TROY News Center

January 24, 2012

Five named as Chancellor's Fellows at Troy University

TROY, Ala. -- Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins, Jr., has announced the selection of five faculty and staff members to participate in the 2012 Chancellor's Fellows Program.

Selected were: Dr. Elizabeth Blum, associate professor of history on the Troy Campus; Olga Casey, technical services librarian on the Dothan Campus; Dr. Jan Oliver, associate professor and chair of the Department of Education on the Troy Campus; Dr. Trellis Riley, assistant professor and interim chair of Education Leadership and Administration on the Phenix City Campus; and James Smith, associate dean of student services on the Montgomery Campus.

The program is directed by Dr. John Kline, distinguished professor of leadership and director of TROY's Institute for Leadership Development. Kline, a former university provost and senior executive in the federal government, is uniquely qualified to direct the program — a program Chancellor Hawkins believes will "help selected faculty and staff members move into positions of responsibility, prepared for the task of leading Troy University in the years ahead."

The fellows were nominated by TROY deans, directors or vice chancellors and selected by the Chancellor to participate in the program. Graduates over the past several years include: Dr. Lance Tatum, vice chancellor of Global Campus; Buddy Starling, dean of Admissions, Sohail Agboatwala, associate vice chancellor for business services; Herbert Reeves, dean of student services; Dr. Robin Bynum, associate dean of the College of Education; and Marcus Paramore, director of government relations.

"The Chancellor's Faculty and Staff Fellowship Program enables qualified full-time faculty and staff to develop increased knowledge and understanding of the programs and operations of Troy University," Dr. Kline said. "Participants are selected based on their leadership potential and service to the University."

The experience spans the spring and summer academic semesters during which the Fellows will have the opportunity to visit other campuses, benefit from briefings and meetings with senior University officials and take part in several field trips and visits to meet with state education officials, business leaders and state government officials, according to Kline.

The fellows have begun executive leadership and management training and meetings with Chancellor Hawkins, Senior Vice Chancellors and other University leaders. Throughout the Spring semester, the fellows will meet often to interact with other key University personnel, work on a project, and visit the Phenix City, Dothan and Montgomery campuses. Furthermore, each of the fellows will be mentored by one of the four Senior Vice Chancellors or a recently retired Senior Vice Chancellor.

Bios of Chancellor's Fellows


Elizabeth (Scout) Blum obtained her bachelor's degree in government from the University of Texas and earned both her doctorate and master's in American history from the University of Houston. Dr. Blum joined the TROY faculty in 2000 as an assistant professor with the Department of History. In 2006, she received tenure and was promoted to associate professor. In 2008, Dr. Blum published her first book, Love Canal Revisited: Race, Class, and Gender in Environmental Activism. She is currently working on a manuscript on the messages delivered to children through popular culture sources since World War I. In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Blum has served as president of the Faculty Senate, chair of the Faculty Development Committee, and a member of the Undergraduate Academic Council, among other committee work. Dr. Blum lives in Montgomery, with her husband, Sean, and their six-year-old son, Aidan.

Olga Casey is technical services librarian at TROY's Dothan Campus. Born in the Soviet Union, Casey graduated from Electro-technical Telecommunication Institute (Odessa, Ukraine). In 2000, she was awarded the E. Muskie Graduate Fellowship (IREX project) and studied Library and Information Science at Louisiana State University and earned her MLIS degree. In addition to her library duties, she has also taught the TROY orientation course and is a member of a working group on TROY 1101. Casey is a member of Sister Libraries Committee of International Relations Roundtable (American Library Association) and maintains a sister-library relationship with the library of Kirovohrad Pedagogical University (Ukraine). Olga Casey is married to Alto Glenn Casey, an IT specialist, and they reside in Slocomb.

Dr. Jan Oliver is associate professor and chair of the Department of Education at the Troy Campus. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in elementary education and an education specialist degree from Troy University, and her doctorate her in curriculum and instruction from Auburn University. Dr. Oliver joined the Troy University faculty in 1999. Before coming to TROY, she was employed by the Enterprise City School system where she taught third and fifth grades. Dr. Oliver is a certified trainer of trainers for AMSTI and a member of the AMSTI Advisory Board. She also serves on many college and university-wide committees. Dr. Oliver is a native of Enterprise and is married to Greg Oliver. The couple has two grown children—Ashlynn Forehand, and Jerad Oliver – and three grandchildren.

Dr. Trellis Riley is the interim chair of education and assistant professor of educational leadership and administration at TROY's Phenix City Campus. She earned her bachelor's degree in secondary marketing education, her master's degree in occupational and adult education and her doctorate in occupational and adult education with an emphasis in education leadership and administration from Oklahoma State University. Her background includes being a high school teacher in Oklahoma and Kansas, instructor at Oklahoma State University and assistant professor at Auburn University. Prior to coming to TROY, she most recently served Talladega City Schools in Alabama for nine years as secondary curriculum coordinator and director/principal of the Career and Technology Center. Dr. Riley's husband, Michael K. Riley, is an agriculture science teacher at Troup High School in LaGrange, Ga., where the couple resides with their three children.

James Smith is the associate dean of student services at TROY's Montgomery Campus. He previously was responsible for the management of the International Program and establishment of the Leadership courses and minor program at the Montgomery Campus. Smith also teaches as an adjunct instructor of Leadership and has served on the 125th Anniversary Celebration Committee and Tobacco Free Campus Committee. Smith retired from the US Air Force at the rank of colonel after 28 years of service and after holding various command, operational, training and staff positions during his career. His final position on active duty was as the Dean of Students at the U.S. Air War College. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and holds a Master's Degree in human resources development from Webster University. He resides in Montgomery with his wife, Lynette, and their seven children.

January 24, 2012

James Rinehart named Dean of College of Arts and Sciences at Troy University

TROY -- Troy University officials have announced the appointment of Dr. James F. Rinehart as dean of its College of Arts and Sciences effective Feb. 1.

Dr. Rinehart, professor of political science and former chair of the Department of Political Science, has been a member of the TROY faculty since 1995 and served as interim associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences since 2008.

"We are fortunate to have someone with Dr. Rinehart's vision and experience to lead our College of Arts and Sciences," said Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chancellor. "During his time as a member of the Troy University faculty, he has clearly demonstrated an unwavering commitment to providing challenging educational experiences that not only equip our students with the foundational knowledge of our world and how it operates, but also prepares them to succeed through the development of decision-making and problem-solving skills."

Rinehart received his Ph.D. in International Relations from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. He is the author of two books: Revolution and the Millennium: China, Mexico, and Iran (Westport, CT: Praeger, 1997) and Apocalyptic Faith and Political Violence: Prophets of Terror (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006; Updated and Expanded Edition, 2010), as well as numerous articles and academic papers on the subjects of religion and international politics, revolution, terrorism, American foreign policy, and international law & conflict management. Dr. Rinehart also makes regular appearances on public affairs programming throughout the state discussing political issues and current events.

Rinehart holds a BA in Economics from the University of Florida and is a member of Florida Blue Key Honor Fraternity. He was a ROTC graduate and commissioned an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, where he served for eight years rising to the rank of Captain.

From 1995 to 2001, Dr. Rinehart taught in the Graduate Program in International Relations at the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Ft. Bragg, N.C. He was also its Academic Director.

He has served as a teaching participant in simulated exercises at the U.S. Army War College and as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In 2010, Rinehart was designated by the Secretary of the Army as an honorary member of the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Regiment in recognition of his contributions to the CA and PSYOP community.


"I have the highest regard for and confidence in the leadership Dr. Rinehart will provide for the College of Arts and Sciences for the years to come," said Dr. Earl Ingram, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

In the 1970s and 80s, Rinehart worked in the international OTC pharmaceutical and health care sector. During this time he held management and executive positions with Johnson & Johnson, Schering Laboratories (division of Merck & Co.), and most recently was a vice president of Chattem Laboratories (now a unit of Sanofi US).

University officials also announced the appointment effective Feb. 1 of Dr. Don Jeffrey as Interim Dean of the College of Education in advance of a national search for the Dean's position. Dr. Jeffrey is Vice Chancellor of Troy University's Dothan Campus and previously served as Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

On Jan. 1, Dr. Lance Tatum, who previously served as Dean of the College of Education, assumed the duties of Vice Chancellor of Global Campus, which includes more than 50 TROY teaching locations in 16 states outside of Alabama, plus eTROY, the University's distance-learning operation.

January 24, 2012

Textile artist Arianne King Comer featured in Rosa Parks Museum exhibit

MONTGOMERY—The work of textile artist Arianne King Comer will be featured in an exhibit at Troy University's Rosa Parks Museum starting Feb. 1.

Based in Charleston, S.C., King Comer specializes in the traditional techniques of indigo dyeing and batik. Her work depicts her Gullah ancestry, along with images of the Caribbean and the southern coastal United States rendered in vibrant colors and patterns.

The exhibit "My Spirit Speaks" will be on display in the museum's exhibit hall through the end of March.

King Comer will discuss her work during a gallery talk at the museum on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 11 a.m., and will then present a demonstration of batik art at the Cleveland Avenue YMCA starting at 2 p.m. Admission to both events is free and open to the public.

King Comer has been an Artist in Residence on the Old Navy Base in North Charleston since 2006. She is a BFA graduate of Howard University and in 1992 received a UN/USIS grant to study under renowned Batik artist Nike Olyani Davis in Oshogbo Nigeria.

In 2007, King Comer joined the Charleston Rhizome Collective to conduct a textile workshop in batik and indigo at the World Social Forum in Nairobi, Kenya. She also spent time in Istanbul, Turkey, where she designed boutique denim wear for Mavi Jeans.

In 1999, she was featured in the PBS documentary, "Messengers of the Spirit," and in 2003 was featured in an Indigo Art segment on HGTV's "Country Style," which is still in syndication.

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 events, contact curator Viola Moten at 334-241-8701 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

January 23, 2012

Air Force gives thumbs-up to new program

TROY – Troy University will offer a bachelor of science degree in Sport and Fitness Management through the Air Force’s Air University ABC Partnership.

TROY’s partnership now includes five bachelor degree programs, said Joseph Houghton, the University’s Director of Military Programs. While the Sport and Fitness Management program is available to all branches of the military through eTroy, the University’s online learning portal, the Air Force partnership allows the associate’s degree program offered by the Community College of the Air Force to be married to the TROY bachelor’s degree in a way that maximizes transfer credit.

“The addition of a fifth bachelor’s degree program in the AU ABC Partnership broadens the range of opportunity for Airmen and women to continue their education at Troy University, and will be of particular interest to CCAF students completing their associate’s degree in the Allied Health or Public and Support Services career fields,” Houghton said.

Already offered through the Partnership are undergraduate degrees in Criminal Justice, Political Science, Psychology and Social Science.

For more information on the University, visit TROY on the web at troy.edu.

January 23, 2012

CVCC president Dr. Glen Cannon congratulates TROY graduates

COLUMBUS, Ga.—Dr. Glen Cannon, president of Chattahoochee Valley Community College, congratulated Troy University graduates on taking the next step in their education during a joint fall commencement ceremony for the Phenix City Campus and the Columbus/Fort Benning Site on Friday, Jan. 20.

Dr. Cannon delivered the keynote address during the 7 p.m. ceremony held inside the Columbus Civic Center. More than 370 students received graduate and undergraduate degrees.

Reflecting on his background, Dr. Cannon said it was his mother who motivated him to pursue an education.

"I know that you too had to have someone or something that motivated you," Dr. Cannon said. "[To take] the first step that led to the next step, down a path, sometimes slowly, that led to this evening."

Not everyone takes that first step, Dr. Cannon said. In today's fast-paced world, many people face information overload when trying to decide on a path to take.

"We see many who have reached the level of lost hope, who have fallen to such a state of uncertainty over the next step take that they resort to what I call 'turtleing,' they just go into their shell and hide," Dr. Cannon said. "Graduates, by not hiding in your shell … you've put yourself in a position poised to take advantage of the coming opportunities."

Dr. Cannon urged graduates now to look back at others who they can motivate and help towards their future goals.

"Now, it is your time to become the motivators, to take your hand that was reaching up and turn it around to help someone else reach this exciting experience that you are now having," Dr. Cannon said.

Dr. Cannon became president of CVCC in July 2011. He has nearly 30 years of experience as a senior administrator at Georgia technical colleges, including 15 years as Vice President of Administrative Services at Central Georgia Technical College in Macon.