Mu ddy for a good cause
“I’ve never run more than a mile at one time,” Davis said. “Sarah Six women from UVa-Wise drove hundreds of miles to Memphis just to slip, slide, stride and just plain roll around in the mud, but it was has talked me into training for a 5K, and the mud run seemed a fun way to begin. It was so much more fun than just running.” all for a good cause. Clem, Reiber and Jones were all about the cause, especially for The women, Erin Clem, Carlee Reiber, Brittanie Jones ’13, Sarah Reiber whose grandmother is battling breast cancer. She wore her Smith ’11, Nichole Davis ’99 and Sydney Pack, participated in the Go grandmother’s name on the back of her shirt during the mud run. Dirty Girl 5K Mud Run, a female only run for ladies of all ages and Clem said it brought the women together for a good cause. athletic abilities. “I’m not a runner,” Jones said. “I don’t plan The event was designed to bring awareness on ever being a runner, but I went as a volunteer, to breast cancer. The Mud Run was an untimed photographer and stuff holder. I had a t-shirt that obstacle course that encourages teamwork to said Mama Mud Run on the back.” get to the finish line. The Wise Girls Gone Wild The women crossed the finish line as a team, team maneuvered through 13 obstacles in a and they gave Jones a big, muddy hug to celebrate. cross-country course that featured mud pits, rope All six plan to participate in a future mud run, climbs and mudslides. possibly in Roanoke in the fall. They plan to recruit It all started innocently enough when Clem, a bigger team for the next mud run. an Ashburn resident and junior majoring in “It would be nice to take one of the college business, and Reiber, a Nokesville resident and buses full to the next run,” Davis said. a junior majoring in psychology, learned about The women raised $350 for breast cancer mud runs in Cosmopolitan magazine. The event awareness prior to the run by holding fundraisers was listed as one of the top 25 things to do. on campus. They learned a lot about each other The friends did some research and found one in on the trip, and they formed solid friendships and Memphis, so they decided to hit the social media gained the knowledge that they did something sites to form a UVa-Wise team. Campus Police Officer Nichole Davis was the Wise Girls Gone Wild after Mud Run p as a team that will give promise to breast cancer survivors. first to respond, and Sarah Smith, assistant director of student services “I was somewhat nervous going into the weekend because I and outdoor recreation, and Sydney Pack, a junior and administration knew some of the girls, but not well, so I really didn’t know how the of justice major from Harrisonburg followed. Brittanie Jones of weekend was going to go,” Pack said. “I had such a great time the Roanoke agreed to join the group as a volunteer. entire weekend, and really made friends with all of the girls. The run “Nichole and I were on the treadmills side-by-side and I told her itself was such an accomplishment for me, and I was so proud of that my goal was to run 15 5K races in a year,” Smith said. “Nichole myself and we accomplished as the Wise Girls Gone Wild.” told me about the mud race.” Davis, who has turned heads on campus the past year with her llllll significant weight loss story, said her new healthy lifestyle has inspired her to be more active.
Rwandan ambassador visits UVa-Wise James Kimonyo, ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to the United States, visited Wise County to promote stronger ties and educational opportunities between Rwanda and Southwest Virginia. The ambassador signed letters of intent with The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Mountain Empire Community College and the Napoleon Hill Foundation to explore ways to expand educational opportunities for Rwandan students in collaboration with NASA DEVELOP. Kimonyo toured both campuses and delivered a lecture at UVaWise on the theme of Rwandan education. “We are so surprised and excited about what we’ve seen,” the ambassador said. “It gives me the impression that this is the perfect environment for our kids.” The letters of intent state that the colleges, the foundation and the Rwandan Embassy want stronger ties of friendship and educational cooperation. All four agreed to explore the possibilities to expand educational opportunities for Rwandan students in collaboration with NASA DEVELOP in Wise. “This is a special day,” said UVa-Wise Provost Sanders Huguenin. “We look forward to a wonderful relationship and a chance to work together.”
Scott Hamilton, MECC president, James Kimonyo, Rwanda ambassador, p Sanders Huguenin, provost and Don Green ’61, Napoleon Hill Foundation According to the letters of intent, all involved will look at ways to increase the affordability and accessibility of higher education for Rwandan students, and will use education as a pathway to greater mutual familiarity and understanding. Spring 2013 5