IVo of Our Own Professors Attend World View’s Latin America and
North Carolina Seminar
From: Staff Reports
Drs. Sandy Jones and Rhcxia Ramirez of
the Education Department at St. Andrews
Presbyterian College attended World View’s
Latin America and North Carolina Seminar at
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
last week.
This year’s program was co-sponsored
by the Consortium in Latin American and
Caribbean Studies at UNC Chapel Hill and
Duke University. Jones and Ramirez were
among the 230 educators who traveled to UNC
Chapel Hill for the two-day program.
Seminar participants gained a greater
understanding of Latin America and
Hispanic/Latino immigrant students in North
Carolina classrooms. In addition to the semi
nar’s featured presentations by experts on Latin
America, participants took part in small group
sessions on curriculum-based global educa
tion resources for a variety of subject areas and
grade level
Dr. McConnell Named Associate Dean
From: Staff Reports
Dr. William McConnell has been named
associate dean for adult and extended programs
at St. Andrews Presbyterian College,
announced Paul Baldasare, president of St.
Andrews.
“Bill is highly qualified to assume ad
ministrative responsibilities for this position,”
said Baldasare. “Bill has creative and organiza
tional talents that will serve the college well .”
McConnell will continue in his role as director
of the music program at St. Andrews
As associate dean, McConnell will be
responsible for the direction of non-traditional
credit courses and programs such as
after hours, off-campus locations, onl i r course,
and other programs designed to reach non-tradi
tional students.
“Bill has previously developed core pro
grams and he has the talent to work with many
different groups to meet the needs of our non-
traditional students,” said Baldasare.
In addition to leading the St. Andrews
Concert Choir and Chamber Choir, McCon
nell is the artistic director of Carolina Voices, a
Charlotte-based volunteer choral arts organiza
tion. He was also an accompanist and assistant
conductor of the National High School Honor
Choir at the Organization of American Kodaly
Educators National Conference.
In Scotland County, McConnell is a
member of the Community Advisory Board of
the Scotland High School of Creative and Per
forming Arts
Prior to becoming a professional mu
sician and professor, McConnell served as a
nursing home administrator from 1984-1989 for
Hillhaven and Britthaven.
He then went on to earn his master’s
degree in music education from East Carolina
University in 1991 and his doctor of musical
arts degree in choral conducting from the
University of Cincinnati College - Conserva
tory of Music in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1998
McConnell has been associated with St. An
drews since 2003.
Photo courtesy of Rooney Coffman
Neal Bushoven Endowment Fund Announced
. I From. Staff Reports "
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When Dr Neal Bushoven arrived on the
campus of St. Andrews Presbyterian College in
1969, few could imagine the impact he would
have on the lives of thousands of students at the
small college.
“When you talk to alumni, one of the
first questicms they ask is, ‘Is Neal still there?’”
said Alumni Director Susan Wentz. “He’s a
common frame of reference for many of our
alumni.”
A special travel reunion was held Thurs
day evening, April 17, at the Laurinburg Pres
byterian Church for all of those who have travel
with Bushoven on his 32 overseas trips during
nearly 40 years of teaching at the College.
Bushoven has taken groups to such far-
fiung places as India, Egypt, Israel, Italy and
Cuba. More than 55 fellow travelers attended
the gathering, which also became the occasion
for an important announcement.
“For several years now on a year-to-year
basis, David (Bunn, ’72), Ellen (Birrell) and I
have provided additional funding for the Gener
al Honors Program,” said Phil Bradley, a 1975
graduate. “About two years, ago, (President)
Paul (Baldasare) approached me about creating
an endowed fund that would do more.”
The result was the creation of a quiet
challenge to alumni and friends who had spe
cial ties to Bushoven Bradley agreed to make a
$50,000 challenge gift to fund the endowment,
if the college mounted a fund raising effort to
secure a matching amount from others
“It comes down to the day of the re
union, and I’m not quite there,” said Baldasare
“We were within $2,000 of meeting the match
so I started calling friends to make it happen.”
Then Baldasare got a call from an
anonymous alumnus asking some questions
about the fund.
“He said, ‘I want tp be a part of this. I’ll
put you over the top to meet the challenge and
I’ll also give you another $100,000 to double
the size of the endowment,” Baldasare shared
The resulting $200,000 Neal Bushoven Endow
ment Fund will support the college’s General
Honors program and provide funds for students
in the honors program to participate in study
abroad opportunities.
“I didn’t want this gathering to be about
me,” Bushoven said. “I am very moved. I am
very, very thankful. I am very appreciative
What a wonderful evening to spend with those I
have come to know in our travels.”
A native of Newark, N.J., Bushoven
made his first trip ■abroad to Italy as an ex
change student in 1959. He graduated from
Davidson College in 1964 with majors in Politi
cal Science and History before going to Duke
University. He received his M A. and Ph.D. in
Political Science from Duke University with a
dissertation populated by a year of research in
Ghana. Bushoven currently serves as the Jeffer
son-Pilot Professor of Politics, director of Gen
eral Honors and faculty member-in-residence at
St. Andrews.
Dr. Bushoven. Photo courtesy of
Rooney Coffman.
Hope Williams to Speak at Commencement
From: Staff Reports
St. Andrews Presbyterian College an
nounces that Dr. A. Hope Williams vwll be the
commencement speaker for the 2008 ceremony
held on May 3 on DeTamble Terrace.
Williams is the President of North
Carolina Independent College and Universities,
a position she has held since 1992. In the posi
tion, she represents independent higher educa
tion with the Governor, North Carolina General
Ass«nbly, the U.S. Congress and the media.
She is an advocate for federal funding
of financial aid and the $105 million in
state grants and other programs to help students
attend independent colleges and universities.
Currently the chair of the Advanced Ener-
gyCorporation, she has served on numerous
boards including the MCNC Advisory Council,
National Association of Independent College
and University State Executives, National
Association of Independent Colleges and Uni
versities, Women’s Forum of North Carolina,
Raleigh Rotary Club, North Carolina Associa
tion of Institutional Research, North Carolina
Adult Education Association and was a found
ing board member of North Carolina Equity.
Williams has been recognized for her
work in many ways, including being named
2005 Woman Extraordinaire by Business Leader
Magazine, named one of the Top 25 Women in
Business Award by the Business Journal in
2001, and receiving the Outstanding Service
Award from the Rotary Club of Raleigh in
1997.
She earned an A.B. in French and His
tory from Duke University, a Master of Pu
bic Affairs degree from North Carolina State
University and a Ph D in Education from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.