UNA TO HOLD 18TH ANNUAL FALL ACADEMIC CONVOCATION SEPT. 17
September 12, 2008
By Shayla Pearsall
UNA Student Writer
FLORENCE, Ala. — The University of North Alabama will hold its 18th annual Fall Academic Convocation for students and faculty at 11 a.m. Sept. 17 in Norton Auditorium. A free picnic will be served in the amphitheatre following the ceremony.
The program will feature Dr. Beverly Absher as keynote speaker. Absher is currently an associate professor of educational leadership, chair of the Department of Continuing Studies and director of the BSOL LAUNCH program for Union University. She formerly served as director of human resources for the university.
Absher earned her B.S. degree in accounting and a master’s degree at the University of North Alabama, and she received her Ed.D. in educational leadership with an emphasis in higher education at Union University.
Before joining Union, Absher was president of Absher Group LLC, a firm specializing in business consulting and market research for small and mid-sized companies.
Absher had previously spent 10 years on staff at the Tennessee Valley Authority, serving as senior specialist in the Economic Development organization; senior manager, Marketing and Operations Support, for TVA’s Public Power Institute; and as customer service manager for Alabama.
She is also a former vice president and director of marketing, sales and business development for South Trust Bank, as well as a former chief accountant and administrative officer for Commerce Union Bank.
Absher is also an active community member, having served as a committee chair, board member and Executive Committee member of the Shoals Chamber of Commerce.
Absher has also served as both a chairperson and a volunteer for many community and national charities, including the Special Olympics, March of Dimes, the American Cancer Society, United Way and others.
She is also a past president of the American Institute of Banking, Financial Women International, Business and Professional Women and the UNA National Alumni Association.
She has received many notable awards for her work, including the 1995 Alabama Business Person of the Year by the state chapters of Phi Beta Lambda, the 1999 Outstanding Professional Woman of the Year for Northwest Alabama by the Girl Scouts of North Alabama organization and the Shoals Area Citizen of the Year in 2004, among other awards. She was also presented the Community Service Award from the UNA National Alumni Association in 1996, and she was recognized as one of UNA’s Alumni of the Year in 2003.
