Author: Kathy Dean

MOBILE, Ala. – Dr. Mark Foley, president emeritus of the University of Mobile, will deliver the commencement address for the UM Class of 2023 on Saturday, May 6. Approximately 330 candidates for graduation will receive associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees during the ceremony that begins at 9 a.m. on the Great Commission Lawn.

A highpoint for commencement is the Great Commission Tradition. After receiving their degrees, new graduates will touch the Great Commission Globe to mark the completion of their degree and the journey ahead as they pursue God’s calling for their lives throughout the world. The ceremony takes place on the Dr. Fred and Sue Lackey Great Commission Lawn and the Great Commission Globe was made possible through a generous gift from the estate of Doris M. Davis.

Guests are advised to arrive on campus early to allow time for parking and seating. Handicapped parking is available at Bedsole Library and Martin Hall. For more graduation information, including weather plans, please visit the university website at umobile.edu/graduation.

Dr. Mark Foley served as the third president of the University of Mobile, from 1998 to 2016. During his 18-year tenure, he led the move to intentionally integrate learning, faith and leadership in all areas of university life while raising academic standards, establishing outstanding programs such as the Center for Performing Arts, and leading the university to national rankings.

Also during that period, the university invested $44.8 million in capital projects, including the Weaver Hall Enhancement Project that gave the university’s historic first building its iconic look with a pitched roof, portico and cupola. Other additions included three residence halls, a professional recording studio and Ram Hall auditorium.

Previously, Foley served as executive vice president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, Texas; and a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Philosophy in psychology and counseling from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is an ordained minister, a former business owner, and has practiced as a professional counselor. His wife, Marilyn, served at his side as First Lady for the university. She holds a Bachelor of Science in education from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, and is a former classroom educator.

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About the University of Mobile

The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered university offering on-campus and online associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.

For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.

MOBILE, Ala. – It is official!

The Master of Athletic Training program at the University of Mobile has been granted initial accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. 

Program Director Melissa Thomas, Ed.D, ATC, said the Master of Athletic Training (MAT) program’s first graduating class will be awarded degrees May 6 during a commencement ceremony on the University of Mobile campus. 

A Promise Fulfilled

Dr. Thomas said the accreditation process validated what she hoped others also could see in UM’s MAT program: committed faculty, and students who were dedicated to the athletic training profession and unwavering in their decision to attend UM as the new program pursued accreditation.

“This is about fulfilling a promise I made to each of these students during their interview for admission, so telling them the program gained accreditation was the best feeling in the world,” said Thomas, associate professor of kinesiology in the School of Health and Sports Science, College of Health Professions.

MAT Program Strengths Cited

The university officially was notified in April of the initial accreditation decision after CAATE peer reviewers completed a comprehensive on-site review of the program in January.

Thomas said the peer review team cited program strengths during its exit interview: 

• The program’s small cohort sizes are ideal for maintaining exceptional didactic and clinical learning experiences. Students, faculty, and preceptors expressed that the program’s size allows for individualized instruction, learning, and attention to detail in students’ growth, success, and future career endeavors. 

• The program offers a variety of quality clinical experiences across multiple patient care settings for all students.Preceptors demonstrate an altruistic desire to give back to the program and support students through any means possible. Students regularly engage in hands-on, autonomous clinical experiences throughout the program, regardless of setting. 

• Dr. Matthew Busbee, MAT program medical director, demonstrates an evident commitment to the success of the MAT program by providing support to MAT faculty and learning opportunities to MAT students. Dr. Busbee has a robust history of working with athletic trainers and is a true advocate of the athletic training profession. Dr. Busbee demonstrates an evident commitment to his involvement in the MAT program across various interactions with students in clinical practice and through planned lectures. The program’s relationship with The Orthopaedic Group P.C. also enhances student clinical practice.

• Simulation and collaboration through interprofessional education with nursing programs are exceptional. The state-of-the-art simulation facilities provide students with intentional simulation experiences, often through high-fidelity mannequins and equipment. 

CAATE Accreditation a Team Effort

Thomas said developing and implementing an exceptional Master of Athletic Training Program at the University of Mobile was a team effort.

A key team member was Megan Harper, DAT, ATC, who serves as coordinator of clinical education and assistant professor of kinesiology in UM’s School of Health and Sports Science, College of Health Professions.

“Dr. Harper continues to push students to excel through clinical education opportunities, push the limits of simulations, and use standardized patients for student learning,” said Thomas.

Committed Preceptors & Adjunct Faculty

In addition, Thomas thanked each preceptor and adjunct faculty member listed below who continuously shows a commitment to UM’s athletic training program. 

Adjunct faculty include:

Jennifer Thomas, Pharm.D.; 
James Fisher, PA-C, ATC;
Kristen Rather, PT;
Dr. Lori DeLong, ATC – Dean, School of Health and Sports Science.

Preceptors and clinical sites include:

Kelly Vinson, ATC, PTA – McGill-Toolen High; 
David Bentley, ATC – St. Luke’s Episcopal School; 
Chandler McCulloch, ATC – St. Paul’s Episcopal School;
Rob Milam, ATC – Spanish Fort High;
Rachel Alterio, ATC – Mobile Christian High;
Robert DeLong, ATC – University of Mobile;                    
Kyle McDowell, ATC ­­– Bishop State Community College;
Laura Beth Wright, ATC and Baylee Kimbrell, ATC – Spring Hill College;
Robert Lightfoot, MD – Victory Health Partners;
Shawn McQuade, Paramedic – Mobile County EMS;
Matthew Busbee, MD and Karla Beasley, ATC – The Orthopaedic Group PC;
Brian Risser, PT, ATC – Saraland Physical Therapy;
Jon Hammontree, ATC ­ – Hartselle High;
Scott Armistead, ATC; Alex Villasanti, ATC; and Dalton Davis, ATC – FC Cincinnati Soccer Club;  
Courtney Perkins, ATC – Alabama State University.

UM Accepting MAT Applications to May 1

There is still time for students to apply for admission to the next cohort of UM’s Master of Athletic Training program. 

The online application is completed through ATCAS and remains open until May 1. The ATCAS system allows students to submit transcripts, letters of recommendation, observation hours and more through the program’s verification process.

UM’s 2-year, 62-credit-hour MAT program prepares students through both didactic and clinical experiences to sit for the Board of Certification Exam.

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About the University of Mobile

The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered university offering on-campus and online associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.

For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.

MOBILE, Ala. – Be part of the University of Mobile mission of “Higher Education for a Higher Purpose” by making an online donation on April 4 during UM Give Day 2023.

UM Give Day is a 48-hour online event that helps raise funds for student scholarships and various student programs at the Christian university.

Give Day 2023 begins April 4 and will be celebrated across University of Mobile social media platforms. Tax-deductible gifts can be made before April 4 and still count toward the total raised for Give Day. 

Make your donation and keep up with the campaign’s progress at umobile.edu/giveday.

The annual UM Give Day event supports “Higher Education for a Higher Purpose” by providing student scholarships and helping fund various programs. Donors also have the option to designate specific areas where their gifts may be used. 

To be part of UM Give Day 2023:

• Follow University of Mobile Alumni and UM flagship social media accounts
• Make your UM Give Day donation at umobile.edu/giveday
• Share your support on your personal social media accounts
• Invite others to support the University of Mobile’s mission of “Higher Education for a Higher Purpose.”

To learn more about opportunities to support the University of Mobile, go to umobile.edu/visit or contact the Office for Advancement at 251.442.2913.

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About the University of Mobile

The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered university offering on-campus and online associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.

For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of Mobile honors 2004 alumnus Ira Bates Jr., vice president –community development officer for The First Bank, with the Samuel Boykin Medal of Excellence.

The Samuel Boykin Medal of Excellence was established in 2019 to honor the life of the late Samuel M. Boykin, the first African American graduate of the University of Mobile. The award recognizes outstanding African American graduates of UM who reflect the ideals of virtuosity, faith and charity that Boykin exemplified throughout his career, family and community.

“I am humbled and extremely honored to receive such a prestigious award,” said Bates. “It is a testament to the Most High’s grace, mercy and sovereignty over my life. As a proud graduate of the University of Mobile, that happens to be African American, it means a lot to me to represent my faith, family and university in a positive manner as well as being a role model to other young African American men to pursue greatness.”

Bates, a first-generation graduate, received his undergraduate degree in business administration in 2004 from the University of Mobile. In 2019, he continued his education by earning a degree in banking, corporate, finance, and securities law from the Alabama Banking School. 

Bates is a member of the President’s Advisory Council at the University of Mobile. He serves the local community through a variety of non-profit organizations including United Way, Habitat for Humanity, Housing First, Victory Health Partners, Foley Housing Authority, Africatown Redevelopment Corporation, Junior Achievement, Goodwill Gulf Coast, Ella Grant Elementary Mentors, Toastmasters International and Greater Gulf State Fair. 

Haley Ikner Haney, director of alumni relations, said, “Ira exemplifies not only the characteristics that make the Boykin Award special, but also those of the university. Ira’s story of being a non-traditional, first-generation college student resonates with many of our current students and alumni. Ira is a deserving recipient of this award and leaves a legacy for many others to follow.”

Bates will receive the award on April 1 at the annual Alumni Brunch held at the university. Tickets for the brunch are $10 per person. The brunch will be followed by an Alumni Easter Egg Hunt for children of alumni. To RSVP for the Alumni Brunch or to register children ages 10 and under for the Alumni Easter Egg Hunt, or for more information, visit umobile.edu/alumni-events or contact the alumni office at 251.442.2226.

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About the University of Mobile

The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.

For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.

MOBILE, Ala. – When University of Mobile School of Education graduates describe Dr. Hazel Petersen Walter, who died March 15, 2023, at the age of 99, they use words like: motivating, demanding, dedicated and respected. 

In her role as a dean and vice president, faculty and staff saw her as formidable yet mischievous, challenging yet encouraging. 

UM president and 1979 alumnus Dr. Lonnie Burnett adds another descriptor: “mentor.”

“My first mentor, Dr. Hazel Petersen, taught me the importance of always pursuing excellence, even in the smallest details. Next to an eventual ‘Well done, good and faithful servant,’ a word of approval from her was the most treasured acknowledgement,” Burnett recalled.

During her long tenure at the Baptist-affiliated university, “Dr. Petersen,” as she was known to her UM family, served as chair of the Division of Education, interim dean, academic dean and vice president for academic affairs. After retiring in 1989, she returned to the university as assistant to the president and dean of an international branch campus before retiring again in 1998.

Prior to serving at the University of Mobile, she married Neils Petersen and taught school in Florida, Louisiana and Alabama. Later, after his death, she met her second husband, Homer Walter, during her retirement years. They were married for seven years until he passed away in 2007.

‘I Love Students’

Hazel Adams Petersen Walter was a lifelong educator. Born Jan. 17, 1924, she earned a Bachelor of Arts from Howard College (now Samford University) in 1950 and a Master of Education in 1965 from Auburn University. In 1967, after earning a doctorate in education from Auburn, she joined the faculty of the new Baptist-affiliated Mobile College. Founded in 1961, the school enrolled its first class in 1963 and, in 1993, became the University of Mobile. 

“I have a strong feeling about the importance of Christian higher education,” she recalled in 2019. “I made the choice to come to the University of Mobile. It was new, and I had the opportunity to develop the teacher education program. It was a quality school with high expectations, but the support was there for students, and the faculty was committed.”

Those weren’t the only reasons she invested much of her life into the Christian university.

“Of course, I love students,” she said.

“My love for the children I could not have was the greatest thing ever given to me. I had so many young people I could reach out to and become a part of my life, and in some way, I could become a part of their life,” she said.

One of those students was Dr. Debra Chancey, who would eventually follow in Petersen’s footsteps as dean of the School of Education. Petersen taught Chancey in both undergraduate and graduate programs.

Impact the World

“I cannot think of anyone who exemplifies the impact that an educator can have on her community and world more than Dr. Hazel Petersen Walter,” said Chancey, who now serves as associate vice president for institutional effectiveness in the Office for Academic Affairs.

As a student, Chancey worked in Petersen’s office helping the dean prepare SACSCOC materials and state review documents. In later years, Chancey with husband and fellow UM graduate, Danny, would travel to Gainesville, Florida, to visit Petersen at her retirement community.

“Her life not only touched the students she taught at the college level but also touched the students of the teachers she mentored, the students she taught in Vietnam, the students of the university she helped establish in Nicaragua, and the international students that she welcomed into her home.  She truly became part of all the lives she touched. 

“From the perspective of a former student and lifelong friend, I can say she was one of the most amazing people I have ever met,” Chancey said.

Bold and Adventurous

Throughout her career, the professor-turned-administrator was bold and adventurous.

In the 1960s, women were rarely appointed to high-level administrative positions in higher education. Mobile College founding president Dr. William K. Weaver Jr. promoted Petersen to chair of the college’s Division of Education – one of the highest positions held at that time by women in higher education in the state of Alabama.

Later, when Weaver appointed her to the top post of academic dean, she broke another glass ceiling. At that time, there were no other female academic deans in Baptist colleges nationwide.

“He thought I was the right person for that position,” she said. “I remember a meeting I went to for the Baptist colleges. I went into the deans’ meeting, and one of the gentlemen said to me, ‘The ladies are meeting in another location; this is for the deans.’”

Retelling the story, she paused and, with a chuckle, recalled her response.

“I said, ‘I am a dean,’” and took her seat alongside the men.

Petersen and her Mobile College colleague, English professor Dr. Frances Garner, were among the first American teachers to venture into Vietnam in 1989 following the Vietnam War. They had volunteered to teach English as a second language to Vietnamese educators.

Later, she lived in Nicaragua for several years while the university operated a branch campus, retiring when that campus closed in 1998.

Hazel Petersen Scholarships

Two scholarships at the University of Mobile honor Petersen Walter.

The Hazel Petersen Scholarship is a full tuition scholarship that recognizes outstanding students who have distinguished themselves through academic achievement and personal excellence.

The Hazel A. Petersen Leadership Scholarship is an endowed scholarship established in 2015 by the Chanceys for a teacher education student.

In lieu of flowers, the Petersen Walters family requests donations be made to the Hazel A. Petersen Leadership Scholarship at the University of Mobile. Donors may visit umobile.edu and click “Give” at the top of the page to designate the donation from the dropdown list, or go directly to umobile.edu/give.

‘A Wonderful Life’

In June of 2007 at the age of 83, Petersen visited the University of Mobile campus for the final time. During her two-day visit, Petersen lived in the university’s newest residence hall for women, Karlene Farmer Faulkner Hall, and enjoyed interacting with students.

Former students and longtime faculty and staff gathered in Moorer Auditorum to honor the educator. The RamTonz barbershop quartet demonstrated their award-winning harmonies at an impromptu concert.

“It’s exciting for me to hear of the accomplishments of the students who have come through the university,” Petersen said. “I firmly believe in private higher education and how it affects your quality of life. It makes a difference in your future. We have people in every profession who are making significant differences in the world.”

Surrounded by colleagues, former students and friends, she reflected on her career, her adventures, and the many years and adventures that still lay ahead.

“I’ve had a wonderful life – I’ve always had a wonderful life,” Petersen said.

View obituary here

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About the University of Mobile

About the University of Mobile

The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered university offering on-campus and online associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.

For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.

MOBILE, Ala. – A magazine article showcasing how the Encyclopedia of Alabama fosters scholarship and research features University of Mobile history professor and College of Arts & Sciences Dean Matthew Downs.

The article, “Encyclopedia of Alabama encourages scholarship and research” in the Winter 2023 issue of Beyond Auburn Magazine, highlights Downs’ use of the online encyclopedia for his own research and as a classroom teaching tool.

The Encyclopedia of Alabama is a free, online reference resource on Alabama’s history, culture, geography and natural environment. Downs is the author of five Encyclopedia of Alabama entries, including a recent article on prohibition in Alabama. Visit EncyclopediaofAlabama.org to read Downs’ entries and explore the site.

During a recent semester, the UM professor’s students conducted individual research to write encyclopedia-style entries modeled after those he found in EOA, the article stated.

A University of Mobile story titled “Dream Becomes Reality for 2 UM History Students” described one such project. Two UM students in Downs’ Alabama History class, Alyssa Cherry and Eliza Colbert Simmons, researched and wrote an article that was accepted and published by the Encyclopedia of Alabama. Read about their experience here: https://umobile.edu/news/dream-becomes-reality/

“When the online EOA officially launched in September 2008, there were assumptions that not only would the site be a welcomed source of information on its own merit, but it would also encourage additional scholarship and research. Fourteen years later there is much evidence that those expectations were well founded, and Downs’ work as a professor and scholar is one example,” the article stated. 

Read the full article in Beyond Auburn Magazine on pages 37-38 here: https://www.auburn.edu/outreach/beyondauburn/pdfs/BAwinter2023.pdf

Downs serves as editor of “The Alabama Review” and was the winner of the 2015 James F. Sulzby Award, presented by the Alabama Historical Association, for his book “Transforming the South: Federal Development in the Tennessee Valley 1915-1960.”

Visit EncyclopediaofAlabama.org to read Matthew Downs’ entry on prohibition in Alabama.

The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered university with a vision of “Higher 
Education for a Higher Purpose,” founded to honor God by equipping students for their 
future professions in an environment where they are known.

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About the University of Mobile

The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered university offering on-campus and online associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.

For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.