Outstanding Alumni Honored During October Awards Ceremony

Ferrum College recognized three outstanding alumni (left to right) – Carthan Currin, III ’84, Phyllis Karavatakis ’76, and Matthew Woods ’11 – during its annual Alumni Awards Ceremony, which was held on Sat., Oct. 15 in the Blue Ridge Mountain Room in Franklin Hall. The event also recognized the Class of 1972 as members of Golden Panthers.

Woods received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award for demonstrating professional and personal success since graduating from Ferrum College. A resident of Rocky Mount, VA, Woods has assisted students, educators, and schools in a variety of roles for more than 12 years. His professional experience includes being a high school social studies teacher, middle and high school assistant principal, middle school principal, director of student support services, adjunct professor, and field instructor at the collegiate level for student-teachers. Woods’ leadership and innovative approaches have been recognized by numerous organizations including ASCD (Emerging Leaders Class 2021) and he is the recipient of LG’s Happiness League Award.

In accepting the award, Woods shared how faculty and staff at Ferrum encouraged and challenged him to not settle for anything less than achieving his dreams. “What I didn’t realize at the time, and what I have come to appreciate as I have gotten older, is that folks were investing their time and effort into me to help me grow, mature, and live up to my full potential. What Ferrum did for me, and has done for countless others, is instill that mindset and fundamental belief in the motto, Not Self, But Others.”

Currin received the Distinguished Alumni Award for his exceptional career achievement and service to his community, as well as his active involvement at Ferrum College as a student and alumnus. Currin’s distinguished career in public service and economic development includes executive positions with the City of Petersburg, the County of Brunswick, and the City of Richmond. He currently serves as the president of the Commonwealth Alliance for Rural Colleges.

Thanking his “Ferrum family” after accepting his award, Currin said, “What Ferrum [College] means to me is friendship, foundation, and future. Whatever accomplishments I’ve had in my life, I owe much of that success to the stellar education I received at Ferrum.”

Karavatakis received the Beckham Medallion— the highest tribute bestowed upon a Ferrum College alumnus/a—for demonstrating exceptional career success, service to her community, and dedication to Ferrum College. Karavatakis is a proven C-suite executive recognized for driving organizational change, business transformation, and continuous improvement. For more than 25 years, Karavatakis has been a senior/executive level manager for Carter Bank & Trust, a community bank with $4 billion in assets.

Karavatakis has held multiple executive appointments including chair and Audit Committee chair of the Ferrum College Board of Trustees; president and board director of Southside Business Technology Center/ The Launch Place; chair of the Foundation Committee of Piedmont Arts; chair of the Martinsville and Henry County Chamber of Commerce; and a board member of United Way of Martinsville & Henry County, Patrick Henry Community College Foundation, and Southern Virginia Recreation Facilities Authority.

“I was a first generation college student, and I was naive as to what opportunities were open to women with a college degree. If not for Ferrum, there would not have been the opportunity to go to [the University of Richmond], and the opportunity to land my dream job. The special interest the College deans, faculty and staff give to students then and now is what makes this such a special place,” said Karavatakis.

Ferrum College alumna Tracy Holley ’96 transitioned from her long-time role as director of Alumni and Family Programs to become the inaugural director of the First-Year Experience and First@Ferrum programs in the Carter Center for Academic Success (CCAS).

In her new role, Tracy works with Dean of Academic Success Dave Wiggins, CCAS team members, faculty, and staff to create and provide programming for all first-year and first-generation college students to promote retention and success.

Holley’s new position is supported in part by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, which recently awarded Ferrum College a $143,000 grant to support the CCAS in expanding and initiating academic support programs.

Holley is uniquely qualified to step into this role, and she is excited to begin a new chapter in her career at Ferrum College. “For over twenty years, I have had the pleasure of working with successful Ferrum College graduates once they leave our campus as alumni. In my new role, I look forward to supporting our first-year and first-generation students by personally working with them faceto-face on a daily basis,” said Holley.

On April 22, 2022, Ferrum College alumni, campus community members, and friends of the College joined in a virtual #PantherToast in honor of the Class of 2022 and the Ferrum family.

Gary Ingram graduated with an associate degree in Chemistry from Ferrum College in 1977 when it was still a junior college. A Ferrum community native, Ingram says that the College was a big influence in his life before he ever became a student. Growing up, he spent many hours on the Ferrum campus with friends whose parents worked at the College and has fond memories of playing basketball in the gym.

Although a lot has changed since his days running around campus as a kid, he still finds time to visit. With each visit, Ingram reflects on how much Ferrum has meant to him and how much he owes to his hometown college.

“Ferrum College is so important to the community. It offers students a diverse range of academics and gives so many students the opportunity to attend college that might not be able to attend otherwise,” said Ingram, who continues to give back to the College.

Since graduating, Ingram has enjoyed a successful career in the glass and mirror industry. He has been part-owner in Finch Industries for 20 years, a leading supplier of decorative glass and mirror products. Ingram lives in the Greensboro, NC, area with his wife of 33 years, Georgeanne. He’s also the proud dad of daughters Laura, Meg and Marci, and grandfather of Emma, Natalie, and Abigail.

Bryan Slater ’82 was tapped by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin to be the Commonwealth’s Secretary of Labor. The appointment came on Jan. 6, 2022, accompanied by a ringing endorsement from Virginia’s Head of State.

“Workforce development will play a crucial part in jumpstarting our economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Youngkin said upon selecting Slater.

“Bryan’s experience and leadership will be critical to the development of talent, training of workers, and protection of Virginia’s right-to-work laws that will attract investment to Virginia,” continued Youngkin.

Slater brings a wealth of experience to the governor’s administration. Most recently, he served as Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management at the U.S. Department of Labor and Assistant Secretary of Administration for the U.S. Department of Transportation under President Trump.

And now, after more than 20 years in politics, Slater still credits Ferrum as the kick start to his career. “Ferrum gave me a chance to prove myself. If it hadn’t been for Ferrum, none of this would have been possible,” he said.

Ferrum College alumnus Lieutenant Colonel Derek R. Baird ’96 was the keynote speaker during the 2022 Veterans Day Ceremony in Vaughn Chapel on campus.

During his remarks, LTC Baird spoke about values learned from his WWII-veteran grandfather and from the U.S. Army. “One, in particular, jumps out at me today – selfless service. I am reminded of a certain motto I learned 30 years ago while attending a small private Methodist college nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains…Not Self, But Others,” said Baird.

“Selfless service and Not Self, But Others go hand-inhand…they require sacrifice, dedication, and purpose. They are what allows each of us to come together from all walks of life…to join the military, to keep our country safe, and its citizens safe and free,” continued Baird.

Originally from Virginia Beach, VA, LTC Baird enlisted in 1997 and was selected for Officer Candidate School and commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery in 2000. LTC Baird’s assignments have included deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Europe. LTC Baird is currently a student at the United States Army War College. He is married to the former Jolinda Bandy from Ohio, and they have two dogs, Layla and Joker.