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the quarterly of coker college, hartsv ille, south carolin a

commentary

www.coker.edu

>> C A M P U S IS S U E

W I N T E R ’08 V O L . 36 N O . 4

volume 36, number 4www.coker.edu

the Commentary of coker college is published four times a year in the fall, winter, spring and summer by the coker college office of Marketing & communications. 843.383.8018

Periodicals postage paid athartsville, sc 29550and additional mailing officesusPs Pub. no. 599-590

POSTMASTER: forward and send address changes to:

COKER COLLEGEOffice of Marketing & Communications300 east college avenuehartsville, sc 29550-3797

>> JAMES JOLLy Director of Marketing and communications jjolly@coker.edu

>> K yLE SAVERANCE ’0 6 Publications and Web Designer ksaverance@coker.edu

>> ChRISTIAN STRyKER ’04 sports information Director cstryker@coker.edu

>> CONTRIbUTORS: henna koponen ’10 shannon townley ’09

contents

>> CAMPUS NEWS | 4

>> ON ThE ROAd

WITh FRANK | 8

>> dEVELOPMENT | 10

>> AThLETICS | 14

14

DIABETES DOESN’T STOP WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYER

>> T hE P RE SIdEN T P ONdERS C OK ER Ch A MP IONS A Nd EC ONOMIC RE A L I T IE S

it is hard to have a conversation these days

without the economy becoming part of our

discussions. there is no question that coker college

is not immune to the economic realities of our time.

like other colleges nationally, coker is being impacted

negatively by the economic downturn.

yet there is good news. at coker college, we

have not extended our fiscal resources beyond the

limits. historically, we have been fiscally conservative

and it will be easier for us to stay the course during

these difficult times. Be assured that coker college

is firmly committed to maintaining its reputation of

excellence for providing the highest quality living and learning environment for its

students.

however, the reality is that we do still need your support. our fall 2008

enrollment is off-target and the value of our endowment has plummeted with the

stock market. this translates to a reduction in revenue from these sources.

as a result, your gift to the annual scholarship fund this year is more important

than ever. With your generosity, a strong and viable annual scholarship fund will help

coker college students through these tumultuous times.

as i ponder the future of the college, i see a place where “coker champions”

— dedicated leadership donors, alumni, friends, parents, faculty and staff — work

together to provide educational experiences for students that prepare them for a

demanding workforce and world.

no doubt, there have

been other recessions in

coker’s 100-year history.

there has also been during

those times an outstanding

sense of commitment from

the college’s leadership

donors, alumni, friends,

parents, faculty and staff.

ultimately, what we enjoy

today is an exceptional

academic community

created out of the

determination expressed

by coker champions, even

during the most difficult of

times.

unquestionably, the

months, even years, ahead

will require of us our best

thinking and actions to

preserve what has been

created here over the past

century.

We are grateful for

your continued support

and stewardship of coker

college. Best wishes for

the new year.

6HOMECOMING 2008

1.0: The new granite bench on campus recently donated by Louisa E. Tobias of Columbia in memory of Margaret Watson Cooper, granddaughter of Major James Lide Coker, founder of the College.

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seventy plus years ago, coker college’s

administration Building was the childhood home

of Mary coker Joslin. in Growing Up in the Brown

House: Memories of Old Hartsville (coker college

Press, 2008), Joslin flips the hourglass and sifts

through memories to give a firsthand account of life

in the emerging south.

it is a coming of age story and Joslin tells it

well, opting out of the linear storytelling common

with most books of this nature. instead, she

chooses to drop little nuggets of exposition in a

chatty way, allowing her mind to wander, shifting

from one moment of her life to another. it works,

making the text feel more like a conversation with

Joslin than a history lesson. her free-standing

narratives create a heap of life experience, informing

readers and dispelling myths about being raised in

the rural south.

as Joslin puts it, “for me, the culture of a

small southern town was a good place to begin

life. We had close friends and relatives. We had

ample opportunity to immerse ourselves in the

beauty of the gardens, farms, and forests of the

surrounding area.” she revels in the charm of it

all, residing in a town so small a young boy could

simply pick-up a phone, say “central,” ask for

“grandpa,” and be connected to his grandfather.

one can’t help but smile as she recounts tales

from the era of iceboxes, handwritten letters and

wood-burning cook stoves. the book is made more

appealing by its honesty. Joslin gives a front-row

seat to her past as she grapples with the uncertainty

of youth and finding her identity. there is real

emotion and Joslin does not shy away. she brings

family skeletons to light confronting coker family

tragedies tactfully and without fear. By tackling

issues like the loss of her mother’s first child in

1916, her brother samuel’s mental illness, the

premature death of her aunt Jennie and her father’s

first wife, Joslin humanizes the cokers, a family that

has become synonymous with southern affluence

and generosity.

“compared to our urban kin and some visitors,

the Brown house family was unsophisticated,”

Joslin writes, as she strips away some of the

preconceived notions surrounding her family. she

presents her father, David r. coker, as an everyman

with a passion for education. her book includes

poems by her father conveying his love for literature

and the arts. he instilled that admiration in his family

and that fondness for education is illustrated in

Joslin’s warm memories of coker college.

Joslin’s story is also the story of one of

south carolina’s most distinguished institutions.

the creative energy and intellectual enthusiasm

endowed by the coker family is still very much alive

today with coker college which has once again

been a Best southeastern college by The Princeton

Review and one of america’s Best colleges by U.S.

News & World Report.

Growing Up in the Brown House

commemorates a century of education. as readers

are greeted with tales of happenings in the homes

of Joslin and her extended family, we are given a

closer look — a more intimate history of the college

and the real life dramas tied to the landmarks now

sitting on the college’s campus.

looking back on her past with the charismatic

introspection that only comes with time, Joslin’s

voice is rich and profoundly grateful; sincerity flows

from each word on every page.

it’s easy to sink into Joslin’s writing. her

episodes couple funny anecdotes with elegant

prose. it’s a quick read and people will enjoy

following Joslin as she skips through memories of a

family who built a legacy on education and charity.

Joslin’s book captures her family’s belief that a

community is only as strong as its people, a sum of

the efforts and contributions of each individual. it is

a virtue for which Joslin has dug through her past in

order to retrieve and it is her gift to readers.

though Joslin reminds the reader not to

confuse her memories with historical record, her

writing is fluid — the stories so natural, it’s not hard

to accept these happenings as fact. recanting her

childhood she helps give a deeper understanding,

offering up another granule in the mound of sand

that is the history of hartsville.

DONALD QUIST IS A MEDIA SPEC IALIST IN THE CHARLES

W. AND JOAN S. COKER L IBR ARY- INfORMATION

TECHNOLOGY CENTER. HE HAS WRIT TEN fEATURES fOR

SEvER AL PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING The Morning

news (fLORENCE) AND The Messenger (HARTSvILLE)

N EWSPAPERS. HE GR ADUATED fROM COKER COLLEGE IN

2006 WITH A B . A . IN COMMUNICATION.

growing Up in the Brown house: Memories of old hartsville

( ISBN 978 - 0 -9703644 2- 5)

Available for $25 from the office of alumni relations.

To order, call 1-800-65-coker or e-mail alumni@coker.edu. Proceeds benefit the college’s annual scholarship fund.

“growing Up in The Brown hoUse COMMEMORATES A

CENTURY Of EDUCATION. AS READERS ARE GREETED WITH

TALES Of HAPPENINGS IN THE HOMES Of JOSLIN AND HER

ExTENDED fAMILY, WE ARE GIvEN A CLOSER LOOK — A

MORE INTIMATE HISTORY Of THE COLLEGE AND THE REAL

LIfE DRAMAS TIED TO THE LANDMARKS NOW SITTING ON

THE COLLEGE’S CAMPUS.”

Coker Memoir is Entertainingly Warm, Honest and Informative

~ BY DONALD E . QUIST ‘06 ~

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>> FA L L dA NCE C ONCER T

1.0: coker college Dance theater presented its annual fall concert in october in the Watson theater of the elizabeth Boatwright coker Performing arts center. a showcase of student choreography featuring a variety of dance styles and music, the concert featured 10 dances selected by a two-part adjudication process. choreography was by seniors Stacie fields and Angel Earley; juniors Jessica Welch, Kaitlin Owens, Tabitha Quick, Ashleigh Seccareccio, and Corinne Sutton; and sophomores Herbert Washington, Kayla Webb, Jasmine Stevenson, and Tara Haynes.

>> RON R A Sh

2.0: Acclaimed Southern writer Ron Rash was on campus in November as part of the College’s Centennial Celebration. He guest taught English classes and gave a book reading and discussion. Rash’s most recent book is Serena (Ecco/Harper Collins, 2008). Set in the timber forests of the North Carolina mountains, it is a tale of ambition, greed, love, honor and betrayal. A finalist for the 2007 PEN/Faulkner Award, Rash is the recipient of the O. Henry Prize, a National Endowment for the Arts Poetry Fellowship, the Sherwood Anderson Prize, and ForeWord Magazine’s Gold Medal in Literary Fiction, among others. Throughout 2008, Coker College celebrated 100 years of fostering participation in the community of scholarship and the development of ethical character, leadership skills and social responsibility.

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>> EN V IRONMEN TA L CRISIS

4.0: Dr. James “Gus” Speth, co-founder of the natural resources Defense council, addressed “the environmental crisis and the coming transformation” in october as part of the annual lois Walters coker lecture series. the Dean of yale university’s school of forestry and environmental studies, speth has spent over 30 years as a key player in environmental issues and policy. his most recent book is The Bridge at the Edge of the World: Capitalism, the Environment, and Crossing from Crisis to Sustainability (yale university Press, 2008). in it he condemns the american-based economic and political system and questions the effectiveness of the environmental movement while calling for a mobilization of spiritual, social and political resources to facilitate a transformative change. speth is married to Cameron Council Speth ’64.

>> P SyChOL Ogy C OMPE T I T ION

3.0: coker psychology majors Rebecca Morris, Karen Schneider, Lani Burke, and Amy Hall took second place in the annual s.c. Psychology association academic quiz Bowl in charleston. they bested six college teams from across the state, losing in the final found to the host team of 10 players. the team was sponsored by coker’s chapter of Psi chi, the national honor society in Psychology.

>> OP ENINg C ON VOC AT ION

6.0: education professor Ed Ebert delivered the keynote address at opening convocation in august. he challenged the audience to define american culture in one sentence. ebert is the 2007 recipient of the s.c. independent colleges and universities teacher of excellence award.

>> SORdId L I V E S

5.0: Coker College Theater staged the award-winning dark comedy “Sordid Lives” this fall in the Watson Theater of the Elizabeth Boatwright Coker Performing Arts Center. Students in the production were Cody Smith (above), Kirsten Barron (above), Ashley Tyler, Timothy Dupre, Kaylie Wilson, Shannon Crouch, Lindsay furrow, Taylor Adams, Adam Johnson, Robert O’Hara, Derek Winters, Joshua Bittinger and Avery Bateman.

>> SOCI A L WOR K

7.0: coker’s ninth annual social work conference in october focused on interagency collaboration in rural communities. Wendell Price of the s.c. Department of social services delivered the keynote address.

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>> hOMECOMINg 2 0 0 8

A lot of great things happened during Coker’s Centennial Homecoming Weekend in October: 1.0: Men’s soccer pulled out an exciting OT victory

again King College. 2.0: Women’s soccer lost a tough battle against King

College. 3.0: Former men’s and women’s basketball players

gathered for an alumni game. 4.0: Parents gathered for a breakfast at the President’s

Home. 5.0 - 5.3: Alumni gathered at the Sory Clubhouse on

Prestwood Lake for a centennial party. 6.0: A thrilling centennial fireworks show lit up the sky

after the men’s soccer game. 7.0: The posthumous Hall of Fame induction for the

late Dr. James D. Daniels, college president from

1981-2002, was accepted by his wife, Marie, and daughter, Susan, a Coker education professor.

8.0: Portrait artist Patricia Bell Hargrove ‘86 of Asheville, NC, received the 2008 Outstanding Young Alumni Award (pictured with her family).

9.0: Soccer stand-out Liz Gray Cain ’96 of Cross Hill was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame (pictured with her family).

• TheSpencers:TheatreofIllusiondelightedastanding room only crowd in Watson Theater.

• BaseballbattledUSCSalkehatchieinafallscrimmage.

…and so much more!

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i am pleased that i continue to get positive response from my articles, “travels with frank” and that you are enjoying them. i do apologize that we were unable to have one in the last edition of the coMMentary; we just ran out of space, but we will catch up.

in late June, we had a visit to the college from Anne Gardner Blomeyer ’69, and her husband, Bob, of Dallas, texas. they arrived on campus to meet her sister and her sister’s husband and niece, who is a prospective student and hopes to join coker in the fall of ’09. she is a delightful young lady and i hope that she will attend the college. it was great fun to be with anne and her family, especially since anne had not been on campus to see all the campus renovations and the new library-information technology center. needless to say, she was thrilled with our beautiful campus.

in mid-July, i traveled to Dobson, nc, to pick up another load of the coker centennial wine from shelton vineyards. on my way up, i stopped by and had lunch with Jane Parler Norwood ’65 and her husband, Buddy. Buddy has been employed with shelton vineyards for a number of years and has worked with us every step of the way to present our centennial wine to the college public. if any of you would like to buy a bottle, do not hesitate to call lyn Blackmon in the alumni office (843-383-8016). Jane and Buddy have been supportive of coker over the years. Jane is currently on the Board of trustees at the college (her second term) and is also serving as a member of the very important Presidential search committee.

in early august, we had the pleasure of having Martha Little Hunter ‘54 and her husband, reid, in hartsville. Martha was here for an alumni meeting. Anne S. Hancock ’60, of atlanta, ga., was also here. Jim and karen Dawson and frankie and i took them to the hartsville country club for dinner and i don’t know when i have had more fun and a more enjoyable conversation. Both Martha and anne have been so supportive of coker through the years. Martha and reid live in sea island, georgia, and anne lives in atlanta, but is moving to greenwood soon. she is beginning her five year term as a member of coker’s

Board of trustees and it will be a pleasure and a real resource for us to have anne’s leadership skills.

often times i get reports back from people reading “travels with frank” that many of our great and supportive friends in hartsville are not included in the article. i decided to make a change and add some of my visits because the hartsvillians are so special to the college. as a matter of fact, much of our support comes from people in hartsville who not only are graduates of the college, but who know the importance the college to the hartsville community. one such visit i had in early august was with Sloan Hungerpiller Brittain ’43, and her husband, Deward (Britt). it would be difficult to find two people who have been more supportive of coker college over the years than they. the college has an endowed scholarship in sloan’s name and also one in sloan’s mother and father’s names, the John C. and Leland Segars Hungerpiller Scholarship, which is supported by their family. Many of sloan’s family attended coker and have been very supportive, particularly of this scholarship. Britt served on the Board of trustees when the college was having some difficult times and showed real leadership during those times. We are appreciative of what he did and what they both continue to do for coker college. We also send our condolences to sloan and her brother, Jimmy hungerpiller of savannah, georgia, on the recent loss of their brother, kent hungerpiller, sr., of hartsville. he was a fine man and will be missed.

another hartsville visit i had recently was with Willie Calcutt Saleeby ’50. you know, they just don’t come any better than Willie. she and her late husband, ed, have done so much for coker through the years and have a named scholarship here at the college in Willie’s honor.

that same week, i attended the funeral of sylvia askins in lake city. sylvia was the mother of coker graduate, Scott W. Askins ’88, and his brother, carson. so many coker friends were at the funeral. it was a sad day for the people of lake city and those who knew sylvia, and particularly for scott, his father and brother. scott has been very supportive of coker through the years as was his grandfather, the late c. B. askins. as a sideline, Bill askins, scott’s first cousin, is now the contractor who is in charge of renovating the James lide coker iii Memorial library into a residence hall. the askins family has been an integral part of the college in so many ways during the 34 years i have been here.

obviously, it was a busy week and it ended with a great party at the home of Madge Windham Zemp ’87 and her husband, sid. they held the reunion party for 26 coker travelers who had recently gone to northwest canada. they spoke glowingly of Madge and lyn and what a great job they did hosting the trip. it gave me time to catch up with many coker graduates and friends of the college who were there. frankie and i enjoyed visiting with this group of people who love coker college. We all share the joy of reminiscing about the coker trips we have taken together.

People say to me, “frank, you must get tired

ON ThE

ROAdVisits with Coker Alumni and Friends

with Frank>> fRANK BUSH - executive vP for institutional advancement

>> “Ch AT y ” O ’NE A L ENdOW Ed SChOL A RShIP E S TA bL IShEd

Thomas A. o’neal of Blenheim recently established a scholarship at Coker College in memory of his wife, Annie Chaworth “Chaty” hayes o’neal ’46, who passed away in 2007.

The Chaty Hayes O’Neal Endowed Scholarship is to be awarded to a full-time rising junior history major with a minimum grade point average of 3.0.

Chaty proudly carried the legacy of her mother, four of her mother’s sisters, and several cousins who were Coker alumna. Throughout her lifetime, her strong upbringing and her education at Coker College created a firm foundation for her life and service to the community.

After graduating from Coker with a degree in history, Chaty taught fifth grade in Lake City before marrying Thomas in 1948. They raised a family and she taught South Carolina history and social studies in Latta public schools.

Her love of history remained with her for her lifetime. She was a regent and a 53-year member of the Pee Dee Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and a member of the 20th Century Literary Club of Bennettsville and the Marlboro County Historical Society. She was instrumental in securing two National Historical Registry markers — at the present Brownsville Baptist Church and at Muddy Creek. She was an avid participant in travels to historic sites and shared her fascination with and knowledge of history with her family, friends and students.

Chaty was a faithful member of Brownsville Baptist Church, where for many years she served as a teacher, pianist, and choir director. Her love of music was inspired, developed, and polished at Coker where she studied voice and was in the choir. She was a member of the Bennettsville Music Club and served on the Marlboro County Arts Commission.

Family members say that Chaty’s beauty, intelligence, and creativity were strong attributes, but her tenacity, determination, and ability to carry a project to fruition made her that rare person who could be relied upon to accomplish any task that she agreed to undertake.

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of being on the road all the time.” My response is “i don’t because i have a great time talking with people who love coker.” certainly one of these times was my last visit to the atlanta area. My first visit was to see Lewis Sharp ’93, and his lovely wife, lori. lewis and lori are expecting their first child soon and i had a lovely dinner in their beautiful home in Braselton, ga. lewis is such a great guy and played basketball at coker. the next morning i drove out to suwanee, ga., to see Stephen Shulte ‘88, at his office and had lunch. stephen has done so much to make this world a better place as an american Board certified prosthetist. he has improved the lives of many people and i was fortunate enough to meet some of the patients he has fitted with prosthesis. it was so thrilling to see what our coker graduate has attained. stephen was named an outstanding young alumni in 2003.

on a very sad note, however, i received an e-mail the next week from stephen telling me of the death of Michael D. Martin ’89. i am sorry to say that Michael took his own life. he was such a fine man and basketball player at coker. Many of us knew and loved him. let us keep his wife, children and classmates in our prayers during this difficult time.

While i was there, i was scheduled to see Trent Torrence ’96, but our appointment fell through. trent had a busy schedule and was headed off for his family’s vacation. We were able to catch up on the phone. he is doing great and those who want to see how he looks after all these years can find him on facebook. there is a wonderful picture of his wife, lori, and his two daughters. trent promised that he would come to see us at coker soon. he has always been such a great and fun guy. i am sure we will get together next time i am down his way.

By the way, now that i am talking about facebook, i invite all of you to join it to see the coker graduates. there are over 110 coker graduates on my facebook account and it is great to catch up with them and see the pictures of their families. i encourage you to do that; it is a lot of fun. if you don’t know how to do it, give me a call or e-mail and i will set you up.

if you want to feel old, all you have to do is stay at coker college long enough. to my surprise and pleasure, we have a member of the men’s basketball team starting last year as a junior, Josh Poston, who is the son of Rick and Kimberly Chestnut Poston ’83. Did that take me back! i can still see rick and kim as students here at coker when rick played basketball. i had the pleasure of their company in Myrtle Beach for lunch to talk about coker and what is going on in their lives. they are so pleased that Josh is here at coker. they never dreamed they would have a son following in their footsteps. Josh is a fine young man and it is great to have rick and kim as graduates and coker parents.

talking about a fun time, in september, i surprised a group of “coker nuts” having a get together at Myrtle Beach at the home of Mary Johnson Bowie ’50. Joan Snoddy Hoffmeyer ’51, Betty Lee Jordan Gandy ’51, Doris Johnson Gray ’51, and Mary Lou Nye Holley ’51 were there. lyn

Mahaffey, who is not a coker graduate but who has been a close friend of this class for many, many years, joined them. What fun it was to pop in on them! i took them all a coker t-shirt. i was very shocked that they did not ask me to stay too long because they were so ready to go shopping. can you imagine – a group of six women who had rather go shopping than meet with me!? it was a great time. i think they have been meeting like this for many years and they love coker college and each other.

towards the end of september, i took a quick trip up to greenville for two days. i had a wonderful visit with Lee Watson. We sat in her living room and chatted and reminisced and talked about coker college and even gossiped a bit. What a fine lady! she has been so inspirational to me personally and so supportive of coker. the next morning, i had the pleasure of having breakfast with Ellison Smith, a member of the Board of trustees. ellison is the grandson of richard and tuck coker and his mother, louise coker ewing, was on the Board of trustees. We had a good breakfast and great conversation. he is very supportive of the college, very active in greenville and is a busy man raising his children.

i then went on to downtown greenville and had lunch with Lillian (Mickey) Utsey Harder ’65. Mickey is just as fun and lively as she ever was. i don’t think she will ever change and i certainly hope she doesn’t! the last time i saw her two or three years ago, she told me she was retiring. Well, she has not. she still is actively involved with clemson university and is the Director of the Brooks center for the Performing arts. What a great lady. Mickey and her husband, Byron, have two children and several grandchildren. i have to admit that we talked about our children and grandchildren more than we talked about coker. there is no mistake that Mickey is an ardent supporter of coker college.

By the way, if you have not been to greenville recently to some of the wonderful downtown restaurants, please go. We had a marvelous meal at latitude and a lot of fun. Maybe you can call Mickey and ask her to join you! it would give her another excuse to come to greenville to see her grandchildren.

always, the first weekend in october is busy at coker college because it is homecoming which has become a major event, especially for our younger graduates. What a fun time they had! Probably the most fun of all was joining the young alums at the sory Boathouse for a party on saturday night. i was amazed that i could keep up with them for at least an hour. they were a lively group. i just hope that this tradition continues and grows to 200 or more people. We had a blast!

as i think i told you several issues ago, Marjorie Hooks Bethea ’46, and her husband, tom, have moved to the Methodist Manor of the Pee Dee in florence. as often as i can, i try to get over to see them. i had a wonderful time with them on october 8. i picked them up and we had a delightful lunch at a local florence restaurant. it is always good to be with them. they are both remarkable people – so much energy and positive attitudes. talk about loving coker

– Marjorie Bethea, whose sister, Miriam (Tiggie) Benefield ’52, also went to coker, loves coker, and has done so much for it through the years. it is a pleasure for me to know Marjorie and tom and to get to take them to lunch. i hope that soon i can pick them up and bring them to hartsville so that they can see the new library-information technology center. they haven’t been able to see it yet and i know they will enjoy it.

the next week i was in Myrtle Beach to have lunch with Charlotte Coker Hoffman. charlotte is a delightful person and is the daughter of fitz lee coker. her Mother was the late edna coker. charlotte and her husband have lived in Murrells inlet for several years. it was the first time i have seen her in a long time. We had a wonderful lunch at the sea captain’s house in Myrtle Beach and great conversation. charlotte attended hartsville high school and frankie had the pleasure of teaching her art when she was a student, but we have not kept up with her. it was so good to see her and i hope that over the next two or three years, she will consent to join us on the Board of trustees. she is a smart woman who would have a lot of positive influence and information for us at the college.

the next week in october, i went to raleigh to take some more of Mary Coker Joslin’s book, “growing up in the Brown house,” to her to sign. i am telling everyone, if you ever want to see a slice of life and a great book for a christmas present, buy this book. it is absolutely a wonderful read and you will love it. as always, Mary and Bill Joslin continue their support of the college with all the sales from the book going to coker’s annual scholarship fund. i had a wonderful lunch with Mary and Bill, but i have to say that i am glad they are like family because my car broke down and i don’t know what i would have done had i not been with them. they understood what it took for me to get my car started. it is funny now, but it was not funny at the time. they were so wonderful to put up with me and i thank them for all they do for coker. Please get a copy of Mary’s book. you may call me, e-mail me or call the coker college Bookstore or lyn Blackmon in the alumni office and we will make sure you get a signed copy.

signing off for this year, i wanted to speak a little bit about our late october Board of trustees’ meeting. it was a good meeting, but we were especially pleased that the night before we had the pleasure of Gus Speth to give a lois Walters coker lecture on the environment. We had a huge crowd, close to 400 people, in Watson theater. gus is the Dean of the school of environmental studies and forestry at yale university. he presented an excellent lecture – very thought provoking. not everyone agreed with all that he said and that made it even better. i think the best thing that we can say about gus speth is that he is married to our wonderful coker graduate and trustee, Cameron Council Speth ’64. it was wonderful to be with them for a couple of days and to have them on our campus. We appreciate so much his willingness to come and share his wisdom with us at the college.

Until next time…

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What is the annual scholarship Fund?

• the annual scholarship fund (asf) is coker college’s yearly

campaign to raise financial support for its students.

• every gift to the asf helps new and returning students

attend coker.

• the asf helps coker students in addition to their state and

federal grants and loans.

• if your employer or your spouse’s employer matches your

gift, you could double or even triple your contribution.

• the fundraising goal for the asf in 2008-2009 is $500,000.

• gifts to the asf are tax deductible.

• alumni gifts to the asf positively influence coker college’s

national ranking.

• you can give online at www.coker.edu or contact the

Development office at 843.383.8178

Office of Institutional Advancement | 300 east college avenue | hartsville, sc 29550phone: 843-383-8178 or 843-616-2485 | Fax: 843-383-8197 | wdaniels@coker.edu | www.coker.edu

December 2008

Dear Alumni and friends ~ i hope this issue of the commentary finds you well and that you

had an enjoyable holiday season. We are all so blessed and have much for which to be thankful.

i am writing to ask for your support towards this year’s annual scholarship fund goal of $500,000. as you know, the annual scholarship fund is vital because it helps coker recruit and retain its very best and brightest students.this year your gift is more important than ever. like other colleges, coker is being impacted by the economy. We fear we will lose some of our most qualified students if we cannot support them through gifts to the annual scholarship fund.Please know that all of us at coker — especially students — appreciate any gift you make to the annual scholarship fund. We need and genuinely appreciate your support.

sincerely,

Wes Daniels ‘03Director of annual giving

“We both love Coker College. We met at Coker, received a top-

notch education there, and continue to live near campus. Some

of our happiest memories come from times spent at Coker.

While the campus has changed tremendously since 1951, it has

never been more attractive. All alumni should be so proud of

our alma mater! By giving to the Annual Scholarship fund, we

are giving current students the opportunity to experience all

that Coker has to offer.”

— JOAN SNODDY HOffMEYER ’51 & GUS HOffMEYER, JR.

Hartsville, S.C.

Why do we give?

development

WWW.COKER.EDU/DEvELOPMENT the quarterly of coker college, hartsville, s.c. - COMMENTARY | 11

development

>> CAMPbELL ENdOWEd SChOL ARShIP ESTAbLIShEd

Katherine “Kat” still Campell ’45 of Orangeburg has established an endowed scholarship at Coker College in honor of her parents, Orion and Isabelle.

The Katherine Still Campbell Endowed Scholarship is to be awarded to a full-time student with a minimum 2.0 grade point average who exemplifies the college’s commitment to the development of ethical character, leadership skills and social responsibility.

After earning her degree in mathematics from Coker College, Kat went to work for the Tennessee Valley Authority in Oakridge where she met her late husband, Mike, an employee of Colgate-Palmolive. The Campbells moved to Orangeburg, where Mike served as city treasurer for many years, and raised two sons.

Kat was instrumental in establishing the Wade Hampton Academy, now Orangeburg Preparatory Schools, in 1964 and she worked there until her retirement in 1984. She is an active member of First Presbyterian Church and she has volunteered in the Orangeburg community. She has also worked as a freelance newspaper photographer for The State and the old Columbia Star.

In2006,KatreceivedtheCokerCollegeAlumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award. An ardent supporter of the College, she has served as a class representative and she provided key support for Coker’s successful Gateway to the New Century Campaign.

Please feel free to contact Frank Bush at 843-383-8007 or fbush@coker.edu if you are interested in establishing an Endowed Scholarship at Coker College.

1908 • CENTENN I A L • 2008

• COKER COLLEGE •

• During the Major’s Lifetime: 1908-1918• From the New Deal to Civilization: 1933-1945• Civilization: 1946-1966• End of Civilization and the Coker Plan: 1966-1974• Coker and the GSSM Coexist: 1986-2003

• The Contemporary College: 2003-2008• Traditions Peculiar to Coker • Athletics• The Alumni(ae) Association• Kalmia Gardens of Coker College

Limited Edition published by the C oker C olle ge Press. Wr itten by Dr. Malcolm C . Doubles, for mer provost and dean of the faculty, the histor y e xamines the f irst 10 dec ades of the C olle ge’s e xistence and discusses special topic s, suc h as Kalmia G ardens, unique C oker traditions and athletic s.

In Quest of Excellence: A Histor y of Coker College on its Centennial (ISBN 978-0-9703644-3-2) is a 364-page, limited edition, hardcover with over 200 photog raphs, inc luding 38 in color.

Order Your Copy Now!$50 per book ( incl. shipping & handling )

1-800-65-COK ER or a lu m n i@coker.edu

chapteRs include:

• c o k e r c o l l e g e c e n t e n n i a l h i s t o r y •

In Quest of Excellence: A History of Coker College on its Centennial

development

12 | Winter 2008 caMPus issue WWW.COKER.EDU/DEvELOPMENT

development

>> M E M O R I A L gI F T S

from september 1, 2008 through December 2, 2008 coker has received gifts in memory of the following:

Inez Brock Austin susan austin

Hylda Inabinet Bass Dick and Michal Millen Baird Marguerite kiser Bessinger carl h. and Pat chapman huff

Shirley Caldwell Becken scott c. Becken

Sarah A. Boykin andy and vicki eaddy

Margaret Duc Braid Barbara Braid spannagel

Scott Brewer sarah Mccanless haarlow

Dolores “Dee” McCracken Briggs Pat hamilton Baker helen kolb chambless anita colbert cindy lesesne Wilhelmina e. Miller Betty connor senn

Anne Brock susan austin

Howard W. Brown Pat smith

Dorothy Hudgens Camp Dorothy c. Brown

Mary Joyce Chapman Murray f. McDonald

Adelaide Shumate Clayton Joann clayton leist

Dr. James D. Daniels karen D. White

Patsy DuPre Budd and Mitzi DuPre Matthews carl h. and Pat chapman huff Betty Jean lee hunsinger Jean fore McDaniel anne Merck McDowell

Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. fentress Betty fentress Johnston

Blanche W. floyd Joyce floyd shaw

Jane Andrews funderburk nancy Payne Dunn

Jody Gaskins sandy gaskins

Maud Dusenbury Gelzer ann gelzer Black

Betty Shelley Gunnells carl h. and Pat chapman huff

Lama M. Hamer charlotte hamer Moulton

Wila Hamer charlotte hamer Moulton

Harvey Jack Harper Barbara Ballentine stuckey

Dorothy Harrison carl h. and Pat chapman huff

Harris E. Haynes alice and David larsen Donald and Marcia rogers

Dr. Price Hoffmeyer gus and Joan snoddy hoffmeyer carl h. and Pat chapman huff

Jane Ingram Holland J. lamar and lucy singletary caldwell

fuller Howle andy and vicki eaddy

Albert Hudson nicholas Daugenti

Kent Hungerpiller Dick and Michal Millen Baird Britt and sloan hungerpiller Brittain

Laverne Joye gus and Joan snoddy hoffmeyer Budd and Mitzi DuPre Matthews

Lemyra Ward Kellahan Marcena kellahan tisdale

Harriet B. King harriet king van norte

Mary P. Koerwer Mildred g. Burno ronald W. cannon richard and linda cook Dr. cathleen cuppett Patricia D’avanzo Jim and sally Ditto kirk and Jane Dunlap harry and Barbara frampton Marilyn henderson Wade and lee hicks gus and Joan hoffmeyer frances and charles hupfer catherine hurd John and Dolores koerwer ed and tru lawton edgar and nan lawton reaves Mccall harry and Mary Jane McDonald Billie t. McManus kathy Moore Jim and Bernadette nealis lauree Padgett John M. Pope John and Judy Walker Betty c. Wiggins Wycliff Bible translators

Isadore Lee Dr. susan Weathers floyd

Dr. James Leppard carl h. and Pat chapman huff

Betty Anne McAltine carl h. and Pat chapman huff

Marilyn Kirby McCullough carole causey Boyles

Margaret Jones McKeithan Dick and Michal Millen Baird

Dr. Mary Moore Megan Brenna

Ann Holloway Murchison ralph Deschamps

Diana Cobb Nall Dr. Patricia holland chapman

H. M. Parritt carl h. and Pat chapman huff

Sylvester Pate carl h. and Pat chapman huff

Sylvia Parks Price Joyce Medlin eaton

Professor Caroline Reaves frances humphries Price

Shirley Lawhon Rhem neal and kathey eargle anne halliburton christina savvas homer carl and ginger Joye Mr. and Mrs. richard koon laurice f. rhem iii

Sandra Kirkley Rhodes elizabeth “Betsy” Buhrmaster cooper

Jerry Rogers Betty Jean lee hunsinger

Charlie Singleton Barbara roney Whittington

Louise Whisenhunt carl h. and Pat chapman huff

Henry M. Williamson Jean campbell Williamson

>> C O N T R IbU T I O N S T O S C hO L A R ShI P S

from september 1, 2008 through December 2, 2008 coker has received the following gifts for scholarships:

Sloan Hungerpiller Brittain Endowed Music Scholarship sloan hungerpiller Brittain

Willie Calcutt Saleeby Endowed Scholarship Willie calcutt saleeby

Ann Ludlum Winfield ‘44 Endowed Scholarship ann ludlam Winfield

Charles R. and Mary P. Koerwer Endowed Scholarship Mildred g. Burno ronald W. cannon

c. r. cook, Jr. Dr. cathleen cuppett Joseph D’avanzo Jim and sally Ditto c. kirk Dunlap, Jr. Barbara kalber frampton Marilyn f. henderson Wade and lee hicks charles and frances hupfer Mr. and Mrs. John koerwer ed and tru lawton edgar and nan lawton W. reaves Mccall harry and Mary Jane McDonald katherine D. Moore Mr. and Mrs. James J. nealis iii lauree D. Padgett John M. Pope John and Judy Johnson Walker Betty Wiggins Wycliffe usa

Class of 1953 Endowed Scholarship charlie hunt chewning

Class of 1956 Endowed Scholarship neal and kathey eargle anne halliburton christina savvas homer Mr. and Mrs. carl Joye Mr. and Mrs. richard koon laurice f. rhem iii

Diana Cobb Nall Endowed Social Work Scholarship Dr. Pat holland chapman

John C. and Leland S. Hungerpiller Memorial Scholarship sloan hungerpiller Brittain

Katherine and Charles Kirkland Dunlap Endowed Scholarship c. kirk Dunlap, Jr.

Katherine Still Campbell Endowed Scholarship katherine still campbell

Mary Elizabeth DuBose Cottingham Endowed Scholarship Mary elizabeth DuBose cottingham

Nancy Barrineau Endowed Scholarship teressa thompson harrington nan carter howard

Nickey Brumbaugh Endowed Art Scholarship Betty J. robertson coughlin

Sparrow Scholars Program susan Mellody frank

Susanne G. Linville Endowed Scholarship estate of susanne g. linville

development

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development

>> S y M PAT h y

information received august 29, 2008 through november 13, 2008

Sloan Hungerpiller Brittain ’43 and Elaine Hungerpiller ’91 ev in the death of kent hungerpiller on september 16, 2008.

Edith Woodham Howle ’48 & husband fuller in the death of their daughter lynne howle Byrd on october 31, 2008.

Nancy I. Brodie Simmons ’48 in the death of her cousin Beverly Phillips Belk ’49 on october 22, 2008.

frances Matheson Leppard ’50 in the death of her husband Dr. James e. leppard on november 8, 2008.

Louise Tapp Joye ’51 in the death of her husband laverne Joye on october 27, 2008.

Margaret Hewitt Hoffmeyer ’52 in the death of her husband Dr. thompson Price hoffmeyer on november 4, 2008.

Sabrina Wotier Peterson ’02 in the death of her father edward Wotier on september 3, 2008.

Deborah Whetstone Williams ’03 ev in the death of her mother faye Johnson Whetstone on october 21, 2008.

Shelia Gilbert ’04 ev in the death of her sister lizzie leforte on october 7, 2008.

>> I N M E M O R I A M

information received august 29, 2008 through november 13, 2008

Margaret L. Carter ’32

Margaret Jones MacKethan ’38

virginia McMurry Love ’44

Hylda Inabinet Bass ’48

Beverly Phillips Belk ’49

Jacqueline Stanley Hilton ’49

Mary Louise Patterson Miles ’51

Sarah Jones ’68

Jimmie f. Huey ’74 ev

Michael David Martin ’89

>> W E ddI NgS

information received august 29, 2008 through november 13, 2008

SEND US A WEDDING PHOTO Of THE BRIDE AND GROOM WITH ALL YOUR COKER GUESTS!

>> bI R T hS

information received august 29, 2008 through november 13, 2008

congratulations to Judy Brown Pigg ’68 and Wayne on the birth of granddaughter katarina olivia schmidler on august 22, 2008.

congratulations to Holly Hall Becker ’00 and Mark Becker ‘97 on the birth of son siler robert Becker on september 11, 2008.

congratulations to Hattina Washington Osterberg ’00 and russell on the birth of ryker Jayden osterberg on august 14, 2008.

congratulations to Tracey Lowe Burel ’01 and gary on the birth of son samuel frank Burel on May 19, 2008.

SEND US BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN!

>> L I bR A R y bOO K S

from september 1, 2008 through December 2, 2008 the following made gifts of media to the charles W. and Joan s. coker library-information technology center:

Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. CokerDr. Lois GibsonMal HymanSara McRae

>> hONO R gI F T S

from september 1, 2008 through December 2, 2008. coker has received gifts in honor of the following:

Dr. Jill Banks sandra k. Benton

frank Bush larry and virginia gantt

Class of 1995 heather Mcconnell Buckelew

Beth DuBose Cottingham sarah kolb Bivins

Julia Stackhouse Eggen katherine ledbetter Meyer

Sara Long fox lyn Blackmon

Jan Bonnett frye Judy hayes Johnson katherine ledbetter Meyer

Beth Poole Garrett katherine ledbetter Meyer

Dr. Lois Gibson cheryl fielding Wingert

Betty Beasley Williams teri grant griggs

t h er e a r e m a n y r e a sons to su pport cok er col l ege’s a n n ua l schol a r ship Fu nd ev ery y e a r . t h e be s t r e a son t his y e a r is t h at cok er col l ege is cel ebr at i ng i ts cen t en n i a l .

give online at W W W.coker.edu it’s saFe. it’s simple.

Y o u r c o n ta c t f o r t h e a n n u a l S c h o l a r S h i p f u n d i S d i r e c t o r o f a n n u a l G i v i n G WeS danielS ’03 — wdaniels@coker.edu or 843.383.8178

Y O U R C O N TA C T f O R T H E A N N U A L S C H O L A R S H I P f U N D I S D I R E C T O R O f A N N U A L G I v I N G WES DANIELS ’03 — wdaniels@coker.edu or 843.383.8178

athletics

14 | Winter 2008 caMPus issue WWW.COKERCOBRAS.COM

athletics

>> dI A bE T E S dOE SN ’ T S T OP C OK ER SOC CER PL Ay ER

BY GREG JOHNSON, NCA A N EWS

1.0: When the calendar flips to July, Kathryn “Kat” friedmann knows there no place she’d rather be

than in soddy-Daisy, tennessee.

the town, located 20 minutes from chattanooga

in the smoky Mountains, is the site of the tennessee

camp for Diabetic children. this is where friedmann,

who just completed her senior season on the coker

soccer team, learned that she wasn’t alone in dealing

with a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.

“My friends there are my role models,” said friedmann, who learned she had the disease about a month before her 11th birthday. “some of my best friends go to this camp every year. i’ve grown up with them. it is a huge part how i’ve grown with this disease.”

her first year at the camp left her pondering, “Where did all these kids come from?” seeing people her age handling their condition is always refreshing for friedmann, who grew up 15 minutes from nashville in hendersonville, tennessee.

“in my normal element, i have to take extra steps and think about taking my blood sugar and my insulin,” she said. “But at camp, i look around and one of my friends is doing the same thing. it’s a surreal world.”

for as much inspiration she’s gained from her camp buddies, friedmann is impressive herself. During her collegiate career, she became coker’s fifth all-time leading goal scorer (29) and ranks sixth all-time in total points (66).

she produced at a high level despite having to leave the field at times during matches to check her blood-sugar level. During those times, the cobras would play a player down until she was able to return.

“i pretty much managed it myself,” said friedmann, who will graduate in May with a double major in communications and english. “i just tried to keep a good tune on how my body felt and how i was playing. some of the symptoms have changed over the years.”

she knows the type of aggressiveness she normally plays with, and when she felt her body wasn’t responding to what her mind was telling it to do, it was time to check her blood-sugar level.

off the field, friedmann wears an insulin pump, but the device wouldn’t survive a soccer match.

“it doesn’t feel too good when that thing gets ripped out of you,” friedmann said.

since november is the national diabetes

awareness month, friedmann is an example of the

type of life a person can lead while managing the

disease.

“there are worse things you can have,” she

said. “i’m fully functional. i can do anything i want

and succeed. My motivation is to steer away from

stereotypes or assumptions.”

friedmann, who is applying to graduate schools

to further her education in communications, is active

on the coker campus. Besides serving as one of the

captains on her soccer team, she is president of the

omicron Delta kappa leadership honors society and

president of the coker women’s golf club.

“i have the natural tendency to step up when

i feel there is a need,” said friedmann, who also

works part time as a writing tutor and in the coker

admissions office. “at some point during my career,

whether it is academically or athletically, i’ve had to

step up.”

since she began playing soccer at the age of 4,

she knows it will take time to adjust to the fact that

the sport will become more of a recreational endeavor

now.

“it’s a little bittersweet,” said friedmann, who

led coker with seven goals and 17 points this season.

“i was working out the other day on a treadmill and

started thinking, ‘i wish i could run out and get a few

touches on the ball.’ that was a few days after we

finished our season.”

running half marathons is one way she hopes to

quench her competitive thirst.

of course, she’ll always look forward to July for

those two weeks in soddy-Daisy to meet with her

friends and help other kids learn how to live an active

lifestyle with diabetes.

**STORY REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION Of NCA A N EWS**

>> TA S T E OF C OK ER 2 0 0 8

2.0: the third annual taste of coker set another record by raising nearly $10,000 for the coker athletics uniform fund. With more than 600 cobra fans in attendance, the taste of coker has become a great new campus tradition and hartsville community event.

>> A L L- CONF ERENCE - FA L L 0 8

3.0: cobras Dennis Gonzalez of orlando, fl, and Kathryn friedmann of hendersonville, tn, were selected conference carolinas third team all-conference for men’s and women’s soccer.

1. 0 , 3 . 0

2 . 0 3 . 0

TRADITION.PRIDE.ENTHUSIAIt’s part tradition, part pride and part

enthusiasm. It’s student-athletes giving their maximum effort and fans rallying behind them. The excitement is contagious.

***s"thesloyaltyslastssaslifetime."

You can demonstrate this spirit by joining the Cobra Club today. Your contribution to the Cobra Club may be designated to the general fund that benefits all sports equally, or may be designated to a sport of your choice. All gifts, large and small, make a positive impact on Coker’s teams and may qualify you for special recognition.

The outstanding educational opportunities Coker College offers provide the optimal foundation for athletic excellence that students can experience. Be assured that with your financial support, Coker athletes, coaches and administrators will continue to strive for excellence with integrity and good sportsmanship.

Your gift to the Cobra Club is tax deductible.

TRADITION.PRIDE.ENTHUSIASM.

CObRA ClUb bENEfITS*s�recognitionsinsthes�

commentarysandson��WWW.coKercoBras.com

*scoBrasemailsupdates

*scoBrasWindoWsdecal

*s�hospitalitysroomsats�homesBasKetBallsgames

*s�freesadmissionstoshomes�BasKetBallsgames

GIfT ClUb lEVElS[sendoWedsscholarships]�$10,000

[scorporatessponsors]�$1,600

[spresident’sscluBs]�$1,000

[sathleticsdirector’sscluBs]�$500-$999

[scoaches’scluBs]�$250-$499

[scaptain’sscluBs]�$100-$249

[splayer’sscluBs]�$50-$99

Give

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For more information: 843-383-8068 or cstryker@coker.edu

THANk yOU CObRA fANS fOR All Of yOUR SUPPORT!

2 .0

1.0

commentary COKER COLLEGEOffice of Marketing and Communications300 east college avenuehartsville, south carolina 29550-3742

www.coker.edu

PERIODICAL

U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDHARTSVILLE, SC

29550

www.coker.edu

>> CEN T ENNI A L CEL EbR AT ION

The finale of Coker College’s 2008 centennial celebration was a reception in December in the Stein Gallery.

1.0: College president Dr. Jim Dawson and centennial year student body presidents Andrew Mitchum ’09 and Whitney Watts ’08 helped bury the time capsule in front of the Charles W. and Joan S. Coker Library-InformationTechnologyCenter.Thecapsuleis to be opened in 2058.

2.0: Students placed the last item in the Centennial Time Capsule (a ballet shoe).

3.0: The Coker Chamber Singers sang the Alma Mater and Happy Birthday (to both the College and longtime supporter Jean fort).

4.0: Everyone celebrated with a special birthday cake (cut by Jean fort).

5.0: Author Dr. Malcolm Doubles signed copies of In Quest of Excellence: A History of Coker College on its Centennial.

3 .0

5 .0

4 .0