Kid who got in to every Ivy League school is going to the University of Alabama — and it’s a brilliant decision
Business Insider – May 14
High-school senior Ronald Nelson had an incredibly hard decision to make this year about college — mainly because he got into all eight Ivy League universities. In the end, he decided on the University of Alabama and rejected offers from all eight Ivy League schools. Nelson also rejected offers from Stanford, Johns Hopkins, New York University, Vanderbilt, and Washington University in St. Louis. He decided to pass on these big names in favor of UA for two big reasons: He got a full ride from Alabama and got into its selective honors program. It’s easy to see why Nelson got into UA’s honors program and every single Ivy League school. As a student at Houston High School in Memphis, Tennessee, he has a 4.58 weighted GPA, has taken 15 AP courses, and achieved a 2260 out of 2400 on his SAT and a 34 out of 36 on his ACT. He’s the senior-class president of his high school, a National Merit Scholar and National Achievement Scholar, and a state-recognized alto saxophone player. Despite his achievements, Nelson did not receive a performance-based scholarship from the Ivy League schools. None of them offer merit scholarships, nor do several other prestigious universities, such as Stanford.
Al.com – May 14
Yellowhammer News – May 14
Mic.com – May 15
The College Fix – May 14
WMAR-ABC (Baltimore, MD) – May 14
Man to ride bike nearly 70 miles to work
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – May 14
Friday is bike to work day and one local man is participating. Zach Riggins, the Director of Photography at the University of Alabama, is riding nearly 70 miles to work beginning at 3 a.m. It should take him about four to five hours. He’s taking back roads through Jefferson, Bibb, and Tuscaloosa Counties. He hopes to encourage more people to do the same … plus it’s a great way to get into shape. “I just hope this would encourage some folks maybe to give it a shot, to ride to work, especially for people who live much closer than I. Riding a bike has changed my life. I’ve lost a lot of weight. I’ve gotten in much better shape cardiovascularly,” Riggins said. Riggins is also hoping more cities take initiatives to build bike friendly infrastructure to help more people use two wheels instead of four.
NBC 5 (Memphis, Tenn.) – May 14
NBC 13 (Birmingham) – May 14
Fox 6 (5 a.m.) (Birmingham) – May 15
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NBC 13 (4 a.m.) (Birmingham) – May 15
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NBC 13 (6:30 a.m.) (Birmingham) – May 15
NBC 13 (6:52 a.m.) – May 15
ABC 33/40 (6:30 a.m.) (Birmingham) – May 15
Help decide the winner of the 2015 Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction
ABA Journal – May 14
The ABA Journal and the University of Alabama School of Law are proud to announce the finalists for the fifth annual Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction. The books picked as this year’s finalists are My Sister’s Grave, by Robert Dugoni; Terminal City, by Linda Fairstein; and The Secret of Magic, by Deborah Johnson. The prize, which is co-sponsored by the two groups and authorized by Harper Lee, has been awarded each year since To Kill a Mockingbird’s 50th anniversary to the novel that best illuminates the role of lawyers in society and their power to effect change. The panelists who will vote to select a winner from the group of finalists are Roy Blount Jr., author and humorist; Wayne Flynt, author and Alabama historian; Mary McDonagh Murphy, independent film and television writer and producer; and Michele Norris, NPR host and special correspondent. The public is invited to cast their own votes on the book they think most deserves the prize; the public vote will act as a fifth judge. Voting closes on Friday, June 5 at 11:59 p.m.
All About Baby Growth Spurts
Care.com – May 15
Just when you think you’ve got the whole parenting-a-newborn thing down, your baby throws you a curveball. Suddenly your calm baby turns cranky, demands to eat more and wakes up more frequently at night. Could it be a growth spurt? … Signs Your Baby Is Going Through a Growth Spurt – Your Baby is 3 Weeks, 6 Weeks, 3 Months or 6 Months Old: According to Dr. Brian Gannon, a pediatrician at The University of Alabama’s College of Community Health Sciences, experts haven’t found any hard-and-fast rules on when babies go through growth spurts. He does note that parents most frequently observe short bursts of growth at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months.
8 Teething Facts Every New Parent Should Know
Care.com – May 15
Many parents look forward to their child’s first toothy grin, but teething can also be a source of stress — and a plethora of questions. There’s a lot of misinformation out there, both in terms of symptoms and remedies. Even the experts can’t agree on everything. According to Dr. Maria Hernandez-Reif, a child development professor and the director of the Pediatric Development Research Lab at the University of Alabama, “Research in infant teething suggests that more research needs to be done.” In short, while there are a lot of unknowns about the eruption of first teeth, you can still help your baby feel more comfortable.
Alabama Graphite Reports Additional Naturally Occurring Graphene Derivatives Found at Its Coosa Property in Alabama, USA
Geology for Investors – May 14
Alabama Graphite Corp. is pleased to announce that it has found additional types of naturally occurring graphene-based derivatives called few-layer graphene (2-5 layers), multi-layer graphene (2-10 layers), and graphite nanoplates (less than 100 nm thick)[1] at its Coosa Property in Alabama, USA. This material was obtained using the same cost- effective process, as was previously used by the Company to obtain graphene (see press release dated March 12, 2015). These types of graphene-based derivatives are valued because they exhibit unique electrical, optical, mechanical, and thermal properties. This work was conducted by Dr. Nitin Chopra, Associate Professor at The University of Alabama under our sponsored research partnership.
Two GSCC Students Selected as Members of All Alabama Academic Team
100.5 FM (Centre, Ala.) – May 14
Two students were selected to represent Gadsden State Community College as members of the All-Alabama Academic Team. Hannah Gregg of Cedar Bluff and Katie Sisk of Alexandria were honored at a dinner in Birmingham where they were recognized by the Alabama Community College System and received $1,000 academic scholarships from the All-Alabama Academic Team Foundation. Both students have volunteered their time participating in various campus and community functions. Gregg, a general studies major, plans to transfer to the University of Alabama where she received the UA Noyce Scholarship in Chemistry Education beginning fall semester 2015. At Gadsden State she was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, Student Government Association, vice president of the National Society of Leadership and Success, Student Support Services tutor, and the Science, Math, and Engineering Club. She also maintained a 4.0 GPA, was named Outstanding SGA Officer, and achieved the President’s List. “Last summer, I traveled 5,000 miles with a missionary-evangelist in the U.S. and Mexico in a span of six weeks. Working with poverty stricken youth made me thankful for my culture and education,” said Gregg.
High school senior creates anti-bullying license plate
NBC 13 (Birmingham) – May 14
A Tuscaloosa County teenager is hoping to spread her anti-bullying message on license plates. Baylee Smith is taking pre-orders now for the license plates. Earlier this week a legislative committee gave the high school senior approval for those orders. The state will print these plates if Smith can get 1,000 orders over the next year. She got involved with the fight against bullying through the Miss High School America Pageant. Last fall she worked with students at The University of Alabama to design the plates.
WPMI-NBC (Mobile) – May 14
Leadership Tuscaloosa holds graduation
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – May 14
Some of Tuscaloosa’s leaders completed training today at a special banquet. The 2015 Leadership Tuscaloosa Class held the graduation event at the Cypress Inn Pavilion. The guest speaker was Stephen Black, from The University of Alabama’s Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility. The event is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama.