Page 16 - Laker Connection Fall 2010

Campus Update
Clayton State University Foundation Honors its founding trustees
With Clayton State celebrating its 40th Anniversary during the 2009/2010 Academic Year, it was only fitting that the Clayton State University Foundation take the occasion of the Apr. 17, 2010, President’s Gala to honor the Foundation’s founding trustees.
Themed, “Better Together,” the Gala was a celebration of campus and community, highlighted by special recognition for six of the original signers of the Founda- tion’s articles of incorpo- ration in 1974... Harmon Born, H.M. “Mit” Brad- ford, S. Truett Cathy, Dr. Harry S. Downs, G. Robert “Bob” Oliver, and James “Jim” Wood, Jr. Also recognized for their legacy in the history of Clayton State were the three original signers who have since passed on; Charles S. Conklin, Dr. Ernest Dunbar,
and Claude Whaley.
The evening also included remarks by Foundation Chair
Starr Helms, Clayton State President Dr. Tim Hynes, and scholarship recipient Christina Phillips, and featured a video presentation on Clayton State student and faculty community engagement.
Theatre majors earn “A” in first Clayton Tour Team presentation
On Feb. 10, four Clayton State Theatre majors earned a virtual “A” from Clayton State Theatre Director Phillip DePoy after their first presentation as the Clayton Tour Team.
Appearing at the Clayton County Performing Arts Center, theatre majors Bryan Meadows, Kalani Fraser, Tiffany Mc- Clanahan and Tierra Canup performed Sure Thing, a short play by David Ives, for approximately 85 Clayton County high school students.
Clayton State theatre majors recently joined together to create the Clayton Tour Team as a means of introducing the Clayton State Theatre to local high school students.
Clayton State celebrates the Conclusion of its 40th Anniversary year
Clayton State University celebrated the official conclusion of its 40th Anniversary year on Saturday, May 8, 2010, with the Spring 2010 Commencement. The dual ceremonies, the first for Dr. Thomas J. “Tim” Hynes, Jr., as the University’s fourth president, featured a
record 509 graduates taking
part, and two singular hon-
ors.
Clayton State, which
first opened its doors to stu-
dents on Sept. 30, 1969,
marked the occasion of its
40th Anniversary Com-
mencement to bestow a spe-
cial honor on Dr. Harry S.
Downs, the University’s first and founding president, who re- ceived an honorary Doctorate of Arts and Letters.
Downs - once referred to by former Clayton State presi- dent Dr. Rick Skinner as the “father of Clayton State” - also had the opportunity to address the graduates.
“I praise you for your wisdom in choosing this great insti- tution of higher education,” he said. “I will be honestly cele- brating every name that is read today.”
Founding Trustees
In addition to Downs’ honorary doctorate, the University also presented a posthumous Bachelor of Arts degree to Ser- geant First Class (SFC)
John C. Beale. A Clayton
State history major and an
employee of the Clayton
County Water Authority,
SFC Beale was one of three
Georgia Army National
Guardsmen killed in action in
Kapisa Province in northeast
Afghanistan on Thursday,
June 4, 2009. Accepting his bachelor’s degree. degree was his wife, Crystal Beale.
The two ceremonies, held before capacity crowds in the University’s Athletics & Fitness Center, featured C.D. Moody, Jr., founder and owner of C.D. Moody Construction Co., and Dr. Jamil Zainaldin, president of the Georgia Humanities Council, as the Commencement speakers.
Dr. Harry S. Downs
Hynes presents Crystal Beale with SFC John C. Beale’s posthumous
14 THE LAKER CONNECTION