Page 33 - Laker Connection 2014

ClassNotes
Sawyer (‘07)
ClassNotes is the perfect place to share personal and professional news with friends and classmates. Please send us information about special milestones in your life including births, marriages, careers, family events, etc. Submit your news and a print quality photo to:
Standard Mail:
Clayton State Alumni Relations 2000 Clayton State Boulevard Morrow, GA 30260
Email:
Leila Tatum
Director of Alumni Relations Alumni@clayton.edu
1981
Fred Taylor (A.S. Agriculture) has worked on movies, commercials, industrials, and television before becoming one of the founding members of the local IATSE - 479 Studio Mechanics. Taylor has had an office at CNN Center for more than 10 years, where he maintained, repaired, and in- stalled production equipment and scenery.
2007
Samantha Brazie (B.S. Psychology and Human Services) of Newnan received the 2013 Outstand- ing Recent Graduate Award. Brazie has shown significant leadership in her career, in both the community and public services. Through her in- volvement with the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of
Commerce, she has single-handedly promoted Progressive Heating and Air to a level where they are a local “household” name. She is also presi- dent of Newnan Networkers BNI, chair for the Navarre Christmas Parade, an ambassador for the Newnan-Coweta Chamber, vice-chair for the Community Welcome House – a local battered women's shelter, and chairs several fundraisers for the American Cancer Society and other charity events in Coweta County.
Nikki Sawyer (B.S. Biology) was named the 2007 Chancellor’s Academic Recognition Award Recipient, and graduated summa cum laude in May 2007 – she was accepted to both Columbia University and Emory University’s graduate schools. It was while Sawyer was studying at Emory, in August 2012, that Clayton State Natural Sciences Department Chair Dr. Michelle Furlong
contacted her about joining
the faculty at Clayton State.
Given her background, it’s
not surprising that Sawyer
is thrilled about the most
recent development in the
natural sciences at Clayton
State. “I am extremely
thrilled about the new sci-
ence building,” she says. “I have always been thankful for the science program here at Clayton State, and especially for the faculty that have helped me succeed beyond my imagination in my career as a scientist.”
2009
Nyisha Nelson (B.A. English) moved to Alabama to work at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center as a counselor teaching Aerospace history to children from around the world at space camp. After that experience, Nelson began working on her mas- ter’s in special education and graduated from Lib- erty University in May 2012. Being a life-long learner and never wanting to grow complacent, Nelson re-enrolled in school immediately after graduation to pursue her Education Specialist de- gree in Curriculum and Instruction at Liberty Uni- versity and graduated July 2013. She is currently teaching in a self-contained special education classroom at Mainstay Academy. Her passion for teaching and helping others extends past the class- room as she also works part-time with develop-
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