Alumni Newsletters: June 2021

Harold “Hap” Knox Roberts, Jr. ’72 recently had his book “Everybody Was Happy” published. The book discusses his stories of his boyhood in small-town America and stories of his glory days at what was the nation's fastest growing supermarket chain. You can purchase the book below:

John Starmer ’97 was recently featured in an article on AVTechnology discussing his work as director of production at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Canaan Cox ’12 was on the Bobby Bones Show in early May.

Beverly Lynn Corelle ’63 left her estate to Catawba to provide the Beverly Corelle Endowed Scholarship to help generations of future Catawbans. Beverly passed in February of 2021 but will live on in the Catawba community through her assistance with future students.

Alum Ashley Garner shared her story on social media of her collegiate journey and how Catawba impacted her.

Catawba College has received a $13.7 million gift from an anonymous donor to retire the majority of the College’s debt, putting it in an extremely favorable position for the future and highlighting donor confidence in Catawba’s vision for academic excellence and innovation.

Two new members were named to the Board of Trustees. Marvin Moore ’19 and Bill Wagoner will be serving 4-year terms. Congrats both!

The Music Department presented a virtual spring concert consisting of three songs in lieu of a public performance.

208 baccalaureate degrees were awarded across three ceremonies this year, hosted in person to celebrate both the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021. Read more on the ceremonies and check out the photos and videos below:

Six students in Catawba’s Phi Beta Lambda chapter earned awards at the North Carolina State Leadership Conference held in Charlotte. They will go on to compete in the national competition!

The task force for Equity, Diversity, Justice, and Inclusion (EDJI) held a “Current Events and Creative Outlets” program celebrating the completion of its first operational year on campus.

Did you know you make a gift to Catawba while shopping on Amazon? Add Catawba College as your charity of choice through Amazon Smile to donate when you make a purchase. Check out how to set it up below:

While planning for our 2021 Catawba Clergy Days, we would love to hear YOUR thoughts! What topics and opportunities are you interested in? Please fill out this quick 3-question survey letting us know!  

Join the Catawba Clergy Network! You’ll get access to Communities of Practice, gathering opportunities (like Catawba Clergy Days) grant opportunities, and access to the online discussion hub!

Register by June 15th!
Discover, Catawba's Youth Theology Institute, will be hosted on Catawba's campus this summer. For middle and high school students, this time is set aside for students to explore their sense of faith and calling. They also get to choose a track to explore practical theology and vocation working closely alongside Catawba faculty, staff, and students. This year's tracks include Sport Management, Worship Music, and Service and Ministry Leadership. We hope you will send interested students our way! The program is grant supported so only requires a $50 deposit. Read more at www.catawba.edu/discover or contact Shannon Axtell Martin at samartin12@catawba.edu.

Start preparing for Homecoming by heading to the Accommodations page. Make plans for your stay in several local hotels or bed and breakfasts to ensure your close to home for Homecoming!

Ride with Catawba pride with your very own Catawba license plate! For just an additional $20 on top of your annual registration, you can show your colors everywhere you go. Plus, a portion of the proceeds will go to the Alumni Association. COMMIT before coming home this October for Homecoming!

Follow the Catawba Alumni Instagram page to stay up to date on fellow alums and special events going on. Check it out at Instagram.com/catualumni

Dr. Michael Bitzer, Political Science Professor, commented on a Twitter feud between two politicians in an article from Citizen Times.

For the third time, an anonymous donor gifted his stimulus money in honor of Ralph Ketner to be used to purchase fruit from Food Lion Store #1 for weekend food bags at Rowan Helping Ministries. The anonymous donor worked at the same Food Lion store while attending Catawba and credits Ketner for assisting him in his education.

Alberto Borges ’21 has had an incredible college career. From Kenya, Alberto worked tirelessly to improve environmental conditions in Africa when he wasn’t in school and plans to continue his work to make a better planet. Learn more about Alberto’s journey:

Handshake is an online portal where employers hire college students and new grads. Handshake can continue to provide you with professional development information and career opportunities beyond college. Catawba maintains a relationship with Handshake for our students after they graduate. Handshake can also be used after graduation, and Catawba will maintain your Handshake profile for as long as you wish to use the service.

The newest Class Giving Challenge is here! See how your class ranks in giving to the MBS Campaign.

Top Class Years By Percent that Gave:

Take a look at the MIND, BODY, SOUL pages on our campaign website to view which priorities have been funded so far and which ones are on their way to reaching completion!

Make an impact on Catawba’s future by making a donation to the MIND BODY SOUL campaign. Providing new academic programs, athletic facilities, and ministry funding are all just some of the benefits of the MIND BODY SOUL campaign.
 

You can learn more about our campaign priorities, get involved, view our progress and share in our successes by visiting our website: