Concord University Magazine Fall 2016

CONCORD UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE • Fall 2016

2016 Freshman Convocation

Athens-Concord Town Social

White Coat Society

2016 Homecoming Celebration

From the President’s Desk Greetings!

Welcome to the Fall 2016 issue of the Concord University Magazine. It is my honor to invite you to travel back in time while reading this edition’s stories.

We also hope you will take a few moments to remember your days on “The Campus Beautiful” with fondness.

Featured in this issue, we will highlight some of the exciting events from the fall semester’s activities. The Annual AthensConcord Town Social was held August 14th and it was a great success, with an assortment of vendors and food trucks on hand displaying their goods.

We helped to present a number of awards recognizing Athens community members and scholarships were awarded to Concord students.

We are very proud to have completed the renovation of Concord’s track this fall and we enjoyed celebrating its completion with a Grand Opening Inaugural Walk. The renovation allows our track and field team, along with every athletic team on campus, opportunities to host home events while also allowing students, faculty, staff, and community members a safe and comfortable walking environment.

The Freshman Convocation provided us the opportunity to welcome our newest class of future Mountain Lions to the University. During the event, we heard a special message from alumnus Eric Colley and the crew at TMZ. Homecoming continues to be a special time for everyone who attends. It is a time to celebrate our students, their organizations, and it is always a special time to invite our wonderful alumni back to campus. This year’s theme was “Through the Decades” and the costumes were spectacular.

Our annual homecoming parade was the largest one organized in many years, with 39 groups participating from throughout Mercer County and beyond. Homecoming activities continued during the week and ended with numerous tailgates, the crowning of Concord’s new king and queen, and special times with friends who helped us cheer our football team.

Another exciting featured story in this issue relates to our Towers Renovation Project. Renovations began in spring 2016 and all Towers buildings will be completed by fall 2017. The first occupants of the newly renovated rooms have already been able to enjoy upgraded amenities; we will complete renovations in the North Tower this winter and then begin work in the South Towers immediately. We are all very excited to see this project completed.

“Come to learn. Go to serve.” has been our longtime motto and our students, faculty and staff continue to keep that tradition alive with numerous community service projects that students volunteer to plan and execute each day. The recent floods throughout central and southern West Virginia were no exception. On page 19 you will find a photo of the donations that were collected for flood victims, as well as information on the special assistance that was provided to students who had been impacted by the disastrous floods.

Please remember that our Class Notes section continues to be an important means of keeping up with Concord friends. We never tire of hearing what you, as graduates, have accomplished and about the milestone events in your lives. Please continue to send us information about what is new in your lives.

Thanks to each of you for your unique and special contributions to Concord University and for remaining connected with your alma mater.

Dr. Kendra Boggess Concord University President

Calendar of Events December 6 • Holiday Open House • 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm University Point Athens, WV December 10 • Fall Commencement • 11:00 am Carter Center Athens, WV December 26-30

Last days to make your 2016 Foundation Gift!

Donate at www.concord.edu/cufoundation February 2 • Groundhog Day Breakfast • 8:00 am University Point Athens, WV April 20 • Donor Appreciation Dinner University Point Athens, WV April 21-23 • Alumni Weekend Concord University Athens, WV May 6 • Spring Commencement Carter Center Athens, WV October 14 • Homecoming 2017 Concord University Athens, WV For details on any of these events please contact alumni@concord.edu or 1-304-384-5348.

We hope to CU soon!

Inside this Issue Fall 2016

On the Cover Tailgating is a big part of CU’s Homecoming celebration and a great way to reconnect with friends and classmates.

9 17 25 29

2016 Freshman Convocation

Athens-Concord Town Social

White Coat Society

2016 Homecoming Celebration

President Dr. Kendra Boggess Vice President for Alicia Besenyei Advancement Alumni Director Sarah Lively Turner '98 Chair, Concord Randy Price '85 University Foundation, Inc. Graphic Designer, Sr. Foster Sheppard '14 Staff Writer Sarah P. Dalton PR/Marketing Amy Pitzer Coordinator, Sr.

Features 9

2016 Freshman Convocation

13 Track Renovation Completion 15 Towers Update 17 Town Social 19 6/30 Challenge 25 White Coat Society 29 Homecoming 2016

In Every Issue 3

Alumni Happenings

21 CU Foundation, Inc. 39 Retired Faculty & Staff: Staying Connected 43 Beyond the Classroom 47 Greek Spotlight: Phi Delta Pi

Concord University Office of Advancement PO Box 1000 Athens, WV, 24712 1-304-384-6311 Fax: 1-304-384-6017 advancement@concord.edu www.concord.edu

49 Legacy Family 53 Alumni Entrepreneurs 55 Beckley Update 57 Heritage & Horizon 62 Class Notes 77 CU Athletics

Alumni Happenings Athletic Training Gathering Alumni from Concord University’s Athletic Training program gathered together on Friday June 24th, at the Cheesecake Factory in Baltimore, Maryland. The alums were in Baltimore attending the National Athletic Trainers Association National Clinical Symposia. Attendees included current and past students, as well as past program administration, faculty and staff.

ZETA UPSILON CHAPTER OF PI KAPPA ALPHA REUNION

On February 14, 1969, Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity initiated 39 founding brothers into the Zeta Upsilon Chapter of Concord College. Forty seven years later this Concord brotherhood continues to support the college and build on those original relationships. Greg Allen, the first President of the Zeta Upsilon Chapter, is currently on the Concord University Board of Governors.

3 • Fall 2016

On the weekend of September 9, 2016, this Zeta Upsilon Chapter held a reunion in Lewisburg, WV. In attendance were 31 brothers from 1969 to 1986, 17 wives and 1 guest.

Friday events included golf and a dinner at the Lewisburg Elks Club.

The Saturday reunion events were hosted by Griff and Lynne Callahan in Cold Knob, WV. One of the highlights of the weekend was the Pi Kappa Alpha

shield and diamond designed and built by Brother Marc Plummer.

This shield commemorated the 19 known brothers who have joined the chapter eternal.

The next reunion will be on September 8, 2017, in Lewisburg.

For additional information please contact Edd Houck at eddhouck@comcast.net

Alumni Happenings Concord Night with the Princeton Rays On August 18th the stands at Hunnicutt Field in Princeton were filled with maroon and gray as the Princeton Rays once again hosted Concord Night with the P-Rays. This game has become a Welcome Week tradition at Concord, taking place during the first week of school. The P-Rays offer free admission to anyone wearing CU colors and the stands get filled with students, alumni, faculty and staff who come out to cheer on this local minor league baseball team. The National Anthem was sung by current CU student Kaley Morris and CU head football coach Paul Price threw out the first pitch.

Save the Date!

Phi Sig Alums at this year's Alumni Banquet.

June 1-4, 2017 • Pipestem State Park Call 1-800-CALL-WVA to reserve your room/cabin Contact jlec@carolina.rr.com for details Fall 2016 • 4

Alumni Happenings Pine Tree Alumni Chapter Summer and Fall Gatherings The Pine Trees alumni chapter held their summer picnic July 15th at the home of Ott and JoAnna Fredeking ’73. They also held their fall social at the President’s House on campus on October 4th. Both events were well attended and guests enjoyed good food, great hospitality by the hosts and plenty of time for catching up.

Concord Night with WV Power On August 11th Concordians from all over the Greater Kanawha Valley gathered at Appalachian Power Park for Concord Night with the WV Power.

This event has been held for a number of years and always provides a great opportunity for CU alumni and friends in the Charleston area to enjoy a summer evening together. The group was back on the Party Deck this year and enjoyed food and drinks, while catching up with each other and taking in the ballgame.

5 • Fall 2016

Alumni Happenings

Check us out

ONLINE Check out the Concord University Alumni Association website for all your up-to-date alumni news and updates.

Please visit: concorduniversityalumni.com

Keeping Up

With Concord

Social media has allowed people to keep in touch with individuals, groups and activities all across the globe and Concord is using some of these tools to keep its alumni connected to the University and each other.

You can keep up with Concord through any (or all!) of the following outlets:

Facebook: Concord University Alumni Association, Inc. and Concord University

Twitter: @CampusBeautiful and @ConcordUAlumni

LinkedIn: Official Concord University page and the Official Concord University Alumni group

Snapchat: ConcordU1872

Pinterest: Concord University Alumni Association Instagram: ConcordUAlumni

YouTube: CUCATVIDEO

We hope you will take advantage of each of these sites as a quick and easy way to keep up with Concord!

Fall 2016 • 6

The CUAA would like to recognize the following alumni who have joined the Association as Lifetime Members: Gregory Bailey '74

Rebecca White '78

William McKee '70

Cathy Burnley '75

Joseph E. Wills Jr. '73

Jack White '50

Cynthia Jane Clark '68*

Lt. David Vandevander '94

Kenneth Moles '98

Herbert Sanger, Jr. '58

Jason Lunsford '99

C. Don Dunford '15

Bonnie Dorsey Shorter '76

Frances Baby '73

Joe Friedl '61

Pamela Garner '66

Gary Gillette '84

Colleen Clark Cox '81

Anita Skeen '68

Lee Ross '90

George McKelvie '57

R. Gary Goosens '74

Thomas Joyce '64

Nancy Dunford '61

Whitney Courtney '99

Al Guenthner '66

Robert Gallione '68

Nancy Guenthner '67

Jared Tice '06

Julia Ann Pauley '74

Kevin B. Powell '89

Ashwin Mundra '02

Sam Baker '78

* Now Deceased

Thanks to each and every one of these alumni for making such an outstanding commitment to Concord and to the CUAA! For information on joining as a Lifetime Member please contact the Alumni Office at 1-304-384-5348 or alumni@concord.edu

7 • Fall 2016

Concordians Spend Time in Asia

Roar Enjoys Summer Travels with the Manzos

Q

uite the Asian traveler, Roar accompanied Dr. Joe Manzo and Mrs. Sharon Manzo to Tokyo, Japan and Beijing, China this summer.

In Tokyo, he met up with Concord students Charles Moustapha Seye and Arrienne MacAulay who had been studying in Seoul, South Korea for approximately two weeks. Visiting the Tokyo Tower and having a traditional Japanese dinner with Rumi Wantanabe, President of the Japan Alumni Chapter, and her family were highlights of his time in Japan.

In August, he traveled to Beijing with the Manzos to attend the 33rd International Geographical Congress where Professor Manzo presented a paper on “The Use of Novels, Quizzes, and Essays in the Geography Classroom.” Roar was very impressed with the The Great Wall but confesses he was glad he was carried so he did not have to walk up all those steps himself.

Asked if he’d visit Asia again he said, “Hai, shi” (yes in Japanese and Chinese).

CU Students Study

In Korea and Japan

C

oncord University students, Charles Moustapha Seye and Arrienne MacAulay, completed the Korea/Japan study abroad program during the summer.

These CU students spent the first 16 days at Kangwon National University north of Seoul, Korea.

The program at Kangwon National University included classwork in Korean economics, geography, history, politics, and language. The program included trips to the DMZ, Seoul, and the East Sea. Following their time in Korea, Charles and Arrienne spent their last four days in Japan touring Tokyo with Professor Joe Manzo and Sharon Manzo.

They also had the opportunity to meet with the President of the Japan Alumni Chapter.

Roar climbs The Great Wall

The Manzos with Arrienne MacAulay & Charles Seye Fall 2016 • 8

9 • Fall 2016

Convocation Welcomes

Incoming Students into CU Family

oncord University marked the beginning

the gift that was presented to you and ask yourself in

of Monday, Aug. 15. This ceremonious

left a greater gift than the one it has received. We hope

of the 2016-2017 academic year with

a Freshman Convocation the afternoon gathering, held in the Main Theatre of

the Alexander Fine Arts Center, offered

an opportunity to welcome incoming students into the Concord community.

“Today we formally induct you into Concord

University,” President Kendra Boggess said. “In doing so, we provide you a wealth of life changing and life deepening opportunities.”

Dr. Boggess explained that each generation of Concord students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents

and friends have contributed in many remarkable

ways to the University from benefitting facilities and

extracurricular activities to enhancing academics and the beauty of the campus.

“Today the generations of Concord University

bequeath this gift to you, the Class of 2020,” she said.

“The further you go down the road and the more you achieve, the more we hope you will reflect on

what state your generation will leave it,” Dr. Boggess

challenged the students. “To date each generation has and trust your generation will do the same.

“In presenting this great gift of generations past to you, we remind you the future greatness of this institution is now in your hands,” she said.

Concord alum and TMZ on-air talent and video editorial/production staff member Eric Colley

sent a special video message from the set of the

entertainment news show to the new freshman class.

Colley, a native of Bluefield, W.Va., studied graphic

design at Concord and graduated in 1998. His career path has taken him from part-time work at a local television station in West Virginia to a nationally

syndicated morning show based in Dayton, Ohio and later in Orlando, Fla. to TMZ in Los Angeles.

Following the convocation, the traditional Tree

Planting Ceremony in honor of the incoming students of 2016 took place on the lawn between the Fine Arts Center and the Carter Center.

Fall 2016 • 10

2016 FRESHMAN CONVOCATION

T REE PL A NT I N G C E R E M O NY TRADITION CONTINUES WITH CLASS OF 2020

Editor’s Note: Dr. Marjie Flanigan, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, offered the following remarks during the Freshman Convocation.

To the class of 2020, “Welcome!”

The Freshmen Tree Planting has special significance as a Concord University tradition. For our first year students, it serves as a symbol for the roots you are forming as you begin your undergraduate journey and it establishes your special contribution to the campus.

Throughout your stay at Concord, you will witness the tree’s growth, much as the faculty and staff, along with your families and friends, will witness your growth.

It does not happen all at once, but gradually, and sometimes so subtly that we may miss the nuances of your changes. When you return to Concord as alumni, your tree’s height will serve as a reminder of your years here and your own growth and development – as a student, a professional, and as a person.

As you sit here today, it may be difficult to grasp the importance of the moment. This Convocation officially welcomes you into the Concord University family; it is the beginning of your college education.

You may fail to sense your place

11 • Fall 2016

in history or the presence of the thousands of other students who sat in these same seats – or other chairs in different venues at Concord – ready to embark on their educational journey.

But, this tree planting is a reminder of those who came before you. In the spring of 1915 the trees known as The Pines were planted by the agriculture and botany classes. Some of the trees were cut down when the Student Center was built in late 1960s and the pines were milled and used to panel the Alumni lounge on the 3rd floor of that building. In 2007, Concord’s tree planting tradition was renewed, and each entering class since then has taken part in this celebration. We hope that this tradition continues long after we all are gone from campus.

With a risk of stretching an analogy too far, please bear with me as our tree symbol is extended.

Today, as you begin your Concord University experience, please picture the underground growth symbolized by the roots you are establishing, as the roots of

knowledge, service, citizenship, friendship, honor, and integrity.

These are the pillars upon which your tree grows and on which your Concord education stands.

By nurturing your roots, you ensure your continued growth, development, and longevity.

Your tree, the graduating class of 2020, is the Red Obelisk European Beech. According to the literature, your tree displays dramatic purple foliage each fall. The Red Obelisk prefers cool summers and prefers sun, but is shade tolerant. It grows in the north from Canada, down to the upper half of the U.S. and is fully hardy throughout the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Eventually, and with proper care, your tree should reach 40 feet in height. Your tree will be a tall, thin and beautiful deciduous tree. You should know that by planting the Red Obelisk, you are adding your special signature to “The Campus Beautiful.”

Again, on behalf of the faculty, staff, and your fellow students, welcome to the Concord University family!

New Faces

Join CU Faculty Ranks

Concord University welcomed nine new full-time faculty members for the Fall 2016 semester.

Ms. Angela M. Addair is joining the CU faculty as an Assistant Professor of Business. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Concord University and an M.B.A. from Walden University. Ms. Addair is working toward a D.B.A. (expected winter 2016) from Walden University. She comes to Concord from Glenville, W.Va. Dr. Kipp B. Cortez is the Dr. Joseph F. Marsh Endowed Assistant Professor of Music Carillon/ Organ. He has held this post since January 2016. Dr. Cortez earned a B.M. from Valparaiso University and a M.M. and a D.M.A. from the University of Michigan. He comes to Concord from Ann Arbor, Mich.

Dr. Richard H. Cyburt will serve as Assistant Professor of Physics. Dr. Cyburt comes to Concord from Owosso, Mich. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. He holds both a Master of Science degree and Ph.D. from University of Illinois, Urbana.

Ms. Angela J. Fedele has been named an Assistant Professor of Social Work. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Alderson-Broaddus College; an M.S.W. from West Virginia University; and a J.D. from the Appalachian School of Law. Ms. Fedele has taught adjunct and full-time for Concord.

She lives in Princeton, W.Va. Mr. Robert F. Hoffman is joining Concord’s faculty as an Assistant Professor of Communication Arts. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from State University of New York, Buffalo and an M.F.A. from State University of New York, Brockport. He hails from Rochester, N.Y. Ms. Jennifer E. Phillippe will serve on Concord’s faculty as an Instructor in Geology. She comes to Concord from Indianapolis, Ind. Ms. Phillippe earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from DePauw University and a Master of Science degree from the University of California, Davis.

Dr. Tina W. Powell is joining the Concord faculty as a Lecturer in English. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lehigh University; a Master of Arts degree from Florida State University; and a Ph.D. from Fordham University. Dr. Powell hails from Bloomfield, N.J. Ms. Amanda S. Sauchuck has been named an Assistant Professor of Management. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Concord University and an M.B.A. from Liberty University. Ms. Sauchuck is working toward a D.B.A. (expected winter 2016) from Capella University. She has taught adjunct for Concord and comes to the University from Beaver, W.Va. Ms. Heather M. Williams will serve on the Concord faculty as a Lecturer in Communications.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Concord University and a Master of Arts degree from Marshall University. A native West Virginian, Ms. Williams hails from Cross Lanes.

Fall 2016 • 12

Celebration Marks Completion of Track Renovation Project

ompletion of Concord University’s track renovation project was celebrated at a ribbon cutting and Business After Hours the evening of Aug. 9, 2016 at Callaghan Stadium. Following the official ribbon cutting, guests and members of the CU community took the inaugural lap around the track.

13 • Fall 2016

The track replacement project began on May 9, 2016. Work included removing the surface and milling down the asphalt underneath, putting down new asphalt and the creation of a new, high quality surface.

Concord’s student-athletes across all sports will benefit from the improvements to the track for training and conditioning. The updated facility will also allow CU to host track competitions.

“The track is a vital part of training and conditioning for all the sports teams,” said Kevin Garrett, Director of Athletics.

“Improving this facility will benefit all of our student-athletes.

“I would like to thank everyone involved who contributed to this project and we are extremely excited about how it will help advance our athletic programs,” he said.

The entire track replacement project was funded through donations. Benefactors of the project include: the Hugh I. Shott, Jr. Foundation, the Preservati Family Charitable Trust

Foundation, the June Oblinger Shott Foundation, The Pace Family Foundation, and Donnie and Linda Holcomb.

Beynon Sports Surfaces, Inc., of Hunt Valley, Md. was the contractor for the project. Jim Christie with Larson Design Group located in Morgantown, W.Va. served as the architect.

The Business After Hours at the track was a joint activity of the Princeton-Mercer County Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Boggess speaks at the celebration

The ribbon is cut, officially opening the renovated track

“The track is a vital part of training and conditioning for all the sports teams. Improving this facility will benefit all of our student-athletes."

K E VI N GA R R ETT Fall 2016 • 14

Campus Landmarks Receiving Extensive Renovations The North and South Towers residence halls at Concord University are undergoing extensive renovations. Consisting of 173,500 square feet, the Towers were built in 1968.

The completely renovated student rooms are receiving new energy efficient windows and exterior finishes. The dorm rooms are being equipped with state-ofthe-art technology upgrades, new heat and air systems, carpeting, paint and a completely renovated bath area that includes floor to

15 • Fall 2016

ceiling ceramic tile and new bath fixtures.

The project to renovate the facilities was kicked off in a ceremony on April 22, 2016 in conjunction with Concord’s Founders’ Day Festival.

Work progressed through the spring and summer of 2016 and all rooms on the west side of North Tower were completely renovated by student check-in day on Aug. 13, 2016. Renovation on the top four floors of North Tower, east side, began mid-August in anticipation

of the residence hall being fully occupied upon the students’ return from winter break in January 2017.

In January, the construction crews will move to South Tower to begin renovating this residence hall structure. The entire Towers project is tentatively scheduled for completion by September 2017.

Silling Associates, based in Charleston, W.Va., is the architectural firm for the renovation project. The general contractor is Paramount Builders located in St. Albans, W.Va.

Reidmiller Receives Best of Show Award in West Virginia Exhibition

auri Lydy Reidmiller, Ph.D., Concord University’s director of art education, was the winner of the Best of Show award with her acrylic painting “Cut So Deep” in the West Virginia Allied Artists 70th Juried Exhibition held at the Parkersburg Art Center this past summer.

Reidmiller said her inspiration for this painting came from her dreams. “My paintings focus on physical manifestations of the subconscious mind,” she said.

“Memories of my dreams dictate the initial appearance of symbols, which are influenced by my emotions, childhood memories, and my creativity. These become the vocabulary of symbols that I capture and imbed in the layers of my paintings.”

The colors and symbols in her painting embody something in her life from starbursts representing her children to round circles signifying family and generations of women. “It is through this investigation of symbols from my dreams that a passage of visual narratives is created,” she said.

Reidmiller has been interested in art all of her life since she was a child holding her first crayons.

Over the past three years, she has challenged herself to create this new body of work. “I fuse nontraditional methods of paint application utilized by early artists, with contemporary mediums and thought processes,” she said. “It

“Cut So Deep” by Dr. Lauri Lydy Reidmiller

is my intent that my paintings communicate, challenge, and invite further exploration.”

West Virginia Allied Artists is one of the oldest and largest arts organizations in West Virginia. The juried show is held bi-annually and includes work from artists across the state. Held in the Main and Boll Galleries, this year’s juried exhibition featured the work of 63 artists. Pieces in the show included photography, two-dimensional

work, three-dimensional, ceramic, textiles, paintings, sculptures, prints and more.

Each year, the quality of the art accepted into this show escalates to a higher level. “This exhibit reflects the incredible talent of the artists in West Virginia and provides the art center an opportunity to showcase and share the work with the public,” said Abby Hayhurst, the director of the Parkersburg Art Center.

Please Note: In the 2016 issue of the Concord University Foundation Annual Report Glenn Ables '71 was inadvertently left out of the listing for the Silver Circle. The Foundation office apologizes for this omission.

Fall 2016 • 16

Athens-Concord Town Social Celebrates 30th Year

The 30th Athens-Concord Town Social was held the afternoon of Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016 on Concord’s front lawn. Festivities included live musical entertainment, children’s games, free admission and an array of craft and food vendors all in a family friendly, small town atmosphere.

Individuals and businesses enhancing the community and campus life of Athens and Concord University are honored each year at the gathering. The Athens-Concord Town Social Committee presented five awards for 2016.

Amanda Cole received the Total Community Involvement award.

Amanda is dedicated to community service offering her talents to a number of organizations and activities. She taught at Mercer School in Princeton for three years until her daughter was born. Now she works full-time volunteering.

Amanda is a Girl Scout leader, assisting both locally and regionally; a board member and reader for Read Aloud Mercer County; and president of the Athens School PTO. Among the important accomplishments of her work with the PTO is helping coordinate the removal of the old buildings from

17 • Fall 2016

behind the school allowing the playground to be expanded.

Dr. William “Bill” Ofsa was honored as an Elder Citizen of Athens. Bill was born on April 21, 1929 in Keystone, W.Va. He graduated from Elkhorn High School in 1947. After trying out different majors at Concord, he settled on English and graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor of Science degree in education, teaching English and speech. He also earned a master’s degree from West Virginia University in 1953.

He taught in McDowell County, West Virginia prior to beginning his teaching career at Concord in 1958. Furthering his education, he received a doctorate in 1975.

Dr. Ofsa has always loved what he does and has enjoyed working with young people. He has been Chairman of the Division of Language and Literature and has

taught extension courses around southern West Virginia.

Sharon Griffee received the Extra Miler award. Sharon has lived in Athens 13 1/2 years, moving to the town after living in Las Cruces, N.M. for more than 40 years. She says she was originally concerned about moving, but very quickly made friends and got involved in the community.

Sharon started volunteering with the Town Social the first summer she lived in Athens. She continued serving on the event’s committee and coordinating the vendors for 13 years. Each year, she hosts the breakfast for workers and volunteers the morning of the Town Social.

After receiving degrees from the University of Northern Colorado in education and from New Mexico State University as a reading specialist, Sharon worked as an

elementary school teacher for 27 years.

BB&T in Athens was recognized with the Business Longevity Award.

While the bank’s name and location have changed several times through the years, BB&T continues to be an important part of the landscape and history of Athens and Concord University.

BB&T’s corporate legacy had its beginnings in 1872, the same year that Concord was established. The local presence of the bank dates back to January 1905 when the Bank of Athens was chartered.

The Bank of Athens became part of Mercer County Bank in 1984, One Valley Bank in 1986 and BB&T in November 2000.

Jean Ann Doyle White was honored posthumously as an Elder Citizen. Born Dec. 12, 1929 in Pettry, W.Va., she received a degree from Concord, majoring in elementary education and English. Continuing her education, she graduated from the WV Graduate College with emphasis on elementary education.

She attended Marshall University and received credit for 45 hours in Safety Education.

She began her 35 year teaching career at Memorial Elementary in

Bluefield, then transferred to Elgood Elementary and served as teaching principal until the school closed. She spent most of the 35 years teaching at Athens Elementary.

Jean Ann respected each student as an individual and her goal was to motivate and inspire each person to achieve their full potential. She enjoyed her teaching profession and truly loved all of her students. She passed away on July 5, 2016.

The Athens Lions Club presented two awards. Helen White Lamb received the Citizen of the Year award. She was raised in Speedway, W.Va. and graduated from Athens High School. A housewife and mother, Helen has also contributed a great deal to her neighbors in Athens.

Over the years, Helen babysat and cared for many children, some of which lasted from toddlers to “tween” years. She was known as the lady who pushed the stroller along the street and now in her 70s, is still full of energy. She is friendly with so many people and her cheerful smile is part of the town’s charm.

In addition to the time and love she gave to the children she helped raise, she also befriended neighborhood children, and her house was a place to meet and play. Always willing to

lend a helping hand to neighbors and those in need, Helen is an example of a life well-lived, without expecting recognition or repayment for any of her unselfish deeds.

The Lions Club Beautification Award went to the Kuehn family of Athens. Steve, Victoria, and their son Henry moved to Athens in 2010 and began transforming their yard.

Victoria is a lifetime gardener and her work in the garden is a labor of love.

The family’s cottage garden contains items deer do not enjoy eating. Their earth friendly garden is drought resistant, only requiring water when a new item is added.

Steve maintains the organic vegetable garden. The Kuehns have a wide variety of fruit trees, and raise about 25 vegetables, fruits and spices. They also garden in their greenhouse all winter.

Several Concord University students received a Jean Beasley Athens-Concord Town Social Memorial Scholarship. Incoming students Santana Conner and Jonathan Clark were awarded the scholarship along with returning students Destiny Miles and Abby Hamer.

Community Awards

Award recipients include: Santana Conner, Scholarship; BB&T, Business Longevity; and Steve, Victoria, and Henry Kuehn, Beautification Award.

Fall 2016 • 18

Concord Community

Rallies Around Flood Victims hen devastating floods hit West Virginia in June of this year, the Concord community reached out to students affected by the disaster and to residents in need of hope and a helping hand.

A Disaster Relief Fund was established through the Concord University Foundation to assist CU students impacted by the flooding and to help them be ready to start classes for the fall semester in August.

Concord’s Admissions and Financial Aid offices worked to identify new and continuing students who qualified for assistance through the fund. Several students who were going to have to take a break in their education were able to return in the fall.

Donations generated from the Concord University Foundation’s 630 Challenge during the month of June – including an online campaign, phone-a-thon and direct mail campaign – were designated to initially fund the account. These donations were originally earmarked for Concord’s annual fund, but were redirected in response to the immediate need of students from the flooded communities.

The campus community also assisted victims of flooding by collecting donations and volunteering in other ways.

The Office of Admissions spearheaded a campus-wide effort to

19 • Fall 2016

Concord University’s assistance to victims of the June 2016 flooding in West Virginia includes these items donated by faculty, staff, students and community members.

collect donations of non-perishable food items and cleaning supplies. CU faculty, staff, students and members of the community contributed to the effort.

The variety of items collected includes bottled water, food (including pet food), personal hygiene products, diapers, mops, brooms, gloves and additional supplies. The Office of Admissions worked with the United Way of Southern West Virginia to distribute the donations to flood victims.

Concord’s Beckley campus teamed up with other institutions located at the Erma Byrd Center in Beaver, W.Va. to collect donations.

The Erma Byrd Center served as a

drop-off location for donated items.

Businesses and other community members joined in the effort by bringing donations to the site.

Items collected at the Center were directed to Richwood, W.Va. to assist that hard hit city.

The Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Concord volunteered with cleanup efforts in several communities and brought cleaning supplies to families there.

Concord’s contributions to the flood recovery effort also included a carload of cleaning supplies, water, towels, food, brooms and other items that were delivered to Talcott Elementary School, a distribution point for donations.

Five CU Prehealth Students

Selected as Rural Health Fellows

Submitted by Dr. David Chambers, Associate Professor of Biology

he Rural Health Fellows grant offers opportunities to current and prospective Concord University students with career aspirations in the health fields. The grant has three areas of support.

Five prehealth science students who have excelled in their first year(s) of college at Concord were identified as peer mentors.

These students were assigned five incoming freshmen prehealth college students from rural areas of West Virginia to meet with on a weekly basis. These mentors will develop a relationship with mentees in an effort to help with the adjustment to college both socially and academically. Mentors are charged with actively inquiring of the well-being of their mentees in an effort to identify struggling students before they damage their GPA and offer the assistance needed to intervene and rectify problems.

This will formally provide a level of support to our new students that has only existed informally, if at all, in the past.

These same mentors will also hold three office hours a week, allowing all Concord freshmen and higher (science students and other majors as well) an opportunity to receive academic assistance. In an effort to promote and overcome the inherent reluctance many students exhibit towards tutoring, BIOL 103, the introductory biology course for biology majors, has instituted a mandatory tutoring requirement for all participants. This added requirement will hopefully encourage our freshmen to seek help when needed.

The grant also provides for recruitment of new prehealth majors from rural regions of West Virginia. The mentors are asked to return to their home high school and at least one more high school to promote the biology and chemistry programs at Concord. Mentors are trying to coordinate visits to their target schools on college fair days or job fair days to have the highest impact on student recruitment.

These activities will culminate in a recruitment weekend by Concord

sciences that will include a welcome party for prospective and/or accepted students, current students, faculty and alumni.

Mentors were chosen for their academic records and their social nature from the current sophomore through senior class. This year’s mentors are Sarah Akers from Raleigh County, Kyra Cline from Mingo County, Emily Culver from Nicholas County, Brian Lusk from Wyoming County and Nick Yost from Mercer County. Each mentor receives a textbook credit and a stipend as support as well as traveling expenses for their recruitment trips.

Our hope in the sciences is that programs like this, and others, will continue to increase the effectiveness of our academic programs in the sciences. Our goals are to recruit well qualified students and help them succeed both in their undergraduate program at Concord and in their future goals at professional school.

Yeager Named Executive Director

Of the Concord University Foundation Bren Yeager has been named Executive Director of the Concord University Foundation. She has been serving in the position as Interim Director and has also worked in Concord’s Career Services office.

Yeager earned a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Education from Texas Tech University. She brings a strong background in fundraising and event planning, along with extensive community and volunteer service,

to her new appointment.

“Bren has already exhibited an excitement for and dedication to this position that has enhanced the work of the Foundation and we envision this commitment growing in the future,” said Alicia Besenyei, Vice President for Advancement.

“We are pleased to officially welcome her to the post.”

Bren Yeager Fall 2016 • 20

Concord University Foundation

Welcomes New Board Members

The Concord University Foundation was launched in 1987 and is managed by a board comprised of Concord University alumni and friends of the institution. The Foundation welcomes three new board members.

Edward J. Bailey '75

Mr. Bailey is the managing partner of Rollins, Cleavenger, and Rollins CPAs in Charleston, W.Va. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Concord in 1975. Bailey currently serves on the Board of the Charleston Estate Planning Council. His community service includes leadership positions in various organizations such as serving as President of the Charleston Lions Club, the South Charleston Chamber of Commerce and past treasurer of the Thomas Hospital Foundation.

Rosemary Carucci Goss '74 Dr. Goss lives in Blacksburg, Va. where she is a professor at Virginia Tech. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Concord in 1974, a Master of Science degree from Virginia Tech and a Ph.D. from Florida State University. Her community involvement includes serving as a lector at Saint Mary’s Blacksburg; Past President of Virginia Tech’s University Club; Past National President, Alpha Sigma Alpha; and Past Alpha Sigma Alpha National Foundation Chair.

Josh Stowers '01 Mr. Stowers is Assistant State Treasurer of West Virginia. His public service also includes serving three terms as a state delegate in the West Virginia Legislature. He has worked in education as a classroom teacher and as an administrator. Stowers graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Concord in 2001 and earned two master’s degrees from Marshall University. A resident of Alum Creek, W.Va., he is president of the Lincoln County Economic Development Authority.

21 • Fall 2016

Fall 2016 • 22

Amanda Knighton Stafford Scholarship Fund Established for Concord University Students scholarship that honors the memory of a former educator has been established through the Concord University Foundation to help CU students attain their educational goals.

The Amanda Knighton Stafford Scholarship Fund was created with the help of many family members, friends and especially her hometown church family.

Amanda Knighton Stafford was born in Charlottesville, Va. on March 17, 1985. Her parents are Rev. and Mrs. David K. Knighton from Orange, Va. She graduated from Concord University in 2008 and was then employed by Glenwood School in Princeton, W.Va. as a special education teacher. She was a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Barboursville, Va. and attended Johnston Chapel in Princeton. She was married to Michael Justin Stafford, who also graduated from Concord University, and they had one son Levi Michael Stafford.

“Several dinners were held at our local church in Virginia where family, friends and church family worked diligently to raise money to fund this scholarship,” Amanda’s mother, Donna, said. “Plus several friends and family made generous

“Truly, there are no words to express how much the kindness and donations in her memory mean to Justin, David and myself. To know that her memory lives on in this is truly touching.”

Mrs. Donna Knighton

23 • Fall 2016

Amanda Knighton Stafford '08

contributions separately from all other fund raising events.”

Justin conducted a fund raiser where T-shirts were sold, and Amanda’s friends and family in Orange and in Princeton purchased them. He also asked that all memorial donations made in Amanda’s honor at the time of her death be sent to the scholarship fund.

Establishing this scholarship will continue her legacy of teaching those with special needs. A dedicated teacher, Amanda loved teaching her “children” as she called them, and was always one of their greatest supporters and advocates.

“Truly, there are no words to express how much the kindness and donations in her memory mean to Justin, David and myself. To know that her memory lives on in this [scholarship] is truly touching,” Mrs. Knighton said.

In awarding the scholarship the first preference is given to a rising junior or senior majoring in Education with an emphasis on Special Education.

For additional information on the Amanda Knighton Stafford Scholarship Fund contact the Concord University Foundation at 304-384-6056.

Redesigned Early Childhood RBA Program Opening Doors in Education and Careers

btaining a college degree has been a goal of Krista Piercy’s for quite some time. The day-to-day responsibilities of her busy life, however, kept putting her dream beyond her reach.

“Working, having a child that is in many extracurricular activities and a husband and a home, it was very hard to get a schedule that would fit our lifestyle,” she said.

Piercy is currently a teacher’s aide with the Raleigh County School System and works in the autism class at Stanaford Elementary.

She lives in Beaver, W.Va. with her husband of 20 years and her 13-year-old daughter.

Now, thanks to Concord University’s redesigned Early Childhood Regents Bachelor of Arts (ECRB) program Piercy will be completing her degree in December of this year.

“Being an online program, this has given me the opportunity to finish my college degree and to be able to be on my way to have my own classroom,” she said. “I am so filled with pride and joy to have finally taken the time to do this.”

While Piercy will soon be earning an RBA, she isn’t stopping there. She is planning to work on her master’s degree as well.

Dr. Andrea Campbell, associate professor of education at Concord, is impressed with the dedication of Piercy and the other nontraditional students who are among the first to complete the redesigned program.

“The ladies that completed the program are truly remarkable. Most of them work full-time in child care settings and completed their degrees online while maintaining their full-time employment,” she said.

Campbell, along with former

Concord professor Dr. Beatrice Harris, revamped the degree program. “We had the goal of designing a program that was

"Being an online program, this has given me the opportunity to finish my college degree and to be able to be on my way to have my own classroom."

Krista Piercy

accessible, affordable, and meaningful for individuals working with young children,” Campbell said.

“The course work has been designed so that students have a practical and immediate connection between theory and recommended practice to implementation in real world early childhood centers,” she said.

The updated program, which is offered completely online, allows students with the appropriate pre-requisites to complete the bachelor’s level degree in one calendar year as opposed to the two years of study and prerequisites required by the former configuration.

Because each course lasts for only four weeks, students can focus their attention solely on one course at a time. With continuous enrollment, as one class ends, the next immediately follows it allowing for a full semester of coursework to be completed by the end of the semester.

Employment opportunities in child care and Head Start centers

open up for individuals completing the ECRB program, Campbell said.

“Successful completion of the program enables graduates to become lead teachers in Head Start and child care centers. In addition, graduates could own and/ or manage child care facilities,” she said. “Other opportunities could become available to graduates in early childhood home visiting programs and other programming focused on healthy development of young children and families.”

Some like Piercy go on to pursue master’s degrees in fields such as social work, health promotion and early childhood special education, she said.

"More than ever in

our communitites, it

is critical that those

working with our

youngest children have the necessary education to provide high quality child care and education."

Dr. Andrea Campbell

“Ultimately, we believe that if the education level of our early child care providers increases, the quality of programming available to the young children and their families in our communities increases,” she said. “More than ever in our communities, it is critical that those working with our youngest children have the necessary education to provide high quality child care and education.”

Fall 2016 • 24

DONOR SPOTLIGHT: White Coat Society Offering New Scholarship Opportunities new endowed fund in the Concord University Foundation will benefit preprofessional chemistry and pre-professional biology students through scholarship assistance.

The recently established Concord University White Coat Society is a fund raising initiative designed to financially assist students pursuing degrees leading to careers dedicated to helping others.

The initial donations to launch the fund have been generously made by the four

Founders of the White Coat Society: Joseph P. Cincinnati, D.O., Brad Lane, O.D., MedExpress and Blue Ridge Internal Medicine physicians Todd A. Smith, D.O., Christopher D. Parrish, D.O. and Michael B. Remines, D.O. The Concord University White Coat Society celebrates the commitment to contribute to the advancement of Concord University students. This opportunity inspires alumni and those in the respective professional fields to give back while encouraging students through scholarship.

Concord alumni are invited

to join the Founders in this exciting new opportunity to assist Concord students by committing to an annual gift of $1,000. Physicians, optometrists, dentists, pharmacists and other medical professionals are encouraged to be a part of this endeavor.

Students will be awarded with scholarships from this fund beginning in the 20172018 academic year.

F OU N DI NG

Become a member of The Concord University White Coat Society for a $1,000 annual gift. Call 304-384-6056 for additional information.

Joseph P. Cincinnati, DO

Summer 25 • Fall 20162016

ME M BE R

Dr. Joseph Cincinnati is an orthopedic surgeon serving the Martinsburg, W.Va. region. He received a bachelor’s degree from Concord in 1986 and continued his education at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine where he earned a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree. Furthering his training, he completed his internship in orthopedic surgery at Doctors Hospital, Inc. of Stark County in Massillon, Ohio and his residency in orthopedic surgery at Ohio University/Doctors Hospital. Dr. Cincinnati is a founding member and the current manager of both the Center for Orthopedic Excellence and the Tri-State Surgical Center in Martinsburg. He is also an owner of the Tri-State Professional Complex where the surgical center and CFOE are located.

F OU N DI NG

ME M BE R

Brad Lane, OD

Dr. Brad Lane is an optometrist in private practice. He recently opened a new location for his clinic, Appalachian Eye Care, on Oakvale Road in Princeton. Dr. Lane earned bachelor’s degrees from Concord in 2002 and 2003 and a B.S. in Optics followed by a Doctorate of Optometry degree from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. A resident of Princeton, W.Va., Dr. Lane received the West Virginia Association of Optometric Physicians Young Optometrist of the Year award for 2013. He is a member of the Concord University Foundation Board of Directors.

F OU N DI NG

ME M BE R

MedExpress

MedExpress is a national leader in delivering high-quality, convenient, affordable health care in a patient-centric manner. Founded in 2001, the company provides a broad scope of services including urgent care, employer health and basic wellness and prevention services. MedExpress fullservice neighborhood medical centers are open 12 hours a day, seven days a week and always have a fully staffed medical team. Medical centers can be found in a number of states. Administrative offices for MedExpress are located in Morgantown, W.Va., and Canonsburg, Pa. F OU N DI NG

M E M BE RS

Blue Ridge Internal Medicine Inc.

Todd A. Smith, DO, FACOI

Blue Ridge Internal Medicine Inc. was established by Dr. Todd Smith in August 2000 to provide general internal medicine services to residents of Mercer and surrounding counties. Dr. Smith has been joined by Dr. Michael Remines, Dr. Christopher Parrish and Nurse Practitioner Beverly Whitt at Blue Ridge’s current location at 407 12th Street Extension, Crossings Professional Park, Princeton, W.Va. BRIM provides the most comprehensive primary care services available to adolescents and adults, including full laboratory services.

Dr. Todd Smith graduated from Concord in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business management and marketing. He received a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree in 1997 from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine where he was a member of Psi Sigma Alpha National Scholastic Honor Society. Dr. Smith completed his internship and residency at Grandview Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio.

He lives in Princeton.

Michael B. Remines, DO

Christopher D. Parrish, DO

Dr. Christopher Parrish earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Concord University in 2001. A cum laude graduate, he received the Blatt Award as the Most Promising Pre-Med Student. He graduated from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in 2006 with a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree and was a member of Psi Sigma Alpha National Scholastic Honor Society. Dr. Parrish completed his residency at the University of Tennessee. He lives in Princeton.

Dr. Michael Remines received a degree in Nursing from Bluefield State College in 1992. Continuing his education, he earned a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in 2001. Dr. Remines completed a residency at the University of Tennessee in 2005. He is a resident of Princeton.

The Concord University White Coat Society Social will take place on March 23, 2017.

For more information on this event, please visit concord.edu/cufoundation Fall 2016 • 26

Exhibit on the Life and Career of Senator Robert C. Byrd Visits Concord “Robert C. Byrd: Senator, Statesman, West Virginian,” a major traveling exhibit on the life and career of the late senator, visited the Marsh Library at Concord University during October.

The exhibit honors the 100th anniversary of the birth of Senator Byrd in 2017 and includes digital representations of more than 100 documents and photographs from the extensive Robert C. Byrd Congressional Papers Collection.

The Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History & Education is the sponsor of the exhibit along with the non-profit Congressional Education Foundation, Inc. “This exhibit shares the story of the longest serving United States Senator: his early life and entrance into politics; Above: Dr. Boggess and Dr. Viscusi speak his devotion to family and to the people with guest speaker David Corbin. of West Virginia; his public service and rise to leadership positions in the the Southern West Virginia Miners, U.S. Senate; and the Senator’s role as 1880-1922” for which he won the W.D. defender of the U.S. Constitution,” said Weatherford Award.

Ray Smock, director of the Byrd Center.

He is the editor of “Gun Thugs, An opening reception for the exhibit’s Rednecks, and Radicals: A Documentary visit at Concord was held in the Marsh History of the West Virginia Mine Wars” Library on the morning of Oct. 5. Dr. and has written two commissioned David A. Corbin served as guest speaker. studies on coal strikes for the U.S. Corbin worked in the U.S. Senate for Department of Labor. Corbin received 26 years – six years on Senator Byrd’s a Ph.D. in American history from the leadership staff while he was Senate University of Maryland in 1978. He has Majority Leader and 10 years on the taught political and labor history at the leadership staffs of Senate Majority University of Maryland.

Leaders George Mitchell and Tom The exhibit began its two year Daschle. He also served as Senator Byrd’s tour in April at Shepherd University speechwriter for the last 10 years of in Shepherdstown, W.Va. After going Byrd’s career. on the road in West Virginia and Corbin is the author of “The Last Great Washington, D.C., the tour will culminate Senator: Robert C. Byrd’s Encounters in Charleston, W.Va. in November 2017 in with Eleven U.S. Presidents” and “Life, celebration of the centennial of Senator Work, and Rebellion in the Coal Fields: Byrd’s birth.

27 • Fall 2016

Jeremy Wood Recipient of

David S. Roth Memorial Scholarship he Concord University Division of Humanities announced earlier this semester that junior Jeremy Wood of Nimitz, W.Va. is the winner of the 20162017 David S. Roth Memorial Scholarship.

“If someone would have told me a few years ago that I would be a finalist in a writing competition – let alone the winner – I would never have believed them,” Jeremy explained. “Thankfully,” he added, “I have had some very encouraging teachers and professors that have helped shape me as a writer, and I could not be more thankful for them.”

English Professor Dr. Michelle Gompf encouraged Jeremy to enter the Roth Scholarship competition on the basis of his “solid writing skills” and attentiveness to detail in all aspects of the writing process, especially in peer reviewing.

Though not surprised, Dr. Gompf was “quite happy,” when she learned that Jeremy had won the award.

A homeschooled student, Jeremy chose to attend Concord University because of its high quality academics. He says he is sure that Concord’s demanding curriculum “will help better prepare me for what comes after my undergraduate

studies.”

As an English major with an emphasis in literature, as well as a business minor, Jeremy intends to pursue a master’s degree in education or literature once he has completed his bachelor’s degree program at CU. Because the $1,000 Roth Scholarship is helping to cover his tuition and fees during the 20162017 academic year, Jeremy has been able to replace his “library in a duffel bag” – which he “used to carry around everywhere” – with a shiny, new Kindle.

Jeremy has also been able to purchase tickets to see two Shakespeare plays he will study in class this fall – King Lear and Twelfth Night – performed at the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, Va. The purpose of the David S. Roth Memorial Scholarship is to encourage retention of currentlyenrolled Concord University students who, like Jeremy, demonstrate strong writing skills.

The recipient of this scholarship is chosen on the basis of an annual writing competition held each spring semester.

Dr. David S. Roth taught English and journalism courses at Concord from 1969 to 1986. After his death

Jeremy Wood

in 1986, Dr. Sheila M. Chipley, Dr. William K. Finley, and Dr. William J. Ofsa were instrumental in launching the David S. Roth Memorial Scholarship Fund; and in 1990 Dr. Roger Sheppard established the Roth Memorial Scholarship 5K as an annual fundraising event.

The members of Dr. Roth’s family have greatly appreciated all the donations that have been made to this fund, which has been managed since its inception by the Concord University Foundation.

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that ordering your Concord alumni gear is as easy as a few clicks of the mouse? Anyone can order Concord items through the Concord University Bookstore website.

Just visit http://www.bkstr.com/concordstore/home to see what is available and to place your order. This service allows alums to show their Concord pride no matter where they are!

Fall 2016 • 28

29 • Fall 2016

Concord University student Ronni Wood wrote this article as part of a journalism practicum in the Office of Advancement.

She is from Clothier, W.Va.

utumn in Athens arrived with a blast from the past this year for Homecoming 2016. “The Campus Beautiful” hosted the celebration with the grand finale, the annual Homecoming football game, on Saturday, Oct. 15.

With the theme of “Through the Decades” Homecoming 2016 offered something for everyone connected with Concord and the event was filled with alumni reunions, competitions, student events, and activities for the entire Concord community.

Fall 2016 • 30

31 • Fall 2016

ossibly the biggest annual Homecoming tradition is the competition between Greek and other campus organizations for the titles of Homecoming King and Queen. This year five couples representing ten student organizations competed for the crowns. Each competition entry had to represent the overall theme for the year.

he traditional Homecoming Parade showcases the candidates for the first time. Each pair of organizations running displays their floats, banners, and costumes during the parade as part of the competition.

Groups are also judged on billboards located around campus, lip sync performances on Friday evening, and a popular vote cast by students during the week. Based on the theme, decades represented in the competition were the 1920s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

This year’s parade, held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, started at Callaghan Stadium and wound its way into town.

Participants went through the front of campus and up Vermillion Street, then finished at Church Street.

Fall 2016 • 32

33 • Fall 2016

Along with the Homecoming candidates and their respective organizations, the parade also included marching bands, Concord student groups, and community organizations.

After the Homecoming Parade, tradition continued with the bonfire in the Valley. The Ohio Burn Unit kicked things off with a performance and by lighting the bonfire with a flaming man.

Krista Hughes, noted for her appearance on “The Voice,” returned to campus once more to perform at the bonfire.

lumni returning to campus enjoyed getting to reconnect with old friends during Homecoming. A variety of events offered time for alumni to share memories, visit with friends and professors, and participate in the big celebration of all things Concord. On the business side of the agenda, the Concord University Alumni Association (CUAA) met on Oct. 14 in University Point.

Also taking place on Oct. 14 was the CU Athletic Department’s sixth annual golf tournament at Fountain Springs Golf Club in Peterstown, W.Va. New to the Homecoming lineup for 2016 was the inaugural alumni game hosted by the Men’s Soccer Team on Saturday, Oct. 15. All players who have participated in men’s soccer were welcome to attend.

Fall 2016 • 34

35 • Fall 2016

n unseasonably warm and sunny Game Day made dedicated fans more enthused when cheering on the Mountain Lion football team and socializing with fellow Concordians.

Events for the day included the Homecoming Tailgate and Pig Roast which began prior to the game and ran through halftime for alumni and Mountain Lion fans to enjoy. The tailgaters were entertained by the band One Eyed Jack until the 1 p.m. kickoff .

Saturday’s festivities also featured a Mimosa Brunch at the President’s House and sorority teas and fraternity gatherings were held across campus that morning for alumni. Various affinity tents also offered a place for alumni to reconnect with friends.

Although the Mountain Lions were defeated by Notre Dame College 14-10, Mountain Lion spirit still ran high.

Fall 2016 • 36

37 • Fall 2016

highlight of the day occurred at halftime of the game, when winners of the competitions for Homecoming King and Queen were revealed. Concord University President Dr. Kendra Boggess and Dr. Marjie Flanigan, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, conducted the coronation ceremony. Zealous members of the organizations, along with cheering alumni, rushed the field to congratulate the winners.

The 2016 Homecoming candidates include recipients of the Homecoming Royalty crowns Catherina Santos from Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, representing the International Students Club and Levi Osawe from Jos, Nigeria, representing Phi Delta Pi; First Runnersup Heather Romage from Oak Hill, W.Va., representing Delta Zeta and Nicholas Bailey from Oceana, W.Va., representing Phi Sigma Phi; and Second Runnersup Samantha Miller from Cowen, W.Va., representing Sigma Sigma Sigma and Alex Foster from Craigsville, W.Va., representing Sigma Tau Gamma. Additional candidates include: Hannah Walsh from Lewisburg, W.Va., representing Alpha Sigma Alpha and Steven Kennedy from Jolo, W.Va., representing Tau Kappa Epsilon; and Katie Johnson from Princeton, W.Va., representing Alpha Sigma Tau and Timothy James “T.J.” DeWitt from Princeton, W.Va., representing Chi Omega Psi.

Fall 2016 • 38

Dr. Charles A. Beatty 39 • Fall 2016

Dr. CHARLES A. BEATTY

Professor of Sociology, Emeritus his feature catches up with former faculty and staff and asks them to update us about their life today while sharing some memories of their days at Concord.

Background Hometown: Columbus, Ohio. Education: Bachelor of Science, Ohio State University, 1965; Master of Arts, Ohio State University, 1969; Ph.D., Ohio State University, 1972. I also attended Eastern Kentucky University on a National Education Defense Fellowship during the summer semester of 1968.

Previous Employment

Social Studies Teacher, Thomas Ewing Junior High School, Lancaster, Ohio; Social Studies Teacher, Marion Harding High School, Marion, Ohio; Teaching Associate, Ohio State University.

Family

Married, two children, a son and a daughter, both of whom graduated from Concord.

My son is the Assistant County Manager, Amador County, California. My daughter is a Federal Attorney, Denver, Colorado. Two grandchildren.

How long did you work at Concord?

I began my teaching career at Concord in the fall semester of 1972, and retired at the end of the spring semester of 2000. I then taught as an adjunct professor during the spring semesters of 2001 and 2002. When I began teaching at Concord, my position was as an Assistant Professor. I was promoted later to the position of Associate Professor, and later elevated to the rank of Full Professor. When I retired, I was awarded the rank of Professor Emeritus. I taught a variety of sociology courses during my tenure at Concord: Introductory Sociology, Criminology, Cultural Anthropology, Marriage and the Family, Social

Psychology, Sociology of Health and Medicine, and “mini” courses such as the Sociology of Mental Health, American Indian Cultures, and the Sociology of Religion. I also team taught with the faculty from the Psychology and Speech Departments a course that was known as the Psychological and Sociological Aspects of Advertising.

What did you find especially rewarding during your time at Concord?

My reward was helping students develop intellectually and mature as responsible adults and become successful in their respective fields of employment. I was also gratified that many of my students went on to graduate school and remarked that the education they acquired at Concord prepared them more than adequately for post undergraduate education.

What was the best athletic event that you attended while at Concord?

The Coal Bowl.

How many Presidents and Deans did you work under while at Concord?

Five Presidents: Dr. Joseph Marsh, Dr. Billy Coffindaffer, Dr. Jim Rowley, Dr. Meredith Freeman, Dr. Jerry Beasley. Six Deans: Dr. Marvin DeBoer, Dr. Milton Edge, Dr. Craig Willis, Dr. Donald Bronsard, Dr. George Moore (Interim), Dr. Dean Turner.

What offices did you hold, what committees did you serve on, what organizations were you involved in while at Concord?

I served on the Teacher Education Advisory Committee, Chair, Faculty Development Committee, Faculty Budget Committee, elected member of the Faculty Senate and also served Fall 2016 • 40

as the Parliamentarian of that group, and an evaluator of Five Year Program Reviews.

I also served as the “outside” member on several Divisional Tenure Committees. I served as Chair of the Faculty Club and President of the Concord Chapter of the American Association of University Professors.

Beyond these particular committees and organizations, I was also a member of the Concord College Community Players and performed in several plays.

Are you, and if so, how are you staying in contact with students?

Some of my former students drop by my residence periodically.

How are you involved in the life of the University today?

Find Our Magazines

On the Web

41 • Fall 2016

I have served on the Department of Sociology search committees when the Department was seeking a new faculty member. I also have been participating as a reader/moderator for the Concord University Geography Bowl.

Where do you live now?

I live in Athens and have involved myself in the restoration of older (antique) automobiles. My wife, Marilyn, and I spend our summers at our cottage on Georgian Bay, a part of Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada.

We also spend approximately three months in Florida during the winter. When we are in Athens, we get together with several retired faculty members, and some current faculty, for breakfast on Friday mornings and discuss current events and exchange books.

Look for archived copies of the Concord University Alumni Magazine on CU’s website at: http://www.concord.edu/advancement/node/3

Success Story!

Aaron Harvey '14 Finds Creative Career with West Virginia Glass Companies ecent Concord graduate Aaron Harvey is making a name for himself as a West Virginia glassblower. He works at Ron Hinkle Glass in Buckhannon, W.Va. and is also a freelance designer for Blenko Glass Company in Milton, W.Va. His designs for Blenko include a pitcher commissioned by West Virginia’s First Lady Joanne Jaeger Tomblin in commemoration of the state’s birthday in June. Aaron has also created Checkmate, a new design series for Blenko. The line of decanters is inspired by a chess set and the pawn, the first piece, is already being produced. This is Aaron’s first expansive line for the company.

Aaron grew up in Cool Ridge, W.Va. “Ever since my early childhood, I have loved to draw and make things with my hands,” he said.

He studied graphic design at Concord

where he says he learned “the elements of design.”

“I was taught how to organize and create graphics using my hand and several computer programs,” he said.

He graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Aaron was introduced to the art of glassblowing at Tamarack in Beckley, W.Va. Working there as a college student, he says he admired the beautiful hand-blown glass creations on display. A demonstration by a resident glassblower at Tamarack further fascinated him and he later had the opportunity to work and train with the artist.

“I am excited everyday by the possibilities this medium is capable of,” he said. “There is always something new to learn about glass, be its history or different shapes and forms that can be created.”

Aaron Harvey '14

SUCCESS STORY:

Please send us news of your success in business, career, community service, etc. Photos are welcome as well. Contributions may be emailed to advancement@concord.edu or mailed to Concord University, Office of Advancement, P.O. Box 1000, Athens, WV 24712.

Fall 2016 • 42

Faculty: Beyond the Classroom

CU Geology Students Off Campus & Outdoors From Local Schools to Mountain Peaks Oregon Volcano

everal times each semester and during the summer, Concord’s geoscience students and faculty head off campus for outdoor experiences, for field research, for conferences, for outreach visits to area schools, and just for fun. Many of these opportunities are related to coursework in the Environmental Geoscience major. Others relate to our active Geology Club. Some are local to West Virginia or nearby states. Some involve travel farther away to volcanoes of the Cascades, to high peaks of the Rockies, or even across the sea to Greenland. These provide unique learning experiences, produce outstanding memories, and generate a contagious enthusiasm among our students.

Most of our geoscience courses integrate one or more

43 • Fall 2016

field experiences. For example, our introductory geology course (Geology 101: Earth and Environment) typically includes two or three lab-based field trips each semester. These build on prior classroom work, letting students make their own observations and interpret the geologic history of nearby areas using rocks in their natural context.

My spring petrology course incorporates instead a longer, overnight field experience. We visit Rockbridge County, Virginia and vicinity to work in portions of the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge.

In addition to the sweeping Blue Ridge vistas, one highlight of this trip is an exposure along the James River where evidence is preserved for the closing and opening of two different ocean basins, including a

record of the early stages of the same processes that led ultimately to the formation of the Atlantic Ocean.

Our junior-senior level Field Geology course incorporates an even longer field experience: several weeks in the Colorado Rockies and adjacent parts of Utah in early summer. “Field camp” as this course

CONCORD GEOLOGY

By Dr. Stephen Kuehn Associate Professor of Geology

Dinosaur tracks near Moab, Utah during the summer 2015 field camp.

is often called, is a component of most geoscience majors and offers a unique experience in higher education. Field camps require students to live and work together for an extended period of time while tackling complex, real-world problems.

Concord’s course also serves as the capstone experience in our ongoing study of the benefits of integrating research into the undergraduate curriculum, a project

Often inspired by the experiences of their classmates, many of our students choose to become involved in other research projects.

Sometimes these involve local field areas in or near West Virginia, but many take our students to new places. Dr. Joe Allen works on records of ancient earthquakes.

This summer he took two students to Colorado for a research trip that included time on Mt. Elbert, the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains. The previous summer Dr. Allen took two students to Greenland with a brief stop in Iceland on the way.

This summer I took three students to Oregon for research on volcanic eruptions of the Cascade Range and on ancient lakes and Student working in the shade at Arches National Park during the 2015 geology earthquakes of the Great Basin. After field camp. a visit to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Cascades Volcano Observatory supported by a three-year National office, we headed into the field. One Science Foundation grant. Field day we hiked Broken Top volcano camp integrates and applies all looking at pumice layers near their of our students’ prior classroom source. Another day we looked at and field learning in outstanding more distant ash layers and faults in natural settings. It teaches students the desert near Summer Lake. We to ask better questions, to make returned with both memories of the better observations, to draw better trip and research samples for followconclusions, and to communicate up study. their findings while fostering Field work, of course, is only teamwork and collaboration, all one part of the whole research important skills in the workplace. experience. Typically research

Students coring for older lake sediments in Oregon.

Fall 2016 • 44

students also spend a semester or two working in the lab and then travel to a conference to present their results. While at conferences, our students have the chance to meet research students from other universities and to network with potential employers and graduate schools.

Our students have other opportunities too. Our active Geology Club regularly goes on hikes and caving trips. Students do outreach to area schools, such as taking fossils to Athens Elementary. During the last year, the Geology Club and computer science students in the Coding Coalition collaborated to build an augmented reality sandbox. This combines a physical sandbox with real time 3-D scanning and computer visualization. Since its unveiling at a meeting of Concord’s Board of Governors, the AR sandbox has been used for multiple outreach events, including a spring road trip to the West Virginia Regional Science Bowl.

There are so many more great examples of Concord geoscience students getting out of the classroom and so many more great photos that it is impossible to squeeze them all in to a single article. Fortunately, our faculty and students have other ways to share. Our faculty run two active Twitter accounts (@CUGeology and @CU_in_the_field), a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ ConcordGeoscience/), and a blog

Geology Club students doing outreach with fossils at Athens Elementary for International Earth Science Week in October 2014 - Dr. Kuehn and Addison Hostetler (B.S. ’15, Environmental Geoscience)

(https://concordgeology.wordpress. com/). Many of our students also post about their experiences on their own social media accounts.

Of course, while many people love getting out in the field and traveling to new places, it isn’t for everyone.

Some prefer working mainly in the lab instead. Fortunately, geoscience graduates can find jobs that involve field studies, lab studies, or a mix of both.

Concord’s geoscience faculty have now done a series of field-focused

Concord students shown from left are: Eric Arrington, Elizabeth Darnell, Anneliese Fliger and Jared Rose.

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articles for Concord’s magazine, this one plus three others: “Field Science Provides Unique Learning Experience for Geoscience Students”

by Dr. Allen in Fall 2013, “Volcanic Travels” by Dr. Kuehn in Fall 2014, and “Arctic Travels” by Dr. Allen in Fall 2015. All three are accessible from the home page of Concord’s Environmental Geoscience Program (http://www.concord.edu/physci/ node/3).

Camping on the tundra during 2015 field studies in Greenland.

Carli Ratliff '10 Drawing Attention to

Disability Employment Awareness as a Wildlife Painter s a child, Carli Ratliff loved to draw, filling the inside covers of her coloring books with her own creations, her mother Cande Ratliff recalls. While her classmates in kindergarten were drawing stick figures typical of their age group, Carli impressed her teacher with her advanced and detailed artwork.

Today, Carli is an award-winning artist. Her latest honor is being named “Grand Exhibitor” in the 2016 West Virginia Diversifying Perspectives Art Contest and Exhibition for her mixed media painting “Climbing to the Top.” In the painting, a raccoon is climbing a tree surrounded by the hues of autumn.

The contest promotes National Disability Employment Awareness Month during October and includes the work of West Virginians with disabilities. Carli has epilepsy and says winning the competition is especially meaningful to her because of its mission.

Her winning work, along with her biography and photograph, are featured on a poster for National Disability Employment Awareness Month that was displayed in businesses and employment offices across the state. Theme of the national campaign is “#InclusionWorks.”

The original of “Climbing to the Top” measures 24 inches by 30 inches and was exhibited at the Culture Center in Charleston, W.Va. The painting was purchased by the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation where it will be displayed in the Charleston office.

She also had two other entries in the contest: “Chipmunks Rock” and “The Sunny Side” featuring goldfinches and sunflowers.

A repeat winner in the Diversifying Perspectives Art Contest, Carli won an Award of

CU Disability Services Coordinator Nancy Ellison, left, and Carli Ratliff ’10, right, hang one of Carli’s posters at Concord.

Excellence in 2015 for “Moonlight Stalker,” a painting of a screech owl. She received the Best of Show award in 2011 in the West Virginia Division of Culture and History Museum’s West Virginia Wildlife Exhibit for her painting “Squirrel in a Paulownia Tree.” Her work has also been featured in the West Virginia Wildlife Calendar for three years. The calendar is an annual contest by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Section.

Looking at the work of other artists sparked Carli’s interest in becoming a wildlife painter.

“My grandfather owned a wildlife art gallery in Michigan,” she said recalling days spent pouring over art catalogues from his shop.

She gathers inspiration for her paintings from her own photographs of wildlife, foliage and natural settings.

A resident of Oak Hill, W.Va., Carli studied art and music at Concord and graduated in 2010. She says her professors challenged her to expand her creative talents and to grow as an artist.

Along with delightful subjects in nature, Carli’s work also includes pet portraits.

Fall 2016 • 46

Phi Delta Pi

Greek life is an important part of the college experience for many Concord students. Bonds that are formed between brothers and sisters remain strong and continue to thrive as students become alumni. “Greek Spotlight” is dedicated to CU’s Greek letter organizations.

Overview

2015 & 2016 Homecoming Winners

Phi Delta Pi is a local fraternity which is centered around the bonds of brotherhood, service and loyalty. Founded on October 31, 1922, the fraternity is also one of the few organizations on campus with its own landmark. The sundial located outside of Science Hall was erected in 1927.

Phi Delta Pi Facts • • • • •

Values: Friendship, Service, Loyalty Colors: Orange & Black Symbols: Crest Mascot: Stag Philanthropy: Wounded Wariors Project

• Slogan: United Strong Are We • Greek Letter: Φ∆Π • Has won homecoming back-to-back along with the International Students Club in 2015 and 2016

Current Officers 2016 Current Members

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• President - Juwan L. Waddy • Vice President - Austin Conner • Secretary - Wesley York • Treasurer - Levi Osawe • Service Rep - Austin Conner

For more information on Phi Delta Pi please visit the Phi Delta Pi Facebook page, or send an email to PhiDeltaPi1922@ gmail.com

• US News and World Report 2016 ranks CU as the 5th best public college in the Regional Colleges South category and #1 in WV • Concord has consistently placed in the top tier of Best Colleges for the past 11 years • 2,800 Students • Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees

• 80 Majors, Minors and Programs of Study • Scholarships for Academics, Performing Arts, Community Service, Athletics and Leadership • 18 NCAA II Athletic Programs • 16:1 Student-to-Faculty Ratio • Over 70 Clubs and Organizations

REFER A STUDENT • To apply: concord.edu/admissions/node/64 • To schedule a visit: concord.edu/admissions/node/43

1-888-384-5249 admissions@concord.edu

Connect with us!

Fall 2016 • 48

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Concord Memories Span

Three Generations for the Knowles and Greer Families

teve Knowles received a wonderful birthday gift from his twin daughters Bailey and Kenna when they were seniors in high school.

“Our girls probably gave me one of the best birthday presents they could have ever given me when they called Coach (Mike) Cox and said they wanted to run at Concord,” he said.

Currently sophomores at CU, they are members of the track and cross country teams. Kenna’s major is secondary education with an emphasis in math and Bailey is pursuing a degree in elementary education. They are also involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Steve and his wife, Amy, are both 1985 Concord graduates. He majored in business management at Concord and Amy earned a degree in education with endorsements in elementary and special education.

Amy is originally from Lewisburg, W.Va. and Steve is a native of Christiansburg, Va. where the Knowles family currently lives. He is a customer service representative for Appalachian Power Company.

Amy teaches first grade in Christiansburg and 2016 marks her 28th year in the classroom.

She earned a Master of Science in Learning Disabilities from Radford University in 1989 and became a National Board Certified teacher in 2011.

Going back another generation, this legacy family is honored to have Amy’s father, Paul Greer, also counted among alumni of Concord.

Making their connection to Concord even more special is the fact that Bailey and Kenna’s grandfather was also an athlete, playing basketball

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The Knowles family, from left, includes Amy, Kenna, Steve and Bailey

for the Mountain Lions. He graduated in 1948 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and a minor in biology. He earned a master’s degree in biology from the University of Missouri in 1963.

“To have our twin daughters at Concord and being athletes makes a dad very proud,” Steve said.

“Also to have them following in their mother’s and grandfather’s footsteps to become teachers also makes me very proud.”

“Having Bailey and Kenna attend my alma mater makes it truly special,” Amy said. “It’s almost like Steven and I get to relive so many of our Concord memories now with our daughters. As we walked around campus for the first time when they were freshmen, Steven and I told so many stories of events that were personal to us all over the campus.

The bonfires in the valley, all night Homecoming events set up on the

walk between the Student Union and the library…It certainly makes their college years more memorable to us.”

“For Steven and I, our college years were 100 percent Greek so it’s been enjoyable and makes us extremely proud for us to be able to experience our girls’ college years through the athletic side this time around!” she said.

“My Concord memories mostly revolve around being a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority,” Amy said. “The bonds we shared as TriSigmas is something pretty special during a time of your life when you’re on the cusp of adulthood.”

“Homecoming was always very exciting. We always ran with the Sig Taus and we usually won!” she said.

Steve counts Homecoming week as his favorite campus memory.

“My favorite memory during that week was going to Doctor Winton

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Bailey, in the blue dress, and Kenna, in the green dress, meet Roar.

Kenna, left, and Bailey, right, with their grandfather, Paul Greer

Covey’s (Doc Covey) in Lerona near Pipestem Park for some of his weed soup,” he said. “Doc was a professor of geology at Concord and also our Sig Tau fraternity advisor. Before Homecoming he would pick some weeds at his home that were edible and put them in a soup. The soup was wonderful and most of the Sig Tau brothers believed that if you ate the soup you would not get sick that semester.”

Paul Greer fondly remembers class adventures with a favorite professor of his, Dr. Paul Bibbee.

“He taught ornithology and Dad really respected and admired this professor,” Amy said. “On one birding excursion Dad found an

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indigo bunting nest. Dr. Bibbee had never photographed such a nest.

So he set up a tent nearby and told Dad to get inside and they would wait for the bird to come to the nest.

After many hours it finally did and Dr. Bibbee got his photograph.”

During the nearly four decades that Mr. Greer spent in the classroom, he taught a variety of subjects including physical education, health, general science, biology, anatomy and physiology, and driver’s education.

While he was a dedicated teacher, Amy says “his more prominent career was as a basketball coach for 32 years.”

“He began his teaching and coaching career at Herndon High School. He then moved on to Oceana High School and finished his career at Greenbrier East High School,” she said.

“His Oceana Indians were state champions in 1963 and 1965,” Amy said. “His seasons at Oceana and Greenbrier East usually always included a trip to Charleston (for the state tournaments) in March.”

He also coached cross country, track, and baseball.

Paul Greer added a personal accolade to his accomplishments when he had the honor of carrying

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the Olympic torch for the 1996 Olympics held in Atlanta as it traveled through Columbus, Ohio in June 1996.

Mr. Greer was inducted into the Basketball Legends of West Virginia in 2015 and has received many other coaching honors and Hall of Fame inductions throughout the years.

“He was recently honored with a 90th birthday party and many, many former players, coaches, and students came to celebrate with this legend,” Amy said.

Although Mr. Greer’s granddaughters are living and studying at Concord now, Bailey and Kenna were on campus as children and saw the campus through their parent’s eyes.

“Some of my first memories here at Concord are when I was younger, coming to football and basketball games with my family,” Bailey said.

“After the games my parents would normally drive around campus and show us where they lived when they were students here.”

“I remember seeing the Mountain Lion mascot and getting a picture with him,” Kenna said. “Now that I’m a student here I really like the size of the school and the location. I love being in the mountains.”

Both young women agree that running for Concord is a rewarding experience and they enjoy the close knit family nature of the teams.

“We have a lot of fun together at practice, on trips, at meets, and outside of practice. Together we work really hard and all have the desire to race competitively and win as a team,” Bailey said.

Members of the extended family who also graduated from Concord include: John Lilly, Steve’s uncle; William J. “Bill” Hartman and Lucille Goode Hartman, Amy’s aunt and uncle; and Joanne Goode Donaghue, Amy’s aunt.

Fall 2016 • 50

What is your favorite campus life memory?

Checking out the game, Clue, in the student union and playing with Gerald, Velma, Alvin and Terry after a long day of classes.

-Donna Ford Bryant ‘78 Attending Concord allowed me to fulfill my dream to become a teacher. A profession I loved for 34 years. I was originally from NY and because Concord was in a small town in the beautiful mountains of WV I was introduced to a whole new environment. I learned to appreciate the beauty of the seasons and the friendliness a small community affords you.

I made lifelong friends that I’m still acquainted with today!

-Frances Patterson ‘63 Way back in the summer term of 1954, my roommate and I lived on the 1st floor of McComas-Sarvay Hall. Some girls on the 3rd floor decided to do something unusual about 2 a.m.

- they dropped a crate of soda bottles down the stairwell! Those crashing bottles landed outside our door, about 10 feet away!

We slept! The thing that woke us up was the thundering voice of President Marsh. He had heard the catastrophe all the way over at the President’s House! At my age (81) I wish I could sleep like that at night now!

-Alice Straley ‘74 51 • Fall 2016

I think one of the favorite memories I have would be how all the Greeks would camp out around campus the Sunday night of Homecoming week to secure locations for Homecoming signs.

There was so much energy & excitement about the upcoming week & events.

-Donette Weikle Mizia ‘99 Homecoming! It was such an exciting time on campus. There was lots of work leading up to it, but the events of the week made it all worth it.

-Holly Cash Ridpath ‘04 Changing the letters that were out on the hill that was on the right as you drove into town in the middle of the night!

-Donna Lilly ‘98 My favorite memory from my Concord days was having the privilege of being Dr. Grindstaff's student. He taught me so many valuable lessons about teaching and life in general. I hope I am half the teacher he was!

-Mariah Patterson ‘14 One of my favorite memories from campus life was in the winter of 2009 when we got a severe ice storm and lost power across campus. My sister came

over from North Towers and she, myself and my roommate built a fort out of blankets and mattresses. It was a great idea until we were freezing our butts off halfway through the night!

-Foster Sheppard ‘14 My favorite memories are from basketball with my best friends and playing cards in Rahall when we were supposed to be studying. I also loved attending football games on Saturdays!

-Jacqueline Kestner '15 Late nights in the art studio, living within steps of my friends and not having to pay utility bills every month.

-Mandy Lester '15

Question for the next issue: What was your most memorable lesson learned outside of the classroom?

The Gebbias and Galliones with Roar during their visit to Kennenbunkport, Maine.

Sherry East '91 shares a taxi at the NEA Convention with another CU alum in Washington DC.

Donna Ford Bryant '78 and Gerald Bryant '78 take Roar and their daughter, Kelsey and son, Kristopher to the WV State Fair in August 2016.

Joseph E. Dean II '13 and Roar at his graduation from T.C. Williams School of Law, University of Richmond May 2016.

Rachel Mendoza ‘13 and Roar 600 feet in the air rock climbing at Fresno Dome Climbing area in California.

Roar goes to Korea with Sharon Manzo, Charles Seye & Arrienne MacAulay.

TAKE ROAR WITH YOU! Roar visited Alaska in July with Breiel Duncan and her parents, Wes '99 and Sara Seabolt Duncan '99.

Roar at the Arctic Circle (Lapland, Finland) with Dr. Ed Garten '68.

Show us where you’ve taken Roar! Find your cut out of Roar on page 82 of this magazine.

Fall 2016 • 52

Alumni

Entrepreneurs The Concord University Magazine includes this regular feature that spotlights successful entrepreneurs within our alumni ranks. For these individuals business is thriving and their stories pay tribute to the knowledge and know-how they gained from a Concord education.

Jasmine Bledsoe White ’06 and Jason White ’04

Husband and Wife Team Captures Wedding Memories With Jasmine Rose Photography

Easton White

Jasmine White '06 and Jason White '04

“One of the things I love the most about being an entrepreneur is that I can make Jasmine Rose Photography whatever I want it to be. I can grow it as big as I want, or I can keep it where it is,” Jasmine Bledsoe White said. “Of course, I do not see us being finished dreaming bigger for quite some time.”

Jasmine started Jasmine Rose Photography, which specializes in wedding and engagement photography, in 2010 as a sideline career while working as an admissions counselor at Concord University. Along with husband Jason White, she has grown the venture into an award-winning business that is enjoying international exposure.

Jasmine and Jason married in April 2012. That same month, with Jason’s 53 • Fall 2016

encouragement, Jasmine went fulltime with the photography business.

“I was doing photography on the weekends, when not traveling for recruitment and he suggested that I go full-time and ‘we’d figure it out’.

So in April of 2012 I went full-time and never looked back,” she said.

“Once we decided to direct our business toward wedding photography, I took Jason on as my second shooter/assistant on wedding days,” she said. “He had already been assisting me on regular sessions, so he knew how I worked, what I needed, and when I needed it. I absolutely could not do what I do without him working by my side, he is vital to the success of Jasmine Rose Photography. We

make a great team.”

Jasmine, a native of Clendenin, W.Va., graduated from Concord in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and a minor in psychology. Along with working as an admissions counselor at Concord, Jasmine’s professional resume also includes time working as a counselor in the state and federal prison systems.

Jason is also a Concord alum, earning a Bachelor of Science in Education with a concentration in special education in 2004. He has worked for the Mercer County school system for more than a dozen years. His hometown is Lovern, W.Va. Jasmine Rose Photography is

based in Princeton, W.Va. where Jason and Jasmine live with their 3 ½ year old son, Easton.

While the majority of the photo shoots for Jasmine Rose Photography are in West Virginia and Virginia, a destination wedding took the business to New Orleans this past spring. They’ve also done regular sessions on a Mexican cruise. A seven-day cruise to St. Thomas to shoot a wedding is on the horizon along with possible South Carolina and Tennessee assignments.

Closer to home, weddings at Concord’s University Point are also among the occasions Jasmine Rose Photography photographs.

“Coming back to Concord to shoot a wedding is always great,” Jasmine said. “We always see familiar faces, and we know the campus like the back of our hand, so knowing the best places to shoot, where the light is good at certain times during the day, etc. … all of that is such a breeze when we come back to shoot a wedding at Concord. Not to mention, it is “The Campus Beautiful.”

Work by Jasmine Rose Photography has been published

in more than 75 different national and international publications, magazines and blogs including Us Weekly, WeddingWire and Lifestyle Magazine. Gladys Magazine named the business the Top Photographer of the Year in its 2016 Love issue.

“More than 85 percent of our weddings get published,” Jasmine said.

When asked about a business philosophy, Jasmine said, “We strive to stay at the top of the industry.

“We want to be the best possible wedding photography team we can, and to do that we are constantly learning and evolving, and our goal is to never settle … we always can learn more and do bigger and better things – and we will. We will continue to be honest, serve our clients, and community and give brides the best possible wedding

photography possible,” she said.

As for a creative philosophy, Jasmine says it is “be better than you were yesterday.”

“Photography is a saturated industry and it is really easy to look around and start comparing yourself to everyone else. When we stopped comparing ourselves to everyone else, and started ‘doing us’ to the best of our ability … that is when our business really flourished,” she said.

“Being a photographer allows me to take all my wild ideas and bring them to life. Most of the photos that we take were first just random ideas that we had, and with the help of our clients we are able to bring to life,” she said.

Jasmine explains why she was drawn to wedding photography as a specialty. “I love weddings. Who wouldn’t love going to work every day, on the biggest and happiest day of someone’s life? We get to go to work every Saturday with people who are passionate about what they are doing, marrying the love of their life,” she said.

“We are capturing moments that cannot be given back, that cannot be relived. We are portraying the biggest day of our couple’s lives through

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our photos, we get to tell their love story, so to speak,” she said. “Wedding photography is a huge responsibility, and I am so passionate about putting the love that our clients feel for each other in tangible form.”

Jasmine has discovered there are perks to having her own business.

“I love the freedom that being an entrepreneur has given me to travel, be with my family, stay at home with my son while he is little, and make my own schedule,” she said.

She credits her Concord education

with contributing to the success of her business. “The confidence that I gained while pursuing my education at Concord University is imperative to the success of Jasmine Rose Photography,” she said.

She adds that the marketing skills she cultivated working as a CU admissions counselor have helped her a great deal in marketing Jasmine Rose Photography.

Outside of the classroom and beyond her professional time at Concord, Jasmine has special

memories of her days as a CU athlete and member of the softball team.

“A lot of my Concord memories revolve around softball and the friends made across all the athletics department,” she said. “A majority of the friends I still keep in contact with from Concord were other individuals passionate about sports, like I still am.”

Continuing to participate in the sport, she and Jason play coed softball and also enjoy mountain biking.

BECKLEY UPDATE

Summer Activities

Benefit Schoolchildren

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epresentatives of Concord’s Beckley campus were involved in several activities for area schoolchildren this past summer.

Office Administrator Tara Taylor volunteered through the Beckley-Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce with a pilot program that offered college counseling for high school students entering their senior year. All four public high schools in Raleigh County were represented in addition to the Christian schools. The two-day event took place in July.

Dr. Susan Williams, director of the Beckley campus, read to students participating in the Energy Express program at Coal City Elementary School. She read “Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed” to fit the theme of “Making

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the World a Better Place.”

Roar accompanied Dr. Williams to the school to visit with the children. The students were given CU activity books – one to keep and one to share – that also corresponded to the theme.

Concord was represented at the Back-to-School Block Party held at the Heart of God Ministries on Aug. 6. CU participated as part of the Erma Byrd Higher Education Center.

“This grant funded program is spearheaded by Tonja Washington and students come for one last ‘hurrah’ so to speak and are able to interact with many people from the business community and higher education with many different fun activities and crafts,” Taylor said.

“We gave high school students flash drives, middle school students

packs of index cards for studying – with dropout statistics and information on the label – and elementary age CU activity books,” she said.

Domestic Violence Awareness

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ociology students in Beckley participated again this year in fundraising for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault to raise awareness and sponsor events for October’s Domestic Violence Awareness campaign.

The students took part in several activities during the month. They volunteered alongside advocates from the Women’s Resource Center for Beckley’s Chili Night, hung purple awareness ribbons in downtown Beckley, and attended the Candlelight Vigil. Additionally, the CU group sponsored a tailgate Halloween booth for the Child Advocacy Center, Just for Kids.

Above: Shown at last year's Chili Night, from left, are Terri Belcher, Instructor Lori Pace and Megan Maynor.

Greensboro Day Trip

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oncord University's Sociology Department took a day trip to Greensboro, N.C. on Sept.

30. Thirty students from Concord’s Beckley and Athens campuses joined Instructor Lori Pace for the educational trip. They explored the

Greensboro Historical Museum, the International Civil Rights Center & Museum and the town of Greensboro.

“The guided tour of the International Civil Rights Museum, which contains an archival center, collecting museum and teaching

facility devoted to the international struggle for civil and human rights, will expand the students’ comprehensive understanding of the nonviolent protests of the 1960 Greensboro sit-ins that served as a catalyst in the civil rights movement,” Pace said.

Beckley is on Facebook!

Keep up with events, campus activities, volunteer opportunities and lots more at the Erma Byrd Higher Education Center.

Facebook - Concord Beckley Student Services Facebook - Concord Beckley Office

Fall 2016 • 56

Heritage & Horizon Bob Pearl ’54 Carries Admiration for Concord to the West Coast

ob Pearl has done handstands in front of 12 state capitol buildings. That would be quite a feat for most anyone, but considering Bob was nearly 80 years old when he accomplished this athletic stunt makes it even more impressive.

Bob celebrated his 85th birthday in October of this year. Still the athlete, he played two sets of tennis on his birthday and won both sets.

As for the handstands, they were his part of a bargain he made with his friend, Judi Gentry, while they were traveling in West Virginia, Bob’s home state.

Bob grew up in the mining community of Glen Jean, W.Va. and now lives in Los Altos, Calif. Judi, a native of Los Angeles, Calif., also currently resides in northern California. According to Bob, Judi “was a great tennis partner and friend, but knew nothing of West Virginia.”

To introduce her to the state’s rich culture, Bob took Judi to one of West Virginia’s premier folklife experiences.

“I took her to Augusta Heritage at Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, W.Va. We went on ‘Bluegrass Week’ and had a blast,” he said. “We took part in all the folk arts that part of the world is famous for.

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Bob Pearl '54 doing a handstand in front of the Pennsylvania capitol building in Harrisburg.

“After a week of this she was ready to drive back to Pittsburgh and catch our plane to California. I, on the other hand, wanted to see Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania. I told her if she would walk with me through the capital, I would do a handstand in front of the capitol building. Well, she did and I did!” he said.

As Bob performed his handstand, Judi captured the moment with her camera.

“Everything turned out perfectly,” he said. “The sun, the clouds, the surroundings, all came out just right!”

“We were so struck by her perfect camera work, we decided to do a similar type picture at other state capitals – one for each month of the year,” Bob said.

The pair spent the next three years traveling to the remaining capitals turning the trips into an adventure with Judi not only documenting Bob’s infamous handstands, but also their visits with family and friends and stops at sightseeing destinations.

Along with taking a photo op stop at the West Virginia capitol building in Charleston, the traveling duo crossed the United States visiting locations from Sacramento, Calif. and Carson City, Nev. to Richmond, Va. and across

Heritage & Horizon the ocean to Honolulu, Hawaii. The tour concluded with a performance in front of the capitol in Cheyenne, Wyo. Bob said the project was especially meaningful to him because of the people he visited with along the way. He reconnected with family and friends he hadn’t seen in many years, including Concord schoolmates he hadn’t seen in more than 50 years.

“I had an opportunity to visit some of my ’ole Concord buddies, Army buddies and relatives I would not otherwise have seen,” Bob said.

In honor of Bob’s 80th birthday, he and Judi used the handstand photographs to make a calendar they then shared with their friends and family. Additional photos from their expeditions were compiled in a book they titled, “The Making of a Calendar...And Wonderful Memories, Bob and Judi’s Capitol Adventure.”

Bob treasures the experience. “Judi’s picture book of our whole three year adventure remains one of the highlights of my life!” he said.

Bob majored in accounting at Concord and studied under legendary professor Mr. Harry Finkelman. He belonged to the Independent Club and Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity and was a big part of Mountain Lion athletics as a member of the football, baseball and track teams. “On a good day,” he said, “I could out-run everyone on the football team.”

“Those were wonderful days for me when I was back in Concord,” he said.

Bob graduated in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Unsure of what to do following graduation, he enlisted in the Army. He was sent to the Army Finance School in Fort Benjamin Harrison located in Indiana. He excelled at the school and the Army then sent him to Augsburg, Germany. “I became head of the accounting department over there,” he said.

Following his time in Germany, Bob returned to the United States, this time with the Army sending him to California. The assignment gave him an opportunity to learn about The Golden State.

“After I was discharged, I went back home and worked in Charleston (W.Va.) for a CPA firm and we did some audits down in Kentucky,” he said.

Admitting he didn’t see a career future in West Virginia, he headed back to California and settled in the northern portion of the state, during pre-Silicon Valley days. "I came to California in 1959 in my ’57 Chevy,” he said.

Continuing his education, Bob earned an M.B.A. from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, Calif. Along with his successful stint as an accountant in the Army, Bob has also enjoyed career achievement in the field as a civilian, including working at Stanford University.

Although Bob has lived in California for decades, he still has a place in his heart for West Virginia and

Cowboy Poet Bob Pearl Concord. “My days at Concord were special,” he said.

“I am very proud of my West Virginia and my Concord connections.”

An unofficial ambassador for Concord on the West Coast, Bob tells his friends and tennis partners about his days at his alma mater in his home state.

“I have no West Virginia buddies here,” he said. “I play tennis three or four times a week and friends are from China, Germany, Japan and all over the world, except West Virginia.”

“Everyone that knows me, knows that I’m from West Virginia. I talk and tell stories about it always. Once they get to know me, then I tell them about 'The Friendly College on The Campus Beautiful,’” he said.

Bob maintains a busy and productive lifestyle. Along with playing tennis another of his pastimes is cowboy poetry. He can effortlessly recite a lengthy poem to the delight of his listeners.

“I’m in good health,” he said. “I enjoy myself. I try to help make this a better world.”

Fall 2016 • 58

Heritage & Horizon Ashwin Mundra ’02 Discovers Affinity for Mathematics, Computer Sciences at Concord shwin Mundra met his wife, Jyoti, at a party in New York City where he says their conversation centered on topics relevant to their careers.

“We immediately hit it off talking about how technology and advances in life sciences can change the way medicine is administered to patients in America,” he said.

Jyoti works for Envigo, a Clinical Research Organization where she provides oversight to preclinical and clinical multi-million dollar projects for major pharmaceuticals, biotechs, and life science companies. She has a Ph.D. in molecular biology.

Ashwin works in New York City as Senior Director, Global Commercial Operations at Medidata Solutions Worldwide.

He has been instrumental in transforming Medidata from a start-up to IPO to multi-billion dollar market capitalization. For the last decade, Ashwin has been helping to advance the use of cloud-based technology to streamline and enhance clinical trials to bring lifesaving and innovative drugs to market.

At Medidata he has held a variety of roles leading and managing strategic and cross-functional initiatives, including product development, sales operations and go-to-market strategies.

Ashwin says the education he received at Concord, along with the support and encouragement of faculty and staff, “had a very positive impact” upon his career.

“I was able to decide that I loved mathematics and computer sciences and wanted to pursue a career in technology,” he said. “I had the privilege to get individualized support from my professors, advisors, and administration.”

“I wanted to complete my undergraduate (degree) in three years and join a top tier graduate program with full fellowship and scholarship. Everyone at Concord supported me to achieve that and there were many who treated me as their own child,” he said.

“Concord provides the best support system for students. For example, while I was deciding between graduate schools, Marjie Flanigan drove me a total of 650-plus miles to and from The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. so that I could make the right graduate school choice. There are many incidents like these of absolute kindness by my professors and college staff at Concord that still make me emotional,” he said.

59 • Fall 2016

Ashwin Mundra '02 and Jyoti Mundra Ashwin says that as an undergraduate student at Concord, he was given the opportunity to conduct graduate level independent studies and research. He said he also learned that “if I work hard anything can be achieved.” “Concord helps students realize their full potential,” he said.

Ashwin is a native of Calcutta, India. “While growing up, I had the privilege to volunteer for Missionaries of Charity and meet Mother Teresa,” he said.

His dedication to volunteering continued as he pursued a degree at Concord. He participated in the Bonner Scholars Program completing 2000-plus hours of volunteer and community service both nationally and internationally. For his outstanding commitment

Heritage & Horizon to community service he received the United States President’s Service Award signed by President George W. Bush.

Along with being a Bonner Scholar at Concord, Ashwin was part of the Honors Program, Upward Bound, the International Students Club and Student Support Services where he received the Outstanding Tutor Award.

Reflecting on his days as a student, Ashwin said, “Concord University and Athens, West Virginia became a home to me since I moved from Calcutta, India. Time spent at Concord is precious to me and I will always cherish it.

“I made some great friends at Concord and I am still in touch with them,” he said. “Some of my favorite memories were just walking and hiking around the beautiful campus. I have spent countless hours in the Student Center playing ping-pong or hanging out by the Subway/Starbucks discussing the most mundane topics to the most important topics impacting the world.”

"Concord helps students realize their full potential."

Ashwin Mundra '02

Ashwin graduated magna cum laude from Concord in May 2002 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics / Computer Science. He continued his successful academic career by earning a Master of Science in Computer Science from The College of William and Mary in 2004, graduating with an impressive 3.82 GPA. Ashwin received the Ewell Award at The College of William and Mary which recognizes the most well-rounded graduate student at the institution.

Recognitions have continued into his professional career. Ashwin has been recognized with the Medidata

The Mundras with their daughter, Anika Outstanding Contribution Award, the Medidata Leader Award and as part of the Medidata President Club.

Prior to working at Medidata, Ashwin co-founded and managed GharSansaar, India’s largest real estate listing service. He was responsible for writing the initial business plan, recruiting the founding team, securing angel investments and heading R&D, marketing and business development initiatives.

His professional experience and accomplishments have also extended to writing and speaking. He has been a presenter and speaker at Drug Information Association conferences and other industry gatherings on a global basis and has several publications to his credit.

Ashwin and Jyoti live in New York City with their twoyear-old daughter, Anika.

DID YOU KNOW?

Concord University’s mission is to provide a quality education, to foster scholarly activities, and to serve the regional community. The mission is summed up in the words of former President J. Franklin Marsh Sr.: “Come to Learn. Go to Serve.” This has become a Concord motto.

COME TO LEARN. GO TO SERVE.

Fall 2016 • 60

Dr. Mohan Pokharel

Dr. Mohan Pokharel, who was an associate professor of management in Concord’s Division of Business, passed away on Aug. 4, 2016.

FORMER CONCORD UNIVERSITY Associate Professor of Management He also served as the Shott Chair of Entrepreneurship and was instrumental in launching and furthering the University’s Entrepreneurship Initiative and in developing an Entrepreneurship Minor program.

“Mohan Pokharel was a bright, engaging, and passionate professor committed to improving the lives of each of his students,” said Dr. Kendra Boggess, Concord University President. “He touched the lives of his colleagues, students, and many alumni who will remember his impact on their lives for years to come.

“Dr. Pokharel was a vibrant faculty member and colleague in our Division,” said Dr. Susan Robinett, Division Chair. “He will

be remembered for his zeal and enthusiasm for sharing his knowledge with students. He will be greatly missed.”

Dr. Pokharel received a Bachelor of Law degree from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal; a Master’s of Economic Policy Management from Columbia University; and, a Ph.D. in Organization Theory and Public Management from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Prior to joining Concord University’s faculty, he taught at the University of Washington Bothell and Virginia Tech. A native of Nepal, Dr. Pokharel was a resident of Blacksburg, Va.

James “Jim” L. Miller '68 Former Member of the Concord University Board of

Governors and the Concord University Foundation Board

James “Jim” L. Miller, 77, of Crestwood, Ky., formerly of Quail Valley Estates, Princeton, W.Va., passed away on Monday, October 10, 2016. Jim never met a stranger, and blessed everyone with his good humor. He was a man of great character, 61 • Fall 2016 generosity, and sacrificial love. Jim was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Sandra Kellerman

Miller; three brothers, BJ Miller, Randy Miller and Harold Miller; and one sister, Violet Miller. Jim was born October 5, 1939, in Crab Orchard, W.Va. and was the son of the late Boyd and Sadie Miller. Jim was raised in Princeton. He was a graduate of Princeton High School, attended Virginia Military Institute, Airman First Class, United States Air Force, and was a 1968 graduate of Concord College. Jim had a long, distinguished banking career in Mercer County, eventually serving as President of Mercer County/One Valley Bank until his retirement, after which he devoted himself to the care of his wife, Sandra. Jim was an active member of his community, serving in various capacities including: Concord University Board of Governor’s; Concord University Foundation Board; Princeton Community Hospital Foundation Board; Economic Education Foundation of Southern WV Board; Princeton Rotary Club, President; Bluefield Convention and Visitor’s Bureau; WV Bankers

Association; Junior Achievement of Mercer County; Princeton Mercer County Chamber of Commerce; Mercer County Foundation; key founding member of the Princeton Health and Fitness Center; active member with leadership roles at Burke Memorial Church and Immanuel Baptist Church, as well many other roles, too numerous to name. The roles that gave Jim the greatest joy and satisfaction were husband, dad and Poppy. He is survived by his two daughters: Debra (Steve) Hendricks of Louisville, Ky., and Diane Miller, of Crestwood; six grandchildren: Katelyn (Sean) Tippett, Alyssa Hendricks, Adam Hendricks, Megan Stewart, Grace Stewart, and Jackson Stewart; and sister, Betty Foster of Richmond, Va., along with many nieces and nephews. Jim left a legacy of faith, love and selfless service to his church, community, friends, and most of all, his family. He will be greatly missed by all.

Class Notes Achievements Raymond H. Hamden ’72 has written a book entitled “Balanced-4-Life: Before Burnout." He is a forensic and political psychologist in Washington, D.C.

R. Gary Goosens ’74 has published a book entitled “Secrets of Life Revealed in 24 Sentences.” It is now on sale at Amazon. Goosens is a retired U.S. Administrative Law Judge residing in Mobile, Ala. Donna Ford Bryant ’78 retired from the Durham County Department of Social Services after 25 years and four months on April 29, 2016. Donna and her husband of 39 years, Gerald ’78, live in Durham, N.C. Gerald retired from Lowe’s Home Improvement in August 2012 after 27 years.

Kathy Blevins ’80 has taken on the role of Athletic Director at Summers County High School, where she currently teaches health and physical education. In addition to her degree from Concord, Blevins also received degrees from Marshall University and West Virginia University.

Gina Still ’85 has been named Mortgage Loan Specialist in the North Lewisburg branch of City National Bank.

Still brings close to three decades of banking experience to the post. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Concord and graduated from the West Virginia School of Banking. Her community involvement includes serving as Treasurer for Greenbrier Valley Wheels of Hope and on the board of directors for Carnegie Hall and the Alderson Renaissance Corporation.

Brian Manning ’86 is the new director of the Appomattox Regional Library System. He was previously an attorney specializing in civil law. He holds a law degree from Washington & Lee University School of Law and a library science degree from North Carolina Central University, as well as his degree from Concord.

Deborah Fairchild ’89 is the new Alderson Elementary School principal. She received her bachelor’s degree in education at Concord and went on to earn two master’s degrees, one in special education and the other in public school leadership studies. She also earned National Board Certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist in 2002. She is in her 27th year as an educator.

Michele Zirkle Marcum ’91 released a novel, “Rain No Evil,” in July. Marcum planned to give all proceeds from sales the day the book launched to the West Virginia flood victims and 10 percent for the remainder of July.

Kevin Siers ’93 is the new Pulaski County Public School Superintendent. In addition to his Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Concord, Siers also has a Master of Arts in School Administration from Appalachian State University, and a Doctorate in Education Leadership and Policy Studies from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and

Richard Bullins ’88, marketing director at the National Coal Heritage Area, has earned Travel Marketing Professional (TMP) certification after completing a three-year program of the Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College. Bullins was one of 65 new TMPs recognized at the STS Spring Symposium in Baton Rouge, La. The STS Marketing College is a professional development program.

State University. Siers has 16 years of experience in public education in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina.

He is also a U.S. Army veteran and served in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

Roger Hodge ’97 is the new women’s head basketball coach at the College of Coastal Georgia. After earning degrees in education and general studies from Concord, he went on to coach at the high school level at Hinton High School, Mercer Christian Academy, and then Summers County High School. He started coaching college basketball at Liberty University in 1997, and has also coached at Lincoln Memorial, and Armstrong. He is in his alma mater Hinton High’s Football Hall of Fame.

Charles E. Persinger ’06 was named deputy director for the West Virginia Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists in February 2016. His responsibilities include day-to-day management of inspections of all licensed West Virginia barber, beauty and manicuring shops, and all schools of barber and cosmetology along with training of state inspectors and serving as fleet management coordinator of the Board’s state vehicles.

Joseph E. Dean II ’13 graduated from the T.C. Williams School of Law at The University of Richmond in May 2016.

Donnie Kirk ’14, who studied geography and geology at Concord, completed her M.A. degree at East Carolina University while spending the summer as an intern at NASA in Virginia. Kirk was on the track team at CU and was a student assistant in the geography office.

Alyssa Morris ’16 has been named an assistant coach at Indiana Wesleyan University. Morris joins the Wildcats coaching staff after a decorated career at Concord in which she accumulated numerous individual honors while helping the softball program to unprecedented heights. She was a part of the 2015 team that won the most games in program history (34), while leading the Mountain Lions to an NCAA Tournament appearance.

Fall 2016 • 62

Class Notes Brande Myers ’16 is a Clinical Social Worker at the UVA Cancer Center. She received a Master of Social Work from Concord.

Athletic Trainer for Covington High School.

Tim Leather ’15 and Lori Pettus ’14 were married on June 25, 2016 in Cool Ridge, W.Va. Tim, a Concord University baseball team alum received his Regents Bachelor of Arts and is currently pursuing his master’s degree in Health Promotion. He is also the pitching coach for the CU baseball team. Lori received a Bachelor of Science degree in education. She is a middle school math teacher for the Wyoming County Board of Education.

Weddings

Marvin (Marv) Lee Jarrell, II ’93 and ’98 and Carrie Elizabeth Wyrick ’05 were married on May 28, 2016 in Pipestem, W.Va. They are the proud parents of Shannon (16) and Aaron (11). Marv received Bachelor of Arts degrees in Geography, Political Science, and Social Studies Education 5-12. He is the Gifted Education teacher at Independence Middle School and Coal City Elementary.

Carrie received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work degree. She works as a Program Assistant in Concord University’s Office of Advancement. The couple resides in Beckley, W.Va.

Christopher Malon ’13 and Chelsa Vaught, who attended Concord for three years before pursuing her nursing degree, were united in marriage on July 9, 2016 at the Blessed Sacrament Church, South Charleston, W.Va. Chris is a Software Engineer for City National Bank and Chelsa is a Registered Nurse Care Supervisor for Catholic Charities. The couple now resides in Scott Depot, W.Va. Jeremiah Nelson ’13 and Amy Walker ’12 were united in marriage on May 28, 2016.

Jeremiah is the CEO and Founder of the social political website, ur12bheard.com. Amy is an Admissions Counselor for Concord University. The couple now resides in Princeton, W.Va.

Austin Bess ’14 and Kara Broughman ’15 were married on July 16, 2016. Austin received a Bachelor of Arts in broadcasting and journalism from Concord and Kara graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training. Austin works at a local radio station in Covington, Va. Kara is the Head 63 • Fall 2016

Rachel Bishop ’16 and Jesse Kidd ’16 got married on May 28 in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. right before moving to Madison, Wis. Jesse is working on his Ph. D. in chemistry at UW Madison and Rachel is teaching 4th grade.

Birth

Passings

Evangeline '09 and Nathan Painter ’10 announce the birth of a daughter, Abigail Mae Painter, on August 31, 2016. She weighed 9 lbs., 6 oz., and measured 20.5 inches long.

Sunshine (Susan) Eskew Gabriel ’46: July 7, 2016. Born in Tophet, May 1, 1926, she was the daughter of the late Carl Eskew and Josie Butler Eskew. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Daniel Gabriel Sr. along with two brothers, Hillis Eskew and Calvin Eskew. Survivors include her two sons and spouses, Dan and Jennifer Sunshine Gabriel '46 Gabriel of McMurray, Pa., and Gene and Denise Gabriel of Roanoke, Va.; two grandchildren, Julia Ann Williams and Claudia Lynn Sarles; five great-grandchildren, Colton, Merrick, Asher, Anderson and Emerson; and her sister and husband, Jolene and Sandy Pennington of Princeton, W.Va. A resident of Princeton, she was a member of Johnston Chapel

Class Notes Baptist Church on Halls Ridge Road, Princeton and a faithful member of the Women of Purpose Sunday School Class and an active member of the DMA. Sunshine was a 1943 graduate of Athens High School and a graduate of Concord College. While in college, she was a member of the Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority and the Kappa Omicron Phi Sorority. In 1979, she was voted Alumnus of the Year and in 1989 was named a Golden Alumnus. This meant she had given 25 years or more of service to the college. Sunshine continued to be active in the Alumni Association until her death; she was a member of the Executive Council for many years.

Also, she was a former member of the Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs. Sunshine was always busy and had many hobbies. She loved flower gardening, especially roses. She enjoyed playing bridge, doing crafts, sewing, quilting, the computer and reading. Sunshine never met a stranger and had a smile for everyone. People always said her name suited her. She loved animals and was very concerned about the abuse to animals and children. Her pride and joy were her two granddaughters and her great-grandsons.

Henrietta Lester “Mere” Kuhn ’46: September 14, 2016.

She was born February 21, 1918 in her beloved West Virginia where she graduated valedictorian from Gilbert High School, then Concord College, and subsequently received her Master’s in Education from Marshall University. Henrietta taught first grade in Wyoming County, West Virginia for 14 years before coming to teach first grade at Dunedin Elementary for 30 years. At the same time, she became one of the first curriculum specialists and co-authored a book entitled “A Teacher’s Guide for an Elementary Curriculum K-6.” The guide was then keyed to the Florida State Accreditation System. As a consequence, Henrietta received the Personality of the South award in recognition of outstanding service to the community and state. Upon retirement in 1981, she was honored by the city of Dunedin (Florida) and was given the key to the city.

Henrietta was a member of the NEA, FEA, PCTA, Delta Kappa Gamma Society and the DAR. Furthermore, she was a teacher of adult Sunday school class at Calvary Baptist Church for 25 years. At the same time, she was a Morton Plant Foundation volunteer for 20 years. She and her husband, Freil Lester, were married in 1935 and enjoyed a wonderful marriage until he died in 1993. In 2005, she married a marvelous man, Victor Kuhn, who survives her. Other survivors include her daughter, Dr. Jean Lester Bennett and children, Sonny (Robin) and Tammi; and stepson Victor (Debbie).

Mary Lou Barbery Reid ’50: Aug. 15, 2016. Born July 12, 1929 in Athens, W.Va., she was the daughter of the late Thomas Albert and Ennis Faye Grimm Barbery. Mary Lou was the loving wife of the late Billie George Reid who died in 1978. She was a resident of Hinton, W.Va. She was a wonderful mother to three daughters, Robin Reid Turner and husband Darrell, Jayne Reid Angotti and husband John and Riley Reid Mann and husband David, all of Hinton.

Also surviving are grandchildren, Courtney Turner Ford

and husband Tucker and Marshall Reid Mann; greatgrandchildren, Emma Noel and Sophie Mae Ford; two sisters, Netta Fae Smith of Danville, Va. and Dana Kee Birdsall and husband Frank of Afton, Va.; sister-in-law, Evelyn Barbery of Athens, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by a grandson, Darrell R. Turner; Mary Lou Reid '50 three brothers, Thomas Albert, Jr., James Calvin and Robert Lyle Barbery and a sister-in-law and her husband Evelyn Reid Garrett and Harry. Mary Lou was a graduate of Athens High School and Concord College, earning a bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in public speaking. While at Concord, she was selected Homecoming Queen and was a member of the cheerleading team. Her teaching career began at Covington High School in the early 1950s, before coming to Hinton High School. She remained in Summers County for the rest of her career as an influential educator and administrator. She obtained a master’s degree from the WV College of Graduate Studies plus 45 credit hours, while working and raising her three daughters after her husband’s death. She was a member of Miller Memorial Methodist Church in Hinton and Alpha Sigma Tau sorority, and was an avid gardener and birdwatcher. She especially loved spending time with her family and friends. Mary Lou had a passion for learning as was evident by all who knew her.

Raymond Edward Taylor ’50: October 13, 2016. Raymond was born in McAlpin, W.Va. He graduated as salutatorian from Mark Twain High School in Raleigh County, W.Va. He graduated summa cum laude from Concord College with degrees in chemistry and education. He was a member of Blue Key Honor Society, Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity and president of the Honorary Raymond Taylor '50 Society Fraternity Chi Beta Phi. He was listed in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. Mr. Taylor was an Army veteran of the European Theatre of Operations during World War II and served with the 159th Combat Engineers.

He was a former resident of Charlton Heights, W.Va. He retired after 34 years of service with Union Carbide Metals and Elkem Metals Companies. In that time, he served in several supervisory positions, including Superintendent of Operations and Technical Superintendent. He was a member of Riverview United Methodist Church of Glen Ferris, W.Va., where he was a choir member and served

Fall 2016 • 64

Class Notes many years as treasurer. Since moving to Fayetteville, N.C., he has been a much beloved part of Camp Ground United Methodist Church. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Rosemary Bishop Taylor; daughter, Nancy Moose and husband, Mike of Fayetteville, N.C.; sons, Hal Taylor and wife, Candy of Richmond Hill, Ga., and Eddie Taylor and wife, Cathy of Apex, N.C.; brother, Bill Taylor and wife, Sue; and sister, Phyllis Jackson, all of Beckley; seven grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Gay Melissa Dew Dillon Boyle ’51: July 26, 2016. Born May 14, 1923 at Maynor, W.Va., she was the daughter of the late Lee and Pearl Davis Dew. Gay was a retired teacher from Crescent Elementary School. She later worked as adjunct professor, supervising student teachers for Concord University. She was a member of the United Methodist Temple in Beckley; Beta Sigma Phi Sorority; NEA; and Women of the Moose. She was a resident of Beckley, W.Va. Preceding her in death were her husband, William John Boyle in 2011; sister, Dorothy Stover; and brothers, Robert Dew and Neil Dew. Surviving are her daughter, Helen Barto and husband, Donald, of Annapolis, Md.; stepdaughters, Susan Fisher of Wayne, Pa. and Stephanie Peters and husband, Merrit of Philadelphia, Pa.; and two nephews, Udy Stover of Ohio and George Dew of Georgia.

William Peter “Bill” Mathews ’51: April 15, 2016.

Bill was born in Hinton, W.Va. on December 11, 1927. He was the president of the class of 1946 at Hinton High School, and earned degrees from Concord College, West Virginia University and the Illinois College of Optometry.

In 1958, Bill married the love of his life, Cleopatra “Cleo” Maroudas of Williamson, William Mathews '51 W.Va. Both were the children of Greek immigrants. Bill was a generous and warm-hearted man. He found enduring contentment in his lifelong companionship with Cleo; great pleasure as a father of two daughters; and joy as a grandfather of four grandchildren. His Christian faith was a cornerstone of his life. He was a lay reader in the Episcopal Church, served on the vestry for many years, and along with Cleo, instilled a strong faith in his daughters and grandchildren. He loved celebrating Christmas. Education was extremely important to him. He was an avid reader and explored new ideas and skills throughout his life, and this curious nature served as an example to others.

He was known throughout Summers County and beyond as a thorough, skilled, and caring optometrist who took time to put a patient at ease, and would forgo payment for his services when necessary. Bill was a leader in the community, serving on the Summers County Board of Education, and in leadership positions of civic organizations 65 • Fall Spring 2016 2016

ranging from the Elks to the Chamber of Commerce, to various Masonic bodies including the Hinton Masonic Lodge AMFM 62 (32nd Degree), the Scottish Rite, and the Beni Kedem Shrine Temple. He was known on 8th Avenue in Hinton for his beautiful rose garden and as the organizer of fun, who set off fireworks, painted in watercolors and oils, gave chess lessons, and, at one point, lead an ill-fated neighborhood wide restoration of a not-so-gently-used convertible. Music brought great enjoyment to his life, particularly the Big Band songs that he learned to play on the saxophone during his high school and college years.

He was a great dancer. He loved all manner of contraptions and gadgets, from his ham radio to his cameras. He was a fan of crossword puzzles. Through the way he lived, Bill taught his children and grandchildren enduring values: an unshakeable loyalty to family and friends; a belief in the importance of giving of yourself to others and your community; and a conviction that all people should be treated with dignity and fairness young or old, poor or rich, man or woman, all faiths, all ethnicities. He is survived by his loving wife Cleo Maroudas Mathews; his beloved daughters Stephanie Mathews O’Keefe, and Sylvia Mathews Burwell, their husbands Joseph O’Keefe and Stephen Burwell; four grandchildren, William Jeremiah O’Keefe, Annette Cleopatra O’Keefe, Helene Marie Burwell, and Matthew Ledgen Burwell; and nephews James, Phillip and Tom Polyson. He was preceded in death by his parents, Pete and Mary Mathews and his sisters, Katherine and Georgia.

Richard Harland Smith ’52: July 5, 2016. He was the husband of Barbara (Brown) Smith. They were married May 21, 1954. He was born March 11, 1929 in Beckley, W.Va., son of the late Orliffe and Julia (Stairs) Smith. He was a graduate of Beckley College, Concord College and received his master’s degree from Marshall University. Richard served in the United States Air Force from 1952 to 1956. He began his teaching career in West Virginia as a teacher and basketball coach. In 1961 he relocated to Killingly and joined the Killingly School System as a teacher. He was the assistant football coach from 1961 to 1964. In 1965 he became the assistant principal of Killingly High School and the following year became the principal of Killingly High School. He served from 1967 to 1980. In 1981 he joined the teaching staff at the Killingly Junior High School and in 1987 was appointed assistant principal, until his retirement in 1989.

He attended the Putnam Congregational Church for many years and was a resident of Danielson, Conn. He leaves in addition to his wife Barbara of 62 years, his children, Lisa R. Pina and her husband Earl of Putnam, Richard H. Smith, Jr. and his wife Barbara of Van Nuys, Calif. and grandchildren Vayda and Victor. He was predeceased by his daughter Cheryl Ann Smith James Earl Steorts ’54: September 15, 2016. Born in Mullens, W.Va., he was the son of the late Elizabeth Carter Steorts and James Earl Steorts, Sr. Jim followed after his grandfather, James Cecil Carter, founder of the Stag Clothing Company, by apprenticing at the age of eleven. Jim had a

Class Notes Rosemary Carucci Goss ‘74 Reappointed Virginia Tech’s Residential Property Management Advisory Board Professor Rosemary Carucci Goss ’74, the professor of apparel, housing, and resource management in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech, has been reappointed the Residential Property Management Advisory Board Professor. The Residential Property Management Advisory Board Professorship (RPMABP) recognizes teaching scholars in that field and was established in 1995. Goss has held the professorship since 2001.

She has been recognized by the National Academic Advising Association with a Certificate of Merit Outstanding Advising AwardFaculty Academic Advising, as well as the Housing Impact Award by the Housing Education and Research Association.

After being a charter member of the National Apartment Association Education Institute board of directors, she was recognized for her contributions with the first Apartment Career and Education Award. She also received Virginia Tech’s Alumni Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising

in 2014.

Goss’ research is on housing options for older adults, residential property management, housing conditions of families in Appalachia, and the housing needs of all families. She has written numerous publications and given many presentations in her career.

Goss earned her undergraduate degree from Concord University, a master’s degree from Virginia

passion for textiles and design as a young boy. He graduated from Princeton High School in 1950 and Concord College.

He then served in the U.S. Army from 1954-1956. Next, he pursued his passion for textiles and retail and obtained a M.A. degree in retailing from the University of Pittsburgh in June 1958. Following his training at the University of Pittsburgh, he worked as James Steorts '54 a sales assistant at Brooks Brothers in Washington D.C. Following this, he was a buyer and merchandise manager at Woodward & Lothrop (Woodies) in Washington D.C.

Tech, and a Ph.D. from Florida State University. She currently teaches undergraduate courses on property management and real estate and serves in various university government roles, and led the development of the property management program, continuing to be the main faculty contact for the Property Management Advisory Board.

as well as the Haynes Department Store in Newark, New Jersey. He then moved back to Washington, D.C., where he had a successful career as a buyer, merchandise manager, and one of the Vice Presidents of Garfinckel’s, bringing in lines such as Oscar de la Renta, among others. In 1976, Jim moved to Princeton, W.Va. and bought Nelson’s Ladies Shop, later also buying the Town `n Tweed Shop of Bluefield, W.Va. He served as the president of both companies for nearly 30 years, until his retirement in 2005.

Jim had a reputation for selecting outstanding styles for his customers and people came from all over the state to purchase merchandise from his buying trips throughout the east coast and Europe. During Jim’s time, he was a member of the Sales Executive Club, the downtown Merchants Association, and the Concord College President’s Club. He also served as President of the Credit Bureau of Mercer County. He was a current and active board member for Fall 2016 • 66

Class Notes the Community Foundation of the Virginias. Jim was a firm believer in giving back to the community and helping support local youth attend college. To this end, Jim and his wife created the James and Rebecca Steorts Scholarship Fund for graduating seniors from high schools in Mercer and McDowell Counties in West Virginia and Tazewell County, Virginia. This scholarship is for students that plan to attend Concord University with preference given to students majoring in business. An avid sports enthusiast, he loved the Washington Redskin football team, the Saint Louis Cardinals, and he seldom missed a Bluefield Blue Jays (former Orioles) baseball game, where he loved chatting with friends at Bowen Field. The joys of his life were daughters Deborah and Rebecca, and grandson Madison.

Jim spent much of his free time in York, S.C. at his family retirement home, where he enjoyed spending time with his family, boating and grilling, serenity of the lake, and bird watching. In addition, he was an active member of Christ Episcopal Church, where for a decade he volunteered for the food pantry, dedicated to feeding the hungry, providing heating vouchers, and special gifts. Jim is survived by his wife, Rebecca Frances Steorts, their daughter Rebecca Carter Steorts; his daughter and grandson, Deborah Joan Steorts and Madison Carter Steorts; three stepsons, John Williams, Frederick Williams, and Timothy Williams, a sister, Cecilia Lewis; and two brothers, Ronald Steorts and David Steorts; one aunt, Sonja Carter; as well as many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

William P. Kissam ’55: December 18 2015. Bill was born February 11, 1931 to the late Reginald and Lucy Kissam in Waterbury Conn. He is the beloved brother of Marjorie Pennington of East Springfield Mass. Bill attended Crosby H.S. in Waterbury, where he was a track star and state ranked in the pole vault. He graduated in 1949, majoring in business and college prep. Bill first attended Concord College from the fall of 1949 until the spring of 1952. While at Concord, Bill was a member of Kappa Sigma Kappa fraternity and held several offices. He decided to leave school and joined the Army. Trained at Indian Town Gap Pa., and due to honors received there, Bill’s first assignment was with the Presidential Honor Guard, 3rd Infantry Regiment at Ft. Myer’s in Washington D.C., where he served for 8 months. Due to the manpower needs of the Korean War, Bill’s next assignment was Korea in the spring of 1953. He was assigned to the I Corps, 8th Army, 7th Division, 31st Regiment, George Company and participated in many of the actions that occurred along the eventual Cease Fire Line, including the fight on Pork Chop Hill. He was very proud of his service, and was honorably discharged in the spring of 1954. Upon his return to the states, Bill married Nancy Jo Pettrey ’54, of Princeton W.Va., returned to his studies at Concord and graduated in 1955 with a business major. He then began a 20 year career as a buyer for several corporations and department stores moving from Connecticut, to New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana and eventually Illinois. In 1974, Bill moved back to Connecticut to open and operate a neighborhood hardware 67 • Fall 2016

store in Essex Conn. After a successful run, he closed the store in 1980. He was remarried in 1983 to Charron Shaw.

Charron was a successful interior designer from Ohio and with Bill’s artistic flair, they began Kissam Associates. It was an interior design company, whose primary customers involved yacht interiors and several community banks.

In 1985, they moved from Essex to East Haddam Conn., gutted and rebuilt the home on the property, and started a Christmas Tree Farm, all the while continuing with the interior design business. By 1987, both Charron and Bill were getting tired of the cold winters of Connecticut and moved to Sarasota, Fla. Not content to retire, they proceeded to start another successful interior design business, Kissam Design Associates, now dealing primarily with homes in Sarasota. Life’s next accomplishment soon presented itself, when they came upon a rundown motel, at a bargain price, bought and renovated it and re-opened it as Banana Bay Club on Siesta Key, Fla. in 1989. They ran Banana Bay until 1993, when a new locale called to them, and they moved to Ponta Vedra Beach, Fla. Bill could finally start to take it easy and enjoy the slower life, a least for a few weeks. Bill was a Christian Scientist, and upon joining the First Church of Christ, Scientist in nearby Jacksonville FL, he immediately found another niche to use his business, artistic, and organizational skills. From 1993 until a year before his death, Bill held many offices within the church, including Board Chairman, Head of Ushers, Librarian of the Christian Science Reading Room, and Head of House and Grounds. Bill also conducted Sunday Services, with Charron, as First and Second Reader for three years and was a real pillar of the church. He will be missed by the many friends he made through his life adventures and especially by his family. Bill is survived by his loving wife of 32 years, Charron, and children/step-children Kenneth Kissam ’79 of Severna Park, Md. Susan Kissam Rogers ‘86 of Matthews, N.C., William ‘David’ Kissam of Bedford, Va., Mark Shaw of Ponta Vedra Beach, Fla. and Sally Stock of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; and grandchildren Kathryn Kissam, Britton Rogers, Ryerson Rogers, Danielle Bergh, Matt Shaw, Luke Shaw, Mitch Stock, Andy Stock, Hallie Stock and great grandchildren Annabelle Shaw, Charlie Shaw, Owen Stock, Gracie Stock, Claire Stock, and Leslie Stock.

Fred Stafford Raines '58

Fred Stafford Raines ’58: July 8, 2016. Fred was born in Mercer County on August 17, 1936. A gifted musician and keyboard performer, he graduated from Bluefield “Beaver” High School in 1954.

He graduated from Concord with a B.S. degree in Music Education. While attending Concord, he performed often at The Greenbrier with the Paul Thomas Orchestra for various social functions and conventions. Fred took his

Class Notes first teaching position at Spanishburg High School when the band was in its infancy. After ten years of dedicated service, the band went from 17 members to 85 musicians. After receiving a #1 rating at the South-Eastern band festival, they received an invitation to perform at the New York World’s Fair. After the concert, Fred was introduced to Bill France, owner of Daytona Speedway. Bill invited the band to play at the “Firecracker 400” where a 30-minute concert was given prior to the start of the race. Fred went on to start his own musical instrument business, Raines Music Center, to successfully complete a lifelong dream and passion of his from childhood. He was a resident of Princeton, W.Va. He was preceded in death by his parents, Noble Mason and Mary Etta Stafford Raines and one brother, Noble Mason Raines, Jr. Fred is survived by his wife of 60 years, Naomi June Raines of Princeton; two daughters, Judith Marie Anderson and husband J.C. and Cheryl Beth Merritt and husband Tim, all of Princeton; one son, Clifton Eugene Raines of Princeton; twelve grandchildren and seven greatgrandchildren; and twin-sisters, Mary Lou Jones and Etta Sue Emmert and husband Ernie all of Princeton.

Patricia Sue Webb Jones ’59: September 15, 2016. Born October 29, 1936, Patty was salutatorian of her Peterstown High School class and an accomplished trumpet player and pianist. On New Year’s Eve 1954, she married her childhood sweetheart, June Bug. Patty attended Concord College and began teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in McDowell County. She received her master’s degree in counseling, graduating summa cum laude from Radford University, and spent most of her career as a teacher and counselor until she retired. She was a resident of Peterstown, W.Va. She was preceded in death by her mother Mildred Frazier, father Chet Webb, and brother Robert Webb. She is survived by her beloved husband of 63 years, Dr. Grover C. “June Bug” Jones, Jr., and her children Karen Hagedorn, Dani Jones, Lisa Jones, Connie Jones, Nancy Jones, and Jamie Jones.

Additional survivors include a sister Karen Feliciangeli, and her grandchildren Tara Laws, Shea Laws, Caylyn Laws Jackson, Tyler Laws, Andrew Arrick and her greatgrandchildren Cameron Jones, Kitana Allen, Jaxsen Allen, Lily Ofsa, Chloe Jackson, and Jayce Laws.

Polly Mae Miller ’59: July 15, 2016. She was born June 26, 1938 in Lashmeet, W.Va., a daughter of the late Abney McCoy and Ella Mae Gates Hurst. She graduated from Concord College with a degree in Home Economics and Education. Polly was a school teacher who taught at Cairo, Cottageville, and Gilmore elementary schools. She retired in 1998 with 30 years of service. After retirement she enjoyed her travels with the Ravenswood Senior Group. She always looked forward to the United Methodist Church Conference and retired teachers meetings to renew friendships. She was a member of the Sandyville United Methodist Church and Order of the Eastern Star, Ripley Chapter #17. Polly was an avid Ripley Vikings fan and will be remembered for her service to her church and always lending a helping hand to those in need. She was a resident of Sandyville.

She is survived by her children Marvin G. Miller (Robin) of Sandyville, Jim Miller of Sandyville, and Virginia Mae McDonald (Rodney) of Sandyville; brothers Edward “E.S.” Hurst (Nancy) of Mineral Wells and Mickey Hurst (Ilean) of Lashmeet; grandchildren Kristen Elizabeth Durback and fiancé Kermit Boice, Brocton Grant Skeen, Marvin “M.G.” Miller (Leah), Kaila Evonne Phalen (Seth), Michael Zachary McDonald, and Joel Elijah McDonald; great-grandchildren Isabella Durback, Mackenzie Durback, Asher Phalen, and Olive Miller. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, special friends, and colleagues. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Marvin G. Miller; brother Larry McCoy Hurst, and sister Ella Christine Shutt.

Calvin W. Belcher, Jr. ’60: August 17, 2016. Born April 26, 1936 in Princeton, W.Va., he was the son of the late Calvin W. Belcher Sr. and Leora Kate Chatting Belcher. Calvin was a graduate of Princeton High School where he was an outstanding athlete in all sports. He later graduated from Concord College with a B.S. in Education and Marshall University with an M.A. in Guidance and Counsel.

Calvin Belcher, Jr. '60 Calvin played basketball for Princeton High School and Concord College. He was the first player to score 1000 career points while playing for Princeton. He also lettered in baseball, football and track. He was voted into the Princeton High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. Calvin taught and coached at Peterstown and Athens high schools. He worked as a counselor with the WV Division of Rehabilitation and served as the administrator for Southern WV Regional Health Council Mental Health Program. He later served as the administrator of OH-9 ambulance program and was appointed the first EMS administrator by Governor Arch Moore. He established and operated Modern Health Care Options which was eventually sold to Princeton Community Hospital and he also became the first West Virginian to receive national certification as a home health administrator. He then served as administrator of Princeton Community Hospital’s home health program for nine years, until his retirement in 2002. A resident of Asheboro, N.C., he formerly lived on Willowbrook Road in Princeton, W.Va. Many years ago, Calvin headed up the building committee of the Willowbrook Baptist Church. For the last 30 years, he had been an active member of the First Church of God on Mahood Avenue in Princeton while serving on the Board of Trustee’s and as the board’s chairman for the past nine years. He loved his church family with all of his heart and cherished his family and always put them first. Calvin had been a lifelong resident of Princeton until moving to Asheboro in July 2016. Those left to cherish his memory Fall 2016 • 68

Class Notes are his loving and caring wife of 58 years, Peggy Sue Oakes Belcher; three daughters, Vickie Farmer, Beverly Belcher and Amy Parady; nine brothers and sisters, Betty Mitchell, Freddie Belcher, Buddy Belcher, Jerry Belcher, Johnny Belcher, Frankie Belcher, Rickey Belcher, Peggy Robinette and Helen Fulbright; five grandchildren; and five greatgrandchildren.

Willa Rogers Moose ’60: July 9, 2016. Willa was born March 10, 1938, in Flat Top, W.Va., to the late Walter and Sadie Richmond Rogers. She was a devoted wife of 53 years to Frank Hoy Moose who recently preceded her in death on March 1, 2016. Willa was a graduate of Concord College with a Bachelor of Science in Education. She was a brilliant math teacher for many years at Concord High School, instructing her students Willa Moose '60 in algebra, geometry, and pre-calculus. Her additional interests included gardening, cooking, and laughter. She was a resident of Concord, Pa. Willa was a loving, supportive mother and is survived by her son, David K. Moose; daughter, Brooke L. Kabakjian, wife of Kevin Kabakjian; grandchildren, Karly and Kaleb Kabakjian; sister, Doris Rogers; and brother, Scott Rogers, both of West Virginia.

She was preceded in death by her brothers, Arlo and Leo Rogers.

Joan E. Hines ’61: April 13, 2016. Born April 20, 1933 in Hinton, W.Va., she was the oldest of eight children born to the late Newman B. and Alma Campbell Evans. In addition to her parents, Joan was preceded in death by her loving husband of 46 years, J.E. “Jim” Hines, three very dear brothers, Danny, Brownie and Rocky Evans, beautiful sister, Minnie Taylor, precious son-in-law, John W. Fleeman, sisterin-law, Judy Evans and brother-in-law, Curtis Taylor. Left to cherish her memory are a precious daughter, Pam Fleeman of Rich Creek, Va., sister, Jerry Riffe and husband Tom of Lindside, W.Va., brothers, Jackie Evans and wife Ruby of Peterstown, W.Va. and Glen Evans of Glen Lyn, Va., sistersin-law, Joann Gunter and husband Buck of Lindside, Gail Evans of Gap Mills, W.Va. and Barbara Evans of Pearisburg, Va., brother-in-law, Irvin Hines and wife Dean of Lindside, a very special niece who was like a daughter, Josie Evans of Glen Lyn, many nieces and nephews, church family of Rock Camp Baptist Church and a host of other relatives and friends. Joan was an active and dedicated member of the Rock Camp Baptist Church where she taught Sunday school for 45 years. She also served in many other capacities in the church including Church Clerk, Chairperson of the Women’s Work and a member of various church committees. She was a resident of Lindside. After graduating as valedictorian of 69 • Fall 2016

her class at Peterstown High School, she pursued higher education at Concord where she earned a B.S. in Education.

She earned an M.A. in Counseling and Guidance from West Virginia University and did post graduate studies at Marshall University and Radford University. She retired after teaching English and serving as Guidance Counselor for 28 years at Peterstown High School. She was also employed for eight summers as Youth Counselor at WV State Employment Services in Ronceverte, WV. Joan was a member of the Peterstown O.E.S. #118, former member of the Peterstown Woman’s Club, N.E.A., W.V.E.A., and M.C.E.A., serving as president of the M.C.E.A. She was a very dedicated member of the Monroe County Democratic Women’s Club serving as president and various other positions.

Jean Ann Doyle White ’64: July 5, 2016. Jean Ann was born December 12, 1929 in Pettry, W.Va. She was the daughter of the late Floyd Edward Doyle and Ida Elizabeth Lilly Doyle. She graduated from Athens High School. During her summer high school vacations she worked at Cole’s Bakery in Bluefield, W.Va., Celanese Corp. in Narrows, Va., and National Electric Coil Jean Ann White '64 in Bluefield. Jean Ann then became employed for Maiden Form, Inc., in Princeton, for a number of years. While working there, she was elected president of the Ladies Garment Workers Union Local 260 and remained president until her departure. Jean Ann graduated from Concord College with an Elementary Education major 1-8 and an English major 1-9. She graduated from WV Graduate College with emphasis on elementary education. She attended Marshall University and received credit for 45 hours in Safety Education. Jean Ann is listed in two publications of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. She began her teaching 35 year teaching career at Memorial Elementary in Bluefield then transferred to Elgood Elementary and served as teaching principal until the school closed. She spent most of the 35 years at Athens Elementary in Athens.

Jean Ann respected each student as an individual and her goal was to motivate and inspire each person to achieve their full potential. She enjoyed her teaching profession and truly loved all of her students. She and her husband Argil White owned and operated a beef cattle farm. They lived on the farm for more than 50 years. They were married for 67 years. Jean Ann loved working in her vegetable garden and raised a beautiful and bountiful supply of produce. Much of the produce was frozen and canned for winter use. She was a member of the Church of Christ at Pettry for more than 70 years and was the oldest attending member of the church. She taught the youth and adult classes for a number of years. Jean Ann was an avid reader enjoying many types

Class Notes of different books especially those dealing with English literature. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Don E. Doyle, and her niece Toni Lynne Doyle, and her good friend Frank St. Clair. Jean Ann is survived by her loving husband and faithful companion Argil, sister Louise White, niece Melissa Marshall (Jamie) and great nephew Christian Doyle Marshall, her sister-in-law Catherine (Polly) Doyle. Also she loved her church members. She would never forget her great and loyal dog Pluto – he was truly her companion. Pluto is truly a prodigy if dogs qualify. She also leaves behind her loyal and faithful friend and helper for many years Lawrence McManaway.

Theron Oakley Cruise Jr. ’69: August 3, 2016. He was born on May 22, 1947, in Tazewell Va. He was the son of the late Theron O. Cruise and Louise French Cruise. Theron graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications from Concord University. He was an accomplished businessman, former President of the Fayette Plateau Chamber of Commerce and was a former Board member of the Plateau Medical Center. Theron was a loving husband and father.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife Shirley and his two sons Theron O. Cruise III and Micah Shad Cruise, daughter-in-law Susan Cruise, three grandchildren, Kiley, Kamden and Caylee, sister Elizabeth Childress and brotherin-law Tony and brother Aaron Cruise along with many nieces and nephews and many beloved friends.

Lorenzo Charles “Jim” Griffin ’71: August 18, 2016.

Born March 9, 1949 in East Gulf, W.Va., he was a resident of Rhodell, W.Va. He was the son of the late Charles Griffin and Evelyn Pannell.

Lorenzo graduated from Stoco High School, in West Virginia. He also received his Bachelor of Science from Concord University and his master’s from the University Lorenzo Griffin '71 of Pennsylvania. He was preceded in death by his mother Evelyn Pannell Griffin and his father Charles Griffin; sister Valrie Barringer and nephew, Antonio Thomas.

Lorenzo is survived by a daughter, Lataunya Griffin of Bermuda; two granddaughters, Lyric and London; one grandson, Lannix Griffin of Bermuda; four sisters, Cynthia Thomas, Rhodell, Joan Spencer, Fredrickburg, Va., Betty Anderson of Beckley, W.Va. and Kim Whitten, Las Vegas, Nev.; two brothers Larry Griffin, Rhodell, and Michael Griffin of Columbus, Ohio; one great uncle; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

Linda Delores Basham ’73: May 23, 2016. Linda was born on July 13, 1946 in Beckley, W.Va. to Frank Cole, who predeceased her, and Willie Mae Cole. She grew up

in Sophia, W.Va., where she graduated with honors from Sophia High School in 1964 while remaining active as the head majorette for the marching band. In college, she excelled in her studies, graduating with a degree in education from Concord College and did graduate work at West Virginia University.

In June 1965, Linda married her high school sweetheart Linda Basham '73 Doug Basham and returned to Sophia where she would begin her long and successful teaching career. Linda had an intense passion for teaching and molded the minds of young students in southern West Virginia for more than 30 years before retiring from the profession in 2004. Outside of the love of her family and profession, Linda enjoyed many other passions. She was an active member of the Coal City, W.Va. chapter of the Eastern Star, where she served as Worthy Matron and was a Grand Representative for the Grand Chapter of West Virginia. Linda also enjoyed spending summer days at her cabin on the Greenbrier River, cheering on the West Virginia Mountaineers at football and basketball games, playing with her beloved cat Buster, traveling to New Smyrna Beach, Fla. in the winter for relaxing days on the beach, and attending NASCAR races with her family and friends. Linda is survived by her husband Doug, mother Willie Mae, son Marc Basham, and daughter Angela Callaway and her husband Slick Callaway.

Linda is also survived by an aunt Ann Fleshman and an uncle Ralph Cole; close cousins Alan Fleshman, Amanda Fleshman, and Karen Christie; special nieces and nephews Michael Kelly, Don Kelly, Patty Kelly, Susan Basham, Mark Basham, Espy Lytle, Kelly Brogan, and LeeAnna Fleming; brothers-in-law Ivan Basham and Gary Basham; sisters-inlaw Francis Kelly, Myrtle Basham, and Betty Basham, and numerous other close family members.

John “Jay” Bennett ’83: September 25, 2016. Mr. Bennett was born December 8, 1955, to Karin and Melvin Bennett of Springs. He was a 1974 graduate of East Hampton High School, and then attended Concord College earning a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance and music education. He later went on to receive a master’s degree from Dowling College in elementary education. He was a resident of East Hampton, N.Y. During his teaching career, he taught at several local elementary and high schools. He was also the director of music at Most Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church in East Hampton for nearly 30 years. He married Shelley Dawley on October 7, 1989; they met while singing with the Choral Society of the Hamptons. The couple loved to sing together and did so as Victorian carolers in Southampton Village during Christmas for many years.

They have two grown children, Kristofer and Courtney. As a family, they loved to travel and, in 2015, traveled to Norway, Fall 2016 • 70

Class Notes the place of his mother’s birth, staying with relatives there.

In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by cousins, in-laws, nieces and nephews, and great-niece and great-nephews.

Robin Carole (Linton) Strobl ’86: September 21, 2016.

She was born November 21, 1964 in Yellville, Ark. to John E. and the late Beverly C. (Narramore) Linton. Robin graduated from Princeton High School in Princeton, W.Va. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in geography from Concord. She married the love of her life, Jeffrey, on June 6, 2009. She was a resident of Kansas City, Mo. Robin’s smile lit up a room.

Robin Strobl '86 She greeted everyone with her warm personality and left them feeling important and welcome. She truly never met a stranger. She leaves behind many friends, old and new, who shared that experience when meeting her for the first time. Robin was a loving person with a caring heart, always willing to lend a hand and help in any way. Those blessed to have had Robin in their lives (family, friends, co-workers, customers and even strangers) sensed her sincerity. Robin was loved by many and will be dearly missed. Robin was a Technical Account Manager at Clarcor Industrial Air. She worked for Clarcor and predecessor companies (GE Energy and BHA) for over 24 years. She was preceded in death by her mother, Beverly Linton, and her sister, Deborah Springer. Robin is survived by her husband, Jeffrey Strobl, her father and step-mother, John Linton and Helen Hefner and her mother-in-law, Margaret Strobl, all of Kansas City.

In addition, Robin is survived by a large extended family (in-laws, nieces, nephews and cousins.) and many, many friends.

Kimberly Harrah Becker ’88: August 28, 2016. She was born in Hinton, W.Va. on October 21, 1966 to John and Shirley Harrah (both of Meadowbridge, W.Va.). She was a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority at Concord. A resident of Mooresville, N.C., she was a member of The Cove Church and worked for Medical Mutual Insurance Co. In addition to her parents, Kimberly Becker '88 survivors include her husband Edward Von Becker, II; son, Edward Von Becker, III of the home; daughters, Gabriella “Ella” of the home and Ashley Miller and husband Jonathan 71 • Fall 2016

of Raleigh; sister, Melissa McMillen and grandchildren, Caden and Aubrey Miller.

David Allen Pritt ’88: July 23, 2016. David was born on March 16, 1965 in Montgomery, W.Va. At the age of three, David was taken from his home and placed into foster care; he was blessed to be placed in the home of Rev. George T. and Alice Smith of Fayetteville, W.Va. David always considered his foster family and foster parents – who showed him so much unconditional love – to be his true family. David was a 1983 graduate of Fayetteville High School and a graduate of Concord College with a bachelor’s degree in business/marketing. He was a resident of Oak Hill, W.Va. He was married for 30 years to Rebecca Nahodil Pritt , and together they had three sons. David is preceded in death by his father, Rev. George T. Smith, a brother, Mike Smith, and a granddaughter, Dorothy Lynn Pritt. David is survived by his wife, Rebecca (Becky), his three sons David “Elliott,” Aaron, and Daniel, a daughter-in-law Jessica Stone Pritt, his mother Alice Smith Campbell, a sister Sharon Morton, and two grandchildren, David Abel Pritt and Maryanne Rose Pritt, and many family members and friends. Before his illness, David had a true zeal for life; he was always working, busy coaching youth sports, being involved in church, and mentoring his family. His life was highlighted and driven by three things: passion, precision, and punctuality. He practiced these ideas in his everyday life and in everything he endeavored to accomplish; he also expected these things of his children and everyone else around him – these were his greatest virtues. David was fond of saying: “If you are going to take the time to do something, make sure you take the time to do it right.” If he said he was going to do something, you could have absolute certainty that it would be accomplished. He worked for over 29 years in the outdoor advertising industry having worked for Outdoor East, Lamar Advertising, and most recently Image Outdoor Advertising where he was director of sales.

David was a Christian. The world is truly a better place because David left his personal and indelible mark – a mark that will linger upon each and every person he influenced.

He loved life, and he loved it in a big way. He loved his job, his co-workers, clients, and most of all his family. He was a big man with a big personality – it was the kind of personality that made a positive impact upon everyone he met. He was loved by so many, and he will be greatly missed.

Harold Kincaid Jr. ’90: April 18, 2016. Born Nov. 3, 1964, he was the son of Harold Kincaid Sr. and the late Bernice Moore Kincaid. A lifelong resident of Beckley, he graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School, Beckley College and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in business from Concord College. He was an avid reader, sports fan and loved spending time with his family. He was preceded in death by his mother, Bernice Moore Kincaid. Those left to cherish his memory are his father, Harold Kincaid Sr. and wife Mary; two sons, Harold Kincaid III and wife Elizabeth, Missouri; David Kincaid and wife Angela, Beckley; brother, Samuel

Class Notes Kincaid, Huntington; sister, Jeannie Tucker, North Carolina; and the joy of his life, three precious grandchildren, Dylan, Andrew and Brynlee.

Joseph Clark Bigony ’91: September 13, 2016. Born December 5, 1926 in Hinton, W.Va., he was the son of the late Joseph Clair and Evelyn Clark Bigony. Joe was a 1944 graduate of Hinton High School, West Virginia University and Concord College. While at WVU, he was active in Phi Sigma Kappa. He started his career working as an Insurance Investigator in Charleston and Beckley before returning to Hinton in 1959 to work for Hinton Builders Supply Company, first as secretary treasurer and later General Manager. He later taught Travel Industry subjects at Mountain State University in Beckley for 15 years. Joe was the owner of Bannister-Bigony Mobile Home Park at Elkview, W.Va. He was a resident of Hinton. Joe was active in various civic organizations throughout his life. He was a charter member of the Hinton Jaycees and while serving as president was instrumental in the project of obtaining funding for the new hospital, which is now Summers County A.R.H. He served on the Hinton Police Civil Service Commission for a number of years, and along with Roberta Reed, organized the Bluestone Youth Organization for teens in the area. He was an accomplished dancer, having studied under the Helen Lee Arrington School of Dance and later taught dance in Hinton, Ronceverte and Lewisburg.

He sang in the Baptist Temple Choir and the Barbershop Quartet of America. Joe was a co-signer for the application for the WV State Water Festival to secure the name solely for Hinton. He directed the last 12 Jaycee Minstrel Shows in Hinton, which were a featured attraction in Hinton for many years. He also participated in Maryat Lee’s Echo Theatre, performing mostly at the Pipestem State Park amphitheater.

He was the organist for the Hinton Elks Lodge and served as organist at Ascension Episcopal Church in Hinton for 20 years. He was also a member of the Hinton Ruritan Club, the Hinton Elks Lodge and the Greenbrier Chapter of the Sons of the Confederacy. In 2016, he was selected as Parade Marshall for the WV State Water Festival. He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Jewell McNeer Bigony, on June 26, 2015 and also by a son, Joseph Clair Bigony, II and a sister, Frances Elizabeth Bigony. Survivors include a daughter, Ellen Bigony Winner of Hinton; two grandchildren, Leslie Meadows Schlemmer and husband Todd of Lancaster, Pa. and Joseph David (Joedy) Meadows and wife Kristin of Culpepper, Va.; five great-grandchildren, Madelyn Faith and Trenton Rodgers Schlemmer, Jacob Kyle Barnett and Brynley Lauryn and Aly Kaitlyn Meadows; sister-in-law, Lorene McNeer Ellison of Cleveland, Ohio; several nieces and nephews and many cousins in the Bigony, Clark, Charlton and Bannister families.

David Patrick Fernandez ’92: October 14, 2016. David was born on July 5, 1968. He was a resident of New Smyrna Beach, Fla. and was known as an outstanding football player. Survivors include his aunt and uncle, Tom and Patty Munsey.

Jo Eleanor Hawkins Canterbury ’00: May 9, 2016. Born February 21, 1944 at Friendship, Tenn., she was a daughter of the late Willie C. and Linnie Burrow Hawkins. As a young girl Jo handpicked cotton in Tennessee before her family relocated to Chicago and she held many jobs throughout her career from the age of 17. She was a graduate of Beckley and Concord colleges with a degree in business administration and attended Bluefield State College obtaining a certificate of Certified Professional Secretary International. Jo was a former supervisor for EDS Corp. She had worked at Key Data in Beaver, had served as Deputy in the Summers County Tax Office and retired from WVDHHR. She was an active member of the Order of the Eastern Star, a member of the Business and Professional Women (having held the title of State President for one year), a Hinton Bobcat Boosterette for many years and a former member of the Red Hatters. Jo enjoyed watching John Wayne movies, collecting trinkets, eating out and spending time with family and friends. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family and was a resident of Jumping Branch, W.Va. Jo is preceded in death by one brother, Billy Hawkins and one sister, Demetra Williams. Those left to cherish her memory include her husband of 51 years, James Canterbury; children Charles Canterbury and wife Kelly, Jeanne Cline and husband Steve, James Canterbury II; four grandchildren, Alexis Canterbury, Torrey Smith, Rosa Cline and Tiffany Hannah; and four great grandchildren whom she loved dearly.

Sonya Lynn Ratliff ’09: April 11, 2016. Born May 27, 1971 in Harvey, Ill., she was the daughter of Donald and Betty Ratliff of Rupert, W.Va. She was employed as Quality Facilitator in the Quality and Patient Safety Department at Wellmont Health Systems in Kingport, Tenn. and was a resident of Fall Branch, Tenn. She received an associate degree in nursing from West Virginia Tech and a bachelor’s degree from Concord College. Sonya was dedicated to her three children and involved in their activities which included soccer, Boy Scouts, basketball, and cheerleading, and including all events at Fall Branch Methodist Church which she attended. She is survived by her three children: Connor McClelland, Mallory McClelland, and Kyle McClelland, all of Fall Branch, Tenn.; 2 step-daughters, Mattie Hicks of Morgantown, W.Va. and Sarah Hicks Rhodes of Preston County; her parents, Don and Betty Ratliff of Rupert; one brother, Shawn Ratliff and his daughter Cloe Ratliff of Morgantown; maternal grandmother, Dorma Campbell of Rainelle; and the special “love of her life” David Hamrick of Rainelle. There are also several aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, as well as a multitude of lifetime friends, which include Tara Fugate Waid of Woodbridge, Va., and Lisa Cutlip of Rupert. She was preceded in death by paternal grandparents Willie Ratliff, Sr. and Florence Ratliff; maternal grandfather James Campbell. She touched many lives with her beautiful smile and outgoing personality, and will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Fall 2016 • 72

Class Notes Estelle Finkelman: June 29, 2016. Born Estelle Manilow on April 22, 1928, she grew up in Bronx, New York where she met her husband of 65 years, Harry Finkelman. Immediately following their wedding on Thanksgiving Day, 1948, they left for Athens, W.Va., making their home in Mercer County until the summer of 2008. Estelle was trained as a bilingual secretary and worked for an export-import company while in New York. After moving to West Virginia, she became an active participant in her community, serving as an advisor to Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority at Concord College, a member of the Athens Women’s Club, and in her later years in West Virginia, as a member of the Athens Lions Club. Estelle and Harry were deeply involved with Congregation Ahavath Sholom in Bluefield, where she was a member of the Temple Sisterhood and Hadassah, a women’s

organization dedicated to worldwide healthcare, education, and support of Israel. Additionally, Estelle was a dedicated volunteer at Princeton Community Hospital for more than 20 years and an enthusiastic supporter of the Princeton Rays. Nothing was more important to Estelle than her family. Her husband Harry preceded her in death on July 8, 2014. She will be greatly missed by her brother Stanley Manilow of Orlando, Fla.; two daughters and sons-in-law, Rose Solomon and her husband Ron of Columbus, Ohio, and Shari Fox and her husband Randy of Champaign, Ill.; as well as her grandsons Ari Solomon and his partner Amy Tainsky and Michael Solomon and his wife Ariana; greatgranddaughter, Sofia Solomon; and extended family and many friends.

Calling for Class Notes

We want to hear from you! Send us your personal and professional accomplishments, news on marriages and family additions and updates on other noteworthy events in your life. Photographs are welcome as well.

Please email your news items to advancement@concord.edu or mail them to Concord University, Office of Advancement, P.O. Box 1000, Athens, WV 24712.

What is the Mountain Lion Club, Inc.?

The Mountain Lion Club is the fundraising foundation of Concord University Athletics. Financial support from this organization provides for scholarships, facility upgrades, recruitment and retention of talented student-athletes and coaches, and other operating expenses.

Join the Club!

JOIN the team that is building the foundation for a generation of champions. For more information and to see up-to-date Concord University Athletics News, please visit www.cumountainlions.com 73 • Fall 2016

Become a FRIEND of the J. Franklin Marsh Library at Concord University!

The Joseph F. Marsh Library formally opened on November 29, 1941. The library has grown to over 157,087 volumes today, which include books, microfiche, magazines and bound periodicals. The library has been and continues to be a vital part of the educational program of Concord University.

“Friends” are comprised of members who recognize the value of a quality library and want to support and enrich the services provided. Becoming a Friend is a terrific way to be involved in your community and to help promote a love of reading and learning.

Your annual gift helps us • Expand access to online databases and journals • Improve library technology and build for the future • Purchase rare items for special collections • Sponsor readings and lectures for the benefit of the University as well as the area communities You can become a ”Friend of the Library” by sending your annual contribution to: Concord University Foundation, Inc. Friends of the Library Fund PO Box 1405 Athens, WV 24712 Or by calling 304-384-6266

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Concord University student Ronni Wood wrote these articles as part of a journalism practicum in the Office of Advancement. She is from Clothier, W.Va.

'Throw Kindness Like Confetti': This Year's Bonner Theme

This year’s theme for the Bonner Scholars orientation is kindness, and Bonner Scholars will be taking this theme to heart throughout the year.

“We selected this theme, because there are so many things going on right now that seem to divide people. If everyone could focus a little more on kindness towards one another, then maybe we could work on coming together during hard times, rather than seeing so many differences,” says Natalie Fields, the Bonners Scholars Program

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Coordinator.

Since the Bonner Scholars Program is grounded in community service, kindness is an important part of their work.

Fields says the quote “in a world where you can be anything, be kind” helped them choose the theme for orientation. “Especially in college, there is so much emphasis placed on what your major will be, what career path you will choose, what you want your life to look like. The list goes on, and on, and on. No matter what path anyone chooses,

being kind, will get you further in helping others than any amount of money, achievements, titles, or degrees ever will,” says Fields.

The theme was used to welcome Bonner Scholars with T-shirts and bulletin boards, and to talk about service, but it will not stop there.

Bonner Scholars will be reminded of the theme during their meetings, and Bonner planned to focus on kindness during November, which includes World Kindness Day on Nov. 13.

onner Scholars assemble for a photograph after volunteering at Camp Roland in Bastian, Va. during their orientation this summer. The camp is part of the Buckskin Council of the Boy Scouts of America. A letter of appreciation from camp leadership applauded the Bonner Scholars for their “work ethic and positive attitude.”

Triple the Service

Offered by Daniel Sisters

Sometimes, service comes in three. Elizabeth, Kaitlyn, and Shelby Daniel are all seniors at Concord University from Fairdale, W.Va. These triplets may have different goals in life, but they share a love of community service and helping others.

Elizabeth Daniel and Shelby Daniel both study Elementary Education, while Kaitlyn Daniel studies Business Administration.

One thing that they have in common is the Bonner Scholars Program, where they volunteer together.

One volunteer experience they all share, and one of their favorites, is a trip the Bonner Scholars took to Washington, D.C. “We were able to explore and sightsee, but more importantly we were able to help people. My favorite was ‘Bread for the Journey’ where we put care bags together and made sandwiches, then physically went out into the city and gave them to anyone we saw who appeared to be homeless,” Elizabeth said.

“We put the bags next to someone sleeping by a tree and someone sleeping on a bench. Then, we sat nearby and watched them wake to find the bags, and they would look around because it was as if they appeared from nowhere.

This experience was a real eye

opener for me,” she said.

“My overall favorite volunteer experiences were the two times I went to D.C., I loved working with the Seabury Resources for Aging, serving food at S.O.M.E., and preparing food at D.C. Central Kitchen,” says Kaitlyn.

Their sister Shelby also enjoyed the D.C. trip, but also says she loves “volunteering at The Havens, and when I get to put out hearts for Shown from left are Kaitlyn, Shelby and Elizabeth Daniel Share the Love.”

Sharing the love part of this program since I came is a big part of what the Bonner to Concord as a freshman and here Scholars Program does, focusing I have found my closest friends, a on the importance of volunteering support system, and a place that in the community and the world. has helped embed in me how “Bonner is a program that helps important service is. Due to this show students the importance of program, I will be participating volunteering and can help them in service for the rest of my life learn that even a small gesture because Bonner has shown me how can make a difference. I am so important it is to help others and grateful to be a Bonner Scholar, I the community.” have learned so much through my Like the rest of the Bonner many years of volunteering and Scholars Program, the Daniel this program helps me volunteer triplets will be “throwing kindness in ways that I might not have been like confetti” the rest of this year, able to otherwise,” says Shelby. and beyond.

Kaitlyn describes Bonner as a community, saying “I have been a

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CU Athletics

Mountain Lions Begin Price Era With Win Against West Liberty

ehind a record-setting day from senior quarterback Brian Novak, the Concord University football team held off West Liberty 32-25 in the season opener at Callaghan Stadium on Sept. 3. The game was the first contest with Paul Price leading the Mountain Lions as head coach.

West Liberty marched down the field to open the game and took a 7-0 lead just 2:36 into the contest. However, Concord rattled off 11 unanswered points coming on a 30-yard field goal from junior kicker Zack Keaton and a threeyard touchdown rush from junior running back Nick Loftin. But the Hilltoppers scored once more in the first quarter to take a 13-11 advantage after 15 minutes of play.

In the midst of a drive to begin the second quarter, Concord capped

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Paul Price

Brian Novak

the drive with a 13-yard swing pass from Novak to Loftin in which Loftin found the end zone putting CU ahead 18-13 with 12:53 remaining in the first half.

WLU appeared ready to respond to CU’s score, but senior defensive back Akil Bordelon put a jarring hit on West Liberty wide receiver Anton McCallum at the goal line and

CU Athletics junior linebacker Edwin Campbell picked off the errant pass stalling the Hilltoppers’ momentum.

From there, Novak took the CU offense 66 yards down the field that was finished off with his 58th career touchdown pass, a Concord career record, as he found redshirt freshman wide receiver Brandon Plyler in the back of the end zone for the record-breaking score. The touchdown toss extended CU’s lead to 25-13, an edge it would hold at intermission.

Both teams traded field position to start the third quarter before Concord’s special teams broke through for a blocked punt with 5:22 left in the third. With WLU pinned deep into its own territory,

redshirt freshman defensive lineman Ty Walker barreled through the protection and blocked the punt at the eight-yard line, setting up a Novak touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Paul Jones two plays later.

The Hilltoppers crept back into the game with a score at the end of the third and another touchdown with 2:37 left in the fourth. Concord was, however, able to convert first downs at the end of the game to run the clock out for a 32-25 win over West Liberty.

Novak finished the game 21for-29 for 231 yards and three touchdowns. This put the CU signal caller 93 yards away from becoming the all-time leader in passing yards

NEW HEAD COACHES NAMED

at Concord in addition to already being the school’s all-time leader in touchdowns. (Novak would go on to reach the passing yards milestone the following week in CU’s contest with Fairmont State.)

Loftin ran for 104 yards and one touchdown on 18 attempts in his first career game at Concord. Senior wide receiver Jermeil Douse was the leading pass catcher for CU as he hauled in seven catches for 73 yards. Of Novak’s 21 completions, eight different players caught a pass.

Senior defensive lineman Darryl Johnson led CU with 10 tackles and a half of a sack. Bordelon added seven tackles and an interception for the second straight season against WLU.

Luke Duffy

Jessica Doty '07

Luke Duffy has been named head coach of CU’s women’s soccer program. A successful college soccer player for Lees-McRae in Banner Elk, N.C., Duffy gained experience as an assistant coach on the college level prior to joining Mountain Lion athletics. He is a native of Wakefield, England.

Jessica Lilly Doty is CU’s new cheerleading coach.

A 2007 Concord graduate, she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and was on the cheerleading squad. She reports and hosts for WVPBS, is an adjunct instructor in CU’s communications department and supervises the University’s radio station, WVCU. Her hometown is Mullens, W.Va.

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CU Athletics CROSS COUNTRY

Concord Victorious at Coastal Carolina Invite The Concord University men’s and women’s cross country teams both claimed victories at the Coastal Carolina Invite in Conway, S.C. Sept. 9, 2016.

Men's Team The men’s team picked up a team victory at the competition.

The Mountain Lions put four runners in the top 11 in a predominantly Division I race.

Sophomore Jason Weitzel led the way as he crossed in 16:04 for a third-place showing.

Junior Justin Snyder followed closely behind Jason Weitzel Weitzel finishing 6th in 16:24. Sophomore Michael Ruhnke ran to a time of 16:27 and an eighth-place finish. Fellow sophomore Tyler Kosut was 11th,

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finishing in 16:43.

Freshman Chris Taylor rounded out the scoring runners for Concord as he came across in 22nd with a time of 17:34. Senior Justin Snyder Brandon Lee was four spots behind Taylor in 26th as he clocked a time of 17:46.

Junior Roger Foster (35th / 18:27), sophomore Matt Strand (36th / 18:34), sophomore David Meck (38th / 18:38) and freshman Cooper Brady (44th / 19:08) completed the field for CU. The Mountain Lions finished with 18 points to Coker’s 52 points.

Aidan Payton

Women's Team The Concord University women’s cross country team won the Division II portion of the event.

Freshman Aidan Payton

led the way for the Mountain Lions as she was the 14th runner overall and first Division II runner to finish in a time of 20:55. Sophomore Bailey Knowles also finished inside the top 20, placing 17th with a time of 20:57.

Bailey Knowles The sophomore trio of Kaylin Kessinger (21:23), Kenna Knowles (21:31) and Karleigh Thompson (21:35) occupied spots 22 through 24 for Concord. Freshman Kate Golinsky (27th / 21:40) and sophomore Taylor Hamm (33rd / 22:36) rounded out the top seven for the Mountain Lions.

Sophomore Megan Stemple (37th / 23:24), sophomore Catrina Russell (44th / 24:48) and junior Kristin Lee (45th / 25:25) completed the field for CU. The Mountain Lions bested Coker in the Division II field 18-45. This marked the second straight year that Concord has won the Coastal Carolina Invite.

CU Athletics BASKETBALL Reed Wins MEC Play of the Year Rob Reed, a guard for the Mountain Lions, was awarded the Mountain East Conference Play of the Year. Reed earned the distinction for his last second shot in the MEC Tournament semifinals against West Liberty.

With the clock winding down in the double overtime segment against the Hilltoppers on the Charleston Civic Center floor, Reed took a pass on the left wing from junior guard Michael Sanchez. Reed proceeded to drive into the corner where he was tripped up. The South Bend, Ind. native regathered himself, got up and hit an off-balance, corner bank shot to give CU a 92-90 lead with 0.4 seconds left in the game. The Mountain Lions went on to win the game and win the MEC Championship the very next day against Notre Dame. After the game, Reed’s shot went viral making national sports highlight shows.

The basket was the last of 34 points for Reed in the game, and he finished the tournament with 81 points on his way to winning the MEC

GOLF

Jornet Wins MEC Championship Freshman golfer Natalia Jornet won the Mountain East Conference Championship in October on Glade Spring’s Cobb Course in Daniels, W.Va. after shooting a 76 in the final round to win the individual conference crown by five shots.

As a team, the Mountain Lions finished sixth overall. Freshman Katelyn Sanders finished in a tie for 26th with a three-day total of 289. Freshman Sarah Cole was 28th (292) while fellow freshman Kaitlyn Chapman placed 31st (321) and junior Annie Johnson finished 40th (379).

After day one of the tournament, Jornet was two shots behind Charleston’s Lauren Crouse, but

Tournament MVP. Not only did the shot propel the Mountain Lions to an eventual conference championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, but it also gave Concord a second win over the number one-ranked Hilltoppers during the season.

Both times WLU was ranked first nationally. It was also the first time one team defeated West Liberty twice in the same season since 2007-08.

The MEC Play of the Year was selected by a combination of a fan vote conducted via social media, conference administrators and the league office. In addition to the 110,000 people the video reached when posted originally in March, Reed’s nomination clip reached over 14,000 people later in the spring, Rob Reed edging out Urbana’s Raoui Lassoued 30-yard goal, Shepherd’s C.J. Davis To watch the shot go to: http:// interception for a touchdown against www.cumountainlions.com/ Grand Valley State and Wheeling news/2016/6/29/mens-basketballJesuit’s final point in the NCAA reed-wins-mec-play-of-the-year.aspx championship.

moved into a tie for first heading into the final round. Jornet tied for the lowest score of the second round by firing an 80.

The Tarragona, Spain native, along with Crouse, was five shots clear of Notre Dame’s Brianna Stokes heading into the concluding round.

Jornet proceeded to tie for the lowest round of the tournament by Natalia Jornet putting together a round of 76 while Crouse could not keep pace on the of the Year, she is the leader for the final day, shooting an 86. Stokes could award. not draw any closer to Jornet either as League golfer of the year and NDC’s top golfer carded her own 76. all-conference is based on the best Jornet has now won both MEC golf rounds throughout the three MEC events this year. In September, she events during the year: the fall classic, won the MEC Fall Classic at Edgewood the MEC Championship and the Country Club in Charleston, W.Va. spring classic.

While this championship medalist is not assured of winning MEC Golfer

Athletics section compiled with assistance from Wes McKinney '13 in the CU Sports Information Office.

Fall 2016 • 80

Alumni Spotlight

Alumni Spotlight features outstanding achievements of alums and is highlighted on CU’s website. The Alumni Spotlight archive is located at: http://www.concord.edu/advancement/alumni-spotlight

June 2016 - Courtney Clark '09 and Jessica Schueler '09

Congratulations to alums Courtney Clark ’09 and Jessica Schueler ’09 for being recognized as 2016 Excellence in Broadcasting Award Winners by the West Virginia Broadcasters Association. Clark, an anchor for the WVVA station out of Bluefield, received the Best Locally Produced Television Show award for her show “In Focus”. Schueler, an anchor for the WVNS station out of Ghent, received the Best Anchor award.

We are proud of how well Courtney and Jessica represent Concord and their local communities each and every day!

July 2016 - Josh Wyatt '06 Josh Wyatt, the head baseball coach at PikeView High School, was recently named Baseball Coach of the Year by the West Virginia Coaches’ Association Wyatt’s Panthers were the 2016 state Class AA runner-up, falling to Bridgeport in the championship game in early June. PikeView won sectional championships in four of the five years that Wyatt has been their head coach, and has gone to the state tournament in the Class AA field of four for the past two years. Wyatt, a PikeView alumnus and former CU baseball player, has guided 98 PikeView wins in his five seasons in his first head coaching job.

Congratulations Josh on this well-deserved recognition!

August 2016 - Dr. Deborah Akers '74 Congratulations to Dr. Deborah Akers, superintendent of Mercer County Schools, who was recently elected to serve as president of the West Virginia Association of School Administrators (WVASA) for the 2016-2017 term. Akers is a past president of WVASA and has been serving as the superintendent of Mercer County Schools since 1992. To read more about Dr. Akers election to this position please visit the link below: http://www. bdtonline.com/news/akers-elected-president-of-west-virginia-association-of-schooladministrators/article_1bf66e54-47dd-11e6-8246-376858ce19a0.html.

Congratulations Dr. Akers on such an outstanding achievement!

September 2016 - Lauren Crews '11

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This month we want to spotlight CU alum Lauren Crews ’11 who has become a successful small business owner within the last couple years. In May 2015 Lauren opened a women’s clothing store in Princeton, WV called Heart Strings Boutique. The store carries a variety of clothing, jewelry and accessory items, including Brighton jewelry. They also offer monogramming on several items in the store. This past May Lauren was the featured guest speaker at Princeton Senior High School’s graduation ceremony and next month as part of the Princeton-Mercer County Chamber of Commerce Women’s Expo, Heart Strings Boutique will be sponsoring the Expo fashion show. You can find out more about the store by visiting their Facebook page at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/ heartstringsboutiquewv/?fref=ts. We are so proud of all the great things our alums are doing and wish Lauren and her store continued success!

TAKE ROAR WITH YOU! We want to see you with Roar wherever you go! Cut out Roar, to the left, and take him on your fun adventures. Then, take a photo with our friendly mascot and send it to us so we can share with the rest of the CU alumni family!

Fall 2016 • 82