Two new academic majors will be offered to Catawba College students beginning this fall. The Ketner School of Business adds a new Economics and Finance major, while the Goodman School of Education adds a new Special Education major with a variety of concentrations. According to College Provost, Dr. Richard W. Stephens, Jr., the new majors are in response to the projected needs in the marketplace.

by Julie Rose, WFAE.org - The two most likely candidates for North Carolina governor in 2012 are already raising significant money: Governor Bev Perdue's re-election campaign reports pocketing $1.3 million in the first half of this year. Former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory raised just over a million.

By Kathy Chaffin - Even high school students eager to take on the world's environmental problems admitted to being scared when it came to the night hikes along the pristine preserve behind the Center for the Environment on the Catawba College campus. The night preserve hikes were held July 21 during the "Redesigning Our Future" National Environmental Summit for High School Students sponsored by the Center for the Environment in partnership with Rocky Mountain Institute of Colorado.

By Kathy Chaffin - A couple of years ago, Dr. John Wear, executive director of the Center for the Environment at Catawba College, said he received a phone call from Robert Pruehsner of Salisbury. He and his wife, Lois, had been regular supporters of the Center for some time, and Pruehsner wanted to talk to Wear about his plans for the future. At that time, cosponsoring a "Redesigning Our Future" National Environmental Summit for High School Students with Rocky Mountain Institute in Colorado...

By Kathy Chaffin - Kenneth Dunn of Durham didn't realize the extent of the world's environmental problems before participating in the "Redesigning Our Future" National Environmental Summit for High School Students. Sponsored by the Center for the Environment at Catawba College in partnership with Rocky Mountain Institute in Colorado, it was held July 20-24 on the Catawba campus.

By Kathy Chaffin - High school students attending the "Redesigning Our Future" National Environmental Summit at the Center for the Environment on the Catawba College campus had the opportunity to learn from representatives of one of the country's leading authorities on energy solutions. Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) in Colorado – which cosponsored the July 20-24 summit – is committed to mapping and driving the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy and energy efficiency.

By Mark Wineka, salisburypost.com - Julie Williams of Moore County did things you might expect at a National Environmental Summit for high school kids. She and her "small group" braved the summer's toughest heat and Catawba College Ecological Preserve's largest mosquitoes to radio-track turtles, often from a kayak.

[By Kathy Chaffin] It was in December of 2003 when Doc Hendley — named one of the Top 10 CNN Heroes for 2009 — heard the phrase, "Wine to Water," repeating itself over and over in his head. Hendley had no idea what it meant, he said at Wednesday night's opening of the "Redesigning Our Future: National Environmental Summit for High School Students," cosponsored by the Center for the Environment at Catawba College and Rocky Mountain Institute in Colorado.

Catawba College has been honored for the third consecutive year with a place on the 2010 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts and service to America's communities. The recognition was made by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The President's High Education Community Service Honor Roll is an annual recognition program that celebrates exemplary commitment to service and volunteering from institutions of higher education.

September will mark the 27th year of biweekly Chayon Ryu martial arts classed offered at Catawba College by Master David Mitchell of Salisbury. Over those 27 years, over 2,000 students from both the College and the area community, have participated in the biweekly Chayon Ryu martial arts classes offered on campus each Monday and Wednesday by Master Mitchell. Mitchell traveled to Korea in May, took his rank test at an ancient school in Pusan, Korea, and was awarded an eighth degree black belt...

In a recent webcast by CLTblog.com, Catawba College political science professor Dr. Michael Bitzer joined Warren Cooksey, Dan McCorkle, and moderator Brian Francis in a discussion on how Mecklenburg County is affected by the redistricting in North Carolina.

What began as an adjustment involving five N.C. counties on Tuesday turned into a congressional map that jumbles districts across the state and pits four Democrats against other incumbents. Republican lawmakers had promised a ripple effect when they began redrawing their 2-week-old map. "That ripple effect turned out to be a tidal wave," said Michael Bitzer, a political scientist at Salisbury's Catawba College.

When Joe Oxendine came to Catawba College the first time in 1948, he was an 18-year-old Lumbee Indian who had just spent a year working at a Detroit automobile factory making and saving money to put himself through undergraduate school. When Oxendine returned to Catawba this past March, he was an 81-year-old man, retired after a long and successful career in academia.

Dr. Michael Bitzer, a political science professor at Catawba College recently spoke to the Charlotte Observer about his analysis of the new legislative districts according to the voting results from the last two presidential elections compared to how the state voted.

By Emily Ford, salisburypost.com - Dr. Erin Wood, assistant professor of psychology at Catawba College, offers some advice on how employees can stay focused and productive during the summer. As temperatures soar outside, the summer slump begins inside. When desk jockeys and cubicle dwellers should be crunching numbers, making sales or writing articles, they are daydreaming about the beach or pool.

1948 Catawba College alumnus Joe Riley grew up in New York and Pennsylvania but headed south to attend Catawba College and eventually make Salisbury his home.

Doc Hendley, one of the Top 10 CNN Heroes for 2009, will speak at the National Environmental Summit for High School Students July 20 at Catawba College. Hendley, 32, is the founder of an organization that has provided clean water to nearly 100,000 people in 11 Third World countries since 2004.

A cigar store will open in a 110-year-old Victorian cottage in downtown Salisbury, thanks to a $41,000 grant from the state. Darren Moody, a Catawba College graduate who lives in Salisbury, plans to open The Perfect Smoke in six to nine months. Salisbury will receive a Main Street Solutions Fund grant to help pay for the $124,000 rehabilitation of the house at 213 S. Lee St. near the Norvell Theater, behind City Hall.

Catawba College Professor of Political Science Dr. J. Michael Bitzer was recently featured on the IndependentTribute.com website on the topic of the possible new representative Cabarrus County could gain in the N.C. House if the proposed legislative district changes are approved.

by Lauren Ebersole '07 - The past three weeks have been a whirlwind: 3 countries, 8 flights, 6 boats (including cruise, pontoon, glass bottom, semi-submersible, and row), 4 coach buses, 1 scenic train, 1 gondola skyrail, and numerous taxis, hired cars, and angkots.

by Michael Tomsic, WFAE.org - Republicans today released a map of how they plan to redraw voting districts for the North Carolina senate. The House maps are supposed to come out today too, but aren't available online yet. GOP lawmakers are in charge of redistricting this time, and have carved out some major changes to districts in Mecklenburg and surrounding counties.

The plan for North Carolina's new Senate and House voting districts was due out Monday, but lawmakers said they have received so much input from voters and want to ensure that the map is easily downloaded, so they postponed the release date until Tuesday.

by Sarah Campbell, SalisburyPost.com - Bryson Nesbitt graduated from Catawba College in December 2010 with a degree in Business Administration. Nesbitt, needing a job while finishing up college, became a school bus driver and plans to drive full-time until he finds a job in his field. His driving skills landed him second place in the local school bus roadeo before securing a fourth place win in the district competition. He now has hopes of a possible win at the international level.

Source: SalisburyPost.com - The Rev. Angela Burris was recently appointed to Shiloh United Methodist Church in Granite Quarry and will preach her initial sermon Sunday, July 10, at 11 a.m. A graduate of Catawba College and Duke Divinity School and an ordained elder, she most recently served in an internship at Faithwalk, a new United Methodist congregation in Gibsonville.

by Mark Wineka, SalisburyPost.com - Catawba College associate professor Dr. Cyndi Osterhus has strong, personal ties to the shuttle program as one of the NASA Teacher in Space finalists and considered traveling to Florida for the final shuttle launch.

When the new academic year begins, the Catawba College Music Department will welcome a new Director of Choral Music and an Artist-in-Residence. Justin Hazelgrove will be Catawba’s new Director of Choral Music, and Christina Pier, will be a Catawba Artist-in-Residence. College Provost, Dr. Rick Stephens, announced the appointments July 8.

Catawba College professors Missy Barnes and Bethany Sinnott and alumna Brie Smith are among the creative team behind this production, which they hope might lead to an annual summer Shakespeare event in Salisbury. Those who think that Shakespeare's history plays are tedious and long will be pleasantly surprised by Lee Street Theatre's upcoming production of Henry V. Funny and fast-paced, this show is true to the Elizabethan tradition of popular entertainment.

By Kathy Chaffin, Center for the Environment - For Catawba student Sarah Moore, helping with the National Environmental Summit for High School Students at the Center for the Environment at Catawba College gives her experience planning a large event and the opportunity to ultimately help create a better world.

Catawba College alumni will have a chance to shine on the stage of Hedrick Little Theatre in the Showcase of Alumni Talent during Homecoming Weekend, October 21-23. The Showcase will be held just prior to the Blue Masque Hall of Fame induction and reception, which begins at 8pm on Friday, October 21.

Come and enjoy the Silent Auction on Tuesday, August 9 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in Kirkland Lobby of Goodman Gymnasium on campus. There will be something to fit every pocketbook, and all proceeds will benefit the Athletics Department! Items up for bid include five vacation homes, great golf packages, dinners with celebrities, NASCAR racing experiences, massages, personal training, great dinner getaways, Grand Ole Opry tickets, golf lessons, Carolina Panthers tickets, and more!

The recent release of preliminary proposals for the state legislative districts have made Democrats and civil rights activists angry. Catawba College Professor of Political Science Dr. J. Michael Bitzer recently spoke to WFAE 90.7 FM regarding the redistricting. Bitzer says redistricting is a messy political process in most states, but especially in North Carolina.

Logan Ellis, member of the incoming Class of 2015 at Catawba College, has been selected as a finalist for the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) High School Sullivan Award. Ellis graduated from Southeast Guilford High School in Greensboro, N.C. and will begin classes at Catawba in the fall. A two-time all-conference golfer, Ellis qualified for first-round match play in the 2010 CGA NC Junior Matchplay Championships. He started scouting at age 7 and earned the rank of Eagle at age 16.

Catawba College Professors, Pam Thompson (ABD) and Darin Spencer, CPA, M.Acc., MBA, attended the annual meeting of the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) in Indianapolis, Indiana June 24 - June 27 with the generous support of Mr. Ralph Ketner, a trustee of the college. While there, the two attended workshops and seminars in preparation for continuing accreditation activities. They also met with regional and national leaders of ACBSP.

Ted Demarest, Class of '77, has been named Delaware School Psychologist of the Year for 2011. He received the award at the annual conference of the Delaware Association of School Psychologists in May. Ted has been a school psychologist for the Colonial School District in New Castle, Delaware, since 1982. During his tenure with the school district, he has served preschool through secondary students.

by Sarah Campbell, SalisburyPost.com - Barry Hawkins, Program Director for Students in Training (SIT), earned degrees from Catawba College in business and information systems. The nonprofit organization, run primarly through grants from the Woodson Foundation, provides technology training...

by Mike London, SalisburyPost.com - When former Catawba slugger Jerry Sands was with the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this year, Catawba sports information director Jim Lewis naturally watched his games. There were times when a play-by-play man, unfamiliar with Sands, was astonished to learn he was from a Division II school in North Carolina called Catawba. Almost instantly, researchers would inform the play-by-play guy that the most famous baseball player to come out of Catawba was Johnny Temple

by Sarah Campbell, scampbell@salisburypost.com - When Rick Hampton took over as the principal of North Rowan Elementary School in 2004 he quickly realized that regular Band-Aids simply aren’t good enough. "I had to go out and buy Blues Clues and Sponge Bob Band-Aids," he said. "I fixed a lot of boo-boos with those Band-Aids. They always brought a smile."

By: Carrie Gonnella, 2011 EDF Climate Corps Public Sector Fellow - This summer I am lucky to have a fellowship at Catawba College's Center for the Environment. I was fortunate to start just in time to learn about two initiatives the Center is pursuing: a green roof for the science building and a new high efficiency greenhouse.