Lander Magazine Fall 2018

Fall 2018

Magazine for Alumni & Friends of the University

Forensic Files Lander’s New Forensic Science Programs Help Answer Growing Call For Crime Lab Experts

Learning Outside the Classroom | Faculty Spotlights | Alumni Weekend Highlights | Adding It All Up

Kicking Off the Season with a Splash In August, Lander Athletics partnered with Break on the Lake to host the university’s 2018-19 Sports Season Kickoff & Fan Appreciation event. Lander fans, along with faculty, staff, students and alumni, gathered at the popular restaurant, located on the beautiful shoreline of Lake Greenwood, to watch as the Bearcat made his grand entrance – via boat – to lead off the celebration in style. Attendees had an opportunity to meet and speak with Lander coaches and administrators, as well as pick up new Bearcat gear, provided by the campus bookstore.

Magazine for Alumni & Friends of the University

4 OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

Lander students are leaving the classroom for unique summer learning experiences that provide exceptional preparation for their careers.

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16 MAKING A MAGICAL MOMENT

A group of Lander art students and faculty get a special surprise in the form of a wedding invitation, all thanks to the students’ beautiful sand sculptures on the sunny shores of Pawley’s Island, S.C.

26 THE NEW CHEMISTRY

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that jobs for forensic science technicians will grow by 17 percent over the next decade, and Lander’s new forensic science programs are preparing graduates to help answer that national call.

40 ADDING IT ALL UP

Lander senior Rebecca Strickland turns her love of numbers into a tutorship to help fellow classmates overcome their struggles with math.

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT Distinguished Professor of the Year: Sean Barnette.....................................32 Moore Award: "Dusty" McGee-Anderson.............................................................33 Young Faculty Teaching Award: Matthew Peters...........................................34 A Tribute to Jackson Station: Daniel Harrison...................................................35 Extraordinary Insight & Knowledge: Randy Bouknight.............................36 A Leader in Philanthropy: Michael Worley..........................................................38 Passionate About Student Success: Boyd Yarbrough..................................39

ALUMNI PROFILES

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Big City Vibe: Hanna Dover............................................................................................52 Bringing Nuclear Power to the UAE: Don Berni..............................................56 The Day Time Stood Still: Andy Miller....................................................................60 Collecting Experiences Instead of Things: Porter Palmer.........................62

HIGHLIGHTS Life at Lander............................................................................................................................44 Alumni Weekend...................................................................................................................50 Alumni Awards........................................................................................................................50

UNIVERSITY IN REVIEW

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News Briefs................................................................................................................................10 Spring Commencement...................................................................................................20 Bearcat Sports Roundup...................................................................................................46 Class Notes................................................................................................................................54

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Magazine for Alumni & Friends of the University

A Message from the President

LANDER MAGAZINE STAFF

Dear Alumni and Friends:

Megan Price, Editor Deb Nygro, Co-Editor, Writer and Photographer Graham H. Duncan ’17, Editorial Assistant and Writer Jeff Lagrone, Writer Eric Lawson, Writer L. C. Leach III, Writer Rixon Lane, Sports Writer Renee Love, Writer Megan Bajuscik ’18, Intern Photographer Mike Blackwell, Videographer Laura M. Brown ’16, Photographer Maria Scott, Designer

LANDER ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Denise Manley ’89, Director of Alumni Affairs & Annual Giving Debbie Lyons Dill ’90, Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs Debrah Hodges Miller ’76, President Rodney Jones ’08, Vice President Jalysa O’Conner Green ’12, Secretary Lamar Scott ’82/84, Treasurer Don Durden ’12, Vice President for Young Alumni

LANDER EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Throughout my career, I have been blessed with opportunities to work with brilliant people, and I am thankful for all those who have helped me succeed personally and professionally. None of us can succeed alone.

I remember some of the challenges I experienced during my student years and in the early years of my career, and I am indebted to the mentors and colleagues who helped me develop when I needed guidance, helped me grow when I needed nurturing, and helped inspire me when I needed hope. These experiences laid the foundation for one of my deepest values: the need to invest in other people’s successes.

The investments we are making in our students’ successes include strategic growth.

We are expanding our graduate studies, as well as our online and innovative learning programs. We will continue growing our enrollment while also keeping tuition affordable. We owe particular thanks to the leadership of our Board of Trustees, who, years ago, realized that part of Lander’s responsibility to students and parents was to offer an outstanding educational experience while also keeping college costs reasonable.

Richard E. Cosentino, President James E. Colbert Jr., Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Andy J. Benoit Jr., Vice President for Enrollment and Access Management Brian P. Reese, Director of Athletics Crystal Rookard, General Counsel J. Adam Taylor ’87, Vice President for Governmental Relations Michael J. Worley, Vice President for University Advancement E. Boyd Yarbrough, Vice President for Student Affairs

Additionally, Lander continues to expand its experiential learning opportunities – internships, service learning and tutoring projects, and civic and career engagement – that encourage students to build connections within the university and beyond.

Some students’ experiential learning initiatives extend to the coast and even to other continents, as you will see in this edition of the Lander Magazine.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

We are committed to this continued growth, to become the kind of university that ensures every ambitious and talented student is educated, well rounded and prepared to continue their education or launch their career.

Linda L. Dolny ’69, Chair Cary Corbitt ’74, Vice Chair Cathy Lee, Secretary Robert A. Barber Jr. Holly Bracknell John E. Craig Jr. Maurice Holloway ’78 Raymond D. Hunt ’90 Marcia Thrift Hydrick ’81

Donald H. Lloyd II ’83 Jack W. Lawrence Peggy M. Makins ’81 Robert F. Sabalis Donald H. Scott ’75 DeWitt B. Stone Jr. Angela G. Strickland ’02 S. Anne Walker ’72

It is the policy of Lander University to prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, race, pregnancy, religion, sex, veteran's status, and genetic information in regard to the administration of all campus programs, services and activities including intercollegiate athletics, and the admission of students, employment actions, or other sponsored activities and programs including obligations of Title IX. For additional information, please visit our website at www.lander.edu/titleIX.

We are exploring teaching opportunities outside of Greenwood that are now possible because of developments in educational technologies. We will continue to invest in new programs, like forensic science, as well as student facilities that enhance the classroom and college experience. This semester, we announced the addition of three new sports to our athletic program, and we welcomed several new administrators who fill strategic positions at the university.

I hope this season might be a time of similar reflections for you, too, as you consider the many people who have helped you along the way, and as you consider opportunities to help Lander. I truly believe that what makes Lander so successful is its people – our students, alumni, faculty, staff, governing boards, community members and supporters.

Every investment in someone’s success is an investment in human potential. Our commitment to our people, and our investments in other people’s successes, will multiply in ways we cannot imagine, ensuring Lander’s legacy as a great university.

Best Regards,

Stock art is provided by istockphoto.com and Digital Juice.

Photos by Wendy Olsen Photography, pg. 6; Banks Photos, pg. 7; and Extreme-Photographer, pg. 57.

Richard Cosentino President, Lander University 2

LANDER MAGAZINE | FALL 2018

LU

Get Connected

Lander Launches Redesigned Website On September 5, Lander University launched its redesigned website at www.lander.edu.

Spearheaded by Lander’s University Relations team, the months-long project involved coordination with Digital Wave, a premier web design and marketing firm specializing in higher education.

“This was an enormous task than involved many hours of work, discussion and input from the Lander family,” explained Dawn Lewis, digital content coordinator. “Our overall goal was to design a contemporary site with improved navigation.”

While the redesign is complete, more changes are still to come. “We view the new site as a living entity, and it will continue to grow and improve in the months ahead and beyond,” said Lewis.

Follow us

twitter.com/follow_lander My wife and I are very proud parents today. Glad to see Grant continuing his soccer career at Lander University.

Robert Wagner, of Irmo

facebook.com/followlander

Lander University October 2, 2018

Lander and S.C. National Guard Announce Special Tuition Rates for Military Personnel Very special day here at Lander as we joined with the SC National Guard in offering new special tuition rates for Guardsmen and their families who choose to enroll at Lander.

youtube.com/c/landeruniversity Videos by Mike Blackwell Photos by Laura M. Brown

Lander’s Graduate School and Career Fair the Largest in Over a Decade

Thanks to Brian Reese, Lander University athletics director, for giving athletes in South Carolina and surrounding states another institution of higher learning to compete at and gain their degrees.

Mike Moyer, Executive Director, National Wrestling Coaches Association

I am beyond blessed to announce my commitment to Lander University.

Thank you @Coach_LePore for this amazing opportunity to make history with Lander Lacrosse.

Lander University Opens the Doors to Newly Renovated Bearcat Lounge

Grayson Downs, of Spartanburg

WOW! There is no place like home. This is a true statement as I’m listening to Lander University officials share plans for teachers to obtain advanced degrees.

Darrell Johnson, Superintendent of Greenwood School District 50

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OUTSIDE the CLASSROOM Lander Students and Alumni Turn Unique Summer Learning Experiences Into Exceptional Career Preparation

At Lander, career readiness means much more than just applying for a job – it’s about learning how to develop skills that will serve students throughout their lives.

In the classroom, Lander’s highly-credentialed faculty and instructors apply their own vocational experience to enhance classroom learning that emphasizes a career-focused education.

But outside the classroom, students have the opportunity to continue their education through internships, volunteer opportunities and learning experiences that aim to provide a better understanding of potential career fields.

Through these experiences, many of Lander’s alumni and current students have found that their time spent outside the classroom has unlocked doors leading to new and exciting career options they would have never previously considered.

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LANDER MAGAZINE | FALL 2018

“Camp inspired me to become a teacher.”

Lander Senior J.D. Whitt Serves as Program Director at Camp Old Indian

By Graham Duncan, Photos by Laura M. Brown

When senior history major J.D. Whitt attended his first Cub Scouts meeting at the Hickory Tavern Lions Club, he had no idea where his newfound passion would lead.

He started his scouting career at age 6 – the earliest possible age – and quickly rose through the ranks of Cub Scouting, earning his Arrow of Light at age 11.

“That was the summer I attended Camp Old Indian for the first time,” Whitt said, a place that he has had the privilege of calling his “home-away-from-home” for more than 12 years.

Reaping the rewards of the teamwork skills he developed over a decade of scouting, Whitt had the honor of spending this past summer as the Program Director at Camp Old Indian – a nationally accredited Boy Scouts of America camp just outside of Tigerville, under the jurisdiction of the

Blue Ridge Council. “I made sure that my staff were ready to run their classes and programs each day, and I worked with scoutmasters, volunteers, professional scouters and my camp director to plan for the summer, each week and each day.”

After transitioning from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts, Whitt continued to showcase his leadership abilities in several different positions within his local troop, including senior patrol leader. In 2010, he joined the staff at Camp Old Indian and was inducted into the Order of the Arrow. Within a year, he was recognized as the Saluda River District’s Scout of the Year and began a two-year term as chief of his Order of the Arrow chapter. Whitt completed his Eagle Scout project in 2014, building a run/walk track around the Hickory Tavern school and reached the rank of Eagle Scout that same year. “Since then, most of my involvement has been on the district and council levels,” Whitt said.

As a future educator, Whitt had the opportunity to teach several different courses at camp. He has served as an archery instructor, a civil development instructor, and was recently certified as a rifle and shotgun instructor. “Camp is

Located in Travelers Rest, S.C., Camp Old Indian serves the Blue Ridge Council of the Boy Scouts of America, which includes Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Newberry, Oconee and Pickens counties.

what inspired me to become a teacher,” he said. “This is the place where I fell in love with teaching and working with youth.” He also noted that working at a summer camp has given him experience in lesson planning and teaching outside of the traditional classroom, working with kids from ages 6 to 21.

In addition to Whitt, several other Lander alumni have called Camp Old Indian their summer home. Patrick Buchanan ’16, who serves as music director at the Lowcountry Montessori School during the academic year, spent his summer break working alongside Whitt; and Michael Kirby ’05 served as the camp’s Pathfinder Director.

“Michael has really been a mentor to me,” Whitt commented.

Whitt just completed his ninth summer at Camp Old Indian and has already committed to coming back next summer, with his goal being to serve a full decade. When teaching, he plans to devote his summers to helping with camps, as well as volunteering for other events within his local district throughout the school year. “My years at camp have been invaluable to my goal of becoming a successful teacher.”

Hungry campers chow down after a day of fun activities at camp. Camp Old Indian offers year-round camping opportunities, including seven weeks of boy scout camps in the summer.

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OUTSIDE the CLASSROOM

Allegra Herring '10 Turns Childhood Dream Into Reality

By Eric Lawson

Growing up in Myrtle Beach, Allegra Herring ’10 was accustomed to being around lots of tourists. It was that environment, coupled with family vacations and school competitions at Walt Disney World in Orlando, which nurtured a career plan centered upon making others happy.

“I’ve known from the age of 2 that I wanted to work for Disney,” Herring says from her office, where she now works as an entertainment manager for Disney’s Epcot Theme Park. “Disney was a fundamental part of my childhood, and I remember being impressed with the level of passion put forth to take care of their guests.”

As a mass communications major at Lander, Herring was accepted into the nine-month Disney College Program. “I went to Disney University, an intensive program that introduced me to the inner workings of the Disney Corporation and the Disney Model,” she recalled. “So much of the Disney experience centers upon making every guest encounter a meaningful event. For example, as we meet guests, we ask about their plans for their day, what they like to do and eat, so that we can make recommendations tailored to their preferences.”

After completing the Disney College Program, Herring returned to Lander to complete her degree, but continued to work for Disney during the summer months. “I was initially assigned to the Food and Beverage Department because I thought at the time that I’d like to work in the food industry.”

On her own, Herring would take photographs of Disney guests enjoying the park cuisine. That initiative served as a jumping point for a promotion to the Disney Photo Imaging Department as a photographer for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

“After about a year with Hollywood Studios, I worked in just about every Disney park, and ultimately was assigned to a coordinator position with Epcot. Along the way, I helped with most of the aspects associated with the Disney experience – from greeting our guests and managing our stage shows, to taking photos of our guests and ensuring that our Disney characters are on schedule as they walk through the parks.”

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LANDER MAGAZINE | FALL 2018

Ryan Wiley ’11 is in Life’s Sweet Spot

By Eric Lawson

Ryan Wiley ’11 has long had a commitment to excel. His drive for giving his best effort has led to a five-year (and counting) career with a company that bills itself as the “Happiest Place on Earth,” and a budding career as a character voice actor.

While working for Hunter’s Creek Golf and Country Club during his high school years, Wiley’s drive to go the extra mile in providing customer service caught the eye of Dave Fezler, program director of Greenwood’s WZSN (Sunny 103.5 FM).

“Dave was a regular golfer at our course, and he liked the way I consistently made sure our guests were enjoying themselves.

He offered me a job at the radio station, and by the time I enrolled at Lander, I had been bitten by the ‘radio bug’ and decided to major in mass communications.”

Once on campus, Wiley immersed himself in the studios of Lander’s radio station, XLR, and the tutelage of station manager Paul Crutcher and theatre professor Monique Sacay-Bagwell. “While on the air with XLR, I did a lot of character impressions, which I loved, and knew that I had to branch out into acting.”

During his senior year, a flier advertising a paid internship with Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando caught Wiley’s eye. The allure of working in the Sunshine State for an organization built upon entertainment, while further strengthening his customer service skills, was too much to pass up.

“It was a good feeling walking across the stage during graduation knowing that I had a good job lined up.”

Going to work first in the various Disney water parks as a lifeguard, Wiley’s determination caught the attention of his

supervisors. After a promotion to lifeguard instructor, Wiley was eventually named an attraction coordinator at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Animation Courtyard.

One day, Wiley met Matt Hanson, the voiceover artist for Disney’s monorail service. “I picked Matt’s brain for ways to break into the voice acting market, and he told me you have to act.”

Feeling a bit rusty with his voice work, Wiley worked online with several voice acting coaches, and ultimately enlisted the assistance of two talent agents.

An avid gamer, Wiley is finding success as a voice actor for video games and apps.

He debuted as the voices for Santa Claus and the Helpful Elf in Libii Game’s “Pet Christmas.” In 3D2 Entertainment’s “The Crowe’s Eye,” Wiley flexed his versatility as a villain character for the voice of William Holtwick.

Now 28, Wiley figures he’s in the sweet spot of life. “I get to work at Disney – literally, the happiest place on Earth – and build my career as a voice actor.”

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OUTSIDE the CLASSROOM

“I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

Junior Nursing Student Frannie Weiland Finds Her Calling While Interning in Kenya By Graham Duncan Junior nursing major Frannie Weiland will never forget her first real nursing job. This past summer, she joined Projects Abroad – one of the largest volunteer abroad organizations in the world – as a volunteer nursing intern in Kenya. “I never became a certified nursing assistant in high school,” Weiland noted, “so this was the first opportunity that ever presented itself to me.”

For four weeks, Weiland served in the pediatrics ward of the Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital, a government-owned hospital in Laikipia County. “While I could choose to volunteer in any of the wards at the hospital, my service coordinator persuaded me to try working in pediatrics, and it turned out to be the best decision of my life.”

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LANDER MAGAZINE | FALL 2018

Weiland first learned of the opportunity to volunteer abroad from Dr. Carl Mentley, Lander’s director of Study Abroad, as well as from fellow student Rachel Marrah, who also went abroad to Africa the previous summer. “After hearing about Rachel’s experience, I knew I had to go to Africa.”

When she arrived, Weiland was told that most of her internship would be observatory. However, on her first day at work, the native nursing students were quick to include her in their routine.

“They let me do everything they did,” said Weiland.

Three to four days per week were spent in the pediatric ward of the hospital. The rest of her work week was spent doing community outreach projects, where she would help her fellow Projects Abroad volunteers distribute toothbrushes and toothpaste to local schools, and teach the local children how to brush their teeth and wash their hands.

Weiland also took part in medical outreach projects, traveling to remote villages that didn’t have access to health care. There, she helped obtain and record the patients’ basic vitals, screened them for HIV, and provided them with vitamins

and medications prescribed by a registered nurse onsite.

Weiland attributes her recent love of pediatrics to her time spent in Kenya. “I taught some of the kids how to make paper airplanes, and suddenly getting their morning medications wasn’t so bad.” Upon graduation, she plans to find a career in pediatrics where she can continue working with children.

If ever asked to do it again, Weiland says she’d jump at the opportunity “in a heartbeat,” stressing that her summer learning experience in Kenya has equipped her for her future career more than she ever thought possible.

“Being a student nurse in Africa and a

student nurse in America are two very different things,” Weiland admitted, “and yet they have both prepared me for the other.

I couldn’t have made it to Africa without my knowledge from Barratt Hall, and now Africa has helped me grow in my leadership, confidence and communication skills, and my ability to think critically to make do with the materials given to me.”

As a volunteer nursing intern for the pediatrics ward of the Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital, most of junior nursing major Frannie Weiland’s time abroad was spent working with children. Weiland describes her decision to volunteer in pediatrics as “the best decision of my life.” – contributed photos

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NEWSBRIEFS

Lander Energy Forum Encourages Debate n More than 250 students and community members gathered in the Abney Cultural Center Auditorium in March for Lander University’s 2018 Energy Forum. U.S. Congressman Jeff Duncan (SC-District 3), a member of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, discussed the pros and cons of a number of energy resources and fielded questions from the audience.

The spirited discussion touched on a number of energy-related topics, including solar, wind, natural gas, nuclear power and offshore drilling along the South Carolina coast.

Duncan’s passion for energy independence for South Carolina was sparked during the 2008-2014 economic downturn. “It was the energy-producing states (the Dakotas, Louisiana, Wyoming and Texas) that were able to weather the recession more successfully than others.

Those states fared much better because they were able to continue to produce and export energy,” he explained.

Continued exploration, according to Duncan, is the key to further advancement as a society.

“From the development of the cotton gin, automobiles and airplanes, our energy exploration and development has provided an improvement in the quality of life for so many around the world,” he said. “But even today, many thirdworld countries suffer from energy poverty. With further exploration of the natural resources we have in abundance, we can continue to improve the lives of so many others. For the first time, we are a net exporter of natural gas and crude oil.”

U.S. Congressman Jeff Duncan, R-3rd District, right, responds to a question from moderator and Lander political science professor Dr. Lucas McMillan at an energy forum on Lander’s campus.

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LANDER MAGAZINE | FALL 2018

Students Do Well at Spring Research Conferences n Several students from a variety of disciplines presented their academic research

at state, regional and national conferences this past spring.

At the eighth annual Big South Undergraduate Research Symposium (BigSURS) held at Liberty University, sociology major D.J. Stroud ’18, of Latta, received first place in the Investigative/Textual Research category for his presentation, “The Portrayal of Black Women in American Film.”

Other students presenting at BigSURS were: Paige Fowler, of North Augusta; Jeremiah Grooms ’18, of Greenwood; Wesley Hamilton ’18, of Irmo; Maria Morales ’18, of Greenwood; Chase O’Dell ’18, of Batesburg-Leesville; and Aralyn Townsend, of Port Royal.

At the S.C. Psychological Association Annual Convention, psychology majors Mel Bussard ’18, of Chapin, and Dallas S. Thompson ’18, of Blythewood, were awarded for their presentations during the undergraduate poster session.

Bussard won first place for his presentation, “Is Religion a Source of Comfort or Concern Regarding Death Anxiety,” while Thompson took home second place for her presentation, “Death, Love, and Politics: Effects of Mortality Salience and Political Agreement on Romantic Commitment.”

Also presenting from Lander were: Tiffany Gray ’18, of Simpsonville; Christina Franklin ’18, of Canton, N.C.; and Meshelle Wright ’18, of Elgin.

At the Upstate Research Symposium, several students received first place awards for their presentations. Meg Lacombe ’18, of Beaufort, received first place for her presentation “Lead Analysis of Drinking Water at a South Carolina University.”

Three students tied for first in their category: Suzie Pace ’18, of Abbeville, nursing and health sciences; and Blair Harmon ’18, of Saluda, and Jessica Wood ’18, of Hodges, biology and physiology.

Also presenting at the Upstate Symposium were: Nadja Seymour, of Columbia; Hannah Girardeau, of Greenville; and Daniel Hutto ’18, of Piedmont.

Presenting in the poster session were: Lee Phillips, of Greenwood, and Ryan Martin, of Goose Creek, bioinformatics and biotechnology; Hannah Vickery ’18, of Williamston, biology and physiology; and Scarlett Singletary, of Charleston, and Anna Connelly, of Greenwood, chemistry and environmental sciences.

Lander students participate in the Big South Undergraduate Research Symposium held at Liberty University. Pictured from left: Maria Morales ’18, of Greenwood; D.J. Stroud ’18, of Latta; Paige Fowler, of North Augusta; Aralyn Townsend, of Port Royal; Jeremiah Grooms ’18, of Greenwood; Chase O’Dell ’18, of Batesburg-Leesville; and Wesley Hamilton ’18, of Irmo.

New Lander Center Created to Expand Online Learning n This summer, Lander University took a big step toward the future of online education by launching a new Center for Online and Innovative Learning.

Under the direction of Associate Professor of English Dr. Lloyd Willis, the new center will serve to promote all educational pursuits outside conventional delivery, including e-learning, dual enrollment for high school students, weekend and evening programs for adult learners, and faculty training for online teaching.

“If people know nothing else about online learning, they know that online courses offer flexibility,” Willis said. “And this center is going to benefit Lander and its students in a number of ways.”

For example, Willis pointed out that in conventional classroom learning, some students will remain silent all semester.

“But this isn’t possible in online courses,” he said. “Students must engage, participate and invest in the experience. And, with tools like video-recorded lectures and demonstrations, online students can watch them again and again.”

The new center is expected to have a significant impact on Lander’s enrollment as well, and could bring in hundreds of additional new students to the university within the next five years.

Lander already offers numerous courses online, as well as several online graduate and undergraduate programs, including: • Master of Science in Emergency Management • Master of Science in Nursing, Clinical Nurse Leader • Master of Education in Teaching & Learning • RN-BSN, Bachelor of Science in Nursing for Registered Nurses • Health Care Management Certificate Program Willis said the new online learning center will allow these programs and many others to grow in ways that could soon become a norm for all professors.

“This center will provide support to help faculty members work through the challenges of online delivery, and everyone seems eager to have that support,” he said.

STUDENTS HELP CAPTURE SNAPSHOT OF AREA HOMELESSNESS

Lander students take part in a training exercise while preparing for the Point-in-Time Homeless Census. From left are: Candace Timmerman, a Lander alumna who works as Housing and Urban Development Case Manager/Grants Coordinator for Meg’s House in Greenwood; and students Kaneisha Adams, Cameron Davis, Asia Tate and Stephanie Arrington.

n Last January, a host of Lander University students col-

laborated with the S.C. Upstate Continuum of Care to carry out the annual Point-in-Time Homeless Census. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) mandates the census, and its results are shared with individuals and agencies that provide housing and other services to those experiencing homelessness while transitioning to more stable living situations.

Stephanie Arrington, a Lander sociology major from Walhalla, jumped at the opportunity to help with the census, in part because she had formed a bond with homeless individuals while volunteering at a local soup kitchen.

“I wanted to help (with the count) because I was familiar with many of the people from working at the soup kitchen, and I felt it would be easier for them to talk with me because a bond had already been formed,” Arrington explained. “It’s all about making someone comfortable enough to talk in hopes of getting them the help they need.”

Candace Timmerman, a Lander alumna who works as a Housing and Urban Development Case Manager/Grants Coordinator for Meg’s House in Greenwood, explained the importance of the census. “The count is conducted each year on specific nights in January. Once all the data is collected and examined, HUD presents its findings to members of Congress, who then make decisions on the allocation of funds.”

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NEWSBRIEFS

Lander University Welcomes Largest Freshman Class for Second Consecutive Year n Enrollment at Lander University for the 2018-19 academic year stands at 3,053 students – merely 16 shy of the all-time high. Fueling the surge in enrollment is the admissions team with the Division of Enrollment & Access Management.

“With 870 students, we enrolled the largest freshman class in Lander history for the second year in a row. This year’s freshman class is 13 percent larger than last year, and we’ve grown it 56 percent for the past three years,” said Andy Benoit, vice president for Enrollment & Access Management at Lander.

Speaking during his annual State of the University address shortly after the start of the academic year, Lander President Richard Cosentino said, “People in every county in the state want to come to Lander because we are a great institution.”

Among the driving factors for the enrollment growth, according to President Cosentino, are the university’s decision two years ago to freeze tuition, housing and other fees, and the commitment to upgrading the infrastructure, including the renovation of 94 classrooms and the construction of a new student lounge.

Lander Grants Tenure and Promotions to Exceptional Faculty n Lander’s award-winning faculty help provide a robust student experience in

the classroom and beyond, encouraging students to achieve academically and to engage at Lander and in the greater Greenwood community. The Provost and University Tenure and Promotions Committee promoted and granted tenure to the following members of the Lander University faculty.

Promoted to the rank of Associate Professor with tenure are Dr. Elizabeth McDowell, of the William Preston Turner School of Nursing; Ms. Asma NazimStarnes, of the Department of Art; Dr. Franklin Rausch, of the Department of History and Philosophy; Dr. Christine Sacerdote, of the Department of Teacher Education; and Dr. Stan Vinson, of the College of Business.

Promoted to the rank of Professor are: Dr. Lisa Brodhacker, of the Department of Physical Sciences; Dr. Lillian Craton, of the Department of English and Foreign Languages; and Dr. Lee Vartanian, of the Department of Teacher Education.

Dr. Michael Brizek, Associate Professor of Management with the College of Business, was awarded tenure.

Dr. Elizabeth McDowell

Ms. Asma Nazim-Starnes

Dr. Franklin Rausch

Dr. Christine Sacerdote

Dr. Stan Vinson

Dr. Lisa Brodhacker

Dr. Lillian Craton

Dr. Lee Vartanian

Dr. Michael Brizek

Bearcat Camp has proven to be an effective and fun experience for newly enrolled Lander University students to bond and take part in leadership activities. Sarah Shojaie (front), of Greenwood, and Haley Ruddock, of Moncks Corner, enjoy kayaking on Lake Greenwood during the 2018 Bearcat Camp.

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LANDER MAGAZINE | FALL 2018

Craig, Scott Join Lander Board of Trustees n John E. Craig Jr. and Donald H. Scott are the newest members of the Lander University Board of Trustees.

Craig and Scott replace retiring members Bobby Bowers, who served on the board for 28 years, and Claude Robinson, a board member since 2014. Their terms began July 1.

Craig is the former executive vice president and chief operating officer of The Commonwealth Fund, which promotes a more effective, efficient and accessible U.S. health care system.

He was responsible for the management of the John E. Craig Jr. foundation’s endowment and administration, served as the Fund’s treasurer and corporate secretary, and played a key role in program strategy.

Before joining The Commonwealth Fund, Craig directed the John A. Hartford Foundation’s health care financing reform program. He also served as chairman of the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York City for 24 years.

Scott graduated from Lander in 1975 with a degree in business administration and spent the next 10 years working in sales in the textile industry. He then joined Thomson Reuters, the Canadian mass media and information firm, Donald H. Scott first as a sales representative, before advancing into sales management. Scott spent 31 years with Thomson Reuters, rising to the position of director of sales and managing markets in the U.S., Canada and Europe.

Scott was a member of The Lander Foundation Board of Trustees for six years.

He also served as vice president and interim president.

LANDER RATED HIGHLY IN RECENT RANKINGS OF SCHOOLS n Lander continues to be seen as a top choice in several recent rankings of colleges and universities.

College Consensus placed Lander at #33 in the country in its Public Colleges and Universities rankings, and #6 in its Best Regional Colleges – South list. The university came in at #15 in the publication’s Best Schools for Veterans rankings.

And, once again, U.S. News and World Report has ranked Lander among its top regional colleges in the South, with the university claiming the #21 spot in that category. The publication also rated Lander the third best public school among regional colleges in the South, and the eighth best college for veterans in the South.

Washington Monthly included Lander in its list of the Top 100 baccalaureate colleges in the country. Lander also earned a spot in its list of schools in the Southeast offering the "Best Bang for the Buck."

Lander Student Chaz Giles Competes on Big Stage n Lander senior mass communications major Chaz

Giles recently advanced through the state, regional and video rounds of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Student Auditions, competing in the semifinal round in Las Vegas, Nev. Lander Associate Professor of Music Dr. Lila Noonkester said that Giles sang well and received good comments from the judges in his category.

Noonkester called Giles’s accomplishment significant. “Chaz is considered to be one of the top 14 male musical theatre singers nationally in his age group,” she said.

Giles, a music minor, sang the same repertoire that he performed in earlier rounds of the competition: “Hero and Leander,” from Myths and Hymns, by Adam Guettel; “Lost in the Wilderness,” from Children of Eden, by Stephen Schwartz; “Something’s Coming,” from West Side Story, by Leonard Bernstein; and “On the Street Where You Live,” from My Fair Lady, by Frederick Loewe.

Noonkester said that Giles “has a naturally beautiful instrument, which moves easily into the uppermost range of the tenor voice. His dramatic delivery is relaxed, honest and expressive. Above all, he is a performer who has the ability to captivate audiences.”

Giles has also distinguished himself as an actor and filmmaker, appearing in several recent Greenwood Community Theatre productions, such as Beauty and the Beast, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Godspell, and Into the Woods.

This spring, he won a Best Director Award for his entry in the ninth annual Lander Film Festival, “Amore Mio Per La Cena (My Love for Dinner),” which also won the Writer’s Choice Award. www.lander.edu/magazine

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T.D. Maze Appointed to Lead Graduate Studies at Lander n Dr. T.D. Maze, professor of biology, has been selected to spearhead Lander University’s Graduate Studies programs. As director of Graduate Studies, Maze’s responsibilities include providing guidance to academic departments in the development of new graduate offerings and implementing strategic marketing initiatives for the programs.

“This appointment represents a new framework for supporting graduate program management and marketing at Lander University,” said Dr. Jim Colbert, interim provost at Lander.

“T.D. began working with the graduate programs during the summer and has already made progress in identifying strategies to enhance the marketing and management of our existing programs. He is also exploring opportunities for development of new graduate programs.”

Lander currently offers graduate programs in nursing (clinical nurse leader), education (teaching and learning, and Montessori education), and emergency management.

Maze sees Lander’s graduate programs as making good on a promise to serve the community. “Service is our purpose, and our graduate-level courses are vital in bringing innovation and efficiency to the area workforce,” he said.

Army ROTC Cadet Dale Fleming Honored n Lander ROTC cadet Dale Fleming, of Waterloo, was presented with the Wysor Saber during the Highlander Battalion’s Commissioning and Hall of Fame Ceremony on May 11, on the campus of Presbyterian College.

The Wysor Saber is presented annually to the top graduating cadet from the Highlander Battalion Army ROTC program, which is comprised of students from Lander University, Presbyterian College and Newberry College. The award is named for Colonel Robert E. Wysor, who presented the first saber in 1932. Wysor served in World War I and World War II, earning the Silver Star and the legion of Merit in combat.

Lander Employees and Award Winners Recognized n More than 200 Lander University employees were on hand in mid-May for the school’s 18th annual Staff Excellence Awards breakfast.

Created in 2001, the awards breakfast honors all staff members and recognizes those who have gone above and beyond their regular professional duty.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to bring all of the staff together for fellowship, and to appreciate them for their service and dedication to Lander and its students,” said Elly Deal, Human Resources coordinator. “Award nominations are submitted by colleagues, and winners are selected by the President’s Cabinet.”

The five winners for 2018 were (pictured, from left to right): • Jennifer Mathis, executive director, Office of Admissions; • Christopher Giles, director of Veteran Services; • Zach Helms, assistant director of Housing & Residence Life; • Doug Mikeal, technical director with Special Events; and • Maria Scott, graphic designer with University Relations and Publications.

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Summer Camps Bring Thousands to Lander n The heat didn’t keep campers of all kinds from descending on Lander University this summer. Whether it was for athletics, science, or even banking, Lander had almost as many people on campus from June to August as it does during the school year.

“We had 2,981 people for our 25 summer camps in 2018,” said Elizabeth McCune, facilities coordinator for Lander Special Events.

“If we could add a few months to the summer calendar, I’m sure we could fill it up.”

Science camps brought in grades 5 -12 to explore chemistry, biology, forensics, cybersecurity and physics. Camps coordinated by off-campus organizations included Camp KidJam, several sessions of the National Cheerleader Association cheer camps, and the South Carolina Bankers Association, which has held its annual Bankers School at Lander since 2010.

And athletics took the lion’s share of interest, with 17 camps including volleyball, baseball, softball, Bearcat Buddies, and both men's and women’s basketball. “Our women’s basketball camp was a sell-out, with 200,” said Lander women’s head coach Kevin Pederson. “That’s 40 more than last year, and the camp is now at the maximum capacity that we can handle and still run smoothly.”

Regardless of the camp or its popularity, however, the all-inone purpose is for campers to have fun, learn something and come away with Lander’s presence firmly in their minds. “Our camps give parents another option to explore that is based on their child’s interests,” McCune said. “Many coaches see the camps as a great recruiting tool to assist in efforts to expose young, potential students to our campus.”

When asked if the camps will continue to grow, McCune cited KidJam as an indicator.

“Camp KidJam would love the opportunity to be on campus all summer long,” she said. “And with the addition of new sports, I’m sure we will be adding more athletic camps in the years to come.”

Two campers learn the basics of blood splatter during Lander’s 2018 summer forensics camp.

Students Honored for Service, Academics

Ananda Cloud President’s Award

Rebecca Snelgrove Woman of the Year

Santos Pagan Jr. Man of the Year

n In April, Lander University recognized its students for scholarship and cocurricular service during the 2017-18 academic year. At the annual Academic Awards ceremony, more than 60 students received discipline and special awards from the university’s colleges and schools in honor of outstanding academic achievement. Honors College graduates and Alpha Chi inductees were also recognized.

Among the students and organizations earning Lander’s top honors at the Student Life Awards ceremony was Ananda Cloud, who received the President’s Award, presented annually in recognition of unique exemplification of the ethic of service to the Lander and Greenwood communities.

Cloud, a criminology major who graduated in May 2018, contributed to numerous programs throughout her career at Lander, including Presidential Ambassadors, Bearcat Nation spirit club and Habitat for Humanity.

Santos Pagan Jr. and Rebecca Snelgrove were named the Samuel and Laura Lander Man and Woman of the Year, presented to students who “have exhibited high aspirations and noble humanitarian qualities of character in all areas of campus life.” Pagan, an active orientation leader, Presidential Ambassador and University Program Council vice president, was also praised for his service to Habitat for Humanity and the Miracle League. A May 2018 graduate, Snelgrove was an orientation leader, Presidential Ambassador, RA, and member of the Alpha Chi and Sigma Tau Delta honor societies.

The South Carolina Bankers Association has held its annual Banker’s School at Lander since 2010.

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What Do You Need to Make a Magical Moment?

Love, Beauty, Art & Lander

By Renee Love; Dean, Lander University College of Arts & Humanities

Chad had said to himself many times, “I will know when the time is right, when the right time comes.”

We have all had those seasons in life where we find ourselves relying more heavily on signs and symbols for direction, for reassurance that we are on the right course. We might look for mystical clues “written” in our special “language” of the soul – clues only decipherable to us, the person for whom the unique sign was intended. That symbol might confirm a next step in life or an important decision, like compass points on a personal map of life. For some, the divine symbol might take the form of the colors of the sky, or an unexpected rainbow, or the seemingly magical appearance of sand sculptures at the beach.

Last May, Chad Carter and Angie Courtney were vacationing at the beach and, as anyone who has ever been in love can attest, when the stars are in alignment, magical things happen. The couple’s travel plans aligned perfectly with the Lander University art students’ annual pilgrimage to Pawley’s Island, an occasion where art students and faculty members create ephemeral sculptures at the beach.

Ephemeral art can be described as art that is temporary in nature.

It is constructed with the understanding that the piece will exist only for a short period of time, maybe hours or days. Then, nature will reclaim the art, and all the materials that were used in the creation will return to their original forms. Whether because of wind, rain, water, tides or other forces of nature, the structures disappear.

Sometimes, ephemeral artworks are documented in photographs, much like the unique moments in our lives that we attempt to capture in pictures to remember later – all the while cognizant of the impossibility of truly capturing, distilling, transfixing perfection. In time, the photographs themselves become our symbols of the perfect moment, reminding us that such a magical thing really did happen, and allowing us to relive those happy occasions imaginatively.

Imagination has a power, particularly when combined with talent and collaboration. Each May, Lander art students explore ephemeral art projects at Pawley’s Island, where they work through numerous artistic challenges. Students’ projects involve not only creating temporal works of art, but also academic components, as well as process and materials challenges.

For instance, students use the natural materials on the beach to create their sculptures. Even for an English professor, words cannot fully capture the wonderment of these enchanting artworks, which are crafted from sand, water and shells. The forms the art takes are most often not sandcastles, but of animals, plants or even words.

Students also have to face the limitations of time and the unpredictability of the weather. Rain is a possibility; but, even more certain are the rising tides that creep higher and higher on the beach, like soft, watery fingers, eager to reclaim the newly erected sculptures and return everything back to the sea.

Opposite page: Sculpture by Jim Slagle, associate professor of art.

– photo by Stephen Wilfong This page: Sculpture by Olivia Bolt, student.

– photo by Haley Floyd, instructor of art (continued on page 18)

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Love, Beauty, Art & Lander

As you might imagine, it’s not every day that one walks out of a seaside resort to see majestic sand sculptures emerging at the ocean front, and the sculptures tend to generate great enthusiasm and attention from other beach-goers, sometimes becoming the beginning of a conversation or a friendship or something more.

As the Fates would have it, Angie and Chad were at Pawley’s Island the same week in May that Lander’s art students were there creating sand sculptures, a project directed by art faculty members Doug McAbee and Sandy Singletary.

The intersection of those two trips resulted in something magical. Angie remembers feeling inspired by a “very large and winding tree,” where “the roots of the tree were almost going to the water.”

And Chad liked an octopus sculpture and how the form “would look like it was on top of the surface and then would dip down in other places.” Angie and Chad talked with the Lander students and felt “awe-struck” and “amazed” by the students’ talents and work ethic, which never wavered regardless of heat or rain.

That afternoon in May, before the artworks were reclaimed by

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the sea, Chad and Angie strolled through the sand sculpture exhibit on the beach, discussing the beautiful art, the fragility of nature and the sense of wonder. They understood the artworks were the result of the students’ individual talents and contributions, as well as teamwork and collaboration – that they were a balance of playful energy and intentional work, commitment and seriousness.

And then Chad realized that amid the magic of the sand sculptures, the clouds were parting, and a rainbow appeared over the ocean: he had found the right time.

Chad later told Angie that he had planned to propose to her during their vacation, but he did not know exactly when the right time would be. As they walked along the beach, the combination of the rainbow and the sand sculptures – natural beauty and art – seemed to be symbolic, creating the perfect moment for Chad to propose to Angie. And she said, “Yes.” Top: Seahorse sculpture by Doug McAbee, associate professor of art.

Nautilus and octopus sculptures by Katherine Rumminger, student. Sand dollar sculpture by Lauren Jarecki, student. – photos by Doug McAbee

“Such an original idea, something rare and wonderful, which is also such a Lander thing.”

Chad and Angie decided they would be married that September

on the beach at Pawley’s Island, where they first saw the memorable sculptures. Angie designed their wedding around the ephemeral art that had inspired Chad to propose. The works of art, although impermanent in time, made such an indelible impression on the couple that Angie contacted Professor McAbee to see if some of the Lander art students might be able to create sand sculptures for their wedding. The students said, “Yes.” The weekend of the wedding, Professors McAbee, Singletary and Jim Slagle, along with a group of seven Lander art majors, returned to Pawley’s Island to create new works for Chad and Angie’s wedding. Professor Singletary praised this unique approach, reflecting that using the natural materials found at the beach is “such an original idea, something rare and wonderful, which is also such a Lander thing.”

The couple gave the artists near-complete freedom with the design of the wedding sculptures, requesting nautical-themed works and the construction of a circular space where the wedding

guests could gather for the intimate ceremony. Angie received “so much positive feedback” from the guests because their beach wedding was truly different than all the other beach weddings: it was inspired by art, by their personal experiences, and by a sense of wonderment, nature’s beauty and serendipity.

One need not be an ancient mariner to look for navigational signs, for in some way, we are all like celestial navigators looking for soulful symbols that might help us chart our courses in life.

Sometimes, those special signs in life are beautiful symbols, like that day under the rainbow when works of art helped guide Chad and Angie to their dream.

Top: Pictured, from left, are: Jim Slagle and Doug McAbee, associate professors of art; Katherine Rumminger, Hannah Elmore and Grace White, students; Angie Courtney, bride; Olivia Bolt, student; Sandy Singletary, art department chair and associate professor of art; and Brandon Hernandez-Flores, Lauren Jarecki and Abby Johnson, students.

– photo courtesy Angie Courtney

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Oh, the Places They’ll Go!

Lander Bids Farewell to 321 Graduates at 157th Commencement

By Megan Price; Photos by Laura M. Brown, Deb Nygro and Randy Pace

As she addressed the members of Lander University’s spring Class of 2018, commencement speaker Gina Dunn drew upon the work of a famous doctor to inspire the 300-plus graduates seated before her.

Dr. Seuss, that is.

“You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

You're on your own. And you know what you know.

And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go.”

Those lines, from Seuss’ beloved classic Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, were among the reflections and advice shared with the crowd at Lander’s 157th commencement, held on May 12 in Horne Arena.

A member of Lander’s faculty and the recipient of the university’s 2017 Distinguished Professor Award, professor Gina Dunn began her career at Lander as an adjunct instructor in 2000. She steadily rose through the ranks, moving up to instructor, then to tenured assistant professor, and eventually becoming chair of Lander’s

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Department of Mathematics and Computing in 2012.

“You can’t sit back in life and be guaranteed that you’re going to succeed. It is going to be a lot of hard work, but that is what these last four years were about,” she said. “My colleagues have prepared you for that hard work. They have given you the tools in your tool box to make sure that you are prepared to succeed in life.”

Along with teaching many of the graduates at some point during their time at Lander, Dunn shared another meaningful connection with the group – her two Lander diplomas.

“In 1994, I was just where you are sitting,” said Dunn, who earned a bachelor’s in mathematics from Lander. “And in 2015, I was right where you are sitting, again, getting my master’s degree in instructional technology.”

While the day marked the end of their Lander journey, Dunn told the graduates, “Your education is just beginning.”

“But, with all respect to Dr. Seuss, you’re not on your own. Lander is your family, and we’re here for you,” she said. “So don’t just look for a career – go after your heart’s desire.”

Spring Commencement

2018

In keeping with a new tradition at the university, several graduating seniors took part in the ceremony’s proceedings: Mary Grace Lacombe, who earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, provided the invocation; while Shannon Marie DeSantis, a business administration major, delivered the benediction. Graduating music majors Jalisa Simmons, Destinee Simpson, Bryan Keefe and Alexander Morrison performed the National Anthem and Lander’s Alma Mater.

Also during the ceremony, 10 students were recognized as finalists for the Thayer Award, Lander’s highest honor for academic achievement. Evidence Mushaninga, a business administration major from Bindura, Zimbabwe, was announced as the recipient of the prestigious award, which is presented to the graduating senior with the highest grade point average, who has earned at least 60 credit hours in residence at Lander.

With 321 members, the spring Class of 2018 is one of the university’s largest in recent history, and one that is also geographically diverse. Among the graduates were students from Canada, Serbia, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Germany, China, Lithuania, Zimbabwe, and Colombia; as well as 12 U.S. states, including South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, Iowa, Pennsylvania and California.

Addressing the Graduates Commencement Speaker Gina Dunn, chair of Lander’s Department of Mathematics and Computing and the university’s 2017 Distinguished Professor, drew upon the Dr. Seuss classic, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!, to inspire and celebrate the more than 300 graduates of Lander’s spring Class of 2018.

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Spring Commencement

Thayer Award Recipient

Bearcat Medalists

Evidence Mushaninga, a business administration major, was presented with Lander’s highest academic honor, the Thayer Award, for the Spring 2018 graduating class.

As part of their academic regalia, Lander’s graduating student-athletes wear a silver medal featuring the Bearcat swoosh insignia. Bearcat team members in the spring Class of 2018 included, first row, from left: Molly Grace McNulty, business administration, softball; Dariean Kassidi Ward, business administration, softball; Casey Ann Kent, exercise science, softball; Halie Brooke Sorrow, business administration, softball; Hannah Michelle Newton, business administration, softball; Hannah Elizabeth Martin, special education, soccer; Kayla Breann Walker, exercise science, soccer; Shannon Marie DeSantis, business administration, soccer; Caroline Ferguson Yodice, business administration, tennis; Reyonia Aleyia Whipple, mass communications and media studies, volleyball; Mylea Klarrissa McKenith, mass communication and media studies, basketball; and Hannah Nnenna Whaley, political science, dance team. Back row, from left: Jamie Lunn, English, soccer; Jordan Alexander Lewis, business administration, soccer; Matthew James Thorpe, mass communications and media studies, baseball; Ross Andrew Catley-Davies, exercise science, soccer; Colton James Rogers, business administration, baseball; Daniel Robert Shanahan, exercise science, soccer; Ian Foulger, business administration, soccer; George Maximilian Page Rose, business administration, soccer; Srdjan Ivic, business administration, basketball; Sergio Renaldo Smith, computer information systems, basketball; Dylan Crawford Scott, biology, cross country; Joshua Ramon Belk, exercise science, soccer; David Christopher Korsten, business administration, tennis; and Kirstin Marie Martindale, psychology, volleyball. Pictured with the graduates is Lander Director of Athletics Brian Reese.

LANDER MAGAZINE | FALL 2018

University Medalists

U.S. Military & Veteran Honorees

Top: Graduates who achieved a 4.0 Lander GPA were awarded with a special ceremonial medal, struck with the university seal. Pictured, from left, are: Evidence Mushaninga, business administration; Jahleesa Taneia Coatie, special education; Christina Eulin Franklin, psychology; Sara Ashley Howe, nursing; Rebecca Garrett Bruce, early childhood education; Ashton Berkley Casey, special education; Dylan Crawford Scott, biology; Suzie Vu Pace, biology; Lori Elizabeth Smith, chemistry; and Kelsey Morgan Johnson, mass communications and media studies.

Bottom: At each ceremony, Lander recognizes the graduating seniors who are serving or have served in the U.S. Armed Forces by presenting them with a special stole. Pictured, from left, are: Christopher Giles, Director of Lander Military and Veterans Services; Tiffney M. Wakefield, nursing; Spencer Tyler Thomas, history; Alejandro Tomรกs Fonseca, criminology; Dominic Melvin Grant, elementary education; Danielle Rose Hall, exercise science; Dr. Suzanne Ozment, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, who presided over the spring commencement ceremony; and Dr. Linda L. Dolny, Chair of the Lander University Board of Trustees.

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Spring Commencement

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The New Chemistry

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that jobs for forensic science technicians will grow by 17 percent through 2026.

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LANDER LAUNCHES FORENSIC SCIENCE PROGRAM

A

By Jeff Lagrone, Photos by Laura M. Brown

year ago, Lander expanded its Bachelor of Science in Chemistry by adding a forensic science emphasis.

This semester, it began offering a forensic science minor as well.

The two programs are a response to the growing need for graduates trained to use scientific techniques to solve crimes.

“Forensics is something that’s increasingly important in the criminal justice system,” said Professor of Chemistry Dr. Ralph Layland, chair of Lander’s Department of Physical Sciences. “Forensics is the thing right now.”

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that jobs for forensic science technicians will grow by 17 percent through 2026, a rate of increase it calls “much faster than the average for all occupations.”

The growth in the industry can be seen in the proliferation of crime labs. In the past, forensics work in South Carolina was per­­­ formed only in the State Crime Lab in Columbia. Now, there are a dozen or more counties in the state that have crime labs of their own.

Lander Lecturer of Chemistry Jeff Hollifield worked for the State Crime Lab for 10 years, then opened his own forensics laboratory, Micro Analytical, specializing in small particle analysis for law enforcement agencies, insurance adjusters, attorneys and industries.

Hollifield identified several additional places where forensic science technicians can find work.

“For instance, the D.E.A. has forensic scientists. The U.S. Customs

Agency has a lab in Savannah that does customs analysis of things coming in and out of the country. The U.S. Postal Service has a forensics unit that analyzes spills.”

Sometimes, forensic scientists work in places where you wouldn’t expect to find one. For example, museums employ forensic scientists to determine whether paintings in their collections are masterpieces or fakes.

“There are a lot of areas where forensic scientists can find jobs, not just in crime labs,” Hollifield said.

“They are, don’t forget, a true chemist,” added Layland. “So really, they could find any chemistry job, also. This specialization allows them to work in crime labs and different areas, but they’re still trained as a chemist. Forensics is almost the new chemistry, is what it is.”

Students with other majors who minor in forensic science have some intriguing options, too. Visual arts students can find jobs producing witness account drawings or facial reconstructions from skeletons. Psychology students can find jobs in psychological profiling of criminals. Computer information systems graduates can assist with computer and cellphone investigations, and accounting majors can help with investigations for fraud and white-collar crime.

Top: Lander Lecturer of Chemistry Jeff Hollifield, right, has been instrumental in establishing a new forensic science program at Lander. (continued on page 28)

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“You can do forensics in just about any subject area. Any area that’s going to come up as an issue in court can be developed into a forensics application. Forensics is the legal application of any subject; it doesn’t have to be science,” Hollifield said.

Layland said he has had conversations with department heads in other subject areas, and “they see the benefits of having forensic science as a minor.”

The forensic science minor is expected to be an attractive option for chemistry, biology and environmental science majors, who already take four of the required seven courses and would only need to take Criminalistics, Microscopical Methods and Toxicology.

Hollifield described Criminalistics as a survey of different areas of forensics.

“We do a little bit with almost every department that would be in a crime lab – fingerprints, firearms and ballistics, arson, toxicology, serology, DNA, drugs, fibers, hair, explosive residues, handwriting – a little bit of everything.”

Microscopical Methods, he said, has a narrower focus.

“We’re going to look at hairs and fibers; we’re going to look at soil, rocks and minerals that would be in a soil sample; we’re going to look at explosive residues; and we’re going to look at paint pigments. Maybe glass, as well.”

Quantification of toxicity, biochemical action of toxicants and population effects of poisons are some of the topics covered in Toxicology, taught by Assistant Professor of Environmental Chemistry Dr. Diana Delach.

Contaminants such as pesticides, industrial pollutants, metals and pharmaceuticals are discussed in conjunction with sources, sinks and efforts to create regulations.

Some chemistry majors at Lander are expected to switch to a forensic science emphasis, as many did at the University of West Virginia, where forensic science is now the most popular major on campus. Forensic science faculty were accused of “stealing” students, “but the chemistry majors actually increased also,” Hollifield said.

After years of analyzing drugs and trace evidence for the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Hollifield returned to school and “took a lot of microscope courses to be able to analyze various types of evidence. Since then, I’ve taught and also done private forensics work, both in criminal and civil cases.”

One of the new things in forensics, according to Hollifield, is the speed with which small samples of DNA can now be replicated so that they’re large enough to test.

“It used to take six months to do that; now they can do it in a few days or a week. Things like that are getting faster and faster and faster.” (continued on page 31)

Forensic science students Brian Murphy, of Bluffton, and Catherine Baker, of Whitmire, perform an experiment with a gaschromatography mass spectrometer, used in testing for drugs.

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Murphy uses an atomic absorption spectrometer to check a sample for the presence of barium and lead, found in gunshot residue.

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FORENSIC SCIENCE PROGRAM

“To be able to investigate why something happened – or to look at something that doesn't seem to have an answer, but still be able to pull something from that – I think is really cool.”

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Lander students had some interesting things to say about why they chose forensics.

“Watching way too many crime scene investigation shows – that, and Sherlock Holmes, are what sparked my interest in this field,” said Erin McKee, of Mauldin.

“As for choosing the Lander program specifically, I’ve been around Greenwood throughout my life, so Lander was familiar. I have known Professor Hollifield for a while now, and knowing the work he did in crime labs made me feel confident in what I was being taught.”

Laura Maly, of Simpsonville, was influenced to go into forensic science by TV shows like “Bones” and “Dexter,” which feature characters in the forensic science field.

She chose Lander, she said, because it “was one of the only universities that had a forensics program and was affordable enough that I could attend.”

After graduation, Maly hopes to land an internship with a nearby police lab, “possibly leading into a full-time job as an assistant medical examiner or crime scene technician.”

McKee plans on pursuing a master’s in forensic science, and that might be a good idea. While employment opportunities for forensic science technicians are on the rise, it remains a relatively small occupation, and competition for jobs will be keen.

When asked what they like about the field, forensic science majors Catherine Baker, of Whitmire, and Brian Murphy, of Bluffton, responded similarly.

“I love science, and I love analyzing and problem-solving. It kind of comes together perfectly in forensics,” Baker said.

“I think it’s a lot of fun to be able to solve problems, especially on the forensics end,” said Murphy.

“To be able to investigate why something happened – or to be able to look at something that doesn't seem to have an answer, but still be able to pull something from that – I think is really cool.”

Lander forensic science students Laura Maly, of Simpsonville, left, and Erin McKee, of Mauldin, work on a fracture match for glass, a technique used by forensic scientists to link glass found at a crime scene with glass found in a suspect’s house or car.

McKee examines a fiber under a microscope and determines that it is acrylic.

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Sean Barnette: 2018 Distinguished Professor

Connecting with Students

By Jeff Lagrone, photo by Laura M. Brown

Lander Associate Professor of English Dr. Sean Barnette, the winner of this year’s Distinguished Professor Award, tries to make his classes as interactive as possible.

“Any day that I’m teaching and I’m doing the most talking in the class, it’s probably a bad day,” he says.

Barnette, who originally trained to be a band director, says “you can’t teach someone to play an instrument by lecturing them,” and the same thing goes for teaching writing.

“I’ve always seen what you do in the classroom as a practical thing, rather than just delivering information,” he said.

He became interested in the idea of teaching writing as a career while pursuing a master’s degree in linguistics at the University of South Carolina, when he was offered an assistantship teaching English 101. “I fell in love with doing it,” he says.

From 2005 to 2007, he served as a visiting instructor of English at Lander, an experience that he enjoyed enough to return to school to pursue his doctorate. In 2011, the University of Tennessee awarded him a Ph.D. in rhetoric, writing and linguistics.

Barnette’s ability to connect with students, he feels, is one of his strengths. “My office door is open pretty much all the time, and

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students come in. These are the ‘let’s talk about life’ chairs; these are the ‘let’s talk about work’ chairs. And they’re full every day.”

One day each week, he eats with students in the dining hall.

Sometimes there are so many of them that he has to push two tables together.

Getting students to be curious, to ask questions and to take responsibility for their own learning is important to Barnette. He wants them to demonstrate that they can think through a problem.

An aspect of teaching that Barnette especially enjoys is developing new courses. A case in point is Linguistics, Y’all: Language Diversity & Development in the Southeastern United States, which he designed and taught.

“Continuing to create courses in English and in the Honors College that are going to be interesting to students is something that I want to keep doing,” he says.

It’s all about the students, as far as Barnette is concerned. When he was announced as the winner of the Distinguished Professor Award at Lander’s Academic Awards ceremony, there was a raucous cheer from a number of the students present.

“That really touched me,” he said.

Lander 2018 Distinguished Professor Dr. Sean Barnette talks about the qualities of an effective piece of writing with Noah Woodyard, of Greenwood, a student in his Visual and Material Rhetoric class.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Starlyn McGee-Anderson: 2018 Moore Award for Excellence in General Education Teaching

Making Lessons Impactful

By Eric Lawson, photo by Laura M. Brown

For Lecturer of English Starlyn “Dusty” McGee-Anderson, the realization of finding her vocation was a liberating experience. “I feel at home in the classroom (and appreciate) using my creativity to make lessons impactful. More importantly, I see young adults grow beyond their own expectations. It is a wonderful experience to see students progress when they never believed it possible.”

It’s that passion and drive to help others succeed that propelled McGee-Anderson to earning the 2018 Moore Award for Excellence in General Education Teaching.

The New Orleans native earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, but it was while working toward her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Arkansas that she first began to cultivate her empathetic approach to teaching.

“During my years as a teacher of college English courses in postsecondary settings, my teaching philosophy evolved into creating a curriculum and class environment that, above all, is supportive of the students,” she said.

A large component of her teaching style relies upon the individual strengths of her students. “In my general education literature courses, for example, I offer the students the opportunity to choose between a formal, academic paper or a creative project accompanied by a reflective paper for their final project. This enables students of different learning styles the ability to use their strongest skill set to confidently demonstrate the knowledge and critical thinking skills they gained during the course. The bonus for me is seeing all the amazing artwork students create for this project.”

McGee-Anderson is married to Dr. James Anderson, assistant professor of English and English education at Lander. The couple have one nine-year-old daughter and live in Greenwood.

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Matthew Peters: 2018 Young Faculty Teaching Award

Life in the Professional World

By Eric Lawson, photo by Laura M. Brown

“Respect for each other is essential,” said Dr. Matthew Peters, assistant professor of management, when asked to describe his instructional style. “During class, I let the students who are naturally talkative get the conversations about the subject matter of the day going, then draw others in by asking them to disagree, agree or elaborate on the points others are making.”

That conversational style of instruction helps to ease levels of stress among students, and is a precursor for a more successful – and enjoyable – life in the professional world.

“During an Academy of Business Research conference in New Orleans in 2017, I presented a paper on emotional intelligence, which refers to how well one can monitor their emotional state,” explained Peters. “Job stress can really do a number on job satisfaction, but my research suggests that those among us who are emotionally conscious can mediate the effects of job stress. This

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is important because high levels of job satisfaction yield superior financial performance.”

For his research, presentation and instructional success, Peters was awarded Lander’s 2018 Young Faculty Teaching Award.

The self-proclaimed Army brat traveled around quite a bit as a youngster but calls Augusta, Ga., home. He earned his Bachelor of Liberal Studies in psychology and communications from Mercer University (Macon, Ga.), his Master of Business Administration from the University of West Georgia, and his Ph.D. in Business Administration from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Peters remained at Southern Illinois as an instructor in their Department of Management before joining the Lander faculty in 2016.

Since moving to Greenwood, Peters has immersed himself in the local community. He has been named District Program Chair for the Boy Scouts, has become a Rotarian, and leads the Lander Roteract Club. His wife, Amanda, teaches at Greenwood High School, and the couple has an 11-year-old son.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Daniel Harrison: A Tribute to Jackson Station Lander Professor of Sociology Dr. Daniel Harrison is spending the fall semester finishing Live at Jackson Station, his book about the well-known Greenwood-area nightspot and its ill-fated proprietor, Gerald Jackson.

Harrison, one of two Lander faculty members granted sabbatical leave for the 2018-2019 school year, has been “chipping away” at the book since the publication of his first book, Making Sense of Marshall Ledbetter, in 2014. The work is “pretty much mapped out,” he said, but there are parts of the book he hasn’t developed yet.

He became interested in the subject after learning that Widespread Panic, a band that he said was “pretty near to my heart,” had played at Jackson Station during the 1980s.

“The musical talent that you could get there was pretty incredible,” he said, which he attributed to the fact that Gerald Jackson treated musicians well.

Harrison was also interested in how the diverse group of people that frequented Jackson Station could get along so well. Part of the reason, he thinks, was the unique space inside Jackson Station, a Civil War-era train depot that Jackson bought for a dollar. He

By Jeff Lagrone, photo by Megan Price

moved the structure from downtown Hodges to land that his family owned, at the intersection of Highway 185 and 25 North.

Another reason, he thinks, was Jackson himself.

“It comes down to Gerald, and the fact that he was just very respectful to everybody,” he said.

On the night of April 7, 1991, Jackson followed a patron into the parking lot to collect a bar tab. He was attacked with a bush axe and left for dead.

Jackson survived, but he was never the same, and Jackson Station closed. He spent the remaining 19 years of his life in the V.A. Hospital in Columbia.

Initially, it was hard for Harrison to believe that bands like Widespread Panic had played an out-of-the-way place like Jackson Station. He understands the attraction better now.

“Jackson Station was in the middle of nowhere, but sort of on the road to everywhere. It wasn’t a bad little gig at all, and I think it’s a pretty interesting story,” he said.

Lander Professor of Sociology Dr. Daniel Harrison poses for a picture outside the entrance to Jackson Station. Harrison is writing a book about the former Greenwood area nightspot.

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Extraordinary & Insight

Knowledge

By Deb Nygro, photo by Laura M. Brown

Vice President for Student Affairs Randy Bouknight begins a new chapter of service to Lander University After 46 years of serving the students of Lander University, H. Randall 'Randy' Bouknight, Vice President for Student Affairs, has assumed a new role as a special ambassador for the university.

His new duties incorporate a blend of community and alumni relations, cultivating new relationships and calling on longstanding friendships to increase support for Lander students.

Lander President Richard Cosentino expects Bouknight's new position to be a driving force in the development and success of the university. “With over 40 years of service at Lander, Randy has extraordinary knowledge and insight into the university and surrounding community," said President Cosentino. "Because of this unique perspective, he is the ideal person to assist us with alumni and community relations.�

Top: Randy Bouknight, center, stands with Lander staff after the spring Student Life Awards banquet. Bouknight, who served as Vice President for Student Affairs since 1979, recently transitioned into a new role as special ambassador for the university.

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&

Leadership With a master's degree in College Student Personnel Services from Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Bouknight was fresh out of college when hired in 1972 by Don Herd Jr., Lander's eighth president.

At the youthful age of 24, Bouknight began influencing the lives of students as the university's Assistant Dean of Students and Dean of Men. Two years later, the university's new President, Larry Jackson, would promote the promising young man to Dean of Students.

Commitment

Bouknight became Dean of Student Affairs in 1977, and once again was promoted to a higher-level leadership position as Vice President for Student Affairs in 1979, where he remained for nearly 40 years.

“I first met Randy when I was working in the President’s Office as a temporary employee back in 1979,” said longtime assistant Pam Bartley. “I had no idea that he would end up being my supervisor for more than 38 years.”

Over the decades, Bouknight’s responsibilities expanded into overseeing a comprehensive division that focuses on all areas that relate to the comfort, health and safety of Lander students.

His far-reaching network of departments included the offices of Housing and Residence Life; Career Services; Student Activities; Campus Recreation and Intramural Sports; Student Health Services; Disabilities and Counseling Services; the Equestrian Center; Food Services; and the University Police.

He also oversaw the university's Behavioral Intervention Team, the Office of Student Conduct, the Student Handbook, and was

an advisor to the Student Government Association (SGA).

During the Spring 2018 Student Life Awards ceremony, Bouknight was recognized for his years of service and outstanding contribution to the university.

Met by a standing ovation, the highly regarded Vice President for Student Affairs was honored by words of appreciation, admiration and respect from his team of professional staff members and President Cosentino.

Cindy Dysart, Director of Housing and Residence Life, spoke to those attending.

“Randy has played a significant role in who we are, what we stand for, and what makes us unique - and we are all the better for it,” she reflected.

Linda Dolny, chair of Lander’s Board of Trustees, first met Bouknight in 1993 and attributes him as being an important part of Lander's success.

“I am personally going to miss Randy in the role he has held for so long, but he will be assisting Lander in meeting new challenges," she said. "I am excited to work with him in this new opportunity.”

A New Chapter "I have enjoyed the collegiate environment – and while I have had job offers at larger universities, as well as in the business sector, I always knew that Lander and Greenwood were where I belonged,” reflected Bouknight.

As Randy Bouknight steps into a new office on campus, another successful chapter of his life of service to Lander University begins.

When he's not traveling across the region to reconnect with alumni in their hometowns, Bouknight will be meeting with community leaders and businesses to ignite a strong foundation of support for Lander students.

After a nationwide search for a new Vice President for Student Affairs, Lander welcomed Dr. Boyd Yarbrough from Cleveland State University, who began his new duties on August 1.

Bouknight can be found under the roof of The Lander Foundation and Alumni Center, at 302 Hampton Ave., where he will be easily accessible to alumni and the Greenwood community.

“Randy has played a significant role in who we are, what we stand for, and what makes us unique - and we are all the better for it.”

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

By Megan Price, Photos by Laura M. Brown

Along with welcoming a record-setting freshman class to campus, Lander University welcomed two nationally recognized higher education professionals to its administrative team during the Fall 2018 semester: E. Boyd Yarbrough, Lander’s new Vice President for Student Affairs; and Michael J. Worley, Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Director of The Lander Foundation.

The announcements of the newest appointments to President Richard Cosentino’s cabinet followed extensive national searches, and both men come to Lander with impressive credentials and a broad array of experiences to help the university carry out its mission.

A Leader in Philanthropy A results-oriented advancement professional with more than 20 years of experience in nonprofits, Mike Worley began his duties as vice president for University Advancement and executive director of The Lander Foundation on November 19.

“Mike Worley is a recognized leader in philanthropy in the higher education arena,” President Cosentino said. “He is highly skilled in designing new collaborative initiatives, creating successful strategies, and working with alumni, donors and volunteers to meet institutional goals. We are extremely fortunate to have him at the helm of our Advancement team.”

Worley joins Lander after serving as senior associate vice president for Constituent Relations at Georgia State University, where he led a staff of 30 fundraisers and helped coordinate the successful completion of the university’s $300 million capital campaign.

He previously held executive development positions with Washington University in St. Louis, East Carolina University and Ohio

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University. He has also served in leadership roles with SSM Health Care Foundations with Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in Missouri.

“I am thrilled about the opportunity to lead fundraising and engagement initiatives at Lander,” Worley, a native of New Albany, Ohio, said. “As a first-generation college student, I feel driven by Lander’s mission. I am excited to work with President Cosentino, the Lander Board of Trustees and our many generous donors to raise funds that will benefit our students for generations to come.”

Among Worley’s areas of expertise are major gift solicitation; capital campaign strategy and implementation; volunteer/ board development and management; parent and alumni fundraising; annual fund campaigns; alumni/regional programming; constituent relations; and event planning.

He has held multiple leadership and speaking engagements at CASE conferences around the country, and he is a three-time

recipient of the CASE Faculty Star award.

Along with meeting and learning more about Lander’s large network of alumni, Worley said enhancing Lander’s scholarship program will be one of his first – and top – priorities.

“A college degree has never been more important, and for many students, scholarships are the key to opening that door,” he said. “As our scholarship program grows, so does the number of students we are able to help – and that means more students have access to a quality higher education at Lander University.”

Worley earned a bachelor’s degree in sport sciences and a master’s in athletic administration from Ohio University. He is an avid fly fisherman and enjoys long-distance trail running and ultramarathons, and he has qualified for the Boston Marathon three times. He also served as the head diving coach for Ohio University for seven years and was twice named the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Diving Coach of the Year.

Passionate About Student Success A native of Atlanta, Dr. Boyd Yarbrough’s experience is a blend of multiple aspects of the higher education sector, including student life, administration, career services, community relations, housing and residence life, dining services and public safety.

He began his duties at Lander on August 1, after most recently serving as vice president of Student Affairs at Cleveland State University in Ohio. Prior to that, he spent 14 years at Furman University, serving in a number of leadership roles in strategic planning, administrative operations, human resources and student housing. He has also held student affairs positions at Frostburg State University in Maryland and Florida State University.

“During our national search, Dr. Yarbrough clearly distinguished himself as someone who leads by example, and someone who is passionate about student engagement and success,” said President Cosentino.

Yarbrough said he was drawn to Lander because of its commitment to students.

“Lander is a university of opportunity, and it takes a special type of faculty and staff to embrace that mission and to deliver excellent support for students,” he said. “I have been impressed by the team we have in place. The pride they have for this university is palpable, and I see folks going the extra mile for our students regularly.”

One of the first items on his agenda as vice president was meeting with student organization leaders to familiarize himself with their needs. “I want to know what we can do to keep making Lander better, and we are working to follow up with their ideas,” he said.

“I have enjoyed meeting with our groups, such as the Student Government Association, UPC, the Greek Community and the Black Student Union. They all share a commitment to making Lander the best university it can be,” he continued. “I have also enjoyed participating in the Diversity Advisory Council, and seeing ideas take root and blossom into action, to enhance the experience of our diverse campus.”

Also on his “to-do” list is completing an assessment of Lander’s student support services, such as health, counseling, career and advising services. Yarbrough, who earned his bachelor’s in psychology from Furman University and a master’s in human development and psychological counseling from Appalachian State University, said one of the biggest challenges currently faced by universities nationwide is student mental health.

In an article published earlier this year in Time Magazine, the Center for Collegiate Mental Health found that, between 2009 and 2015, the number of U.S. college

students visiting counseling centers for anxiety and depression increased an average of 30 percent.

Yarbrough said that while Lander is not immune to the issue, the university has done a great job with addressing this challenge.

“Across the country, students are coming to campuses with a history of health, mental health and disability needs. Lander is responding well to those needs through a dynamic staff and excellent programming,” he said. “However, as we continue to grow, the need for these services will grow as well.”

Looking farther down the road, Yarbrough, who also holds an Ed.D. in higher education from Florida State, wants to examine Lander’s housing inventory and assignment process, as well as craft a plan addressing deferred maintenance, not just in residence halls, but across all of the Student Affairs departments.

“This will allow us to maintain excellent facilities for recreation, housing, dining and support services,” he said.

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Adding It All Up Student Tutor Shows Others the Wonder of Math

By L. C. Leach III, Photos by Laura M. Brown

It all started for Lander University senior Rebecca Strickland in seventh grade when a math teacher sought out her help.

The teacher was concerned about a student who was drowning in a struggle with algebra, and had noticed that Strickland had a liking for numbers. Could she help this student avoid a D or an F? Strickland agreed – and ever since that day, through high school

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and Lander, she has used her friendship with numbers to help many students navigate the hazards of Xs, Ys, hyperbolas and quadratics to keep their math scores above “C” level.

“Rebecca’s the kind of senior and tutor I wish we could keep forever,” said Anissa Lawrence, tutoring and supplemental instruction coordinator with the Academic Success Center. “She not only has a calming effect with students in need of tutoring, but several times has helped them reach the next level in their math.”

ACADEMIC SUCCESS

Accounting for the Numbers Even at age 13, while many of her classmates were just going to school, Strickland enjoyed the challenge of finding the values for Xs and Ys, and plugging equations into graphs to find out how two lines were related to one another.

At the time, math was just fun – but by the next year, it led her to a path from which she has never looked back.

“Our eighth-grade math teacher was leading a discussion one day about how the concepts of algebra could be applied to everyday life and fit into the real world,” Strickland said. “Through these conversations, I became interested in accounting.”

Strickland soon imagined herself in a world with balance sheets, financial information, bookkeeping and external auditing.

She asked people she knew in the field what their work entailed and became “more and more interested.”

Two years into high school, a summer business conference at Virginia Tech University gave Strickland and her conference team an opportunity to formulate a model business, develop plans for company operations and “see how our decisions impacted the company.”

“After that, I was hooked,” she said. “I couldn’t stop talking about the conference for weeks after I came home, and that’s when I knew I wanted to pursue a career that would continue to challenge me and require me to think critically.”

By the time she turned 16, Strickland had her sights on becoming a Certified Public Accountant, a profession always in demand, but rarely on the high school radar.

around wildly into the shape of a parabola to explain what it looks like and how it functions.

“Rebecca will do anything to help raise a student’s math grade,” Lawrence said. “And once they come to her for help in math, they come back again and again.”

Currently, Strickland is one of about 80 tutors at the ASC across 30 different subject areas, including mathematics, nursing, history, foreign languages, biology, chemistry and physical science.

All tutors must first have taken the class, passed with an “A”, hold a 3.0 minimum GPA, and be faculty recommended.

“We typically see between 500-600 different students each semester,” Lawrence said. “They come throughout the year for all kinds of events such as twilight tutoring, peer-assisted study sessions and C.A.D. Camp, which targets students in general biology, chemistry, and physical science.”

When the College Reading & Learning Association (CRLA) approved Lander in 2017 for International Tutor Training Program Certification (ITTPC), Lawrence said it was due to the efforts of Strickland and all of the success center’s tutors.

“And while Rebecca is only one of our very qualified tutors, she’s certainly raised our bar of excellence pretty high,” she said.

By the Tutorials Once she entered Lander in the fall of 2015, Strickland found many encouragements to reinforce her goal.

She signed up as a math tutor at the Academic Success Center right after her first semester, and despite having to balance tests, composition papers and academic projects like other students, Strickland stayed with tutoring right through her senior year. “I love working in the trenches with students and helping them get the results they want,” she said.

Once in session, students get a dose of the “Strickland treatment,” which means weeks of listening, explaining, graphing equations with colored markers, and, on occasion, waving her arms

Rebecca Strickland, right, explains how to graph a slope equation to junior biology major Abby Pilgrim. – photo by L. C. Leach III

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ACADEMIC SUCCESS A Real-Life Time-Turner

Second Home

If it sounds like Strickland has had no time for her own studying or academics, consider that she carries a 4.0 GPA, has made the President’s List every semester, earned both a Lander Academic Scholarship and a William K. and Lula L. Bosserman Business Scholarship in 2017, and was a recipient of both the Dick Horne Foundation Scholarship and the Junior Service League of Orangeburg Scholarship.

If it further sounds like she’s had no time to relax or mingle, also consider that Strickland spent the summer of 2017 as a member of the Bearcat Orientation Team, joined the Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society in her junior year, and served two semesters as a Presidential Ambassador, giving campus tours to visiting and potential Lander students.

When asked how she manages it all, Strickland said it isn’t so much about creating more time (like a Harry Potter time-turner), but knowing how to control it.

“For me, it boils down to discipline and not procrastinating,” she said. “And time management is something I feel I will keep learning far into my adult years.”

Ask Strickland the name of her hometown, and when she says, “I’m from North, South Carolina,” you might find yourself in an unintentional Abbott-and-Costello routine if you reply, “Where in north South Carolina?”

Her hometown is just over two hours from Francis Marion University, just under two hours from Winthrop University, and only one longish twisting, turning drive from Columbia College – all of which accepted Strickland into their programs in 2015.

But, she said she chose Lander for several reasons: the international accreditation of the business department; being able to secure a ride home from two other students after freshman orientation, when her car wouldn’t start; and, most importantly, some good advice from a competing university.

“A professor from another institution told me to go to the college where I could visualize myself walking through the hallways and talking to the students,” Strickland said. “He told me, 'When you find that comfort, you know you’ve found home.' And that’s what Lander was for me the first time I stepped on campus.

It was my second home.”

Rebecca Strickland has helped raise the math grades of many students in her four years at Lander.

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The Power of One After her graduation in December 2018, Strickland plans to spend the next two years studying for her master’s in accounting at the University of South Carolina, while at the same time completing all requirements for the CPA exam.

“My goal is to be a licensed CPA by the time I earn my Master’s,” she said.

Dr. Gail Moore, associate professor of accounting, said her money is on Strickland to achieve that goal just because of her nature.

“Rebecca is an active learner,” said Moore, who taught Strickland in four accounting classes. “She doesn’t wait to be taught, but rather seeks the answers.”

Dr. Matthew Peters, assistant professor of management with the College of Business, added that, “Regardless of where life takes her, Rebecca will be more than a match for any challenge she might face."

Well, all but maybe one.

Strickland said when she leaves Lander for the last time as a student, it will be “really hard” not to come back to a place she considers her college home.

“The first time I stepped on campus, I knew that Lander was where I was meant to be,” she said. “I have grown so much during my time here, and I am so grateful for every experience I have had along the way.”

Top: Strickland reviews a potential student tutor list with Administrative Specialist Anissa Lawrence at the Academic Success Center.

Bottom: Strickland shows junior business major Moriah Payne how to check in for a tutoring session at the Academic Success Center.

– photos by L. C. Leach III

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Life@Lander Photos by Deb Nygro, Laura M. Brown and Megan Bajuscik

Students marched across campus in a Take Back the Night rally in the spring of 2018. Many sampled exquisite cuisines during a Global Rec Fest, and the newly crowned Mr. Lander wowed the pageant audience with a velvety serenade.

Runners dashed through splashes of color during the LU Color Run, and the weather was perfect for a Senior Cookout on the lawn. Excitement buzzed when a Blackhawk helicopter landed for ROTC training; and nursing students got an upclose peek inside a Medevac helicopter.

Summertime welcomed new students to Lander with Freshman Orientation, while Bearcat Camp offered an adventure in ropes courses, paint-n-pour and kayaking on the lake. Freshman Move-In Day arrived with vehicles bearing crates, packages and other supplies that were quickly unloaded by helpful volunteers and families.

Fall classes began on August 20, with textbooks, spirit gear and fresh donuts delivered by the president's cabinet. Classmates became friends after joining student organizations, volunteering for community service projects, hanging out at the pool, and accepting friendly challenges on the intramural sports field.

CommUniversity acquainted students with local businesses, and those looking for part-time jobs were introduced to hiring managers. The Bearcat Student Lounge reopened with a pool table, comfy seating, and a small stage. We hope you enjoy this look at some of our favorite moments of "Life at Lander."

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Bearcat Sports Roundup

Expanding the Roster New Sports, Head Coaches Added to Lander Lineup By Rixon Lane Coach Anthony LePore Men’s Lacrosse

This fall marked the beginning of a new chapter for Lander Athletics, as the university welcomed the addition of three varsity sports to its athletic roster: men’s and women’s lacrosse and men’s wrestling. The teams will begin competition in the 2019-20 season.

By adding one of the nation's fastest growing sports at all levels, Lander is set to become just the fifth university in South Carolina to offer NCAA Division II men's lacrosse, and the eighth to sponsor Division II women's lacrosse.

"Lacrosse is an exciting sport that is loved by both fans and participants, and it is a natural fit for Lander as it grows in this region of the country," said Brian Reese, Athletics Director.

Heading the men’s program will be Anthony LePore, who comes to Lander from Belmont Abbey, where he served as the associate head coach and offensive coordinator, while also assisting with game and practice planning, player development, academic development and recruiting. With 15 years of coaching experience at the high school, junior college, and NCAA Division II and Division III levels, LePore’s four seasons as offensive coordinator at Belmont Abbey are the most successful stretch in the program’s history.

"I am both honored and deeply grateful for the opportunity to represent Lander University," said the Rochester, N.Y., native. "I am eager to begin the recruiting process and bring talented student-athletes onto campus to represent our university with honor and enthusiasm."

LePore played collegiately at The Citadel and earned his undergraduate degree in 1999, before closing out his career at SUNY Geneseo while earning a graduate degree in secondary education in 2001.

Bob Dachille, who led the Erskine and Presbyterian women's lacrosse programs over the past seven seasons, has been named the first head coach of the Lander women's lacrosse program.

"I am extremely excited to join the Bearcat family and to get to work on establishing a brand new program,” Dachille said. “This is an extremely exciting time to be a part of Lander University, and I am looking forward to getting to work and establishing a positive culture from day one."

During his four seasons at Presbyterian, Dachille coached Maura Talvacchia, who finished her career ranked No. 2 on the NCAA 46

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Coach Bob Dachille Women’s Lacrosse

Coach R.C. LaHaye Men’s Wrestling

Division I all-time list for turnovers caused. His 2016 squad led the nation in ground balls per game. Prior to his arrival at Presbyterian, Dachille served as the head coach at Erskine for three seasons, leading the Flying Fleet to a school record for single-season wins all three years.

Dachille has served as camp director for lacrosse camps throughout South Carolina, including the Nike Lacrosse Camp and Carolina Revolution. He is a 2007 graduate of Wake Forest University, where he captained the Demon Deacons' club lacrosse team for three seasons. He obtained his master's in sports leadership from Northeastern University in 2010.

Lander has also tabbed its first wrestling head coach, R.C. LaHaye, who brings an impressive career as both a competitor and coach.

LaHaye spent the past four seasons as the associate head coach at Newberry, where he played a key role in developing the team into a championship contender, and helped lead the Wolves to three ECAC championships and an NCAA Super Region Championship in four seasons. Prior to Newberry, he served as head coach at Grand Canyon University, building that program into a national powerhouse during his seven years at the program’s helm.

"I couldn't be more excited to hit the ground running and start recruiting the first crop of Bearcat wrestlers," LaHaye said.

In 2013, LaHaye had the nation's best wrestler in NCAA Division II Wrestler of the Year Tyrell Fortune, who became the Antelopes fourth national champion in three seasons. GCU finished ninth in the team standings, its third straight Top-10 finish. In 2012, GCU had two national champions and finished third overall. LaHaye has coached 13 NCAA All-Americans.

LaHaye is a 2005 graduate of Western State College, where he was a 2004 NCAA Division II All-American and a three-time NCAA Academic All-American, three-time NCAA National Qualifier, three-time All-Rocky Mountain Athletic selection, and a Colorado Collegiate Champion. He was a member of the 2004 Western State squad that finished fourth in the nation. In high school, he was a three-time state champion, a two-time High School All-American, and team captain for three state championship teams.

LaHaye received his master’s degree from Grand Canyon University in 2010.

Controlling the Court Men’s Tennis Ends Season at No. 4 in Nation

By Rixon Lane

The Lander men’s tennis team set a school record for wins in a single season and returned to the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 16 for the sixth time in eight years in 2018, finishing the season with a No. 4 national ranking.

The Bearcats’ regular season featured an upset of 2nd-ranked Barry and a home win over 9th-ranked Flagler. Lander posted a 10-2 record at the Joe Cabri Tennis Center, with its only losses coming to eventual national champions Georgia Gwinnett and Columbus State. Lander won 15 consecutive matches from Feb. 20 to Apr. 21, advancing to the Peach Belt Conference championship match for the second time in four years.

With a 20-3 record, the Bearcats earned the No. 2 seed in the region and hosted the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional for the first time since 2015. Lander’s berth in the NCAA Tournament marked the program’s 13th consecutive appearance in the postseason. The Bearcats downed Georgia College in the opening round and defeated 7th-ranked Flagler, 5-1, in the region championship, Lander’s third win over a top-10 Flagler team of the season. The win over the Saints broke the program record for single-season wins, set in 1997 and tied in 1999.

The Bearcats’ campaign came to an end in Surprise, Ariz., as Lander ended the year with a 22-4 overall mark.

Junior Eirik Groner was named first-team All-Peach Belt Conference, while junior Ozan Cildir and the duo of senior David Korsten and junior Alexander Regner were named second team all- conference. Groner went 15-5 in singles play and Cildir finished with a 15-3 mark. The two teamed up to go 15-2 in doubles action.

Korsten and Regner were 8-6 on the season as a tandem.

Lander’s newcomers made immediate impacts on the court as well. Axel Cronje and Tommaso Rossin shone in singles action, as Cronje finished with a 15-4 singles mark, winning eight of his final nine contests of the season; and Rossin ended his freshman campaign with a 13-4 record in singles play. Phillippe Courteau and Gabriel Couto partnered to go 12-3 in doubles action.

Groner was also honored as the 2018 NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Championship Elite 90 Award winner, becoming just the second Bearcat student-athlete to ever receive the honor.

Nine Bearcats were named to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Scholar-Athlete list, the second-most of any team in Division II, as Gabriel Balestero, Axel Cronje, Eirik Groner, David Korsten, Fergus O'Rourke, Alexnder Regner, Liam Roos, Tommaso Rossin and Luis Salcedo were all honored.

The Bearcats return 12 players from the 2018 squad in 2019.

Lander men's tennis junior Eirik Groner, pictured, was named the recipient of the Elite 90 Award for the 2018 NCAA Division II Men's Tennis Championship. Groner became the second Lander student-athlete to win the award since its inception in 2009.

Women’s Tennis Names New Head Coach In June, Lander Athletics welcomed Samantha Pinchoff, previously the men's and women's tennis head coach at Mount St. Mary's, as the new head coach of women’s tennis at Lander. She takes over for Brett Simpson, who had coached the women's team since 2007, while also serving as the men's coach since 2006.

In 2017-18, Pinchoff led the Coach Samantha Pinchoff Mountaineer women's team to the Northeast Conference Tournament semifinals for the first time in a decade, after guiding the men's and women's squads to NEC Quarterfinal showings for the second straight season in 2016-17. In her first season at the helm in 2015-16, Pinchoff led the men's squad to an 11-10 overall record and the women's team to a 4-18 mark, as both squads made NEC Quarterfinal appearances.

A native of Sylvan Lake, Mich., Pinchoff began her coaching career as an assistant coach during the 2014-15 season. As a firstyear assistant, Pinchoff helped lead the Mountaineers to winning records on the men's and women's side, including the No. 4 seed for the men's team at the Northeast Conference Tournament.

During her playing career at the Mount, Pinchoff was one of the winningest doubles players in school history, and she is tied for fourth on the all-time list for career doubles wins, with 52. She also worked as a tennis pro at The Sports Club of Novi in Michigan.

Pinchoff graduated from Mount St. Mary's in 2014 with a degree in communications, and earned her MBA in 2015. www.lander.edu/magazine

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Returning to the Tourney Bearcats Record Stellar Season on the Green

By Rixon Lane

A Flying Success ‘The Drop’ Raises $70,000 for Scholarships Money doesn’t grow on trees, but in some cases, it can fall from the sky.

Just ask the supporters of “The Drop” – a unique capital fundraiser hosted

by The Lander Foundation to benefit athletic scholarships and operating budgets at Lander University.

Around 300 people gathered at Dolny Stadium on Saturday, April 28, to watch as a helicopter hovered over centerfield, while nearly 700 golf balls rained down from it onto a target below. Each of the golf balls had been purchased by supporters for $100, and the nine balls that landed closest to the temporary pin on the field won the lucky owners cash prizes ranging from $1,000-5,000.

The inaugural event, which also featured a silent auction, reception and live music, raised approximately $70,000 for Lander’s athletic scholarships and operating budget, said Brian Reese, Lander University Athletics Director.

The Drop had more than 60 corporate sponsors, including title sponsor Emerald Ink & Stitches, and Blue Ridge Helicopters, which provided the helicopter services. Prize money for the winning golf balls was provided by ball sales.

“We thank everyone who purchased a ball and made ‘The Drop’ a huge success for our student-athletes and the university,” Reese said.

Plans are already in place for the second annual Drop, which is scheduled for Friday, April 26, 2019, at 6:30 p.m. at Dolny Stadium. For more information or to reserve a golf ball, visit www.landerbearcats.com.

Golf balls rain down from a helicopter over Lander’s Dolny Stadium outfield during “The Drop,” a unique event benefiting the university’s athletic scholarships and operating budgets. – photo by Caroline Jenkins

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The Lander men’s golf team punched its ticket to a thirdconsecutive NCAA Tournament bid and earned a pair of Peach Belt Conference awards in the 2017-18 season, the program’s final year under the direction of head coach Chipper Bagwell.

The Bearcats climbed as high as No. 15 in the national rankings, recording four Top 5 finishes during the regular season. Lander placed second at the UNG Fall Invitational in October and recorded a third-place finish at the Spring Kickoff Invitational in February.

Three Bearcats earned top five finishes during the season, and Lander posted 36 rounds of even or below-par.

Coach Chipper Bagwell Conor Richards was named the Peach Belt Conference Co-Player of the Year, as Lander became just the fourth program in league history to earn back-to-back Player of the Year honors. Bagwell won his third conference Coach of the Year award. Richards was named first-team All-Peach Belt, becoming just the fourth player in program history to be chosen as a twotime All-PBC performer.

Jon Parker was named second-team All-Peach Belt and Garrett Atkinson was tabbed as a PBC AllAcademic selection.

After finishing fourth at the PBC tournament, the second-highest finish in program history, the Bearcats earned a No. 7 seed in the Southeast Region, sending Lander back to the NCAA Tournament for the third-straight season.

The Bearcats opened in fourth-place after one round, but ultimately finished 14th at the NCAA Division II South/Southeast Regional, marking the end of Bagwell’s 13-year run as head coach.

Richards was named a Division II Ping All-Southeast Region performer and a semifinalist for the Jack Nicklaus Award, after notching six top-five finishes on the season.

The Lander men’s golf team earned its third-consecutive NCAA Tournament bid in the 2017-18 season, climbing as high as No. 15 in the national rankings. Three Bearcats earned top-five finishes during the season, including Jon Parker, pictured.

Lander Recognizes Top StudentAthletes at Golden Claw Awards

By Rixon Lane

Lander Athletics held its annual banquet in the spring, honoring the university's top student-athletes for their accomplishments during the 2017-18 campaign. Studentathletes, administrators, coaches and special guests attended the elegant Golden Claw Awards, which featured a new format complete with a red-carpet entrance, presentations and videos.

Reed Gray

Pictured, from left: Lander University student-athletes Eirik Groner, Chelsea Mitchell and Sophia Perkins.

IN OTHER SPORTS Women’s Tennis The Lander women’s tennis team battled through a difficult Peach Belt Conference schedule to win three of its final four matches, and placed a player on the All-Peach Belt Conference team for the first time since 2014, en route to a seven-win campaign.

The Bearcats were led by sophomore Eduarda Ferreira, who went 7-4 as Lander’s No. 1 singles player. In her first season in Greenwood, Ferreira also contributed 10 wins in doubles action. The Rondonoplis, Brazil, native became Lander’s first all-conference singles player since 1999. Sophomore Isabella Schulz added eight wins in singles play for the Bearcats.

Lander put together its best stretch of play during the month of April, as the Bearcats shut out Limestone, North Greenville and Salem International in a span of four days. The three wins marked Lander’s first stretch of three consecutive shutouts since joining the NCAA ranks in 1993.

Sophia Perkins, a junior volleyball player from West Columbia, S.C., received the Dr. Boyce M. Grier Award as the Lander student-athlete who best exemplifies sportsmanship, integrity, pride in the university and a positive attitude. Perkins, who led the team with 590 assists and 22 service aces, is member of the Lander Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and helped spearhead the new athletic banquet format. Perkins participated in multiple community outreach events with the volleyball team, including greeting students at local elementary schools and helping with YMCA events.

Eirik Groner, a junior tennis player from Oslo, Norway, received the M.V. Wells Award, given annually to the Lander Male Athlete of the Year. Groner went 14-3 in singles play and 16-2 in doubles play during the regular season, helping the Bearcats rise as high as No. 2 in the national rankings. Groner earned first-team All-Peach Belt Conference honors and was selected as the PBC Player of the Week during the first week of February. A business major with a 4.0 GPA, Groner was a PBC All-Academic selection. He has gone 8-3 in 11 matches as Lander's No. 1 singles player.

Chelsea Mitchell, a junior women's basketball player from Laurel, Md., received the Dr. Samuel C. Hodges Award as the Female Athlete of the Year. Mitchell led the Bearcats to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and was a D2CCA All-Southeast Region Second Team and All-PBC First Team selection. Mitchell averaged 15.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, while leading the PBC with 107 steals. She led the Bearcats in points, steals, rebounds and field goals.

The men's soccer team received the Bell/Williams Award for the second consecutive year, given annually to the team that has the overall highest ranking based on team winning percentage, grade point average, and campus and community involvement. For a complete list of winners, see www.landerbearcats.com.

Softball

Baseball

Lander softball notched its first 30-win season since 2005, won its first postseason game since 2007, and finished with a winning record in PBC play for the first time since 1998.

Lander opened with its best start since 2000, winning the first nine games of the year, and sat at 21-16 overall in early April. The Bearcats then embarked on a 10-game winning streak, and swept its final three conference doubleheaders to finish 11-9 in PBC play. Earning the fifth-seed in the PBC Tournament, the Bearcats extended the streak to 11, advancing to the semifinals before ending the season at 32-18 overall.

Second baseman Sydney Grimes was named first-team All-PBC, while pitcher McKenzi Ferguson was a second-team all-PBC selection. Senior outfielder Casey Wooten set Lander’s career and single-season stolen base records, with 32.

Ferguson earned three PBC Pitcher of the Week honors, a program record, while Ashley Vinson became the first freshman in program history to earn multiple PBC Freshman of the Week honors in a single season.

The Lander baseball team used a series win during the final weekend of the regular season to qualify for its seventh appearance at the Peach Belt Conference tournament in eight seasons.

The Bearcats won two of their three games against North Georgia at Dolny Stadium to claim the eighth and final spot in the PBC tournament. Lander’s season was also highlighted by an 8-7 win over rival Erskine, the Bearcats’ 14th consecutive win in the series. The victory over the Flying Fleet sparked Lander’s best stretch of play during the year, as the Bearcats won five of their next seven contests, including a pair of PBC series wins.

Senior Chris Sheehan struck out a team-high 71 batters and was named to the All-Peach Belt Conference team. Senior Conner Davis batted .322, while junior Carson Jones led the team with 14 home runs and 35 runs batted in.

www.lander.edu/magazine

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Alumni Weekend 2018

Lander University welcomed back to campus nearly 150 alumni for a special day of celebration in honor of the university’s 2018 Alumni Award winners and the reunion classes of 1958, 1968 and 1978. The sounds of laughter and reminiscing filled the Johnston Commons area on April 21, as classmates reconnected while enjoying lunch and hearing an update on their alma mater.

The 2018 Lander University Alumni Association Award winners, from left: Danielle Fields ’07, Outstanding Young Alumni Award; Donald Lloyd ’83, Distinguished Alumni of the Year; and Myra Greene ’78, Grace Iler Norman Award. – photo by Laura M. Brown

Outstanding Young Alumni Award In honor of her support and belief in community involvement, Danielle Fields ’07 was named the 2018 Outstanding Young Alumna of the Year. The award is presented annually to Lander alumni who have graduated within the past 15 years and have served their communities in exemplary ways.

Fields launched her career in the banking industry shortly after receiving her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Health Care Management from Lander. She worked as a banker for Capital Bank in Greenwood from 2007-2010, before joining Countybank as a relationship manager.

In 2015, Fields was promoted to the role of financial center manager for Countybank. Her responsibilities include ensuring that her branch meets established strategic goals and initiatives; forming and building upon a rapport within the community in order to spur business growth and provide for the needs of existing clientele; and overseeing the training of fellow team members.

Fields is also currently completing the South Carolina Association Bankers School, a three-year career development program for officers and administrators at commercial banks and savings institutions throughout the state. She is vice president of her class.

A believer in active community involvement, Fields currently serves as president of the Kiwanis Club of Greenwood; is a member of the Burton Center Board of Visitors and the Self Regional Foundation’s Annual Support Committee; and is past-chair of the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professionals group.

ALUMNI CLASS REUNIONS

1968 Golden Grads: Along with marking their 50th reunion, members of the Class of 1968 were recognized as Golden Grads, a special designation reserved for those with at least 50 years as alumni. In attendance at the luncheon were, front row, from left: Gilda Tyler, Jacqueline Burns Durham, Carolyn Gibbons Pearce, Teresa Albertson

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Davis, Jennie Thompson Ray, Susanne Detrick Whiddon, Beverly Burch Lauderdale and Anne Cain David. Back row, from left: Elaine Hart Owens, Catherine Buchanan Mayfield, Karla McCoy Mehagan, Jean Byars Higgins, Lynn Lewis Morgan, Connie Adams Deloach, Jo Anne Weisner Cannon, Iris Bullard, Steve Bolen and Phillip Campbell.

Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award

Grace Iler Norman Award

Donald Lloyd ’83 was selected for the Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award, given to Lander graduates who differentiate themselves in their chosen field and who show an unmistakable passion for their alma mater. Lloyd used his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Lander and his Master’s in Business Administration from Francis Marion University as the basis for a 30-year career in health care finance, human resource recruitment, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic growth.

Today, Lloyd splits his time between South Carolina and Louisiana, where he is president and chief executive officer for CHRISTUS St. Patrick Health System, provider of medical services to a five-parish region of Southwest Louisiana. He’s credited with linking the business strategy of CHRISTUS with its mission to “extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ” by offering pastoral, clinical and business opportunities to people of all faiths in the region.

Previously, Lloyd was president and CEO of Marion Regional Healthcare System in S.C. He negotiated its sale, which served as the foundation for the Carolina’s Healthcare System.

While serving with the S.C. Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, Lloyd spearheaded the alignment of clinical services with academic institutions, including the Medical University of S.C. In addition to currently serving as a Lander Trustee, Lloyd and his family established the Clem P. Ham Endowed Scholarship for Lander Health Care Management students.

In recognition of her significant achievements within the Alumni Association and the university, Myra Greene ’78 received the Grace Iler Norman Award.

After earning her degree in sociology, Greene pursued her passion for theatre by studying at the Burt Reynolds Institute for Theatre Training, and performing at the Burt Reynolds Jupiter Theatre. Upon returning to Greenwood, she became executive and artistic director for Greenwood Community Theatre (GCT).

While serving with GCT, Greene joined the Lander Alumni Association Board of Directors and spearheaded the renovation of Chipley Hall. She joined the Lander staff as a part-time assistant in 2005, while also serving as executive director of Greenwood-Lander Performing Arts and as an adjunct theatre professor.

In 2010, Greene became director of Alumni Affairs at Lander and was a driving force behind the establishment of four Alumni Tower Clubs and a host of campus beautification initiatives. She was also instrumental in the establishment of the Lander Players Club, an organization for students interested in theatre, for which she received the 2017 Adviser of the Year award.

Her support for Lander students includes the Mildred W. Greene Education Scholarship, which was established in honor of her parents; a funded scholarship for the Lander Players Club; and a baseball scholarship.

Class of 1958: Celebrating their 60th reunion at the 2018 Alumni Weekend luncheon were, pictured from left: Helen Simpson Smith, Sallie Shirley Peebles, Anne Heyward, Elizabeth Reeves Ivey, Dorothy Terry Latham and Jerry Latham.

Class of 1978: Among those reaching their milestone 40th anniversary as Lander alumni were, from left: Peggy Sease Crouch, Maurice Holloway, Mary Harrison Holloway, Greg Cantrell, Geneal Gilliam Cantrell, Darlene Alexander Goff and Joyce Allen Arledge.

www.lander.edu/magazine

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ALUMNI PROFILE

Hanna Dover ’04:

Big City Vibe

By Eric Lawson

With Think Tank, Lander Business Students Work With Clients in Real-World Setting As part of their assignments, Lander University business students work throughout the academic year with owners of area industries on various projects. Thanks to the vision, innovation and generosity of Lander alumna Hanna Dover, a member of the Class of 2004, students now have office space in the heart of Uptown Greenwood to work, meet and collaborate with their clients.

Located at 206 ½ Main Street, the 2,342-square-foot Think Tank facility is essentially a business incubator opened by Dover in June 2017 for business start-ups and entrepreneurs. “I noticed successful Think Tanks and liquid office space in larger cities, and when I needed a place to call home for my growing (residential, vacation and commercial real estate investor) business, my husband and I thought it would be a good fit,” she explained.

Dr. Barbara Wheeling, Dean of Lander’s College of Business, saw the potential and competitive edge Think Tank could provide to the Top Photo: Several 100-year-old "ghost" murals that were painted on the former exterior of the building add to the creative vibe of the commons area of the Think Tank office space. – photo by Laura M. Brown Bottom: The vision and innovation of Greenwood entrepreneur Hanna Dover ’04 led to the creation of Think Tank in Uptown Greenwood.

– photo by Karen Holubek

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university’s business students. “Think Tank is an absolutely perfect setting for our students as they work with commercial clients,” she said. “Our students have access to a meeting room and a board room for presentations, both of which are equipped with the latest technology for presenting their concepts.”

Wheeling explained that Think Tank will help ready students for their post-collegiate experiences, making good on the university’s mission of preparing students to either launch their careers or attend graduate school. “The idea is providing a professional type of atmosphere for students to work together that will replicate their professional life when they leave Lander.”

The atmosphere generated by Think Tank is infectious and stimulates creativity. “When you step into Think Tank,” said Dover, “you step into a 'big city' vibe. A customer once told me it felt as if a slice of Boston had been added to Greenwood.”

Adding to Think Tank’s mystique are several 100-year-old "ghost" murals – old, hand-painted designs that decorated the former exterior of the building. “When the ghost murals were discovered after we closed on the building, I thought I had found real-life buried treasure,” said Dover.

To make the students feel more at home, Lander turned to the expertise of Jody Chapman, a professional decorative painter with a design background from Harrisburg, Penn., who also happens to serve as administrative assistant for the Lander College of Business.

“In helping to fine-tune the atmosphere of the space for the Lander students, I basically followed Hanna’s lead from a standpoint of keeping the industrial-contemporary décor, with the exposed heating ductwork and ghost murals,” she said. “To have done anything traditional would not have worked. My role was to identify furniture needs for our space to fit the ‘vibe’ of the Think Tank and provide a ‘sample board’ for color and visuals. Once received, Hanna completed my design ideas with a few of her own and made the final selection and purchase of all furnishings…making it very simple and hands-off for us!”

A successful entrepreneur with a thriving real estate business, Dover realizes the advantage that Think Tank can provide for Lander business students. “Think Tank is designed to foster creativity and drive,” she said. “Working with clients in this setting is an opportunity for Lander business students to submerge themselves into an environment that encourages forward thinking and growth. Even though, in the end, it’s just a space, the patrons make it special.

Working and meeting off campus and in the heart of Uptown will enable the students to connect with the community and their clients on a real-world level.”

Coupled with the rustic setting of Think Tank is contemporary equipment designed for business presentations and collaboration.

– photo by Deb Nygro

www.lander.edu/magazine

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LU

Class Notes Class Notes are compiled by Debbie Dill, assistant director of Alumni Affairs. Please mail items for Class Notes to Alumni Affairs, CPO Box 6004, Lander University, 320 Stanley Ave., Greenwood, SC 29649, or email items to ddill@lander.edu.

Jon R. McCraw ’99 was named the new executive director at Poet’s Corner, a Carlton Senior Living Community in Pleasant Hill, Calif.

’50s

LTC Cory J. Plowden ’99 received Command of the 232nd Medical Battalion during a Change of Command Ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston, in Texas on July 18.

Freddie Lusk Jewsbury ’59 and her husband, Steve, celebrated 54 years of marriage on December 27, 2017.

’70s

Ron Smith ’71 received The Norman Borlaug Lifetime Achievement Award by the Texas Plant Protection Association at its annual conference in Bryan, Texas.

’80s

Melissa D. Bane ’84 was promoted to senior private client advisor with Greenwood Capital.

Julian M. Gale ’00 & ’03 was named the new director of professional development with Greenwood School District 50.

Andrew “Andy” M. Johnston ’02 accepted a new position as director of marketing for Savannah Lakes Village in McCormick, S.C. Erin Copeland Watts ’02 was named principal for Westview Middle School in Greenwood.

Mark R. Riddle ’84 was named Lander University’s Head Golf Coach.

Benjamin W. Anderson ’03 was named president of the Rotary Club of Mt. Pleasant for the 2018-19 term.

Shelia Hamilton Rhodes ’85 retired from Greenwood High School after a long run as a coach for the women’s basketball program and three years as softball coach.

Carrie B. Counton ’03 is running against incumbent Dwight Loftis for the S.C. House District 19 during the general election on Nov. 6.

John W. Eppelsheimer ’88 retired from coaching tennis at James Island High School. He formerly coached tennis at Greenwood High School.

Julie McCutcheon Wilkie ’03 graduated from Leadership South Carolina, the state’s oldest and most respected leadership development program.

’90s

Craig Cox ’90 received “The Linda” award by his company, Propel HR, in April. The award is given to an employee who embodies the core values of selflessness, loyalty, positive attitude and integrity.

Susan Holland Keown ’90 accepted a new position as quality assurance director for the Burton Center.

Stacey Washburn Bevill ’95 earned the designation of associate certified coach from the International Coach Federation.

R. Brian Easler ’95 has a new position as transportation department head for Greenville Technical College.

Amy Timms Shaw ’95 has a new position with the Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas.

Shawn Helms Nix ’97 is a new guidance counselor at Ware Shoals Primary School.

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Cynthia Sims Dibble ’04 accepted a new position as nurse administrator II with S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, where she will be a consultant with the Division of Immunization and Acute Disease Epidemiology.

Brian T. Perrin ’05 was named principal for Merrywood Elementary School in Greenwood.

Tiara Glenn Watson ’05 was named the new assistant principal at Springfield Elementary School in Greenwood.

Windie M. Burton ’06 was named assistant principal/curriculum coach and is the 2018-19 Teacher of the Year for Douglas Elementary School in Trenton, S.C. Jason “JJ” M. Stockbridge ’06 accepted a new position as an admissions counselor with Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas.

E. Zach Helms ’07 received the 2018 Staff Excellence Award from Lander University.

Sym S. Singh ’07 has a new position as Director of Legislative Affairs for the South Carolina Governor’s Office.

Audrey Neal Thompson ’08 has a new position as media specialist at Ware Shoals Primary School.

’10s

Ray Jackson ’10 was elected to serve on the Ninety Six School District 52 Board.

Travis Nichols ’10 is the head cross country and track coach at Columbia College.

His team recently won the Appalachian Athletic Conference for indoor track and field, and placed second in the outdoor season. He is also the father of Travis Jr. (7), Esmeralda (2) and Matteo, who was born Nov. 13, 2017.

Paige O’Bryan Knight ’12 has joined Carolinas Medical Alliance-Primary Care as a nurse practitioner.

A. Megan McCartney ’12 has accepted a new position as a professional residence hall director at The College of Charleston.

Demario L. Watts ’12 was voted Wofford College’s Staff Member of the Year by the student body.

Chris S. Giles ’15 received the 2018 Staff Excellence Award from Lander University.

Ryan White ’15 received a graduate degree in Christian Ministry from North Greenville University.

Austin M. Wilson ’15 was named the Employee of the Quarter for the Child & Youth Services Middle School & Teen Center. The program is based out of Fort Gordon, Ga. Jordan L. Beeler ’16 received her master’s degree in health administration from Texas A&M University. She accepted a new position as administrative fellow at the Mayo Clinic.

S. Madeline Phillips ’17 is a new kindergarten teacher at Long Cane Primary School in Abbeville, S.C. Leanna C. Riddle ’17 is a front line therapist with Project Hope Foundation. She also received her Registered Behavior Technician certification.

Weddings

Births

Kimberly Campbell Barbery ’83 and Harry Johnson, Jan. 1, 2017, Inman, S.C..

Kimberly is a financial planning counselor with Converse College. She and her husband are owners of Rustic Designs. They live in Inman, S.C. Sally Spradling Shipman ’90 and Chuck Alberding, April 7, Greenville, S.C. Sally is a teacher assessor coach with RealPage Contact Center.

Jason “JJ” M. Stockbridge ’06 and Laura Thompson, March 17, McAlester, Okla. JJ is an admissions counselor with Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas.

Erica D. Bartley ’12 and Christopher

Harmon, May 12, Irmo, S.C. Erica is a wound care nurse at Palmetto Health. They live in West Columbia, S.C. Emily N. Bosco ’12 and Jesse J. Garbowski ’12, Aug. 26, 2017. Emily is a nurse and Jesse is a museum curator. They live in Atlanta, Ga. Donald “Don” K. Durden ’12 and Katherine McKinney, July 21. Don is a senior financial accountant at Eaton. They live in Clinton, S.C. Courtney Leigh Trotter ’12 and Lt. Darrin L. Hays Jr., May 20, 2017, Columbia.

Courtney is a registered nurse. They live in Chesapeake, Va.

Lander Scholarship Honors 2015 Nursing Alumna Lander nursing students for many generations to come will know about the model and spirit of Kaitlyn McKenzie Rector.

Her parents, Robbie and Tracey Rector, recently established the Kaitlyn McKenzie Rector Nursing Endowed Scholarship, which took effect in the fall of 2018.

Rector, of Lexington, S.C., passed away Dec. 15, 2017, at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood, after suffering a pulmonary embolism while responding to a patient code. The 2015 Lander nursing honor graduate was only 25 years old.

“We hope to keep her memory alive so each and every student that graces the halls of Lander will know what a passion she had to be the best caregiver a patient could have,” said her father, Robbie Rector.

The new scholarship will provide financial assistance each year for a Lander nursing student, helping to cover some of the costs associated with this area of study.

“Kaitlyn was a special young lady,” said Denise Manley ’89, executive director of Alumni Affairs. “I hope this scholarship in her honor will grow in stature in the years to come.”

Rector graduated at the top of her Lander nursing class in 2015. But more than grades, her focus was on patients and people in need of medical care. She even went to Honduras with a Lander nursing team on a medical mission, working with the country’s Lenca people to provide them with basic dental and health care.

Lander University nursing professor Dr. Ashley Lee added that, even though she and her colleagues still feel the effects of Rector’s untimely passing, she hopes the scholarship will inspire other nursing students to pursue their dreams with the same spirit as Kaitlyn.

“Kaitlyn was everything that a nurse educator could dream of,” Lee said. “She was enthusiastic to learn. And whatever she learned, she put into her hands.”

Stephanie Bailey Kelley ’01 and Michael Kelley, a son, Samuel Patrick, Feb. 25.

Samuel joins big sister Emma, 14, and brother MJ, 2. Stephanie is a Spanish teacher at Beaufort High School.

Laney Andrews Dixon ’03 and Brock Dixon, a son, Thomas West, May 7. West joins his brother Davis, 7, and sister Anglish, 3. Laney is a recruit data specialist with Lander University’s Office of Admissions.

Monica Nickles Patterson ’03 and Carey Patterson, a daughter, Isabella, July 20.

Monica is a certified medical coder.

Kimberly Cox McCorvey ’07 and Willis McCorvey, a son, Michael Taylor, Jan. 5.

Michael joins big sister Kate, who is 2.

Amy Ryder Moor ’07 and Mitchell Moor, a son, Wyatt, July 10, 2017.

Anna Shealy Boyter ’09 and Zachary R. Boyter ’09, a son, Briggs Maddox, July 14, 2017.

Andrea Finley Kelly ’09 and Grayson A. Kelly ’09, a daughter, Finley Catherine, Dec. 13, 2017. Proud alumni grandparents are David E. Finley ’77 and Mike Kelly ’84.

Lauren Rich Blanton ’10 and Kevin Blanton, a daughter, Isla Rose, Oct. 12, 2017. Lauren is a client services manager at Pandora Media.

Thomas D. May ’11 and Jennifer Cowan May ’14, a son, Tyler Drake, Feb. 14.

Abby Bryant Scott ’11 and Robert Scott ’11, a son, Olin Chandler, May 9. Olin joins big brother Nathan, 3. Proud grandparents are Wanda Dixon Bryant ’83 and Eric Bryant; Robin Scott ’79 and Maria Scott.

Jessica Morgan Phillips ’13 and Will Phillips, a daughter, Morgan Eleanor, Mar. 13.

Emely Eix Davis ’14 and Evan M. Davis ’15, a daughter, Elizabeth Olivia, Aug. 27, 2016.

Kandice M. Bryant ’14 and Kaleb Davis, a daughter, Karson Brooke, July 10. Kandice is an accounting resource specialist with Manley Garvin, LLC. Kayla Goldman Beard ’15 and Cody A. Beard ’15, a daughter, Kinlee Brooks, May 23.

– Class Notes continued on page 58

www.lander.edu/magazine

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ALUMNI PROFILE

Don Berni ’16:

Bringing Nuclear Power to the UAE

By Eric Lawson, Photo by Laura M. Brown

Berni Leverages Lander Chemistry Degree Into International Job Donald Berni’s plan seemed like a simple one: earn his chemistry degree from Lander, then transition into the role of a high school chemistry teacher.

Fate, as it often does, had different ideas, and Berni soon found himself being wooed by a world-renowned design and engineering firm to train operators of four new nuclear power reactors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Berni enrolled at Lander following a 33-year career as an expert in nuclear energy that included serving on U.S. Navy nuclear submarines and with the Savannah River Site. It was after being downsized from the Savannah River Site that he decided – along with encouragement from his wife, Karen – to pursue his dream of becoming a chemistry teacher.

In the college classroom, Berni was in his element. He was a member of the National Academic Honor Society and the American Chemical Society, and the recipient of the Western Carolinas Section of the American Chemical Society Outstanding Senior Award.

He graduated from Lander in 2016 with a 3.87 grade point average.

“I had some college experience (mostly negative) while working with the Savannah River Site,” he said. “By far, my experiences with Lander were much better. I found that the relationships between Lander faculty and students are genuine, and that you truly earn your grade.”

Shortly after graduating, Berni was hired to teach chemistry at Greenwood High School and simultaneously led a chemistry lab at Lander. But in early April 2017, his life dramatically changed at age 61.

“A representative from Atkins Global saw my LinkedIn profile, called me and asked, ‘How would you like to go to the Middle East?’ I was stunned by the fact they called me; I had not reached out to them.”

Atkins Global NS, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, had secured the contract for construction of nuclear reactors, and they needed someone with a specific set of expertise to teach the operators about chemistry in a nuclear reactor and the necessary steps to ensure protection from radiation. During their online search, they knew Don Berni was their man.

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“The biggest shock to my system is the staggering ultra-modern skylines of Abu Dhabi and Dubai."

Just like that, Berni went from being a full-time high school chemistry teacher/part-time college instructor to being a senior commercial nuclear instructor at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, the UAE’s first nuclear power station, near Abu Dhabi.

“Even though I had more than 30 years of experience with nuclear energy, it was my Lander degree that made the difference in them selecting me,” Berni explained. “Atkins has a stellar reputation, and they feel that it’s always best to have a degreed person in supervisory jobs.”

After going through a training session with Atkins Global NS’s office in Columbia, Berni arrived in Abu Dhabi on February 4, 2018.

“It has been rather easy to adjust to the UAE way of life,” he said.

“The biggest shock to my system is the staggering, ultra-modern skylines of Abu Dhabi and Dubai; they truly look like cities of the future. For example, standing at just under 830 meters tall (that’s 2,722 feet; more than half a mile), the Burj Khalifa is not only the tallest building in Dubai, it’s the tallest on the planet. The rocket ship-like design makes this striking skyscraper look as if it’s going to take off any minute.”

Beyond the architecture, though, Berni has been most impressed with the Emirati people. “They are such wonderful people, and welcome you to their country with open arms. They’re also intelligent and work very hard,” he said. “One of the things that really made me admire them is their attention to detail while performing the smallest of tasks. In this desert environment, they still plant flowers, palm trees and shrubbery to add beauty to their environment.

Their sidewalks and streets are built by laying various colored bricks in beautiful designs by hand without cement – just sand packed between the bricks. They take extreme pride in their country and in everything that they do.”

As for his regimen, Berni’s workday begins early. “I get up at 4 a.m. and take the 5:15 a.m. bus to the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, usually a 45-minute trip. I teach, develop and revise chemistry and systems training materials and attend meetings until 5:45 p.m., when I get on the bus for the return trip home to the city of Ruwais.”

As for progress with the nuclear power station? “Construction for all four reactors is on-time and under-budget,” Berni reported. While his current contract is due to end in December, there is a strong possibility it could be extended for another year.

Don Berni was sought out by Atkins Global NS, a world-renowned design and engineering firm, to serve as senior commercial nuclear trainer at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, the UAE’s first nuclear power station, near Abu Dhabi. – contributed photo

www.lander.edu/magazine

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Class Notes In Memoriam Eula Campbell Goforth ’41, Greenville, S.C. July 3. She was a retired nurse and member of First Presbyterian Church. Surviving are two sons, a daughter, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Grace Brown Tisdale ’45, Kingstree, S.C., April 26. She was a retired physical education and home economics teacher, and member of Williamsburg Presbyterian Church. Surviving are a twin sister, sister-inlaw, and several nieces and nephews.

Martha Ann “Mott” Jameson ’47, Greenwood, S.C., Jan. 27. She retired from Duke Power Company and was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church.

Surviving are a niece and nephew.

Lucille Edwards Wells ’50, Greenwood, S.C., March 16. She was a retired teacher and media specialist, and member of Cedar Springs ARP Church. Surviving are a daughter and son-in-law.

Shirley Dawson Johnson ’54, Aynor, S.C., Feb 3. She was a retired school teacher and member of Aynor United Methodist Church. Surviving are her husband, two sons, two grandchildren and a brother.

Carolyn Layne May Bowman ’55, Gainesville, Fla., April 8. She was a retired school counselor and member of First Presbyterian Church. Surviving are two sons, two daughters, 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Doris Hughes McDowell ’55, Laurens, S.C., May 4. She was a retired teacher and member of First United Methodist Church.

Surviving are a son, a brother, a sister, and several nieces and nephews.

W. Mel Riley ’55, Greenwood, S.C., Dec. 29, 2017. He served in the Army and Army Reserves, was a former broadcaster for several radio stations, and retired from Rainbow Signs. Surviving are his wife, a son and a daughter-in-law.

Peggy Outen Underwood ’57, Johns Island, S.C., Feb. 17. She was involved with many women’s and garden clubs, and was a member of Grace Episcopal Church. Surviving are her husband, a son, a daughter and four grandchildren.

Dolores Smith von Rosen ’59, Chappells, S.C., July 6. She was a former Miss Greenwood and a retired art and English teacher.

Surviving are a daughter, a sister, and several nieces and nephews.

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Gloria Grigsby Reames ’61, Abbeville, S.C., July 26. She was a retired nurse with Abbeville Memorial Hospital and a member of Abbeville First Baptist Church. Surviving are her husband, a son, a daughter and three grandchildren.

Donald L. Ballenger ’62, Pinebluff, N.C., Feb. 7. He served in the U.S. Air Force and received his Master’s in Divinity. Donald served many congregations in North and South Carolina. Surviving are four children, 14 grandchildren and 26 greatgrandchildren.

Dr. Rebecca “Becky” Meredith Chamblee ’64, Anderson, S.C., Feb 3. She was a retired child psychologist and member of Central Presbyterian Church. Surviving are her husband, a daughter, a granddaughter and two sisters.

Jo Beth Hillhouse Moesley ’64, Anderson, S.C., Feb. 27. She was a retired school teacher and member of Central Presbyterian Church. Surviving are a daughter and three grandchildren.

Janice Coleman Stroud Peeler ’70, Abbeville, S.C., Jan. 15. She was a retired school teacher. Surviving are two sisters, three grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.

Martha Erskine Hawkins ’71, Anderson, S.C., Feb. 9. She was an elementary school music teacher and choir director for Second Baptist Church in Belton, S.C. Surviving are her husband, two sons, a daughter, seven grandchildren, four greatgrandchildren, two brothers and a sister.

Lee Woodrow Thompson Jr. ’72, Greenwood, S.C., Feb. 4. He was retired from Cornerstone Center and a member of Main Street United Methodist Church.

Surviving are a son, two grandchildren and three sisters.

Helen Latham Eanes ’74, Greenwood, S.C., June 28. She was a retired nurse and member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church.

Surviving are two sons, four daughters, 13 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren.

John Grady McElrath ’67, founder and keyboardist for the Greenwood-based musical group The Swingin’ Medallions, died June 9 at his home in The Lodge Grounds, following a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was 77.

The Medallions shot to fame in 1966 with the party classic “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love),” which reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Their followup single, “She Drives Me Out of My Mind,” also charted, reaching #71. The group has remained popular in the South and continues to perform today.

In 2008, McElrath was inducted into the Carolina Beach Music Awards Hall of Fame.

He also received the Order of the Palmetto from Governor Mark Sanford.

McElrath, who graduated from Lander in 1967, was known for his years of service as youth director of the Greenwood YMCA. Memorials may be made to the John G. and Jayne B. McElrath Music Scholarship at Lander and mailed to The Lander Foundation, 320 Stanley Ave., Campus Box 6004, Greenwood, SC 29649. Gifts can also be made online at www.lander.edu/give.

Ruby “Polly” Hawkins Ashley ’68, Belton, S.C., Jan. 31. She was a retired teacher and a member of Mt. Bethel Baptist Church. Surviving are her husband, a son, a daughter, two grandchildren and a brother.

Dennis Ray Davenport ’69, Greenwood, S.C., Jan. 9. He was a retired pharmacist and member of Greenwood First Baptist Church. Surviving are his wife, a son, a daughter, a grandson and two brothers.

Ronnie G. Seawright ’74, Donalds, S.C., Jan. 24. He worked as a brickmason for many companies and was a member of Greenville Presbyterian Church. Surviving are his wife, three daughters, five grand­ children and a sister.

Jackie Jordan Garrett ’78, Greenwood, S.C., Feb. 27. She was a retired nurse and member of Northside Baptist Church.

Surviving are her husband, a daughter, two grandsons, a step-father and three sisters.

Two Scholarships Established in Honor of Fallen Student

James Logan Lusk, a sophomore chemistry major from Pickens, lost his life in a single-car accident in February. Logan excelled in the classroom while also serving as an orientation leader and student assistant in Lander’s Office of Enrollment Management. An avid outdoorsman, Logan was a pre-med student planning to become an orthopedic surgeon.

His passing stunned the close-knit Lander family, and a student-led memorial service was held on campus shortly after the accident. Following a balloon release, a Calloway Crabapple tree was planted in front of the Physical Science Building, where Logan spent much of his time studying and researching.

In honor of their son, Angela and Jimmy Lusk established the Logan Lusk Angel Memorial Science Scholarship and the Logan Lusk Angel Memorial General Funded Scholarship. Contributions for the scholarships can be made payable to The Lander Foundation, and mailed to The Lander Foundation, 320 Stanley Ave., Campus Box 6004, Greenwood, SC 29649.

William H. Norris ’82, Williamston, S.C., April 5. He served in the U.S. Army and S.C. National Guard. William was retired from Piedmont Natural Gas. Surviving are his wife, two sons, a daughter and a brother.

Howard E. Peterson ’82, Greenwood, S.C., Jan. 14. He was retired from the IRS. Surviving are a brother, a sister and an aunt.

Frances “Red” Whelchel Roper ’82, Laurens, S.C., Jan. 12. She was a retired teacher and homemaker. Surviving are her husband, four children, seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Theresa G. Weaver ’83, Spartanburg, S.C., Nov. 29, 2017. She was a CPA with Coleman, Huntoon & Brown. Surviving are her father, a sister and a nephew.

Hoyt Ray Truelove ’85, Greenwood, S.C., Feb. 22. He was retired from the U.S. Air Force and later worked on the family farm. Surviving are his wife, a son, a daughter, three grandchildren, nine greatgrandchildren, three brothers and a sister.

Kenneth S. Murray ’87, St. George, S.C., May 28. He served in the S.C. Army National Guard and owned Precision Landscaping, Inc. Surviving are his mother, his wife, a son, a daughter and a brother.

Lauren McEntire Spence ’00, Melbourne, Fla., May 14. She was an ocean expedition photographer and owner of a pet care service. Surviving are her parents, her husband, three brothers, and several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

Jeremy C. Cox ’01, Simpsonville, S.C., July 1. He worked for GeoTrack Technologies and was a coach for Greenville Little League Baseball. Surviving are his parents, a grandmother, his wife, two sons and two brothers.

Linda Nelson Patterson ’01, Greenwood, S.C., Feb. 17. She was a teacher and one of the first Montessori teachers in Greenwood School District 50. Surviving are her husband, three daughters, eight grandchildren and two brothers.

Joseph “Joey” D. Johnson ’04, Roebuck, S.C., Jan. 17. He is survived by his parents, a sister and two nephews.

Michael L. Koone ’04, Greenwood, S.C., Feb. 25. He was an accountant with Town & Country Property Management. Michael was also a high school football official for over 38 years and a member of S.C. Football Official Association, which named him Official of the Year in 2013. Surviving are his mother, his wife, two children, a brother, and a number of nieces and nephews.

Claudia Lee Haynes The Lander community mourned the loss of freshman Claudia Haynes, of Mount Pleasant, who passed away Sept. 3, 2018, as the result of a car accident.

Claudia had just begun her freshman year at Lander, joining the ROTC program with aspirations of becoming a nurse with the U.S. Army. She was a 2018 graduate of Wando High School, where she was a four-year ROTC cadet. Some of her achievements included being named Wing Commander and Cadet of the Year, along with receiving several national awards.

Lander’s student body held a gathering and walk in Claudia’s memory on Sept. 25 at the Jeff May Sports Complex. Student Government Association and ROTC representatives, along with Lander students, faculty and staff, shared thoughts and memories of Claudia before lighting candles and walking the track at the complex with members of the Haynes family.

Claudia is survived by her mother, Angela D. Haynes, and father, Chuck V. Haynes III; three brothers, Zachary Haynes, Lucas Haynes, and Charles Haynes; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

– Class Notes continued on page 64

www.lander.edu/magazine

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ALUMNI PROFILE

Andy Miller ’91:

The Day Time Stood Still

Miller Pens Book Inspired by Near-Miss On Sept. 7, 2013, U.S. Army pilot Andy Miller was flying a routine training mission in Afghanistan.

The 1991 Lander University graduate was nearing the end of a year-long assignment to train Afghan Air Force pilots in rotorcraft operations, and Miller was already counting the days until he got to come home to his wife and family.

As he demonstrated a landing on a small desert pinnacle to his Afghan co-pilot, his helicopter was suddenly rocked by an explosion, and then a fireball.

Miller dragged himself and the wounded co-pilot away from the wreckage, applied tourniquets to stop bleeding wounds, and while time seemed to stand still, he used his survival radio to make a Mayday distress call, realizing that both of them would die if help didn’t come soon.

And if you want to know what happened next and what led to its happening, the full story is chronicled in Miller’s book Pamir 62: Heroes are Forever, published in August 2018.

“I spent nearly 100 days in hospitals and had 12 surgeries before I was discharged to go home in December 2013,” said Miller, who served in the U.S. Army from 1995-2015. “I continued physical therapy for the rest of my time in the army.”

While recovering, he began jotting down notes about the incident, primarily to remember it as it happened and, later, to be able to recall it accurately to his family when the time came.

“My three kids were still quite young when the event happened,” he said. “I wanted them to know what happened and some of what

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By L. C. Leach III

I did in the Army while I was away.”

Over time, Miller kept writing, documenting not only his near miss, but his year-long deployment to Afghanistan. Soon, he realized he had enough for a book – something he had not previously considered.

“I originally intended it to just be something I put together for my immediate family,” Miller said. “But my sister-in-law, Grace, encouraged me to publish it for a wider audience.”

Unless you happen to be in Miller’s hometown of Baraboo, Wis, where you can check out a copy of the book at the local library, the best way to purchase a copy is to visit "Pamir 62" on Facebook or contact the author at pamir62book@gmail.com.

“I hope my story will give readers a greater appreciation for what the men and women of our nation's military do daily,” Miller said.

“And I also hope it will motivate other members of the military to tell their own stories.”

Luckily for Miller, his educational background helped him tell his story.

“When I was at Lander, I earned an English degree," he said. "So during my Army career, I used many of the skills I learned at Lander, and after nearly getting killed in Afghanistan, my degree was certainly useful as I wrote my book.”

Lander graduate Andy Miller ’91, right, gives a thumbs up with U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Andrew Neil shortly after Miller was nearly killed in a helicopter bomb explosion in 2013 in Afghanistan. Miller recently penned a book about his experience and year-long assignment in Afghanistan.

– photo courtesy Andy Miller; book jacket photos by Lt. Col. Jeff Brown, U.S. Army

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Spirit Gear Tailgating Chairs Window Decals License Plates and more!

Visit us on campus or shop online 24/7 at www.bearcatshop.com.

Mention this ad and receive 10% off your purchase when you visit the Bearcat Shop on campus!

(Discount not available for online purchases.)

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864-388-8384

ALUMNI PROFILE

Porter Palmer ’92:

'Collecting Experiences Instead of Things' Lander Graduate Porter Palmer, Husband Bill Choose RV Life By Jeff Lagrone, Photos by Bill Trinkle Lots of people talk about wanting to see the country. Lander graduate and former Discovery Communications executive Porter Palmer and her husband, Bill Trinkle, have been doing just that.

For the last seven years, the Trinkles have been traveling the United States in an RV. They’ve seen 24 national parks, plus other places of interest, logging 30,000 miles along the way.

Both got their first taste of RV life as children. Bill went on several trips as a boy in his grandparents’ Winnebago. Porter was still a baby when she made her first trip in the family’s 1968 Shasta, along with her father, Frank, her mother, Eleanor, and her brother, former Greenwood County Sheriff Dan Wideman. It was an experience that would be repeated at regular intervals throughout her youth.

“When we weren’t camping, I used the camper as a playhouse. It was parked right beside the carport, and I spent many days playing ‘house’ in the Shasta,” said Porter, who graduated from Lander in 1992 with a degree in elementary education.

Porter Palmer (wearing a Lander shirt) and Bill Trinkle, right, pose for a picture with fellow travelers James Gillentine and Rhiannon Deems during a visit to Horseshoe Bend, near Page, Ariz.

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Some soul-searching, after Bill lost his classic rock radio show in the recession of 2008, led to the decision to travel.

“We looked at the things around us, and the house payment it took to hold those things, and the multiple jobs we were doing to have those things. We started asking ourselves, ‘What do you need?’

The more we talked, the more full-time RV life made sense. I could work from anywhere if I had internet, so we sold the house in San Antonio in 2009 with plans to become full-time RVers.”

While they searched for an RV, Bill began working on developing a new craft: photography. Taking advantage of the weak housing market, they also bought a house in Michigan that they would later sell for a modest profit. By the summer of 2011, they were ready to roll.

“For the most part, it was awesome, but I didn’t always feel like I got to see the places where we were traveling because of an overabundance of work. Even though the work was rewarding, it was more than I wanted to do forever. A couple of years into our travels, I started thinking about how much I’d need to save to take a break for a little while,” Porter said.

By 2016, they had saved enough for Porter to leave the workforce and begin sightseeing in earnest. In the year that followed, they visited 10 national parks, including Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Grand Canyon, Great Basin, Joshua Tree, Redwood Forest and Mount Rainier.

“I rarely find myself without words, but these places left me speechless,” she said.

So far this year, they’ve been to Hot Springs, Big Bend, Guadalupe Mountain, Carlsbad Caverns, Petrified Forest and Acadia national parks. They’ve also been to the Wright Brothers National Memorial, Gettysburg and Fredericksburg national battlefields, the National Mall, Arlington National Cemetery, and the birthplaces of George Washington and John Adams.

While no fan of blowouts, road construction or heavy traffic while towing, Porter likes almost everything else about life on the road – especially the constantly changing landscape and the anticipation of someplace new.

“I love our little house on wheels. It’s all that I need. When I hear the screen door close, it’s a distinctive click, and my heart warms.

We’re always making the house more like us and less like it was in the pamphlet.”

That doesn’t mean filling it with a bunch of “stuff.”

“In 300 square feet, it’s difficult to practice a lot of consumerism.

There’s a lot of self-negotiation before any new item is purchased.”

They save on expenses through their membership in “Thousand Trails,” which enables them to stay in about 200 campgrounds across the U.S. for around $775 a year.

The many destinations visited by the Trinkles during their cross country travels include (pictured, top to bottom): Royal Gorge, a canyon of the Arkansas River near Cañon City, Colo.; Yaquina Head Lighthouse, in Newport, Ore.; Old Tucson Studios, in Tucson, Ariz.; and S parks Lake, in Deschutes County, Ore.

Sometimes camping on public lands makes more sense than staying in a campground, especially out west, where public lands are plentiful and free. Their rig is equipped with solar panels, holding tanks for fresh and used water, and appliances that will run on either electricity or propane, enabling them to “boondock” for up to a week.

For the past year and a half, the Trinkles have been living primarily off of their savings, but they also enjoy some income. Bill has moved his photography into the professional realm. Porter serves as community manager for Less Junk, More Journey, a YouTube channel. She also writes for RVillage, the location-based social network for RVers.

“I write the copy for the website, email campaigns, press releases, how-to guides, proposals, advertisements and pretty much anything else that requires written words,” she said.

The Trinkles are not alone in their full-time RV lifestyle. During their visit to Lake Greenwood State Park in April, they camped with Camille Attell and Bryce Cripe, a couple they met two years ago in Arizona. They have also camped with Lander mass communications faculty member Jim Murray, whom she describes as a former colleague and longtime friend.

Escapees RV Club, of which the Trinkles are members, sponsors several convergences each year that provide additional opportunities to camp alongside people who, like themselves, “seek to escape the traditional life pattern of a career, a house and accumulation of possessions in favor of a more minimalistic and nomadic lifestyle that focuses on collecting experiences instead of things.”

Full-time RVing is not always the easiest life to sustain. The Trinkles have watched members of their RVing community come off the road, for any number of reasons, and they know that time may come for them. But for now, continuing the odyssey they began seven years ago is what they want to do.

“Travel opens your mind to people, places, history and culture,” Bill says.

“If you want to be in awe, go to one of America’s national parks and then another one and another one,” said Porter. “If you want to see what’s great about our country, spend some time hiking a trail or enjoying nature at one of our national parks. It doesn’t have to be a Yosemite or a Yellowstone, although both should be on your list.”

Both are on her list, too, although for different reasons. Yellowstone, which she took 150 teachers to see in 2012, is a park she’d like to revisit. Yosemite is a place she’s never been.

“That’s OK,” she said. “I like having places still to see.”

www.lander.edu/magazine

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Class Notes SYMPATHY TO

Dr. Doris Fulcher Fitzgerald, 87, passed away May 1, 2018, at Martha Franks Retirement Community in Laurens, S.C.

Jerry Latham ’58 and Dorothy Terry Latham ’58 on the passing of his sister and her sister-in-law, Helen Latham Eanes ’74, June 28.

The recipient of Lander’s Distinguished Professor Award in 1990, Fitzgerald taught for 23 years in the Lander University School of Education.

Beverly Keadle Skinner ’60 on the passing of her husband, Dr. Talmage B. Skinner Jr., May 31.

Jo Ellen Roberts Johnson ’60 on the passing of her sister, and Elaine Gaddis Neff ’73 on the passing of her mother, Margaret Roberts Gaddis, Dec. 6, 2017.

Sid Moore ’79, Marion Moore ’79, and Nancy Talbert Moore ’77 on the passing of their father, Bennie S. Moore Sr., Feb. 4.

Melanie Hall Lawton ’80 on the passing of her husband, Thomas W. Lawton Jr., June 10.

Joy L. Mims ’80 on the passing of her sister, Gale Mims, Mar. 27.

Jeff Smith ’80 on the passing of his fatherin-law; and Caroline Schulze ’09, Granger Smith ’10, Stephanie Adams Smith ’10 and Mary Lyle Smith Cathcart ’13 on the passing of their grandfather, Warren C. Schulze, June 25.

Hilton L. “Hilty” Dodgen ’81 on the passing of his mother, and Melanie Price Darley ’01 and John Darley ’04 on the passing of their grandmother, Evelyn Smith Dodgen, Mar. 11.

Wanda Dixon Bryant ’83 on the passing of her mother-in-law, Peggy Harrison Bryant, Mar. 4.

Eric Johnson ’83 and Dean Johnson ’85 on the passing of their mother, Shirley Dawsey Johnson ’54, Feb. 3.

Nancy Spears West ’84 on the passing of her husband, George W. West III, Feb. 25.

Gina Wilson Koone ’86 on the passing of her brother-in-law, Michael L. Koone ’04, Feb. 25.

Patrick W. Prince ’92 on the passing of his mother-in-law, Jackie Jordan Garrett ’78, Feb. 27.

Kathi Moseley Luplow ’93 on the passing of her mother, Jo Beth Hillhouse Moseley ’64, Feb. 26; and the passing of her father, Lewis “Jerry” Moseley, April 26.

Kayla Blackwell ’11, on the passing of her grandmother, Mary Elaine Floyd Blackwell, May 26.

Abby Bryant Scott ’11 on the passing of her grandmother, and Robert J. Scott ’11

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She served as both chair and director of graduate studies for the School of Education, and as executive director of the South Carolina Association of Teacher Educators (SCATE) for 10 years.

She received her undergraduate degree from Elon College, and her master’s and doctorate in early childhood education from the University of Virginia. She taught for several years in public schools before accepting positions at Wesleyan College in Macon, Ga., and later at Lander, where she retired as Professor Emeritus in 2003.

A huge supporter of non-traditional students, Fitzgerald said the ability to go back to school at any age is “something great. I like the idea that we can always learn something new.”

Fitzgerald is survived by former husband, W.E. Fitzgerald, three children, eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren.

on the passing of his grandmother-in-law, Peggy Harrison Bryant, Mar. 4.

Ellison Poston Rowe ’12 on the passing of her grandmother, Margaret Rodgers Poston, Apr. 28.

Laura M. Brown ’16 on the passing of her father, Chris Brown, July 31. Laura is an administrative assistant with Lander’s Division of Governmental Relations and University Relations photographer.

Faculty/Staff Michael Blackwell on the passing of his mother, Mary Elaine Floyd Blackwell, May 26. Mike is the videographer with the University Relations Office.

Randy Bouknight on the passing of his mother, Laverne Bouknight, Feb. 10.

Randy recently assumed a role as Special Ambassador for Lander University and previously served as Vice President for Student Affairs.

Angela Fulbright on the passing of her father, George Fred Miller, May 9. Angela is an administrative specialist with the Lander University Police Department.

Dr. Judi Neufeld on the passing of her mother, and Dr. Chuck Neufeld on the passing of his mother-in-law, Dorothy J. Schrag, June 1. Judi is the dean of Lander’s College of Education, and Chuck is an associate professor of music with Lander’s Department of Music.

Mark Your Calendars for Lander Homecoming!

February 8-9, 2019 We’re ready to welcome all alumni back to campus with a fun lineup of events: Friday, Feb. 8: 11:30 a.m. Annual Alumni Golf Outing 1:00 p.m. Alumni Board Meeting 7:00 p.m. Alumni Social, Class Reunions

'79, '69 (Golden 50th) & '59 9:00 p.m. Young Alumni Council Event

(Uptown, TBA) Saturday, Feb. 9: 10:00 a.m. 50th Class Reunion Brunch

(Alumni Center) 1:00 p.m. Women’s Basketball Game 3:00 p.m. Alumni Homecoming

Mix & Mingle

(Horne Arena Lobby) 3:30 p.m. Men’s Basketball Game Save the Date - Friday, May 10, 2019

Alumni Association Awards Ceremony & Gala 1:00 p.m. Board Meeting 6:00 p.m. Awards Ceremony

Launching to Excellence

As one of Lander University’s more than 17,000 alumni, you are a member of a talented, diverse family. We are proud of our alumni and our alma mater – and we’re excited to brag about it!

Will you help us keep climbing? Alumni giving and participation are among the measures used to determine a university’s state and national rankings. It will take us all to help launch Lander forward and show the world how proud we are of our university.

Our university is growing and thriving, as evidenced by our recent rankings. In addition to being named a Best Public Regional College by U.S. News and World Report, Lander was also named one of the nation's top baccalaureate colleges by Washington Monthly Magazine.

Please consider making a gift to the Lander Excellence Fund.

Support of the annual fund directly impacts our students, faculty and programs, and it ensures Lander’s legacy of excellence will continue for generations to come.

We are Lander family and we are proud alumni!

Our alumni are thriving, as well, moving the needle as leaders in the boardroom, the classroom, the laboratory, the studio – and everywhere in between. We know our alumni are great, and it’s time to spread the word so that Lander University can continue to reach new heights.

www.lander.edu/magazine

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Change Service Requested

Sun, Surf & Sand Sculptures For a sand sculpture course, there’s no better studio location than oceanfront. Art majors in Lander’s Art 350-OL course spent a week in May putting their classroom concepts into practice on the sunny shores of Pawley’s Island, S.C. The upper-level course focuses on ephemeral art – art that is temporary in its nature – and students learn to work not only with sand, but also other natural materials, according to instructor Doug McAbee. “In this case, students spend hours creating sculptures that may last only a few minutes. They learn to plan their projects and solve various creative construction problems that may arise during the process,” he said. Along with sculpting,

students also visited historic sites such as Atalaya Castle at Huntington Beach State Park, the former home and studio of American sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington.

The coastal trip is incorporated into the course each spring, and McAbee says it’s a great bonding experience for students and professors. “We spend eight hours each day sculpting in the sand, and we’ve had perfect, sunny weather, and we’ve had torrential downpours for days. Still, the students have maintained a great attitude through it all.”

Along with catching the attention of the coastal news media, this year’s student creations resulted in something truly magical. Read more on page 16 of this issue of Lander Magazine.

– contributed photo