Ambassadors, with Elizabeth Sims '21, strike a happy pose on Admitted Students Day.
Photo by Brianne Holmes
Inside Erskine Fall 2024
Editor Joyce Guyette
Designer
Taylor Fox
Assistant Editor
Brianne Holmes
Contributors
Ben Auten
Heath Milford ’11 (Sem.)
Langley Shealy
Photos
Whitney Adkins ’15
Mike Clifton
Conference Carolinas
Kristin Durkin
Lora Greenway
Brianne Holmes
Jadan James ’25
Grant Lawson
Dr. Stephen Sniteman
Inside Erskine is published by Erskine’s Marketing & Communications Office.
Keep up with Erskine news, stories, and events at erskine.edu/news/
Letters to the Editor
We welcome your feedback, thoughts on our stories, or ideas for stories. Submissions may be edited for style, length, or clarity. Contact us at communications@erskine.edu
Erskine College does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or age in admission to, treatment in, access to, or employment in its programs or activities.
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PROBING COLD WAR ACTIVISM
A last-minute trip to Egypt during the Arab Spring sparked interest in an earlier era for Erskine's International Studies director.
14
MOTIVATING FACTORS
Professors who saw his potential spurred him; his curiosity helped him continue.
seminary alumna Anna Price, left legally blind
Erskine Flower & Garden Show 2024
SPEAKER TELLS CLASS OF 2024 WE HAVE
'A CALL ON OUR LIFE'
Erskine honored its college and seminary graduates May 4, welcoming Dr. Carol M. Swain as commencement speaker. “Graduation means that you will be stepping into the unknown,” Swain said. “You should expect challenges and disappointments, sprinkled with pleasant surprises and unexpected victories.”
Swain never expected to embark on an academic career and calls herself “the accidental professor.” She retired in 2017 as Professor of Political Science and Professor of Law at Vanderbilt University.
Prior to her work at Vanderbilt, she served on the faculty of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University (now the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs). She is a blogger, podcast host, public speaker, media commentator, and the author of nearly a dozen books, including The Adversity of Diversity, Countercultural Living, and Black Eye for America.
Growing up in poverty, Swain dropped out of high school and earned her undergraduate degree as well as advanced degrees after she had married and become a mother. “Each of us has a call on our life. You should always remember that,” she said.
“I can attest to the fact that life will take you in unexpected directions,” Swain told her audience, but she emphasized that trust in God is of first importance. “God takes you in unexpected directions. He wants us to live our lives with boldness and courage.”
Swain, who experienced a Christian conversion in her forties, said that God “knows our fears about the future.” In her own life, she said, “many of the things that seemed like missed opportunities”—jobs she applied for but did not secure, her unfulfilled desire to become a nurse—worked for her good.
Lamenting that “We have become a nation of covenant breakers who are no longer willing to keep commitments,” Swain told the students,
“We must strive to keep our commitments to one another,” and asked, “Is your word your bond?”
Swain challenged the members of the graduating class to stand up for Jesus Christ, who is revealed in scripture. “Stand up and become godly leaders who can help bring revival to our nation,” she said. “Now get your degree and go in peace.”
A baccalaureate service was conducted May 3 in preparation for the commencement ceremony. The Rev. Bryan Bult, a graduate of Erskine College (1995) and Erskine Theological Seminary (2003) and an associate minister at First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, S.C., spoke about humility.
Bult told students that his time at Erskine taught him “greater and greater dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus teaches and exemplifies a total reversal of the world’s values. “The only greatness worth aspiring to is following Jesus,” he said.
Paul Bell, John Paul Bell, Jeanne Bell, and Jayden Holder
Seminary Graduates
2024 Graduates
Sharon George
Peeler Family
COMMENCEMENT HONORS AND AWARDS 2024
Members of the graduating class and the faculty were honored at Erskine’s 2024 commencement ceremony.
College awards announced during the commencement exercises by Dean of the College D. Shane Bradley included the Younts Excellence in Teaching Award, given to Associate Professor of English Dr. Christine Schott
Student awards announced by the dean were the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, given to John Paul Bell, Jr. of Due West, S.C., a summa cum laude graduate who completed a double major in Chemistry and Mathematics with Departmental Honors in Chemistry and a minor in Physics; the Mary Mildred Sullivan Award, given to summa cum laude graduate Sharon Lee George of Spartanburg, S.C., who completed a triple major in History, Psychology, and Bible and Religion, receiving Departmental Honors in all three majors; and the H.M. Young Ring, the highest honor for a member of the senior class, given to Neal Richard Blank of Camden, S.C., a summa cum laude graduate who completed a double major in Psychology and History, with Departmental Honors in Psychology and a minor in Biology.
Two members of the Erskine College Class of 2024 tied for highest academic average—triple major and Sullivan Award winner Sharon Lee George and Benjamin Clifford Headley of Moreland, Ga., who completed a double major in Bible and Religion and English with Departmental Honors in English and a minor in Information Technology.
Seminary awards were announced by Dean of the Seminary Dr. Seth Nelson. The Bruce G. Pierce Award for Christian Leadership was given to Scott Hultstrand of Houston, Texas, a Master of Divinity degree recipient. The dean also recognized Dr. Loyd D. Melton, whose retirement as John Montgomery Bell Professor of New Testament was announced in February. Melton has been named Distinguished Professor of New Testament Emeritus and will continue to serve the seminary in a part-time capacity.
Erskine President Dr. Steve Adamson introduced the commencement speaker, and Board of Trustees Chairman Michael S. Whitehurst greeted the assembled students, faculty members, and guests.
Serving as faculty marshals were Dr. George Schwab, crucifer, and Dr. William B. Evans, mace bearer. The Rev. Joshua C. Chiles, chaplain, offered the invocation and Dean of the Seminary Dr. Seth J. Nelson gave the benediction.
The graduates were inducted into the Erskine Alumni Association by Dr. Sanita Cousar ’77, president, who also announced the senior class gift—two bench swings to be placed near the student recreational volleyball court on campus. Student contributions will also be used for enhancements to the court.
Each graduating student wore a “Stole of Gratitude” during the commencement ceremony. The graduates were urged to give the stole to a family member or to another person who offered them support and encouragement during their college years.
Music for the event was provided by the Erskine College Choraleers, directed by Dr. Keith Timms and accompanied by Prof. Sharalyn Hicks, pianist, and Erskine College Sinfonia, led by Prof. Jon Michael Brock, conductor. James Alexander Thomas, a graduating music major with a minor in biology, led the singing of the alma mater.
John Paul Bell, Jr.
Neal Richard Blank
Scott Hulstrand
President's Gala 2024
Festivities included art show, private concert
Erskine alumni and friends joined President Dr. Steve Adamson and First Lady Von Adamson for this year’s President’s Gala, held February 23 in the Bowie Arts Center. The event featured an elegant dinner, an art show preview, and a private concert.
Paul Bell, vice president for advancement and alumni relations, introduced Adamson, describing the progression of Adamson’s career from the business world to ministry to higher education. Bell said that “the Designer of that career had been preparing him all the way” for his role at Erskine College.
Adamson told attendees that the President’s Gala is “our chance to thank you,” the alumni and friends who support the college and make up the Erskine family. “Community is the hallmark of Erskine College,” he said.
Highlighting recent growth and development at the school, Adamson said that college and seminary enrollment is currently over a thousand and Erskine is poised to finish its fiscal year “with very positive results.” In fall 2023, the college added six new degree programs and launched the Honors Institute at Erskine. Students in the honors program are prepared to defend the gospel and learn to embrace truth, beauty, and goodness in the works they study.
The college recently began implementing a worldview survey, Adamson said, which will provide a clearer understanding of what students believe. The results will help to shape curricular changes as the college fulfills its mission of teaching students to “integrate knowledge and faith.”
Adamson emphasized the significant role Erskine’s alumni and friends play in the life of the college, saying that he hoped Gala attendees would gain a renewed appreciation for “just how critical—just how essential—your support is.”
Bell also expressed thanks to donors in the evening’s program. “Your generous financial support, prayers, acts of service, and words of encouragement work together to touch the lives of every individual on this campus,” he said. “As people go out from Erskine equipped to serve others, the impact of your gifts extends throughout the world.”
Guests at the gala enjoyed a preview of Jubilant Fields & Captivated Heights, which opened at the Bowie Arts Center in March. The show featured original works by Brian Hibbard, Alyssa Martin, Steve Sniteman, Yuriy Somov, and Zakhar Somov.
Following the gala, guests attended a private concert given by acclaimed singer Edwin McCain in Memorial Hall. McCain performed favorites such as “I’ll Be” and “I Could Not Ask for More” and entertained concertgoers with his humor. He received a standing ovation and performed as an encore “See Off This Mountain.”
This year’s President’s Gala was the fourth that Erskine has hosted in recent years.
Alumni DAY 2024
Alumni and friends mingled on a mild spring day in Due West Saturday, April 13, in celebration of Erskine Alumni Day 2024. At the Alumni Association meeting in the morning, Jane Shelton Dale ’73 received the Alumni Distinguished Service Award; several other awards were presented; changes to the constitution and bylaws were approved; and a special announcement was made to attendees.
The day’s activities were highlighted by an “Erskine Eras Reunion Picnic” on the Mall and included music by Prettier Than Matt (with Jessica Skinner Sims ’09); reunions for the Class of 1964 and the “Class of 1984 & Friends”; a Kids’ Corner on the Mall; a special event for educators, “Teachers Talk Under the Towers”; and a journey through the “History of the Alumni House” with McDonald-Boswell Professor Emeritus Dr. James W. Gettys ’62. A Garnet, Gold & Boom silent auction, scrimmage, and barbeque dinner were also on the day’s agenda.
The Alumni Association meeting in Bowie Chapel was led by Dr. Sanita Cousar ’77, president, who took the podium following a welcome by Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations Paul Bell ’84. Bell told attendees, “We hope you will enjoy one another’s company and end this day with gratitude that Erskine has been a part of your life.” Cousar invited Tripp Boykin ’92 to give the invocation and introduced Erskine President Dr. Steve Adamson, who offered greetings to the assembled alumni.
“We’re just so excited that you all are here,” the president said. “This is a joyous time to thank everybody for what they have done.” Reminding alumni that Erskine's fiscal year ends June 30, he encouraged them to give, thanked them for their support, and expressed gratitude for God's blessings.
Cousar spoke about the Alumni Association Board of Directors’ “busy but fruitful year” in the service of their alma mater. Citing the review and revision of the board’s constitution and bylaws, she recognized Dr. David Danehower ’74, who led this work “with passion, thoroughness, and commitment.”
She also thanked board members who took a leadership role in the Annual Fund Campaign—the Rev. Dr. J. Barry Dagenhart ’82, ’93 (Sem.), Sarah Dagenhart ’82, Jacob DeLuca ’15, Crystal Noble ’01, Michael Noble ’99, and Kenneth Robinson ’78. “I am pleased to report that the Alumni Board’s participation with contributions and pledges is 100 percent,” Cousar said. She noted that $2,057,000.00 had been raised for the Annual Fund to date in the fiscal year 2023-24.
“Thank you to all who have given and to all of you who are going to give after enjoying this wonderful day together!” Cousar said.
A quorum was present, allowing approval of changes to the constitution and bylaws as well as confirmation of a new secretary and a class of new board members.
After the votes, Cousar introduced Erskine’s Vice President for Athletics Ralph Patterson, who announced that a new soccer field is under construction, to be named in honor of former Erskine soccer coach Ralph Lundy. “This project will help out at least 250 of our students,” he said, adding, “Our student athletes deserve it.”
Noting that Erskine College has “a rich history in soccer” because of Ralph Lundy, Patterson introduced the famed coach, who spoke with great feeling about the school he served as a young man (1976-1986). “Erskine cares
about their students. Erskine cares about taking care of their students,” Lundy said. “Erskine grows and develops them, just like they grew and developed me.”
President-elect of the Alumni Board Walker Riley ’18, who presented the alumni awards, began by acknowledging Lundy, saying that among those who follow soccer in South Carolina, “If you hear the name Ralph Lundy, you know that’s a legendary name.”
The Alumni Distinguished Service Award honors service to church, community, profession, and alma mater over a lifetime. Riley paid tribute to recipient Jane Shelton Dale, a retired educator who has been a member of Camden ARP Church in Camden, Alabama, since childhood and has also served the Marion Junction ARP Church. “When she was informed that she had been selected to receive this award,” Riley said, “Jane Shelton’s first words were, ‘Oh, my! I don’t think I deserve that.’”
Dale has served on the ARP Board of Publications as well as on the Women’s Ministries Historical Concerns Committee. She has been a member of Bonclarken Conference Center’s board of trustees and board of advisors and was chair of Bonclarken’s 100th Anniversary Celebration Committee. “She’s done all that even though she lives in Alabama, and Bonclarken is located in Flat Rock, North Carolina!” Riley said.
Nearer her Alabama home, she is active in local historical societies, has chaired the American Legion Auxiliary of Alabama Girls State for more than 30 years, and has been instrumental in the decision of several students from Alabama to attend Erskine College.
“Jane Shelton has served Erskine with fervor,” Riley said. “As the class agent for the Class of 1973, she has helped organize class reunions and smaller gatherings of Erskine friends for 51 years and has no plans to stop.” She has served numerous terms on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, has chaired the Living Endowment campaign twice, and received the Erskine Service Award in 2004. In 2019, she served on the Reconciliation Committee with representatives from the Alumni Board and the Board of Trustees.
“The Alumni Association is pleased to recognize this generous contributor of time, talent, and treasure as our 2024 Distinguished Service Award recipient,” Riley said.
In her brief remarks, Dale said that in her family, loving Due West and supporting Erskine “was just what you did.” Expressing gratitude for her Erskine friends from many generations and decades, she concluded, “The Bible tells us that much is expected from those to whom much is given. I just hope I’ve always done what was expected of me.”
The Outstanding Young Alumni Award, recognizing alumni of the last 15 years who have begun to be a positive and encouraging influence in their church, community, profession, and alma mater, was presented to the Rev. Jennifer Jennings ’16 of Marion, N.C. Currently Associate Pastor to Children and Families at First Baptist Church in Marion—where she is described as “a shining example of a woman in leadership, in service,
and ministry”—she also works with childcare initiatives in Marion. In her nomination of Jennings, Rachel Talbot Reihing ’15 said, “She inspires me every day to be a better neighbor, mother, friend, wife, and believer.” Jennings was unable to attend the meeting. Her mother, the Rev. Amy Jennings, accepted the award on her behalf.
The Erskine Service Award was given to C.E. “Ed” Poore, Jr. ’61. In addition to his 30year military career, he served for 27 years as an auditor for the South Carolina State Department of Revenue, rising to the rank of Chief Auditor of the Sales and Use Tax Division. Active in his church and in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), he has served two terms on the Alumni Board.
“When a call to action is put out…Ed is always the first to respond,” Riley said. “Deeply grateful for his own Erskine experience, Ed makes it a priority to ensure that future students also have the opportunity to attend Erskine.”
Michael Whitehurst, chairman of the Erskine Board of Trustees, received this year’s Honorary Alumni Award. A trustee since 2019 and board chairman since 2021, Whitehurst is the father of Cameron Whitehurst ’17, whose roommate was Riley Walker, the presenter of the award. “While Cameron was here at Erskine, his parents were active members of the Parents’ Council, and you could find them at all of Cameron’s soccer games, cheering on the Flying Fleet and selling concessions,” Riley said, adding that Lisa Whitehurst was “a second mom” to him.
Riley described Whitehurst’s attitude and work ethic. When he began his work as a trustee, “He enthusiastically took on any task assigned and found none too large to tackle or too small to be worthy of his attention.” As chairman, “He insists that the board pursue excellence and generosity and has led by example on both fronts,” Riley said. He told Whitehurst, “In making you an honorary alumnus, the Alumni Association hopes to express to you our gratitude for your leadership, your partnership, and your friendship.”
In her closing remarks, Alumni Association President Dr. Sanita Cousar congratulated the award winners and praised the work of Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations Paul Bell and the Advancement and Alumni Office staff members. The Chamber Singers, conducted by Assistant Professor of Music Dr. Hannah Timms ’14, gave a brief concert and former Alumni Board president E. Phillip Cook ’92 offered a closing prayer.
Incoming members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors are Brooke Clinton ’98; Christen Davis ’98; Thomas Holland ’00; Brian Melancon ’08; and Donald “Trey” Watts ’20. Current board member Mary Pratt Horne ’22 will serve as secretary.
Members completing their terms were recognized, including Peggy Harrill ’76, who served as secretary; Dr. David Danehower ’74, leader of the board’s constitution and bylaws revision efforts; John Wingate ’99, chairman of the Alumni Engagement Committee; Tripp Boykin ’92, who has completed his second two-year term; and Ed Poore ’61, who has also served on the board twice.
2024 MARKS HISTORIC CAMPAIGN FOR WOMEN’S TENNIS
Under the direction of head coach Calhoun Parr, Erskine took home another Conference Carolinas Women’s Tennis Championship in 2024.
Catalyzed by a 14-match winning streak during the regular season, the Fleet rose as high as 16th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association national polls, their highest ranking in program history.
Following a 2-2 start, the team was unbeaten for nearly two months, garnering marquee wins over Anderson University and Lander University. In early March, the Fleet knocked off the nationally ranked Georgia College Bobcats for the first time in program history.
Erskine won its first seven conference matches, capped by a stretch of three consecutive 4-3 wins. Parr credits the team’s “special mental strength” for its success. The Fleet dominated at the Conference Carolinas Tournament, winning the title and compiling a 19-4 record that concluded with an appearance in the NCAA Southeast Regional for the first time since 2021.
THREE PROGRAMS SECURE CONFERENCE CAROLINAS DEVELOPMENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP WINS
One of the unique and growing aspects of Conference Carolinas is the addition of developmental championships, an area in which Erskine’s programs have found immediate success.
Erskine claimed victory at the inaugural Conference Carolinas Developmental Men’s Volleyball championship, held in Due West in 2024. The Fleet dominated at the tournament, sweeping Emmanuel in the semifinals and defeating Belmont Abbey in straight sets and in the title match. Sophomore Allen Faison, with 12 kills in the final two sets of the championship match, was named Tournament MVP.
After falling to Barton in the 2023 championship game, the Erskine Men’s Basketball developmental team returned in 2024 to avenge the loss. The Fleet cruised to the semifinals, securing an 18-point win over Emmanuel. Erskine nailed 16 three-pointers in a 90-64 rout of Belmont Abbey in the semifinals to set up a rematch against Barton in the title game. Led by Tournament MVP Deavion Scales (34 points), Erskine won an overtime thriller over the Bulldogs, earning Fleet Basketball its first developmental title.
Erskine’s developmental baseball team, determined to retain the title earned in 2023,
started strong with wins over Belmont Abbey and King. The Fleet advanced to the semifinals and defeated Barton, held off Southern Wesleyan in the title game, and again secured the Conference Carolinas Developmental Championship. Senior Logan Palma, with a combined 6-for-7 at the plate in the final two rounds, was named Tournament MVP.
TRACK & FIELD DUO JOEY TINDALE AND KATHERINE THOMPSON SHINE IN 2023-24
Sophomore Joey Tindale and senior Katherine Thompson enjoyed memorable indoor and outdoor Track & Field seasons in 2023-24.
At the indoor Conference Carolinas Championships, Tindale won the 1 Mile event, medaled in the 3000m, and was part of the Distance Medley Relay team that finished second. Thompson won the 800m and helped earn a top-5 finish in the women’s DMR.
The pair’s outdoor performances were even more impressive. Tindale was named 2024 Conference Carolinas Male Track Athlete of the Year after winning the 1500m, 5000m, and 10000m, accounting for 30 of 83 points earned by the men. Thompson medaled in the 800m and the 1500m, gaining 12 points for the women’s team.
Both set numerous program records for indoor and outdoor events.
BASEBALL WINS THREE IN CONFERENCE CAROLINAS TOURNAMENT
After a challenging regular season, Erskine entered the conference tournament as the No. 8 seed in the event.
The Fleet defeated Francis Marion, 12-2, in the play-in round to open the tournament and advance into the double elimination portion of the bracket for a rematch against top-seeded North Greenville. The Crusaders had swept Erskine to close out the regular season, but the Fleet won a convincing 9-2 victory at the tournament. UNC Pembroke took down the Fleet the next day, but Erskine showed tremendous resilience, battling its way through the losers’ bracket. Nationally ranked foe and conference newcomer Young Harris awaited Erskine, but a five-run ninth inning helped the Fleet eliminate the Mountain Lions.
A heartbreaking loss in the late innings against Mount Olive ended Erskine’s 2024 season, but this was the first time since 2012 that the Fleet won three games in the Conference Carolinas Tournament, providing unparalleled momentum heading into next year.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL SENIOR CLASS MEMBERS CAP REMARKABLE CAREERS
Senior trio Edgerrin Austin, Francisco Pomar, and Kacper Rybarczyk made a tremendous impact on the Erskine Men’s Volleyball program.
Austin, an outside hitter from Joliet, Illinois, made 98 appearances during his five seasons and played in 336 sets. A three-time All-Conference Carolinas performer, he totaled over 1,100 kills with the Fleet, the second highest number in program history, while also accumulating the fourth highest number of digs in Erskine history.
Pomar, a setter from Ponce, Puerto Rico, began his Erskine career in 2019 and made 88 appearances, totaling nearly 300 sets. He racked up 2,836 assists, by far the most in program history. He was top-five in Erskine history in single-season assists per set in 2023 and 2024 and earned top-10 national rankings in the category both years. An All-Conference Carolinas honoree in 2023, he was the Fleet’s first Off the Block National Setter of the Week in February of that season.
Rybarczyk, an outside hitter from Warsaw, Poland, finished in the top-four in program history in career kills, aces, and digs. Conference Carolinas Offensive Player of the Year and AVCA All-American in 2023 (the second AllAmerican in program history), he started strong in 2024, placing top-15 in the NCAA in aces per set. An injury in March cut his senior season heartbreakingly short. He made 83 appearances in his career, 81 of them starts.
This senior class helped lead the Fleet to top-3 seeds in the Conference Carolinas Tournament in 2023 and 2024, as well as consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2016.
FOOTBALL’S DYLAN BEAUFORD PLAYS RECORD-SETTING SEASON
Erskine Football’s punter Dylan Beauford was named to the 2023 All-South Atlantic Conference Mountain Team after a phenomenal season for the Fleet.
A junior from Newberry, South Carolina, Beauford finished third in NCAA Division II in total punting yards (2697) and 12th in punting average, posting an impressive 42.8 yards per punt. Both statistics led the South Atlantic Conference and set Erskine program records. Beauford placed 8 punts inside the 20-yard line and had 15 punts that traveled 50+ yards.
Beauford became the Fleet’s fourth and final All-SAC honoree, as Erskine transitions into the Gulf South Conference as a football affiliate member for the 2024 season.
UNPLANNED TRIP TO EGYPT SETS HISTORY
PROFESSOR ON PATH TO
BOOK
Assistant Professor of History Dr. Christiane-Marie Abu Sarah, a member of the Erskine College faculty since 2020, is the author of Revolutionary Emotions in Cold War Egypt: Islam, Communism, and Anti-Colonial Protest, published by Bloomsbury Press in May 2024. A behavioral historian and director of the Center for Behavioral and Cognitive History (BACH), she serves as program director for Erskine’s International Studies major.
A PLEA FOR HELP
Late one night back in 2012—when Christiane-Marie Abu Sarah was working as a research associate with the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution (CRDC) at George Mason University—she received what she describes as an “emergency call,” and was drawn into an experience that led eventually to writing her book.
The call came from a professor she worked with at CRDC. While making final preparations for taking a class to Cairo, he learned that his co-instructor’s visa had been denied.
“The Muslim Brotherhood and Islamist Bloc had just swept the Egyptian parliamentary elections, and the Arab Spring protests were going strong,” Abu Sarah recalls, setting the historical context.
“In 12 hours, his class was flying out of D.C. into a very sensitive political situation, with no instructor who could speak Arabic and no instructor who had ever visited Egypt before.”
Abu Sarah had lived in the Middle East for several years, had taken student groups to Egypt, and had studied Arabic in graduate school. When the professor “asked if I’d drop everything and help,” she says, “I threw some clothes in a bag and boarded a flight to Cairo.”
BEING THERE
The turbulent environment in Egypt entailed both difficulties and rewards for Abu Sarah and her students.
“I spent a lot of time on that trip trying to keep students from sneaking out to join the demonstrations,” Abu Sarah says, adding, “One student narrowly missed getting tear-gassed because he was trying to take photos.”
On the other hand, she was able to introduce the class to guest speakers from among “Egyptian students who helped topple the Mubarak regime, Islamist activists, [and] protestors who had been tortured for acts of civil disobedience.”
When she made her unexpected journey to Egypt in 2012, Abu Sarah “had just finished studying the Israeli Black Panthers and the Jewish Defense League and was looking for a new project.” Stepping up to assist the professor “landed me in the right place at the right time to start working on Muslim Brotherhood activism.”
Her new area of study started her down a long path to Revolutionary Emotions
EXPLAINING ACTIVISM
The chapters of Abu Sarah’s book are based on the journals, manifestos, and courtroom testimonies of Egyptian activists
in the 1940s and 1950s, more than 60 years before the young researcher and her students traveled to Egypt during the Arab Spring. This earlier generation of activists fought British rule in Egypt and “eventually toppled the Egyptian monarchy,” she says.
In Revolutionary Emotions, which she describes as a book about “emotions and storytelling in public campaigns,” the author looks at how these activists tried to get others to share their views and considers the darker question of how some of them tried to justify violent acts.
At a recent conference of the American Historical Association, Abu Sarah spoke about a chapter of her book titled “Paul Revere’s Ride through the Suez Canal.”
“It’s a fun chapter about how Egyptians tried to convince the United States to end the British occupation of Egypt by telling stories from American history,” she explains.
“For instance, Egyptians reminded Americans about the Boston Massacre and how George Washington rallied American jihadists to fight British tyranny—yes, Egyptians called the Minutemen mujahidin!” she says, using a word referring to people engaged in jihad
Although the Egyptians’ efforts at persuasion failed, “overall, the chapter has a lot to say about the emotional politics involved in getting people to share your anger or sympathize,” Abu Sarah says.
In another chapter of her book, the author focuses on “emotions and moral values,” an aspect of her work addressed in her 2020 TED talk, “How do daily habits lead to political violence?” In this chapter, she follows two students who colluded in the 1948 assassination of the Egyptian prime minister.
In her TED talk, Abu Sarah explains that she studies “aggression, moral cognition, and decision-making in social movements,” and her chapter on the student assassins illustrates this.
“The chapter explores their murder trials, which involved these fascinating courtroom debates about the young men’s emotions and moral values,”
she says. “To me, a core human question is how we rationalize these kinds of behaviors to ourselves and others—how people can do bad and still feel good.”
TAKEAWAYS
As director of the International Studies program at Erskine, Abu Sarah sees a connection between the new Erskine major and the themes of the book. The book highlights some important skills students need, whatever major they choose.
“It’s great timing that the book is being released right as the International Studies program is launching here on campus, because the book’s core message is about how to communicate with different audiences,” she says. “International Studies is about learning to negotiate with audiences who have different interests, goals, backgrounds—and yes, emotions.”
Asked what students might learn from reading her book, Abu Sarah points out a “practical takeaway,” namely, that “learning to negotiate feelings is an underappreciated job skill.” She adds, “The book’s title—Revolutionary Emotions—refers to the fact that emotions can be a powerful mode of persuasion.”
Thinking about her book in view of what today’s students face, she says, “I think a lot of students come to college because they want to change the world or change their situation,” and notes that students struggle with deciding “What major should I study, which groups should I join, where should I go after graduation?”
The Egyptian students in Abu Sarah’s book “wrestled with the same problems,” she believes, and lived in a rapidly changing world.
“But the leaders and groups who were successful became experts in people—they figured out how to be flexible and adapt quickly without compromising their core values,” she says. “That’s what the book—and that’s what International Studies—is all about.”
FACULTY INFLUENCE, CURIOSITY FUELED HIS SUCCESS
In his first year at Erskine, Justin Glover ’17, who graduated with a triple major, was working on just one major. Urged by a professor to challenge himself, he added a second major, then a third. His horizons expanded.
Glover started as a physics major. He says the late Dr. Howard Thomas, who retired as Young Professor Emeritus of Chemistry and Physics, “converted me to the chemistry major.”
In addition to Thomas’s enthusiasm for chemistry—“He always seemed happy and excited”—he had an eye for assessing students’ progress. Glover was getting good grades but not applying himself. He believes Thomas “saw that and naturally loved to guide students to new heights.”
Willing to be guided, Glover took his professor’s advice. “I remember sitting in his office, looking in the catalog at the classes I needed to take over the next four years.” Knowledge of both chemistry and physics would be essential for Glover in grad school and beyond.
When Glover joined a research group offered by Dr. Joel Boyd, then an Erskine chemistry professor, he began considering materials science, which “isn’t one of the most common fields,” he says. Curiosity drew him. “I realized I didn’t understand what was going on in the materials I was working with and that intrigued me.”
Associate Professor of Chemistry and Physics Dr. Tiffany Hayden, Associate Professor of Physics Dr. Ekaterina Michonova, and Assistant
Professor of Mathematics Dr. Catherine White also made an impact on the young undergraduate.
“Justin was more math- and physics-focused in his chemistry classes and so he ‘tolerated’ my classes that are more pre-med-focused. He still did an outstanding job,” Hayden says.
Glover assisted with a physics lab for Michonova and served as a Supplemental Instruction (SI) leader for general physics, with the latter role affecting his future in two ways.
“I met my wife, Rachel Lloyd, for the first time in that SI,” he says, and the two later began dating. Working as an SI leader made him realize “I didn’t want to go to grad school for teaching.” Instead, he wanted to “apply my knowledge to solve problems.”
The third major for Glover was mathematics. “I like to say I accidentally got a triple major, but I was already looking at engineering in grad school and thought more math would help.”
White, who taught most of Glover’s math classes, “was the one who brought the idea of grad school down to earth for me,” he says.
“Justin and I often joked about how unmotivated he was as a freshman in calculus,” White says. “He was by no means my worst student, but he definitely wasn’t the best.”
White considers Glover “a prime example of how sometimes you need a little time to find your motivation and purpose in life,” and says, “It’s so
encouraging to know how much Justin has achieved since his freshman year, and I’m so glad to have been part of his journey.”
Glover’s journey continued as he married and entered graduate school. “Rachel and I got married in June 2018, with Rachel graduating a month or so before that,” he says.
His advanced study was not a reprise of freshman calculus, in which his lack of motivation became a joke. Still, he says, the hardest thing about grad school is “maintaining motivation.”
Glover lists obstacles to motivation with characteristic humor. “The classes are hard, there is always more to do for your research project, everyone is questioning what you are thinking, you feel like an idiot a lot, and you are choosing to be there,” he says. “It’s like trying to do three majors’ worth of work at the same time. I guess I got some experience in that at Erskine!”
On a more serious note, “Getting a taste of research at Erskine helped,” he says. The senior seminar resembled “doing a research project and defending it” in grad school.
Having earned a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Kentucky, Glover works for “a specialty polymer and chemical company that produces a portfolio of high-performance polymers,” using knowledge gained in all three majors.
Imagining a world without polymers, Glover muses, “Walls wouldn’t have paint, I couldn’t be typing right now, cars would have to be made of only wood and metal.”
Asked about environmental concerns in his field, Glover calls that topic “a big subject in the industry.” Decisions based on environmental factors “happen all the time,” and “there is constant work to utilize recycled content in materials,” he says.
“Just the other day, I was having a conversation about a material that was in development for an application related to electric cars,” he says. “It performed great in the application but had a poor greenhouse gas emissions to production ratio. It likely will not be utilized due to the environmental concerns.”
Now living on the northeast side of Atlanta with his wife Rachel Lloyd Glover ’18, a summa cum laude graduate in biology, Glover reports, “We are doing great. We bought a house with a few acres and Rachel is working on turning it into a hobby farm.”
Maybe we’ll hear more about that hobby farm soon.
ROB KUYKENDALL
We give to Erskine because education enriches lives and strengthens the church. Erskine is fulfilling an important mission of the church.
My liberal arts education at Erskine proved to be excellent preparation for further studies in Mechanical and Structural Engineering. Very few of my fellow engineering students had the breadth of experience that I was blessed to have, and that enabled me to succeed in my career in technical problem solving.
I am fortunate to work for a firm that matches its employee contributions to institutions such as Erskine, increasing the benefit of our giving. Many companies do. I encourage other donors to contact their company’s human resources officer to take advantage of a matching gifts program that may be in place.
- Rob Kuykendall ’94
Rob Kuykendall ’94 and family
LITHUANIA AT LAST: THE CHORALEERS MAKE A MEANINGFUL JOURNEY
Four years after their planned trip was called off, the Erskine Choraleers traveled to Lithuania this spring on a mission trip in cooperation with World Witness missionaries Frank and Emily Van Dalen.
The Choraleers first visited Lithuania, a Baltic country, in 2017, and a return trip was originally scheduled for the spring of 2020.
“The 2020 trip was also supposed to be with the Van Dalens, but was canceled due to COVID,” says Assistant Professor of Music Dr. Hannah Timms ’14. “People who had donated for 2020 let us keep the money and use it for this trip, which helped a lot!”
The singers performed in the cities of Kedainiai, Kaunas, and Vilnius. Their days in Lithuania included Easter Sunday. “We are so thankful for the ministry of the Choraleers in Lithuania during Easter,” says Emily Van Dalen. “They came at a time when we were in particular need of encouragement.”
The missionaries’ concerns, related to the proximity of the war in Ukraine, included the needs of refugees attending their services, the military conscription of some of the young people they serve, and the atmosphere of uncertainty in which international students wonder whether they will be able to complete their studies.
In view of such difficulties, the Van Dalens asked themselves, “How can we best communicate the enduring hope that we have in Christ? How do we nurture an unshakable faith in God’s goodness and care?”
Then came the Choraleers.
“We were very clear when discussing this trip that this was not simply a trip to Europe, but rather a trip targeted at spreading the Good News and love of Jesus Christ,” says senior Jonathan Claxton, the ensemble’s president at the time.
Keeping their high purpose in mind, the Choraleers focused on building relationships and “singing the goodness of God,” as Claxton describes their musical efforts.
The Van Dalens arranged for the Choraleers to meet with students from a local university. “These students came from all over the world, including India and Kenya,” Claxton recalls. “We played games, we laughed, we ate, and we sang with our new friends.”
In addition to fun and conversation, says Claxton, “several of my friends shared their testimonies in front of the group.” As a result, some of the university students offered their own testimonies of faith.
Conducted by Associate Professor of Music Dr. Keith Timms ’84, the Choraleers gave concerts in three churches, “singing the goodness of God,” ministering to their audiences, and garnering some amazing memories.
Emily Van Dalen cited an especially moving piece in the Choraleers’ repertoire— “All Things New,” a composition by Elaine Hagenberg with lyrics by the 19th-century English poet Frances Ridley Havergal (with a
refrain adapted by the composer from Rev. 21:5-6). “This Easter message sung by the Choraleers was especially sweet,” she says.
Elizabeth Sims, a 2021 graduate who sang in the Choraleers and Chamber singers as a student, joined the Choraleers on the trip and sang with the choir. “While in Lithuania, we were able to communicate the message of Christ and his love for us strictly through music. To see people who barely understood English weeping over a song we sang is indescribable,” she says. “I will remember this trip and the lives we touched for the rest of my life.”
Maggie Simmons, a rising junior from Clemson, S.C., says “the music side of mission work [was] a completely different experience” for her. Singing in front of an audience and “seeing all the emotions on their faces” was a highlight of her time in Lithuania.
“Lithuania was a really good spiritual experience for me,” says James Thomas, a 2024 graduate from Lexington, S.C., who led the singing of the alma mater at commencement. “I loved being able to go around to different churches and see how Lithuanian Christians worshipped.” His favorite church was the Van Dalens’ church in Kaunas, which “seemed to be revitalized in certain ways.”
Alluding to that revitalization, Claxton notes that missionary Frank Van Dalen “walked us around their church in Kaunus and showed us how much potential the building had for helping people.” Explaining that the structure had been used as a beer hall by the Soviets, he “highlighted the need to use the space for the Gospel,” Claxton said, whether by hosting worship services or housing refugees.
“Our trip to Lithuania was a wonderful experience filled with fellowship, worship, exploring new places, learning about their history, admiring the architecture and trying delicious new foods,” says Stephanie Casanova, a rising senior from Valencia, Venezuela. “This trip was enriching for us, and we hope our singing and presence were meaningful for the Lithuanians as well.”
The Choraleers’ visit was greatly appreciated and is already bearing fruit, the Van Dalens say.
“Lithuania is such a small country and most people don’t even know where it is. So it surprises our friends to hear that a choir from America is coming here instead of places like London, Paris, or Berlin. They feel noticed and loved,” Emily Van Dalen explains.
The Van Dalens welcomed two first-time visitors to their international service after the Choraleers’ Good Friday concert in Kaunas, and one of them, who has almost no background in Christianity, “has come to every church event since that concert,” she says.
“It was a long way for the Choraleers to come for one week,” Emily Van Dalen says. “But it had such an impact on us!”
ON THE MOVE: H.M. YOUNG RING WINNER NEAL BLANK
“I was flabbergasted, my parents were flabbergasted,” says Neal Blank ’24, recalling the moment when his name was announced as the winner of Erskine’s H.M. Young Ring, the highest honor given to a senior. Seated with the Class of 2024 “Under the Towers” on that drizzly commencement day, he simply stood up as instructed—and smiled.
Neal’s accomplishments give him a lot to smile about. Chosen for a U.S. Department of State (DOS) Student Internship last fall, he has since completed his internship and graduated summa cum laude—not to mention his semester in Scotland, where he studied at the University of St. Andrews and in his spare time scrambled to apply for the State Department position.
“I was a little bit clueless going in,” Neal says of the DOS internship. “I had an idea about maybe diplomatic work. That was really all I knew.”
His studies at Erskine, where he completed a double major in History and Psychology, “helped to give me good background on the culture” of the areas where he was assigned, he says. His work was mainly focused on three countries.
“Interns were given a lot more responsibility than I expected,” he admits. During his internship, he wrote a statement for his team “and the team pushed that up and I got to hear my own writing as a White House release.”
Meanwhile, Neal is now in his second year with South Carolina’s prison system as an Office of Behavioral Health Continuous Quality Management Intern. A member of the Behavioral Health team, he conducts high-risk reviews for prisoners in danger of committing suicide.
“They have a good tracking system,” he says. “They have created a list of
factors that might make an inmate more prone to considering suicide— for example, a death in the family, an interaction with a guard.”
Neal served as an intern throughout the school year. “Even when I was working with the Department of State, after my work for DOS during the day, I would work on my schoolwork for Erskine during the evenings and put in 10 to 12 hours with the Behavioral Health team on the weekends,” he says. “It was probably the hardest I have worked in my life.”
He was once able to take two days off during that busy time, “but I paid for it,” he says ruefully.
Post-commencement, he puts in up to 40 hours a week as a paid intern. He does some work online, but now, he says, “I actually go to the various prisons.”
What’s next for Neal? He plans to begin a graduate program in clinical psychology and believes this advanced study “will make me a better candidate if I decide to move in the direction of the State Department or the Foreign Service.” He has been accepted to California Baptist University’s Clinical Psychology Doctorate Program, which he describes as more clinically focused, less focused on research.
“It’s a five-year, APA-certified program, with the third and fourth years in practicum experience, and the fifth year is a clinical internship,” he says. When he finishes the program, he will have a doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis in forensic psychology.
Neal is grateful for his Erskine experience. After the commencement ceremony, he gave his “Stole of Gratitude” to Assistant Professor of History Dr. Christiane-Marie Abu Sarah, who encouraged him to apply for the Department of State internship and assisted him with that process. “I would not be where I am if not for her.”
Seminary Graduate Wendy Childress
I enrolled in the Doctor of Ministry program at Erskine Theological Seminary while still active in the military. The respect and understanding the Erskine staff and professors gave me as a military chaplain, and their appreciation for the demands of a military career, truly helped as I set my mind to navigating rigorous academic studies. With the aid of a chaplaincy scholarship, Erskine provided me with the opportunity to complete my degree successfully.
Giving is a part of my nature—time, talent, and finances. I share in the pride of those who walk across the stage to receive their degrees, both the young people who have invested years of hard work and the seasoned people who thought they would never finish. Won’t you help? Your support is so important to the success of the students who attend Erskine.
- Rev. Dr. Wendy Childress ’21 (Sem.)
Join Wendy in making a difference for students in Erskine's college and seminary programs! Give today at www.erskine.edu/giving/
DID YOU KNOW?
You can find alumni resources at alumni.erskine.edu
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Interested in serving on the Alumni Board? Fill out the form to nominate yourself! Or, nominate other alumni you believe would serve well. Go to alumni.erskine. edu/nominations/
Visit your Erskine alumni site!
STORIES WORTH PRESERVING:
Sharon George ’24 was a Presidential Scholar pursuing a triple major in History, Psychology, and Bible and Religion when she was awarded a research grant for her project “Holy Textiles: The Relationship between the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (MECS) and Upstate South Carolina Textile Mills.”
OPPORTUNITY BECKONS
Sharon applied for the grant through the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) Undergraduate Student/Faculty Research Program. Working with her on the project was McDonald-Boswell Associate Professor of History Dr. John Harris
“The SCICU program looks for the best undergraduate researchers in the state,” Harris says. “Sharon is one of Erskine’s very best and so I encouraged her to apply.”
Sharon learned about the program from Harris and Assistant Professor of History Dr. Christiane-Marie Abu Sarah. She had already completed her required senior thesis and would not receive course credit for her SCICU project. “A stipulation of the grant is that you cannot receive course credit for the work that’s completed in the funding period,” Sharon says.
Seizing her chance, Sharon worked with Harris to get the application together during spring break in 2022.
Once the proposal was submitted, “It was evaluated by a team of faculty members from SCICU member institutions representing various discipline areas and selected for funding,” says SCICU Director of Finance and Administration Brenda Torrence.
MILL VILLAGES, VILLAGE CHURCHES
Harris, who served as supervising professor for the research, was impressed with Sharon’s idea for the project, which she summarizes as “looking at the way the South Carolina Methodist Episcopal Church, South interacted with textile mills and the surrounding mill villages in the upstate of South Carolina in the early 1900s.”
Sharon drew on knowledge gained in at least two of her three majors. “The project combines Sharon’s strengths as a history major and a Bible and religion major,” Harris says. “And getting paid to do historical research—what could be better?”
About 40 percent of the research materials Sharon used are available in digital format, but she traveled to look at the rest.
Her most intense research experience for the project, she says, was also the most eventful. Two days before she planned to go to the University of South Carolina to examine archives in the South Caroliniana Library, her car broke down.
However, with a little family assistance, she managed to spend nearly a week looking at microfilm versions of the Southern Christian Advocate, the newspaper of the South Carolina Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Her trip was productive despite
TRIPLE MAJOR’S RESEARCH INSPIRES HER
logistical problems. She had consulted with Harris in advance on making the most of her time in Columbia as well as ensuring that “I understood what I was looking at,” she says.
A little closer to her campus home in Due West was Sharon’s work at the Anderson County Museum and the Anderson County Library, where she learned about mills and churches in the area. Anderson County includes the city of Honea Path—where the Chiquola Mill Massacre took place— and Pelzer, also a mill town. She has done additional research at the library in her hometown of Spartanburg, a city where “the remains of the textile industry are very visible,” she says.
GETTING INSPIRED, GAINING EXPERIENCE
Sharon wasn’t always comfortable with what she learned as she conducted her research. “I’ve uncovered some parts of this history that aren’t nearly as happy as I would like, and that’s to be expected,” she says, citing the silence of some Christians in the aftermath of the Chiquola Mill Massacre, an armed dispersal of a strike in 1934 in which seven workers were killed.
While her investigations sometimes revealed regrettable aspects of history, Sharon’s research inspired her to consider becoming an archivist. “I really want to preserve the past and keep it accessible for future historians,” she
says. “These are the stories of people and their lives, and I don’t think we should underestimate the importance of preserving them.”
Sharon presented her research at the SCICU Research Program Symposium Feb. 22, 2024. Meanwhile, she had applied for a job as Children’s, Youth, and Family Coordinator for Grace Episcopal Church in Anderson, S.C., where she began working part-time in January 2024. In that role, she experienced a nudge toward a new path.
On commencement day, it was announced that Sharon had tied with Ben Headley for highest average in the Class of 2024, won the Mary Mildred Sullivan Award, and received Departmental Honors in her three majors. By then, having gained some work experience, her plans had changed.
Sensing that "God was calling me to move in a different direction," away from her interest in archives, she made the transition from part-time to full-time ministry at Grace "the day after graduation."
This fall, Sharon plans to begin a course of study at Erskine Theological Seminary, working toward a Master of Arts in Practical Ministry with an emphasis on family and youth ministry.
ERSKINE CHEF SHINES IN COMPETITION
Raleigh Davenport ’12, Assistant Manager for Aramark in Erskine’s Moffatt Dining Hall, brought his culinary talents to the Aramark Culinary Excellence (ACE) Competition in March, earning fourth place.
Fifty-four Aramark chefs were nominated from the southeast region— encompassing South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida—but only 18 were chosen to compete and were divided into two groups of nine. Davenport, nominated by Aramark district manager Kevin Ingham, made the cut and was scheduled to compete March 7 at Berry College in Georgia.
Initially, Davenport was nervous about the ACE event, which he says “was like a Chopped competition,” referencing the Food Network cooking show. “We had an hour to prepare a whole chicken that we had to use as our main ingredient, while working with a common pantry.”
Although this was Davenport’s first cooking competition, he is no newcomer to the kitchen. He began working in Moffatt Dining Hall in 2006 as a dishwasher while he was still in high school. After graduating from Erskine in 2012 with a B.S. in Business Administration, Davenport continued working for Aramark at Erskine, under the mentorship of Aramark General Manager Randy Moore, who began working at Erskine in 1996.
Both Davenport and Moore earned accolades in 2023, with Moore named General Manager of the Year for the Southeast Region of Aramark Collegiate Hospitality and Davenport receiving Aramark’s South Carolina Culinarian of the Year award.
As the ACE competition neared, Davenport practiced for the event with assistance from Moore. “Randy helped prepare me for the competition,” he says, “from giving me an entire day to practice fabricating and evaluating my recipe to helping me adjust my recipe based on time and taste.”
On the day of the competition, five members of the Erskine community traveled to Berry College to support Davenport: Erskine President Dr. Steve Adamson and First Lady Von Adamson; Events Coordinator Ginger Pitts and Alan Pitts, who serves in Erskine’s archives; and Vice President for Operations and Strategic Planning Bobby Clarke.
Working with cameras and spectators nearby was a new experience for Davenport, but he found he was able to focus on his cooking and tune out the distractions. “As soon as the kitchen judges told me I could start, I was in my element,” he says.
Competitors were evaluated by four judges—one kitchen judge checking for food safety and three tasting judges. Davenport’s dish was Parmesan and Red Pepper Chicken Roulade with a Thyme Cream Sauce, Parmesan Mashed Red Bliss Potatoes, and a Blistered Tomato-Arugula Salad with an Apple Cider Vinaigrette. The dish earned him his fourth-place finish at the competition.
“Overall, the experience was a lot of fun,” Davenport says. “When I was first told that I was selected to compete I was super nervous, but practicing helped put some of my nervousness aside and when the competition began, I was ready to go. To place fourth in my first competition was incredible!”
When I reflect on my days at Erskine, I am thankful. Erskine reminds me of the value of lifelong friendships, the importance of a rich history, and the blessing of a thorough education. My husband and I give monthly to Erskine in hopes that others can develop their gifts and grow to find their place in this world. This is a small way to give back to a place that has made a mark on my life.
Attending my 40th reunion this spring, I was encouraged to experience the connection of old and new friends—reminders of where Erskine has been and is going—and I took time to visit with some of the current outstanding education professors. Erskine is in good hands!
- Katherine McGill Taylor ’84
At the McGill Store in Clover, S.C., from right, Katherine McGill Taylor ’84, her college roommate Roxanne Ackerman Spencer ’84, Katherine's mother Ruth McGill, and friends Elizabeth McGill Cross ’83 and Mary Parkinson Connor ’82
HISTORY PROFESSOR CHOSEN FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD
Associate Professor of History Dr. Alessandra Brivio was one of 21 professors from member colleges honored by South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) at its 2024 Excellence in Teaching Awards dinner April 9 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, Columbia, S.C.
Each year, SCICU recognizes outstanding faculty members from each of its member schools. The awardees are each given a $3,000 professional development grant.
Brivio, who joined the Erskine College faculty in 2018, teaches courses in world civilizations, ancient Greek and Roman history, medieval history, renaissance and reformation, the Italian renaissance, and the history of medicine and disease. She serves as chair of the Department of History and Political Science and is the faculty representative to the Erskine Board of Trustees.
Her research focuses on biopolitics and popular responses during early modern plague epidemics. She is currently working on a manuscript titled “Between the Devil and the Holy Water: Plague Spreaders, Demonic
Conspiracies, and Public Health in 17th-Century Milan.” A member of the Renaissance Society of America, she regularly presents her research at national conferences.
In 2021, Brivio’s faculty colleagues celebrated her achievements and leadership in the classroom with the Younts Excellence in Teaching Award.
Brivio, a native of Italy and an avid cook, regularly invites students to her family’s home in Due West to share a meal and learn about Italian culture and traditions.
EDUCATION PROFESSOR, STUDENTS MAKE PRESENTATIONS AT CEC CONFERENCE
Erskine College alumna and Associate Professor of Education
Dr. Sarah Little ’06 and special education majors Kalea Hamilton, Adrienne Raines, and Reilly Ward all made presentations at this year’s South Carolina Council for Exceptional Students (CEC) Conference March 1-2 in North Myrtle Beach.
“We attended sessions Friday and Saturday, were able to connect with special education teachers and administrators from across the state, and sampled different curriculum materials,” Little reports.
From left, Dr. Sarah Little, Adrienne Raines, Kalea Hamilton, and Reilly Ward
Little’s presentation was called “Putting the Fun in Executive Functioning.” She reviewed such key “executive functioning skills” as emotional control, planning and prioritizing, and goal-directed persistence; identified “areas of the classroom and within the school day” where deficits in such skills adversely affect students; and advocated use of popular board and card games “to teach and reinforce these skills.”
The Erskine students made up three of the 19 student presenters at the CEC conference.
Sophomore Adrienne Raines’s presentation was “More than a Checklist: Building Executive Function Skills for Post-High School Success.”
Reflecting on her own school experience, Adrienne says she has been her own advocate and has learned much about herself and “how to stand up for what I need.” When she becomes a teacher, she hopes to “stand up for what my kids need” and “teach them to advocate for themselves in school.”
Adrienne, who has wanted to be a teacher for as long as she can remember, says her interest in special education developed in high school. “I shadowed a special education teacher at Hendrix Elementary in Boiling Springs, South Carolina,” she recalls. “Since that visit, I have known that special education was my calling. Special education has my heart and always will have.”
Juniors Kalea Hamilton and Reilly Ward gave a joint presentation, “Beyond Basic Accommodations: Overcoming Processing Challenges in the Classroom.”
While working in the classroom, Reilly and Kalea “have seen many kids get frustrated,” Reilly says. “So we wanted to take a little deeper dive into how the brain works and how we could make different accommodations and ways to better help these students. This was my first presentation at a conference like this and I loved it!”
“The conference was great,” says Kalea. “We learned a lot about different topics in education and how to be better advocates for our students. The conference offered a ton of resources to us and networking opportunities as well.”
After the presentations at the conference, Little explains, “students participated in ‘speed interviews’ with districts across the state,” and Erskine’s attendees planned visits with some of the schools.
Kalea makes a joking reference to the interviews, saying that her favorite part of the conference was the “speed dating,” and says, on a more serious note, “I made some great contacts and got some handy pointers for future interviews.”
Summing up her thoughts about the CEC conference, Reilly says, “I genuinely enjoyed the whole experience and meeting with mentors and peers. I will be able to take this experience with me throughout my whole teaching career and I cannot wait!”
According to the organization’s website, the mission of the South Carolina Council for Exceptional Children is “to improve the educational outcomes and quality of life of individuals with exceptionalities and their families through the actions of professionals, advocates, and other agencies.”
CHEMISTRY STUDENTS PRESENT RESEARCH AT ACS
John Paul (JP) Bell, Ariel Bishop, and Harvee Patel presented their summer research results in the undergraduate poster session at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring 2024 National Meeting March 17-19 in New Orleans, Louisiana, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Physics Dr. Tiffany Hayden reports.
“We are thankful for the Erskine Center for Environmental Stewardship (ECES) and the Bell Enrichment Fund*, which have funded summer research activities for more than a decade,” Hayden says.
“Attending chemistry conferences and meetings is a great chance for students to network, hear about cutting-edge research, and learn about opportunities and careers in chemistry.”
*The late Charles and Edna Bell, members of the Chester ARP Church, were not Erskine alumni, but chose to invest in the lives of Erskine students, faculty, and staff members with a generous gift which provides nearly $400,000 annually for special projects. In addition to the summer research program for chemistry and biology, the Bell Enrichment Fund supported the following endeavors last year:
• Remodeling of the Bowie Arts Center
• Phase 1 of the Erskine History Museum development
• Access to counseling for students at Due West Family Medicine
• Technology for Fleet Fellowship (chapel and convocation)
• Faculty and staff development
• Tuesday night dinners in Moffatt Dining Hall for Erskine faculty, staff, and families
• Fine arts programming
• Seminars and conferences for pastors provided by the seminary
We are grateful for the many ways in which the Bell Enrichment Fund has enhanced Erskine's community life for more than two decades.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS WORK MASTERS TOURNAMENT
Two Erskine College seniors worked in partnership support at the Masters Tournament in August, Ga., this spring. Enrique “Quique” Boldo Sorribes, left, of Castellón, Spain, was a member of the Men’s Golf Team and a cum laude graduate in Business Administration. Victoria Carrera, right, of Mexico City, Mexico, was a member of the Women’s Golf Team and is slated to graduate in August with a double major in Business Administration and Sport Management.
FLOWER & GARDEN SHOW BRINGS ALUMNI, FRIENDS, AND
The 2nd Annual Erskine Flower & Garden Show May 18 drew a crowd of some 350 people to the campus, up from about 200 in 2023. “We had visitors from as far away as Atlanta, Georgia, who came specially for this event,” says Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations Paul Bell ’84
Featured guest for this year’s show was Dr. Martin Hamilton, executive director of the South Carolina Botanical Garden at Clemson University.
“In addition to providing excellent practical information on sustainable gardening and landscaping, Dr. Hamilton has inspired Erskine to seek to have the campus declared an accredited arboretum,” Bell says, noting that such a distinction could “increase the number of visitors to campus and open doors to grants to maintain Erskine’s abundance of beautiful trees.”
Bell says Erskine invites “a select group of vendors offering plants, flowers, artwork, and food” to the Flower & Garden Show and “brings expert workshop leaders covering an array of topics that ranged this year from raising a backyard vegetable garden to how to appreciate, manage, and make practical use of bamboo.”
The workshop entitled “A Walk on the Wild Side: Edible & Useful Plants of the Upstate,” which Bell says has been getting rave reviews, “wasn’t simply a lecture in an auditorium.” Participants went on a walk with presenter Chris Redding, sampling plants along the way.
Erskine alumni Dr. Robert M. Alexander ’73 and H. Neil Richardson ’72 led workshops, Bell says. ”Robert’s was on growing roses, and Neil’s was on growing daylilies.”
Sadie Bradley ’23 and Cal Boykin ’23 performed live music on the Watkins Student Center porch as visitors enjoyed vendors’ displays on the Erskine Mall.
An Erskine book sale was also part of the day’s offerings. Alan Pitts, husband of staff member Ginger Pitts, works on projects for Erskine’s archives and library. He says many people were interested in the books, and several volumes are being held for prospective buyers.
Pitts cites a Harper’s Magazine set, “with its deep emerald-green covers and bright gold lettering,” as especially attractive, adding, “Several people were tempted by The Complete Letters of Vincent van Gogh, a three-volume cased set published in 1959.”
Pleased by this year’s success, Bell says, “By the end of the weekend, I had started a notebook of ideas for the 3rd Annual Erskine Flower and Garden Show.”
NEW ERSKINE SOCCER FIELD TO BE NAMED FOR RALPH LUNDY
A new Erskine College soccer field, to be named for former Erskine soccer coach Ralph Lundy, is now in the early stages of construction, Vice President for Athletics Ralph Patterson reports. “Naming our new soccer venue for Ralph Lundy is a great way to bring together people who love Erskine,” he says.
Lundy, who is married to Erskine alumna Elizabeth Knight Lundy ’84, came to the campus for Alumni Day 2024. He cherishes a special love for the Due West school where, from 1976 to 1986, he led the Flying Fleet to seven district titles and three NAIA National Tournaments.
Slipping a garnet Erskine shirt over his clothing as he stood near the podium at the Alumni Association meeting, Lundy spoke with great feeling, crediting Erskine with encouraging his growth as a young soccer coach. “Erskine cares about their students. Erskine cares about taking care of their students,” he told the assembled alumni and friends. “They grow and develop them, just like they grew and developed me.”
“Erskine had a great tradition in both men’s and women’s soccer,” Patterson says. “Ralph Lundy created winning programs that Erskine alumni and friends remember with pride, and building this new field will give our new soccer coaches a chance to recruit higher caliber student athletes so that we can return to having elite soccer programs.”
After the Alumni Association meeting, Lundy coached the alumni team for the Alumni Day match. “Coach Lundy was able to share stories with us about the history and success of the program,” says Women’s Soccer
Coach Lucy Hutto ’17, who played on the alumni team. “Hosting an alumni game on Alumni Day was a great start to reconnecting past players to the program. This is an exciting time to be a part of Erskine Soccer!”
Patterson is excited about the benefits of the Lundy Field project. “Ralph Lundy Field will be the home of Erskine men’s and women’s soccer and will be available for all of our students who participate in intramurals,” he says. “It will also allow our soccer coaches to host soccer activities for the community.”
To contribute to the project, visit www.erskine.edu/giving/ralph-lundy-field/ or scan the QR code.
Architectural rendering
SEEING WHAT OTHERS DO NOT: ALUMNA ANNA PRICE
Anna Price sees an asset where others might see a liability.
“I was born healthy and grew up like any average child. But in the fourth grade my teacher noticed that I was having vision issues and encouraged my parents to take me to an optometrist,” Anna recalls.
Several doctor visits and an MRI later, it was discovered that she had a brain tumor on her optic chiasm, the part of the brain where the optic nerves cross. Following a visit to Johns Hopkins and rounds of chemotherapy, her tumor had shrunk, but she was left legally blind.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it—the struggle has been tough,” Anna admits. “God’s plans continue to win out over my own plans. The road has been very humbling. Yet God has also used my struggles to help me learn more about myself, draw me closer to trust in Him, and even set me out on a mission to help others.”
Because of her personal experience of battling cancer, Anna began advocating for children with pediatric cancer by speaking at fundraisers during high school. Eventually, she switched her focus to advocacy for the blind and those with other disabilities.
“During college I was blessed to be a counselor at a summer camp for the blind,” she says. “From my own experience, I could show others that [being] blind doesn’t mean you can’t accomplish your goals in life,” she says.
“To this day I continue to work with high school students who have disabilities and the struggles that accompany those disabilities,” Anna says, noting that she passes on to others the lessons she has learned through her struggles.
“While some people I counsel are in a state of lament, I teach them that good can come out of bad situations and that there’s a vast difference between happiness and joy in this life. Happiness is situational and temporary, but joy is an eternal gift from God.”
Today she works with the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina, but her mission extends even further.
“Now I advocate for issues of accessibility among people with various disabilities, not just the blind,” she says. “And, providentially, my seminary professors taught me how to communicate the Gospel so that it is accessible to many different types of people. So I try to weave those goals together as often as I have the opportunity.”
Not only has Anna traveled around her own state of South Carolina and lobbied at the Statehouse, she also addressed the U.S. Congress in 2021, and in 2023 led a group to Washington, D.C. There she and her team met with both senators and representatives to discuss legislation for disability income, medical device accessibility, screen reading software, and website accessibility.
Anna also advocates within the church. She believes that her own disability makes her more aware of and sensitive to the needs of others and how churches can meet those needs.
“It takes a change in mindset to be able to see the issues people with disabilities are facing,” she explains. “Some Christians can feel excluded from churches because accommodations are not made, such as enhanced audio systems for hearing needs or large-print bulletins for visual needs.
“It takes patience and a desire to listen to others, learn from others, and work
2023 Seminary graduates Anna Price and Joe Allen Suddeth
with others, so that accommodating fellow Christians doesn’t make them feel like they’re somehow a burden on the congregation,” she says. “Overcoming obstacles for members with disabilities is a very practical way for churches to demonstrate Christ’s love for His people.”
Whether she’s on a national platform meeting with high-profile politicians or serving at her local church, Anna’s faith continues to inform her mission to advocate for those with disabilities.
“Learning to love people who are different from us is part of the reconciliation and unity we are called to in the Gospel,” she says.
After periods of doubts, questions, and struggles, she now acknowledges that her disability has become a blessing. “God is using what I once believed was a weakness and hindrance in my life to provide strength and support to the lives of others. His wisdom is amazing!”
Anna Price, who earned a Bachelor of Arts at Erskine College in 2020 and a Master of Arts in Practical Ministry at Erskine Seminary in 2023, serves as South Carolina Legislative Director and formerly served as Vice President of the Communities of Faith Division at the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina. She also works as a Transitions Specialist with Success Transitions and volunteers with the special needs ministry at her church in Columbia, S.C.
A GRATEFUL EXIT: LONGTIME BIBLE PROFESSOR RETIRES
“After 31 years teaching at Erskine College, my predominant emotion is one of deep gratitude,” says Younts Professor of Bible and Religion Dr. William B. Evans, who joined the faculty in 1993.
Grateful for “a teaching position at a Christian liberal arts college,” “the opportunity to do research,” and “gifted and collegial faculty colleagues,” Evans is especially thankful for “the wonderful students it has been my privilege to teach.”
Students have remained front and center for Evans, whether they are fulfilling a requirement by taking a Bible course or majoring in Bible and Religion.
Introductory Bible courses help ensure that all Erskine students, not just Bible majors, attain a measure of biblical literacy. “I’ve spent about half my course time servicing the introductory Old and New Testament survey courses, so that’s certainly been a key aspect of my sense of calling and mission here,” he says.
Observing the effects of shifting societal norms on college students, Evans created and taught a class focused on those issues. “One of the courses many Religion majors have taken is my ‘Religion and Contemporary American Culture,’ affectionately known as ‘RACAC,’ where we engage cultural trends on both sociology-of-religion and theological levels,” he says.
Offered every two years since the mid-1990s, “RACAC” was revised frequently “to keep up and help students make sense of the cultural changes they are experiencing,” Evans says. “But that sort of exposure is essential, especially for students who want to go into Christian ministry.”
Evans joined the faculty in an era when many Erskine professors lived in Due West, and he and his family made their home near the campus. He and his wife Fay often invited students into their home, and their hospitality has made an impact on many undergraduates.
“Dr. Evans respected and deeply cared for each of his students and this deep regard was exemplified through shared meals with his wife and fellow Bible and religion majors,” says Olivia Allen ’25, citing “sweet conversations” about Evans’s children and grandchildren as well as about students’ endeavors.
“He and his wife took a personal interest in his students and had us into their home on several occasions, which represent some of my fondest memories of Erskine,” Christina Land Cook ’11 recalls.
Once word got out that Evans was retiring, some of his students organized a farewell gathering for him on Alumni Day, offering some hospitality of their own.
Reflecting on their time spent in Evans’s classes, his former students emphasize various characteristics of his teaching.
“Through his love for students, caution in approaching loaded topics, and humble stance toward the strengths of various Christian traditions, I have learned as much from the way Dr. Evans taught his classes as I have from the actual material,” says Benjamin Headley ’24.
Bible survey classes “sparked a desire to major in Bible and Religion” for Rebekah Harkins ’11, director of Children’s Ministries at Greenville ARP Church. She recalls that Evans urged his students to cultivate “faith seeking understanding.” He created “a welcoming atmosphere for us to ask
questions and grow spiritually,” and there were “many laughs,” she says. “When you study Donatism in Church History with Dr. Evans, you will in fact receive doughnuts in class.”
Describing Evans as “full of integrity, humility, and joy,” Gavin Lamb ’25 says he offered “detailed and diverse perspectives on Christian doctrine and practice” and “was careful not to tell his students what to believe but how to critically evaluate various viewpoints.” Lamb adds, “I, along with generations of students, am indebted to his sincere teaching and mentorship.”
“He not only equipped me with a robust understanding of doctrine and church history but taught and counseled me with a heart of gentleness and faithfulness that exemplified Christ to me,” says Kara Rabon Tomlin ’21 “I am a better Christian because of my time as his student, and I am forever grateful for his influence on my life and ministry.”
Elliot Mattix ’23, now youth director for Arden Presbyterian Church in Asheville, N.C., says Evans “emphasized the unity of the Church, despite the wide variety of theology we studied.” A Bible and Religion major, Mattix says, “The way he lectured and told stories was not only relevant to my education…but also shaped me as a Christian, especially as one who wanted to go into pastoral ministry.”
“It has been particularly gratifying to watch former students go out and be successful in ministry,” Evans says. “Erskine Bible and Religion majors know the Bible and the Christian tradition pretty well, and they know how to relate Scripture and the tradition to the challenges of our day.”
The author of four books and numerous articles and reviews, Evans plans to continue his academic activity during his retirement. “It appears I’ll be taking over the editorship of a theological journal, and I’m working on a volume for the Mercersburg Theology Study Series,” he says. “I’m also planning a book project on what happened to the Protestant Mainline.”
Evans and his wife have four grandsons “who seem to enjoy spending time with their Grandpa, so that’s a major priority,” he says. “And of course, I’ll try to play some golf as well.”
Bill Evans will no longer be passing out doughnuts in class, but he is likely to go on doling out wisdom, wit, and humor among his family and friends. Moving forward in “faith seeking understanding,” he will be following a path he encouraged his students to take.
“Dr. Melton is loved and known for his gentle, collegial, and gracious spirit and his ability to work with diverse perspectives while firmly anchored in the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
NEW TESTAMENT PROFESSOR DR. LOYD MELTON RETIRES
“The seminary honors Dr. Melton in the Lord for his partnership in the gospel, his extraordinary teaching ability, his excellence in leading the Doctor of Ministry program, and his pastoral commitment to the Church and to our students,” says an Erskine Theological Seminary statement released in early 2024, announcing the retirement of longtime John Montgomery Bell Professor of New Testament Dr. Loyd D. Melton
Melton served from 1983 to 2024 on the faculty of Erskine Theological Seminary. From 1998 until his retirement, he also served as Director of the Doctor of Ministry program.
“When I became Vice President and Dean in 1998, I appealed to Dr. Melton to take on the responsibility of directing the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) program,” says Professor of Systematic Theology and Dean of the Seminary Emeritus Dr. R.J. Gore. “He agreed to serve as director and over the last 25 years has led that program with excellence and graciousness.”
Melton is known for his careful scholarship, especially his work on the biblical theme of the Kingdom of God; his love for the Greek New Testament; his servant leadership; and his ability to work with diverse students in ministry. For years, his classes drew the largest enrollment in the seminary.
Dean of the Seminary Dr. Seth J. Nelson comments on Melton’s gifts. “The Lord gave Dr. Melton an incredible ability to bring together the academic study of the New Testament with robust practical application based on his more than fifty years of pastoral ministry experience,” he says.
“His course on Romans was one of our students’ favorite courses. Students frequently remarked that Dr. Melton introduced them to Romans as both a theological masterpiece and a pastoral letter,” Nelson says.
“He taught about the centrality of the theme of the Kingdom of God in the New Testament, while sharing numerous personal stories of pastoral ministry ‘in the trenches’ to illustrate life in the Kingdom,” the dean adds.
Summing up the significance of Melton’s achievements, Gore says, “He turned our small D.Min. program into one with a national reputation and taught us all how to work with students representing the breadth of the Body of Christ.”
“Among the faculty,” Nelson says, “Dr. Melton is loved and known for his gentle, collegial, and gracious spirit and his ability to work with diverse perspectives while firmly anchored in the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Gore concludes, “Dr. Melton has been an exemplar of faithful service to the Lord Jesus Christ, and I am honored to be his friend and colleague.”
Melton will continue in his ministry at Erskine Theological Seminary in a part-time capacity under his new title—Distinguished Professor of New Testament Emeritus. He plans to teach about three courses a year. He will also continue as supply pastor of Cedar Springs ARP Church, Bradley, S.C., where he has served for the last 35 years.
In his retirement, Melton says he looks forward to reading the Greek New Testament and restoring his vintage Volkswagen Beetles.
Marriages
CLASS OF 2024
Allison Dutterer ’24 wed Jonathan Claxton ’25 on May 18, 2024. (Photo #1)
CLASS OF 2023
Sadie Bradley ’23 wed Cal Boykin ’23 on June 8, 2024. (Photo #2)
Kendall Layne Cole ’14 wed Harry Joseph Griffin on April 13, 2024. (Photo #20)
Brock Sherrod ’14 wed Theodore Brevard Hayne V on March 30, 2024. (Photo #21)
CLASS OF 2012
Emma Torrence ’12 wed Austin Tyler Hill on March 23, 2024. (Photo #22)
CLASS OF 2010
Rachael Davis ’10 wed Tyler Neal on May 25, 2024. (Photo #23)
CLASS OF 2002
Tobe Frierson ’02 wed Larry Dickerson on May 25, 2024. (Photo #24)
CLASS OF 1991
Loretta Ferguson ’91 wed Vance Smith on July 2, 2023. (Photo #25)
Births
CLASS OF 2022
A son, Merritt Overholt, was born to Zach Overholt ’22 and Katie Overholt on March 19, 2024. (Photo #26)
CLASS OF 2021
A daughter, Sadie Mae Alexander, was born to Mary Ashley Alexander ’21 and Jason Alexander on May 22, 2024. (Photo #27)
A daughter, Macie Eileen Martin, was born to Katie Cauble Martin ’21 and Dawson Martin on Oct. 31, 2023. (Photo #28)
A daughter, Maebry Blair McDowell, was born to Hannah Houge McDowell ’21 and Phillip McDowell on Dec. 13, 2023. (Photo #29)
CLASS OF 2020
A daughter, Saige Armour, was born to Maddie Drawdy Armour ’20 and Caleb Armour ’19 on Aug. 29, 2023. (Photo #30)
CLASS OF 2015
A son, Wilson Reed Dittmar, was born to Maggie Brown Dittmar ’15 and Tyler Dittmar on June 9, 2024. (Photo #31)
CLASS OF 2014
A daughter, Lydia Caldwell, was born to Rachel Whitmire Caldwell ’14 and William Chris Caldwell ’14 on July 21, 2023. 34 16 17 18 21 20 23 19 22 24 25 26 27 2829 30 31
Births
CLASS OF 2013
A daughter, Grace Emily Irwin, was born to Haley Whitney Irwin ’13 and Stephen Irwin on Feb. 23, 2023. (Photo #32)
CLASS OF 2012
A son, Sullivan Cooper, was born to Reid Flinn ’12 and Samantha Flinn on Aug. 17, 2023. Sullivan joins his brother Preston. (Photo #33)
A son, James Atlas Lewis, was born to Taylor Wolfe Lewis ’12 and Alex Lewis on Oct. 21, 2023. (Photo #34)
CLASS OF 2011
A daughter, Caroline Anne Kirby, was born to Rachel Dagenhart Kirby ’11 and Tyler Kirby on May 21, 2024.
A daughter, Martha June Meador, was born to Daisy Meador ’11 and Joshua Meador ’08 on Jan. 25, 2024. (Photo #35)
CLASS OF 2010
A son, Theodore Benjamin Hardy, was born to Alyssa Pierce Hardy ’10 and Charles Hardy ’10 on Oct. 30, 2023. (Photo #36)
CLASS OF 2008
A daughter, Daisy Hodges, was born to Claire Parnell Hodges ’08 and Andrew Hodges on Sept. 15, 2023. (Photo #37)
32 33 34 37 35 36
Class Notes
CLASS OF 2023
Shane Bell ’23 is being recognized as the 2024 Consumer Achievement Winner by the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department.
Cal Boykin ’23 graduated from Western Governors University with a master’s degree in business administration in May 2024.
Sadie Bradley Boykin ’23 graduated from Western Governors University with a Master of Science in Marketing in May 2024.
CLASS OF 2022
Mary Pratt Horne ’22 graduated from Columbia International University with a master’s degree in Bible Teaching in May 2024.
CLASS OF 2022 (SEMINARY)
Glenvil Gregory ’22 has been selected as dean of Cummins Memorial Theological Seminary in Summerville, S.C.
CLASS OF 2021
Heidi Louise Elliott ’21 graduated from Alabama State University with a Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics in May 2024.
Tyler Jones ’21 was named Head Coach of the men’s and women’s golf programs at LenoirRhyne University.
Chloe Hamilton ’21 graduated from Wingate University with a Master of Physician Assistant Studies in December 2023. She has accepted a position with CaroMont Women's Health as a PA-C/Surgical 1st Assist.
Got news or updates? Email alumni@erskine.edu or visit alumni.erskine.edu/update-info/
Grayson Reames ’21 is the co-founder and Director of Client Services at LnUP.
CLASS OF 2020
Aston Coker ’20, a student in the University of Tennessee Health Science Center Pharmaceutical Sciences graduate program, won the Robert A. Magarian Outstanding Student Podium Presentation Award at the 49th annual MALTO Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacognosy Meeting in June 2024.
Iris Gadsden-Fisher ’20 graduated from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine with a Master of Public Health in 2023.
Alex Leasure ’20 published a peer-reviewed article entitled “Information Infrastructures
Class Notes
for Black-Interest Advocacy in Congress,” coauthored with Dr. Periloux C. Peay. The article was published in Congress and the Presidency.
CLASS OF 2019
Sara Beth Harker ’19 graduated from Lander University with a Master of Arts in Education in May 2024.
Austin Walker ’19 was appointed Economic Development Director for Abbeville County in February 2024.
CLASS OF 2018
Kayla Squiggins ’18 graduated from the College of Charleston with a Master of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Studies in August 2023. Her thesis was entitled “Identification of Ampicillin-Resistant Coliform Bacteria in Urban Floodwater of Peninsular Charleston, SC.”
CLASS OF 2012
Rev. Jon Oliphant ’12 was installed as Senior Pastor of First Rock Hill ARP Church in Rock Hill, S.C. in November 2023.
CLASS OF 2011
Alex Gilstrap ’11 reports that he and his wife Amanda Norton Gilstrap ’10 now have three sons. Alex has worked as a manufacturing engineer for 13 years, six of these at Lockheed Martin. Amanda works as an occupational therapist at Memorial Hospital in Greenville. The couple has started a side business called Gilstrap’s Workshop, specializing in woodwork and polymer clay jewelry. “We really enjoy making things together,” Alex says. The family attends Bushy Creek Baptist Church in Easley.
Dr. D. Hudson Smith ’11 accepted a position as Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Clemson University.
CLASS OF 2010
Got news or updates? Email alumni@erskine.edu or visit alumni.erskine.edu/update-info/
CLASS OF 2005
Rachel Lyons Sibilio ’05 received a 2023 Pinnacle Award from Bank of America. She was also one of 52 professionals selected for the Greenville Chamber’s Leadership Greenville class, a 10-month program that she completed in 2024.
Sara Wojtkowski ’05 was chosen as Abbeville High School Star Teacher by the school’s Star Student, Jonah Cooley. Sara, who has taught at Abbeville High School for 15 years, currently serves as head of the history department.
CLASS OF 2003
Sara Barker ’03 was named one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of Indiana in 2023.
CLASS OF 2001 (SEMINARY)
Raven Smith Thomas ’18 was named 2022-23 South Carolina Coach of the Year by the National Federation of High Schools. The award recognizes a high school coach in each state who is leading in his or her sport, shaping studentathletes, and contributing in a positive way to the community
CLASS OF 2017
Lucy Jeffs Hutto ’17 accepted the position of Erskine Women’s Soccer Coach in January 2024.
Kasey McNair ’17 has accepted the position of Associate Director for Academic Advising at the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business.
Whitney Lyerly Wilson ’17 graduated from Augusta University with a Doctor of Nursing Practice in May 2024.
CLASS OF 2016
Jennifer Deppen ’16 graduated from the accelerated nursing program at Augusta University in December 2023.
Robby Kopp ’10 received the 2023 Voices in Philanthropy award from Thrivent Charitable Impact & Investing. He currently works as a financial advisor with Thrivent.
Taylor Rhodes ’10 accepted the position of Director of Juvenile Diversion Programs within the 8th Circuit Solicitor’s Office in April 2024.
CLASS OF 2008
Rev. Simeon Harrar ’08 published a book in May 2024 entitled The Dreamer, which retells the story of Joseph in a post-apocalyptic setting. Simeon is a chaplain at Rosslyn Academy in Nairobi, Kenya.
John Jayakumar ’08 was selected as Assistant Coach for the Villanova Women’s Tennis Team.
CLASS OF 2007
Rev. Evan Frazier ’07 is the new Associate Minister at Neely’s Creek ARP Church.
CLASS OF 2007 (SEMINARY)
John Van Wyk ’07 has revised his dissertation, completed at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 2016, for publication in late 2024 with Wipf & Stock. The work is entitled “‘To Understand Things as Well as Words’: An Examination of Jonathan Edwards as an Educator and His Pedagogical Methodology.”
Rev. Dr. Zackary Johnson, Sr. ’01, ’21 has written a book entitled Christian Discipleship in the Twenty-First Century, published Nov. 23, 2023. He currently serves as senior pastor of Golden View Baptist Church in Clemson, S.C.
CLASS OF 1999
Scott Mitchell ’99 delivered the 2024 commencement address at Wilcox Academy, his alma mater.
CLASS OF 1999 (SEMINARY)
Dr. Brad Christie ’99 retired from Erskine College in December 2023 after 32 years of service to the school. During his career at Erskine, he served as Vice President and Dean of the College, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Acting President, and Professor of English.
CLASS OF 1998
Courtney Grant Agbobli ’98 received a Women of Color STEM DTX Technology All Star award.
Tracy Pruitt ’98 earned a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, Reading Specialist at Concordia University-Portland in 2014 and became a National Board-Certified Teacher in 2023.
Dr. Sam Todd ’98 received a two-year appointment as Associate Vice President and Vice Provost for Global Affairs at the University of South Carolina in January 2024.
CLASS OF 1996
Chad Evans ’96 has been named Interim Executive Director of Secondary Education for Greenwood School District 50. Previously, he served as Director of Evaluation.
CLASS OF 1994
Dr. Amy Medlock ’94 has been inducted into the 2023 University of Georgia Teaching Academy. Currently, she serves as Professor of Biochemistry at the Augusta University/ University of Georgia Medical Partnership.
CLASS OF 1993
Shirley Ragsdale Adams ’93 retired in December 2023 after 30 years as a staff member at Erskine College. Most recently, she served as Acquisitions and Office Manager in McCain Library.
Dr. Stephana Patton ’93 was named Chief Legal Officer for Cutera Inc., an aesthetic and dermatology solutions provider, in November 2023.
CLASS OF 1992
Renee Ritchey Casey ’92 earned the Master of Science in Biomedical Diagnostics from the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University in August 2023.
Nanette Edwards ’92 became a partner with Burr & Forman in Columbia, S.C., as a member of its government and regulatory practice in January 2023. Previously, she served as executive director for the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff.
CLASS OF 1991
Jennifer Jones Hines ’91 was named Principal of Cherokee Trail Elementary School.
CLASS OF 1990
Mary Elizabeth Beardsley Land ’90 is the 2024 recipient of the John Landrum Advocacy Award presented by the Friends of South Carolina Libraries. The award recognizes individuals “whose advocacy, support, and encouragement have been critical in recognition of the value of library services and ensuring that South Carolina's public libraries remain prominent and vibrant institutions.”
Barry New ’90 was inducted into the Westside High School (Anderson, S.C.) Athletics Hall of Fame. As a student, he was on the football, track, basketball, and baseball teams. From 1998-2018, he coached football, baseball, and softball at Westside, winning several coaching awards during his tenure.
CLASS OF 1989
James Daniels ’89 was selected by the U.S. Department of State for a 10-month fellowship project training teachers and teaching English in Malaysia at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in Sarawak.
Brian Haynes ’89 is the new Assistant Boys’ Director for the Elite Clubs National League with Carolina Elite Soccer Academy.
CLASS OF 1977
Diana Palecek ’89 received the 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award from the Commercial Real Estate Women Network (CREW) Charlotte chapter. “Diana was nominated because she is helping to change the culture of CREW Charlotte by expanding our community cohort program to include a cohort centered on professionals with disabilities,” said a CREW statement.
CLASS OF 1986
Tracy Fleming ’86 was hired in August 2023 as an instructor at Auto Safe: Troopers Training Teens. Previously, he gained 25 years of experience teaching driver’s education in public schools and private settings.
Dr. Saralyn Hawkins Williams ’86 was named Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in August 2023. She continues to serve at Vanderbilt as Professor of Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Pediatrics.
CLASS OF 1985
Jeff Ruble ’85 was named one of South Carolina’s 50 Most Influential business leaders in 2023 by SC Biz News. He currently serves as Director of Economic Development at Richland County Economic Development.
CLASS OF 1984
Dr. Fay Sprouse ’84 received the 2024 South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA) Lifetime Achievement Award. She retired from her position as District Superintendent for Greenwood 51 in June 2024, having served in education for 40 years.
CLASS OF 1982
Jan McDonald ’82 retired from her position as North Greenville University Director of Athletics on May 31, 2024. She has served more than 30 years as director and 41 years total as a staff member at NGU.
CLASS OF 1981
Jon Wheeler ’81 began working as Special Processes Supervisor at S.C. Department of Agriculture.
Rick Wright ’81 was appointed Head Coach and Technical Director for the Greenville Triumph SC in November 2023.
CLASS OF 1980
Lindy Scott ’77, Executive Vice President of Thornwell, received the Distinguished Service Award from the Palmetto Association for Children and Families for her many decades of service at Thornwell.
Tim Whipple ’77 retired from his position as head coach for boys’ basketball at Irmo High School in May 2024. He has coached basketball for 43 years and won 848 games, the second most in state history. Whipple led Irmo to six state championship wins.
CLASS OF 1968
Jack Williams ’68 was named president of the Huguenot Society of South Carolina. The society was established in 1885 to preserve the memory of the Huguenots who left France prior to the promulgation of the Edict of Toleration, November 28, 1787.
CLASS OF 1964
Col. Thomas “Buddy” Styers USAF (Ret.) ’64 received the Order of the Palmetto from Governor Henry McMaster on March 25, 2024. HorryGeorgetown Technical College and the HGTC Foundation has established the Colonel Buddy Styers Legacy Endowment for Workforce Development, a $250,000 endowment, in his honor.
CLASS OF 1962
Dr. James W. Gettys, Jr. ’62 has published an article entitled “Without Tap of Drum” on the website Roots and Recall, a publication of Winthrop University Pettus Archives.
Alaska Cruise
John Blythe ’80 has joined the board of Preservation SC. He has worked in historic preservation revitalization for many years. In 1990, he served on the steering committee that led to the creation of Preservation SC.
Are you interested in an alumni cruise to Alaska in June 2025? Visit www.erskine.edu/alaska for more details, or reach out to Paul Bell at paul.bell@erskine.edu.
In Memoriam
EDITH MITCHELL BRAWLEY
Edith Mitchell Brawley, a member of the Erskine College Class of 1958, died February 4, 2024.
Born in Charleston, S.C., she grew up on Wadmalaw Island, a place she loved and often visited. She retained her delightful Wadmalaw accent throughout her life.
Edith Brawley was the widow of beloved Erskine music professor Dr. John G. Brawley, Jr. She earned a master’s degree at Indiana University Bloomington and was an Erskine staff member for decades, in recent years dividing her time between work as a cataloger in McCain Library and service as Erskine’s archivist in Reid Hall.
A member of the Due West ARP Church, she served her denomination for more than a decade as the archivist for General Synod. She served for 21 years on the Abbeville Area Medical Center Foundation Board, raising funds for the local hospital.
She was also active in the Due West Chapter of the American Academy of University Women, which hosted a dinner each year from 1959 to 2020 honoring outstanding women students at Erskine and in area high schools. To raise funds for the dinner, the chapter prepared “exam bags” purchased for Erskine students by their families.
As a member of the Erskine Staff Organization (ESO), she worked tirelessly to ensure the success of ESO’s “Angel Tree,” contacting guardians to obtain Christmas gift requests for children, often delivering the gifts herself, and sometimes including Bibles and other gift items she purchased for the children.
She was a devoted grandmother and spent as much time as she could with the two granddaughters who lived nearby, gladly serving as their chauffeur.
Those privileged to know Edith Brawley learned that although she seemed to eat very little, she had a charming weakness for ice cream. Likewise, many learned that as disciplined and ladylike as she was, she conducted her life not only with diligence and dignity but also with great kindness and love.
Survivors include her daughter, Harriet Brawley Morton ’84; her son, Dr. John Gray Brawley III ’89; two brothers; one sister; and five grandchildren.
Contributions in memory of Edith Brawley may be sent to the John G. Brawley Music Memorial Scholarship, Erskine College Advancement Office, P.O. Box 338, Due West, SC 29639.
Irene Evans Alley ’47, Dec. 7, 2023
William Phillips Tinkler, Sr. ’47, Sept. 22, 2023
Launa Fleming ’48, Feb. 16, 2024
Dora “Dolly” Hare ’48, March 15, 2024
Rachel Grier Hood ’48, March 13, 2024
Mary Sullivan McConnell Simpson ’48, May 5, 2024
Elizabeth Crutchfield Smith ’48, Sept. 21, 2023
Jean Parkinson Blackston ’51, April 1, 2024
Robert Calvin Gorham ’51, Nov. 4, 2023
Bobbie White Moore ’52, Nov. 2, 2023
Sarah C. Wallace ’52, Oct. 25, 2023
Dr. Robert Lee Ward ’52, June 4, 2024
Mona Bowen Blakely Barron ’53, Oct. 27, 2023
Anne Herron Lummus ’53, Sept. 17, 2023
Rosa Mitchell Senn ’53, Nov. 20, 2023
Joe R. Martin, Jr. ’54, Dec. 10, 2023
Rev. Robert Parker ’54, March 20, 2024
Calvin Grier ’55, Dec. 7, 2023
Dr. Julian McGill ’55, Dec. 21, 2023
JoAnna Queen Kennedy ’56, June 22, 2024
James Williams ’56, Dec. 1, 2023
Boyd Charles ’57, Aug. 15, 2023
John “Pee Wee” M. Simpson, Jr. ’57, June 7, 2024
Shirley M. Bone ’58, Jan. 1, 2024
Edith Mitchell Brawley ’58, Feb. 4, 2024
Lewis Stidham ’58, Feb. 19, 2024
Margaret Duncan Dean ’59, March 14, 2023
Grady Smith ’59, April 2, 2024
In Memoriam
Michael “Mickey” Baker ’60, April 15, 2024
James Dusenberry, Jr. ’60, April 24, 2024
Rev. Dr. Robert E. McCollum ’60, ’97 (Sem.), June 3, 2024
R. Grady Love ’62, April 30, 2024
Carol Roper Wright ’63, March 31, 2024
Dr. W. Charles Blair ’64, Nov. 6, 2023
Jean O'Doski ’64, May 22, 2024
Roy “Ed” Clarke, Jr. ’65, April 13, 2024
Henry “Pete” Peeler, Jr. ’65, April 27, 2024
W. Gary Roper ’65, Feb. 20, 2024
Judy Anderson Brown ’66, Nov. 13, 2023
John Galloway Calhoun ’66, May 25, 2024
Charles Smith ’66, Sept. 3, 2023
Nancy Kimmons Trivett ’66, Feb. 4, 2024
W. E. “Eddie” Weldon ’66, April 9, 2024
J. P. “Pat” Wood ’66, March 15, 2024
Mary Ann Ferguson Wright ’67, June 12, 2024
T. Terry Adkins, Jr. ’68, Nov. 23, 2023
Angus MacQueen ’68, Nov. 16, 2023
Charles Pace ’68, Feb. 8, 2024
Ann McClellan Bailey ’69, Sept. 9, 2023
Michael H. Nelson, Sr. ’69, Feb. 16, 2024
Paul R. Shriver ’69, Feb. 2, 2024
Becky Barbour Dingle ’71, March 26, 2024
Rev. Gerald R. Hallman ’72, ’75 (Sem.), June 16, 2024
Betty Swann Royster ’72, June 20, 2024
James Anderson ’73, March 30, 2024
William P. Steele, Jr. ’73, Aug. 31, 2023
Henry “Dickie” Furtick ’74, April 6, 2024
C. Jack Brinkley, Jr. ’75, Sept. 24, 2023
Samuel James McDaniel, Jr. ’75, Dec. 11, 2023
Charles Cantey ’76, June 13, 2024
Rev. Harold Eller ’76 (Sem.), Nov. 9, 2023
Mary Chase Ford ’76, Feb. 29, 2024
Cecil “Sandy” Abrams ’77, Jan. 24, 2024
Mike Rubesch ’80, Jan. 6, 2024
Jane Lawton Scott ’84, Jan. 9, 2024
Teresa Creel Wood ’84, Sept. 27, 2023
Coralee Scheeringa Parrish ’87, July 1, 2024
Lori Keesler Riechert ’87, Sept. 11, 2023
Betty Ann Killian ’89 (Sem.), Sept. 28, 2023
Rev. George Truett Leveritt ’89 (Sem.), Nov. 11, 2023
Scott Adams ’91, Dec. 22, 2023
Mitch Turner ’93, April 6, 2024
Jamie Jones Smith ’05, Sept. 25, 2023
Lauren Stewart Wilson ’14, Nov. 29, 2023
FRIENDS
Dan Cobb, longtime Erskine staff member in the facilities department, died Feb. 23, 2024.
Dana Ellis, an Erskine staff member for more than 20 years and later an employee of the Town of Due West, died Feb. 13, 2024. Survivors include her son T.J. Ellis ’07
James “Gene” Klugh, a friend of Erskine, died Feb. 11, 2024. Klugh donated a house to Erskine, the sale of which was used to start the Bradley-Klugh Scholarship Fund.
Betsy Green Owens, a former piano instructor at Erskine, died March 30, 2024.
Doris Winburn, who established the Steven A. Winburn Memorial Scholarship with her husband, died Dec. 20, 2023. The scholarship was named for their son, a 1973 graduate who died tragically in 1978.
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 27, 2024 - Erskine Open Golf Tournament
September 28, 2024 - Homecoming & Family Day
October 25, 2024 - Garnet & Gold Forum with speaker Greg Koukl
November 23, 2024 - Choraleers Concert
December 3, 2024 - Community Lessons & Carols
April 12, 2025 - Alumni Day and Garnet, Gold & Boom
May 10, 2025 - Commencement
May 17, 2025 - 3rd Annual Flower & Garden Show
To view Erskine’s full giving report, please visit: alumni.erskine.edu/alumni/giving/giving-report/
To request a hard copy of the report, contact Lisa Madden at madden@erskine.edu.
