2009 – Rachel Hiles Ward – My UAH Story

Rachel Hiles Ward

BSBA, Marketing & Mangement, 2009

This is my UAH story…

Growing up just a few miles away from the college, I remember going to all of the sporting events as a child.  I would see all of the cheerleaders cheering on the Chargers, the athletes playing their hearts out for their school, and seeing the student section filled with great pride.   I knew this was the school for me. Needless to say, this is one of my favorite memories of UAHuntsville.  I loved going to the sporting events with all of my friends and cheering on the Chargers!  Of course, attending class and studying to the early hours of the morning in the library helped break up all of the fun I had.

While attending UAHuntsville, I rushed a great sorority.  I learned great skills that help me still to this day. While being in Delta Zeta, I learned to be a more well around individual, and how to conduct myself as an adult.  I loved going to our formals, recruitment, hanging out on the back porch, and all of the mixers.  One saying my sisters have is “You get out of Delta Zeta, what you put in,” and that is also the same thing about UAHuntsville.  I chose to put a lot of time into it, and I’ve gotten plenty out of it.  I was involved with just about everything I could.  When I was not at a sports event or a sorority event, I was at school for business.  I finished my four years of college with a degree in Marketing and Management.  While I was at the “BAB” (Business Administration Building), I met Ms. Plaza. She was my guiding light while I was there.  I would go to her office and sit for hours in between each class.  I never knew just sitting there talking to her would also be one of my favorite parts of college.  She taught me many life lessons I will never forget.  There are numerous professors I would still love to go back and see today.

It is hard to put into words my short time at UAHuntsville.  I loved my time there.   There were times I wished things could have been different and maybe went to a different school, but when it is all said and done, I am glad my Chargers are my home.  Go Chargers!

Randy Tidwell

BSBA, Management, 1983

Senior Vice President
Progress Bank and Trust, Huntsville, AL

This is my UAH story…

Born and raised in Decatur, Alabama, and having a brother that had already obtained an engineering degree from UAH, I knew the value of the University and the opportunities a degree from UAH would afford me.   I, as many of the students during my time at the University, worked fulltime while attending classes.  This situation did not allow for me to connect as closely to the University as I had hoped but it did not keep me from enjoying the professor’s enthusiasm and drive to make my educational experience as engaging as possible and to enjoy the classmates that became a major part of my life.

While at UAH, I participated in the honors coursework under a professor newly hired from Vanderbilt University.  She was tough but thorough given her goal to make the best of the students under her mentorship. This experience allowed me to consult with local businesses and to use the knowledge I had obtained in class to expand the businesses’ operations while managing their expenses; allowing them to become premier businesses in their peer groups.  The experiences gained during these Honor courses have been invaluable to my now extensive business career.  Every position I have held has build upon the knowledge and experiences gained from my course work at UAH and from my professor’s mentoring.  In every step of my career, UAH has not let me down in its preparing me to serve the companies I have been a part.

After being away from the North Alabama region for many years in my career, I got an opportunity to relocate back to my hometown of Decatur.  One of my first thoughts after coming back was to give back to my University, UAH.  What better way to say thank you and to give back than by offering to serve on the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association.  I take pride in saying that I graduated from UAH and want to help move the University forward by being a participant in its future by serving it in the present.

Dr. Jonn Kim is President and CEO of GaN (Geeks and Nerds) Corporation in Huntsville, Alabama.  GaN has received the 2013 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blue Ribbon Small Business Award recognizing the company as one of the top 100 best small businesses in America.  GaN will officially be recognized at America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C. on April 30, 2012.  http://www.uschambersummit.com/award

Preetha Pulusani Named President of Rolta International (Americas)

Alpharetta, GA, February 25, 2013 – Rolta, a global provider of IT solutions and consulting, appointed Preetha Pulusani as President – International (Americas). She was also named to the Board of Rolta India Limited as a Director. In the past, Preetha has served Rolta India as Joint Managing Director and Chief Strategy Officer.  Pulusani (’85, MS, Computer Science) had a 25-year career with Huntsville, AL based Intergraph Corporation where she served as the President of the Security, Government and Infrastructure Division, with annual revenues of over $400 million. In 2006, she was recognized as the “Top IT Executive of the Year” by the Alabama Information Technology Association.

Rolta International is headquartered in Alpharetta, GA. In her new role, Pulusani will focus on the growth of Rolta’s business in North America. Rolta today has a portfolio that spans the entire IT lifecycle, from IT advisory services through solution design and deployment to managed services. She will leverage Rolta’s deep expertise in selected vertical segments, geospatial and engineering technologies, as well as the company’s IP-differentiated frameworks for implementing solutions for enterprise-level integration and business analytics, such as for EPM, CRM and ERP, for growth in North America.

“As Rolta continues to serve clients around the globe, the experience and strategic initiatives that Preetha brings to our North American operations will provide additional thrust for rapid growth of the Company,” said Kamal K. Singh, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Rolta.

Kay Cavender | Director of Marketing Communications
Rolta North America
www.Rolta.com

Colin has been elected to serve as the District 1 President of the Alabama State Nurses Association (ASNA) for 2013-2015.

Steven Williams

BS, Electrical Engineering, 2006

Flight Test Engineer
Gray Research, Inc.
Huntsville, AL

This is my UAH story…

Prior graduating from high school, I believed that I had my mind made up on which school I would be attending, what my major would be, and what my back up plan would be in case any of my plans fell through.  Little did I know that attending my school’s college day would impact the rest of my life forever.  My original plan was for me to attend Auburn University in the Fall of 2002 with my major being Computer Engineering.  I visited their campus on several occasions and absolutely fell in love with it.  When I attended my school’s college day, I saw a college booth that I never seen before.  It was for the University of Alabama in Huntsville.  Prior to this, I have never heard of the college nor did I know what it was known for.  I decided to go to the booth to obtain more information.  With that one visit, it felt like I was opened to a new world that never existed.

Upon taking my first visit to UAH, I knew I was at home.  I loved everything from its location to its freshman residence halls.  This also marked my first trip to Huntsville, Alabama, and I had no clue how prominent of a city it was.  I knew I was making the right choice by attending UAH over Auburn, simply because it offered more opportunities for growth in a professional sense.  While the social life at UAH may not compare to other universities, I prefer it.  At UAH it is like everyone is a family.  If you are ever in need some type of assistance, there is always someone available for you.  The academics at UAH also surpass those of other schools in my opinion.  Unlike other schools, in which many classes are 100 plus students, UAH  classes are generally small in numbers, which enables more of a one-on-one interaction with you professor.  The professional industry in the city of Huntsville also has a bond with the university as well.  A lot of local and big name companies that are located in Huntsville tend to look at UAH for potential part-time and full-time employees rather than looking elsewhere.  This simple fact allowed me to have full-time job months before even graduating with my degree.  I also love the campus layout.  Everything is so centralized around the different resident halls, that you can simply walk everywhere without it taking too much time.

There are plenty of memories that I have while attending UAH.  One of my fondest memories attending UAH was attending my first ever Hockey game.  I did not know that UAH had a hockey team and that they were pretty good at that.  I found this intriguing.  I also thought it was pretty awesome that one of the Fraternities painted themselves up and when the team scored their first goal, they threw a huge fish onto the ice and then ran around like mad-men.  I also had the opportunity to become a Compass Counselor, which was pretty amazing.  I loved the fact that I got to meet all the incoming freshmen and offer them and their parents advice and assistance before they would come on campus.  I never beat around the bush about what to expect.  Also, I was able to convince a few parents that letting their child stay at home while in school would be detrimental to their social life on campus and that they would benefit greatly by living on campus.  Another one of my fondest memories was completing my senior design project.  My friends and I teamed up to create two high altitude weather balloons.  These balloons were to float into the atmosphere and take various measurements.  We launched the balloons on a Saturday morning and tracked them using a GPS tracking device that was located on the balloons.  They eventually burst and landed in two different places in Guntersville, Alabama.  From the planning of this project to the final report and presentation, I learned a lot about how engineers plan, create, and present different projects given to them.

Everything that is stated above is the reason why I still try to stay involved with UAH today.  My experience as taught me many tools that was necessary for the professional world.  I honestly believed that I made the best decision in the world by attending this university of any other.  This is not an attack at any other school system, which all are great, but I believe that UAH gave me the right opportunities I needed to be successful in life.  I find it only fair to give back to the people who gave me so much in my life and the Alumni Association is a great way to do that.  The Alumni Association offers so many programs for alumni to give back.  It does not matter if you graduated last year or 15 years ago, there is a way for you to be involved.  I have had the opportunity to speak at one of the many sessions known as After the Cap and Gown, in which various alumni serve as a panel to current seniors about to graduate.  Students have the opportunity to ask questions about what to expect once they graduate and other advice and life.  This is just one of the many programs that do not discriminate on when you graduate from college.  A simple program like this is what I like about the Alumni Association.  As a former student not too long ago, I did not know how to prepare myself for the real world and what it had to offer.  I did not know much about the Alumni Association either.  I’m the type of person who wants to see people succeed in life and any way I can help, whether it is big or small, I want to be involved in it.  The Alumni Association gave me this opportunity.

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – Two prominent Huntsville businessmen have joined the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama‘s foundation board.  HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology co-chairman Jim Hudson Jr. and AEgis Technologies chairman Bill Waite were among those elected to the foundation dedicated to promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialization in Alabama. Swift Biotech CEO Michael Chambers and Evonik Industries’ Art Tipton were also newly added to the board chaired by Choice Cotton Inc. chairman James Sanford.

“We are pleased to have the new board members, and we look forward to their insight and contribution,” Angela Wier, vice president of the EDPA, said in a statement. “Their collective experience and entrepreneurial spirit will strengthen our ability to execute our mission to support entrepreneurs and to increase high-growth, innovative ventures that have the potential to thrive in Alabama. This is in alignment with Accelerate Alabama, the state’s larger plan for economic development announced two years ago that focuses on recruitment, retention and renewal.”

 HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – Two prominent Huntsville businessmen have joined the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama‘s foundation board.  HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology co-chairman Jim Hudson Jr. and AEgis Technologies chairman Bill Waite were among those elected to the foundation dedicated to promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialization in Alabama. Swift Biotech CEO Michael Chambers and Evonik Industries’ Art Tipton were also newly added to the board chaired by Choice Cotton Inc. chairman James Sanford.

“We are pleased to have the new board members, and we look forward to their insight and contribution,” Angela Wier, vice president of the EDPA, said in a statement. “Their collective experience and entrepreneurial spirit will strengthen our ability to execute our mission to support entrepreneurs and to increase high-growth, innovative ventures that have the potential to thrive in Alabama. This is in alignment with Accelerate Alabama, the state’s larger plan for economic development announced two years ago that focuses on recruitment, retention and renewal.”

The EDPA Foundation was founded in 1994 to support workforce, industry and community development initiatives. It also partners with six Alabama research universities to host the EDPA’s Alabama Launchpad startup competition.

Dr. Joseph W. Hamaker has been named to the Technical Feasibility Panel for the National Research Council’s (NRC’) Committee on Human Spaceflight.  This 14 member panel will help the committee evaluate the future of the American space program.  The panel is being chaired by John Sommerer, who is head of the space sector at John Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). Other notable members of the panel include: former NASA Chief Technologist Bobby Braun; Douglas Cooke, former NASA associate administrator for Exploration Systems; Robert Dickman, former commander of the 45th Space Wing; soft spacesuit designer Dava J. Newman; and space architect Guillermo Trotti.

For information on the full panel, visit http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/CommitteeView.aspx?key=49501.

From http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/1/prweb10309905.htm

Mother Publishes Story of Her Daughter’s Battle Against Cancer in New Book
Author Rebecca Rozelle Burt returns with a nonfiction work which traces a journey that transformed her life and may also transform the lives of others.
Anniston, AL (PRWEB) January 10, 2013 — From Rebecca Rozelle Burt, author of Facing Bulls—a powerful fiction about death, grief and coping—comes I Had a Daughter, a newly-published, evocative work of nonfiction, that tackles the same life-changing themes as her novel.

Burt recounts in raw detail the story of her 13-month journey with her daughter, Rozelle Burt Lentjes, as she battled a lethal form of cancer. It is a remarkable story that deals with relationships and suffering, courage and perseverance, humility and grace, faith and love.

I Had A Daughter is a memoir as well as a spiritual diary. Written by a mother who becomes a primary caregiver for her beloved 46-year-old daughter, the book is composed of a chronological narrative interspersed with pertinent e-mails, inner monologues, and medical data. No component of the author’s experience is omitted. The author does, however, recognize her limitations. “I tell Rozelle’s story only as I could perceive it within the space allowed to those we love, the borders of our private inner worlds. I admit to the subjectivity of
my perceptions and memories,” Burt writes.

The book allows readers to experience from the inside what the author calls “cancer world.” Including details of their medical journey, Burt reveals the complications and frustrations involved in finding the right doctors and the best treatment. She describes how the best doctors relate to the patient and not just the disease. She also emphasizes the necessity of informed patient participation in the process of treatment.

Ultimately the story becomes a spiritual diary. During bad times and good, the author is surprised by changes and discoveries in her understanding of what life brings.  This book will provide insights for any reader who has faced adversity and survived. It will also be of interest to anyone who has wondered about the mysterious ways in which we incorporate suffering and loss into our lives without falling into despair.

For more information on this book, interestesd parties may log on to xxx.Xlibris.coma

About the Author
Rebecca Rozelle Burt was born and grew up in Talladega, Alabama. She attended Auburn University, married, and later graduated from the University of Alabama at Huntsville. When her two children were young, she earned an MA degree from Jacksonville State University. After teaching English in junior high and high schools in various northeastern Alabama locations, she spent the last several years of her career in the English Department of Jacksonville State University. She is the author of a novel, Facing Bulls, published in 2010 and
is currently working on another novel, Because I Live Here, and editing Recollections: My Folks and Fields, her late father’s cultural history of life in rural Clay County, Alabama. She lives in Anniston, Alabama, with her husband, Mack. They share their home with Woodrow the Wonder Dog, a border collie mix rescued from a local shelter.uas

I Had A Daughter * by Rebecca Rozelle Burt
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Publication Date: 11/27/2012
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