At a glance
All lectures in the North Georgia Community Connections series are free and open to the public. They will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Hampton Park Library on 5345 Settingdown Road on the following schedule:
• Wednesday: "Jazz is America’s Music and Why That Matters"
Andy David, head of the Department of Performing Arts
• Sept. 29: "The Economy in Perspective"
John L. Scott, associate professor and director of the Center for Economic Education
• Oct. 6: "Engaging Science Students K-12: Motivating Tomorrow’s Scientists"
Michael B. McGinnis, professor, Department of Chemistry
• Oct. 13: "Mobilizing Creativity: Artmaking, Community and an Airstream Trailer"
Chris Dockery, assistant professor of art education
• Oct. 20: "Leadership in Uncertain Times"
Ruben Boling, director of the Center for the Future of North Georgia
Wendy Walker, assistant professor, Mike Cottrell School of Business
• Oct. 27: "Preparing Teachers for 21st Century Students"
Barbara Dixon, coordinator post-baccalaureate studies, School of Education
• Nov. 3: "Childhood Obesity"
Elaine Taylor, associate professor, Department of Nursing
North Georgia College & State University offered "Great Decisions" in the spring.
This week, the university will launch North Georgia Community Connections, a lecture series covering a range of topics, from the influence of jazz music to childhood obesity.
“The first series was so successful that we decided we’d continue this fall,” said Kate Maine, director of university relations. “This new series features our faculty again, but involves topics a little closer to home, involving some of their research and their outreach efforts in the region.”
Nearly 70 people attended each session in the Great Decisions series, which was offered in Gainesville and Forsyth County. The events were so popular, Maine said they have added a Dahlonega location for Community Connections.
In Forsyth, Community Connections is set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Nov. 3 at the Hampton Park Library branch.
The material offered over the next seven weeks will cover the economy, but also touch on leadership in uncertain times, engaging science students, mobilizing creativity and preparing teachers for 21st century students.
The Great Decision lectures focused mostly on the economy and were based on a series sponsored by the Foreign Policy Association.
Maine said the university’s four schools -- arts and letters, education, business and science and health -- submitted about 20 topics for Community Connections. Those were later narrowed to seven.
“We’re trying to make sure each of the schools has got some representation in the series,” Maine said. “We also selected the topics we thought would be of most interest to the community.”
The series could stir interest in the community for continuing education classes, she said. For the most part, however, it is "an opportunity for us to kind of give back to the community.”
“That’s part of our mission, to provide lifelong learning opportunities for constituents in our region,” Maine said.