Averett Magazine 2019 Edition

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F O R A LU M N I & F R I E N DS O F AV E R E T T U N I V E R S I T Y | 201 9 E D I T I O N

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N E W P RO G RA M S : N E W P OS S I B I L I T I E S

FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS OF AVERETT UNIVERSITY

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

2019 Edition Vice President of Philanthropy Buddy Rawley '75 Editor Cassie Williams Jones Art Director/Designer

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Travis Dix Contributing Writers Lou Ann Bell Bradley Chrissy Deal

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THE TURNING POINT: AFIRA DEVRIES

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NEW PROGRAM: APPLIED DATA ANALYTICS

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CCECC BY THE NUMBERS

Drew Wilson

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FACES OF PHILANTHROPY

Editorial Assistants

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NEW PROGRAM: CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMIN & LEADERSHIP

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MAIN HALL RENOVATION: BEFORE & AFTER

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NEW PROGRAM: NURSING FNP & ENP

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GLIDEY HEIDI

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NEW PROGRAM: FINE ARTS IN THEATRE

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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: DLSC

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FACULTY & STAFF RECOGNITIONS

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CLASS NOTES

Danielle Staub ‘19

Marion Breen Diane Gosney '03, '15 Donna Gourley H. Lynnette Lawson Emma Lugar Sellers Sherry McDowell '12 Photography Chrissy Deal Travis Dix John McKeith Drew Wilson

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Vision Statement: Averett University will be a premier student-centered University renowned for innovative teaching and engaged learning.

Mission of Averett University: Averett University prepares students to serve and lead as catalysts for positive change.

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UPCOMING EVENTS The greatest benefit of the Alumni Association is the opportunity to network with alumni in YOUR area!

Great things happen when alumni get together!

Join us for upcoming events next year! Up-to-date details are on the Averett University Alumni Association Facebook page or the Averett App. As always, be sure to check averettcougars.com for athletic contests in your area to cheer on the Cougars!

Jan. 23, 2020 Dinner and a Show: Arts@Averett presents The Church Sisters, Danville, Va. Jan. 25, 2020 Men’s Basketball Alumni Day, Danville, Va. February 2020 Gathering in Yorktown, Va. March 19, 2020 Aviation Alumni Day, Danville, Va. April 2020 Alumni and Graduate Mixer, Danville, Va. April 18, 2020 Averett Ladies Tea, Richmond, Va. May 2020 Gathering and Recruiting Event, Zuni, Va.

Alumni Association Executive Board The Alumni Board works to help alumni take full advantage of their affinity with the University by setting up events and leading alumni in giving back to Averett through recruiting, activities, events and giving.

Alumni Board Members 2019-2020 Amanda Clifton Hylton ’02, ’09 Darrius Bethel ’13, ’15 Marquis Broadwater ’16 Pattie Parham Cairns ’74 Everett Cannon ’03 Ronnie Cole ’83, ’11 Brian Creed ’97 Carol Underwood Digesare ’68, ’71 Owen Hayden ’13 David Hudson ’10, ’13 Robert Laskowski Jr. ’00 Kimberly Crosen Luckabaugh ’91 Cathi Moore ’69 LaVoice Newby ’15 Nancy Sink Perry ’72 Richard Riccardelli ’99 Robert Stowe ’04 Roberta Thayer-Smith ’74 Jackson Weller ’01 Alumni Relations Staff Members Dan Hayes '92 Sherry McDowell '12 Let us know if you, or someone you know, would be an excellent addition to the Alumni Board. Terms are for three years. The rewards and ability to make a difference are endless!

Oct. 16-18, 2020 Homecoming AVERETT.EDU

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by Danielle Staub Afira DeVries is not new to public speaking, but this invitation was different. As she got in the car that January day, she suddenly felt as if she were going home.

“That was a little bit unexpected. I was reflecting on the fact that I hadn’t been back to the campus in more than 20 years. When I got to campus, seeing how much things had changed but stayed the same, it was just an emotional and moving experience for me. It brought back all the experiences and emotional evolution that came with being in that environment in a time where my life could have gone in a number of ways.”

DeVries was one of the alumni speakers for Averett University’s 2019 Founders’ Day celebration. Her unscripted and passionate words from the podium pulled at the heartstrings of those in the audience as they listened to a personal story of struggle, self-discovery, growth and ultimately great success, all with Averett as the turning point.

Following Averett, DeVries’ career would take her to the west coast and back, all the while working at United Way in a journey she calls “both beautiful and exhausting.” She recently left her position as the president and chief executive officer of the United Way of Roanoke Valley to pursue a new position as the United States Director for Spring Impact, a global nonprofit based in London.

Her beginnings, though, were more humble than her current title. She grew up in Massachusetts, and after getting kicked out of one high school, she attended a vocational high school nearby. DeVries found her way to Averett, a place that she is “100% confident that I would not be in the position of joyous stability that I am now had it not been for Averett being a part of my life at a time when I needed it to be.”

Since graduating from Averett in 1998 with her political science degree, DeVries has completed fellowships and earned certificates in development, nonprofit management and executive leadership from institutions like Cornell University and Harvard Business School, and is now working toward a master’s degree in sociology at Arizona State University. She had worked more than 20 years for the same organization in a number of positions, growing and reaching new heights at each juncture. From a campaign associate in Massachusetts to a director in Los Angeles, then a vice president in San Jose, Cal., to a chief development and innovations officer in Tampa, Fla. – all of these milestones leading up to her becoming the leader of the organization in Roanoke, Va. DeVries is excited to continue that leadership in her most recent position with Spring Impact, in a global position she calls a “lifelong dream to help facilitate effective social work internationally.”

Following her speech at Founders’ Day, I sat down with DeVries to learn more about her story.

I had so many questions…from where did her incredible strength come, and why did Averett play such a crucial role in her success? DeVries sat down next to me, excited to tell her story – a story she doesn’t often share with others, but one full of pride for a University that took the time to help her find her voice.

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“They need a support network and they need to feel like they are not destined to fail. That only happens when people demonstrate a sense of belief in them, and that’s what Averett did right. Averett did it right and didn’t even have to try. It just came from professors who were there for the right reasons; you could feel it.”

– Afira DeVries '98

Danielle Staub: What was your picture of success when you were younger?

What did those professors do that you hadn’t experienced before?

Afira DeVries: There were nights in my house where my parents had to choose between paying for gas to heat the home or not, so we would all sleep together on the kitchen floor in front of the oven to stay warm. That felt normal to us.

They made it a priority to kick me in the butt when I needed it until I had learned to believe in myself. I had the kind of professors who just weren’t going to have it.

They would lavish praise when they saw that I put my best foot forward, and they would absolutely not put up with me not doing that.

My parents had high hopes. They wanted us to have a better life, but didn’t have that experience themselves. I went to a trade high school and no one talked about college. When you’re in that place, you don’t really think about the future that much.

A professor came to my dorm room; I had missed two 8 a.m. classes in a row, and so he showed up at my dorm and said, “Get to class.” He said, “You’re not going to miss class again, because if you do, you’re going to fail, and I won’t let you.” I never missed class again.

In high school, you were cool when you were tough and when you displayed that exterior of “don’t mess with me.” I had to be that, but I was also really smart. I had to come up with a diversionary tactic. It was a place where I learned to mask my potential because I wasn’t going to be accepted if I didn’t.

It sounds like you were able to create strong academic relationships, but what about socially?

Where was the turning point for you?

I remember the day in high school. I don’t know why that day was so oppressive to me, but I just came home so tired of having to pretend that I wasn’t smart enough to understand, to keep up or to excel in my classes. I kept having to put on this show. I came home and I talked to my mother about it. She did her best to explain to me at some point, not long from that moment, the people in my life on that day wouldn’t be a part of my life for long and what I chose to be in these moments was going to set my trajectory. But it wasn’t until I got to Averett that I really got that.

So when you stepped on Averett’s campus, what happened?

“We didn’t let each other give up. Those relationships rooted me, they kept me there.”

I felt like there were a handful of us who were fish out of water. It had less to do with socioeconomics – although an issue – but more to do with being the first of our kind.

It’s not easy to be the first one to have even succeeded enough to make it that far, and when you don’t have a charted path that someone already paved for you, you have to be the one to make that path. And that’s a lot of pressure for an 18-year-old kid.

So building community around that was important. I was able to find the kids who felt that way, and what was so interesting about that is that those kids didn’t necessarily come from the neighborhood I came from. Some of them came from farms or from a broad array of environments, but shared the same emotional experience which was, “I don’t know how to do this.

Perhaps I should give up.”

It was a culture shock; it was a big culture shock. It was the first time I felt like I could comfortably demonstrate my intellectual capacity. It was the first time I was not only supposed to show what I could do; I was expected to excel.

We didn’t let each other give up. Those relationships rooted me, they kept me there.

What happened to me on that campus was a very quick, very important connection with professors who behaved like human beings and who treated their students like human beings and who recognized my potential long before I did.

I considered leaving 100 times. In those first three to six months I was in Danville, I was saying to myself, “I gotta get outta here.”

But then there was the beauty of building relationships with people whom I never thought I would meet.

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Would you say building new friendships was key for you?

My girlfriends rode horses; I had never seen a horse in real life until I got to Danville, let alone gotten on one. My friend convinced me to get on a horse and it didn’t last very long, but I did it. All these wonderful experiences started to ground me in what college is supposed to be, which is growth – academically, emotionally and spiritually.

How can they set their sights on something better and greater?

That was what I needed at a time I think most kids go through – a moment of, “Perhaps this is too much for me.” My relationships, my friendships, saved the day.

So your fellow students were trying to find their way, just like you, right?

Watching TV shows growing up, I always thought, “I will never see that.” Then I go to college and I am interacting with kids who had pools in their backyards and ate namebrand Doritos. They got new sneakers every few months rather than every year.

Yet there was so much we had in common… that fear, that separation anxiety and that feeling that we were in over our heads. I cannot tell you how important that is…kids in that freshman year of college are still kids.

They may technically be adults, but they are still kids and still growing emotionally. They need a support network and they need to feel like they are not destined to fail. That only happens when people demonstrate a sense of belief in them, and that’s what Averett did right. Averett did it right and didn’t even have to try. It just came from professors who were there for the right reasons; you could feel it.

What’s your advice for current students as they travel along the path to their success?

Ask any one of my younger employees and they will tell you what I say every day: “Never be so smart that you have nothing left to learn.” And that is core to anybody who is in a position of development – which should be everybody. And it’s what I understood as a younger person. You can get really confident getting caught up in what you believe you already are, and that confidence can cloud what you don’t know. It is really important for people to not be so smart that they have nothing left to learn. When you stay rooted in that belief, then people open doors for you, because people want to help people who they believe are smart but that aren’t so smart that they are not willing to learn from you. Everybody has something to offer.

“I walked into Averett feeling like I had never fully explored who I was and what I could be, and I walked out knowing, without question, what I was capable of. “

Young people, and particularly young people who come out of socioeconomically depressed environments and who come from struggle, have to set their sights beyond the boundaries of what they know; and in order to do that, they have to have interactions and a vision of what that looks like. They have to see somebody who looks a little like them, who has done more than they have ever seen someone else do. And they’ve got to be able to aspire to that in some way. I think kids who look like me or have an experience like mine need to hear that it is possible and that they can get out of that experience as much as they are willing to put into it. They need to hear that no one is better than them, just because they happen to have less. It’s important for kids to see that.

The best investment for young kids who are just starting college and feel lost when they get there, is to identify for themselves what that vision for their future looks like and who represents that for them.

Try to build a mentoring relationship, try to build a coach into your life. Set a sight for yourself that is your true north. And if you can do that, and stay grounded in your pursuit of that true north, you will be able to overcome the things that pop up in your brain telling you you’re not good enough and you can’t do it.

And how would you describe your ability to find that success?

I had no idea what it was going to be, but I always knew that I needed to take the skills that I have to do something that was going to be really fulfilling and rewarding for me. I knew that. That’s why Averett was so important to me, because it opened the door for me to just be aware of and embrace my own knowledge that I was intended to do something important. I had this wonderful team of people around me saying, “Yes, you can do that.”

I walked into Averett feeling like I had never fully explored who I was and what I could be, and I walked out knowing, without question, what I was capable of. I wonder how many others experience that at Averett, because I think it’s special. That is a unique experience in a smaller institution, led by faculty who actually give a damn.

AVERETT.EDU

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NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAM: MASTER’S OF SCIENCE IN APPLIED DATA ANALYTICS

BY CASSIE WILLIAMS JONES

Data is everywhere. It is plentiful and infiltrating every facet of our lives.

All of this data can be hugely helpful and benefit businesses immensely, but it also presents some unique challenges.

What does all of this information mean? How can it inform important business decisions? How does it translate into meaningful takeaways?

This next-level interpretation is what businesses are seeking – individuals who can tell a story from the data and extract profound results, and this is exactly what Averett University’s new Master of Science in applied data analytics degree program is designed to prepare students to do.

“Organizations are inundated with data, on the external market and on the inside,” said Dr. Alice M. ObenchainLeeson, professor of business administration and program director for BBA and MBA programs for Averett’s Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) program. “This data has grown exponentially, with a lot of data coming at us quickly.”

This applied data analytics program can be relevant for students with any undergraduate degree and targets professionals currently working for a variety of employers.

Students from a variety of academic backgrounds and employed in various industries have already enrolled in the online program, coming from education, business, computer science and health care.

“They work in a variety of industries, because analytics is taking over in terms of its importance to organizations – everything from mom-and-pop shops to major brands,” said Obenchain-Leeson.

She went on to highlight Walmart, a thought leader in the applied data analytics space. The retail giant has an ability to track inventory all over the world at any given second, taking information from multiple stores and evaluating what’s being sold versus what isn’t moving, and monitoring inventory to make really quick decisions to work with their suppliers.

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“They are taking all of this disparate data and making decisions about what they should and shouldn’t be carrying on their shelves, in real time.”

While the applied data analytics industry is still having a hard time defining itself with one uniform definition, ObenchainLeeson sees potential for every kind of business to benefit.

“Within an IT department of an organization, they would think about software and data mining. For a small mom-and-pop outfit, they can gain a deeper understanding of who their customers are, what those customers want and how to be profitable.”

She said that despite the critical importance of this being a rapidly developing field, the applied piece of data analytics has not received a ton of attention from higher education, especially smaller schools – at least not yet.

“We compared ourselves to a number of schools, and there were only a couple with the ‘applied’ focus like we have,” Obenchain-Leeson said. “Others are very high sciencefocused with application sprinkled in, whereas we are totally application-based.”

She describes two different general groups of individuals using data analytics, the first being data science folks who work with data shops in an organization. They are typically excellent in writing high math-related algorithms to understand who is going to buy, what they’re going to buy, who in their competition is going to produce more quickly, and how to work better with suppliers. In their jobs, they are data mining, writing algorithms and writing software code.

“These are people who ‘speak data,’” she said.

“Then there’s this other group of people who make business decisions every day, like who to hire, evaluating profitability, considering product lines. They need to know what questions to ask and what data they really need to problem solve, and ultimately know how to interpret that. Their decisions impact the bottom line, so we are preparing them to ask good questions, how to work with a data department or vendor, how to interpret the results they get and synthesize and illustrate the data quickly.

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As part of the partnership, SAS® offers free software to Averett students enrolled in applied data analytics, and faculty have access to free teaching resources.

“I use SAS® in courses,” she said. “It fits perfectly into where we are headed.”

And that’s exactly where Obenchain-Leeson’s head has been, looking into the future and what could be next.

Soon, Averett will announce a significant partnership to expand applied data analytics even further, moving into health care and offering a specialized degree program just for the industry.

“We will constantly work to update the program and explore new possibilities, as the data industry changes so quickly.”

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“Many organizations are either using SAS® already, or they want to be using SAS®. It is cutting edge, right there with the newest ideas in data analytics, and they have the basics down pat. It is really comprehensive, and also has a wonderful education component.”

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“SAS® is the gold standard of approaching data analytics,” said Obenchain-Leeson. “Of all the questions I’ve had recruiters send me, about 90% are asking to learn more about the joint certificate.

“Cultural sensitivity in the modern era takes on heightened meaning, as we live in such a diverse world, a world that is as small and as large as our homes, our communities, our workplaces and our future endeavors. And while we are all, to some degree, products of our environments, one of the hallmarks of higher education is to provide a framework for broadening our perspectives and a safe space to analyze and discuss our individual and collective pasts, presents and futures,” said Antoinette Gazda, assistant professor of English and coordinator of the minor. “It is in learning about others (and ourselves) that we come to mutual understanding and empathy.”

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The collaboration didn’t stop there. The University partnered with SAS®, the creator of the globally leading statistical software suite, to offer students a joint certificate. While SAS® offers its own certifications, the company has partnered with Averett on this joint initiative, from helping conceptualize and build the curriculum, to standardizing the joint certificate, and ultimately making Averett’s graduates more marketable.

NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAM: MINOR IN AFRICAN AND AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES

The African and African American studies minor at Averett explores the cultures, contributions and challenges of people of African descent around the world, seeking to develop greater respect for scholarship as a tool for problemsolving and provide students with a path toward gaining a deeper appreciation of racial and cultural differences in the United States and the wider world.

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Averett did not arrive at this decision alone. The University first comprised a Business Advisory Group made up of folks ranging from Wall Street, to regional community development representatives, to contractors from the U.S. Department of Defense.

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“That’s the applied side of data analytics, and that was a better fit for us.”

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NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAM:

MINORS IN COMPUTER FORENSICS AND CYBER SECURITY

Averett’s computer forensics minor offers students a way of examining the process for computer forensic investigations and the tools and procedures required. The fundamentals of collection, preservation and analysis of digital evidence are emphasized to prepare students for in-depth study of this multidimensional field.

The cyber security minor is designed to help students understand the importance of information security in a modern computer-driven world. By concentrating on the key concepts and mechanisms of information security, students will study basic computer security concepts, common attacking techniques, common security policies, basic cryptographic tools and authentication, access control, network intrusion detection, software security, operating system security and network security, and legal and ethical issues in computer security.

AVERETT.EDU

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COUGAR NATION DISCOUNT PROGRAM Supporting our community is a high priority for Averett University, and we want to do everything we can to encourage our students, faculty, staff and alumni to eat, shop and play locally. To that end, the Cougar Nation Discount Program is designed to (1) increase awareness of local businesses and (2) reward students, faculty, staff and alumni for supporting local businesses.

Discounts will only be made available if you show your Averett ID.

Restaurants The Cookie Store: 325 Piedmont Dr, Students, Faculty & Staff receive a 10% discount Crema & Vine: 1009 Main St. Students, Faculty & Staff receive a 15% discount.

Dell’ Annos Pizzeria: 316 Main St. Students, Faculty & Staff receive a 10% discount.

Dell’ Annos Pizzeria: 10378 Martinsville Hwy. Students, Faculty & Staff receive a 10% discount.

Di’lishi: 309 Main St. Students, Faculty, Staff & Alumni receive a 10% discount (May not be combined with other discounts).

Frank’s Italian Restaurant: 1959 Memorial Dr. Students receive a 10% discount (May not be combined with other discounts or specials and does not include alcohol).

IHOP: 101 Teal Ct. Students, Faculty, Staff & Alumni receive a 10% discount (On all regular priced items).

Kickback Jack’s: 140 Crown Dr. Students, Faculty, Staff & Alumni receive a 10% discount (Not applicable to alcohol or daily specials).

King Cropp: 621 Main St. Students, Faculty & Staff receive a 10% discount (Excludes alcohol).

Los Tres Magueyes: 2818 Riverside Dr. Students, Faculty & Staff receive a 10% discount (Excludes alcohol & may not be combined with other discounts).

Me’s Burgers & Brews: 215 Main St. Students, Faculty & Staff receive a 10% discount (Excludes alcohol).

Monk’s Pretzels: 325 Piedmont Dr. (The Danville Mall) Students, Faculty & Staff receive a 10% discount.

Pino’s Pizza: 618 Westover Dr. Students, Faculty, Staff & Alumni receive a 15% discount.

Ruffino’s Pizza: 325 Piedmont Dr. # 4Z (The Danville Mall Food Court) Students, Faculty & Staff receive a 10% discount.

Santana’s Mexican Restaurant: 102 Tower Dr. Students, Faculty & Staff receive a 10% discount (Excludes alcohol).

The Schoolfield Restaurant: 1009 W. Main St. Students, Faculty, Staff & Alumni receive a 10% discount (Excludes alcohol).

Stateline Diner: 1340 W. Main St. Students, Faculty & Staff receive a 10% discount (Not available on daily specials).

Sweet Frog: 165 Holt Garrison Pkwy. #590A Students, Faculty & Staff receive a 10% discount.

Wendy’s: 3260 Riverside Dr., 1416 Piney Forest Rd., & 1251 South Boston Rd. Students, Faculty, Staff & Alumni receive a 10% discount (Only for Averett individual).

Shopping The Brick: 410 Main St. Students, Faculty & Staff receive a 10% discount.

Chestnut Lane: 531 Main St. Students receive a 10% discount.

Dollar Mart: 637 W. Main St. Students, Faculty, Staff & Alumni receive up to 50% off of select items.

Karen’s Hallmark Shop: 325 Piedmont Dr. #5K (The Danville Mall) Students receive a 10% discount (Excludes special orders, Yeti, promotional items, local items, Hallmark keepsake ornaments, Hallmark cards, postage stamps, limited quantities, sale/ clearance – see store clerk for details).

River District Artisans: 411 Main St. Students, Faculty & Staff receive a 10% discount on in-stock quilts; does not apply to special orders.

Sporting Clays at Cosner Reserve: 1035 Old U.S. Hwy 29, Pelham, NC 27311 Students, Faculty, Staff & Alumni: Clay Targets Cost: .30 Cent per Target, Cart Rental Discount: $10.00 plus sales tax, Gun Rental: $8.00 Plus sale tax, 10% off an ammo purchase

Other Ballad Brewing, LLC: 600 Craghead St. Students, Faculty, Staff & Alumni receive a 10% discount on all glassware and apparel.

Danville Science Center: 677 Craghead St. Students receive free admission to our monthly Science After Dark events. These events are held every first Friday of the month from 5:30-9 p.m.

KG Graphics, LLC: 311 Court St. Students, Faculty & Staff receive a 10% discount on first order, T-shirts or print item.

Live Safe Defensive Training Inc.: 444 Wilson St. Students, Faculty, Staff & Alumni receive 25% off of monthly dues or individual course fees.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Cougar Nation Discount Program, please contact Katie Johnston at 434-791-5877 or kjohnston@averett.edu.

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AVERETT MAGAZINE | 2019 EDITION

See Something, Say Something Students, employees, alumni, parents and neighbors - check out our newest safety tool, the LiveSafe mobile app at Averett!

Report tips, view safety maps, connect with Campus Security, and more!

Get the App Download “LiveSafe” for free from

1 Google Play or the App Store.

Register with your mobile phone

2 number and fill out your profile.

Verify your account.

3 Select “Averett University.”

Would you participate in a clay pigeon shoot with Averett?

We are considering a possible event, and looking to gauge interest.

Please let us know if you’d be interested by contacting alumni@averett.edu or calling (434) 791-5676.

BE A PART OF

SOMETHING

BIG The Averett Society is the premiere annual giving group at Averett. Averett Society members attend exclusive events and are invited to a home football game in the President’s Suite.

Did you know, as a recent alumnus (10 years and under post-graduation), you can be a part of the Averett Society for $500 a year? For everybody else, the annual membership is $1,000; but, that’s still less than $100 a month to network among Averett’s loyal friends and family.

And remember, with a planned gift of life insurance, your premiums count towards Averett Society membership while building a lasting legacy at Averett.

So join us today!

AVERETT.EDU

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CA M PUS NEWS

Averett Ranks In U.S. News, Princeton Review and Colleges of Distinction Averett University’s national endorsements and accolades continue to stack up. In the 2020 rankings by U.S. News & World Report, Averett was named the No. 15 best regional liberal arts college in the South – the university’s third year in the top 15. Only three Virginia schools made the “2020 Best Regional Colleges in the South” list, with Averett retaining its position as the highest ranking Virginia school from the complete list of 63 regional schools in the South. Averett was also named the seventh best regional college in the South for veterans in 2020, as well as the eighth-ranking Southern regional college for best value. Additionally, among regional colleges in the south, Averett was ranked No. 7 of top performers on social mobility, No. 11 of best undergraduate teaching, and No. 29 of campus ethnic diversity by U.S. News. For several consecutive years, the Princeton Review has ranked Averett as one of the “best in the Southeast” in its “Best Colleges: Region by Region” guide, and Colleges of Distinction has once again named Averett a 2019-2020 College of Distinction – the University’s seventh consecutive year receiving the honor.

Averett’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Wins Fourth Consecutive Cans Across the Conference Averett University Athletics and its Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) helped collect a school-record 17,650 canned goods and food items to win its fourth consecutive USA South Conference “Cans Across the Conference” competition in the 2018 fall semester.

Averett’s record collection benefits the Danville area directly as the Cougars donated all items to God’s Storehouse, a local food bank. Averett SAAC’s goal in 2018 was to collect more than 17,300 items — its winning total from 2017.

Averett’s total is the third highest total garnered by one school since the initiative began in 2004. Overall, USA South institutions collected 64,059 items in the fall of 2018 which is the second-highest total in competition history and an improvement of 11,603 from the previous year. Over the 15-year history of the program, USA South Conference institutions have donated 505,781 items to various organizations.

Averett Family and Friends Celebrate Dr. Franks with #ThanksDrFranks Video Campaign To honor Dr. Tiffany Franks’ tenth year as President of Averett University, Institutional Advancement on behalf of the Board of Trustees, developed a social media video campaign called #ThanksDrFranks. The campaign, which was a surprise to Dr. Franks, kicked off in the beginning of November 2018. Throughout the month of November, a new video appeared on Facebook and Twitter every weekday leading up to Thanksgiving, as well as fun Instagram stories. Everyone was invited to follow Averett on social media to hear from members of the Danville community and the Averett Family about why they are thankful for Dr. Franks.

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AVERETT MAGAZINE | 2019 EDITION

Community College Articulation Agreements During the 2018-19 academic year, Averett signed three articulation agreements and community educational partnership agreements with community colleges including Virginia Western Community College, Piedmont Community College and Central Virginia Community College. Each articulation agreement focuses on traditional students studying sociology and criminal justice, and allows those students who have started their education at the community college to transfer easily to Averett and complete their Bachelor of Science degree in sociology/criminal justice. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.

They will enter Averett with a junior status and can expect to graduate after completing a minimum of 60 credits at Averett.

The community educational partnership agreements, geared toward adult students entering Averett’s Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) program, guarantees acceptance to Averett of any student from the three community colleges who has completed an associate’s degree. All the students are required to have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.

Bishop Lawrence Campbell, Sr. Recognized In January at Founders’ Day, Averett bestowed a first-ever prestigious award to a prominent local alumnus. The new President’s Service Award was presented to Reverend Lawrence G. Campbell, Sr. ’73, pastor of Bible Way Cathedral. The award is a new recognition for those who have shown exemplary service to Averett or the surrounding region. Campbell was a civil rights organizer and leader in Danville during the 60s, and has been a local voice and civil rights champion ever since.

The University then hosted a book signing in June in partnership with the Center for Community Engagement and Career Competitiveness at Averett, the Danville Police Department and History United, in which Campbell discussed the current climate of racial justice in the region and featured his new book about Bloody Monday, “1963: A Turning Point in Civil Rights.”

Second Averett Student Awarded Distinguished Fellowship Slot Averett University junior Cassidy Pruitt has been named as one of 262 college students across the country as a Newman Civic Fellow for 2019-20. The fellowship is hosted by Campus Compact, a Boston-based non-profit organization working to advance the public purposes of higher education, of which Averett is a member of the Virginia chapter.

The fellowship is a year-long program that recognizes and supports community committed students who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country. Pruitt, selected for her involvement with and dedication to the Love Danville Higher Education Council, will begin her term as a fellow in the fall 2019 semester. She will travel to Boston this November and connect with other fellows in various ways throughout the year.

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In its fifth year, the Center for Community Engagement and Career Competitiveness (CCECC) at Averett University is looking ahead toward growth and a refined mission and brand. Armed with a new strategic plan, and a new executive director, Dr. Billy Wooten, the CCECC is working to address the Dan River Region’s most pressing needs in the areas of economic opportunity, youth and education, and civil and human rights.

As the hub for community engagement, service-learning and career competitiveness initiatives at Averett, Danville Community College (DCC) and Piedmont Community College (PCC), the CCECC has had transformative impact on students and community partners in its first five years:

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unique engagement events held annually throughout the Dan River Region

9,583 81,539 total volunteers

total volunteer hours

$2,068,202 in volunteer financial impact on the Dan River Region

123 service-learning hours

service-learning courses engaged in capacitybuilding projects

67,405

2,049

students engaged in service-learning projects

$1,714,110 in service-learning student impact on the Dan River Region

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Bonner Leaders

$123,988 in National Bonner Leader impact on the Dan River Region

4,797

National Bonner Leader service hours

84% 79% 93%

of graduates report being employed

report jobs in their academic discipline

of students with an internship graduate

* All numbers reflect the totals since the CCECC’s inception.

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Averett University stands proudly in the heart of Danville – a symbol of the vision and dedication of the founders of the school and a place so many call home. But Averett is more than a place; it is people – a genuinely engaged and dynamic population of students, alumni, professors, staff, administrators and friends. These groups include so many generous individuals, intent on giving back, each with a unique approach.

Averett’s fundraising campaigns are hitting new highs, enabling the school to make breakthroughs in sustaining the facilities and making headway on ambitious goals. In fact, the 2017-18 fiscal year was one of the best for giving in Averett’s history.

“Donors are everything,” said Vice President of Institutional Advancement Buddy Rawley. “Our donors are our lifeblood. If it weren’t for donors, alumni and friends, Averett would not be able to do all we do.”

Main Hall is central to a recent and ongoing fundraising campaign to further establish the University’s bright future by addressing the needs of the modern student while sustaining its legacy. The Campaign for Main launched in the spring of 2017, and in a very short period of time, donations reached $5.5 million in cash and pledges. In addition, the push for funding for the launch of a new graduate nursing program landed the school another $1.7 million in gifts and pledges, making this year one of record-setting fundraising.

Buildings, technology infrastructure, faculty and curricula demand attention, maintenance to stay even and investment to make them better. Gifts above and beyond tuition support the mission, vision and values of Averett, enabling the school to build first-rate facilities. Special initiatives honor the legacy and move the University forward. The Annual Fund, planned giving, and celebrations – campaigns that earmark funds for essential projects, renovations, new buildings, new and expanded scholarships, new programs, state-of-the-art technology – are all integrated opportunities for giving back.

“We just can’t do everything we need to off of tuition dollars alone,” said Rawley. “Anything we do extra, above and beyond the operating budget, we have to raise the money.

“Donors are our partners in making students’ educational dreams come true,” he continued. “They help provide the Averett experience to students seeking a small, private school that’s like a family, letting them blossom in a tight-knit environment.”

This experience is precisely why these five donors continue to choose to give to Averett.

Robin Ratchford ’00 Robin Ratchford ’00 completed his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Richmond, Va. through Averett’s Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) program. He serves as vice president and regional chief information officer at Bon Secours Mercy Health System, created from a recent merger of two systems to create one of the largest hospital chains and Catholic health systems in the country with 43 hospitals spanning seven states in the Eastern United States.

A loyal donor to Averett for more than 15 years, Ratchford started working at Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital when he was a teenager nearly 50 years ago. With an affinity for computer systems and systems integration, he didn’t go to college at first but moved through the ranks of tech positions at St. Mary’s, then Bon Secours, and now Bon Secours Mercy to achieve one of the highest positions in his field. Along the way, he earned his college degree from Averett.

“I enjoyed the adult program. It was perfect for me,” said Ratchford. “It is nice to be in class with other adults who are employed…During this time I refined my presentation skills, which needed honing. On a daily basis, I come in contact with all levels of management, and having expert communications skills, the ability to speak crisply and purposefully, was critical to my success and advancement.

“I admire what Averett does in the community. Averett does a nice job of delivering fresh, educated talent and a skilled work force for the next generation of workers/jobs in the Danville area and, of course, the world beyond. Averett partners well with businesses in the community—identifies what types of education and experience are needed and develops corresponding programs,” said Ratchford. “I see the effects of student involvement and volunteerism in the community. The experiences translate into relationships which translate into new businesses and opportunities to establish new businesses—as the community comes back to life—growing with Averett.”

“I feel compelled to help,” he finished.

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Justine Cherochak ’08 This simple sentiment is shared

by Justine Cherochak ’08.

“One of my priorities is giving back, so I give back…everyone benefits,” said Cherochak, an accounting graduate, Danville native and Northern Virginia transplant. “I realized the importance of donations, giving time, attending events, participating in brainstorming solutions that affect the future health and wellbeing of the University that means so much to me. I have attended events around Virginia and the DC-area, and I have met Averett graduates everywhere.”

“At first, early in my career, I gave maybe $100 a year, but as I had great success in my career, I was able to routinely give more. I earmark donations for special fundraising campaigns like the Campaign for Main. I made an effort to fund the building of new tennis courts in the future. I played tennis at Averett and could have benefited from better courts, and I see the value of that for other students who play tennis. I also give to the Annual Fund and specific alumni scholarships. I benefited from scholarships when I was in school, and it is definitely nice to return the favor.”

This is exactly what Dan Hayes '92, director of alumni relations, wants alumni to understand.

Cherochak recognized the strength of Averett, right in her backyard. It was already her community, and she took the steps to make it her college town community, as well. It became her pathway to a fruitful career in her field.

“I think people underestimate how much of a difference a gift to Averett can make,” he said. “As alumni, we have a commitment to multiply the investment that was made in us as students, and it can be done at whatever level fits for you, whether that is $10 or $10 million.”

“My experience at Averett was important to me, a stepping stone to my successful career,” she said.

“I stand behind the excellence of the education I received. It was a great experience all the way around.”

While Averett sees a heavy presence of donors from Virginia, many residing in other states still contribute to their college home in Danville.

Immersed in experiential learning through internships and study abroad, she further valued the Averett experience.

“While pursuing my degree at Averett, I interned one summer at KPMG, one of the big seven accounting firms. After successfully fulfilling the responsibilities of the internship, I was guaranteed a job after graduation with the prestigious firm,” said Cherochak. “My career has had an upward trajectory that has enabled me quickly to be in a position to give back. While at KPMG I helped three other Averett students achieve internships at KPMG that led to full-time jobs. It is about partnership, thinking strategically, working magic to keep the power of the Averett experience on a forwardmoving roll.”

She continued to give back by serving four years on the Averett Alumni Board. She also attributes many of her most fulfilling relationships to her four years at college – where she happened to meet her husband – and is thankful for the “countless relationships and a healthy networking circle that I owe to my time at Averett.”

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Her message to prospective donors: “No gift is too small!”

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Melveice Harris ’84 “I am a dedicated donor to Averett,” said aviation alumnus and Philadelphia resident Melveice Harris ’84. “It was the foundation for my successful career and family life. I give to the Annual Fund, but am also interested in funding aviationspecific expansions.”

Harris, now the district manager of support for the Washington District of the Federal Aviation Administration, was one of the first students to enroll in Averett’s aviation program. He believes in Averett’s continual transformation while maintaining focus on what it does best.

“I am amazed at what has happened at Averett,” he said. “It was a college then, now it is a University.

I visit the school and Danville regularly. Averett holds a special place in my career and my family life; I met my wife at Averett. It is important to me to support other students who are following in my footsteps with an aviation career.”

Latoya Skinner '08 Another loyal Averett alumni who has since settled in Raleigh, N.C., Latoya Skinner ’08 is a true cheerleader for all things Averett.

“My office is a testament to my enthusiasm for Averett; it is decorated with Averett spirit—my diploma, photos, spirit gear!” Skinner said. “I owe my productivity and increasingly successful career to Averett… my degree from Averett has been a stepping stone for me, a huge leg up in a competitive world.”

Skinner began a new administrative position this spring in the Office of Equity and Diversity at North Carolina State University.

She previously worked for a 4,500 member church in Raleigh, and prior to that, at Virginia Beach City Public Schools managing a student success program for at-risk and low-risk students. Soon after graduating in 2008 with her Bachelor of Business Administration degree through the GPS program, she has given regularly to the University.

“I am involved in my community, giving back in many ways, and my community extends to Averett,” said Skinner. “I have served on the Alumni Board, and I look forward to doing that again. My goal is to always represent Averett in a positive light, encouraging those seeking a degree, whether traditional or nontraditional, to pursue it with Averett.”

Richard “Dick” Wright That sense of giving back to the community is a common thread weaving together Averett’s donors, as in the case of Richard “Dick” Wright. A distinguished past chairman of Averett’s Board of Trustees, Wright is president of his own Richmond, Va.-based life insurance consulting firm, after a long and successful career in leadership at several insurance companies based throughout Virginia and North Carolina. He and his wife, Jean, have been active in all facets of their communities throughout their lives, and are generous donors to many organizations – their church, Special Olympics, the Central Virginia FoodBank, Massey Cancer Center – but Averett is a mainstay for them.

“I have a special attachment to Averett,” said Mr. Wright.

Wright was a friend of the son of a former Averett president. He suggested Wright get involved with the University’s board to share his business and fiscal expertise. Wright came to campus to tour and meet with the president at the time, the late Dr. Frank Campbell. He eventually became chairman of the board, as well as an annual Averett Society member.

“I believed whole-heartedly in Averett’s mission.

I respected its commitment to adult education… that people who were working were able to attend class after work resonated with me. An ivy-covered traditional building with a traditional, residential, four-year program is one thing – a great thing – but what an institution does beyond that, how it meets the needs of non-traditional student schedules, where it can pass beyond the traditional plan is where it can excel, grow and make a significant difference in the community.”

The Wrights became major donors to Averett, offering time, advice and financial help for many significant initiatives. Their funds helped to solidify the growth of the aviation program and training center and obtain approval for a football program, which eventually led to raising funds for the facilities on that campus.

“It has been a joy to watch that grow,” he says. “Every advancement of the University benefits the greater Danville community. For example, the football complex is one of the better ones in the country in Division III. The facility is magnificent; it draws students, alumni and fans. It provides jobs; it produces athletes. It is an effective win-win for Averett, the students and the community.”

That’s one of the many reasons the couple gives. They believe greatly in the University’s aviation program, calling it a “hidden gem,” and believe the nursing program is playing an integral role in the community. These demonstrations of Averett’s relevancy and agility are what keep compelling the Wrights to back Averett’s fundraising goals.

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IM CR

INAL JUSTIC E

NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAM: MASTER’S OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION

BY CASSIE WILLIAMS JONES

The bottom line: safer communities.

That’s the driving force behind Averett’s criminal justice leadership and administration graduate program, according to Dr. James Hodgson.

“This comes from a sense of social responsibility,” the director of criminal justice for Averett’s Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) program reflected. “As a community based academic institution, we have the responsibility to provide opportunities to our first responders, and a commitment to making the criminal justice profession more user-friendly.

It’s about community problem-solving and enhancing the students’ level of education while increasing levels of professionalism and emotional intelligence.”

And to accomplish this, relationships have been at the center.

The University’s partnerships with several law enforcement agencies and localities around the Commonwealth of Virginia continue to strengthen. Hodgson has been working for a couple of years to establish Criminal Justice Advisory Boards in the Danville, Richmond, Roanoke, Charlottesville, Virginia

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Beach and Northern Virginia (Quantico) communities to bring together the leaders in criminal justice at Averett and in the surrounding communities. These boards, which include top leaders like police chiefs and agency officials, endorse this new master’s degree program and have helped shape the direction of its curriculum based on current workforce needs.

“We’ve heard directly from the criminal justice workforce that practitioners moving up in rank, where they supervise personnel or operate at the upper management level, are required to have the skills, abilities and knowledge in the area of criminal justice administration and leadership,” said Hodgson. “With industry standards increasing and seeking further professionalization for police and criminal justice agencies, many professionals in the field are expected to have a graduate degree. This degree program will prepare students to meet today’s amplified expectations to lead professionally and solve problems progressively.”

Dawn Stultz Vaughn, training coordinator for the Piedmont Regional Criminal Justice Training Academy in Martinsville, Va., started the program in August 2018, and has already used much of what she’s learned in the classes in her job.

“I have enjoyed it so much. It’s a lot of work, but I’ve actually used some of it when I’m teaching new recruits about building relationships and trust and community policing,” she said.

The retired patrol lieutenant and Martinsville native has always wanted to get her master’s degree. After retiring from the Martinsville Police Department in 2017 after more than 21 years of service, she is now training police recruits, and looking for new ways to engage them and keep their interest.

“To me, students learn differently now,” she said. Vaughn’s undergraduate degree is in elementary education. “The challenge is to figure out what is going to grab them and make them want to make this a career. I want to learn about leadership styles that will help me make them better officers. ” She’s learning these skills from the faculty members, as well as her classmates.

“All of the professors have been awesome. They were tough, but they made me better because they challenged me.”

Vaughn is in class with friends, former colleagues and a few new faces. She finds the various perspectives and regional differences in mindsets “eye-opening.”

The program is already drawing employees from numerous agencies, including Danville, Martinsville and Chesterfield County police departments and the Richmond City Sheriff’s Office, as well as individuals from criminal justice academies, state and local corrections agencies, probation and parole organizations, and even active duty military members.

“Most of our new students are practitioners, and most are at the command staff level at their career,” Hodgson said.

Enrollment in the undergraduate program has seen a trickle-down effect with the addition of the master’s degree offering, with many undergraduate students verbally committing to enrolling in the graduate program upon completion of their bachelor’s degrees. The University has also been invited to several education fairs and recruitment events at localities around the state to discuss both degree options.

Looking ahead, Averett is working with law enforcement partners to find new ways in which it can increase educational access, options and opportunities for other professionals interested in the field. Already, the University has signed eight articulation agreements just over the past year with area community colleges in Virginia and North Carolina, streamlining the transfer process for graduates of these community colleges with associate’s degrees in criminal justice majors to matriculate into Averett’s bachelor’s criminal justice program, and hopefully later into the graduate program.

“We have chosen faculty who have exemplary academic records with a terminal degree in the field, and equally important, have significant work experience and time in the field,” Hodgson said. “They’ve actually ‘walked the walk,’ coming from policing, military police, homeland security, police research – and coming from all over the country.”

The interdisciplinary degree program includes 36 credit hours with an option of a final thesis or comprehensive exam. Designed to provide access, options and opportunities, the accelerated online program format allows for degree completion in less than 20 months, and is accessible to those working demanding and unpredictable shifts.

“We will work around their busy schedules and lives. We will make it work,” he assured.

Vaughn can affirm this.

“If you have any issues with scheduling, they are so willing to work with you. They understand you have a job, and are a parent, and a soccer coach, and a wife.”

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Main Hall Makeover:

For the second year, new students at Averett have moved into the renovated Main Hall! After undergoing major renovations over the summer of 2018, the iconic Main Hall was made like new again, welcoming the latest generations of Averett students.

The renovations were the focus of the University’s Campaign for Main - the first, public phase of a multi-phased, 10-year, $28 million campaign to raise funds to renovate existing residence halls and future expansions on Main Campus.

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Before, During & After

The Campaign for Main set out to raise $5.35 million for renovations to Averett’s most iconic building - Main Hall - and because of the cash and pledges from our very generous donors, $5.5 million has been raised to date! There are a number of naming opportunities still available, including 18 more dorm rooms.

Take a look at some pictures before, during and after the renovation to see the amazing transformation of one of Averett’s most beloved buildings!

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NURSING

FNP ENP

NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAM:

MASTER’S OF SCIENCE IN NURSING

BY CHRISSY DEAL, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Averett University is once again blazing new trails in education with the announcement that its School of Nursing will now offer a Master of Science in Nursing degree with two advanced focus areas designed to elevate the quality of nursing education in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. The two new areas of study, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP), are in addition to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree already offered.

The announcement of the new nursing offerings came just before Averett welcomed 18 new undergraduate nursing students into the major. The first class of master’s degree candidates with the FNP focus will begin in January of 2020, while the ENP focus area is slated to start in May.

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A host of educational firsts sets the Averett School of Nursing apart, the most notable being that Averett will be the first and only university in the Mid-Atlantic to offer the Emergency Nurse Practitioner certification; this includes Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and Delaware. Averett’s School of Nursing is one of only 13 higher education institutions in the country to offer this prestigious and highly sought-after training.

Nurses who are certified as ENPs are qualified to provide care for acute and critical illnesses and to treat serious trauma and injuries. They are able to work in emergency rooms and other urgent care facilities, including Level One Trauma Centers, the highest level of emergency care accessible in a hospital setting. With the ability to diagnose, prescribe, perform procedures and confer with physicians on complex cases, ENPs are highly valued health care professionals with many high-paying job opportunities.

“We push hard every day to continually ensure that we’re being responsive to the health care needs of this region, and that we’re giving people in our region paths to rewarding, high-demand careers,” said Averett University President Dr. Tiffany M. Franks. “The addition of these graduate level studies is just one more way we’re continuing that push.”

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Since its inception, Averett’s School of Nursing has been driven by a mission not only to graduate highly skilled nurses but also to encourage them to settle in rural areas where their help is sorely needed. Nearly every county surrounding Danville, in both Virginia and North Carolina, is considered a “Health Professional Shortage Area” by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Of the 80 counties in North Carolina that are considered rural, 70 of those are labeled as “medical deserts” due to the lack of primary care available. The same can be said for many counties in Virginia as well.

“We have a genuine shortage of both bachelor’s prepared nurses and master’s prepared nurses, not only here in Virginia but across the country, specifically in rural areas,” said Dr. Pamela Giles, dean of the School. “So as part of our curriculum, we’re educating our students about rural health needs and needs in underserved areas. It’s our hope and goal that they will choose to live and work here or in another high-need area.”

This makes the Family Nurse Practitioner degree particularly valuable to meeting the school’s mission. FNPs provide generalized, familyfocused care and perform examinations, provide diagnoses and write prescriptions, among other things. Because of the broad scope of their education and duties, they are empowered to take on more responsibility and autonomy in the course of their work. Many FNPs are able to serve as the primary health care provider for their patients — a skill that is crucial in underserved areas where physicians may be few.

“We’ve heard directly from health care industry leaders, hospital administrators, physicians, private practice physicians and many others that they need FNPs to help meet their patient loads,” Franks noted.

Students who complete their undergraduate degree at Averett will be eligible to enter the master’s program and then pursue the ENP, but Averett is especially proud to open those advanced practice offerings to nurses who may already be in the workforce.

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“Our master’s program is ideally designed for nurses who are already working but want to further their careers,” Giles said. “Because we offer a hybrid education model — both online and on-campus for hands-on learning — students don’t have to leave their home areas in order to complete the requirements.

“They must visit us on campus at least three times for crucial training that can only be learned inperson. Plus, it’s vital that we as educators have an opportunity to assess each student’s abilities in a face-to-face setting. But because a majority of requirements can be completed remotely, our students will have maximum flexibility for how and when they advance their education.”

Additionally, Averett has become among the first nursing schools to use certain advanced technological training equipment to supplement its nursing curriculum.

Every advanced practice degree student will receive a SonoSim™ device for their personal study, something only seven other nursing schools in the nation offer. In fact, the SonoSim,™ which attaches to a laptop to simulate more than 100 real-life diagnostic scenarios where a sonogram is used, is typically employed only by medical schools.

Along with the SonoSim™, students will have the opportunity to utilize Ares™, a surprisingly lifelike training mannequin controlled by a remote tablet. An instructor can program various physical reactions for the mannequin to display, such as bloodshot eyes, a racing pulse, a cough or difficulty breathing. Students monitor these simulated symptoms to make a proper diagnosis and take the appropriate steps to address the problem.

The School of Nursing showed off the new equipment during a special open house event in July, at which they announced the new degree programs. Visitors witnessed first-hand the level of advanced technology soon to be put to use.

Along with the opportunity to advance their nursing careers and the exclusive access to high-tech training equipment, students enrolled at Averett

will benefit from a highly skilled and experienced faculty focused on their education and training, as well as clinical placements for every graduate nursing student.

“One of the most important elements for success is making sure our students have clinical placements, and most schools place that burden on the students themselves,” said Giles. “However at Averett, we will find all clinical placements for our students. This is a huge plus for students and a big selling point for Averett.”

This program was made possible with the help of the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission and other anonymous donors. In addition, the Stratford House Center generously gave $1 million for an endowed scholarship fund for students from this region pursuing their BSN or MSN degrees at Averett.

Enrollment in the graduate studies programs has already begun. To learn more about admissions requirements and offerings, visit averett.edu/ nursegreatly.

Averett School of Nursing Graduate Faculty & Staff Members Beth DeKoninck, DNP, NP-C, FNP-BC Assistant Dean of Graduate Nursing Programs, Associate Professor DeKoninck was an associate professor at the University of St. Francis in Ft. Wayne, Ind. She is a family nurse practitioner with a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Vanderbilt University, and has practiced in a wide variety of settings, including working with the U.S. Foreign Service in the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria from 2007-2009.

Ryan Mallo, PhD, DNP, NP-C, ENP-BC Director of Nurse Practitioner Programs, Associate Professor Mallo is certified as a family nurse practitioner and an emergency nurse practitioner. He earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Northwest Nazarene University and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Concordia University.

Ryan is a well-known speaker and author, and is active in several national nursing organizations.

Dustin Spencer, DNP, NRP, FNP-C, PMHS, ENP-BC, PMHNP-BC, CNL, CNE Associate Professor of Nursing Spencer is a certified nurse educator, a family nurse practitioner, an emergency nurse practitioner, a pediatric mental health specialist, a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, a clinical nurse leader, and a nationally registered paramedic. He maintains clinical practice as an emergency nurse practitioner and psych-mental health nurse practitioner.

Izy Obi, MA, NCC, SSYB-C Director of MSN Clinical Placement and BSN Student Success Obi comes to Averett from Duke University where, in 1997, she initiated the clinical placement process for its graduate nursing program. She most recently managed this process for Duke, where she worked to find clinical experiences for over 800 graduate nursing students each year. Obi earned her M.A. in counselor education from N.C. Central University, as well as additional professional certifications from Duke.

CA M PUS NEWS Averett Cheerleading wins Second National Championship For the second year in a row, Averett Cheerleading was named the 2019 Christian Cheerleaders of America National Champions and Collegiate Grand Champions during a competition in March of 2019. The Cougars were the lone all-female team, battling against four co-ed teams. In the end, Averett was the top scoring collegiate team out of the college teams that attended in all-female, co-ed and stunt divisions.

New Competitive Dance Team at Averett Averett announced the addition of a competitive dance team in March, which the University launched for the 2019-20 academic year. Alexis Harris was hired as the program’s first head coach. This team is the fifth new program that Averett has added under the Department of Athletics in the past three years, joining esports, men’s and women’s lacrosse and men’s wrestling.

Averett Wrestling Qualifies Three Nationals In February, for the first time in their program’s history, the Averett University men’s wrestling team competed at the National Tournament. Averett had three wrestlers qualify during Day 2 at the NCAA Southeast Regional Tournament for nationals – sophomores Sam Braswell and Brandon Woody and freshman Jared Lough.

Averett IDA Team Named 2019 Reserve Champion Averett’s Equestrian Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) team, which has been ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 in the nation in three of the past four years, earned the 2019 Reserve Champion title by finishing second this April at Nationals — a feat the team also accomplished in 2016. Senior Noel Muehlbauer won an individual national championship at the IDA Nationals. The team competed against qualifying Division I, II and III institutions from nine different regions across the country at the event hosted by Lake Erie College.

Averett won the IDA National Championship in 2017.

Averett Receives Federal Grant for Domestic and Sexual Violence Critical Services Coordination in the Region Averett announced in April that it is the recipient of a $500,000, three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women. In partnership with Sovah Health, HAVEN of the Dan River Region, Inc. and the City of Danville Police Department, Averett will lead a community wide initiative to bring together key stakeholders to collaborate on a coordinated response to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking in the region.

The project team is the first of its kind for the region, and will work to establish agreed protocols, processes, service delivery, coordination and prevention education that will increase support for survivors of sexual assault in the City of Danville, Va.; in Pittsylvania County, Va.; and in Caswell County, N.C. 28

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Innovative Star Award Presented to Averett In April, Averett University’s aerospace management program received the Innovation in Education and Community Outreach Award at the Southern Piedmont Technology Council’s (SPTC) Innovative Stars Awards Banquet. Averett was one of seven award recipients being honored from SPTC’s service region for promoting the importance of technology.

Averett Receives Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Award Averett is the recipient of a 2019 Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Award, presented by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. At a special ceremony held in April at the Executive Mansion in Richmond, Va., Averett was one of nine recipients spotlighted for outstanding efforts in community service and volunteerism, and was the only educational institution awarded.

Averett Creates Cougar Cares Program The Office of Student Success, in conjunction with Student Life and the CCECC at Averett, recently instated the Cougar Cares program which provides students access to things like professional business clothing, emergency food items, emergency hygiene products and textbook assistance. The Foundation Student Resource Center is located next to the CCECC, and all visits are confidential.

Averett Enters Unique Partnership with LifeSpire In June of 2019, Averett partnered with LifeSpire of Virginia to launch the first-ever educational partnership for LifeSpire. Averett President Dr. Tiffany M. Franks and LifeSpire of Virginia’s CEO Jonathan Cook signed an agreement that includes a three-pronged partnership between the school and LifeSpire’s continuing care retirement communities.

The partnership allows employees of LifeSpire to earn their degree at Averett with scholarships awarded by Averett. In addition, Averett will offer residents of LifeSpire communities the option of attending Averett lectures and courses at home – right in their own community. Averett students also will benefit directly from this partnership, with exciting opportunities to intern at LifeSpire in the areas of business, communications and accounting.

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Homecoming 2019 THE GREATEST SHOW

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Join Us October 16-18 For Homecoming 2020!

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GLIDY HEIDI

Heidi Sarkkinen found herself in an unusual situation.

BY DREW WILSON

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The Averett University women’s tennis senior, who has had a near flawless run throughout her collegiate career, lost 6-2 in the first set against University of Lynchburg’s Christina Harris in their No. 1 singles match on March 23.

Sarkkinen’s forehand wasn’t working. Averett head coach Bert Poole saw it as well.

“You want to fix your forehand? Move your feet and recover better,” Poole advised. “Move dynamically and smoothly. Be ‘Glidy Heidi.’”

His star player smiled.

Sarkkinen won the next two sets — 6-1, 6-1 — to not only beat a regionally ranked opponent, but also clinch a 5-4 win over Lynchburg that afternoon on the road.

Nationally and regionally ranked, Sarkkinen in April became only the second player in league history to be voted USA South Conference Player of the Year four times. She’ll finish her career as arguably the best women’s tennis player in Averett’s history. Sarkkinen could have easily shrugged off Poole and continued to battle with her natural instincts and abilities. Yet, that isn’t her mindset. Despite dominating from her freshman season, Sarkkinen has continued to strive to improve. Over the past four years, she has trusted Poole — and it has continued to pay off, just as it did that day this spring against Lynchburg.

“He’s a very special coach because he’s improved my game more than my previous coaches,” Sarkkinen said.

“He has improved my serve and my movement — all the stuff that needed work when I came here.”

Poole has never been forceful in his coaching with Sarkkinen because he believes for anything to work, a player has to buy in.

“Especially when you are that good at that level, any change in training or technique is a big deal,” Poole said. We would talk it through. She trusted me, and that was important to her development and our relationship.”

Poole can laugh now because he knows he has built a great coach-player bond with Sarkkinen over the past four years. However, when Sarkkinen first arrived on Averett’s campus in January 2016, Poole was convinced that his prodigal student-athlete was unhappy and didn’t like him. It was a simple case of lost in translation.

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Sarkkinen, a native of Oulu, Finland, was coached by several former Averett tennis players as she grew up learning the sport. One of those coaches was Vellu Antila ‘03, a four-time Division III ITA All-America selection who was inducted into the Averett Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.

Quiet by nature, Sarkkinen wasn’t unhappy at all. She was adjusting to her surroundings, learning her way around an English-first culture for the first time and trying to meet new friends. Averett’s large international student population, including several Finland natives, certainly helped her adjust in the weeks

because after I won every match, it built this stress that you have to keep it going. It was nice to keep it going for three years.”

Sarkkinen continued to find success each subsequent season. She went 14-0 in head-to-head singles play as a sophomore and 18-0 as a junior, earning USA South Player of the Year accolades again each year.

“She came here a really good player and could have won Player of the Year the next couple of years without even improving, but she was committed to getting better every year,” Poole said. “She is very coachable, and that example she set for everyone else is big. Here’s our best player and she’s working really hard every day. She cares about getting better when she could have coasted. It’s really showed in her results. She’s played several opponents two, three or now four years in a row and she’s improved her winning margin over them. She’s added to her game and it shows.”

“He always talks about Averett and his experience,” Sarkkinen recalled.

“He really liked his time here, and all of that really made me want to come here. I wanted to play tennis while I was getting my education, so it was a good way to do both.”

Poole was in his first season as head coach when Sarkkinen committed and joined the program prior to the spring semester. Normally, Poole likes to Skype with international recruits. However, he recalled little communication with Sarkkinen. Maybe a few emails here and there before she arrived.

“In the beginning, she didn’t make eye contact with me for a good month,” Poole remembered. “She didn’t really speak to me for a good month. Of course, at the time, I didn’t know her really at all, and she didn’t know me.

“My assumption was that she really didn’t like me,” Poole joked.

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leading up to the start of the spring tennis season.

“I wasn’t that homesick at all when I met other Finnish people,” Sarkkinen recalled. “With having a lot of internationals on our team, we have a little family. Everyone is different but similar.”

Once tennis began, Sarkkinen flourished in her new environment. She went 16-0 at No. 1 singles and 13-3 at No. 1 doubles that spring, which earned her USA South Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors. She was also selected as the Virginia Sports Information Directors Rookie of the Year. The instant success surprised even Sarkkinen, who expected she would do well — but not that well.

“It gave me confidence because I knew what to expect the next year, and I knew the opponents better,” she said.

“It made me more nervous, though,

To begin her senior year this past fall, Sarkkinen had her best performance at the ITA Fall Regional, where she advanced to the Championship Flight semifinals. While there, she also teamed with doubles partner sophomore Eleanor Crane to win the ITA Flight B doubles championship. This spring, she has continued to do well. Her only blemish was a loss to another nationally ranked player, which was Sarkkinen’s first-ever loss in four years in head-tohead team dual matches.

“She’s disappointed that she couldn’t win that close match,” Poole said. “But even now, she won’t have any regrets.

If she just coasted all these years and then took on a high-level player and lost, then she’d have a regret. But she’s gotten better and she’s worked on her game.”

While Sarkkinen’s individual success is unprecedented at Averett, perhaps the biggest footprint she’ll leave following her collegiate playing days is how she’s helped make the women’s tennis program a conferencecontender once

again. The Cougars enjoyed success in the 1990s and early 2000s, winning conference titles in women’s tennis.

When Sarkkinen joined the team, Poole was trying to build it back up — not a task that can be done overnight.

Yet, through her success, Sarkkinen has brought instant recognition to Averett women’s tennis once again.

“She’s affected things in many different ways,” Poole said. “Obviously she’s a great player and has won a lot of awards and brought attention to our program.

She’s helped me with recruiting by talking with recruits.”

Although Averett failed to qualify for the conference tournament Sarkkinen’s first year, the Cougars earned the East Division No. 4 seed the past two years and improved to the East No. 3 seed for this spring’s tournament, where they advanced to the semifinals.

Although she’s still quiet to those outside of her inner circle, Sarkkinen has blossomed into a funny, outgoing person off the court and a leader on it.

She has helped set a standard and an example for teammates to follow.

“When our players see a player like Heidi, who doesn’t really have to go all out, do it, that really motivates and inspires them to do the same,” Poole said. “She’s led in so many different ways. Anyone that’s even been with her for only one season has seen her growth

as a person. It’s amazing how much she’s changed and how outgoing she’s become. She was a really shy person when she arrived. She’s still shy, but she’s always willing to go to StudentAthlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) meetings and leadership meetings. And in tennis, she’s leading warmups and speaking to the team in huddles. These are things she never would have done in her first year here, or even second year here. Everybody notices that.”

It’s something that has been noticed by first-year assistant coach Carlos Lora, who was teammates with Sarkkinen the past three seasons while he played for the men’s tennis team.

player. She is hard-working, driven and she has been a huge influence in my career at Averett. I’m so thankful to have her friendship and the opportunity to be her doubles partner this season.”

As Sarkkinen watched the video for the first time on Senior Day, she was filled with emotions.

“When you hear them say that they look up to me, it means a lot to me,” she said. “It’s nice to hear someone appreciates my hard work and all the stuff that I do on the court.”

“From what I’ve seen from her freshman year all the way to now as a senior, she’s grown a lot — not just as a tennis player but outside of tennis as a student and a person,” Lora said. “She’s come out of her shell since her freshman year.”

Poole sat at his desk with recorder in hand, attempting to make the video tribute he wanted to play for Sarkkinen on the Cougars’ Senior Day match on April 16. He started out wanting to list the numerous accolades Sarkkinen has collected during her four seasons. Then he realized that for all Sarkkinen has accomplished, her success on the court hasn’t been the most important thing about her.

“We know how good of a player she is and how much she has accomplished,” Poole said. “Yet, 10 years down the road, we’re not going to be thinking about the awards she won. We’re going to be thinking about her. There are not enough words to put in perspective what she’s meant to the program.”

Throughout the video, her young teammates shared memories and messages on Sarkkinen’s influence during their time. Crane said Sarkkinen has helped push her to be the best player she can be during their two years together.

“I’m so fortunate to have had Heidi as my teammate,” Crane said. “She’s so much more than just a good tennis

Sarkkinen also collected several honors during this spring’s Averett Athletics Night of Champions. Named the Barbara Kushubar Female Student-Athlete of the Year, Sarkkinen also earned Senior Female Athlete of the Year and the women’s tennis service award.

Sarkkinen’s influence won’t end following the spring. Even though her playing career for the Cougars has come to a close, she plans to serve as a volunteer assistant next year while she completes her degree in physical education with the plans of getting her master’s degree and becoming a teacher.

When the time comes next fall when an Averett women’s tennis player may need advice, it may be Sarkkinen who will be offering up the wisdom, just as Poole did for her that one March afternoon in Lynchburg.

“Maybe it’s because she’s quiet, so when she does speak, everyone stops to listen,” Poole said. “She’s got a uniqueness about her and it’s effective.”

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ARTS @ AVERETT 2020 SCHEDULE

Church Sisters in Concert January 23, 2020 @ 7 p.m.

Pritchett Auditorium Free Admission

Winston-Salem State Singing Rams February 27, 2020 @ 6 p.m.

Pritchett Auditorium Free Admission

Originally from the coal-mining district of Dickinson County, Va and then Danville, Va, The Church Sisters’ mesmerizing music chronicles their childhood with a haunting sound and bluegrass twist.

Their roots extend through bluegrass and gospel, performing alongside legendary acts from a young age.

For the third year in a row, Arts@ Averett is proud to welcome back the Winston-Salem State University Choir to wrap up Black History Month. The Singing Rams are the oldest student organization on the campus of Winston-Salem State University.

Coffeehouse Lecture Series Travis Williams February 4, 2020 @ 7 p.m.

Multipurpose Room

Dr. Phillips and Friends Concert March 15, 2020 @ 2:30 p.m.

West Main Baptist Church Free Admission

Chief Flight Instructor Travis Williams shares his love and experiences of many years of flying.

Dead Man’s Cell Phone February 20-22, 2020 @ 7 p.m.

Pritchett Auditorium Tickets: $10 adults, $8 students/senior citizens (60+) The Averett Theatre Department is proud to present “Dead Man’s Cell Phone.” This imaginative, zany comedy explores the paradox of modern technology’s ability to both unite and isolate people in the digital age. This play contains adult situations and adult language.

Spring Student Art Show March 16-April 20, 2020 Blount Library, Main Floor A selection of student art work.

Musical Theatre Cabaret March 19-21, 2020 @ 7 p.m.

Pritchett Auditorium Tickets: $10 adults, $8 students/senior citizens (60+) Hit songs from Broadway’s greatest musicals are quite often referred to as “Show Stoppers.” This will be an enjoyable night of music from your favorite musicals performed by the Averett Theatre Department.

Coffeehouse Lecture Series Dr. Melanie Lewis April 7, 2020 @ 7 p.m.

Multipurpose Room Dr. Lewis has a wonderful side hobby of making wigs and will present on differences in synthetic and human hair and the wig-making process.

The Fox On The Fairway April 16-18, 2020 @ 7 p.m.

Pritchett Auditorium Tickets: $10 adults, $8 students/senior citizens (60+) Join the Averett Theatre Department in a tribute from Ken Ludwig to the great English farces of the 1930’s and 1940’s. The play takes audiences on a hilarious romp which begins as Quail Valley Country Club prepares to take on archrival Crouching Squirrel in the Annual Inter-Club Golf Tournament. A charming madcap adventure about love, life, and man’s eternal love affair with…golf.

Spring AU Cougar Band Concert April 24, 2020 @ 7 p.m.

Pritchett Auditorium Free Admission Averett Singers Concert April 26, 2020 @ 2:30 p.m.

Pritchett Auditorium Free Admission

For more information about Arts@Averett, please call Averett Central at 434-791-5600.

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AVERETT MAGAZINE | 2019 EDITION

ALUMNI AWARDS 2020

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NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAM: BACHELOR’S OF FINE ARTS IN THEATRE

BY CASSIE WILLIAMS JONES

“Do you offer a BFA, too?”

For years, that’s the question Richard Breen and Jackie Finney have heard from almost every prospective theatre student at recruitment events and fairs.

Now, they can finally answer, “Yes!” The co-chairs of Averett University’s theatre department designed a curriculum newly offered this academic year for a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in theatre degree. With concentrations in acting, directing, musical theatre and design and technical theatre, students will have the chance to take an even deeper dive into the area of theatre in which they are most interested.

The core group of courses BFA students will take is the same as those in the longstanding Bachelor of Arts (BA) in theatre degree program, but offers an additional four courses in their respective concentration.

“The BFA gives them a chance to get even more study in that area so that students can fulfill their passion” said Breen.

The duo has been considering making this additional degree offering for some time, and believes it will be more largely appealing for students considering studying theatre at Averett. They anticipate musical theatre to be the biggest draw, as that is the national trend. This concentration combines acting, music and dance, so musical theatre majors will have to take courses in voice, piano and dance.

“At our recruitment tables in the spring, we immediately saw more interest from students,” Breen said. “We looked at competitive schools, and realized we were already offering so many of the options for students, and now we just needed to formalize and name it. We were very excited to get this added as part of our curriculum, as it allows us to recruit and expand the program to prepare our students for a career in theatre. It’s a strong sell nationwide.”

This BFA gets graduates ready to work professionally or well prepared for graduate school. Like with the BA, BFA students will still obtain a well-rounded background and overview in theatre.

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And like many Averett students, theatre students don’t just get the classroom experience. They’re required to immerse themselves into real-life, hands-on work and opportunities that thoroughly prepare them for the tough performing arts industry. All theatre majors must complete a senior project prior to graduation, and it’s mandatory that they each audition at the Virginia Theatre Association Theatre Conference, and possibly even the Southeastern Theatre Conference, where they are sometimes competing against up to 150 college students as well as professional theatre performers.

“Many of our students work for the summer, getting professional theatre experience. They attend conferences and auditions that hopefully land them jobs for the summer and some maybe even year-round,” Breen said. “They’re building their portfolios – for a musical theatre major, they’re creating their music books of songs they would perform at an audition, or technical theatre majors will have images of set designs they’ve created or helped build, or a prompt book they can share as an example of stage management.

“We only accept so many students into the program each year, by design. It’s so that we can work one-on-one to help build upon their skills, and so that they can get these relevant experiences. A freshman has the opportunity to be on stage starting within their first year. They’re helping direct, and working on stagecraft, costumes and makeup.

Musical theatre students are traveling to New York to see shows. One technical student asked just the other day, ‘When can I start learning lights and sounds?’ We responded, ‘Right away!’”

Only with the right team in place can the department provide such access and opportunities to students interested in various areas of theatre arts. Faculty members have terminal degrees in diverse backgrounds in theatre, including performance, technical theatre and design, and musical theatre and play writing. The department also serves as a cultural center for the University and the surrounding community by presenting a series of professionally-staged theatre productions throughout the school year as part of the University’s Arts@Averett annual series.

In addition to the BA and BFA degrees, students can pursue a Bachelor of Science in theatre education (PK–12) in conjunction with Averett’s education program, or a BA in English/theatre within the English department. Students may also minor in theatre or musical theatre.

Many Averett theatre graduates have gone on to pursue successful careers in various types of theatre and entertainment, including small community theatre organizations, traveling children’s theatre groups, performing on cruise ships and teaching theatre at local high schools.

In order to increase access to students, the University offers financial support to theatre students through scholarships specific to theatre and arts, ranging anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000 a year for eligible applicants.

AVERETT.EDU

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Averett University 420 W. Main Street Danville, VA 24541 434-791-5680 dflinn@averett.edu www.averett.edu/giving

PERSONAL PERSONAL PLANNING PLANNING for your for your FFUTURE UTURE

IN THIS ISSUE: EASY WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR CAUSES Averett University

420 W. Main Street Danville, VA 24541 YOU 434-791-7116 elugar@averett.edu IDEAS FOR GIVING www.averett.edu/giving HOW GIVING CAN HELP

EASY EASY WAYS WAYS TO TO SUPPORT SUPPORTTHE THE CAUSES CAUSESYOU YOUCARE CAREABOUT ABOUT More than ever, people are searching for something to make their lives better. You can find great joy and meaning in supporting the causes that you care about while securing your financial future.

What’s important to you?

We hope is!

What's important to you?

WeAverett hope Averett is!

Yomay u mbe aysurprised be surprto islearn ed tojust leahow rn jueasy st hoitwis etoaspartner y it is with to paarcharitable tner with organization a charitablelike Averett and You help Allhof the while orgus anfulfill izatiour on limportant ike Averework. tt and elp usideas fulfibelow ll our are impways ortayou nt wcan orkhelp . Allsupport of the iour deacause s benefitting yourself and your loved ones. below are ways you can help support our cause while benefitting yourself and your loved ones.

YOUR IRA

LIFE INSURANCE

Consider naming YOUR IRAAverett as a beneficiary of your IRA. All or a portion of your IRA Consider naming to Averett can pass automatically us and as helpa beneficiary of your IRA. All or a further our mission.

It’s easy to call your IRA administrator and ask to change or portion of your IRA can pass add beneficiaries to your account. Many automatically to us andyou help account providers now permit to further our mission.

It's online. easy to make beneficiary designations

Support our cause by designating Averett LIFE INSURANCE as a beneficiary of a new or unneeded Support ourpolicy. cause by this life insurance Making designating ascontacting a charitable gift isAverett as easy as your policy provider to complete beneficiary of a new or a beneficiary designation form or call us unneeded life insurance policy. for more information.

BEQUESTS AND FREE WILLS KIT One of the easiestAND ways toFREE help us is by BEQUESTS naming Averett in your estate. These WILLS KIT lasting legacy gifts will ensure Averett

One of the ways to help prospers welleasiest beyond our lifetimes for generations to come. us is by naming Averett in your estate. These lasting legacy To obtain a copy of our FREE wills kit gifts will ensure Making this charitable gift is as and create Averett your own, visit: prosperswww.averett.edu/giving well beyond our call your IRA administrator and easy as contacting your policy andfor search Planned Giving. lifetimes generations to ask to change or add provider to complete a come. beneficiaries to your account. beneficiary designation form or To obtain a copy of our FREE Many account providers now call to us support for our partnership It’s easy (and costs you nothing today) our cause! Ifwith Averett is a beneficiary in your plans, please let us and create yourtoown, permit youWetowould make Bankers' Insurance. know. likebeneficiary to thank you and also make sure that your gift is used for the wills causeskit that mean the most you. visit: www.averett.edu/giving designations online. and search Planned Giving.

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AVERETT MAGAZINE | 2019 EDITION

It's easy (and costs you nothing today) to support our cause! If Averett is a beneficiary in

What do these three things have in common?

Each is supported

by Averett’s Annual Fund.

Provide support for furthering the mission of Averett. You may choose to honor an individual and/or restrict your gift to a department or scholarship.

To learn more or make a contribution, visit Averett.edu/giving, or call (434) 791-5680.

Averett Bonner Leader Jasmin Tinnis trains with Danville Life Saving Crew member Tommy Barber.

COMMUNITY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT:

DANVILLE LIFE SAVING CREW

by Danielle Staub

From the time the 911 call comes in, it only takes members of the Danville Life Saving Crew (DLSC) one minute to get into the rescue squad and start driving toward the emergency. The Crew has seen an increase in calls over the last year, and having an extra set of hands in the back of the ambulance has been very helpful.

Currently, seven of Averett University’s National Bonner Leaders serve the Danville community as volunteers at the DLSC, which will be their service site for the four years they are at Averett. The National Bonner Leader program is an intensive, four-year community leadership opportunity that educates, equips and inspires students to engage the local community and beyond.

“It’s very beneficial to have them with us. We want them to be interactive and there is nothing wrong with another set of hands.

Sometimes it’s just two attendants in the back of the rescue squad and we need help lifting, moving, carrying supplies, etc.,” explained Tommy Barber, training coordinator at the DLSC. Prior to becoming a Crew volunteer, these students went through a background check, watched a HIPAA video and were trained in CPR. “This relationship is mutually beneficial. It’s a win-win,” said Barber. “They are out assisting us in the community. While we are out helping people in need, they are right there with us seeing different things. They are learning medical skills and a lot of them are going into the medical field. This is a stepping stone toward that.”

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AVERETT MAGAZINE | 2019 EDITION

“We get to lead the stretcher, take the patient’s blood sugar, apply an EKG if needed, and interact with the patient, their family and hospital staff. I enjoy working for the DLSC while also being blessed to be a part of the National Bonner Leader program. It all ties in with my major – sports medicine – while also helping the community.”

Rana Davis-Robinson, Sophomore Sports Medicine Major Averett National Bonner Leader Barber says the DLSC enjoys the partnership so much that it is working on creating a non-resident status for the students. In this case, they can become Crew members even though they may not be permanent residents of the City of Danville.

“Our end goal is to have them converted into members. That’s our ultimate goal – to use the resource of young students at Averett – to help grow our Crew and maybe some will stay on after graduation,” Barber said.

Jasmin Tinnis, a rising junior at Averett, is one of the seven serving at the DLSC. “I love not knowing what the day will bring – the endless opportunities to extend compassion to the frightened, sick and injured people of my community, and the challenge of the unexpected,” said Tinnis. “I have the opportunity on a lot of occasions to extend incredible care and kindness onto virtual strangers. It makes the job incredibly rewarding. I have been able to see and do things that not many people get to do. But most importantly, I love the Crew as my own family. There’s a bond among the Crew that no one else could understand.”

The National Bonner Leaders partnership is not the only way Averett and the DLSC work together. There are several other current students and alumni who are Crew members or on staff at the DLSC. The DLSC is at every home Averett football game at the Frank R. Campbell Stadium, and the Crew even partners and trains with Averett’s Athletic Training staff to give the utmost care when transporting the injured player from the field to the hospital when necessary. The DLSC has also been a part of several Averett’s service-learning classes and won the Engage Community Leader Award in 2016 at the University’s annual Engage Showcase event.

Even with all the current connections, both Barber and the DLSC Crew Chief Robbie Woodall said they would love to continue to grow the partnership.

“I am very excited about the programs and different partnerships DLSC and Averett already have and hope we could grow the partnership in the future,” said Woodall.

He said he would love to see an increase in Averett’s National Bonner Leaders involved with the Crew, and to create an oncampus response group. These members could be notified of any emergency calls and could arrive before the rescue squad.

Shorok Hemdan, Sophomore Biomedical Sciences Major Averett National Bonner Leader “I get to help take care of patients while also exploring my field of interest. During ride-alongs, I get to assist professional EMTs and paramedics with gathering vital signs of patients and making sure that they get to the hospital safely. Becoming a National Bonner Leader has been one of the best decisions I’ve made because it’s constantly giving me opportunities to grow and change for the better.”

FACULT Y & STAF F RECO GNIT ION S

This year, Averett University honored six retirees at its Faculty, Staff and Retiree Luncheon in May.

Dr. Donald T. Ethington

Erma Neveu

Dr. Richard Ferguson

Dr. Donald T. Ethington was a professor and department chair of mathematics at Averett. Ethington earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in mathematics from the University of Georgia. His Master of Science in mathematics degree from Mississippi State University, and his Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics/English is from Centre College of Kentucky.

Ethington earned tenure in 1979 and he taught the full range of math courses from fundamentals to set theory.

Erma Neveu has been the academic advisor to Averett’s Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) students serving at the Quantico Marine Base Higher Education Center and Northern Virginia community since 1996.

Dr. Richard Ferguson was a professor and the chair of the Department of Physical Education, Wellness and Sport Science. Ferguson earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in physical education (sport psychology) and Master of Education degree from the University of Virginia. He earned his Bachelor of Science from Madison College, now James Madison University (cum laude) in physical education and his post graduate study at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.

For Ethington, it’s always been about the faculty, staff and administration working together to provide the best possible education for our students.

Ethington says he stayed at Averett because he felt that he and his students and colleagues were valued.

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Neveu began her career in the education field in 1986 with the Arkansas Department of Education’s School Food Service. When her husband and family were reassigned to Royal Air Force Alconbury, United Kingdom, she served as an academic advisor for the University of Maryland. Then upon returning to the United States, Neveu worked for Park University as an academic records administrator for about a year. In December 2005, Neveu earned her bachelor’s in business administration from Averett.

He has distinguished himself as a teacher, counselor, role model and scholar. He’s an American Association of Adapted Sports Programs (AAASP) certified sport psychology consultant, a USA Track & Field psychological performance consultant and sports psychology consultant for open class athletes. Ferguson is an active runner and while not yet documented in the Guinness Book of World Records, the Averett Family is fairly certain he has run the most miles within and around the city of Danville and possibly in France.

Dr. Pamela Riedel

Dr. Sue Davis

Elaine Day

Dr. Pamela Riedel was a professor in the Department of Education from 19942019. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Averett College; her Master of Education with a reading specialization from Averett College; and her Doctorate in Education in administration and special education from the College of William & Mary.

During her time at Averett, Dr. Sue Davis, served as an assistant professor, director of teacher education, department chair, education and division chair. Davis earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Averett and her Doctorate in Education from Virginia Polytechnic and State University, and advanced graduate studies at the University of Virginia.

Elaine Day is a tenured associate professor who has served Averett from 1990-1996 and then again from 2000-2019, totaling 25 years. She earned her Bachelor of Arts at Syracuse University and Master of Science in library science at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

For 25 years, Riedel has been teaching at Averett while developing teachers for their careers in education. In that time, thousands of educators and administrators were taught how to be the best teachers they can be when in Riedel’s pre-service courses. In fact, her student teachers appreciated the skills learned from her and agree that they were better prepared because of her experience with school systems, competency requirements and her leadership. Their comments validate Riedel’s commitment to elementary education noting her expertise and knowledge as the most meaningful aspects in her classes.

Davis soon became a full-time faculty member after joining Averett and has taught at the graduate and undergraduate level, supervised and evaluated preservice teachers in practicums and internships and led seminars for preservice teachers.

“My six-year tenure as an adjunct and full-time employee has been rewarding, enlightening and enjoyable.

I just immensely enjoy the process of education and working with studentsregardless of their age,” Davis said.

Day returned to campus as Averett’s library director and since 2000 she has enhanced digital collections, strengthened ties with the Virtual Library of Virginia and empowered her highly talented colleagues, rendering herself virtually superfluous on entering a joyful retirement in 2019.

She not only enhanced Averett’s digital collections, but was the impetus behind their inception, adoption and implementation. She developed Library Satisfaction Surveys and sought solutions based on the outcomes and data from those surveys.

Faculty Awards & Promotions During the event, faculty who have been awarded tenure and/or promoted for the 2019-20 Academic Year were acknowledged, as well as the Faculty Member of the Year, Theatre Professor Jackie Finney; and Staff Member of the Year, Brenda Taylor, director of operations, North Campus Grant Center.

Faculty who have been awarded tenure and promoted: Dr. Adrienne Brune, assistant professor, Sociology Dr. Jennifer Hughes, assistant professor, English

Faculty who have been awarded tenure:

Faculty who have been promoted:

Stephen Davidson, instructor, Mathematics

Meghan Byrne, assistant professor, Business

Dr. Sergey Samoilenko, associate professor, Computer and Information Science

Dr. Catherine Clark, associate professor, French Stephanie Smith, assistant professor, Biology

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CLAS S NOTE S

90’s

Anna Perry Miller ‘90 of Glen Allen, is the associate pastor for adult discipleship at River Road Baptist Church. Anna is married to Dean Miller ‘91 who is the missions coordinator at the Baptist General Association of Virginia.

Anna and Dean have two sons in college and a daughter in high school.

Rebecca E. Owens ‘97 of Troutville, has been promoted from finance director to assistant county administrator for Roanoke County.

Jessica Rakes Middleswarth ‘99 of Leland, N.C., is co-owner of KinderStop Drop-In Child Care.

00’s

Patricia White-Boyd ‘01 of Roanoke, has been appointed to the Roanoke City Council. Trish is the owner of Blue Ridge Senior Services, a home health care business.

Chad S. Anderson ‘02 of Chatham, is a physical education teacher and head baseball coach at Chatham High School.

Brian Jackson ‘03 of South Boston, is the director of workforce training programs at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center.

Cappriccieo Scates ‘03 of Atlanta, Ga., is president and CEO of Mytrell Records. He was recently honored as a Dior Man (Christian Dior), specifically noted for being a trailblazer in business engagement, for sense of style and for community and philanthropic activities.

Mike Ferguson ‘03 of Powhatan, has been promoted to president of Dominion Due Diligence Group.

Wade Collins ‘04 of Danville, is the director of operations for Fire Safe Inc. Kathryn Schaal Oakley Taylor ‘07 of Summerville, S.C., has recently released her memoir, “Two Minus One.” Kim Nester ‘08 of Danville, joined Sovah Cancer Center as a nurse practitioner providing specialty care for hematology and oncology patients.

10’s

Nicholas W. Shedd ‘10 of Lilitz, Penn., is a strength and conditioning coach for the USA Women’s Field Hockey team.

Gary V. Parker ‘11 of Virginia Beach, is a business development manager for Watts Water Technologies.

Kristopher D. Echols ‘11 of Danville, recently earned his master of science degree in information technology from Southern New Hampshire University.

Kyana J. Smith ‘12 of Cascade, is the athletics support specialist and athletic trainer for Patrick Henry Community College.

Corey Williams ‘14 of Danville, is the founder and creative director of Rivertown, a local creative agency that provides marketing and media services to individuals and businesses.

Brian Jenkins ‘15 of Stuarts Draft, has been promoted to the position of chief deputy of the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office.

Morgan E. Epstein ‘15 of Danville, is a program officer with The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region and is pursuing a master’s degree in nonprofit management and leadership through Northeastern University.

Ariana Covington ‘17 of Martinsville, is the head women’s basketball coach at Patrick Henry Community College.

Jennifer C. Gravely ‘17 of Roanoke, was recently named assistant principal at Oak Grove Elementary School.

Ashley Bowman ‘18 of Danville, is a student services specialist for Averett University.

Ashley N. Martin ‘18 of Fieldale, has joined the Danville office of BB&T Scott & Stringfellow as a client service associate.

Tyler Fetherolf ‘18 of Bealeton, has joined Meridian Financial Partners in Warrenton as its operations support specialist.

Submit classnotes, weddings, births, deaths and address changes to alumni@averett.edu.

46

AVERETT MAGAZINE | 2019 EDITION

Weddings

Births/Adoptions 00’s

Valeriy Kortchak ‘10 and Angela Alegna August 11, 2018

Danielle Nichols Schutz ‘06 a daughter, Josephine - August 26, 2018

Caitlin Elizabeth Haws ‘13 and Michael Dietz November 3, 2018 Joey Diaz ‘14 and Zachary Carroll August 18, 2018

James Thurnes ‘07, ‘12 a son, Luke Patrick - April 16, 2019

10’s

Andrew Bond ‘15 and Amanda Treu February 22, 2019

Catherine Rock Burris ‘12 a daughter, Ava - June 8, 2018 Lisa Santos Rodriguez ‘14 a son, Ryland - August 18, 2018

Todd H. Early ‘15 and Leslie B. Fulton ‘16 September 29, 2018 Cary E. Carrington ‘16 and Zachary R. Evans ‘18 September 9, 2018

Sara Porter Hodges ‘14 and W. Cliff Hodges ‘18 a son, Evan William - February 4, 2019

Erin M. Gusler ‘16 and Alex Bailey June 2, 2018 Stetson D. Franklin ‘17 and Meredith A. Meissner ‘18 November 3, 2018

in loving memory Friends Pamela Bernard Ayuso, adjunct faculty George B. Buchanan, Jr.,

former Board of Associates Fred L. Evans, Jr.,

former Board of Associates Ruth Roberts Sager,

former Board of Associates

30’s Frances Hodnett Lewis ‘36 Frances Willard Houghton Moore ‘36 Rebecca McIndoe Lawrence ‘38

40’s Doris Dodson Astin ‘41, ‘42 Helen W. Robertson Creekmore ‘44 Lyn Larkins Smistik ‘46 Barbara Britt Bundy ‘48 Phyllis Hubbard Camm ‘48

50’s Betty Dixon Hines ‘51 Ruby “Marie” Hughes McDowell ‘51 Lt. Col. Joseph D. “Joe” Wellman ‘51 Donna Jean Kirk Fowlkes ‘52

Mildred Ann Bliss Orrell ‘54 Glenna Tillotson Lingafelt ‘55 John H. Zechman Jr. ‘55 Nancy “Claudette” Webb

Thompson Franklin ‘56 Sue Hylton Wickers ‘56 Sandra Norson Ward Hawkins ‘57 Linda Strohecker Miller ‘57

60’s Jane Scales Tucker Pullen ‘60 Ethel “Marie” Petty McKinney ‘62 Elizabeth Carl Tilton ‘62 Elizabeth “Betty” Wright Leggett ‘64 Patricia Marie Webb Meyer ‘64 Brenda M. Deel Fusco ‘65 Joyce Mays Crawford ‘67 Dayle Kane Maloney ‘67 Dianne Sloan Russell Saunders ‘68

70’s

Rickey G. Reese ‘77 Anita J. Wyatt ‘77, ‘88 Kerry deCourcy Jacobsen ‘78 Timothy G. Hayes ‘79 Nancy Louise Jones Martin ‘79

80’s Ricky Wayne Eanes ‘80 Audrey Ann Zimmerman Olp ‘82 Jean-Claude Huret ‘84 Thelma Griffin Wright ‘84 Marilyn Denney McGlade ‘85 Jeffrey Hill ‘87 Caroline Casey Richardson ‘87

90’s Jeffery Patty ‘90 Daniel S. Poteat ‘90 Pamela Smith Ross ‘91 John B. Selvaraj ‘93 Tanya Cecelia Mitchell ‘95

Helen Heard Etheridge ‘71 Robert “Bob” Jones, Sr. ‘71, former faculty Delia Weller-Baker ‘73 Hazel Brown Williams ‘07 Jesse Paige Farmer ‘74 Richard “Tyler” Reese ‘09 Barbara M. Francis Rawlins ‘75 Patricia Frances Schindler ‘75 Rebecca Lynn Woody Fitzgibbons ‘76, ‘86

00’s

AVERETT.EDU

47

Thank you to our Averett Society Lifetime Members The Lifetime Averett Society includes donors who have given at least $100,000 for donations received as of June 30, 2019

Founders’ Circle ($1,000,000 +) Estate of Mary Blount Estate of Mrs. Sallie Mason Clark Estate of Helen Conway Danville Regional Foundation † J. Burness and Mary Frith Violet and Ray Frith E. Stuart James Grant Charitable Trust Charles B. Keesee Educational Fund JT--Minnie Maude Charitable Trust Estate of James and Anne Robertson Estate of Lillian S. Steele Stratford House Center Virginia Baptist Mission Board The Virginia College Fund Elizabeth and L.D. Walker Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation, Inc. Estate of Anna Willeford Estate of Garland and Harriet Wyatt President’s Circle ($500,000 - $999,999) Alliance One International, Incorporated Anonymous Estate of H. H. Bradley The Carrington Charitable Trust The Community Sports Development Council, Inc. Danville Regional Medical Center Estate of Alma Dillon General Development Company, Inc. Estate of Emily Grousbeck † Clara and Cadah Meadows Estate of Charles Postelle Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission Estate of Mary-Lewis and Charles Weddle Womack Foundation Trustees’ Circle ($100,000 - $499,999) American Electric Power Service Corporation American National Bank & Trust Co. † James and Zora Anderson Othelia Shelhorse Anderson † Anderson Student Aid Fund Anonymous Charles and Barbara Barbour Richard † and Kit Barkhouser Mary Lou Barr † Bob and Lois Bass Lucy and John Bassett † Hazel and John Beamer † Bell Atlantic Boswell Memorial Fund George † and Bonnae Buchanan Estate of R. Morris Burnett Estate of N. Roscoe Burroughs Estate of Elizabeth Bustard Frank † and Janet Campbell Estate of A. B. Carrington Worth H. Carter † The Coca-Cola Company

Barbara Shields Collie The Community Foundation

of the Dan River Region The Compass Group Elizabeth Compton Doug and Beverley Dalton Philip N. Daly and Frances K. Daly

Charitable Lead Unitrust P. Niles and Carol Daly Dan River Foundation Ethelyne F. Daniel † Ben and Betty Davenport Estate of Mary Jo Davis W.C. English Foundation Estate of Mrs. Amanda Eubank Anna Hinton Fetter † Estate of Barbara L. Floyd Follett Higher Education Group Gonzalee M. Ford Jacob and Paige Frith Landon E. and Marian C. Fuller

Perpetual Charitable Trust The Galesi Family Foundation, Inc. Estate of Betty Wamsley Garber Roy and Sophia Gignac Joan F. Gignac † Clarence L. Giles Trust The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Harold and Mary Graul Anne and Bill Guerrant † Estate of Betty Lou Hanlon Iva and Harry Haraway † Estate of Mr. George S. Hughes Estate of Carolyn Vann and William Irvin Japan Tobacco International Beatrice Jordan † Jack Kleinoder Foundation Kresge Foundation Louise R. Lester † Bill † and Lucille Longest Frank and Dugan Maddux John and Katherine Martin Estate of Michael D. McHugh Estate of Elizabeth M. Meeks Military Resale Invitational Marietta McNeill Morgan & Samuel Tate

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† deceased

Claude and Lamar Owen Ronald R. Palmer Nancy L. Perry Buddy and Debbie Rawley Jack and Cynthia Reasor Claude D. Reynolds † Toni T. Rice Katherine Rigney Janet and Maurice Roberson Rick and Susan Roccesano Sue F. Rogers Barbara R. Russo * Jeff and Angela Smith Calvin and Diane Snowden Robert and Tammy Stamm Marion and Herbert Stephenson Meg Stevens Loralee and Fred Stucky Marcia P. Turner Lesley and Mike Villarose Trey O. Waller Lessie E. Webb * Larry and Joyce Wilburn Hampton and Barbara Wilkins Wilkins & Co. Realtors, Inc. Kris and Ron Willard Ebb and Gayle Williams Annie and Ray Wimbish Wayne and Michalene Womble Steven D. Wray Peggy S. Wright Richard and Jean Wright Landon and Kathryn Wyatt Recent Alumni Averett Society ($500+) Sara and Cliff Hodges * Chloe E. Mayhew Christopher E. West

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† deceased

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