Posted on Friday, October 25, 2019
Sharing a message of encouragement and hope, the college’s first African-American graduate returned to campus for Homecoming last weekend.
Verona Brown Hill ’69 met with students, faculty and staff Friday morning in Lewis Library, sharing her memories of her time on the Hill. She was recognized by the Board of Trustees at Friday’s alumni awards luncheon.
“I am proud of the education I got at LaGrange College and the career it prepared me for,” she said. “All of you can do the same – you are bright lights and you can do anything you want to do. Don’t let opportunities pass you by.”
Hill is a native of LaGrange and a 1963 graduate of East Depot High School. She attended the Medical Center School of Nursing in Columbus for one year, then enrolled at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
In 1965, she married her childhood sweetheart, John Hill. But three years later, he was deployed to Vietnam, leaving Verona Hill with a two-month-old son.
“I moved home to LaGrange to be with family,” she said.
One day she heard someone mention that LaGrange College was accepting African-American students.
“I got up one morning and decided I was going to finish my degree at LaGrange College,” she said. “My mother was a really positive person and believed that anything is possible. She told me to go on ahead and do it.”
So Hill visited the campus for the first time and met with the dean. It went well.
“When I walked out of his office, I had been accepted at the college, received financial aid and was signed up for classes,” she said. “I skipped out of his office that day.”
She only had one year left to finish her degree, so she said she was very focused on her studies.
“There were several students who were married and had children so we tended to stick together,” she said. “But I would visit friends in their dorm rooms between classes. It was one school, one family who were so supportive of each other.”
Hill said she felt welcomed at the college during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. According to unofficial records, there were 17 African-Americans enrolled for the 1968-69 academic year.
“For the most part, I had a very pleasant experience at the college,” she said. “We had a couple of incidents but they were addressed quickly.”
But a tragic murder in April of that year became a pivotal moment for her.
“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968,” she said. “There was a lot of confusion and uncertainty on campus following that.”
But the efforts of her favorite professor, Dr. James Dobbs, Professor of Social Science, helped allay a lot of the students’ fears.
“The day after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, we had class, I think at Dr. Dobbs’ house,” she said. “We sat around and talked about (King’s death) and what it meant for our country. There was concern about what was going to happen to the (Civil Rights) movement.”
She said it was a significant moment not only for her, but also for the college.
“Everyone on the Hill came together and cared for each other,” she said. “LaGrange College was a unique place in 1969 – and it still is.”
After graduation, she went to work as a social worker for Muscogee County Aid to Families with Dependent Children program in Columbus. Once her husband was out of the service, they moved to DeKalb County where she was the only African-American case worker in the office.
“I didn’t just get a sociology degree but an education in social work,” she said. “My practicum put me in the field where I got the chance to meet the people and work in the world I’d be serving. That’s what made the difference. I knew what I was expected to do.”
She credits LaGrange College for preparing her for a career she loved.
“All I ever wanted to do was help people, and to earn a living where I was proud of what I was doing,” she said. “This college gave me the opportunity to do what I wanted to do with my life.”
She then looked at the group of students gathered around her.
“Look at you,” she said. “I am so proud of you all. You’ll be offered all kinds of opportunities here – never let opportunities pass you by. Grab hold of them and see where they might lead.”
The LaGrange Police Department held an active shooter drill on campus Thursday. Students, faculty and staff – as well as the community – were notified ahead of the event. Officials said they were pleased with the drill and appreciated everyone’s cooperation.
President Dan McAlexander has announced his plans to retire at the end of the academic year. Read more here.
The Wilkinson Family Servant Scholars will be selling children’s books for a nickel each from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. at the Griggs Center, 716 Glenn Robertson Drive, LaGrange.
The annual Fall Festival will be 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday on the patio next to Smith Hall. The event is for children ages 3-10 and will include supervised trick-or-treating in Hawkes Hall, face painting, carnival games and a haunted house. The event is free and open to the public.
Halloweek activities will continue Monday with a Haunted House at 7 p.m. at Turner Hall; Pumpkin Painting, 8 p.m., Boopie; Movie night, 7 p.m., Quad; Roast and Toast, 7 p.m., plaza and Pumpkin Smash, 7 p.m., Quad.
Don’t forget the Fall Service Saturday will be from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. Nov. 2. The college will be partnering with the City of LaGrange in its “Leaving LaGrange Better Than We Found It” campaign. To register for Service Saturday, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ServiceSaturdayFall2019
Tuesday
Thursday
Friday
Football
Freshman Terron Dixon ran for a school-record 284 yards and four touchdowns in leading LC to a 40-23 win over Greensboro for Homecoming 2019. Dixon was named the USA South Offensive Player of the Week and the Offensive Rookie of the Week. The Panthers (3-3, 1-2 USA South) play at Maryville (Tennessee) on Saturday.
Golf
In their final fall tournament, the Panthers won the Chick-fil-A Invitational at the Stonebridge Golf Club in Rome, Georgia. Junior Ben Womack tied for first in the individual standings, his second first-place finish of the fall. Fellow junior Sam Rogers was third and was on the All-Tournament team.
Women’s soccer
The Panthers (8-10) celebrated Senior Night with a 4-0 win over Judson on Tuesday. Seniors Taylor Ham and Maura Webb each scored a goal in their final game. Sydney Dailey and Zoe Watt also scored for the Panthers. LC closes out the season Sunday at Maryville.
Volleyball
The Panthers (8-16, 5-4 USA South) beat Agnes Scott and Covenant as part of a USA South quad match last Saturday. LC won both matches by 3-0 scores. Senior Leigha Reynolds had a match-high 12 kills against Agnes Scott. She had a double-double of 10 kills and 14 digs against Covenant. The Panthers play Brevard and Piedmont as part of another USA South quad match in Brevard, North Carolina.
Men’s soccer
The Panthers (5-10-1, 4-7-1 USA South) fell to Greensboro 2-0 on Senior Day last Saturday. It was the final home game for Kaine Baker, Matthew Fritts, Levi Gehman and Errick Sturm. LC closes out the regular season Saturday at Pfeiffer.
Today (Friday, Oct. 25)
Swimming at Sewanee Invitational
Saturday, Oct. 26
Football at Maryville, 1 p.m.
Men’s soccer at Pfeiffer, 1 p.m.
Swimming at Sewanee Invitational
Volleyball vs. Brevard, Piedmont at Brevard, North Carolina
Sunday, Oct. 27
Women’s soccer at Maryville
Tuesday, Oct. 29
Volleyball vs. Huntingdon, Richter Gym, 7 p.m.
When Mimi Loftus graduated in May of 2019, her dream was to defend physically and sexually abused children who were "caught in the system." Now enrolled in law school at Mercer University, she's closer than ever to realizing that dream.
1 – Nick Beamenderfer
Carla Rhodes
2 – Simon Hwang
3 – Savannah Sloab
4 – Ken Passmore
Kevin Ludwick
Lauren Lovin
5 – Melvin Hall
7 – Arthur Robinson
8 – Charles Kraemer
13 – Jennifer Jones
21 – Rebekah Ralph
Nina Dulin-Mallory
25 – Paul Hammock
26 – Stephanie Marcellini
27 – Kendal Wallace
28 – Patti Hoxsie
Anna Odom
Kelly Veal
29 – Randall Adams
Madison Machurek
30 – Brandon Slocumb
LaGrange College president announces plans to retire – LaGrange Daily News, Oct. 21, 2019
Transitions: New president at Tidewater Community College, California State U. Chancellor to Retire – The Chronicle of Higher Education, Oct. 23, 2019
Panthers eyeing breakthrough USA South victory – LaGrange Daily News, Oct. 19-20, 2019
Panthers celebrate Homecoming – LaGrange Daily News, Oct. 22, 2019
Ground game powers Panthers – LaGrange Daily News, Oct. 21, 2019
State Committee meets with citizens at LaGrange College – LaGrange Daily News, Oct. 22, 2019
Panthers prevail on senior day – LaGrange Daily News, Oct. 23, 2019
Category: Academics, College, Arts and Culture
Keywords: alumni African-American Civil Rights college
