Posted on Friday, February 26, 2021
President Susanna Baxter loves to hear the Chapel bell ring.
“I’m like a kid at Christmas,’ she said. “It really is the sound of success.”
That’s because when graduating seniors ring the bell, it means they have had a post-graduation job offer or have been admitted to graduate school, post-baccalaureate internships, research fellowships and military and law enforcement training. The new opportunity for celebration is appropriately called Sound of Success.
The idea came to Dr. Baxter as she reviewed some of the college’s traditions.
“I just didn’t see many things that highlighted the success of our students,” she said. “Honors Day only celebrates a handful, and I wanted something larger. We do so many amazing things to transform lives, and one of those is to set students up for their next steps—including graduate school and career. Their accomplishments deserve recognition.”
When Nursing student Dariene Scott ’21 took advantage of Sound of Success, she was amazed at the experience.
“After ringing the bell, I walked out of the Chapel and heard a professor yell, ‘Congratulations!’ as he ran to meet me,” she said. “I didn’t even know him, but it was very special to celebrate with him and a few friends.”
Meghan Gross ’21 will be attending Asbury Theological Seminary next year. She is ecstatic about the program.
“Ever since I was a freshman, I have hoped for a really cool tradition at LaGrange that could possibly be a catalyst for gaining new students who would be excited to carry on that tradition,” she said. “I love that it’s an opportunity to keep up with and reach out to classmates to celebrate their accomplishments, not just mine. I love getting to share in the joy of my peers every time they get to ring the bell.”
Dr. Baxter announced Sound of Success on Feb. 4. By the end of that afternoon, at least four seniors had registered to ring the bell. Gabriel Griffith, who will be joining the United States Coast Guard, was one of them.
“I didn’t expect anyone to notice me,” he said. “But a student I didn’t even know offered to help me celebrate by taking a photo of me at the Chapel. Now when I hear the bell, it isn’t just a ring but also the sound of finishing strong. In their own way, they all are screaming out to the campus, ‘I did it!’”
Gabriel said he’s known many people who go to college but never finish, but those who make it to their senior year have persevered.
“To see people so close to the end makes me smile because it means they are so proud and they are telling the world, one chime at a time.”
Although seniors who want to ring the bell are asked to fill out an online form, it is not mandatory, said Dr. Karen Pruett, Associate Dean of Student Development.
“A student can participate without notifying the campus community,” she said. “The Chapel is open weekdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., and there are instructions posted inside.”
The form to sign up can be found here. Each week, names of the seniors who rang the bell, along with their accomplishments, will be included in the Student Engagement newsletter, “PantherBites,” as well as the college’s weekly @lagrange.
Detailed instructions on how to ring the bell will be sent to students upon completion of the form. They also are encouraged to post a photo on social media with the hashtag #LCSoundofSuccess.
Dr. Pruett said she was talking with a family on an admissions tour recently when Caleb Tyler rang the bell to announce his acceptance to graduate school.
“I asked them if they heard the bell while on the tour, and they said they had,” she said. “This opened up a great opportunity to tell them about the accomplishments of our awesome students and talk about the support that we offer as the LC community.”
Dr. Baxter is thrilled with the response to Sound of Success.
“It is so exciting because for each bell that rings there is a hard-working student who reached this milestone because of the dedication of faculty, staff and parents,” she said. “So, in many ways, the celebration belongs to us all.”
Reminder to the Class of 2020. Today is the last day to register for tickets for this year’s combined 2020 and 2021 commencement ceremony on May 15. Email registrar@kongtiao11.com by 5 p.m. to save your family’s space. Please feel free to share this with a 2020 alum.
Members of the Board of Trustees and alumni are working with the Georgia United Methodist Foundation to establish a scholarship to benefit LaGrange College students in the memory of the late Dr. Frank McCook. Longtime professor and head of the Religion program, Dr. McCook passed away Jan. 1. More information can be found here.
The 32nd annual African American Read-In will be observed at 1 p.m. Wednesday via the Teams link in Culture Enrichment’s Connect course. Participants are encouraged to share a poem, short prose passage or even song lyrics by any African American writer in this marathon of reading. For more information, contact Dr. Jack Slay at jslay@kongtiao11.com.
Congratulations to this week’s seniors who rang the Chapel bell for Sound of Success: Miranda Cox (English), accepted into the Master of Divinity program at the Samford University Beeson Divinity School; Dariene Scott (Nursing), accepted a full-time job offer as a labor and delivery nurse at Wellstar West Georgia in LaGrange; Trista Murphy (Nursing), accepted a full-time job offer as a registered nurse at Wellstar West Georgia; and Sydney Corley (Nursing), accepted a full-time job offer as an emergency department nurse at Wellstar West Georgia.
Seniors are asked to complete the graduate biographical information form here by March 22. Failure to complete the survey can result in a hold being placed on your account. Questions can be sent to lmlovin1@kongtiao11.com.
A tree planting ceremony sponsored by the Sustainability Council in honor of Arbor Day will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday in the grassy area behind the baseball complex. Dr. Mark Yates, Associate Professor of Biology, will discuss the Arbor Day Foundation.
Spiritual Life has several group opportunities throughout the week. They include: Tuesdays at 8 p.m. (online or in-person), Wesley Fellowship Worship, contact: Miranda Cox, mcox2@kongtiao11.com; Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m., “A Journey to You: The Sacred Enneagram,” Smith Hall’s Bailey Room, contact Adam Roberts at aroberts@kongtiao11.com to sign up; Wednesdays at 8 p.m., the Chapel, Reformation Bible Study, contact the Rev. Boyd Miller, Covenant Presbyterian Church at 706-333-9101; Wednesdays at 8 p.m., Baptist Collegiate Ministries, Dickson Assembly Room, contact Caleb Edde at cedde@kongtiao11.com; Thursdays at 7 p.m., Life Group, Spiritual Life Center, contact Audrey Harkness at aharknes@kongtiao11.com; and Thursdays at 6 p.m., UKirk, a ministry of the Presbyterian Church USA, contact Meghan Gross at mgross@kongtiao11.com. Remember the Chapel is open 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. weekdays when classes are in session for personal prayer and devotion.
Check LC Connect for Virtual CE events and instructions. For in-person events, all COVID guidelines apply.
Today
Wilkinson Family Servant Scholars
The Scholars will discuss the principles of service, servant leadership and the process of applying to the Servant Scholars Program.
Info session about Mercer University School of Medicine
Amira Jenrette, Assistant Director of Admissions and Enrollment at the Mercer University School of Medicine, will provide an overview of the program.
March 1-7
Young Alumni Virtual Interview Series – Lance Shealy, Pre-med
Learn from Lance Shealy, recent LC graduate and current medical student at PCOM, as he discusses his time as an undergraduate student, how his experience at LC prepared him for his current career path, and what advice and insight he has for current undergraduates.
Local Professional Interview Series – Matthew Evans ’18 (Accounting)
Senior financial analyst at Interface, he discusses his career in accounting and shares his insight and wisdom with current students.
Brenau University – Graduate programs
Jamie Cushway, director of recruitment at Brenau University, provides an overview of the university's physical therapy, occupational therapy, and physician assistant programs.
Men’s Tennis
Eight out of nine LaGrange College men's tennis players factored into Wednesday's 8-1 non-conference victory over Huntingdon on the Greer Tennis Courts. Caleb Edde clinched the win for LC in the #1 singles match.
http://www.lagrangepanthers.com/sports/mten/2020-21/releases/20210224uf76op
Men’s Basketball
Julian Cameron tied his career high with 31 points to lead the Panthers (7-2, 7-2 USA South) to an 88-76 win at Maryville on Thursday. The victory ties LC with Maryville for first place in the USA South West Division. The two teams meet Saturday at 3 p.m. in Mariotti Gym to decide the top seed for next week’s division tournament.
Men’s Lacrosse
The Panthers (0-2) lost 13-10 in a hard-fought game Thursday at Callaway Stadium against Birmingham-Southern. Tareyon Delgado tied his career high with six goals to lead all scorers in the game.
Women’s Basketball
Piedmont downed the Panthers (8-3) 81-60 in a USA South game Wednesday at Demorest, Georgia. Jalaya Lewis led three Panthers in double figures with 15 points. Breonna Glover had 13 points and Jahpera McEachin added 12.
Men’s Tennis
The Panthers (1-0) began their season with a 8-1 non-conference win over Huntingdon on Wednesday at the Greer Tennis Courts.
Women’s Tennis
The Panthers (0-1) lost their 2021 opener 9-0 to NCAA Division II member Albany State at the Greer Tennis Courts on Wednesday.
Saturday
Men’s and Women’s Tennis vs. Oglethorpe, 11 a.m., Greer Tennis Courts
Baseball vs. Maryville (doubleheader), 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., Cleaveland Field at Williamson Stadium
Men’s Basketball vs. Maryville, 3 p.m., Mariotti Gym
Sunday
Men’s Soccer vs. Berea, 11:30 a.m., Panther Field
Baseball vs. Maryville, noon, Cleaveland Field at Williamson Stadium
Women’s Soccer vs. Maryville, 3:30 p.m., Panther Field
Wednesday
Women’s Soccer at Piedmont, 2 p.m., Demorest, Ga.
March 5
Women’s Soccer at Covenant, 4:30 p.m., Lookout Mountain, Ga.
Men’s Lacrosse at Berry, 7 p.m., Mount Berry, Ga.
1- Lee Davis
Samuel Miller
Maranah Sauter
3 – Molli Newman
8 – Adam Roberts
13 – William Paschal
14 – Laura Faulkner
16 – Stacey Wilson
28 – Jasen Jonus
Jack Slay
Bobbie West-Stemple
30 – Jana Austin
Want to share in the excitement of Panther athletics? Learn more about how to stream games wherever you are. Go Panthers!
The column, “Rev. Raphael Warnock’s historic US Senate win broke more barriers than you may think” by Dr. John Tures, Professor of Political Science, was published by Yahoo News and other news outlets around the country.
Game day arrives for Panthers – LaGrange Daily News, Feb. 17, 2021
Exotic culture, welcoming spirit define Thailand – LaGrange Daily News, Feb. 20-21, 2021
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Category: Community, Students, College, Academics
Keywords: graduates accomplishments Chapel bell
