Dennis Keith Helling, the executive director of pharmacy operations and therapeutics for Kaiser Permanente, was the commencement speaker for the Southern School of Pharmacy. The commencement took place on May 7, at the Sheffield Student Center on Atlanta's Cecil B. Day Campus. Below is Helling's commencement address:
President Godsey, Executive Vice President Fleming, Dean Matthews, Distinguished Platform party, and Graduates of the Class of 2005. Thank you for this pristine honor to be with you today.
To the Graduates - Today is about excellence; your excellence, your achievements. Today is your day. We are here to celebrate your hard work. But along your journey you were supported and loved by family and friends, so be sure to give them a big hug and let them know of your gratitude. My message today is threefold: congratulations, challenges and commitment.
First, Congratulations!
You are graduating from one of the...
MACON, GA - Mercer University School of Medicine officials announced Gabrielle Tuggle as the recipient of a full scholarship to the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine (NYLF/MED). Tuggle, a senior at Northeast Health Science Magnet High School in Macon, will join more than 350 high school students from around the country at NYLF/MED held on the Emory University campus in July. The award covers her tuition to the forum, transportation, room and board.
MACON - Henry E. Young, Ph.D., was presented the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Faculty Humanism in Medicine Award from Mercer University School of Medicine during commencement May 7 in Macon. Young - the first non-physician to ever receive the award in the School's history - was chosen by the Class of 2005 for his empathetic, sensitive and respective behavior in providing patient care.
MACON- Mercer University awarded the honorary Doctor of Letters to Poet Laureate of the State of Georgia David H. Bottoms, Jr., Ph.D., at the University's Macon commencement at the Macon Coliseum on May 14. Mercer University President R. Kirby Godsey made the presentation after Bottoms gave the commencement address.
Bottoms graduated from Mercer University with a bachelor of arts degree in English in 1971. He completed his master of arts degree in English at West Georgia College in 1973 and received his Ph.D. in American poetry and creative writing from Florida State University in 1982.
Bottoms's writings have been numerous and varied. His poetry chapbook, Jamming with the Band at the VFW (1978), was followed by the widely acclaimed Shooting Rats at the Bibb County Dump, which established Dr. Bottoms as a prominent new voice in American poetry. He continued his prolific poetic output with In a U-Haul North of Damascus (1983) and Under the Vulture-Tree (1987). Shifting genres, Dr....
MACON - Amanda Rose Sloan, a senior English major in Mercer University's College of Liberal Arts, has been selected to perform oboe and English horn with the National Wind Ensemble at Carnegie Hall in New York on May 28. The ensemble was developed for young musicians to display their musical talent with other performers from across the nation. They will be given the opportunity to play in a world-renowned venue and be directed by one of the top directors in the country, H. Robert Reynolds. Sloan studies oboe under Maestro Adrian Gnam, Distinguished Artist-in-Residence at Mercer University and music director and conductor of the Macon Symphony Orchestra.
MACON - Judge Douglas C. Pullen was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the 2005 commencement of the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. Judge Pullen is a 1967 alumnus of Mercer's College of Liberal Arts and a 1970 graduate of the Mercer Law School.
Macon-Christy Crowe Childers received the George Waldo Woodruff Award of Excellence-- the Walter F. George School of Law of Mercer University's top honor at commencement May 6 in the Macon City Auditorium.
Childress followed in the footsteps of her great-grandfather, uncle, and brother, in completing her law studies at the Walter F. George School of Law. The recipient of the Jesse Mercer Scholarship, Childers, who is ranked first in a class of 150, is a member of the Mercer Law Review and competed in the National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition.
Childers earned CALI Excellence awards for the highest grade in 10 courses and was selected for the William Augustus Bootle Inn of Court. She was a law clerk in the Law Offices of Norman Jewel Crowe, Jr., an intern for the Honorable C. Ashley Royal in the United States District Court, and a law clerk for Sell & Melton, L.L.P.
A member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority, Childers received her bachelor's degree in...
Macon-John Michael Carroll of Waynesboro received two of Mercer University's top honors at commencement in the Macon Coliseum on Saturday, May 14. Mercer University President R. Kirby Godsey presented him with the Griffin B. Bell Award for Community Service-the only award selected from students from all of the University's 10 colleges and schools-and the Louie D. Newton General Excellence Medal-one of two top awards given to Mercer undergraduate students.
He is the son of Nancy and Michael Carroll.
While it is rare for a graduate to receive two of the University's highest honors, Carroll's commitment and service to others and his outstanding academic accomplishments made him deserving of both. During his four years at Mercer's College of Liberal Arts, he has given of himself to many worthwhile organizations that have benefited hundreds of individuals.
From tutoring elementary students to helping organize youth retreats for churches, Carroll has stood out...
Macon- Dennis Drummond of Cedartown received one of Mercer University's top honors at commencement in the Macon Coliseum on Saturday, May 14. Mercer University President R. Kirby Godsey presented him with the Griffin B. Bell Award for Community Service-the only award selected from students from all of the University's 10 colleges and schools.
The son of Micky and Carolyn Drummond of Cedartown, Drummond graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in early childhood education from Mercer's Tift College of Education May 14.
Since arriving on the Mercer Campus, he has shown dedication to the Mercer as well as the broader community. His qualifications and contributions in scholarship, leadership and service are especially impressive when considering the demanding schedule of a teacher education major and the number of hours required for clinical fieldwork within the public schools.
While maintaining an excellent academic achievement record at...
Macon-Joshua M. Rogers of Waycross received one of Mercer University's two top honors for undergraduates at commencement in the Macon Coliseum on Saturday, May 14. Mercer University President R. Kirby Godsey presented him with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award.
Rogers, who graduated summa cum laude May 14 with a bachelor of arts in history, is the son of Mark and Elizabeth Rogers of Waycross.
He has shown unwavering commitment to the University, the Macon community and scholarship throughout his four years at Mercer. The history major has served as a member of the Student Government Association since his freshman year, having recently completed his tenure as the 2004-2005 president. He is a member of the Kappa Alphafraternity and has served as house manager, historian and corresponding secretary for his chapter. He also served as co-chair of the Mercer Nights events for the QuadWorks special events team.
Faculty describe Mr. Rogers as modest, honest and...
