TIFTON – It was another busy year at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in 2023, including a substantial increase in enrollment in the fall, a slew of successful on-campus events, and several visits from leaders around the state. Some of the highlights were:
January
- University System of Georgia Regent Tom Bradbury visited ABAC and spent several hours with administration, faculty, and students.
- ABAC’s Georgia Museum of Agriculture’s Curator Polly Huff was honored for “Carver & Polk: Crossover of Agriculture and Photography in the early 20th Century” Museum Exhibit by the Georgia Association of Museums.
February
- The college celebrated its 115th birthday on February 20. In that time, ABAC grew from just 27 students to nearly 4,000 students.
- Pumpkin, the matriarch of the college’s beef herd, was honored with a 20th birthday party on February 14. The popular Pumpkin has played a key role in ABAC’s unique hands-on learning opportunities for most of her life.
March
- Seven students, majoring in either biology or animal science were accepted into top veterinary programs after participating in the Pre-Vet Club, a program designed to streamline and track the acceptance rate of ABAC students into veterinary colleges.
- The Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) presented ABAC band director Deborah Bradley with its highest honor, the Distinguished Career Award. Bradley has spent 40 years as a music educator.
- Emily Groat was named Ms. ABAC 2023. Groat, a senior agriculture major from Ruskin, Fla. who was sponsored by the Stallion Society, also won the Interview Award and was named Miss Congeniality.
April
- Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed two agriculture bills on the college’s Bainbridge campus on April 18. The bills were House Bill 545, which creates an Agricultural Commodity Commission for Citrus Fruits, and Senate Bill 220, which creates the Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund. ABAC alum Tyler Harper, Georgia’s Agriculture Commissioner, joined Kemp and President Tracy Brundage for the bill signing ceremony.
- Homecoming 2023 took place from April 10-15. This year’s festivities included a packed crowd for the Gee Haw Whoa Back Rodeo and several events and activities throughout the week for students and returning alumni such as a Homecoming Cookout, Alumni Awards Luncheon, Golden Alumni Gathering welcoming the class of 1973, a Cattlemen’s reunion, a Baptist Student Union/Baptist College Ministries reunion, Remembrance Service, and a Community Plant Sale.
May
- The University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents approved ABAC’s proposal for four-year athletics, including the return of men’s and women’s basketball for the 2024-25 season.
- During the Spring Commencement ceremonies, 397 graduates earned their degrees on May 11. Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, an ABAC alumnus, was the featured speaker.
- ABAC was awarded a $434,000 nursing grant from the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce (GBHCW). Funds from the grant help combat the nursing shortage by increasing the number of nurses graduating from qualified institutions. Also, the grant supports pre-nursing instruction in anatomy and physiology classes and microbiology classes.
- Former Georgia governor Roy Barnes visited the campus and donated Whitlock, a registered Polled Hereford bull, to the college as part of its beef unit.
- ABAC honored employees with Faculty and Staff Awards and Service Recognition Awards in May. Dr. Alan Kramer was recognized for 30 years of service, while Doug Hicks was selected for the Roy R. Jackson Award for Staff Excellence; Dr. Sallie McHugh was selected for the W. Bruce and Rosalyn Ray Donaldson Award for Teaching Excellence; Dr. Janet Koposko was selected as the recipient of the W. Bruce and Rosalyn Ray Donaldson Excellence in Advising Award; Deidra Jackson was the recipient of the E. Lanier Carson Leadership Award; and Dr. Benjamin Gahagen was selected for the W. Bruce and Rosalyn Ray Donaldson Award for Excellence in Student Engagement.
June
- ABAC was chosen to host a 90-acre Digital and Data-Driven Demonstration Farm, or “4-D Farm,” as part of a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The award recognized the efforts that the department has had in addressing the agriculture teacher shortage, their preparation of highly skilled graduates, and quick starter agriculture teachers.
- ABAC brought back the African-American Male Initiative (AAMI) program under the direction of Dr. Jewrell Rivers. (AAMI) is a system-wide initiative designed to increase the number of black male students who complete their postsecondary education from any USG institution. Its mission is to provide an integrated program model of academic, leadership, and life skills to assist any participating student to complete each academic level and graduate.
July
- ABAC’s Ag Education and Communication Department was named the Outstanding Post Secondary Agriculture Program by the Georgia Vocation Agriculture Teachers Association (GVATA).
- University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue toured ABAC’s Bainbridge campus after a facility transfer ceremony where a facility that formerly served as ABAC’s Blakely campus to the Early County School System.
- The new ABAC Certificate in Instructional Support Personnel and the Certificate in Digital Media and Professional Communication started for ABAC students in Fall semester.
- The ABAC Testing Center received national certification from the National College Testing Association. ABAC’s testing center provides a wide range of services, including online testing, program-specific entrance and exit exams, proctoring services (independent learning), and placement testing.
August
- President Tracy Brundage celebrated one year as ABAC’s 11th president on August 7. She addressed faculty and staff during the annual State of the College meeting, where she reviewed the new strategic plan, the introduction of new certificate programs, and the transition to four-year athletics.
- Long-time ABAC supporters Rick and Sandy Bostelman were selected to receive the University System of Georgia’s Regents Hall of Fame Distinguished Alumni Award. This award recognizes “distinguished alumni and friends for outstanding achievements in their professional lives, personal integrity and stature and dedicated service to a USG institution.” The couple was honored at a gala in September.
- ABAC’s Fall semester kicked off with its largest enrollment increase in five years. A total of 3,769 students enrolled, which reflected an increase of over 3.5 percent from the fall of 2022.
- Alumna Jaclyn Ford was named Chair of ABAC Foundation Board of Trustees. She had served on the board since 2015 as a member of the Finance and Investment Committee.
- ABAC welcomed 10 new faculty members throughout 2023, including five in the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, two in the School of Arts and Sciences, one in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, and two in the Stafford School of Business.
September
- ABAC faculty, staff, students, University System of Georgia institution representatives, and community officials celebrated Dr. Tracy L. Brundage’s investiture as ABAC’s 11th president on September 22. The event included supportive remarks from several individuals about Brundage’s contributions to higher education throughout her 31-year career, as well as remarks from USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue, Governor Brian Kemp, and a host of local dignitaries.
- ABAC boasted a 100 percent boards pass rate for nursing graduates at both Tifton and Bainbridge locations, beating the state average of 82 percent and the national average of 77 percent.
October
- ABAC hosted the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents for its monthly meeting during the first week of October. The Board annually holds two meetings on college campuses, and more than 20 years had passed since a meeting was held in Tifton. Several system officials remarked that it was their first time at ABAC and were overwhelmed by the beauty of the campus and the hospitality they received.
- The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Council of Presidents officially approved ABAC for membership at its meeting on October 2. ABAC’s athletic teams will begin NAIA competition in the fall of 2024.
- Ryan Hogan was selected as the Vice President of Enrollment Management, Marketing, and Communications. His experience included 24 years of in the field, 22 of which was at Valdosta State University.
- ABAC’s episode on “The College Tour” debuted on Amazon Prime. Each episode of the show focuses on a single college, including campus life, academics, housing, sports, activities, and more. Life at ABAC is told in 10 vignettes featuring students, who provide an inside look at what it is truly like to be a Stallion.
November
- ABAC’s Office of College Advancement was honored with the Overall Institutional Excellence in Advancement Award at the Georgia Education Advancement Council (GEAC) annual conference on Nov. 14. This award is the highest award presented by GEAC to an entire staff at an institution that demonstrates outstanding achievement and commitment to the field of higher education advancement. The ABAC Office of College Advancement (OCA) includes the ABAC Foundation, development, alumni, advancement services, and advancement communications offices.
- Melissa Pierzchajlo was named ABAC Alumni Association President. The Alumni Board of Directors supports the mission of the ABAC Alumni Association, which is to strengthen and enrich the College’s educational and extracurricular programs and to maximize the contribution to the economic, social, and cultural life of Georgia and the Southeastern United States.
December
- Fall commencement exercises saw 267 graduates earn their degrees on Dec. 14. Cathy Cox, President of Georgia College and State University and ABAC alumna, was the commencement speaker at both ceremonies.
