Alumni Newsletters: September 2021

Long time supporter of the college Dr. Martha Kirkland West ’59 passed away on August 26. We are deeply saddened by the passing of someone that was so involved in the Catawba community. Read more on Martha’s life and how she impacted Catawba below:

Patricia Martin is the author of one humor book and five nonfiction books. In May 2021, she published her first collection of poetry, "In Venice I Could Sing." She is currently working on another nonfiction book and would love to hear from her Catawba friends!

Chad Clayton '96 and his son, current Catawba Golfer Chase Clayton, prevailed in the Crowder/Dorsett Memorial Labor Day Four-Ball Golf Tournament. The duo also recently won a Father/Son national championship in a tournament at Myrtle Beach that attracted 800 players.

This year, the Catawba College Theatre Arts Department will hold a very special joint ceremony to induct artists and alumni into the Blue Masque Hall of Fame for booth 2020 & 2021. 2020 Honorees include: Scott Burrell ’94, Rae Geoffrey ’95, William Gilmore ’85, and Christopher Zink (faculty). 2021 Honorees include: John Starmer '97 and Jim Lally '95 (d).  

Catawba College has once again been included on The Princeton Review’s Best Colleges list, ranking #33 on the Green Colleges list. Read more about the rankings below:

(Shuford Stadium Pre-COVID)

For the 2021-22 academic year, sporting events will return at full capacity! After over a year with little to no spectator attendance, we’re excited to see the Catawba family come together once again to cheer on our athletes. Read more on the athletic schedule and safety guidelines below:

Catawba College has been recognized as a College of Distinction for its commitment to engaged, hands-on education. College of Distinction, a one-of-a-kind guide that helps college-bound students, uses its platform to highlight different aspects of schools that other ranking systems often overlook.

In lieu of its annual National Environmental Summit, the Center for the Environment offered high school students one-day Summer Exploration workshops throughout the summer, allowing student to explore topics in small groups through hands-on experiences. Learn more about the classes:

The Corriher-Linn-Black Library was awarded a $25,000 SLNC Adapts Library Services and Technology Act grant. Amanda Bosch and Jeffrey Bostian wrote the grant and have been working tirelessly to introduce 21st-century learning to Catawba’s campus.

We reached our goal of 1,100 donors for the Day of Giving! Thank you to each person that joined us in making the 3rd #MYCatawba Day of Giving a historical event!

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!

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!

Sponsor a Hole during the 2021 Homecoming Weekend Golf Tournament! Sponsorships are just $125 - secure your sponsorship today!

Catawba College now offers alumni discounted access to leading professional certification courses from Google, IBM, Facebook, Amazon Web Services, and more. Our professional certificate courses are available both online and on-demand and help develop specific skills to help you become job ready or advance your career. Learn at your own pace, whenever and wherever it is most convenient for you.

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

The Nursing Program is the recipient of funding to host a white coat/oath ceremony. “The White Coat ceremony and commitment to compassionate care is the beginning chapter in the life of a nursing student,” stated Dr. Valerie Rakes, Catawba’s Chair of the Department of Nursing.

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:

CATAWBA ALUMNI HABITAT HOUSE BUILD
Saturday, October 9, 2021, 8:00 am – 12:00 p.m.
136 Union Heights Blvd, Salisbury, NC
Work together with fellow alumni on a Habitat for Humanity house. Then head over to the game against Carson-Newman at 1 p.m. Attendees must be 18 years or older and have close-toed shoes. RSVP on Facebook or email your RSVP to alumni@catawba.edu with subject line: Oct: 9th Habitat House.

ALUMNI & FRIENDS RECEPTION: ASHEVILLE, NC
October 22-23, 2021, 6:00 p.m.
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Asheville –  Biltmore – 115 Hendersonville Rd, Asheville, NC 28803
Join us Friday evening for a social with Catawba's 24th President and hear about the strong future ahead for Catawba. Then join us Saturday, as we cheer on our Catawba Football team as they take on Mars Hill at 1 p.m.

RSVP by October 5, 2021 at rsvp@catawba.edu.