East Georgia State College will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a series of events next month.
It runs from Thursday, Sept. 26, through Saturday, Sept. 28. The theme is “Educating. Graduating. Serving Communities. An Enduring Legacy,” playing off the school’s EGSC acronym.
The festivities will begin with convocation at 11 a.m. Sept. 26, in the auditorium of the Luck Flanders Gambrell Center. The convocation speaker will be Dr. Michael L. Thurmond, the former three-term Georgia labor commissioner and current interim superintendent of the DeKalb County School District.
That evening, a capital campaign kickoff dinner will be held in the college’s physical education center at the college. The details of a $5 million, five-year capital campaign will be announced during the evening. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Bill Crowe, the director of the Georgia Center for Continuing Education at the University of Georgia.
Highlighting the dinner will be a silent art auction featuring work by faculty, staff, students and alumni. The dinner is $25 per person and requires advance reservations. You may register online at www.ega.edu/cckd. The event begins at 6:30 p.m.
On Sept. 27, the Investiture of Robert Boehmer as the fifth president of EGSC will be held in the Luck Flanders Gambrell Center Auditorium. The event will be followed by an outdoor reception to be held in the student quadrangle. The investiture will follow ceremonial protocol. Guests will include University System of Georgia Chancellor Hank Huckaby, members of the Board of Regents, college presidents and elected officials. Guests are requested to be seated by 10:40 a.m.
On Sept. 28, the Bobcat Dash with a Splash 5K will begin at 8 a.m., with a 1-mile fun run at 9 a.m. Registration starts at 7 a.m., but it may be done in advance online at www.ega.edu/bobcatdash. The unique 5K race will be a color run where participants are “splashed” with green and gold powder at various points along the race and at the finish line. Runners wearing white clothing will get the best overall effect. An awards ceremony will follow.
Beginning at 11 a.m. that day, the celebration will continue in the Luck Flanders Gambrell Auditorium with a student performance featuring highlights of Emanuel County Junior College, East Georgia College and East Georgia State College – the names the college has had over the years. There will also be a dedication of the EGSC Community Wall. Following the performance, the audience is invited to participate in an outdoor commemorative aerial photograph.
That afternoon the Parents, Family and Alumni event gets underway. Planned activities for the afternoon will include Bongo Ball, a student talent showcase, Family Jeopardy and Art World, which features pottery exhibits, balloon animals, sidewalk chalk competition and make-your-own tie-dye T-shirts (for free).
Guests may also participate in beach volleyball, disc golf, ropes course, basketball games with members of the state champion Bobcat team, a tennis clinic and planetarium shows at the Fulford Center.
The afternoon highlight will be the Bobcat Regatta, a duct tape boat race on Ezra Pond. Boats are constructed of only two items only: duct tape and corrugated cardboard. This event will be open to public teams as well as members of the college community. There is no fee to enter, but advanced registration is required and prizes will be awarded. Online registration is available at www.ega.edu/bobcatregatta. A complimentary lunch will be served, and snacks will be available for purchase.
