Reinhardt University faculty and staff gathered in Flint Hall at Falany Performing Arts Center to officially start the 2018-19 academic year with the State of the University.
President Kina S. Mallard delivered the State of the University address on Aug. 13, highlighting accomplishments of those who encompass the University while projecting future successes for the upcoming year.
“The State of the University Address gives us the opportunity to gather together and renew our commitment to Reinhardt, to look at the past year to celebrate our accomplishments with a glimpse into the future,” she said.
Mallard said the Bible verse for the 2018-2019 year was Hebrews 10:24, “And let us consider how we may spur one another toward love and good deeds,” a verse calling for encouragement and doing so to bring out the best in one another on campus.
“I want to celebrate some of your great work over the last year. You have done remarkable work, and we want to acknowledge that this morning,” said Mallard.
Academics made many accomplishments, including 161 publications and performances, 58 presentations, 21 honors and awards and 82 acts of service outside Reinhardt.
- Dr. Simon Peter Gomez published Change and Stability in Offender, Behaviors and Incident-Level Characteristics of Mass Public Shootings in the United States, 1984-2015 in the Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling.
- Dr. Ken Wheeler signed a contract with University of Georgia Press to publish Modern Cronies: Industrialization in Cherokee County from Gold Rush to Convict Labor.
- Dr. Donna Little published her poem Medusa’s Children in Calyx Press.
- Dr. Efe Sevin published A Multilayered Approach to Public Diplomacy Evaluation: Pathway to Connection in Politics and Policy and co-authored A Quest for Soft Power: Turkey and the Syrian Refugee Crisis, published in the Journal of Communication Management.
- Dr. Pam Wilson published her article Mountain Butterfly: Dolly Parton’s Transformational Persona in American Country Music, it’s Forthcoming in the Rutledge, Companion to Popular Music and Humor.
Student accomplishments were also noteworthy, with 265 publications, performances and presentations, 285 honors and awards, 124 internships and clinical experiences, 39 service while learning experiences, 94 Capstone experiences and 74 student abroad experiences, doubling from 2017. Mallard also selected specific successes, such as the Master of Fine Arts creative writing’s first graduating class, 75 percent of RU graduates in mathematics and 82 percent of Reinhardt teacher candidates securing jobs before graduation and retaining 92 percent of Reinhardt’s first Bachelor of Science in Nursing students.
“We anticipate having 1,600 students studying at Reinhardt this fall,” Mallard said, noting admissions is still enrolling students and that specific enrollment numbers will be given late September. The class of 2022 includes 37 Sharp Scholars, a 77 percent increase from last year, 68 honor students, a 46 percent increase and 158 academic scholars, a 62 percent increase. Reinhardt’s incoming freshman class also achieved its highest average GPA at 3.28 compared to last year’s average GPA at 3.14.
With so much to be proud of from last year and numerous developments to improve campus life in all areas, this year was declared by Mallard to be Reinhardt’s best.
