Georgia Southern University's choral groups Southern Chorale and Fermata the Blue returned recently from the International Anton Bruckner Choral Competition and Festival in Linz, Austria. The Chorale received gold diplomas in the compulsory and sacred divisions, Fermata the Blue was honored with one gold diploma and both groups earned second-place finishes. Southern Chorale, the University's premier choral ensemble, took second place in the "Mixed Choirs Compulsory" category, finishing less than one point behind winning choir Coro Siamo, from Austria. Fermata the Blue, the 12-member contemporary ensemble comprised of Chorale members, finished second in the "Vocal Ensemble" category to the grand prize winning five-voice male ensemble from Germany. Twenty-two choirs from 14 nations participated in the competition, and Southern Chorale was among only six invited to compete for the Anton Bruckner Prize, the competition's highest honor. Interkultur, the competition sponsor, scores choirs on intonation, sound quality, fidelity to the score and overall artistic impression. A choir's numerical score determines whether it receives a gold, silver or bronze diploma, and only ensembles that receive gold diplomas are eligible for the grand prize. Georgia Southern received a special invitation to compete in the final round. "The competition in Linz provided Georgia Southern and the Department of Music an opportunity to be showcased on the international stage," said Shannon Jeffreys, D.M., conductor of Southern Chorale and Fermata the Blue, and director of choral activities. "The visibility we have and will continue to receive from this experience will greatly benefit our recruitment and retention of both undergraduate and graduate students. This is the first step in putting the Georgia Southern choirs on the world rankings list." After the competition, Southern Chorale went on an eight-day tour of Italy. The trip began with a celebration on Mt. Lussari in the Julian Alps and continued to Florence. The Chorale performed with the Corale Puccini in Camigliano, Italy, and shared in a homemade dinner and sing-along following the concert. The group also visited Pisa and Lucca and sang in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. The tour culminated with mass at the Vatican, where Southern Chorale sang in service. Many American visitors greeted the Chorale after the mass, and the music director of St. Peter's Basilica said that Southern Chorale was one of the best choirs he had ever heard. Chorale members hailed the experience as an eye-opening international tour and said they enjoyed the opportunity to engage with students and singers from different countries. "This trip was definitely the highlight of my undergraduate career," said Natasha Martin, who graduated in May after majoring in music and international trade and minoring in French. "It was a cultural plunge as we found ourselves sitting next to a person from Hungary and on the other side a person from Singapore. This trip really proved to me as a student and devotee of music, that music itself eradicates boundaries and allows people to understand each other regardless of their differences in language and backgrounds. As a result of the hard work and dedication of both our choral director, Dr. Jeffreys, and our tour manager, Dr. Carolyn Bryan, Southern Chorale truly roamed throughout Europe as ambassadors of our University and came home with unforgettable memories and new friendships."

Georgia Southern University recently named 2,444 students for excellence in academics to the 2013 spring semester Dean's List. To be eligible for the Dean's List, a student must have at least a 3.5 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester. The following students made the 2013 spring semester Dean's List:

Georgia Southern University's Annual Honors Day Convocation was held at the Nessmith-Lane Conference Center recently. Individual awards were presented to 188 students and various honor societies also recognized new inductees. Held each spring to highlight distinguished students from all disciplines and areas of college life, the following local students were honored:

Eighteen Georgia Southern University students have been named to Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Selected for grade point average, campus or community leadership and service, and achievement or recognition in their area of study, the students are also required to be a junior or senior. Students are nominated by the faculty, staff and student body of Georgia Southern. Local students named include:

Georgia Southern University welcomed more than 250 outstanding high school seniors from Georgia and across the U.S. for the 11th annual Scholars' Day last month. The event provided top high school students with the opportunities to interview for academic and leadership scholarships along with positions in the University Honors Program. The students are among the best and brightest at their high schools with outstanding SAT or ACT scores and GPA. Those seniors and their parents also attended information sessions to learn about engineering, nursing and education degrees along with other majors offered at Georgia Southern. Local students who participated in the event included:

Georgia Southern University's Office of Admissions has named 23 students to serve on the 2013 SOAR (Southern Orientation, Advisement, and Registration) Team. SOAR Leaders help orient new students and their families to Georgia Southern by serving as role models, helping new students register for classes, providing information to prepare them for college level academics and informing parents about University services. They were selected based on their leadership potential, work ethic and ability to represent the University. One hundred and twenty one students applied for the coveted SOAR Leader position. James Kelly, a junior marketing major from Monticello, Ga., Precious Lango, a junior exercise science major from Milledgeville, Ga., and Colleen McNally, a junior journalism major from Alpharetta, Ga., are returning for their second year as SOAR Leaders. They helped select the 2013 SOAR Team, which represents over 35 campus organizations. The following students from your area earned a spot on the 2013 SOAR Team:

Georgia Southern University recently named 2,623 students for excellence in academics to the 2012 fall semester Dean's List. To be eligible for the Dean's List, a student must have at least a 3.50 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester. The following students made the 2012 fall semester Dean's List:

Georgia Southern University recently recognized 1,107 students for excellence in academics on the 2012 fall semester President's List. To be eligible, a student must have at least a 4.0 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester. The following students from your area achieved this accomplishment:

Georgia Southern University recently recognized 207 students for excellence in academics on the 2012 Summer Semester Dean's List. To be eligible for the Dean's List, a student must have at least a 3.50 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester. The following students from your area achieved this accomplishment:

Georgia Southern University recently recognized 110 students for excellence in academics on the 2012 Summer Semester President's List. To be eligible, a student must have at least a 4.0 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester. The following students from your area achieved this accomplishment:

Georgia Southern University recently recognized 1,090 students for excellence in academics on the 2012 Spring Semester President's List. To be eligible for the President's List, a student must have at least a 4.0 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester. The University is proud of these high-achieving students from your area:

Georgia Southern University recently recognized 2,398 students for excellence in academics on the 2012 Spring Semester Dean's List. To be eligible for the Dean's List, a student must have at least a 3.50 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester. The University is proud of these high-achieving students from your area.

Thirty-five Georgia Southern University students have been named to Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Selected for grade point average, campus or community leadership and service, and achievement or recognition in their area of study, the students are also required to be a junior or senior. Students are nominated by the faculty, staff and student body of Georgia Southern. Local students named include:

Exceptional Georgia Southern University students were recognized at the annual Honors Day Ceremony held recently on the University's campus. Individual awards were presented to 181 students and inductees into various honor societies also were recognized. Honors Day is held each spring to highlight distinguished students from all disciplines and areas of college life. The following local students listed below were honored:

The Georgia Southern University chapter of Phi Eta Sigma, a national honor society for college freshmen, has initiated 404 new students. To be eligible, initiates earn a minimum GPA of 3.6 while enrolled full-time. The University is proud of these high achieving students and the outstanding freshman class. Phi Eta Sigma recognizes and promotes academic and service excellence among first-year students. The oldest and largest freshman honor society, Phi Eta Sigma was founded at the University of Illinois in 1923. The honor society now has 371 chartered chapters throughout the United States. In 2010, it inducted its 1,000,000th initiate. For more information on Georgia Southern's chapter, visit http://academics.georgiasouthern.edu/fye/PhiEtaSigma.htm. The following students from your area were initiated into Phi Eta Sigma:

More than 230 outstanding high school seniors were recently invited to attend Georgia Southern University's Scholars' Day in Statesboro, Ga. The University's Scholars' Day is a unique invitation-only event providing incoming students the opportunity to meet Georgia Southern President, Brooks Keel, learn more about student organizations, participate in campus and residence hall tours and interview for a variety of academic scholarships and the University Honors Program.To receive an invitation, students must score a minimum of 1200 on the SAT, or 27 on the ACT, with a strong academic average in high school courses. To receive an invitation, students must score a minimum of 1300 on the SAT, or 28 on the ACT, with a strong academic average in high school courses. Local students who participated in the event included:

Georgia Southern University recently recognized 1,058 students for excellence in academics on the 2011 Fall Semester President's List. To be eligible for the President's List, a student must have at least a 4.0 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester. The University is proud of these high-achieving students from your area:

Georgia Southern University recently recognized 2,434 students for excellence in academics on the 2011 Fall Semester Dean's List. To be eligible for the Dean's List, a student must have at least a 3.50 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester. The University is proud of these high-achieving students from your area.

Georgia Southern University recently recognized 125 students for excellence in academics on the 2011 Summer Semester President's List. To be eligible for the President's List, a student must have at least a 4.0 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester. The University is proud of these high-achieving students from your area:

Georgia Southern University's Golden Key International Honor Society was awarded the Gold Level of Chapter Standards, by satisfying the highest level of standards requirements in academics, leadership and service. During the past academic year, members worked to attain the highest level of chapter standards by fulfilling a wide range of requirements. Some of these included achievements in networking, diverse service projects, member engagement, producing timely activity reports and collaboration with other student organizations. The chapter also used innovative methods to create an external face identifying with the community. The chapters leadership played a significant role in its advancement. They attended webinars on new methods to promote integrity among its members. The following are Golden Key officers:

A group of incoming Georgia Southern University freshman begin college before classes start, by gaining leadership experience giving back to the Statesboro community. The two-week volunteer project is designed to help them learn about their new college and their new home. During BUILD (Building Undergraduate Involvement and Leadership Development), the 80 students selected took part in constructing a Habitat for Humanity house, repair work at the Kiwanis fairgrounds in Bulloch County, as well as a number of home repairs through the Kingdom Builders Organization. "At Georgia Southern University, we have a culture of service to others," said University Assistant Director of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement Jodi Middleton. "We teach our students that an important part of leadership is taking the time to help those who need it. By giving this group of students the opportunity to serve the community before they even begin classes, we are instilling in them what we hope will be a lifelong love of volunteerism." Freshman chosen to participate were selected for their leadership potential. Georgia Southern University students logged a total of 26,000 service hours during the 2010-2011 academic year. The Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement offers opportunities to serve throughout the academic year, everything from working at nursing homes in Statesboro, to building trails in the Great Smokey Mountains, and helping orphanages in Honduras. While service to others in Statesboro is the focus of BUILD, the two-week event also helps ease freshman into the college experience. "The transition to college can be a challenge for anyone. Students who participate in BUILD have the advantage of living on the campus and making a new set of friends before school starts. They interact with professors and administrators. So, by the time class starts they truly feel like a part of the University and the Statesboro community," explained Middleton, "We've found that students who participate in BUILD have a much easier time with the first months of college and they are more likely to do well in their classes as a result." The following students from your area participated in BUILD:

A group of incoming Georgia Southern University freshman begin college before classes start, by gaining leadership experience giving back to the Statesboro community. The two-week volunteer project is designed to help them learn about their new college and their new home. During BUILD (Building Undergraduate Involvement and Leadership Development), the 80 students selected took part in constructing a Habitat for Humanity house, repair work at the Kiwanis fairgrounds in Bulloch County, as well as a number of home repairs through the Kingdom Builders Organization. "At Georgia Southern University, we have a culture of service to others," said University Assistant Director of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement Jodi Middleton. "We teach our students that an important part of leadership is taking the time to help those who need it. By giving this group of students the opportunity to serve the community before they even begin classes, we are instilling in them what we hope will be a lifelong love of volunteerism." Freshman chosen to participate were selected for their leadership potential. Georgia Southern University students logged a total of 26,000 service hours during the 2010-2011 academic year. The Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement offers opportunities to serve throughout the academic year, everything from working at nursing homes in Statesboro, to building trails in the Great Smokey Mountains, and helping orphanages in Honduras. While service to others in Statesboro is the focus of BUILD, the two-week event also helps ease freshman into the college experience. "The transition to college can be a challenge for anyone. Students who participate in BUILD have the advantage of living on the campus and making a new set of friends before school starts. They interact with professors and administrators. So, by the time class starts they truly feel like a part of the University and the Statesboro community," explained Middleton, "We've found that students who participate in BUILD have a much easier time with the first months of college and they are more likely to do well in their classes as a result." The following students from your area participated in BUILD:

Fifty-three outstanding high school seniors recently attended Georgia Southern University's second annual Southern Leadership Excellence Academics and Dedication (LEAD) Conference at its main campus in Statesboro, Ga. To be invited to the Southern LEAD Conference, students must score a minimum of 1100 on the SAT, earn a 3.0 grade point average in high school and have experience in leadership and involvement through extracurricular and volunteer experience. The participants examined student organizations, academic and student services offerings and interviewed for the Southern LEAD Scholarship. Throughout the day they attended leadership workshops, as well as toured the campus, residence halls and the Recreation Activity Center. The Southern LEAD Scholarship was established in 1999 and awards a $1,000 one-time award to 40 incoming students. LEAD scholarships are awarded to 40 students who meet the listed criteria, have experience in leadership and volunteerism, and have enthusiasm to become University leaders. The following students from your area attended the conference:

The Office of Admissions hosted Scholars' Day on April 1st. This event brought to campus around 127 of the brightest high school seniors from within Georgia as well as across the nation. The purpose of this event was for the invited students to interview for many academic scholarships, leadership scholarships and an envied spot in the University Honors Program. To be invited to the event students must have earned at least a 1200 SAT score (Math + Critical Reading only) or a 27 ACT score, and have demonstrated academic ability in the classroom. In addition to interviewing for scholarships, the students and their parents had a chance to attend many informative sessions about Georgia Southern University ranging from engineering to study abroad. The students also had the opportunity to take a picture with the University President, Brooks Keel. The following students from your area attended Scholar's Day:

Georgia Southern University's SOAR (Orientation) Team recently traveled to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to attend the Southern Regional Orientation Workshop (SROW) where they won several awards. SROW is a regional conference through the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA) attended by undergraduate orientation leaders, graduate students, and orientation professionals. Over 1700 people from 82 institutions across the southeast gathered at Louisiana State University to learn about other orientation programs, student leadership, teamwork, diversity and acceptance, student and family transition, and showcase school pride. For the last few months, the SOAR Team has been preparing to represent Georgia Southern at SROW and their hard work paid off.

Several Georgia Southern University students recently learned the secrets of thriving in corporate America from entrepreneur Bill Rancic, the first winner of Donald Trump's reality TV competition, "The Apprentice." The Office of Student Leadership & Civic Engagement sponsored an essay contest giving students the opportunity to attend a special dinner with Rancic prior to his lecture at the University. Eight winners were selected from more than 20 essays submitted, in which students described how their undergraduate experiences at Georgia Southern would prepare them for a future career. "I am thrilled that the Office of Career Services brought a level of speaker that is the same caliber as the dynamic students we have at Georgia Southern University," said Dr. Teresa Thompson, Vice President of the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. "The opportunity for students to have dinner with Bill Rancic exemplifies our commitment to providing students with unique experiences such as individual conversations with a nationally recognized speaker." During his visit, Rancic shared tips for securing a job, recognizing and seizing opportunities and balancing high expectations with personal shortcomings. He is the author of The New York Times best-selling book, You're Hired: How to Succeed in Business and Life, and stars in a new reality show on A&E TV, "We Mean Business." Rancic also funds philanthropic causes through proceeds from his second book, Beyond the Lemonade Stand, which challenges readers to learn the value of money and leverage skills, talents and abilities at a young age. The eight winners include:

Georgia Southern University has announced its 2011 Southern's Orientation, Advisement, and Registration (SOAR) Team. SOAR Leaders help orient new students and their families to Georgia Southern during the summer SOAR sessions by serving as role models for new students, helping them register for classes, preparing them for college level academics, and informing parents about Georgia Southern services. One-hundred and eight students applied for the coveted SOAR Leader position and twenty-four were selected based on their leadership potential, work ethic, and ability to represent the university.

Georgia Southern University recently recognized 157 students for excellence in academics on the 2010 Summer Semester Dean’s List. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, a student must have at least a 3.50 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester. The University is proud of these high-achieving students from your area.

Nine outstanding Georgia Southern University students have been selected to participate in the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program (McNair Program). These newly named McNair Scholars will participate in the Summer Research Institute beginning this May. "Georgia Southern University has a history of attracting the best and brightest students; these nine students whose major's range from physics to accounting are no exception," said Carolyn Boles, assistant director of the McNair Program. The Summer Research Institute operates from May to July. Selected students are involved in scholarly research under the supervision of a faculty member in their major. Students are chosen based on their academic performance and interest in pursuing graduate education. Incentives include a stipend, for students who elect to participate. "These students have the curiosity, passion and dedication required to become leading researchers, educators, and visionaries in their chosen disciplines. I am excited to see what the future holds," said Boles. The following students from your area have been named 2009-2010 McNair Scholars:

Southern Ambassadors are enthusiastic, responsible students who proudly represent Georgia Southern University to the public by giving campus tours for prospective students and guests, hosting special recruiting events like Open House and Scholarship Weekends, attending high school college day programs and receptions, as well as assisting with various Alumni programs. The new team is made up of 50 outstanding student leaders from across the Georgia Southern Campus.