COVINGTON, Ga.—Hundreds of daffodils on Georgia State University’s Newton Campus have bloomed, a natural signal of the upcoming annual celebration of the campus Daffodil Festival and Symposium, March 12-13.
This will be the event’s 11th year.
The 2019 theme is “Still Blooming,” a nod to the campus’s steady presence in the community and the historical roots of the flower on the college grounds, said Linda Bowen, chair of the 2019 event. According to local history, the bulbs were planted by former slaves who lived on the property. The progeny of those original flowers multiplied during the last century to create a pasture of daffodils every spring.
“Since 2008, the Daffodil Festival has been an annual celebration of campus and community,” Bowen said. “We honor our past with a nod to the land and the people who came before us; we look to the future and try to imagine what’s in store for the lives and education of the community.”
The two-day program kicks off at 10 a.m., Tuesday, March 12, with an introduction by Perimeter College’s new dean, Dr. Nancy Kropf. The introduction will be followed by the presentation of the annual Daffodil Scholarship. This year’s recipient of the $500 scholarship is Newton Campus business student Kolby Belcher.
The March 12 schedule includes:
- Susan Finazzo, Newton Campus assistant professor of biology, discussing “Flowers in History,” at 11:30 a.m.
- Ross Bradley, owner of Covington’s “Your Pie” restaurant and alumnus of the college, presenting “From Perimeter College to Entrepreneur and Public Servant: My Path,” at 1 p.m.
- Musical selections of “The Wiz” by the Oxford Singers, presented at 2:30 p.m.
The March 13 schedule includes:
- Olivia Schmitz and Rob Faulkner of Three Ring Studios, discussing the new film studios in Newton County, at 10 a.m.
- Felicia Shanklin, Perimeter College Career and Employer Relations specialist, discussing “The Impact of Social Media on Employment,” at 11:30 a.m.
- Hank Stewart, Atlanta Poet Laureate and president of the Hank Stewart Foundation, presenting “Promoting Excellence,” at 1 p.m.
- Georgia State University’s Dr. Tim Renick, senior vice president for student success, discussing “Why Georgia State University Matters” at 2:30 p.m.
Other activities include poster presentations by students, sculpture and painting events.
This year’s Daffodil Festival is dedicated in memory of Julie J. Langley, Newton assistant professor of communications and chairperson of the festival in 2016 and 2017. Langley, who taught communication classes at Perimeter College for 18 years, died of cancer in 2018.
As part of the festival’s dedication to Langley, a decorated “Little Library” will be placed on campus. Langley was an avid reader and supporter of reading programs, both for the college and for Gwinnett County. The library will be filled with free books donated by faculty and staff for students and the community to borrow at will.
The community is invited to all events. Presentations and activities will be at Georgia State’s Newton Campus, Building 2-N, 239 Cedar Lane, Covington, Ga. 30014.
For information, contact Bowen at [email protected]