Helping them reach their dreams

Posted on Friday, November 17, 2023

While the days following Thanksgiving usually signal the beginning of a busy consumer season, the Tuesday after is an opportunity to share the power of giving.

GivingTuesday is a global day of giving established in 2012 to promote philanthropy worldwide, and on Nov. 28, the phenomenon comes to LaGrange College.

“GivingTuesday provides a great opportunity for the entire LaGrange College community to show their support for the college and our current students,” said Andy Geeter, LaGrange College’s Director of Development. “It also is a chance for our alumni and friends to help the next generation of Panthers achieve their goals by contributing to help fund their dreams.”

Geeter, who recently returned to the college after previously working in the Admissions Department, has spoken with many students in his previous role and now interacts regularly with alumni. During the college’s recent Homecoming, he said many alums explained they would not have been able to attend LaGrange were it not for scholarships and other aid.

“Financial concerns weigh heavily on the minds of many of our students,” Geeter said. “Through Giving Tuesday, you can help reduce that stress by helping to support student scholarships with your gift to the LaGrange College Fund.”

Donations to the LC Fund are applied to the areas of greatest need for students, with much of it benefiting financial aid, like institutional scholarships. Donor assistance covers an average of about one-fourth of the cost of educating each student for an academic year.

“GivingTuesday is a wonderful opportunity for everyone to be philanthropic and to do good by supporting students,” said Rebecca Roth Nicks, LC’s Vice President for Advancement. “We are so grateful to all our alumni and friends who contribute every year to the LC Fund.”

The impact is tangible to students like Kenzie Hornsby ’25, a Psychological Science and Sociology double major also minoring in Religion and part of the Wilkinson Family Servant Scholars Program. The junior from Reeltown, Alabama, is just one of the hundreds on campus who receive assistance funded by donors.

“Without scholarships and financial aid, I would be forced to take out a substantial amount of student loans and would most likely have to figure out a way to balance a full-time job with school,” she said. “This would mean that I realistically would not have enough time to be able to play softball in college, which has been my dream since I was a little girl.”

Trenton Harrison ’26, a Business major from New Orleans and offensive lineman on the Panther football team, shared similar sentiments.

“If I didn’t have access to financial aid, I would have to get more than one job to help pay for tuition,” he said. “I wouldn’t be able to be a part of any organizations or clubs because I would be using all my free time working or doing homework.”

By contributing on GivingTuesday, donors’ gifts mean more than just dollars.

“Your gift matters. It shows our students they belong here,” Nicks said. “You can help them be successful and make a difference in the lives of the next generation of leaders.”

To find out how to be part of LaGrange College’s GivingTuesday celebration, go to l0jb.kongtiao11.com/givingtuesday.

 

Campus Notes

• Austin Wieland, Associate Professor of Art and Design, was recently installed as the Lovick P. Corn Associate Professor of Art, succeeding retired professor Dottie Joiner. The endowed professorship was created in honor of philanthropist Lovick P. Corn, who supported Lamar Dodd Art Center, served on the LC Board of Trustees for three decades and chaired a campaign that raised more than $37 million for college improvements in the late 1990s.
• Political Science students Eli Rogers ’26, Katie Gonzalez ’26 and Ryan Melia ’26, presented their research on lynching memorials to a special meeting last week in Harris County. The project, also featuring work by Ben Schmisseur ’26, Ashton Mcphaul ’27, Parker Floyd ’25, Jenna Pittman ’26, Ema Turner ’25, Jaxon Harrell ’24, Justin Harrell ’24, Cooper Dolhancyk ’25, Gabe Cofield ’24, Maria Rivera Soriano ’24, Daniel Cody ’25, Meabh Fyfe ’25, Merideth Baswell ’25 and Hammond Folsom ’26, looked at the economics, politics and demographics of counties with lynchings and memorials, and counties with lynchings without memorials or acknowledgement.
• English Writing & Publication Studies major Noah Reeves ’25 won an Amazon gift card for having participated in a recent campuswide photo contest. Sponsored by the college’s chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor society, the contest invited participants to celebrate October as Banned Books Month by submitting photos of themselves holding a book that has been censored by schools and libraries in the U.S. Noah’s book of choice was George Orwell’s “1984.”
• Registration is open for “A Tailor Made Journey from Lisbon to Porto,” a 3D Journeys excursion in Portugal. Hosted by President Susanna Baxter and First Gentleman Mark Huffman, the trip will be March 18-29, 2024. For more information on details and rates, email 3DJourneys@kongtiao11.com.
• Thanksgiving break for students will start on Monday, Nov. 20. Classes will resume on Monday, Nov. 27.

 

Video of the Week

Coming in January – 3D Journeys Free Lecture & Travel series

 

Sports

Football

Junior To’Mari Vinson was named to the USA South All-Sportsmanship Team.

Junior Devonte Scott earned an honorable mention from the conference.

Men’s Basketball

The Panthers went 2-0 in the Hawks Classic last weekend. The team beat Millsaps 100-77 and then Centenary 83-76. On Wednesday, LaGrange faced DII Shorter University and lost 90-74. The Panthers return home to take on Centre on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 5 p.m. and then Oglethorpe on Sunday, Nov. 19, at 5 p.m.

Women’s Basketball

LaGrange went 2-0 in the CCS-SAA Classic last weekend. The team beat Berry 81-66 and then Sewanee 70-61. On Tuesday, LaGrange lost 85-64 at Emory. The Panthers will stay on the road to rematch Sewanee on Friday, Nov. 17, at 6 p.m. and Principia on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 1 p.m.

Cross Country

The Panthers finished the fall season on Saturday, Nov. 11, at the NCAA DIII South Region Cross Country Championship. Junior Santiago Vasquez placed first for the Panthers with a 30:18.9 in the 8k. Sophomore Laurel Reese came in first for LC with a 33:11.5 in the women’s 6k.

 

Panther Calendar

(Please note that schedules may change due to circumstances beyond our control. Please check www.lagrangepanthers.com to confirm.)

Friday, Nov. 17 – Women’s Basketball at Sewanee, 6 p.m., Sewanee, Tennessee

Saturday, Nov. 18 – Women’s Basketball vs. Principia (@ Sewanee), 1 p.m., Sewanee, Tennessee

Saturday, Nov. 18 – Men’s Basketball (Home) vs. Centre, 5 p.m., Mariotti Gym

Sunday, Nov. 19 – Men’s Basketball (Home) vs. Oglethorpe, 5 p.m., Mariotti Gym

Tuesday, Nov. 21 – Women’s Basketball at Oglethorpe, 6 p.m., Atlanta, Georgia

Tuesday, Nov. 21 – Men’s Basketball (Home) vs. Berry, 6 p.m., Mariotti Gym

 

In the Headlines

LaGrange College Theatre to present “Silent Sky,” LaGrange Daily News, Nov. 14

Category: College, Philanthropy, Community

Keywords: Scholarships, Donors