Page 11 - Southern Magazine-Winter/Spring 2013

winter-spring 2013 / 9
STUDENT NEWS
Whittington Competition student
winners team with Red Mountain
Chamber Orchestra
The Red Mountain Chamber Orchestra was on campus last month to give a unique and rare opportunity to two
budding musical talents.
Colin Alexander of Birmingham and Patrick McCormick of Hoover won this year’s Whittington Competition at
Birmingham-Southern. As a prize, the two baritone singers—both music majors and seniors at BSC—performed with the
professional orchestra at the 2013 Whittington Competition concert held Feb. 17.
Alexander sang two arias by Mozart and Tchaikovsky, and McCormick sang two arias by Mendelssohn and Mozart. The
orchestra accompanied them and also performed two classic works: Claude Debussy’s “Prelude to the Afternoon of a
Faun” and the Symphony No. 1 by Ludwig van Beethoven.
The Whittington Music Competition is named for Frances and Dorsey Whittington, who led the Birmingham
Conservatory of Music before it became BSC’s music department.
Alexander McCormick
Mountain Brook student wins top BSC
scholarship honoring local couple
Russell Day, a Mountain Brook High School graduate, has been selected
as this year’s new Rushton Scholar.
The award, now in its sixth year as BSC’s preeminent scholarship, honors
Col. William James Rushton, a Birmingham insurance executive, and his
wife, Elizabeth Perry Rushton.
Rushton Scholars receive full tuition and room and board each year,
plus a $2,000 annual stipend to be used for summer travel, internships,
study abroad programs, or special projects. Day was chosen by a selection
committee from national candidates. Recipients are chosen based on their
academic achievement, leadership, and activism in the community.
In high school, Day was a member of the speech and debate team and
marching/symphonic band and volunteered at the McWane Science Center
in Birmingham. He graduated with a 4.52 GPA and is an Eagle Scout.
Day is majoring in chemistry at BSC and plans to pursue a career in
ophthalmology. He is the son of Drs. Sharon and Howard Day ’83.
New SGA executive officers announced
In a vote held last month, the following students were elected
to Student Government Association executive board positions for
the 2013-14 academic year:
President —Raul Gonzalez, a junior history major from
Oneonta
Executive Vice President—Nisha Kashyap, a sophomore
business major from Anniston
Treasurer—Hope Ervin, a sophomore math major from
Hampton Cove
Secretary—Ashley Bice, a sophomore pre-engineering major
from Florence
The SGA represents the student voice by participating in
institutional governance with the administration and board
of trustees; supports student learning and the development
of community among students, faculty, staff, and the
administration; and demonstrates the values and purpose of BSC.
(L-R). Ervin, Gonzalez, Kashyap, and Bice.