Academic Awards Banquet Highlights Achievements

Jessica Barnes, a communication major at Coker College, who actually finished her classes in December was sitting at the same table I was for the Coker College Academic Awards Banquet. I have known Jessica since she came to Coker for a Coker Connection just before she started her four year experience. She was impressive as a first-year student and she has become even more skilled through her undergraduate years. Jessica was one of a number of students recognized for their Academic prowess at the Coker Academic Awards Banquet on April 20.

Jessica spends most of her time these days at the S.C. Governor's School for Science and Mathematics where she has been a resident assistant. And, much of her time the past couple of months has been awaiting news of a Fulbright Fellowship. She is one of two Coker Students who were finalists this year. Anna Lippard, the other finalist, was notified of her Fulbright earlier. Apparently this is a rolling selection process with much of the final decision based in the host country. Jessica is on the short list for a city in China. But, she has not just been waiting around. Jessica was accepted into the Syracuse University S. I. Newhouse Masters Program in Magazine, Newspapers and Online journalism. She has been working on finding the funds to make that dream a reality.

The impressive thing about the Coker College Academic Awards banquet is that each table had students with stories like Jessica's. The students recognized last night were the top students on our campus and they are impressive. Those graduating with honors gave short overview of their research as they received awards. The research is cutting edge for those honor grads.

Dr. Pat Lincoln, the college Provost and Dean of the Faculty, coordinated this program to bring recognition to these academic all stars. It is likely that Dr. Wyatt summed up the feeling of many of the faculty who were in the room when he talked about the emotion that welled within him thinking about what these students had accomplished while on the Coker campus and what they are going to accomplish throughout their lives.

PHOTO CAPTIONJessica Barnes was sitting next Melinda Deyasi at the Academic Awards banquet. Melinda works closely with students who get up the courage to apply for programs like the Fulbright to guide them through the process.

April 20 is last day of classes for the semester

More than a little excitement in the Spring Semester of 2010 and from a class perspective it comes to an end today.

** Excitement like the Communication Department getting the opportunity to add a third person to our department and then having soon-to-be Dr. Mark Glantz of the University of Missouri accept the offer.

** Excitement like having one of our majors, Jessica Barnes as a finalist for the Fulbright Scholarship.

** Excitement like being able to be part of the Strategic Planning process initiated by the new president of the College.

** Excitement at being able to be among those at the inauguration of Dr. Wyatt as the new president of Coker College.

** I always find it exciting to be learning and teaching and watching as people develop new skills, new thought patterns and new perspectives.

** Excitement that we have an end to the semester and that it will not be long before the new semester begins with hopes that it will be long enough that I at least straighten up the office a little.

Voice and Piano Recital was Friday night

video is a fast forward of some of the selections from the Spring Recital


The Coker college Spring Recital for voice and piano students was held on Friday night at the First Presbyterian Church in Hartsville. Serena Hill, adjunct professor of voice coordinated the recital with Ronda McElveen assisting the students as the piano accompanist. While these students were performing in the recital many of their colleagues were enjoying themselves at the Coker College Bandfest, an annual end-of-year student bash on campus.

As the year is coming to a close there are lots of things happening nearly every day and often all through the day. Earlier on Friday I had the opportunity to see a performance by the Coker College Dance Department Repertory Company that highlighted much of what they had worked on this year. And, then there was also the annual Crew race among the girls of the four classes (frosh and juniors vs sophs and seniors. Turns out the sophs and seniors won again this year, after taking the race by a bow last year.

In classes we finished up the Communication Senior Seminar research project presentations on Friday and one of my colleagues was giving his speech classes the written portion of their final exam on Friday. These little snippets give you an idea of the variety of things that are ongoing as the semester comes to a close.

Students participating in the Spring Recital included: Avery Bateman, Jill Brantley, Rachel Buchanan, Morgan Etheridge, Kyle Berry, Amanda Groves, Morgan Hairston, Tara Haynes, Star Jarrells, Devin Jennings, Joshua McKenny, Ashley West, Tiffany Ross, Allyson (Mary) Osborne, Amanda Groves, Stephanie McGlothlin, Estebon Middleton, Jonathan Moree, Latavia Smith, Amesha Johnson, Paige ManWaring, Julio Ruiz, Valerie Wilke, Marlin Ketter accompanied by Allyson Osborne, and Dustin Moree.

Coker video from a business class

One of the Marketing classes being taught by Professor Melinda Norris worked on putting together a video about Coker. It is an interesting package that I think you all might enjoy. Here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6avQHzKW8DU. Becky Dillon, who is a communication major, was one of the people who worked on this video.

Professional Speaker "Step into the F-I-R-E"

Pat Park, a professional speaker and trainer and owner of Sunrise Motivations, Inc. spoke to the Coker College Advanced Public Speaking Class on Tuesday, April 13.

I have had the opportunity to lead an Advanced Public Speaking class about three times over the past couple of years. It is a class that focuses on persuasive public speaking. One of the aspects I have wanted to include in this class is a visit from a public speaker who has worked "the circuit" and who could talk to the students about the various aspects of making speaking a career alternative. Pat Park, owner of Sunrise Motivations, made that a reality this semester.

She is a motivational speaker and a professional trainer who emphasizes messages of customer service. The past few years she has been doing a bit less traveling and has been focusing a a sales and consulting career closer to home.

Pat's presentation this morning included a shorter version of her keynote speech - Step Into the Fire, as well as some overall background on key elements of getting started with a speaking career. The students appeared very involved in her presentation and I think she may have shown a couple of them that a speaking career could be in their future. From the instructor's perspective, she brought a good bit of closure to the importance of differentiation, the importance of professionalism, the importance of preparation, the importance of knowing your audience and the importance of answering the question -- why this subject and why YOU on this subject.

We have been using a text for this class called THANK YOU FOR ARGUING that emphasizes several of Aristotle's key appeals -- logos, ethos and pathos with a strong emphasis on the ethos factor. Our speaker this morning gave some great real world examples of the various elements of ethos that Jay Heinrichs emphasizes in his book.

On behalf of the class, we thank Pat Park for sharing some of her expertise at Coker College.

Students recognized at Coker Excellence in Leadership Awards Banquet

The Coker College Student Services team annually honors students who have been recognized as leaders on the Coker College campus. It was my good fortune to be part of the selection committee for the leadership awards, which is how I happened to be invited to the Leadership Banquet on April 13, 2010 at the Hartsville Country Club.
The students earning recognition at the Excellence In Leadership Banquet, which was planned and coordinated by Lisa Potoka, were from all four classes.
First-year nominees were:
Kira Dobbs, Gregory Keith Martin, Estebon Middleton, and Timothy Strickland
Sophomore nominees were:
Josh Bittenger, Caitlyn Driscoll, Karen Kelly and Danielle Wallace
Junior nominees were:
Taylor Adams, Andrew Caputa, Sarah Folsom, Margaret McCoy, Whitney Wallett and Amanda Warner
Senior nominees were:
Mason Ambler, Sheila Braddock, Benjamin Chastain, Michael Crook, Amy Hall, Jordan Heydt, Jennifer Kyria Hoffman, Henna Koponen, Amanda Naron, Christina Nealey, Robert O’Hara, Tervor Robinson, Gertrude Stoney, Rebecca Sullivan, Daniel Wagner and Jessica Welch.
These students are involved in a variety of activities around the campus and as their personal statement reiterated again and again, Coker College is a place where if you work to help others you reap a great deal of benefit.

There are two major student leadership awards - The REBEKAH Chapman Memorial Award, named for a student who was at Coker from 1984 until her death in an automobile accident in 1986. She was deeply committed to Coker College and represented the best qualities of a student leader. Trevor Robinson was named the winner of the Rebeka Chapman Memorial Award at the 2010 Leadership Banquet.

The second award is the James D. Daniels Student Leader of the Year award, named after Dr. Jim Daniels, Coker's 14th president. Dr. Daniels led Coker from 1981 until his retirement in 2002. The winner of the James D. Daniels Student Leader Award was Benjamin "Beeze" Chastain.

Two Coker students get NSF grants

Dr. Pat Lincoln, provost of Coker College, just announced that two Coker students have received NSF grants for Summer research. That is impressive. Here is a copy of the note Dr. Lincoln sent:


"I would like to congratulate two of our students, Ms. Cynallyhia Indriago and Mr. Bryan Musungu, for being selected to receive summer research fellowships funded by the National Science Foundation.

The NSF fellowships will allow Cynallyhia and Bryan to conduct research at Purdue University on genes important in fungal-plant interactions for 8 weeks this summer. Their research at Purdue is related to and will enhance the research they are conducting here at Coker College in Dr.Flaherty’s lab as part of a NSF-CAREER funded project.

Cynallyhia is a rising junior majoring in biology and a member of the Volleyball Team. Bryan is a rising senior majoring in biology and a member of the Men’s Soccer Team."

Congratulations to two students who are proving what it means to be student-athletes.