Campbell School Lauded for Quality of MBA Program

The MBA program offered by Berry College’s Campbell School of Business has been honored for excellence by The Princeton Review. This is the third consecutive year that the Campbell School has been featured in The Princeton Review’s annual publication recognizing top business schools nationwide.

“We are pleased to recommend the Berry College Campbell School of Business to readers of our book and users of our site, www.PrincetonReview.com, as one of the best institutions they could attend to earn an MBA,” stated Robert Franek, senior vice president for publishing at The Princeton Review. “We chose the 301 business schools in this book based on our opinion of their academic programs and offerings, as well as our review of institutional data we collect from the schools. We also strongly consider the candid opinions of students attending the schools who rate and report on their campus experiences at their schools on our survey for the book.”

The Princeton Review does not rank the business schools featured in "The Best 301 Business Schools: 2010 Edition" on a single hierarchical list or name one business school best overall. Instead, the book has 11 ranking lists of the top 10 business schools in various categories. Ten lists are based on The Princeton Review’s surveys of 19,000 students attending the 301 business schools profiled in the book. The 11th, “Toughest to Get Into,” is based solely on institutional data. The lists are available online at www.PrincetonReview.com. The Campbell School is one of 66 schools in the book that appear on one or more of the book’s ranking lists.

"The Best 301 Business Schools: 2010 Edition" features two-page profiles of each institution. In its profile, the Campbell School was lauded for “having an increasingly important presence in the North Georgia economic community.”

“We are delighted to once again be recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the top business schools in the nation,” said Dr. John Grout, Campbell School dean. “This recognition is the result of the continuous efforts by the Campbell School faculty to offer a quality MBA program within the Northwest Georgia region. We are pleased that our students have this opportunity to express their support for our program.”

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Communication Department Receives $5,000 First Amendment Grant to Fund Liberty Tree Week@Berry

The Berry College Department of Communication has received a $5,000 grant from the Liberty Tree Campus Initiative, a project funded by the McCormick Foundation to develop thought-provoking programs about the First Amendment. Berry is the first institution to be awarded such a grant in 2009.

The Liberty Tree Initiative is an informal coalition of educators, journalists, librarians, artists and authors with a shared interest in building awareness of the First Amendment through education and information. It was founded in partnership with the American Society of Newspaper Editors, with help and support from the Knight Foundation, the McCormick Foundation and the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University.

The Department of Communication aims to increase awareness of and appreciation for the role of the First Amendment in American society through Liberty Tree Week@ Berry, a program of speakers, exhibits and performances; admission to all events is free and open to the public.

The celebration kicks off this Thursday, April 23, with the 5 p.m. planting of a large Liberty Tree elm in front of Evans Hall, home to Berry’s Evans School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. This event commemorates the elm tree near Boston Commons where, in 1765, America’s earliest patriots first spoke of the need for a new nation founded on liberty. The Liberty Tree Initiative seeks to place a Liberty Tree elm on participating campuses as a symbol of the importance of the First Amendment to an educated public. The planting will be followed by a Harvest Moon-catered reception in the lobby of the Science Complex. The reception will be held in conjunction with the 12th Annual Conference on Politics, Religion, Culture and Community presented by Berry’s Department of Government and International Studies.

Liberty Tree Week@Berry continues Wednesday, April 29, with “The First Information Revolution: The Lost Gutenberg Bibles & Religious Expression.” This event, scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Science Auditorium, will feature a presentation by Tim Yancey, master bookbinder, who will discuss the production of a limited series of historically accurate, precise Gutenberg Bible reproductions. Examples of the reproductions at various stages of production will be displayed.

Historical context for the session will be provided by Dr. Kathy Brittain McKee, professor of communication at Berry. After Yancey’s presentation, Gene Policinski, executive director of the First Amendment Center in both Washington D.C., and Nashville, Tenn., will lead a short discussion about religious expression and freedom of information in America today.

The Gutenberg presentation will be followed at 8 p.m. by “Freedom Sings,” an evening of banned music in Barnwell Chapel. Featured performers include Josh Huggins and Brandon Trapp of the Ian Trapp Band, as well as Berry’s “In His Name” gospel choir. Policinski will provide historical context for the various selections.

The weeklong celebration concludes Thursday, April 30, with a keynote address by Ken Paulson, former editor and senior vice president of news for USA Today and current president and CEO of the Freedom Forum and the Newseum in Washington, D.C. Paulson’s lecture, “Rebooting America: The First Amendment & A New Generation,” will begin at 8 p.m. in the Science Auditorium. Cultural events credit is available for Berry students in attendance.

Paulson’s remarks will be followed by responses from Dr. Tom Kennedy, professor of philosophy and dean of the Evans School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, and Dr. Michael Bailey, associate professor and chair of Berry’s government department.

Throughout the week, Memorial Library will host an exhibit of banned books through the ages entitled “Stop the Presses!” The exhibition opens April 23. From 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. the day of the opening, once-banned books will be read aloud on the library’s front steps. Students, faculty and staff are invited to read a passage from a once-banned or challenged book of their choice or from a book provided by the library.

Also ongoing at Berry are the Liberty Tree Week@Berry Writing Contest and the Ram Read ’n Slam Poetry Competition, both of which focus on the theme of free expression in America. Cash prizes are being offered in both the writing and poetry contests, which are open to Berry undergraduate students.

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Berry to Host FAFSA Workshop for Parents of Incoming Students

Parents of incoming students who would like assistance completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are invited to attend a free on-campus workshop being hosted by the Berry College Office of Financial Aid this Saturday, Feb. 21, in Lab 228 of the Science Building. Members of the financial aid staff will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to provide direction and assistance for workshop participants. Computers and wireless access will be provided. Please e-mail Cheryl Huffman at chuffman@berry.edu to RSVP.

Submission of the FAFSA is required for any student wishing to obtain grants or loans through the U.S. Department of Education. Berry also requires students to complete the FAFSA in order to be eligible for college-based financial assistance.

Workshop participants will need to have the following information on hand in order to successfully complete the FAFSA:

-Social Security Number for parents and student

-Driver’s license number for parents and student

-W-2 forms and other records documenting income for 2008

-2008 Federal Income Tax returns for parents, student and student’s spouse (if applicable)

-2008 untaxed income records

-Current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond and other investment records

Worksheets are available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov/before012.htm if you would like to organize your information in advance. Blank copies will be provided at the workshop.

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Shorter College Joins Council For Christian Colleges And Universities

Shorter College announced February 4 that it has been approved as the 111th member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. The membership was made official during CCCU’s Presidents Conference held Jan. 29-31.

“The integration of faith and learning within a Christian community is a foundational part of Shorter College’s strategic planning efforts,” said Shorter President Dr. Harold E. Newman. “As part of those efforts, we are committed to seeking out partnerships with sister educational institutions and with organizations that share our two-fold commitment to academic excellence and spiritual integrity. We are proud to join with the Council’s member institutions around the world.”

According to its Web site, the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities “works to advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help its institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth.” The 111 member campuses in North America are all fully accredited, comprehensive colleges and universities with curricula rooted in the arts and sciences. In addition, 70 affiliate campuses from 24 countries are part of the CCCU.

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Center for Economic Education Hosts Workshops for Teachers

The Berry College Center for Economic Education will close out its 2008-09 workshop schedule Feb. 10, 11 and 12 with a trio of offerings for area teachers.

On Feb. 10, the center will host “Georgia Economic History,” a one-day workshop for eighth-grade Georgia studies teachers. This award-winning program brings together an array of resources to help teachers lead their students in a study of their own local economic history. Teachers get hands-on experience with the tools of the historian and learn how to work with local history groups.

The Feb. 11 workshop, “Personal Finance,” focuses on how teachers in grades 6-12 can “coach” their students in the new personal finance curriculum, thus helping them to become skilled consumers, savers and investors.

The schedule concludes Feb. 12 with “Elementary School Economics, K-2.” This workshop focuses on basic economics content with a focus on learning the economics concepts found in the Georgia Performance Standards.

Teachers interested in attending these workshops should contact Dr. Leslie Marlow at lmarlow@berry.edu or 706-238-7889. Online registration is available at www.gcee.org/workshops/register_for_workshops.asp. Additional information about the center and its offerings can be found at www.berry.edu/academics/education/econed.

Established in 1974 under the leadership of Dr. Ouida Word Dickey, the Center for Economic Education is in its first year operating under the umbrella of Berry’s Charter School of Education and Human Sciences. Its goal is to provide teachers with a supportive network, access to professional training and curriculum materials. Area school administrators are welcome to contact the center staff to arrange special topic workshops and courses.

“We are delighted to have the Center for Economic Education housed in the Charter School,” said Dr. Jacqueline McDowell, Charter School dean. “I personally welcome every workshop participant and encourage them to send us high school students from their school districts who want to be teachers. The center helps us to recruit, prepare and inspire teachers to teach economics.”


Prepared by student writer Leigh Harris.

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Shorter Establishes Military Discount For Professional Studies Students

Shorter College is now offering tuition discounts for students enrolled in the Professional Studies Program who have served the United States through military duty.

The scholarship, which applies to active and retired military personnel and their spouses, will give a 20-percent discount on tuition for students enrolling in Shorter's Professional Studies Program. Geared towards working professionals in Greater Rome and the Atlanta area, the college's Professional Studies Program offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in many courses of study.

More information on Shorter's professional programs can be found at www.shorterdegree.com.

Questions about the Military Scholarship Tuition Discount should be directed to Frances Tamboli at frances.tamboli@apollogrp.edu.

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Berry Gets in Holiday Spirit

Berry College will kick off the holiday season with a series of special events this week.

First up is the 20th annual celebration of “Lessons and Carols,” scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 2, in the Berry College Chapel. Afterward, enjoy the traditional lighting of the Berry Christmas tree. Admission is free and open to the public.

Next, Oak Hill and The Martha Berry Museum will host “Candles and Carols of Christmases Past” from 6-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 5-6. Admission is $2. Parking and shuttle service is available at Harbin Clinic (please use the Leland Avenue entrance). For more information, go to www.berry.edu/oakhill or call 706-368-6775.

Trim those Thanksgiving pounds at the third-annual Jingle Jog 5K, set for Saturday, Dec. 6. Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. at Ford Dining Hall. A one-mile fun run gets under way at 9:30 a.m.; the 5K starts at 10. Registration is $5 for Berry students and $20 for all other participants. Proceeds benefit Athletes Bettering the Community, the service arm of Berry’s intercollegiate athletic program.

Last but not least, hear the Christmas message proclaimed through music and drama at “One Loud Night,” Mount Berry Church’s Christmas musical celebration. Worship begins at 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, in the Berry College Chapel. Admission is free and open to the public.

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NASA Astronaut Confirmed As Shorter’s December Commencement Speaker

NASA astronaut Stephanie D. Wilson will be the keynote speaker at Shorter College’s December 13 commencement ceremonies. The commencement exercises will be held at 10 a.m. and at 2 p.m. in the college’s Winthrop-King Centre.

Selected by NASA in 1996, Wilson has logged more than 28 days in space, and is a veteran of two space flights, one in 2006 and one in 2007.

In 2006, she was part of a return-to-flight test mission and assembly flight to the International Space Station. During the 13-day flight the crew of Space Shuttle Discovery tested new equipment and procedures that increase the safety of space shuttles, repaired a rail car on the International Space Station and produced never-before-seen, high-resolution images of the Shuttle during and after its July 4th launch. Wilson supported robotic arm operations for vehicle inspection, multi-purpose logistics module installation and EVAs and was responsible for the transfer of more than 28,000 pounds of supplies and equipment to the ISS.

Her 2007 mission was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This flight was a crew rotation flight, delivering 16 new crewmembers and returning with a 15-crew member team. During the STS-120 mission, the Node 2 module named “Harmony” was delivered to the International Space Station. This element opened up the capability for future international laboratories to be added to the station. In addition, the P6 Solar Array was relocated from the Z1 Truss to the end of the port side of the Integrated Truss Structure. During the re-deploy of the array, the array panels snagged and were damaged. An unplanned spacewalk was successfully performed to repair the array.

A native of Massachusetts, Wilson graduated from Taconic High School in Pittsfield in 1984 and went on to receive a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science degree from Harvard University in 1988. She later earned a Master of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas in 1992. She is the cousin of Shorter graduate Sandra Terry (’88), who serves as assistant vice president for the college’s Professional Studies program.

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Berry Named “College of Distinction”

Berry College is one of only six colleges in Georgia featured in the newly-released 2008-09 edition of “Colleges of Distinction,” published by Student Horizons Inc. Unlike traditional numeric-based college guidebooks, this publication appeals to students’ unique interests – recognizing that “the best” college for one student may be vastly different from what is best for another.

“The schools in this group are some of the very best in the country. Some are household names; some are ‘hidden in plain sight’; what they all share is that they are great places to get an education,” said Wesley L. Creel, president and founder of “Colleges of Distinction.”

Approximately 40 colleges in each of the six geographical regions in the U.S. were recognized for meeting four key criteria that make a college truly exceptional: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant communities and successful outcomes. These are the “hidden gems” of higher education institutions – as determined by a review board of academicians, guidance counselors and parents. Joining Berry among Georgia colleges and universities are Wesleyan College, Georgia College and State University, Agnes Scott College, Oglethorpe University and LaGrange College.

“A great college experience involves learning by doing as much as learning through classroom study,” said Dr. Stephen R. Briggs, president of Berry College. “This guide is helpful because it focuses on how colleges engage students through great teaching and vibrant campus communities rather than on a superficial ranking by test scores. Berry College is delighted to be included in this guidebook that focuses on the quality of campus experiences and successful outcomes.”

Prospective students can visit “Colleges of Distinction” online at www.collegesofdistinction.com to learn more about featured schools, including Berry College. Furthermore, visitors can read tips from high school guidance counselors and essays from college students, presidents and other members of different campus communities.

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Shorter College Announces Plan To Transition To University Status

Shorter College President Harold E. Newman today announced the college’s intent to change its legal designation to Shorter University. The change will become effective June 1, 2010, and marks an important development for the 135-year-old institution that is affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention.

The status change was approved by the Shorter College Board of Trustees at its October meeting and today (Tuesday, Nov. 11) was approved by messengers attending the annual meeting of the Georgia Baptist Convention. The convention’s approval was necessary because the status change requires an amendment to Shorter’s charter.

“Since its founding in 1873, Shorter has had a reputation for providing excellent academics within a caring environment,” Dr. Newman said. “Our aim is to create a Christian university where students will receive a top quality education in an environment that fosters spiritual growth. University status reflects what Shorter has already become through the extraordinary growth and progress of recent years.” Today, the college enrolls approximately 3,000 students who study on four campuses in Rome, North Atlanta, Lawrenceville, and Riverdale.

Dr. Newman added, “Several years ago, the college’s leadership team and I identified university status as a centerpiece of Shorter’s strategic plan, and we believe that Shorter fits nicely into the definition of a regional teaching university. Achieving recognition as a regional teaching university, as a Christ-centered community, and as a community committed to globalization are the central pillars of our strategic plans for the future growth and development of Shorter.”

Dr. Nelson Price, chairman of the Shorter College Board of Trustees, echoed Dr. Newman’s enthusiasm for the transition. “From the inception of my working with Shorter, we have had the bold ambition to see it excel, and we feel the title of university will enhance the understanding of the level of academic excellence offered at Shorter. We also desire to see the academic success enhanced by the infusion of the Christian faith.”

The status change will enable Shorter to better respond to market forces within the state of Georgia and within the higher education community at large, Dr. Newman said. “Becoming Shorter University positions us for future growth. It does not, however, change the nature of Shorter. We remain committed to providing a high quality educational experience that features personal interactions with faculty, a strong focus on students, and excellence in all areas.”

Dr. Newman added that the change will require little internal restructuring since the college already follows a university-style structure. “For much of the past decade, we have operated under a university model in that we have had separate schools headed by deans and have offered graduate programs,” he said. “This change in designation solidifies that reputation.”

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