Longwood Magazine | Fall 2020

A M A GA ZIN E FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY

TRUE to OURSELVES Some things were different this fall, but Longwood is still Longwood

A TRADITION THAT CAPS THEM ALL LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE FOR ALUMNA FIGURING OUT STUDENT TEACHING

Using Our Skills

Setting the Bar High

Lightning strikes twice for alumna

100 percent pass rate on nursing exam

On the Cover Students perform a traditional Oktoberfest dance, complete with lederhosen.

Story on Page 16. Photo by Ted Hodges ’85.

President’s Message

Longwood solidifies its standing in rankings

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Celebrating What’s New Allen Hall has it all Second high rise opens, both renamed Understanding and equity in the house

Professor pens books with former students Nonprofit works to instill passion for reading

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Keeping Our Traditions Going Strong …

Crazy caps take a bow for Convocation Personal recognition for the Class of 2020

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… And Holding Them Tight As always, students revel in Oktoberfest

Making Time for Fun

Making Time for Service … … and for Pondering the Unknown

Rainbow paints the sky for sunset hike

When a garden is more than a garden

Carving contest ignites students’ imaginations

Raising puppies for a higher purpose

Event serves up happiness on the rocks

These students have stars in their eyes

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Getting Creative in the Classroom Outdoor education moves to higher ground Flexibility is the watchword for teacher preparation

10 Portraits in Perseverance 3 6 11 13 15 18 In Memoriam 32 Day of Giving 2021 33

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Going With The Flow …

Smile and say, ‘Leaves!’

Alumni couple take life as it comes

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… And Living the Lancer Life

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Class Notes

Scenes from around campus

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longwood A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY

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Editor Sabrina Brown Creative Director JoDee Stringham Associate Editors Gina Caldwell, Matthew McWilliams, Lauren Whittington Sports Editor Chris Cook Class Notes Editor Kent Booty Photographer Courtney Vogel Contributors Dr. Erica Brown-Meredith ’95, Jordan Ruffner ’17, Sam Chase ’21, George Gaston ’21, Ted Hodges ’85, Mary Milne ’83, Ellen Tucker ’21 Advisory Board Ryan Catherwood, Wade Edwards, Larissa Smith, Courtney Hodges, Victoria Kindon, David Locascio, Justin Pope Board of Visitors Eric Hansen, Rector, Lynchburg Eileen Mathes Anderson ’83, Glen Allen Katharine McKeown Bond ’98, Mechanicsville Michael A. Evans, Richmond Steven P. Gould, Danville David H. Hallock Jr., Richmond Colleen McCrink Margiloff ’97, Rye, N.Y. Nadine Marsh-Carter, Richmond Larry I. Palmer, Richmond Polly H. Raible ’91, Midlothian Ricshawn Adkins Roane, Great Falls N.H. “Cookie” Scott ’72, Midlothian Lucia Anna “Pia” Trigiani, Alexandria Editorial offices for Longwood magazine are maintained at the Office of University Marketing and Communications, Longwood University, 201 High Street, Farmville, VA 23909.

Telephone: 434-414-6241; email: browncs2@longwood.edu.

Comments, letters and contributions are encouraged.

Printed on recycled stocks containing 100% post-consumer waste.

To request this magazine in alternate format (large print, braille, audio, etc.), please contact Longwood Disability Resources, 434-395-2391; TRS: 711.

FRO M T HE PR E SID E N T This issue of the magazine reflects the broader story of Longwood itself this past semester—the look and feel is a little different, but the essentials are all in place.

In these pages, you’ll see examples of how our students, faculty and staff have successfully met the extraordinary challenges of Covid-19. You’ll read how they have managed not just to keep the academic mission of the university moving forward, but to preserve and nurture our traditions and close-knit community throughout, positioning us to emerge stronger on the other side. ast summer, there were doubts about the prospects for in-person learning on campus this fall. But L in-person learning matters tremendously, and I knew our faculty and staff had a reservoir of experience, creativity and camaraderie that could be deployed to meet the challenge. While our residential learning model presented challenges for mitigating spread, I also saw it as a source of strength. More than just a set of buildings, Longwood’s campus is a genuine community of mutual responsibility and commitment. Above all, I knew how desperately eager our students were to be back at Longwood, and I had faith they would step up and do their part. hese were ultimately the essential ingredients in our successful semester of perseverance: our T community and our students. College students got a lot of bad press around the country this fall, much of it unfair, considering all they have been through. Regardless, our students here have been magnificent. They have followed precautions we have in place and stepped up to find creative ways to maintain the essential human relationships that make Longwood what it is—through student organizations, on athletic teams and in their residential communities.

I t was thanks to these efforts by our students, and the incredible work of our staff leading this effort and our faculty as well, that our fall semester has been successful. We measure that success from a public health standpoint and from an academic one, with our students experiencing mostly in-person classes and the benefits of being present together. That success matters deeply—for Longwood, for Farmville and above all for our students.

The work of navigating the pandemic continues, but Longwood has proven yet again our resilience and the power of community to overcome any challenge. It will serve us well into the far future.

My best wishes,

Published December 2020

W. Taylor Reveley IV President

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Setting the Bar High PORTRAITS IN PERSEVERANCE

Landen Horton ’21 MAJOR: NURSING HOMETOWN: FINCASTLE, VIRGINIA

Longwood’s nursing program is very competitive, with hundreds of applications received each year for the 60-70 spots in the entering class.

ABSOLUTELY PERFECT Nursing exam results couldn’t be better

The most important lesson I have learned throughout this pandemic is to be flexible and to work with the unexpected.

In the nursing field, you never know what is going to happen on the floor that day.

I don’t think any of us expected to gain clinical experience through virtual simulation and a Zoom call, but making that adjustment will help us be successful in the future.”

For four out of the last five years, including 2020, Longwood nursing graduates achieved a 100 percent pass rate on their required licensure exam, an accomplishment few schools across the country can boast.

“To achieve this level of success on the licensure exam speaks to the caliber of our students and their academic achievements as they enter the workforce,” said Dr. Kim Little, professor and director of the nursing program.

On the Short List Longwood solidifies its standing in U.S. News rankings Longwood’s reputation has been cemented in the annual U.S. News college rankings with its fifth-straight year in the top-10 public universities in the South.

The latest rankings from U.S. News & World Report again reflect a multiyear trend of rising reputation compared with peer institutions. Since 2013, Longwood has climbed to No. 7 from No. 12 among public institutions in the Southern regional category. Among public and private regional universities, Longwood is ranked No. 16 overall.

TOP 10 AMONG PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN THE SOUTH “BEST VALUE” AMONG REGIONAL SOUTHERN UNIVERSITIES NEW THIS YEAR: TOP-RANKED VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY FOR VETERANS FALL 2020

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Using Our Skills Lightning Strikes Twice

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courtesy of Mary Milne ’83

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ew people have the privilege of winning a Stanley Cup. During her 20-plus years with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the National Hockey League, Longwood alumna Mary Milne ’83 has done it twice.

A former Longwood field hockey standout, Milne is preparing for her 21st year with the Lightning, one of the most successful and popular franchises in the NHL. She currently serves as the senior vice president for guest experience, managing more than 700

BY BEING AN ATHLETE, employees (or “teamI LEARNED HOW TO mates,” in her words) and overseeing the organiBUILD TEAMS, HOW TO zation’s “front of house” WORK WITH PEOPLE, departments. That’s parkTHE VALUE OF RELAing, security, suites, guest TIONSHIPS AND HOW services and a host of YOU TREAT EVERYONE.” other departments within Amelie Arena—nearly evMARY MILNE ’8 3 erything a fan encounters at a Lightning game.

Beyond the consistent success the Lightning have found on the ice—including the 2004 and 2020 Stanley Cups—the team annually ranks near the top of the NHL in attendance, routinely selling out their home arena in Tampa, Florida.

She gives some of the credit for her success with the team to her time as a student-athlete at Longwood, where she developed skills and a mindset that she still relies on today.

“By being an athlete, I learned how to build teams, how to work with people, the value of relationships and how you treat everyone,” said Milne. “On campus at Longwood, you spoke to everyone you walked past, and that doesn’t happen everywhere. Trust me, my ability to walk through the building and talk to anybody is … critical to my success right now.”

TEACHING STRATEGIES FOR THE TIMES DR. SEAN RUDAY

How-to books share remote learning know-how

Thanks to a collaboration between a Longwood faculty member and two of his former students, English and language arts teachers will soon have at their fingertips a wealth of practical advice for the most effective use of remote teaching/learning technologies.

Two books—one for kindergarten and elementary school teachers, the other for those teaching grades 6-12—are currently in development, with publication expected in time for the start of the 2021-22 school year.

Dr. Sean Ruday, associate professor of English education, and Longwood alums Jenn Cassidy ’19 and Taylor Jacobson ’19 signed the contracts for writing the books in September.

Ruday said he immediately thought of Cassidy, an eighth-grade English teacher, and Jacobson, who teaches fifth TAY LOR JACOBSON ’19 grade, as potential co-authors to provide the classroom perspective when his publisher approached him about writing the books.

“They’re both great teachers and great writers,” he said.

The books will cover best practices in teaching English and language arts and how to successfully adapt them to remote learning.

“One hundred percent of teachers—at least those who used to teach face to face—are struggling in some way with remote instruction,” said TAYLOR JACOBSON ’19 Jacobson, who teaches at Glenwood Elementary in Virginia Beach. “This is not easy. I lose sleep every night worrying whether I’m doing enough for my kids, and I know most teachers feel the same way.”

Cassidy, who teaches at Oscar Smith Middle School in Chesapeake, agrees that remote learning is a significant adjustment for teachers—and for students.

JENN CASSIDY ’19 “Students are flexible and forgiving, fortunately for us,” she said, “but it’s difficult to learn through the internet.

Teachers, however, are used to adjusting. These books will provide teachers with strategies and models they can implement in their own classrooms.”

One hundred percent of teachers—at least those who used to teach face to face—are struggling in some way with remote instruction.”

Instilling a passion for reading

ONE BOOK AT A TIME If there’s one thing most teachers would want to instill in their students, it’s a passion for reading.

Whitney Cummins ’97, who earned a degree in English and secondary education at Longwood, created a foundation in 2016 whose mission is to support that goal, particularly for children who live in rural and remote areas.

Her strategy: Do it one book at a time.

The Cummins Leadership Foundation has provided thousands of books to children in Virginia, including those in Prince Edward County and Franklin County, where Cummins grew up, and as far away as Maine.

In Prince Edward, Cummins and her foundation have worked with the Moton Museum and with the Prince Edward Literacy Council. “My ties to these local organizations underscore my belief that, in Prince Edward and surrounding counties, we need to not only address children’s literacy, but also the multigenerational illiteracy that was brought on by the five years-plus of school closings from 1959-64,” Cummins said.

The foundation also sponsors other reading-focused activities, including mobile bus libraries, reading tractor and boat rides, and community reading nights.

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Making Time for Fun PORTRAITS IN PERSEVERANCE

Crystal Rosenbaum ’21 PRESIDENT OF THE OUTDOOR CLUB

I love how Longwood has chosen to embrace what students can do during a pandemic instead of all the things we are missing out on. My favorite addition has definitely been the dozens of Adirondack chairs on Stubbs lawn. I’ve seen several professors take advantage of the outdoor spaces available to hold class, and many other students use this area for studying.”

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Sam Chase ’21

MAJOR: NURSING

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW

The 25 students who joined the Outdoor Club’s sunset hike on the High Bridge Trail got an unexpected treat in the form of this rainbow. The trail passes through downtown Farmville, with the bridge itself a 4.5-mile hike from there.

LIKE MAGIC

Compliments of the College of Business and Economics

Pumpkins turn into crazy, thoughtful, funny works of imagination

HAPPINESS ON THE ROCKS

Pumpkin carving has come a long way in the last few decades, and nowhere was that more apparent than in the pumpkin-carving contest held the Thursday before Halloween.

There was hardly a triangle-shaped eye or nose to be found among the entries— but there were a lavender wig, handmade paper sunflowers and some incredibly intricate designs. Contestants ranged from first-time carvers to practiced artisans with years of jack-o’-lantern experience—and each of them had a story to tell.

Inspired by his love of Japanese culture, Rayshad Lindsay ’22 carved Japanese maple leaves onto his pumpkin—pretty ambitious for his first carving attempt. A physics major, Lindsay took three years of Japanese in high school.

How do we know Longwood faculty care about their students?

Here’s one example.

For national Collect Rocks Day in September, several faculty, staff and students in the College of Business and Economics spent hours decorating more than 150 rocks with inspirational—or funny— pictures and sayings, and then placed them around campus for students to find.

Years of pumpkincarving competitions with her dad, Longwood alum Gary Pierce ’91, have made Kira Pierce ’22 a fierce competitor.

The math major spent eight hours carving intricate replicas of the Rotunda façade and the Colonnades onto her entry.

“Whimsical, fun and magical” was what art education major Jordan Matthews ’22 was going for in her pumpkin, which was covered with drawings of characters from Studio Ghibli, a Disney-like Japanese animation film studio.

“I wanted to spread happiness among our students,” said Dr. Dawn Schwartz ’03, MBA ’13, one of the faculty members who volunteered to help. “I can see the toll Covid-19 has had on our students (and really all of us).”

In addition to a smile, Schwartz hoped the rocks would give the students who found them “maybe the strength to persevere through whatever they are going through. I know they’re just rocks, but sometimes the smallest thing can be the sign someone needs to keep going.”

Use your imagination and you might be able to figure out that’s a cheeseburger in this pumpkin’s mouth.

(Or maybe not.)

SGA Senator Davice Jones ’23, a biology major, got the idea after meeting with Dining Director Mitch Rodhe about Longwood’s food.

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Making Time for Service …

WHEN A GARDEN IS MORE THAN A GARDEN A True Calling Jessica Stitts ’21 had decided to be a teacher until her grandfather got sick and had to go to the hospital.

“He had a social worker with him every day,” said Stitts. The experience made her realize her true calling was a career where she could help people, so she transferred to Longwood after her freshman year and changed her major to social work.

Agents of Change “We wanted to find out the problem preventing community members from being engaged and then determine what we could do to help bring about change,” said Brown-Meredith, adding that the ultimate goal is to encourage residents to “take back the garden.”

Students interviewed neighborhood residents, held a town hall meeting and worked in small groups to present their findings and recommendations to Virginia Cooperative Extension representatives. The effort has started to pay off. Several community members have formed a committee to figure out how to get the garden growing again. courtesy of Dr. Erica Brown-Meredith ’95

The Community as Classroom Stitts and other seniors this fall took Methods: Practice III Communities and Organizations, one of their final degree requirements, which applies the skills they’ve learned to a capstone project.

Their focus?

Farmville’s Community Garden on Virginia Street, an area where residents may lack the means or access to buy fresh vegetables.

Embraced by the DR. ERICA BROWN-MEREDITH ’95 neighborhood when it was created in 2015, the garden recently has suffered from a lack of involvement, said Dr. Erica Brown-Meredith ’95, who taught the course.

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Fulfilling the expectation that social workers volunteer in their communities, several students worked in the garden with Dr. Erica BrownMeredith ’95 and others during the summer and fall. They pulled weeds, planted tomatoes and herbs, made benches and painted a chalk wall to serve as a message board.

Meet Puppy Raiser Ellen Tucker ’21 …

When did you found the Service-Dog Training and Education Program (STEP@LU) at Longwood?

We received our SGA approval in February 2019.

Why did you start the club?

I have always had a passion for animals and for helping people. Training service dogs is the perfect mix for me, and I wanted to bring that opportunity to other students. Puppy raising has completely changed my life.

How many active members were there in STEP@LU this fall?

We had about 50-60 students who were involved with training, fundraising and events.

How many students are currently training puppies?

There are six of us, including me.

Where do you get your puppies?

We are partnered with the nonprofit Canine Companions for Independence, the largest service dog provider in the U.S. How long does training take?

We receive the puppies when they’re eight weeks old. Their initial training—which involves teaching them 30 commands and socializing them to the

… And For Pondering the Unknown

courtesy of Ellen Tucker ’21

EVENT LEAVES STUDENTS WITH STARS IN THEIR EYES

… and Service Dog Peru world—is completed when they’re about 18 months old. Then they go to New York for professional training, where they learn more complex tasks. That takes six to nine months. We have two dogs in professional training right now.

Who pays for the puppies’ food, vet bills, and other expenses?

Puppy raisers are responsible for all of their puppies’ expenses, but STEP@LU provides as much financial assistance as possible.

How many dogs have made it all the way through their training?

Right now it’s just Peru, who I started training in May 2018. She graduated in September 2020.

What type of service is she providing?

Peru is a facility dog and is working with patients at a rehabilitation center in Maryland. She uses her service dog skills to assist multiple people.

What other kinds of jobs are students training their dogs to do?

They’re learning to work with adults and children with disabilities. Our dogs can become hearing dogs, service dogs, skilled companions, facility dogs and PTSD service dogs.

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he clouds moving across the sky at times decreased visibility but they did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the Longwood students who turned out this fall for an evening of stargazing.

“Even with the clouds rolling in, we were still able to view the moon, Mars, Saturn and its rings, as well as Jupiter and its four inner moons,” said physics major Austin Hedges ’21, president of the Society of Physics Students (SPS), which co-sponsored the event with the Outdoor Club.

Giving participants that close-up view of “outer space” was an 8-inch telescope equipped with a GPS system programmed with the locations of thousands of celestial objects.

“I’m fascinated by the planets. Just being able to look at something so far away and see the beauty of it is amazing,” said Leah Eick ’23, a nursing major and Outdoor Club media and equipment chair.

That’s exactly the reaction Hedges was hoping for.

With the telescope, we could clearly see the red color of Mars, the beautiful rings of Saturn and the bands across Jupiter’s atmosphere.”

AU ST I N HED GES ’21

Rianne Woudsma ’23, a physics major and vice president of SPS, hopes the event and others like it will inspire students to learn more.

“Outer space is so vastly unknown to society as a whole,” she said. “I’m hoping we can get more people interested in what’s out there.”

Rianne Woudsma ’23 (left) and Austin Hedges ’21 explore the night sky.

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Getting Creative in the Classroom

HIGHER GROUND Professor’s classes this semester weren’t just as good—they were better

Putting their orienteering skills to the test in the wooded area behind Longwood House are Abbey Mays ’22 (right), a therapeutic recreation major; Josh Bain ’23 (left), a psychology major; and Crystal Rosenbaum ’21, a nursing major.

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ormally Jacob Dolence takes his Recreation 340 and 375 classes to Wintergreen, the James River and other out-of-town venues for adventures including rock climbing, canoeing and orienteering.

This semester, the pandemic ruled out traveling and large-group activities, but that didn’t mean settling for a lesser experience, said Dolence, one of many innovative Longwood professors who love a challenge.

In With The New “It’s neat to re-envision what kinds of activities students can be doing, and Farmville has so many opportunities for outdoor education,” said Dolence, the Honors Faculty Scholar in the Cormier

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Honors College for Citizen Scholars.

Students in the lower-level class learned to make rock-climbing knots and hitches using old ropes that Dolence cut into shorter lengths and distributed for them to take home. They also practiced their hiking and orienteering skills at High Bridge State Park, the trail at Wilck’s Lake and other nearby recreation areas.

Bonus Material “What’s most exciting about this new model is that I tied it into the Civitae core curriculum mission and asked our students to give back to the community by envisioning what the future could be for outdoor recreation infrastructure in the area,” Dolence said.

In the higher-level class, students gave some serious thought to improving the user experience at local recreation areas, analyzing accessibility and getting input from park rangers. Plans are to present their findings to the state director of outdoor recreation.

Students also learned technical skills useful in wilderness areas, including water purification and first aid, and delved deeply into theories around environmental ethics and the role of citizen leaders in the outdoors.

Whatever It Takes “It’s my job to do whatever I have to so my students have a meaningful and impactful experience no matter what’s standing in the way,” said Dolence.

Problem Solvers Office of Teacher Preparation puts flexibility, perseverance and commitment to work

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anaging the student-teaching experience for dozens of Longwood teacher candidates is like putting together a constantly moving, three-dimensional puzzle of students, faculty supervisors and K-12 schools.

Then a pandemic comes along, and it gets even more complicated with remote learning and veteran teachers opting out of the classroom.

Fortunately for future educators at Longwood, an office reorganized less than a year ago was ready and able to deal with the challenges.

Figuring It Out The creative, flexible thinkers behind the Office of Teacher Preparation are Dr. Gena Southall ’97, M.A. ’00; Dr. Connie Ballard; Kathy Charleston, M.S. ’90; Jennifer Whitaker ’99, M.S. ’09; and Sheila Seagle. This fall, they successfully orchestrated the student-teaching placements of 62 students in 23 school divisions around the commonwealth.

They figured out how faculty could observe student teachers even when they were teaching from home. And what to do when a cooperating teacher at a school placement quit mid-semester. And how to match students to schools even when those schools’ operating plans changed from remote to in-person to remote in the space of a few days.

Southall, executive director of teacher preparation, recalled with a chuckle a recent conversation with a friend. “She said, ‘Student teaching didn’t happen this semester, right?’ Some people can’t imagine how we figured it out.”

Only the Best for Students The key is perseverance, said Whitaker, assistant director of teacher licensure and student success. “Every day can be a challenge, but our concern for our students has driven us to make sure they have the best student-teaching experience they can,” she said.

For example, the office for the first time pulled together student teachers from across the state for regular meetings via Zoom. Also new were monthly Zoom meetings with faculty supervisors and faculty-led coaching groups of student teachers.

All of these provided support for students and faculty with no travel costs.

Business As Usual “It’s interesting how quickly this has become business as usual,” said Charleston, assistant director of teacher preparation for CAPE accreditation. “This is just how we do things now.”

EVERY DAY CAN BE A CHALLENGE, BUT OUR CONCERN FOR OUR STUDENTS HAS DRIVEN US TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE BEST STUDENTTEACHING EXPERIENCE THEY CAN.” J E N N I F ER WHI TAKER ’99, M .S. ’09

PORTRAITS IN PERSEVERANCE

Charlotte Murphey ’20 MAJOR: LIBERAL STUDIES WITH A CONCENTRATION IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION HOMETOWN: GLEN ALLEN, VIRGINIA STUDENT TEACHING PLACEMENT: 6TH-GRADE SCIENCE, TOMAHAWK CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL, MIDLOTHIAN, VIRGINIA

Although doing my student teaching during a pandemic isn’t an experience I would have chosen, this has absolutely been a semester of growth for me. I have become more disciplined as well as more flexible—in this field, you have to be both. I have been tested in new ways, and, as a result, I have found my own voice as a teacher.”

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Celebrating What’s New Second high rise opens, both renamed

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TRANSFORMED he transformation of a significant stretch of Longwood’s Main Street perimeter was completed this fall with the re-opening of Moss Hall, the 10-story twin of Johns Hall, which re-opened last August.

Innovation Inside State-of-the-art Allen Hall embodies the mission of Civitae core curriculum Students can examine the intricacies of a body in motion inside the biomechanics lab, while others can monitor the electrical activity of a heart in the electrophysiology lab or deep dive into data in the quantitative reasoning center.

And that’s just on the first floor.

Allen Hall, Longwood’s newest academic building, came to life this semester with a burst of energy and innovation. The four-story, 42,000-square-foot building embodies the mission of Longwood’s distinctive Civitae core curriculum, which engages all students in collaborative and interdisciplinary work to prepare them to be citizen leaders.

“One of the main tenets of Civitae is to teach students how to address real-world, civic issues from multiple perspectives,” said Dr. Larissa Smith, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “To do that, our students need critical-thinking skills, teamwork skills and exposure to disciplines outside of their chosen fields of study. Allen Hall captures that mission of

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academic collaboration."

Funded entirely by the commonwealth, the building features versatile classrooms, laboratories, faculty offices, study rooms and dedicated spaces for centers that support teaching. These expanded learning spaces also have helped Longwood spread out classes this semester to allow for social distancing.

Allen Hall is named in honor of one of Longwood’s most distinguished and transformative professors. The late Dr. Edna Allen Bledsoe Dean served the university for more than three decades as a member of the social work faculty before retiring with emerita status in 2004.

The two high-rise residence halls, which first housed students in 1969 and 1970, were gutted down to their steel infrastructures, redesigned and refitted with the latest amenities. The tallest buildings in Farmville, their main entrances have been relocated so that they open onto Main Street.

One other thing is new about the buildings this fall: their names.

President W. Taylor Reveley IV announced in June that the buildings would be newly named to honor two leading Prince Edward figures who stood up for civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s: Barbara Rose Johns Powell, who bravely led the student strike at Moton High School in 1951, demanding better conditions; and longtime Longwood faculty member and campus leader Dr. C.G. Gordon Moss, who stalwartly supported civil rights—even when the commonwealth of Virginia, Prince Edward County and Longwood itself did not.

“The time has come to turn the page of history,” said Reveley.

UNDERSTANDING AND EQUITY IN THE HOUSE Clark Intercultural Center opens Named for what President W. Taylor Reveley IV described as one of the “foremost families” of Longwood and Farmville, the Clark Intercultural Center officially opened in September as a place where students can learn more about each other and embrace their differences.

The center will be a home for Longwood’s National PanHellenic Council [IT IS] AN OPEN SPACE groups and provide meeting and study space, conference rooms and a lounge for FOR PEOPLE TO GET use by all students.

TOGETHER TO LEARN But it’s much more than that, said ABOUT, EXPERIENCE Jonathan Page, director of the Office AND APPRECIATE THE of Multicultural Affairs. “[It] embodies the spirit of intercultural engagement by DIFFERENT CULTURES, creating an open space for people to get BACKGROUNDS, together to learn about, experience and PERSPECTIVES AND appreciate the different cultures, backIDEOLOGIES THAT MAKE grounds, perspectives and ideologies that make up their communities,” he said.

UP THEIR COMMUNITIES.”

Title VI Office created

J ON AT HA N PAG E , D I R E C TO R OF T H E O F F I C E O F M U LT I C U LTU R A L A F FA I R S

In additional work this fall aimed at creating a welcoming campus home for all students, Longwood became one of the first universities in the commonwealth with an office dedicated to addressing reported episodes of racial discrimination or harassment. Led by Jonathan Page, the new Title VI office was a main recommendation of the Equity Action Task Force created in June. Among the new office’s priorities are instituting proactive programming and training universitywide and establishing communication channels for the campus community to report instances of discrimination.

PORTRAITS IN PERSEVERANCE

Stephanie Adomako ’24 RESIDENT OF MOSS HALL MAJOR: SOCIAL WORK AND PSYCHOLOGY HOMETOWN: WOODBRIDGE, VIRGINIA

Even when there’s not a pandemic, freshman year of college can be hard. It took me a while to understand that it’s OK to do things by myself. I’m still looking for my best friends, but I have my goals, my clubs and my boyfriend to keep me company.

Longwood is home, and, in due time, my family will come.”

The house that is now home to the Clark Intercultural Center was for a decade home to the Clark family, including Megan Clark ’05 (left) and her mother, Dr. Theresa Clark, M.S. ’88, now retired from a 30year career as a faculty member in Longwood’s social work program. Both spoke at the opening ceremony.

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Keeping Our Traditions Going Strong …

Convocation This tradition caps them all Convocation, the official start to senior year, is celebrated at Longwood with a tradition unlike any other. Elaborately decorated mortarboards are created for seniors by a special “capper” and unveiled at the ceremony. Though the pandemic and then a forecast for rain the day of the event required going to “Plan C,” the Class of 2021 still celebrated. Seniors showed up to show off their caps and have the moment captured by professional photographers. (above) Amber Both, a choral music education major, and Isaac Both, a physics secondary education major, have been married since May 2018.

This happy couple “capped” each other, keeping their creations secret until the big reveal on Convocation day. The items that meant the most to Amber were the tiny piano Isaac made out of popsicle sticks and a napkin from their wedding.

For Isaac, it was a photo from their wedding and the miniature replicas of several of his favorite board games.

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‘I wanted my cap to be out of this world,’ said Emmanuel Diala, a marketing major. ‘I am the sun, and the planets represent the people who have been with me on this incredible journey.’

Riley Hayden had wanted to be a volunteer firefighter since high school.

So when she came to Longwood, along with working toward a degree in elementary education, she joined the Farmville Fire Department.

‘I wanted to find a way to help others,’ she said.

A series of personal recognition events was held throughout the day for small groups of undergraduates and their guests.

MARKING THE OCCASION Virtual and in-person events honor Class of 2020

Degrees were officially conferred on the Class of 2020 last May, but this fall Longwood celebrated the milestone in a series of virtual and in-person events honoring undergraduates and graduate students. For recipients of graduate degrees, there was a virtual ceremony on Oct. 9 during which family members watching at home were invited to complete the ceremonial hooding of graduate gowns. In the spirit of a ceremony centered on family, Taylor Reveley III—president emeritus of William & Mary and father of Longwood’s president, W. Taylor Reveley IV— delivered recorded remarks.

In partnership with the undergraduate Class of 2020, President Reveley arranged to welcome small groups of graduates and families to the grounds of his home at Longwood House on Oct. 10. The series of personal recognition events alternated between two tents, where graduates’ names were called. Afterwards, Reveley met with families for commemorative photos. Each event was limited to 15 graduates and two family members per graduate.

PORTRAITS IN PERSEVERANCE

Michael Carpenter ’20 GRADUATE IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES WITH A MINOR IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FACILITY SUPERVISOR AT WATER COUNTRY USA Michael Carpenter (right) and his twin brother Matthew (left) attended the Class of 2020 event with their parents, Kevin and Johanna Carpenter.

I’m glad that I was able to say goodbye to the school that had been a home to me for four years.”

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‌ And Holding Them Tight SEND IN THE KLOWNS Students revel in Oktoberfest traditions

WITH A FEW NECESSARY ACCOMMODATIONS, including a virtual Saturday

Sam Chase ’21

night concert, the spirit of Oktoberfest was alive and well this fall. Just as usual, the decades-old tradition was full of fun, with sales of a commemorative T-shirt, storytelling around a bonfire and a Saturday procession where red and green class colors were flying. Saturday activities familiar to generations of Longwood alums included the reveal of Mr. and Ms. Oktoberfest and choreographed entertainment by Klowns, spirit leaders and students wearing their only-at-Longwood lederhosen outfits.

Ted Hodges ’85

Ted Hodges ’85 George Gaston ’21

Courtney Vogel

Sam Chase ’21

(this page, above) Ms. Oktoberfest Anna Hudson ’22, liberal studies/ elementary and middle-school education, and Mr. Oktoberfest Javion Peterson ’22, liberal studies/ elementary education. (this page, center) Crystal Nzewi ’21, political science, rocks her lederhosen. (facing page, far left) Dylan McKercher ’21, communication studies, was the CHI Klown.

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Going With The Flow …

PORTRAITS IN PERSEVERANCE

Shahmique Cromwell ’23 MAJOR: POLITICAL SCIENCE WITH A PRE-LAW FOCUS HOMETOWN: CHESTERFIELD, VIRGINIA SPORT: CROSS COUNTRY

WHO SAYS SMILES DON’T GROW ON TREES? Regan Vogel (above center), 8-year-old daughter of Longwood

It was hard not being able to compete this fall, but I think this experience will make me a better athlete. Everyone has a game plan going into a race, but you don’t know what’s going to happen.

You have to be able to adapt—and that’s one of the most important things I’ve learned from Covid.”

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photographer Courtney Vogel, recently accompanied her mom on a campus assignment, keeping herself busy by collecting some of the colorful leaves that had just begun to fall. All was not exactly well, though. Regan noticed students’ smiles were hidden by their dutifully worn masks. ‘Couldn’t they do something about that?’ she mused. In a moment of collective creativity—and to Regan’s great satisfaction—the group drew smiles on leaves and put on a happy face for an impromptu photo op.

That’s Life

A couple since eighth grade, 2019 graduates roll with the punches of work, the pandemic and their personal lives Jordan Ruffner ’17

Dani Rauchwarg and Ted Gutches, both 2019 Longwood graduates, are used to taking things in stride—both in their personal and professional lives.

The couple have endured numerous separations over the past nine years, beginning with Rauchwarg’s transfer to Dani Rauchwarg ’19 and Ted Gutches ’19 a different school at the end of the eighth grade. She and Gutches had just discovered that they really One hopeful sign is that her students seem to be more engaged liked each other after attending the same school for only one with remote learning this year, she said. “It’s definitely a crazy year. year, but I do know it’s making me become a better educator.”

Long and frequent telephone conversations kept their connection alive back then and through the separations they Working in a High-Risk Zone would weather over the next several For Gutches, Covid-19 has created other kinds of challenges. years, before and after they attended The hospital where he works, Riverside Regional Medical CenLongwood together. ter, has had its share of patients with Covid-19, making the ED Maybe those experiences are one “one of those high-risk places people were staying away from,” reason they are staying positive as they he said. The decline in demand meant a cutback in hours for roll with the punches of the Covid-19 the medical scribes, which Gutches says now “have returned to pandemic in their first 18 months out normal for the most part.” He was promoted to chief scribe in of college.

July, with responsibility for managing 15 of his fellow scribes.

Gutches is on the frontlines, working as a medical scribe in a hectic emergency What’s Ahead department in Newport News, where Gutches said his job is the perfect preparation for achieving his RAUCHWA R G ’19 his job is to record information gathultimate goal—becoming a physician. He has his fingers crossed ered during health-care providers’ interactions with patients. that he’ll be on his way to a medical degree starting in fall 2021.

Rauchwarg is teaching K-5 music in Williamsburg.

It’s definitely a crazy year, but I do know it’s making me become a better educator.”

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A ‘Crazy Year’ for Miss R “Miss R,” as her students call her, has had to adjust to posting pre-recorded lessons that her students will watch later. Gone for now is her favorite thing about teaching: “seeing their little faces light up” when they play their drums and xylophones or sing a new song.

And What About Wedding Bells?

In November, the couple spent a beautiful weekend in Farmville basking in the fall colors on the High Bridge Trail. “Before heading back to Williamsburg, when it seemed like we were the only ones on the bridge, I got down on one knee and asked her to be my wife,” said Gutches. For once, life threw no unexpected punches. Rauchwarg said yes.

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‌ And Living the Lancer Life The Adirondack chairs, fire pits and face coverings were new, but life on campus continued this fall much as it has in the past, with students throwing a ball around on Brock Commons, working out in the Fitness Center, having class outside on a sunny day and hanging out with friends.

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CLASSNOTES

1930s Marjorie Powers ’35 celebrated her 104th birthday in July 2020, an occasion noted by friends and family with 97 cards, 16 flower arrangements and about eight boxes of chocolate, according to a story in the Kenbridge Victoria Dispatch. For multiple people who asked, she shared some of her secrets to living a long life: “I didn’t smoke, I didn’t drink, and I didn’t run around with wild men.” A resident of Kenbridge for nearly 75 years, she spent most of her teaching career there after graduating from Longwood.

1950s Gaynelle Edwards Riddick ’55, a retired history teacher, is the author of The Ellis Frankfort Story, a book about a World War II fighter pilot from her hometown. The book chronicles efforts by the town of Franklin and Riddick’s church to honor the memory of Lt. Wynans Ellis Frankfort, shot down in 1944 in the South Pacific, whose plane and remains were found on an Indonesian island in 1991. He was buried in Franklin in 1995. She called the book an “extension” of her book Honor the Past, a history of High Street United Methodist Church in Franklin (her church and Frankfort’s), published in 2017, which had a chapter on Frankfort. “I added some recent things to expand on the story,” said Riddick, who taught American history for 24 years at Norview High School in Norfolk, Franklin Elementary School and Southampton Academy in Courtland. Later she gave tours around the world as a tour operator for 29 years.

photo Shirley Kemp Barlow ’56 has been honored for her contributions as a longtime teacher at Smithfield High School (SHS) with the creation of the Shirley K. Barlow STEM/Career and 22 I

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Fifteen members of the Class of 1956 got together for a mini reunion in fall 2019: 1 Mary Davis Fischer, 2 Marion Ruffin Jones, 3 Helen Warriner-Burke, 4 Julie Moncure Sugarman, 5 Becky Blair Kelly, 6 Shirley Kemp Barlow, 7 Betsy Berry Daniel, 8 Virginia Cowles, 9 Carolyn Gray Abdalla, 10 Linda Vess, 11 Sarah Jane Brisentine Mick, 12 Mary Ellen Hawthorne Balarzs, 13 Pat Brown Johnson, 14 Lee Hayes and 15 Nell Crocker Owen. Gail Leonard Negaard is also a member of the group

Their Favorite Colors Are Red and White

S

ix classmates from the Class of 1956 who have been lifelong friends since arriving on campus in September 1952 got together at a friend’s home in Chesterfield County recently for what SHIRLEY KEMP BARLOW called a “wonderful day of fun, good food and fellowship.”

Through the years, they have attended regular five-year reunions and gathered in between for “mini reunions.” They enjoy reminiscing about their years at Longwood—from freshman year, when they quickly recognized their classmates by the blue-and-white “rat hat” new students were required to wear every day except Sunday­­—through graduation.

At the recent gathering, they reflected on memories of Rat Day, Circus, May Day and capping, and shared stories about life in retirement as well as “all the great things happening at Longwood,” said Barlow.

“When we get together, we call it our ‘play day.’ We’ve kept in touch ever since graduating,” Barlow added. “A lot of people can’t believe we’ve been friends this long. We look forward to our 65th reunion in 2021.”

The women in the group were fierce competitors in all events against the Green and White classes during their college years, and “to this day we are proud winners of the Color Cup for the Red and White class in 1956,” said Barlow.

CLASSNOTES

Technical Education Scholarship. Barlow and three other members of the SHS faculty/administration were recognized for their contributions to students through education and school activities with a scholarship in each person’s name, established by SHS Charities Inc. in June 2019. The first Barlow Scholarship was awarded in June this year to a member of the 2020 class of Smithfield High School. Barlow retired in 1999 after teaching for 37 years, the last 25 years at SHS, where she taught biology and chemistry, was Teacher of the Year in 1992 and was honored by the Smithfield Rotary Club in 1999 for her “37 years of dedication to students.” She was selected for the “Honor our Own” award by the Gamma Epsilon chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International for women educators. The SHS Charities board of directors consists of SHS alums, many of whom Barlow taught. Barlow lives on a 225-acre beef cattle farm just outside of Smithfield that has been in her late husband’s family for more than 100 years.

1960s Elaine Johnson Keane ’60, an ordained minister and former art teacher, is the author of a Christian book, Seeing and Talking with Jesus, published in March.

The book, which features paintings by Keane, is based on her personal experiences. “It encourages readers to set apart a time every day to hear the Lord speak to them,” said Keane, who lives in Port Royal and who taught in Virginia (Fairfax County and Grove Avenue Christian School in Richmond), Maryland, Florida and Massachusetts.

1970s Cheryl Lisenbee Hutchins Andrews ’70 received the Jamaica Tourist Board’s prestigious Marcella Martinez Award for Excellence in Caribbean Public Relations in June 2019. Her award-winning public relations company, Cheryl Andrews Marketing Communications, which she founded in 1987 and was based in Coral Gables, Florida, was acquired by Chicago-based Zapwater Communications in April 2019. Andrews is the recipient of Longwood’s 2017 Thomas Jefferson Professional Achievement Award. Her daughter and son-in-law, Paula and David Jasinski, run Green Fin Studio, a Richmond-based environmental communications and marketing firm.

Dr. Elizabeth Jamerson ’75, M.A. ’91, in May was named the assistant superintendent of human resources and director of technology for the Cumberland County Public Schools. Her responsibilities include serving as school board clerk, compliance officer and public relations coordinator. She (continued on Page 24)

Six members of the Class of 1967 who have been close since their Longwood days—Doris Koehler Ackerson (left), Lucy Flannagan Blevins, Bonnie Stratton Bary, Cheryl Roberts Bradbury, Lee Larkin and Victoria Doss—gathered for a five-day reunion in February in Key West, Florida.

Golden friendships. A group of friends from the Class of 1967 who call themselves the “Grails” have gotten together regularly for at least the last five years, most recently in 2020. It was their third trip in the last three years to Key West, where Lee Larkin has a home, and they get together every November at Nags Head, North Carolina.

They’ve also gathered in New York City (for the 40th anniversary of their meeting), the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C. (their 50th anniversary) and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. “Friendships really are golden,” said Doris Koehler Ackerson. Five of the Grails met as freshmen living on third floor Tabb, and three of them later moved onto the floor. The group also includes Diane Downey and Nancy Fey Futch, and included Pat Finn Graves, who died in 2000.

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CLASSNOTES

Alumna pens 2 books starring Hector the snake BEVERLY JOHNSON DAVIS ’70, a substitute teacher in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, has published two children’s books featuring a character named Hector B. Winkinpaw, a 5-foot snake (of the stuffed, knitted variety) that became a member of her family about 25 years ago when her son was in elementary school.

“Hector later became a fixture at our beach house in Maine [also named Winkinpaw],” said Davis.

Hector B. Winkinpaw Loves Ladders! was published in 2019, and Hector B. Winkinpaw Loves the Beach! in 2020.

“The first book was inspired by our pre-school grandson. He was fascinated with our many ladders and would look for ladders in his books,” said Davis, who earned a B.S. in elementary education at Longwood. “I searched bookstores and asked librarians if there was a book featuring ladders. Finding none, other than books that commonly have fire engines with ladders, one librarian told me that I should just write my own. So that’s what I did! And since I needed a character to climb ladders, I chose Hector the snake.

“People asked for a second Hector book and encouraged me to do adventures at the beach, knowing how much I love the beautiful beach on the coast of Maine. All of the illustrations are my photos.”

Davis also has written a rhyming-verse book about a child with autism entering school.

“This has been such a wonderful new venture for me at the age of 70!” she said.

2 alums are officers in educators group Two of the top officers in Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary JUDY WHITLEY organization for GANZERT ’74 women educators, are Longwood alums.

JUDY WHITLEY GANZERT ’74 is the international president, and CONWAY CLARKE BLANKENSHIP ’76 is international vice president of the Southeast region, one of seven regions, which encompasses seven states. Each was elected in July 2019 and is serving a two-year term.

Ganzert, who lives in Richmond and joined the organization in 1983, served at the state and regional levels before serving four terms at the international level. She once held the office now occupied by Blankenship. Ganzert retired in 2009 after a 35-year career, all of it in Henrico County, first as a high-school social studies teacher and the last 20 years as curriculum specialist for social studies. She was her school’s Teacher of the Year in 1986 and

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also will work with the coordinators of food services and transportation. Previously she was a highschool English teacher in the district as well as coordinator of special programs and of instructional technology. Jamerson is an active member of the community, giving her time to numerous organizations, including the South Central Workforce Development Board, Southside Virginia Regional Technology Consortium, Cumberland Historical Society, Cumberland Museum, Cumberland Education Association and Cumberland Ruritan Club.

Dr. Molly O’Dell ’76 is working to fight the pandemic in the Virginia Department of Health’s Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts.

president of the Virginia Consortium of Social Studies Specialists and College Educators in 1996-97.

Blankenship, a Powhatan County resident who joined Alpha Delta Kappa in 1986, was its state president from 2014-16 and Southeast region membership consultant from 2017-19. She taught in Chesterfield County for 25 years, mostly English/ language arts, and later coordinated the gifted program at Powhatan High School, retiring in 2009 after a 33-year career.

Ganzert and Blankenship didn’t know each other at Longwood but, through Alpha Delta Kappa, have known each other for more than 30 CONWAY CLARKE years. “Judy has been a BLANKENSHIP ’76 mentor to me throughout the years,” said Blankenship.

Founded in 1947, Alpha Delta Kappa has just under 30,000 members in more than 1,200 chapters in all 50 states and four countries.

Dr. Molly O’Dell ’76 came out of retirement in March 2020 to coordinate the Roanoke region’s response to Covid-19. As director of communicable disease control for the Virginia Department of Health’s Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts, her responsibilities include managing personal protective equipment, consulting with nursing homes and jails, helping institutions ramp up testing capabilities and hiring investigators to trace people who have come in contact with the virus. O’Dell retired as director of the New River Health District in 2016 and served as director of Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts from 1987-2006.

Lynn Rabil ’76 is president of Hubbard Peanut Company, which in May 2020 was named Small Business of the Year for Western Hampton Roads by Inside Business magazine. The company, founded in 1954, is a small, family-owned business known for its gourmet high-end products that feature extra-large peanuts.

1980s Rohn Brown ’84, who has followed Longwood athletics for 40 years and written feature stories for

CLASSNOTES

LongwoodLancers.com, is the host of Lancers Past, an independent podcast he began in May that features interviews with former Longwood Lancer student-athletes, coaches and staff. Past episodes of Lancers Past are available on Apple Podcasts or search for “Lancers Past Podcast” on the internet or Facebook. Brown, who is president of the Lancer Club Advisory Board, and his wife, Teresa Carter Brown ’84, live in Mechanicsville.

Alan Walker ’85 is an employee benefits consultant with Swift Kennedy & Associates in Virginia Beach. He previously was a partner and chief marketing officer at Virginia Asset Management. His specialties are employee benefits, health care reform and long-term care insurance.

Bill Sturgill ’86 was elected to the Carroll County School Board in November 2019. Sturgill, who represents the Sulphur Springs District, retired in December 2019 after an education career that began with a position as a health and physical education teacher at Halifax County middle and high schools. He then was a special-education teacher in Grayson County. He served as assistant principal of Grayson County High School and principal of Galax High School and finally was superintendent of Galax (city) schools. Sturgill has master’s degrees from Radford University and Virginia Tech.

Cindy Cooke Council ’87, a fifth-grade teacher at Bay View Elementary School in Norfolk, has won three teaching awards in her career. She was Bay View’s Teacher of the Year in 2017-18, Teacher of the Year at Jacox Elementary School in Norfolk in 1998 and, along with her fifth-grade colleagues at Bay View, a recipient of the Norfolk schools’ Inspiration Award for Outstanding Instructional Team in 2011. Council, who lives in Franklin, has taught fourth grade and then fifth grade since 2003 at Bay View, where she oversees reading for her grade level. She taught fourth and first grades at Courtland Elementary School in Southampton County from 1987-96 and second grade at Jacox from 19962000. Her daughter is Devin Koehne ’21, who plans to earn a master’s at Longwood in special education after graduating and pursue a career as a special-education teacher.

Shel Bolyard-Douglas ’88 was named director of Fauquier County’s social services department in July. She will oversee a staff of more than 50 full-time equivalent positions and a budget of $11.8 million. Previously she had served as social services department director for Prince George and Dinwiddie counties. Bolyard-Douglas earned a master’s degree in social work/mental health from VCU in 1989.

Amy Venhuizen ’89 is media director of the media intelligence team at Spurrier Group, a Richmond-based marketing and media agency. She worked part time at The Martin Agency while she was at Longwood, signing on with them full time after graduation. She also worked at Thompson Everett and V Media Services before joining Spurrier in 2018.

A Lancer Lives Here. A Longwood flag is proudly flying above the home of Rob Ford ’79 in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Ford, who majored in biology, retired as a scientist with Philip Morris USA in Richmond. He fondly remembers being seated and served around a large family-style table in the dining hall at Longwood and hopes his daughter, Taylor Ford ’21, a criminal justice major, will develop her own favorite memories of her time on campus. Speaking of Longwood memories, Ford encourages all alums to join in Alumni Weekend, whether in person or online. The event is set for June 4-6, 2021.

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1990s Curtis Campbell ’90 became athletics director at Morehouse College in July. He had been the athletics director at Western Oregon University since 2017, and he has held the same position at Blackburn College, Stillman College and Tuskegee University. He attended Longwood after serving in the U.S. Army, during which time he was a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division.

Larry Robertson ’90 began a new position as assistant vice president for student development in Longwood’s Division of Strategic Operations in July, focusing on forward-looking initiatives and one-on-one connections with students in the area of student engagement and retention. The new position is the fourth promotion for Robertson at Longwood since his return to the university in 2004 after a nine-year stint in residence life at Virginia Tech. At Longwood, he moved from director of residential and commuter life to executive director, then to associate dean of students and then to dean of students before his latest promotion.

Jana Davis Hobbs ’93 received an Outstanding Music Teacher Award for 2020 from the Maryland Music Educators Association in March. She was one of four teachers from across the state to receive the award, which recognizes those who share their experiences and knowledge and are mentors in their profession. Hobbs teaches music appreciation, musical theater and theater arts at Wicomico High School in Salisbury, Maryland. She has taught for 25 years: four years in Accomack County in Virginia and 21 years in Maryland. She lives on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in Delmar, which straddles the state line with Delaware.

Wendy Tillett ’93, M.S. ’13, was named assistant principal of the new Cumberland Elementary School in June. She was previously a special education lead teacher and instructional coach for Powhatan County Public Schools, and prior 26 I

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LONGWOOD’S 1 HOUR A MONTH PROGRAM is an ongoing volunteer experience designed for alumni and friends of Longwood who enjoy creating and sharing digital stories.

Volunteers create and share stories through photos and respond to topic prompts asking for advice and reflections of about four to six sentences.

You’ll be rewarded with Longwood swag depending on your level of participation.

Find out more at longwood.edu/alumni/ 1-hour-a-month.

1980s gymnasts gather on campus for mini reunion Six members of Longwood’s gymnastics team in the 1980s—TERESA ROBEY BELCHER ’88 (left), DAWN CAMPBELL FARRINGTON ’88 (a student assistant), KERRI HRUBY KRAISSER ’87, LYNDA CHENOWETH LODEN ’89, MARY SCHAEFER MARSHBURN ’89 and TAMMY ZELLER PIERCE ’88—visited campus for a two-day reunion in March 2020 (bottom photo).

“We absolutely had a blast; it brought back great memories,” said Loden, who lives in Suwanee, Georgia. “We’ve all kept in touch through social media and phone.

Some had not seen each other since

graduating, and that was Kerri’s first trip back to campus.”

The alumnae, each of whom was on the team all four years, visited their coach, faculty member Dr. Ruth Budd, and were photographed on the same campus bench where they had posed for a photo of the 1985-86 gymnastics team (top photo). Another highlight of the gathering was staying at Hotel Weyanoke. “The first time I stayed there, in ’85, it had a hand-operated elevator,” said Loden.

Do they plan to return for another reunion?

“Oh sure, but we can’t wait another 30 years. We’ll all be gone by then,” Loden, a nationally rated gymnastics judge, said with a laugh.

Belcher lives in Haymarket; Farrington in Madison, Mississippi; Kraisser in Ellicott City, Maryland; Marshburn in McGaheysville and Pierce in Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania.

CLASSNOTES

to that time was a special education teacher and administrator for the Cumberland County Public Schools.

Penelope “Penny” Howard ’95 was named the associate CFP/controller at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in July. In her new role, she is focusing on strategic oversight and management of the college’s financials as well as planning, developing and enhancing the school’s financial service needs. Howard previously was executive vice president for administration and finance at SUNY Erie Community College in Buffalo, New York. She completed her Executive Master of Business Administration at VCU and is a licensed certified public accountant in Virginia.

Rebecca Amstutz ’96 is the new principal of Mill Creek Middle School in Prince Frederick, Maryland, part of the Calvert County Public Schools.

She previously worked in the St. Mary’s County Public Schools, most recently as assistant principal of Leonardtown Middle School, a position she had held since 2013. She also served as an assistant principal at Leonardtown High School and assistant principal at Margaret Brent Middle School. She holds a master’s degree in educational leadership administration from George Mason University.

Rob Orrison ’98 was elected president of the Virginia Association of Museums in March. Orrison, whose term is for two years, has served since 2012 on the VAM board, which also includes Cameron Patterson ’10. One of the oldest and largest (more than 3,000 institutional and individual members) statewide museum associations in the country, VAM provides professional development and advocacy opportunities. Orrison is historic preservation manager for Prince William County and the author of four history books.

2000s Eboni Lee ’01 was installed as the 2020 president of the Virginia Jaycees in February. She represents the organization in meetings and events around the state, as well as nationally. She attended a presidents’ retreat in St. Louis in December 2019 and was a member of the inaugural class of the North American Academy in Washington, D.C., in January. Lee joined the Farmville Jaycees in 2008 and has served as her chapter’s president, vice president and chair of the marketing committee. She is a member of the Longwood Alumni Association’s board of directors, Longwood’s Lancer Club advisory board, the Moton Council for the R.R. Moton Museum and the Farmville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Lee is a marketing officer for Benchmark Community Bank in Kenbridge.

Walking the Walk. Karen Shelton Smith ’80, M.S. ’04, and The Squirrel Squad received the Rookie Team Award from the Multiple Sclerosis Society for their successful Walk MS-Richmond 2019.

Pictured with two Virginia MS Society representatives (far right) are Smith (second from left) and some of the Squirrel Squad team members who also are Longwood alumnae and Alpha Gam sisters: Cherie Stevens Miller ’83, Betsy DeLong Jackson ’82, Deana McGuire Buck ’82 and Robin Belcher Liesfeld ’79.

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CLASSNOTES

Kendall L. Lee ’01, assistant director of Speech, Hearing and Learning Services at Longwood, was named by Gov. Ralph Northam to the Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Board.

Carrie Ward ’02 is teaching biology at Middlesex High School, beginning this school year. She and her husband, Joshua Ward, live in Gloucester. When she’s not teaching, she works with her mother in their vintage doll business.

Francis “Frank” Barron III ’04 was appointed by Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts in March to the County Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which includes seven counties. County Court in Nebraska corresponds roughly to General District Court in Virginia, though, unlike in Virginia, it includes juvenile court. Barron, who lives in Arlington, Nebraska, had been Burt County attorney since 2015. He also has run a private practice in Tekamah since 2009, focused primarily on civil litigation. Barron, who has a law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Michigan, was president of the Dodge County Bar Association from 2017-18. He has lived in Nebraska since 2009. His wife, Amanda, whom he met in law school, is a native of the state.

Megan Clark ’05, commonwealth’s attorney for Prince Edward County, was appointed by Gov. Ralph Northam to the State Child Fatality Review Team.

Sarah Farmer Crook ’05 and her husband, Rich Crook, are the parents of twin daughters, Charlotte Abbott and Addison Lenore, born June 13, 2020.

Sarah is a strategic business advisor at Ellucian.

Aliese Alter ’07 is a senior program manager for the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (W/B HIDTA), overseeing both the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) and Case Explorer. In her role, she is responsible for the overall management of ODMAP and Case Explorer, including outreach, program development, implementation and national partnerships. Alter interfaces with thousands of partners representing government, law enforcement and public health nationally to support data-driven efforts to reduce overdoses, as well as facilitate information 28 I

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WHERE IN THE ’WOOD? Can you guess where to find this doorknob?

If you attended Longwood, you almost certainly left your fingerprints on it at least once and probably many, many times.

It provides access to the most iconic and beloved building on campus. If you guessed the Rotunda, give yourself a gold star.

Park Service taps alum to oversee Civil War-era training center ERNIE PRICE ’91 is the first permanent superintendent of Camp Nelson National Monument, located in Jessamine County, Kentucky.

Initially established as a Union army supply depot and hospital, Camp Nelson was one of the largest recruitment and training centers for African American soldiers during the Civil War, and served as a refugee camp for their wives and children. Thousands of enslaved African Americans risked their lives escaping to reach the camp, with the hope of securing their freedom and, ultimately, controlling their futures by contributing to the destruction of slavery.

“Ernie will be a great asset in preserving and sharing the important history of Camp Nelson,” said Karen Cucurullo, South Atlantic-Gulf acting regional director for the National Park Service.

Price, who earned a degree in history from Longwood, had served as the chief of interpretation at El Morro and El Malpais national monuments in New Mexico since May 2018. His prior National Park Service assignments include the National Mall and

Memorial Parks, Natchez Trace Parkway, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Richmond National Battlefield Park and Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Site.

As the chief of education and visitor services at Appomattox Court House, Price received the prestigious national Freeman Tilden Award for outstanding contributions in education and interpretation for the Footsteps to Freedom program in 2015, the 150th anniversary of Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.

“Students of history, now and in the future, are fortunate that Jessamine County has preserved this critical piece of our American story and that it is now part of the National Park Service. It is my greatest professional honor to be named the first superintendent of Camp Nelson

I LOOK FORWARD TO HELPING PRESERVE THIS AMAZING RESOURCE AND SHARING THIS IMPORTANT STORY.” National Monument. I look forward to helping preserve this amazing resource and sharing this important story,” said Price.

Originally from Lynchburg, he earned a Master of Education degree from Lynchburg College.

CLASSNOTES

sharing. Prior to joining the W/B HIDTA, Alter served as a detective in Richmond. During her career, she held a variety of assignments, including patrol, recruitment and special victims unit.

Eddie Pyle ’11 and his wife, Grace-Kelly Pyle, are the parents of Lila-Rey, 7 pounds 5 ounces, born June 3. The Pyles also have another daughter, Ava-Grace.

Kara Dye ’07 is an associate underwriter in management liability at Kinsale Insurance.

Kimmy Sullivan ’12 is a physical education teacher at Ferrum Elementary School in southwest Virginia. She previously was head field hockey coach at Mountain View High School in Stafford County since 2015. While there, she directed the Wildcats to at least the state semifinals in four of her five seasons. Under her leadership, Mountain View went to three state championship games and captured two titles.

Dr. Daniel Wilson ’08 became vice president for enrollment management at Chowan University in Murfreesboro, North Carolina, in April.

He had been dean of student and enrollment services at Nash Community College, also in North Carolina, for four years. He has a master’s degree from Liberty University and a Ph.D. from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

Curtis Price ’09 is serving as a school principal for the first time in his career. Starting with the 2020-21 school year, he is the principal of Manteo Elementary School in North Carolina. For the last eight years, he has worked as a teacher, coach and assistant principal on the Outer Banks, serving both Manteo and First Flight schools. A biology major, he initially taught science in Ciudad Quesada, Costa Rica.

Anna Price Ross ’09 is the mother of Logan Parker, 8 pounds 1 ounce, on April 13, 2020. Logan is her second son.

Vickie Swoap Soyars, M.S. ’09, special education initial licensure, was named the 2021 Region 8 Teacher of the Year in a September announcement by Gov. Ralph Northam and first lady Pamela Northam. Soyars is a math teacher at Park View High School in South Hill. A Park View High School graduate herself, she returned to teach geometry at her high school alma mater in 2005. In addition to teaching, Soyars has spearheaded the Innovation Grant project for the school division and has served as a member of the calendar committee and the advisory board. She coached girls’ soccer and oversaw the Park View High School’s Power Hour program and Project Graduation.

2010s AnnMarie Koons Moore ’10 and her husband, Taylor Moore, are the parents of Edward Taylor, their first child, born Dec. 27, 2019, in Fort Worth, Texas.

Cameron Patterson ’10 was recently named executive director of the Moton Museum, after previously serving as managing director of the museum since January 2017. As the lead staff member for the museum, Patterson has worked to solidify a thriving partnership with Longwood, increase the museum’s visibility around the commonwealth and at the regional and national levels, and expand programs and resources, especially for young visitors.

Amanda Wilson ’10 was named Powhatan High School Teacher of the Year for 2019-20.

Ivan Campos ’13 will begin his term as chair of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Multicultural Issues Board in January. The board’s charge is to facilitate the ability of ASHA members to enhance human communication by providing culturally competent services and to provide leadership for ASHA policies and programs that are responsive to cultural and linguistic influences, particularly those impacting historically underserved and underrepresented populations. Campos is a bilingual speech-language pathologist at Riverside Unified School District in Riverside, California. He earned his master’s degree from Loma Linda University. While completing his undergraduate degree in Longwood’s communication science and disorders program, he worked full time in Nottoway County schools supporting English language learners and migrant students in the Virginia Migrant Education Program.

Chelsea Coward ’13 is a business analyst in the IT department Kinsale Insurance Co. in Richmond.

Sophie Shelton ’13 was promoted in January 2020 from communications and outreach (continued on Page 31)

Alum leads reinvestment team for Apple Hospitality

Cameron Patterson ’10 has led the Moton Museum, Virginia’s only civil rights museum, since 2017.

JEANETTE AMOROSO CLARKE ’03 is senior vice president and chief capital investment officer for Apple Hospitality REIT, a publicly traded real estate investment trust that owns one of the largest portfolios of upscale, rooms-focused hotels in the United States.

Clarke, who earned a business degree with a concentration in finance at Longwood, was promoted to the position with Apple Hospitality REIT in April 2020, only 13 months after being promoted to senior vice president of capital investments. The Richmond-based company has 235 hotels—230 of them Hiltons or Marriotts—in 34 states.

Clarke leads a team of seven whose work is focused on reinvestment into properties owned by Apple Hospitality. Her team’s efforts focus on building cash-flow models to strategically allocate investment funds throughout the portfolio and executing renovations through effective project management. From 20-40 renovations, lasting an average of three months, have historically taken place at any given time.

She joined what was formerly known as the Apple REIT Companies in 2008 after working for Circuit City Stores Inc. and Genworth Financial. Clarke, who has an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University, credits Longwood with preparing her to be an effective team leader.

“One of the most important things I learned from my experiences at Longwood is how critical leadership is to any organization. Being involved in various organizations at Longwood and the College of Business and Economics during my time there gave me a unique opportunity to learn the impact that servant leadership can have on those you serve.”

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Wedding vendors say ‘I Do’ to participating in ‘elopement’ The invitations were elegant, the flowers were beautiful, and the bride and groom looked very much in love. But the recent elopement at Farmville’s Hotel Weyanoke was actually staged, primarily by a group of Longwood alums to promote their wedding-related businesses. Participating in the event were ASHLEY BEAZLEY DOGOLI ’08, Aurelia Studios, photography; ERICA LUDEKE HUTCHISON ’09, Black Creek Flowers; MANDI VINSON MELLARD ’07, masks for the bride and groom; JULIA STANCAMPINO OGDEN ’07, Water’s Edge Design, event styling; EMILY SOUTHALL PAYNE ’04, Elite Event Planning; EMILY RIPKA ’09, Faye Street Studios, invitations; and MOLLY SPRAKER WALKER ’11, Letterful, calligraphy and hand-lettering. MEGAN PARKER TABIB ’09 provided assistance, and KIM HINES ’07 portrayed the bride.

Clockwise from top left: Kim Hines ’07 and her ‘groom’, Emily Ripka ’09, Ashley Beazley Dogoli ’08 (standing on chair), Emily Southhall Payne ’04, Julia Stancampino Ogden ’07 and Molly Spraker Walker ’11.

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(continued from Page 29)

associate to development coordinator for the Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, where she has worked since 2017. She is responsible for fundraising efforts, including major gifts, annual fundraising and special events. She also is the lead writer for printed publications, e-newsletters, social media and website content, and, as in her previous position, she does outreach to prospective donors, maintains donor records and assists with grant writing. Located in Morganton, where Shelton lives, the conservancy is a land trust that works with landowners to purchase land for permanent conservation. She worked in the university housing department at Appalachian State University from 2015-17.

Leah Jane Utz B.S. ’14, M.S. ’15, a fifth-grade teacher at Claude Thompson Elementary School in Fauquier County, was named her school’s 201920 Teacher of the Year. Utz has taught third, fourth and fifth grade.

Blake Carter ’15 was at the top of the leaderboard at the conclusion of the 44th Virginia State Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship at Bayville Golf Club. He posted a 9-under 63 for a three-day aggregate 202 to win the championship by four strokes. As one of the top five finishers, he automatically qualified for the 2021 VSGA Amateur Championship. Carter, a long hitter who was part of the Longwood golf team, spent time in Canada on the PGA’s Mackenzie Tour before regaining his amateur status.

Send us your class notes If you have any news from your professional or personal life, we’d love to hear about it. Please email the details to us at alumni@longwood.edu.

Remember to give us your full name, the year you graduated and the degree you received.

Amanda Oliver ’16 is a kindergarten teacher at Southside Elementary School in Powell, Wyoming. Oliver previously taught kindergarten for three years in Locust Grove, Virginia.

Carly Moore ’17 is a behavior specialist for the Rappahannock County Public Schools, bringing her practical knowledge from her previous experience as a therapeutic day treatment counselor to her new position. She also is working on her master’s degree in clinical mental health.

Christy Moore ’17 was appointed events and logistics coordinator for Capital One in February.

James Schiffbauer, Graduate Certificate/Educational Leadership ’17, is the principal of Weeksville Elementary School in the Elizabeth CityPasquotank (North Carolina) Public Schools. He previously was principal at J.C. Sawyer Elementary in the same school system.

Kelsey Bridges ’18 joined Kinsale Insurance Co. in February as an associate underwriter for professional liabilities.

Joey Nowak ’18 has been athletic director at Cumberland (County) High School since July 2019. He was hired at the school as a math teacher.

Devyn Alston ’19 was selected earlier this year for LRL Racing’s sports marketing internship program. Alston had been video editor/videographer for Chi Alpha Campus Ministries U.S.A. and also has been video editor for Massanutten Resort.

Lauren Kelly ’15 was named 2020 teacher of the year for Riverheads Elementary School in the Augusta County Public Schools. Kelly, who is a resident of Stuarts Draft, teaches third grade. “It was during my time as a high-school senior that I enrolled in Teachers For Tomorrow at Valley Vocational Technical Center. That experience coupled with my passion for serving my community validated my calling to teach,” she said. Kelly enjoys hiking, antiquing, traveling and spending time with family.

Brittany Hines ’16 appeared in the production of School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play by True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta, Feb.11-March 8. Set at a girls’ school in 1986 Ghana, the play explores the lives of girls who bully, who are jealous and self-absorbed, and who play fast and loose with the truth and rules. Hines also has appeared in productions staged by the Lyric Repertory Company in Logan, Utah, and the Illyria Theatre Company in Farmville.

Anne Tyler Paulek ’16 is the executive director of the Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce. Prior to her appointment, she had served as the executive assistant and the assistant director of the chamber. Anne Tyler and her husband, Adam Paulek, a Longwood art professor, are the parents of Archer David, born Dec. 18, 2019.

Cody Bell ’19 will receive a master’s degree in sports leadership from VCU’s Center for Sport Leadership in August. As part of his studies, he is a graduate assistant at First Tee of Greater Richmond.

Jenna Wrenn ’19 is an account representative at Mariner Finance.

2020 Dayna Rouse ’20, who played basketball for Longwood, is a member of the professional basketball team Herner TC in Herne, Germany.

Herner TC was the 2019 German DBBL Champion and Cup winner.

Brittany Hines ’16 (right), who uses the stage name Brittany Deneen, played the role of Nana in School Girls.

Marquell Woodson ’20 is a first-year teacher at Woodbrook Elementary School in Albemarle County. He is a fellow in the Charlottesville/Albemarle County African American Teaching Fellows (AATF) program, which provides community, professional and financial support to “individuals who have the potential to become great teachers and community leaders for the kids in our local schools,” according to the AATF website. Woodson is one of four fellows selected for the program this year.

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In Memoriam 1930s

Agnes Crockett Davis ’36 Aug. 31, 2020 Daphne Wilkerson Copley ’39 Feb. 10, 2020 Lucy Baskerville Lewis ’39 Feb. 20, 2020

1940s

Helen Cody Wright ’40 July 12, 2020 Betty Willcox Jordan ’41 Aug. 21, 2020 Esther Atkinson Jerome ’41 June 23, 2020 Jeanne Hall Bernard ’43 July 5, 2020 Alice Hannah Lloyd ’43 April 24, 2020 Ada-Clarke Nuckols Davis ’43 Aug. 25, 2020 Elsie Stossel Upchurch ’43 April 8, 2020 Evelyn Christian Hill ’45 March 1, 2020 Bernice Blair White ’45 July 4, 2020 Virginia Via Allman ’45 May 1, 2020 Alice Feitig Kelley ’45 May 11, 2020 Virginia Wells Johnson ’46 Sept. 1, 2020 Margaret Harvie Cardwell ’46 April 24, 2020 Page Cook Axson McGaughy ’46 Aug. 21, 2020 Earlene Kimmerling Starkey ’46 Feb. 28, 2020 Mae Derieux Taylor ’47 April 16, 2020 Constance Young Cox ’47 May 12, 2020 Louise Baker Harper ’47 March 22, 2020 Marian Hahn Sledd ’48 Aug. 17, 2020 Augusta Hargan Taylor ’48 March 22, 2020 Constance Newman Taylor ’48 Aug. 16, 2020 Edith Duffy White ’48 July 26, 2020 Helen Londeree Thompson ’49 Sept. 10, 2020 Jacquelyn Watson Dudley ’49 Aug. 2, 2020 Jean Thomasson Holmes ’49 March 4, 2020 Dorothy Freeman Sydnor ’49 Feb. 18, 2020

1950s

Alum’s fiancé is gone but not forgotten ANNA STEG ’09 had her “world turned upside down” when her fiancé, Marine Staff Sgt. Ben Hines, was killed in Afghanistan on April 8, 2019. She is keeping his memory alive through a philanthropic effort that honors his most cherished “passions.”

Along with Hines’ mother and sister, she co-founded the Ben Hines Memorial Foundation, which will annually award two $1,000 scholarships to high-school seniors from families of fallen soldiers, active or retired military members, and first responders. Steg’s friend and former LU basketball teammate, Claire Blevins ’09, is the secretary of the foundation. The first scholarships were given in June.

“Ben was always a selfless individual who puts the needs of others before his own, which is what we are striving to do with this foundation and scholarship,” said Steg. “The scholarship is for people who, like Ben, believe in the core values of family, patriotism, faith and education.”

Steg, a government contractor who lives in Leesburg, and Hines, a cybersecurity analyst who had served in the Marines since graduating from high school in 2006, were to have been married Oct. 12, 2019. They met in 2015. At the time of his death, Hines, a Marine reservist, had served in Afghanistan for eight months and was due to come home in just a few weeks.

For more information, email info@benhinesfoundation.org.

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Louise Redd Downing ’50 April 15, 2020 Lucy Jones Wilburn ’50 April 22, 2020 Claudia Anderson Chisholm ’51 May 14, 2020 Joyce Mattox Dillard ’51 Sept. 24, 2020 Dolores Waterfield Fentress ’51 March 31, 2020 Georgia Bailey Mason ’51 April 20, 2020 Helen Smith Massie ’51 Oct. 6, 2020 Rosalie Spain Sheffield ’51 Sept. 5, 2020 Elizabeth McClung Guilford ’54 July 18, 2020 Nancy Picinich Jordan ’55 April 21, 2020 Frances Hutson Ferguson ’56 April 22, 2020 Loretta Brooking Gasswint ’56 July 10, 2020 Margurete Franklin Grekos ’56 June 24, 2020 Lorene Allen Roberts ’56 June 21, 2020 Annie Gay Reynolds ’57 Aug. 1, 2020 Jan Kuyk Boyd ’57 Aug. 19, 2020 Catherine Nelson Hubbard ’57 March 13, 2020 Gayle Peoples Shiner ’57 March 27, 2020 Betty Cantrell Owen ’58 June 29, 2020 Elizabeth Ann Foster Duke ’58 Sept. 27, 2020 Shirley Hauptman Gaunt ’58 May 14, 2020 Anne Rountree Shinn ’58 Sept. 11, 2020

1960s

Sara Oliver Smith ’60 April 17, 2020 Diane Doughty Tobin ’60 June 20, 2020 Sue Benton Birdsong ’61 March 25, 2020 Norma Routt Gore ’61 April 17, 2020 Peggy Mullin Harvey ’61 Aug. 18, 2020

Carol Boley Rideout ’61 Sept. 30, 2020 Susan Bierer Bibb ’62 Aug. 29, 2020 Page Tolleson Faust ’62 June 30, 2020 Madeline Reed MacNeil ’62 March 22, 2020 Dorothy Fretz Leonard ’63 Sept. 15, 2020 Carolyn Buscemi Miller ’63 June 13, 2020 SuzAnn Sloop Sitar ’63 Aug. 13, 2020 Judith Hunt Tuck ’63 July 18, 2020 Carol Martin Blackman ’64 Sept. 7, 2020 Marian Russ Childress ’64 Aug. 23, 2020 Jayne Eddy Fields ’66 Aug. 9, 2020 Otis H. Lovelace ’66 Aug. 28, 2020 Judith Frost Woodruff ’66 Feb. 18, 2020 Faye Pearce Nalls ’67 March 30, 2020 Carole Austin Welsh ’67 April 8, 2020 Suzanne Driggs Bracken ’68 July 14, 2020 Jo Ann Cage ’68 July 10, 2020 Valerie Phillips Hillyer ’68 April 10, 2020

1970s

Ruth Loftis Green ’70 Oct. 6, 2020 Brenda Ferguson Scott ’70 Feb. 8, 2020 Betty Baicy Hopson ’72 March 16, 2020 Joyce Whitlock Fields ’73 May 2, 2020 Barbara Elswick McCombie ’73 Aug. 28, 2020 Susan Hicks Johnston ’74 Aug. 4, 2020 Andrew Marion Blackmon ’77 June 23, 2020 Jennifer Long Eismann ’77 Feb. 29, 2020 Patricia Howland Lyons ’77 April 4, 2020 James Edward Albright ’79 Feb. 22, 2020

1980s

Virginia Watkins Bickley ’80 March 15, 2020 Cheryl McKeen Bodden ’80 Feb. 13, 2020 Amy Callahan Bland ’82 March 7, 2020 Edgar Haltiwanger Rawl ’84 April 1, 2020

1990s

Susan Dale Rice ’93 Sept. 16, 2020

2000s

Derek Andre Petty ’04 June 25, 2020

2010s

Caitlyn M. Newman ’13 June 17, 2020 Taylor Denise Quesenberry ’15 July 6, 2020

FACULTY, STAFF and FRIENDS Edna Allen Bledsoe Dean July 1, 2020 Aileen B. Epperson Oct. 2, 2020 Susan G. Finch May 28, 2020 Mary M. Giles June 21, 2020 David T. Gillis July 17, 2020 Maebry A. Haislip May 12, 2020 Susan M. Harwood July 20, 2020 Beverley Anne Klein May 26, 2020 Thomas E. McBride May 25, 2020 Melissa Napier Parks Oct. 9, 2020 Billy L. Robertson July 19, 2020 Thomas R. Witt June 1, 2020

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201 High Street Farmville, VA 23909

R ETU R N S E R V I CE REQ UEST ED

WIDE-OPEN SPACES The Outdoor Club packed the fall with activities taking advantage of the many recreational areas on the Longwood campus and nearby, including games on Brock Commons, a sunset hike on High Bridge Trail (Page 6) and an evening of stargazing staged on the ball field at Lancer Park (Page 9).

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