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(04/10/13 2:27pm)
Amiee Frutchey, former member of the volleyball team, graduated last May with a Global Health degree from Mercer and is currently working as a Clinical Research Coordinator for Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston in Cambridge, MA.
As soon as she graduated, Frutchey moved to the beach town of Kailua in Hawaii where she planned to stay for a while before starting to apply for graduate school. Frutchey was having a fun and relaxed time in Kailua and started playing sand volleyball as soon as she made some friends.
The University of Hawaii approached Frutchey and offered her to play her last year of eligibility for their sand volleyball team. “A few calls were made and before I knew it I was enrolled as a graduate student and cleared by the NCAA,” said Frutchey.
After a few months playing for the University of Hawaii, Frutchey decided that even though she loved her experience playing volleyball for both Mercer and the University of Hawaii, her aspirations for a successful professional life were more important than her athletic goals. Frutchey moved to Boston and is currently applying to physicians assistant and public health programs, while working for the Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston where she mainly works with patients who are in the end stages of retinal disease and deals with medical sponsors funding clinical trials and patients who are participating in it.
Frutchey has taken away countless lessons from her time as a student athlete. She said one of the most important was learning the value of maintaining balance. The pressures of doing well in school as well as in the court and having a social life, challenged Frutchey to learn how to work through those demands practicing time management and finding a mindset of balance. “My time at Mercer both academically and athletically has shaped me into the person that I am today,” said Frutchey. Her experience as a student-athlete was unlike any other. Having the chance to be supported by her teammates, coaches, athletic department, professors and fans was life-changing. “It’s the 6 hour bus rides, the early morning conditioning, late nights in the 24 hour room, game day, and the nights of celebration after a win. It was such a privilege to be part of that throughout college,” said Frutchey.
Frutchey still follows the team, checks the stats of some of their games and keeps track of their conference performance. She considers that Mercer has continued to grow its presence not only in the southeast but in the country with its athletic programs. Frutchey is a proud Bears fan and tries to keep up with all of the teams, as well as with her teammates who she not only said are a big part of her life but are also some of her best friends. Having graduated almost a year ago, Frutchey realizes how much she misses Mercer, the close proximity to her friends, the tight knit community of Macon and even The Hummingbird.
She encouraged all the student athletes to enjoy the time playing the sport they love with the university’s support behind them as well as taking advantage of the education they are receiving.
Even though her post-graduation experience has been beyond exciting, Frutchey affirms her experience at Mercer was what helped her get where she is today. “I am beyond grateful and appreciative for everyone that was involved in my experience. I loved my time at Mercer and the further removed I am from it the more appreciative I become,” said Frutchey.
(04/10/13 2:16pm)
Located in West Africa, Liberia has a rich, diverse culture and a population of almost 3.7 million people. It is also the home of one proud Mercerian.
Louvette Cherry Neal, a Global Health major currently finishing her junior year, came to Mercer University two years ago thanks to a partnership between her high school and the university. “Every year two students are picked to study at Mercer for free and I was one of the lucky ones,” said Neal.
Neal’s international student scholarship allowed her to come to the United States and get her bachelor’s degree. This opportunity will not only help her get a better education, but she also said that it has been a great opportunity for her to meet people from other countries and cultures.
Being far away from home has not been easy for Neal. However, she said that she has had a great experience in the United States so far. “I’ve seen amazing places and met people who are very encouraging,” said Neal.
Even though she has been enjoying her time here, Neal’s experience has had some downs. Her least favorite thing in the US is the food, and the most difficult cultural difference she had to get used to was “meeting people on several occasions and walking past them like we never met,” said Neal.
Liberian food is very spicy, and rice is a big part of every meal. Liberian cuisine reflects the rich heritage of Liberians. Some dishes include peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, ginger and palm oil. Rice is eaten at least twice a day.
Neal misses her family and Liberian cuisine the most. However, Neal said her family has been really supportive of her getting a good education, especially her mom. And fortunately, Neal’s grandmother lives in Georgia so she spends most holidays and special occasions with her.
Going back to Liberia is a big part of Neal’s future plans. After she graduates, Neal will go back home for a year and then come back to the United States to get her master’s degree. In five years, she sees herself going back to Africa, whether to Liberia or some other African country, working as a public health representative or something public health related.
The international student experience can be hard at times, but Neal has learned how to overcome cultural differences, and for the most part has enjoyed her time at Mercer. “My favorite experience at Mercer would have to be encountering, helpful, nice and supportive Americans,” said Neal.
(02/20/13 3:34pm)
The newly established Macon-Bibb consolidated government is hoping to create a unified recycling program to help the environment, extend the landfill’s life and contribute to meeting federal and state waste-management standards.
The city of Macon is currently in charge of handling its own garbage collection and landfill.
The county’s trash, on the other hand, is controlled by a contracted company and sends its waste to Twiggs County.
The Bibb County Residential Solid Waste Collection service, provided through contractor Southland Waste Systems, picks up household garbage, recyclables and yard waste, according to the county website. Both county governments offer some recycling plans and give recycling bins to the residents who desire them.
However, the level of service, collecting process and policies differ between areas.
The city of Macon collects paper, cardboard, plastic bottles and aluminum or steel cans, but it does not take glass, plastic bags, polystyrene or aluminum foil.
Therefore, the new government contemplates the idea of combining existing government workers and services but also creating an entirely new recycling program.
Task force members think the decision will be on whether to expand city trash collection, subcontract it countywide or keep some kind of combination.
The new recycling plan would include an expansion of the current recycling program and is looking to be included as a service offered to the public.
Public Works director Richard Powell told the Macon Telegraph it would take four more trucks and a dozen new employees to expand the city’s recycling program countywide, plus the purchase of more recycling carts.
Powell also said a full time recycling program would help benefit the Macon city landfill, which has an estimated nine years of use left.
However, community participation and education are key factors in making the new program work.
Voluntary recycling participation has been fairly constant during the years it has been offered, but it is still not universal.
The city and county alike have a great need to dispose locally of biodegradable yard waste, Powell said to the Telegraph.
Right now, the Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful Inc., is helping the city of Macon to improve the quality of life with recycling campaigns, as well as collection and littering prevention.
Several other groups have proposed more recycling or other waste-management options to the city.
Some companies have offered to take control of and expand the recycling program, but no decisions have been made yet.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promotes recycling.
The EPA says that recycling not only improves communities but also conserves natural resources, prevents pollution, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps create new well-paying jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries in the U.S.
Over the next few months, the Macon task forces will have a series of public meetings to help decide what services residents want and will discuss how to improve quality of life in the Macon-Bibb County area.
(02/20/13 3:22pm)
Mercer University alumnus and former Trustee A.V. Elliott donated and helped design the new Elliot Bell Tower which will become part of new Mercer traditions once the football season kicks off next fall.
President Bill Underwood offered a small and informal dedication ceremony at the Moye Football and Lacrosse Complex on Friday, Feb. 8 to present the bell and give details about the new tradition.
“When A.V. presented the bell to the University it was his vision that it would ring out to bear witness to those most sacred moments in the life of the institution,” said President Underwood at the bell tower dedication ceremony.
The bell will ring out after each Mercer Bears score and after each victory. This will not only represent a new tradition for the football team but also for Mercer as a whole.
The bell tower was designed by Elliott and the stadium’s architects to help enhance the overall external appearance of the stadium.
“It’s been a great team effort,” President Underwood said.
The Dedication Ceremony started with President Underwood’s welcome, followed by the installation of the new bell on its base by the stadium’s workers. After the installation process was complete, President Underwood invited SGA’s President Mollie Davis and Vice President Josh Lovett to be the first ones to ring the bell.
“As Mercerians we are very excited to see this bell and have a tangible piece of Mercer’s history put in to work today. I’m looking forward to every time we score touchdowns and ring the bell every time we have a victory to let the whole campus and Macon know that the Bears are back in action!” Davis said.
Elliott was next on ringing the bell and gave some details about the project and his vision. “The bell will be of a great use to this great stadium! I’m proud of it and I know you will be too. It will serve as a reminder of all the good times you had at Mercer,” Elliot said.
A.V. Elliot is a 1956 graduate of the College of Liberal Arts, majored in history and Christianity. He said he donated the bell because of his appreciation to Mercer and its traditions. Elliott is secretary and treasurer of Elliott Machine Shop in Macon, a 100-employee company he founded.
The Elliott Bell Tower will represent a symbol of spirit for Mercer football that students, alumni and fans can ring after each Bears’ score and victory. Elliott concluded the ceremony by saying that the bell ringing will be a brief but fun event and that it will become an important tradition for the future years in Mercer.
(11/28/12 11:00pm)
Student Government Association unanimously voted to approve Hoffman’s Hooligans as an official organization. The Hooligans held their first official event by painting and cheering at the homecoming game.
Hoffman’s Hooligans began during the 2009-2010 basketball season by a group of students who wanted to support the men’s basketball team and wanted to improve the Mercer experience by creating an energetic student section.
“Many of our traditions, such as how we paint up, come from this original group,” said Kevin Eck, president of the Hooligans.
The newly created organization is composed of Eck as president, Davis Lacey as vice-president and Coach Bob Hoffman as an advisor.
The organization also has the collaboration of Blaze Jeffrey, Melissa Thompson and Andrew Eck who are involved with the group’s leadership.
This group of students decided to become an official organization during last year’s basketball season.
“Last year was a big success for the Bears. Students began to see the potential a strong student section had to affect the game,” said Eck.
The Hooligans’ president said that this interest on more active presence at athletic events was also seen during the last SGA elections as both candidates supported athletic attendance. The group got interested in becoming an official organization in order for future students to sustain this school spirit.
“Mollie Davis and the rest of SGA have been very supportive of what we are trying to do. The athletic department including Coach Hoffman has been crucial in this process as well,” Eck said.
SGA’s President Mollie Davis hopes that by supporting the Hooligans there will be more opportunities to get a solid student support for the men’s basketball team.
Hoffman’s Hooligans seek to support the Bears on the court by creating a vigorous environment and therefore generating a home court advantage. The organization believes that rooting on the team provides significant encouragement that could change the results of the game. The Hooligans belief is that a strong student section is not only important for Mercer’s school spirit but it is a significant part of every student’s college experience.
“Making each game an event will increase the student participation in athletic events,” Davis said.
Furthermore, the new organization is looking to try to make membership more meaningful by supplying benefits to its members. In addition to being a part of the group at the games, Hoffman’s Hooligans are planning on having official apparel such as t-shirts and bowties, interaction with the team such as open practices, and giving away food at the coach’s radio show.
In order to join and earn these benefits, students must attend and participate with the Hooligans at five games.
“Anyone who is interested in showing their Mercer spirit and supporting our fellow students out on the court should consider joining us. You do not have to be a fan of the sport to get involved and have a good time,” said Eck.
As Kevin Eck said, “We have the potential to win the conference tournament and earn a bid to the NCAA tournament. All the support we can get to give our guys a home court advantage will make a difference.”
The organization hopes to lay the foundation for better student involvement in all Mercer athletics and create new meaningful traditions that will become part of the Mercer experience. The group’s goal is to establish a solid men’s basketball section and then try to expand and include all sports in the future.
“So whether or not you decide to join us down front, come to the games and make some noise! It’s a great opportunity to show some love to our team and our school and be a part of something special. Let’s Go Bears!” said the Hooligans president.
For more information about membership or leadership involvement, contact Kevin Eck or any of the Hooligan’s members.
(11/28/12 11:00pm)
Seeking a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership, preparing for practice and having a social life keeps Jake Gollon’s agenda quite full. Gollon is one of the most successful and recognized members of the men’s basketball team.
The Mercer men’s basketball team keeps making progress and was checked in at No. 19 on the last College.Insider.com Mid-Major poll. It is the 4th straight week the team has been included in the outlet’s Top 25 rankings.
The Bears beat Furman University 73-46 this past Sunday evening at Hawkins Arena. Gollon contributed by adding 11 points to the win.
Gollon usually wakes up at 7:30 in the morning. He prepares breakfast with some eggs and spinach, toast and a banana.
After breakfast, he usually goes to individual workouts or works on some homework for his evening class. As a graduate student, Gollon has class three nights a week for five hours. He is the only one in the team doing graduate school right now so he generally tries to get all of his work done during the morning.
Being in the basketball team involves a lot of traveling and therefore he usually not only has to do homework early but also has some extra assignments to make up for missing classes. “It really keeps me busy,” Gollon said.
After Gollon is done with his work for the evening he generally has lunch at the cafeteria. After that he usually has a couple of hours free and tries to hang out with his roommates at the Garden Apartments while watching episodes of “The Office.”
During the day the team regularly has different workouts that he must go to: individuals, conditioning and weights, and team practice. Gollon said most days he goes to the training room and works hard to prepare for practice.
A day before a game, the team spends a couple of hours watching videos of the team they are playing against. Afterwards they like to have team dinners the night before a game. They usually make some spaghetti in their room or go to Wild Wings and eat as a team.
Gollon’s practice schedule is mostly the same during the year. “Basketball kind of takes away a little bit of your social life,” he said.
Gollon works hard and puts a lot of time into his sport, team and studies. He does not have much time to go out during the weekends but whenever the team has a couple days off “We might mingle in the social scene,” Gollon said.
Also on his free time, Jake Gollon tries to hang out with some of his non-athlete friends. However, because of his busy schedule he usually ends up hanging out with his teammates.
Gollon has high expectations for this season and looks forward to keep winning games the rest of the year.
(11/07/12 11:00pm)
Music, lights and screaming fans filled the Newton Chapel for the Zeta Phi Beta stroll competition on Friday, Oct. 26.
Participants from three fraternities and two sororities threw themselves onto the stage and performed dance routines to impress the judges and the crowd. The Omega Mu Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. hosted the event and invited the organizations to come together, compete and continue the tradition of strolling.
“So You Think You Can Stroll” is an annual event for the Zeta Phi Beta sorority. “Typically, it’s in the spring but because of the popularity and demands of Stompfest, we decided to move it to the fall to increase participation,” said Morgan Ashley, a member of the chapter. “It gives Pan and IFC an opportunity to participate in a friendly competition each semester.”
Strolling involves a group of people packing rhythmic, precise dancing and music into one performance. “Strolling and stepping are unique to NPHC, and many IFC and Panhellenic organizations are fascinated with the concept. Therefore, we decided to flip the roles and see what they can do...thus the name, ‘So You Think You Can Stroll,’” said Ashley.
The show opened with the performance of the Phi Delta Theta pledges, followed by the brothers of Alpha Tau Omega, who immediately got the crowd screaming for their energetic performance.
The ladies of Chi Omega were next and presented a creative routine, followed by the sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha and the entertaining performance of the Omega Psi Phi brothers. All routines were judged based on style, precision and crowd noise.
The judges announced a speed round after all the organizations performed and the groups had 10 minutes to come up with a new routine. The winners were announced after the second part of the show. Chi Omega’s performance got first place by four points and the Alpha Tau Omega routine was announced as the crowd’s favorite.
The event raised $300, which will be donated to the March for Babies organization, the Zeta’s primary philanthropy. This was considered an opportunity for Greek organizations to bond and support other philanthropies. However, “So You Think You Can Stroll” had a high attendance from students of all organizations.
The Omega Mu Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta is one of the most philanthropic organizations on campus. Within the semester, the five member chapter has completed over 250 hours of community service, including Ronald McDonald House, LEAP, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Walk, the Central Georgia Walk to End Alzheimer’s and the Music City Classic created by Francar’s.
Additionally, the chapter has worked to expose the campus to the issues of domestic violence, breast cancer, hazing, and premature babies and collected clothing for the Crisis Safe House of Macon. “We also registered over 200 students to vote and distributed even more voter absentee forms,” said Ashley. “Our chapter is active with philanthropies in many ways!”
The Zeta Phi Beta sisters thanked everyone who came to support their cause and are planning to keep making contributions to the Mercer Campus and the Macon community.
(11/07/12 11:00pm)
Mercer University is abuzz as it celebrates Homecoming 2012 and welcomes alumni to campus.
This year’s Homecoming will take place Nov. 9-11. Current students, alumni, faculty, staff and the Macon community will be attending various events throughout the week, culminating in everyone cheering on the Mercer Bears at the Homecoming basketball game.
Homecoming 2012 is the fifth fall Mercer Homecoming, as the week was previously held in February.
During this time of year, spirit and pride reach a visible high on Mercer’s campus. Homecoming 2012 will welcome back to campus thousands of Mercerians to celebrate with the current students and enjoy the class reunions, sporting events, music, tailgating and various other activities.
Campus organizations host events throughout the week to encourage participation.
QuadWorks will be hosting a Homecoming concert headlined by Corey Smith at the Macon City Auditorium on Nov. 7. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the opening act by Stevens Layne, featuring Mercer alumna Molly Stevens, begins at 7:30 p.m.
Monday night, campus organizations competed in a house decorating contest and a banner design contest. On Tuesday, a talent competition was held, appropriately titled “Mercer’s Got Talent,” hosted by Mercer’s Service Scholar seniors Ellen Begley and Jessica Walker.
Also on Wednesday, students will vote online for Homecoming Court from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Greek organizations, along with other student organizations, will partner up to compete in daily categories, from the Banner and House Decorating contest to the exciting Skit and Lip Sync competitions. This is the time for student organizations to get their creativity and school spirit going as they work around this year’s theme, “Let the Games Begin.”
According to Student Government President, Mollie Davis, Homecoming fervor takes over the student population every year. “Homecoming is the best time of the year. It’s a great time for people who love Mercer to get together, share memories and celebrate. It’s definitely my favorite time of the year!” said Davis. “SGA is fully in support of everyone participating in the activities.”
Homecoming weekend events open to the public include reunions (classes of 1962, 1972, 1982, 1987, 1992, and 2002), Half Century Club luncheon, All Class Party, Athletic Hall of Fame and Alumni Speakers.
On Friday, basketball season will begin as the women’s team plays the Brevard College Tornados at 7 p.m. Events continue after the game outside at Bear Hill, where there will be a student skit competition at 9 p.m. and the traditional bonfire and pep rally featuring Mercer’s pep band, cheerleaders and a pep talk by men’s basketball head coach, Bob Hoffman, at 9:45 p.m. The night’s events will conclude with an exciting fireworks display.
Other Friday (Nov. 9) events will include the Alumni Career Speaker Series, which is the Career Fair co-sponsored by Career Services, the Organization of Black Students, and the National Association of Black Engineers, held from 1-4 p.m. at the Religious Life Center; the Dulcimer Alumni Showcase and Open House at 5:30 p.m. in the Art Building; and the Athletic Hall of Fame Induction from 5:30-7 p.m. in the President’s Dining Room. The celebrations will also include several athletic events, like the dedication ceremony for Mercer’s new Drake Field House at the Moye Football and Lacrosse Complex on Friday, Nov. 9, at 2 p.m.
On Saturday, Nov. 10, the men’s basketball season will start at 4 p.m., as our Mercer Bears host the game against the Sewanee Tigers. Several Greek cookouts and alumni tailgating events will be held before the game at the Garden Apartment Lots above the UC patio. Also, prior the men’s game, Mercer will publicly dedicate Hawkins Arena in the University Center and raise a banner to commemorate last season’s CIT Championship. In addition to these athletic events, the Mercer football team will play an intrasquad Orange and Black scrimmage at 10 a.m., Saturday on Bear Field.
Saturday events will begin early in the morning with a 5K Road Run at 8 a.m., followed by an Orange Pancake Breakfast at 8:30 a.m. to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. After the breakfast, alumni may participate in campus tours and affinity group reunions. The afternoon and evening schedule features several new activities, including a corn hole competition, a Mercer on Mission reception, a dean’s fair for prospective students, pony rides for children and a performance of Cirque Mechanics at 7:30 p.m. in the Grand Opera House. There will also be a Sunday afternoon matinee performance at 2:30 p.m. The Saturday schedule will conclude with the All Class Party from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. at Penfield Hall.
“Homecoming 2012 promises to be the most exciting and best-attended yet,” said Jill Kinsella, Associate Vice President for Alumni Services. “Our alumni from all over the country will get to see the recent campus expansions, watch the new football team in action and celebrate with fellow Mercerians.”
Attendees are required to register online at homecoming.mercer.edu. For a full schedule or more information on individual events, please visit homecoming.mercer.edu or the Mercer University Homecoming 2012 Facebook page.
(10/24/12 9:00pm)
Both the Bibb and Twiggs County Sheriff offices were recently awarded with a grant through the U.S. Justice Department to fight gun and gang violence.
The initiative itself comes from the U.S. Justice Department and is called, Project Safe Neighborhoods and will mainly target gun and gang violence in the counties. The amount awarded was $150,000 and it will be shared between both County Sheriff offices.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is designed to create safer neighborhoods through a sustained effort based on the cooperation of local, state and federal agencies engaged in a unified approach led by the U.S. attorney in each district.
U.S. Attorney Michael Moore announced the grant in a news release. According to Moore, the $150,000 in grant funds are to be used to: complete a community-wide gang assessment, create a gang database, implement a gang intervention program for 40 juvenile offenders, implement cognitive behavioral treatment for 15 adult offenders, modify the Bibb government website to include graffiti reporting, implement an abatement program for abandoned homes, create a public education campaign, and create a crime review panel.
“While law enforcement agencies already have databases of gang members, the
grant will pay for a gang database program that can be added to and accessed by the police agencies involved,” said David Davis, Bibb County’s Sheriff. Using the data, law enforcement members hope to find solutions by knowing details such as the average age of gang members, their educational backgrounds and what life is like for them at home.
The Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council will administer the grant. And last month the Macon City Council appointed the Police Department to head-up the city’s anti-gang effort. Councilman Virgil Watkins, chairman of the council’s Public Safety committee, said the council set aside $60,000 of city funds for the project.
Watkins said that the city is still looking to hire a coordinator for its program and also expressed that the effort was slowed by disputes over which agencies would run the program and the cost.
The Bibb County Sheriff’s office noticed an increase in gang activity involved in several areas of the county and a series of crimes and gun incidents in Bibb public schools that brought new attention to the raise of violence in the past year.
The Sheriff’s office expressed that they hope this grant will give the necessary equipment for its deputies to apprehend, prosecute, and deter any and all gang and or gun violence inside Bibb County.
(09/26/12 9:34pm)
Coach Damian Elder started his first fall season as head coach of the Women’s Volleyball team and led the Bears to an excellent home court debut. Having coached in the Pacific-12, the Southeastern Conference and the Southern Conference, Coach Elder brings experience, good energy and a positive change to the team. Having trained with most of the players last spring, Elder looks to improve upon the indoor team’s performance last year and make them a championship contender in the near future.
He sat down with The Cluster and talked about his experience and what it seems to be a very promising season.
Cluster: You had an excellent home court debut. How would you describe the team’s performance?
Elder: I thought the fans were great and the team fed of the energy in the gym, I thought the team had prepared very well to play ETSU specifically and our defense continued to be our strength as a group.
C: What was the key to your success in the last game?
E: Our serving was great in the match against ETSU and I hope that gets better and better because that makes the rest of the things we do to fall into place a little bit more. And as long as our offense keeps going in the right direction, then I think we are going to be hard to beat.
C: So, in general, how is the team doing both in practice and at the court?
E: The team is doing great! Minus a couple of injuries that we have had over the past couple of weeks, the rest of the team has pushed through and practiced as hard every single day and plays every match hard.
C: How would you describe your coaching style?
E: Intense but positive, trying to make sure that everybody is accepting responsibility for their work ethic in the gym and we do the same thing as a coaching staff, we are trying to make sure they understand we are working as hard as we can as well. And we are holding ourselves accountable everyday for getting better.
C: What do you look to improve during this season?
E: I hope to improve our offense. I think that is the key to us being able to make it to the A-Sun Tournament. I want to make sure that the underclassmen have a great experience because the seniors are role modeling the right things for them. And I just want to make sure that the team has a positive experience because I think they have gotten used to having a pretty medium or negative experience. So I want to make sure that we are all striving towards a positive experience.
C: What is one of your best memories as a coach so far?
E: Winning the National Championship at Stanford, maybe not just the moment of winning but the season overall. How it played out all the way up to the point of winning the entire thing, it was probably my finest coaching seasons.
C: And the worst?
E: The worst was probably my last year at South Carolina. Everything went the wrong way. I was bad at coaching and nothing was clicking with the team. It was a pretty bad experience I think for everyone involved.
C: It looks like it is going to be a pretty exciting season, is there anything you would like to say to our Bears fans?
E: Absolutely! I think playing in the new small arena is going to be an amazing fan experience and we want to make sure that we keep winning and we keep doing the things to get the fans out there. Mainly because the girls deserve having their Mercer Bears fans out there to support them every time.
C: And is there anything you would like to say to your girls?
E: The fact that we got to come here together as a coaching staff and be able to trying to change something for the better and that the girls have had to accept that and want to do it has been a wonderful experience for us. We are getting the chance for all of us, the team included, to make something great. I’m so proud of the team for accepting that it is the time to change. And they are the ones doing the hard work, it is not us. We are all proud of them!“
The team’s first home victory sent the Bears to 5-6 (1-0 A-Sun) on the year while ETSU slipped to 9-6 (0-1 A-Sun). The winning also marked the first time Mercer has started 1-0 in conference play since 2008. Coach Elder is clearly leading the volleyball squad in a positive direction.
Come out and support the team at one of the six home games left in the 2012 season.
(09/26/12 9:18pm)
Calientes California Style Burrito Shop, located at 6255 Zebulon Road, recently celebrated
10 years of rolling burritos and helping local charities of the Macon community.
Calientes officially celebrated its 10th anniversary from Sept. 10 to the 14 by helping a different local charity every day. The theme of the week was “Local business for local charities.” The restaurant supported a different charity each day and a portion of their proceeds went to the local philanthropy.
The restaurant opened on Sept. 12 of 2002 and was the first of its kind located in Macon. It originally started hosting fundraisers to help schools. Later on, the restaurant branched out and supported charities around the Macon community.
“It’s the right thing to do, I want to help out,” said Cal Garretson, owner and manager of
Calientes. Garretson graduated from Mercer’s Business School in 1999 and became an investment banker in Atlanta. When he moved back to Macon, he opened Calientes to give back to the community.
“We have always tried to do what we could to help the community. It is part of my responsibility to be a good corporate citizen,” said Garretson.
Throughout the week, Calientes celebrated and supported the work of five local non-profit organizations. 10 percent of all proceeds from collected receipts were donated to The Arc Macon, Middle Georgia Down Syndrome Society, Jay’s HOPE Foundation, Campus Clubs of Macon, and Young Life Macon.
The restaurant helps and supports schools and local charities during the year by hosting different fundraising events. They partner up with different organizations and have a gift card program where the charities keep a percentage of the profit.
Calientes also has certain nights throughout the year to dedicate a portion of the proceeds in the store back to the featured philanthropy of that day.
Right now, the shop is looking to start selling franchises to expand the business and the concept of giving back to the community. The manager expressed that their main goal is to start selling franchises and teaching people how to run a business like Calientes.
On its 10th anniversary, Calientes celebrates its success and keeps welcoming anyorganization that would want their support.
“We are trying to be a good corporate citizen of Macon and if there are ever any groups that would like to partner up and work with us, we would welcome the opportunity to help them and help support their organization as well,” said the Garretson.
(09/26/12 8:57pm)
The Office of International Programs held the first Study Abroad Fair of the year on Sept. 13 at the Connell Student Center from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The fair’s goal was to show the wide variety of study abroad programs available to Mercer students. It was an opportunity for students to meet the program directors and learn about the curriculums. With more than 20 different destinations, Mercer is “hitting every continent this year but Antarctica,” said Dr. Eric Spears, Director of International Education.
The Fair offered a variety of possibilities from which to choose. Students who are interested in studying abroad were able to gather information about various destinations, discuss opportunities and ask questions to students who have traveled through the specific program. Having a table from every program and destination, the Study Abroad Fair was considered a success among students and faculty. “The study abroad office thinks that it is absolutely essential for students to experience another cultures,” said Beth Walker, study abroad advisor. Mercer Abroad offers learning experiences throughout the world. Whether a semester in Oxford, summer in Jordan on Mercer on Mission, or spring break in Ecuador or Dubai, Mercer’s programs combine academic practice, intercultural experience, professional development, and leadership opportunities.
Dr. Eric Spears expressed that it would be educational malpractice not to offer these opportunities to the student population. “To me as a professor as an academic it would be educational malpractice to not give our students the opportunity to go and experience another culture, another society, while getting academic credit toward your degree,” said Spears. According to the Office of International Programs, 30% of Mercer students travel abroad every year. Mercer Abroad offers long-term programs of one semester to an academic year and short-term programs from two to six weeks. This year, the fair presented at least five spring break options, 12 Mercer on Mission, and five faculty led programs during the summer of 2013.
Faculty-Led programs vary each year and are usually offered during the summer. Faculty work with a group of students to prepare travel and study abroad as a group. On the other hand, Mercer on Mission is a blend of study abroad and service-learning where a group of students with faculty spend two weeks in class on the Macon campus and three weeks in the field. One of the novelties of the fair was the Spanish for the Health Professional Program, which is going to be offered for the first time next summer. The program includes the Spanish for Health Purposes II class, taught by faculty, and an internship volunteering at a local hospital. The spring break experience depends on the program and the director. The Office of International Programs advised students thinking about the spring break program, to start applying now through October and students thinking about next summer’s programs to start the application process around the end of November. Exchange programs offer the opportunity to be enrolled at a foreign university and to be completely immersed in another culture. The student is able to register for classes at Mercer, pay Mercer tuition and receive Mercer credit for courses taken at the exchange university. For both semester and academic year programs, students should start applying a year before to go through the process of enrolling and to make sure to take the right classes at the right university.
“The earlier you start planning, the better. I started planning in October through November and went in July,” said Senior Melissa Plyler, a French Major who went on a semester study abroad program to France and was representing the CIDEF program at the fair. She affirmed that going abroad was “one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had. It expanded my horizons, both social and cultural.” Mercer International Programs are encouraging students to experience the international abroad and it is going to host the second Study Abroad Fair on Oct. 25 for students to get more information. Dr. Spear’s last piece of advice for Mercerians was the International Programs Office slogan, “GO AWAY!”
(09/12/12 4:00pm)
Each year, Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins Sept. 15, celebrates the many ways Hispanic Americans have influenced and enriched life in the United States. Sept. 15 was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively.
The Hispanic Heritage Celebration was created by President Lyndon Johnson to recognize and honor the contributions, heritage and culture of Hispanic Americans to the United States. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan extended the celebration to cover a 30-day period. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988 and the White House established the National Hispanic Heritage Awards in 1987 in conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month. Hispanics are the nation’s largest ethnic minority at 50 million people. The Hispanic presence was and still is evident in all aspects of the development of this country. Hispanics were involved in exploring the Americas and helped the colonists obtain their liberty from England. Hispanics have served their country valiantly in the armed forces since the Revolutionary War and through the present time.
This year’s theme is “Many Backgrounds, Many Stories…One American Spirit.” America celebrates the culture and traditions of those who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Each state has different kinds of celebrations that include festivals, carnivals, art shows, cultural activities, concerts, and lots of Latin American food! Every Hispanic community is in charge of organizing these events. It is a great time to celebrate a family legacy and remember their culture. The Georgian community in particular is getting ready to kick off the 5th annual Fiesta Georgia which will take place on Sunday, Sept. 23 at the Georgia International Horse Park. Fiesta Georgia is Georgia’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, featuring a daylong celebration of Latino culture with nonstop live musical performances on two stages by international, national and local recording artists. Mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing, helicopter rides, youth soccer clinics, interactive sponsor displays with many free product samples, arts and crafts and authentic foods from several Latin-American countries all bring Fiestas Patrias to life at Fiesta Georgia.
Each year, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, it’s a time to reflect on the past, stand tall in the present and look forward to the future of Latinos in America. Latinos and Americans of Latino heritage look forward to Hispanic Heritage month to show their pride in their heritage and look to the past for strength to help build a common future.
(04/25/12 7:47pm)
Mercer lost its oldest alum on Sunday, April 1.
Dr. Leila H. Denmark a pediatrician who practiced medicine for more than 70 years, died from natural causes at the age of 114 in Athens, Ga.
She was believed to be the first female pediatrician in Georgia and the world’s oldest practicing pediatrician until her retirement in May 2001 at the age of 103.
When she retired, the veteran pediatrician was the oldest practicing physician in the country, according to the American Medical Association. Dr. Denmark supposedly only retired because she couldn’t see as well as she once did.
Dr. Denmark’s first job was at Grady Hospital, and when Henrietta Egleston Hospital opened three month later on the campus of Emory University, she became the first intern and admitted the first sick baby.
In 1932 Denmark opened a private practice at home and continued until her retirement in 2001. Throughout her career, she always kept her office in or near her home, where children and their parents would show up at all hours in need of care.
During the first few years of her practice she was accredited as co-developer of the pertussis vaccine and the modern day DPT vaccination. And she received the Fisher Award in 1935 for her outstanding research in diagnosis, treatment, and immunization of whooping cough.
She treated some of Atlanta’s poorest children as a volunteer at the Central Presbyterian Baby Clinic near the state capitol in Atlanta. Rural workers and other poor people who had no other way to get medical care would bring their sick children to the Clinic.
She received Atlanta’s “Woman of the Year” award in 1953. She was honored not only for her outstanding work as a medical practitioner, but as a capable professional woman.
During her more than 70 years as a pediatrician, she preached preventive medicine and old-school parenting techniques. In 1972 she wrote “Every Child Should Have a Chance,” a book that gives parents tips for raising healthy children. It has gone through several printings.
Denmark received alumni awards from Tift College, Mercer, Georgia Southern and the Medical College of Georgia; and honorary degrees from Tift, Mercer and Emory University.
Mercer honored Dr. Denmark with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1980. In 1987, Dr. Denmark and her husband, John Eustace Denmark, Mercer trustee from 1957-1962, were recognized as Lifetime Members of the President’s Club of Mercer University. In 2006, five years after she retired, Dr. Denmark said her recipe for living a long, happy life wasn’t complicated at all.
“You keep on doing what you do best as long as you can,” Dr. Denmark said at the time. “I enjoyed every minute of it for more than 70 years. If I could live it over again, I’d do exactly the same thing and marry the same man.”
She lived independently until she was 106 when she moved to Athens to live with her only daughter. At the beginning of this year she was the 4th oldest verified living person in the world and the 3rd oldest verified living person in the United States.
Her funeral was held on Thursday April 5 at the First United Methodist Church in Athens.
(04/25/12 7:26pm)
Even though sometimes people underestimate our student population of 8,300 and our location in little Macon, Ga., Mercer University has been preparing leaders who make a difference in their profession since 1833.
Mercer has more than 60,000 alumni who not only live throughout the United States but also in over 70 different countries around the world.
Our school aims to generate a culture of high aspiration and success in any field. And believe it or not, there is a big number of Mercer graduates who are recognized throughout the country for being outstanding in their fields.
Nancy Grace, host of the popular legal analysis program on Headline News, graduated from Mercer Law School in 1984. She has received two awards from The American Association of Women in Radio and Television for her Court TV show. The television program Law and Order often has featured stories based on Grace; she even appeared in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on May 22 of 2007.
As of 2006, she is part of Mercer University’s board of trustees and adopted a section of the street surrounding the law school.
H. Terrell Griffin earned degrees in history and law, graduating in the top ten of his class and serving as an editor of the Mercer Law Review on 1968. He is the author of three best-selling mystery novels: Longboat Blues (2005), Murder Key (2006), and Blood Island (2008). The last one made the American Booksellers Association’s national bestseller list for December 2008.
William Augustus “Gus” Bootle, was an American attorney and jurist noted for fighting segregation in the Southern United States. He was a brother of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1924 and from Mercer Law School in 1925. Bootle ordered the first admission of an African-American to the University of Georgia in 1961, and the federal courthouse in Macon is named in his honor.
The Mercer University ROTC program was activated in 1947 and nine years later a future General from the U.S. Army Forces graduated from Mercer. George J. Walker was part of the U.S. Army Forces Command from 1987 to 1989. In 1990, General Walker became a member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame and served as the Honorary Colonel of The Army’s Military Intelligence Corps.
Also, Mercer has among its alumni a member of the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and of the College Football Hall of Fame. J. Wallace “Wally” Butts played for the Mercer Bears Football team and was a brother of the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity. Once he graduated, he became the head football coach of the University of Georgia. During his years serving as head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, he won two national championships and four Southeastern Conference titles. He became a member of the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
A former head coach of the NBA graduated from Mercer on 1985. Sam Mitchell played four seasons with the Mercer Bears and scored nearly 2,000 points, becoming the leading scorer in Mercer history. The team made the NCAA tournament that year and he was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the 1985 NBA Draft. After his retirement in 2002, Mitchell became head coach of the Toronto Raptors and was selected NBA Coach of the Year in 2008.
And if all of these personalities do not entirely convince you that Mercerians can become part of the celebrity world, we have someone else that might make you change your mind.
A former Mercerian was featured in a Hollywood movie! William “Bill” Yoast, was portrayed by veteran actor Will Patton in the 2000 film Remember the Titans. In his college years, Yoast joined the Sigma Nu Fraternity and graduated from the College of Liberal Arts as a Physical Education major. He turned to coaching as a career and became a recognized high school football coach. He served as the inspiration for Remember the Titans in 1971 while he was working as an assistant to head coach Herman Boone (who was portrayed by Denzel Washington).
This has only being a small list of the numerous outstanding personalities that have walked through our campus. Mercer’s former students have won Pulitzer Prizes and written bestseller books and novels. Also 12 Mercerians have served as governors of the states of Alabama, Georgia, New Hampshire, Texas and of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and 10 Mercerians have been Major League Baseball players.
Whether in sports, politics or on television, Mercer has been responsible for the education of successful former students who are highly recognized in their fields and throughout the United States.
(03/28/12 8:06pm)
Dr. Ha Van Vo of the Mercer School of Engineering and the team of Mercer on Mission Vietnam held their first fundraising dinner of the year from 5-7 p.m. on March 20 at the Religious Life Center.
The event has been held twice a year since 2009 with the purpose being to raise funds in order to buy medication, food, clothes and school supplies for the people in Vietnam.
The $5 per person ticket price included a beverage and a plate of Thai food, which was personally cooked by Dr. Vo, who used to work as a chef at a Thai restaurant in his college years.
Students of the Mercer Vietnamese Group as well as students who were part of the program in the past, gave testimonies about their experience with Mercer on Mission.
Approximately 200 people attend the dinner each semester and make significant donations to the cause, helping the program to raise almost $6,000 every year.
Mercer on Mission Vietnam started in 2009 as a three-year grant initiative by former President Bill Clinton. The goal of this global outreach was to help amputees in Vietnam.
The program is preparing for its fourth year of international service to improve the lives of Vietnamese amputees and orphans. The goal of the program is to unite and promote service learning, knowledge exchange, life-giving innovative research and fundraising activities to transform and improve the welfare of those with disabilities.
Through this service learning experience, students and faculty help the Vietnamese people with prosthetic fittings and clinical evaluations.
Dr. Vo designed the Mercer Universal Socket, which is a lower limb prosthetic device that is planned to fit common stumps of amputees. The prosthetic is an efficient, affordable solution for those in developing nations.
The entire manufacturing process is completed by students and faculty every year in preparation for the service trip. Mercer on Mission has successfully delivered 202 prosthetics in Vietnam. According to Dr. Vo, “there are actually people waiting for us and the prosthetics. They know about Mercer on Mission.”
Around 20 students are part of the 2012 Mission Team and according to Dr. Vo, they are possibly going to take two different teams next year giving the increase on the number of applicants.
The trip not only improves the quality of life to those with disabilities in Vietnam, but also provides a life changing experience to students through service learning and global outreach.
The Mercer Vietnamese Group receives support and donations throughout both the spring and fall semesters in preparation for their next trip.
Mercer on Mission Vietnam works all year, not only on the manufacturing of the prosthetics, but also with fundraising activities. Dr. Vo encouraged the student population as well as the faculty and staff to come to next semester’s fundraising dinner in order to help with this cause. “Any kind of donation would be helpful,” said Vo.