Monthly Column April 2015
The Busiest and Happiest of Days
This turns out to be one of the busiest times of year on a college campus and also the most joyous. It is the end of the academic year for us and with that brings student competitions, awards ceremonies, Student Government Association elections, the spring theater production, musical performances, honor society inductions and end of semester banquets and ceremonies to acknowledge the hard work of our students. All of this culminates with the May graduation ceremony. A president finds herself with multiple bookings for the same date and time during this season, and it is painful to choose between so many wonderful events.
The campus is also fully decorated for this special season with a host of blooming flowers, trees and shrubs. It is truly a beautiful time on campus. I recently heard a university president say that being a president is like being a mayor of a small city. If so, it is truly Chamber of Commerce weather even on rainy days here at Dalton State College in the spring.
Here is just a sampling of the activities for DSC. The Spring production of Romeo and Juliet closed April 12. We are grateful to City Park Elementary for their willingness to host us in their auditorium. The College’s Bandy Heritage Center, located downtown in the Depot, is currently holding an exhibit called “Thread by Thread: Northwest Georgia’s Tufted Textile Heritage” through June 30. The premiere concert of the Dalton State Singers will be held in Goodroe auditorium in Memorial Hall on the DSC campus Tuesday, April 21 at 7:30 p.m. on the DSC campus. Also, the Campus Community Concert, featuring students, faculty and staff, will be held in the same location on Monday, April 27, at 7:30 p.m. Both concerts are free.
In case you thought DSC roadrunners were dormant in spring, let me share more good news. DSC Men’s and Women’s golf and tennis teams have been very active this spring, inspired by the success of the basketball team. All of our Roadrunners are doing well, but the men’s golf team just this week won the Southern States Athletics Conference title with a birdie putt.
These are all fun and important activities, but perhaps the most important event this spring is the graduation ceremony. If you have not recently attended a Dalton State graduation ceremony, I hope you will find the time to visit ours. This year’s ceremony will be held at 10 am on May 9 at the Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center.
Our May ceremony always features a student as our commencement speaker. This is a competitive selection process and this year’s speaker is Ms. Kayla Almazan. Kayla graduated from Northwest Whitfield High School in 2010 and she is earning a BS in Criminal Justice, Magna Cum Laude. Kayla has also been very active in DSC’s Lambda Alpha Epsilon, the Criminal Justice Honors Society, the Latino/a American Student Organization, and the Student Government Association, serving most recently as the student senator from the School of Liberal Arts. Two years ago Kayla attended a summer program by Harvard Law School to encourage underserved student populations to consider law school. We look forward to more good things from this local student.
I am proud every day to be part of the Roadrunner nation, but the spring activities remind me daily why I have spent my career in higher education and why I am lucky to be at Dalton State College. Please visit the campus when you have a chance. It is a great place for lunch in the Student Center, a picnic on the quad, or a concert in the auditorium. It is said: “In the cherry blossom's shade there's no such thing as a stranger.” Don’t be a stranger to Dalton State College!