Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rotarians updated on activities at Henderson

John Gyllin from Henderson State University (HSU), was the Rotary guest Thursday, September 18.

Gyllin was the guest of Henderson State University Alumnus Paul Barringer.

Gyllin spoke to Rotarians about several different topics such as athletics, student life, campus construction and college events.

Gyllin had the different topics listed separately on 3x5 index cards along with prizes. Each Rotarian was given the chance to draw a topic or a prize.

Prizes included HSU license plates, koozies, note pads and an alumni t-shirt.

Gyllin started out by talking about Henderson's athletics.

"We are in Division II. Our football record for the 2003 season is 1-1. Last Saturday we beat Southwest Louisiana 41-35. There was about 6,000 Reddie fans present at the game.

"Jesse Branch is our head coach. He has really done well with the program. When he first took over, there was about 29 on the team and now we have over 100 dressing out," said Gyllin.

He also bragged on the volleyball coach and said the team was off and running for this season.

Both women's and men's basketball teams have fairly new coaches. Last season the women's team went to the NCAA regional's and the men won the Gulf South Conference.

Pete Southall is the head coach of the HSU baseball team.

"This team is improving more and more each year. We are glad to have Coach Southall with us," said Gyllin.

Gyllin said he felt the swimming and diving team had the most talented group ever in this year's team.

"On October 31, Halloween night and the night before the "Battle of the Ravine", we are having a meet between our swimming and diving team with Ouachita Baptist University.

"It should be an interesting weekend," said Gyllin.

Around 3,500 students are on the HSU campus this semester. Gyllin reported the freshman and sophomore numbers being down due to many of them receiving scholarships to Conway.

Gyllin said the University had been working hard on making sure the students had lots of fun and interesting things to do during the week and on the weekends.

"We have been getting in concerts, comedians, a hypnotist and we have purchased a huge movie screen that can be inflated. We put it in the middle of the "Quad" and students bring out blankets, chairs and even their couches to watch the movies," said Gyllin.

The movies shown on the big screen are the same as the ones being shown in the theater at the time, so students don't even have to leave campus.

Gyllin reported having about 60 HSU students active in the ROTC program at this time.

Construction was Gyllin next topic of discussion.

Dr. Dunn, President of HSU since 1986 is proud of all the renovations that have taken place since he has been there.

According to Gyllin, every building at HSU has been renovated except Proctor Hall.

Arkansas Hall has been renovated and now has a dance hall, and a movie area which seats about 240 people, plus several other facilities.

Henderson is proud to have one of the only planetarium's in this area of such quality. Groups can be brought in from all over the area to visit the planetarium.

Gyllin said the school is hoping to find the funds to possibly build a School of Business Building.

Gyllin said he is proud to work for Henderson and encourages anyone who is interested to check into Henderson and see what is taking place.

"You guys have a jewel right up the road here," said Gyllin.