’Roos In Celebration
Charles ’55 and Dorothy Tucker Winfield ’53 celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary July 11 and were surprised with a luncheon in their hometown of Mount Vernon, Texas. Earlier in the year, the Winfields were inducted into Mount Vernon ISD’s Hall of Honor for their more-than-30-years of service to the community and the school. Charles was high school principal at Mount Vernon High, then returned to the classroom, also coaching boys and girls sports teams. Dorothy was a music teacher for Mount Vernon elementary and junior high schools. The Winfield’s family, including their son Allan ’81, Allan’s wife Diana and son David; and the Winfield’s daughter Margaret Winfield Jackson ’85, attended both events. Pictured left to right, are Allan, Dorothy, Charles, Diana, and Margaret.
Telling the Austin College Story
The “panel of experts” shared their Austin College stories this spring at Austin College Experience, when admitted students visit campus—and hopefully confirm they will enroll in the fall’s freshman class. Left to right, with job titles as of April, are Nick Zitaglio ’10, district sales leader, PepsiCo/Frito Lay; Bethanie Livernois ’13, student, SMU Dedman School of Law; Will Griffith ’13, residential mortgage asset management analyst, Goldman Sachs; Han Pham Hulen ’98, M.D., CEO, Hulen Wound Care Professionals; Nicholas Low ’11, student, SMU Dedman School of Law; Asil Yassine ’12, analyst, Commit!; and Neema Dad ’12, student, Baylor College of Dentistry. They must have done well; 2014 freshman enrollment numbers were right on target.
Austin College Alumnus Proves to be “Unstoppable”
by Mike Sinclair ’16
Luther Jackson ’06 released his debut album, Unstoppable, in July. He began his musical journey after graduation, when he and his friend Akaash Singh ’06 moved to Los Angeles. Influenced by his musical performances while at Austin College, Jackson knew upon graduating that he wanted to pursue a career in entertainment. When Singh started on a path toward becoming a comedian and actor, Jackson set out to produce his own music. Many albums are never fully realized, and difficulties confronted Jackson as he strove to establish himself in the Los Angeles area. However, he persevered, putting everything he had into his music, and his hard work allowed him to succeed. Jackson’s inspiration behind the album is self-discovery, and he feels that his music speaks to diverse audiences of different ages, races, and musical styles. He describes Unstoppable as a “retro take on ’90s R&B,” influenced by artists such as Michael Jackson, Usher, Boyz II Men, and Brian McKnight. For Jackson, music allows him to share himself, connecting with others by embracing different cultures. Unstoppable has received strong positive reviews on iTunes and Google Play. Jackson lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Jamilla, and their son, Luther Jackson III.
Ready for A Career?
Austin College’s second Career-Readiness Check was held this fall, with professionals assessing more than 40 students’ preparedness for their career search and allowing students to experience what job interviews might be like. First, Career Services staff helped students get their resumes in order. Next, 16 alumni volunteers returned to campus to serve as interviewers or coordinators, and then offer students input on their preparation and delivery. Each student had two 15-minute interviews. Then, interviews were scored and the results became a Career Action Plan, empowering the student to take valuable steps toward their career goals. One group of alumni volunteers is pictured left to right: Mary Richardson Cyrus, ’11, owner, Mary Cyrus Photography; Mary Caroline Ingram ’13, operations consultant, Encompass Home Health and Hospice; Curtis Henderson ’84, chief administrative officer, Approach Resources; Stan Collins ’75, business analytics consultant; Charles Curtis ’75, IT and management consultant; Brandon Brown ’09, associate, Goldman Sachs; Katy Williams ’10, program director, Special Olympics Texas; Katie Clifford ’06, director of communications, Arkansas Public School Resource Center; Laura-Jane Kirby Barber ’04, ambassador, Plexus Worldwide; and Arjun Demla ’09, associate, DBG.