Blue Ridge soldier wounded in Iraq

Left to right: Rep. Amos Amerson, Patrick Evans and Rep. Mark Burkhalter

DAHLONEGA – The Georgia General Assembly saluted Patrick Evans, a 2002 graduate of North Georgia College & State University in Dahlonega, on Jan. 24, for his honorable service under extremely hazardous conditions in Iraq.

The 24-year-old received standing ovations as well as commendations and resolutions in the House and Senate during his appearance at the Capitol. Rep. Amos Amerson escorted Evans in the House. They are pictured at the podium with Rep. Mark Burkhalter.

Evans, a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army, became the one of the first members of the NGCSU alumni to suffer serious injury in Iraq when a suicide bomb exploded in the military mess hall in Mosul on Dec. 21, 2004, killing 22 people and wounding approximately 70 others.

	Patrick Evans with his parents (center) and members of the House of Representatives

Evans, who suffered extensive abdominal injuries, is recuperating at home with his parents, Herbert and Patricia Evans, in Blue Ridge, Ga., where Lt. Evans graduated from Fannin County High School in 1998.

He was a social science major at North Georgia. Evans credits his experience in the Corps of Cadets as providing him with valuable leadership training for his subsequent service at bases in Fort Knox, Ky., Fort Lewis, Wash., and in Iraq, where he served as an executive officer in the U.S. Army 2nd Squadron, 14th Calvary Regiment in Mosul, Baghdad, and Fallujah.

NGCSU President David Potter and Col. Tom Palmer, commandant of the Corps of Cadets, were with Evans and his family in the Capitol, where the group visited with Gov. Sonny Perdue before Lt. Evans was presented to the General Assembly.

'Wit' comes to campus in three events

DAHLONEGA – Margaret Edson, playwright of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Wit,” about a professor diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer, will speak at North Georgia College & State University and two productions of the play, the 2001 Emma Thompson film and an original stage production by the Student Theatre Guild, will take place during the months of February and March on campus. The events are free and open to the public.

Feb. 23, “Wit” starring Emma Thompson; The 2001 film starts at 7 p.m. in the Gloria Shott Auditorium and is sponsored by the Cultural Events Committee Film Festival. Emma Thompson puts in a tour de force as a renowned professor approaching 50 who is diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer. Dr. Kevin Mace will introduce the film.

March 2–6, The Student Theatre Guild’s production of "Wit"; The acclaimed play by Atlanta elementary school teacher Margaret Edson takes place at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday in the Hoag Student Center Auditorium. Dr. Sandee McGlaun, language and literature, will play the title role. The NGCSU Student Theatre Guild, under the direction of Dr. Kevin Mace, performs the play that chronicles the personal awakening of a literary scholar who learns the importance of human kindness when faced with terminal cancer. Donations accepted.

March 9, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Margaret Edson on campus; The Atlanta elementary school teacher will speak in Hoag Auditorium at 7 p.m. Between earning degrees in history and literature, Edson worked in the cancer and AIDS unit of a research hospital. “Wit,” about a poetry professor’s fight against cancer, is her first play and won the Pulitzer Prize drama award. The event is sponsored by the Cultural Events Committee. For more information, call 706-864-1965.

North Georgia Homecoming Court announced

Gary Register, Megan Goodman (2003 HC Queen), Melissa Register (2005 HC Queen), NGCSU President David Potter

DAHLONEGA – At the Saints Basketball game on Jan. 22, eight students were recognized for their election to the 2005 Homecoming Court at North Georgia College & State University. The halftime ceremony featured candidates walking under a saber arch provided by members of the NGCSU Corps of Cadets.

Melissa Register was named Homecoming Queen. She is the daughter of Gary and Shelley Register of Freeport, Fla., and was escorted by her father. A biology major with a chemistry minor, Melissa Register is commander of the Second Battalion of the Corps of Cadets, a senior representative of the Student Government Association, and Intro Leader for new students, and a sweetheart for Sigma Omega fraternity. Melissa’s sister, Joanna, was crowned North Georgia’s Homecoming Queen in 2002 and also served in the Corps before graduating from NGCSU in 2003. Their brother, Jeremiah, who also is an alumnus of NGCSU, served as brigade commander of the Corps of Cadets in 2001-2002.

Other senior class members of the Homecoming Court: 

Corrie Duvall, the daughter of Zippy and Bonnie Duvall of Greensboro, Ga., was escorted by her father. A political science major, she also is a residence hall assistant, president of the Panhellenic Council, a member of Phi Mu, and an INTRO leader for new students.

Katie Hicks, the daughter of Mike and Cathy Howard from Toccoa, Ga., was escorted by her stepfather. A marketing major, she also is a member of Phi Mu sorority and is an INTRO leader.

Julie Sigl, the daughter of Curt and Bobbie Sigle of Snellville, Ga., was escorted by her father. She is a sociology major, a member of Phi Mu, a leader in Campus Outreach, and an NGCSU Ambassador.

Megan Thomas, the daughter of Michael and Sheila Thomas of Canton, Ga., was escorted by her father. She is a marketing major, president of Phi Mu, captain of the NGCSU Dance Team, and plays intramural sports on campus.

The freshman class representative on the court is Rosemary Cipolla, the daughter of John and Marianna Cipolla of LaGrange, Ga., who was escorted by her father. A sociology major and a member of the Student Activities Board, she serves as a freshman representative for the Student Government Association.

The sophomore class representative is Jennifer Askew. She is the daughter of Carlton and Tammy Askew of Gainesville, Ga., and was escorted by her father. An English education major with a sociology minor, she is a member of Kappa Delta sorority and was named the 2004 flag football most valuable player.

Representing the junior class is Katie Lambert, the daughter of Fred and Chris Lambert of Waleska, Ga., and was escorted by her father. An early childhood education major, she is the vice president of the Student Government Association, a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, a Pi Kappa Phi sweetheart and an INTRO leader.

	Dr. Toni Barnett (center), coordinator of the NGCSU Family Nurse Practitioner program, observes two of her nursing students

NGCSU Family Nurse Practitioner program up for re-accreditation review

DAHLONEGA – Representatives of the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission will visit the Master of Science in Nursing Program at North Georgia College & State University in Dahlonega on Feb. 1-3.

An Advisory Committee reception and meeting will take place on Tuesday, beginning at 5:30 p.m. on the first floor of the Health & Natural Sciences Building. The committee consists of representatives from all of the affiliating clinical agencies of the nursing department throughout the northern part of Georgia and metro Atlanta.

North Georgia’s master’s degree program admitted the first class in fall 1999 for the education of graduate students as Family Nurse Practitioners. The program received an initial accreditation from the NLNAC in 2000 for five years and, if successful, the upcoming accreditation will be for eight years.

“This is a voluntary peer review process that promotes quality improvement in nursing education,” explained Nancy Stahl, NGCSU interim department head of nursing. “The process provides recognition that a nursing education program has been evaluated and meets or exceeds standards and criteria for educational quality.” 

Stahl said that accreditation assures students that the program they are studying maintains high educational standards.

“Employers are assured that the graduates are competent nurses,” she added. “Maintaining accreditation through NLNAC enables student eligibility for funding support from federal and state agencies.” 

The two-year, six-semester Family Nurse Practitioner program, coordinated by Dr. Toni Barnett, consists of 46 semester hours at the graduate level. Students attend classes on campus and complete clinical hours to meet course objectives.

“Our students practice in physicians' offices with a physician, another nurse practitioner, or a physician's assistant, or in clinics such as health departments,” Stahl said. “Some practice in acute-care settings or hospital clinics.” 

The clinical agencies are scattered across North Georgia and included locations in Dalton, Gainesville, Toccoa, Blue Ridge, Athens, Kennesaw, Cumming, Trion, Clayton and Atlanta.

North Georgia’s FNP graduates take a certification exam before they are allowed to practice as an advanced practice nurse, and the pass rate in 2004 was 100 percent.

“The program has been very successful and maintains a positive reputation in the community,” Stahl said. “Many of the program’s graduates have remained in rural North Georgia areas to practice.” 

Faculty members meet annually with the clinical representatives from agencies used by all NGCSU nursing programs as a chance to share updates on programs, to find out about changes in the clinics and hospitals, and to discuss how to better communicate and work together.

During the accreditation visit, the evaluators will meet with agency representatives to discuss the master's degree program.

For additional information, call the NGCSU Nursing Department at 706-864-1935.

This page last modified on: Monday, 04 April 2005 18:22:10 -0400 by University Relations    

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