Winter Updates
UA News for the Division of Community Affairs Board of Advisors
[february 2022]
To connect you with what’s happening at the Capstone, we’ve gathered some recent news that may be of interest to you as alumni and as members of the Board of Advisors.
We plan to publish periodically, not only to keep you informed of what’s happening on campus, but also of what’s happening in the world of the BOA membership.
UA to rename Graves Hall in honor of Dr. Autherine Lucy Foster, the first African American student to attend UA. Learn More.
On Feb. 11, the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees unanimously passed a resolution in favor of renaming Lucy-Graves Hall to Autherine Lucy Hall in honor of Dr. Autherine Lucy Foster. The University of Alabama will hold a dedication ceremony for the renaming of Graves Hall to Autherine Lucy Hall on Friday, Feb. 25, at 3 p.m.
UA Establishes Apprenticeship for Opioid Addiction Support Specialists. Learn more.
UA Dedicates Wade Hall in Honor of First Black Faculty Member. Learn more.
VA Clinic Opens Satellite Office for UA Community. Learn more.
Operation Iron Ruck Brings Awareness to Veteran Suicides. Learn more.
UA Faculty and Graduate Students Work with Military to Design Better Mobile Airfields. Learn more.
UA, State Partner to Train First Responders on Mental Health Awareness. Learn more.
UA Strengthens Partnerships with State Community Colleges. Learn more.
Piece of History: MLK Letter from Birmingham Jail at Special Collections. Learn more.
At 38,320 students, UA enrolled the largest freshman class in history in fall 2021. It is the third year out of the last four years with a fall enrollment of more than 38,000 students. Graduate School enrollment of 6,152 is a 7% increase from fall 2020 and breaks last year’s record enrollment number.
The History Makers: UA's Black Faculty and Staff. Learn more.
Sen. Richard Shelby to Donate Official Papers, Records, Materials to UA. Learn more.
UA Recognized for Increasing Student Voter Turnout. Learn more.
UA Student Chosen as a Rhodes Scholar. Learn more.
UA-led Project to Improve Patient Care in Rural Alabama. Learn more.
UA Small Business Program Renews National Accreditation. Learn more.
UA Students Win Fulbright Awards. Learn more.
On Jan. 20, PTLA hosted a superintendents’ panel comprised of representatives from the program’s four participating districts. PTLA also hosts free community webinars open to all parents, teachers, educators, administrators and community stakeholders. Learn more.
The Division of Community Affairs hosted its second STEM Showcase in January — the first in-person since the start of the pandemic. This annual science fair seeks to advance STEM engagement among middle school students in the Tuscaloosa area. Learn more.
Dr. Lane McLelland and Jackson Harris of the Crossroads Civic Engagement Center presented at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) conference in January. The theme of the 2022 AAC&U Annual Meeting, held in Washington, D.C., was ”Educating for Democracy.” Harris’ presentation was titled: “Public Listening to Meet the National Moment.” McLelland and Harris jointly presented a seminar titled: “Academics and Practitioners: Collaborating to Educate for Democracy.”
Dr. Jim McLean, associate vice president for Community Affairs and executive director of the Center for Community-Based Partnerships, will be inducted into The University of Alabama College of Education Hall of Fame Class of 2022.
JCES publishes special issue of research on the well-being of service members, veterans, dependents, and survivors in 2021. Learn more.
Mark your calendars for the next BOA meeting, March 27–29 in Tuscaloosa.
We are excited to welcome you back to campus!
BOA member David Bailey is preparing for the Bitcoin 2022 event April 6-9, at the Miami Beach Convention Center and the MB Botanical Garden in Florida. Recently, he co-founded Roundtable Media LLC, a decentralized digital-media network based in San Juan, which he serves as director. Bailey is CEO of BTC Media LLC, a leader in digital currency communications. After founding yBitcoin, the world’s leading publication about digital currency, Bailey launched BTC Media, a corporate group that includes bitcoinmagazine.com. Current Patriots quarterback and former UA quarterback Mac Jones reached out to Bitcoin Magazine for information on how to gift Bitcoin to his Patriots’ teammates over the 2021 holidays. Jones also gifted his teammates a subscription to Bitcoin Magazine.
As BOA members are also UA graduates, we know how invaluable your experience as UA alumni has been. If you have not already done so, please consider participating in your local alumni chapter. Learn more.
We continue to be inspired by BOA members who have funded or are considering scholarships to assist students from schools in their area. If you would like to find out more, Nick Foster from UA Advancement would welcome the opportunity to speak with you. Inspired by the work of this group, he and his wife created an endowed scholarship to support students from the Mobile area. Nick will be a presenter during our Finance Committee session on “Supporting the Work of the BOA” at our spring BOA meeting. Please know that all contributions toward the work of the BOA are welcomed and appreciated. To make a donation, click here.
Have news to share with us?
If you have not already done so, we encourage you to follow us on Twitter at @UACommAffairs, on Facebook at @UACommunityAffairs and at @UA.CCBP and on Instagram at @ua_community_affairs
Additionally, did you know the Board of Advisors has its own Facebook group page? This is a place for you to connect with your fellow board members, as well as share news of potential interest to members of the group. Search “ua community affairs board of advisors” and ask to join the group. We’ll approve you right away!
You can follow the initiatives and news of the Division of Community Affairs on the web at communityaffairs.ua.edu. Your Board of Advisors web pages live here under the Community Collaborations link.
