�Old Red Kimono� now available

Graduation speaker set for May 14 ceremony

Nursing alumni to hold forum for nursing students

Long-time college employees to retire

By Sandy Watkins
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Staff Writer

Barbara Rogers

From part-time bookstore cashier in 1976 to assistant director of auxiliary services in 2005, Barbara Rogers has spent the past 29 years helping students make the transition into college life.

Rogers will retire in June and plans to be a lady of leisure while enjoying more time with her family. She plans to pursue travel, help her husband write music, crochet and do volunteer work.

�I will miss most the contact with students and employees. I�ve made some really good friends here at Floyd over the years,� Rogers said. �I plan to volunteer at the book store during the pre-semester rush, and I would like to take some art classes and learn about web authoring so I may be around.�

Rogers says that she has seen many changes during her tenure at Georgia Highlands College. �I�ve seen it go from the Dark Ages to ultra modern. When I first got here electric typewriters were the modern thing, and now everything is on computers. The world has changed a lot since then.�

Judy Sims
Judy Sims, professor of communications, will retire after 30 years of teaching at Georgia Highlands College.

Sims explains she just sort of fell into teaching, which began a love affair with education that continues to this day.

�I never planned to do this. I�m a practicing registered speech pathologist and Dr. McCorkle (FC�s first president) asked me to consider teaching. I thought I would do it for just a few years when the college was starting up. It didn�t take me long to figure out that I had a real passion for education,� explained Sims.

Sims has taught both remedial and regular English classes as well as communications classes.

Although retiring, Sims plans to continue teaching communications part time at Georgia Highlands College.

An avid believer in community service, she also will continue serving as the chairperson for the Rome City Board of Education and volunteer for United Way, Red Cross and the Girl Scouts of America.

Sims also will continue contract and volunteer work with her speech pathology practice in Rome and will begin working as a professional mediator for the Floyd County Courts and Corrections System.

One of the many changes Sims has seen in the past 30 years has been the evolution of the speech class into an expanding communications department.Other changes have included administration and faculty changes, school growth, the implementation of new courses and majors, name changes, as well as a decrease of interest by students in student activities and clubs.

�The school doesn�t place an emphasis on the activity period the way they used to,� Sims said. �Now they schedule classes and labs during the activity period so that students have conflicts and can�t actively attend extracurricular activities.�

�I will miss most the friendships with faculty, staff and students because friendship is one of the most valuable blessings in life,� she said.

By Alissa Troutman
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Staff Writer

Glenda Collier
Glenda Collier began working at Georgia Highlands College 30 years ago as the secretary in the Continuing Education Office.

Collier then transferred to the Police Academy of Georgia Highlands College and worked in that office for sixteen years. When the Police Academy relocated from Georgia Highlands College, she decided to stay because of the time she had already put in.

�I have certainly made many friends during my employment at Georgia Highlands College and I will remember each and every one,� said Collier.

Since then she has also worked as a secretary in the Counseling and Career Office and as the secretary for the vice president of academic affairs.

Linda Dyer
Linda Dyer began her career at Georgia Highlands College as the secretary in the Physical Education Department. During this time, she was very involved in activities which included high school basketball tournaments and hosting the National Youth Sports Program. Dyer also became involved in intramural sports and revived the FIT program.

�The thing I will miss the most is the people here. The faculty, staff and the students,� Dyer said.

After retirement, Dyer plans to spend more time working on her house and visiting with her grandchildren.

By Jeff Denmon
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Staff Writer

Dr. Dwight Cassity
After spending 29 years at Georgia Highlands College Dr. Dwight Cassity, professor of political science, has declared that he is retiring.

�I�m ready for a change, and this is a great chance,� said Cassity, who will retire from Floyd to begin teaching a broader range of political science topics at Shorter College. �I�ve always wanted to work at a four-year school,� Cassity said.

Commenting on his time at Georgia Highlands College, Cassity said, �I�ve seen a lot of change that has occurred at Floyd and I have enjoyed watching that change. I will miss most the friends I have made during my time at Floyd.�

However Cassity will still be seen at Georgia Highlands College. �I�ve always liked to walk my dog around the campus, and I see no reason to stop now,� he said.

Cassity was awarded the Wesley C. Walraven Faculty Award in 2004. This award is named for Dr. Wesley Walraven, former dean and academic vice president at Georgia Highlands College.

The award �honors a distinguished faculty member, whose presence has made a major impact on the Georgia Highlands College community.�

The honoree is selected by faculty vote and recognized during Spring semester graduation.

Photos by Ravi Tiwari, except Dr. Dwight Cassity by Sam Chapman

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