contents
ISSUE TWO | 2015
12 FEAT URES
12 Made by Maroons
Five Maroons whose creations embody the inventive, creative, entrepreneurial spirit.
9 DEPA RT M ENTS
24 Protecting Pristine Places Alan Friedlander ’80 is chief scientist for National Geographic’s Pristine Seas project. BY LESLIE TAY LOR
28 Maroon Mentors
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President’s Pen Board of Trustees
3 4
Snapshots
Roanoke College alumni and students pair up for career advice and networking.
We heard from you...
BY K AREN D OSS BOWMA N
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College News • Pledging allegiance to integrity • Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson talks public company leadership. • College building named in honor of Douglas W. Ayres ’53.
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32 Campaign News
Endowing the future of Roanoke
Sports News • Coaches Phil Benne and Blair Trail ’99 join the 300-win club. • Student athlete Alexis Janney ’16 excels on and off the track.
40
Alumni News • Artist Andrea Crowley ’94 creates the Artmobile. • Remembering “Pastor Buck”
50
Maroon Musings “Chaos and Umbrellas”
51
From the Archives The Brackety-Ack celebrates 100th birthday.
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RoaNotes Roanoke College, by the numbers
AT LEFT: Blake Allen ’17’s selfie, taken while jumping into the Milky Way lagoon during a 2015 May Term trip to Palau, has gotten tons of Web views. We couldn’t resist giving this goofy, delightful photo one more round of attention.
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ON THE COVER: Taylor Ferebee ’17, appropriately under the glow of a movie projector, created a Movie Predictor app that can forecast whether or not a movie will enjoy box office success. Not surprisingly, Ferebee is a huge film buff. Her favorite movie? “Dirty Harry.” Photo by Sam Dean.
ROANOKE.EDU 1
president’spen Roanoke College Magazine
“You can imagine our excitement to learn that we are tough graders and helpful mentors for students.”
If you do a Google search for “Is college worth it anymore?” you’ll get over 4 million responses, many of them saying that it is not. It sometimes seems like the worst of times for American higher education. But I believe, unequivocally, it is also the best of times in American higher education, especially at Roanoke College. At the beginning of every academic year, I set a goal of knowing 400 of our students by first name. I do that because I believe the advice of Harvard psychologist Jerome Kagan that the best way to bring out the best in students is to know them well enough to give them the right measures of challenge and support. I don’t know of a better place in our society than education where that happens with regularity, results and intentionality. We learned in September that Roanoke received recognition for having accessible and approachable faculty. We were No. 16 nationally on a list that includes three of U.S. News & World Report’s top 20 liberal arts colleges in the country. You can imagine our excitement to learn that we are tough graders and helpful mentors for students. We have an enormous obligation to transmit culture, to help students develop the knowledge, skills and ethics to serve a free society, and to assist in the maturity of students as we shape their character. I would contend that American higher education, particularly colleges like Roanoke, is one of our best hopes for a better world and a way to help graduates assume lives of leadership, learning and service. More than ever, Roanoke College is “worth it.” Thank you for believing in what we do for students and society. Enjoy this issue of Roanoke magazine. Go Maroons!
Editor Leslie Taylor Contributing Editors Jenny Kincaid Boone ’01 Teresa Gereaux ’87 Alumni News Linda Lindsay Archives Linda Miller Contributors Jenny Kincaid Boone’01 Karen Doss Bowman Jason Bradford Hannah Cline ’15 Sarah Cox James France Brian Hoffman ’74 Nan Johnson Beth JoJack Gene Marrano Photography Sam Dean Blake Edwards ’17 Pete Emerson ’80 Lauren Hammer ’19 Toby Jorrin Sophie MacMillan ’19 Michael Paras Carissa Szuch Natalee Waters Mark Wilson Design & Production Mikula|Harris Printing Bison Printing
Roanoke College does not discriminate against students, employees or applicants on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, national or ethnic origin, disability or veteran status. Roanoke College Magazine is published twice a year by the Office of Public Relations for alumni, students, parents, staff and friends of Roanoke College. Editorial rights are reserved. Questions, comments and corrections may be sent to: Magazine Editor Roanoke College Public Relations Office 221 College Lane Salem, VA 24153-3794 rcmagazine@roanoke.edu
Michael Creed Maxey
2015 – 2016 | board of trustees Mr. Morris M. Cregger, Jr. ’64, chairman Ms. Kathryn Snell Harkness ’73, vice chair The Reverend James F. Mauney, D.D., secretary Mr. Mark P. Noftsinger, treasurer Mr. Michael C. Maxey, president of the College Mr. Kenneth J. Belton, Sr. ’81 Mr. Kirk Howard Betts Dr. Paris D. Butler ’00 Ms. Pamela L. Cabalka ’76 Dr. M. Paul Capp ’52 Ms. Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo ’78
Mr. W. Morgan Churchman ’65 Mr. Malon W. Courts ’92 Mr. James Spencer Frantz, Jr. Mr. David L. Guy ’75 Mr. Michael P. Haley ’73 Ms. Judith B. Hall ’69 Mr. Richard S. Hathaway ’73 Ms. Peggy Fintel Horn ’78 Mr. Donald J. Kerr ’60 Mr. John E. Lang ’73 Mr. Patrick R. Leardo Ms. Nancy B. Mulheren ’72
2 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2015
Mr. Diedrich D. Oglesbee, Jr. ’95 Mr. Roger A. Petersen ’81 The Reverend J. Christopher Price ’75 Mr. J. Tyler Pugh ’70 Ms. Margaret Lynn Jacobs Reichenbach The Reverend Dr. Theodore F. Schneider ’56 Mr. Andrew K. Teeter ’71 Ms. Helen Twohy Whittemore ’80 Mr. Harry E. Trigg III and Dr. Linda D. Parham (Ex-officio, Co-Chairs of the Parent Leadership Council)
221 College Lane | Salem, VA 24153-3794 | www.roanoke.edu
College Switchboard..................................................(540) 375-2500 Admissions Local........................................................(540) 375-2270 Admissions Toll-free .................................................(800) 388-2276 Alumni/Parent Relations ..........................................(540) 375-2238 Alumni E-mail..................................................alumni@roanoke.edu Church Relations.........................................................(540) 375-2547 Colket Center................................................................(540) 378-5125 Intercollegiate Athletics.............................................(540) 375-2338 Olin Box Office .............................................................(540) 375-2333 ©2015 Roanoke College. All rights reserved. Roanoke College, Classic for Tomorrow and associated logos are trademarks of Roanoke College.
snapshots Puddle-jumpers Gabrielle Gery ’17, Rebecca Proctor ’19 and Mary Cywinski ’18 made the best of a rainsoaked campus in late September (top left, continuing clockwise). • Local author Nancy Ruth Patterson, the Foundation for Roanoke Valley (Executive Director Alan Ronk ’79), and the Southwest Virginia Ballet were honored Sept. 2 with Perry F. Kendig Arts and Culture Awards. • How Head Women’s Soccer Coach Phil Benne celebrated his 300th career victory in September. • Dean of Students Aaron Fetrow addressed first-year students at “The Challenge” during this year’s orientation. • Dr. Melanie Almeder, RC English professor and a great believer in community arts, spoke in October at the 2015 CityWorks (X)po in downtown Roanoke.
Dan Casey @dancaseysblog (Roanoke Times news columnist)
faculty. Got a hug from a professor I had once today. I needed that hug.
@RoanokeCollege prof finds poetic inspiration on @valleymetro bus rides w/grant from @ridesolutions bit.ly1hckJNl
Roanoke College @RoanokeCollege
Keith Farmer @str8st (Director, Straight Street)
we heard fromyou
Appreciate the ladies lacrosse team from Roanoke College serving dinner tonight. Joanna Peders @MoJoJoJizzle
L ETTER S , T WEE TS A N D POSTS
RC remembers Stephen “Jet” Lamantia ’85, who died on 9-11. Remembrance service at noon on Back Quad #neverforget911 Mary Crockett @MaryLovesBooks
Students in @Roanoke College’s #KidLit class are raising funds to put Books on Buses – Can you help? www.gofundme.com/booksonbuses
Top reason I would recommend @RoanokeCollege would be the
ON THE WEB Want to see the sweetest thing ever? Watch President and Mrs. Maxey dance the waltz to support Turning Point domestic violence shelter through the Valley Stars program. https://youtu.be/EolGGqBlqks
roanokecollege Great photo from last night of our students from @jdsutphin #Maroons2019 #roanokeva #roanoke
Roanoke College
J.D. SUTPHIN, BIG LICK ENTERTAINMENT
Very disappointed with Mother Nature!!! Thank you Roanoke College for thinking about the safety of the students and their families!!! I was so looking forward to spending the weekend with my daughter, will have to wait another long two weeks!!! Linda Brown
Editor’s note: Comment posted in response to notification of the cancellation of 2015 Family Weekend in October.
BEHIND THE COVER… We thought we’d provide the scoop behind this issue’s “Made by Maroons” cover photo. When told about the five Maroons profiled in this issue’s cover feature, magazine designer David Harris zeroed in on Taylor Ferebee ’17, who created an app that can predict a movie’s performance at the box office. “How about a photo of her in a darkened movie theater?” he asked. So we contacted the historic Grandin Theatre, a nonprofit theater in the Grandin Road area of the city of Roanoke. The theater staff generously allowed us use of a screening room during off-hours, projector running, and even provided buckets of popcorn (arguably the best in Roanoke!) for prop purposes. (Yes, we ate it.) Our sincere thanks to the Grandin; to photographer Sam Dean, whose meticulous approach to photo shoots always produces top-notch results; and to David Harris for art-directing and conceiving this idea! (And how nice that the theater seats were maroon...)
We want to hear from you! Roanoke magazine welcomes letters and emails about what you read in this publication. Please mail letters to: Magazine Editor, Department of Public Relations, Roanoke College, 221 College Lane, Salem, VA 24153, or send an email to: rcmagazine@roanoke.edu. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and may be edited for style, clarity or content. Questions, comments and corrections may be mailed or emailed to the same mailing address and email address. Connect with us: roanoke.edu/magazine
4 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2015
@RoanokeCollege
facebook.com/roanoke
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collegenews Students display coins given to first-year students during “The Challenge: A Pledge of Allegiance to Integrity,” an orientation event introduced this year.
“
The Challenge First-year students pledge allegiance to integrity.
[The coin is] a physical
reminder for
them to take
their time here seriously... a holistic ap-
proach to their education. — Dr. Jennifer Berenson
ROANOKE COLLEGE this year took a new approach to communicating a conventional message to first-year students during orientation, giving it a deliberately serious spin. Traditionally on the Monday evening before the start of classes, first-year students are given time to explore downtown Salem—the sights, the sounds, the food. Instead, this year students gathered at Clay Street and College Avenue for “The Challenge: A Pledge of Allegiance to Integrity.” Students listened to a brief message from Aaron Fetrow, vice president of Student Affairs, and took an important pledge to a way of life that embodies the College’s four pillars—academic excellence, commitment to community, service to others and a life of personal distinction. Afterward, the students walked toward the College’s Administration building in procession, stopping at the College seal. President Mike Maxey; Dr. Richard Smith, vice president and dean of the College; Leah Russell, associate dean and registrar; and Tyler Pugh, a Board of Trustees member, greeted them. Each student was handed a ceramic Challenge coin, with the College seal on one side and an illustration of the Administration building on the other. The coin is “a physical reminder for them to take their time here seriously…a holistic approach to their education,” said
Dr. Jennifer Berenson, associate dean of academic affairs and administration. After the ceremony, students were welcomed at a celebration on the Back Quad, with live music, a bonfire, food and games. Students even snapped selfies with President Maxey at a designated selfie photo station. Berenson deemed The Challenge a success. The College plans to continue it for other orientations, she said.
Students snapped a selfie with President Mike Maxey at The Challenge selfie station.
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collegenews ACCOL AD ES
Roanoke recognized in latest college rankings FALL IS RANKINGS SEASON, and several printed college guides and a college website acknowledged Roanoke College. The Princeton Review named Roanoke one of the best colleges in the United States for the fifth year in a row. In addition, Roanoke was named a great school for students who major in business/finance, computer science and psychology. Roanoke is one of 380 colleges and universities listed in the 2016 edition of The Princeton Review’s annual Best Colleges guidebook, its flagship college guide. “The Best 380 Colleges” includes detailed profiles of schools along with enrollment and admission statistics. Only about 9 percent of America’s 4,146 colleges and universities are profiled in the book.
Several other national college rankings recognized Roanoke College this fall. • U.S. News’ 2016 Best Colleges rankings included Roanoke among the A+ Colleges for B students. U.S. News describes schools on the list as those “where spirit and hard work could make all the difference ...” • LiberalArtsColleges.com ranked Roanoke among the Top 20 nationwide for “Accessible and Approachable Professors” in its College Rankings That Matter. “Students can expect faculty members to be attentive, supportive and understanding to their needs while simultaneously providing a vigorous academic structure that they need to achieve their goals,” the website said.
IN OTHER RANKINGS… Roanoke also showed up on a few, shall we say, unconventional lists this year. • College Magazine, a few days before Halloween, released the Top 10 Schools That Throw Down for Halloween. Number 2 on the list? Roanoke College, for offering the INQ class “Ghosts and Human Perception,” Dr. Tom Carter’s class that focuses on paranormal activity and ghosts throughout history. “Students even spend a night in Monterey House, a historic, supposedly haunted house on campus to see if they can sense any paranormal activity,” the magazine noted. “It’s like a real life Ghostbusters.”
• MTV compiled 9 Colleges With Actual “Game of Thrones” Courses, contending that several colleges and universities have discovered that legitimate lessons can be learned from the series, based on George R. R. Martin’s fantasy novel. The television network listed Roanoke at No. 5. “Rather than the usual literature or film studies route, this college saw the anthropological potential in all that vicious throne-seeking character behavior,” MTV noted. “Nice.”
GIVING AN EDGE
Roanoke offers course in high-level software ROANOKE COLLEGE economics Professor Allie Kassens is spearheading a new and unique certificate program that teaches students software skills that are attractive to top employers in the business world. This fall, Kassens began offering courses for the Data and Econometric Analysis Joint Certificate Program with SAS, which stands for Statistical Analysis Software. The program teaches Roanoke students how to use SAS software, which is used by major businesses and government institutions, including 93 of the top 100 listed on the 2014 Fortune Global 500, according to SAS. The software by SAS previously was too expensive for many undergraduate institutions to incorporate, Kassens says. Several years ago, SAS, based in Cary, N.C., began offering its software free to colleges.
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Kassens, who used the software in graduate school and in her own research, connected with Jay Laramore ’10, who works for SAS as an analytical training consultant. He suggested ways to help her implement the material at Roanoke. “I think Roanoke could be a model on how to do it,” says Laramore, explaining that most SAS instruction is offered in graduate-level programs. Laramore majored in economics at Roanoke and earned a master’s degree in eco-
nomics from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. The certificate program is open to Roanoke students regardless of their major, though the curriculum includes economics, programming and math courses. SAS stands out on resumes and is likely to draw immediate attention from employers, Kassens says. “You’re demonstrating a skill set,” she says of students who complete the certificate. “This is a way of sending a clear signal” that these students are proficient in SAS, she adds. The program generally takes two years to complete, though some Roanoke seniors are aiming to complete it by the spring. Five Roanoke students were enrolled in the program for its first run this fall. — Jenny Kincaid Boone ’01
collegenews
FA C U LT Y N E W S UP AN D COMIN G
HHP professor receives VFIC’s Rising Star Award
Ackley-Holbrook
DR. LIZ ACKLEY-HOLBROOK, assistant professor of Health and Human Performance at Roanoke College, has been selected as the 2015 recipient of the H. Hiter Harris Jr. Rising Star Award. The competitive award is sponsored by the Virginia Federation of Independent Colleges, a consortium of 15 liberal arts colleges and universities that includes such institutions as Washington and Lee University, the University of Richmond, Randolph Macon College and Hampden-Sydney College. The Rising Star Award seeks to recognize an “up-and-coming professor” from a VFIC college or university who shows “a strong, clear, and abiding commitment to excellence in classroom teaching within the undergraduate liberal arts and sciences,” according to the VFIC. Selection criteria include: impact on and involvement with undergraduate students; scholarly approach to teaching; and contributions to undergraduate education in the institution,
Grant assumes post as associate dean DR. RICHARD GRANT has been named associate dean for Academic Affairs and Student Engagement. He assumed his responsibilities on July 1, 2015. Grant will also continue to serve as director of experiential learning. The associate dean for Academic Affairs and Student Engagement provides leadership for academic-based efforts to enhance student engagement and the development of students as Grant whole persons. In his role as director of experiential learning, Dr. Grant has worked effectively with faculty and staff from across the College to increase both the quantity and quality of experiential learning opportunities.
are excellent teachers and scholars committed to enhancing the lives of students. He created the chair as a way to recognize and honor one such professor in the History Department. Henold was selected by President Mike Maxey after a careful and deliberative process that involved a faculty review committee and Dr. Richard Smith, vice president and dean of the College.
Adkins, Schultz recognized with Dean’s awards DR. BRENT ADKINS, associate professor of
Henold appointed to history chair DR. MARY HENOLD has been selected for the John R. Turbyfill Endowed Chair in History. She will begin her five-year appointment in August 2016 after she completes her Faculty Research Year in 2015-16. Henold will succeed Dr. John Selby, who will continue to hold the chair until Henold’s appointment begins. The Turbyfill Endowed Chair was established in January 2010 by John R. Turbyfill, who was a Henold member of the Roanoke College Board of Trustees from 1982 to 2003 and served as its chair from 1986 to 2003. Turbyfill has had a strong interest in history and in professors who
community and profession. “Because only one Rising Star Award is given each year, Dr. Holbrook’s selection is a great honor for both her and the College,” said Dr. Richard Smith, vice president and dean of Roanoke College. “It not only affirms the excellent work that she has done since coming to Roanoke College; it also affirms how well our faculty compares to the faculties at other fine liberal arts colleges and universities in the state.” Holbrook is the second Roanoke College faculty member to receive the award in the three years it has been given. Dr. Chad Morris, assistant professor of anthropology, was the first recipient in 2013. The H. Hiter Harris, Jr. Award was created at the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges in 2008 through an endowment gift from the family of the late H. Hiter Harris, Jr., a leading Virginia banker who was a member of the VFIC’s Board from 1973-1998.
Adkins
philosophy and chair of the Religion and Philosophy Department, has received the Dean’s Exemplary Teaching Award, which recognizes teaching that not only focuses on the content and skills of one’s scholarly field, but also promotes the liberal arts more generally. DR. ROBERT SCHULTZ, John P. Fishwick Professor of English, has received the Dean’s Exemplary Professional Achievement Award, which recognizes the achievements of a Roanoke College professor who has made notable contributions to his or her discipline. Each award consists of a certificate and an honorarium. Both recipients were recognized at a ceremony and by a plaque mounted in the lobby of the Administration Building. There, the names of previous award recipients appear.
Schultz
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collegenews H ABITAT FOR HUMANIT Y
R House marks 10th, 200th milestones THE 2015 R HOUSE BUILD marked several milestones for Roanoke College and for Habitat for Humanity in the Roanoke Valley. During this year’s orientation, first-year students took part in the College’s 10th house build on campus. The house also was Habitat’s 200th in the Valley. More than 600 students—including the entire freshman class, plus staff and alumni—worked on the house this year, as did homeowners Athuman Shaban and Zayana Abdallah, of Burundi, Africa. “This is a real teachable moment,” said Jesse Griffin, the College’s director of civic engagement. “We’re getting to show our students that service is a really big part of our mission as a college.” Construction took place in the Hawthorn Road parking lot from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1. Habitat crews transported the house to its permanent location at 1208 Fairfax Ave. in Northwest Roanoke on Sept. 3.
Tenth R House, 200th Habitat in the Roanoke Valley house.
President Mike Maxey and wife Terri with members of the homeowner family.
Toting lumber takes two.
Jesse Griffin, director of civic engagement, assists students.
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A student leaves a touching message for the homeowners.
collegenews PAY ING HOMAGE
College building named for late alumnus DOUGLAS W. AYRES ’53 was a government leader, author and professor who impacted municipalities and governments in and outside of the United States. Ayres served as assistant town manager of Salem, Va., early in his career and went on to serve as a city manager in Melbourne, Fla., Salem, Ore., and Inglewood, Calif. He was a consultant to hundreds of city governments, assisted in drawing up the constitutions for Alaska and Hawaii upon their transition into statehood, and wrote major portions of nine city charters, including several cities in Venezuela. It was fitting then, that on Oct. 15, the College Avenue building that once housed the Salem municipal offices—where Ayres’ distinguished career began—was named in his honor. The building now houses the College’s Resource Development department. “Douglas Ayres was a gift to all of us,” Roanoke College President Mike Maxey said at the naming ceremony. “He had great humor, great affection for Roanoke College ... and an adventuresome spirit. He impacted other cities and governments both nationally and internationally.” Ayres, of Sedona, Ariz., was author of seven books, mostly about city government and administration. One of his books wasn’t quite as serious and reflected Ayres’ love of telling jokes—”The Local Government Joke Box.” While at Roanoke College, Ayres served as associate editor of the Brackety-Ack, was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order and lettered in track. In 2010, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the Col-
From left to right, Dr. Paul Capp; Ayres’ wife, Pamela Swift Ayres; President Mike Maxey; and wife Terri Maxey, with the Douglas W. Ayres Building plaque.
“Each day I still wonder—How did a kid from up a holler in West Virginia get here? Then I look back on my life, to Roanoke College and the Town of Salem, and I know.” — Douglas W. Ayres
lege in recognition of his public service. Dr. Paul Capp ’52 met Ayres at Roanoke; the two “stayed in contact for 67 years,” Capp said at the naming ceremony. Ayres learned a great deal in the town of Salem and “was so attached to his background,” said Capp, a member of the College’s Board of Trustees.
A plaque that will be mounted inside the building bears an Ayres quote that sums him up best, Capp said. “Each day I still wonder—How did a kid from up a holler in West Virginia get here? Then I look back on my life, to Roanoke College and the Town of Salem, and I know.”
SPEAKERS Arne Sorenson, president and CEO of Marriott International, Inc. discussed “Public Company Leadership: Speak Up or Hold Back,” with a corporate policy class and at Olin Theater on Sept. 21. Sorenson was The Crumley Lecture speaker, a series sponsored by the Benne Center for Religion & Society.
Constitution Day speaker Dr. Paul Finkelman, a fellow in Law and Humanities at Harvard School of Law, visited campus on Sept. 17. Finkelman is an expert in constitutional history and law, freedom of religion, the law of slavery, civil liberties and the American Civil War. The Constitution Day celebration is sponsored by the Turk Pre-Law Program.
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collegenews C A M PUS CON STRUCT ION
Facelifts, upgrades and restorations CONSTRUCTION of the 155,000-square-foot Cregger Center is progressing, with completion expected in August 2016. (To see how the athletic and academic complex is taking shape, check out the Cregger Cam at http://webapps.roanoke.edu/cregger/wells.cfm.) But this spring and summer, five other campus construction/improvement projects have been underway. • Sutton Patio: A large brick patio was added to the front of the Colket Center. The patio will serve as an outdoor dining location accessible from the Sutton Commons. The new patio is a gift from Nancy Mulheren ’72, a member of Roanoke’s Board of Trustees. • History Gallery in former bank building: Construction has been completed in the history department space on the first floor of the former Farmer’s National Bank Building at the corner of College Avenue and Main Street. The first floor has been opened up to allow for a public history gallery (named the Logan Gallery) and lecture hall. A new classroom and lab space for historic research will facilitate interaction among faculty and students. The venue will allow for exhibits, displays, lectures, meetings and workshops. Fundraising for additional project phases is ongoing, but the College already has received major gifts from the Marietta McNeill Morgan and Samuel Tate Morgan, Jr. Foundation, The Helen S. and Charles G. Patterson Jr. Foundation, and the Logan family: George and Joseph Logan, and Anna Logan Lawson. The Logan family gift is in honor of their father, Joseph D. Logan Jr. ’1919. Bittle ’68 and Charlotte Porterfield have made a significant gift to name the floor. Dr. George Herring ’57 is helping to fund the teaching space. The project is also supported by James and Sandra Ford ’56 ’56, Nina Byrd and Ray Byrd, Alan ’79 and Deanie Ronk, and the VFIC. • Streetscaping on College Avenue: College-owned buildings along College Avenue have received facade upgrades. The Douglas W. Ayres (Resource Development) building, with Fruitions restaurant and 9 North College, had cosmetic façade work done to create a consistent and charming look that extends the campus connection to Main Street. The façade work was funded through a generous gift from the JAM Anonymous Foundation.
The Sutton Patio
The Logan Gallery
• Clay Street House: The one-and-a-half story frame house is one of the oldest and historically significant standing structures in Salem. The house can be seen in Edward Beyer’s well-known landscape painting of Salem, which dates from 1855. The College has completed basic stabilization of the house and removed asbestos siding. Fundraising for additional phases of this project is ongoing, but the College has already received major funding for the restoration from the Powell family of Salem and the RollerBottimore Foundation. • West Hall first floor: The main floor of West Hall was upgraded this spring with new carpeting, paint and new furnishings. A few of the additions weren’t new at all: Courtroom benches from the days when the building served as the Roanoke County Courthouse are back in the building. The Helen S. and Charles G. Patterson, Jr. Charitable Trust and the C.E. Richardson Foundation funded this upgrade.
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Streetscaping on College Avenue
collegenews “JOURN EY STORIES”
A PARTNERSHIP with the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils brought a history exhibition to Roanoke College in November that documents, through storytelling, how our ancestors came to America. “Journey Stories” is an exhibition by Museum on Main Street, which brings exhibitions to small-town museums and exhibit spaces. The exhibition, featuring vivid images and audio and video recordings, is housed inside the newly renovated first-floor gallery of the College’s Bank Building, now called the Logan Gallery. Terri Cobb ’95, registrar for Museum on Main Street, helped bring the former traveling exhibit to the College. Cobb arranged for “Journey Stories” to make a special appearance at Roanoke after Dr. Mark Miller, a history professor at the College, contacted her to ask about an exhibition that could be featured in the new gallery space. The timing was perfect to send “Journey
Stories” to Salem, Cobb said. It was closing in California and shipping back to the East Coast, after traveling to 30 different states over the past six years. “It’s great to have it out one more time and at my alma mater,” said Cobb, who was part of the team that created the exhibition. Cobb came to Salem on Oct. 14-15 to clean the exhibit and install it in the gallery, with help from several Roanoke students. While on campus, Cobb, who majored in history and international relations at Roanoke, also discussed the exhibition’s significance with students in a public history class. “The great thing about ‘Journey Stories,’ it’s talking about transportation through personal stories, through quotes and recordings,” Cobb said. “You hear personal impressions.” The exhibition “tells the important story of the settlement of America,” Miller said. “It’s accessible and awfully engaging on a broader level.” — Jenny Kincaid Boone ’01
EXHIBITION PHOTO FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON LIBRARIES
Smithsonian exhibition makes stop at Roanoke
A Northern Pacific Railroad survey crew, including a Japanese immigrant, poses circ. 1885 near the Green River, Washington Territory.
C A BIN ETS OF CURIOSIT IES
ON SEPT. 11, “Wunderkammer: Origins of the Collection” was unveiled in Roanoke College’s Olin Gallery. The monthlong exhibit featured items that included the personal mineral collection of College founder David Bittle and renderings of designs by internationally known sculptor Alice Aycock. On opening night, Dr. Jane Long, Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo Professor of Art History, gave a lecture on the origin of collecting as a hobby during the Italian Renaissance and its development into a global amusement in the modern era. The extensive and sometimes peculiar products of this activity are commonly referred to as “cabinets of curiosities,” also known by the German term “wunderkammer.” The Wunderkammer exhibit brought a modern spin to this concept of collecting through the compilation and curation of a variety of objects
into one, cohesive exhibit. Items displayed ranged in subject matter and age, some dating back a few centuries; others were as recent as the current century. The dynamism of this exhibit revealed a unique characteristic of contemporary galleries: the ability to curate exhibits in which the past is highlighted in such a way that it gains a revived sense of relevance to the present. The exhibit featured the personal collections of past and present faculty of Roanoke College, including professors of art history, biology, chemistry and math, in addition to some historic collections of the College archives, and taxidermy on loan from an alumnus and from the Virginia Museum of Natural History. — Brieanah Gouveia ’17 Brieanah is Web editor of The Brackety-Ack. Her article and photo originally appeared on The Brackety-Ack website, www.brackety-ack.pages.roanoke.edu.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIEANAH GOUVEIA
Olin Gallery Features “Wunderkammer” exhibit
______ ___ ______
Liberal arts is essential for innovation, Apple CEO Steve Jobs once mused. “It’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields the results that make our hearts sing,” he said. Entrepreneur Andy Greenfield wrote in a 2014 opinion piece that liberal arts graduates have great basic training for turning an idea into an action. “Along with critical thinking, it is this element of liberal arts that builds entrepreneurial muscle…An entrepreneur questions things, and then works toward making the answers a reality.”
Inventive, creative, entrepreneurial minds have long been an integral part of Roanoke College. Meet some of today’s “makers” — five Maroons whose inventions and creations, of their own artistic conception, or the continuation of creations steeped in family tradition, affirm the declarations of Mr. Jobs and Mr. Greenfield.
_________________
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“It’s gotten to the point where it’s just been something really fun for me to do in my free time.” — Taylor Ferebee ’17
here’s an app for that” has become the mantra of today’s tech-savvy crowd. Digital applications exist for everything from checking the weather, to editing photos, to playing virtual trivia games with friends. Anyone with smart technology can open their app store and browse the more than 1 million available applications. Far fewer people, however, actually understand the complex process that goes into building these apps. That’s what makes Taylor Ferebee ’17 so unique. For more than a year, Ferebee has been working with a team of elite mathematicians to publish her Movie Predictor app and multi-predictor algorithm. As a double major in physics and mathematics at Roanoke College, Ferebee started exploring her academic interests even before starting college, which ultimately led to her interest in app design and functionality.
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Initially, the app only had entry fields where a user could provide basic information about a film. More recently, however, Ferebee added a text input section in which a user can provide a portion (350 words) of a screenplay to assess the script for potential profitability. After finishing that optimization, Ferebee wanted to see how her app and its original algorithm could be applied to predict other outcomes outside of film. “I’ve been looking into predicting health outcomes, specifically of college students. “Ferebee says. “You’d use values such as how much time a student is in class, how much work they have to do and stress level to predict what their overall health would be.” When asked how she came up with the idea, Ferebee simply responds, “I got a cold last year, and I wondered if it was something I was doing to make myself sick.” That simple
FORECASTING FILMS RC junior Taylor Ferebee builds a Movie Predictor app and multi-predictor algorithm. BY HANNAH CLINE ’15 | PHOTO BY SAM DEAN
When she was just 15, Ferebee was the youngest Aerospace Ambassador to ever work for NASA, performing research for NASA’s Space Technology Office. While there, she made live demos of the Curiosity Rover’s dissent to Mars, among other things. The summer after her freshman year at Roanoke, Ferebee was chosen to be a student of accomplished scientist Steven Wolfram’s international summer program at the Wolfram Science Summer School. There, she spent three weeks working with Wolfram, the school’s founder and inventor of the popular computational software program Mathematica. Under Wolfram’s guidance, Ferebee began to conceptualize her app. Ultimately, she decided to combine her love of filmmaking with her passion for mathematical concepts. Her goal was to create an app that could predict the box office success of a film using artificial intelligence. “I ended up doing research on which parts of films would be good for statistical analysis,” says Ferebee. “I started simple with the movie posters, and then looked at what time of the year the film is going to be released, the genre of the film and [what] makes a film profitable.” For the past year, Ferebee has stayed in touch with research assistants at the Wolfram school and continued to optimize her app. Her goal is to have a working multi-predictor algorithm that she can sell — primarily to very tech-savvy people with very specific interests — by 2020.
question launched the next phase of her research. As a full-time student, she uses the app as an opportunity to set aside her coursework and experiment with something that she is passionate about. “It’s gotten to the point where it’s just been something really fun for me to do in my free time,” she says. Ferebee was invited for another session of Wolfram’s Science Summer School but decided to expand on her talents in other ways. As an active member of Roanoke’s Catholic Campus Ministry, Ferebee spent part of this summer working with the communications department at Immaculate Conception Church, a Catholic parish in Hampton, Va. While there, she did a full data analysis of the demographics of the church to create a three-year outreach plan appealing to subsets of the population that were not well represented in the church’s current congregation. Applying her mathematical background to answer practical questions seems to be a theme in Ferebee’s continued pursuits. She is optimistic her future projects will be utilitarian. “I recently learned about an opportunity called Data Science for the Social Good. It does similar analysis, like I did for the church, for other nonprofits,” she says. “I’d love to do something like that in the future — basically helping the people who help the world.”
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“Every single move has pushed this thing forward in ways I never would have expected it to.” — Chase Bourdelaise ’08
t started with a notion kicked around during a Roanoke College Alumni Weekend. Chase Bourdelaise ’08 and Paul Wagner ’08 were at Mac & Bob’s restaurant in downtown Salem when an old school chum came in and started high-fiving everyone around the table. Bourdelaise says he remembers thinking “it would have been a lot cooler,” if confetti shot into the air with each palmslap. An idea was born. The two classmates have now patented and are preparing to ship a device they call FiestaFive. It’s worn on the hand; when someone gives a person a “high five,” biodegradable confetti shoots into the air. The reloadable FiestaFive, which will sell somewhere between $5 and $10, should start shipping late this year or in early 2016, Bourdelaise says. The confetti, loaded into the
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dozen prototypes later they see light at the end of the tunnel. “We’re on the one yard line here,” says Bourdelaise. They even traveled to China to explore manufacturing prospects but may go in another direction. Both parties have developed connections since leaving Roanoke College that could lead to avenues in the team sports market as well as with major wholesalers. Wagner, who majored in history at Roanoke, now works for a company in New York that creates NCAA athletic websites and streams games online. His connection to the college sports world is helping to open that door for FiestaFive. “It’s been a really long time,” says Wagner of the six-year arc for FiestaFive — hatching an idea, designing the device, securing a patent, lining up pathways to the marketplace. He credits Bourdelaise for the original concept but was happy to come aboard as a partner and bring those connections
PARTY NOVELTY RC alumni Chase Bourdelaise and Paul Wagner invent novel party product. BY GENE MARRANO | PHOTO BY MARK WILSON
hand-held device, can be college or pro sports team colors— even in a corporate color and/or with a company logo. FiestaFive has already received air time on NBC’s “Today Show,” when last year, co-anchor Willie Geist and weatherman Al Roker demonstrated how it worked. (See a video clip at http://tinyurl.com/ogg4ogd.) The device was also showcased on a Spanish language version of the “Today Show.” Discovery Channel featured FiestaFive as well. “Hopefully we’ll catch the end of [the current] football season,” says Bourdelaise, a Maryland native who majored in business administration at Roanoke. He works as a commercial real estate market analyst in the Boston area when not busy with FiestaFive. Bourdelaise also lived in New York City, where Wagner still resides, and while there, focused on early product development. “Every single move has pushed this thing forward in ways I never would have expected it to,” Bourdelaise says. Bourdelaise and Wagner, both 29 and Sigma Chi fraternity brothers, worked on the project with an industrial engineer for five years despite never meeting him in person; they found him online. They also hired freelance talent to develop a logo and other business components. That patent took several years of legal wrangling and a lastditch appeal to secure. Bourdelaise says they can now license FiestaFive to other parties that want to manufacture and sell it. There have been ups and downs along the way, but several
along with him. Wagner’s advice to aspiring entrepreneurs and college students? “Keep going; don’t give up. It’s a long road and you’re going to hit tons of obstacles,” he says. Even before entering Roanoke College, Bourdelaise knew he wanted to run his own company someday. “All of those business classes were interesting to me,” he recalls, “and it just kind of clicked.” In fact, a business plan he developed for one of his Roanoke College courses was used to help develop a framework for FiestaFive. Bourdelaise has also developed a project on his own — MealPlanMagic.com, where subscribers can create a healthy eating plan based on their goals for weight reduction and/or adding muscle. It was borne out of a desire he and his wife, Keri, had for devising weekly meal plans to suit their hectic lifestyle. Bourdelaise says he would tell business students in college to “test the idea first but run with something. If it [fails] you’re going to learn so much more — then take it to the next level. Something is going to click eventually.” So, how cool would it be to watch New Year’s Eve revelers around the world celebrating with FiestaFives, scattering brightly colored confetti to the wind? “It would be insane,” Bourdelaise says. “I see it happening.” For more details, visit fiesta5.com. ROANOKE.EDU 17
“I always thought I would go back to [medical] school at 30. But I enjoyed the business.” — Andrew Ward ’82
he work of a Roanoke College graduate’s family business adorns the Library of Congress, the Biltmore Estate, the homes of Oprah Winfrey and Howard Stern, and other acclaimed residences, institutions and attractions. Andrew Ward ’82 is the fourth-generation owner of P.E. Guerin, a 158-year-old family metal-working business. The business refers to itself as the oldest decorative hardware firm in the United States. Its back-in-time metal foundry sits in its original four-story Greenwich Village building in Manhattan, N.Y. Since 1857, the company has produced and sold handcrafted 18th-century metal work. Its products include door hardware, bath accessories such as towel rings and sink basins, and chandeliers. Ward is the great-grandnephew of the company’s founder, Pierre Emmanuel Guerin, a French immigrant. Beginning in his teenage years, Ward worked in the P.E.
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ship. He has invested in equipment, improvements and new hires to grow P.E. Guerin, says Martin Grubman, the company’s vice president who has worked with Ward for the past 28 years. “He loves the company,” Grubman says of Ward. “The company is him. He would be miserable without it. It would be like losing a close relative.” P.E. Guerin employs 170 people across its factories. Sixty people work in the original Greenwich Village location where all custom orders are made by hand. The majority of its custom work is for private residences. From start to finish, employees produce each decorative item by hand at the Greenwich Village foundry, including sandcasting and gold plating work. P.E. Guerin’s products have appeared in national interior design and home magazines. In the past two years, Traditional Home featured its sandcast brass door knockers, Manhattan
LEGACY OF HANDIWORK Andrew Ward is the fourth-generation owner of a company that creates decorative hardware by hand. BY JENNY KINCAID BOONE ’01 | PHOTO BY MICHAEL PARAS
Guerin packing and fitting departments where he drilled hinges, levers and doorknobs. He grew up in New Jersey. When he came to Roanoke College, he envisioned one day working in the medical field. Ward, who played for four years on the College’s tennis team and lived on campus, majored in biology and minored in chemistry. He was accepted to several medical schools. But the family business seemed to be calling him. He put off plans for medical school when his father, then the company’s owner, offered to train him for five years to learn the business. “I always thought I would go back to [medical] school at 30,” Ward said. “But I enjoyed the business.” Ward became president and CEO in 1991, after his father retired. He has not looked back since. “It’s a great business,” says Ward, now 55. “It’s recession proof. We were busy during the recession and the Great Depression.” The company now has a global presence with foundries in Spain and Portugal, where items are ready-made and can be purchased online or at the company’s New York location. The company has six showrooms in the United States. Much of the company’s growth is a result of Ward’s leader-
Magazine showed off the company’s gold bird basin set, Veranda displayed its Beehive towel bar, and Elle Décor published photos of P.E. Guerin’s ornate knobs and levers. The company’s products have remained relevant and popular through the years because its designs have changed with the trends and styles of various time periods, Grubman says. “I think the fact that we’re as old as we are, we have seen that everything seems to be cyclical—the economy, trends, fashion,” Grubman says. For example, “we were here during the Art Deco period, creating the hardware of the Art Deco period.” Though P.E. Guerin has evolved over time, one aspect of the business does not appear to be changing—its family ownership roots. Ward’s son, Ryan, is preparing to become the family business successor. In five years, Andrew Ward expects his son, one of six children and a University of Virginia graduate, to take the reins at P.E. Guerin. It’s a family legacy that Andrew Ward is glad that he can pass on. “He’s working to be the fifth generation,” Ward says. To watch the P.E. Guerin process, visit http://tinyurl.com/of9bl4l. ROANOKE.EDU 19
“My friends are like, ‘I saw you in InStyle [magazine]. You’re a celebrity.’ I don’t feel like that.” — Jill Hoffmeister ’05
cademy Award nominee Salma Hayek wore diamond stud earrings by Jill Hoffmeister Jewelry to a Vanity Fair party. Israeli model Bar Refaeli turned up at MTV’s Europe Music Awards wearing a Jill Hoffmeister diamond ear cuff. Actress Bryce Dallas Howard posed in a photo shoot wearing a Jill Hoffmeister diamond baguette necklace. Undeniably, Jill Hoffmeister ’05, a 33-year-old jewelry designer, has established a fan base among Hollywood stylists and celebrities. Even so, Hoffmeister—who took the last name DeMello after marrying fellow Maroon David DeMello ’05 in 2014 but uses her maiden name professionally—considers herself a newcomer. “I feel like I’m still a really young designer,” she stresses. Hoffmeister juggles creating new pieces for her collection with a full-time position managing Roseark, a luxury West Hollywood boutique that caters to stylemakers searching for
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her jewelry making. She found a study abroad program in Florence, Italy that offered coursework in jewelry fabrication. “It was there where I fell in love with it,” she says. While in Italy for her spring semester, Hoffmeister and DeMello kept in contact. Shortly after senior year began, the pair officially became a couple. As graduation approached, Hoffmeister made plans to attend the Gemological Institute of America in Carlsbad, Calif. DeMello decided his future was in New Zealand, where he could play soccer. The couple parted ways, on friendly terms. Hoffmeister kept her mind off her heart by staying busy at GIA. An instructor from the school invited Hoffmeister to work part-time with him at couture jeweler K. Brunini Jewels, where she got a hands-on education in the industry. After finishing at GIA, Hoffmeister initially planned to move back to Boston. Brunini first suggested that she meet with
CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT Hollywood stylemakers take a shine to the creations of Jill Hoffmeister. BY BETH JOJACK | PHOTO BY MARK WILSON
distinctive accessories. It’s a job that, according to her husband, has left her a bit nonchalant about her star following. Hoffmeister will casually mention something about a “Gwen,” DeMello says. A minute later, he realizes she’s referring to singer Gwen Stefani. “The fact that these influential people like her jewelry just reflects how awesome her stuff is,” DeMello says. Hoffmeister loved tying knots in friendship bracelets and stringing beads onto necklaces as early as elementary school. Even so, when she set out for her first year at Roanoke College, she didn’t plan to one day become a jeweler to the stars. Hoffmeister selected Roanoke College because she liked Salem; she’d looked for a school in a city that was different from the Boston area, where she grew up. She also wanted to play soccer for the Maroons. It was through the sport that she met DeMello, who played for the men’s team. By the end of their freshman year preseason, the pair had settled into an easy friendship. Hoffmeister sampled a variety of subjects at Roanoke. She considered studying business administration before settling on art as her major. Looking back, she’s glad her instincts brought her to a liberal arts college, where she had the opportunity to try different disciplines. “That definitely helped me pinpoint exactly what I wanted to do,” she says. By her junior year, Hoffmeister decided to get serious about
Kathy Rose, co-owner of Roseark, a high-end jewelry store in West Hollywood. Initially, Hoffmeister was hired to do sales at Roseark, but she’d told Rose that her goal was to design. Rose invited Hoffmeister to bring in some pieces and liked them so much she began selling them in her store. “Her jewelry always tells a story,” Rose says of Hoffmeister’s work. “She has such great, clean taste.” Stylists and fashion editors have taken note. Hoffmeister is careful to point out, however, that having singer Rihanna photographed wearing one of her ear cuffs doesn’t automatically equate increased sales. “My friends are like, ‘I saw you in InStyle [Magazine]. You’re a celebrity.’ I don’t feel like that.” As her career grew, Hoffmeister periodically touched base with DeMello. But it wasn’t until 2010, when the pair met at Roanoke College for Alumni Weekend, that their old sparks reignited. The couple, now living in the Boston area, married in 2014; Hoffmeister made their wedding bands. DeMello asked for his to be made out of rose gold, her favorite metal. Hoffmeister mostly telecommutes for her job at Roseark, periodically flying to Los Angeles for meetings. Her long-term goal is to design jewelry full-time. “There’s more to come,” DeMello says. “I’m waiting for her to take that next risk, to just jump in with both feet.” ROANOKE.EDU 21
“I always wanted to have something that I could call my own.” — Tyler Puckett ’05
ver the years, Tyler Puckett ‘05 has lost, dropped or stepped on 10 pairs of sunglasses, each valued at more than $100. He was fed up. Puckett turned his frustration into a money-making avocation. He is one of three entrepreneurs behind a business that creates and sells polarized sunglasses for $49 or less. The shades come in numerous styles, from aviators to the everpopular tortoiseshells. “If you happen to lose them, you don’t feel heartbroken,” says Puckett, who after a year of planning, building a website, finding a manufacturer and ordering merchandise, launched Fed Thrill in 2013 with two friends. The business is named for Federal Hill, the Baltimore neighborhood where the three housemates-turned-entrepreneurs lived for a time.
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they typically talk once a day. To keep their friendship and business relationship solid, they have an agreement—never shoot down an idea without first hearing it. Mindel described Puckett as having a “never give up” attitude in business. From posting to social media outlets daily and working directly with customers, “he keeps at it, looking at our clientele and who we are targeting,” Mindel says. Puckett isn’t new to the marketing or business field. Previously, he was vice president of sales for LXM Pro Tour, a professional lacrosse festival, and a marketing consultant for Living Social, a web-based marketplace. Before that, he worked as a youth development coordinator and a training coordinator for U.S. Lacrosse, the national governing body for men’s, women’s and youth lacrosse, and in sales for a Baltimore construction company. Though he majored in international relations at Roanoke,
BEHIND THE SHADES Tyler Puckett co-founded a business that creates and sells affordable, stylish sunglasses. BY JENNY KINCAID BOONE ’01 | PHOTO BY TOBY JORRIN
“I always wanted to have something that I could call my own,” Puckett says. “I had been interested in what it would take to start a company from the ground up and learn and overcome the challenges associated with it.” The venture marks the Salem, Va., native’s first time owning and running a business. Now he balances sunglasses orders with a full-time job as account executive for membership sales with the Washington Nationals Major League Baseball team in Washington, D.C. “It’s definitely a long work week,” says Puckett, who spends three to four hours an evening fulfilling sunglasses orders, posting business updates to social media and handling customer service inquiries from his Bethesda, Md., apartment. Puckett is Fed Thrill’s creative director, overseeing social media and other marketing roles, including partnerships with athletes. Matt Mindel, a high school guidance counselor by day, is Fed Thrill’s co-managing partner, handling retail and employee communications. Fed Thrill’s third original partner no longer is involved in the business. The business has eight other employees who are sales representatives on college campuses, a major target audience. Fed Thrill’s sunglasses range from $39 to $49. Puckett says they keep prices low by working directly with the manufacturer, having low overhead costs and not using an international distributing company. Though Puckett and Mindel work from separate locations,
Puckett says he gained significant leadership and business skills through student positions with the College’s Campus Activities Board and the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. “Roanoke’s environment helped develop my ability to communicate with different people, which is a core characteristic of owning a business,” says Puckett, who initially considered a law career. Puckett’s Roanoke roots have contributed to some of Fed Thrill’s success. Many of his Roanoke friends have placed sunglasses orders, and the company has designed black and maroon sunglasses for the College’s fall orientation. Puckett and Mindel hope to eventually have an office or warehouse space dedicated to Fed Thrill. For now, their focus is expanding the business’s retail presence and “growing responsibly, not too fast, not too slow,” Puckett says. As of early September, 11 stores on the East Coast sold Fed Thrill sunglasses. Puckett and Mindell plan to expand to more boutiques, surf shops and lacrosse stores in the next year, while maintaining the enterprise’s strong online business. Online revenue, plus festivals, concerts and other events, comprise about 80 percent of Fed Thrill’s sales, Puckett says. “While it may be a grind at times, there’s nobody to tell us that an idea wouldn’t work,” says Puckett about owning a business. “We just give it a try, learn from it and move forward. It is by far the most exciting and fulfilling project I’ve ever done.” Check out Fed Thrill sunglasses at http://www.fedthrill.com/. ROANOKE.EDU 23
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DR. ALAN FRIEDLANDER ’80 jokes that when he complains about his job, no one really listens. When the world’s most untouched, remote locales are your workplace, and Hawaii has been home base for 25 years, those of us whose workdays are spent parked behind a desk might be prone to tuning him out. Truth is, people very likely do listen when Friedlander shares job-related complaints: the walrus that punctured a hole in his boat; the dives into 20-degree waters; the quick escapes from polar bears; the Russian guards with AK47s, dispatched to protect him from said bears. Friedlander is a marine biologist, serving as affiliate faculty at the University of Hawaii’s Department of Biology and as director of the university’s Fisheries Ecology Research Lab. But his primary work, since 2013, has been as chief scientist for National Geographic’s Pristine Seas project, a mammoth global effort to help protect the planet’s most biodiverse, but vulnerable, marine areas. Launched officially in 2009 by National Geographic and its Explorer-in-Residence, Dr. Enric Sala, the project’s five-year goal “is to save the last wild places on the ocean through a combination of science, media and policy,” Friedlander says. The project’s intended long-term impact, according to its website, is this: “to preserve areas that are pristine or near pristine and help restore areas that may have suffered some human impacts but still harbor unique features such as large animals, healthy bottom communities and outstanding biodiversity.” There are other efforts and campaigns with missions similar to Pristine Seas’, but “none of them combine science, media and policy the
way we do,” Friedlander says. “We use rigorous science and compelling media, and make sure those have impact at the policy level. It’s why we have been so effective.” Expeditions have been conducted in 14 pristine seas thus far, with plans for about 20 more sites around the world, all with intact ecosystems but threatened by the impact of humans. The project’s team of 20, which includes a former deputy undersecretary at NOAA, the one-time communications director for former Vice President Al Gore and the former head of the British Antarctic Survey, to date have succeeded in inspiring country leaders to create protected reserves in seven areas. >>>
At left, Alan Friedlander counting fish on Robinson Crusoe Island, 500 miles off the coast of Chile. At right, Friedlander as he is about to get in the water at Cape Tegethoff, Hall Island, Franz Joseph Land., 500 miles from the North Pole.
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Those areas, covering more than 2 million square kilometers of the most pristine places in the ocean, include: • Gabon, a sovereign state on the west coast of Central Africa; • the northern Line Islands in the U.S. Central Pacific; • the southern Line Islands, a province of the Republic of Kiribati; • the Pitcairn Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean, a possession of the United Kingdom; • Salas y Gómez and Desventuradas, two small uninhabited Chilean island groups in the South Pacific; • Cocos Island, off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. In September, the team headed to Ilhas Selgavens (the Savage Islands), two uninhabited Portuguese islands between Madeira and the Canary Islands, off the coast of North Africa. In December, the team will be in the Galapagos Islands, tagging sharks and exploring the deep seamounts in submersibles.
“I feel fortunate to be able to visit these last wild places,” Friedlander says. “They are remote, but pretty inspiring. And the fact that we’ve been able to transfer this into actionable conversation through science and media is amazing.” Friedlander entered Roanoke
today’s May Term). After graduating from Roanoke, he moved to San Diego, then joined the Peace Corps in Tonga, where he worked as a fisheries extension agent. There, “I learned about the value of the ocean to people – and I learned a lot about myself.”
“I feel fortunate to be able to visit these last wild places. They are remote, but pretty inspiring.” College with biology as his intended major. He also came for lacrosse but played for only one year, finding the transition from high school to college athletics a bit tough. But he stuck with the biology major and was inspired to pursue a career in his chosen field — marine biology — while on a fish biology field course in the Florida Keys during what at the time was referred to as January “interterm” (precursor of
He then pursued a master’s degree in oceanography at Old Dominion University, working on offshore fishing buoys in Puerto Rico and artificial reefs in the Chesapeake Bay. That was followed by work as a fisheries biologist with the U.S. Virgin Islands government, then as a marine ecologist with the Virgin Islands National Park. There, he conducted research on coral reefs throughout the Caribbean.
A submersible dive at 1,500 feet at Desventuradas Islands (The Unfortunate Islands) 500 miles off the coast of Chile.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALAN FRIEDLANDER
Friedlander with Pasha, his Russian polar bear guard at Hall Island, Franz Joseph Land, an uninhabited archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea and Kara Sea.
From there, he went to the University of Hawaii to pursue a doctorate in marine biology. He has been at the university ever since. Friedlander had been conducting groundbreaking research to show the dramatic differences between fish populations in the uninhabited remote northwestern Hawaiian Islands and those in the populated main Hawaiian Island. The results of his research showed that the pristine reefs of the remote islands are dominated by large predators such as sharks, and show an inverted biomass pyramid, with more predators than prey. (Biomass is the total mass of all living material in a specific area.) This novel idea was not universally accepted, Friedlander says. But Dr. Sala, who was at Scripps Institute of Oceanography at the time, asked Friedlander if he would help lead an expedition to the Northern Line Islands in the central Pacific to test this hypothesis.
Tagging grey reef shark at Palmyra Atoll, in the northern Pacific Ocean.
“We found very similar results with an abundance of sharks and other predators at the uninhabited sites compared to the populated islands,” Friedlander says. “This was the first Pristine Seas expedition, and we continue to validate these findings when-
understand what we have lost in other places because of human impacts, and most importantly, to set proper conservation and management goals for our oceans,” he says. Friedlander, 56 and married with two dogs, has spent more than 10,000
“I learned about the value of the ocean to people — and I learned a lot about myself.” ever we visit remote locations, whether it be coral reefs, temperate kelp forests or the Arctic Ocean.” What followed for Friedlander was an offer to join the Pristine Seas team as chief scientist. “My goal is to conduct research to help understand what the ocean was like before heavy human impacts, to
hours underwater — in coral reefs, in the Arctic and in depths of thousands of feet, exploring some of the most remote and challenging regions on Earth. He has no plans to scale back his subaquatic adventures anytime soon. “I still have another decade of diving left,” he says. Reflecting, he adds, “It has been kind of amazing.” RC
To learn more about the Pristine Seas project, visit: http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/explore/pristine-seas/
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ALUMNI AND STUDENTS PAIR UP FOR CAREER ADVICE AND NETWORKING.
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MAROON
MENTORS By KAREN DOSS BOWMAN
oanoke College senior Jonathan Eary knows the power of networking. Connecting with Roanoke alumni has been a critical factor in his preparation for a career in finance. “Finding a good job in the finance industry depends on really connecting with the right people and building relationships,” says Eary, an economics and business administration major from Winston-Salem, N.C. “Roanoke alumni are a great resource for students. People are definitely important in helping you move forward in life and become successful in your career.” Eary participated in Roanoke’s Alumni Mentoring Program two years ago, during his sophomore year. He was paired with Jonathan Lee ’95, Roanoke’s director of alumni and family relations, who offered advice on networking and assisted Eary in making connections with Roanoke alumni working in finance careers. He talked to them about the finance sector and got advice on tailoring his resume for the field. Through those contacts, Eary gained confidence to successfully interview for the opportunity last summer to work as a sales and trading summer analyst for KCG Holdings Inc. in Jersey City, N.J. “I learned so much and figured out what I wanted to do in my career from the internship,” Eary says. “I learned what I liked about the finance industry, and what I don’t like about it. It was a cool opportunity, and Roanoke alumni helped me get there.” Lee, who enjoyed serving as a mentor, was inspired by Eary’s optimism, enthusiasm and ambition. “He’s bright, outspoken and a hard worker—he’s a prime ex-
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“Roanoke alumni are a great resource for students. People are definitely important in helping you move forward in life and become successful in your career.” — Jonathan Eary ’16
Dan Strelka ’89 (on right), CFO for the Salem, Va.-based Carter Machinery, arranged for Ted Melnik ’17 (on left) to spend time shadowing employees in the company’s marketing department, working closely with employees in data analytics and business information systems.
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The mentor/mentee relationship Jonathan Eary ’16 (seen here on Wall Street) had with Jonathan Lee ’95 led to an internship as a sales and trading summer analyst with a financial services firm headquartered in Jersey City, N.J.
ample of what we want our students at Roanoke to be,” Lee says. “I’m fortunate to work at the College and to interact regularly with students, but through this mentoring relationship, I was able to build a deeper connection with a student. It’s been rewarding to feel energized from that and to just enjoy it.”
“If [students] have questions or are unsure about a direction, they might be able to clarify their plans after they work with an alumni mentor.” — Toni McLawhorn, director of career services
Career Preparation Starts Early
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he Alumni Mentoring Program began in 2013 as a pilot program that matched sophomores who were declared as business or economics majors with alumni working in business careers and living in areas near the College. Lee has worked closely with Toni McLawhorn, director of career services, to pair up students and alumni. Participants are asked to do at least one informational interview and one job shadowing session. Students also are required to prepare their resume, and mentors are encouraged to review the students’ resumes and offer field-specific advice. The experience not only allows students to gain valuable professional 30 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2015
contacts, but also to develop job-specific skills by applying classroom concepts to the real world. They also have the opportunity to sharpen their leadership and communication abilities while getting a feel for a professional work environment. This year, the successful program— now called Maroon Mentors—has been expanded to include a broader range of academic majors, including communication studies, the sciences, and sociology. Lee and McLawhorn are casting their nets wider, seeking alumni throughout the United States, and even abroad, to participate. “We still like that personal connection, but we also can incorporate tech-
nology to allow alumni to participate from a distance,” says Lee, noting that more than 50 alumni-student pairs have been involved over the past two years. “They can meet students through Skype, e-mail or conference calls. The students and alumni don’t necessarily have to meet face-to-face, but can use technology to bridge the divide.” The program still focuses on sophomores, because “the career development process needs to start early,” McLawhorn says. “We invite students at an early level in their college careers because we hope to catch them before they’ve made decisions and gone so far in their academic
“There’s a lot of satisfaction gained from helping someone else, and students are so impressionable and eager to learn.”
program that there’s no turning back,” she explains. “If they have questions or are unsure about a direction, they might be able to clarify their plans after they work with an alumni mentor.”
— Ellie Hammer ’10, mentor
Learning About the Business World
T
ed Melnik ’17, a business administration major from Roanoke County, Va. who is concentrating in international business, had spent most of his summers working as a landscaper. He knew that spending time in a professional environment would help him confirm a direction for a future career in business, along with giving him valuable experience and broadening his network of contacts. “I thought it would be a great opportunity to meet with a Roanoke graduate and learn what the corporate world is like,” says Melnik, who plans to pursue a career in marketing. Melnik was paired with Dan Strelka ’89, chief financial officer for Salembased Carter Machinery. Strelka arranged for Melnik to spend time shadowing employees in Carter Machinery’s marketing department, working closely with employees in data analytics and business information systems. “I got to look over the shoulders of the marketing professionals and ask them questions about their work,” Melnik says. “It was a great opportunity to have an ‘in’ with a major company and to open doors and get an outsider’s look at how the business operates.” As the business world becomes more and more specialized, Strelka points out that working closely with alumni mentors gives students a chance to see the many applications of their specific academic majors. “Many business majors don’t have a good perspective to where their interest lies until they get in the real-world setting,” Strelka says. “I think moving from the academic side of what they’ve learned and seeing the real-world application in practice is the biggest benefit for students. It helps them formulate where there’s an intersection between
their interests and what they’re good at. And that helps them formulate a future career direction.” The mentor/mentee relationship sometimes leads to long-lasting friendships. Ellie Hammer ’10, a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch in Roanoke, became a mentor to Sara Sloman ’12, four years ago when Sloman was hired as an intern in Hammer’s office. Hammer has given her career advice, critiqued her resume and served as a job reference over the years, and the two continue to stay in touch. “Ellie was confident, and she made me realize I could succeed, no matter what area of business I decided to go into,” says Sloman, who lives in Richmond and is an internal auditor for Markel. Because the professional finance sector is male-dominated, Hammer considers it vital for women to have positive role models in the field. “If I had been able to have a female mentor when starting my career, that would have been huge,” Hammer says. “In planning a career, many women have questions about starting a family and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. One of the questions I faced was, ‘Can I do it all, or am I going to have to choose?’ If I had a female role model
[
who could say to me, ‘It’s achievable and you can do it all,’ that would have been really powerful. I think I can contribute by encouraging more women to choose our industry.” Hammer encourages more alumni to participate in Maroon Mentors, adding that the experience is just as rewarding for the alumni volunteers. “It’s just been really inspiring to work with Sara and to see her grow as a person and in her career,” Hammer says. “As a mentor you get as much as, if not more, from helping someone else and paying it forward. There’s a lot of satisfaction gained from helping someone else, and students are so impressionable and eager to learn.” The program also offers another opportunity to keep alumni engaged with the College—and to earn the loyalty of future alumni. “We offer a lifetime of opportunities for alumni to be engaged with the College,” Lee says. “We also want to make sure that our students understand they will be alumni someday. They’ll see that this is part of what being a Maroon is. Hopefully when they’re established in their careers, they’ll want to be able to do the same thing for a student who’s coming up behind them.” RC
TO LEARN MORE
]
During students’ four years at Roanoke College, alumni can provide invaluable support: sharing stories of their careers, offering advice on what it takes to break into their field, letting students shadow them in their jobs, helping students improve their resume, coaching them through mock interviews, helping them find internships and connecting them to colleagues in their professional networks. Among Roanoke’s 15,000-plus alumni are leaders in business, government and nonprofits who can help students plan their career, build a strong resume, find internships and develop their own professional network. For more information, contact Jonathan Lee, director of alumni and family relations at jelee@roanoke.edu, or Toni McLawhorn, director of career services, at mclawhorn@roanoke.edu. Also, visit www.roanoke.edu/alumni.
ROANOKE.EDU 31
campaignnews
“ ” It’s a way for
all of us to give
back to the College to
celebrate the
successes
we’ve had.
— Chris Caveness
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Giving with Purpose CAMPAIGN LEADERSHIP
Alumni reconnect for humanitarian purpose ike many fraternity brothers, Chris Caveness ’83 and Andy Jowdy ’82 stayed in touch after graduation. In 2014, the two fraternity brothers, with the re-establishment of Pi Lambda Phi Fraternity on campus, decided they wanted to create something exceptional for their fraternity and the student learning experience at Roanoke College. “President Maxey approached me about establishing a scholarship,” Caveness recalls. “I’d contributed to Roanoke in the past and after talking with him about a scholarship and other interests I had for the Business Administration curriculum, I decided I wanted to do something more.” At the same time, Jowdy had an idea to support Roanoke students by creating an ethics-based speakers series. Caveness reached out to Jowdy to discuss creating something unique for Roanoke College. The Pi Lambda Phi Speaker Series and Scholarship Fund began to take shape. “I don’t think young people have a lot of good, positive role models,” Jowdy says. “The goal was to create opportunities to expose kids to conversations about right and wrong in the context of real-life experiences.” Back on campus, David Robertson ’89, director of the College’s Center for Leadership and Entrepreneurial Innovation, was focusing the center’s efforts on entrepreneurship so that business students could “learn from someone else’s journey.” Caveness and Robertson were old friends and hadn’t seen each other since graduating from Roanoke. The two reconnected and, recognizing that the goals of CLEI were in sync with the objectives Caveness and Jowdy had for the new fraternity fund, entered into a partnership. Working collectively, the three decided that Pi Lam Fund and CLEI would also be the best way to meet their individual goals for giving back to the school in monetary and academic-enhancing ways. Pi Lam brothers Rob Lyon ’85, Brian McElwee ’84, Peter O’Neill ’85, Robin Peirce ’85 and Bobby Ziogas ’82 joined the cause, and the group created the Pi Lambda Phi Fund to award two scholarships and invite a speaker to campus every year. “We brothers came together in a significant way so the fund can sustain itself for at least the next 10 years,” Caveness says. “It’s a way for all of us to give back to the College to celebrate the successes we’ve had. It also gives Pi Lambda Phi members on campus a chance to play an ac-
L
Andy Jowdy, far left, David Robertson, second from the right, and Chris Caveness, far right, present a check to Deven Schei at the Wounded Warrior Project event on Sept. 15.
tive role in the creation of the annual speaking event, the scholarship process and general business management.” Jowdy says having a fraternity involved in helping manage a fund is unique. “These young guys get to participate in the process,” he says. “Our mission is to provide an environment that fosters the kind of brotherhood that we had.” If the Sept. 15 inaugural event was any indication, the brothers are on to something. An estimated 250 people filled the Wortmann Ballroom at the Colket Center to hear Abby Reiner and Deven Schei share their experiences with the Wounded Warrior Project, a national military and veterans’ charity that was founded in Roanoke in 2003. Reiner is Wounded Warrior’s brand director. Schei, a combat veteran who was wounded while serving in Afghanistan, is now a Wounded Warrior spokesman. He is the younger brother of a veteran who was severely injured while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The crowd also celebrated the Pi Lambda Phi Fund’s first two scholarship awards, presented to Mikaela Cook ’17 and Preston Gould ’19. “The involvement of the current Pi Lambda Phi students has been the happiest surprise,” Jowdy says. “They deserve the credit for the event. They put forth the effort and fulfilled the roles we asked them to play. It’s all about trying to help people.” — Nan Johnson
campaignnews
LEARNING TO GIVE
Council recognizes Heritage Walk supporters
New PLC co-chairs Harry E. Trigg III and Dr. L. Diane Parham are serving as the new co-chairs of the Roanoke College Parent Leadership Council. Trigg is president of Trigg Industries International Inc., a manufacturer and provider of products for the traffic engineering industry. Parham is a professor at the University of New Mexico, where she serves as director of the Occupational Therapy Graduate Program. The couple’s daughter, Dorothy, is a senior at Roanoke.
The Roanoke College Student Giving Council.
embers of Roanoke’s Student Giving Council were given a unique opportunity in October to recognize some of the College’s most generous contributors and gain hands-on experience in the importance of financial support. Students worked with the College’s Buildings and Grounds staff to place new brick pavers along Heritage Walk, the historic path in front of the Administration Building. The pavers are inscribed with the names of those who have given at least $5,000 to the Roanoke Fund. The Founders Circle, at the crest of the walk, recognizes those who give at least $10,000 to the Roanoke Fund. The ceremony celebrated the alumni, parents and friends who help sustain the
M
College’s daily operations. As the donors’ names were announced, the students planted each paver. Students were informed that giving is a continuum passed from one generation to the next. As leaders of current student and future alumni giving, the Student Giving Council was also recognized for its commitment to Roanoke and its importance in the College’s success, today and tomorrow. The Student Giving Council is the first group of Roanoke College students to help place pavers in Heritage Walk. The brick pavers are permanent symbols of an investment in Roanoke College and of a commitment to a high quality liberal arts education, first placed in Heritage Walk and Founders Circle in the early 1990s.
CAMPAIGN PROGRESS
GOAL:
$200,000,000
$165,044,000*
ARE YOU “ALL IN?” Find out who’s “in” and join the NOKE500 at www.roanoke.edu/noke500 * As of Nov. 4, 2015. Includes $30.13 million for the Cregger Center.
ROANOKE.EDU 33
campaignnews
Endowing the Future of Roanoke n planning for the future of Roanoke College, we’ve taken a hard look at what we do well—what separates Roanoke from other liberal arts colleges around the country. It comes down to this: With our strong mentoring culture, our faculty who love to teach, the wealth of opportunities we offer for first-hand learning, and a highly engaged alumni network, most students who come here find a passion, dig deeply into it, and are ready to go out into the world and live their passion when they graduate. Looking forward, we want to strengthen this claim. That will mean investing in faculty to expand the breadth of what we teach and the quality of our teaching. It will require new equipment and new facilities, new software and new programs. It will mean increasing opportunities for first-hand learning through student research, internships, service work, study away and creative projects.
I
All of these investments must be made while working to keep a Roanoke education affordable for students each year, regardless of their financial means. Our diverse student body has grown up in small towns and big cities; they’re children of executives and firstgeneration immigrants. This mix is key to the Roanoke experience. Living, learning and working with different people opens minds, broadens perspectives, teaches empathy—qualities the world needs in its leaders. Delivering on the promise to help all Roanoke students find, build and live their passion—today, and for generations to come—requires that the Roanoke endowment grow significantly. We deliver an education today equal to that found in the top liberal arts colleges in America. To compete successfully with them for the best faculty and students, we must have the resources to support our effort.
Zahava Urecki ’16, a political science major and 2015 Truman Scholar, participated in the Washington Semester Program this past spring.
Jarrett Cooper Tyree ’15 graduated Phi Beta Kappa and is now in his first year of dental school.
“I interned four days a week at Sen. Joe Manchin’s office. The experience I received and the connections I made are invaluable to a future career in politics. That experience could not have happened without the generous gift of the W. Lynn Copenhaver Memorial Scholarship.”
“Generous scholarships, such as the Lieb Family Scholarship, helped minimize my debt and helped me pursue many different goals and dreams. I am truly grateful for this help along my college journey and only hope to be able to give back to students in need in the future.”
34 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2015
campaignnews
Q&A What is an endowment, and how does it work?
What have others endowed, and how have they benefited Maroons?
A college endowment is made up of funds donated to provide support for the school’s mission in perpetuity. Like most colleges, Roanoke’s endowment consists of a number of separately managed funds, many with purposes specified by the donors—such as scholarships or endowed chairs—and others with unrestricted purpose, which allow the College the flexibility to address needs as they arise. With an eye to the future, these endowments are carefully invested, with a portion of each year’s return reinvested to assure spending parity, regardless of inflation. With a conservatively managed portfolio, the typical spendable return each year is about 5 percent. To combat the normal ups and downs of the stock market, our investment managers work with a rolling three-year average return. When the market is up, funds beyond the average are set aside for use when returns are below average. In severe downturns, spending may be curtailed to protect the principal.
Over the years, thousands of alumni, parents, friends and foundations have contributed to our endowment. Restricted endowments have included funding for many important facets of the College’s operations, such as scholarships, programs, faculty development and experiential learning opportunities. Examples include The Harry J. Breithaupt endowment, which has provided annual awards for Roanoke students who’ve demonstrated excellence in English, history and political science since 2000; The Henry H. Fowler Public Lecture Series, established in 1983 through an endowment fund in honor of former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Henry H. Fowler ’29; and The Virgil L. Frantz and Wanda Frantz Elliot Endowment, which provides support for faculty and students.
How large is our endowment, and how does it compare to our peers?
An endowment is more than an important contribution to the College today, it’s a legacy you create that will give for generations to come. If you choose to create a restricted endowment, you can fund aspects of the College’s work in which you strongly believe. Many who set up endowments are recognizing a transformative experience they had at Roanoke, assuring others will have the same experience in the future.
Roanoke’s current invested endowment would rank about 130 among private liberal arts colleges. However, a Roanoke education, in terms of class size, quality of teaching, innovative programming and real-world learning experiences, is better compared to schools with rankings in the top 100 schools that have endowments double and triple ours. To provide quality education on par with these schools and compete for top-notch students, we need to add significantly to our current endowment.
How does an endowment benefit donors?
If you are interested in supporting our general endowment fund, or setting up your own restricted fund, please contact:
Connie Carmack, Vice President of Resource Development: (540) 375-2231
Joyce Kipps ’50 established two endowed scholarships to assist Lutheran students.
Mark Gobble ’87 was one of the donors who created The Dr. Larry A. Lynch Endowed Scholarship fund for business majors who are academically advanced and financially challenged.
“I like to help people help the school and give other people the opportunity to have some of the experiences that I had.”
“I know because of others in the business department who [Dr. Lynch] has either hired, mentored—even taught—that his legacy will never die. Hopefully this scholarship will make sure that a lot more students will experience his legacy.”
ROANOKE.EDU 35
sportsnews Coach Phil Benne with the women’s soccer team and assistant coaches after his 300th win.
RC coaches join 300-wins club Benne and Trail reach the 300-wins plateau in the same season. IT’S A SPECIAL TIME for a collegiate athletic program when a coach reaches a milestone like 300 wins. But when it happens twice within the span of two weeks, that’s really something to be proud of. That happened at Roanoke College during the fall sports season. Women’s soccer coach Phil Benne and volleyball coach Blair Trail ’99 both reached the 300-wins mark within a two-week period in September. Benne hit the milestone first, on Sept. 11, when the women took a 3-0 soccer win over Southern Virginia University at the Shellenberger Classic, held at Lynchburg College. A Chicago native and Wittenberg College graduate, Benne is in his 26th year as women’s soccer coach at Roanoke College. Benne first came to Salem when his father, Dr. Robert Benne, joined the College faculty in the Religion and Philosophy Department in 1982. Phil Benne enjoyed attending the professional soccer Chicago Sting games at Comiskey Park while growing up in Illinois, and he experienced a degree of “culture shock” when he landed in the hills of Southwest Virginia. “I left all my friends and came to a very different environment, but I’ve grown to love it here,” Benne says. Benne met his wife, Stephanie Lundy ’96, while coaching 36
Benne at a Roanoke Invitational Tournament match against Elizabethtown College in September.
sportsnews
The volleyball team proudly acknowledges Coach Blair Trail’s 300th win. (Blair is at far left.)
at the College. (Stephanie played for the RC women’s tennis team.) The couple now have three children in Salem schools, Drew, Alex and Max. Benne is one of just two coaches to lead the RC women’s team. He assisted Coach Bob Hartman when the program was founded in the mid-80s, then took over full-time in 1989. “It made it easy for me to be the all-time winningest coach,” he says with a chuckle. Trail became coach of the Maroons volleyball team before she even graduated from the College in 1999. She played for Roanoke under Basil and Stephanie Conner, who resigned shortly after Trail’s senior season. Trail had stints as a volunteer assistant at Salem, Radford and Northside high schools during her collegiate playing days, and she felt like she was ready to take a shot at the RC job. “I went to [RC Athletic Director Scott Allison ’79] and told him I’d like to take the team,” says Trail. “He told me he’d give me the spring to see how I could recruit and then he’d decide. I can’t believe he had the confidence to hire me right out of college.” And, 300 wins later, it proved to be a sound decision. Trail won her 300th game on Sept. 23 when the Maroons defeated conference foe Shenandoah in three games in the C. Homer Bast Center. There were hugs all around as she was presented the game ball after the milestone victory. “I have a great situation here and I love Roanoke College,” says Trail, who teaches at her high school alma mater, North Cross School, during the day. “The people at North Cross and Roanoke have been great to work with.” Allison says he feels lucky to have both coaches on the athletics staff as things con-
“We’re very lucky to have them both. Their teams perform consistently well in the classroom and in competition.” —Scott Allison, RC Athletic Director
tinue to grow at Roanoke College. Trail will coach in the soon-to-be-completed Cregger Center next season and Benne’s players will run onto Kerr Stadium from their own locker room in the new facility. “We’re very lucky to have them both,” says Allison. “Their teams perform consistently well in the classroom and in competition.” Benne and Trail show no signs of slowing down as they look to the next milestone. “I plan on coaching here for another 20 or 25 years,” says Trail, who is in her 17th season. And Benne doesn’t miss Chicago. “Like a lot of my friends, I came from out of town and found a home here,” he says. “The quality of life in Salem is good and Roanoke College is a great place to work.” — Brian Hoffman, ’74
Trail at a Roanoke College Maroon Classic game against Ferrum College in September.
ROANOKE.EDU 37
sportsnews T RACK AND FIELD
Renaissance athlete ALEXIS JANNEY ’16, is an established track and field athlete and team captain. Named Track and Field MVP in 2013 and 2015, she is an ODAC champion in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes as well as the 4x100 meter relay. Last spring, she was also a member of Roanoke’s National Runner-Up 4x400 Meter Relay Team. Her leadership and passion for Roanoke, however, extend far beyond the track. Her roles on campus include Maroon Ambassador, Athlete Network Campus Ambassador, orientation leader, biology student researcher and creative contributor to the College’s public relations projects. In the little free time that she has, she also runs her own hobbyturned-business, Alexis J. Graphics, generating hand-drawn canvases made to order. As a freshman, Janney knew she wanted to find her track event, take advantage of the program’s tailored training, and succeed. But she also quickly learned that she wanted to carry on the legacy of track athletes who came before her. “The seniors from my freshman year were the greatest class,” Janney explains. “I really looked up to Carmen [Graves ’13] as far as success, and all of the upperclassmen set a great example. They were committed, they got along, and they were a fun group to be around. I think it was important for me to have leaders like that coming into the team.” Now a captain herself, Janney is following in their footsteps. She also cites her confidence in her teammates as a main motivator behind her success and leadership.
Student athlete Alexis Janney’s involvement at Roanoke extends far beyond the track.
“I really looked up to Carmen [Graves ’13]… All of the upperclassmen set a great example. It was important for me to have leaders like that coming into the team.” A recent example of this was at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships this past spring, when Janney worked alongside her teammates to achieve underdog victory. (Roanoke’s women’s 4X400-meter relay team was ranked 15th out of 16 nationally going into the meet and out-ran the competition for a second-place victory.) “Before the race, I told the girls that if they got me into the pack [for my last leg of the relay], I would get us on the podium.” That is exactly what happened. Janney fed off of the record-setting pace of her teammates (Alease Kinney ’16, Jessica Mejia ’15 and Erin McGovern ’16) and ran a 54.9second 400 meter split, passing the competition on the last straightaway for a national runner-up title. “When I run a relay, I’m doing it for the team—not necessarily myself. The most rewarding part was having the team tackle me to the ground afterward,” Janney says. Reflecting back on her Roanoke career, Janney is not eager to graduate. Whether playing the role of track captain or ushering new students to campus, she believes that Roanoke helped her to find her niche. “It’s been so rewarding,” she explains. “I love Roanoke, and being able to translate that passion is something I’ve loved doing. My time here has already exceeded all of my expectations, and now I’m making the most of the months that I have left.” — Hannah Cline ’15
Janney at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May. She was a member of the 4X400 relay team that placed second in the event in a time of 47:51.
38 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2015
sportsnews
SCOREBOARD PHOTO G A LLERY
Back in action... The field hockey team before their 6-0 season-opener victory over Ferrum College on Sept. 1 (top left, continuing clockwise). • Tyler Carbaugh’s pair of assists helped lead Roanoke past Shenandoah University 4-0 in ODAC Men’s Soccer action on Sept. 26. • The volleyball team closed out its Maroon Invitational with a pair victories (here, against Ferrum College) on Sept. 12. The Maroons finished the tournament 4-0. • Men’s and women’s cross-country won team titles at the Maroon Invitational in September. Harrison Toney ’16 and Caity Ashley ’17 took home top individual honors. • Women’s soccer midfielder Emily Whitaker ’18 collected ODAC Player of the Week honors after helping the Maroons to a pair of wins the week of Oct. 18, including a 2-0 triumph over regionally-ranked Christopher Newport University.
WOMEN’S SOCCER 9-7-1 (5-5 ODAC)
FIELD HOCKEY 11-7 (2-5 ODAC)
MEN’S SOCCER 11-5-1 (7-2-1 ODAC)
VOLLEYBALL 20-4 (8-2 ODAC)
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY 4th in ODAC Championships
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY 4th in ODAC Championships Note: As of Nov. 4, 2015
RC | sportsfacts • Harrison Toney ’16 captured the 2015 ODAC Men’s Cross Country Championship on Oct. 31 at Bridgewater College. Toney completed the 8k course in a time of 25:42. He becomes the fourth RC harrier to be named ODAC Runner of the Year. • The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) awarded the Roanoke Women’s Soccer team the Team Academic Award for the third year. The NSCAA awards this honor if a team’s overall grade point average is 3.0 or higher. This year the women’s soccer team had an average GPA of 3.17, an increase from the previous season. • The Field Hockey Team had its most successful season since 2004, with a record 11 wins, the first double win total since 2004. • The Roanoke College Volleyball Team came in No. 8 in the first NCAA Division III South Regional rankings released on Oct. 22.
For the latest scores, go to
maroons.roanoke.edu
ROANOKE.EDU 39
alumninews
Roanoke College magazine welcomes news of your recent accomplishments and/or transitions. You can write to us at: Office of Alumni Relations, Roanoke College, 221 College Lane, Salem, VA 24153-3794; call us toll-free at 1-866RCAlums; fax us at 540-375-2398; email us at alumni@roanoke.edu or update your record online at www.roanoke.edu/maroonsonline. Due to space constraints and time between issues, submissions to Alumni News might appear in an upcoming issue of the magazine. Editorial contributions are welcome but subject to editing. Photographs may be used as space permits, submitted
J.P. Morgan ’79 was named a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, a national professional statistical society. He was honored at an Aug. 11, 2015, ceremony at the 2015 Joint Statistical Meetings in Seattle, Wash. Fellow candidates are evaluated on contributions to the field as well as published works, employment position, ASA activities, membership and accomplishments in other societies and professional activities. ASA is the world’s largest community of statisticians, supporting excellence in the development, application and dissemination of statistical science. J.P. is a statistics professor as well as associate dean for strategic initiatives in the Virginia Tech College of Science and director of the college’s Academy of Integrated Science. Before his arrival at Virginia Tech, he was a professor at Old Dominion University, a visiting fellow at the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences; a visiting researcher at the College of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London; and a visiting researcher in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Goldsmith’s College, University of London. He holds a master’s degree and a doctoral degree in statistics from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
in print or digital format. Digital photos must be 1 MB in size or larger. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee return of contributed materials.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Sandra Fitzgerald ’69 has relocated to Orlando, Fla. She is retired from Mars, Inc. and enjoys biking, pistol shooting, herb gardening and socializing with friends and neighbors.
1970s
Dick Minnix ’54 and Marian Chapman Minnix ’55, of Lexington, Va., celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary Aug. 27, 2015.
Thomas C. Smedley ’73 has transitioned from technical writer to his dream job. He now mentors communications classes at Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, N.J. Eleven Delta Gamma sisters recently reunited at the home of Anne Davidge Chace ’79 in Tiverton, R.I. Those attending the reunion included: Sara Smith Sattler ’79; Chris Friel ’79; Anne Davidge Chace ’79; Andi Lewis Worthington ’79; Jamie Munn Simmons ’79; Kathleen McGovern ’79; Elaine Minor ’79; Sue Hecht Jacobsohn ’80; Debbie King Mehrer ’79; Beth Erickson Perry ’79; and Anne Gerlach Friday ’79 .
1960s
1980s
Ken Gerken ’61 and his wife enjoy spending winters traveling in their motor home in Key West, Fla. They spend the rest of the year in West Townsend, Mass. John Griffin ’64 and Caroline Engel Griffin ’64 celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They live in Earlysville, Va. Mary Beth Kershner Cox ’66 is owner and operator of Ship’s Hatch, Inc., in Crystal City, Va., and is celebrating 30 years there.
Amanda Black McBreen ’83 received her professional certification as an educational therapist. Kenny M. Wingfield ’88 has cycled thousands of miles to raise awareness about multiple sclerosis and money for MS research. Kenny, who was diagnosed with MS 25 years ago, has a website, www.msride.org/, which includes his biography and personal accounts of his travels for multiple sclerosis. Since 1991, Kenny has ridden more than 10,000 miles to raise money
class notes 1940s Bettie Buck Pierce ’48, a resident of Pompano Beach, Fla., is pleased that her college roommate, Jane Thomas Munsey ’48, lives across the highway from her!
1950s
40
to find a cure for MS. Visit http://tinyurl.com/oz4zf3v to see a TV news segment about Wingfield’s journey.
1990s William “Mac” Babb III ’90, formerly with the Roanoke City Police Department, has been named deputy chief of police and assistant director of security at Virginia Tech. He will assist the chief of police in leading the 75-person Virginia Tech Police Department and oversee its operations and administrative divisions. His other responsibilities include assisting in developing and implementing a security strategy and coordinating the continued on page 42
Kappa Alpha Fraternity brothers, Mike Avery ’82 and Tad Weed ’83 (and guest) met for the “Fare Thee Well” 50th and final concerts of the Grateful Dead in Chicago, Ill., July 3-5, 2015.
alumninews ALUMNI PROFILE
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANDREA CROWLEY
Art, and its therapeutic potential, on wheels
Andrea Crowley ’94, founder and owner of the Artmobile.
ndrea Crowley ’94 had an awakening during her senior year at Roanoke College. It was her turn to show her art assignment to the class, and she was embarrassed. “I struggled in the beginning. I never considered myself an artist,” she recalls. But her professor stopped the class, saying, “I need to tell you that this is the most amazing piece I’ve seen in a very long time,” referring to Crowley’s colored pencil piece that used the warm and cool tones of blues and oranges. “To be acknowledged in this way was so powerful for me,” she says. “It made me feel great about myself. As I’ve grown in my life, when I’m doing art with other people, I realize that everyone has something in them that can be just as powerful.” Crowley has always been attracted to art. Growing up, she struggled with dyslexia, but art and art history, which she majored in at Roanoke, she naturally understood. Now, as founder and owner of the Artmobile in Lexington, Mass., she uses that background, combining her master’s degree in art therapy from Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass., work experience as an art therapist at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass., and her love of reaching people — children and adults — through this creative venue. For Crowley, art therapy is an integral part of her understanding of people and what art can do for them. Art, she says, can be used as a conversation starter. “You bring out the clay or paints and have them draw a house or a tree, and through those images, you can learn a lot about what a child has been through – how they draw and what they draw,” she says. In the Artmobile, which she opened in
November 2014, there is no judgment, no right way, no wrong way, she says. “If you let your mind go and allow yourself to not conform, it can be eye-opening,” she says. Crowley, who drives her mobile art studio within a 30-mile radius of Lexington, says she came up with the Artmobile idea after discovering the high cost of brick-and-mortar rental space. She worked with an auto body expert to create for her a 16-foot box truck that can hold 12 people. It has all the conveniences, from lights and air-conditioning to heat, storage and a desk. She has after-school art classes, birthday parties, a women’s night out, and corporate team-building events. People create pillowcases, T-shirts, mosaic mirrors and soap carvings. “The beauty of my truck is that it is a mobile billboard,” she says. Marketing was successful, as she used her former connections, and distributed flyers and business cards. She was booked through this fall. “I’m getting calls from people searching through Google,” she says. “I roll up to houses, there’s no mess in the house, and when kids come off the truck, everyone has made something unique and useful. I love to do that in the Artmobile.” — SARAH COX
Hutton curates first art show
J MARSDEN EPWORTH, THE LAKEVILLE JOURNAL
A
“If you let your mind go and allow yourself to not conform, it can be eye-opening.”
ordan Hutton ’14, a gallery assistant at The White Gallery in Lakeville, Conn., curated his first show this summer. The show, called “First Shot,” was an emerging artist invitational. According to an article in The Lakeville Journal, Hutton “visited area colleges with respected art departments, looked at work from dozens of students then chose the pieces that ‘spoke’ to him.” Jordan majored in art history at Roanoke.
ROANOKE.EDU 41
alumninews security services for all Virginia Tech campuses and programs, locally and abroad. During his career with the Roanoke Police Department, Mac was promoted to lieutenant and managed the canine unit, helped lead the tactical response team, directed the police academy and helped supervise the Investigations Bureau. He has received numerous awards including the Commonwealth Valor Award and the Lifesaving Award from the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police. Jason B. Fields ’91 lives in Tampa, Fla., where he is a medical director of DACCO, a substance abuse treatment center. He practices addiction medicine. Steve Williamson ’92 has joined East Carolina University as advanced business applications analyst where he supports university advancement. Kelly Rooney ’96 was named general manager of Advanced Disposal for the Ann Arbor, Mich. and Pontiac, Mich., operations. She is responsible for the company’s two hauling locations servicing commercial and residential customers. Kelly brings more than 22 years of industry experience in collection, landfill and recycling operations. She holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University, Spokane, Wash.
2000s S. Graham Simmons III ’01, a resident of Easton, Pa., was named a Pennsylvania Rising Star. Only 2.5 percent of Pennsylvania attorneys are given this honor, which recognizes lawyers age 40 and under or who have been practicing for fewer than 10 years. Graham, a member of Norris McLaughlin & Marcus, P.A., practices primarily in the areas of business law, mergers and acquisitions, real estate and land use, banking and finan-
cial services, and health care law. His recognitions include twice being named a Rising Star in Philadelphia magazine. He was also honored in 2013 as one of the Lehigh Valley Business’s Top 40 Under 40, which recognizes young professionals who exhibit talent and promise and who have a record of business achievements. Graham is assistant solicitor to the City of Easton Parking Authority and the Northampton County Gaming Revenue and Economic Redevelopment Authority. He is active in his church and is a board member of several community organizations. He earned his J.D., magna cum laude and Order of the Coif, from Villanova University School of Law. Will Clarke ’03 is a guitar player with the Hampton Roads indie-rock band, Step Pets. The band has recently released a new album. Will was instrumental in the branding and marketing of the band, having created various media for the band’s promotional efforts. Justin M. Sheldon ’05 is an associate with the Richmond-based personal injury law firm of Geoff McDonald & Associates. His practice focuses on representing clients and their families involved in serious personal injury cases including automobile accidents, products liability and premises liability cases. Previously, he was an attorney with Spencer, LLP, where he was a member of the national automotive products liability litigation trial teams for major U.S. automotive manufacturers and distributors. He also worked for LeClairRyan, representing corporations, businesses, consumer reporting agencies and hospitals. Justin was named a 2015 Rising Star by Virginia Super Lawyers for products liability defense. He holds a law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law where he served as articles editor for the University of Richmond Law Review.
FROM ACROSS THE POND...
Gordon Sharp-Bolster ’89 writes: “Three years ago I left Richmond, Va., where I had been living for close to 14 years, to join my family at my ancestral home, Glenlohane in County Cork, Ireland. We run a rather upmarket B&B business (www.glenlohane.com and Glenlohane Country House on Facebook) and it’s a working farm as well. Our location is probably the best to see much in the south of Ireland. Since we are avid motorcyclists and vintage car nuts, I also started Moto Excalibur (www.motoexcalibur.com) so that folks could come and stay in an historical home and drive or ride exotic cars and motorcycles. The synergy is awesome. Who knew? I would love to hear from others in America and certainly in Europe if anyone is over on this side of the pond. We all miss America a ton and fly the flag on September 11, Memorial Day and on July 4. Thank you to all who serve in any capacity. Cheers, Gordo.”
The Rev. Richard Goeres ’06 was the 2014 recipient of the David H.C. Read Preacher/Scholar Award, given by the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. He was the featured preacher Aug. 30, 2015, on “Day 1,” a nationally broadcast ecumenical radio program. An ordained minister with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Richard earned a Master of Divinity degree from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, S.C. He has served parishes at Winston-Salem, N.C., Lewisville, N.C., and Galax, Va.
Max Sudnovsky ’00 met fellow alum, Dr. Alan M. Friedlander ’80, by chance while they were both visiting a marine science event at the Waikiki Aquarium in Hawaii. At first, neither of them knew the other was an RC alum. As a conversation ensued, Alan related that he was from Maryland, whereupon Max jokingly replied that everyone he knew from Maryland went to his alma mater, Roanoke College, and played lacrosse. When Alan said that he went to Roanoke and played lacrosse, laughter broke out between the two of them. Both Max and Alan were fraternity members at Roanoke — Max was a Pi Kappa Phi brother and Alan was a member of Sigma Chi. Max is employed with NOAA Fisheries in Hawaii and Alan is chief scientist for National Geographic’s Pristine Seas project and affiliate faculty at the Department of Biology at the University of Hawaii and director of the university’s Fisheries Ecology Research Lab. Sudnovsky and Friedlander discovered they work with many of the same people. (See profile of Alan Friedlander on page 24.)
42 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2015
Michael Treon ’06 has been named to Advertising Age’s 40 Under 40 for 2015. Amanda Pickens ’09 was named the 2015 Young Professional Newcomer by the Charlotte, N.C., Chamber of Commerce. The award is given to someone living in Charlotte for less than three years, and who is making strides in his or her professional and civic careers. Amanda is an attorney with Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A., and practices in the areas of corporate and commercial litigation, focusing on complex business disputes and employment and labor law. Haley E. Parker ’11 received a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Campbell University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Buies Creek, N.C. Currently, she is in a pharmacy residency program with Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, in Durham, N.C. Amanda Hursch ’13 earned a Master of Arts degree in historical administration in April 2015 from Eastern Illinois University.
alumninews
Bennett-Sauer wedding
Chiaviello-Johnson wedding
Kaitlyn A. Bell ’14, the recipient of a Fulbright Award in 2014, recently finished her job as an English teaching assistant in Lima, Peru. Previously, she taught high school Spanish in Hazlet, N.J. Molly A. Beyer ’14 recently returned from Madagascar where she served one year with Young Adults in Global Mission. Aaron R. Brisley ’14 completed an internship at Ocean Isle Beach with the sea turtle protection program. He is now with AmeriCorps in Cape Cod, Mass. Patrick Cummings ’14 is attending graduate school at Mississippi State University. Alexis R. Helms ’14 is calendar editor at The Roanoke Times. Tommy W. Jackson III ’14 is a Salem probation officer. Rachel A. Leach ’14 moved to Bahrain, where her husband is stationed with the U.S. Navy. Caroline Lewandowski ’14 will pursue a Master of Science degree in special education at Radford University. Andrew G. Mitchell ’14 is a teacher in the Roanoke County School system. He recently married Kayley Umberger. Justin T. Parks ’14 is a Master of
Lerda-Sharp wedding
Hoffmeister-DeMello wedding (See profile of Jill Hoffmeister DeMello on pages 20-21.)
Arts student in the higher education program at Louisiana State University. He also is a graduate assistant with the university’s recreation program (UREC). Lauren C. Russell ’14 is pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree. Ruth Trochim ’14, of Ferrum, Va., is a chiropractic assistant at Trochim Family Chiropractic.
marriages Jim Lerda ’00 was married to Jillian Sharp on Jan. 17, 2015, in Pasadena, Calif. In attendance were Glenn Kivlen ’01 and Rob Matzuga ’00, both groomsmen, and Crystal Hagood Matzuga ’02. Elizabeth Lowden ’00 exchanged wedding vows with Erik C. Trotter on Oct. 4, 2014, at St. Clements Castle in Portland, Conn. Celebrating with the couple were Elizabeth Hammond ’00, matron of honor, Shana Mosher ’00, Tiffany Smith ’00, Elizabeth Thacker ’00, Lisa Brodrick ’00, Jamie Leddy Graham ’98 and Ronald Graham ’97. Elizabeth earned a second bachelor’s degree from Becker College, Worcester,
Mass. Her concentration was veterinary science/pre-vet. She is a certified veterinary technician and has worked the past five years at Four Paws Veterinary Services in Mystic, Conn. Erik is a trooper first class with the Connecticut State Police. They live in Griswold, Conn. Lisa Fowler ’03 joined hands in marriage to Cody Brewer on Oct. 4, 2014, in Roanoke. Lisa is a treatment foster care case manager with National Counseling Group. Cody is employed with HopeTree Family Services in Salem. The Brewers live in Roanoke. Katy Bennett ’05 wed Jake Sauer on May 23, 2015 at Carolina Furnace Lutheran Camp in Fort Valley, Va. Alumni who attended included Laura Mulcahy ’03, Terri Cobb ’95, Brett Lawrence ’11, Laura DeWitt ’04, Heather Lutz ’99, Johanna Ray ’08, Lizzie Franz ’11 and Carey Stevens ’11. The couple live in Richmond, Va. Jill Hoffmeister ’05 and David DeMello wed on May 25, 2014 in Newport, R.I. The beautiful waterfront event was attended by many Roanoke College alumni, including David’s parents, Jesse and Jean DeMello ’73, ’72, who met at Roanoke. The wedding was featured in Brides magazine and can be
Lowden-Trotter wedding
seen at http://tinyurl.com/pcxgqld. Ashleigh Belmont Chiaviello ’06, married Trevor Ross Johnson on July 11, 2015 at the Church of the Incarnation in Dallas, Texas. Alumni who participated in the wedding included Lindsey Spotts Rivera ’06, Athena Jenkins Stringi ’07, Jessica Verdi ’07, Mia Acciardo ’06, Betsy Gell ’06 and Caitlin Mabry ’06. Those who attended included John Heyward Chiaviello ’84, Sarah Klein ’06, Emma Hargrove McCraw ’06 (who introduced the couple) and Lauren Hale ’07. The couple live in Dallas, Texas. Rachel Clem ’07 married John Schimmelfing on March 14, 2015, in Chapel Hill, N.C. The couple live in Durham, N.C. Shawna Brogan ’09 was married to Nathaniel Kingery on May 23, 2015, at Virginia Explore Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Shawna is a risk management and quality assurance specialist with Blue Eagle Credit Union in Roanoke. The couple live in Blue Ridge, Va. Shaman Douglass ’09 and Rachel Ann Yeager ’09 celebrated their wedding day Feb. 28, 2015. They live in Charlottesville, Va.
ROANOKE.EDU 43
alumninews
Every summer, Kate Leach Licameli ’92 and her children get together with the families of Tracey Talone Gross ’92 and Bobby Gross ’88, and Liz Hanney Fields ’92 and Matt Fields ’91. Kate, who says all of their children have grown up together over the years, shared a photo from a gathering this year at The Peninsula in Delaware. Pictured, from left to right, are Cole Licameli, Jackson Fields, Wyatt Gross, JD Licameli and Lindsay Gross.
Chloe Siena Schottmiller
Kensington Rose Cameron
families David Keenan ’87 and his wife, Lesley, proudly announce the birth of daughter Elizabeth Ann on March 3, 2014. Elizabeth and her sister, Beatrice, live with their parents in Columbus, Ohio. Kara Hedges Sasse ’97 and her husband, Ryan, are proud parents of their second child, Elsa Aleksandra, who was born Jan. 21, 2015. Traver Pierson ’99 and his wife welcomed Gavin Lee into their family on May 23, 2014. They reside in Alaska, where Traver teaches school. Melissa White Pinsky ’99 and her husband, Matthew, were blessed with the birth of their fifth child, Caroline. Caroline’s older siblings are Lilly, 8, Max, 6, Annie, 4, and Eve, 2. The Pinskys live in Ann Arbor, Mich. Jenni Hanger Vaughn ’99 and her husband, Rob, welcomed their third child, Elizabeth Louise Miyoko (Lizzie Lou) into their family on March 4, 2014. Matthew Schottmiller ’01 and Lottie MacKinnon Schottmiller ’08 welcome their first child, Chloe Siena Schottmiller on Aug. 15, 2014. The family lives in Salem and “Chloe frequents Commons with us,” Matt says.
Adaline Grace Guynn
Celita Proffitt Hastie ’03 and her husband, Kenny, are first-time parents with the Nov. 26, 2014, birth of Calvin Kenneth III. Celita works at the Children’s Law Center, a division of the University of South Carolina School of Law. Kenny is the legislative counsel with the South Carolina Association for Justice. Calvin is looking forward to joining the RC Class of 2036! Andrew and Lauren Baker Cameron ’05, ’05 are the proud parents of Kensington Rose, who was born Feb. 16, 2015. Kensington’s brother, Colton, is 4. Beth Wheeler Lynch ’05 and her husband, Dan, of Conshohocken, Pa., announce the 2014 New Year’s Eve, birth of Nora Elizabeth. John Layman Jr. ’06 and his wife, Lindsey, are excited to announce the December 2014 arrival of Luke Henry. The family lives in Daleville, Va. David Guynn ’13 and his wife, Natalie, welcomed Adaline Grace into their family on March 9, 2015. Adaline is the granddaughter of Dwayne Guynn ’89 and great-granddaughter of longtime Admissions office employee, Dolores Guynn. David is a graduate student and teaching assistant at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
44 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2015
Calvin Kenneth Hastie III
Nora Elizabeth Lynch
The Vaughn children
Gavin Lee Pierson
in memoriam U.S. Air Force, Retired, Lt. Col. George G. Bowman Jr. ’39 died on Feb. 14, 2015 in Boyce, Va. He was 96. During World War II, he served as a communication officer in the 358th Fighter Group. After the war, he was assigned to the 340th Bomb Squad and served in Kansas, Alaska, Texas and England. During the Korean War, he was first Deputy Commander and then Commander of the 3rd Aviation Depot Squadron on Guam in charge of the nuclear weapons for the B-47 group. He served several posts and retired as Chief of the Conventional Munitions Weapons Lab at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in 1964. Col. Bowman’s military decorations included the Air Force Commendation Medal, two Distinguished Group Service Medals and the Korean Service Medal. After retiring from the military, Col. Bowman attended Florida State University and Troy University and received certification as a guidance counselor in Florida. He continued his career as an educator until retiring in 1979. Dorothy Ellett Arthur ’40 died in Roanoke on March 25, 2015.
Burton G. Hurdle ’41, a resident of Alexandria, Va., died March 4, 2015, at age 97. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics at Roanoke, a Master of Science at Virginia Tech and Ph.D. in engineering mechanics from the Open University, United Kingdom. He was a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America, as well as the Washington Academy of Science. Dr. Hurdle was a member of Sigma Xi, the Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria and the Cosmos Club of Washington, D.C. During his 50-year federal career as a research physicist with the Naval Research Laboratory’s Acoustics Division, he received many international awards. He also edited a reference series on oceanic acoustics and the Nordic Seas. Howard B. Link ’42, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., died March 25, 2015. He was 96. A veteran of World War II, he served as a sergeant in the 355th Regiment of the U.S. Army Engineer Corps and saw service in France and Germany. He was awarded ribbons and stars for the Normandy Campaign, Battle of Northern France, Battle of the Rhineland, Battle of the Ardennes and the Central European Campaign. In civilian life, he joined his father’s mercantile business,
alumninews IN MEMORIAM
“Pastor Buck” remembered for his integrity and compassion he Rev. Virgil A. “Buck” Moyer Jr., D.D. ’43, of Waynesboro, Va., died on June 1, 2015. He was 94. Moyer was Bishop Emeritus of the Virginia Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. “Pastor Buck,” as he was affectionately known, graduated not only from Roanoke with a B.A. but in 1945 earned a B.D. from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, S.C. Moyer was ordained by the Virginia Synod in 1945 and served parishes in Danville, Mt. Jackson, Radford, Shenandoah and Winchester. Moyer served as the first assistant to the president of the Virginia Synod from 195968 and Regional Mission Consultant for the LCA’s Division for Mission in North America from 1973-76. He served as president of the Virginia Synod, elected in 1976, and as Bishop from 1981-88. Moyer was instrumental in planning for the Synod’s move into the ELCA on Jan 1, 1988. He supported the creation of the
T
then became a dairy farmer. Link was a member of several military service groups and St. Andrews Lutheran Church in Port St. Lucie. Alice Lindsey Peters ’44 died Feb. 18, 2015, in Richmond, Va. She was 91. She taught school in Montgomery and Henrico counties and was a talented vocalist and frequent soloist at the churches where her husband, the late Rev. Howard R. Peters ’38, pastored. She enjoyed music and reading. Anne Bostian Whitlow ’48, a resident of Roanoke, died Jan. 21, 2015. After raising her children, she worked as a preschool teacher. Anne Lee Brown ’49 died in Forest, Va., on May 18, 2015. She started her teaching career at Evington Elementary and then New London Academy. After marriage and children, she resumed teaching and retired in 1990. Her greatest passion was teaching children to read. Shirley Shipton VanDuser ’49 died July 2, 2015, in Edmeston, N.Y. Dr. Luke Pillis ’49, first orthodontist
Metropolitan Washington Synod and supported the Synod’s alignment with Region 9 of the ELCA. He also founded the Virginia Synod’s youth camp, Caroline Furnace, and was its director for many years. Moyer, who received an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from Roanoke College in 1977, will be remembered as a loving husband, father and grandfather, and as a faithful pastor of the highest integrity and compassion. Many will also remember him as a Bishop who cared deeply for the pastors and congregations in his charge and did his utmost for the Church he loved and served. He was predeceased by his parents, Virgil A. Moyer Sr. and Ruth Ramsey McCune Moyer; first wife, Jacqueline “Jackie” Jones Moyer; sister, Peggy Jones; and brother, James Moyer. Surviving family members include his wife, Julie Moyer; son, Keith Moyer ’72 and daughter-in-law Suzanne Smith Moyer ’73; stepdaughter, Terrie Barber; stepson, Denny Mitchel and wife Diane;
in Lynchburg, Va., died Feb. 8, 2015. The 96-year-old Lynchburg resident practiced dentistry for more than 20 years. Helen Lawler White ’49, of Bridgeport, Conn., died March 4, 2015. She was employed by L. Bamberger and Company in Newark, N.J. White was a member of social clubs and served on the altar guild of Trinity Episcopal Church in Southport, Conn. William G. Broyles Jr. ’50 died Feb. 14, 2015, in Roanoke. His passion was photography and he was employed at Ewald-Clark and Roanoke Photo Finishing, helping many professional photographers and hobbyists along the way. He also owned and operated his own in-home camera repair service, Photo Sound Service. In his leisure, he took pleasure in boating and water activities and was a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary for five decades. In later years, Broyles enjoyed participating in the Roanoke City Police Department Citizen Police Academy. Ellis J. Tonik ’50 died at age 94 in
The Rev. Virgil A. “Buck” Moyer Jr.
siblings Agnes Jones, Anne Broyles, Jean Brower, Frannie Knicely, Joseph Moyer ’77, Ellen Moyer, Fred Moyer, and Robert Moyer; and many other family members including grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Frederick, Md., on May 2, 2015. He was employed by the State of Illinois as a medical microbiologist, then became chief of microbiology at two state hospitals. At Fort Detrick, Md., he held several research positions that eventually led to security clearance with a civilian status equal in rank to lieutenant colonel. He was a member of the research team that studied the infectivity and pathogenicity of several toxins. Tonik also served as chief of microbiology and chief of laboratories at two Veterans Administration hospitals. He retired from federal service in 1980 after receiving numerous commendations for outstanding performance as a researcher and for his service as an employee of the federal government. For his service during World War II, he received silver and bronze battle stars. Tonik was a member of many professional organizations and military service groups. The Rev. Aubrey N. Dooley ’51 died on March 5, 2015, in Blue Ridge, Va. The World War II U.S. Navy veteran served
as a radioman in Panama. The Rev. Dooley graduated from Piedmont Bible College and held several part-time pastorate positions while also maintaining secular employment, mostly in the textile industry. He went into full-time ministry pastoring at Brookhill Baptist Church in Roanoke, Colonial Baptist in Blue Ridge and Bethel Baptist in Richmond. He was a student of the Bible and especially enjoyed eschatology and doctrine. Marvin B. Tate ’51, age 91, died in Roanoke on April 24, 2015. He served in Patton’s Third Army during World War II. Tate retired from Union Carbide Nuclear Division in Oak Ridge, Tenn., after 32 years in management. The Rev. Dr. James Stephenson ’52, of Hickory, N.C., died Jan. 31, 2015. He was a graduate of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, S.C., and received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Lenoir-Rhyne College. He served parishes in North Carolina, West Virginia and Florida. He was a trustee of many professional as
ROANOKE.EDU 45
well as community organizations, including Lenoir-Rhyne College Board of Trustees, the board of Lutheran Services for the Aging, Hickory Soup Kitchen, Hickory Rotary Club, Hickory Community Theater and Ten Broeck Hospital. After retirement, he served many interim pastorates. William Webb Jr. ’52, of Roanoke, died March 14, 2015. He was a retired postmaster with the U.S. Postal Service. His World War II Signal Corps military service saw assignments in Frankfurt and Fulda, Germany. Webb was passionate about God, family and his country. He was an avid reader, gardener and loved to travel. Alfred T. Overstreet ’54, of Springfield, Va., died July 22, 2015. He was retired from the United States Secret Service Uniform Division at the White House. Dr. Paul Y. Ertel ’55, a resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., and U.S. Army veteran of the Korean Conflict, passed away Feb. 17, 2015. He earned his medical degree from the University of Virginia and interned in Cleveland. His pediatric residency was with the University of Michigan, where he was also a Fellow in pediatric cardiology. After a decade-long career practicing pediatric cardiology at Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, he returned to the University of Michigan to continue his research in assessment of care quality. He retired from there in 1990, and formed his own company dealing with medical data and coding. Dr. Ertel enjoyed gardening, reading scientific articles and playing bridge. His other pastimes were cooking, art, music and fireworks.
Frederick J. Jackson ’55, of Botetourt County, Va., died March 23, 2015. He was a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and was employed with State Farm Insurance for 36 years. Jackson was a lifelong member of the Fairview United Methodist Church. William A. Brundage ’56, a U.S. Army veteran, died May 8, 2015, in Cherryfield, Maine. He loved music, history, gardening, fishing, exploring, photography and animals. As a father, he shared backyard archaeological digs with his children and later took pleasure in traveling to foreign cultures to experience and appreciate various customs and ethnicities. Brundage was involved in the Maine community where he was a member of historical societies and the Woodlawn Croquet Club in Ellsworth. Shirley Childs Morel ’56 died June 12, 2015, in Allentown, Pa. She was an accomplished cook and pianist. Her interests included animals, especially dogs, and world travel. Elmon L. Ingram ’58, of Forest, Va., died June 24, 2015. He was a U.S. Navy chief petty officer for 22 years before his retirement. The Hon. J. Conrad Waters Jr. ’58, retired General District Court chief judge and a resident of Washington, D.C., died March 19, 2015. A graduate of Seton Hall University Law School, he held legal positions in New Jersey and Virginia. After a successful career as a criminal defense attorney, he was appointed to the Fairfax General District Court in 1979. He was Chief Judge of the General District Court from 1986 until his judicial retirement in 2001. Judge Waters had a fondness for fast cars and motorcycles and enjoyed his family, fishing, traveling and golfing. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. Mary Buckner Farmer ’59, of
INDIANA DAILY STUDENT
Nita M. Levison ’63, activist and resident of Bloomington, Ind., died May 9, 2015. Early in her career, she managed the Roanoke College Bookstore as well as one of the departments of the Stanford University Bookstore. At one time, she lived in Venezuela and Columbia, South America, where she became fluent in Spanish and taught English. She also wrote a monthly column for a Venezuelan English newspaper. At Indiana University, she worked in various capacities serving as a research assistant, spokesperson for international students and for a more diverse and inclusive campus and community. In 1983, she was a co-leader of the Indiana University-Hangzhou University (Peoples Republic of China) exchange program. Levison also was committed to the community and taught cooking classes. Among her interests were reading, gardening, foreign cultures, opera and theater. She is seen here cheering as results are posted the night of the Bloomington, Ind., Mayoral Primary Election in 2011.
46 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2015
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
alumninews
Harry Mortenson ’52, a resident of Las Vegas, Nev., died March 11, 2015. He held a Master of Science degree in nuclear physics and mathematics from Duke University. Mortenson held many positions in the nuclear physics field and eventually established his own business, Cygnus Scientific Consulting Services, which he eventually closed after he was elected to the Nevada state legislature. Mortenson, known as the “calming voice” in Nevada politics, served as a Democratic assemblyman in District 42 in Las Vegas from 19962010. A patron of the arts, he wrote and obtained grants for the Nevada Ballet Theatre and served as one of its trustees. He also was instrumental in the creation of the Las Vegas Ice Age Park Foundation. Mortenson was a board member of many scientific and community organizations.
Roanoke, died April 15, 2015. She was a homemaker and adored her cats. Farmer was a longtime member of Fairview United Methodist Church. Dick R. Miller ’59 died May 11, 2015. He was a resident of Atlanta, Ga. In his younger years, he excelled in football, basketball and baseball, with aspirations to play professional baseball. Midway through his baseball career with the Washington Senators, he enlisted in the U.S. Army where he served 18 months overseas in the Korean War. After marrying, he joined the sales force with the Colgate-Palmolive Company. Miller was a faithful member of Kingswood United Methodist Church and was involved with many community sports. People remember him for his fun-loving and gregarious personality. He was predeceased by a brother, Dr. Harold W. Miller Jr. ’48. Surviving family members include two other brothers, Dr. Bob Miller ’51 and The Rev. Dr. Gerald Miller ’60. William H. Davis ’61, of Plumstead Township, Pa., died May 10, 2015. During his college career, he was a member of the track team and Kappa Alpha Fraternity. Davis was a family man who enjoyed biking and gardening. Among his survivors is a daughter, Lisa Davis Lawrence ’87. Janet Cunard Brown ’62 died April 23, 2015, in Citrus County, Fla. A graduate of New York School of Law, she was the first female assistant district attorney in the history of Westchester County, N.Y., where she was known for her
tenacity and outstanding research ability. After leaving her office and entering a private law practice, she soon joined with another assistant district attorney as his deputy. Omar W. Orndorff ’62, a U.S. Navy veteran, died May 2, 2015, in Annapolis, Md. As a civilian, he was a food service provider for more than 40 years in the Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland areas. He was a Senior Olympian in basketball and participated in several national tournaments. Among his interests were sailing, skiing, gourmet cooking and attending his grandchildren’s athletic events. Carole Ulrich Ouimet ’62 died Feb. 26, 2015, in Aiken, S.C. After graduation, she embarked on a teaching career, spending many years with Holy Family Academy in Bound Brook, N.J. She was known for her tenacity, positive attitude and generous nature. Philip H. Vietmeyer ’62, of Southport, N.C., died April 25, 2015. He served five years as a lieutenant helicopter pilot in the U.S. Navy before being hired by Eastern Airlines in 1968, where he earned the rank of captain. After the airline closed down, he flew 747 cargo aircraft with Atlas Airlines until his retirement. When his children were young, Vietmeyer coached Little League baseball and soccer. He also took pleasure in participating in many sports, including skiing, tennis and biking. William C. Weaver Jr. ’62 died in Lusby, Md., on Feb. 19, 2015. He was first employed in the data management
alumninews IN MEMORIAM
A woman of firsts E
lizabeth “Betty” Lee Masters ’49, considered a pioneer for female photojournalists in Virginia, died June 24, 2015 at her home in Salem. She was 85. Masters was born in New York City but moved with her family to Salem soon after her father, Miles Sherman Masters, accepted a Classics professorship at Roanoke College. After graduating from Andrew Lewis High School, she enrolled at Roanoke, where she learned the art of photography in a class taught by her father and developed a lifelong interest in art, music, archaeology and museums. After receiving a degree in Fine Arts and Classics from Roanoke and teaching for one year, Betty Masters took a summer job as a photographer for the Roanoke Times & World News. There, she covered news stories throughout Southwest Virginia, from visits by U.S. presidents to poverty in Appalachia. Her photographs spanned the range of news topics, from politics to sports to severe weather.
field before becoming a wine connoisseur. As a professional, he wrote a wine newsletter, adjudicated wine events and promoted wine tasting through educational seminars. His pastimes were fishing, reading, playing bridge and watching sports. H. Randall Barger ’63 died May 28, 2015. He served as a lieutenant in the Virginia National Guard and worked at Total Action Against Poverty (now Total Action for Progress). Barger retired as a systems analyst for Norfolk Southern Railway. He was a former member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Copper Hill, Va., and Green Ridge Presbyterian Church in Roanoke, where he was a deacon. Among his survivors is a daughter, Jennifer Barger Blugerman ’89. Lindsey Fred Bruney, Jr. ’63, died April 30, 2015. A member of the Kappa Alpha Order, he had a long career in his insurance agency and mortgage business. Bruney was active in civic affairs, serving as president of the Fairfax Station in Fairfax, Va.; the Board of Directors at Woodlawn Plantation in Arlington, Va.; honorary member of the Diplomatic Consular Corps of Washington, D.C.; member of the Rotary clubs in
Betty Masters opened doors for women in photojournalism.
For 20 years, her photographs received first-place awards in news and sports coverage in Virginia Press Photographers Awards contests. She served as secretary and was
Fairfax and Portsmouth, Va.; president of the Riverpoint Homeowners Association in Portsmouth; and a member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Portsmouth. His survivors include his wife Elizabeth McCurdy Bruney ’65, a son, daughter, granddaughter and sister Mary Bruney Richardson ’63. Robert L. Anderson ’64, a faculty member with the College of Charleston for 25 years, died Oct. 31, 2014. Born in India, he later moved to the United States and served in the U.S. Army. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas. In 1979, he joined the faculty at the College of Charleston business department. He was the founder and first director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at the college and co-authored several textbooks. He served as president of the National American Case Research Association (NACRA) and was later inducted into the Society for NACRA Fellows. Following his retirement from the college, Anderson was given the designation of professor emeritus. He was a volunteer counselor for SCORE (previously known as Service Corps of Retired Executives).
twice elected president of the Virginia News Press Photographers Association. She was the first woman to serve as a judge in the White House News Photographers Annual Contest. Masters was formally trained in music and singing. For 60 years, she sang with the Salem Baptist Church Choir. She used her travel experiences, including trips to the Holy Lands, the Middle East, Central America, Asia and Europe, to enrich her lessons as a Sunday school teacher at Salem Baptist. She served the church in numerous capacities and was its first woman deacon. Masters was preceded in death by her parents, Miles Sherman Masters and Margaret Aldrich Chamberlain Masters, and brother, Robert Sherman Masters ’59. Surviving family members include sisters Virginia Masters Leonard ’53, brother Miles Husted Masters ’54, sister-in-law Dr. Bettie Sue Masters ’59, and many nieces, nephews, their spouses and greatnieces and great-nephews.
He is survived by his wife, Kathleen Powell Anderson ’64. Judith Creasy Coffman ’64, of Salem, died Feb. 20, 2015. She pursued her passion of mentoring and teaching music to many youth for over 30 years. She was a dedicated member, volunteer and steward in the community and at First United Methodist Church. Coffman was predeceased by her mother, Ruth Creasy ’34. She is survived by her husband, Scott Creasy ’63. Charles L. Hanna ’64, of Covington, Va., died April 9, 2015. He was the retired property manager for the Hanna estate. He had a lifelong love of music and sang in the church choir, at his high school and in local shows. Hanna was an avid gardener, history buff, amateur photographer and model railroad enthusiast. Robert G. Saunders II ’65, a U.S. Air Force veteran, died June 3, 2015. He was the recipient of several service awards during his 24-year military career, including the Bronze Star during the Vietnam War. Saunders was crucial in the development of the Augusta Military Academy Museum and was an active member of the Crozet Lions Club.
W. Jeffery Seubel ’67 died in Palm City, Fla., on May 24, 2015. For many years, he was an investment banker on Wall Street. John C. Altman ’68, of Orange, Va., died March 24, 2015. He was a longtime owner of Altman Furniture and Gifts, and was an active member of the Kiwanis Club. He served on the Orange County Fair Committee for many years and was co-founder with his wife of the Orange Farmers Market. Altman was an avid photographer and sportsman and charter member of the local shooting club. I.G. Briggs Carroll Sr. ’68, a resident of Sarasota, Fla., died March 30, 2015. He taught at Phillippi Shores Elementary School in Sarasota before becoming a real estate bank trust officer. He later joined Herrli Real Estate where he eventually became senior vice president, managing the Siesta Key branch. When the business was sold, he established his own company, Boardwalk Real Estate, Inc. Carroll was active and successful in the Sarasota real estate community for over four decades. He was involved in professional as well as numerous community organizations. ROANOKE.EDU 47
alumninews Arlene DuClos Bell ’69 died in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Jan. 30, 2015. She was predeceased by her husband, Charles A. Bell ’73. Paul C. Porterfield ’69 died April 7, 2015, in Richmond, Va. He held a master’s degree in library science from Atlanta University and an education specialist degree from Georgia State University. His career was devoted to public and academic libraries. Most recently, he served 28 years with the University of Richmond’s Boatwright Memorial Library, where he served as the media librarian and head of the Media Resource Center. Porterfield helped start and served as co-coordinator of the university’s acclaimed International Film Series. He enjoyed sports, film, classic rock music, animals, books and outdoor activities. Mary Anne Jackson Devan ’73 died April 30, 2015, in Orange Park, Fla. She retired in 2009 as a telemarketer. Devan was known for her humor and enjoyed playing cards. J.T. Tallon ’74, renowned Lexington horseman, died July 11, 2015. He was a well-known Western Virginia equestrian instructor and competition judge. He
helped the equestrian team of Southern Seminary for Women, Buena Vista, Va., win the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association national championship eight times. While working as an equestrian director at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, Va., Tallon led the team to three championships in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. After his retirement from Randolph-Macon, he was a private instructor for riders specializing in hunter-jumper division of competition and continued his involvement in several horse shows. Bonnie Stewart Brazill ’76, a resident of Howell, N.J., died June 12, 2015. She was a volunteer emergency medical technician for 30 years in various communities where she lived, but most recently was a volunteer and the past president of the Wanamassa First Aid Squad. She also was a Cub Scout leader. Brazill was employed for many years in her family-owned electrical supply company. Most recently she worked as a school bus driver for the Ocean Township Board of Education. David A. Vagts ’76 died July 18, 2015, in Little Ferry, N.J. He was an em-
ployee of Metro Paint for more than 25 years. A family man, he loved music and excelled in playing the guitar. Friends remember him for his kind and gentle ways. The Rev. Helen Crowe Riley ’79 died Feb. 24, 2015. She was a resident of Falson, N.C. After retiring from C&P Telephone Company, she completed her education at Roanoke College and also took many seminary courses. Ordained in her home church, Melrose Baptist in Roanoke, she served there as well as on the staffs of Connelly Memorial Baptist and Preston Oaks Baptist. The Rev. Riley was named Virginia Baptist Distinguished Religious Educator of the Year in 1998, and also received the Croxson Award from the Roanoke Valley Mental Health Association in recognition of her contributions in the area of family and mental health. Gary L. Smith ’82 died March 4, 2015, in Forney, Texas. He held a Master of Science degree in management
and industrial engineering. During his career as an engineer, he was granted numerous patents and was the recipient of several professional certifications. Megan Shortall Kenny ’91 died July 16, 2015, in Baltimore, Md. In 1991, she began working at Legg Mason’s syndicate department as a stock allocator. In 1993, she joined Hambrecht & Quist, a San Francisco brokerage firm, where she also worked in the firm’s syndicate department. Kenny later worked with Robert Half International Inc., a Baltimore placement firm that recruits accountants. She volunteered at her children’s schools and was an advocate for the HopeWell Cancer Support Center in Brooklandville, Md. In her leisure, she played tennis and golf. James A. Russo ’02 died on May 8, 2015, in Flemington, N.J. He was a social worker in several hospital emergency rooms in the Flemington area. Russo was a loyal fan of the Giants and Yankees, a history buff and an animal lover. RC
IN MEMORIAM RC FACULT Y
College loses beloved language professor
Dr. Mamie Patterson was known for instilling a love of learning in her students.
48 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2015
Patterson was known to instill a love of learning in her students, always sharing her humor and enthusiasm.
r. Mamie Salva’ Patterson died May 11, 2015 at the age of 93. Patterson was a retired professor of Spanish. Alumni remember her as a challenging but caring professor. Originally from Puerto Rico, Patterson taught at Roanoke from 1962 to 1987 and impacted hundreds of students over that time. Patterson was known to instill a love of learning in her students, always sharing her humor and enthusiasm. According to one story, her class could be found by following the laughter to the classroom. She and other language professors also hosted dinners to demonstrate Spanish cooking to their students. Don Shockey ’64 named the Patterson Meeting Room in the Colket Center after the professor who made such an impact on his life. Patterson actually failed Shockey twice in her Spanish class. The third time was the charm and under her guidance, Shockey passed the class and was able to graduate. Many students would be upset with a professor who failed them more than once but Shockey said he learned life lessons from Patterson. Patterson was a member of the Foreign Language Association of Virginia, the South Atlantic Modern Languages Association and the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. Patterson received recognition as a member of Sigma Delta Pi and Pi Delta Phi honorary societies. She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico and earned her master’s degree from the University of North Carolina and Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky.
D
I believe that the value of education lies not in painting new clichés but in cutting slits in our umbrellas.
maroonmusings BY D R. B RE NT A . AD K IN S
Chaos and Umbrellas
W
hy are you here? This is a question that I ask all of my classes in one form or another. Let me tell you how the conversation usually goes: Me: Why are you here? Student: I’m here to get a degree, and this class is required for the degree. Me: Why do you want a degree? Student: So I can get a job. Me: Why do you want a job? Student: So, I can make money.
Me: Why do you want money? Student: So, I can buy things I want. Me: Why do you want those things? Student: Those things will make me happy. Me: Really? Is that all there is to it? Some set of things will make you happy? Student: Well, I suppose there’s more to it. In this “more” lies the difference between getting a degree and getting an education. I believe that education is an apprenticeship. I believe that the purpose of this apprenticeship is to enable us to create something new. I believe that life is a struggle between the opposing poles of chaos and cliché, between disorder and what everyone believes to be obviously true. We cannot live in chaos, and yet clichés stultify life. Creating the new must risk chaos but not be swallowed by it. The artist does not begin with a blank canvas but one covered in clichés that must be painstakingly removed before creation can begin. As D.H. Lawrence notes, the usual strategy for protecting ourselves against chaos is to open an umbrella. We then paint the underside of the umbrella with what we wish were the case. This is where the
I believe that education is an apprenticeship. I believe that the purpose of this apprenticeship is to enable us to create something new. 50 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2015
clichés come in. We cover the umbrella with all the soothing bromides that seem to bring stability to the world. “Education is a journey.” “There are no stupid questions.” “A college degree will get me the job I want, so I can be happy.” These are the kinds of things we tell ourselves here in order to avoid the difficult work of facing chaos. I believe we have mistaken the facile security of our umbrellas for a real engagement with chaos. I believe we have mistaken the certainty of our clichés for the uncertainty of life. I believe that we came here hoping to get new and better clichés painted on the underside of our umbrellas. I believe that the value of education lies not in painting new clichés but in cutting slits in our umbrellas. I believe that letting some chaos in is the only way to create something new. I believe that education does not make us safer but exposes us to increasing danger. I believe that this is the risk that all creative acts must take. I believe that this risk is life itself. That’s why I teach, and that’s why you’re really here. RC
Dr. Adkins is associate professor of philosophy and chair of the Religion and Philosophy Department at Roanoke College. A reading of this essay was broadcast Sept. 4, 2015 on “Open Mic” on WVTF Public Radio. Visit roanoke.edu for a video of Adkins reading this essay.
collegearchives BY L IN DA A NG LE M I L L E R , CO L L EG E A R CH I V I ST
A 100th birthday for The Brackety-Ack
The first issue of what would be named, “The Brackety-Ack.”
I
n the beginning, it had no name. There was no financial support from the College. No note of its arrival appeared in either faculty or Board of Trustees minutes. Even in the Catalog section on publications, its name was not mentioned until seven years after its beginning. Nevertheless, on October 19, 1915, the “weekly student newspaper” was born at Roanoke. The first issue was nameless. Its banner read: “One Year’s Subscription FOR THE BEST NAME FOR THIS PAPER.” Perhaps the editorial staff was hoping to heighten interest in their venture. We have no idea who the winner was, as most issues from the first year are missing. All we know is that the “Cherobiblos” (the student handbook) of 1916-1917 included a cheer that began, “Brackety-Ack, Ack, Ack.” Which came first—the newspaper name or the cheer—remains
one of those historical mysteries. The primary reason for publishing the newspaper was to support the Roanoke athletic teams. However, its success was not certain. As the editors wrote in their opening, “It is with a sense of fear that we, realizing our responsibility, introduce with this issue, our Athletic weekly to the college world.” The newspaper was expected to promote school spirit as well. The front page of the first issue was filled with lengthy accounts of the first three football games. Roanoke lost its season opener in Blacksburg against V.P.I., 26-0. (“First game, backfield largely inexperienced, badly injured quarter-
“It is with a sense of fear that we, realizing our responsibility, introduce with this issue, our Athletic weekly to the college world.” back,” the paper’s defense read.) A week later, Roanoke crushed Randolph-Macon Academy on RMA’s home field, 62-0. The third article proudly boasted that, in its most recent game, Roanoke held the superior team of North Carolina A & M (now N.C. State) to a scoreless tie. The editors assured their readers that “all college news, fun, etc., shall be given due prominence.” Hence, that first issue included description of a reception at Elizabeth College, and several articles regarding talks by Dr. G.A.L. Kolmer ’1907 on “The Essentials of Health” at the chapel and “Sexual Hygiene and Social Diseases” to the YMCA campus chapter. The Rat Parade received full detail, with freshmen winding a path to College and Main, where they sang and performed skits for the sophomores. Then, it was on to visit Eliza-
beth College to perform for the ladies. Weekly, there were a few campus “jokes,” whose meaning remains with the readers of 100 years ago. A yearly subscription cost $1.75; a single copy, 5 cents, a goodly sum in 1915. However, further financial support came from local merchant advertising, which promoted everything the student would need, now and in the future: clothiers and dry cleaners; stationers and sellers of typewriters (“A Machine For The Brain Worker); butchers, grocers and confectioners. Even graduate programs advertised. The Editorial Staff comprised eight dedicated young men. Fred Broad ’1916 (“Tad”), outstanding orator and debater, was editor of all three campus publications. Frank Tavener ’1916 (“Clickety”), well-rounded “college man,” was athletic editor, while Mercer Williams ’1916 (“R”), quiet but hard-working athlete and student, was associate editor. Clarence Smith ’1916 (“Chemically Pure”), headed for the sciences obviously, served as exchange editor. John Heller was the fun editor during his one year at Roanoke. Japanese student Hajime Inadomi ’1918 (“Jimmy”), future Lutheran pastor and teacher in Japan, was the news editor. Assignment editor Henry Powell ’1917 (“Heinie”) was the hospitable host, tennis player and future surgeon. Carl Kremer ’16 (“Peter”), scholar, debater and class athlete, was business manager, with assistants Justin Linn ’17 (“Monk”), scholar, singer and future Lutheran missionary in Japan, and Charles Harold Lauck ’18 (“Plug”), staunch supporter of the General Athletic Association. These determined young men were followed by dozens like them over these first 100 years. Some became journalists, publishers and literary figures. Each Brackety-Ack provided a valuable source of information for its readers then, as well as extensive historical insight into “RC Life and Thought” for those who came later. Happy 100th Birthday, BracketyAck! RC
ROANOKE.EDU 51
roanotes Think you know a lot about Roanoke College? Chances are you do. But here is a fact that even those most thoroughly versed in all things Maroon probably never knew.
600
Pounds of Reese’s Puffs consumed in Sutton Commons during the 2013-14 academic year. According to the Roanoke College Business Affairs Office, the chocolate and peanut butter-flavored breakfast food is the #1 cereal on campus.
52 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2015
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