major - Converse College

Voice. Value. Vision.
INSIDE CONVERSE
Converse at a Glance 2
Tuition and Scholarships
4
Majors and Degrees
6
Leadership
8
Study Abroad and Internships
10
School of the Arts
12
Campus Life
16
Traditions
18
Athletics
20
Around Town
22
Be Inspired
24
This university, at its best, pushes boundaries, willingly takes risks and creates new
pathways of opportunity in order to fulfill our educational mission. When you tour
the campus, witness how these new pathways are resulting in new and renovated
buildings, innovative academic programs tied to real-world professional placements,
and diverse leadership, support and community initiatives that help students realize
their dreams.
We at Converse are deeply committed to activating the unique VOICE, VALUE
and VISION of each student. Like the university, our graduates also enjoy pushing
boundaries, taking risks and making an impact in the lives of others. Converse
graduates include the first and only South Carolinian to win a Pulitzer Prize in
Literature; a pioneering suffragist who marched on Washington, D.C. to help
American women gain the right to vote; a former Supreme Court Justice in the
State of Texas; elected public representatives, community activists and international
human rights advocates; lawyers, doctors, educators, artists, bankers and
accountants; mothers, sisters and wives all of whom have harnessed the power of
the Converse activated voice, value and vision to make a difference in workplaces,
communities and nations all over the world.
Want to develop your distinctive VOICE, expand your sense of VALUE, and craft
your VISION for a fulfilled, impactful life? We invite you to join the Converse
community.
I look forward to meeting you,
President Betsy Fleming
Our Admission team is ready to help you navigate the college
enrollment process! Use our Meet My Counselor tool to find your
admission counselor, who will help you prepare for an amazing college
adventure.
MEET YOUR COUNSELOR!
converse.edu/MeetMyCounselor
1
WELCOME TO CONVERSE
Throughout Converse’s recent celebration of its 125th anniversary, I asked students
and alumni, faculty and staff, friends and community partners, “How would you
characterize Converse?” Here’s a sampling of what they shared: ALIVE, VIBRANT,
CARING, ADVENTUROUS, FULL OF OPPORTUNITY, BOLD, OPEN TO POSSIBILITY,
PROGRESSIVE, DYNAMIC, LOVING, AMBITIOUS, UNDAUNTED, ENGAGING,
ENTREPRENEURIAL, GIVING, SUPPORTIVE, SISTERHOOD, PROVOCATIVE, OF OUR
TIME.
1889
FOUNDED IN
CONVERSE COLLEGE, A PRIVATE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY IN
SPARTANBURG, SC, WAS FOUNDED WITH THE MISSION TO
EDUCATE STUDENTS TO “SEE CLEARLY, DECIDE WISELY
AND ACT JUSTLY.” THE COLLEGE OFFERS A DISTINCTIVE
UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION FOR WOMEN AND INNOVATIVE
PROGRAMS FOR CO-ED GRADUATE STUDY.
DISTINCTLY CONVERSE
• THE SOUTHEAST’S ONLY UNDERGRADUATE
PROGRAM IN ART THERAPY
• SOUTH CAROLINA’S ONLY UNDERGRADUATE
PROGRAM IN DEAF EDUCATION
• SOUTH CAROLINA’S ONLY BFA IN CREATIVE
AND PROFESSIONAL WRITING
• ONE OF ONLY TWO COLLEGES IN SOUTH
CAROLINA OFFERING A DEGREE IN MUSIC
THERAPY
• ONE OF THE FIRST ACCREDITED
UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTIONS IN THE
NATION TO OFFER A TRACK IN GENETIC
COUNSELING AS A PART OF THE
BIOLOGY OR BIOCHEMISTRY MAJOR
12:1 57%
90%
STUDENT/FACULTY
R AT I O
1,389
Converse graduates
completed their
degree in four years
of the Class of 2015 had jobs
or grad school acceptances
in-hand upon graduation
TOTAL
ENROLLMENT
822 UNDERGRADUATE / 567 GRADUATE
OVER
60 STUDENT CLUBS
LIBERAL ARTS=
SUCCESS
80
6
%
of employers say
all students should
acquire a broad
knowledge of arts and
sciences. Converse’s
liberal arts-based
education provides
this solid foundation.
5
CONVERSE
STUDENTS
REPRESENT
30 STATES
AND 12
COUNTRIES
96%
OF FULL TIME FACULTY
HOLD A TERMINAL
DEGREE
RANKED “GREAT SCHOOLS
No.
AT GREAT PRICES”
62
%
of Converse seniors
held leadership roles
compared to 36% nationally
CONVERSE IS A
MEMBER OF
CONFERENCE
CAROLINAS AND
IS THE ONLY
WOMEN’S COLLEGE
TO COMPETE
AT THE NCAA
DIVISION II LEVEL.
57%
NEW ACADEMIC OFFERINGS
GENETIC COUNSELING / MUSICAL THEATRE / SPORTS MANAGEMENT
HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION* / CONTEMPORARY MUSIC/MEDIA APPLICATIONS*
2
54%
*pending program accreditation approval
CLASS
of
58%
2x
as many
56%
CLASS
Converse
students
54%
2
• Discuss their
• Study abroad
• Interact with
• Have discuss
of class
Had jobs or gra
Participated in i
• Discuss their career plans with faculty
Discuss
their career plans with faculty
••Study
abroad
Served as an of
••Interact
faculty on activities other than coursework
Study with
abroad
• Have discussions about ideas from classes with
• Interact with faculty on activities other
others outside of class
of
2014
39%
40%
than coursework
• Have discussions about ideas from
classes with others outside of class
Are the first in t
Had jobs or grad school acceptances
upon graduation
Participated in independent research or
independent creative project
Served as an officer in a campus organization
• Discuss their career plans with faculty
• Study abroad
• Interact with faculty on activities other than coursework
• Have discussions about ideas from classes with
others outside of class
The Converse Advantage
57%
CLASS
of
2015
54%
Had jobs or grad school acceptances
upon graduation
Participated in independent research or
independent creative project
58%
Served as an officer in a campus organization
40%
Are the first in their family to graduate
from college
FOR THE
RECORD
In the National Survey of Student Engagement,
Converse scored in the top 10% of colleges in the
nation for enriching educational experiences.
LEARN MORE
converse.edu/ConverseAdvantage
3
CONVERSE AT A GLANCE
2x
as many
Converse
students
“As a first generation
college student, I had
fears of whether or not I
could afford college at
all, much less Converse.
Fortunately, Converse
was far more affordable
than I realized.
My education and
experience at Converse
is priceless.”
Bringing
higher
value to
higher
learning.
— Breanna Waldrop ’17
HOMETOWN
Landrum, South Carolina
MAJOR
Double major in Studio Art and
Art History with a minor in Arts
Management
MY CONVERSE
Class of 2017 Giving Chair
Emerging Leader
Freshmen Class Council
Leadership Converse Facilitator
Orientation Leader
Student Ambassador
Vice President, Student Government
“I have been surprised by the amount of support I have received from everyone on
campus and all of the alumnae. We all live by the concept that, even if we have not
met, we are not strangers, we are sisters.”
4
Converse made national headlines when
it reduced tuition by 43% — proving a
top-ranked private college education can
be affordable.
“We heard families’ concerns about
the rising price of college and we
committed ourselves to finding a
sustainable solution.”
President Betsy Fleming
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE VALUE
Got Talent? Generous support from Converse alumnae and donors and a strong endowment allow us to provide a wide array of
scholarships and need-based grants.
Rated a
Best
Value
in the South
2015 Tuition
$ 16,500
Room and Board
$ 9,995
$ 26,495*
*Before financial aid and scholarships; subject to change
TYPES OF AID
• Scholarships
• Need-based grants
• Loans
• Work-study and payment plans
SCHOLARSHIPS
• Merit Scholarships
• Converse Scholars Day
• School of the Arts Scholarships
• Athletic Scholarships
• Scholarships & Grants for SC Residents
Check out our Net Cost Calculator to estimate your bottom line.
converse.edu/NetCostCalculator
5
TUITION AND SCHOLARSHIPS
Great School, Great Price
“Converse has given me
an opportunity to become
who I am, to broaden my
horizons, and to learn
more about the world.
I am now inspired to
make a difference.”
Clearer
Vision.
— Christina Bonaparte ’18
HOMETOWN
Rock Hill, SC
MAJOR
Double major in Comprehensive
Special Education and Psychology
MY CONVERSE
The Association of African-American
Students
Student Ambassador
Treasurer, Class of 2018
Trailblazer Mentor
TAKE A CLOSER
LOOK
6
35
MAJORS
MORE THAN
20
MINORS
MORE THAN
Check out our newest academic offerings
•Genetic Counseling
•Musical Theatre
•Sports Management
*pending program accreditation approval
•Healthcare Administration*
•Contemporary Music/Media
Applications*
Whether you are still exploring your options or already set on a career path,
you’ll reach your full potential with the possibilities offered at Converse.
• Interior Design
• Accounting
• Mathematics
• Art
• Medical Technology
• Art Education
• Music
• Art History
• Music- General Composition
• Art Therapy
• Music Education
• Studio Art
• Music Therapy
• Biochemistry
• Performance
• Biology
• Contemporary Music/Media
• Business Administration
Applications*
• Chemistry
•
Musical
Theatre
• Creative and Professional Writing
• Philosophy
• Economics
• Politics
• Education
• Psychology
• English
• Religion
• German Studies
• Spanish
• Healthcare Administration*
• Theatre
• History
• Individualized Major
*pending program accreditation approval
SEE ALL CONVERSE HAS TO OFFER!
converse.edu/Majors
7
MAJORS AND DEGREES
Major Possibilities
“My choice to attend
Converse has been
the best and most
impactful decision of
my life thus far. I feel
continually encouraged
and supported by the
Converse community,
and I have never been
told that a dream is too
big or a goal too lofty. ”
Bolder
Voice.
— Meghan Speed ’17
HOMETOWN
Concord, North Carolina
MAJOR
Music History, Music Theory, Piano
Performance
MY CONVERSE
Alpha Lambda Delta 2014
Model Programs 2013-Present
Peer Academic Coach 2014
Class of 2017 Vice President
May Court Member 2014
Delta Omicron Secretary 2014-2015
Delta Omicron President 2015-2016
“I came to Converse knowing that I would make great friends, but I have been
surprised at the depth of relationship and the true sense of sisterhood that I have
already found in just two short years! ”
8
MODEL
PROGRAMS
Model Programs at Converse prepare
students for leadership. Students
develop their analytical, speaking, writing
and administrative skills while learning
about real-world problems and issues,
such as contemporary foreign policies,
political violence, and terrorism threats
and policies. Most programs are highly
interactive seminars designed to engage
students.
Converse’s delegations to Model UN,
Model NATO, Model Arab League, and the
South Carolina State Student Legislature
are universally recognized as the best in
the nation. We have consecutive national
championships in Model NATO (six years);
Model Arab League (13 years); Model
UN (Southern Regional, two years the
outstanding delegation) and annually the
Best Small College Delegation at SC State
Student Legislature.
LEADERSHIP
Converse Women Lead
LEADERSHIP
CONVERSE
EXPLORE YOUR POTENTIAL
The Daniels Center for Leadership and Service offers opportunities to learn by
understanding leadership, building teams, becoming agents for social change and
helping others in the community. Through our Emerging Leaders Program, Bonner
Leaders, Daniels Leadership Program and our Leadership Library, Converse will prepare
you to be a leader in the classroom and in the world.
LEARN MORE
converse.edu/LeadershipConverse
Leadership Converse is a unique experience
for rising junior and senior female high
school students on the Converse College
campus. At Leadership Converse, we teach
students that leadership is a process where
individuals or groups can work together
to create positive, sustainable change for
others. As a Converse student, you will have
the opportunity to apply and be trained as
a facilitator to empower and share similar
passions with other young women from
around the country.
MORE THAN
80
OVER
60
RANKED
NO.9
ELECTED SGA POSITIONS
STUDENT CLUBS
IN THE NATION FOR
RESEARCH, SERVICE, AND SOCIAL
MOBILITY BY WASHINGTON MONTHLY
9
“I came to Converse as a young
girl, but I now walk confidently,
with my head held high, because
I am a powerful woman, who can
take on any challenge.”
—Aubrey Anderson-Bakker ’16
HOMETOWN
Salt Lake City, UT
MAJOR
Double major in Business Administration
Concentration in Marketing and Spanish
MY CONVERSE
Alpha Lambda Delta
Valkyries Soccer Team
Junior Student Marshal
Mortar Board
Phi Sigma Iota National Foreign
Language Honors Society
Assistant Copy Editor, Y’s and other Y’s
ABROAD
OFF CAMPUS
Studied Spanish and the history of the
Tango in Argentina
Will study Spanish and Economics in Chile
“This summer, I was a Brand Journalism intern at Fusion 360 Digital Advertising Agency in Salt
Lake City, UT. I was in charge of producing anywhere from 20-30 writing pieces each week,
which could be found on sites like Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, Elite Daily and more!”
10
STUDY TRAVEL
Students at Converse are known for
exploring the world and gaining real-world
experience. One-third of students take
part in a study-travel opportunity during
their four years at Converse, either for
a semester abroad or as a part of our
Jan Term. Last year students traveled
everywhere, including an orphanage in
Belize and a Vacation Bible School in Haiti.
Vampires in Eastern Europe, Japanese
business culture, the economics and
marketing of Harry Potter at Universal
Studios—these are just a few of the
opportunities that await you at Converse.
Kandace Griffin interning at Good
Zoo, West Virginia
Rebecca McConnell spending a
semester abroad learning Italian
Brandy Blanton doing her
summer research on Scottish
Independence funded by the South
Carolina Independent Colleges
and Universities (SCICU) grant.
LET’S GO!
converse.edu/Travel
Kristen Jurewicz completes her
Education major requirements as a
11
student teacher
Anna McNamara and friends
traveling during “Jan Term”
STUDY ABROAD AND INTERNSHIPS
Ready for the Real World
“I first picked up a violin at
five years old. It’s a part of
me. The faculty at Converse
have nurtured that love. I
have a great respect and
closeness to my professors.”
— Mallory Hayes ’16
HOMETOWN
Whispering Pines, North Carolina
MAJOR
Violin Performance
MY CONVERSE
Concertmaster, Converse Symphony
BRAVO!
2014-2015 principal second violin,
Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra
2014 regional finalist, Music
Teacher’s National Association
Competition
“Converse has taught me to be a strong individual.
I hope to use that determination and resilience as
I work towards attending a music conservatory for
graduate school.”
12
2013 winner, Greater Anderson
Musical Arts Consortium Concerto
Competition
2013 winner, Converse Symphony
Orchestra Young Artist Competition
DEPARTMENT
OF THEATRE
AND DANCE
Students in the Department of Theatre and
Dance are engaged by rigorous intellectual
challenges that prepare them for careers
in the arts, allied health professions
or advanced studies. Our new Musical
Theatre major enhances student learning
by providing additional opportunities for
collaboration with the School of the Arts.
DEPARTMENT OF ART
AND DESIGN
In our 30,000 square foot award-winning Milliken Fine Arts Building you will learn at the
hands of dedicated professional artists, award winning educators and skilled professionals
in their fields. We encourage Converse women to not only learn art and design, but to live
art and design!
PETRIE SCHOOL OF MUSIC
No other women’s liberal arts college in the country has its own comprehensive
professional school of music. With more than 150 recitals, operas, concerts and other
performances staged annually and a 7:1 student to faculty ratio, you will find ample
opportunities for hands-on learning.
Performance Opportunities
• Converse Symphony Orchestra
• Converse Wind Ensemble
• Converse Chorale
• Spartanburg Festival Chorus
• Converse Opera Theatre
• Adaptable ensembles co-created by faculty and students
LEARN MORE!
converse.edu/Arts
The collaborative
synergy within the
School of the Arts
creates a dynamic hub
for aspiring artists.
13
SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
Creativity That Works
SEE FOR
YOURSELF
TAKE A LOOK AT CONVERSE!
converse.edu/VisitUs
“My professors constantly
challenge and encourage
me, and I love all of the great
friends I have made. The
campus is beautiful and not
an intimidating size; these
were the first things that
attracted me to Converse.”
— Lily Sanchez ’15
HOMETOWN
Houston, Texas
MAJOR
Philosophy and Spanish
MY CONVERSE
Treasurer, Hispanic Awareness Association
Converse Student Ambassador
A NEW ROLE
“In my freshman year I was in a play
called Los Papeles del Infierno. It was my
first time being in a theatre production
and I found it to be exhilarating. As
introverted as I can be, I never imagined
I would act on a stage. I loved the
experience and am proud of myself for
participating in something I thought I
could never do.”
“Negative connotations sometimes arise when the word different comes up, but at Converse
I don’t worry about that. There are a multitude of organizations on campus that are dedicated
to promoting diversity, and there are students and staff who embrace it without conscious
effort. I feel at home at Converse alongside my friends, peers and professors. I know I
wouldn’t be happier or more comfortable anywhere else.”
16
MONTGOMERY
STUDENT
CENTER
Montgomery Student Center houses great
resources such as the Division of Student
Development and Success with integrated
focus on professional and personal
development. You will also find our Student
Government offices, the Chaplain’s office
and our 25-yard, six-lane pool that is open
for student use during the semester,
in addition to hosting Tarpon Sharks,
Converse’s synchronized swimming team.
CAMPUS LIFE
My Converse, My Home
RESIDENCE
HALLS
BREAKING THE
COLLEGE CODE:
Converse’s residential
communities are where you feel
the most at home and develop
relationships with peers in a
community. The residence
halls are staffed with a team
of Community Advisors (CA),
Peer Academic Coaches (PAC),
Resident Directors (RD) and
Assistant Directors of Residential Life (AD). This team is designed to help you get the
most out of your residential experience and assist you in utilizing resources on and off
campus that will enrich your academic and social life. The best part of living here is being
part of the community and growing close to it. From chatting with your professors at
lunch, attending a residence hall program or building new friendships while getting your
laundry done, Converse is a wonderful place to live and learn.
1. Get involved in campus organizations
2. Be active to burn stress and stay healthy
3. Create study hours
4. Ask for help when you need it
5. Get to know the faculty and staff
LEARN ABOUT CAMPUS LIFE
converse.edu/CampusLife
TOP 5 FRESHMAN MUST-KNOWS
EXPERIENTIAL
LEARNING
At Converse, we value creativity,
collaboration, and learning through
doing—so much so that every student
will participate in some kind of
experiential learning project that is an
incorporated component to every major.
From internships to study travel and
research, these hands-on experiences
will grant you a unique voice in any job
interview—and may entirely re-shape your
vision of the world.
17
“I love the sense of
community at Converse.
Even when things become
challenging, I always have
someone here to support
me and encourage me to
do my best.”
— Addie Ledbetter ’17
HOMETOWN
Summerville, South Carolina
MAJOR
Mathematics with minor in Biology
and French
MY CONVERSE
Valkyries IHSA Equestrian Team
(2014-2015 Team Captain)
Student Ambassador
Converse Activities Board Representative
PURSUING YOUR
PASSION
“After enrolling in Vanderbilt University’s
School of Nursing and obtaining a
Master of Science in Nursing, I plan to
become a Nurse Anesthetist.”
“As a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient, an award that represents the highest achievement in
Girl Scouts and challenges young women to change the world, I was able to further develop
my leadership, public speaking and project management skills. Converse has only reinforced
those lessons as my professors and peers push me to step into my own strengths.”
18
BIG SIS/LIL SIS
Every entering freshman and transfer
student are paired with a big sister within
the junior or senior class. Your “Big Sis”
becomes a mentor and friend during your
Converse years and many times a true
sister throughout your life.
TRADITIONS
Over 125 Years of Tradition
MAY DAY
Every spring, students nominate peers who
exhibit scholarship, leadership, service and
character for May Court. This long-standing
tradition has evolved from May poles
and pageantry to become a meaningful
celebration of the Converse women whose
lives exemplify the core values we all hold
dear.
1889 WEEK
To commemorate Converse College’s first
academic term in 1889, we celebrate
with a week of friendly competition and
school spirit. Classes band together, Pink
Panthers vs. Red Devils, to compete for
the coveted 1889 Spirit Cup. Creative
muscles are flexed, worthy causes are
served and fun is had by all — including
the professors!
CONVERSE RING
CEREMONY
During the Spring weekend celebration,
upperclass students are presented with
their class ring by the president of the
college. It is tradition for the Converse
Woman to wear the ring facing herself
while still a student. Upon graduation, the
insignia is turned outward to represent her
readiness to face the world.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Class of 2020 is PINK Panthers!! Learn more about Pink Panthers and Red Devils.
converse.edu/PanthersVsDevils
19
“Converse offers
opportunities to learn
new skills. I am pushed
to achieve excellence
and because of it, I have
grown as an individual.”
— Ashly Sutherland ’16
HOMETOWN
Cowpens, South Carolina
MAJOR
Double major in Psychology and Theatre
MY CONVERSE
Valkyries Cross Country Team
Valkyries Track Team
Secretary, Class of 2016
Theatre Converse
SETTING THE PACE
“From academics to athletics, I am inspired every
day to work harder in every aspect of my life.”
20
“Running for Converse is such an honor.
In my first Outdoor Track season, I set a
conference championship record in the
800m and was the first Cross Country
runner in Converse history to qualify for
Nationals.”
The Marsha H. Gibbs Field House opened
fall 2014.
— Ashly Sutherland ’16
Real Women Sweat
+
10NCAA + 1 IHSA = 11
DIVISION II
TEAMS
EQUESTRIAN
TEAM
REASONS TO
CONVERSE
VALKYRIES
CATCH THE VALKYRIE SPIRIT!
converse.edu/Valkyries
21
ATHLETICS
“Converse offers
opportunities to learn
new skills. I am pushed
to achieve excellence
and because of it, I have
grown as an individual.”
TOP 10 EATS & TREATS
• Cribb’s Kitchen on Main
• Wild Aces
• Monsoon Noodle House
• Mellow Mushroom
• The Coffee Bar
• Cakehead Bakery
• Willy Taco
• Main Street Pub
• Miyako Sushi
• Groucho’s Deli
FOR NATURE LOVERS
You’ll find rushing rivers, rugged hiking & biking
trails, miles and miles of roads for riding, plus disc
golf, yoga and a few more surprises.
• The Cottonwood Trail gives nature lovers a
115-acre green place to play.
• Walk, run, skate or bike the 1.9-mile Rail Trail
and you’ll be traveling the path of the very
first train that came to the Hub City in
1859.
• Once an army training base, Croft State Park
offers biking and hiking trails, camping, as well as fishing and boating in
one of two lakes.
• Glendale Shoals has a little bit of everything: waterfalls, a climbing wall,
gothic-looking towers from a ruined cotton mill and hiking trails.
• More than 80 pieces of outdoor
art are on display in the
Spartanburg area
• The Beacon claims to sell more
onions and more sweet tea than
any restaurant in America
• The Carolina Panthers train in
Spartanburg during the summer
TAKE IT ON
• BMW’s only North American
Want to go for a ride but don’t have a
bike? Converse is home to one of four
B-Cycle stations in the community.
• The Spartanburg Regional Classic,
TWO WHEELS
22
DID YOU KNOW?
manufacturing plant is located in
Spartanburg County
a multi-lap cycling race, takes
place in the heart of downtown
during Spring Fling weekend
AROUND TOWN
Love Where You Live
FOR CREATIVE SOULS
• HUB BUB offers more than 100 nights of art, culture and entertainment a year.
• One of the largest artist co-ops in the region, West Main Artists Co-Op, is open to the
public twice a week.
• Home to 10 organizations, the Chapman Cultural Center brings together performing
and visual arts, science and history.
• The Hub City Writers Project has published more than 400 writers in 60 books and
given away more than $15,000 in scholarships to emerging writers.
5 ENTERTAINMENT
MUSTS
Art, culture and music all have a home here.
• Music on Main
• Jazz on the Square
• Jam in the Park
• Spring Fling
• Retro Fest
DISCOVER THE HUB CITY!
VisitSpartanburg.com
IN THE CENTER OF
IT ALL!
A day at the beach, a weekend
in Atlanta, an evening of fun in
Greenville or outdoor adventures
in Asheville – Spartanburg is in
the sweet-spot, within easy driving
distance of these and other urban
areas.
23
AWARD WINNING
PROFESSORS
Professor Susan Tekulve’s (English) nonfiction, short stories
and travel essays have appeared in journals such as Denver
Quarterly, Beloit Fiction Journal, ACM, Indiana Review, Crab
Orchard Review, The Literary Review, The Georgia Review,
Connecticut Review, Shenandoah, New Letters, Best New
Writing 2007, Black Warrior Review and Puerto Del Sol.
The South Carolina Arts Commission and Hub City Press
announced Prof. Tekulve the winner of the South Carolina First
Novel Competition in 2012. Tekulve’s novel, In the Garden of Stone, was published by Hub
City Press of Spartanburg and debuted at the South Carolina Book Festival in May 2013.
Andrew Blanchard’s (Art and Design) work was recently
published in the International Painting Annual #4 by the
Manifest Creative Research Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio.
In addition, Blanchard’s “County Line/ Urban Limit” was
awarded the Marlene and Frankie McClain Award at this
year’s 40th Annual Anderson Arts Juried Show in Anderson,
South Carolina. As an honor---having been a huge Pee-Wee’s
Playhouse fan in the 1980’s—the Emmy award winning set
designer/fine artist, Wayne White, selected Blanchard’s print “Dixie Totem VIII” to exhibit in
Art of the South at the Hyde Gallery in Memphis, Tennessee.
Chandra Owenby Hopkins (Theatre & Dance) presented her
work, “Whispers from a Silent Past: Inspiration and Memory
in Natasha Trethewey’s Native Guard” as part of the Theatre
History Symposium of the 2015 Mid-America Theatre
Conference. At that conference, Dr. Owenby Hopkins was
awarded the Robert A. Schanke Theatre Research Award, a
prestigious award for Theatre historians that includes a cash
award and publication in a leading journal.
Neval Erturk (Biology) received the South Carolina Independent
Colleges and Universities (SCICU) Teaching in Excellence
Award in 2008 in recognition of her teaching and research
with undergraduate students at Converse. In 2012, she was
recognized with the Scholarly and Creative Achievement Award
as well as the Student Service: Above and Beyond Award by
Converse College for “being at the forefront of mentoring
student research” as well as her STEM Outreach activities to
the local high school students, many of which led to national awards for the students.
Siegwart Reichwald (Music) is the author of The Genesis of
Felix Mendelssohn’s Paulus (Scarecrow Press, 2001), which
dealt with the compositional process of Mendelssohn’s
oratorio Paulus. He has published articles and presented
papers on a variety of topics on the music of Brumel,
Mendelssohn and Poulenc at regional, national and
international conferences hosted by organizations such
as the International Musicological Society, the American
Musicological Society, the College Music Society, the Forum on Music and Christian
Scholarship and the Lyrica Dialogues at Harvard University.
24
Jordy Taylor ’14
Summerville, SC
Recently featured in a Huffington Post
blog about her research on sharks and
her choice to attend a women’s college,
Jordy is attending graduate school at the
College of Charleston with a teaching
assistantship position to study Marine
Biology.
BE INSPIRED
Alumnae in Action
Mahal Woldetsadik ’08
Nadia Gathers ’15
Arnisha White ’14
Mahal is back home in Africa working
for the United Nations Women’s Liaison
Office. With a passion for advancing
social justice, she’s using her degree in
politics to work with the UN on improving
the reproductive health of women in
developing countries.
Nadia Gathers was offered the position
of Development and Communications
Assistant at San Francisco-based
CODE2040, a company that takes top
engineering and coding talent from
around the country and helps them get
their foot in the door at Silicon Valleybased tech companies. CODE 2040 is
funded with Google venture capital.
Arnisha grew up in a low socio-economic
environment but will tell you that
music opened her eyes to a world of
possibilities. Currently working with Teach
for America in rural Mississippi, she
plans to establish a non-profit symphony
orchestra for low income children.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Augusta, GA
Jacksonville, FL
25
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mileage, lodging and/or airfare.
So, what are you waiting for? Schedule your visit today!
Use code VB2016 to redeem your travel
voucher online. converse.edu/TravelVoucher
CONTACT US!
MakeConverseHappen.com
Office of Admission / 864.596.9040 / admission@converse.edu