TROY News Center

The Troy University Sexual Assault and Violence Education (S.A.V.E.) Project will play host to a campus-wide campaign during April in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

As part of the April campaign, the S.A.V.E. Project will place posters, banners, and safety and prevention flyers around the Troy Campus, as well as sharing statistics and information on Facebook and Twitter.

On April 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the S.A.V.E. Project will hold its annual “These Hands Don’t Hurt” event on the Bibb Graves Quad. Students, faculty and staff are invited to come place their handprints on the event banner to signify their commitment to a violence-free campus. Once complete, the banner will display in the Trojan Center.

“Through the sharing of this information and our ‘These Hands’ event we hope to educate the campus community about the occurrence of sexual violence and hopefully prevent it from happening,” said Jennifer Duncan, assistant coordinator for the S.A.V.E. Project. “We also hope to make students aware of the services offered through the S.A.V.E. Project in the event they are ever exposed to sexual violence.”

 Identifying and preventing bullying will be the topic of an April 4 Civic Issues Forum at Troy University.

The forum, presented by the University’s Office of Service Learning and Civic Engagement in conjunction with the David Mathews Center for Civic Life, will be held in room 212 of the Trojan Center beginning at 5 p.m. on Thursday. It is the second of four forums in which students from First-Year Learning Communities will lead discussions about topics of importance in today’s society.

Students from the Healthy Futures Learning Community will lead the discussion on identifying and preventing bullying.

“Each year the Mathews Center, through which these forums are funded, takes on a different civic concern. This year’s focus is on bullying,” said Jonathon Cellon, coordinator of learning initiatives in the University’s Office of First Year Studies. “When you look at the statistics dealing with the instances, as well as the consequences of bullying it is pretty mind-blowing. Through these forums we hope not only to bring awareness to the issue but also form strategies for dealing with the problem throughout our community.”

The series of forums kicked off on March 28 as students examined what role communities play in preparing children for tomorrow’s jobs. The forums will continue on April 11 examining the topic “Shaping Our Future: How Should Higher Education Help Us Create the Society We Want?” and wrap up on April 18 with the discussion “Sustaining Ourselves: How Can We Best Meet the Needs of Today and Tomorrow?”

Support for this Civic Issues Forum series comes from a grant from The David Mathews Center for Civic Life, a non-profit, non-partisan, tax-exempt corporation based in Montevallo that seeks to foster infrastructure, habits and capacities for more effective civic engagement and innovative decision making. 

Troy University will host a Global Open House and Career Chat on Tuesday, April 16 to assist prospective students in the areas of academic strategy for career development, financial assistance and admissions and credit transfers.

Events will be held at the University’s four Alabama campuses and 22 of its Global Campus locations, as well as online. Those wishing to participate can register by location online at http://www.troy.edu/openhouse. Registration deadline for the events is April 12. Times vary by location.

Application fees will be waived for those who apply for admission to TROY during a Global Open House event at a location or online on April 16.

The University will host two virtual open house sessions that day – one at noon and the other at 8 p.m., according to Buddy Starling, Dean of Enrollment Management.

“Participants in the virtual open house will get an overview of Troy University and our Call Center will conduct live chats with those who have questions or seek specific information,” Starling said.

Starling said the Global Open House concept fits well with the University’s geographic structure.

“Troy University is uniquely positioned through our geographic structure for substantial outreach,” Starling said. “It made sense to have these events on the same day to share information about the opportunities available through TROY while maintaining some local uniqueness for each site.”

In addition to open house events on TROY campuses in Troy, Dothan, Montgomery and Phenix City, events also will be held at eight locations in Florida, seven locations in Georgia, one each in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee and two each in Texas and Virginia.

Locations by state are:

Florida

Eglin Air Force Base

Fort Walton Beach

Hurlburt Field

Orlando

Panama City

Pensacola

Tampa Bay

Tyndall Air Force Base

Georgia

Albany

Atlanta

Augusta/Ft. Gordon

Brunswick

Columbus/Ft. Benning

Covington

Savannah

North Carolina

Fayetteville

South Carolina

Sumter

Tennessee

Clarksville

Texas

El Paso

San Antonio

Virginia

Arlington

Hampton Roads

Erick Erickson, a blogger, Fox News contributor and talk radio host, will speak Friday, April 5, at Troy University’s annual journalism symposium.

The event will start at 10 a.m. in the ballroom of the Trojan Center, the student center on the Troy Campus. The public is invited. Admission is free.

Erickson, who is editor-in-chief of the Washington blog RedState.com, will talk about journalism, business, politics and the economy. Sponsors are the Hall School of Journalism and Communication and the Sorrell College of Business’ Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy.

Erickson practiced law for six years, has managed political campaigns, and has appeared on Comedy Central’s “Colbert Report.” After three years as a CNN contributor, he is now a Fox News contributor and a host on Atlanta’s WSB radio. He is co-authored the book “RedState Uprising” and writes “Morning Briefing,” a daily email widely read by conservative pundits and activists.

“Erickson has grabbed his (Republican) party’s power brokers by their elephant-stitched suspenders,” Newsweek wrote. The London Telegraph named him the 65th most influential conservative in America in 2010.

A graduate of Mercer University and its law school, he lives in Macon, Ga., where he is a former city councilman.

Troy University’s annual M. Stanton Evans Symposium on Money, Politics and the Media is named for a Troy faculty member who is a national columnist, commentator and book author and is a former editor of the Indianapolis News. Stan Evans has held the university’s Buchanan Chair of Journalism since 1980.

On the day after this year’s symposium, the Hall School will celebrate its 41st anniversary at a dinner for students and alumni. For information, contact Kate Rowinsky at 334-670-3583.

Erick Erickson

TROY – It’s not unusual for a group of high school students to visit Troy University’s campus as a stop along the way to another destination, but for one high school band from Michigan, Friday’s campus visit held special meaning.

The Wyoming High School Marching Wolves are the product of a school consolidation in Wyoming, Michigan, near Grand Rapids. Just a year old, the new high school has new colors, new mascots, and a new fight song, all selected by students.

Troy University’s fight song, “Trojans One and All” was adopted by the student body to unify their fans, and the University sanctioned its use.

The students’ stop came in route to New Orleans, where they will be performing over the next several weeks, said Jeff Bennett, a former band director who serving as the tour’s director.

“This trip is all about the students,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity to promote cohesiveness and help them form the bonds they’ll need to be successful as a band and a new high school.”

Added to the fight song connection, Bennett said there was another TROY connection with the students: most have learned music through compositions by Troy University music professor Robert W. Smith.

“Many of these kids have played his compositions. Most are great for public school (music) programs because they teach foundational ideas and techniques,” Bennett said. “I have used them for years, as do the current directors.”

The Marching Wolves are under the direction of Bryan Ambrose, one of Bennett’s former students, and Erick Flack, assistant director of bands.

Members of the Wyoming High School Marching Band visited Troy University to see the school that shares its fight song. Students of WHS, a year-old consolidated high school near Grand Rapids, Mich., adopted “Trojans One and All” to help unify the new students and fans. (TROY photo/Cass Davis)