WC basketball looking for game day volunteers

As Waycross College prepares for its inaugural men’s basketball season, volunteers are needed to assist with different game day functions including ticket sales, parking, concessions, entrance and locker room attendants, clock operation, and more. Some positions require volunteers to be 18 years of age or older. For more information, contact Bryan Hartley, athletic coordinator, at (912) 449-7594 or email bhartley@waycross.edu . Waycross College has been a proud member of the University System of Georgia since the College’s founding in 1976.

WC basketball opens with first official practice

Waycross College has officially begun preparing for the 2009-2010 men’s basketball season as Dr. David Palmer, president of WC, tossed the first ever “jump ball” at center court. Before practice officially got underway, the team posed with Dr. Palmer for a group picture to commemorate the occasion. Front row (L-R): Cory Baldwin, head men’s basketball coach; Blake Fussell, Reco Lewis, Rachard Lofton, Tarrence Chatman, Palmer, Brandon Hosely, Jacob Mitchell, Bob Covin, and Richard Buford. Back row (L-R): Andrei Hall, Joe Williams, Nate Gooding, Marcus Benitez, Joshua Mendenhall, Herb Thomas, Joshua Keyhea, Travis Ellison, Desmin Hall, and Austin Collins. The team’s manager is D.J. Hardy. The Swamp Foxes will officially kickoff the inaugural season Tuesday, Nov. 3 at home against East Georgia College. Tip is set for 7 p.m. For more information about Swamp Fox basketball, contact Bryan Hartley, athletic coordinator, at (912) 449-7594 or visit www.waycross.edu/athletics . Waycross College has been a proud member of the University System of Georgia since the College’s founding in 1976.

English professor recognized by literary organizations

Sara Selby, associate dean for academic affairs at Waycross College, has recently been recognized by two literary organizations. She will present a lecture on Edgar Allan Poe in Brunswick and has been appointed as a representative to the Bronte Society. Selby has been teaching English at WC since 1991.

A Waycross College faculty member’s love of literature has recently been recognized by two different literary organizations.

Sara Selby, associate dean for academic affairs, will soon present a lecture on Edgar Allan Poe in Brunswick, Ga. She has also been appointed as America’s region six representative for the Bronte Society, a worldwide organization named for the family that is famous for writing some of literature’s most cherished novels.

Selby’s presentation is part of The Big Read initiative, which was launched nationally in 2006 and is sponsored locally by the Golden Isles Arts and Humanities Association (GIAHA). According to the GIAHA’s web site, The Big Read’s purpose is to encourage literary reading among adults by having communities come together to read and discuss literature.

With this year’s spotlight on Edgar Allan Poe, Selby’s presentation will examine Poe’s own views about how poetry and music can interrelate and also the musicality of Poe’s poetry.

Selby said Poe’s works were the main focus of her graduate school studies. She first made this “Musical Poe” presentation in 2000 to the Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore in Maryland. She said she is looking forward to making this same presentation to a local audience.

“I am amazed about being selected to participate in The Big Read,” said Selby. “When I did the program in Baltimore, I thought I was done. However, I have continued to receive emails on the subject, and it is very heartening to me that people are still interested. I feel as if Poe has garnered a bad reputation over time, and I’m trying to help correct that.”

The Bronte Society was established in 1893 and remains one of the oldest literary organizations in the English speaking world. The Society celebrates the life and literary works of the Bronte family – Anne, Charlotte, and Emily (sisters); Branwell (brother); and Revd. Patrick (father). Some of the Brontes’ most famous works are Jane Eyre (written by Charlotte), Wuthering Heights (written by Emily), and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (written by Anne).

According to the Society’s web site, the current worldwide membership is approximately 2,000. Selby said membership is open to the public and currently consists of literary and non-literary professionals. In region six, Selby represents those members in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

One of her primary responsibilities is to continue to promote the works of the Bronte family throughout the region six area. She would also like to host an event for region members during the spring 2010 semester. Event plans are very preliminary, but Selby said she has considered hosting the event on the WC campus.

“It is an honor to serve as region six representative,” Selby said. “I look at it as a service to the Bronte Society. There are lots of ways in which the Brontes invaded our culture that people don’t really realize. I want to bring those things to light.”

Selby has been teaching English at WC since 1991. She began teaching Humanities courses in 2000.

Waycross College has been a proud member of the University System of Georgia since the College’s founding in 1976.

Little receives MOAA Scholarship

Tyra Little (left) of Wayne County was recognized as one of two recipients of the Okefenokee Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Scholarship during the club’s monthly meeting Sept. 22. Little served in the United States Navy for two years and has recently begun work toward earning a degree in nursing. Upon graduation from Waycross College, Little plans to transfer to the College of Coastal Georgia to fulfill her goal of becoming a registered nurse. Frank Baugh (right), president of the Okefenokee Chapter of MOAA, made the scholarship presentation. Waycross College has been a proud member of the University System of Georgia since the College’s founding in 1976.

WC releases 2009-2010 basketball schedule

Waycross College’s inaugural men’s basketball season will feature a very competitive slate of non-conference teams as well as strong conference opponents, according to the 2009-2010 schedule released by the College’s athletic department. The Swamp Foxes will compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and belong to the Georgia Junior College Athletic Association (GJCAA) conference.

WC opens the season Nov. 3 at home against East Georgia College. The remaining non-conference schedule includes home-and-home series against Brewton-Parker College’s junior varsity, Florida Community College at Jacksonville, Middle Georgia Technical College, St. John’s River Community College, and Trinity Baptist College, which is a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association.

Other non-conference opponents are Denmark Technical College, Fort McPherson All-Army, Naval Station Mayport, and the University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie.

Cory Baldwin, head men’s basketball coach, knows the non-conference schedule will be a challenge but believes it will go a long way in preparing his team to play in the GJCAA.

“Our pre-conference schedule is going to be tough but it should prepare us for all styles of play and get us ready for conference,” Baldwin said.

WC is scheduled to play each of its GJCAA opponents twice this season, both home and away. The slate includes Albany Technical College, Atlanta Metropolitan College, College of Coastal Georgia, Georgia Perimeter College, Gordon College, Middle Georgia College, and defending conference champion South Georgia Technical College.

“The conference is always very competitive with many talented players and a wide variety of coaching styles. (This requires) each game to be strategically and thoroughly prepped,” said Baldwin. “Last year the conference was made up of a number of very talented freshmen which means this year we’ll be seeing a big group of high powered sophomores leading their teams.”

In addition to the thirty-game regular season schedule, WC will play four scrimmage games in October to prepare for the 2009-2010 campaign. Because this is the team’s first season of competition, WC is not allowed to participate in postseason play.

Baldwin said he is excited about the upcoming season and is looking forward to the community coming to campus to watch college basketball.

“Community support and involvement is important to our success,” Baldwin said. “Just in my short time here I have met some great people in the Waycross community who love sports, so hopefully they will come out and enjoy the games. We are a hard-nosed (and exciting) brand of college basketball that will represent the hard working people of Waycross and the great people of Waycross College to the fullest.”

Bryan Hartley, WC’s athletic coordinator, said information about individual and season ticket packages will be announced soon. For more information, including a full schedule as well as other Swamp Fox athletic news, visit www.waycross.edu/athletics . Coach Baldwin is also available on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CoachBaldwinWC .

Waycross College has been a proud member of the University System of Georgia since the College’s founding in 1976.

Trip to Japan planned for WC community, general public

In keeping with its strong tradition of providing study abroad opportunities, Waycross College will travel to a new destination during the spring 2010 semester.

Christine Kikuchi, associate professor of information technology, has announced that a trip to Japan is planned for March 12-20, 2010.

The trip is an optional enrichment activity for students participating in the Study Abroad-South Pacific & Asia course during spring semester. According to Kikuchi, participation in the study abroad course is not a requirement for the trip to Japan. Other WC students, faculty, staff, and the general public are invited to travel as well.

The trip’s itinerary includes many sightseeing opportunities. Travelers will spend time in Tokyo where they will be able to see cosplay (costume play) in Harajuku and visit the Hamarikyu Japanese Gardens, the Meiji Shrine, and Asakusa Temple.

A one day trip to Nikko, Japan, home of the See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil monkey carving, is also planned. In addition, an overnight trip to Hakone, which lies at the base of Mount Fuji, is scheduled. Travelers will return to Jacksonville, Fla. March 20.

For more information, including a detailed itinerary and pricing, contact Kikuchi at (912) 449-7590 or visit her faculty webpage at www.waycross.edu/Faculty/ckikuchi. Click on the “Study Abroad” link.

Waycross College has been a proud member of the University System of Georgia since the College’s founding in 1976.

WC enrollment tops 1,100; sets new record

Waycross College has posted its third consecutive enrollment increase while breaking a six-year-old record in the process.

According to information released by the College’s admissions and records department, the enrollment at the beginning of the fall 2009 semester is 1,114. This represents a 19 percent increase from fall 2008 and breaks the old record of 1,027 set in 2003. The final number includes students at WC’s main campus as well as the Liberty Center in Hinesville.

This is the College’s third increase in as many semesters. WC experienced a seven percent increase in the spring 2009 semester and a 29 percent jump this past summer.

“Things are popping at WC! We’re experiencing more students on our campus and at the Liberty Center than ever before,” said WC President Dr. David Palmer. “While it’s gratifying, it’s not overly surprising, because many, many faculty and staff members are working very hard to insure that we’re staying ahead of the curve, looking to the future, yet all the while providing abundant attention to our students’ needs.”

Dr. Neil Aspinwall, vice president of enrollment and student services, is equally pleased with the record enrollment and also points to the work of the College’s faculty and staff as being a significant contributor to the College’s recent enrollment success.

“Waycross College is definitely on the move. The campus is buzzing with activity and has an abundance of students,” said Dr. Aspinwall. “The tremendous amount of effort put forth by the staff and faculty in promoting, recruiting, and genuinely taking care of our customers, the students, is beginning to pay dividends.”

College officials said they have seen a spike in demand for fall semester classes due to the enrollment increase. According to Dr. Mark Van Den Hende, vice president for academic affairs, not only have more classes been added, but students also have a more diverse selection from which to choose.

“For this fall semester, we offered an additional 16 face-to-face and online course sections compared to last fall. (This includes) courses in areas of music, art, criminal justice, and philosophy,” he said.

Dr. Van Den Hende also said 15 additional online course sections have already been added to prepare for the spring 2010 semester.

Faculty members are also applauding the enrollment increase. Sara Selby, associate dean for academic affairs, has been teaching courses in English at WC since 1991 and Humanities courses since 2000. She said one of her Humanities classes has more than doubled in size over the last nine years so that it is now one of the biggest classes on campus.

“The first time I taught Humanities in the Fall was in 2000, and I had 22 students; I now have 50 enrolled in (the same class this semester),” said Selby. “It’s exciting to have so many students on campus.”

Selby noted that her teaching methods have not significantly changed due to the enrollment increase, which further reinforces WC’s tradition of providing a more personal classroom experience compared to larger colleges and universities.

“I am putting PDF files of (my) lecture notes online for students to use in taking notes, but I probably would have done that even if only ten people were in the class,” she said.

Dr. Anthony Hendrix, professor of psychology and sociology, began teaching at WC in 1989. He remembers the College setting an enrollment record his first year and how the emphasis then was to keep the momentum going.

“We had a record enrollment of 625 students (in 1989). Waycross College made a sticker that said ‘625 and Still Growing’. I still have one of those stickers,” said Dr. Hendrix. “Now, twenty years later, we have set another record enrollment, almost double what it was 20 years ago. I am very glad to be part of this growth and very glad for our institution.”

With three straight enrollment increases, Dr. Aspinwall said the College is moving in the right direction, and he is excited about the future.

“The 19 percent increase (this semester), which is the largest enrollment in the 33 year history of the College, is further indication that we are doing the right things and our future looks brighter than ever,” he said. “Waycross College is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to get a quality higher educational foundation that will prepare them for future success at the four-year college or university of their choice.”

Waycross College has been a proud member of the University System of Georgia since the College’s founding in 1976.