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giving to BSC DICKERSON AWARD DEVELOPS GLOBAL CITIZENS AT BSC Senior Devon Adams has been selected as the 10th Dickerson Award winner for her devotion to making a difference on a global scale. The Dickerson Award was established in 2013 to honor the memory of Shanon Dickerson ’96, a member of the first class of Leadership Studies graduates. His passion for international travel and hands-on philanthropy inspired the creation of this competitive scholarship, supporting BSC students who have a strong desire to study abroad. Twice a year, some of Dickerson’s closest friends, including Andy Armstrong ’97 and Laura Cammack Eanes ’96, meet back on the Hilltop to select a student who shares his ideals of adventure, travel, and service. “Shanon was a global citizen, a wonderful ally and friend. We look for people who remind us of him, of his intelligence and curiosity. We look for glimpses of his servant heart and open spirit,” Eanes says. In summer of 2018, Adams participated in a service-learning project in Belize focused on the African Diaspora. With the Dickerson Award, the Birmingham native will travel to Brazil in spring 2020. “It is close linguistically to a lot of other romantic languages that I find interesting,” Adams says. “I really enjoy the culture and feel like it will be a good fit for me.” She also has future plans to make a difference in the Birmingham community through her experiences. Combining the skills she has learned in her Arabic classes, cybersecurity internship, and computer science major will allow her to put together a project uniting diverse Birmingham communities. Through a two-week coding camp developed to expose minority communities to future opportunities in STEM fields, she will introduce Python programming to Arabic speaking youth. Past recipients of the scholarship have studied in locations such as Chile, Ireland, Argentina, the UK, and Morocco. BSC RECEIVES SIGNIFICANT BEQUEST TO SUPPORT MUSIC AND FINE ARTS John Lovin Jr. ’52 had a successful career as the senior vice president of Torchmark Corporation, yet his community knew him for the constant service he gave to those around him. Lovin continued his legacy of generosity through a significant bequest to the Nina Rae and John W. Lovin Endowed Fund, a fund he created in 1986 in honor of his parents. This fund awards scholarships to Birmingham-Southern College students majoring in Fine and Performing Arts, and with Lovin’s newest donation, it has been expanded to include funding in support of the Music Department of the College. A true Birmingham native, Lovin grew up in the College Hills neighborhood directly beside Birmingham-Southern, where he was able to witness the growth of both the city and the College. Anne Morris Smith ’51, a close lifelong friend of Lovin, Camera Donation PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES Well-known Birmingham photographer Bob Farley has been interested in photography and the idea of journalism since childhood. In high school, he bought his first camera and worked for the yearbook and newspaper, which led to a photo journalism internship with the local newspaper his senior year. In an effort to provide photography experience to a new generation, Farley donated a considerable amount of camera equipment to the college. While speaking to the Trussville Photography Club in April, Farley brought in some old equipment to use as examples. One member of the club was the parent of a current BSC student who was interested in still-photography, and suggested that Farley consider donating the equipment to the College. Farley was familiar with BSC, from knowing multiple professors and working on stories with the Birmingham Post-Herald, so he decided that giving back to educate future photographers was the right choice. Farley attended the Missouri School of Journalism before moving to Birmingham in 1988 to work for the Birmingham Post-Herald. He spent close to 20 years working as both an editor and a photographer. 46 / ’southern
emembers playing on campus with Lovin as a child. “He was an only child, but he made friends quickly,” Smith says. “John always put others first, which was probably strongly influenced by his parents’ love of entertaining and taking people in.” She remembers Lovin’s parents looking out for Birmingham- Southern students who did not have family living nearby, making sure they felt at home. His parents were also influential in his passion for music and fine arts. Nina Lovin was an artist who encouraged her son to participate in organizations like the Birmingham Boys Choir. Lovin faithfully attended theatre performances and the Alabama Symphony Orchestra throughout his life. A math major at Birmingham-Southern, Lovin went on to obtain his master’s degree from Vanderbilt University. He began his career at Liberty National Life Insurance, where he eventually became executive vice president. Susan Anderson, whose husband Charles Anderson Jr., was a close friend and work associate of Lovin, considered him family. “He was always innovative,” Anderson says. “He brought in the first Amdahl computer to Birmingham, which completely modernized Liberty National.” She also recalls Lovin’s work ethic, as he would work night and day. Any free time he had was spent making a difference in the community he loved. “John had an incredible desire to make the world a better place,” says Canterbury United Methodist Church Associate Pastor Sam Williamson ’83. “He wanted to give back to the community that had given him so much. He gave unconditionally to many people and never did it for the recognition.” Williamson came to know Lovin through Canterbury, where Lovin was a member his entire life. He was able to witness the committed, In 2005, he decided to become a full-time photographer. His specialization is in people and events for corporate, advertising, and editorial clients. “No one gets to where they are by themselves,” Farley says. “I was given opportunities from people I didn’t have personal connections with that allowed me to do things I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to do. It is part of being included in a community.” The media and film studies department received a Lowell light kit. Department chair Teddy Champion says the light kit will be housed in their new studio and used for interviews, student exercises, and occasionally out in the field. Farley also donated several 35mm film cameras, digital SLR cameras, and lenses to the art department. “The equipment will become part of the collection of cameras and lenses that are available to students for use when enrolled in photography courses,” says Pamela Venz, chair of the art department. “The collection allows students to experience professional-level photographic equipment if they do not have access to that equipment themselves.” Senior art major Mary Beth Yaeger has already benefitted from using this collection of equipment. While taking Venz’s intro class on basic camera mechanics, part of the course required possession of a film camera, which costs about $500. Yaeger, who is paying her own way through school, says purchasing even a used camera was not a viable option. “can-do” spirit possessed by Lovin during his time spent volunteering with the Beeson Trust, established at Canterbury by the late Lucille Stewart Beeson (whose husband, Dwight Beeson, was also a Liberty National executive) to help senior citizens in the community. Lovin used his intellect to assist low-income families with their taxes, receiving multiple medals from AARP for his service. “People got an extra service with John that I know other volunteers didn’t provide,” Smith says. “If they were unable to leave their home, he would personally go to their house, pick up the needed paperwork, and return it to them finished.” Williamson recounts multiple instances when an individual’s need, for items such as a refrigerator or groceries, would be brought to Lovin’s attention, and he would have it delivered to their house anonymously. Birmingham-Southern College remained important to Lovin throughout his life. Many of the items that he chose to surround himself with were representative of the College. His favorite chair was black with the BSC emblem proudly displayed, a gift he received when he was recognized with the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1996. In addition to providing future students the opportunity to receive the quality liberal arts education of which Lovin was so proud, the Nina Rae and John W. Lovin Endowed Fund will also allow the music department to make necessary updates in the Hill Music Building. “John was a mentor, encourager, believer, hard worker, and giver, who gave not only monetarily, but also of his time,” Anderson says. Are you 70 1/2 or older? An IRA charitable rollover gift, or Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), is a smart and easy way to make a gift to Birmingham-Southern. Individuals age 70 1/2 and older with a traditional IRA can distribute funds annually from their IRAs to their favorite nonprofit organizations. Reduce your tax bill while supporting a meaningful cause – providing educational opportunities to BSC students. Visit freewill.com/QCD/Birmingham-Southern to explore our online tool that makes it fast and simple. “Donations like this are so necessary for students like me,” Yaeger says. “It really means a lot more than just a dollar amount.” Being able to use a film camera from the collection allowed Yaeger to learn about the basics of motion and light and how to manipulate a camera, helping her develop a new skill. Sara Jones, a senior political science major, became infatuated with photography after taking her first intro class. She is now in Venz’s more advanced photography lab course. “I’ve tried other art mediums before, but the thing with photography is that it is hard to get started because you need a quality camera,” Jones says. “If this collection had not existed, I would never have been able to try out something so new, just because of a lack of equipment.” FALL/WINTER <strong>2019</strong> / 47
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