Carmichael Close Down!

Hey, a great time was had by all at the Carmichael Close Down Event. Thanks to everyone who sent me memories and reflections. . . . We'll try to compile them all into some kind of memory book, so that folks who would like to still send along Carmichael memories can most certainly do so. I hope we have more photos and videos of the event up soon.And we look forward to sending along news of the Lloyd Hall grand opening soon.

Wonderful New Hire at New College!

We are very happy to announce that Dr. Ellen Spears of Emory University will be joining the New College faculty this August. Ellen does work at the intersection of public health and history. She has a book coming out from the University of North Carolina Press on PCB contamination in Anniston, AL. She's 100% New College in her interest in undergraduate students and love of interdisciplinary learning and respect for community. Please consider dropping her a note at espears@LearnLink.Emory.Edu to welcome her aboard.

Mary Scott Hunter update

New College alum Mary Scott Hunter is a Republican candidate for Alabama State Senate. Regardless of your political affiliation, I hope friends of New College will extend their congratulations to Mary Scott for making this demanding civic commitment. More information at MaryScottHunter.com

First Spring Update

Ok, its true; I'm the world's worst blogger. . .. I can only plead that New College is thriving and its incredibly busy. Some quick good news to share from the past week: NCer Emerald Greywoode was named the winner of the Milton Mayer Award -- one of UA's highest achievements for an undergraduate. And NCer Lindsey Mullen -- and front desk jockey extraordinaire -- was named winner of UA's Capstone Hero Award for exemplifying the Capstone Creed. I hope you'll join me in celebrating their success.

Great Profile of Recent New College Grad

Please take a look at this terrific profile of recent New College graduate Gus Hahn-Powell. Richard LeComte did a terrific job capturing Gus's energy, commitment to learning, and the spirit of New College. http://ua.edu/features/findyourpassion/japanese.html

We're Back!

We're back with a new academic year! Great fun at the New College Kickoff Event this past weekend, with over 100 NCers and special guests, including NC emeritus faculty member Bob McKenzie. I'll get some pics up here ASAP, but for now folks can mosey over to the New College facebook page to see the fun. Active student enrollment in the program right now is about 190 students, plus perhaps 50 more involved in the Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies Minor, the Minor in Civic Engagement and Leadership, and the Self-Designed Minor program. We're looking forward to having NC alum Melissa Delbridge give a reading from her new memoir, FAMILY BIBLE, on October 1st. We're looking forward to having an important role to play in the Alabama Perspectives on Sustainability and Climate Change lecture series. And we're much looking forward to hiring another new faculty member this upcoming year. We're absolutely convinced -- fingers crossed -- that this will be our last year in Carmichael Hall. Keep tuned to this space for more news about our move to Lloyd Hall.

New College at the Beijing Olympics

We're thrilled to let you all know that New Colleger Kou Luogon (above right) will be competing in the 400m hurdles for Liberia. Please send her your good wishes at kluogon@gmail.com

http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2008/07/olympics_to_include_14_with_ua.html

Thank You's and Goodbyes

We're saying good bye and thanks to some dear friends of New College who are leaving Tuscaloosa and moving on to great things: Derrick Taff and Patricia Spears Taff have made the move to Fort Collins, CO, where Derrick will be entering into the Ph.D. program in Park and Natural Resource Management. Both were great students at New College, and both folks continued to contribute to the our learning community through their support of students who followed them. Derrick's work at Outdoor Recreation has meant an absolute avalanche of internship opportunities for New College students. And Patricia worked hard at the Career Center on a number of programs that benefited us too. Please join me and thanking them for all they have done for us. Goodbye and thanks too to Arts and Sciences development officer (and Marysia's neighbor) Aaron Vold. Through Aaron's hard work we were able to identify and secure close to $100,000 in new New College scholarship support. Aaron is moving on down the road to become Assistant VP for development at the University of Southern Mississippi and we're greatly appreciative of all he has done for us.

Mary Rachel Fanning

There is a fun interview with Mary Rachel Fanning (NC 01) at http://badatsports.com/2008/episode-148-mary-rachel-fanning-diane-grams/ You can see more of a Mary Rachel's art-world success at http://www.maryrachelfanning.com/random/home1.html

In Memoriam: John Hawbaker

NCer Julie Hawbaker's father passed away this week after a strong fight with cancer. I was so delighted and honored to get to meet John at Julie's graduation. He was rightfully very proud of Julie's accomplishments. You can leave messages for Julie and her family at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=56494085506

Meet Will Byington!

Will Byington (class of 2000) is a New College grad based in Chicago where he works on a variety of photography projects. Will has been a great asset to the program and has been supportive of students interested in his previous work in film and music. We're happy to report that Will has a new book out that centers on his photographic work in and around Chicago's Wrigley Field. Check it out (and buy it) here: http://www.wearecubsfans.com/about.html You can get a fuller introduction to the range of Will's work at http://www.willbyington.com/

General Update

Sorry for the break in updates. . . . On the road again, this time to the Kettering Foundation's Deliberative Democracy Exchange in Dayton, Ohio, where I had opportunity to meet lots of engaged folks deeply invested in changing communities by improving the character and quality of citizen participation. Much of this conversation will be very helpful to New College as we move forward in partnership with the Mathews Center for Civic Life and the Draughn Center for the Arts and Humanities at Auburn University in a set of experiments with student interns and community deliberation. Stay Tuned! Freshmen (and women) continue to make their way to campus for orientation. We're hoping for a class of first year students this Fall of somewhere between 25 and 30 students. As has always been the case, much of our student traffic will continue to be internal transfers, and will probably mean a New 100 cohort this Fall of somewhere between 40 and 50 students.