Katie Tomlinson Lown-1999

Hey Ladies! Thought I would finally add to the blog! I did send some of this info in an email, so hope it's not a repeat! I think the blog is a great idea!!! After graduating from Samford in 99, I got a wild hair, and moved to Boston to go to BC for my Masters degree in Higher Education Administration. I met my husband Jay in Boston (although he's from Wisconsin). We ended up staying there for about 4 years. I actually helped advise the Delta chapter at Tufts University and was involved in alumni chapter there :) In 2003, we moved back south to Knoxville, TN where I got a job at UT in their Career Center. I loved counseling business students about their future! In Sept, 2006, we were blessed with our daughter, Olivia Katherine. I left my job for the much harder job of being a stay at home mom! My husband travels internationally for his job about 65% of the time, so I have a lot of "single mom" days. I'm really involved in our church- Fellowhip Church, and lead a mom's group there. We also just found out that Olivia's little brother or sister will be joining us in March, 2008! I still love my AOII and Samford days! I keep up with Kristy DeArman Michael, Cindy Firth Stuart, Crystal McGrew King (sometimes), and a bunch of others via "facebook!"

Sorry for chopping off my hubby's head in one photo! I need to figure out how to make them smaller :)

Would love to hear from more of you!!!
Love, Katie T.

Cindy Stuart '99

Cindy Firth (Stuart):
(class of '99)

Hello Ladies and what a fabulous idea to keep tabs on everyone and hear what has been going on in everyones lives. All of ya'll left Samford to carry on with your lives and I got to experience much more of Samford with Pharmacy School. I graduated in 2002 and Ben and I spent a short 7 month stent in Knoxville, Tn where we quickly found out Birmingham was the city for us. We moved back to the 'ham and have been here ever since. Ben and I just celebrated our 7 year anniversary this year. We also welcomed a new addition to our family, Douglas "Payne" Stuart in March. Yes, his name is Payne Stuart, like the golfer. Ben just couldn't resist. I work at Children's Hospital as a Pharmacist where I have worked for the last 3 years. I work 7 on/7 off which gives me 7 whole days off with my precious boy. Ben and I are really involed at the Church of Brook Hills and teach 12th grade Sunday School. We live in Trussville and love the small home town feel with the city near by. I still keep in touch with Laura Howell, Amy Lanier, Katie T., and Crystal. Good to hear from everyone and I look forward to hearing about what is going on in everyone elses lives.
Love,
Cindy Firth (Stuart)

Amy (Payne) Lanier - Class of '97

Hey gals! What a fun idea! I can't believe it's been 10 years - I'm feeling rather old right now. So...after graduation, I stayed for another year at Samford to get my masters in accounting. I then married John and we recently celebrated our 9 year anniversary. I worked for 5 years at a local CPA firm until we had our first child, Lauren, who has just entered Kindergarten. Then after going thru the neat process of in-vitro, we were blessed with twins. Thomas and Lucy are now 18 months old and keep me super busy! John is a partner at Maynard, Cooper and Gale, a law firm here in Bham and he is chapter advisor for the Sigma Nu's at Samford. We love our church (Dawson) and in my spare time (ha - as if there IS such a thing), I like to sew & smock for my kiddos and play Wii! I also recently took up tennis and will be working with Sav-A-Life this fall. It's so neat to see what all of you are doing. Keep in touch! lanieramy@gmail.com

Hey sistas!

Hi girls! Great idea Candace! Sooooo good to hear you guys are all doing so well!
Seeing some of those photos just melted my heart...and to think we're all in our 30's now. Time certainly does fly.
Following graduation I moved to Jacksonville, Florida. I worked as an interior designer for a number of years there. Fell in love with a British boy for a couple years, moved to London for a short while, then moved back to Florida. Nope, it didn't work out. I then created some minutia to move out of Florida...and I've been in Atlanta for 3 years now. I work for Steelcase as an Architecture & Design Workplace Consultant...basically I work with architectural firms, study how people work and recommend certain designs, layouts, and furniture. Perfect job...business and creativity blend.
Some of you may remember i played golf for Samford. Well after college i was totally burned out from golf and started playing beach volleyball. Yes, Atlanta has sand. Also spend much time with the US Green Building Council helping to build sustainable, 'green' commercial environments.
I keep in touch with my sweet little sister, Cindy Firth Stuart; oldest college pal Amy Payne Lanier. I'm sure they'll add their own blogs.
And many of you remember my late best friend and fellow sister, Shelley Harmon...I still visit with her parents here in Atlanta quite often. Also Shelley's (not so) little brother Gray who's now an actor in Los Angeles. They are all doing great and will be so happy to know we're all beginning to reconnect.
All for now...any of you chickeepoos in hotlanta, call me! I'd love to see you...404-319-5771!
Hugs-Laura xoxoxo

Andrea Mueller Class of '99

Jenna Hicks, Cathy Lipop, and me!!! (This was actually my 30th B'day!)

Hey ya'll! Candace this is such a great idea! After graduation (and a year off) I headed off to LSU to work on a Master's degree in vocal performance. It was just about the most fun two years of all time. I met the best friends of my life, performed a lot, and learned so much. At the end of my degree, my professors convinced me to stay on and teach at LSU while working on my Doctorate. I couldn't turn down the offer, so moved into a great neighborhood with my best friend and started the journey towards my DMA in vocal performance and pedaogy. It was three years of course work, while teaching 10 hours a week, and performing a lot. Lots of hard work, but an amazing learning experience.

Mardi Gras 2007
I completed my course work in 2005 and spent the summer preparing for my General Exams (three days of pure HELL!!) To make matters more interesting (as if we weren't stressed enough!) a little hurricane named Katrina decided to grace us with her prescence the day before we were to begin the exams! Needless to say it made for one highly emotional week! We ended up still taking the exams...under lock and key with armed guards because of looting...and in the end we all decided that in a way it was a blessing because the tragedy going on around us (and let me tell you it was unbelievable to be there and think that this was all going on in AMERICA!!) really put everything into perspective! Suddenly the tests seemed to insignificant compared to evertything else. Anyway....after that was over my best friend and I headed off to Italy for a month of travel, study, and celebration!


We traveled to Milan, Verona, Venice, Florence, and Rome. We stayed in Florence for 2 1/2 weeks where we attended a language school. Amazing experience!

We were in class with a 1984 Gold Medalist from Australia (Swimming) Jon Sieben!

Anyway...back in Atlanta, I have been teaching voice lessons and even did a stint at my old high school! I will be performing with the Capitol City Opera this September! If you are in town come out and see me! My main goal right now is to finally finish the dreaded "written document" so as to officially be Dr. Mueller....

On the set of Paula Deen's show...If you ever watch the food network my episode is on from time to time...Hometown Favorites.

My mom and I in London...we went for a wedding

Cathy Lipop - Class of 98

Hello ladies! I am so glad to hear how you are doing and to see the wonderful lives you are leading! Two days ago I was thinking of AOII for some reason and wondering how to get in touch with everyone. I'm glad you started this!

Pic of Jenna Hicks and me...


I moved back to Atlanta and started working with UPS a month after I graduated from Samford. That was nine years ago and I'm still here. I had positions in Communications, HR, and now I'm a project manager in Corporate Marketing. I have a little condo close to work, close enough to the city, and close enough to the burbs to be just right for me. I'm involved in North Point Community Church. I got my Master's in Organizational Development a few years ago, got bored and started doing triathlons. Two years ago I did my first sprint (short and quick)tri. I kept moving up the tri distances and last month I did my first Ironman. An Ironman is a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mie bike ride, and 26.2 mile run. It took me 16 hours. (I know, I'm crazy.) I'm dating a great guy who loves me and my hand-me-down cat, Junior.


At the Ironman Finish Line! 16 hours, 19 minutes.


There you go ~ there's a line about my life for each year I haven't seen you! If you come to Atl, get in touch! Now that I'm not training like a mad woman I have plenty of time to sit and chat. clipop@hotmail.com or myspace.com/cathylipop

Update from Michelle

Hey Everybody,
It has been so good to hear the updates from all of you guys and know what's going on in your lives. I'll add mine to the list as well, here.

My life has definitely changed a lot in the last several years. I moved to Ft Lauderdale, FL in 2003 and was part of planting a church there called The Harbour for several years. After being in staff there doing short term missions, the Lord opened a door for me to work overseas all the time. For the last year and a half I have been working as a full time missionary with Book of Hope International (bookofhope.net). My job involves a lot of different things, but basically we go into schools doing presentations on life skills and give out a book for the kids that is the four gospels combined so the children will understand it.

I spent almost all of last year in Africa and this year I have been in South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana, Peru and I am writing right now from El Salvador. Sarah Graves actually worked with some of my friends in Swaziland just a few weeks ago. My life is full of crazy adventures, ridiculous stories and amazing opportunities to see things and go places most people never have the opportunity to. I have been truly blessed all along the way with friends who are as close as family and I wouldn't trade a moment of it. No husband or kids yet, but I'll attach a couple of pictures so you can see some of the little faces that are a part of my everyday life.

Michelle

Hi all!

What an awesome idea, Candace! Even though I was only with you all for 2 years, I still love getting updates on everyones whereabouts and what's new in your lives!

After leaving Samford after sophomore year, I transferred to Virginia Tech and graduated with a Hospitality and Tourism Mgt. degree in 2001. From there I lived in Richmond, VA and Sarasota, FL, working for Hyatt, before moving up to the DC area in 2003. My very first day in DC I met my now husband, Jay, through mutual friends. During that time, I also decided that a career change was in order and eventually got a job teaching high school special education. I just recently completed my 3rd year of teaching special ed. and just finished my Masters in Special Education at George Mason University.

Jay and I were married this spring in Richmond (the picture above is after the wedding) and were so happy that Rachel (Maxcey) Smith, and her husband, and Lezlie Rupert were able to make it to the wedding. Since then we've moved to Charlotte, NC. It's really nice to be closer to Leigh and Rachel, and we're planning a get together soon, which will be so much fun!! We bought a house and will be moving in the 2nd weekend in August. I'm also keeping busy planning for the start of the school year and obtaining my NC teaching license, as I will be continuing to teach high school special education down here. Our pug, Tucker, also keeps me busy during the day. It's been a crazy year and we're looking forward to things settling down this fall and getting used to life in the south.

I look forward to hearing more about everyone's lives! And if you're ever in NC, I know Leigh, Rachel, and I would love another ladies get together.

Take care,

Emily (Nast) Reedy

Lezlie Rupert - update

Hi Rho Delta :)

How fun! Thanks Candace.

I am in Washington, DC & really love the city. So, if any of you come visit or when y'all start bringing your kiddos on the treck to visit our nation's capital, please let me know~ :) I live across from the National Cathedral - just for a point of reference, but am always daydreaming about moving to an edgier part of town. I moved to here to go to graduate school (American University) and stayed. I had been a Capital City Fellow for the local District of Columbia government and recently got hired with the District Department of Transportation (d. - I love our marketing symbol!). So far, so good! I really enjoy local government and like the state / local / federal mix.

I also am active in my church: Grace DC (www.gracedc.net). It is PCA and it is interesting to get involved in a denomination different than the one I grew up in. The people are fantastic; our congregation is young, and that is fun and also gives a nice base for friendships. I ran my first marathon last fall (Marine Corps Marathon) with some girlfriends from church. It was pretty awesome.

As Leigh mentioned, I went on vacation with Sarah earlier this summer. It was great! We went to Amsterdam where we met Justin Timberlake! :) and then we spent a week in Barcelona. It was georgous! Other than that, I'm just working and trying to get to the beach as much as possible this summer!

Oh, and I was glad to hang out with Rachel (Maxcey) Smith recently too & meet her husband @ Emily Nast's wedding :)

I'm so glad to read about all of your lives! We are an impressive bunch! :)
All the best,
Lezlie

Thanks Candace!

Thanks for starting up this blog! Love the classic photos!!! I'll have to find some oldie, but goodies and scan them in!!

Hope others take advantage of this!!
Katie T. Lown

Welcome, AOII Rho Delta Alumni!

Hi everyone! It was such fun to read about where everyone is now and what is going on in your lives that I thought it might be good for us to have a central place to post what is new!

Candace Echols update

Hi! Well, I thought I'd start it. After college, I moved to England for two years and worked as a youth intern with a church there. Then, I moved back to Memphis for two years and worked in the office of British and European Studies at Rhodes College. That job enabled me to spend nine months of the year in Memphis and the summers in Oxford, England, which I enjoyed. During that time, I met my husband, Jim Echols, through Tim and Jen (Bray) Davenport (Samford folks). Jim moved to New York City in the summer and I was offered a job there in the fall of that year as a personal assistant to an interior designer there. I took it in a heartbeat, largely because I was given an apartment just off of Park Avenue for free to live in! I MEAN! Who can pass that up!?!?! A week after I arrived in NYC, Jim and I got engaged (we had been dating for two years) and we were married in Memphis five months later. That summer, Jim's job there ended (it was a one-year deal) and we moved back to Memphis. I started my job as an apprentice at Presbyterian Day School, a Christian all-boys school here. I also started my Masters in Education. I've now been at PDS for two years and have my own class and have finished my Masters. Jim and I bought our first home, a loft in a 100-year old warehouse in downtown Memphis. Jim will finish his residency in ophthalmology in June of 2008. At that point, we'll be moving on to a new phase in life. Whether that will be in Memphis or not, we're not sure. But we shall see! We have a little puggle named Wrigley (Jim's a Cubs fan).