Harding Academy Alumni Events Blog

Esprit de Corps 2010, “Celebration in the Garden” was an absolutely wonderful dinner event. The ballroom of the Memphis Botanic Garden was packed as over 350 guests enjoyed fellowship together. The generous humor of Mr. David Rubio ‘90 and the moving speech by Dr. Ron Chacko ‘99 really re-energized our passion for Harding Academy. The evening was highlighted by the outstanding student performers, artists, and servers (over 100 students in all) who did and outstanding job making attendees feel special. Sr. Alicia Guthrie, playing her harp, greeted guests at the entrance to the Memphis Botanic Garden. Once in the building, the sixth grade recorder ensemble, under the direction of Elementary Music teacher, Patsy Lane, entertained the new arrivals. Down the hall, the seniors of the Harding Acappella Chorus, performed under the direction of Sr. Max Michael and Sr. Ashley Ragland; On the terrace, the Jazz Band, under the direction of Harding Academy Band director, Colby Canterbury “wowed” those who attended the reception. At dinner, guests enjoyed the talents of Sr. Suzanne Chapman (vocal), Sr. Garrett Lim (piano), Soph. Margaret Wheless (harp), and Sr. Catherine Wheless (flute). Congratulations are extended to Leon and Marilyn Sanderson who were the 2010 Esprit de Corps recipients and Allen Moltz, who was the Harding Academy 2010 Distinguished Alumnus recipient. Proceeds from the event will help new students attend Harding Academy. Check out the photo gallery at http://bit.ly/6Wd9bk.

David Rubio '90 is Master of the MC

Dr. Ron Chacko ‘99 spoke in chapel today about life after highschool and adjusting to the world as an alumnus. He wove his message into a powerful lesson on pride and entitlement.

Join us for the Alumni & Friends Networking Breakfast on Friday, April 23, 7:30 AM at the Harding Cherry Road campus. Our speaker will be Marvin Stockwell, Public Relations Director for the Church Health Center.
Here’s a little bit about Mr. Stockwell:
In his five and a half years as Public Relations Manager at the Church Health Center, Marvin Stockwell has significantly increased the Center’s visibility in the media by cultivating media contacts, preparing information in a way that is easy for the media to use, and effectively pitching ideas to reporters, editors and TV/radio producers. Stockwell has advised and helped other nonprofits such as Leadership Memphis, MPACT Memphis, the Rise Foundation, Caritas Village, Memphis Rock-n-Romp and others with media pitching and PR strategy. He is on the board of Memphis Rock-n-Romp and Our Own Voice Theatre Troupe and is on the marketing committee for Leadership Memphis. Marvin and his wife Sarah have two daughters and a baby due in September.

It is reunion time again as the class of ‘64, ‘65. and ‘66 are getting a Memorial Day event planned.  Please mark you calendars! Gloria Lloyd is the main contact person – smilinganyway@comcast.net.

The Fall Alumni Networking Breakfast was pleased to have Robert Staub, host of the SmallBiz radio show (KWAM) as the keynote speaker.  The group was very enthusiastic about venturing into new realms of social media. Business cards were exchanged upon conclusion.

September 25-26 was a big weekend for alumni events. At the Homecoming game, the alumni tent hosted over 100 alumni and family members. The official reunions for the weekend were the classes of 1969 (40 years), 1984 (25 years), and 1979 (20 years). Several brought yearbooks from their years together. It was a memorable weekend. Enjoy the pictures in the alumni photo gallery.

Cathy and I walked in the front door and immediately saw faces we had not seen in 30 years. Now our past students had wives and children in tow. We walked down to the elementary gym where there was a sign up table, name tags (with class pictures) given out and the rest of the Class standing, talking, greeting and hugging. There was unbelievable excitement in the air.
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Carolyn Welch Hladky, literally, took the bull by the horns and ran with it, to mix metaphors. She contacted all the contactable members of the classes of 1959, the class of 1960, and the class which would have been the class of 1958 (former Memphis Christian School students) if Harding College had taken over Memphis Christian School earlier. Email invitations were sent out for the reunion to be held on Saturday afternoon, May 16th, in the Alumni Room of the Cherry Road Harding Academy of Memphis campus. Carolyn, in addition to being the primary invitation extender, put together an interesting “One Liner,” guess-who package, and compiled a professionally printed “Bios” booklet, which included what graduates had done in the 50 or so years since they graduated. The “Bio” booklet is a quality keepsake which we will cherish to the end of our earthly days. Read more. See pictures.

We had a nice turn out for our first Alumni Networking Breakfast! We appreciate everyone that attended and hope the event was beneficial to you. Thank you to Shali Atkinson of Contagious Networking for being with us and for making such a great presentation. Thank you also to Sodexo for providing the wonderful breakfast and to the Development Office for providing door prizes. Stay tuned for future networking events! See pictures from the event.