TROY News Center

TROY – Troy University and the Cannes Film Festival have something in common: a music industry major from Mobile.

Paul Melancon, who graduates with a bachelor’s degree from the John M. Long School of Music today, has something most freshly minted music majors don’t see for many years: composing credits in a film being screened at Marche du Film during the international film festival in France.

“It’s almost unheard of to have a student intern gaining official composer credits in their internship,” he said. “It’s a rare thing and a very special thing.”

That process started a semester ago, in Robert W. Smith’s music industry senior practicum where the students had to develop a “pitch package” on themselves and market themselves in order to secure the semester-long internship needed for degree completion.

Jay Vincent, a television and film composer in Los Angeles, Calif., was the target of one of Melancon’s pitches and agreed to take him on in the un-paid internship. In addition to his composing, Vincent is an award-winning and internationally recognized conductor, performer, orchestrator, arranger and music producer – composing the 2012 Golden Globe Awards original music. His work on the top-rated television series “LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu” and his close collaboration with EA on “Dragon Age 2” on trailers for “DragonAge2” and “Mass Effect 3” have made him a staple in video game trailer music.

Vincent has also amassed many feature film credits, among his television and advertisement work.

It was his current scoring of “El Regreso de Elias Urquijo,” a Spanish film by award-winning director Roque Madrid, that landed Melancon, a 2006 Alma Bryant High School graduate, his credits on the world independent movie stage. The film is still in production, and, as such isn’t an official entry at Cannes.

“Initially, I was doing administrative work, until Jay saw my skills in technical and musical areas and he started giving me more responsibilities on the projects. That’s pretty unheard of in an internship in music,” Melancon said.

That writing ended up in scenes that were scored by Melancon. He had already earned Vincent’s trust in work with EA and in “LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles,” where one of his small pieces found its way into the Cartoon Network’s miniseries. He also worked on editing the original music composed by John Williams.

While “Elias” is still in production and won’t be submitted to Cannes for adjudication until next year, Melancon said the experience – and the ability to network with other professionals in Hollywood – will give him a boost in finding work after college.

“I have a foothold to return to L.A.,” he said, noting that’s his post-commencement plans after spending a few days with family and friends in Mobile.

“The Music Industry Program gave me the versatility I needed to be successful,” he said. “You have to be musically inclined, but you have the skill set to work with – the technology, and the business knowledge. You have the opportunity (in the program) to wear multiple hats and you’re able to do multiple jobs.”

Troy University graduate Paul Melancon, a music industry major from Mobile, earned official credits for music composition on an international independent feature film that will be screened later this month at the Cannes Film Festival in France. (TROY photo/Kevin Glackmeyer)

MONTGOMERY—Major General Walter D. Givhan of Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base will deliver the keynote address to Troy University graduates on Monday, May 20, during the spring commencement ceremony for the Montgomery Campus.

The ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. inside the Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts. About 180 students will receive undergraduate and graduate degrees this semester at the Montgomery Campus.

General Givhan, a TROY alumnus, serves as Commander of the Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education and Vice Commander of Air University. The LeMay Center is responsible for the research, development and production of Air Force doctrine and input for joint and multinational doctrine development activities.

A native of Safford, Ala., General Givhan graduated from Morgan Academy in Selma and the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., where he was a National Merit Scholar. His postgraduate degrees include a Master of Science in interantional relations from Troy University in 1989.

He served as the U.S. air liaison officer to the commanding general, French ground forces, for operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and he led the effort to rebuild the Afghan air force as Commanding General of the Combined Air Power Transition Force. The general has commanded a combat training squadron, an operations group, an air base wing, an air expeditionary wing and the Air Force Institute of Technology.

His previous staff assignments include deputy military assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of the Congressional Action Division for the Air Force Legislative Liaison.

General Givhan is a command pilot with more than 2,500 flying hours in the T-37, T-38, T-1, AT-38, F-15 and A-10 aircraft.

DOTHAN—Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver will deliver the keynote address to Troy University graduates during the spring commencement ceremony for the Dothan Campus on Sunday, May 19.

The ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. at the Dothan Civic Center. More than 190 students are set to receive undergraduate and graduate degrees this semester at the Dothan Campus.

Culver, a lifelong resident of Dothan, was first elected to the Houston County Commission as District 4 representative in 1986, the youngest person ever elected to the commission. He was appointed chairman in 1997 by then Governor Fob James to fill a vacancy, and was elected to a full term the following year. He has been re-elected three times.

During his more than 25 years on the commission, Culver has played an active role in recruiting new business and industry to the area, and was president of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama in 2001.

Culver is married to the former Tami Cochran of Dothan. He has three children: Stephanie, 27, Robert, 24 and Cannon, 13. Culver is an active member of the First United Methodist Church.

TROY – In an effort to make college more affordable and to encourage students to complete their academic programs quickly, Troy University is making 500 new scholarships available to new students.

Under the program, qualified students – 400 seeking bachelor’s degrees and 100 seeking graduate degrees – will receive a refund of the application fee and credits for tuition valued at approximately $3,000.

“The University is trying to help students stretch their money to make a college degree more affordable,” said Dr. Lance Tatum, Vice Chancellor of Global Campus. “The scholarship will help our adult students to stay on track with their programs once they’ve begun.”

To be eligible, all students must enroll at either a Global Campus site, Dothan, Montgomery, Phenix City campus or online through eTROY between Aug. 1 and Dec. 31, 2013 and not receive any other University-funded scholarship during their time of attendance.

Incoming students may apply for scholarship online at www.troy.edu. Priority for awards will be based on the date application packages are completed and will be announced in August 2013. Recipients will be issued certificates indicating their awards and application fee refunds.

Additionally, for those seeking a bachelor’s degree, students must be unconditionally admitted and have a 2.5 high school grade point average, or, for transfer students, a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or a GED score of at least 550. Bachelor’s degree students must successfully complete 18 semester credits per year, and complete their degree program no longer than five years from start. They must complete a minimum of 48 hours at TROY.

Those seeking graduate degrees must be unconditionally admitted to a graduate degree program, successfully complete 15 semester credits per year and complete their degree in two years.

Tuition for the final nine hours of the bachelor’s degree, or the final six hours of the graduate degree, will be covered by the University upon verification of eligibility by providing an official academic evaluation to the scholarship coordinator. This process must be completed prior to registration for the final credit hours.

Students seeking associate degrees or certificates are not eligible.

“This is a way to reward successful adult students who work hard and stay on track to complete their degree programs, as well as an opportunity to fill a void for financial assistance to those students who otherwise have no scholarship opportunities,” said Dr. Earl Ingram, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

“We want to reward hard work and dedication to degree completion,” he said.

For more information regarding applying to TROY, contact the Office of Admissions at 800-414-5756, or visit online at www.troy.edu.

Access the form at:  https://forms.troy.edu/forms/scholarship/admissions/horizonscholarship.html.

MONTGOMERY—Troy University’s Rosa Parks Museum will host an exhibit this month featuring a selection of paintings by local artist Pamela Boggs of Montgomery.

Exploring a wide range of themes and subject matters with a unique visual style, “Truth & Spirit: The Paintings of Pamela Boggs,” will be on display inside the exhibit hall from May 6 to June 28.

Part of the long and honored tradition of self-taught artists in Alabama, Boggs’ paintings draw viewers into a greater understanding of life’s joys, struggles and mysteries through the representation of dreams, visions and events from everyday life, said Daniel Neil, curator of the Rosa Parks Museum.

“Ms. Boggs’ compositions draw on her deep personal spiritual convictions and the role that ancestors play in shaping our contemporary lives,” Neil said. “The descendant of spiritual teachers from both Saint Kitts B.V.I in the West Indies and the Muskogee peoples (Creek Nation) from Alabama, Ms. Boggs’ work resonates with a profound respect for the role that forbearers play in the lives of their children.”

The exhibit hall at the Rosa Parks Museum is free and open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
 
For more information on this exhibit or other upcoming contact Daniel Neil at (334) 241-8701.

The painting “Jubilee” is among several works by local artist Pamela Boggs of Montgomery on display in May at the Rosa Parks Museum. “Truth & Spirit: The Paintings of Pamela Boggs,” will be on display inside the exhibit hall from May 6 to June 28.