IN Business - Education and School Briefs

Oglethorpe University has completed two new apartment-style residence halls. This construction represents the third and fourth new residence halls for Oglethorpe in two years. The new $10 million, 148-bed residence halls have a traditional granite faÁade to match Oglethorpe’s Collegiate Gothic style. Each suite will include four private bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and kitchen area. With the opening of these two new residence halls, Oglethorpe has just under 650 beds on campus. The halls were designed by Gardner Spencer Smith Tench and Hensley P.C. and built by Juneau Construction Company. Both residence halls were fully funded through donor support.

The international fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi, and co-sponsors Corporate Express and New Mercies Church are providing more than 800 free backpacks to local area magnet schools as part of their community service program known as “Guide Right.” Members of Decatur Alumni Chapter distributed bags students at the Flat Rock Elementary School in Lithonia. The school has a projected enrollment of 1,100 students and opened in August. The fraternity members have agreed to serve as mentors in partnership with the school and will support the following initiatives: Official school opening ceremony, “Get Fit” program encouraging students to exercise, Field Day, Career Day and a leadership symposium. The Decatur Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi was chartered on April 4, 1981. A group of 15 recent college graduates located to the DeKalb County area and decided to form a local graduate chapter that could help facilitate the tradition of strong brotherhood and uphold the objectives of Kappa Alpha Psi. The mission of the Decatur Alumni chapter is to pursue exemplary achievement in every field of human endeavor; individually and collectively to serve as role models; and remain committed to excellence in the areas of fraternal spirit, community service and personal responsibility.

The Atlanta New Century School is relocating from its Luckie Street site, near the Georgia Aquarium, to a new site near the Civic Center at 120 Ralph McGill Blvd. The school – moving during the 2008-09 school year – will double in size and offer wireless technology. The building is owned by Raulet Property Partners and will be converted for the elementary school site. Other corporate contributors include Sunrise Bank of Atlanta, Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, J.M. Wilkerson Construction Co., Perkins + Will and Barry Real Estate Cos. www.ancs.us.

More than 1,000 high school and college students participated in the City of Atlanta’s internship programs at Atlanta companies and organizations. The Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Shirley Franklin recruited more than 325 companies, not-for-profit organizations and city agencies to provide internships of 35-40 hours a week that paid between $8 and $12 per hour. The number of students doubled since the program’s launch last year.