College of Arts and Sciences

Highlights

• Scholarships are a mainstay in the support structure of our loyal alumni. Every year, students benefit from the generosity of this dedicated group. In addition, contributions to departments and programs provide much appreciated flexibility to support students in other ways, such as defraying travel costs to attend and present at professional conferences. This experience is a milestone in their growth toward both a focused career path and/or preparation for a graduate program.
• Endowed professorships, fully donor funded, provide supplemental support to faculty who have earned, through competitive processes, the honor of holding these positions. Dr. Betsy Richardson in psychology holds the Michael J. Grainger Professorship in Arts, Sciences, Education, and Human Development; Dr. Rosa Stoops serves as the Christiane Angele Jacobson Endowed Chair in Spanish; Dr. Heather Tinsley in biology is the University’s current Todd and Linda Strange Endowed Professor; and Dr. Jason Newell is the first Dr. Jeanine Bozeman Endowed Chair of Social Work. In all cases, these positions help to encourage student engagement as well as provide support for faculty.
• Donor funds for the endowed positions also allow faculty to support student success directly. The Grainger Professorship currently supports expanded student research in both the classroom and the laboratory as well as travel support for student presentations at professional conferences. The Jacobson Endowment supports student travel programs in support of expanding knowledge of both Spanish cultural and language. The Strange Professorship has allowed for the creation of a welcoming student lounge in Harman Hall.
• CAS programs offer a diverse range of opportunities for students to engage in “real world” experiences. These placements include museums, libraries, archives, courthouses, corrections centers, health agencies, educational facilities, nonprofit organizations, environmental agencies, and publishing fields. It is only through alumni support that internships are available out-of-state in medicine and political affairs such as the Harvard Medical School Center for Glycoscience, The Washington Center, the Washington Alumni Internship and an internship with Williams and Jenson (Washington, D.C.). In addition, donor support helps to send students to the Model UN meetings, both regionally and nationally.
• CAS faculty regularly engage with students on an individual basis through a variety of means. The Undergraduate Research Program, ably led by Dr. Cindy Tidwell, provides an opportunity for students to develop a research project with a faculty mentor. Professional programs allow students to observe and engage in clinical practice. Independent studies provide students with other avenues to work closely with faculty. Students in the master’s degree Speech-Language Pathology Program engage in externships across the region with both pediatric and adult populations.
• The UM Speech and Language Center provides hands-on training for MS SLP students and provides free diagnostic and therapeutic services to over 100 clients every year.
• The Department of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Computer Science continues to offer students the opportunity to take the PLUNGE — a preparatory program for students interested in the health professions.
• Political science alumni who participated in Model UN as students continue their service on staff with the Southeastern Regional Model United Nations. Donor support assists with student travel to these conferences.
• The graduate Speech-Language Pathology Program has a 100% pass rate on the Praxis Examination.

Donor Impact

“Montevallo was like my dream school, and through getting a scholarship, it made it a possibility when I thought maybe it wouldn’t be. I’m really grateful for it.”