CoffeeBreak is an e-newsletter distributed to Averett faculty and staff to keep them up-to-date on campus activities and information. Please send information you would like included in CoffeeBreak via this form. For the next CoffeeBreak, please submit by Friday, March 17, for a Wednesday, March 22 publication.

Farewell to Donna Gourley

Donna Gourley, a valued member of the Office of Institutional Advancement staff for nearly 25 years, will retire on March 17. She has often been the behind-the-scenes glue that has held the IA team together, and we will greatly miss her institutional knowledge, professionalism, work ethic, creativity and “get it done” attitude.

Please join us in celebrating her accomplishments and sending her off into her retirement on Thursday, March 16, from 3-4 p.m. in the Main Hall Welcome Center.

Averett Security Officer Award

Campus Security Officer Johnie Joyce, II was chosen as the Securitas Employee of the Month in recognition for his outstanding performance of duty for February. Officer Joyce has been with Securitas and Averett since October 2022.

Congratulations, Officer Joyce, and thanks for all you do!

Dr. Janet Phillips to Present her Journey with Music

Today, March 15, from 4:45 – 5:45 p.m., in Mary B. Blount Library, Associate Professor of Music Dr. Janet Phillips will present “Oh, the Places You’ll Go…with Music!” This presentation will discuss how music has taken her across the globe to Europe and across the country through participation in national parades. Light snacks will be available.

Dr. Phillips has been involved in music for most of her life. She grew up playing flute in the band and orchestra programs of the Danville Public Schools. In the eighth grade she was inspired by her idol, Ronnie Milsap, to take up music as her career of choice and has been teaching at Averett for 14 years. Dr. Phillips enjoys the opportunity to make a musical difference for students at Averett and in her hometown of Danville.

On Display from the Averett Archives

This month, Mary B. Blount Library continues its series of displays of archival material with March Madness, 1930s style! From 1927-1937, in addition to the college’s varsity squad, Averett students would field class-based basketball teams: a senior team, a junior team and typically a third team drawn from all other students (commercial/secretarial and high school). A series of games, generally played on March weekends, would determine each year’s winning class.

Drop by the library and enjoy a little stroll through Averett’s athletics of the past with photos and artifacts, including the original class trophy engraved with the names of each year’s winners.

On-Campus Passport Drive

Averett Study Abroad is hosting a passport event on campus for students and staff! An official from the USPS will be available to process passport applications. Register here.

When: Thursday, March 23, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Where: MPR

Visit the U.S. State Department’s site for required forms due when you apply in-person: travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html

Passport photo services will be available on-site and will be FREE for students!

Bring to the Event:

• Proof of Citizenship: physical copy (original or certified) [Birth certificate, Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship]
• Photocopy of Proof of Citizenship
• Present Identification (Driver’s License, Government employee ID, Military ID, Green Card, Trusted Traveler ID)
• Photocopy of ID

At the Event:

• Passport Photo booth
• DS-11 Form

Need financial support? Contact [email protected] for information on our Passport Grant (students only).

Graduation Regalia Deadline

Wednesday, April 12, is the last date to order graduation regalia for the Saturday, May 6, commencement ceremony. Please encouraging your graduating seniors to visit www.averett.shopoakhalli.com to place their orders. Graduates should order their caps, gowns, hoods and tassels in order to walk the day of the ceremony.

Medicare 101

Carolyn B. Smith, president & CEO of Marketplace Insurance Agency and members of her team will host a Zoom meeting for anyone interested in learning more about Medicare eligibility and the programs available to eligible individuals.

The presentation is scheduled for Thursday, May 11, from 2:30-4:30 p.m. to allow plenty of time for questions and answers. The Zoom link will be sent in a subsequent CoffeeBreak.

The agency’s contact information is listed below for your reference.

Carolyn B. Smith
President & CEO The Marketplace Insurance Agency & ElderCare Associates, Inc.
(877)433-1149
[email protected]
MarketplaceAgency.com

2023-2024 Holiday Calendar

The Averett University holiday calendar has been confirmed and University holidays will also be listed on the Averett website calendar. Please note that 2023-2024 calendar allowed two additional days for the University Holiday calendar.

The University Holiday Calendar is as follows:

• Independence Day: Monday and Tuesday, July 3 and 4
• Labor Day: Monday, Sept. 4
• Thanksgiving: Thursday and Friday, Nov. 23 and 24
• Holiday Break: Monday, Dec. 18, 2023-Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 (We will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024)
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday: Monday, Jan. 15
• Good Friday: Friday, March 29
• Memorial Day: Monday, May 27
• Juneteenth: Wednesday, June 19

Feel free to contact Human Resources Director Kathie Tune at [email protected] or (434) 791-7106 with questions or for additional information.

Door Access Work Underway

Work has begun in the Mary B. Blount Library to locks on the external doors. Once completed there, the work will begin on all external doors in Main Hall. Further communications are forthcoming on the timeline for that, and will be shared in advance with students and employees.

Retirement Accounts and Financial Planning

Financial Advisors from Millennium are available to meet virtually to:

• Answer questions about your retirement account.
• Discuss if you should consider moving your old retirement accounts to the current retirement plan contract.
• Provide financial planning and be a resource to help you make decisions regarding your retirement accounts.

Every employee can go through holistic financial planning sessions and receive a customized financial plan based on your goals. If you have a spouse or significant other, they are encouraged and welcome to attend as well! These planning sessions are geared to help answer questions like:

• What changes should I consider making to my retirement plan based on my retirement and other goals?
• Am I saving enough to meet my goals in retirement?
• Is my current investment strategy appropriate given what I am trying to accomplish?

Click Here to schedule a virtual meeting with an advisor.

You can also reach Millennium’s Scheduling Team at [email protected] or by phone at 877-435-2489.

AFAM Courses for Fall Semester, 2023

To all faculty advisors, please alert interested advisees of the following fall semester ’23 courses in service of the African & African American Studies minor:

• HTH/AFAM 302: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Sport (M. Lewis)
• ENG/AFAM 242: African American Literature (Gazda)
• ENG/AFAM 402: Victorian Literature (Muneal)
• HIS/AFAM 440: The New Nation, 1865-1917 (Canady)
• FR/AFAM/HON 299: The NOLA Experience: Race, Culture & Literature of The Big Easy (C. Clark) *Plan: Fall Break Trip to New Orleans!
• ECO/AFAM 308: African Americans & the American Economy (Pegram).

Contact Toni Gazda at [email protected] or (434) 791-7101 if you have questions or send students directly to her for more information. Thank you!

Averett Wellness Portal

Happy Wednesday!

Here’s a reminder of the additional activities available in the Averett Wellness Portal other than Averett-led activities. Even if you only have a few short minutes here and there, some quick and easy tasks are available for you to explore: WebMD ONE – Login (webmdhealth.com)

There are podcasts focusing on mental health, videos on how to use proper weight-lifting techniques, along with resilience clips based on mental well-being and mindfulness, muscle-group-specific exercises, and short movies about indulging in a healthier diet. The Averett Wellness Portal also houses articles on an array of health related material, in addition to having tools such as a symptom checker, along with the capability to sync a device or additional app.

For questions, contact [email protected].