Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,
I hope you are enjoying the first signs of warm weather on campus.
Thanks to all who came to our second Community Hour in the Student Center earlier today. It was great to see students, faculty, and staff all enjoying our 1980s theme—with old school candy and retro music videos—and spending time with each other. Next week, you can look forward to bingo with a musical twist! I hope to see you there.
If you were on campus Friday afternoon, you might have noticed some new faces at the Student Center. We were happy to participate in Emory’s inaugural Sophomore Summit, designed to help second-year students across the university connect with their peers, professors, and alumni—and to make active plans for pursuing their future goals. Sophomores from Atlanta joined our second-year participants for a brief program here before heading to the overnight retreat at Camp Twin Lakes in Rutledge.
As the month comes to a close, please continue to think about February’s #OxPrinciple of learning and how we can learn from each other, our academic pursuits, and the world around us.
Best regards,
Ken
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Submitting to Campus Update
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To submit items for Campus Update, please email Julia Kim. The newsletter is distributed weekly on Wednesday. Please submit items by Monday afternoon.
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Oxford Communications is featuring a staff member each week to help us get to know our colleagues. To nominate a staff member to answer our five-question profile for publication in future issues, please contact [email protected].
NAME: Stacey Towler
TITLE/DEPT: Director, New Student Engagement Marketing - Enrollment Services
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How long have you been at Oxford?
I joined Oxford's Office of Enrollment Services in 2005. As you might assume, in my years here I have read many, many admission applications, but what I actually love doing is working with our marketing, communication, and event planning efforts. As I tease and say to many, I get the pleasure of overseeing the "fun" in our office.
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What do you like best about your job and about Oxford?
I love being able to use my passion for marketing and event planning to help students find their way to Emory. Oxford is a special place, and it feels good to share that with others.
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What is your favorite song/tv show/movie/restaurant/podcast?
I was a teen in the 90's — Pretty Woman all the way!
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What makes you happy or brings you joy?
For most of my adult life I have worked at Oxford College. This community, the work we do, and the people, make me happy. Other things that bring joy: family, it’s truly everything. My doodle dog, Sadie-Lynn. Travel, anywhere and everywhere is fine. Baseball, so, so much baseball in my life.
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Please complete this sentence: It might surprise people to know that I...
If you’ve met me, there’s not much you don’t know about me. Oversharer here, but it might surprise a few to know that I’m pretty into roller coasters. Now, do not read this as I’m a Disney fan because that’s not true (no offense to the Mickey lovers). Think thrill rides not teacups. Cedar Point remains our favorite park with Magic Mountain a close second.
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Tasha Dobbin-Bennett, Associate Professor of Art History, has been awarded the James M. Osborn Fellowship at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Their 3-month fellowship will support their research on "Thomas Pettigrew, ancient Egyptian mummies, and the development of modern embalming practice" in the special collection repositories at Yale University. They will be taking up the fellowship in September.
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Devon Goss, Associate Professor of Sociology, has been quoted in an Associate Press News article titled, "Same ol’ same ol’: No progress for Black head coaches in NFL." The article was picked up in almost 600 media outlets across the country, including USA Today, Fox Sports, Yahoo! News, Washington Post, US News & World Report, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution. You can read the article here.
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Gwendolynne Reid, Director of the Writing Program and Assistant Professor of English, had two of her students have their papers published in this year's volume of Young Scholars in Writing: Undergraduate Research in Writing and Rhetoric.
Mercedes Sarah published her genre analysis of men's lifestyle magazine covers, "Covert Resistance to #MeToo: The Uptake of Social Change and Public Anxiety in the Men's Lifestyle Magazine Cover Genre," a project she began in Reid's Discovery Seminar, "Everyday Genres." You can read their paper here.
Yizhuo "Reese" Yang published his rhetorical analysis of the documentary Our Secret Universe: Hidden Life of the Cell, "Cinematizing Immunity: The Rhetorical Effects of Science Fiction in the Public Communication of Science," an analysis he began in First-Year Writing.
You can read their paper here.
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Julie Collazo 98Ox 00C and her husband Francisco Collazo co-founded Immigrant Families Together. It is featured in a documentary acquired by Ava DuVernay's production company, ARRAY, and as a result, will start streaming on Netflix in all English-language markets on March 3. The documentary is called "Split at the Root". Julie is open to hosting a watch party and leading a discussion. You can reach her at [email protected], and you can read more about the documentary here.
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Emory Women of Promise Nominations
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You're invited to nominate a graduating woman who has demonstrated leadership, inclusivity, and a commitment to making Emory a better place for all. Selected students will be invited to receive an honorary pin at a special ceremony on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Open to undergraduate and graduate students. Self-nominations are welcome. Women, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming students are invited to be nominated. You can find the nomination form here.
Nomination Deadline: February 27, 2023
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This year's Arbor Day celebration brought several student clubs and the City of Oxford together to take care of our local environment.
On Friday, February 17, students from the Oxford Climate Reality Project, Oxford Ecological Society, and Oxford Chinese Student Association removed invasive species along Dried Indian Creek near the Oxford College Organic Farm. The work opened up valuable habitat for native tree species in an area that the City of Oxford will be developing as a multi-use greenway trail in the near future.
On Saturday, February 18, the City of Oxford gave away sapling trees to Oxford homeowners for planting at city residences. Students from the Oxford Chinese Student Association helped organize and hand out the saplings. These events are part of a long-time collaboration between the City and College to support each other's Tree Campus and Tree City status awarded each year by the Arbor Day Foundation.
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Dr. Homer Sharp, retired professor of biology, passed away on Friday, February 17, 2023. Family and friends gathered on Tuesday, February 21, at J.C. Harwell and Sons Funeral Home.
You can read more about Dr. Sharp here. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donating in his memory to the Homer and Ruby Rae Davis Sharp Book Fund. You can make your gift to the fund here.
To send condolences to the family, please address them here:
The Homer Sharp Family
2210 Seven Islands Rd.
Buckhead, GA 30625
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The Sophomore Summit was a two-day overnight event at Camp Twin Lakes that gave Emory and Oxford students a space to connect with peers, hear from Oxford and Emory professors and alumni, and explore concrete next steps for their future.
Students heard from Keynote Speaker Andrew Fried, president and founder of Boardwalk Pictures. They connected with Oxford and Emory faculty and alumni through panels. Dr. Pearl Dowe, Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Political Science and African American Studies at Oxford College and Emory University, served on a Faculty Panel with two other Emory Faculty — Dr. Tracy McGill, Professor of Pedagogy and Director of Diversity and Inclusion, and Dr. Melvin Ayogu, Teaching Professor of Economics.
During the Faculty and Alumni panels, students got to hear from Oxford and Emory alumni, learn about their career journeys, and hear insightful advice for career and professional development.
There was also time to connect with their peers at a bonfire, at meals, and during recreation time where students played basketball, went paddle boarding, rock climbed, crafted, and more!
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Sammy Clark Scholarship Nominations Needed
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The Sammy Clark Scholarship, named for Oxford's longest-serving chaplain, is given to a rising sophomore student each year and presented at the annual All-College Awards Ceremony in April. You may learn more about the scholarship and nominate a current first-year student here.
Students do not nominate themselves for this award, so we rely on faculty and staff nominations. Please help us with this important process and nominate by Wednesday, March 15.
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At Oxford, Black History Month is a time to reflect on the African American/Black experience by recognizing the past and looking toward the future. Oxford’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will host several events that highlight Black history, culture, and talent. All events are free and open to the entire Oxford community. Below are the month's remaining events:
Wednesday, Feb. 22
7:00 p.m., Mural Room
Hair Discovery: Unpacking Hair Discrimination
Panelists will discuss hair discrimination and the efforts to ensure that all people are allowed to wear their natural hair without it impacting their livelihood.
Friday, Feb. 24
11:00 a.m., Greer Forum
Black History Month Brunch
A dynamic brunch celebration filled with performances, trivia, music, speeches, and food inspired by the African American/Black experience. Open to all Oxford students, faculty, and staff.
Tuesday, Feb. 28
7:00 p.m., Phi Gamma Hall
Showtime at Oxford Talent Show
A talent show inspired by the iconic amateur nights that made the legendary Apollo Theater a household name.
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Kitty McNeill's Retirement Party - Save the Date
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Please save the date for Kitty McNeill's retirement party on Monday, April 24th from 3-5 p.m. at the Oxford Library. More information to follow closer to the date.
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Ash Wednesday Worship
Oxford Chapel | Noon & 5:30 p.m.
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Hair Discovery: Unpacking Hair Discrimination
Student Center, Mural Room | 7:00 p.m.
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Black History Month Brunch
Greer Forum | 11:00 a.m.
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Men's Basketball vs. Central Carolina Community College
Williams Gym | 1:00 p.m.
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Take a Break Tuesday
Center for Healthful Living
Oxford Student Center Front Plaza | 1:15–2:45 p.m.
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Showtime at Oxford Talent Show
Phi Gamma Hall | 7:00 p.m.
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To submit a news item for the next Campus Update, please email Julia Kim.
The newsletter is distributed weekly on Wednesday. Please submit items by Monday afternoon.
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