Greetings from Bryan College!

     April means we’re nearing the end of the academic year, but there is a whole lot more going on than class projects and final exams!

     The Bryan Film Festival, campus visitation events, a play and Honors Day chapels will keep student hopping even as they push toward the end of school.

     Graduation will be another great day as we honor seniors, as well as class members from 1958 who will return for their Golden Anniversary reunion May 9-10.

     We invite you to join us on “The Hill” as often as possible.

 

April 11

Highlight/Illuminate campus visit event. Visiting students and families can sit in on classes, attend information sessions, eat in the dining hall, meet professors and admissions personnel, and go to chapel.

 

April 12

Bryan Film Festival. “Academy Awards” are presented to student filmmakers in a celebration at Chattanooga’s Tivoli Theatre.

 

April 17

6 p.m., Semi-annual meeting of the Board of Trustees. Meeting will conclude on April 19.

 

7:30 p.m., “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940,” presented by The Hilltop Players, Rudd Auditorium. Productions also on Friday and Saturday.

 

April 18

11 a.m., Student Government Association inaugurates officers for 2008-2009.

 

April 23

4:30 p.m., Senior Recitals for organist John Gross and pianist Roy Smith.

 

April 28

11 a.m., Honors Day Chapel. This is the first of two chapels to honor students for their accomplishments, and to award scholarships.

 

April 30

11 a.m., Honors Day Chapel. This chapel features awards to seniors, faculty and staff.

 

May 2

11 a.m., Senior Chapel. The graduating class honors faculty and fellow students.

 

7:30 p.m., Concert Series Concert: “Musical Treasures.”

 

May 5-8

Final Exams

 

May 9-10

Golden Grads Reunion. Members of the Class of 1958 return for their 50th anniversary, which includes presentation of Golden Anniversary diplomas at commencement.

 

7:30 p.m., Senior Vespers, a service planned by the Senior Class, held in Rudd Auditorium. A reception will follow.

 

May 10

9:30 a.m., Commencement on the Triangle, weather permitting.

     For most Bryan student teachers, an “international experience” means they have a child from a foreign country in their classroom. For Christy Noel, it meant flying to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to teach a class that sounds like the makeup of the United Nations.

     Christy is one of the first Bryan students to fulfill part of their student teaching requirement overseas, according to education professor Dr. Steve DeGeorge.

     Dr. DeGeorge said the major challenge for an overseas placement is faculty supervision. “The placement has to be in a school in which we have or can make contacts, to get the correct supervision and see that our policies are followed.” While the on-site supervisor handles day-to-day matters, a Bryan faculty member also may visit to evaluate the student.

     Christy said she had always wanted to visit Africa and teach in another country, “So this has been such a blessing.”

     Since she lives in a large city, adjustment has been fairly simple. Professionally, she said, “Teaching in the classroom is not much different than teaching in the States.” The biggest adjustment has been to the slower pace of life, which makes it “challenging to not spend a lot of time thinking about returning home and things such as graduating and getting married.”

     Christy’s class is made up of students from Tanzania, missionary kids, and other internationals. “I love teaching in a class with this much diversity. It makes it so much fun as I learn from the students about their different cultures.”

     Dr. DeGeorge said this and placements in an inner-city school in New Jersey are designed to “expand offerings to students and to better meet the mission of Bryan College.”

     Bryan College will offer a new teacher licensure option in computer science beginning this fall, Mr. Earl Reed, director of the Computer Science program, has announced.

     The new program will offer students state-approved teaching credentials in addition to a degree in computer science in a “very full schedule,” Mr. Reed said. The program requires a total of 132 hours, “with no electives.” Students will take 32 hours of computer science classes, 29 hours of education courses and one math class beyond the general education requirements.

     “This program will put us ahead of the curve,” Mr. Reed said. SACS (the regional accrediting body for the southeast) is very concerned about certification of teachers, and there just aren’t many programs offering this. In doing our research for the program we found only a handful of schools offering licensure in computer science.”

     Mr. Reed said most secondary computer teachers are largely self-taught, and he believes there will be a growing demand for trained instructors. “Today people who took a programming course in college are being asked to teach. Certification will become more critical when school officials realize young people need to know how to use the computer as a tool, not just play with it.”

     Dr. Steve DeGeorge, head of Bryan’s teacher education program, said the school only had to develop a teaching methods course, develop a four-year plan, and demonstrate that the courses meet state requirements for licensure. “That wasn’t too difficult,” he said.

     A long-time dream for a new entrance to Bryan College from U.S. 27 has become “job one” for Alumni Director David Tromanhauser as he seeks to enlist alumni support for the project.

     The new road, designed to give the college greater visibility on the highway and to remove college traffic from the residential neighborhood along Bryan Drive, needs about $1 million to complete, school officials said.

     “This really is a project alumni need to adopt,” Mr. Tromanhauser said. “Most foundations that support colleges such as Bryan prefer to use their money for academic programs or buildings. By working together, alumni can make the new entrance become a reality and, at the same time, demonstrate support for the college that will pay off in other areas.”

     As an incentive to encourage alumni participation, the college is pledging to erect a concrete lion in honor of each class that raises $25,000. “We hope 40 classes will participate in this way, bringing us close enough to allow us to begin work as we raise the balance of the money.”

     Each lion, standing 3 feet tall and 4 feet long, will be marked with the year of the class raising the money. They will be spaced along each side of the half-mile drive between U.S. 27 and the back of Rudd Auditorium, where the road will open onto campus.

     Alumni interested in hosting class meetings to support the project are encouraged to call Mr. Tromanhauser at 423-775-7308 or email him at davidt@bryan.edu to arrange a time.

     Members of the Lady Lions basketball team will spend the week after school is out in the Dominican Republic, reprising a mission trip the team took one year ago.

     Asst. Coach Sarah Coffman, who is handling arrangements, said ministry is the focus of the basketball-themed trip. “Last year, (the trip) impacted the girls on the team as well as impacting people of the Dominican Republic. There were people saved as a result of hearing testimonies by the girls,” she said.

     Team members, accompanied by Coach Jamy Bechler and his wife, Tabitha, will leave May 12, for Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic, and return May 19. They will spend time at orphanages and in sugar cane villages between Juan Dolio and Santo Domingo playing with children, then play several basketball games in Santo Domingo.

     “After the games, they will share their relationship with Christ with the players on the opposing teams,” Miss Coffman said.

     The trip is planned and arrangements for each day’s activities are made by SCORE International, the same organization the Bryan group worked with last year.

     The team is planning a number of fund-raising activities, such as a babysitting night for faculty and staff, to finance the trip. Persons interested in supporting the trip may contact Miss Coffman for further information at sarah.coffman@bryan.edu.

     Through memorable interviews, illustrated with historic archival images and stunning new photographs, Bryan College: Lions' Pride brings to life the incredible story of the "little college that could."

     This oversized coffee-table book chronicles the legacy of faith, determination and commitment to academic excellence that has transformed Bryan into one of the top-ranked colleges in the South today.

     Whether you're a Bryan College alum, current student or other proud member of the Bryan family, you'll want to own this stunning piece of Bryan history.

     Supplies are limited. Don't miss your opportunity--order NOW before it's too late!