WRITING

When Life Throws You Overboard: UWA transfer student maneuvers through madness

LIVINGSTON, ALABAMA — Thrust into a sink-or-swim situation when Judson College suddenly closed, Chelse Anderson was forced to navigate a new path she never expected.

Read the full story

LIVINGSTON, ALABAMA— Thrust into a sink-or-swim situation when Judson College suddenly closed, Chelse Anderson was forced to navigate a new path she never expected.

Anderson spent the first half of her college career in Judson’s art program before news broke that the institution would close due to a poor financial outlook and declining enrollment.

The 183-year-old Baptist women’s college faced potential closure in December 2020, but after successful fundraising efforts, college officials announced Judson would remain open for the Spring 2021 term.

Hope was high for Judson students as they began the spring semester, so the May 2021 announcement of the institution’s closing left students stunned.

There was only one thing on Anderson’s mind when she first heard the news:

“This can’t be happening.”

Like a passenger aboard a sinking ship, Anderson spent the following weeks scrambling to plan a quick and easy escape route.

“Where will I go to school now?,” thought Anderson.

“Will my credits transfer?”

“What about my scholarships?”

Struggling to stay afloat in this sea of uncertainty, Anderson’s mind swam with questions that no one could answer.

That is, until a life raft rescued a drowning Anderson—that life raft was The University of West Alabama.

Through a special opportunity, UWA allowed Judson students to transfer seamlessly and earn academic and housing scholarships as they continued their studies at UWA in pursuit of bachelor’s degrees.

Immediately, Anderson knew UWA—with its similar size and setting to Judson—was the place for her. The schools are about 60 miles apart, both nestled in small towns that students say they quickly come to enjoy.

Determined to achieve her lifelong dream of working in animation at Walt Disneyland in Anaheim, California, Anderson began her first semester at UWA in August 2021—just three months after Judson’s closing announcement.

Within her first two semesters at UWA as an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) student, Anderson was inducted into The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and travelled with the IMC program to Orlando, Florida’s Walt Disney World. There, Anderson attended a professional Disney design training workshop reserved for only the highest-achieving UWA IMC students.

Now an IMC senior, Anderson says transferring to UWA was “most definitely” the right choice.

With plans to move to Anaheim upon graduation in May 2023, Anderson’s dream career seems more attainable than ever since her transfer to UWA.

While the close of Judson College was unfortunate, Anderson’s unconventional journey to UWA was exactly what she needed.

The University of West Alabama encourages students to find their “Something”—and transfer student Chelse Anderson found hers in IMC.

Hidden Gem Prospers in Rural Alabama

BELMONT, ALABAMA— The gentle chirping of birds and quacking of ducks whispers through the wind as the leaves rustle in the trees. You feel the warmth of the sun on your skin as it peeks through the clouds. Sitting on a pier, you watch as a barge smoothly passes through the gleaming waters of the Tombigbee River, leaving small waves in its wake that lap against the chalk bluffs. You are on the property of Mimosa Ridge in Sumter County, Alabama.

Read the full story

Nearly 20 years ago, Bruce Marchand began construction of two cabins in his hometown of Belmont, Alabama, establishing Mimosa Ridge. Almost two decades later, Mimosa Ridge is a full-service wedding chapel with six rental cabins.

“In the first year of business, I only needed two cabins. That was all the business I had,” said Marchand.

“About every year and a half, I would build another cabin as business grew. I finished the fifth cabin the same year I finished constructing the chapel. We added a sixth cabin last year, and now we are building a seventh cabin because we need more cabins,” Marchand said with a laugh.

Throughout the years, the cabins at Mimosa Ridge have become more popular. Many guests come back each year to enjoy the picturesque, riverfront views. From simple, weekend getaways to hunting trips and church retreats, the cabins at Mimosa Ridge are for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in the beauty of nature. In addition, most couples book all cabins for their wedding weekend at the chapel.

“As a full-service wedding venue, we provide tables, chairs, flowers, food, drinks, cakes, music and on-site lodging for family, friends and members of the bridal party. We also do rehearsal dinners, and all set up and clean up. I am even licensed as a marriage officiant, should any couple need one. Each year, I usually officiate about half of our weddings,” said Marchand.

The inside of the chapel at Mimosa Ridge can fit up to 160 guests. The chapel also has separate dressing rooms for the bride and groom. Outside, there is a covered reception area with a custom gazebo that overlooks the Tombigbee River.

“There are multiple ceremony locations on the property to allow each bride to find their perfect setting. We also have a professional staff that will take care of every detail of preparation and implementation,” said Marchand.

Hallie Neal, a May 2019 bride, said, “I was able to choose exactly what I wanted, and everything turned out even better than I could have imagined. It poured down rain on the day of our wedding, and the staff never missed a beat. I highly recommend Mimosa Ridge to anyone who is looking for a beautiful, romantic place to hold their perfect day.”

When COVID-19 emerged in March 2020, many couples cancelled or rescheduled their wedding for later in the year, and Mimosa Ridge was quiet for the following two months.

“After things were shut down in March, we opened back up in June and ended up doing 20 weddings for the remainder of the year. With that, we had close to three thousand people here. None of our staff got COVID-19, and we were never contacted about anyone who got COVID-19 that was traced back to one of our events, so I’d say we did pretty well,” said Marchand.

Since reopening in June 2020, Mimosa Ridge continues to follow COVID-19 precautions during all events.

“We space more for our seating. We put out more tables for dining so that people are more spaced out. We no longer allow buffet-style dining. The staff serves food and drinks while wearing masks and gloves. We periodically clean door handles in the chapel during events and provide hand sanitizer and masks,” Marchand said.

Despite the emergence of COVID-19, Mimosa Ridge continues to adapt and thrive in the rural town of Belmont, Alabama.

“I grew up in Belmont, so this was home,” said Marchand. “I had this property and I wanted to do something with it.”

UWA plans in-person spring commencement

LIVINGSTON, ALABAMA—The University of West Alabama’s Spring 2021 commencement marks the first time in over a year that guests will be allowed to attend a commencement ceremony in-person on the UWA Campus.

Read the full press release

LIVINGSTON, ALABAMA— The University of West Alabama’s Spring 2021 commencement marks the first time in over a year that guests will be allowed to attend a commencement ceremony in-person on the UWA Campus.

UWA will honor over 700 graduates during its Spring 2021 commencement on May 8. The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. at Tiger Stadium and will be a joint ceremony between graduate and undergraduate.

“There are currently 309 students who will be participating in the ceremony,” said Dr. Tina Jones, UWA commencement chairperson.

For the Spring 2021 commencement, students who wish to participate in the ceremony and two guests per graduate are allowed on campus. The previous two ceremonies (Fall 2020, Spring 2020) were hybrid ceremonies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning only students were allowed to attend and guests could remotely watch the livestreamed event.

Since guest attendance is limited, the ceremony will also stream live at uwa.edu/live.

“Livestreaming is not new. We have always livestreamed our ceremonies, even before the pandemic,” said Jones.

Facial coverings and social distancing will be required during the event in accordance with the university’s Spring 2021 Operational Plan.

“We are still in the middle of a global pandemic,” Jones said. “Our job as commencement committee is to make sure it’s an enjoyable and safe day for everyone.”

Guest tickets, reserved through Eventbrite, allow for a touchless entry and guests will be socially distanced.

When guests are registered through Eventbrite, they will begin to receive email communications for event updates and requirements. In the event of inclement weather, tickets will be voided, and the ceremony will be moved to the UWA Auditorium in the Math and Science building on campus.

“We can’t have that many people in a closed environment because it does not allow for social distancing, so guests would not be allowed to attend the ceremony if it is moved to the UWA Auditorium because of weather,” said Jones.

For more information on UWA Commencement Exercises, visit uwa.edu/commencement or contact Dr. Tina Jones, commencement chairperson, at 205-652-3833.

###

About The University of West Alabama

The University of West Alabama is a state-supported, coeducational institution of higher learning governed by a Board of Trustees appointed by the Governor. As a regional institution, the University’s foremost commitment is to meeting the educational needs of the State and particularly of the West Alabama area. Valuing a diverse student enrollment, though, it also welcomes students from throughout the United States and from other countries.

ZONE 2022 Editor's letter

In the Fall of 2022, I had the pleasure of serving as Editor-in-Chief of UWA’s ZONE Magazine, an annual sports publication produced by IMC students. Check out my editor’s letter below!

Read my editor's letter

I have a confession to make. Until a few weeks ago, I had no background in sports. Yes, I’ve watched my sisters cheer at football games and play on softball fields, but I have never done anything athletic—unless you count three-legged races (if you ever need a partner, I’m your girl). So, when I was offered a leadership role for a sports magazine, I’m sure you can imagine what I was thinking—“Me? How can I accurately and confidently lead a team and produce a publication on a topic I know nothing about?” Quite frankly, I was intimidated. However, the support of my team and the guidance of IMC faculty encouraged me to accept this challenge and utilize my existing skills to make this magazine a success.

I live by to-do lists (trust me, peek in my phone’s notes app, and you will know). The last thing I do before going to bed every night is make my to-do list for the next day in the order that I need to complete the tasks. Some call it perfectionism. I call it efficiency. Naturally, I handled the production of this magazine in the same way. But just when I thought I had everything under control, I was thrown a curveball late in the game. With less than a month to complete the magazine, we lost an entire work week when the printing company moved the deadline up five days. We had to pick up the pace to compensate for the lost time. This meant continuous late nights spent in the mac lab to work on layouts. And, hundreds of texts exchanged to get opinions and finalize ads. Plus, constant last-minute changes made to ensure the magazine was in the best shape possible when we crossed the finish line. Of course, we encountered numerous hurdles along the way, but we made it over them as a team.

The 2022 ZONE staff consists of talented IMC students who, within seven weeks, communicated ideas, conducted interviews, wrote stories, sold and designed advertisements, captured photographs and created layouts to guarantee the magazine’s distribution at the homecoming football game. As you hold this magazine in your hands (or view it online), you hold (or view) the hard work, dedication and passion of this team.

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead and work alongside the 2022 ZONE staff as we highlight the UWA athletics program and the amazing people, talent and opportunities that it encompasses. We hope that we have achieved our goal of making this magazine as fun to read as it was to produce and that you, the reader, gain a better understanding of UWA Athletics and the dedicated individuals who proudly represent our university.

Shelby Ray Gandy

Editor-in-Chief, ZONE Magazine

IMC: Graphic Design

Want more zone content?

VIEW THE FULL 2022 EDITION

uwazone.com

#GoingPro - A USFL Cheer story

FEATURED IN ZONE MAGAZINE —“Unforgettable, crazy and life-changing” are three words that former UWA Cheerleader Madison McMinn and current UWA Cheerleader Chloe Baker used to describe their experience as professional cheerleaders for the inaugural season of the United States Football League earlier this year.

Read the full story

LIVINGSTON, ALABAMA—“Unforgettable, crazy and life-changing” are three words that former UWA Cheerleader Madison McMinn and current UWA Cheerleader Chloe Baker used to describe their experience as professional cheerleaders for the inaugural season of the United States Football League earlier this year.

“One week, we were regular college students, and the next week we were professional cheerleaders,” said Baker.

Tryouts were held during the last two weekends in March, with over 100 women vying for the title ‘USFL Cheerleader.’ Both McMinn and Baker made the cut for the 2022 USFL Cheerleading Team, comprising an elite group of 25 women who would cheer for all USFL teams.

The USFL consists of eight teams split into two divisions, each playing 10 regular season games at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. The top two teams in each division advance to the semifinals, and the two division winners play in the championship game.

“The very first time we walked out on that field, the stadium was packed,” said McMinn. “People had to stand up because there were no more seats. Chloe and I were standing right beside each other, and I just remember getting the biggest chill bumps and looking at each other, thinking, ‘This is it; this is actually happening.’”

Baker and McMinn share a close bond and knew they wanted to experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity together. Both said that if only one of them had made the team, then neither of them would have done it because they both knew this was something they wouldn’t want to experience without one another.

The inaugural USFL season kicked off Saturday, April 16, with the New Jersey Generals facing off against the Birmingham Stallions.

During the first two weeks as USFL Cheerleaders, Baker and McMinn wrapped up UWA’s spring semester.

“Our schedule was crazy,” said McMinn. “The first two weeks, we practiced four days a week. We were going to our classes, leaving Livingston at 2 p.m. to drive to Birmingham for practices, eating dinner, coming back to Livingston and staying up until 2 a.m. to study for finals. Then, we had to redo everything the next day.”

McMinn and Baker both agreed that once the semester ended, they were able to start genuinely enjoying this surreal experience. They no longer had the stress of classes or finals on their minds and grew more comfortable with the cheer routines, coaches and the other cheerleaders.

Once the regular season finished in Birmingham, it was time for the two semifinal games and the championship game in Canton, Ohio.

“Aside from cheering while we were in Ohio, we also got to work the unveiling of the new USFL exhibit at the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Baker said.

The Birmingham Stallions and the Philadelphia Stars faced off in the championship game in Ohio’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Sunday, July 3. During this game, half of the cheerleaders cheered for the Stars, and the other half, including Baker and McMinn, cheered for the Stallions.

Baker said, “The Stallions were losing halfway through the game, but they won the game! We were freaking out! Confetti was raining down over the whole stadium. I had goosebumps. Tears were running down my face. I could see the players hugging their families all around the field—It was like we had won the Superbowl.”

Baker added, “It was definitely a bittersweet ending because we were sad it was over, but it couldn’t have ended more perfectly.”

After 12 weeks of countless practices, games and trips to Birmingham, Baker and McMinn’s time as USFL Cheerleaders concluded once the Stallions claimed the title of 2022 USFL Champions.

Baker said, “The girls we were on the team with—I still talk to them every single day. Many of them dance at UAB, and Madison and I plan to go to a UAB game to see all of them. We’re friends with people we would have never met outside of this experience.”

McMinn said, “We loved it so much. It was just something that we never got tired of—the experiences, the cheerleaders we got to meet. We even got close to people who had nothing to do with cheerleading, like all the gameday operations staff and the football coaches. It was the experience of a lifetime.”

Before the season ended, Baker and McMinn started to prepare for next season’s tryouts.

“This entire experience taught me to ‘just go for it.’ So many things could have stopped Chloe and me from trying out, but it ended up being one of the best experiences of our lives. I am forever grateful for that random Tuesday night that Chloe and I decided to pursue this opportunity,” said McMinn.

Career center schedules Jack's hiring event

LIVINGSTON, ALABAMA— Hosted by the Demopolis Career Center, a hiring event for the Jack’s Family Restaurant in Livingston will be on Tuesday, Feb. 23.

Read the full story

LIVINGSTON, ALABAMA—Hosted by the Demopolis Career Center, a hiring event for the Jack’s Family Restaurant in Livingston will be on Tuesday, Feb. 23.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Livingston Civic Center, located at 102 Country Club Road.

Under construction in Livingston, Jack’s is looking for managers at this hiring event. Other positions will be available for hire in the future, said Mikaela Williamson, business services representative at the Demopolis Career Center.

Face masks and social distancing will be required during the event. Temperature checks will also be administered. “We want to keep everyone safe,” Williamson said.

Gena Robbins, employer relations specialist at the University of West Alabama office of career services, has several tips for anyone attending a hiring event. Details include what to wear, what to bring, what questions to expect and ask and why attending a hiring event is important.

“Whether at a virtual or on-site hiring event, professional attire is still the standard,” said Robbins.

For women, Robbins recommends conservative clothing, hair style/color, makeup and nail length/shape/color. Women should avoid clothes that are too tight, too short or too revealing. Skirts should end right above the knee and should be worn with pantyhose.

For men, Robbins recommends clean and trimmed hair, facial hair and nails. Suits and jackets should be gray, black or navy with a coordinating shirt and tie. Be sure pockets do not jingle and are not too full or protruding. Belts, dress shoes and dress socks should be clean, polished and in good shape.

Overall, anyone attending a hiring event should practice good hygiene and wear ironed, stain-free clothing, Robbins said.

“Bring as little as possible,” said Robbins. Items to bring include an attaché folio/envelope file folder that contains your resume, your business card, a notepad and a pen.

“Although one wants to be prepared, it can be too cumbersome and distracting to walk around holding all of these items, including keys and a cellphone, in your arms or stuffed into pockets,” said Robbins.

There are a variety of questions that may be asked at a job interview, but here is a list of standard questions that any applicant should be prepared to answer, according to Robbins:

– Tell me about yourself.

– Tell me about one of your strengths or attributes.

– What made you decide to apply for this job?

– What is something that is a weakness for you?

– Why should we hire you?

In addition to being prepared to answer questions at a hiring event, you should also be prepared with questions to ask the interviewer(s). The following questions are Robbins’s suggestions:

– Would you describe an average day on the job?

– What aspects of the job would you like to see improved?

– How will the person in this position be evaluated?

– When does the employer expect to make a hiring decision?

Attending a hiring event is about more than getting hired, Robbins said. People must participate in professional networking, the exchange of connectivity and meeting people such as prospective employers, clients and mentors.

“Networking helps people develop their skill set, stay up to date on trends in the specific industry and in the job market and gain access to professional resources that will enrich career development,” said Robbins.

For more information about the event, contact the Demopolis Career Center at 334-289-0202.

To learn more about Jack’s career opportunities, visit workatjacks.com.

CONTACT ME

Have a question? Let me know!