Culture and Belonging

Many people can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing on 9/11. That makes sense. It was a traumatic and unforgettable event that changed the course of history. But we are rapidly moving into a world where more and more adults have no memory of 9/11 because they were either too young when it happened or weren’t born yet. It’s been 24 years since September 11, 2001. And it’s difficult to explain to people who were...

We often think of culture as something that develops naturally, but, in an institutional setting, building the right culture takes a concerted effort. Dr. Laura Dove is the assistant dean at the Sorrell College of Business here at Troy University. She’s also the director of the Sorrell 360 Center, which prepares students for success in business and life. She’ll tell us how she promotes cultural competence in her students and builds...

Like it or not, the AI revolution is upon us. College students the world over are using generative AI and large language models like ChatGPT to do everything from helping with brainstorming and research to actually writing their papers for them. But there are responsible ways to use this new technology. Dr. Scott Nokes is a professor of English at Troy University and the director of Troy University’s AI Forward Initiative. He’ll te...

Historian and archivist Dr. Marty Olliff is the Director of the Wiregrass Archives at Troy University’s Dothan Campus. Like other archivists, he seeks to identify, preserve, and make available the records of the local community. Those records inform community formation and preserve the corporate or institutional memory that typically walks out the door when an archivist is missing. We learn a great deal about how to proceed i...

Political Science major Jud Keel, who participated in a study abroad trip to Puerto Rico this past summer, joined us to talk about how he engaged in research while on his trip. From the preparation before the trip to what he learned during the project, and what he is still learning while working to complete it, he shares his thoughts with us about this experience. Discussions with a professor during an undergraduate class for his m...

The really successful college or university is organic and willing to evolve and change. Embracing change is vital to progress, so cultivating the ability to change is essential. Drs. Hal Fulmer and Christina Martin have survived their fair share of organizational change. Each has filled multiple roles in various departments just at Troy University, not to mention their individual experiences at previous institutions. They speak ca...

"Educate the mind to think, the heart to feel, and the body to act.” Troy University’s motto has stood the test of time because it gets to the core of what it means to be human. We are complex beings, and we all have stories and experiences worth sharing. Tropolitan student newspaper editorial staff members Emily Mosier (editor-in-chief) and Kris Harrell (Trojan living editor) shared their opinions with us on recent state legislati...

TROY Art and Design professor Ed Noriega talks about how it felt to move into south Alabama as an “outsider” from southern California via NYC. Belonging for him has been a lifelong struggle, as he has navigated various professional settings with different cultural mixes and strived to set a high bar for himself and his students. A truly eclectic and inspirational creative with big plans for retirement on and around his peafowl farm...

Ray White is the Vice Chancellor of Troy University’s Montgomery Campus, but 25 years ago, in a previous role at the University, he set out to establish the Rosa Parks Museum on the site of her 1955 arrest. He shares candid reflections on his work to build trust as he worked with Mrs. Parks and her family, collected materials, and consulted with Civil Rights experts to build the interpretive museum and children’s wing as it exists ...

As a clinical sociologist, associate professor and associate dean of Troy University’s college of arts and sciences, Dr. Sharon Lindhorst Everhardt works to improve systems. Her book Gardening Behind Bars was released in February, and she sat down to talk to us about some of her experiences with the incarcerated women she worked with on this project. She reminds us that belonging is a basic need for all of us, and listening to un...