Austin College

Area children are invited to participate in Austin College’s ’Roo Bound program Saturday, March 4, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., coordinated by the College’s Service Station. This free Saturday morning program is an opportunity for children in kindergarten through 5th grade to spend fun, learning time with members of the Austin College community. This month’s program is titled “Musical March” and students will learn about various musical instruments in the morning and learn some fun dance routines with members of the Austin College Aussies Dance Team and ACtivators after having lunch in the Austin College dining hall in Wright Campus Center, courtesy of the Service Station and Aramark Food Service.

The day of the program, students should arrive between 10:45 and 11 a.m. at the Wright Campus Center entrance off Brockett Street.

Advance registration is requested so that sufficient volunteers and materials will be available and only 50 slots are available. To register or for more information, contact the Austin College Service Station at 903.813.2333 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays or email servicestation@austincollege.edu. To register by email, include the child’s name and grade level, along with the parents’ phone number.

In addition to the special learning opportunity for children, ’Roo Bound, coordinated by Service Station and involving many campus student groups, is designed to expose children to the idea of college in a safe, fun environment. The organizers hope that the program makes college attendance seem accessible to children, particularly those who might be the first in their families to consider college.

The Austin College Service Station is a student-run organization that connects Austin College students available for service with local agencies and groups needing volunteers. Many students do individual service projects in the community; campus organizations often do group projects; others take part in projects such as ’Roo Bound or the College’s annual Great Day of Service, when several hundred students volunteer at more than 40 agencies in the north Texas region.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 40 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of approximately 1,275 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

The deadline is approaching for nominations for Athena Award and Athena Young Professional Award for exemplary women leaders in Grayson, Fannin, and Cooke counties. Nominations must be made by January 30 with completion of the online ATHENA Leadership Award® Nomination Form and the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award Nomination Form, which can be found at www.austincollege.edu/athena.  Past award recipients are not eligible to receive the award, though previous nominees may be nominated again.

Austin College and its Texoma Women Get Connected program re instituted the prestigious awards locally a few years ago and will recognize the 2017 honorees at a luncheon in spring 2017.

The ATHENA Leadership Award® is presented to individuals who have attained and embody the highest level of professional excellence in their business or profession, devote time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community, and actively assist women in realizing their full leadership potential.

ATHENA Young Professional Leadership nominees are emerging women leaders who demonstrate excellence, creativity, and initiative in their business or profession; provide valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in their community; and clearly serve as role models for young women both personally and professionally.

Event sponsors and table sponsors are needed for the event. Learn more from the Sponsor Information Sheet, also available at www.austincollege.edu/athena. Event sponsorships benefit the College’s Social Entrepreneurship for Poverty Alleviation (SEPA) summer intern program. For more information, please contact Trish Jennings at 903.813.2042.

The ATHENA Award had been presented locally in the past by the Sherman and Denison Chambers of Commerce, but had not been awarded in several years until revived by Austin College in fall 2014. Since its reinstatement locally, the ATHENA Award has honored Stacy Rake Murphy, owner and principal agent of Nationwide Insurance in Sherman (2014), and Brenda Hayward, executive director of Child and Family Guidance Center of Texoma (2016). The ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award has honored Michelle Lemming, president and CEP of Texoma Health Foundation (2014), and Hillary Luckett Clark, a Sherman attorney and community leader (2016). No awards were given in 2015. A list of all known local recipients is included on the Austin College Athena Award website.

The ATHENA Leadership Award Program is administered by ATHENA International, a non-profit women’s leadership organization, along with licensed host organizations and sponsors. Over 6,000 awards have been presented in the U.S. and around the world since the program’s inception in 1982. Recent recipients include Condoleezza Rice, Billie Jean King, Pat Summit, and Gabby Giffords.