WHAT IS THE WALL 627?
The Wall was founded by Mark Bullard and Emme Hall after they noticed the absence of a true student-led media outlet on campus. While we greatly appreciate the work of the Office of Communications to deliver campus news and updates, we felt there needed to be a news source created for students, by students.
Through our research, we discovered that it had been over 35 years since Talladega had a student newspaper. With that in mind, we began conceptualizing the publication in Fall 2024 and officially launched in August 2025.
WHY THE NAME THE WALL 627?
Talladega College is located at 627 W. Battle Street, Talladega, AL 35160, and that number has become part of our identity.
Co-founder Mark Bullard highlighted the historical significance of The Wall (the brick wall in front of Callanan Gym), a central meeting place on campus. In its prime, alumni recalled it as the spot where you could find out what was happening around campus and connect with fellow Degans. Reviving that spirit, our publication The Wall 627 serves as the modern-day hub for student news and conversation.
ALUMNI TESTIMONIES
To truly understand the impact of The Wall, we sat down with alumni who now serve as faculty and staff. They shared their stories to help today’s students see the meaning behind The Wall:
R. Williams, Class of ’92
“A gathering place where you hung out with friends, the rumor mill, a place where people caught up with each other. It was a place that was active all day long. The Wall was THE place where you met friends and bonded as a family.”
E. Shannon, Class of 2014
“The Wall was the equivalent of the Student Center, so to speak, as the Student Center back then was just grass and a tennis court no one used. After you ate in the cafeteria and the weather was good, you’d sit under the tree (The Wall) beside Andrews.”
V. Cannon, Class of ’83
“Highlighting the significance of The Wall, it was a place to play. Where the Student Activity Center was, there used to be a set of tennis courts, but The Wall was the main place where we sat between classes.”
C. Tucker, Class of 2018
“The Wall was popular due to the lack of a Student Center. The last building built on that side of campus was Shores. The Wall was important because all of the classes were on that side of campus.”
A. Jones, Class of ’95
“It was all we had. We had parties there, we packed out the gym, and we made it fun. We had a saying: if you sat on The Wall too long, you’d go home in the fall.”
THE HISTORY OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS AT TALLADEGA
Before moving forward, we want to acknowledge the student publications that paved the way. As we honor the legacy of student journalism at Talladega, we strive to create in the spirit of those who came before us, including The Talladega Students, The Degan Times, The Degan, The Mule’s Ear, Dega Digest, and New Talladegan.
OUR PLAN FOR THE YEAR
As we embark on our inaugural year, our goal is to provide students with diverse, engaging, and relevant content.
Expect coverage that includes:
• Real-world and campus news & culture
• Updates on athletics
• Infographics and visual storytelling
• An advice column for students
• Interviews with noteworthy students & staff
AND MORE!
We’re excited to share this journey with you and encourage you to stay connected. For all things Talladega—“Read it in The Wall.”
