She is a staple at every Centenary event, with camera in hand and a smile on her face. Sherry Heflin, Visual Identity and Publications Manager at Centenary College, is so much more than the campus photographer. With a strong history in graphic design, Sherry assists with the layout and design of Centenary Magazine, creating print materials and videos to meet the needs of the campus community. “My day usually starts with checking my email and looking at the calendar for the week. I may have appointments for headshots or videos to be shot, or I might be editing photos and videos that I have already taken. There is also a myriad of graphic design projects that I help on as well,” Sherry explains.

Sherry joined the Centenary staff in 2007, coming from the Catholic Diocese where she was the editor of Diocesan Publications. “I had always had an interest in Centenary as my husband had graduated from here as a non-traditional student. I had the opportunity to come to Centenary to work and could not pass up the variety of events and programs Centenary offers.”

 

 

 

 

Centenary in Paris Students

Being the campus photographer has its benefits, including international travel. Sherry has photographed numerous first-year students while they complete their first college course during the Centenary in Paris immersive term. “I meet a lot of the students during Centenary in Paris, and they are basically high school students. It is great to see their development over the years, and it culminates with Commencement. I have a lot of memories of student friends over the years.”

Centenary Student Mackenzie at the Eiffel Tower

When the Centenary College Choir travels, Sherry is often invited to document the experiences and performances of the choir students. “I was lucky enough to go with the choir in 2009 to Australia. One night after dinner the outside sails of the Sydney Opera House were lit up with a design from a famous artist Brian Eno. I did not have a tripod to get the shot, but a nice girl that I didn’t know named Grace from Thailand loaned me her tripod and helped me set up. It was a special night and memory. The next day I was able to photograph the choir performing in the Sydney Opera House. During the rehearsal, I was the only person in the seats. It was a surreal experience.”

Sydney Opera House 2009

Sometimes though, there is no place like home and the beauty of the Centenary campus. “My favorite locations outdoors are the columns of Mickle or on the lawn in front of the library.” She elaborates, “The Holomans were photographed there (in front of the Mickle columns) for the first issue of the Centenary magazine after Dr. Holoman became president of the College. I also took the 2019 Centenary College Choir photo in front of the columns of Mickle. There are too many locations to name, Crumley Gardens is always nice. With the bridge and the fountain, it is a nice area.”

Crumley Garden Fountain

Not only does Sherry show her love of Centenary College with her beautiful pictures but also with a monthly gift. “My husband, who had passed away a couple of years before I started working at Centenary, was a non-traditional student. Gifts to the College had made his education possible, and I wanted to do what I could to pay it forward. Centenary offers a great service to the community by developing students to become leaders. No matter what their background and the influence of their hometowns, they all become stronger members of society and I believe will make the world a better place. I am #centenaryproud of all of them.”

Commencement 2019

To view more of Sherry’s photographs, please visit https://centenaryla.zenfolio.com/.
If you are interested in taking your own photos on Centenary's beautiful campus please read the following information, https://www.centenary.edu/campus-community/campus-rentals/photography-guidelines/.