Alexander to speak at Calhoun symposium

Bayne Hughes, The Decatur Daily, Ala.
·2 min read

Sep. 6—Emmy award winning author, national speaker and life coach Timothy Alexander will be the featured speaker Thursday at Calhoun Community College's 14th Annual Student Success Symposium.

The symposium will be held in two sessions: 9:30 a.m. in the Kelley Gymnasium on the Decatur campus and 12:30 p.m. in the Student Center-Sparkman Building on the Huntsville campus.

The theme for this year's symposium is "We don't need it to be easy, we just need it to be possible." Both sessions are free and open to all students.

A native of Birmingham, Alexander attended Erwin High School and was ranked the No. 8 high school football player in the state. He had the opportunity to play for any college in the country but a car accident in 2006 left him paralyzed from the neck down.

Alexander still attended Wallace State Community College and upon graduation enrolled at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he double majored in criminal justice and communication management.

While at UAB, Alexander became the first paraplegic to receive a football scholarship. He was also runner-up for Mr. UAB and a member of Omega Psi Phi. He was president of UAB Gang Green who set two school attendance records during UAB's Basketball season. Timothy received the Student of Excellence Award because of his academic/athletic performance.

He was also the leader of the 2014 #FreeUAB movement after the UAB Football, Bowling and Rifle programs were terminated on December 2, 2014. After receiving about 56 city and county proclamations supporting the reinstatement of the three teams, he joined with UAB Boosters and Birmingham city leaders/supporters to help raise over $40 million in one year.

In addition to the symposium, Calhoun students will have an opportunity to visit the tables of on-campus clubs and organizations to learn about membership. These organizations cover a broad range of interests including professional, international, religious, academic honorary, and special interest groups.

— bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432. Twitter @DD_BayneHughes.