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Volume 55 lssue 2
West Georgia celebrates 100 years
By Mariam Abuhaidcri
Staff Writer
mabuhaideri@yahoo.com
West Georgia turned
100 last Friday and to
celebrate this special day,
the university organized
it’s first ever Black Tie
Gala.
It was a red carpet
event and was held in
the Ballroom of the new
Campus Center.
This event gave guests
an opportunity to celebrate
the successes the university
has experienced in its one
hundred years of existence.
Guests arrived for the
Gala dressed in their elegant
attire for the event. McClain
Photography ottered
photography services in the
lobby of the Technology-
Enhanced Learning Center
and guests were then
escorted to the red carpet by
R.E.A.L volunteers.
Many of the guests
were truly grateful for
what the university has
accomplished.
“It is a true honor to be
a part of such a phenomenal
event. Our university has
come a long way and all
this is due to the efforts of
our faculty, staff, students,
and our supporters,” said
Dr. Sethna.
Chancellor of he
Tree planting ceremony marks UWG milestone
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Photo by Josh Grubb
UWG President Dr. Beheruz Sethna, right, and Dr. Tim Hynes, center, participate in last
Friday’s tree planting event.
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“The Student Voice at the University of West Georgia since 1934”
University System of
Georgia Erroll B. Davis, Jr.,
State Representatives Mark
Butler, Michele Henson,
Tim Bearden and Tommy
Benton and Senator William
Hamrick, 111, were all on
hand to celebrate the event.
The event started
with a cocktail reception
at 6:30 pm while UWG’s
Marching Band entertained
guests at the patio.
Acting President Dr.
Thomas Hynes Jr. served as
the Master of Ceremonies
and welcomed the guests.
Guests were then
served with a state of the
art five course dinner and
champagne.
After dinner UWG
President Beheruz Sethna
thanked all contributors
and said a few words about
the university's progress
and threw light on future
projects.
He concluded his
words by introducing the
new Chancellor.
Chancellor Erroll
B. Davis, Jr. said that
the UWG Centennial is
magical. He also stated
that the UWG is older than
the system itself.
“The University of
West Georgia is a vibrant
and important jewel to
the university system,” he
said.
www.thewestgeorgian.com
He wished UWG the
very best as it moves into
its second century.
After the Chancellor’s
remarks, guests were
shown a video premier of
UWG’s history.
The video featured
alumni, faculty and staff,
a past president and
families of past presidents
who reflected on the past
100 years.
The Founder’s Award
is the University’s highest
Honor and was presented
to Dr. Anne and Fred L.
Richards and Lucille
Commander, the former
wife of the late President
Townsend.
Dr. Tara Singer, Dr.
Hynes, Dr. Sethna and his
wife and the Richards'
presented a toast to
the institution on its
birthday.
Guests then took
to the dance floor and
danced to the beats of
“The Grapevine, “ Atlanta
Society of Entertainers’
Band of the Year in 2000.
Although this event
was the main attraction to
those who have a passion
for UWG, this event
was the beginning of a
series of events that were
scheduled on Friday to
mark the university’s 100th
birthday.
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Contributed by Debby Novak
Mass Communications Professor Dr. Glenn Novak, emeritus, shows off the car in which
he chauffered UWG President Dr. Beheruz Sethna to the centennial festivities.
By Larry Peel
Sm// Writer
larry@ioncinenui.com
Thirteen years after the formation
of the 4th District A & M School, then-
Principal J. Melson had an idea.
To commemorate the birth and
growth of the school and its hope for the
future, Melson wrote to the governors of
each of the nation’s 13 original colonies
and requested each to send a gift of an oak
tree indigenous to their state.
Each governor complied and the
trees were planted on the front campus of
the school, which at that time had been a
cotton Held.
The event was renewed on August
18 in a ceremony before several dozen
students, alumni, staff, faculty, and
community leaders with the ceremonial
planting of the Hrst of 13 trees to be placed
around campus.
Alumni Eddie and Woody Cole
donated the trees, each of the same type as
originally planted in 1919. The Centennial
Oak Trees were donated by the brothers in
honor of their parents.
The ceremony was hosted by Dr. Andy
Leavitt, vice president of Development
and Alumni Relations, who described the
university’s plan to incorporate a synopsis
of the tradition in this year’s Centennial
Time Capsule, which will be opened in
2056 to celebrate the 150th anniversary
of the institution.
The capsule will include both a
map of the current campus and the tree
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Wednesday, August 23, 2006
locations as well as GPS coordinates of
the trees in case of significant campus
changes in that time.
The program included comments
by former UWG President and current
University Chancellor Dr. Beheruz
Sethna. who said, "These trees are the
living symbols of the students of our
second century. They are rooted in the
earth, just as this university is rooted in
its community and the branches reach out
just as our students and programs branch
out for a global reach and impact.”
The Honorable Wayne Garner, mayor
of Carrollton and the Honorable Robert
Barr, Chairman of the Carroll County
Board of Commissioners, each presented
Dr. Sethna with proclamations observing
the university’s Centennial.
The ceremonial planting commenced
with seven groups representing the
essential elements of the success of the
University of West Georgia.
Representatives of current students,
staff, faculty, alumni, administration, the
Cole family, and the community grasped
gold shovels and following Leavitt’s
dedication "In the name of all who have
come before us, and all who are yet to
come, we dedicate this tree”, proceeded
to plant the oak.
Audience members representative
of each group were then invited to come
forward and fill in the hole with the
remaining soil.
The event concluded with
refreshments which included bottled
water and cake provided by Aramark.