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Mercer Professor Helps Uncover Lost Caribbean Colony
History Professor Eric Klingelhofer served as part of a British-American team of researchers who recently uncovered the 17th Century settlement of Jamestown in the West Indies. Klingelhofer, aided by teams of Mercer students, participated in the archeological excavations that unearthed the port town, which was previously thought to be lost beneath the sea. Carter Hudgins, professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., worked over a four-year period with teams of their students as well as researchers from the University of Southampton in London, to unearth the ruins of the port.
Klingelhofer specializes in medieval English history and, as an archaeologist, studies the earliest English colonial enterprises. His projects in England, Ireland, Virginia, and Trinidad create regular opportunities for students to travel and assist in archaeological field work abroad. He co-founded the Classical Studies concentration and teaches in the Great Books program. He received a Ph.D. and M.A. from The Johns Hopkins University, as well as an M.A. from University of Birmingham in England and a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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McDuffie Names Director of New Center for Strings at Mercer
Internationally-renowned violinist Robert McDuffie announced on Sept. 22 the establishment of the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University in Macon and named Amy Schwartz Moretti, who currently serves as Concertmaster of the Oregon Symphony in Portland, as the director. The Robert McDuffie Center for Strings is a special institute within the Townsend School of Music of Mercer on the Macon campus. The highly-selective program will accept up to 10 to 12 extraordinarily talented string students for the 2007-2008 academic year. Total enrollment will be limited to 26 students, which will include 12 violinists, six violists, six cellists and two double bassists.
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Mercer President to Speak at 195th Anniversary of Historic Church
MACON — William D. Underwood, the University's 18th president, will bring the Mercer message to the pulpit of one of the state's oldest Baptist churches when he speaks at the Historic Richland Church in Twiggs County at 12 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 1. The event marks the 195th anniversary of the venerable church, one of the oldest Baptist churches in the state. It also continues the long connection between the Church and the University, which began when Mercer founder Jesse Mercer was elected moderator of the Georgia Baptist Convention during a meeting there in 1839. The event will feature an ecumenical service and a traditional "dinner on the ground," for which attendees are asked to bring a covered dish for the number in their party. Iced tea, utensils, plates and napkins will be provided.
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Business School Holds Information Sessions for Graduate Programs
The School of Business will hold two information sessions this week for its graduate programs. The first, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, will be held on Mercer's Cecil B. Day Campus in Atlanta, and will feature information on Mercer's Executive Master of Business Administration and its Flexible MBA. The event will begin at 6 p.m. in the Trustees Dining Room at the campus, located at 3001 Mercer University Drive. The second session, on Friday, Sept. 29, will serve as a preview of Mercer's new Professional MBA, which is being offered at Mercer's Henry County Regional Academic Center. The event will begin at 7 p.m. at Atlanta Motor Speedway, 1500 Tara Place, in Hampton.
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Mercer Student, Author, Shares Faith Through Book
Mercer University sophomore Nick Shelton turned his faith outward to help others, writing a book of spiritual devotionals he published as an 18-year-old.
The book, The Devotional Tales, includes 50 Christian devotions that Shelton began when he was in high school at The Westfield School in his hometown of Perry. Shelton was asked to give a devotional each week. At first, Shelton used other's devotionals, but soon he began writing his own because he wanted them to come from the heart. He received numerous compliments about his "homemade tales." |
Mercer sophomore Nick Shelton
is studying business and creative
writing and he has already penned
one book, "The Devotional Tales,"
a collection of devotionals and
he is working on several others.
|
After high school, friends encouraged him to get the book published. During the process, Shelton refined and added to his devotionals and finally settled on an on-demand publishing company, to publish his work. The business major released the book when he was just a freshman at Mercer.
The book is both an expression of his faith and a recounting of the tests of his faith. Before he was an author, Shelton had several experiences that strengthened his faith. Though he attended church on Sundays, Shelton had not accepted Christ. Then, one day, a visiting preacher challenged the congregation. There were plenty of people who sit in church every Sunday, but not enough Christians in the pews. The challenge was a revelation to Shelton, and he began to read the Bible and to deepen his faith.
A year after his transformational experience, Shelton's life was turned upside down. Shelton's father committed suicide. The experience was devastating, but rather than causing him to pull away from God, the tragedy strengthened his faith, and he devoted his life to the service of God.
"Mercer provides me with a great atmosphere that has greatly helped me grow as a writer and a person," Shelton said. "The beautiful campus in a Southern town has given me an ideal atmosphere to get inspiration for my writing. The small university setting gives me a chance to develop strong relationships with professors and students who have really supported my writing and ministry efforts."
Shelton hopes to study at Oxford University in England through Mercer's Study Abroad program, specifically to study C.S. Lewis, the famous Christian author and theologian.
In addition to his study abroad plans, Shelton is polishing his next book of devotionals, aimed at teens, and developing two more to follow his current book. He is working on several ideas for Christian novels.
Upon graduation from Mercer, Shelton plans to work for his family's company and then to go onto graduate school. In the meantime, he has also begun another project: www.BodyofChristOnline.com, a social networking site for Christians and churches, similar to Facebook and Myspace. The site is in its infancy, but Shelton is working hard to develop its features and to add members. He is optimistic and focused about his future.
"I want to use the creativity that God has blessed me with to continue to write books and create projects like the Body of Christ Online," Shelton said. "The Mercer business program has provided me with a solid foundation to start a career in a variety of fields that are not just in the business world. The networking opportunities I have had so far with the school have opened the many doors in many different directions. I am not sure exactly sure of my future career, but I know I am prepared, and I cannot wait to see where the road of life may lead."
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