Holland Hopson ’93 is a composer, media artist, and current Collaborative Arts Research Initiative Fellow and assistant professor of arts entrepreneurship at the University of Alabama. Released in March by Tape Drift Records, Hopson’s most recent solo recording, “Tell A Gossip,” is a collection of solo pieces for banjo/electric guitar hybrid and live electronics. His music is also featured on “a la BAMA” by the Miolina violin duo and “Alabama String Quartets” by the Amernet String Quartet, both released in 2021. His media art has recently been exhibited at the Fringe Festival in Bath, England, the Czong Institute for Contemporary Art in Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, and numerous galleries in the United States. He was awarded the Lee and Margaret Echols Fellowship for Musicians in conjunction with a residency at the Hambidge Center for Creative Arts and Sciences.

Kerry Mallory ’94 was promoted to managing director for the Eastern U.S. region of Ronald Blue Trust. As managing director, Mallory is responsible for the client service, growth, and expansion of the company’s offices across the Eastern region. This includes providing leadership and oversight of offices in Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Greenville, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Orlando. In addition to his leadership role, he also serves as an experienced wealth advisor to individuals, families, and businesses.

Gin Phillips ’97 released her latest novel, “Family Law,” which is now available for purchase on Amazon and in stores. Set in early 1980s Alabama, “Family Law” follows Lucia, a young lawyer making a name for herself as a woman in the courtroom, and Rachel, a teenager who becomes captivated by Lucia when her mother’s pending divorce brings them together. Phillips is the award-winning author of six novels.

Dr. Aruna Thotakura Arora ’98 was named president of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama. Arora currently serves as medical co-director of Crestwood Medical Center’s ALS Care Clinic in Huntsville. She completed her residency and chief residency in neurology at UAB before becoming a Fellow in Clinical Neurophysiology. Arora is the 2018 recipient of the Eric S. Obermann Humanitarian Award for her work in ALS and is a member of numerous organizations, including the Northeast ALS Consortium, the American Academy of Neurology, the Madison County Medical Society Board, and the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners. She is also a founding member of the Society of Women in Medicine.

Kyle Dudley ’07 has been selected as the new principal for Shelby County High School. Dudley currently serves as assistant principal at Oak Mountain High School and has 12 years of experience in education. He holds a master’s degree in secondary education and an instructional leadership certification from the University of Montevallo.

Christianna Rudder ’13 has been promoted to chief financial officer at Landscape Workshop, a commercial landscaping company in Birmingham. Rudder joined their team in 2015 as a senior analyst and has since moved up to serve as finance and operations manager and then vice president of finance. In this new role, she will oversee IT, supply chain, and marketing areas in addition to finance.

Bret Thompson ’13 has joined Huie, Fernambucq & Stewart, LLP as an associate attorney in the firm’s product liability, insurance coverage, and defense and transportation practice groups. Thompson brings his previous commercial and general litigation experience to the firm.

Nino Yu Tiamco ’13 has been promoted to vice president of investor relations for StoneRiver Company, a multifamily real estate investment firm in Birmingham. In his new role, Yu Tiamco will lead StoneRiver’s capital raising, investor relations, reporting, and marketing efforts. He joined StoneRiver in 2019 as associate counsel and holds his J.D., with honors, from the University of Chicago Law School.

Ethan Wilkinson ’13 has joined Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial as an associate at the firm’s Birmingham office. Wilkinson’s practice focuses largely on the defense of employment-related cases, including pending litigation and matters before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, as well as a number of professional liability matters.

Ander Galfsky ’15 was promoted to associate head coach for Virginia Military Institute’s men’s basketball program. Galfsky is entering his third season with the Keydets after joining the staff as an assistant coach. In addition to coaching, he serves as a recruitment coordinator, works on player development of post positions, and acts as a staff liaison to admissions and compliance offices. During the 2020-21 season, Galfsky helped the team attain its first winning campaign in seven seasons, best Southern Conference regular season finish since 2015, and first tournament semifinalist status since 2003.

Adam Cordelle ’17 presented his Master of Fine Arts thesis at Emerson College as part of Emerson Contemporary’s exhibition, “Threads Undone.” Cordelle’s collection of inkjet prints and audio testimonials – titled “Southern Voices” and pictured in the header of this blog post – explores the cultural heritage and perception of the South and how it affects those who move out of the region. The portraits and recordings present interviews with people who grew up in the South and explore how they carry that identity throughout their lives.

Eli Matthews ’20 was named head coach for the inaugural men’s and women’s tennis teams at Bevill State Community College. Since graduating from BSC, where he competed as a student-athlete, Matthews has served as assistant coach at Jasper High and Junior High Schools. He will have the opportunity to recruit students and build the new tennis programs in his new role at Bevill State.

Zoe Wirt ’18 and Andrew Brown ’18 were married on April 17, 2021 in Birmingham. They made their own wedding cake.

Dr. Ralph K. Bates ’54 of Birmingham on April 27, 2021. After graduating from BSC, Bates earned his Bachelor of Divinity from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. He was ordained as a Deacon and an Elder near the time of his graduation, though he had held his local preacher’s license from the United Methodist Church since 1947. He was appointed to nine Methodist churches in the North Alabama Conference and, throughout his 56 years in active ministry, was elected to four jurisdictional conferences and two general conferences. Bates continued to earn other degrees and licenses: he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from BSC in 1981; spent four summers studying rational emotive therapy at Chandler Medical School and became a licensed professional counselor in 1982; and returned to Emory for his Doctor of Divinity, which he completed in 1988. Bates led and served on many boards in the community including the National Board of Church and Society, the Camp Sumatanga Board of Trustees, the Board of Evangelism, the BSC Pastoral Advisors Board, and the Board of Pastoral Care and Counseling.

David Henry Williams ’87 of Birmingham on May 10, 2021. Williams studied chemistry at BSC and, after a brief stint working in a research lab at UAB, spent 30-plus years with Alabama Power/Southern Company. He first worked as a chemist at E.C. Gaston Power Plant and then for many years at Miller Steam Plant. At Miller, he made himself irreplaceable by joining the High Angle Rescue and Hazmat Teams and by training as a medic. Williams later earned a master’s degree in computer science at UAB and worked in information technology and as a systems analyst at Southern Company. He was an avid cook with the gift of replicating a dish just by taste and smell and was especially known for his homemade bread, chocolate chip cookies, and baklava. He most recently worshipped at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Rainbow City. Williams’ wife, Ola Cross Williams, also attended BSC.

Mildred Allen of Birmingham on May 16, 2021. Allen, professor emerita of voice at BSC, was an American operatic soprano who had an active career during the 1950s and 1960s, notably as a regular performer at the Metropolitan Opera. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in music from the University of Mississippi and her master’s degree in vocal performance from the New England Conservatory in Boston. She debuted at the Metropolitan Opera as Papagena in Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” and then spent five years and 208 performances at the Met – while also taking on other roles and touring North America with the NBC Opera Theatre. She then became a regular performer at the Washington National Opera and sang lead roles for the Central City Opera and opera houses throughout Europe. Allen joined the BSC music faculty in 1987 and directed student opera productions and taught voice and interdisciplinary courses in the College’s Honors Program. Read more about Allen’s legacy here.

Margaret Edwards “Ann” Rhoads of Tuscaloosa, Ala., on May 5, 2021. Rhoads was an avid reader, a well-studied historian, a staunch businesswoman, and the essence of a steel magnolia. She genuinely cared for the people and communities around her. She was involved many organizations in the greater Birmingham and Tuscaloosa areas and those within the University of Alabama, including leadership boards for the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Human Environmental Sciences, the Commerce Executives Society, the Tide Pride, the Bryant Society, of which she was a founding member. Rhoads will be remembered for the countless lives she impacted through her philanthropy, particularly through established scholarships that have supported countless students. At BSC, Rhoads was a strong supporter of the golf team.