Lois Gibson, who retired from the Coker faculty last year, relayed information that Terrance Hayes, a former Coker student, had his new book of poetry reviewed in the NEW YORK TIMES this past Sunday. The new book is called LIGHTHEAD, By Terrance Hayes,Penguin Poets. Paper, $18. Earlier this year Professor Hayes, who teaches at Carnegie Mellon University, was named the Poet Laureate of Coker College.

The end of another academic semester

Parking can sometimes be a problem around the Coker College campus -- guess like all colleges. But, this week, the parking situation has begun to ease as students are starting their summer vacations. This is the end of another semester. I have one set of grades to post with the Registrar and my semester is over. I think today is last day of exams in the day program and pretty soon the campus will be really quiet.

One big day left of the academic year -- this Saturday. Graduation at Coker is out of doors in front of our iconic Davidson Hall. It is always a great event. Emerson Gower, former vice president with Progress Energy and a member of the Coker College Board of Trustees will be the speaker for graduation. A friend of mine and an amazing contributor to the Hartsville community, Clayton Richardson is being honored as the community Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award winner. The campus winner is Robert O'Hara, who defines the engaged Coker College student. Robert is on his way to law school.

Senior Seminar ends with lunch at Miriams

This was, I think, my 10thyear teaching the Coker Communication Capstone Course that we call the Communication Senior Seminar. This seminar is mix of subject areas with the capstone being a research project by the students on some keen interest they have in a facet of the wide world of communication. We finished the 2010 course on April 23 with a lunch at Miriam's Restaurant that is located in Griggs Grocery outside of Hartsville. The first seminar class and I went to Griggs for the end of semester lunch and it became a tradition. We are fortunate that we are getting a new professor to add to our department with the next academic year. We are going to give him the opportunity to teach this Capstone Course and I can say, it is an experience I will miss but I am certain he is going to enjoy.

I believe another post described the different projects the students accomplished this semester but just in case:

Kimberly Wilson, a communication minor and business major, researched the question of narcissism and its relationship to television reality shows. Lance Player researched television habits of college students along with the question of how television might impact college students. Ricardo Smith researched the question of who makes the better celebrity spokesperson -- an athlete or a musician. Audrey Player looked at the influence of television on the question of teenage pregnancy. Rachel Croyle wanted to determine if the perception of marriage within young women has been affected by television portrayals of men-women relationships in regard to marriage. Adam Johnson looked into the question of social and academic worlds of college video gamers. Kate McElveen studied shopping habits of Coker students to see if there are any marketing communication tactics that could change that behavior in regard to shopping in downtown Hartsville. Whitley Echols studied the attitudes of college students toward texting to determine if they knew of the dangers involved. Sheila Braddock is doing our final project,which is investigating gender roles in society.

Late Night Breakfast a Coker Tradition - 2010

Steve Terry, vice president, gives a quick overview of the Late Night Breakfast in this video clip.


The students seemed to enjoy the break from studying for exams on April 21 as they enjoyed the Late Night Breakfast that has been a tradition at Coker College for years. Staff and faculty help do the cooking and the serving at the gracious hospitality of the Aramark staff, who have their kitchen invaded by these amateurs. This was the last Late Nigh Breakfast for a great many Coker College seniors but it was also the last one for Ebi Zahabi, ARAmark Manager of the Coker operations. By the time of the next breakfast he will be heading up operations on at dining halls on the James Madison University campus. The photos show just a snapshot of the evening.

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.