On Mt. Everest

THE BY

Dr. Don Lauer ’21 Climbs Everest with Son

Three-time alumnus and adventurer Don Lauer has tackled what most would only dream of doing.

By Jenna Johnson / Photos provided

hen his son Matthew was only 8 years old, Lauer made a promise he intended to keep. “We free climbed a mountain peak about 1,000-feet high, and I was explaining to him some of the mountain structures. I told him, ‘Look, as long as you want to keep climbing mountains with me, I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.’” Last April, he lived up to that pact—making the trek up Mt. Everest with Matt.

At times, their journey to Everest seemed a far-fetched, unattainable idea—especially during a global pandemic. The 45-year-old network engineer was, after all, in his fi nal year of the Doctor of Education in leadership program at Charleston Southern. His then 16-year-old son, Matt, was also in school. But nothing would keep Lauer from this grand adventure—not even a health scare.

WITH

Lauer and his son planned their trip for April 2021. It took more than a year to prepare. There was a lot to do beyond just travel arrangements—things like hiring excellent guides, securing the right equipment, and preparing their bodies for intense conditions with physical training.

“The only hill we have in Charleston is the Cooper River Bridge—I would windedly hike it,” Lauer said. His supportive wife set up a workout routine for him to build up his endurance. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, Lauer, who works in network engineering for Naval Information Warfare Center (previously SPAWAR), transitioned to a work-from-home environment. He would work out during lunch and immediately after work. Training happened nearly every day.

Exactly four weeks out from their trip across the world, Lauer hit a roadblock that threatened to destroy their big plans. His heart went into atrial fi brillation, also known as Afi b. Lauer had a team of cardiologists run tests and extend guidance. His biggest question: “Could I physically survive and go?”

Due to his physical training leading up to that point, and the fact that Lauer would be joining a medical missionary team on the trip, the doctors cleared him for travel with the caveat that he would need a heart ablation after his return.

BUILT WITH

Some may wonder how Lauer could entertain a potentially dangerous trek up one of the highest elevations on the planet, but a look into Lauer’s life illustrates this Buccaneer’s grit. A Navy veteran, Lauer was medically released from the military in a full body cast. After an early retirement, he began working in civil service and sought to advance his education. He completed his bachelor’s in 2007 and master’s in 2009 from CSU. Ironically, Lauer’s capstone project in his fi nal semester of the Master of Business Administration program was a case study that CSU would have the market for a doctoral program.

In addition to working and going to school, Lauer was also raising a family with his wife, Danylle. They have fi ve children. Though life as a working professional and

“Look, as long as you want to keep climbing mountains with me, I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”

– Don Lauer to his son, Matt

father kept him busy, his bucket list included going back to school yet again for his doctorate—that and traveling the world.

Growing up on the West Coast, mountaineering was no new concept for Lauer. He had been on plenty of treks before. His spirit of adventure also recharged with mission work in Honduras and Africa. Having traveled with Lauer on mission trips, his equally adventurous kids have also joined him on adventure trips in the U.S. and Canada. “It really started with mission work around the world,” he said. “If you’re unafraid to jump on a donkey and ride to a remote village in the middle of nowhere, then climbing a mountain [can be done]. The mission field is good training.”

Matt said he is grateful for the many trips with his dad. “He has only fueled my ambition to go on more crazy adventures,” he added.

Trips with his sons have meant something special to Lauer. “It welcomes them to manhood,” he said. “It’s that time individually where we have that goal together and that struggle together. It’s a bond between father and son that you can’t replace.”

One fateful day, Lauer made a different kind of trek—this time joining one of his sons on a campus tour at CSU. While walking by a table in the Dining Hall, Lauer stumbled upon a sign announcing CSU’s first doctoral program. He was immediately hooked and began another academic journey with his alma mater to fulfill another bucket list item.

TRIP OF A

When Lauer began planning a monthlong trip clear across the globe to hike a famous mountain, he knew he’d have to take some time off work as well as school. The EdD team and Dorchester County School District 2 made it work for Lauer and his son. Amazed with how supportive his work, CSU, and Matt’s school were before and during the trip, Lauer commented, “I thoroughly believe God ordained this for us to go.”

The Lauer duo left with their team on April 13. With COVID still at its height, Matt and Don were the only humans in the international terminal at one point. Once in Nepal, it took them 12 days to get to base camp, but only three days to make their way back. “On the way up, you have to worry about altitude and acclimation,” Lauer said. “You’d take one step and it felt like you’d run 50. I’d take a few steps and breathe.”

So much of the experience left Lauer captivated. First, with the people. Lauer encountered a very resilient and gracious people on his trip, specifically the mountain guides who led him and his fellow teammates up Everest. “It’s mind-boggling the resilience of the Himalayan Sherpas,” Lauer said of the elite mountaineering people of that region. “I think the Sherpas are the only ones who can say they walked up and down both ways in the snow. They have an amazing work ethic.”

In Kathmandu—the capital of Nepal—the majority of its residents are Hindu. Further up the mountain are Buddhists. “It’s incredibly humbling to be around them,” said Lauer. “They were so incredibly nice and just so happy to see us. If you think of how our world was shut down by COVID, they have two 60-day tourist seasons and most of their money comes from us.”

Lauer also took in the vastness of God’s creation. “The Himalayas are incredibly humbling—they’re gorgeous,” he said, describing the mesmerizing views he encountered as he climbed. “There’s nothing like them in the world.”

As Lauer, Matt, and the rest of the team climbed, it was not lost on them how dangerous it could be. They walked through a memorial of hundreds of hikers who died making the same climb. Lauer said it was humbling to know that others died trying.

They hiked up over 20,000 feet and slept in -20 degree sleeping bags. Lauer experienced what felt like four seasons in a day. He’d slather on sunscreen in the morning to avoid getting sunburn and would strip down to a T-shirt by midday. The highs would reach in the 30s and lows in the -20s. Sometimes they’d walk through blizzards, though it was the region’s summer season. To stay hydrated, they’d boil water at night to purify it and add it to Nalgene bottles to sustain them for their hike the next day.

Their goal was to make it to Everest Base Camp. A trip to the very top of Mt. Everest costs $40,000 for an American—that did not fit into their mission or budget. The four medical professionals on his team—including a surgeon, nurse practitioner, and EMT— did training at the villages and tent hospitals along the journey up the mountain to base camp. In addition to bringing resources, they did lectures each day after hiking.

“The villages were dealing with COVID in real time. Each village needed different resources,” he explained. “One of the problems at Everest Base Camp—a literal tent— was Khumbu cough, which is basically a cold. But Khumbu cough and COVID have similar symptoms, so many would have to be evacuated to eliminate the spread.”

One teammate broke her foot and was medically evacuated. The rest of the team continued on.

Lauer said his hardest day was when they reached between 12,000 and 14,000-foot altitude. “Everyone hits a wall, and that was the wall that hit me the hardest. It’s hard to prepare because you don’t know how your body is going to react,” he said of the physical toll of the hike. “I just got really tired. My son got a little headache.”

Though physical fitness is vital, preparation and endurance are equal parts mental and emotional. The team received support along the way. Churches and hundreds of people, including CSU professors and students in Lauer’s cohort, sent text messages and emails to the Lauers and other teammates with prayers and words of encouragement. “You don’t think about that as part of the preparation—it opened up quite a bit of blessings for us. Messages always came at the right time when we’re cold and wet and exhausted,” he said.

Lauer was grateful for their guide and assistant guide from the Sherpa villages. “Our assistant guide was 21 and had been doing this for five or six years. The guide has done this 100 times,” he said. “They’re used to doing eight to 10 treks a year to make salary for the year.” Lauer added their team was the only group for the guide at that point in the year—the economic effects of COVID felt even in the smallest remote villages of India and Nepal.

The Delta variant of the virus was closing in on them at the end of their journey—they made it out of Nepal just in time. Lauer said, “God lined it up to get us in and out of the country safely.”

“The only hill we have in Charleston is the Cooper River Bridge—I would windedly hike it.”

– Don Lauer

SPIRIT OF

Lauer had just one more mountain to climb upon his return to the states—his dissertation.

“A small amount of people pursue and finish a doctoral degree. Equally, a small amount of people pursue and climb Mt. Everest. Who does both at the same time? Only Don Lauer,” said Dr. Robert Doan, assistant dean of the College of Education. “Through faith in God and support of his family, Don was successful at both of these unique experiences. He demonstrates a lot of grit—which was also his main framework for his dissertation.”

He graduated in December with his doctoral degree—one of 23 trailblazers to walk across the stage as CSU’s first doctoral graduates. His dissertation is entitled GRIT: A Comparison of Military Versus Non-Military Students at a Private Christian University.

“I tell my kids to not quit. Don’t quit when it gets hard,” said Lauer. “If you won’t go a little bit beyond your comfort zone, you’re never going to grow and you’re never going to learn and you’re always going to be afraid. We’re not built to live in fear, we’re supposed to have a spirit of adventure.”

Matt checked a big box on his bucket list by climbing Mt. Everest. “My biggest takeaway from this is to be grateful for what I have,” he said. “We have been up and down the Himalayas and in every town with freezing temperatures there would be nothing but a furnace in a single big room for everyone to be in.”

This fall Matt will become a Buccaneer following in his father’s footsteps as well as the path of his older brother, Donnie, and mother. You will likely find him in the new Science and Engineering building on campus as he begins his studies in engineering.

What’s next for the Lauers? According to the newly titled Dr. Don Lauer: teaching, research, and Kilimanjaro.

One piece of advice from Don Lauer: “Avoid the yaks.” These are typically friendly creatures to people they know, but can become aggressive. They do have horns, after all.

EdD Graduate Receives Prestigious Awards

By Jan Joslin

Recent Doctor of Education graduate Tammy Thompson is one of three 2021 Institute Patient Experience Scholars for the Beryl Institute, and the only American to receive the award. According to their website, the Beryl Institute is a global community of healthcare professionals committed to transforming the human experience in healthcare.

Thompson also started a three-year fellowship with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2020. “The Culture of Health Leaders fellowship provides training and support for my strategic initiative to improve the culture of health in my community,” said Thompson. “I will focus my work over the next two years on a patient education/ health literacy program in North Carolina.” To understand her impressive accomplishments, consider that Thompson also holds a full-time position with Vidant Health in North Carolina.

When Thompson joined the doctoral program, she was living in Charleston and working at the Medical University of South Carolina. “I transitioned to my current role in the fall of 2020, and I was so far along in the program, there was no turning back,” she said.

“The Christian support and encouragement I received from the program’s leadership, particularly Assistant Dean Dr. Robert Doan, confirmed for me that I could continue and successfully complete this program by God’s grace,” said Thompson. “The leadership and research coursework aligned very well with my professional growth, providing the tools I needed to start a new role in a different state, in the midst of a pandemic, and successfully lead my team.”

An architect and an educator, Thompson joined Vidant Health as corporate director of experience design. “With a strong foundation in statistics from CSU, I earned my certified patient experience professional (CPXP) credential from the Beryl Institute while completing my doctoral studies,” she said.

Since completing her doctorate, Thompson is advancing her responsibilities in a new role as Administrator of Patient Education and Design while her team assumes responsibility for patient education for the eight-hospital health system. She said, “As a healthcare designer and leader, I am using my doctoral education and research training to foster a culture of creativity and innovation to empower nurses and other healthcare professionals in healthcare delivery. This enables me to create and sustain supportive patient experiences. ”

Thompson chose to concentrate her award-winning doctoral dissertation study on nurses because they spend more time with patients than other healthcare workers. “My study was focused on uncovering the innovation potential in nurses when they receive design training to solve their own problems in patient care delivery,” said Thompson. The study was inspired by Daniel Pink’s writings on the value of balancing right- and left-brain thinking – the textbook for Dr. Robin Franklin’s Creativity & Innovation course. With what she calls the dream team of a dissertation committee (including Doan, Franklin, and Dr. William

Dr. Tammy Thompson accepts her diploma from President Dr. Dondi Costin. Photo by Ty Cornett

Ross, chair). Thompson’s study explored the challenges nurses face and how they can find solutions to their problems. She said, “Nurses need tools that will empower them as they solve problems for patients and families, and for themselves.”

Thompson is also president and founder of the nonprofit Institute for Patient-Centered Design, Inc., and is a member of the Consensus Committee on Newborn ICU Design. While she has published multiple peer reviewed articles in her career, she credits CSU’s Doctor of Education program for teaching her how to conduct research. According to Thompson, her dissertation has received national attention and paved the way for the introduction of new knowledge in healthcare design and innovation. “I know this was God’s will, giving me the opportunity to disseminate the findings of my study as a Beryl Patient Experience Scholar during a time that it would be most useful to help nurses and patients,” Thompson said.

First doctoral graduates from CSU turn tassels,

make history By Jenna Johnson

Twenty-three professionals walked the stage of Lightsey Chapel in December to be hooded and become the first doctoral graduates of Charleston Southern. The Doctor of Education in leadership launched in January 2019 and is designed to provide current and aspiring leaders from a variety of disciplines the opportunity to attain a doctoral degree while also balancing a career.

Though credentials and leadership experience were a large part of their qualification for the program, Dr. Robert Doan said one trait stood out. “Over the three years of the program, we quickly learned being amazing leaders are their second-best quality,” Doan, assistant dean for the College of Education and interim chair of the EdD program, explained. “All of them have incredibly large hearts who love and care for each other.”

Grit was another trait Doan said shined through with this cohort, especially completing most of their work during a global pandemic. “Getting a doctoral degree is extremely difficult. When CSU closed and we needed to conduct classes online, this cohort was halfway through their Quantitative Statistics course…now they had to learn the material through Zoom. They persisted by forming study groups.”

He added that each student had every reason to take a break or stop the program, but they persisted. “The cohort pulled together and pushed forward. My favorite cohort memory is watching the cohort support each other through comprehensive exams and the dissertation process. I cannot recall one dissertation defense that did not include a cohort member in the audience. I am so proud the students relied on their relationship with God and cohort members to finish.”

The first graduation of its kind at Charleston Southern, the new alumni represent a diverse group in every sense of the word. The first cohort of students has careers in fields such as education, healthcare, and business. Ten of the 23 are Black women. According to the National Science Foundation (2019), only 4.4% of doctoral degrees are earned by Black women.

Now a two-time alumnus of CSU, Priscilla Johnson ’06, ’21 EdD said this statistic blows

The first CSU doctoral students graduated in December. Photo by Ty Cornett

Photo by Aneris Photography

her away. “I think there was a mutual understanding amongst us without having to articulate it,” Johnson said. “Representation matters, and I’m glad to be part of history here at Charleston Southern University.”

Johnson currently serves as assistant principal of Joseph R. Pye Elementary School in Dorchester District Two. In the field of education, she has always considered herself a lifelong learner and knew a terminal degree would lead to a myriad of opportunities. All signs pointed to CSU.

Being a part of the first doctoral cohort is not lost on Johnson. “Oh my goodness! Each time I think about it, I’m moved to tears. We were trusted to be pioneers for a program that will exist for years to come. It’s groundbreaking, and I’m humbled.”

Like many doctoral-level students, Johnson’s passion was demonstrated in her research. For her, it’s minority students having a voice in majority-centered systems. For others, topics ranged from education to healthcare.

“To see a group of resilient students meet their lifelong goal of achieving a doctorate was inspiring,” said Dr. Julie Fernandez, dean of the College of Education. “I am proud of this diverse group of leaders who will change the world with their faith and knowledge of their field.”

Fernandez added that she is excited for what the future will bring to this program. “We look forward to teaching more future leaders who want to learn best leadership practices and create research that will impact the future of South Carolina and beyond.”

First CSU doctoral graduates, along with their dissertation titles. Twelve are previous alumni, having attained a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree from CSU as well. • Danielle Moreau ’16 MEd – Effective Strategies for Teaching Intercultural Communicative Competence

• April C. Sanders ’12, ’16 MEd – Academic Performance of Local vs. State Identified Female Gifted Students in South Carolina

• Gary M. Seaboldt ’14 MEd – Elementary Music Teachers’ Perspectives of Culturally Responsive Teaching

• Amanda Snipe – Factors Influencing Minority Teacher Retention Decisions in Two South Carolina Lowcountry School Districts

• Donna Timko – The Impact of Secondary Coursework on the Post-Secondary Academic Performance of First-Year Nursing Students

• Shene White ’10 MEd – Impact of Selected Reading Intervention Strategies on State-Required Reading Assessments

• Micah Behrens – Factors Associated with Teachers’ Decision Making and Response to Intervention Tier 1 Implementation

• Courtney Creech – The Effects of the 4K Child Development Program on School Readiness

• Quencenia Dantzler – Systems Thinking for Online Education

• Priscilla Johnson ’06 – Intervention Before Identification: An Analysis of Culturally Response Teacher Self-Efficacy and Teacher Preparedness to Reduce Disproportion of Black Males in Special Education

• Erica Taylor – A Study to Understand the Barriers Encountered by African American Women Education Superintendents in South Carolina

• Angel Tucker ’01 – Digesting Diversity: Integrating Foodways to Create a Culturally Relevant Education in Secondary Schools • Sherry Dial ’15 MSN – Is Web-Based Learning Effective in Preparing the Nursing Graduate to Meet Competency Objectives in The Nursing Profession: Faculties’ Perception

• Donald Lauer ’07, ’09 MBA – GRIT: A Comparison of Military Versus Non-Military Students at A Private Christian University

• Delane Neuroth – Tomorrow’s National Security: A Study on The Relationship Between Screen Time and The Health Motivation of College-Aged Youth at A Military Institution

• Jeffrey Payne ’08 – Crisis in the Hallways: A Qualitative Study of Mental Health Crisis Intervention Training for School Resource Officers

• Ashleigh Wojslawowicz ’10, ’13 MS – Recruiting Amidst Crisis: Exploring Police Recruit Motivations in A Post-Ferguson Era

• Keeley Jarrett ’07, ’11 MEd – Preferred Principal Leadership Styles Conducive to Teacher Retention

• Paula M. Browne – A Study of Soft Skills Acquisition of High School Students as Perceived by School Counselors

• Arthea Simmons – The Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Student Learning in South Carolina Rural Schools: An Examination of Inequalities

• Tammy Smith-Thompson – Caring for the Care Teams: Nurses Thriving and Innovating by Design

• Jerome Davis – The Impact of Employee Wellness Programs on Student Achievement in Title 1 Middle Schools in the Southeast Region of the United States

• Mervin Jenkins ’01 MEd – The Effect of Hip-Hop Pedagogy on the Teacher-Student Relationship, Particularly of Black Boys.

Antoinette Beeks ’97 Inspiring Cooks

Young and Old By Jan Joslin / Photo by Damara Williams, Mara’s Eye Photography

After graduating from CSU in 1997, Antoinette Beeks found she had three choices: starve, always order take out, or learn to cook. Not only did she learn to cook, she is now a certifi ed Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and volunteers with Meals on Wheels senior resources division. She recently published After the Nest: The Culinary Edition to assist others. The book is available for purchase at afterthenestbook.com and in the CSU campus store.

Becoming an Author

Writing a book came as a surprise to me. Sometimes I still can’t believe it. I knew there was something the world needed, so I kept being obedient to God’s promptings and guidance.

A Book for Everyone

Even though After the Nest: The Culinary Edition was developed with the 20-something demographic in mind, it can be applied to all age groups. Whether you’re 22 and trying to fi nd your cooking path or 55 and in a position where a dietary change is imperative, this book provides a map for both.

Why Focus on Nutrition?

I’ve been passionate for great food as long as I can remember. I was blessed to come from a background where food was both wholesome and nurturing. As I grew older, I came to appreciate food for its healing powers and how it can improve the trajectory of someone’s life.

Health as a Career

Listening to your body is key. As a Health Coach (or Wellness Coach), I help my clients be more in tune to what their body is communicating. I listen to evaluate where they stand in their current dietary lifestyle. They hold space to envision what great health looks and feels like to them. Together, we develop a plan of action to achieve this vision.

CSU’s Infl uence

The New Testament course piqued my interest in becoming a Bible intellect coupled with the faith-based environment that strengthened my prayer life. The Student Activities work-study program helped mold my people skills. My greatest accomplishment was my Biology courses. They challenged me and fueled my interest in the dynamics of nature and the human body. All of these things contributed to my success.

What I do for fun

I am blessed to be surrounded by supportive friends and family. I think my peers would describe me as a health enthusiast who enjoys fi tness and home-cooked meals. I also enjoy a brick oven pizza and a great burger on occasion. Drumming is my secret love, and any beach is my favorite place.

Irick’s Education Advances Her Career

By Jan Joslin

Dr. Albany Cromer Irick’s career path is the perfect example of how a liberal arts major can transition to a high level job with a major impact.

Irick, who earned an English degree at the University of South Carolina, is inspired by a love of technology and teaching. Her liberal arts degree gave her a solid foundation to continue pursuing advances in her career and her education.

Her healthcare IT journey began in 2012 when the Medical University of South Carolina changed to an electronic health record system. She trained clinical staff in how to use the system. Irick said, “That position along with my hard work and dedication paved the way for me to gain more experience in other areas, which led to other promotions and opportunities within the organization. My career path was also inspired by servant leaders I had along the way, such as Nick Whichard, Angela Egner, Darrick Paul, and Anton Gunn.”

It was her Master of Science in organizational management degree in 2015 from Charleston Southern that prepared her in areas of negotiation, strategy, servant leadership, and critical thinking. After graduating from CSU, she earned a Doctor of Health Administration degree.

Currently, Irick is the Human Capital Management Functional Team Lead at MUSC and is spending 100% of her time on the implementation of the Enterprise Resource Planning for MUSC. She has stepped away temporarily from her role as Human Capital Director of Technology and HR Operations.

She said, “I lead a team of six workstream leads in the areas of core HR, compensation, learning, talent, recruitment, performance, benefits, payroll, time tracking, and absence. I am responsible for reviewing and completing key deliverables on time, assessing, and reporting risk, presenting to executive leadership, engaging subject matter experts, and removing barriers for my team.”

Her career isn’t the only place Irick makes a difference. She is in her second year as an Honorary Commander for Joint Base Charleston, partnering with Lt. Col. Saheba DeHenre of the 628th Communications Squadron. Irick meets with DeHenre’s team and assists them with career coaching, resume reviews, and more.

As a member of the Gamma Xi Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., she works with her sorority sisters with donation drives, virtual symposiums on health and wellness, college exploration, and caregiver wellness. She is looking forward to serving on the advisory board for the Lt. Col. James B. Near Jr., USAF, ’77 Center for Climate Studies. NCCS promotes climate science through education, research, transition to operations, community engagement, and the development of public-private partnerships.

Irick and her husband, Quinton, were married in November 2021. Quinton is the quality and safety manager for pharmacy services at MUSC and has more than 15 years of experience in healthcare. She said, “We have two amazing teenagers, Kylie and Gorden, who are art students at Rollings Middle School of the Arts.”

FUN FACT: One of Irick’s favorite professors was Professor David Britt in the College of Adult and Professional Studies.

Dr. Albany Cromer Irick / Photo by Monifa Badseo, Picture Perfect Photography