Limestone Today Magazine (Summer 2019)

LIMESTONE’S 22ND PRESIDENT DR. DARRELL PARKER INTRODUCES THE “DRIVE TO UNIVERSITY” INITIATIVE

President

Dr. Darrell Parker

Editor

Charles Wyatt ’89

Graphic Design

K. C. Barnhill

Contributing Writers

Marena Camby Ernest Meyers ’07 Charles Wyatt ’89

Photography

April Yeargin Barnhill K. C. Barnhill Marena Camby Charles Wyatt ’89 Stacey Copeland Wylie

Printing

ImageMark Business Solutions

Special Assistance

Office of Institutional Advancement

Department of Communications and Marketing

Charles Wyatt ’89 Vice President for Communications and Marketing/Director of Communications K. C. Barnhill Associate Vice President for Communications and Marketing/Director of Creative Services Marena Camby Writer/Graphic Designer Kevin Cobb Website Administrator and Developer Katye Fall Price ’03 Assistant Website Administrator/ Digital Marketing Analytics Assistant

Please address correspondence to: Editor, Limestone Today Magazine Limestone College 1115 College Drive Gaffney, South Carolina 29340 LimestoneNews@Limestone.edu.

PHOTO BY STACEY COPELAND WYLIE

SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR HENRY MCMASTER VISITS LIMESTONE South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster (left) stands with Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker as he displays the Honorary Doctoral Degree he received while delivering the Commencement remarks during Limestone’s May 10, 2019, graduation ceremonies.

IT’S A FRIDAY TRADITION Limestone College students have embraced the tradition of “Be Bold. Be Blue.” that encourages them to wear their school colors each Friday.

ON THE COVER Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker props up on a classic 1966 Mustang on the front campus to symbolize the “Drive To University” initiative. PHOTO BY APRIL YEARGIN BARNHILL

SUMMER

in this Limestone Welcomes Twenty-Second President, Dr. Darrell F. Parker ― After an extensive national search that stretched over seven months, Dr. Darrell Franklin Parker was introduced on December 6, 2017, as the 22nd President of Limestone College.

Meet Limestone’s First Lady, Mrs. Kathy G. Parker ― Introducing Limestone’s First Lady, Full-Time Volunteer, and Number One Fan. COVER STORY: Drive To University ―The current “Drive To University” initiative will culminate with a name change to Limestone University in the fall of 2020, which coincides with the institution’s 175th anniversary.

Twenty-Three Minutes ― Late last year, that was the amount of time that separated life from death for Limestone alumna Haley Case.

For The Love Of Limestone ― Alumna Jeriesha Epps tells the story that took her from the military, to single mother, to Limestone graduate, to thriving staff member of the Evening Program staff in Columbia.

A Unique Bond ― It didn’t take long for Limestone Trustee Randall Richardson and President Dr. Darrell Parker to discover that they shared similar backgrounds while growing up in Western North Carolina.

Limestone College, 1115 College Drive, Gaffney, SC 29340 | 864.488.4603 | Postage Paid, Gaffney, SC, 29340 | Summer Edition 2019

INTRODUCING LIMESTONE TODAY DIGITAL Limestone is pleased to announce a step in the evolution of Limestone Today magazine. In the next few months, you can find the digital magazine on our website, making it easier for you to learn of student, faculty, and alumni accomplishments on your computer or mobile devices.

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Library and Student Center Bob Prevatte Athletic Complex Limestone Athletics Awards & Honors Around Campus Alumni Notes In Memoriam LIMESTONE.EDU

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L I M E S TO N E W E LCO M E S T W E N T Y- S E CO N D P R E S I D E N T

Dr. Darrell F. Parker

BY CHARLES WYATT

I “ can think of no greater privilege than to lead this community of outstanding faculty, students, and staff. ” fter an extensive national search that stretched over seven months, Dr. Darrell Franklin Parker was introduced on Wednesday, December 6, 2017, as the 22nd President of Limestone College.

Parker officially took office Wednesday, January 3, 2018.

Prior to his arrival at Limestone, the Buncombe County native had served since 2012 as the Dean and Professor of Economics for the College of Business at Western Carolina University. WCU is a Regional Public Comprehensive University in the University of North Carolina System that enrolls approximately 11,000 students.

Parker received his bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Economics at the University of North Carolina Asheville in 1980 and then earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in Economics from Purdue University, in 1981 and 1984, respectively.

From 2006-2012, Parker served as the Dean and Professor of Economics for the Johnson College of Business and Economics at the University of South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg.

Dr. Parker was at Georgia Southern University from 2001-2006 where he served numerous roles, including Professor of Economics, Director of the Center for Economic Education, Acting Associate Dean, and Director of the School of Economic Development in the College of Business Administration.

He previously was a professor of economics at Winthrop University, where he was named Winthrop University Distinguished Professor in 1999; awarded the First Union Excellence in Teaching prize in 1991; and received the 1988-89 Phi Kappa Phi award for Excellence in Teaching.

From 1990 until 2001, Parker served as Director of the Winthrop Economic Development Center, which he founded.

Following the retirement announcement of Dr. Walt Griffin, the comprehensive national search for Limestone’s next President started in April of 2017 with the formation of a 13-member Presidential Search Committee, led by Board of Trustees Vice-Chairman David Riggins. The full Board of Trustees voted for Parker as Limestone’s next President during a called meeting in December of the same year.

“We are excited about the future of Limestone College and the leadership that Dr. Parker will bring for the benefit of our students and the communities of Gaffney and Cherokee County,” said Board of Trustees Chairman Randy Hines shortly after Parker was announced as President.

In front of students, faculty, staff, alumni, community leaders, delegates from multiple higher education institutions, family, and friends, Parker was officially installed as President during an Inauguration ceremony held inside Fullerton Auditorium on Friday, September 28, 2018.

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M E E T L I M E S TO N E ’ S F I R S T L A DY,

BY CHARLES WYATT

Mrs. Kathy G. Parker wo for one, and number one fan!

That’s precisely what Limestone received when Dr. Darrell Parker was named as its 22nd President in December of 2017, and his wife, Kathy, became the College’s First Lady.

One of nine children and a native of nearby York County, the former Kathy Griffin had no trouble acclimating herself to Gaffney, Cherokee County, and Limestone’s charming campus.

Keeping pace with her husband, however, has proved a little more challenging. But she has enjoyed every second of it.

“It’s really been a whirlwind of events, just one thing after another,” she said of the couple’s time so far at Limestone. “We have been moving at a very hectic pace, but of course, that’s the way we like it. With Darrell’s high energy and enthusiasm, sometimes I have trouble keeping up. But it’s fun. We’re having a ball.”

Regardless of the task, the First Lady said she will continue to be more than ready to lend a hand at Limestone, acting as a liaison, working with nonprofit organizations, helping with College initiatives, attending campus and local events, traveling with her husband, and supporting his work at off-campus events and fundraising meetings.

“I see myself as being like a full-time volunteer at the College,” she explained, as she stood near the front steps of Winnie Davis Hall of History and looked out over one of the most historic campuses in the state. “You could even call it an ambassador of sorts for Limestone. I will do whatever I need to do to help promote Limestone and help the students – because it really is all about the students.”

It was his wife, the President will quickly tell anyone who asks, that brought the Limestone job opening to his attention.

“I was absolutely thrilled when Darrell got the call to become the President here,” she said, noting that one of her sisters operated a business in Gaffney for a number of years. “It’s like coming home for me. Everyone has been so extremely welcoming and kind. It is an honor to serve this wonderful place in any way possible.”

“I fell in love with Limestone the moment I visited,” she added. “It has a genuine family atmosphere that is nurturing and caring. It felt like home from the very beginning.”

Kathy grew up attending Enon Baptist Church in Smyrna and she is a graduate of Hickory Grove High School. Kathy is a member of the Rotary Club of Blacksburg.

She is also a charter member of the new Cherokee County United Lions Club that was formed earlier this year.

A first generation college student, Kathy attended Winthrop University as an undergraduate. She later returned to Winthrop and earned an Executive Master’s in Business Administration (EMBA). She has worked in real estate and banking in Rock Hill and Charlotte.

“Kathy has been a passionate supporter of student success, and she has been an enthusiastic promoter of the College from day one,” Dr. Parker said of his wife.

“There’s no doubt to me that she’s our number one fan. We are both excited about this journey we are taking together at Limestone.” ■ 4

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The event was attended by delegates from well over 20 colleges and universities across the country. During the ceremony, Hines presented Parker with the Medallion of Office, which is reserved for wear as part of the President’s academic regalia. Limestone’s new First Lady, Kathy Parker, was also introduced at the Inauguration.

Limestone Board of Trustee member Tommy Windsor brought greetings on behalf of Governor Henry McMaster and the state of South Carolina. “Dr. Parker, it is my great honor to congratulate you on your inauguration as the 22nd President of Limestone College,” Windsor read from a letter written by the Governor. Windsor is a member of the Governor’s staff. “I regret that I am not there to personally congratulate you as you embark on this new journey. However, I am confident that you will be an excellent steward of this institution, and a leader and mentor for its students. As President, one of your duties is to preserve and improve upon Limestone College’s great legacy.

Limestone is one of our state’s oldest colleges, and serves as a pillar of South Carolina’s educational community.

Limestone was the first women’s college in South Carolina, and one of the first in the United States. Its students enjoy the inheritance of a rich and storied history.”

Gaffney Mayor Henry Jolly also brought greetings from the City and Cherokee County. “Limestone College is an integral part of this area, and our relationship dates back for generations,” Jolly said. “The College brings a youthful energy to Gaffney and to Cherokee County. With open arms, we welcome students from this state, our nation, and across the world. Limestone – with its diverse student population, concerts, theater, art, and lectures – creates a more vibrant, international culture in our community. The College also has a tremendously positive impact on our local economy.” ■

GROUNDBREAKING FOR STUDENT CENTER, LIBRARY EXPECTED TO TAKE PLACE FALL 2019 he paperwork has been signed, the final plans are being developed, and the ceremonial shovels are expected to break ground early during the upcoming fall semester.

Limestone College’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously last year to accept the terms of a United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development program loan not to exceed $34.5 million.

The College will use a portion of the loan proceeds to construct a new $18 million building on campus that will be home to both a library and student center.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the 65,000-square-foot facility will take place in the coming months, with an anticipated completion in late 2020 when the institution’s name will change to Limestone University. The project’s conclusion will also coincide with Limestone’s 175th anniversary.

As part of an overall $42.5 million project, the USDA loan has allowed Limestone to purchase Brown Residence Hall that was constructed through a partnership with a benefactor and private developer, and refinance existing debt. As a term of the USDA loan, the College has obtained a separate $3.5 million guaranteed loan from a local bank. In addition, Limestone is contributing $4.5 million toward the project from funds raised as part of its most recent capital campaign. That contribution will be used as the project’s reserve account. A portion of the funds raised from the capital campaign were used to developed the plans for the new library and student center.

The USDA loan will be repaid over a period not to exceed 40 years, and College officials have indicated that the payments will be comparable to the school’s current debt service payments.

“The new library and student center will be the academic and social hub of our campus. It will also be a major recruiting and

retention tool,” said Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker.

“This will be a game-changer for Limestone.”

By purchasing Brown Residence Hall, the College will no longer be making yearly payments on the building, and at the same time, it will now become a revenue source as fees paid by students will go into Limestone’s general fund instead of being used for debt service on the dorm.

The new student center will be on the first floor of the new building that will be constructed in an area between and behind Montgomery Hall and the Carroll Fine Arts Building. It will include a commons area, a public art gallery, community meeting space, and an additional student dining area. Such facilities, which are now lacking, are needed for Limestone to remain healthy by attracting new students and retaining current students, Parker noted.

The state-of-the art library portion will be located on the second and third floors. The library plans include advanced computer and audiovisual technology, a writing and math center, reading area, classrooms, and student work areas. The current A.J. Eastwood Library, which opened in the 1960s, will be re-purposed for other needs of the College.

“Limestone is an integral part of the City of Gaffney and Cherokee County, and that will become even more so when the new library opens because it will be an asset to the community as well,” Parker explained. “Limestone’s success will be the community’s success as these new projects enable us to grow our enrollment and our local footprint. The loan benefits will allow Limestone to better serve the community with its diverse student population, concerts, theater, art, and lectures that create a more vibrant, international culture in our community.” ■

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LIMESTONE COLLEGE DEDICATES MULTIPLE NEW ADDITIONS TO GROWING CAMPUS imestone College’s event calendar was full this past spring as three separate public ceremonies were held to dedicate new additions and enhancements to the historic campus.

The College celebrated the official opening of the Cunning Victory Bell Tower on April 14, Shannon Hamrick Park on April 18, and the Bob Prevatte Athletic Complex on June 6.

CUNNING VICTORY BELL TOWER Named in memory of Barbara Cunning by her husband Dr. Charles Cunning, the Victory Bell Tower overlooks the Limestone Quarry and is situated between the College’s athletic and academic facilities. Once work on the Prevatte complex is completed, a campus connector walkway will link the tower to both the upper and lower sections of campus.

The Bell Tower announces to the campus each time a Saints athletic team posts a victory at home or away by playing the “Blue and Gold” fight song. One of the key features of the structure is the bell inside, which hung from the top of the Curtis Administration Building for several decades until it was removed in 1998.

SHANNON HAMRICK PARK Shannon Hamrick Park was made possible by a gift from Barry and Judy Hamrick in memory of their late son. The project surrounds the Founders FCU Stadium entrance and has transformed the baseball complex into an attractive park setting.

The walkway from the Cunning Victory Bell Tower leads into the Shannon Hamrick Park where students and visitors can enjoy an attractive flower garden and fountain. As a part of the project, the areas along the back and sides of the baseball grandstands have a new brick façade and signage. A raised patio area along the third base side of the field offers a new seating area for baseball spectators. In addition, new restroom facilities have been constructed.

BOB PREVATTE ATHLETIC COMPLEX The dedication of the Bob Prevatte Athletic Complex was highlighted by the unveiling of the Prevatte statue near the football practice facility.

The legacy of the legendary Gaffney High School coach and educator has a permanent home at Limestone thanks to a $4.1 million gift from the foundation of Jerry Richardson. Prevatte was Richardson’s high school football coach in Fayetteville, North Carolina. and the two have remained life-long friends.

In addition to new entrances and signage, the Prevatte Complex has provided aesthetic enhancements and many new elements to the campus. Read more details about the complex at www.limestone.edu/prevatte. ■ 6

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imestone’s “Drive To University” actually revved its engine for the first time on Tuesday, December 5, 2017, all the way in Cullowhee, North Carolina.

Just over four months later, at Parker’s recommendation, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously for Limestone to move toward university status by the fall term of 2020.

That is the date and place that Dr. Darrell Parker received a phone call that changed his life and altered the course of Limestone College history. Moments after he was handed the institution’s keys, he raised the hood and started tinkering with the mechanics of the classic 1845 model. After doing some fine tuning, he’s now ready to put the pedal to the metal and move Limestone forward.

“It was really an exciting time waiting for the phone call because I knew the Board was meeting at 2:30 on Tuesday,” Parker said as he reflected on the day he embraced this new challenge. “I realized that the phone number that came in would tell me who was calling. If I got the job, I would most likely be seeing the phone number of David Riggins, the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the Chair of the Presidential Search Committee. If I had gotten a phone call from the search consultant, it would be letting me know that it had gone the other way.

Parker had been serving as the Dean and Professor of Economics for the College of Business at Western Carolina University when he became one of the three final candidates to become Limestone’s 22nd President.

Almost exactly 24 hours after accepting the offer, Parker and his wife, Kathy, walked into Limestone’s Stephenson Dining Hall to be introduced to faculty, staff, alumni, and the community.

President Dr. Darrell Parker is leading the way in fine-tuning Limestone for its “Drive to University” status in the fall of 2020.

“I am forever grateful that it was David on the other end of the line when the call came in,” he continued. “Because Kathy knew it was time for the call, she was actually sitting in the parking lot outside my building waiting to hear from me. While I was on the phone with David talking about it, I was getting texts from Kathy wondering why I had not called to let her know anything. It took a little while before I was finally able to say to her, ‘I’m on my way out the door, and tomorrow we have to be at Limestone for the press conference.’”

A native of Buncombe County, Parker grew up in Weaverville, North Carolina and graduated from North Buncombe High School. He received his bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Economics at the University of North Carolina Asheville before going on to earn his master’s and doctoral degrees in Economics from Purdue University.

Before being chosen to lead Limestone, Parker had been no stranger to the Upstate area of South Carolina. He served for six years as the Dean and Professor of Economics for the Johnson College of Business and Economics at the University of South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg.

“From the beginning, we were confident we would find a motivated, enthusiastic leader to build upon Limestone’s legacy,” Riggins said. “The committee and this College was seeking a President who could build upon past achievements and lead us to an even brighter future. We knew we had found that person in Darrell Parker. Since the day that he and I talked on the phone and he accepted our offer, he hasn’t slowed down for one second.

It’s an exciting time for Limestone right now, and the best is yet to come.”

Shortly after taking the helm, Parker established several faculty and staff led task forces to study various aspects of the College. The Marketing & Enrollment Task Force, and others, suggested the change from college to university. That recommendation, along with other research on the matter that was previously provided by Board member Roy Mathis, was shared in April of 2018 with the Instruction, Academic Policy, and Enrollment Services Committee of the Board of Trustees, which unanimously agreed to endorse the idea and present it to the full board later that month.

Because it offers both undergraduate and graduate programs, Limestone was well positioned to change its status from a college to a university.

“It more accurately reflects who we are, affirms our strategic direction, and positions us for long-term success,” Parker explained about the name change. “Our move to a university will align our name with our academic offerings and enable us to attract and LIMESTONE.EDU

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PHOTO BY APRIL YEARGIN BARNHILL

recruit more students. It also reflects the success the school has had expanding graduate programs and its plans to develop new programs in the coming years. Being a university speaks of the breadth and depth of learning already happening for both undergraduate and graduate students, and of the direction charted by Limestone’s strategic plan.

“We’re enthusiastic about the ‘Drive To University’ taking place as we move toward 2020, which will coincide with Limestone’s 175th anniversary,” Parker added. “A lot of momentum is building at Limestone and we believe our change to a university will be one of the driving forces to our continued growth.”

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The name change will also create the opportunity to update and improve Limestone’s branding, Parker said. A new university logo is now being developed and other rebranding efforts are currently underway and will be unveiled in the months ahead.

“If you look at where we’re going in terms of the future of Limestone as we move from a college to Limestone University, there are a number of key elements making that happen,” he explained. “One is our focus on high-impact learning practices, and this is where we expand things like the Global Experience and undergraduate research opportunities. Another piece of the puzzle is making sure that we build up our Honors Program, and

we are doing that. Limestone should be known for the Honors Program as much as any of our tremendously successful athletic teams that make us proud. We also want to provide real access to Limestone.

We are focusing on affordability, and we particularly want those who are in Cherokee County and surrounding communities to know that Limestone is an affordable option for them. The other things you will see as we move toward Limestone University are the improvements to the campus itself that are going on now or coming in the near future.

“Students who want to study in a faith-based environment should really be open to the notion that Limestone’s here for them, and we’ve got to make sure that we have the scholarship support ready for

them,” he added. “We are certainly taking steps in the right direction to make that a reality.”

so extremely hard, and it’s evident that they are proud to be a part of how Limestone’s next chapter will be written.”

Aside from rolling up his sleeves to help lead Limestone into a bigger and brighter future, Parker has enjoyed immersing himself in the culture of a small, liberal arts institution.

Over the next several pages, this publication of Limestone Today will highlight the significant strides that Limestone has taken over the past several months as part of its “Drive To University.” ■

“Clearly the best thing about Limestone during the time that Kathy and I have been here is the welcoming atmosphere and the interaction with the people,” he said. “With the students, I have really enjoyed the times in the dining hall or across campus where I have the chance to talk to them and hear how they are performing in their classes and how their teams, programs, or organizations are doing. The faculty and staff have worked

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LIMESTONE OFFERING “GLOBAL EXPERIENCE” FOR STUDENTS world of possibilities now awaits Limestone College students through its new Global Experience program.

Limestone officials have unveiled plans for a new “Global Experience” initiative that will be sending undergraduate Day Campus students to some of the most iconic locations in the world, starting in the spring of 2020.

An “Explore Italy” trip is being planned for May 5-15, 2020, while a “Victory In Europe” journey is being scheduled for May 8-19, 2020.

The costs for one trip during a student’s time at Limestone will be covered through tuition. To qualify, students must have completed English 102 or 103, and must be in good standing academically, financially, and with the Honor Code. Transfer students must also have completed 16 credit hours at Limestone. A second travel opportunity for each student will be available, with the out-of-pocket costs determined by the particular destination.

Each “Global Experience” will be designed with a specific academic focus and will be chaperoned and taught by Limestone professors.

“These exciting trips will offer Limestone students the opportunity to explore business, commerce, education, and culture in some of the most picturesque locations in the world,” said College President Dr. Darrell Parker. “Study abroad opportunities are integral to students as they prepare to compete in an increasingly globalized workforce. This new program will become a key part of teaching students to be engaged global citizens, to be adept at cultural competency, and to be better prepared for the professional and personal challenges of the 21st century.”

The first two trips are taking place in the spring of 2020, and from that point forward it is anticipated that up to four trips will be scheduled each academic year. Students wishing to travel will register for a three-credit hour elective class in a particular discipline, and the associated trip will typically last 7-10 days.

Flights, ground transportation, lodging, meals, and travel healthcare insurance will be covered by Limestone. Students will pay for any necessary passport and visa costs, and will be responsible for expenditures outside of the items that are included as a part of the program.

“Global programs like this can help students learn new languages, learn different business and cultural customs, and even help jump start a career in international relations, international business, healthcare, etc.,” said Dr. Michael Scharff, the Chair of Limestone’s Department of Business and Economics who is assisting with the organization of the travel series. “We expect our returning and new students will be very enthusiastic about this wonderful new opportunity that Limestone is providing.” ■

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DIAMOND RESORT PARTNERSHIP WITH LIMESTONE OFF TO A GREAT START sea of blue and gold has invaded Orlando this summer thanks to a partnership between Limestone College and Diamond Resorts.

Thirteen Limestone students are participating this summer in an internship program with Diamond Resorts – a global leader in the hospitality, vacation ownership, and entertainment industries.

The program, which is open to all juniors and seniors, offers Limestone students the opportunity to get on-the-job training via semester-long internships.

“As a graduate of Limestone College, this program is very dear to my heart,” said Mike Flaskey, Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Resorts. “I look back and think about how blessed I was to have the opportunity to attend a beautiful school with great professors, and how all of that shaped who I am today. What I learned in the classroom and on the athletic field playing baseball for Limestone, I apply every day in my current role as Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Resorts. My colleagues and I are thrilled to be able to engage with Limestone students on this important level.”

To date, 20 students have been selected to participate in the internship program, with 13 currently with the Diamond Resorts team for the summer and seven who will intern during the upcoming fall semester. The interns will gain experience in a number of different areas, such as quality assurance, sales, human resources, and global support, among others.

Successful completion of the internship will not only earn students a full semester’s worth of credits, they will also be guaranteed a position with Diamond Resorts after graduation.

“The partnership between Limestone and Diamond Resorts offers benefits to both organizations with the focus on providing students with a unique learning experience,” said Dr. Paul LeFrancois, Chair of the Division of Business and Professional Studies. “That experience will enable Limestone student interns to apply the concepts they have learned in the classroom, work directly with professionals in their fields of study, and have a job offer upon graduation.” ■

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NEW SCHOLARSHIP ESTABLISHED AS TRIBUTE TO “DR. TOM” THOMSON beloved History professor is being recognized through a new Honors Program Scholarship recently established at Limestone College.

Limestone officials have announced the creation of the “Dr. Tom” Honors Program Scholarship. Thomson was the Honors Program founder who served at Limestone full-time from 1972 until 2014.

“Certain professors have personified Limestone College throughout its long history,” noted current History Professor and Honors Program Director Dr. Jonathan Sarnoff. “Dr. Montague McMillan was that professor in the mid-20th century. From 1972 until 2014, Dr. Thomson fulfilled that role. It is therefore fitting that this scholarship be named for him. From the time the Honors Program was founded at Limestone in the 1980s, ‘Dr. Tom’ spent tireless hours building it up. Recipients of this scholarship will be worthy of his legacy.”

Dr. Thomson is now a Professor of History Emeritus at Limestone.

Proceeds from the new scholarship will be awarded competitively to one or more incoming Honors Program freshmen who have a minimum SAT score of 1200 or an ACT score of at least 25, and a minimum 3.5 (out of 4.0) high school grade point average. The scholarship is renewable annually, provided the student or students are in good standing at the College and within the Honors Program.

Those interested in contributing to the “Dr. Tom” Honors Program Scholarship are encouraged to visit www.limestone.edu/donate-now.

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Under Dr. Thomson’s guidance, Limestone’s Honors Program was established in the fall of 1983 in order to create a challenging academic environment for Day Campus gifted and special ability students. The Honors Program now accepts approximately 30 new students per year. Criteria used for selection include SAT and ACT scores, rank in class, the nature of courses taken in high school, and grade-point average.

Limestone’s Honors Program provides an advanced opportunity for students from all major fields to deepen their intellectual study, leadership, and service. It is designed to build a foundation for personal and professional growth and is excellent preparation to gain entrance into the nation’s top graduate programs.

“Our Honors Program grants our high-achieving students with additional opportunities to explore their true potential and to enhance their experience at Limestone,” said the College’s President Dr. Darrell Parker. “I applaud our faculty for taking the initiative to lead this effort to recognize someone as admirable as Dr. Thomson in this way. The generous gifts from our faculty members and others will provide key support for our honors program and will foster intellectual inquiry, which is central to Limestone’s mission.

In addition, our focus on the growth and development of the Honors Program is a key part of that larger mission.” ■

RN-TO-BSN NURSING PROGRAM TO GET STARTED FALL 2019 imestone College’s new nursing plan is full-steam ahead.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC), which is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states, approved the College’s online Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program proposal earlier this year and classes will begin soon.

The accelerated online RN-BSN program is designed to empower students to take on professional roles in nursing in a wide variety of settings. It will allow already licensed nurses (RNs) to continue their education and complete their undergraduate degrees.

For decades, the leaders in the field of nursing have encouraged Associate’s and Diploma level nurses to pursue a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.

Research has proven that nurses with higher education experience improved job satisfaction, improved patient outcomes, resulted in fewer medication errors, and decreased mortality rates.

Within the last few years, the push to hire Bachelor’s educated registered nurses has gained momentum, and according to Dr. Amber Williams, Limestone is now poised to meet that increasing need.

The new program will provide a flexible and affordable pathway for RNs to build on previously acquired knowledge and experience to complete their undergraduate education. Williams noted that the program has been designed in a manner so that students are able to complete the program within two years.

“I am excited to have the opportunity to create a quality online program for Limestone College,” Williams said. “Now that the program has been formally approved, we can dive into building the online courses, marketing, and recruiting students.”

In the Upstate of South Carolina, Williams noted that there is an urgent need for nurses who hold BSN degrees. She said that Nursing has long been the number one requested major in the area, and Limestone will be the only college in Cherokee County with a RN-BSN program.

With a shortage across the nation, Williams said more nurses are needed in order to comply with the influx of healthcare needs. Limestone will be able to produce well-educated and equipped nurses to a society in need. BSN nurses are able to meet the demands of a dynamic healthcare environment with competence in critical thinking, leadership management, professional communication, ethical decision making, health promotion, cultural sensitivity, resourcefulness, scientific reasoning, and knowledge application.

Beyond the upcoming RN-BSN program, Williams said future plans are for Limestone to offer a traditional pre-licensure nursing program where students will be able to complete the nursing curriculum throughout their four years at the College.

Williams has been a nurse for 18 years. Educated at the University of South Carolina, she holds two baccalaureate degrees in Biology and Nursing, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) as a family nurse practitioner, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Organizational Leadership. Before coming to Limestone, she served as nurse faculty influencing many students and nurses, coordinated clinical opportunities throughout the state, initiated successful distance and online programs, and led the construction of a high-fidelity simulation lab. ■

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Family and friends were at Case’s bedside each and every step of the way through her various brain cancer procedures.

BY CHARLES WYATT

wenty-three minutes.

Late last year, that is the amount of time that separated life from death for Haley Case.

She received multiple academic awards, including the NCAA Division II Athletic Director’s Association Academic Achievement Awards in both her sports. During her final semester, she represented Limestone at the annual Academy of Criminal Justice Science’s Conference in Dallas with her presentation entitled “Females in the Juvenile Justice System: Issues and Programs.”

After graduating from Limestone, Case went on to receive her Juris Doctorate from the Charlotte School of Law in Charlotte. She later passed the South Carolina Bar Exam and is a licensed attorney in South Carolina. She started her career at Brown Law, not far from her home in Gaffney.

All was going as planned until December 30 when an undiagnosed brain tumor nearly took it all away.

She now knows that had she been taken to the Emergency Room just twenty-three minutes later, she would not be here to tell her story of hope, dedication, and faith.

After graduating from Limestone, Case went on to receive her Juris Doctorate from the Charlotte School of Law in Charlotte. She later passed the South Carolina Bar 16

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

PHOTOS BY APRIL YEARGIN BARNHILL

A native of Vestal, New York, Case played both field hockey and tennis for the Saints. She graduated cum laude in May of 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in History, Pre-Law. She also minored in Criminal Justice.

Exam and is a licensed attorney in South Carolina. She started her career at Brown Law, not far from her home in Gaffney.

“I didn’t come to Limestone to be a star athlete,” she explained recently about her pilgrimage south to attend college. “I did not choose Gaffney as my forever home when I came for my official visit in the spring 2009 because it had a metropolitan, fast-paced atmosphere. Instead, I chose Limestone and Gaffney because as soon as I opened the door of my dad’s car and stepped onto the campus for the first time, I felt at home.

I said to my dad that day, “I will go to school here, and I will make my life in this town.’

“My father knew it was the truth because as many former classmates and faculty members know, I am someone who is guaranteed to do what I say I am going to do,” she continued.

“Fast-forward 10 years, and I am still here. A lot has changed since then.”

All was going as planned until December 30 when an undiagnosed brain tumor nearly took it all away.

She now knows that had she been taken to the Emergency Room just twenty-three minutes later, she would not be here to tell her story of hope, dedication, and faith.

Halfway through 2018, Case was losing weight, and did not know why. By the time October rolled around, she was unable to eat or drink anything without becoming sick to her stomach.

She had no energy and was wrecked with physical pain. Numerous doctors’ visits and gastrological exams proved futile. She, nor anyone else, knew why she was so ill.

On the night before New Year’s Eve, she finally found out.

Her then boyfriend, now fiancé, Darin Williams, also a Limestone alumni, rushed her to nearby Mary Black Hospital at 9 p.m. on December 30. A Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT scan) provided the answers to so many of Case’s questions.

She had a mass in her brain.

With her prognosis and her attitude both hopeful following her battle with brain cancer, Haley Case isn’t about to waste what she calls her second chance at life.

“I was told that a neurosurgeon was on her way to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center and would meet me there for an MRI,” Case said.

“When I arrived in Spartanburg, one of my neurosurgeons, Dr. Christie Mina, was literally pacing the floor as she waited for me outside my room. I was immediately taken and prepped for surgery to insert a ventricular brain drain.

“After that procedure, I felt like a million bucks and I looked at Darin and said, “Well, okay. I think I could run a marathon right now, and I want spaghetti,” she continued. “When are we allowed to go home?’ Only God knew the LIMESTONE.EDU

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severity of what was going on that night.”

Dr. Mina later told Case that when she received the radiology report from the CAT scan, she instantly knew Case had a build-up of cerebral spinal fluid in her brain that would have killed her in as little as six hours if left untreated.

Case came out of surgery at 2:47 a.m. – 23 minutes before that six-hour death clock would have stopped ticking.

Another neurosurgeon, Dr. Sunil Patel, removed a very rare and cancerous ependymoma level 2 tumor from Case’s brain stem at the Medical University of South Carolina. Only about 1,100 people worldwide are diagnosed with that type of tumor each year. Of all brain tumors, that equates for 1.9 percent of diagnoses, with the large majority of those being in pediatric cases. Such tumors typically grow for at least five years before the patient becomes symptomatic.

That means that Case’s tumor was already growing when she was still a student at Limestone. “I will attribute my B-plus in Dr. Tom Thomson’s Russian History class to that tumor,” Case said with a laugh.

“I will never be able to explain or quantify what it feels like to have a second chance at life,” she noted. “I was given this second chance at the age of 27 to finish what I was put on this earth to do. I don’t care how much science and facts anyone throws at me. Nobody will ever be able to explain or describe where my tumor came from.

Only the Man Upstairs knows because He created me, and He knew before I even entered this world that He had a purpose for me. And that purpose was to use my brain to help others.

“Think about how many minutes a day you let pass without even recognizing it,” she added. “Before this happened, I had let 23 minutes slide by day-after-day without a second thought. Now, I try to treasure every second. And that’s good advice for everyone.”

Months after her surgery, Case has yet to cross the finish line of her treatments, but she is still diligently and bravely running the race. She recently completed an arduous round of 30 proton radiation treatments at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in Atlanta.

Her prognosis and her attitude are both hopeful.

“I’m optimistic and excited about the future,” Case said.

“If my ordeal can be an inspiration to others, it’s been worth every step of the journey. This has enabled me to ask people what would they do if they were given a chance to hit the restart button, too. What would they do differently? Would they treat someone better? Be more kind to others?

“My advice is not to think about what you would have done differently,” she concluded. “Instead, start doing something differently now, and be sure to listen – I mean really listen.” ■

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LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Your Gift. Your Way. Your Impact on Limestone College Students.

Nearly 98% of Limestone’s students receive financial aid. The annual proceeds from an endowed scholarship will help a student secure a strong academic career at Limestone.

Benefits: • • • •

Establishment of named scholarship; creation of your legacy Invitation to annual scholarship recognition event Name is listed in the Limestone Catalog under Special Scholarships Students must qualify by standards established by the donor

Fund A Scholarship:

• An individual or group can establish an endowed scholarship with a minimum gift of $20,000 that can be paid over a period of up to three years • Fund an endowed scholarship with cash, securities, and real estate • You can also create a future endowed scholarship through a planned gift • Name an endowed scholarship in memory or honor of a person, class, or organization For many donors, the best part of creating an endowed scholarship is the ability to meet each recipient. These often develop into lifelong relationships with each new generation of Saints.

Limestone holds an annual celebration, providing a formal opportunity to meet your scholar.

For more information on scholarship programs, contact Kelly Curtis, Vice President of Institutional Advancement: 864.785.7151 ext. 4601 or 864.488.4601 Email: kcurtis@limestone.edu

Jeriesha Epps 20

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

For the Love of “Limestone means everything to me. It saw value in me when I didn’t see value in myself. Limestone has made it all possible.” was born in Philadelphia, but as my father was in the Air Force, we traveled a lot and I grew up in Tampa. Like my father, I am also a military veteran. I was a Quartermaster in the United States Navy.

When I was in high school, I was a part of the ROTC, but I never thought I would go into the military after graduation. Even though my father was a part of the Air Force, he wanted me to go to college and pursue a career in medicine, so I began school at Anne Arundale Community College in Maryland. A short time later, I realized that college wasn’t for me at that time in my life. I was not focused. My parents and I had relocated to Florence to take care of my grandmother, and within four months after the move, I had joined the Navy. Joining the military caught my parents off-guard, but it was exactly what I needed at the time. I gained the structure I needed – the Navy shaped my choices and molded me into the woman I became.

When I had my daughter at age 23, I realized that life as a single, working mother was not easy. I knew I needed to leave the Navy, find a job, and go back to school. In 2013, I exited the military and started going to school at Florence-Darlington Technical College, and shortly after became a work study for the Student Life Office at FDTC. From there, I became an Early Alert Specialist at the school, which proved to be challenging.

The switch from student to employee was trying, but I eventually realized I still wanted to finish my degree.

That is when my boss introduced me to Limestone College. She was an Evening Program student at the time and told me all the wonderful things about Limestone

and that there was a campus right there in Florence. One day during our lunch break, we drove to Limestone and when I walked through the doors, it was the calmest place I think I’ve ever been in, because I felt at home. I met with an advisor and she immediately embraced me and told me she was excited that I was there.

I successfully transferred all my credits in 2015, and once all of them were accounted for, I only needed 12 semester hours to complete my associate’s degree at Limestone. As soon as I graduated with my two-year degree, I got started on my bachelor’s. One of my professors, in particular, went above and beyond to help me find my footing. He taught me how to study and to excel in my classes. That is one of the advantages to a small student-to-professor ratio. I was able to get the one-on-one help I needed to succeed.

paraphernalia and I was always pitching the College to anyone sitting in the chair across from me in my office. I talked about Limestone to the students who came to see me. They would always ask me what they should do after they graduated from tech, and I always told them, “You go to Limestone.”

I am currently the Mid-State Representative for Corporate and Educational Partnerships and I work at Limestone’s Aiken, Columbia, and Florence sites so I am always on the move. The great thing about Limestone is that I can work, go to school, and still have the flexibility I need for a personal life. I have a seven-year-old daughter and I am newly engaged.

Limestone gives me the ability to take care of my home life while simultaneously nourishing my work and school life.

Limestone encourages us to keep furthering our education. I am two classes away from earning my master’s degree in Human Resources from Walden University.

Limestone means everything to me. It saw value in me when I didn’t see value in myself. Because of Limestone, I haven’t missed any of the special moments in my daughter’s life. She is the whole reason I work as hard as I do. Limestone has made it all possible. ■

Once I started classes at Limestone, I knew that was the place I wanted to not only learn at, but also work. My office at FDTC was full of Limestone LIMESTONE.EDU

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MIKE CERINO HONORED AS ATHLETICS DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR BY ERNEST MEYERS imestone College Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Cerino has been recognized as one of 28 recipients for the Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year Award presented by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

Cerino received the honor on June 11 at the James J. Corbett Awards Luncheon held at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando.

As part of NACDA’s 54th Annual Convention, Cerino was one of four Division II athletic directors honored with the prestigious award and he was one of 28 recipients from across seven divisions recognized for their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses, and their communities. He was nominated for the award by Conference Carolinas Commissioner Dr. Alan Patterson.

“This is truly an honor and it is very humbling to even be considered among my peers for such recognition,” said Cerino.

“By accepting this award, it is a true reflection of the vision, hard work, and commitment that our coaches and staff put in each and every day to give our student-athletes the best collegiate experience possible during their time at Limestone College.”

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LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

Cerino is currently in his 11th year at the helm of Limestone College Athletics, a department that has undergone a dynamic transformation that includes the addition of several new sports and vast improvements and expansion of athletic facilities through strategic fundraising efforts. He has also been committed in growing the department’s staff to meet the needs of over 800 student-athletes.

“The Athletics Director of the Year Award acknowledges the positive impact top athletics directors across all levels have had at their respective institutions and the leadership they provide to their student-athletes,” said Suzanne Williams, Under Armour’s Director of Collegiate Sports Marketing. “Under Armour is proud to partner with NACDA to honor those individuals who continue to excel and set the standard for leaders in college athletics.”

Cerino, who currently sits on the NCAA Division II Management Council, has taken a leadership role in facility development through fundraising. Through various strategic fundraising initiatives, Limestone has completed construction of a 23,000-square foot Bob Campbell Field House, revamped the Dave and Nancy Rilling Hall of Fame Room, completely renovated Founders FCU Stadium with a grandstand press box, and lighting, and installed artificial turf and lighting at Saints Field.

In the department’s latest efforts, Cerino has overseen fundraising and construction of the Cunning Victory Bell Tower, Shannon Hamrick Park in front of Founders FCU Stadium, and he was instrumental in securing a $4.1 million gift from Carolina Panthers founder Jerry Richardson for the construction of the

Bob Prevatte Athletic Complex. This new complex features permanent seating and pres box at Saints Field, community gathering spots, an artificial turf practice field, campus connector walkways, and a larger-than-life statue of Prevatte – an iconic football coach and educator in the Gaffney community.

Already with one of the top athletic training departments in the nation, Limestone Athletics has recently partnered with the National Center for Performance Health to implement the Game Changer resource – a revolutionary new program that confidentially assists with mental health issues impacting academic/athletic performance, relationships, and overall happiness.

Community service and academic excellence has also been focal points of the Saints Athletics Department. Limestone has been very involved in the local community as student-athletes volunteer their time and energy in programs such as Stop Hunger Now, LC-Squared, the Carolina Miracle League, the Cherokee County Boys and Girls Club, and much more in the local community.

Academically, Limestone student-athletes have excelled in the classroom with multiple Scholar and Academic All-Americans over the past decade. Four student-athletes have combined to win five NCAA Elite 90 Awards, an honor bestowed upon the athlete with the top overall grade point average at a championship site.

The Saints have also been extremely competitive athletically during Cerino’s tenure, winning five Conference Carolinas Joby Hawn Cups during a six-year span, while also ranking in the top 25 percent in the NACDA Learfield Sports Director Cup standings nearly every season over the last decade.

Cerino is the first Athletics Director from a Conference Carolinas institution to be selected for the Under Armour award.

He is also the first from a non-Peach Belt Conference school in the Southeast Region to capture the award. ■

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

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KYLE PERRY TAKES THE REINS AS NEW LIMESTONE MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH

BY CHARLES WYATT (Limestone College Sports Information contributed to this article.) he Saints have turned to a Bobby Cremins protege to lead their men’s basketball team.

Former University of South Carolina Upstate head coach and longtime assistant Kyle Perry has been tabbed to oversee Limestone College’s program.

Perry, who spent nine seasons with the Spartans, including one year as the head coach, was introduced at a press conference held inside the Legacy Lounge in the Timken Center on May 9. Perry is the eighth head men’s basketball coach in program history.

During the 2018-2019 campaign, Perry served as an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina Asheville.

He played for Coach Cremins at Georgia Tech, and later worked on his staff during Cremins’ tenure at the College of Charleston. Considered by many a rising star in the coaching ranks, Perry has also learned his craft under the mentorship of other legendary coaches such as Eddie Payne at USC Upstate, Tim Carter at South Carolina State, and Dale Clayton at Carson-Newman.

“I am blessed that God opened the door for me to be the head basketball coach at Limestone College,” said Perry.

“I want to thank Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker and Coach Cerino for entrusting me to lead the men’s basketball program, and I am looking forward to working hard for this great college.

“I am grateful for the opportunity,” he continued. “I cannot wait to get started. We are excited to be in Cherokee County. We’re looking forward to not only winning games, but also building relationships in this community.”

Prior to going to UNC Asheville, he was at USC Upstate for nine seasons where he helped guide the Spartans to the their first-ever wins over ACC and SEC opponents in South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and Mississippi State. The Spartans reached the Atlantic Sun championship game in 2015 and made three trips to the semifinals during Perry’s tenure.

He inherits a Limestone program that has experienced a lot of success over the past decade, including a pair of Conference Carolinas Regular Season Championships, three conference tournament titles, four NCAA Tournament appearances, and five 20-win seasons. The Saints will compete in Conference Carolinas for one more season before moving to the South Atlantic Conference in the 2020-21 season.

A Tennessee native, Perry has an extensive coaching background in addition to his time at USC Upstate that includes two seasons as an assistant coach at South Carolina State under Tim Carter.

He served as the Director of Basketball Operations under head coach Bobby Cremins at the College of Charleston. During his time with the Cougars, he helped recruit Andrew Goudelock, who finished his career as Charleston’s all-time leading scorer en route to being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft. Goudelock is still playing professional basketball in Europe.

“I am really happy for Kyle and for Limestone as the Saints are getting a tremendous coach and a even better person,” said Cremins, former head coach at Appalachian State, Georgia Tech, and College of Charleston. “Kyle loves the game, and is very excited about the opportunity to lead the Limestonebasketball program. He understands what it takes to be a successful student-athlete and is really focused on seeing his players succeed on the court and in the classroom.”

Before joining the College of Charleston, Perry spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Carson-Newman University. He was promoted to Associate Head Coach by head coach Dale Clayton prior to the 2005-06 season.

Perry launched his career as a graduate assistant under Jeff Lebo at Tennessee Tech during the 2001-02 season. The Golden Eagles won 27 games, the Ohio Valley Conference, and appeared in the 2002 National Invitation Tournament.

A three-year letterman for Cremins at Georgia Tech, Perry was a four-time All-ACC Academic Honoree and a Hope Scholarship recipient from 1997-2001.

Perry earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Georgia Tech in 2001. He earned his Master’s in Education from Tennessee Tech in 2002. ■ 24

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

MEN’S LACROSSE SETS NATIONAL RECORD WITH TWELFTH CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE

BY CHARLES WYATT (Limestone College Sports Information contributed to this article.) year removed from missing the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time in 18 years, the Limestone College men’s lacrosse team made history in May with its record-breaking 12th National Championship game appearance.

The top-ranked Saints battled back with a third-quarter rally, but defending champion Merrimack College pulled away in the fourth to defeat Limestone 16-8 at the 2019 title contest played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The Saints were seeking their sixth national championship and their fourth under head coach J.B. Clarke.

“This is a remarkable senior class. A year ago we were 11-8 and didn’t make the tournament, lost our conference championship, and really had some soul searching to do,” Clarke said after the championship game defeat. “We leaned on these guys, the senior class, for a direction, where they wanted to take it, and how they wanted to fix it. When you lose the last game, you can lose sight of all the great things that you did. Losing is a lot like grieving.

But in the end, I want to make sure our players have a clear understanding of the impact they’ve had on the Limestone lacrosse program, the community, and the school as a whole.”

Senior midfield Tyler Ponzio said this year’s squad adopted the phrase “Restore The Order” as the players looked to return the Saints to national prominence.

“The biggest thing is we started to hold guys accountable,” Ponzio explained. “Our junior year kind of fell apart.

Over the summer, we made sure guys were sending videos of them working out, making sure everybody was on the same page. We trusted the process to get back into the championship game. The guys bought into what we wanted to do here, and I think that was a big reason for part of our success this year.”

Limestone finished 20-1 overall and ranked No. 2 in the final United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Division II Coaches’ Poll.

“This group of seniors was so much fun to be around, I really haven’t looked forward much,” Clarke said about his squad’s chances to return to the title game in 2020. “I did have a few times on the bus (going to Philadelphia) where I was like, holy cow, we have four All-Americans and they’re all underclassmen. That looks great. But were are not

going to have guys like Tyler Ponzio and Brian Huyghue in the locker room. They might not have been the best players in the country, but no one played harder or did more for the program than those two guys.

“Tyler has been with us since he was in eighth grade because his older brother was a captain for us,” Clarke continued. “In eighth grade, he was diagnosed with cancer. He fought and beat cancer. He was in the locker room with us in 2014 when we won the national championship. So he’s been around us a long time.

And Brian Huyghue is just a quiet guy that you would follow anywhere. Guys like that are more important than just having a bunch of First Team All-Americans. We’ve got to find more of those types of guys. The talent is going to be there next season.

But talent alone does not always do it.” ■ LIMESTONE.EDU

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FORMER USC ASSISTANT COACH BRIAN TURK READY TO LEAD LIMESTONE FOOTBALL IN 2019 new, albeit familiar face, will be guiding Limestone College’s football team as the Saints prepare to take the field for their sixth season.

Brian Turk, who served as the interim head coach for the final two games of the 2018 campaign, was named the head coach soon after, and he has hit the ground running by adding several new assistants and putting together a solid recruiting class.

Turk served as the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator for Limestone in 2017, and was promoted to offensive coordinator last season, calling the plays for Limestone in all 10 games.

“Coach Turk has proven that he is capable of moving the program in the right direction,” said Limestone’s Vice President for Intercollegiate

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Athletics Mike Cerino. “He is a young and energetic coach who already has a solid recruiting background in South Carolina, and I believe he is the perfect coach to provide consistency and stability with this program. He brings a spirit of competitiveness to the team, both on the field of play and in the classroom.”

In his first season with the Saints, Turk helped mentor running back Jerko’ya Patton (Charlotte, North Carolina) during his 2017 SAC Offensive Freshman of the Year Campaign.

Patton guided a Limestone rushing attack that averaged 133.3 yards per game with 907 rushing yards as a rookie.

Turk is taking over a program that went winless in 2018, but he feels confident the Saints learned some valuable life lessons along the way.

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

BY CHARLES WYATT

“After the season, I told our players that life is about so much more than football,” Turk explained. “What our seniors learned over the past four or five years, what the players learned over those last 10 games – the struggle and the fight – that will just make them better husbands, fathers, citizens, employees, and employers going forward.

You learn so much more from the valleys than you do from the mountain tops.

“We’ve got a great program,” he added.

“The kids are going to get a great education and play some great football. We’re going to be aggressive in all phases of the game. In football today, teams that are trying to dictate the tempo and how the game is being played are the most successful. Defensively, we’re going to play fast, be physical, and be great tacklers.”

Prior to his time at Limestone, Turk spent nine seasons at the University of South Carolina where he worked his way up through the ranks. He started as a student manager with the Gamecocks, then became an offensive intern and quarterbacks coach with Steve Spurrier, and eventually was named assistant director of recruiting on Will Muschamp’s staff.

“Brian is a wonderful coach, an excellent mentor, and a loving family man,” Spurrier said. “He was a big part of our success at South Carolina. We had some great seasons with him on staff and were able to win a couple of big bowl games. Brian will do tremendous things as the head football coach at Limestone, and I wish him and the football program all the best.”

Before helping South Carolina land back-to-back top-20 recruiting classes, Turk spent four seasons as a graduate assistant coach and offensive analyst on Spurrier’s staff.

He worked with the quarterbacks during this time, including Connor Shaw and Dylan Thompson.

“I’m really excited for Brian and his wife Kendra,” Shaw noted. “They are incredible people. Brian was instrumental in the success we had as a quarterback unit at USC. He has a broad knowledge of the game, but the most impressive thing about him is how he invests and believes in his players. He’ll be a tremendous leader for the Limestone football program. The Shaws are all now Saints fans.”

Overall during Turk’s tenure, South Carolina posted three straight 11-win seasons – a first in program history – and he coached in four straight New Year’s Day bowl games. Prior to his time at Carolina, he was an assistant varsity football coach at Ben Lippen High School in Columbia.

Turk graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2010 with a Bachelor’s degree in Sport and Entertainment Management.

“Brian did a fantastic job for us at South Carolina during my first year, and he will make a great head coach,” said current Gamecocks head coach Will Muschamp. “Limestone College is very fortunate to have him.”

Limestone will play an 11-game schedule in 2019 that will feature eight South Atlantic Conference games and five home contests. The slate will also include four NCAA Division II playoff teams from a year ago.

The Saints will start the season at the University of West Alabama on Saturday, September 7, and then play their first home game the following week against West Georgia. Visit www.golimestonesaints.com for season ticket information. ■ (Limestone College Sports Information contributed to this article.)

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AWARDS & HONORS

2018 Outstanding Alumni Award Winners.

2019

Outstanding Alumni Awards

Four Limestone alumni were honored at a banquet in 2018 for their outstanding achievements and their service to the College. Those recognized included Jessica (Jessie) Mae Aguglia (Rock Solid Alumna of the Year), Frances (Fran) Jewell Bagwell (Alumna of the Year), Bessie Horn Mayfield (Alumna Service Award), and Crosland (Crossie) McDowell Cox (Golden Alumni Achievement Award).

Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2019.

Kathy Richardson Accepting on Behalf of Officer Dave Richardson (Special Inductee), Robb Thompson ʼ86 (Men’s Tennis), Harry Hutson (Baseball), Katie Clayton Van Antwerp ʼ08 (Women’s Golf), Gavin Higgins ʼ99 (Men’s Lacrosse), and Tierney Pugh Rollins ʼ02 (Women’s Basketball).

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LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

AWARDS & HONORS

Congratulations to Tierney Pugh Rollins ’02 on being named the 2019 Limestone Athletics Randy M. Hines Alumni of the Year.

The Alumna/us of the Year Award was established in 1984, and was renamed the Randy M. Hines Alumni of the Year Award in 2016. The criteria are: distinguished professional achievement, distinguished leadership, service to Limestone College, service to the community, and loyalty to the ideals of Limestone College.

This special alumni award is presented annually by Randy M. Hines to an exceptional former student-athlete who has proudly represented Limestone following their playing days. Hines currently serves as the Chairman of the College’s Board of Trustees. A member of the Saints Athletics Hall of Fame, Hines recruited and coached the men’s golf team that won the 1984 NAIA National Championship.

Tierney is a servant of Jesus Christ and currently works as a Certified Prevention Specialist with the Cherokee County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (CCCADA). She is also the Children’s Leader at Buffalo Baptist Church in Blacksburg, South Carolina. Tierney is married to John Rollins.

Congratulations to the following recipients of the Excellence in Teaching Award from the South Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities (SCICU): Dr. Jane G. Watkins (2019) and Dr. Cindy Cavanaugh (2017). Dr. Cindy Cavanaugh was also recognized as the 2018 Teacher of the Year in Higher Education at the 91st annual South Carolina Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (SCAHPERD) Conference.

During the 2019 National Association of Social Workers-South Carolina Chapter Annual Symposium, Limestone Associate Dean and Director of Social Work Development Jackie Puckett was recognized as the Social Work Educator of the Year.

The Class of 1968 celebrated its Golden Reunion during Homecoming 2018. Alumni in attendance included Carole Robinson Taylor, Mary Beach Vann, Kay Morris Shugart, David Blanton, Jill Page Singleton, Pam Turner McCausland, and Cheryle Frye Meyer.

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AROUND CAMPUS

New Members Elected To Limestone Board Of Trustees A total of 11 new members have been named to the Limestone College Board of Trustees over the past two years.

Julius (Jules) J. Anderson, Jr. ʼ72 J. Richard Baines Ashby L. Blakely Carolyn H. Borders ʼ60 Stephen R. Bryant ʼ88 C. Samuel (Sam) Burns Nancy C. Carlisle ʼ52 Frances (Frankie) L. Childers ʼ44 Betty T. Clark ʼ60 Crosland (Crossie) M. Cox ʼ68 Michael (Mike) R. Daniel Richard K. (Kep) Disney, Jr. ʼ96 David E. Dorman ʼ83 Sara J. Eddins ʼ60 Paul W. Fleming ʼ77 Dr. Franklin L. Foster ʼ96 A. Wardlaw Hamrick Lyman W. Hamrick Randy M. Hines ʼ79 Dr. Michael P. Hoenig J. Brian Honeycutt ʼ85 Camille D. Hunter Dr. Michelle B. Jolly Julie W. Lowry ʼ65 Roy N. Mathis Vera J. Mitchell ʼ65 Harold J. Moore N. Eugene (Gene) Moorhead ʼ62 Dr. Ana A. Moss Charles (Charlie) S. Patton J. Grady Randolph Randall L. Richardson David P. Riggins ʼ73 Dr. Barbara B. Smith ʼ55 Joseph (Joe) F. Sullivan Gregory M. Tate ʼ71 John B. Travers Patricia (Pat) W. Willis ʼ55 Tommy H. Windsor, Jr. ʼ15 Donald (Don) A. Yager

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“Limestone is proud to welcome new and returning Trustees,” said Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker. “We are fortunate to have dedicated alumni and friends of the College who are strongly committed to the institution and its mission.”

Trustees who started their five-year service on July 1 include: Julius ( Jules) J. Anderson, Jr., who resides in Charleston, is the Managing Member of Anderson Insurance Associates, LLC. A graduate of Limestone College who has served two terms as a Trustee in the past, Anderson is the past chairman of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of South Carolina and has served on several major insurance company advisory boards. He has served on the S.C. Department of Insurance Coastal Property Task Force and is a past board member of the Independent Insurance Agents of America.

Paul W. Fleming, a resident of Charlotte, is the Owner/President of Prosource Packaging, Inc. A graduate of Limestone, Fleming has served as a member of the Flexible Packaging Association and as a member of the Institute of Packaging Professionals. He has been an Alumni Association Board Member and a member of the President’s Advisory Council at Limestone.

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J. Brian Honeycutt, who resides in Spartanburg, is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Gibbs International, Inc. A graduate of Limestone, Honeycutt was a member of the United States Air Force and served three tours of Vietnam and is a retired Master Sergeant with the North Carolina Air National Guard. He is a former Board member for the Cherokee County YMCA and he is a member of the Air Force Sergeant Association and Vietnam Veterans Association.

Dr. Anna A. Moss, who resides in Gaffney, is the Chief Executive Officer for Moss Medical Institute and Spa. She is also a Member/CEO of Gaffney Family Physicians/Carolina Neuropathy Center. Moss completed her Doctorate in Medicine Studies from the University of Science, Art and Technology in Tampa. She studied Doctorate Pharmacy at the University of South Carolina and earned her undergraduate degree from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the Cherokee County Economic Development Board and has also served on the Board of the European-American Chamber of Commerce Planning Committee.

Randall L. Richardson, who resides in Asheville, is a Healthcare Consultant. Most recently, he was the Director, Healthcare Vertical Market, for Honeywell International.

Prior to being recruited to Honeywell, he co-founded Alpha Healthcare Solutions (AHS). He earned a Bachelor’s degree in

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Business Administration from Montreat College and is also a graduate from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, where he earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Richardson is serving his second term on the Limestone Board of Trustees.

Trustees who started their five-year terms in July of 2018 included: Stephen R. Bryant, who resides in Columbia, started his career in the Information Technology industry with Policy Management Systems Corporation. In 1998, Bryant co-founded and is currently the Chief Executive Officer of SYSTEMTEC, Inc., an IT services firm based in Columbia.

Bryant, who has served on the Board of Trustees twice before, received his Bachelor’s degree from Limestone College.

His current and past board memberships include South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, TechServe Alliance, Jubilee Academy and Palmetto Health Cancer Centers.

Dr. Franklin L. Foster, who resides in Columbia, has earned degrees from Nova Southeastern University, Converse College, and Limestone.

He has served as the Superintendent of the Colleton County School District since 2016, after serving as the Interim Superintendent from 2014-2016. In the past, he has served as the Executive Director of Personnel and Employee Quality for the Orangeburg Consolidated School District 5, Principal of J.C. Lynch Elementary School in Lake City, Principal of Harbison West Elementary School in Irmo, and Assistant Principal of Nursery Road Elementary School in Irmo.

Dr. Michael P. Hoenig, who resides in Spartanburg, is a Partner at Carolina Orthopaedic and Neurosurgical Associates (CONA). He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Wofford College and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Emory University in Atlanta. He is the athletic team physician for Limestone College and is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and Arthroscopy Association of North America.

Governor’s representative on the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and the South Carolina Native American Advisory Committee.

Also in 2018, Camille Denise Hunter, a native of Spartanburg and Corporate Accounting Manager at J.M. Smith Corporation, was named to the Board of Trustees following the opening of an unexpired term seat. She is a graduate of Converse College who later enrolled at Limestone to earn her Master of Business Dr. Michelle Bedell Administration degree. Hunter has Jolly, who lives in worked for the Peace Center of PerformGaffney, owns and ing Arts in Greenville, The Felters Group operates Gaffney of Roebuck, and as an accountant for Dentistry alongBi-Lo, LLC, Spartanburg Water System, side her husband Lockwood Greene Engineering, and Dr. Henry L. Jolly, Siemens Energy and Automation.

Jr. She earned her In 2018, J. Richard Baines and N. Eugene Liberal Arts degree from Spartanburg Moorhead were each given Senior Trustee Methodist College and both her Bachelor’s status. A year later, Carolyn H. Borders degree in Dental Hygiene and Doctor of and Vera J. Mitchell were bestowed the Medicine in Dentistry degree from the same honor. Ermeriti Trustees named in Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. 2018 were Sara J. Eddins, J. Grady Jolly is the first female dentist to serve on Randolph, and John B. Travers. ■ the South Carolina State Board of Dentistry and also serves on the Board of Directors for the Village School of Gaffney.

In addition to the new board members last year, Tommy H. Windsor, Jr. was elected in 2018 to fill the unexpired term of Dr. James ( Jim) Prevost, who resigned earlier that year to become a full-time faculty member at Limestone. Windsor, who serves as the Director of Boards and Commissions for the Office of South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, resides in Gilbert. A graduate of Limestone, Windsor served on the Board of Directors of the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority from 2003 to 2010 and currently serves as the LIMESTONE.EDU

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Limestone Athletics To Make Historic Move To South Atlantic Conference In Fall Of 2020 classroom. At the same time, our bottom line will be enhanced because our department will not be spending as much on travel.”

Currently, as a member of Conference Carolinas, Limestone travels to Barton (Wilson, NC), Belmont Abbey (Belmont, NC), Converse (Spartanburg), Emmanuel (Franklin Springs, GA), Erskine (Due West, SC), King (Bristol, TN), Lees-McRae (Banner Elk, NC), University of Mount Olive (Mount Olive, NC), North Greenville (Tigerville, SC), and Southern Wesleyan (Central, SC).

With the SAC having a pedigree that includes several national championships, Cerino said his coaches are excited about the competition level that the new league will provide.

Saints sports fans will likely be much more familiar with Limestone College’s opponents starting in the fall of 2020.

It was announced in April that Limestone will depart Conference Carolinas to join the South Atlantic Conference in nearly all of its NCAA sanctioned sports starting with the 2020-2021 academic year. The Saints are currently associate members of the SAC in football only.

The SAC is an NCAA Division II league that consists of teams from South Carolina (Anderson, Coker, Newberry), North Carolina (Catawba, Lenoir-Rhyne, Mars Hill, Queens University of Charlotte, Wingate), Tennessee (Carson-Newman, Lincoln Memorial, Tusculum), and Virginia (University of Virginia’s College at Wise). The SAC will have nine football-playing schools this fall.

Mike Cerino, Limestone’s Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, said there are several reasons for the College to make the move to the SAC, with familiarity with the member schools being one of the most important. He also cited the geographic location of the SAC member schools as another primary cause.

“We’re thrilled for our fans who will likely be much more acquainted with our SAC opponents,” Cerino explained. “In this area, Saints supporters certainly know names like Newberry, Anderson, Catawba, Mars Hill and others. That will definitely lead to even greater attendance at our games. Joining the SAC in nearly all sports will also enable Limestone to create some true rivalries that should get our student-athletes and our fans excited.

“From a travel perspective, the SAC is an excellent fit for us,” he continued. “By reducing our travel times, it will also lessen the amount of time that our student-athletes will miss in the 32

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“The SAC is well-known as a very competitive league and there will be good competition for all of our teams,” he said. “We believe that joining the SAC is the best opportunity for our student-athletes and coaches to compete for NCAA Division II Championships.

The combination of the SAC geographic footprint and the institutional focus of the member schools offers each institution the opportunity to enhance the student-athlete experience.”

Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker noted that the SAC’s Strategic Plan lines up with Limestone’s overall mission. He said the Strategic Plan’s academics and life skills center on goals of promoting academic success of student-athletes, preparing student-athletes for life after college, and promoting student-athlete health and well-being. He added that the conference also strives to maintain a high level of institutional control and compliance, ensure strong athletic competition, increase conference brand awareness, support and enhance diversity, support and enhance educational and career opportunities for female and/or ethnic minority student-athletes, and more.

“This move will cultivate natural rivalries for our teams, and it also aligns Limestone with schools that have similar philosophies,” Parker explained. “With the SAC, we will be competing against institutions that have the same priorities in the academic success of the students. The competitive levels of the schools we will be playing will closely match ours, and we are located more closely to the other SAC members. All of that equates to a better experience for our student-athletes. With the SAC having a pedigree that includes several national championships, our coaches are excited about the competition level that the new league will provide.”

Limestone held dual membership in the NAIA and NCAA Division II starting in 1991. The College moved exclusively to Division II membership when it joined Conference Carolinas

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(known then as the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference) during the 1998-99 academic year. With the lone Virginia school in Longwood leaving, the league changed its name to Conference Carolinas in 2007. Since that time, the league now has one school in both Tennessee and Georgia.

Prior to becoming dual members with the NCAA in 1991, Limestone competed as a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics institution. The Saints won the NAIA National Golf Championship in 1984.

Limestone has won 11 national championships (five team, six individual) since joining the NCAA Division II ranks. The Saints Athletic Department has combined for 103 NCAA Tournament appearances and five NCAA Elite 89/90 Awards. That award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s championships.

well as men’s and women’s basketball, lacrosse, soccer, golf, tennis, cross country, and indoor and outdoor track and field. Field hockey and men’s wrestling are technically part of the South Atlantic Conference Carolinas, which is a joint sponsorship venture between the SAC and Conference Carolinas. As it now stands, Limestone’s men’s volleyball, acrobatics & tumbling, and women’s wrestling teams will compete in non-SAC leagues. However, the SAC could add more sponsored sports in the future.

The South Atlantic Conference is in its 43rd year of athletic tradition and excellence. The SAC was founded in 1975, solely as a football conference. Known as the SAC-8, it consisted of Carson-Newman College, Catawba College, Elon College, Gardner-Webb University, Lenoir-Rhyne College, Mars Hill College, Newberry College, and Presbyterian College. The SAC became a multi-sport conference in 1989. ■

The South Athletic Conference currently offers football, baseball, softball, field hockey, women’s volleyball and men’s wrestling, as

Faculty Member’s Service Dog Now A Part Of Limestone Life “Moose” is on the loose at Limestone.

For people like Prevost with Parkinson’s disease, service dogs can be trained to perform a variety of helpful tasks, ranging from daily assistance with routine activities to specialized support. Service dogs Since late can help with enhancing balance while 2018, Dr. walking or using stairs and reducing the James ( Jim) risk of falls.

Prevost, Assistant “Moose,” a black lab and malinois mix, was Professor in given to Prevost by Howard Young and his Limestone wife, Lisa. Young is a close friend to the College’s Prevost family, and is a canine training ofAthletic ficer in Shelby. Young knew a service dog Training could be beneficial to Prevost, so he and Program, the Shelby community presented Prevost has had his service dog, “Moose,” with him with the rescue dog from Florida. on campus at all times.

“Our community has been nothing short Prevost said it didn’t take long for his four- of welcoming to ‘Moose,’” Prevost said. legged friend to get accustomed to his daily “Everyone has loved getting to know him, routine at the College. “Moose” has become and ‘Moose’ has enjoyed it as well. a student favorite in Prevost’s classroom, Limestone has been extremely underoffice, the cafeteria, and all across the cam- standing of my needs, and I am thankful pus. Earlier this year, at the annual academic for their hospitality and readiness to help awards ceremony, Prevost was surprised whenever they can.” when his name was called as the winner of Prevost is currently assisting Limestone in the Student Success Advocate Award, and establishing its official service dog policy.

“Moose” proudly took the stage with him.

“Moose” is a registered service dog, and is specifically being trained to assist Prevost with any balance and mobility needs he may have due to his health.

“It has been proven that having a service dog improves motor responses, cognition, and heart health,” Prevost explained. “‘Moose’ is here to help me, but I would also like to use him as an opportunity to teach others about service dogs and their ability to assist those in need.”

For many people with Parkinson’s disease, pets provide both companionship and practical help with daily life. Plus, owning any dog, service or not, automatically writes exercise into an owner’s schedule.

Research shows that regular exercise helps many people with Parkinson’s disease improve symptoms.

Prevost explained that while on campus or out in the community, “Moose” will always be by his side and on a leash. He would like to invite anyone who wishes to meet “Moose” to drop by his office located at the Walt Griffin Physical Education Center. ■

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Limestone Sport Management Students Take First Place In Case Study Competition A group of Limestone College students won a first place award earlier this year at the College Sport Research Institute Conference hosted by the University of South Carolina.

na University, Drexel University, University of Colorado, Elon University, Georgia State, and others, and came out on top. That certainly demonstrates what quality research they provided.”

As part of the Case Study Competition at the conference in Columbia on April 4, Limestone students Daniel Bland, Mallory Gardner, and Lelia Stokes walked away with the first place hardware in the undergraduate division. The group’s advisor was Dr. Jaime Orejan, Associate Professor and Chair of Sport Management at Limestone.

Also at the College Sport Research Institute Conference held at USC, Orejan presented his report, “Recruiting and Marketing the Student-Athlete at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.”

Each year, the conference brings together academic researchers, students, and industry professionals to discuss pertinent research findings and issues facing the college sport industry. At the recent conference, there were 12 academic presentations, including that of Orejan.

Each team competing for the award consisted of students who are currently enrolled in undergraduate sport management/administration or closely related programs with an emphasis in sport.

The case study focused on the 2017 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York arrests of several individuals on corruption, bribery, money laundering, and wire fraud charges related to college basketball recruitment.

Each team was tasked with offering, during a 15-minute presentation, recommendations to address issues facing college basketball in the areas of eligibility, progress toward degree requirements, amateurism, retention of agents, and recruiting guidelines.

“I cannot begin to express how excited I am for these students,” Orejan said. “Our Sport Management Program has accomplished so much in a short time and we have some really quality students participating. Limestone’s team faced competition from such schools as the University of South Carolina, East Caroli-

Limestone Joins Athletics Volunteer App Platform

During his presentation, Orejan explored the importance of the recruitment and retention of student-athletes to colleges and universities. He explained that these institutions rely heavily on the enrolment of the student-athlete due to the need for tuition.

Orejan joined the Limestone College faculty in 2018 and serves as Chair and Associate Professor of Sport Management. Previously, he has been a professor of Sport Management at Elon University, Desales University, Loras College, The University of Southern Mississippi, and Winston Salem State University. He has also taught in the Online MBA in Sport Business at Saint Leo University and Adelphi University. He earned a Ph.D. in Teaching and Sport Management at the University of Southern Mississippi. For the past few years, he has focused on the management and marketing of soccer in the United States. ■

NCAA institutions, is a free volunteer management and tracking platform used to calculate and document community service Limestone hours. It allows Limestone to connect College recently volunteers to meaningful experiences joined hundreds of around Cherokee County and the Upstate, other colleges and and enables the College to compete for universities in the national recognition within Division II for National Collethe students’ engagement in service work. giate Athletic Association (NCAA) “Our student-athletes are not required to complete community service hours, but in using the community service mobile they are greatly encouraged to do so,” said application “Helper Helper” to track its Curt Lamb, Limestone’s Assistant Athletic teams’ volunteer hours.

Director for Sports Performance. “We are Helper Helper, used by more than 1,000 proud of our student-athletes and the man34

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ner in which they represent Limestone within the Upstate. Helper Helper enables them to see for themselves how great they are doing individually and as a team in regards to service hours. They are thankful to the community for their support and are eager to give back.”

Limestone’s student-athletes volunteer for such causes as Rise Against Hunger, the Carolina Miracle League, and Boys and Girls Club of the Upstate, just to name a few.

By using the app, athletes can track their community service hours more quickly and efficiently. It is also an easier way for

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Limestone College Online Program Continues To Be Nationally Ranked Limestone College is a consistent front-runner in delivering quality online degree programs and continues to be recognized as one of the most valuable online institutions in South Carolina and across the nation.

The Community for Accredited Online Schools recently honored Limestone’s innovative Online Program by placing it on its Top 14 list.

In addition, The Knowledge Review, an international education magazine, named Limestone one of the nation’s most valuable online programs, explaining that the College strives to provide quality distance learning education to its students.

Limestone has recently been ranked as one of the 20 Best Online Associate of Business Administration Degree Programs, the 100 Best Online Colleges in the nation for 2018, and the 10 Best Online Bachelor’s in Computer Programming Programs.

The Human Resources program at Limestone has been recognized nationally and statewide as one of the best Online Bachelors in Human Resources Degrees by SuccessfulStudent.org. Limestone is No. 1 in South Carolina and No. 11 nationally. The HR degree was also honored at No. 16 by TheBestSchools.org in its ranking of top online bachelor’s programs within the field.

The website TheBestColleges.org ranked Limestone as the sixth best online college in South Carolina. Limestone also made a pair of rankings on BestDegreePrograms.org, including No. 11 in “Best Private School Online Bachelor’s in Psychology” and No. 25 in “Best Private School Online Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice.” The Open Education Database placed Limestone No.16 on its list of top online Computer Science programs.

The College’s online degree in Social Work gained recognition from three different organizations, with two of them, College Choice and BestColleges.com, placing Limestone in the top 10 for “Best Online Social Work Bachelor’s Degrees” at No. 9 and No. 10, respectively. BestMSNPrograms.com ranked Limestone No. 20 on its Social Work list. In addition, OnlineCoursereport.com placed the College’s degree Social Work as the seventh best in the nation.

For two-year students, Limestone’s online associate degree was also acknowledged by SR Education Group, which placed the College at No. 20 on its listing of “Best Online Associate’s Degrees.”

Many working adults have a goal to complete a college education, but juggling work and family can be a challenge. The Limestone College Online & Evening Program provides the opportunity for working adults to further their education, work full-time, and be there for their families. Courses are offered in eight-week terms with six terms per year. Students can take two courses each Term, earning 36 semester hours in a year. ■

their coaches to keep track of the volunteer work their student-athletes are doing.

Helper Helper also records where users are volunteering and the type of volunteer work they are doing, whether it be civic, faith based, environmental, etc. Using this feature, student-athletes can reach out to different types of community service projects if they see they are focusing heavily on one area of volunteer work. Coaches are then able to log into the app and see where their student-athletes have been during their community service work.

Lamb explained that the hour tracking has become a friendly competition between the

teams within the Athletic Department at Limestone. The players are able to see the other teams’ hours and strive to surpass them. According to Helper Helper, the men’s lacrosse team currently holds the lead, completing over 500 of the 1,800 hours of community service accomplished since July 1. Of the 100 athletes on the team, 98 have volunteered in the community.

When it comes to percentage of player participation, softball and men’s volleyball currently lead the way at 100 percent.

The app also aids Limestone’s efforts to win the President’s Cup, which is awarded

each year to the athletic program that best supports the Division II model of balancing academic excellence, athletics achievement, and community engagement. Each team is scored in five categories, including education and school, quality of season, athletic support, compliance, and commitment to community service. By adopting Helper Helper into their process, the Saints can vastly improve their community service hours, which further enhances their chances of capturing the President’s Cup. Previous winners have included women’s lacrosse, men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, and field hockey. ■ LIMESTONE.EDU

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ALUMNI NOTES

1950 John L. Payne (BA; Liberal Arts) is the manager of Mission Petroleum located in Houston, Texas. He lives a short distance away in Humble, Texas with his wife, Shelly. Together they have four children, Scott, Nicole, Joshua, and Ashley.

1978

1999

Karen Lee Morrow (BA; Social Science) is the Director of the Student Success Center at Greenville Technical College.

She received her master’s in education from Clemson University and currently lives in Wellford, South Carolina.

William Forrest Criss (BA; Social Studies Education) lives in Nashville, Tennessee. She works as a Claims Specialist for Lyft and is married to Michele Pribila. Allan Knick (BS; Business Administration) lives in Goose Creek, South Carolina and works as a Life Coach with Knick Consulting. His is married to Barbara Knick and received his MBA from Charleston Southern University. He has traveled to China, Dominican Republic, Greece, Italy, Great Britain, Ireland, France, etc. Lee is involved in Church, SCGOP-Berkeley County, Citizen Advisor.

1964

1982

Montague “Monte” Lupo Herlong Prater (BA; English) is a retired teacher who formerly taught at Tulsa Community College, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She and her husband, Bob, have three children, Deanne (56), Heidi (53), and Robert (57).

John Patterson Rountree (BA; Business) continued his education at UNCC and lives with his wife, Leslie, in Greensboro, North Carolina. They have a daughter, Morgan (25).

1970

1984

Reverend Susanne Strickland Nazian (BA; Religion and Philosophy) lives in Chester, South Carolina. and works as an Executive Director for CURES for Chester. She is married to Dr. Stanley J. Nazian and has two children; Stephen and Joseph.

She received her M.Div. from Meadville Lombard Theological School.

Larry Rochelle Sarratt (BS; Degree in Business Administration) lives in Ashland, VA and works as a Senior Public Services Assistant at the Library of Congress. Larry was named Man of the Year, an award given by MIKELA, Inc. He has traveled to England and Iceland and is involved in the Hanover Branch NAACP of Virginia and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

1971

1988

Troy Whisenant Troy Lee (BA; Chemistry) is a former chemist at Duke Energy Company (Charlotte, North Carolina) and a retired chemistry professor who received an award for Outstanding Chemistry Teaching. He resides with his wife, Deborah Beasley Whisenant in Lincolnton, North Carolina.

Karla J. Trosper (BA; Business Administration) is the Human Resources Manager at CSRA Regional Commission. She has won several awards, including CHRM, and ACHRM through Local Government Personnel Association. She plans on retiring in 2019 and to settle down with her husband, Brown, in Jackson, South Carolina.

1972 Roger Joe McPherson (BS; Biology) lives in Chesterfield, South Carolina and is a retired Professor of Biology. He is married to Sue McPherson and has one child, Joe McPherson. Roger completed his M.S. in Biology at UNCC and his Ph.D in Evolutionary Ecology at the UAB. Janice Hanvey Neely (BA; Elementary Education) is a former psychotherapist whom after graduating Limestone College, received her master’s in clinical counseling.

She is now retired and lives in Bloomingdale, Georgia. She has an only child, Gentry (39).

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1997 Margaret “Dee” Davidson Roland (BS; Business) lives in Columbia, South Carolina. Margaret is retired, married to Terry L. Roland, and has one child, T. Raymond Roland ’97.

1998 Heather Jackson Clary (BA; Elementary Education) lives in Shelby, North Carolina and works as a teacher at Pinnacle Classical Academy.

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2002 Joseph Stierwalt (BA; Business Administration) is a naval officer and commander of the naval air of the United States Navy. He lives with his wife, Suzanne in Norfolk, Virginia. They have two children, Lainey (28), and Jillian (16).

2003 John William Farrell (BS; Business) lives in Charleston works as an attorney at Jensen & Farrell. He received his J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law and is a Managing Member of Jensen & Farrell, LLC.

2005 Alexis Wright DuBose (BA; Business Administration/Computer Programming) is an AVP in Student Affairs. She lives in Florence with her husband, Shane, and their two children, Kristina (6), and Kinzley (2).

2006 Raymone Eugene Gude (BA; History) is an employee of the Michigan State Police. He lives in Grand Ledge, Michigan with his wife, Jessica (Verran); along with their two children, Lynn Marie (7), and Logan Patrick (2). He is proud to announce that on October 10-15 of 2018 he will be representing the United States

ALUMNI NOTES

at the Veteran World Championships that will be held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He will be competing in the Greco-Roman event with the hope of beating his previous record. Last time he competed in said event, he was just shy of receiving the Bronze Medal, placing 5th in the world.

Roy Walter Richardson (BS; Computer Science) resides in Greenwood, South Carolina and works as a Data Center Manager with Fujifilm Holdings USA. Roy is married to Donna Richardson and completed a Masters of Computer Science from Capella University. Pamela D. Williamson (BS; Management) resides in Hickory, North Carolina and works as a Human Resources Manager at Corning. She received her MBA from Liberty University. Pamela is involved with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Women in Manufacturing, Corning Professional Women’s Forum, SHRM.

2007 Kashori Sharee Davis (BA; Social Work) is an auditor for the DDSN (Department of Disabilities and Special Needs) who currently resides in Columbia, South Carolina. Tyler Coy Smith (BS; Business Administration) lives in Mooresboro, North Carolina. He is a 7th Grade Social Studies Teacher for Rutherfordton County Schools. He is married to Stacie Smith and has two children, Gabriel and Caeden. He received his Masters degree secondary Social studies from Converse College. Ashley Ann Weisman (BA; Criminal Justice) lives in Columbia, South Carolina and works as State Livescan Training Coordinator for South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. She has one child Austin James Smith (13). Carrie M. Wells (BS; Business Administration) is married to Albert Wells III, lives in North Charleston, South Carolina and is employed as a Carrier at the US Postal Service. She received her Bachelors Degree In Biblical Studies from Colorado Christian University. She is involved with Royal Missionary Baptist Church and is in Pursuit of a Career Change in Biblical Studies.

2008 Cory Michael Dion (BA; Business Management) is a teacher at Queen Anne’s County Public Schools. He lives in Chestertown, Maryland with his wife, Sara. Wyannetta Renee Epps (BS; General Business, Accounting & Management) lives in Kingstree, South Carolina and is employed as an Accountant/Fiscal Analyst II with USC SOM. She received her MBA in 2011 from Webster University. Wyannetta has one child, Faith (17).

John Daniel Lail (BS; Business Administration) lives in Jefferson City, Tenessee.

He works as an Inside Sales Representative for Renold, Inc. He is married to Kathy and has one child Morgan (29) and three grandchildren; Shade (6) and twins Emma and Molly (5 months). Christian Lojelo Munn (BA; Business and Marketing) lives in Brazil and is the owner of Munn Sports Management.

2009 Ruppert Glenn Baird (BA; Liberal Arts) is an aircraft maintenance instructor who resides in Lugoff, South Carolina. with his wife, Darlene. In 2015 he was awarded UAE Rugby Federation Volunteer of the Year. Kedra S. F. Carter (BA; Criminal Justice) is a program coordinator I, investigator for the SCDSS (South Carolina Department of Social Services) OHAN unit in region IV. She was formerly Kedra S. Ford before her recent marriage to Michael Carter on August 19, 2017. Sara Alicia Ferguson (BA; Music) is currently a chiropractic assistant at the Whatcom chiropractic center in Bellingham, Washington. John Taylor Martin (BA; History) lives in South Jordan, Utah and works as an Attorney with Get Air Sports. He received his Juris Doctorate from George Washington University Law School.

2012 Jared Scott Hilton (BA; Business Administration Management) is the manager at Westinghouse Electric Company. He is a certified project management Professional, or PMP. He lives in Catawba,

South Carolina with his wife, Lisa. Together they have three children, Brittany (20), Brianna (20), and Alexa (17).

2013 Julie Cardona (BA; Business Management) is an operations and compliance supervisor for Seibels. She lives in Leesville, South Carolina; with her husband, Mike, and their two children, Sabrina (21), and Daniel (14). Kevin Bryant Nix (BA; Business Management/Business Finance) is a maintenance supervisor involving the training, development, planning and scheduling of the central shop’s operations for the Mitsubishi Polyester Film. He lives in Anderson, South Carolina; with his wife, Suzanne, and children, Corey (17), and Geoffrey (22).

2014 Sharon Denise Alexander (BA; Liberal Arts) is a police officer for the city of Columbia, South Carolina, where she also currently lives. Hannah Bailey Dixon (BA; Psychology) is a high school outreach specialist for the Florence-Darlington Technical College. She lives in Florence, South Carolina with her husband, Jessie. Avis L. Moultrie (BS; Business Admin/Computer Software) resides in Ruffin, South Carolina. She is a Day Program Asstistant/Data Entry with Hampton County BDSN. Evella Nesmith (BA; Social Work) is an early interventionist for the Kid in Development Service. She lives in Walterboro, South Carolina with her child, Dominique Moore (15). Annette Nuhrah Pendergraft (BS; Computer Science Web Development) lives in Boiling Springs, North Carolina and works as Post Acute Services Assistant at Caromont Regional Medical Center. John Mclver Watson (BA; Information Systems) is a cyberspace operations technician for the United States Air Force. He is a combat veteran who was deployed to the Middle East. He currently lives in Isle of Palms, South Carolina.

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ALUMNI NOTES

2015 Davilla Nicole McQueary (BA; Business Management) is currently employed

by DS Smith. She lives in Elgin, South Carolina with her husband, Cornell, and son, CJ, (2). Robert Lewis Wilson (BA; English) he is an English professor at Central Piedmont Community College.

He Currently lives in York, South Carolina and had received the Cum Laude award.

2016 Terry S. Henderson, Jr. (BA; Business) is an operations manager for ATI Specialty Materials. He lives in Tega Cay, South Carolina with his wife, Carrie, and son, Noah (8). Rita Jo Ogden (BA; Business Admin/Accounting) resides in Elgin, South Carolina. She is an Accountant at CMC Lexington. Rita is married to Howard and has a child, Tiffany Ogden (32) and grandchild, Aniya Williams (5).

Rita is a member of Sigma Beta Delta International Honor Society of Business Administration / Cum Loude and was recognized by “Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges.”

2018 Lorene Michelle Hayes (BS; Healthcare Administration) lives in Anderson, South Carolina. She works as a Manager Revenue Cycle at Bon Secours Mercy Health. Shamika Nicole Sims (BSW; Social Work) lives in Simpsonville, South Carolina and is employed as a Social Worker with The Department of Social Services.

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SPRING COMMENCEMENT 2019 CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2019!

IN MEMORIAM

ALUMNI

Susan (Sue) Stanley Taylor ’36 Mary Lanford Collins ’37 Helen Gresham Kinard ’39 Marie (Babs) Burrus Glymph ’40 Ramona Westbury Hale ’41 Helen Green Love ’42 Mary Nash Jackson ’43 Mary Lee Harmon Phillips ’44 Martha Nash Terry ’44 Gwen Howle Watson ’44 Nancy E. Derminer ’45 Mattie Moore McGowan Fulton ’45 Lillian Falls Michael ’45 Betty Milford Cockrell ’46 Sue Shelton Dubose ’46 Sarah Newman Dugdale ’46 Mary Hartley McDaniel ’46 Robert Claude Moorhead, Jr. ’46 Sara Estes Munden ’46 Camille Patrick Stribling ’46 Rebecca (Becky) Harrill Thompson ’46 Ruth Knox Blanton ’47 Mary Evelyn Cauthen Collins ’47 Mary Chandler Hendricks ’47 Edna Martin Campbell ’48 Addie Stewart Felkel ’48 Dorothy Stone Findley ’48 Sara Evelyn Boyce Junot ’48 Eleanor McDonald Peoples ’48 Catherine Sandifer ’48 Betty Jo Lanier Turner ’48 Melle Phillips Wood ’48 Hattie Hunter King ’49 Verna Von Harten Nelley ’49 Betty Jane Johnson Sams ’49 Frances Lipscomb Humphries ’50 Thomas (Tom) Patrick Turner, Jr. ’50 Josie Ellenberg Canfield ’51 Faye Carter Edwards ’51 Nancy McMillan Sadler ’51 Bettye Creech Cecil ’52 Rebecca (Becky) Rogers Cordes ’52 Anne Kemp Davis ’52 Sara Robinson Sistrunk ’52 Claire Kronenberger Smith ’52 Louise Lindberg Hughston ’53 Ima Atkinson Nixon ’53 Doris McCulloch Chapman ’54 Rubye Sarratt Howell ’54 Nadine Nanney Laughter ’54 Laura Smith Stephens ’54 Jack Cogill Burgess ’55 Margaret Jane McCorkle ’55 Mary Ella Skidmore Vick ’55 Sarah Bell Bland ’56 Elna Lee Pursley Devinney ’56 Barbara Trout Morrow ’56 Nancy Gaskins Floyd ’58 L. E. (Bud) Jones ’58

July 21, 2018 March 1, 2019 July 23, 2018 December 8, 2018 September 23, 2018 June 8, 2018 October 31, 2017 December 15, 2017 June 5, 2019 February 18, 2018 July 5, 2018 June 10, 2018 October 25, 2018 May 12, 2018 December 10, 2017 January 15, 2018 June 16, 2018 November 1, 2017 September 5, 2017 June 3, 2019 May 21, 2019 September 25, 2017 June 15, 2018 October 30, 2017 January 3, 2018 December 15, 2018 February 4, 2018 October 29, 2019 October 9, 2018 June 18, 2018 May 12, 2019 October 18, 2017 January 7, 2019 May 23, 2019 January 11, 2019 May 5, 2018 April 9, 2018 January 24, 2019 June 7, 2019 April 3, 2018 March 2, 2018 May 20, 2018 May 22, 2019 March 2, 2019 January 1, 2018 February 20, 2019 August 5, 2018 January 4, 2018 January 22, 2019 July 20, 2018 January 29, 2018 April 27, 2018 March 13, 2019 October 17, 2017 May 15, 2019 March 19, 2018 May 1, 2018 December 24, 2018 August 7, 2018

Ann Berry Derrick ’59 November 23, 2017 Nancy Colvin Hasbrouck ’60 April 10, 2019 Ecford Little, Jr. ’61 January 1, 2018 Janet Hinson Fogle ’63 December 12, 2018 Nancy (Nan) Nuttall Gray ’63 November 6, 2017 Alexander M. Shilllinglaw ’64 November 20, 2017 Jacqueline Spangler Taylor ’65 November 27, 2017 Cecil Childers ’67 April 24, 2019 Joe Edward Vaughn ’68 April 19, 2019 Ralph James ( Jim) Bailey, Jr. ’72 April 17, 2019 Kitty Green Horne ’72 June 6, 2018 Elizabeth (Lib) Arant Burlington ’76 December 2, 2018 James G. Ramsey ’79 December 31, 2018 Sandra Gail Lance ’80 February 4, 2018 Dennis Garry Jamison ’83 October 7, 2017 Gloria Condrey Seay ’83 May 26, 2019 Samuel Lee Jones ’84 January 2, 2018 Donald (Don) E. Patton, Jr. ’85 November 5, 2018 Usha S. Sandhu ’85 March 11, 2018 James ( Jamie) Willie Parker ’06 May 17, 2019 Timothy D. Wiggins ’11 October 27, 2017 Eric Franklin Zaun ’15 June 11, 2019 Timothy (Tim) Carlos Davis ’17 May 26, 2018

FORMER FACULTY AND STAFF

Mary Beth Harlee December 11, 2018 Eleanor Lucille (Luci) Norris July 28, 2018 Emmie Evans Rector November 9, 2017 Winnie A. Smith December 8, 2017

FORMER TRUSTEES

G. Preston Edwards, MD Bill H. Mason

September 15, 2017 January 16, 2018

SPECIAL FRIENDS

Ladson L. DuBose May 29, 2018 Jesse G. Hill, Jr. December 5,2017 Louis Jordan, Sr. September 21, 2018 William (Bill) E. McCluney October 2, 2017 Edna F. Miller March 23, 2018 James ( Jimmy) E. Moss April 11, 2018 Merle Reams October 25, 2017 Charles Floyd Watson November 24, 2017 John B. Willis, MD March 20, 2018 Delores J. Yager November 3, 2017

LIMESTONE.EDU

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BY MARENA CAMBY

t was a long and winding journey though western North Carolina and then the Upstate of South Carolina that finally brought together Limestone College’s President and one of its members of the Board of Trustees.

Whether student, faculty, or staff, once at Limestone, invariably a certain bonding takes place. Cultures are shared and background stories are told. That is precisely what happened when the paths of Dr. Darrell Parker and Randall Richardson finally intersected two years ago.

At the time, Parker had his eyes set on becoming a college President. Richardson was on the Board of Trustees and a member of Limestone’s Presidential Search Committee. It was during 40

LIMESTONE TODAY MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019

one of their conversations after Parker was hired that they realized their unique bond.

Richardson grew up in Asheville. In the early 1970s, his grandparents and cousin lived in the neighboring town of Weaverville – the same place Parker grew up. During the summer months, Richardson would stay with his family in Weaverville. But even though there were only about 1,200 residents in the area, Richardson and Parker never met during their adolescent years.

“Funnily enough, Randall’s cousin was my friend in the second grade,” Parker said. “His cousin and I were the same height, and back then, they always put us in line from tallest to shortest. He was always right beside me in the back of the line. Little did I know that my friend’s cousin, Randall, would serve on the search

committee that would eventually bring me to Limestone as its 22nd President.”

As Parker and Richardson grew up, they branched away from their hometown roots.

Richardon is a graduate from Montreat College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a graduate from Duke University – Fuqua School of Business, where he received a master’s degree in Business Administration in International Business, Trade, and Commerce. He is a Fellow at The American College of Healthcare Executives.

He serves on the Board of Directors for Crossnore School and Homes and is a current Trustee for Limestone College. He and his wife (Fanaye) have been married for 33 years. They have two adult daughters Lauren, a graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill, and Candace, who is a graduate from Columbia University.

Over the past decade or so, both Parker and Richardson have held several other titles. Richardson now serves as a Senior Healthcare Consultant. Most recently, he was the Director, Healthcare Vertical Market, for Honeywell International responsible for the US and Canadian market.

Before he was recruited to Honeywell, Richardson co-founded Alpha Healthcare Solutions (AHS) with two physician partners. AHS’s offer operational guidance and industry-specific decision modeling and valuations to assess major transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, and restructurings.

Prior to joining the team at AHS, he was hired as the Vice President, Global Healthcare Solutions, for Lanco Global Systems Inc., a global and publicly traded IT Services Provider focusing on customers’ strategic initiatives and delivering customized solutions to maximize utility through A short distance to the west, at the the integration of patient care pathways, University of North Carolina Asheville, administrative, financial, and clinical Parker earned his bachelor’s in Mathematsystems. He also spearheaded LGS’s ics and Economics. Parker left the borders global expansion into the Middle East and of the Tar Heel state when he received North Africa (MENA) markets. LGS’s both his masters and doctoral degrees in clients included Fortune 500 companies Economics from Purdue University. and government agencies. Parker served “Dr. Parker and I are two small-town for six years as the Dean and Professor country guys who grew to value education,” of Economics for the Johnson College of Richardson noted. “Eventually, higher edu- Business and Economics at the University cation is what brought us together.” of South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg.

Until 2017, he had been serving since 2012 From 1995 until 2007, Richardson, a as the Dean and Professor of Economics recognized leader in healthcare, served in for the College of Business at Western progressive roles: Strategic Planning, and Carolina University. Located in Cullowhee, Clinical Operations – (Cardiology and WCU is a Regional Public ComprehenPsychiatry) for Mission Health System an sive University in the University of North AA Bond-rated Health System. RichCarolina System. ardson received “Special Congressional Recognition” for Outstanding Community In 2013, Jeremy Yaekel, a Duke Service and Healthcare Leadership and University alum and previous Limestone The NAACP President’s award for Board member, recommended Richardson Corporate Leadership in Diversity. to serve as a Trustee at the College. In his first term, Richardson served on the For 16 years, beginning in 1985, Parker executive, finance, and investment commitwas a professor of Economics at Winthrop tees. He spearheaded the development for University, where he founded and directed the new Nursing program, which has since the Winthrop Economic Development been approved by the Southern Association Center. From 2001 until 2006, Parker was of Colleges and Schools Commission on at Georgia Southern University where he Colleges. During the last year of his initial served in numerous positions, including term, Richardson was appointed to the Professor of Economics, Director of the Presidential Search Committee where he Center for Economic Education, finally met Parker face-to-face.

Acting Associate Dean, and Director of the School of Economic Development in the “After several months, we had narrowed College of Business Administration. our national search to three finalists and I still had no idea that Dr. Parker and I had

such a close history,” Richardson explained. “It amazes me that we were lucky enough to find this small-town guy within the large a sea of applicants. Darrell was clearly meant to be at Limestone, and it was meant for us to finally find each other.”

Their North Carolina link was evident right away.

“During the on-site interview process, Randall was traveling so he interviewed me over the phone,” Parker said. “We first met in person during our interview at the airport, but neither of us knew there was a connection through our pasts. Randall realized it first. I had been offered the job and accepted, and it was at the first Board meeting that it came up. He said to me, ‘I’ve just realized we have a deep connection that may surprise you.’ And then he started talking about Weaverville.”

“Where I grew up, you don’t learn what you can’t do,” Parker continued. “You learn the opposite – that anything is possible and that the world is full of opportunities.

Randall had the same mindset that the world was out there waiting for him to explore. I do not think it matters whether you are a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond, I think what matters most is finding which pond is yours and thriving in it. Randall and I just so happened to be swimming in the same pond without even knowing it.”

Richardson was recently selected to serve another term with the Trustees, which means that his follow Board members, Parker, the faculty, and the staff are all working together to make Limestone the best it can be.

“Dr. Parker and I have the same mindset when it comes to Limestone,” Richardson noted. “We both want to generate more discussions surrounding the College.

Limestone is currently going through so many changes and improvements, and we are working to build Limestone’s brand.”

With Limestone currently in the midst of its “Drive To University,” two small-town guys from neighboring communities, who didn’t even know one another until two years ago, are currently behind the wheel with their respective feet firmly on the accelerator. ■

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CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

The post office charges Limestone College for each change of address returned to us. Please help us eliminate unnecessary expenses by informing us of your new address before you move. Parent, if your son or daughter no longer maintains a permanent address at home, please notify the Limestone Office of Institutional Advancement of the correct mailing address.

Call (800) 795-7151, extension 4602 or email AlumniOffice@Limestone.edu.