t forget to come out and support our 'Canes! To view the schedule, visit gswcanes.com.

Upcoming events set for October

Oct. 16 - President’s Classic Golf Tournament to benefit GSW Athletics. For more information or to register for the tournament, click here.

Oct. 17 - Turn Up the Pink! event for breast cancer awareness

GSW staff member makes LEAP Monthly Newsletter

Pam Leverett, administrative assistant to vice president for student affairs, was featured in the Mentor Spotlight of the May edition of LEAP's monthly newsletter along with her mentee, Aquasha.

LEAP, or Learning for Everyone, Inc., is a non-profit organization that promotes both literacy and academic success for residents of Sumter County. LEAP is the sponsor of the Sumter County Mentor Partnership,  through which Pamela and Aquasha met.

Pamela has been Aquasha’s mentor for two years, during which they have been "active in the community and have attended many events together." Aquasha attends the 8th grade at Staley Middle School.

To view the full newsletter and read Pamela and Aquasha’s spotlight, click here.

Senior art student presents at forum

Recently, Caitlin Segroves, a senior art major, was selected to present a paper at the 14th Annual  Undergraduate Art History Forum, sponsored by The Undergraduate Art History Consortium held at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, Ga. Though she is a printmaking major, her critical assessment of the contemporary Chinese artist Peng Wei was selected from among the top papers written by art history majors in the state of Georgia.

Welcome to Angela Smith, new executive assistant to the president. Smith began her position at GSW
Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Congratulations to Simon Baev and Tatiana Baeva, both of the School of Computing and Mathematics, on the birth of their son Matthew on July 6, 2015.

Preview Day is Saturday, Nov. 14.

GSW faculty are needed to teach courses as part of GSW’s faculty-led short-term study abroad programs to:

1. A Maymester program to China at The Changshu Institute of Technology (May 7-31, 2016)
2. The first summer session to Bulgaria with The American University in Bulgaria (June 2-30, 2016)

If interested, contact Sarah Speir (sarah.speir@gsw.edu) or Philip Szmedra (philip.szmedra@gsw.edu).

Welcome to Natalie Thomas, the new director of Health Services.

Sept. 15, 5:00 p.m.
Deadline for Oris Bryant Book Scholarship
Please send proof of enrollment for Fall 2015 semester to staffsenate@gsw.edu. Drawing will be held Sept. 16.

Sept. 16, 11:00 a.m.
POW/MIA Convocation, ft. former POW and retired Brigadier General Rhonda Cornum
SSC Convocation Hall

Sept. 18
"The Ride Home"
3:45 p.m. - Motorcycle Procession to the GSW Storm Dome
4:30 p.m. - Welcome Ceremony
5:45 p.m. - "Keeping the Promise" MIA Remembrance
6:45 p.m. - Candle Light Service

Sept. 19, 7:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
7th Annual Men’s Health Conference
"The Power of Healthy Living Is In You"
Hosted by Phoebe Sumter Medical Center
GSW Student Success Center

Sept. 19, 12:45 p.m.
Funeral for Thirteen Thousand
Andersonville National Historic Site

Sept. 23, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Global Lunch & Learn - Dubai, UAE
Suzanne Conner, School of Business
Faculty Dining Room

Sept. 24, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Taste of Sumter
Downtown Americus

Sept. 24, 7:30 p.m.
Chamber Concert Series
Alfonso Lopez, violin/ Michelle Tabor, piano
Jackson Hall

Sept. 25, 10:00 a.m.
Fine Arts Building Renovation Ribbon Cutting