Staff report



THOMASVILLE — Throughout the years, hundreds of Thomas University students have been lucky enough to leave with more than just a college degree — many wound up finding the love of their lives.

Vinnie and Angela Ackerman met at Thomas College in 1996. Vinnie played soccer for the school and Angela was working toward an associate of arts degree. They met when Angela went with a friend to visit Vinnie’s roommate at his apartment — the two hit it off immediately.

“That first night we met, I had this inner feeling that she would be my future wife,” Vinnie said.

“We became best friends,” Angela said. “We didn’t start dating until almost four years later, at the ’96 Olympics in Atlanta.”

By January of the next year, the two were engaged, and they married in May of 1998. Vinnie graduated from Thomas College in December of 1996, and after working in sales and marketing, is now project manager for Florida’s Department of Financial Services Strategic Planning Office. Angela is a homemaker and takes care of the couple’s three children Jacob, 8; Nathan, 5; and Millie, 3.

Both have fond memories of the college where they met — Angela moved to Thomasville when her father was promoted with Flowers Foods, and Vinnie grew up right across the street from the school.

“I grew up playing on the soccer field and in the bamboo garden,” Vinnie said. “It was a small school and me and my friends would just go over there and be kids.”

“One of the main reasons I loved Thomas College is because it was a community,” said Angela, who also worked at the Hawks Nest during her time at the college. “Everybody knew each other and we had a lot of fun.”

Buzz and Sara McKown met at Birdwood Junior College in January of 1967. Sara was long-time friends with Buzz’ sister, but was not formally introduced to him until both were students at Birdwood.

“I was talking to someone I knew from Cairo, and Buzz walked up and we were introduced. We became carpool buddies, and at first we were just friends,” Sara said. “I actually tried to get Buzz to double date with me and a guy I was dating — I didn’t think there was anything there except friendship.”

Soon enough, however, the two began dating, and became engaged after attending a wedding and dance together one night. They got married the next morning at 9 a.m., in Cairo, April 9, 1967.

The McKowns cherish their time at Birdwood — he played basketball and she was on the cheerleading squad. “We were like a family,” Sara said about their relationship with their class and teammates. “And we had an apartment, so sometimes everybody would come over to our house, just to have a place to get away.”

The two now reside in Cairo and have two grown children and seven grandchildren. Both said that small colleges like TU are probably ripe with stories like theirs. “It was a good place to meet, as well as a good place to get a quality education,” Buzz said.

One of the earliest love stories in Thomas University history began when Warren and Louise Alexander met during their sophomore year at Birdwood.

Louise DeVane Alexander enrolled at Birdwood in September of 1955 — the second year of the college. “My family was Primitive Baptist and I went there to support the college. My brother, Arthur DeVane was a sophomore there,” Mrs. Alexander said.

Warren enrolled at the college the same year as his future wife. “My pastor, Elder Maurice Thomas, who had been a member of a prudential committee that began the work of starting a Primitive Baptist college talked to me about going to Birdwood and later took me to the college in March of 1955,” he said. “The college offered me a job at the print shop on the campus and I worked my way through the two years of college.”

While the Alexanders were at Birdwood, only two degree programs were offered — Mrs. Alexander graduated with a degree in secretarial science, Mr. Alexander received his liberal arts degree, both in May, 1957.

The Alexanders were very active students on campus during their Birdwood days. Mr. Alexander was SGA President, coach and captain of the school’s first basketball team, sports editor for the yearbook, and Toastmaster for Birdwood’s Commencement Banquet. He was voted “Most Versatile” by his fellow students for two years running.

Mrs. Alexander served as business manager, then editor of the Birdwood News publication, was SGA Treasurer, Toastmistress at the Valentine Banquet, ad editor for the school yearbook, and Ping Pong Lady Champion.

The two met when Mrs. Alexander’s brother brought Warren home for the weekend. The two started dating in February, 1957, graduated in May of that year, and were married Oct. 6, 1957.

“And it stuck,” Louise laughs. “We met at Birdwood and married after graduation 52 years ago, and we are still together, and in love.”

For more information about Thomas University, call 226-1621, or visit the school’s website at www.thomasu.edu.