BC Magazine
24
.................. . ........................ . ........................ . ........................ . ........................ . ........................ . ........................ . ........................ . ........................ . ........................ . ........................ . ........................ . ........................ . ........................ . ALSO INSIDE: Homecoming: Fresh Brewed, Just for You: 16 • Alumna Gives $100,000 to Campus-Community Center: 18 FALL 2009 Baseball Team Wins NCCA A National Championship: 6 a magazine for alumni & friends Bluefield BC Celebrates Grand Opening of East River Hall: 12
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alumni magazine for Bluefield College
Transcript of BC Magazine
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ALS
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Baseball Team Wins NCCAA National Championship: 6
a magazine for alumni & friends
Bluefield
BC Celebrates Grand Opening of East River Hall: 12
Our Vision
Bluefield College will be a nationally recognized Christ-centered liberal arts college, preparing innovative learners and transformational leaders to impact the world.
Bluefield Magazine is the official magazine for alumni and friends of Bluefield College, 3000 College Drive, Bluefield, Virginia 24605. The magazine is published three times a year in the fall, winter and spring seasons by the Office of Marketing and Public Relations. Available online at bluefield.edu/publications.
Bluefield CollegePhone: 276.326.3682www.bluefield.edu
Editors
Betty Carroll, Vanessa Scruggs,Chris Shoemaker and Teresa Stanley
Submissions / Feedback
by mail: Office of Marketing and Public Relations, 3000 College Drive, Bluefield, Virginia 24605by email: [email protected] phone: 276.326.4212 or 800.872.0175 (x212)
Board of Trustees
Dr. David L. Bailey, Jr. Mrs. Rebecca E. BeckettMr. Keith E. Cox Dr. David W. Dockery Dr. Janelle B. Duremdes Dr. Michael R. DuValMr. F. Tyler Easley (emeritus)Dr. T. Keith Edwards (emeritus)Mr. William D. EvansMr. Cameron L. ForresterDr. Daniel E. Grabeel, Sr. (chairman)Rev. William M. Hartsfield Mr. Jack “Chip” Hurley (vice chair)Mr. James Ronald HypesMrs. Estelle “Cookie” JohnsonMrs. Julie H. Johnson (secretary)Mr. Steven G. LayfieldMrs. Margaret N. LeonardRev. Jack A. Marcom, Jr. Mr. Thomas E. Marshall, IVMr. Camden J. McLaughlin Dr. Pearl N. Moyers-Dean Mr. Charles C. PaschallRev. John D. Ragland Dr. Claude H. RheaMr. Michael L. RobertsMr. Joseph K. TatumMr. J. David TreschMrs. Susan M. TusseyMr. William S. Winfrey, II
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t a b l e o f c o n t e n t s
Alumnus Clarence Mayberry (center) establishes
a scholarship fund for adult students.
New men’s basketball coach
Richard Morgan
A Word from Leadership......................................................................................... 1
Vision | Mission ........................................................................................................ 2
BC Course Offers Service to Local Homeschool Families
Bluefield College Hosts Teens on a
Mission to Impact Virginia
Alumni James Bryant and Joe Mills: Innovative
Learners and Transformational Leaders
Senior History Major Amanda Davis:
A Pioneer Learner
Features .......................................................6
BC Baseball Team Claims NCCAA National Championship
News ........................................................................................................................8
BC New Student Enrollment Climbs 22 Percent
BC Ranked Among Top 50 Colleges in the South
ACC Legend and NCAA Coach Richard Morgan
Named Head Coach at BC
Ratcliffe Foundation Supports BC Instrumental Music
Tierney Scholarship Awareness Dinner
Bluefield College Opens New Residence Hall
Who’s Making News?
BC Begins Academic Exchange with China
Faculty/Staff Distinctions
Alumni ..................................................................................15
Mayberry Scholarship Aids Adult Students
Homecoming 2009: “Fresh Brewed, Just for You”
Alumna Courtney Simpkins Pledges $100,000 to CCC
Class Notes
The Last Word .................... 21
Alumnus James Bryant, a transformational leader
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.........................................................................................................................................................................................................a w o r d f r o m l e a d e r s h i p
1
BC’s new East River Residence Hall
VP for Advancement Ruth Blankenship
Dear College Community:
Since my arrival at Bluefield College, now ten years ago, I have been able to be part of an amazing decade of change. Together we have seen a new residence hall constructed, major facility renovations come to life, national championships won, the establishment of more than 50 new scholarships, and steady growth in alumni giving. I continue to be amazed at our alumni and friends’ readiness to support the College in the many and essential ways that they do!
What inspires their fundamental support is not nostalgia for the College or a perceived obligation to it. Nor is it the desire to outdo one another’s giving or even just to see their names in the President’s Report. What inspires alumni and friends to give to BC is their heartfelt passion to empower students to seek their calling and to empower the College to be the finest institution it can be in facilitating those outcomes.
Once again, we have experienced a year of incredible activity and accomplishment. As you read this edition of Bluefield Magazine, you will find stories that are born out of optimism, enthusiasm, and passion. Students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends each ultimately converted sparks of imagination into reality. This is the only way to describe the transformational experiences our students, graduates and College are experiencing. Henry David Thoreau once said: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.” Never before has this been truer for Bluefield College.
All of these stories and so many more were due in part to the continued support we receive from individuals, businesses, religious affiliations and foundations. For this I say, “THANK YOU!” Your financial contributions are enabling us to transform our imagination into reality. I hope that in this new fiscal year, you will continue to join us in capturing the imagination.
Now more than ever, we need your gifts of optimism, enthusiasm, and passion for Bluefield College. If you can imagine it, we want to make it a reality. If you have met me, you know I feel all three: optimism, enthusiasm, and passion for the Bluefield of today and the campus community we aspire to create. I desire in the upcoming year, whether it is at Homecoming, a regional alumni event, a personal visit, or contact by phone or e-mail, to imagine with you our College’s future. Please join us in this boundless opportunity.
M. Ruth Blankenship
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
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BBC Course Offers Service to Local Homeschool Families
in service to God and the community
Each fall, Bluefield College students have an opportunity to enroll in a class titled “Physical Education for the Young Child,” which is designed to prepare future physical education (PE) teachers.
A by-product of the course is a means for the college to help fulfill its mission to be in service to the community, because the PE instruction offered by the BC students is made available to local homeschoolers, who otherwise might never have access to physical education.
“The class equips Bluefield College students in the art and science of teaching children health and physical education activities,” said Dr. Scott Bryan, professor of exercise and sports science. “We believe the best way to learn to teach is by actually teaching children.”
As part of the class, the BC students develop lesson plans and participate in peer teaching experiences with their fellow classmates.
“It’s great fun to watch college students ‘play’ and teach children’s games to one another,” Dr. Bryan said. “They also get a great workout. In a typical class, each student actively participates in vigorous physical activity for up to 45 or 50 minutes.”
Megan Clarkson of Princeton, West Virginia, participated in the class as a homeschooler for a
number of years. Now, she’s a student at Bluefield College who enrolled in the PE course last year in order to teach other homeschool children.
“I was a little nervous and intimidated, but I wanted to come and be with my friends and play games and sports,” Clarkson said about her first day as a child coming to PE class on campus. “I remember the college students being very encouraging. I remember one student complimented me on a free-throw shot I made. I knew I was really cool then, because a college student said I had done well.”
The PE course, she added, offers a tremendous service to homeschool families in the area, “because it provides an educational environment for children that they don’t experience at home. The children are taught about healthy habits and being active, and it provides a service to the moms as well.”
During Clarkson’s first day as a student instructor in the class, she said she had a unique advantage because she knew what to expect. She added that she was excited that she might “spark another homeschool student toward the same wonderful experience (she) had through her years as a child in the class.”
“Dr. Bryan was great to work with, and everything I learned in the class is very relevant,” Clarkson said. “What I learned in that class can be applied to other situations when working with children. The class is so different from many others I have taken. I would encourage any student, not just ESS majors, to take this class. It’s a great experience.”
Clarkson also had an advantage in the class because she knew what games and activities worked for the children and what usually did not. The textbook for the class, she added, is “definitely worth the money,” with lesson plans, games, and information on classroom management.
“When we began this endeavor 16 years ago, I never dreamed back then one of those ‘little ones’ would someday be instructing the class,” Dr. Bryan said. “On the first day, Megan introduced herself to the children and explained to them that she had once been a student in the class, just like they were. She encouraged them to study hard and obey their parents, and then she closed the class in a heartfelt prayer. As Megan prayed, I thanked God for her, her family, and for the impact Bluefield College had been allowed to have on this ‘transformational leader.’ It was a beautiful experience.”
Article by freelance writer
Crystal Kieloch
Professor Scott Bryan (center) and BC students provide physical education to homeschoolers.
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3
in service to God and the community
Representing 14 Baptist churches in Virginia, the youth in Bluefield repaired or constructed porches, ramps, handrails, flooring, roofs, windows, plumbing, landscaping and more.
Using the Bluefield College campus as missions central, the group also participated in daily devotions and worship prior to and at the end of each service day.
“Impact Virginia is an opportunity to not only serve others, but also to grow in Christian faith,” said Taylor. “The daily devotions and worship are as equally important as the mission work provided by the youth.”
As part of its mission, Bluefield College strives to be “in service to God and the global community.” Collaborating with the VBMB to bring Impact Virginia to Bluefield is just one way, Taylor said, the school can fulfill its mission.
“Partnering with the Virginia Baptist Mission Board and Impact Virginia allows us to reach low-income families in Mercer and Tazewell counties,” Taylor said about BC’s third year of participation in the program. “We believe passionately in service above self and strive hard to prepare compassionate students who impact their world.”
More than 200 youth from Baptist churches across Virginia swarmed the Bluefield College campus June 28-July 4 to make an “impact” on Greater Bluefield through service projects in the community.
On the Bluefield campus as part of Impact Virginia, the teens spent the early mornings and evenings each day in devotion and worship in BC’s Harman Chapel, but the bulk of their daily time in the community renovating 12 homes in Mercer (WV) and Tazewell (VA) counties.
Part of the ministry of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board (VBMB), Impact Virginia is a one-week mission opportunity for youth that focuses on home repair and spiritual growth.
Approximately 300 teens in grades 7-12 participate in the program annually, which this year served four regions of Virginia, including Greater Bluefield, Greater Wise, Greater Mathews, and the Eastern Shore.
“The main goal of Impact Virginia is to make the dwellings of homeowners safer, drier and warmer,” said Bluefield College campus minister David Taylor.
Shortly after the youth from Impact Virginia departed, the college welcomed dozens of additional missionaries from Georgia Baptist churches, who come annually to the BC campus to restore homes, support local church ministries, and share the love of the Christian faith in Greater Bluefield.
The 20 participating churches are a part of the Hephzibah and Kilpatrick Baptist Associations in Georgia, which partner with the Mountain State Baptist Association in Princeton, West Virginia, to bring volunteers to southern West Virginia to conduct ministries in the community and to perform much-needed construction and renovation on churches and private residences.
During the weeklong mission trip headquartered at Bluefield College, the Georgia Baptist missionaries offered Vacation Bible Schools, Backyard Bible Schools, block parties, street ministry programs, prayer walks, and repair work to church and private individual facilities.
BBluefield College Hosts Teens on a Mission to Impact Virginia
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v i s i o n | m i s s i o n
A
4
Alumni James Bryant and Joe Mills: Innovative Learners and Transformational Leaders
preparing innovative learnerspreparing innovative learners and transformational leaders
Alumnus Joe Mills
Alumnus James Bryant
seven, and I was enamored with the military, and this man recognized something in me.”
After high school, Mills earned an associate’s degree in administrative justice from Virginia Western Community College after encouragement from his military and law enforcement mentor and friend down the street. Later, he landed a job as a corrections officer in the Roanoke (VA) Jail, while also attending training at Cardinal Regional Criminal Justice Academy, a program he finished ahead of schedule.
“I kept going (learning), not because I wanted that degree or piece of paper, but because I wanted to learn more, to know how to be a better officer and to be more equipped to serve the public,” Mills said.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Bluefield College in 1997 and went to work for the Salem Police Department a year later. He joined the force under Police Chief James R. Bryant, a longtime public servant who also graduated from BC’s degree-completion program. In fact, after completing his studies in management, Bryant encouraged the college to add criminal justice to its degree-completion offerings.
“Not many people knew about it, but the director of the program at that time came to me and asked what Bluefield could do differently and how they could improve their program,” Bryant said. “I suggested that he put together a program for police officers. I’ve always been about education. Whenever someone comes to me expressing an interest in law enforcement, I always ask, ‘Where are you with your education?’”
Bryant added that he learned the hard way. He admits he wasn’t a very good student in high school and “just gave it up and joined the Marines.” After his military service, he went to work for the City of Salem, where he says he realized he needed an education.
“I had trouble writing up my reports and completing tasks, and I knew I’d better learn how to do it, because I wanted to do my job well,” Bryant said. “Between the local community college coming to the Police Department offering classes and finally attending Virginia Western, I earned my associate’s degree. It took me from ‘69 to ‘74 to earn it, but I wasn’t there just to get a degree, I needed the education!”
It was his bachelor’s degree from Bluefield College in 1996 that would help him earn the appointment to police chief that same year. He later graduated from the FBI’s National Academy.
Bluefield College alumnus Joe Mills followed the Yellow Brick Road, an infamous “6.2-mile-long obstacle course through the woods, complete with barbed wire, cargo nets and plenty of mud,” as part of the FBI’s National Academy in Quantico this spring.
As a graduate of BC’s degree-completion program for working adults, Mills has been pursuing a calling and following a passion to serve the public most of his life. His long-distance run on the Yellow Brick Road was just one part of his trek as an innovative learner. And learning, Mills said, is something he always tries to do, “not just to get a promotion, but because it makes you a better person.”
“I was always interested in public service,” said Mills, whose brother is a firefighter with 30 years of service and whose father is the personnel coordinator for the City of Salem (VA). “While I was growing up, I had a neighbor who was in law enforcement and was a sergeant major in the Marine Reserves. I met him when I was around
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5
S“I’ve always encouraged my men not to
just go through the motions of getting a
degree,” Bryant said. “Learn from each
other, and take that learning and apply it
on the street or in the court systems.”
A lesson officer Mills took to heart. In
fact, after earning his bachelor’s degree
from BC, Mills completed graduate work
in criminal justice at Radford University
before later completing the FBI’s
National Academy, all while working on
the police force.
“I have encouraged people to learn and
enjoy the process of learning,” said Mills,
whose sister, Sara Mills Bell, also earned
her bachelor’s degree from Bluefield
College. “I know when I look back that
God was at work in my life from age
seven, when I first felt that desire for
public service and was encouraged by
my neighbor. My faith has helped me to
complete what I have completed. I want
to serve my community, and I want to
share with others what I’ve learned. There
is nothing else I’d rather do. As a matter
of fact, I’d do it for free.”
Both Mills and Bryant exemplify Bluefield
College’s quest to prepare innovative
learners and transformational leaders,
and while their lives may now be going
in different directions, they are still much
the same. On September 1, Mills was
promoted to Patrol Division lieutenant for
the Salem City Police, shortly after Chief
Bryant announced his plans to retire
from the force on November 1 after 43
years of service. His plans for retirement:
spending time traveling with his wife and
relaxing at home...just a couple doors
down from his longtime friend, neighbor
and protégé, Joe Mills.
Article by freelance writer Crystal Kieloch
Senior History Major Amanda Davis: A Pioneer Learner
preparing innovative learnerspreparing innovative learners and transformational leaders
“He’s definitely my hero,” said Davis, who found out about the internship while doing research on Washington for a BC history class. “His ambition and leadership are unparalleled.”
Davis learned how Washington’s Distillery works and the role it played in his entrepreneurial farming operation. She also took in 23 theatre and gallery experiences at the Museum and Education Center, many with interactive technology that illuminates the detailed story of Washington’s life. And down on the Pioneer Farm, she toured Washington’s 16-sided treading barn and took part in hands-on history exhibits.
“Working on the farm was tough,” said Davis, “but I loved being there. I made so many wonderful friends, and I learned more about General Washington than I ever could have dreamed. It truly was the opportunity of a lifetime.”
Bluefield College prides itself on preparing innovative learners through the integration of liberal arts and career-oriented studies, but that student transformation does not always occur in the classroom.
Just ask senior history major Amanda Davis, who lived American history through a summer internship as a pioneer farmer at George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate in northern Virginia.
For 10 weeks, June 1 through August 7, Davis lived and worked on the historical estate, an original landmark that sits high above the Potomac River with a stunning view of the Maryland shore and that is filled with 18th-century treasures.
As one of only four college students across the country to be selected for the prestigious internship, Davis served as a third-person historical interpreter for tours of the Mount Vernon Mansion, Washington’s Distillery, the Pioneer Farm and Gardens, and the Museum and Education Center.
“I dressed in a late-18th-century costume and worked with tools from the same era,” said Davis, of Tazewell, Virginia. “I even lived on Washington’s estate in the regent’s quarters for the duration of the internship.”
She enjoyed a spectacular view of the Potomac River from the Mansion’s piazza, while taking in the four gardens that showcase heirloom plants from the late 1700s and landscape designs by Washington himself that stand as the last living witnesses of the president’s lifetime.
History major Amanda Davis
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f e a t u r e s
Nazarene (IL) University. The opening-round win pitted the Rams against number-one seed Malone (OH) University in round two — a game they wanted to use to make a statement.
“Our kids went into this tournament with a little chip on their shoulder, because they felt slighted they didn’t get a bid into the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)
6
ABC Baseball Team Claims
The Bluefield College men’s baseball team won its first-ever national championship with an undefeated run in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) World Series in Mason, Ohio, in May of 2009.
The Rams qualified for the NCCAA Division I World Series after posting a 34-14 regular season record and winning the NCCAA Mid-east Regional title with two straight wins over Mid-Continent (KY) University.
Seeded fourth among the 10 teams in the double-elimination World Series, BC began its quest for the national title with a 4-3 victory over five-seed Olivet
BC’s Donald Howell is overcome with the joy of being a national champion.
Brandon Holloway, BC’s All-American pitcher.
The BC baseball team celebrates its National Championship after a 5-3 win over Malone (OH) University.
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Regionals,” said BC head coach Mike White of his team that finished third in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC). “There were two (NAIA) regional teams in the NCCAA World Series, a two-seed and a three-seed, and we go through the tournament undefeated. It speaks volumes about the type of baseball we play in the AAC.”
And a statement the Rams did make, blanking Malone 5-0 in round two to advance to play three-seed Mount Vernon (OH) Nazarene. Against Mount Vernon, a six-time NCCAA champion, Bluefield’s pitching continued to excel, while the BC bats also came alive as the Rams posted a 9-0 win to move on to the semi-final round as the only undefeated team in the tournament.
In the semi-finals, while confident the team could claim the NCCAA title, Bluefield’s heroics far exceeded what any Rams fan could imagine. Trailing Colorado Christian University 2-1, with two outs in the seventh and final inning, BC’s Tony Singleton and Billy Funk delivered back-to-back solo home runs to
lift the Rams past Colorado Christian 3-2 and on to
the NCCAA finals.
f e a t u r e s
7
“I’ve never been a part of anything like it,” said Coach White. “In all the time I’ve been around baseball, I’ve never been a part of back-to-back walk-offs.”
The championship round featured a rematch between BC and number-one-seed Malone. And just like the first time, BC came out on top, this time with a 5-3 win and an NCCAA National Championship.
“Stepping back and watching this team, it’s been fun to watch them grow,” said Coach White. “You could tell something good was going to happen to them. I couldn’t tell you when it was going to happen, but by the maturity of the ball club and the leadership we were able to have, you knew something good was going to happen.”
In addition to the World Series team title, Bluefield pitcher Donald Howell was selected as the tournament’s
Most Valuable Player, while Singleton and outfielder Andrew Weaver earned World Series First Team honors. In other NCCAA post-season awards,
Coach White was named Coach of the Year and Singleton, outfielder Devin Good and pitcher Brandon Holloway were selected to the NCCAA All-America First Team.
NCCAA National Championship
An emotionally exhausted Coach Mike White savors the moment after a thrilling come-from-
behind World Series semi-final win.
Tony Singleton, one of two BC home-run heroes from the semi-final World Series game.
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n e w s
8New students, whose numbers are up 22 percent on campus, participate in a matriculation ceremony to start the fall semester.
BBC New Student EnrollmentClimbs 22 Percent
“Our higher retention rate in regards to returning students speaks highly of the quality of our academic programs and the value of our extracurricular activities,” Dr. Olive said, “both of which contribute to a meaningful living and learning community.”
Together, new (175) and returning (250) traditional student numbers totaled 425 this fall, giving BC a nine percent increase over last fall’s new (143) and returning (246) traditional total of 389.
“These numbers reflect a positive direction and further represent the hard work that so many have given in making this possible,” Dr. Olive added. “We are grateful for the commitment our faculty and staff have to this college, for their love for our students, and for the sacrifice and service they offer for Kingdom work.”
While the increase in enrollment this fall is much to celebrate, maintaining the growth is even more important, according to college leadership. Alumni play a significant role in the process of recruiting students, BC officials say, when they share the positive aspects of their Bluefield College experience with prospective students.
“We’re grateful for what alumni mean to the institution,” said Dr. Robert Shippey, vice president for academic affairs, “and we encourage them to continue sending new students to us.”
Bluefield College began the fall 2009 semester with a 22 percent increase in new student enrollment and the highest new traditional student figures since the fall of 2006.
Traditional new student numbers at BC — including new freshmen, new transfers and reapplications — totaled 175 this fall, up 32 from the 143 new traditional students a year ago. This fall’s new traditional student total also is the school’s highest since 2006, when 179 total new traditional students enrolled.
“We are blessed and greatly pleased with the increased enrollment numbers this fall,” said President David Olive. “The double-digit growth in new students is headed in the direction we had hoped.”
Without reapplication figures in the equation, the college enjoyed a nearly 30 percent increase in new traditional student numbers, with 170 new freshmen and transfers this fall, compared to 131 new freshmen and transfers from fall 2008.
Returning traditional student numbers also were up slightly. Two hundred fifty traditional students returned to Bluefield College this fall, compared to 246 traditional returning students in the fall of 2008.
B
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9
of the Bluefield College tradition,” said Dr. Robert Shippey, vice president for academic affairs. “And we’re grateful that an outside entity recognizes the level of quality service that our faculty and staff at Bluefield College provide.”
Another measure of standard that helped BC land its Top 50 status was affordability, particularly the limited degree of indebtedness of graduating seniors at Bluefield College. Of all the baccalaureate colleges in the South, BC ranked 16th-best in terms of the load of debt incurred by students. The average total debt of graduating seniors who borrowed money to attend BC was $16,918, compared to loads of debt near $40,000 for students from other baccalaureate colleges in the South.
Bluefield College also scored well (32nd among all baccalaureate colleges in the South) in meeting the financial needs of its students through an average financial aid package of nearly $12,000, compared to an average of just $3,700 offered by other baccalaureate schools in the South.
BC was listed as meeting an average of 63 percent of the demonstrated need of its students, compared to other schools that met just an average of 13 percent of students’ financial need.
“While we are pleased with our standing in the U.S. News rankings, we cannot afford to rest on these laurels,” said Dr. Shippey, “but must resolve ourselves to the greater vision of transforming students’ lives with innovative learning that will hopefully result in even higher rankings in the future.”
In the U.S. News survey of Baccalaureate Colleges in the South, Bluefield College outpaced neighboring schools Concord University, Bluefield State College, and Virginia Intermont College.
The U.S. News rankings offer the opportunity for prospective students to judge the relative quality of academic institutions based on widely accepted indicators of excellence. Baccalaureate colleges, like Bluefield College, are those colleges that focus primarily on undergraduate education and offer a range of degree programs in liberal arts.
For a complete listing of the rankings for “America’s Best Colleges: 2010,” visit the U.S. News and World Report web site at usnews.com/bestcolleges.
Bluefield College has been ranked among the Top 50 Baccalaureate Colleges in the South in U.S. News and World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges: 2010.”
More than 300 baccalaureate colleges in four regions of the United States were evaluated for U.S. News’ annual study, and Bluefield College was ranked among the second-tier Top 50 schools in the Southern region, which encompasses 12 states, including Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas.
BC earned its Top 50 status based in large part on its small class sizes, student/faculty ratio, and personal attention to students. In fact, according to the U.S. News survey, the college boasts among all baccalaureate colleges in the South the fourth-best percentage — 86.5 percent — of classes with fewer than 20 students.
“We are certainly pleased with the latest rankings that indicate the level of excellence in learning and personal attention to students that are hallmarks
Bluefield College’s small class sizes and personal attention to students was just one measure of standard that landed the school among the Top 50 Baccalaureate Colleges in the South in U.S. News and World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges: 2010.”
BC Ranked Among Top 50 Colleges in the South
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10
“In Richard Morgan, we have found an individual who will continue to fulfill that mission. We’re excited about all the attributes that Coach Morgan brings to Bluefield College.”
Morgan came to BC after a three-year stint as an assistant coach at Appalachian State University and three years as an associate head coach at Hampton University. His stint at Hampton was the second of his career after serving as an assistant on the Pirates’ bench from 1996-98.
Prior to returning to Hampton, Morgan spent five seasons (1998-2003) as an assistant at East Carolina University. A native of Salem, Virginia, he began his coaching career as a coach at Salem High School, his alma mater.
“We had some amazing individuals apply for this very important position, but Coach
Morgan’s credentials kept him at the top of the list,” said Vernon. “There are volumes that can be said about him as a player, and there are already chapters being written on him as a coach, but words cannot express how wonderful he is as a person.”
Morgan joined the coaching profession after an extremely successful career as both a professional and collegiate player. He was a three-year starter at guard for the University of Virginia, and after graduating from UVA in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in sports management, he played professionally for two seasons in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and overseas.
“This is a dream come true for me and my family,” said Morgan. “I am very aware of the great tradition here at Bluefield College, and I look forward to the challenge of continuing that success.”
Richard Morgan, a coach with more than a decade of experience at the NCAA level and a player with a decorated career in the ACC, has been named the new
head coach for men’s basketball
at Bluefield College.
“Bluefield College has been
blessed with some amazing coaches who put their heart and soul not only into their sport, but more so into the young men and women that they coach,” said BC athletics director Ewell Vernon during a press conference announcing the appointment in July.
Coach Richard Morgan
AACC Legend and NCAA Coach Richard Morgan Named Head Coach at BC
The Ratcliffe Foundation’s Scott Cole (right) presents a check to President David Olive.
R the new program, according to organizers, addresses a significant area need.
“We currently have a documented shortage of qualified band directors and instrumental instructors,” said Dr. Necessary. “Each year, thousands of young men and women participate in marching band and ensembles in public schools, but unfortunately, these talented individuals are unable to pursue collegiate experiences and explore career opportunities in this field. That’s why Bluefield College identified this as a priority program to implement.”
In just its first year of existence, the instrumental music program developed a jazz band and a concert ensemble for students. The college also added an instrumental music education component to the curriculum for students interested in becoming a teacher of the discipline. And according to Dr. Necessary, the $25,000 grant from the Ratcliffe Foundation will help grow the program even more.
“With this money, we will be able to purchase necessary equipment and instruments,” said Dr. Necessary. “These are not only necessary for instructional purposes, but also serve as recruitment tools. In many cases, for programs like ours, it is not the bells and whistles of technology or luxuries of residence halls, but the instrumental equipment and quality that draw students and drive enrollment decisions.”
In addition to purchasing equipment and instruments, the Ratcliffe grant will enable the college to create a strategic recruitment plan for prospective music students and develop additional instrumental ensembles, including a symphony orchestra, pep band, and wind ensemble.
Last spring, Bluefield College unveiled a new instrumental music program for students, and this July the Ratcliffe Foundation of Tazewell, Virginia, expressed support for the program with a $25,000 grant.
During a ceremony on campus, the Ratcliffe Foundation’s Scott Cole presented the $25,000 check to President David Olive, instrumental music head Andrew Necessary, and vice president for advancement Ruth Blankenship.
“We are so grateful for the Ratcliffe Foundation and its support of our vision to create collegiate instrumental opportunities that currently do not exist for students in southwest Virginia,” said Blankenship. “This is a historic gift to our college, to this new program, and more importantly, to the community of Tazewell County.”
The college launched its instrumental music program this past fall after the Board of Trustees approved the curriculum in the spring of 2008. Designed to give students an opportunity to study and/or participate in instrumental music at the collegiate level,
Ratcliffe Foundation Supports BC Instrumental Music
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11
The ProgramSpeaking about the adversity he faced as a child, compared to the challenges he now faces as an All-Star Major League Baseball pitcher, Tazewell County native Billy Wagner will serve as keynote speaker for the Second Annual Bluefield College Tierney Scholarship Awareness Dinner on Thursday, December 3 at David’s at the Elks Club in Bluefield, West Virginia. The program will begin with a meet-and-greet at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and a sports auction during dinner to support the cause.
The PurposeSponsored by Bluefield College, the Tierney Scholarship Awareness Dinner is designed to increase community responsiveness to the need for a strong scholarship program at BC. Funded by the Katharine B. Tierney Foundation, the Dinner brings prominent speakers to the community each year with the hope that local residents will pay premium prices to hear the notable speakers and ultimately support the BC Fund for Scholarships.
The InvestmentIndividual tickets for dinner and to hear Wagner speak are $100. Individuals who pay $125 may also participate in a meet-and-greet session with Wagner prior to dinner. A table of eight is $1,200 and includes dinner, the program, the meet-and-greet, and a baseball autographed by Wagner for all eight guests. Proceeds this year will go to the BC Fund for Scholarships and the Second Chance Learning Center. For reservations, call 276-326-4458.
The SpeakerBig things sometimes come in small packages. That is certainly the case with All-Star Major League Baseball pitcher Billy Wagner, a tiny kid growing up, but the real deal.
Billy could hit, run, field and, most of all, throw. In fact, by the time Billy was a senior at Tazewell High School, his fastball was 85 miles per hour, which led to a chance to play collegiate baseball at Ferrum College.
BPro baseball pitcher
Billy Wagner, keynote speaker for BC’s
Tierney Scholarship Awareness Dinner
BLUEFIELD COLLEGE PRESENTS
the Second AnnualTIERNEY SCHOLARSHIP
AWARENESS DINNER
featuringKEYNOTE SPEAKER: BILLY WAGNER
December 3, 2009David’s at the Elks Club, Bluefield, West Virginia
At Ferrum, Billy set an NCAA record with 19.1 strikeouts per nine innings pitched, and he finished college with more than 300 strikeouts in less than 200 innings — good enough to make him a first-round selection by the Houston Astros in the Major League Baseball Draft.
During his eight years with Houston, Billy became one of baseball’s elite closers, setting a team record for saves in a season (44) and a Major League record for batter strikeouts per nine innings (14.9). In fact, he made the All-Star team in 1999, 2001 and 2003.
Since then, Billy has been traded to the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets, where he once again finds himself a dominant closer who still has the best strikeouts per innings pitched ratio in baseball. “God has blessed me tenfold,” he says. “I can’t explain it any other way. It’s just a blessing.”
In an effort to return some of the blessings he has received, Billy and longtime friend Erik Robinson established the Second Chance Learning Center to decrease the high school dropout rate in southwest Virginia through free counseling, mentoring and tutoring services for at-risk public school students. Second Chance also provides scholarships to students who wish to continue their education in college and, like Billy, ultimately realize their dreams.
The Tierney FoundationThe Katharine Tierney Foundation is a non-profit charitable foundation in Bluefield, West Virginia, with a long history of supporting the community.
In the spring of 2006, the Foundation offered a sizable gift to Bluefield College to support the BC Fund for Scholarships through the creation of an Annual Tierney Scholarship Awareness Dinner.
Proceeds from the Second Annual Tierney Scholarship Dinner will go to the BC Fund for Scholarships and the Second Chance Learning Center, both vital resources that make it possible for southwest Virginia students to attend college.
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BBluefield College OpensNew Residence Hall
East River Residence Hall
federal funding for the project through the USDA’s Rural Development Office.
Construction for the new facility proceeded for 10 months as crews completed the 24,000-square-foot, three-story structure with single- and double-occupancy rooms, as well as apartments with exclusive kitchens and bathrooms, just in time for the beginning of the 2009-2010 academic year.
“This is a facility that enhances community and offers more study and social gathering spaces for our students,” said Dr. Olive. “It will be a prominent element in creating the living and learning community we wish to have at Bluefield College.”
Other dignitaries shared in the activities and remarks of the celebration, including Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce President Marc Meachum, Bluefield, Virginia Mayor Don Harris, BC Chairman of the Board Dan Grabeel, and BC Vice President for Advancement Ruth Blankenship.
“I think this is a wonderful asset for our town and for the entire community,” said Mayor Harris. “This is something that students of this generation will benefit from, as well as students in the future.”
The $4.3 million structure that sits in front of Cruise Hall, an existing residence facility, and beside Easley Library will house approximately 100 students. The building features large commons or living rooms on all three floors, complete with kitchenettes and activity spaces. All three levels also feature computer labs and lobbies, with the main floor housing laundry and vending facilities.
Blankenship and Dr. Olive both expressed appreciation to project supporters, including the USDA, construction contractors Clark Nexen and Weaver Cooke, Willis Engineering, E. Dillon and Company, the Town of Bluefield, the Skewes Family Foundation, the Northpoint Foundation, Clinch Mountain Creations, Kathleen Stowers, John Gunter, Keith Beckett, and the BC Board of Trustees.
“This is just a great day for Bluefield College and the community,” said Dr. Grabeel. “When I was a student at Bluefield College, we used to play football right here. This building will be here for future generations to see what we have done.”
The grand opening included an open house, reception, and a tour of the new facility, which opened to students the following day, August 8.
Bluefield College waited nearly 30 years to open a new residence facility. The wait is now over.
Nearly 200 guests — including students, alumni, faculty, staff, local dignitaries, and community friends just curious to get a look inside the new building — gathered on campus August 7 to celebrate the grand opening and formal ribbon-cutting ceremony for East River Hall, the school’s first new residence facility since 1980.
“This is our first residence hall in just under 30 years,” said President David Olive during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “It’s well overdue. Residence halls are a vital component to the overall living and learning experience, and we are making major quality-of-life improvements to our residential living program.”
The college broke ground on East River Hall in May 2008. Actual construction for the new facility began in October of that year, shortly after United States Congressman Rick Boucher and U.S. Department of Agriculture officer Travis Jackson announced the availability of
Students, faculty, staff, alumni and local dignitaries join Chairman of the Board Dan Grabeel (center) in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the grand opening of East River Hall.
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The college hosted its Eighth Annual Alpha Natural Resources
Golfers’ Challenge at Pipestem State Park and Resort in August,
and local golf enthusiasts who participated or supported the project
helped the school earn more than $40,000 for student-athletes.
The college ceremoniously kicked off the 2009-2010 academic year with the pomp and circumstance of its annual President’s Convocation on September 2. Dressed in full academic regalia, faculty and staff marched into Harman Chapel
for the traditional ceremony that features formal greetings to students from the president, the Board of Trustees, the faculty, and the Student Government
Association. The program also included a matriculation ceremony, formally inducting new students into the BC student body.
Who’s Making News?
Jim (pictured standing) and Charlene (pictured seated center) Bascom, Cindy Bascom (pictured seated right), and Dennis and Melody Frey signed a letter of intent in May to establish the Valena May Parsons Endowed Scholarship to preserve the legacy of the family members’ mother and grandmother and to provide essential scholarship aid to BC communication students.
A group of BC grads took advantage of summer vacation time to reunite on the beaches of Corolla, North Carolina. The week-long alumni reunion in the Outer Banks included (pictured front) Nick Cockerham (‘07), (pictured back, left to right) Josh Grubb (‘07), Laura Whiteed Grubb (‘08), James Doss (‘05), Brittney Pachuta Doss (‘07), Jennifer Mitchell (‘08), and Joshua Cline (‘09).
Alumni from Greater Roanoke and Salem, including (pictured left to right) Sharon Umberger, Joe Blackstock and Linda McCallum, gathered for a reunion at Longwood Park in August, which featured a deejay and face painting for the kids.
Alumni from Greater Fredericksburg gathered at St. Clair Brooks
Memorial Park in August for a reunion cookout that featured grads
from both the traditional and degree-completion programs, BC
giveaways, and the typical fellowship and reminiscing.
The BC reunion bandwagon was on the road
in June to visit alumni in their own communities,
including an adult degree-completion alumni group (‘08)
from Portsmouth, Virginia (pictured). The college hosted
other alumni reunions and personal visits with alumni this
past spring and summer in Richmond, northern
Virginia, Emporia and Williamsburg.
Alumni from Greater Charlottesville (pictured) gathered for a
reunion at the Gentry Farm in July. The event, hosted by Robert (‘58)
and Joyce Mullikin (‘58) Gentry, featured a traditional hayride and
homemade ice cream, along with lots of fellowship and reminiscing.
13
F
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14Wampler Caudill Leadership Awards as the outstanding faculty members from the degree-completion program. Dr. Henry, who teaches on the main campus and throughout southwest Virginia, was recognized for his “charismatic, kind and compassionate” personality, while Dr. Williams, an instructor in Hampton, Virginia, was acknowledged for his “superior mastery of the subjects” and his “genuine care and concern for students.”
...................................................Dr. Marsha Mead, assistant professor of psychology, co-presented a poster presentation at the Annual Conference of the American Mental Health Counselors
Faculty/Staff Dist inct ionsAssociation in Washington, DC, in July. The presentation, Counselors’ Use and Opinions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, earned the “Best Poster Presentation” award during the conference awards luncheon.
...................................................Dr. Larry Sinsabaugh, associate professor of management and leadership and psychology, was promoted to Associate Vice President for Degree Completion Programs (DCP) and director of the school’s Richmond Degree Completion Center after three years of teaching and developing curricula, during which time he earned the Caudill Award as the outstanding faculty member from the DCP.
Jason Gillespie, head coach for men’s basketball, bid farewell to Bluefield College after four extremely successful seasons, which
included 23 wins a year, three straight National Tournament appearances, two conference titles, and two Coach of the Year awards. The BC mentor accepted a new position as head men’s basketball coach and athletics director for Cincinnati Christian University.
...................................................Dr. Mike Henry, instructor of management and leadership, and Dr. Brian Williams, instructor of behavioral science, both won the school’s 2009 Alfred and Shirley
BBC Begins Academic Exchange with China
students from Jiangsu — English majors Mr. Que Jun and Mr. Xu Chenyan, Chinese literature major Miss Jiao Yan, and math major Miss Zhu Junxia.
“We are very excited about the group’s arrival,” said President David Olive, “and we look forward to getting to know each of them and establishing new friendships as we learn more about our cultures and traditions.”
The Chinese assembly will arrive in Bluefield in September. The students will stay for two weeks, taking courses in their respective majors. Professor Yiqun will stay for two months, teaching a course in Chinese culture and history and a class on an introduction to Chinese language.
In addition to their studies on campus, the Chinese students will be offered off-campus opportunities to gain a greater appreciation for American culture, particularly American
history and the Appalachian traditions, when later in the semester they hike the Appalachian Trail, go mountain biking on the Virginia Creeper Trail, and tour Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.
As part of its longstanding tradition of providing opportunities for study abroad, which in years past has included trips to London, Rome, Athens and Paris, Bluefield College will reciprocate the Chinese exchange next May by sending 3-4 BC students and a professor to the Jiangsu Institute.
As part of its mission to prepare innovative learners, Bluefield College will offer its students an opportunity to learn firsthand the Chinese culture, history and language, thanks to a new international exchange program with the Jiangsu Institute of Education in Nanjing, China.
Bluefield College crafted the exchange program with Jiangsu officials this past spring when a BC delegation traveled to China on a mission trip. Since then, the two parties have finalized the details of the agreement that both say will promote “educational cooperation,” “friendly ties,” and “mutual benefits.”
The academic exchange will involve 3-4 students and one professor each semester. Coming to Bluefield College this fall from the Jiangsu Institute will be faculty member Ms. Du Yiqun, an English teacher, and four
President David Olive (left) signs an academic exchange agreement with Jiangsu Institute Vice President Zhou Chengping.
MMayberry Scholarship Aids Adult StudentsStudents in the adult degree-completion program at Bluefield College now have access to more financial aid, and the “service above self” legacy of Betty McGlamary Mayberry will live on, thanks to the Mayberry Memorial Adult Education Assistance Scholarship.
A native of the coalfields of Wyoming County, West Virginia, the late Betty McGlamary Mayberry devoted her life to caring for others. After the untimely death of her father, she helped her mother care for the family of four children. Even after she married her husband, Clarence, a native of Bluefield and a BC alumnus who established the scholarship in her memory, Betty cared for many disabled family members and friends until her death in 2006.
“She was a devoted and caring person,” said Clarence, a 1957 BC graduate who now lives in Kensington, Maryland. “Having grown up in the coalfields of West Virginia, she never forgot the hardships of children like herself and wanted to help wherever and whenever she could. Hopefully, this scholarship will help perpetuate her love for the people of the coalfields by helping to improve healthcare through increased adult education in the healthcare field.”
Designed for adult degree-completion students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science, the Mayberry Scholarship is an annual award of at least $500, accessible for multiple years of study in the degree-completion program.
A veteran of the United States Navy and the U.S. Navy Reserves, Mayberry spent his professional career with the Federal Housing Administration and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Among the family and friends who joined him for the scholarship signing ceremony were Melba McGlamary of Kensington, MD; Charles McGlamary of Harrisonburg, VA; George Akers of Princeton, WV; Howard Honaker and his wife, Janie, of Falls Mills, VA; David Mayberry of Bluefield, WV; Russell Garrett of Bluefield, VA; and Don Scott of Bluefield, VA.
“This is a wonderful thing to carry on the memory of my sister,” said Charles McGlamary. “She was a wonderful person who was good to everybody. She spent her entire lifetime helping people, and in some small way will continue to do that through this scholarship.”
Alumni and friends who wish to contribute to the scholarship or who may be interested in establishing their own scholarship fund in honor or in memory of someone should call 276.326.4209 or visit the BC web site at bluefield.edu/mayberry.
Available for two recipients each year, the award is designed preferably for adult students working in healthcare-related fields or the coal industry and with a family history related to the coal business. Students who demonstrate a greater financial need will be given additional preference.
“This scholarship honors and remembers the important aspects of Betty’s life,” said President David Olive, “and it provides for future generations of students the opportunity to be transformed through the Bluefield College experience.”
Dr. Olive and Clarence Mayberry formally signed the scholarship into existence during a ceremony on campus in May. A host of family and friends from as near as Bluefield and as far as Maryland joined Clarence and college administrators for the event, at which time he spoke about how the scholarship will do more than just pay tribute to his wife.
“The fact that I received a scholarship to attend Bluefield College helped get me to where I am today,” said Clarence, who came to BC from Beaver High School on a Henry Rodgin Scholarship. “That, along with the experience I had at Bluefield College, led me to the decision that I wanted to help the school and help students like me.”
Family and friends join alumnus Clarence Mayberry (seated center) in creating the Betty McGlamary Mayberry Memorial Adult Education Assistance Scholarship.
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Alumni Choir Reunion Concert, 2007.
Joe Nash (‘05)
Festival in the Quad inflatable games.
H O m E C O m I N G 2 0 0 9 S C H E D u L E
FRIDAY, OCtOBER 23
Golden Anniversary Dinner and Golden Graduate Society Induction Ceremony
5:30 p.m., Shott Hall
The Golden Anniversary Dinner will feature a first for Bluefield College, the inaugural induction of alumnifrom 1959 and earlier into the Golden Graduate Society. All alumni and friends are invited to participate
in this dinner in honor of and complimentary for the Golden grads.
Alumni Choir Reunion Rehearsal
6:15 p.m., Harman Chapel Small Auditorium (lower level)
Former BC voices are invited to the first of two rehearsals during Homecoming weekend in preparation for the Alumni Choir Reunion Concert. Registration begins at 6:15 p.m., followed by rehearsal at 6:30 p.m. The concert will be
Saturday during the Alumni Dinner-Dance.
Homecoming Coffeehouse
8 p.m., Quick Shott Café, Shott Hall
Enjoy Starbucks-brewed coffee and music from BC’s own Joe Nash (’05), a professional musician from Nashville, Tennessee, who writes and performs music with tasteful harmonies
and melodies that blend country with pop rock to form a fresh, unique sound.
SAtuRDAY, OCtOBER 24tH
Homecoming Golf tournament
8 a.m., Richwood Golf Course
Enjoy a complimentary breakfast and a round of golf with former classmates in an event that benefits the BC Fund for Scholarships. Prizes will be awarded to overall first and second place finishers, as well as individuals who shoot the closest to the pin and the
longest drive. The cost is $100 per person, with all proceeds going to student scholarships.
Alumni Choir Reunion Rehearsal
9 a.m., Harman Chapel Small Auditorium (lower level)
The second of two rehearsals for former BC voices in preparation for the Alumni Choir Reunion Concert
during the Saturday night Alumni Dinner-Dance.
Festival in the Quad
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the BC Quad
A Homecoming first, the Festival in the Quad will feature an Arts and Crafts Fair, music, inflatable games, a picnic lunch,
face painting, a dunking booth, and other fall festival activities for alumni, friends and families, from kids to golden grads. Alumni who wish to set up a booth as part of the Arts and Crafts Fair should call the Alumni Office at 276.326.4555.
Homecoming Festival in the Quad.
Fresh Brewed, Just for You
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Campus tours
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
If you haven’t been on campus in a while, then you might want to check out the new East River Residence Hall, a state-of-the art Easley Library, the recently renovated cottages, and
the new MacMillan Center for Service and Missions during Homecoming Campus Tours.
Alumni Dinner-Dance
Featuring a Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony,
the Alumni Choir Reunion Concert,
and a Silent Auction
6:30 p.m., David’s at the Club, Bluefield, WV
It’s the traditional culmination dinner-dance, chock-full of a variety of momentous activities, beginning with the induction of a new class into the BC Sports Hall of Fame. Not since 2003 have former BC student-athletes been inducted into the prestigious Sports Hall.
Followed by the Alumni Choir Reunion Concert, featuring former BC voices and onetime music professor Dr. Chris
Sheppard, who taught music and directed BC’s select student voice ensemble, Variations, from 1998 to 2002.
Continuing with a Silent Auction for the BC Fund for Scholarships. Purchase art, crafts, retail and restaurant discounts, entertainment packages, and vacation getaways, all at great prices and all for a good cause.
And concluding with the ever-popular dance, featuring deejay music and live selections from BC’s instrumental jazz ensemble.
Homecoming Student Dance
9:30 p.m., location to be determined
If you’re a recent grad with friends still at BC or young at heart with a desire to dance the latest moves, top off your Homecoming weekend with the
Homecoming Student Dance, featuring the crowning of the Homecoming Court.
make Your Reservations
Contact Alumni Director Teresa Stanley by phone at 276.326.4555 or by email at [email protected].
Or watch for your Homecoming invitation brochure and registration form in the mail soon.
Alumni Choir Reunion Concert, 2005.
Class of 2003 Sports Hall of Fame.
Easley Library
Homecoming Court, 2008.
Former music professor
Chris Sheppard.
Alumni Dinner-Dance, 2007.
Fresh Brewed,Just for YouH O m E C O m I N G 2 0 0 9 S C H E D u L E
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AAlumna Courtney Simpkins Pledges $100,000 to CCC
As a proud alumna of Bluefield College, Courtney Simpkins wanted to give something back to her alma mater.
She did that and more, pledging $100,000 to the school’s proposed Campus and Community Center and becoming the first individual major donor to the ambitious capital campaign project.
In front of a crowd of college and town officials gathered on campus in July, Simpkins, a 2004 graduate, signed a letter of intent to invest $100,000 into the construction of the Campus and Community Center (CCC).
The CCC, a proposed $14 million structure that will sit on the corner portion of campus where the Dome currently resides, will be a total of 82,000 square feet and will serve the recreational, fitness and activity interests of Bluefield College students, faculty, staff and alumni, as well as the Bluefield community at large, from youth to senior citizens.
“When I worked here, they had just started talking about the project,” said Simpkins, an exercise and sports science major who worked as an athletic trainer for BC from 2004 to 2008. “I think it (the CCC) will be a great benefit to the community.”
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An architectural rendering of the proposed CCC.
The college began discussions about a proposed Campus and Community Center in the fall of 2006, and last year BC officials began working behind the scenes to generate awareness and support for the CCC. Since then, contributions for the construction of the building have been coming in from alumni and friends.
The proposed facility will house a 1,000-seat intercollegiate competition gymnasium and three community recreation gyms, which when combined can form a 32,000-square-foot convention hall. The building also will feature a fitness center, senior/youth center, conference rooms, walking tracks, and an athletic training room. In fact, with her six-figure gift, Simpkins earned exclusive naming rights to the CCC training room.
“I had a great experience at Bluefield College,” said Simpkins, who now works as an athletic trainer at Rockbridge County High School in Lexington, Virginia. “I spent a lot of time in the athletic training room as a student and later as the athletic trainer. It just seems like a good fit to give back to the athletic training program.”
A native of Rocky Gap, Virginia, who attended Rocky Gap High School, Simpkins made the $100,000 gift in memory of her grandmother, the late Geneva Knowles of Christiansburg, Virginia. In fact, the CCC training room will be named The Courtney Simpkins Training Room in Memory of Geneva Knowles.
“She paid for me to go to college,” said Simpkins about her grandmother, “so I wanted to do this in her memory. It’s because of her that I was able to do this.”
Simpkins said she hopes other alumni and friends will join her in investing in the CCC. “It feels good to give back,” she said. “I spent four years here, and they were great years. If others can make a donation, I hope they will, because it will help the whole area.”
BC officials hope to break ground on the Campus and Community Center once half ($7 million) of the cost of the project has been pledged or received. Alumni or community friends interested in supporting the project should call 276.326.4556 or visit the BC web site at bluefield.edu/ccc.
Alumna Courtney Simpkins (seated center) signs a letter of intent to invest $100,000 in BC’s
proposed Campus and Community Center.
1996 ...................................................James R. Bryant of Salem, Virginia, recently
announced his retirement as police chief
of Salem, Virginia. He joined the force in
1966 and was named police chief in 1995. A
veteran of the United States Marine Corps
and a graduate of the FBI’s Law Enforcement
Academy, James will retire November 1,
2009.
1998...................................................Angela R. Cornish of Richmond, Virginia, has
been named director of human resources for
the North Carolina and Mid-South markets
for Media General. She joined Media General
in 2005 and has been director of human
resources for the company’s community
newspapers. Since BC, she has earned her
Professional in Human Resources certification
and a master’s degree in human resource
development from George Washington
University.
Lisa Keene Huff of Bluefield, Virginia, was
recently promoted to vice president of human
resources for First Century Bank.
Spencer G. Wood of Quakertown,
Pennsylvania, served as a keynote speaker
for the Virginia High School Coaches
Association’s Annual Meeting in July 2009.
Spencer is a sports psychologist and the
founder of Icebox Athlete, a mental skills
and toughness training company. He also
is working on a Ph.D. in psychology from
Northcentral University in Arizona.
1999 ...................................................Jennifer Slayton of Danville, Virginia, married
Jeffrey Campbell on March 28, 2009. Jennifer
is a site supervisor with the Phoenix Program
through Strategic Therapy Associates.
Robert J.
“Bob” Walsh
of Norfolk,
Virginia, a
full-time law
enforcement
officer, will be
traveling to
Hong Kong
and China in
November 2009
as part of his faith-based ventriloquist ministry,
Deputy Bob. Bob is an ordained Baptist
minister and a member of Spurgeon Memorial
Baptist Church in Norfolk, where he also
offers his Deputy Bob ventriloquist ministry.
Find out more, download videos, or book a
show with Bob at deputybob.com.
2000 ...................................................Angela Musselman of Fredericksburg,
Virginia, married James Miniter on October
11, 2008. She is currently a school teacher.
2001 ...................................................Edmund E. Elliott of Chesapeake, Virginia,
was promoted to chief of the Chesapeake Fire
Department. He joined the Fire Department’s
staff in 1974. In addition to his degree from
Bluefield College, Edmund is a graduate of the
National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer’s
Program.
Adam West of
Salem, Virginia,
graduated in May
2009 from Radford
University with a
master’s degree
in social work
(MSW). Adam and
his wife, Laura
Spangler (’01),
also recently celebrated the birth of their first
baby, Micah Dalton, born August 26, 2009.
2003 ...................................................Joshua Cornett of Bedford, Virginia, has been
named the new assistant principal at Jefferson
Forest High School in Bedford County, which
is the same school in which he began his
teaching career.
2004 ...................................................Gregory Quesenberry of Bluefield, West
Virginia, and his wife, Greta, celebrated the
birth of a son, Abram Gregory, born June 10,
2009. Abram weighed 7 pounds, 15 3/4 ounces.
Bradley Stump of Salem, Virginia, and his
wife, Jessica, celebrated the birth of a son,
Ian Kennedy, born May 8, 2009. He weighed 7
pounds, 3 ounces and was 19.5 inches long.
2007 ...................................................Jonathan C. Hall of Bumpass, Virginia,
married Niki Thompson on August 1, 2009.
Jonathan is working at Patrick Henry High
School in Ashland, Virginia, and Niki is teaching
pre-K at Piedmont (VA) Christian School.
CClass Notes 1962 ...................................................Edward A. Wyatt, V, of Wilson, North Carolina,
has been named the 2009-2010 Rotary District
Governor for Northeastern North Carolina.
1963 ...................................................Curtis E. Nester of Moneta, Virginia,
published a new book, Faith Will Keep You
Afloat, in April 2009. The book is available from
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many other
online bookstores.
1968 ...................................................Jimmy D. Hamlette of Gladys, Virginia, retired
from Campbell County (VA) Schools in June
of 2009 after 38 years in the classroom. His
career included a Teacher of the Year honor
at Altavista (VA) High School in 2000 and
an Altavista Area Teacher of the Year award
in 2001. In retirement, Jimmy said he looks
forward to hunting, fishing, floating on the
river, gardening, drawing local historical places,
writing short stories, shopping for antique tools
and gadgets, taking bus tours, and spending
time with his wife, Charlene. Together they have
a daughter, two sons, and three grandchildren.
1981 ...................................................Penny Burkett Stockton of Hernando,
Florida, retired from teaching at the end
of the 2008-09 school year after 33 years in
education, including the last 25 years at Graham
Intermediate School in Bluefield, Virginia, where
she taught third grade for 23 years.
1982 ...................................................Rev. Larry E. Ramey of Bluefield, Virginia, was
recently appointed by the Holston Conference
of the Methodist Church as pastor of Richlands
(VA) First United Methodist Church. He was
ordained an elder in the United Methodist
Church in 1993.
1995 ...................................................Luther E. Younger, Jr. of Wytheville, Virginia,
was named the 2009 Teacher of the Year
for Wythe (VA) County Schools. Luther has
spent the last 10 years teaching business and
information technology at George Wythe (VA)
High School. “Mr. Younger is truly an asset
to George Wythe High School and Wythe
County Public Schools,” said the George
Wythe principal. “He is always willing to go the
extra mile for students, staff, and community.
He is certainly a well-deserving person for this
recognition.”
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19
OObituaries1944 ...................................................margaret Ann murphy, 84, of Bluefield, West
Virginia, died August 7, 2009 after a long battle
with cancer. She was a lifelong educator and
mentor to young people, serving as a teacher
at Bluefield (WV) High School, a director of
Christian education at First Presbyterian Church
of Bluefield, a counselor at Davis and Elkins
College in Elkins, West Virginia, and an English
professor at Southwest Virginia Community
College. She was a longtime member of
Delta Kappa Gamma, a sorority of education
professionals, and an active member of the
Mercer County Literacy Council and the Friends
of the Library. At First Presbyterian, she sang in
the choir, served as the church historian, taught
Sunday school, and volunteered as a youth
leader. In addition, she supported the Mercer
County Humane Society and was a member of
the A Capella Choir at Bluefield High School.
1950 ...................................................Robert R. Hamner, 78, of Fredericksburg,
Virginia, died June 18, 2009. After BC, Robert
attended the University of Richmond. He also
was a U.S. Army veteran, earning the Bronze
Star while serving in the Korean War. He was a
retired hardware manufacturers’ representative
and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars,
the American Legion, the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks, the Knights of Pythias,
the Shriners, the Masons, and several Christian
churches.
Louis D. Parham, of Hampton, Virginia, died in
August 2009. After BC, he attended the University
of Richmond and Southeastern Baptist Theological
Seminary before becoming an ordained Baptist
minister. In 1957, he joined the United States Army
to serve in the Korean War. Later, he attended the
Medical College of Virginia to become a family
physician in Northern Neck, Virginia, and then
Hampton, Virginia, for 37 years. During that time,
he served as president of the Hampton Medical
Society, a delegate and councillor to the Medical
Society of Virginia, and a member of the American
Academy of Family Practice and American Medical
Association. He also served as an assistant medical
examiner while in Northern Neck, chairman of the
Family Practice Department at Sentara Hampton
General Hospital, and chairman of Internal
Medicine and Chief of Staff at Mary Immaculate
Hospital. He was a member of Veterans of Foreign
Wars and the Korean War Veterans Association. He
also was a 32nd-degree Mason and a Shriner.
1954 ...................................................Rev. Edward B. Blevins, 85, of Salisbury,
Maryland, died July 14, 2009. After BC, he
What’s new with you?We want to know what you’ve been up to. Let us know where you are and what you’re doing. Have you been promoted? Did you get a new job? Did you marry or have a new addition to the family? Let us know what’s new with you. Complete, detach and mail this form using the postage-paid reply
envelope provided with this issue, or e-mail the same information to [email protected].
Name: ________________________________________________________________________________
Class Year: ______________________________ Degree: _____________________________________
Home Address: ________________________________________________________________________
E-Mail Address: _______________________________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________________________________________________
Personal News: ________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Career News: __________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
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attended Fairmont (WV) State University and the Wesley
Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., before
serving many churches in the Peninsula-Delaware United
Methodist Conference for more than 46 years.
1958 ...................................................Robert H. “Bob” thompson, 70, of Niceville, Florida,
died February 22, 2009. A graduate of Virginia Tech’s
aeronautical engineering program in 1960, Bob spent 30
years of his career with NASA. He enjoyed his 20 years
of retirement snow skiing, scuba diving, golfing, and
vacationing with family and friends.
1961 ...................................................Rev. James H. Alsop, 85, of Bassett, Virginia, died July
21, 2009. He was a U.S. Navy veteran serving as a Seabee
during World War II and a graduate of Southeastern
Theological Seminary. After seminary, he pastored
Calvary Baptist Church in Meadow Bridge, West Virginia;
Samuel Harris Baptist Mission in Chatham, Virginia;
Zion Baptist Church in Skippers, Virginia; Mount Olivet
Christian Church in Martinsville, Virginia; and Fort Trial
Baptist Church in Bassett, where he retired in 1989 with
the honor of Pastor Emeritus. He was a member of the
Virginia Baptist Board, a moderator for the Henry County
Baptist Association, president of the Henry County
Ministerial Association, a chaplain for the Henry County
Sheriff’s Department, and chairman of chaplains at
Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County.
1962 ...................................................John m. “Sonny” Goodwin, III, 67, of Princeton, West
Virginia, died May 31, 2009. He was a retired assessor with
the Mercer (WV) County Assessor’s Office and a former
employee for Rockwell International. He also served in
the U.S. Army National Guard and was a member of the
Princeton Elks Lodge and Princeton Moose Lodge. In
addition, he was an experienced amateur photographer
and an avid musician, playing the drums for several area
bands, including the Misty Blues, the original Collegians,
and Transit Times.
1981 ...................................................martha Addington Oblinger,
48, of Bluefield, Virginia,
passed away July 30, 2009
after a courageous six-year
battle with cancer. Martha
was the daughter of former
BC professor and admissions
director Charles Addington
and his wife, Betty. She
was a longtime educator in
Bluefield and a member of numerous civic and religious
organizations, including Westminster Presbyterian Church
in Bluefield, where she played handbells and worked with
college and young adult ministries.
IAnnual Scholarships
Endowments
Facility Renovations
New Facilities
New Academic and Athletic Programs
We need to make these projects a reality!
All around campus, facilitiesstill need improvements.
Other buildings and spacesneed official names.
Not to mention, each year morethan 90 percent of our students
depend on scholarship aid.
For more information regarding the Imagination Fund, contact Ruth Blankenship by phone at 276.326.4556 or by e-mail at rblankenship@
bluefield.edu, or visit bluefield.edu/imagination.
I want to invest in the Bluefield College Imagination Fund!
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Imagination FundFrom Imagination to Reality
Complete, detach and mail this form with your gift to Bluefield College using the postage-paid reply envelope provided with this publication.
Name: ________________________________________________________________Class Year: _____________________ Phone: ______________________________________ FIRST MAIDEN LAST
Home Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ STREET OR P.O. BOX CITY STATE ZIP CODE
E-mail Address: ________________________________________________ Employer: __________________________________________________________________________
❒ Enclosed is my gift of $ ___________________________________________ to be used as a contribution for the (check at least one box): ❒ BC Fund for Scholarships
❒ Naming Opportunity _______________________________ ❒ Named Scholarship Fund _________________________ ❒ Other _________________________________ DESIGNATE THE FACILITY DESIGNATE THE SCHOLARSHIP DESIGNATE THE PROJECT
❒ I would like to charge my gift (indicated above) to a credit card. ❒ Visa ❒ MasterCard ❒ Discover ❒ American Express
Signature:_____________________________________________________________ Cardholder: _______________________________________________________________
Account Number: ______________________________________________________ Expiration Date: ________________________ PIN (# on back): ____________________
For more information regarding gift levels, contact Ruth Blankenship by phone at 276.326.4556 or by e-mail to [email protected].
September 26-27Greater Richmond Alumni Reunion at King’s Dominion
and First Baptist Church, Ashland, Virginia...................................................October 3
New River Valley Alumni Reunion at Claytor Lake State Park...................................................October 23-24
Homecoming, featuring Golden Graduate Societyand Sports Hall of Fame inductions...................................................November 17-18
Alumni and friends reception during the BGAV Annual Meeting...................................................December 3
Tierney Scholarship Awareness Dinner, featuring keynotespeaker Billy Wagner of the New York Mets
myBC: Your Connectionto Bluefield College
• Find long-lost classmates.
• update your profile in BC’s database.
• Check dates on the Alumni Events calendar.
• make an online gift to the BC Fund.
Go to bluefield.edu,
click the myBC tab at
the top of the page,
and stay connected
to the BC family.
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mark your calendar NONPROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGEPAID
LYNCHBURG, VAPERMIT NO. 714
Remember Bluefield College in your will and estate plans.
3000 College Drive • Bluefield, Virginia 24605
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
make your commitment today, to support tomorrow.
To transform our Imagination into reality, the College is embarking on the largest fundraising effort in its history.
Capturing the Imagination will put vitally needed resources behind priority projects.
Campus and Community Center n BC FundFacility Renovations n Endowment n New Programs
