Over the next month, Berry College will give a fond farewell to president as Steve Briggs and welcome Sandeep Mazumder as the ninth president of the school. This transition will not be without difficulty, as Briggs has held the office since 2006. Under his leadership, Berry has brought in new academic programs, constructed new buildings and navigated the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the 19 years of his leadership has been full of many victories and challenges, these final weeks in the semester can serve as a time to look back at fond memories and past accomplishments as Berry opens this new chapter of leadership.  Continue reading Looking back on the years of Briggs’ presidency

Moving into a college dorm is one of the most exciting events as students begin their studies, but after leaving home many find that they miss their families’ pets. Adopting a pet can be one of the most rewarding yet challenging ventures to take on. Cats, dogs, hamsters and other furry friends can bring a lot of joy into anyone’s life, but bringing an animal into a new home must be carefully considered. Pet food, vet bills and items like toys and beds can be expensive. Not only is there a monetary cost, but each animal also brings a unique personality that can take time for a household to adjust to, especially if there are other pets. Animals in Berry’s dorms must be approved as Emotional Support Animals, and for many students it is not feasible to adopt a pet to keep in their dorm room. Luckly, Floyd County’s Public Animal Welfare Service (P.A.W.S) offers a volunteer program where anyone can come to spend the day with the resident dogs and cats. Continue reading Opportunities at Local Animal Shelter

Each year in April, Berry College hosts the student symposium as an opportunity for students to present any academic or creative work that they have completed during their time here. This event is open to all students from all departments, and these presentations can range from oral speeches, scientific research, art exhibitions and humanities essays. To the delight of all students, classes are cancelled for the entire day of symposium to give participants and viewers ample opportunity to view and engage with each area of research.  Continue reading Student research shines at symposium 

Every career path has its own share of stereotypes and misconceptions. Many academic departments are heavily skewed toward one gender. Though business has been a field historically dominated by men, this has been changing rapidly throughout the 21st century. Women in the business industry, whether working in the corporate world or managing their own company, are becoming more and more present every year. According to INCAE Business School, in 1973, there was only one female CEO of a Fortune 500 company. During this time, only 38 percent of the U.S. workforce were women. By 2019, that number had increased to 46.2 percent, while 37 Fortune 500 companies had a female CEO. Continue reading Women in the evolving world of business and marketing 

On Christmas of 2019, when the Daughters of Berry made their annual trek to the College Chapel to decorate Martha Berry’s grave, they noticed a multitude of graves on the other side of the chapel that had rarely been given attention. To recognize these individuals, they began making efforts to decorate these other graves each Christmas season, and in September of 2022 they launched a project that would seek to change the perception of this historic site. They founded the Berry College Chapel Cemetery Committee, with the goal of honoring and recognizing all 41 people who had been buried at the Chapel. While this project is finally concluding, the past two years have been filled with many challenges and victories as the committee has worked to uncover the history of those buried here. Continue reading Unearthing buried stories: Commemorating chapel grave sites 

From the shiny wooden skate floor, the shelves of worn-down rental skates to the neon glow-designs covering the walls, roller rinks are a popular destination for a rainy afternoon. Skating rinks are the frequent hosts of children’s birthday parties and school spirit nights, but these buildings also serve as practice locations for often forgotten sport of roller derby.  Continue reading Rolling through Rome: local roller derby takes off 

On February 10, 1976, 38th United States President Gerald Ford became the first president to issue a message officially recognizing the month of February as Black History Month. Now the Month of February serves as a time to remember and honor the legacy of African American individuals throughout history, from well-known civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Harriet Tubman, to local community members who fought for freedoms in their hometowns. Many schools, libraries and museums across the country use this time to honor Black history by hosting various events and promoting educational materials to share with the local community.  Continue reading Remembering forgotten stories: Black History Month in Rome

It is no secret that technology impacts everyday life, especially for college students. Years ago everything was done with paper and pen, but now students use the internet for emailing teachers, writing essays and turning in online assignments. A new facet that is being talked about more often is artificial intelligence (AI). AI usage has become normalized in the coming years, and now students use it to the point where the faculty at Berry have taken notice. Continue reading Professors take different approaches to artificial intelligence