Armstrong Magazine

33 Pages·2017·3.33 MB·English

Georgia Southern University
Digital Commons@Georgia Southern
Armstrong Magazine Armstrong News & Featured Publications
Armstrong Magazine
Fall 2015
Marketing & Communications Department, Armstrong State University
Follow this and additional works at:https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/armstrong-
magazine
Recommended Citation
Marketing & Communications Department, Armstrong State University, "Armstrong Magazine" (2015).Armstrong Magazine. 2.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/armstrong-magazine/2
This magazine is brought to you for free and open access by the Armstrong News & Featured Publications at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It
has been accepted for inclusion in Armstrong Magazine by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more
information, please [email protected].
A MAGAZINE OF ARMSTRONG STATE UNIVERSITY
FALL 2015
ARMSTRONG’S ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
EDITOR
Melanie Simón
DEsIgnER
Joan Lehon ‘92
PRIncIPal
PhOTOgRaPhER
Katherine Arntzen
cOPy EDITOR
Karen Cooper ’11
cOnTRIbuTIng
wRITERs
Brittany McClure ’15
Polly Powers Stramm
what’s inside
Armstrong magazine is
produced by the university’s
kudos
Marketing & Communications
3
department, with support
from the Armstrong State
campus news
University Foundation.
4
lET us hEaR fROm yOu!
a year of anniversary
We’d love your feedback
celebrations
on this issue, as well as what
6 you’d like to see in
upcoming issues of Armstrong.
phenomenal
Please email
faculty [email protected]
10 or call 912.344.2904.
in the lab To change your mailing
12 address, call 912.344.2541 or
email [email protected].
alumni profiles
14
facebook.com/armstrongstateuniversity
president’s report
17
donors’
@armstrong_u
report
20
scholarship armstrong state university
recipient profiles
21
donor @armstrong_u
spotlights
26 abOuT ThE cOvER
Armstrong students
class notes Jonathan Powell, Breonna Magee
28 and Taylor Alvarez (l-r)
joined the university’s
armstrong 80th anniversary celebration.
flashback Cake by Back in the Day Bakery.
Cover photography by
31
Katherine Arntzen.
2 | armstrong.edu
k
u
d
o
Robert T. Smith Joins Armstrong as Provost
s
and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Robert T. Smith, a veteran academic administrator,
recently joined Armstrong as provost and vice
president for academic affairs. In his new position,
Smith oversees all academic divisions, faculty,
instruction and research affairs at the university.
Before joining Armstrong, Smith served as the
Felix Hamza-Lup José da Cruz dean of the School of Science and Mathematics
at Millersville University of Pennsylvania. Also
Armstrong Professors a mathematics professor since 1982, Smith has
enjoyed teaching and research appointments at
Selected as Fulbright
Millersville University of Pennsylvania, Virginia Tech and
and Governor’s the U.S. Army Ballistic Research Laboratory. Over the years,
Teaching Fellows he has earned several honors and awards for teaching and has published a
number of mathematics textbooks.
Felix Hamza-Lup, associate
professor of computer science and
information technology, has been
selected as a Fulbright Scholar by
the J. William Fulbright Foreign Andrew J. Dies Hired
Scholarship Board. He is teaching as Assistant Dean of
and conducting research at Bangkok
Student Integrity
University, the oldest and largest
private university in Thailand, during Andrew J. Dies is Armstrong’s new
the fall 2015 semester. assistant dean of student integrity.
Hamza-Lup is teaching a He is responsible for administering
Web-based 3-D Visual and Haptic the student conduct system and
User Interfaces course, employing serves on the university’s behavioral
technology that interfaces with assessment team, working with
the user through the sense of students in crisis.
Janet A. Buckenmeyer
touch. Coursework covers a range Previously, Dies was the
of topics, including principles of Named as Dean of associate dean of students and
the human visual system, visual College of Education director of student conduct and
perception, tactile perception, static outreach at the University of North
and dynamic 3-D worlds and basic Janet A. Buckenmeyer recently Carolina at Charlotte, administering
animation. He is also collaborating joined Armstrong as the to more than 26,000 students. He
with Bangkok University scholars new dean of the College of also chaired the pre-admission
to research energy efficiency via Education. In this role, she safety review committee and served
thermal modeling for residential and supervises overall operations as case manager for the campus
commercial buildings and assisting for the college and provides behavioral intervention team.
with the development of a graduate leadership and vision, while
Computer Science curriculum. supporting faculty in teaching,
In addition, International professional development,
Relations and Comparative Politics service and scholarship.
Professor José de Arimatéia da Prior to joining Armstrong,
Cruz was selected as a Governor’s Buckenmeyer served as
Teaching Fellow for 2015-2016. associate dean of the Spadoni
The prestigious program is run by College of Education at Coastal
the University of Georgia’s Institute Carolina University. She was also
of Higher Education, which is program chair and associate
committed to advancing higher professor for the Master of
education policy, management Instructional Technology
and leadership through research, Program at Purdue University–
graduate education and outreach. Calumet, where she mentored
and evaluated faculty, led
accreditation efforts and was
instrumental in creating hybrid
and online learning courses.
fall 2015 | 3
s
w
e
n

s
u Armstrong Celebrates Second Annual
p Paint the Town Maroon Event
m Pirate pride took center stage at Johnson Square
in historic downtown Savannah as Armstrong
a
celebrated the second annual Paint the Town
c Maroon event on March 27. This community-wide
pep rally honored the university’s connection
to Savannah and its commitment to providing
scholarship support for students in need.
In addition to supporting student scholarships,
the event also served as a celebration of Armstrong
spirit, with the square’s fountains dyed maroon for
the first time. In addition, Leopold’s—which is
owned and operated by ’64 alum Stratton
Leopold—served free Pirate’s Treasure ice cream as
students and alumni played games of cornhole in
Johnson Square.
Mark your calendar for the 2016 Paint the Town
event, which will be held on April 8. To learn more
about how you can get involved, please contact
Women’s Tennis Team Wins Ninth NCAA
Armstrong’s Office of Advancement at 912.344.2541
Division II National Championship or visit paintthetownmaroon.com.
The top-ranked and undefeated Armstrong State
University women’s tennis team captured its ninth NCAA
Division II National Championship with a 5-2 victory over
No. 2 Barry University on May 16 at the Surprise Racquet
& Tennis Complex in Surprise, Ariz.
The Pirates extended their NCAA DII record for the
most national championships, handing the Bucs (24-2)
the loss in a rematch of the 2014 National Championship
match won by Barry. Armstrong now has won three of the
last four NCAA Division II national championships and
six of the last eight. The men’s tennis team finished the
season at No. 3 ITA Division II National Rankings.
Online B.A. in French Now Available
Through eMajor Program
Armstrong began offering a fully online B.A. in French,
as well as a French minor, in the fall of 2015. The new
program is available through eMajor, a consortium of
University System of Georgia schools that partner with
one another to deliver high-quality, online bachelor’s
degree programs.
The French track emphasizes knowledge of modern
foreign cultures and enables students to focus on one
modern language, while achieving speaking facility
in one or two others. When combined with business
economics courses, the degree can open international
opportunities in business, government, education, media,
travel and social services.
4 | armstrong.edu
c
a
m
p
u
Biology Department
s
Secures National Science
n
Foundation Grant
e
The National Science Foundation, w
a federal agency that supports
s
research and education in science
and engineering through grants and
cooperative agreements, recently
awarded $144,777 to Armstrong’s
Biology department.
The two-year grant, which began
in June and runs through May 2017,
will allow the Department of Biology
to fund the operation of a Next-
Generation Genetic Sequencer, which
gives scientists the ability to analyze
an organism’s genetic code. This
technology is rapidly becoming a game-
changer in the medical world, solving
complex patient issues. The Biology
department will also purchase 3-D
technology, a flow tank and advanced
computer software to enhance student
understanding of evolution.
University Hosts 2015
Engineering Design Challenge
In April, Armstrong’s Engineering
Studies program hosted the 2015
Engineering Design Challenge, which
showcased the ingenuity and creativity
of students from Johnson High School,
Beach High School, Savannah High
School, Savannah Early College, Savannah
Christian Preparatory School, Richmond
Hill High School, Savannah Arts Academy
and Jenkins High School. 
Each team, comprised of four to
six students, designed and built a
battery-powered, multiterrain wheelchair
with the assistance of a project mentor
and Armstrong Engineering students.
The final competition included a 40-meter
race, a timed maneuver course, a
demonstration of safety features and
a design poster presentation with an
evaluation by engineers from Gulfstream
Aerospace and other local companies.
fall 2015 | 5
A YeAr of Armstrong
Anniversaries
Celebrating 80 Years of educating, 50 Years on savannah’s southside
by mElanIE sImón
6 | armstrong.edu
“Armstrong offered an
exhilarating learning
experience. It was the
best education of my life.”
— Dr. Irving Victor, former chief of staff for all three
of Savannah’s hospitals and co-founder of the
Chatham County Emergency Medical Service
Armstrong Junior College
A
rmstrong State University rings in 80 years since its University, he was assured by his father that Baltimore living was
founding and 50 years on the southside campus during unaffordable. “Armstrong was the key to me being able to go
the 2015-16 academic year, celebrating its evolution into medicine. If it had not been for Armstrong, I wouldn’t have
from a junior college in a small, Southern town to its current been able to go to college.”
status as a leading state university in one of the region’s most Victor says the education he received at Armstrong launched
important cities. his future successes, which included serving as chief of staff
Since its inception, Armstrong has been a Savannah beacon. for all three of Savannah’s hospitals and as co-founder of the
Armstrong Junior College, a city-funded, two-year institution Chatham County Emergency Medical Service.
founded by Mayor Thomas Gamble and housed in the elegant “Armstrong offered an exhilarating learning experience,”
Armstrong House at Bull and Gaston Streets, defied the says Victor. “It was the best education of my life.”
Depression era by opening its doors on Sept. 17, 1935, with 175 Soon after, World War II transformed Armstrong’s curriculum
students. Gifted to the city by the family of shipping magnate with a new science building fitted with state-of-the-art
George F. Armstrong, the college was headed by President equipment and coursework that included navigation, map
Ernest A. Lowe in its earliest days. reading, aerodynamics, military technology, nautical astronomy
The college was a bright light for many, allowing students to and wartime French. In 1943, the mass exodus of male students
earn a college degree in fields ranging from English and math left Armstrong with an almost all-female base.
to biology and government. Without a formal gym, downtown After the war, G.I. Bills funded college degrees for returning
venues like Forsyth Park, the YMCA and the old Desoto Hotel soldiers, who set up a veterans’ program on campus. A decade
hosted physical education classes, as well as tennis, basketball later, Korean War veterans jump-started Armstrong’s new
and swimming. Evening College program, as well as Armstrong’s legacy of
“The price was right,” remembers Dr. Irving Victor, a providing continuing education, skills and enrichment to military
Savannah native who served as Armstrong’s class valedictorian members, working professionals and other nontraditional
in 1941. Awarded a four-year scholarship to Johns Hopkins students.
fall 2015 | 7
The fall term of 1957 got underway with a record enrollment
of 1,267 students attending classes in six buildings located
throughout downtown Savannah. Additional programs continued
to stretch into the community with the establishment of a
Technical Institute, providing off-campus courses.
Changing Times
In 1963, Otis S. Johnson became the first African-American
student admitted to Armstrong. State troopers were posted
on-site to keep the peace on his first day of class. For the first
few weeks, Savannah NAACP president W.W. Law arranged for
a taxi to shuttle Johnson to and from the Armstrong House to
ensure his safety.
Candid about the difficulties he faced from the community
at large in the 1960s, this future Savannah mayor was quietly
determined to earn his degree from Armstrong and to focus
on his liberal arts studies. He credits two Armstrong professors,
Bill Coyle and Orson Beecher, with changing his philosophical
and political views and paving the way for his future role as a
community leader.
“Bill Coyle really set me on a path in terms of political
ideology,” says Johnson of the political science professor. “It
was so exciting. I give him credit for setting me on the path to
become a history major. He was very inspiring.”
Orson Beecher, a beloved figure at Armstrong who taught
French, Spanish and history for 40 years, also welcomed Johnson
in his introductory philosophy course. He challenged the young
honors student to reach in new directions.
“Those two professors set a climate there for me in terms of
intellectual growth,” explains Johnson, who graduated with an addition of a basketball team. Fully incorporated into Savannah’s
associate’s degree in June 1964. As for his own legacy, Johnson, southside identity by then, the grounds bloomed with lush
who was presented an Armstrong Distinguished Alumnus landscaping, and a fountain served as a popular gathering spot.
Award in 2005, says, “I’m extremely proud to have been the “I always felt that Armstrong was a really good fit for me,”
first African-American to attend and graduate from Armstrong. says Janet D. Stone, who entered Armstrong as a professor of
I opened up the doors for other African-Americans to attend European history in 1975 and remained until her retirement in
that institution.” 2007. “There was a strong emphasis on teaching and liberal arts.
As Johnson’s enrollment marked a historic shift, Armstrong’s It was a good place.”
soon-to-be new campus, located on 250 wooded acres on Stone also authored From the Mansion to the University:
Savannah’s southside, would too. Situated on a tract of land A History of Armstrong Atlantic State University, a book tracing
gifted by the Mills B. Lane Foundation and Donald Livingston Armstrong’s development through the years. Although Stone
in 1962, the newly anointed four-year Armstrong State College never taught at the original downtown campus, she worked with
permanently relocated to the southside in December 1965. faculty who shared vivid stories from that time. And when the
last of that generation retired and newer faculty members were
A New Era on Savannah’s Southside unaware of the previous campus’s life and times, Stone was in a
position to bridge the gap.
The expansive campus was anchored by a central quadrangle “I felt fortunate to be in the middle generation,” she notes.
and eight new buildings offering a range of educational “I felt like I had a foot on both sides of the college’s history.”
programs. Armstrong officially began a new era in January 1966, For 10 years, Stone spent summers sifting and organizing
welcoming students to the new southside campus. Armstrong archival materials, much of which is now housed in an
Further progress came in 1968, as the first baccalaureate impressive Lane Library collection, unearthing Savannah’s past to
degrees were awarded and Armstrong received notice of weave a tale of the university’s rich history.
accreditation as a senior institution by the Southern Association “Armstrong reflects the history of the community,” she notes.
of Colleges and Schools. “It’s a strong feature of the university. The close relationship
By the 1970s, bell bottoms and miniskirts replaced the formal between the college and the community was very much a part of
attire of previous decades, and school spirit was thriving with the my thinking in writing the book.”
DID YOU kNOw?
Armstrong has approximately 35,000 alumni, including community
leaders, scientists, physicians, nurses, teachers, computer programmers,
editors, actors, film producers and entrepreneurs.
Moving Forward
Throughout the ’80s and ’90s, fiber optic cable spread across
campus, and private telephones and personal desktop
computers filled faculty offices. Other important introductions
included student housing; a major academic building, University
Hall; new graduate programs in health professions, history
and criminal justice; a 5,000-seat sports Alumni Arena and the
Armstrong Athletic Hall of Fame.
In 1996, the college gained university status and a new
name: Armstrong Atlantic State University. The core curriculum
also changed shape, replacing the academic quarter rotation
with a semester system, which staggered classes more
effectively. Campus grounds also continued to flourish with the
establishment of an arboretum.
Treasure Savannah Celebrates Armstrong expanded to Hinesville in 1998, with the addition
of the Liberty Center, which offered classes to Fort Stewart
Five Years of Giving Back military personnel and their families. Deeply embedded in the
Liberty County community, the Armstrong Liberty Center today
President Linda M. Bleicken’s inauguration in 2010 also offers associate degree tracks in liberal studies, criminal justice,
marked another important university induction: the launch of business and a variety of health profession areas, as well as
Armstrong’s biannual Treasure Savannah day of service. bachelor’s degrees in liberal studies and criminal justice. Fees
Marking its fifth anniversary this year, Treasure Savannah for all active-duty military are waived, and a new 21,000 square-
has become a pillar of the university and an important way to foot facility will open this December to meet the needs of rising
give back to the community. Over the past five years, the event enrollment in Liberty County.
has contributed more than 8,000 volunteer hours to help local Leading Armstrong into the 21st century was President
organizations and individuals in need. Thomas Z. Jones, who fostered community relations and
“Faculty, staff, students and alumni have all contributed to oversaw a number of dramatic changes to the campus, including
the success of Treasure Savannah,” says Bleicken. “Armstrong expansion to a neighboring shopping center with a state-of-the-
has an illustrious 80-year history of giving back to our art conference center for academic and community activities.
community. Treasure Savannah continues that legacy.” The Hispanic Outreach and Leadership at Armstrong
Treasure Savannah is held each fall and spring, with (HOLA) initiative, which provides student support services and
volunteers donating their time to organizations across the cultural awareness programs, was founded with a grant from the
region. Armstrong students, faculty and staff have volunteered Goizueta Foundation to support Latino student recruitment and
at dozens of nonprofit organizations, including the Savannah retention. Smart classrooms in the new Science Center, fitted
Chatham Animal Shelter, American Cancer Society, America’s with chemistry, biology and physics labs, also opened, as did a
Second Harvest Food Bank, Southside Fire Department, new student-housing complex, Compass Point and the Student
Union Mission Grace House Kitchen and West Broad Street Recreation Center.
YMCA. They have also cleaned up trash at Forsyth Park, a Girl The Peach Belt Conference awarded Armstrong its inaugural
Scout camp and local homeless encampments. President’s Academic Award for the 2006-07 academic year, and
Area nonprofits look forward to Treasure Savannah each in 2009, the men’s and women’s tennis teams won the NCAA
semester and appreciate receiving so much support from the Division II national championships for the second year in a row.
university. Karrie Henry, founder of the therapeutic equestrian That same year, Jones retired and Armstrong’s new president
nonprofit Hoofs for Healing, has enjoyed having Armstrong prepared to usher in a new era of success.
students volunteer on her ranch for the past two years.
continued on page 16 >
“It’s just wonderful to have all of these hands here to help
us,” she said. “I’m so thankful for Armstrong.”
Michelle Ramos, a junior majoring in history, also
anticipates Armstrong’s citywide day of service each semester. ARMSTRONG QUICk FACTS
“Treasure Savannah is a day where we show the city that
Student-professor ratio: 19:1
the students in the area care,” she said. “It’s good for morale
Full-time faculty: 263
and it’s good for the community. It’s important for all of us to
Students receiving financial aid: 85%
give back.”
Minority representation: 38.5%
States represented: 45
Countries represented: 72
“The work that occurs on Saturday mornings

through Treasure Savannah helps local agencies
AThlETICS
and makes a real difference for people right
National Championships: 12
here in our community. We are going to so
Peach Belt Championships: 91
many places that really can use our help.” Mascot: Pirate
Colors: Maroon and gold
— Armstrong President Linda M. Bleicken
fall 2015 | 9