Campbell Magazine | Fall 2021

FALL 2021

BEYOND BARS INSIDE CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY’S PRISON TEACHING INITIATIVE

MA GAZ INE .CAMPBE LL.EDU

C A M PB E LL M A G A Z I N E 1

ROAMING CAMEL

Gaylord navigates the crowd at Barker-Lane Stadium during the first half of the Homecoming football game against Kennesaw State. He and his partner Gladys were once again named among the “Best Nicknames and Mascots” by the NCAA in October, joining the likes of the Florida A&M Rattlers, Youngstown State Penguins, Richmond Spiders and Albany Great Danes, among others. Photo by Ben Brown

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FEATURES

FALL 2021 | VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 3

_____________________________________ PRESIDENT

J. Bradley Creed VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Britt Davis

ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

Haven Hottel ’00

_____________________________________ DIRECTOR OF NEWS & PUBLICATIONS & MAGAZINE EDITOR

Billy Liggett

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COVER STORY

28 BEYOND BARS The 11 graduates of Campbell University’s prison teaching program at Sampson County Correctional Institution in Clinton, North Carolina, say their education has given them purpose and a desire to be better people. Their hard work could pave the way for future programs in more prisons and make a real difference in reducing the state’s recidivism rate.

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Former Fighting Camel outfielder Cedric Mullins went from struggling minor leaguer to one of baseball’s brightest young stars in just two years.

The All-Star starter and 43rd member of the 30/30 Club talks to Campbell Magazine about his magical year.

16 Still Pickin’

22 THE COVER CASE Circle of Excellence awardwinning artist Amanda Dockery returns to illustrate the cover for our feature on Campbell’s prison teaching initiative in Sampson County. Dockery’s work on the magazine’s Women of Campbell feature in 2019 earned CASE International’s highest honor for higher education publications.

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6 Star is Born

One year ago, Campbell alumnus and former Spanish professor Tyler Jackson was rushed to a hospital in Chapel Hill so doctors could work to remove a ruptured brain aneurysm. A year later, Jackson talks about his experience and how his love of bluegrass music helped him heal both physically and mentally.

22 Being First The students who took part in Campbell’s first-generation program four years ago are seniors today. They share with Campbell Magazine how the program — from the mentorships to the overall focus on their well-being — helped them beat the odds as they head toward the finish line.

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR & MAGAZINE WRITER

Kate Stoneburner CONTRIBUTORS

Ben Brown, Bennett Scarborough, Megan Steenbergh, Katie Smith, Cathy Zachary _____________________________________ ACCOLADES

Finalist: CASE International Robert Sibley Magazine of the Year (2020) CASE International Circle of Excellence Magazine on Shoestring: 2020 (Grand Gold) Feature Writing: 2021 (Gold) Photography Series: 2021 (Gold) Illustrations: 2020 (Gold) Cover Design: 2018 (Silver) Feature Writing: 2017 (Bronze) CASE III Gold Awards Best Magazine: 2013 Editorial Design: 2018, 2021 Cover: 2018, 2021 Feature Writing: 2017, 2019 Illustration: 2018, 2021 Most Improved: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 Photography Series: 2017 Publications Writing: 2019, 2020 _____________________________________ Founded in 1887, Campbell University is a private, coeducational institution where faith, learning and service excel. Campbell offers programs in the liberal arts, sciences and professions with undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees. The University is comprised of nine colleges and schools and was ranked among the Best National Universities by U.S. News & World Report in its America’s Best Colleges 2022 edition.

Campbell University publishes Campbell Magazine three times a year. Campbell University promotes and values diversity in the workforce and provides equal opportunity to all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ethnicity or national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status and any other characteristic protected by law. www.campbell.edu/employment

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT Our Summer 2021 edition of Campbell Magazine told the story of Campbell Wrestling’s turnaround from a struggling program to a nationally ranked power in just six years. The program, which hosted its annual Orange & Black Wrestle-Off in front of a large Homecoming crowd in front of the Pope Convocation Center on Oct. 23, enters the 2021 season ranked in the Top 30 in most pre-season NCAA college wrestling polls. The squad ranked as high as 19th last season, and five nationally ranked wrestlers will return to the mat in 2022. Photo by Ben Brown

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C A M PB E LL M A G A Z I N E 3

LEADING WITH PURPOSE

Photo by Ben Brown

COLLEGE OF PHARMACY & HEALTH SCIENCES

The ever-expanding role of pharmacists

BY DR. ANDY BOWMAN

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ccess to care is a challenging topic in the health care arena that has only been further highlighted by the SARS-COV2 global pandemic, COVID-19. Addressing access to care issues has been a goal of the health science programs at Campbell for decades.

In fact, Campbell University School of Pharmacy was founded in 1986 by then President Dr. Norman Adrian Wiggins, due in large part to an “access to care” story.

Wiggins grew up in a rural area outside of Burlington, North Carolina, and his family received the lion’s share of their health care from a local community pharmacist.

Those experiences during his childhood gave him a unique perspective regarding the value and potential role of pharmacists, which ultimately led Wiggins to start a Doctor of Pharmacy program at Campbell.

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It was a bold move by the third president of Campbell University, since no college or university had opened a school of pharmacy in the 50 states in 35 years. Today, as the global pandemic has unfolded, the critical role pharmacists play on the health care team has been brought to forefront.

Let’s face the facts. Your local community pharmacist is the most accessible health care professional at your disposal when you have an issue with your health. With generally no appointment necessary, your pharmacist is available to answer questions, discuss your medications, recommend over-thecounter medications, fill your prescriptions, administer vaccinations, take your blood pressure and so much more.

The role of pharmacists as vaccinators has been expanding around the country and in the state for a number of years; but, the demands created by the COVID-19 vaccine development have advanced these opportunities exponentially.

Via the authorization given by the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians can now vaccinate patients 3 years of age and older. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, by taking appropriate and necessary actions during a global pandemic, have swung the door wide open for pharmacist and pharmacy technician role expansion around the U.S. In North Carolina, the legislature and the Board of Pharmacy have been working tirelessly to address the additional requirements placed on the health care system by the pandemic. Pharmacists have been involved in COVID-19 testing, COVID-19 vaccination, educating patients regarding COVID-19 and extending longer supplies of medications under the emergency services waiver implemented during the state of emergency.

Under the PREP Act, pharmacy technicians have become a valued asset as new

FROM THE EDITOR members of the immunization team.

Upon completion of the American Pharmacist Association and Washington State University Pharmacy-Based Immunization Administration Training Program for Pharmacy Technicians, these important cogs in the wheel that make pharmacies go are taking on a critical new role as immunizers. According to a report by Johns Hopkins and the National Association of Chain Drugstores, as of Sept. 22, pharmacies have provided 133 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, which represents over 70 percent of current COVID-19 vaccinations.

Prior to the global pandemic and the PREP Act, only three states (Idaho, Rhode Island and Utah) allowed pharmacy technicians to administer vaccines. With the expansion created by the PREP Act, pharmacists now have an additional set of hands to assist with the mass vaccinations necessitated by the COVID-19 virus. As a result of this workload sharing and the renewed appreciation for the value of pharmacists, pharmacist roles are expanding around the U.S. In North Carolina specifically, the legislature with support from the N.C. Association of Pharmacists and N.C. Board of Pharmacy has passed numerous important bills.

This legislation authorizes immunizing pharmacists to take on expanding roles in prescribing nicotine replacement for smoking cessation therapy, administering long-acting injectables including testosterone and vitamin B12, prescribing self-administered oral or transdermal contraceptives, prescribing prenatal vitamins, prescribing post-exposure prophylaxis medications for the prevention of HIV and administering glucagon for the treatment of severe hypoglycemia.

The state legislature has also enacted statutes allowing pharmacy technicians to continue vaccinating after the expiration of the PREP Act. I, along with Drs. Beth Mills and Katie Trotta, have taken leadership roles in facilitating the education of nearly 200 pharmacy technicians as immunizers during 2021. ____________ Dr. Andy Bowman is an assistant professor of pharmacy practice and director of continuing professional education for the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences at Campbell University.

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Sugar-coated history

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rowing up in Texas, I was taught to always “Remember the Alamo.” Not just the story of the Alamo, but that battle cry as well. It’s a pride point of being a Texan. When the odds are against you, remember Davy Crockett and his coonskin cap and those brave freedom-loving Texans who staved off General Santa Anna and a much larger Mexican army for 13 days before going down in a blaze of glory.

As an impressionable 12-year-old kid who was new to the Lone Star State when I stepped into my first seventh-grade Texas History class, the story hooked me. How could it not?

After a family trip a few years later to San Antonio and a visit to the remnants of that old stone fort, I practically declared myself a Texan and denounced my Ohio upbringing.

When the subject of “whitewashing” American history comes up, I remember the Alamo, at least the way it was taught to us. What we got was more the legend of the Alamo —the glamorized, Disney-produced version of history starring John Wayne, meant to stir our young emotions and invoke patriotism. I wonder now if there was really any “teaching” involved.

No surprise, the history of the Alamo is under scrutiny today. A new book, “Forget the Alamo” — written by three Texas historians — argues that the fight for Texas’ independence in 1836 was less about freedom and more about preserving slavery. One writer called it “the undeniable lynchpin” of the war.

The “Father of Texas,” Stephen F. Austin — the man whose name adorns the college I attended after high school — wrote in 1832, “Nothing is wanted but money, and Negros are necessary to make it.”

Not everybody agrees with the slavery argument (then again, we’re still arguing about the Civil War, too). Many say it simply wasn’t prevalent in Texas at the time (very few plantations), and the fight against Mexico was more about proper political representation and the absence of rights that America’s colonies were enjoying at the time.

There was little of this debate in my history classes, especially when it came to the Alamo.

We were the heroes, and the Mexicans were the enemy. Santa Anna was Darth Vader.

Teaching it this way glosses over the many gray areas of Texas history, and more importantly, it breeds implicit bias at a young age, especially in a state where Hispanic men and women will become the majority in the coming years.

This summer, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill creating “The 1836 Project,” designed to “promote patriotic education” about the year Texas seceded from Mexico. It’s a law that promotes values over truth. It’s a law that doesn’t give young people the chance — or enough credit — to think critically.

My oldest child will enter the seventh grade next year, and I do worry about the history she’s being taught in our public schools in North Carolina. Will she learn about the racially motivated Wilmington massacre of 1898? Are we teaching about Eugenics and the state’s sterilization of more than 7,500 people between 1929 and 1974?

I don’t ask this because I want to sow division in our schools. I believe the truth sets us free.

Sugar coating history makes us ignorant.

Quite the opposite from Texas’ 1836 Project, North Carolina’s State of Education approved new social studies standards for all grade levels earlier this year that “emphasize the study of the country’s progress toward racial equity” and provide a more “comprehensive and honest” look at U.S. history. So there’s hope.

Of course, not everything I learned about the Alamo was a lie. Davy Crockett was far more complex than what Walt Disney or John Wayne showed us, but he certainly had his heroic qualities. He fought President Andrew Jackson in the 1820s over Jackson’s Indian Removal Act . He fought bravely and died at the Alamo. He was also a slave owner who sold his human property to revive a struggling political career before going to Texas. And he never actually went by the name “Davy.”

Texas became an independent republic in 1836 and drafted its constitution nine years later.

The entire eighth article of that constitution was dedicated to slave ownership.

This is history. Sometimes, it’s a bitter pill.

Billy Liggett | Editor liggettb@campbell.edu C A M PB E LL M A G A Z I N E 5

CAMEL SPOTLIGHT

STAR IS B RN In just two years, CEDRIC MULLINS went from struggling minor leaguer to Major League All-Star, Baltimore’s MVP and a member of baseball’s exclusive 30-30 Club 6 FALL 2021

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CAMEL AROUND SPOTLIGHT CAMPUS PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL’S 43RD 30/30 GUY BECAME THE FIRST FIGHTING CAMEL NAMED TO AN ALL-STAR TEAM SINCE GAYLORD AND JIM PERRY IN THE 1970s

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ust two years ago, Cedric Mullins was a Major League afterthought.

Called up by the Baltimore Orioles in 2018, Mullins struggled in his second season with the team in 2019, hitting just .094 before being sent back to Triple-A (and eventually Double-A), where he continued to struggle.

The O’s gave Mullins another shot in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, and he rebounded to hit a modest .271 and earn a little Gold Glove consideration for his work on defense. He entered 2021 as the starting centerfielder with a lot of potential for a young Baltimore team looking for leadership.

Nobody predicted what Mullins did next — the former Fighting Camel had a season that would go down as one of the best put together

by a Baltimore Oriole in the franchise’s storied history.

Mullins became Baltimore’s first-ever 30/30 man (only the 43rd in Major League history), with exactly 30 homers and 30 stolen bases to go along with a .291 batting average and an .878 OPS. He finished in the Top 10 in the American League in hits, doubles, stolen bases and total bases, and was the only player this season in all of baseball to record two five-hit games — on April 4 against the Red Sox and June 5 against the Indians.

Perhaps the biggest thrill for the young centerfielder was being named a starter in the American League All-Star Game in July.

In two plate appearances, Mullins reached base on an error and scored a run in the AL’s 5-2 win.

In his one season with Campbell University in 2015, Cedric Mullins hit .340 with 23 doubles and seven triples while recording six assists from the outfield. His season impressed scouts enough that he was taken in the 13th round by the Baltimore Orioles that summer.

The season just ended for Baltimore, and you’ve had a few weeks now for this 2021 season to sink in. How do you put into words what you’ve experienced this season?

I describe it as exciting, first. I always felt like I had the potential of doing great things at the highest level. I just knew I had to keep learning and making adjustments for a full season. Now that the season’s over, yeah, I’ve had some time to reflect on it and hopefully create a new plan on how to replicate it.

You were selected to the All-Star game, which is big in and of itself, but then you learned you would be starting because of an injury to Mike Trout. What part of that whole experience is going to stick with you the most?

The Snellville, Georgia, native became the first former Fighting Camel named to an All-Star team since Jim Perry’s seasons with the Indians in 1961 and the Twins in 1970 and 1971; and Gaylord Perry’s five AllStar games in 1966, 1970, 1972, 1974 and 1979 with the Giants, Indians and Padres.

Mullins spent one season in Buies Creek in 2015, hitting .340 with 23 doubles, seven triples and four home runs for a Camel team that went 35-25.

In October, just a few weeks after the end of his historic season, Mullins talked to Campbell Magazine about his quick climb from struggling minor leaguer to All-Star, the most memorable parts of his 2021 campaign and what’s next in his young career.

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Just being around the best in the game.

Being around those guys, I’ll never forget it. There were a lot of young guys there like myself just trying to make a name, but the veterans who’ve been at it for a long time, I got to have conversations with them and learn a lot about who they are and their daily routines. How they go about their business and have fun playing this game. Getting a chance to just be a part of this game and be among those caliber of players was exciting.

Did any players in particular impress you the most?

Growing up in Georgia, I was a huge fan of the National League — the guys on the other side now. I loved [Atlanta Braves first baseman] Freddie Freeman, and on the AL side, [Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter] Nelson Cruz has been at it a long time. He’s been in the game 20 years now, and I’ve loved watching how he goes about his business. What I learned is that we’re all human at the end of the day, and a lot of these guys are a lot more personable and approachable than you would think.

30 Cedric Mullins became only the 43rd player in Major League history to record at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a single season (he hit and stole exactly 30 this season), and he was the first-ever Baltimore Oriole to record the feat. He was named the Orioles’ MVP for the 2021 season and is expected to be the nucleus of a young upand-coming team in the coming seasons.

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CAMEL SPOTLIGHT It’s been brought up a lot in stories about you about your struggles just two years ago in the minor leagues and the jump to where you are today. What changed for you this past season that made it all come together?

Yeah, 2019 led to a few adjustments. During that offseason, I just put all my focus into getting better. Going into 2020, it was just a matter of getting the reps in. Making those adjustments.

Changing my leg kick at the plate. Working on my timing and rhythm. When I got sent down, I was getting more consistent at-bats, I was hitting every day and staying in shape. I worked hard waiting to get called up. Everything started to click at that point — I just had to replicate it at the next level. I think 2020 was a decent season, and it was due to me being more efficient with my swing. I stopped switch-hitting and stuck with batting left-handed. That was huge, too, because it helped me focus.

Did the empty stadiums in 2020 help you focus at all at the plate?

Cedric Mullins has become a fan favorite in Baltimore, one of the few young bright spots for a team that has struggled in recent years. Mullins is at the center of the club’s current rebuilding process, as he’s under contract with Baltimore until at least 2025.

I think there were some benefits to not having fans in the stands. I mean, it stunk because you didn’t have that atmosphere that you want and the vibe you get being in a big league stadium. It was totally different. But it did allow me to focus without having to hear the chatter all around me.

It was just me vs. the pitcher, and it helped me regain my focus.

Your 30/30 season was an important milestone for Orioles fans, and they were

excited to see you get it. You’re only the 43rd player in Major League history to do it — how important was this milestone for you personally?

It’s crazy. Every time I hear the fact that only 43 people have done it in the history of the game, it’s pretty cool to be a part of that. Now, I don’t look at it as being satisfied. It makes me want to get better. My work ethic is through the roof right now, because I’m thinking about how I can follow up next year and be better. I’ll take the confidence of being a 30/30 guy into next year and try to do it all again. I just want to be consistent.

Camel fans will continue to follow your success because of your year in Buies Creek. Even though it was just the one season, what impact did your time at Campbell have on you and what role did the experience have in you becoming the player you are today?

One thing I always was and still am as a player is coachable. I was kind of nervous when I first got to Campbell, because there was a new coaching staff, and guys were going to other schools. I’m thankful that I stayed loyal to Campbell in that moment. Under Coach Haire and the other guys, they were able to create a family environment. I was able to have a pretty decent season there, and I’ll continue to back them up and support them.

I was able to take what I learned at Campbell and take it to the next level.

Ryan Thompson’s another Camel in the big leagues [Tampa Bay Rays]. Do you keep up with any other former Camels?

I got to meet Ryan once in college. He was already drafted at that point, but he visited us. I’ve had lunch with him a few times in the bigs — we sit down, talk, reminisce a little bit about our experiences at Campbell. On the field, he’s a fierce competitor. I’ve also heard a lot about Matthew Barefoot [who hit 20 home runs and stole 21 bases for Double-A Corpus Christi this season], and he’s going to do big things. I try to keep up with him and other Camels in the minors.

Finally, you’re from Georgia, and as we speak, the Braves are in the World Series.

As an Oriole, are you allowed to root for another team?

I’d say, yeah, I’m pulling for the Braves. I was always a Braves fan, and I went to a fair amount of games when I was a kid and remember seeing Freddie play a lot. I’m rooting for him, definitely.

BILLY LIGGETT

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Rollover

AROUND CAMPUS

Your IRA for Good If you are 70½ or older, you can direct your IRA administrator to distribute a gift from your IRA to our organization. Any amount you transfer may count against your required minimum distribution (RMD), and you can direct up to $100,000 to your favorite causes this year.

Making an IRA Rollover Gift is easier than ever 1. Contact your IRA administrator, and request to make a rollover gift to Campbell University.

2. Provide the EIN# for Campbell to your administrator #56-0529940, so the proper forms provided can be completed. Your gift will qualify pursuant to Sec. 408(d)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

70½ or older?

You can direct up to

$100,000

3. Contact us to let us know how you would like your gift to be used.

•

You will pay no income taxes on the amount transferred. As you are not claiming the transferred amount as income, you will not receive an income tax deduction for your gift.

•

Rolling over part of your IRA’s “required minimum distribution” or “RMD” to a charity like ours can help reduce your tax bill, while also supporting Campbell.

What to know about the minimum distribution rules •

You must withdraw a portion of your IRA each year based on your age, and will pay income tax on the portion you withdraw. You will also face penalties if you do not withdraw your RMD

•

By taking a distribution from your IRA this year, you will likely pay more in taxes and may even reach a higher tax bracket.

Join us in our mission to graduate students with exemplary academic and professional skills who are prepared for purposeful lives and meaningful service.

This information is not intended as tax, legal or financial advice.

Gift results may vary. Consult your personal financial advisor for information specific to your situation.

The names and images shown here are representative of typical donors and may or may not be actual donors to the organization.

Under federal rules your benefits may be different from this example. Please contact us for your specific benefits.

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Campbell University PO Box 125 Buies Creek, NC 27506 (910) 893-1847 pdonlon@campbell.edu

legacy.campbell.edu C A M PB E L L M A G A Z I N E 11

AROUND CAMPUS

COMING HOME

The Sound of the Sandhills Marching Band arrives at Barker-Lane Stadium to open the gates for Homecoming 2021 on Oct. 23.

The football game against Kennesaw State marked the largest crowd for a Campbell sporting event since the beginning of the pandemic. Photo by Ben Brown

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AROUND CAMPUS

HOMECOMING 2021

The parade. The annual Orange & Black outdoor Wrestle-Off. The lacrosse alumni game. The Alumni Village. The football game against nationally ranked Kennesaw State. The weather and the atmosphere couldn’t have been more perfect for Homecoming 2021, held on Oct. 23, the largest Campbell gathering since the start of the pandemic. For many, it marked a return to normalcy and a hope for better things to come. Photos by Ben Brown

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PHOTO BY BEN BROWN 16 FALL 2021

AROUND CAMPUS

TYLER JACKSON (‘18)

STILL PICKIN’ Bluegrass music and its community offered therapy and support after a life-threatening brain aneurysm

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yler Jackson had, unfortunately, gotten used to the head-splitting migraines that came and went over the past few years. This one, however, was different.

The 2018 Campbell University graduate was living in Lillington and working parttime as an adjunct Spanish professor a year ago, and on that Halloween afternoon, he met some friends at a local restaurant when the headache first began. The pain was bearable until that night, and when his roommate got home, he found Jackson lying on the floor.

“I remember hearing him walk in, and the first thing I said was, ‘I’m OK,’ which wasn’t true,” Jackson recalls. “I just didn’t want the sight of me on the floor to scare them.”

The ambulance was called (the driver turned out to be another friend), and Jackson was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Three days later, he woke up.

After he was flown from Central Harnett Medical Center to the trauma center at UNC Hospitals that Saturday night, doctors discovered a ruptured brain aneurysm at the base of Jackson’s brain.

On Sunday, surgeons successfully relieved the pressure and stopped the bleeding, and on

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Monday, Jackson underwent another five-hour surgery to remove the aneurysm.

The surgery caused Jackson to lose his hearing in his right ear, and it would be weeks before he would be able to walk unassisted and regain his balance — but he was alive.

One year later, he’s thankful for his friends for getting him to the hospital, his family for being by his side, the surgeons who spent hours on him and the “massive” amount of prayers and support from people all over the world who share his biggest passion — bluegrass music.

“When I say ‘massive,’ I mean … it was like the entire bluegrass community,” Jackson says.

“Thousands of people I’ve never met and who didn’t know me — those three days I was out, the outpouring of support was just amazing and an incredible thing to wake up to.”

Jackson is a skilled musician and banjoist who was first introduced to bluegrass when he was 3 when his parents would take him to festivals all over the state. He developed a love for it and a desire to play, and at the age of 12, he got his first banjo. Today, he plays banjo in a professional bluegrass quintet, Drive Time, based out of Roxboro.

When news of Jackson’s surgery hit his band, his bandmates posted several calls for prayer and support on various bluegrass social threads.

PODCAST: Listen to our

full interview with 2018 Campbell University graduate Tyler Jackson on Campbell ’s Rhymes With Orange podcast, available on Podbean and wherever you get your podcasts. Jackson displays his talent on the banjo toward the end of the talk.

C A M PB E L L M A G A Z I N E 17

AROUND CAMPUS Bluegrass Today posted a lengthy story about his surgery before he ever woke up, and later that month, the site interviewed Jackson’s family and fellow musicians for a piece about his recovery.

His bandmate Austyn Howell said then that Jackson and his family were like his own family, and Howell’s attempts to rally the tight-knit community around him were the least he could do.

“Something I always say on stage when I’m introducing Tyler is, ‘He’s a fine banjo player and an even better man,’” Howell told Bluegrass Today.

“I know that is sort of cliché sounding, but I’ve always meant it, and I’ve never introduced anyone else that way. It doesn’t mean I haven’t played with other great humans, but Tyler has a big heart, and he loves to see people happy. He’d literally give you the shirt off his back, and really cares about how other people feel. If you know Tyler or his folks, you’re pulling for them.”

During his physical and mental rehabilitation, Jackson turned to music for both emotional and physical support.

Tyler Jackson, a 2018 graduate of Campbell University, plays banjo for the Roxboro-based bluegrass group, Drive Time. Before the pandemic, the band played in several festivals across the state. Learn more at drivetimebg.com.

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“The hardest thing for me to readjust to was the dexterity and strength in my hands coming back,” he says. “Nothing has hindered me other than I’m now deaf in my right ear [near the aneurysm]. I would normally turn that ear to the instrument when I played, so I’ve kind of had to learn to use the other ear when I’m on stage. Other than that, I can still play, and I can still do what I love doing.”

Music was a big morale booster, and not just for Jackson. He says his father told him a story only recently about sitting outside of his room a few weeks after they returned from the hospital and hearing him pick up his banjo and play.

“He said it was the moment he knew I was going to be OK,” he says. “Because I still had music.”

Jackson recalls his story in late October of 2021, nearly a year after he was rushed to the hospital.

He says he’ll always be reminded of it because it happened on a holiday, but this one-year milestone is special to him because of how his life has changed since it happened.

He’s closer to God, he says, because of the role his faith and the prayers from others played in his recovery. He’s also learned not to take things — or people — for granted. On Oct. 17 of this year, he asked his girlfriend, also a skilled musician, to marry him.

“It’s given me a new perspective on things, because you just never know what’s going to happen,” he says. “It makes me think there’s no point in wasting time. The best example is with my fiancé — I knew within months of dating her that I would marry her. So I decided that if I learned nothing else from all of this, I should not waste time and wait on things when I’m this sure about it.”

BILLY LIGGETT

A new chapter for Class of 2025

LAW

Outdoor space dedicated to law’s first female dean

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or the nearly 800 new students who started classes at Campbell this fall, the final two years of high school were difficult — navigating a pandemic while choosing a college and missing out on experiences common for a senior.

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Welcome Week 2021 in Buies Creek marked a return to normalcy for many of them — social gatherings, football games and the return of the Freshman Convocation (pictured above) all went off without a hitch this fall.

In October, the school dedicated that renovated area as “Essary Place” in honor of Dean Emerita Melissa Essary, beloved professor, former dean and the trailblazing force behind moving the law school from Buies Creek.

“These students were resilient and resolute,” Vice President for Admissions Dr. David Mee said of the Class of 2025.

“A new chapter in our history is being written, and I look forward to seeing what this special group of new Camels will accomplish.”

hen the pandemic hit, Campbell Law School Dean J. Rich Leonard knew he needed to create more outdoor spaces for his students to gather. He began to eye a “useless” flower bed in the corner of the parking lot outside the Downtown Raleigh building.

“I am really touched that the theme of the space is peacemaking,” Essary said. “And I am really happy that it is named Essary Place and not just for me. I could not have accomplished anything without the support of my family.”

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WHAT THEY’RE STUDYING

mos popular The most popularmajors majorsfor forincoming incoming students are business, biology, exercise science, history/political science/criminal justice, nursing and engineering.

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AROUND CAMPUS

WINNING PROGRAMS

NBA’s 75 greatest full of names from Campbell’s past

Campbell’s men’s and women’s soccer programs both rounded out the schedule as Big South Conference regular season champions, and as of this publication, Campbell’s volleyball squad was enjoying its best season in years with a 17-9 overall record (12-2 in the Big South). The women’s soccer program earned its first regular season conference title since winning the Atlantic Sun in 2004 (the team earned an NCAA Tournament berth last season as tournament champion).

The NBA revealed its 75 greatest players list to mark the 75th anniversary of the league in October, and of the best, nine were at one point involved in Campbell Basketball School — the nation’s first summer hoops camp for young people — from the late 1950s to the early 1980s.

“Pistol” Pete Maravich (illustrated above) was perhaps the most involved in the camp — attending it as a boy while his father Press Maravich coached and later returning as a pro for several ball handling and shooting demonstrations.

Others considered the greatest to ever play the game who came through Buies Creek to either coach or talk to local youth were Michael Jordan, “Tiny” Archibald, Bob Cousy, Jerry West, James Worthy, Dolph Schayes, Bill Sharman and Jerry Lucas.

Started in 1956 by then-Coach Fred McCall and Wake Forest head coach Horace “Bones” McKinney, Campbell Basketball School was the first of its kind and at its peak, drew a few thousand boys and girls to campus every year. The camp also featured UCLA legendary coach John Wooden for a string of 10 years in the 1970s.

Revisit our big 2015 Campbell Magazine feature on the history of Campbell Basketball School at magazine.campbell.edu 20 FALL 2021

FOOTBALL BRINGS HOME THE PIG A new tradition was born in 2021 with the first BBQ Bowl between Campbell and Gardner-Webb’s football programs. The Camels won in Boiling Springs in October, and the payout was Eastern style barbecue and a trophy.

CAPE FEAR ECOSYSTEM TOUR

President J. Bradley Creed observes a pine cone with associate professor of biology Dr. John Barlett (left) and associate professor of biology and department chair Dr. Michael Larsen during an excursion to the Campbell Pollinator Meadows & River Park near the Cape Fear River.

The nature hike was a precursor to the annual Friends of the Library Annual Meeting and Dinner in October, which featured speaker Philip Gerard, author of Down the Wild Cape Fear: A River Journey Through the Heart of North Carolina, the 2013 account of his 200-mile journey by canoe and powerboat down the river. Photo by Bennett Scarborough

How do you do, fellow kids? We’re on Tik Tok Some figure this might mark the end of the popular social platform, but we hope not. Follow us @campbell_university and let us know if we’re doing it wrong.

MA GAZ INE .CAMPBE LL.EDU

“Throughout my coursework and my community engagement, I have noticed the growing [need] of the Hispanic community in contrast to the lack of Spanish-speaking initiatives available to them.

Addressing language barriers effectively plays a vital role in creating comfortable relationships between health providers and patients. I believe I can use my bilingual background to aid existing programs and implement Spanish services that will increase accessibility for Spanish speakers to improve their health.”

— Michelle Vazquez, second-year Master of Science in Public Health student and a Campbell biology graduate

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FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS

BEING FIRST The students who took part in Campbell’s new first-generation program four years ago are seniors today.

They talk about how the mentorships and focus on their well-being helped them beat the odds and succeed.

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Story by Kate Stoneburner

rowing up in nearby Erwin, North Carolina, Geena Matthews remembers being in the back seat as her parents drove past Campbell University on a regular basis. She always thought the signs there spelled “Camp Bell,” which sounded exciting to her.

She explored colleges a little further from home after high school, but chose Campbell because she liked the smaller atmosphere and the idea that she could be more than just a number in Buies Creek.

She was an only child and a high achiever — and very determined to succeed.

“I was so adamant about getting good scholarships that I would turn in scholarship applications every day of high school during second period,” Matthews recalls. “Honestly, failure was not an option.”

Neither of her parents had attended college, but Matthews learned what hard work looked like growing up with her grandparents, who jumped into the military and workforce straight after high school.

Matthews joined Campbell’s program for firstgeneration college students as a freshman, figuring

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that while she may not really need it, having a mentor couldn’t hurt and might help.

“I always wanted to go to college and wanted to do something big, and I knew what to expect of the academics,” she says. “But no one prepared me for losing all of my high school friends to far away places and having to build a new circle. Having a mentor gave me someone to talk to when my family couldn’t understand what I was going through.”

Matthews’ mentorship was one of many in the First Generation Camels program designed to provide students like her with meaningful relationships with faculty, staff and alumni who were also firstgeneration college students. Now in its fourth year, the program has led to the formation of a student-led First Generation Club and has fostered more than 100 mentoring relationships that guide students through college life and beyond.

The program is headed by Michelle Pérez, who was not only the first in her immediate family to attend college, but the first to leave Puerto Rico for New York City to attend Manhattan College. She recalls stepping off the plane for her first semester with only two suitcases, neither of which contained a winter coat.

PHOTO BY BEN BROWN

“Being able to be vulnerable and share my struggles was huge for me. And I feel like it made me a better listener, and made me someone who can help others open up as well.”

GEENA MATTHEWS, SENIOR M AG AZIN E .CAMP BE LL.EDU

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HOW THEY FARED The Winter 2018 edition of Campbell Magazine first introduced the University’s focus on first-generation college students and highlighted four students who had just begun their sophomore years. Nationally, 27 percent of first-generation students graduate within four years. An update on how our 2018 “cover students,” each of whom earned a degree:

Pérez earned her degree in four years. She went on to earn a master’s degree from Florida State two years later. A doctor of education degree came in 2016. As Associate Vice President for Student Success and a student mentor herself, Pérez is working to help students follow in her footsteps against the odds — and to help improve those odds for future generations.

Today, the odds of graduation for first-generation students are not insurmountable, but not favorable, either. In a 2018 NCES study, firstgen students were more than twice as likely to leave school within three years (33 percent) than students whose parents have a bachelor’s degree (14 percent). And only 48 percent of first-gen students are on track to graduate three years after enrollment, compared to about 66 percent of non-first-gen students.

JENNIFER SALAZAR-SANCHEZ

CALEB REGISTER

In 2018: Neither of Jennifer’s parents made it beyond the seventh grade, and she was determined to graduate and enter the health field.

In 2018: A part-time musician and fulltime student, Caleb’s goal was to earn his business degree and work toward becoming a CPA.

Today: Jennifer earned her biology degree from Campbell in just three years and is now working toward a Master’s in Public Health from East Tennesse State University.

Today: Caleb earned his degree in business administration from Campbell in 2020, reaching his goal in four years.

Statistically, Campbell’s first-generation program has been making a measurable difference. A nationwide Pell study showed that 27 percent of all first-generation college-goers graduated within four years. At Campbell, that number is 52 percent. Numbers aside, Pérez knew the program was getting something right when she noticed mentorships lasting longer than the one-year commitment and turning into lasting relationships.

The first-gen program helped Matthews build new friendships as a commuting student. She bonded with other first-gen classmates at program events like basketball games and club meetings.

Her peer mentor, Eboni Malloy, became a fast friend. Matthews remembers the first time she ever opened up to Malloy — when she struggled with a class in her first semester.

“I was embarrassed that I was having such a hard time when I’d done so well in high school. I just felt like I couldn’t ask anyone for help in class or I would give myself away as not belonging.”

AMARI SIMPSON

MEGAN ROBILLARD

In 2018: Amari chose to major in business with hopes of a career in event planning and helping out the family business.

In 2018: The business major said her first semester wasn’t easy, but she was getting through it thanks to mentors and extremely supportive parents.

Today: Amari earned her degree in business administration from Campbell in 2020 and today is owner of her own eventplanning business in Greensboro, Amazing Moments by Amari.

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Today: Megan transferred from Campbell in 2018 and earned an associate degree in applied science from Liberty University the following year.

Her mentor listened. And then recommended tutoring. But as it turned out, all Matthews needed was to know someone cared and she did belong.

She went all in with her studying and passed on her own. Now, Matthews is a mentor herself in the Lundy -Fetterman School of Business peer mentorship program.

“Being able to be vulnerable and share my struggles was huge for me,” she says. “And I feel like it made me a better listener, and made me someone who can help others open up as well.” o

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he vulnerability that changed Matthews’ college experience and what makes good mentorship work is the focus of years of research by Laura Lunsford, assistant dean and professor of psychology at Campbell.

Lunsford wrote the definitive Handbook for Managing Mentoring Programs and co-edited the Sage Handbook of Mentoring, in addition to publishing over 40 peer-reviewed articles, chapters, and books on mentoring and leadership development. She has presented on mentoring at conferences sponsored by the European Mentoring and Coaching Council, American Psychological Association, Association for Psychological Science, American Educational Research Association, among others. And as a first-generation college student herself, Lunsford not only brings years of study, but personal experience to the table as a peer mentor for the program.

In her practice as a mentor, Lunsford has observed that while first-generation students don’t necessarily have a knowledge gap to close when it comes to adjusting to college life, they do often lack confidence.

For example, one of her mentees was an excellent candidate to become a peer mentor to other students.

Lunsford encouraged her to apply, and was sincerely thanked later for the boost that helped her mentee gain entry into a fulfilling and resume-building role.

“She just needed someone to say ‘you’re good enough,’” Lunsford says. “I think that confidence building piece — the feeling of being invited in — and encouragement, are key to those who are the first in their family to embark on a four-year college adventure.” o

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amily support is one of the keys to student success at college, promoting psychological well-being and greater student engagement.

A 2019 Research in Higher Education study even shows that a family’s emotional support has a greater impact on student outcomes than family financial support. Students whose families supported their decision to earn a degree were 19 percent more likely to have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and 24 percent more likely to finish a second year of college.

Family support was never an issue for freshman Elijah Daniels. Daniels was in middle school when a basketball injury sent him to physical therapy. The staff who treated him were kind and helpful, and the prospect of working with athletes made Daniels decide to pursue physical therapy as a career.

Daniels’ mother, a custodian, had taken a few college courses without completing a degree. His older sister M AG AZIN E .CAMP BE LL.EDU

“The independence is different now being away from home. You can’t coast.” will graduate from North Carolina A&T this year. With his mother and sister’s support, a clear career goal and financial aid to help, there was never any doubt in Daniels’ mind that he would go to college, too.

ELIJAH DANIELS

So far, his greatest challenge in the transition is motivating himself to make the grades without the help of a team. As a high school athlete in Ayden, North Carolina, Daniels had plenty of academic accountability. “I had no choice but to do well,” he said.

“I had to stay eligible. The independence is different now being away from home. You can’t coast.”

Daniels’ peer mentor, Dr. Ana Rynearson, has been able to point him to study groups and resources like private study rooms. The two were paired as mentor and mentee during orientation, using registration forms that students complete to prioritize which commonalities are important to them. Usually, says Pérez, students emphasize career paths and cultural heritage. The form also asks students to rank aspects of college from most to least stressful — money frequently tops the list.

Listing their concerns individually is a sign of recognition that not every first-generation student has the same needs. The opening reception Pérez hosts each year allows the students to meet one another and get involved in group events. But the only program requirement is that all students meet with their mentor twice per semester. Its open-ended structure is intentional.

“Meeting a mentor can be intimidating, or not what a student expected,” Pérez says. “The one-on-one help they thought they needed is sometimes just not needed anymore. We want our mentors to be okay with the relationship fizzling or flourishing according to the needs of the student.”

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“My grandmother’s degree here was free, due to the lack of teachers, and if it wasn’t for that opportunity, she never would have gone,” says Jones. “But she also had my dad to take care of — I think he was 2.

She balanced it by studying straight through, without summer breaks, so she could finish being a mom and being a student at the same time. I just knew that if she could do that, I could definitely do college.”

Jones first got the college bug when her brother began a college prep program called AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) in middle school. Four years behind him in school, Jones followed in his footsteps, interviewing and joining the program as an eighth grader. While her brother didn’t end up going to college, Jones was determined that she would.

AVID helped Jones develop good study habits, apply for scholarships, schedule college visits and prep for ACT and SAT tests from her freshman year until graduation. It worked. In her graduating class, every student in the AVID program continued on to postsecondary education. Nationwide, first-generation, low-income AVID alumni who go to college are four times more likely to graduate than their peers. In North Carolina, 95 percent of AVID seniors completed entrance requirements out of 21,000 participants.

“As a mentor, it’s huge when students continue to come to you as a resource after the formal mentorship period ends.

That the student came to me, that she felt that someone knew her, wouldn’t judge her and would try to understand was huge.”

DR. MICHELLE PEREZ

With her AVID prep, good scholarships and extra help from FAFSA, Jones was confident she could afford college and hold her own in academics. But like many first-generation college students, she struggled to navigate meal plans and roommate scenarios. That’s where First Generation Camels helped the most.

With its first cohort graduating, the First Generation Camels program has turned its focus toward generating awareness of the great resource mentorship is to students.

“Not every first-gen student finds this opportunity,” says Pérez. “While we invite all students whose parents do not list bachelor’s degrees, it is not a perfect system. We want to make sure that anyone who wants to take advantage of this resource knows that it is for them.” o

PODCAST: Listen to

Rachel Jones’s guest appearance as a then-freshman first generation college student on the Rhymes With Orange podcast from 2018, embedded in the online version of this article.

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enior Rachel Jones will be the first in her family to earn a traditional four-year degree.

Jones knew Campbell as the school where her grandmother got a two-year teaching degree back when Campbell University was Campbell College and a teacher shortage incentivised the school to help those who wanted to join the profession. That connection, along with its proximity to her home in Moncure, helped her choose Buies Creek.

“I basically went straight from one mentoring program that was supposed to prepare me for college into another mentoring program that was helping me navigate college,” said Jones. “That was such a great opportunity, because without it, I probably would have been lost. Neither of my parents knew what was going on. I sure didn’t know what was going on. But now I’ve been in a mentorship relationship for the last eight years of my life. It’s the best support you could ask for academically and socially.”

Jones’ mentor was Myrah Stockdale, who welcomed hours-long vent sessions and resume reviews, escape room adventures and field trips to Raleigh. Stockdale not only guided her mentees academically, but helped nurture a friendship between her three mentees that is still strong today. “It’s just been nice having somebody there and seeing somebody who’s been successful who went through the same things — if not worse — than what I’m going through now, and she made it. Of all the pros of the program, having a mentor has been the best part.” o

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t Campbell, the community of mentors for first-gen students is entirely made up of faculty and staff who were firstgen themselves. Mentors commit to mentoring at least one student for one academic year for at least two hours per term. They are dedicated to sharing their own experiences as students and supporting freshmen through graduation. And by providing a framework for what good mentorship looks like, they often end up helping students become good mentors themselves.

First Generation Camels Welcome Banquet, where they were met by Perez and a host of first-generation mentors there to provide resources and show him the ropes. A self-described introvert balancing a parttime job with his studies, Loehman didn’t always feel the need to lean on First Generation Camels for social activities. But his peer mentor, Dr. Dennis Bazemore, along with an engineering mentor, Dr. Allison Lee, gave him a blueprint that he used in his own mentorship relationships. Loehman served as a peer mentor to a first-year engineering student last year.

When Joshua Loehman graduated from Harnett Central High School in 2012, he knew he wanted to be an engineer. He just didn’t know he would earn a mechanical engineering degree from Campbell.

Especially since in 2012, Campbell didn’t have an engineering program.

“For me, mentorship helped me most with interviews, resume building, and awareness of tutoring services.

The engineering department has such a strong academic support system, and it was good to be able to bring my skills as a programmer to that table.”

Loehman took an early interest in math and science and was always fascinated by the way things worked.

He knew a degree was the way to go to get involved in the engineering industry, but he was hesitant about the four-year college experience. Cost was a factor, and the idea of dorm life did not excite him. The son of two paralegals who met while getting their associates’ degrees, a two-year program at Wake Tech just made more sense.

First-gen students tend to be less likely to attend a public four-year university (26 percent) or a private college (7 percent), than their peers, 45 percent of whom chose a public four-year institution and 23 percent chose a private college.

Loehman earned two associate degrees in mechanical engineering and in programming, simulation and game development. But a year after graduation, he was still job searching, and he decided the way forward was a bachelor’s degree.

A friend of Loehman’s taught foreign language at Campbell, where the new engineering program was quickly earning awards and accreditations.

She encouraged him to apply. He was still worried about requirements to live in dorms and the social stressor of being an older student among recent high school graduates. And his parents, who hadn’t had the traditional undergrad experience, were nervous about the cost.

One day Loehman hopes to work in auto manufacturing and engineering — the next Elon Musk. Matthews is looking for marketing positions in the banking industry. Jones is waiting for Trust’s annual recruiting events and hoping to see more of the world through her career in finance. Daniels has a few more years in Buies Creek before he gets to help athletes as a physical therapist.

After a long year of restricted gatherings, the 20212022 school year offered the First Generation Club a chance at engaging students in person. Pérez is hopeful that in the future, the program will reach every first-generation student on campus with the opportunity to mentor and be mentored.

“I believe that we become what we know,” says Pérez. “And so I want us first-generation students to reassure others, and help them to see their value and that they belong.”

“Mentorship helped me the most with interviews, resume building and awarness of tutoring services. The engineering department has such a strong academic support system, and it was good to be able to bring my skills as a programmer to that table.”

JOSHUA LOEHMANN

“When we found out about the scholarship opportunities and how much they can help, everything changed,” said Loehman, who won the Christopher Furtick endowed scholarship on top of his transfer student scholarship, a need-based scholarship and FAFSA aid. “My family was secondguessing the idea, and I definitely had to figure out my options on my own, but when they saw the final amount, they were incredibly supportive.”

Loehman’s parents accompanied him to the 2019 MA GAZ INE .CAMPBE LL.EDU

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COVER STORY

BEYOND BARS

INSIDE CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY’S PRISON TEACHING INITIATIVE AT SAMPSON COUNTY CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION M AG AZIN E .CAMP BE LL.EDU

C A MP B E L L M AG AZ I N E 29

40%

of the men and women released from North Carolina prisons in 2017 returned within two years.

The 11 graduates of Campbell University’s prison teaching program at Sampson County Correctional Institution in Clinton, North Carolina, say their education has given them purpose and a desire to be better people.

Their hard work could pave the way for future programs and make a real difference in the state’s recidivism rate.

Story by Billy Liggett • Illustration by Amanda Dockery • Photography by Bennett Scarborough

“There’s this stigma of who you are.”

For Kevin Cook, it’s the colorless prison jumpsuit and tattoos that adorn his face and neck. It’s a rap sheet of 20 criminal offenses committed over a five-year span during his youth. Armed robberies and assaults.

“But that was another time.”

It’s June, and Cook is sitting at a desk in a room that would look like any other college classroom in America if not for those matching outfits he and his classmates are required to wear. These students are two years into a program that has changed their lives and two months away from what they previously thought impossible.

“They don’t see what’s inside. This aspiration of who you want to be.”

A critical thinker. Respected. An asset to society. A good role model to his teenage son who doesn’t remember a time when his father wasn’t behind bars.

He’s eight years into a prison sentence that could have another eight years to go.

He has forfeited the prime years of his life because of his past mistakes.

“That’s not who I am anymore.”

PHOTO BY BEN BROWN 30 FALL 2021

It’s August, and Cook is smiling as he buttons up his white dress shirt and black pants — clothing that meant court dates in the past.

Dry cleaning bags protecting black and orange graduation gowns are hanging in the corner of the room.

that obstructs his view as he tries to read it. But he brushes his nerves — and the tassel — aside to deliver a message on resilience. About rising above “monumental pressures,” learning from prior mistakes and achieving amid “the chaos fostered by our current environment.”

He and 10 other men are making history as the first two-year graduates of Campbell University’s prison education program, a joint effort launched by the school and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety at Sampson County Correctional Institution in Clinton back in 2019. The program has been hailed a success by both the University and the state, with plans in the works to expand the effort in more prisons with the goal of reducing recidivism (the term used to define those who reoffend and return to incarceration) for the men and women who take part.

About the indelible mark his professors and the program have already left on his life.

The gray concrete walls of the Sampson recreational room are splashed with orange Campbell banners, and the 11 men are — on this day — being celebrated by a room full of professors, school and prison administrators and about 20 other men who are next in line for a chance to improve their chances at a better future.

Kevin Cook is a college graduate. And his biggest worry today is the commencement speech his classmates have asked him to give and the dangling tassel from his graduation cap

M AG AZIN E .CAMP BE LL.EDU

SOMETHING MEANINGFUL Wesley Lee has seen programs promising change come and go in his 10 years behind bars.

Before Campbell University could count on Lee to put in the work, Campbell had to earn his trust first.

“The prison system just isn’t very consistent when it comes to things like this,” says Lee, who signed up in 2019 thinking he would be asked to take a class or two, handed a certificate (another rehabilitation “notch”) and told to move on.

This was different, Lee learned and his classmates learned quickly. Very different.

Campbell University’s prison teaching initiative launched as a joint effort by the University, the Bob Barker Foundation and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety in 2019.

Kevin Cook delivered the commencement address for the first class of associate degree graduates from Campbell’s prison teaching initiative at Sampson County Correctional Institute on Aug. 30.

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“People have this perception that criminals are nothing, they’re the undesirables. I want to help them overcome that mentality and tell them, ‘Hey, I’m not bad.’ My education has transformed me.”

— Campbell University graduate Jamel Byrd

The state chose Sampson County for the two-year program — an associate degree in behavioral sciences curriculum designed to provide general education and foundational study in psychology, sociology and social work.

The courses are difficult. The professors are demanding.

The students, Lee says, were hungry for this.

“When I realized this was real and that my teachers were going to hold me accountable, it was exciting. Like, it’s on me whether I pass or fail,” Lee says. “I’m from a small town, and where I grew up, you either go work on cars or go work on a farm. Before this, I never really saw myself as a college student. But now I’ve been introduced to liberal arts, and it just gives you this broader view of things. It directs you on a path to something in life you might like to do.

“More than anything, I’m learning new things about myself. About who I am and what’s best for me.”

The Campbell program is modeled after the highly ambitious, highly successful Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison program founded in 1998 at the notorious Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, New York.

Run today by a staff of formerly incarcerated men and women, Hudson Link not only provides an education to its students, but life skills and reentry support as well. The result is lowered recidivism (less than 2 percent of students in the program return to prison) and higher rates of employment, community regeneration and reciprocity.

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GRATITUDE Students in Campbell’s prison education program at Sampson County Correctional Institution penned “thank you” letters to those who have supported the program over the last two years: For a moment, someone approached the debilitated traveler, cleaned his wounds and paid his recuperation. We saw you descend kneeled down to lift us up. Whoever you are, your words and books are rivers cleansing our minds, and your charity — our souls. We abide under your shadows instead of chasing those whom deceived us. All of you illuminate a trail of ashes to an end our plutonian trajectories cannot.

An ensemble of archangels may not unshackle our hands and feet, but instead liberate our minds to persona grata. We thank you for bearing us up. For this moment, continue to be our guiding light.

JUAN ANTONIO TELLEZ-RUIZ I wouldn’t be in this position if it were not for you. I’ve been blessed with an opportunity that has completely changed my entire being. You’ve provided me with tools necessary in becoming a positive, productive individual in my life, my son’s life and the life of others I may encounter on my journey. I’m so blessed and privileged to be here that words aren’t able to explain my gratitude. I more than thank you for everything that’s been done for me and for allowing me to take part.

I’ll forever be indebted, and I will compensate by putting my ability to use.

KEVIN COOK

Kawamie Cole awaits his name to be called at the Aug. 31 commencement ceremony at Sampson County Correctional Facility in Clinton. Incarcerated since 2008, Cole is expected to be released from prison in 2027 with an associate degree and bachelor’s degree from Campbell.

ILLUSTRATION BY AMANDA DOCKERY M AG AZIN E .CAMP BE LL.EDU

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In North Carolina, roughly 40 percent of the men and women released from prison in 2017 returned within two years, and more than half were arrested again.

As Hudson Link has shown, education is key.

“Education is effective, because it is, in one manner of speaking, tangible,” says Campbell University Executive Vice President Dr. John Roberson, an early proponent for the program at Sampson and the Christian Studies professor for the first cohort of students there. “As they prove themselves, they are earning grades, they are earning credit hours and they are earning academic honors. Ultimately, they are earning a certificate that says they have graduated — a visual representation of the internal change they have undergone.

“I think that’s the power of it. They can see and know — and others can see — that they were able to accomplish something meaningful.”

“That’s the power of education. They can see and know — and others can see — that they were able to accomplish something meaningful.”

— Executive Vice President Dr. John Roberson

Not every prison education program in the nation can match Hudson Link’s success rate. But overall results are still striking. A recent study by Emory University found that vocational training while behind bars lowers the recidivism rate to 30 percent. An associate degree drops the rate to nearly 14 percent. A bachelor’s degree reduces it to just under 6 percent. And for inmates who earn a master’s degree: 0 percent.

The curriculum at Sampson is also set up for the students to succeed, according to Dr. Beth Rubin, dean of Adult & Online Education and professor of psychology. The two-year associate degree emphasizes behavioral sciences, and the four-year bachelor’s degree shifts to communication studies with a focus on counseling and business skills. Those who finish the four-year plan will be equipped to PHOTO BY BEN BROWN 34 FALL 2021

succeed outside of the razor-wire fences that surround the Sampson facility.

The majority of the men now entering their third year have expressed the desire to work in the prison system or for other state and nonprofit agencies to counsel and mentor other offenders. Campbell’s program is training them to do just that, Rubin says.

“There’s a reason there is an emphasis on critical thinking,” she says. “All of this is designed to help them get employment. To give them the skills to be active, contributing members of society. To be leaders with purpose.

I know it sounds hokey, but I really mean that.”

While planning the curriculum, Rubin and her staff spoke to those who lead other prison programs, and they learned that the most popular degree paths were the ones that led to careers in counseling and other service careers.

The second-most popular degree was business.

Campbell’s Bachelor of Arts in Public and Interpersonal Communications degree covers both of those paths — heavily loaded with psychology and counseling courses for those who choose to minor in addiction disorder, and the Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies that is more business focused.

The addiction disorder minor is only offered to students in the prison system, and it will focus on training students to become peer support specialists — a career that is in high demand nationally, Rubin says.

“We’re providing flexibility. These men will be primed with this combination of degrees to go in either direction and have the career they want when they are released,” Rubin adds.

“It’s a pedagogy that focuses on giving people skills, not shoving information in their faces.

It’s student-focused and learner-focused.

It’s an approach that helps adults master the skills they need to succeed, whether they’re a parent going back to school, a Marine or an incarcerated individual. I don’t care how many degrees you have, if you can’t write a white paper or if you can’t write a memo to your boss, you’re not going to get a job, or you’re not going to keep a job.

“You have to be able to do it. And that’s what this education has to provide.”

Wesley Lee didn’t feel challenged by some of the vocational courses and programs that came and went early in his sentence. You show up, you do the work (or you don’t), and you get the same certificate as the man next to you, regardless of the disparity in effort put in, he says.

When he realized early on that his courses with Campbell would be time consuming and difficult, it thrilled him. Beyond the challenge of it — which Lee welcomed — the program made Lee and his classmates feel like men again. Prisons — even the most well-run facilities — can dehumanize a person, raise levels of anxiety and mollify existing problems with mental health in the incarcerated.

They are a punishment. But these are still people. And for true rehabilitation to occur, they need to feel like people.

“A lot of men here don’t know who they really are or why they do what they do,” Lee says. “But these classes have made me ask questions. Why am I in here? Why do I live the way I live? Is it because of me? Because of my family? Because of my friends? Because of this program, I’m asking these questions.

“One of the biggest things I’ve been able to take from this program is that I’ve been able to really look within myself and figure out who I am. I believe that’s important in life.”

EDUCATION IS A PRIVILEGE Jamel Byrd transferred to Sampson County from Pamlico County Correctional Institution in 2018 after he answered a statewide call to take part in the Campbell program. He didn’t get there quick enough, missing out on a chance

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to be in the first class when the final roll was complete.

He was 40 at the time. He had been in prison for nearly 23 of those years.

In that time, Byrd has been conditioned to a prison environment. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, a nonprofit, non-partisan group aimed at exposing the broader harm of mass criminalization, many of the “defining features” of incarceration — disconnection to family, loss of autonomy, lack of purpose, unpredictability of surroundings — are linked to negative mental health outcomes.

The 11 graduates of Campbell’s first class at Sampson County Correctional Facility stand for a photo with warden Robert Van Gorder and case manager Mahogani Thompkins, both of whom have played a big role in supporting the students during their academic journeys.

“I’ve been around a lot of negative people,” Byrd says, “people who don’t really have any goals or don’t want to do anything with their lives. It’s like we’re in this same cycle we’ve been in, and there’s no getting out of it.”

Days after receiving the bad news, he learned that one of the students who did get in was being transferred to another facility.

Byrd’s moment had arrived.

“When they asked me if I wanted the spot, I had a big smile on my face,” he says. “I realized I was about to get into something really beautiful, something that was going to help me out. Something that was going to help me when I get out.

“I’m old now. I’ve been here since I was a teenager. This was a magical moment.”

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61% The percentage of incarcerated men and women in prisons throughout the United States who have just eight or fewer years of education. Many believe education is the key to reducing the nation’s recidivism rate.

A recent study by Emory University found that an associate degree drops the rate to nearly 14 percent. A bachelor’s degree reduces it to just under 6 percent. And for for those who earn a master’s degree: nearly 0 percent.

There were professors who jumped at the chance to be part of the program, too. Dr. Sherry Truffin, professor of English and chair of Campbell’s Honors Program who taught English 101 and 102 at Sampson, says her faith played a big role in her involvement from the beginning.

“I’m an Episcopalian, and the church has a standard liturgy, the Prayers of the People, where we pray for families, communities, leaders of nations, prisoners and captives and those who remember and care for them,” she says. “Here was an opportunity to be one of those people, so it definitely appealed to me.”

Truffin also has a sister who served time.

She knew going in that incarcerated men and women are often a misunderstood group.

“They’re in a very depersonalized, dehumanized environment,” she says. “I know now they’re

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exceptionally motivated, exceptionally hard working and very aware that access to a program like this is a privilege. They want to do well and become role models for their children. They want better futures for their families. They want to encourage their kids to go to college someday, and if they can complete a degree while they’re incarcerated, that’s a good step.”

Truffin led the small faculty procession while carrying the University mace at the commencement ceremony in August — there were no speakers to play “Pomp and Circumstance,” so some of the professors hummed it. She admits to getting emotional that day and tearing up as each student walked up to the podium for their diploma. She got as much out of the experience as her students, she says.

“There was a real selflessness to their work, because they felt like they needed to be successful so that this opportunity would be available to the people coming up after them.”

— Campbell Professor Dr. Sherry Truffin

Truffin is measuring the success of the prison program not by the numbers, but by the growth in confidence and positive attitudes displayed by this first group over the last two years. In that time — despite stretches of instability brought on by the COVID -19 pandemic — she’s seen her students become more willing to express their thoughts and share ideas. She’s seen an improvement in their writing skills.

She’s seen a real selflessness in their work, because they know their success will have a bearing on whether or not future students will have this opportunity.

“That to me is a measure of the success of the program,” Truffin says. “That it means enough for them to work through the obstacles they faced for goals bigger than themselves.”

“It’s just really been a privilege to teach students who understand that education is a privilege,” she says. “Not all students in college really understand what it means to have access to higher education. I’ve joked that it’s hard sometimes to come back to main campus and hear students complain about walking across campus in the rain and through puddles to get to class. I want to tell them, ‘You have no idea what some students are going through to get this access to education.’ And I understand an 18-year-old college freshman needs a different kind of support and guidance than a 27-year-old freshman who’s been incarcerated.

“But sometimes I’ll have such a great discussion on a reading assignment in the Sampson class, and I’ll come back to main campus and find that several students didn’t do the reading. I want to say, ‘Man, these guys are putting you to shame.’”

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Those obstacles proved to be daunting.

COVID -19 not only put a lengthy halt to inperson communication with professors, just about every student in the program contracted the virus at some point during the first year.

The students were not allowed internet access, as per prison rules, meaning research was performed the old-fashioned way, except with very limited access to research materials.

Most of all, there was the challenge of attending class, studying and getting the work done while living in a prison environment. To Timothy White, who is 12 years into a 19-year sentence, being a student meant carrying a target on your back when classes first began.

“Look, there were only 15 of us — now just 11 — out of a 450-man campus, so there was a lot of jealousy and envy, or whatever you want to C A MP B E L L M AG AZ I N E 37

call it, and not just from the prisoners,” White says. “So you go through that every day, and you realize they’re either with you or against you.

And there’s only a few who are with us … most of them are sitting beside me right now.”

“They’re envious of the opportunity we have, because essentially, we’re getting a free ride,” adds Kevin Cook. “We’ve got a four-year scholarship at a prestigious school, and there are people who’d sell their house for something like this. We get it for free, and we’re in prison. There are people who don’t want to see us doing this.”

Sampson County Correctional Institution Warden Robert Van Gorder has worked in the prison for 30 years, starting in 1991 as a correctional officer and working his way to the top in 2019. He understands, more than just about anyone, what can motivate an inmate and what can change an environment for the better in a prison setting.

He says Campbell University’s impact on the students has been dramatic. More than that though, in just two years, the program is having a positive impact on many of the 400-plus other men who aren’t enrolled.

“In the very beginning, we had 15 loners.

Individuals. They were in it for themselves.

They were just looking to see what they could get out of it, which is understandable. For the most part, there’s not a whole lot of legitimate teamwork among offenders in a prison,” Van Gorder says. “But I’ve watched these young men grow up as human beings and learn that it’s not just about them anymore. It’s about ‘us.’ I have access to security videos, where I can make the rounds across the facility without leaving my desk. And I thought it was interesting when I saw these men sitting around tables studying together on a Saturday or Sunday night. Not one at a time, but you know, eight or nine of them sitting together.

“You go to prison, and our society says, ‘Lock ’em up and throw away the key.’

But we can change that attitude.”

— Bob Barker, President of the Bob Barker Company

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“They’ve decided it’s about ‘us.’ We’re going to get through this.”

Jamel Byrd says his first two years have taught him how to communicate better with others.

He relates better to those he previously didn’t understand — those, he says, who have goals and ambitions and want something more out of life. He gets it now.

“People will misunderstand and fear me [because of my past], but I’m better equipped to meet them head on and relate to that better,” he says. “People have this perception that criminals are nothing, they’re the undesirables.

I want to help them overcome that mentality and tell them, ‘Hey, I’m not bad.’

“My education has transformed me. My family has transformed me. My God has transformed me.”

FAILURE NOT AN OPTION Bob Barker has attended too many Campbell University commencement ceremonies to remember. His first (his own) came in 1965, and he’s spent decades as one of the University’s biggest supporters and staunchest advocates.

The August commencement ceremony in Clinton — held behind two layers of 20-foottall razor-wire fence and surrounded by towers manned by guards armed with rifles and shotguns — was perhaps the most special.

It was a beautiful collision of his two worlds.

Barker began his post-college career in the late 60s as publisher and editor of his own newspaper in Apex. He became the town’s mayor in 1972 and ran for (and was elected) state senator that same year. He got out of politics and journalism and got involved in selling slushy machines. His business expanded soon to add chicken fryers and ice makers, and soon Barker was running a full-line restaurant equipment company, run out of the back of a barber shop.

His clientele began to include jails in the early 1980s, as Barker bought a small jail supply business from a friend and began supplying not only restaurant supplies, but personal care items, bedding and clothing throughout the state. Sales expanded to the Southeast, and in 1985, Bob Barker Company launched its first mail catalogue for jails and prisons all over the country. By the end of the decade, the company grew to more than 30 employees. Today, the company is the nation’s leading detention supplier and a “worldwide leader delivering innovative supplies and services to correctional agencies and select businesses.”

It’s a true rags-to-riches story — one the students in the Sampson program have pointed to as a source of inspiration.

Bob and Pat Barker launched the Bob Barker Company Foundation in 2009 as a way of giving back to the industry that had provided them with so much. The Barkers’ focus from the beginning was lowering recidivism — and they saw prison education as a worthy cause.

Like many, they saw the success of the Hudson Link effort in New York and wanted something similar in place in North Carolina.

“We’ve always sought out groups around the country, not just in North Carolina, that are working with inmates — many of them with limited funding and just a few volunteers — teaching inmates skills and helping them find employment and a good place to live when they’re released,” says Bob Barker. “We saw what [Hudson Link] was doing and how their program reduced recidivism to almost 0, and we thought, ‘Wow. Why can’t we do that in North Carolina?’ I began talking to people at Campbell to set up a program.”

Launching, developing and maintaining a program like this isn’t cheap. Bob Barker Company Foundation spent $50,000 to send a group from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety to New York to study the program at Sing Sing. It gave Campbell University $100,000 to launch and help run it. Once running, M AG AZIN E .CAMP BE LL.EDU

education programs like Campbell’s cost, on average, less than $2,000 per inmate each year, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2013 study. Yet, they can save prisons roughly tens of thousands a year per inmate when you factor in reduced recidivism and the costs to reincarcerate a man or woman in this country.

The first phase of Campbell’s prison teaching initiative ended with the commencement ceremony in August. Those 11 graduates have now moved on to courses toward their bachelor’s degree, and the next group of students have begun their journeys toward a two-year degree.

Bob Barker, a 1965 Campbell graduate and longtime supporter and advocate for his alma mater, launched the Bob Barker Foundation in 2009 to fund programs to reduce recidivism in North Carolina and nationwide. He was instrumental in starting the program in Sampson County.

According to Dr. Britt Davis, vice president for advancement at Campbell, nearly $500,000 was raised (in addition to the Barkers’ support) to fund the first few years of the program, and Davis and Assistant Vice President for Alumni Engagement Sarah Swain have advocated to the North Carolina General Assembly for state help. Davis says the state House and Senate were receptive to their meetings and presentations and have tentatively allocated $1 million in their respective budgets to help Campbell fund and expand the North Carolina Education in Prisons program.

Expansion will eventually mean similar programs in other North Carolina Prisons, according to Dr. Beth Rubin, dean of Adult & Online Education.

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$37K Estimated cost (per year) to incarcerate one person in North Carolina

$2K Estimated cost (per year) to educate one inmate in North Carolina

“The goal is to give this opportunity to as many incarcerated people in North Carolina as we can or as many as the system will allow,” Rubin says. “It’s a path that should be available broadly. I’d love to see us in five prisons in the next eight years. I think that’s doable. And then if you add an option for online education, well you can then reach every prison in the state.”

In his commencement speech to the 11 men in black robes that matched his own, Bob Barker pointed to himself as an example of how a college education can lead to bigger and better things. Getting his degree, he says, gave him more confidence in himself than anything he had done prior to that.

“I knew with a degree, I could compete with anybody. I could do anything,” Barker says.

“You go to prison, and our society says, ‘Lock ’em up and throw away the key.’ But we can change that attitude.”

He called the graduates “trailblazers.” Because of their leap of faith, he says, dozens and hundreds of other men and women have a chance to work toward the same thing in the coming years.

“Had you not succeeded,” he said, “I don’t think we would have gotten support [for future classes]. Be proud of the work you’ve done. A lot of people are counting on you.”

TIKKUN OLAM Of all the literature and ideas new and old introduced to Juan Tellez-Ruiz during his first two years at Sampson County Correctional Institution, Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” stuck with him the most.

Discussed in Dr. Sherry Truffin’s English 101 course, “Plato’s Cave” was written more than 1,500 years ago, yet the allegory still resonates, especially for those who’ve lived much of their life behind bars. In it, a group of people imprisoned in a cave (chained to a wall) watch shadows projected on the wall in front of them from objects passing by a fire. The prisoners give names to these shadows (they do not see the actual objects). The shadows become the group’s reality, but not an accurate representation of the real world. When one prisoner is freed and sees the actual objects that made the shadows, he does not believe the reality that he is seeing. He turns away and runs back to the cave to the reality that he is accustomed to.

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According to Plato, a philosopher (or critical thinker) aims to understand the shadows and the objects that created them. There are those, however, who do not desire to leave their prison, for they know no better life.

“You know, when we first read it, I didn’t understand any of it. I’d never in my life read anything like it,” says Tellez-Ruiz, incarcerated since 2018 with a projected release in 2023. “But the overall message of it was enlightenment through education and how the uneducated are essentially in a cave. It takes an educator to liberate those people in the cave.

“That became my journey to enlightenment from my own cave. From this prison.”

The success of Campbell’s prison teaching initiative will ultimately be measured by the recidivism rates of the students who take part in it. But these are numbers that won’t be measured for several years — some of these students still have 10 or more years left in their sentence. Some are scheduled to be released shortly after the first bachelor’s degree program is set to end.

Until these numbers are out and those who hold the purse strings can decide whether the investment is worth it, “success” has to be defined in other ways. For Truffin, success was measured in the development of her students from Day 1 to their final class. It was measured by watching their confidence grow and their attitudes change. Their willingness to express their thoughts and share new ideas.

“There was a real selflessness to their work, because they felt like they needed to be successful so that this opportunity would be available to the people coming up after them,” Truffin says. “I think that a liberal arts education is designed to not only develop your skills, but also develop your values, empathy, self sacrifice and those other intangibles that are important in higher education, specifically Christian higher education.”

Dr. John Roberson says the August commencement ceremony was another important sign of success because of the obstacles the students and the program had to overcome to make that day happen.

“I’m proud of the students, and I’m proud of what this means for the future,” Roberson says. “Seeing not only the graduates, but those rows of students behind them waiting their turn. I just felt a great sense of pride for this institution, for these students and for the potential legacy of the program.”

Warden Robert Van Gorder says he’s seen “the worst of the worst” in his 30 years at Sampson County, but he’s never seen a program come in and have an immediate positive impact like this one.

“Even if these 11 men didn’t graduate, it was a success,” he says. “Just in the change in their mindsets and attitude. They’re learning they can change, and that’s a win, right? I’ve never seen that kind of change until this program came along.”

Dr. Beth Rubin has a similar declaration. In her 35-plus years working in higher education as an instructor and administrator, Rubin calls this program one of the two most important programs she’s ever been involved in.

“These men do not have other options, and we’re providing a path for them if they’re willing to work for it,” she says. “That’s why not only is this program important, but expanding it to other prisons is important. Because without it, recidivism is real, and it’s so hard to make a new life.”

Rubin describes it with a two-word Jewish phrase, “Tikkun Olam,” which translates to “heal the world” or “repair the world.”

“This program is an act of Tikkun Olam,” she adds. “It makes the world a better place.”

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In his “Allegory of the Cave,” Plato offers a scenario where the prisoner doesn’t return to the cave immediately, and although the light of the sun would be blinding and painful at first, his eyes would eventually adjust.

First he can see only shadows. Gradually he can see the reflections of people and things in water and then later see the people and things themselves. Eventually, he is able to look at the stars and moon at night until finally he can look upon the sun itself. Only after he can look straight at the sun is he able to reason about it and what it is.

Education is the light, Juan Tellez-Ruiz says.

His eyes are adjusting to this reality. When he is released, things will be clear.

“Maybe we didn’t understand or appreciate reality before this,” he says. “Maybe that’s the problem with how we did things or how we treated other people or our families. I feel like now, personally, I can handle people in other groups or better handle arguments.

“I can perpetuate peace instead of violence.

And I believe I can do these things because of my education.”

PODCAST: Hear Dr. Sherry

Truffin talk about her experience teaching at Sampson County Correctional Facility from our 2020 interview on the Rhymes With Orange podcast, available in the online version of this story.

Jamel Byrd stands with Dr. Beth Rubin, dean of Adult & Online Education, and Dr. Michael Wells, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, after walking to the podium for his degree.

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PHOTO BY BEN BROWN

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DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS | MICHAEL GOODMAN (‘94)

TRANSFORMED Michael Goodman sought Campbell to develop his faith to one day help those in need. He’s making an impact with Sodzo International, an organization transforming lives for children in sub-Saharan Africa.

I

By Kate Stoneburner n 2009, Michael Goodman found himself facing a harsh reality on a mission trip to Malawi. He watched mothers with hungry children choose whether to expose their children to HIV-infected breastmilk or unsafe drinking water — choosing between risking their children’s lives with a viral infection or with intestinal illness.

It was a choice that he called “an unacceptable reality.” And it made him ask questions that would shape the rest of his ministry and career: What realities was he unwilling to live in the world with? What realities did he want to change so much he would stake his life on it?

Goodman had been asking philosophical questions since before his time at Campbell University in the early 2000s. He was focused on how to get the most out of his college experience and wary of partying away important years if he chose a larger school. Looking for a college close to home in Raleigh, he chose Campbell. Choosing a major proved more difficult.

“I had this existential dread of going into a career where I would spend my life chasing numbers, as you usually do at some point in college,” Goodman recalls. It took one conversation with the dean at a department barbecue dinner for Goodman to switch from business to religion. He was hooked.

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“Religion and philosophy were so meaningful to me, I couldn’t not study them,” he says. “I wasn’t ever worrying about what kind of career they would make. I just found them interesting in the deepest way that something could be interesting.

At Campbell I felt freedom to overturn every stone in a safe context — a nurturing context — that developed my faith.”

After graduation, Goodman continued his theological training at Candler School of Theology at Emory University. His questions continued as he earned a master of divinity degree and began working with children in poverty in St. Louis, Illinois. While he worked in their community, he noticed that a nearby affluent church was working to build roads that diverted traffic around the run-down area.

Goodman believed that Christ is with the suffering, wherever they might be. He also believed that where Christ is, the church should follow.

Observing the interaction between the suffering children he loved and the church led Goodman to ask: Where else is Christ in the world that the church is not present?

One answer was sub-Saharan Africa. Goodman’s wife Lauren, a pediatrician, was in residency at Baylor College of Medicine at the time, working with a national Pediatric AIDS initiative that was active in Malawi. In 2009, they traveled there together to help with HIV and AIDS relief.

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The scenarios they encountered abroad prompted Goodman to go back with a more substantial plan of action for treating and preventing illness and helping children in poverty. First, he earned both master and doctoral degrees in public health at the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston. Then, with the help of their church and an existing nonprofit that they restructured, Goodman and his wife built Sodzo International.

Sodzo comes from a greek word that means saved, healed, or protected. The word is used more than 100 times in the New Testament, referring to the “complete package” of salvation that transforms people. And transformation is exactly what Sodzo International is about.

To stop the migration of children to the streets, Sodzo programming targets the causes of child homelessness and vulnerability using a unique communitybased approach. Its Kuja Pamoja kwa Jamii — the “Come Together” program — recruits families with children affected by homelessness and their neighbors to meet in a weekly support group of 25-30 families. In these groups they provide each other weekly microlending opportunities, emotional and spiritual support, subject matter expertise on common issues (sanitation, HIV care, domestic violence mitigation, etc.) social capital and other benefits that only community can provide.

Sodzo International is a faith-inspired, evidencedriven nonprofit organization founded by Michael and Lauren Goodman in Kenya. The organization’s mission is “to give every child the opportunity to achieve self-actualization by restoring family cohesion and reducing child homelessness and trauma in vulnerable communities across the world.”

Online: sodzointernational.org

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The groups form organically in neighborhoods through word of mouth, and are guided by Sodzo only to provide structure and education. What is remarkable is the way that microlending within impoverished areas can transform group economy, uplift the community and correct the factors that pushed the children to the street – without creating a dependence on donations. At the end of 2019, the amount of funding that Sodzo had put into staff, startup booklets and supplies was equal to the amount that the communities had generated themselves through repaid interest.

Sodzo International has helped more than 300 children find their way off the streets and back into community life — attending school, contributing to the economy, starting families, and leading other children to actualize their God-given potential. More

than 6,500 families meet weekly through the Come Together program.

Goodman’s latest project is starting a program in Galveston, where he teaches as an assistant professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Texas Medical Branch. Now in the prefunding stage, the program is designed to help low-income families and refugees from Afghanistan with housing and food insecurity using community models.

By bringing people who need help together, Goodman sees a route to more easily liaise them with people who can teach them personal finance or bring them large deliveries of food — in a way, improving the supply chain for help when they need it.

“It’s a way of structuring resources while also respecting that it’s the community that is determining its own future, and you’re helping them with that. You’re helping the community facilitate its own way of addressing the challenges and priorities that it has determined for itself.”

Goodman still serves as Sodzo’s founding president and executive director. He is fully funded by the National Institutes of Health to adapt this program to families living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya with the hope of reducing family violence and improving mental health and clinical outcomes. He is also the author of more than 30 peer-reviewed publications related to his work. In the last two years, he has served as chief liaison between the county health district and medical students, volunteering over 5,000 hours in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Goodman is grateful for the many partners, churches and foundations that have believed in and invested in his personal journey and his work over the years.

Campbell is one of them.

“I’m deeply indebted to Campbell for being a place where calling, mission and purpose can flow,” he says. “It’s a place where people can discover the core views out of which they live and engage the world. It was absolutely what I needed to start out and get a sense of orientation. And I’m really excited about the ways Campbell embraces spiritual formation and discipleship on campus today.”

THE STUDENTS’ UNION

Thanks to the generosity of thousands of Campbell alumni and friends, the Oscar N. Harris Student Union opened its doors in spring 2020. The new Student Union provides a gathering space for students to study, meet and get involved on campus.

CAMPBELL LEADS The Campaign for Campbell University The Campbell Leads campaign — an ambitious $100 million campaign created to benefit student scholarships, the Oscar N. Harris Student Union and the Fund for Campbell — will conclude on Dec. 31, 2021.

With just weeks remaining in the campaign, alumni, faculty, staff, friends and corporations have generously contributed over $98 million towards the $100 million goal. Help us cross the finish line and make your gift by Dec. 31.

Visit CAMPAIGN.CAMPBELL.EDU to give today!

“A campaign goal of $100 million is not reached without our supporters being ‘all in’ to make it happen. The commitment and loyalty of the Campbell community is just incredible. We are grateful.”

— Dr. Britt Davis, Vice President for Advancement

CAMPAIGN.CAMPBELL.EDU

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Enrolling more North Carolinians than any other private school, Campbell University is the private university of choice in North Carolina. We remain true to J.A. Campbell’s vision since he founded the school in 1887. His vision, in his own words: “to educate leaders.” Through the C A MP for B E Lstudents L M AG AZ Ito N Econtinue 45 Campbell Leads campaign, we seek support to provide opportunities to develop quality leadership skills and experiences during their time on campus.

PHOTO BY ERIN SCHULTZE (‘14)

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ALUMNI NOTES 1970s DAVID AND RHONDA PIKE (’78)

CAMPBELL LEGACY

IN HIS FOOTSTEPS Macie Price grew up with stories about Campbell from both grandfathers. She joined them as alumni in May.

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hat does it mean to be a “Campbell Legacy?” In short, a “Legacy” is a student whose family member graduated from Campbell. But if you ask Bob Coats and Macie Price, to hold the Campbell Legacy title means much more.

Macie Price (’21) always dreamed of becoming a teacher; her grandmother and aunt were both teachers and she wanted to follow in their footsteps. Price graduated from Campbell’s School of Education in the Spring of 2021, one step closer to her dream. Her dream came true when she completed her student teaching at Four Oaks Elementary and secured a third grade teaching position.

Before attending Campbell, Price was familiar with the University because of her grandfathers.

Her maternal grandfather, Robert Coats (’56) graduated from Campbell and her paternal grandfather, Don Price, was on Campbell’s board of ministers in the 80s and 90s.

“It was an honor to follow in the footsteps of my grandfather and attend Campbell,” Macie says.

“I have always had a special bond with him and growing up listening to his stories about his time at Campbell greatly influenced my decision to attend this wonderful university.”

In addition to her grandfather’s positive influence, Campbell’s small town feel drew her to the campus and she quickly found her place. Price developed many close friendships on campus that added to her experience. She also had encouraging professors who made her feel at home, including Drs. Chris Godwin, Amy Mattingly, Angela Vincent and Olivia Wakefield. These professors frequently checked on her, made sure she understood material, and took the time to get to know her. She participated in Fellowship of Christian Athletes

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(FCA) which led her to new friendships and helped her develop leadership skills. She also attended homecoming every year with her grandfather, Bob Coats.

Coats, whose sister, Kim (‘99) also followed in his Campbell footsteps, feels immense pride that his granddaughter carried on the Campbell legacy.

“Nothing thrills a parent or grandparent more than a child or a grandchild following in their tradition.”

When Coats was young he experienced a house fire that injured his father. While at the hospital, a pastor (Rev. V.P. Locke) from a local church was called to be with the family. Coats and his family were so affected by this pastor that he became very involved in church. After Campbell, he went on to complete his education at Southeastern Seminary in 1966 with a Master of Divinity. He has now been in the ministry for 67 years this October, and currently serves a church in Raleigh.

Coats attended Campbell as a first generation college student. While at Campbell, he found encouragement and support from faculty including Drs. Charles Howard and Perry Langston, and Dean Jerry Burkot. In his words, “These professors knew and cared about me.” Dr. Howard took him “under his wing,” along with a small group of “preacher boy” students. He taught them what they needed to know about ministry and made it possible for the group to build their theological libraries with books he uses today to prepare sermons.

So, what does it mean to be a “Campbell Legacy?”

It means following in the footsteps of the family who walked before you, connected through traditions, places and the commonality of the Campbell experience. These connections offer a link to our past, a path to your future, and an invitation into the Campbell alumni family.

are celebrating their business’ 70th year since opening in 1951. Witherspoon Rose Culture is located in Durham and is committed to caring for roses in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

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1980s Penelope Rose McCullough was born on Aug. 31, to Ikeem and Sarah McCullough.

Penelope is the granddaughter of CAROL GAY (’81) and Wayne STEPHENSON (’81, ’84). She has deep roots in the Campbell community that extend all the way to her great grandmother, who attended Buies Creek Academy, and several other Campbell alumni in her family.

JIM SHECKELS (’84) received

a variety of honors and appointments from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, including the inaugural group of Master Instructors for Hunter Education and Bow Hunting instructor of the year. He was also selected to be a regional training counselor representative by the National Rifle Association’s Education & Training departments.

ALLAN FUNK (’84)

was named executive vice president and chief credit officer of Touchstone Bankshares, Inc., in Prince George, Virginia. Funk has over 37 years of banking experience, most recently as senior credit officer with First Community Bank of South Carolina.

WILLIAM AUMAN (’86) released

a mystery novel based on a cold-case murder that he defended 20 years ago. “If Trees Could Testify” is based on the true story of Madison County’s infamous Gahagan murders from 1983. The story features biker gangs, organized crime and other interesting characters.

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PHOTO BY BEN BROWN

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ALUMNI NOTES 1990s DARRIN JORDAN (’90 LAW) was

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS | SHEAN PHELPS (‘92)

At NASA, like Campbell, alumnus finds mission-focused community

W

hen senior enlisted Green Beret Shean Phelps crossed paths with Campbell University ROTC recruiter Maj. Bill Bickle, he realized his dream of becoming a doctor could become reality in Buies Creek. There was just one problem: after he enrolled, he discovered he was too old to qualify for the program’s full scholarship amount. The solution? Complete 18 to 21 hours each semester and pick up a full-time job as a waiter to afford tuition and complete the degree as fast as possible.

Medicine was always something Phelps took interest in. He had worked with great army doctors and had a curious disposition that seemed geared toward sciences. Once the door was opened, he couldn’t resist giving med school a shot. Next thing Phelps knew, he was at Campbell University, surrounded by 18 year olds in an environment totally at odds with his military life.

Phelps was 20 years old when he volunteered for a mission to Botswana, training their soldiers in antitank missile technology. From there, he traveled to Lebanon, training Christian militia in tactics and special operations tactics. He learned Arabic. He was trained as a medic. He jumped out of airplanes at 35,000 feet and swam upriver 30 feet below the surface. Once, he delivered a baby in the back of a French Foreign Legion truck during a mortar attack while simultaneously treating a rebel soldier for gunshot wounds. So the peaceful Campbell campus was a bit of a culture shock. But Phelps found his stride as a student again in no time.

“I became like a bit of a grandfather figure, strangely,” he remembers. “I would give relationship advice a lot. I did a lot of tutoring.

Everyone was so kind. And I was learning from them as well, even though I thought I’d seen and knew everything, with my military career and because I was older. But I never met another person I didn’t like in Buies Creek.” While meeting the full-time demands of the Army, Campbell and a second job would have been enough to drive most to giving up, Phelps thrived in medical school,

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crediting his professors for the opportunities to work in the lab and explore his interests. After retiring from the Army in 2011, Phelps spent a decade honing his skills as a physician and a researcher, working five years at the Georgia Tech Research Institute as a research scientist.

Phelps’ primary job at Georgia Tech was not only to direct research, but to fund research through grants and donations. On his first project he raised an unprecedented $28 million in the first month.

But with ever-climbing and continuously growing financial goals, Phelps started to feel burnout. He missed the variety of medical military life. In 2018, he officially retired, looking forward to spending time with his family. Until he got a call from a friend asking him to check out a position at NASA. Initially, Phelps refused. He assumed he was wanted as a flight surgeon. Instead, he was presented with a position essentially built from his own resume, with the option to work from home.

Phelps accepted, and is thrilled to have landed at the ultimate curious thinker’s workplace with a captivating mission—taking the next steps to putting people on the surfaces of faraway places.

“To put it in one word, working at NASA is discovery,” Phelps says. “Every day there’s some new element— like the petal of a rose or a layer of onion, and when you peel it back you see something new. Stations on Mars is a huge undertaking. It’s going to take thousands of people working millions of hours to make that happen, but if I can just be a little part of that and help push that ball a little further down the road... it’s just really exciting.”

At NASA, Phelps has found a unique kind of community again, not unlike the one of kindness and support he found at Campbell nearly 30 years ago.

“I truly feel uplifted all the time. Everybody cares about each other. And they care about the missions. The attitude is ‘let’s all just do this,’ even though we may hit roadblocks and hurdles and sometimes budgets are cut and more needs to be done with less. We’ll just keep on going.”

elected as the next president of the North Carolina State Bar. He is only the second State Bar president who is a Campbell Law alumnus to be elected — the first was COLON WILLOUGHBY (’79). The appointment was significant because there’s never been an officer from Rowan County, nor has there been an officer who represents a town the size of Salisbury.

COL. BRYAN G. KIRK (’97)

was named University of North Georgia’s professor of military science, the university announced in August.

Kirk commissioned as an armor officer and has served in the U.S. Army Special Forces around the world the past 20 years. He most recently served as the director of operations for the Theater Special Operations Command for Central Command in Tampa, Florida.

His awards and decorations include Bronze Star Medals, Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medals and Valorous Unit Awards, among several others.

REBECCA WENRICH WHEELER’S (’98, ’01) debut

children’s book, “When Daddy Shows Me the Sky,” was released Nov. 19, by Belle Isle Books. In the book, a father and daughter spend their evenings practicing yoga together under the night sky. Through spring, summer, fall and winter, they learn the names of the constellations and model their yoga poses after the stars’ unique shapes.

KATE STONEBURNER C A MP B E L L M AG AZ I N E 49

ALUMNI NOTES 2000s Orange Owned business owner DAVID

HESSELMEYER (’02)

celebrated his company’s 10th year in operation. On Target Preparedness is an emergency services consulting firm located in Harnett County.

AUSTIN CHESTNUT (’02 LAW, MBA)

joined the law firm Webb and Morton in Aberdeen, North Carolina, in October. Chestnut has almost 20 years of legal experience in both the private practice of law and as a former vice president at SunTrust Bank’s Private Wealth Division, where he worked in trust compliance matters.

LLOYD NAVARRO (’03 LAW) was

the recipient of Rotary International’s Service Above Self Award. The internationally competitive award recognizes Rotarians who demonstrate selfless service by volunteering their time and talents to help others.

ALISSA (’19) and CARSON ADAMS (’19) were married on July 17. They met in their first class their freshman year.

PAIGE SMITH (’03) is in her

first season as an assistant coach on the Columbia University softball staff.

Prior to the new position, she was the head softball coach at Seton Hall from 2013-21 and head coach at Adelphi from 2008-12. As a player at Campbell, she started 100 out of 112 games and was voted team captain during her senior season.

MIKAYLA (‘20) and ZANE KNIGHT (‘20) were married on Sept. 18 after

meeting at Campbell.

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LUCAS MCKAY (’19) proposed to HANNAH LEWIS (’19) on Sept. 20.

The two met while on the hall staff for Luby Wood.

JAMIE CALLICUTT COX (’03) was

named the Lee County Schools 20212022 Principal of the Year on Oct. 18. She has been principal at West Lee Middle School since January 2019.

TAYLOR JONES (’06) and HEATHER JONES (’08)

welcomed their second son, Everett Ivey Jones, on April 7.

TREVOR SMITH (’08) was

appointed senior vice president, agriculture and commercial lending officer for Virginiabased First Bank & Trust lending, hired to service North Carolina accounts exclusively.

RASHAD GATTISON (’09) was

ANDREW (‘14) and AMANDA CURRIN (‘16) were married on June 6, 2020, in Dunn amongst family and friends.

Due to COVID-19, Andrew and Amanda wed again with a larger celebration on Aug. 29, at Central Baptist Church in Dunn.

named to the Wilmington StarNews’ and Wilmington Chamber of Commerce’s 40 Under 40 list. Gattison has worked with Communities in Schools of Cape Fear, Coastal Horizons Center and Brigade Boys & Girls Club. In addition to his current role as director of teen services at Brigade, Gattison serves as a direct care staff member with Autism Support and is associate head women’s basketball coach at New Hanover High School.

UPDATE YOUR INFO

KEITLAND (‘20) AND AUSTIN MEDLIN (’20) celebrated the birth of their

son, James Chase Medlin, on Sept. 30.

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JOSH BUSSEY (’14) and NIKITA GANDHI (’15) were married July 10.

They celebrated both a traditional Hindu and traditional Christian ceremony in Greensboro.

Attention, Campbell alumni ... Help us make sure you’re not only getting Campbell Magazine delivered to your home, but you’re also getting important updates from our Office of Alumni Engagement. If your email address, mailing address or name has changed, please let our alumni staff know.

Visit alumni.campbell. edu/update to submit your current information.

C A MP B E L L M AG AZ I N E 51

ALUMNI NOTES 2010s Curtis and GRACE LINTHICUM (‘12) welcomed their second child, a baby boy, on Aug. 31.

MILES WOBBLETON (’15) was

appointed to the North Carolina Courts Commission

by Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives Tim Moore on Aug. 30.

MAGGIE CASTEEN (’15)

announced the release of her new book, “Hush Now, Don’t Cry,” which is a continuation of the Kathy Hamilton Mystery series.

Her previous book, “Killer Deception” was published in 2020.

LAWRENCE KIPKOECH (’19) won the

half marathon in the 10th annual Platte Valley Companies’ Monument Marathon in Nebraska in September.

Kipkoech, originally from Kenya, beat the course time by six minutes and beat the runner-up (who had won the previous two races and held the course record) by a full two minutes. Kipkoech was a five-time All-American at Campbell and nine-time Big South individual champion.

He was the Big South Runner of the Year in 2015.

TAYLOR MCMINN LOEWEN (’19)

was named assistant swim coach at Florida Gulf Coast University. While a studentathlete at Campbell University, she set program records in the 50-yard breaststroke, 100-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard breaststroke, as well as the 200-medley relay.

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JORDAN WRIGHT (‘19)

Alumnus’ battle with cancer as a child subject of new coping book

J

ordan Wright was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the age of 5. He was taken out of kindergarten and put through 18 months of chemotherapy. Out of the 16 children on his floor at Duke Children’s Hospital, Wright says, only four are still alive today.

“One day you were walking with them in the hallway, and the next day they were gone.”

Two years later, doctors declared Wright to be cancer free. But it returned, this time attacking the now 9-year-old’s white blood cells.

Throughout his treatments and hospital stays, Wright says his mother’s faith provided him an example to follow and allowed him to grow his own relationship with God. One night, an allergic reaction to medicine caused his body to shake for over two hours. He says he sang the hymn “All Day Long My Soul Has Been with Jesus” the entire two hours until the shaking stopped. When he didn’t have the strength to sing, he hummed.

After this experience, Wright began to write scriptures and prayers in a notebook. From those notes he created a book, “Everything is Gonna be Alright,” to help encourage future cancer patients and to thank those who helped him while he was sick. Wright remembers a bright spot in his time in

the hospital — playing Uno with his nurses. They would gather in his room at 2 a.m. to keep him company and play games. He is still in touch with one of those nurses today.

Wright returned to school as a fifth grader. Much had changed about him in that time.

“When I left school, my friends knew me as Jordan the skinny kid,” he says. “After full body radiation and several medications, I didn’t look the same.” Wright says he was concerned that when he returned to school, he would be made fun of for his change in appearance. He was pleasantly surprised when kids didn’t care. They were just happy to have their friend back.

Before COVID-19, Wright regularly visited his old floor at Duke Hospital to spend time with kids and deliver books. He says he strives to be a positive figure in the lives of cancer patients. His favorite visitors were always the people who sat and talked with him about anything but his cancer.

Wright’s difficulties were many growing up, but they’ve made him a stronger person today.

“There’s always been some sort of difficulty I’ve had to face,” he says. “But I know my full potential, and I want to let everyone know this is who I am.”

MEGAN STEENBERGH

LYDIA HUTH (‘19)

The series of internships and jobs that led to Boston and MIT

L

ydia Huth believes every opportunity builds on another one. Her career path, which started well before graduation, exemplifies the importance of creating professional connections, making the most of every job or internship and diversifying one’s resume.

During her time at Campbell, Huth double majored in English and graphic design, and participated in the student newspaper, The Campbell Times. Although Huth’s majors did not require an internship, she thought having one would be a meaningful, beneficial experience.

She interviewed with the Carolina Theatre in Durham for a communications position.

Despite not being a communications major, the theatre hired Huth as an intern because of her newspaper experience.

During her time at the theatre, she was given the task of cataloging all of the costume pieces ever used in any production. While most would see this as a menial task, Huth poured herself into it and gave it all her attention and effort. Her supervisors noticed her hard work and offered her a part-time position (one that paid).

Her work ethic continued to win praise.

“I felt like I was learning all the time,” Huth said, adding that her lack of experience in communication field going in actually made her internship even more interesting.

Huth went on to participate in more internships at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, Duke OBGYN, and AGAPE of N.C. Foster Care Center. During the fall of her senior year, she reached out to the theatre about potentially working there after graduation, and she was offered a part-time remote marketing job during her spring semester. When she graduated, they offered her a full-time position.

Her joy was short-lived, however. The pandemic shut down productions at Carolina Theatre, and Huth was forced to look elsewhere. Fortunately, two

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of her colleagues had connections with KidzNotes, a nonprofit that provides free music education to students in the Triangle. Huth joined Kidznotes as a consultant and hit the ground running.

Huth had always been drawn to larger cities, and after visiting Boston several times, she felt like it could be home. This year, she was hired by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for career advising communications and graduate education support (a position she learned about “the old fashioned way” ... on LinkedIn).

If you have an internship opportunity to share or would like to connect with students, join CamelLink at MENTOR.CAMPBELL.EDU

Her previous experience as a student worker in Campbell University’s Office of Student Success helped greatly during the hiring process.

In 2021, Campbell University launched CamelLink to create a platform for alumni to connect with current students to create meaningful relationships. Not only is CamelLink a resource for internships, but it also allows alumni and students to connect on other levels.

Huth connected with a student this year through CamelLink, bonding over being introverts. As an alumna, she is giving the student advice on being in a networking space. Huth said it is a “joyful thing” when a student messages her, and she encourages all students to reach out to alumni to find shared interests.

In her MIT interview, Huth expressed the importance of internships to the hiring committee.

After securing the position, she requested interns of her own. Because she was in that position not long ago, Huth said she is learning how to interact with people in a professional but empathetic way.

“It is a gift to be able to be the person that others were for me.”

2020s SARAH STEELE (’20 MACM)

was named Dean of the Library at Campbell University’s Wiggins Memorial Library. Steele joined Campbell in 2008 as a curriculum materials/media librarian. In 2014, she was awarded the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, and two years later, she was promoted to associate dean and head of research and instruction services.

KEZIA TIMMONS (’21 PHARMD)

served as pharmacy co-director for Delivering Equal Access to Care, a free clinic run by Wake Forest University that provides quality care to those in and around the WinstonSalem community who lack insurance and primary health care. Timmons was responsible for overseeing pharmacy volunteers, managing all things related to pharmacy and medications and counseling patients and student volunteers on treatments. She is currently a pharmacy resident at Salem VA Medical Center in Virginia.

ANNA FINESTONE LEVIERE (’20 PA) joined

FirstHealth of the Carolinas Infectious Diseases. Her past work experience includes clinical research manager at FHI 360, where she oversaw the implementation of research studies on HIV, and project coordinator at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases. Additionally, she worked for a non-profit in Ghana coordinating medical supply shipments and managing operational tasks.

KATIE SMITH (‘14) C A MP B E L L M AG AZ I N E 53

ALUMNI NOTES

Campbell Law School announced in the fall that recent alumnus DARIUS BOXLEY (’20 LAW) is the Shipman & Wright Sports Law Clinic office manager and legal assistant.

During his time as a student, Boxley worked as a yearlong clerk for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, where he investigated, mediated and drafted motions concerning compliance of Title VII and ADA laws. He also served as president of the Campbell Sports Law Association and as the Community Service Chair of the Black Law Student Association, where he worked firsthand with the Dean of Students in planning community programs and hosting informational presentations.

“Darius’ passion for sports and his legal experience with the EEOC and on the NFL Negotiations Team made him the perfect choice for this position,” Law Dean J. Rich Leonard said.

Boxley also competed on the law school’s NFL Negotiations Team, where he developed an in-depth understanding of NFL contract formation and placed in the Top 10 nationally.

“I’ve always had a passion for the business of sports. I’m excited to be a part of the Sports Law Clinic because it is a great opportunity to learn from one of the best individuals in the business (Mr. Shipman), while helping college athletes realize their value.”

54 FALL 2021

Cathy Zachary and her late brother Larry, pictured with their parents Lawrence and Pat Zachary during Christmas in the 1950s. Larry is a 1970 graduate of Campbell University. Photo courtesy of Cathy Zachary

FOR MY BROTHER Campbell played an important role in my big brother’s short life, and my gift to the University honors him

BY CATHY ZACHARY

M

y brother Larry had always been very intelligent and in the honor society at Wadesboro High School. He initially started his college studies at three different schools, but finally found his home at Campbell University.

He was ready to buckle down and finish his education. He ended up graduating from Campbell in 1970 after studying economics and the social sciences. I was three years younger, so I did not visit him while he was on campus (but I attended the commencement ceremony with my

parents). We were all so proud to be a part of his college graduation.

After graduation, Larry told my dad he wanted to travel and see more of the country. He was not a follower and was very much a minimalist before that became the lifestyle it is today. He always appreciated people and experiences much more than possessions, and money didn’t impress him.

He was very content and maintained so many friendships. People were drawn to him because he was so friendly — he loved life, he loved people, and he loved having a good time. He was more reserved but had a quiet confidence about him.

When it came time to travel, he packed everything he owned in his car, and ended up in beautiful Aspen, Colorado, which he loved. Hiking, snow skiing and cookouts with friends are what he enjoyed most. In fact, my mother was so upset one Thanksgiving that he was just having hot dogs with his friends — he didn’t need a traditional dinner.

He worked as many as three jobs in Aspen and was thoroughly enjoying his life.

They always loved the mountains and eventually bought a home in the Boone area with good friends Hartwell and Verda Campbell (Leslie Campbell’s son and daughter-in-law).

Sadly, his life ended there before he started a career. He was only 26 years old.

I wanted to honor my parents’ wishes to have a scholarship in memory of Larry. He didn’t have a chance to support Campbell after he graduated; however, I’ve had a long time to give financial aid to the schools and churches I’ve attended during my lifetime, as well as other organizations.

_______________ My parents were Lawrence P. “Zach” and Pat. Mother was originally from Shelby, North Carolina, and dad was from Taylorsville. They met in Raleigh when dad was in his final year of college at NC State, and mom was working as secretary of prisons.

_______________ My parents established the Lawrence Fetzer Zachary Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship in memory of my brother, Larry.

I believe in Campbell and all it stands for.

Plus, I love my family very much and am delighted to fulfill their dreams of educational opportunities for others at Campbell University in Larry’s memory.

Dad was in ROTC at State and was called to serve during World War II. Within six days, they were married at As a side note, I have First Baptist Church always been an avid in Raleigh, and shortly Cathy Zachary honored her parents’ wishes to form sports fan and recall after their marriage, he a scholarship in memory of her brother Larry, a 1970 going to the Raleigh was sent to the Far East graduate of Campbell University who died just a few Sports Club every years after his graduation. for two and a half years.

Wednesday for lunch Upon his return, they with mom and dad. The settled in Wadesboro, former men’s basketball coach at Campbell, Robbie where Larry and I were born. They were married Lang, brought his whole staff to the luncheon one for 71 years! day, including Brian Burg, who was the assistant The secrets to my parents’ long marriage were coach at that time. Through his invitation to commitment, communication and compromise. attend basketball games at Campbell (I was We grew as a family in the church, and we always living in Willow Spring), I was able to reconnect depended on faith, family and friends. While in with Campbell, as well as watch some exciting Wadesboro, mom worked in the church nursery basketball. for 21 years, and dad taught juniors and seniors I now live in the mountains of North Carolina, in Sunday school. After working in several but enjoy attending Campbell basketball games businesses, dad had the opportunity to move to whenever I’m in the area.

Raleigh, where he eventually became city manager.

Once he retired, they stayed six months of the year in Raleigh, and six months in Boone.

LEGACY.CAMPBELL.EDU Live the best life you can now while providing for your loved ones and favorite charities. In an effort to assist our loyal constituents and friends, Campbell has established a new planned giving website at legacy.campbell.edu. Perhaps your goals may also include health care if you become disabled, increasing your retirement income, reducing estate taxes, creating a charitable legacy or planning for a business. The key is to develop a plan now that coincides with your goals and to live with the security now that your wishes will be met. Planned Giving Director Peter Donlon is available for a complimentary discussion to help you get started. Contact him at pdonlon@campbell.edu, or (910) 893-1847.

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DR. MARIE MASON (’41) was

23 years old and already a registered nurse when she enrolled at Campbell College to start pursuing a degree in the liberal arts. Her new school asked quite a lot of her.

Until that time, “nursing” responsibilities fell on the dean of men and women at Campbell, and because of her experience, Mason was asked to work part time as a nurse, working from dorm rooms (with a desk and no beds) in the men’s and women’s halls — all while taking classes.

During her third year, she became not only Campbell’s first-ever full-time nurse, but she also was director of physical education and coach of the school’s women’s basketball team.

Mason died on Aug. 30 at the age of 105.

Mason remained as a nurse at Campbell after graduation through 1942 before working the night shift at Rex Hospital in Raleigh. In 1943, the start of the U.S. involvement in World War II, her brothers were going overseas to fight in Europe.

She returned to study psychology at Meredith and earn her Ph.D. from Kentucky, and much of her career was spent as a professor and dean of students at Meredith. She gave back to Campbell in the form of a scholarship for students when Campbell launched its School of Osteopathic Medicine in 2013.

She credited her longevity to good genes, healthy eating and years of hard work.

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THE VAULT

56 SUMMER 2021

TENNIS, EVERYONE?

“Several tennis clubs have been getting in good practice in spite of the bad weather,” read the 1914 Pine Burr yearbook. “Tennis is admirably suited for those who have been sitting in the schoolroom all day. We are pleased to report increased interest in this excellent game.”

Notable members of the tennis club were founder J.A. Campbell’s sons, Arthur Carlyle Campbell and future Campbell President Leslie Hartwell Campbell.

Post Office Box 567 Buies Creek, NC 27506 www.campbell.edu

58 FALL 2021 PHOTO

BY BEN BROWN

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID PPCO