Blackburn Institute

Community Member Spotlight: Cathy Crenshaw

February 9, 2011

Having been named Birmingham Business Journal’s Woman of the Year in 2002, attending Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, and developing the nationally recognized Pepper Place in downtown Birmingham, Catherine Crenshaw has become one of the leaders in the Birmingham area. The New York Times has even recognized her mission and her successes in a recent profile piece. 

Crenshaw, the president of Sloss Real Estate, believes that metropolitan areas play a major role in everyday life.

“I think cities represent the best of what we do,” she said. “How we make our urban areas livable is very important. We are creating space that works to help build community.”

Crenshaw holds positions on several organizations across Birmingham, demonstrating her attachment to the city.

“Birmingham is a city of wonderful people,” she said.

As an urban developer, Crenshaw sees a bright future for the downtown area.

“We didn’t grow quickly, so we still have beautiful historic buildings, and we still have great infrastructure,” she said. “We have lots of room for growth and tremendous potential.”

Crenshaw joined the Blackburn Advisory Board in 2008 and is looking to help out even more.

“I was interested in how a program connects smart students to help improve this state,” she said. “One of my goals for 2011 is to become more involved.”

Community Member Spotlight: Mike House

February 8, 2011

Many students are drawn to the Blackburn Institute because of their desire to make a change in the state of Alabama.  The Institute’s call to action resonates with many as they try to understand and impact the state.  Mike House has carried out that call to action for many years.  He has had innumerable experiences all over the state and has spent roughly the last 30 years in Washington D.C. He is currently the director of Hogan Lovells legislative group and concentrates on legislative and regulatory issues before the U.S. Congress, White House, and various departments independent of the executive branch. When asked, however, what was his greatest and most exciting accomplishment, without hesitation he responded with his involvement in Alabama’s judicial reform that began in 1973.

The excitement of the reform not only centered around the actual passage of a document that had been worked on so diligently by so many, but the energy that surrounded the entire process.  He described the environment as one of social change and directedness.  Many people who had never been involved in any type of activism or politics were now working together.  Everyone felt as if they were a part of a movement, something bigger than themselves.  He described it as something almost tangible in the air, the feeling of being proud of what was accomplished.  There were over 15,000 people, from all walks of life, who contributed to making this constitutional amendment a reality.

With so many organizations and groups that stand out and want to make a difference, the Blackburn Institute is different to Mr. House because of its unique approach in leadership training.  After being involved in Washington D.C. for over 30 years, he sees an ever increasing need for strong leadership.  This leadership needs to manifest itself not only in D.C., but in all societal levels.  We need to focus on developing community leaders that are necessary in all facets of our state and country.  The University of Alabama is a great place and time to develop leaders.  This is one of the few times that people can focus on leadership and the community without many of the other priorities that will compete for time later in their lives.  Another unique aspect of the Blackburn Institute is the idea of networking through the generations.  Mr. House put an extra emphasis on the importance of younger generations.  By allowing older generations to work side by side with younger students, it brings a new energy and renews ideas to old or out-dated systems.  Young people have not yet been as jaded by life experience, so they do not approach situations with a cynicism, but instead attack problems with vigor and excitement. 

Mr. House emphasized that Blackburn’s call to action is something that must be impressed upon our younger generations.  Not everyone must go to college, become a policy maker or a lawyer to create change.  Instead, we can focus on the areas where we do excel and see results even on a seemingly small scale.  We cannot discount work in communities, on PTA boards, in local hospitals or in classrooms.  Instead of students taking on the world, take on the community.  Blackburn uniquely equips students with knowledge and leadership abilities.  With this knowledge and renewed leadership experiences, students can then go out and develop more leaders and the signs of progress will be written all over the state of Alabama. 

Blount County/Oneonta Travel Experience

January 28, 2011

In late January, the Blackburn Institute visited Blount County for its second travel experience of the New Year. At the first stop the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Donny Ray, welcomed the students and talked about his goals for improving development in Oneonta and Blount County.  As an Oneonta native and son of the current mayor, Chamber President Ray believes the city leadership must first convince the people of Oneonta to desire and work for growth. Ray also explained that sales tax is currently the primary revenue stream for Blount County; however, he firmly believes that Blount County can become a home for people and businesses looking to escape the problems plaguing Jefferson County.

After the welcome by Chamber President Ray, the Blackburn Students traveled to Oneonta High School to speak with the Superintendent and several teachers. In his presentation, Superintendent Scott Coefield brought to light the challenges that are pressing to their school, explaining how the cuts in funding have placed the system under tremendous financial pressure. Superintendent Coefield went on to discuss how advances in technology and changes in educational trends are affecting students and administrators. Lastly, Mr. Coefield and the teachers mentioned that Oneonta has experienced a rapid increase in their Hispanic student population and emphasized the importance in the system adequately adapting to this change in demographics.

Later in the day, the Blackburn Students traveled to the Hope House and met with Brother Bud Jones, a former minister and founder of Hope House. Developed initially to assist families of addicts and those in poverty, the Hope House now provides well over thirty social services.  The services provided include a GED certificate program, substance abuse recovery, and drug testing for the entire county. Interestingly enough, the Hope House has also become a branch of the county court system and is home to all drug court hearings for Blount County. Visiting the Hope House was a unique insight into Oneonta’s social structure, and the Blackburn Students were touched by Brother Bud’s lifelong commitment to serving his community.

Friday evening, the Blackburn group traveled to Wallace State Community College to meet with President Vicki Hawsey and Dr. Tomesa Smith, Vice President for Students and Learning. Dr. Hawsey explained the role community colleges play in Alabama and the variety of educational programs Wallace State offers. Dr. Tomesa Smith then led the students on a driving tour of campus, which included a stop at the auto tech shop to meet with the director of the program. The director gave the students details, and for most, their first insight into the benefits of certificate programs offered by community colleges. After a trip into Wallace State’s athletic coliseum, the Blackburn Students wrapped up their evening at Cullman’s famous All Steak restaurant.

On Saturday morning, the Blackburn Students visited Miller Farms to learn about agriculture in Blount County. Four area farmers met the group to explain the practice and economics of row cropping, cattle and poultry farming. While at the farm, students had the opportunity to converse with the farmers and learn about the challenges facing the agriculture industry. At the end of the tour, Jimmy and Lance Miller showed the students the inside of chicken houses filled with over 30,000 chicks. Both men shocked the students in describing the advanced technology and science used in poultry farming. 

After the farm, the group traveled to Oneonta City Hall and met with officials from the Oneonta City government and Blount County Commission. City officials shared details of how well Oneonta has survived during the recent economic times, offering a pay raise to employees this year. All of the county leaders emphasized the county’s reliance on Oneonta’s stability and stressed the importance of the community members’ pride and support.

The Blackburn Students’ final stop on their trip was St. Vincent’s Blount Hospital. At the hospital, the students heard from Lisa Nichols, VP of Patient Care Services, and Kidada Hawkins, VP and Chief Operating Officer, about the challenges of operating a rural hospital and the future needs of the area. Mrs. Nichol’s described the difficulties in bed side service and communication caused by the growing Hispanic population. Mr. Hawkins explained his hopes to make accommodations for new medical technology, more specialists, more full time staff members, and increased surgery volume. St. Vincent’s Blount seemed to be another example of a content yet successful entity in a supportive, rural community.

The Blount County Travel Experience gave Blackburn Students a look into rural Alabama life. As with any place, Blount County has its fair share of problems, financial and otherwise, but unique to Blount County is their sense of community and pride in the small Southern place they call “home.”

Sarah Hughes, Blackburn Class of 2010

Madison Travel Experience

January 14, 2011

January 14-15, Blackburn students traveled to Madison, Alabama, to learn about life in this up-and-coming urban community. Over the course of our visit, we met with numerous city leaders and learned both the challenges and opportunities facing the area.

Inclement weather forced Principal Robby Parker of Alabama’s largest public high school, Bob Jones H.S., to meet with us at the Madison Public Library rather than the school itself. With 2,300 enrolled students, many of us were surprised to learn that Bob Jones is ranked in the top ten percent of high-performing high schools in the country.  Parker explained that even though fifteen to twenty percent of students qualify for free or reduced lunches, Bob Jones creates a level playing field for all students. The school provides opportunities for every student, treating academics, arts, and athletics equally. In 2012, Madison City Schools plan to open a second high school to address the area’s growing population.

We also met with Mayor Paul Finley at City Hall. Mayor Finley is currently serving his first term as mayor and explained how his marketing background helped him serve Madison’s predominantly science-oriented population. As a citizen, Finley noticed a lack of accessibility to government, a significant loss of potential business to Huntsville, and a history of hostility between Madison and Huntsville. Once elected, he developed a plan to change both the attitude and diplomatic approach of Madison’s city government.

After leaving city hall, we went to the Westin Hotel in Huntsville to have dinner and learn about BRAC from Joe Ritch, Chair of the Tennessee Valley BRAC committee. Ritch’s presentation focused on the remarkable job growth in the area as a result of BRAC and the challenges that accompany that growth.  While BRAC will create over 20,000 new jobs in the area, Ritch explained the difficulties of recruiting educated people to fill those jobs. Ritch described how the national perception of Alabama and its education system deter people from moving to the Huntsville/Madison area.

Saturday morning, we discussed Madison’s economic development and community engagement with Amy Furfori, the Director of Community Development and Planning, Sarah Sledge, the city’s librarian, and Kristen Kulavich, a community leader. These three discussed community development efforts and showed us the library’s new sustainability garden, one of many ways Madison is becoming more eco-friendly. 

Later, we met with Kory Alfred, the Parks and Recreation Director, and Mr. Taylor Edge, the Mayor’s executive assistant, at Madison’s state-of-the-art YMCA facility. Alfred explained the role athletics plays in a rapidly growing, tech-savvy community, while Edge discussed what attracts people to Madison. Edge described how location, schools, and home prices make Madison an attractive area to live.

We finished our trip with Mary Lynne Wright, currently the Vice President of Surgery at Huntsville Hospital and soon-to-be President of the new Madison Hospital.  In 2012, Madison Hospital will open with sixty beds and is expected to grow quickly.  In her presentation, Wright explained the Certificate of Need process and the difficulties Huntsville Hospital faced in acquiring the CON for the hospital in Madison. Wright’s presentation was both interesting and informative and showed healthcare in a way many students had never seen before.

Leaving Madison, we reflected on what the city is doing to maintain and improve its unique quality of life and saw how the nation’s perception of Alabama is hurting perhaps our state’s brightest spot. Though our stay in Madison was short, the lessons we took from it have undoubtedly impacted our vision and Dr. Blackburn’s vision for a better Alabama.

New Faculty Reception

January 13, 2011

Numerous individuals play important roles in making the Blackburn Institute the outstanding body that it is.  One group of individuals that often go unnoticed is the faculty at the University.  On January 13, the Institute hosted a reception for new faculty to gather with the students and learn about the Blackburn Institute.

During the gathering, student leaders Marshall Houston, Anna Foley, and David Simpson conducted a brief presentation about the Blackburn Institute. Marshall and Anna began by sharing Dr. Blackburn’s mission and his impact on the University and state.  .After the brief overview, David went over the ways that faculty can help the Institute to achieve its mission. From nominating students to hosting discourse dinners, faculty members play a key role in a Blackburn student’s experience. 

With the wealth of knowledge and diversity of backgrounds that make up the faculty at the University, it is critical that the Blackburn Institute maintains a strong relationship with them.  While the primary purpose of the event was to help new faculty become familiar with the Institute, it also enabled Blackburn Students to network with the new faculty.  This event went a long way towards solidifying a relationship vital to the Blackburn Institute’s success.