Mars Hill: The Magazine of Mars Hill College - Fall 2012

“Amazing Alum” Marcus Thomas Finds Success Against All Odds

rs

ree E a D C I o INSLead t ents d ips C Stu h rns MH e t or In

Mars Hill [mahrz hil] MAGAZINE STAFF: Editor: Teresa Buckner, Media Relations Coordinator Associate Editor: Mike Thornhill ’88, Director of Communications Contributors: Beth Hardin ’08, Alumni Relations Associate Rick Baker, Sports Information Director

MARS HILL COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION

President: Dr. Dan G. Lunsford ’69 Executive Vice President: Dr. John Wells VP of Institutional Advancement: Bud Christman VP of Finance: Neil Tilley Executive Director of Planning & Auxiliary: Dr. Grainger Caudle Special Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives: Dr. Joy Kish

noun

1. A site in Athens, also known as the Areopagus, where Paul used persuasive reason and logic to preach Christ to the intellectuals of first-century Greece, as detailed in Acts 17:21 of the Bible.

2. A town in the mountains of North Carolina known for the beauty of its surroundings and its welcoming, small-town atmosphere.

3. A college in the town of Mars Hill which strives to provide the best in liberal arts education for its 1300-some students.

4. A concept (esp. for faculty, students, staff and alumni of Mars Hill College) signifying that place where faith meets reason, to lay a foundation for a life of character and compassion.

Mars Hill, The Magazine of Mars Hill College is published regularly by the Office of Communications. It is distributed, without charge, to alumni, donors, and friends of the college.

Notices of changes of address and class notes should be addressed to the Alumni Office, Mars Hill College, P.O. Box 370, Mars Hill, NC 28754. Phone 828/689-1102. Fax 828/689-1292. E-mail alumni@mhc.edu.

Letters to the editor and all other correspondence regarding the magazine should be addressed to the Office of Communications, Mars Hill College, P.O. Box 6765, Mars Hill, NC 28754. Phone 828/689-1304. Fax 828/689-1105. E-mail tbuckner@mhc.edu.

Postmaster: Send address changes to the Alumni Office, Mars Hill College, P.O. Box 6792, Mars Hill, NC 28754.

Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.

2

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

In This Issue:

Letter from the President.............................................4 Join Us for Homecoming 2012.....................................5

A very full lineup of activities Internships + Education = JOBS..................................6

Internships make a big difference for MHC grads MHC Alumni and Friends Trip to

Turkey and Greece..............................................9 Awards of Note.............................................................10 “Amazing Alumnus” Marcus Thomas ’85.................12

Plus: Alums Leslee Johnson ’95 and Danny Peck ’01

work on a book and a DVD about Thomas’ life

“Amazing Alumnus” Eric Mann ’81...........................16 Lion Athletics: 2012 Spring Sports Update..............18 70 Years and Counting................................................20

Bob and Rachel Chapman (’44 and ’45) celebrate 70 years on “The Hill”

Alumni News................................................................23

New Director of Alumni Relations Building for the Future................................................24

An Asheville site and new residence halls

top the list of facility improvements

Faculty/Staff Scholarly Achievements

and New Faculty and Staff................................25 Class Notes ...................................................................26 Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

3

It’s so hard for me to believe that Beverly and I have served as president and first lady of Mars Hill College for almost eleven years. I can honestly say that the past decade has brought many challenges, but also some of the most fulfilling times of my professional life.

academic and athletic programs.

I am thankful for the successes of Mars Hill College during this period: construction and renovation of a state-of-the-art math and science complex; increased undergraduate offerings; increased enrollment; implementation of a master’s program in education which has been approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; and the completion of a successful capital campaign, which supported the facility improvements and upgrades necessary to accommodate growth in

Many of those accomplishments, and others, grew out of the strategic planning process, which Mars Hill College has tackled in recent years with fervor. The goals of our most recent five-year strategic plan, which included the master’s program and many expanded curriculum offerings, were accomplished in only three years. As a college community we were focused on our goals, we worked hard, and we checked them off, one by one.

Now that planning process continues, and Mars Hill College is deeply involved in the process of formulating a new five-year strategic plan. The vision statement of this new plan will emphasize that Mars Hill is the preeminent private higher education institution in western North Carolina, engaging its students to be lifelong learners in pursuit of ethical and successful lives. Although the plan sets short-term goals, it does so with a longer view in mind, with each goal paving the way for the future of a growing institution.

Among the most exciting upcoming events brought about by the ongoing planning process is an additional location for Mars Hill College, set to open in January of 2013, on Airport Road in south Asheville. The college has provided classes in rented and borrowed locations in the Asheville area for nearly 30 years, but this site will give the college an ongoing visible presence in Asheville, as well as increasing efficiency for our off-site Adult and Graduate Studies classes.

You, our alumni and friends, know the importance of what we do here at Mars Hill College. And we who are blessed to live and work here are committed to maintaining the quality of the institution both now and for the future. Even as we prepare for growth and change, we remain committed to the enduring values that have distinguished Mars Hill: a high-quality education, in an atmosphere of personal concern and attention, where faith and reason can coexist.

We hope you will continue to walk with us on this exciting journey!

Dr. Dan Lunsford ’69 President

4

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

JOIN US FOR HOMECOMING OCTOBER 10-14, 2012 Tentative 2012 Homecoming Schedule Wednesday, Oct. 10th Women’s Soccer, Meares Stadium ................. 5:00 pm Men’s Soccer, Meares Stadium ....................... 7:30 pm Theatre Arts presents “Godspell,”

Owen Theatre ........................................... 7:30 pm Thursday, Oct. 11th Chili Cook Off , Lion’s Den Patio ................... 5:00 pm Lion’s Growl, Meares Stadium ........................ 6:00 pm Ice Cream Social, Lion’s Den Patio .......................immediately after Lion’s Growl Theatre Arts presents “Godspell”

Owen Theatre ............................................ 7:30 pm Friday, Oct. 12th Golf Tournament, Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC (Email driggins@mhc.edu to register)

Registration/Lunch................11:00 am-12:30 pm

Tournament instructions........12:45 pm-1:00 pm

Shotgun start/Captain’s choice ............... 1:00 pm

Prizes & hors d’oerves,

Grove Park Clubhouse......6:00 pm-7:00 pm Alumni Board meeting,

Pittman Dining Hall ................ 11:30 am-1:00 pm Registration, Blackwell Lobby ........2:00 pm-5:00 pm Women’s Soccer, Meares Stadium ................. 5:00 pm Men’s Soccer, Meares Stadium ....................... 7:30 pm Bonfire with s’mores and acoustic music by Nashville recording artist Hannah Miller ’03

(opening act Kaitlyn Allen ’11)

Broyhill Chapel Pavilion .......................... 7:00 pm

(Sponsored by the Alumni Association and the MHC Outdoor Center)

Theatre Arts presents “Godspell”

Owen Theatre ............................................ 7:30 pm

Saturday, Oct. 13th Registration, Blackwell lobby........... 9:00 am-1:30 pm Women’s Soccer Alumni Game .......................9:00 am

(RSVP to Ken Miller at kmiller@mhc.edu) Alumni Softball Game .................................... 10:30 am

(RSVP to Monica Gordy at mgordy@mhc.edu)

Festival on the Quad ......................... 9:00 am-1:00 pm

(With tables by student groups, alumni classes,

affinity groups, farmer’s market vendors, etc.; reserve a table today at alumni@mhc.edu!)

Marcus Thomas Art Exhibit

Montague Hall............................1:00 pm-4:00 pm SAC (Student Alumni Connection)

Spilman Parlor/Porch ........... 10:00 am-11:30 am Bailey Mountain Cloggers Meet and Greet McConnell Hall...................... 10:00 am-11:00 am

(RSVP to Danielle Buice Plimpton at dbuice@mhc.edu) Alumni Choir, Broyhill Chapel ..................... 11:00 am BMC Performance, Quad............................... 11:00 am BMC Performance (with alumni), Quad.....12:00 pm Lunch by Chartwells ($8.50 adult/$5.25 children)

On the Quad ............................. 11:00 am-1:00 pm

(With seating for class reunions: 2002, 1987, and 1972) Brick Unveiling for the Class of 2012 ..........12:30 pm Campus Tours with the Ambassadors

(Sign up at registration) Alumni of the Year Presentation

Meares Stadium ......................................... 1:00 pm Football Game vs. Catawba 1:30pm

Homecoming Court & Alumni Band ....halftime

Extended Alumni Band Performance.................... following the game Alumni of the Year Dinner

Redway Dining Room ............................... 5:30 pm 80s Decade Reunion

On the Quad .............................6:30 pm - 9:30 pm

(Wear your favorite 80s outfit; childcare provided)

Theatre Arts presents “Godspell”

Owen Theatre ............................................ 7:30 pm Sunday, Oct. 14th Chapel Service for students/alumni/community Broyhill Chapel ...................... 10:00 am-11:00 am Brunch, Pittman Dining Hall ........ 10:30 am-1:30 pm Theatre Arts presents “Godspell”

Owen Theatre ............................................ 2:30 pm

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

5

INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE + MHC EDUCATION = JOBS

by Teresa Buckner

James Whitt ’12 looks like an old pro as he goes about his job as Madison County Assistant Clerk of Court.

That’s probably because the recent graduate of MHC had several months of experience before he ever started his job.

James, who majored in sociology with a concentration in criminal justice, was an intern at the clerk’s office during his last semester of college. So, when a job opened at the office during that time, he was poised to apply. He started in mid-May, just days after graduation.

“During my internship, I filled in for a lady who was on maternity leave. When she decided to stay home with her child, I was in a good place to get this job,” James said. “I already knew the computer system, and I knew how things operate here.”

James is lucky, not only to have a job so soon after graduation, but to have one that so closely mirrors his career goals.

James’s experience is also unusual in the current job market. The Center of Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University reports that just around half of recent graduates are finding jobs. An April article in Business Insider magazine, which reported on the study, said: “About 1.5 million, or 53.6 percent, of bachelor’s degree-holders under the age of 25 last year were jobless or underemployed, the highest share in at least 11 years.”

According to Gillian Bosonetto, director of the MHC Career Center, James’ internship is the key to his finding a good job so quickly.

“Internships and other forms of experiential learning help the students identify their own strengths and refine their real interests,” Bosonetto said. “They help them build relationships with people in the areas of work that they may aspire to, and they help them understand where their academic learning may be taking them.

They also help them understand the true meaning of the ‘top soft skills’ that employers seek: teamwork, excellent communication skills, critical thinking, the ability to meet deadlines, initiative, and a strong work 6

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

MORE INTERNSHIP

SUCCESS STORIES ethic. As such, they are not just another hoop in the academic progress maze, but a meaningful experience that carries heavy weight with future employers and graduate school recruiters.”

Even if James’ current job had not opened at such a fortuitous time, he feels that his internship would have been extremely beneficial. “I would absolutely recommend that students pursue internships. Even if the internship doesn’t directly lead to a job as mine did, it gives you a chance to make a positive impression, and that can lead to contacts that can be helpful in getting a job elsewhere.”

ServiceInternship, a service learning and internships organization, recently reported that “98% of schools say it is very important for college students to have at least one internship before entering the job market and 77% agree that having more than one is very important.” (The organization based its findings on results of an online survey of career centers at over 300 public and private schools of all sizes, conducted in the U.S.A., October 2011–January 2012.) Its report mirrors findings by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), which also recently surveyed employers about the value of internships, and found that “not only are employers expecting to increase internship hires by 8.5 percent over last year, but they’re also reporting record-breaking conversion rates....”

According to Bosonetto, these reports meet with her experience, that students have a much improved chance of finding employment soon after graduation if they are actively involved in internships or other forms of experiential learning, such as service learning, applied research, part-time jobs, or work study, regardless of their major or career goals.

“Building good references, having strong stories to tell about accomplishments and applied learning in the relevant field, whether for academic credit or not, go a long way to help students effectively market their candidacy for any position—including graduate school placements,” she said.

Occasionally, students learn that they do not like their majors, which is just as important as learning that they do, she said. But much more often, students find a way to match up their skills and passions with available jobs, and the result is a success story which benefits everyone.

Walker Brown ’12 Internship: Buncombe County Department of Social Services, Burlington, NC Current job: Social Worker, Alamance County Department of Social Services.

“I think every student in every academic discipline should do an internship of some sort.

I could not have had a better experience, and most agencies are willing to take on interns because it is mutually beneficial. It helps students to gain some experience and see the real world. I feel much more comfortable walking into the agency where I will be employed with those hours of experience under my belt.”

Mallory Trasport ’12 Internship: Gould Killian CPA Group, P.A., Asheville, NC Current job: Staff Accountant, Gould Killian CPA Group, P.A., Asheville NC “When I went to MHC they did not offer any tax classes for the accounting concentration so through my internship, and Gould Killian’s wonderful mentor program, I learned about tax work, how to prepare tax returns, and the thought process behind the work. It was invaluable experience and helped me to realize that the tax side of accounting is where I wanted to be in my career.

I would encourage any student in any major to pursue an internship. The real-world work experience is so much more than you can ever get in a classroom.

It helps to put all you’ve learned to the test and also helps you to be sure you chose the right profession for you.” continued...

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

7

SUCCESS STORIES, cont...

Brad Hughes ’12 Internship: MHC computer science department Current Job: Programmer, Home Trust Banking Partnership, Asheville, NC “In my position, I use many of the same skills and knowledge that I used in the internship. Having experience with coding from both the classroom and the senior seminar project enabled me to ‘hit the ground running’ as a programmer.

Biljana Ljubomir Kroll ’04 Internship: Lark Books, in Asheville, NC

In fact, my employer is making changes to its computer program, and I’ve been told that other employees will be looking to me for guidance because I already have experience with similar tasks and programs. That is pretty remarkable, to be one of the newest members of the team, and yet to be the one looked to for experience.”

Julian Cuthbertson ’08 Internship: Summer Analyst Internship Class at Morgan Stanley, New York, NY Current job: Finance Associate, General Ledger Reference Data System Maintenance Team, Morgan Stanley, New York, NY “The first thing the internship allowed me to do was decide if finance was the path that I wanted to take as far as my career was related after college. But it also allowed me to develop professional etiquette and get an understanding of what is required in a formal corporate setting….My advice to students considering whether or not they want to do an internship is that you should definitely participate in an internship program. An internship these days, with the working environment being so 8

unpredictable, is the best way to secure a job in the field you have been studying during your time in college. Firms are looking to hire young talent out of college, and having completed an internship gives you an edge over those who have no experience in the field. Internships also allow you to really decide where your passion is and whether or not you want to pursue a career in that particular field of work. Lastly, an internship provides an avenue of learning and a level of knowledge that no classroom can provide.

Professors understand this and I believe this is why so many colleges and universities across the country offer course credit for internship hours completed.”

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

First post-graduation job: Graphic Designer, Sophie Magazine, Asheville, NC Current job: Art Instructor, North Greenville University, Tigerville, SC Graduate degree: MA, graphic design, Savannah College of Art and Design “The internship influenced my career path after college. I realized I really enjoyed working with the computer as a design tool so after college (a few years later) I went back to get M.A. in graphic design from SCAD. During that time I also got a full-time job at Sophie Magazine, where I combined my love for design and fashion once again. During this time I also got to illustrate a storybook written by the editor of Sophie, Jean Ann Taylor ’92. … After four years at Sophie, I decided it was time to move on and continue to challenge myself.

I felt that there were a lot of things I had learned through the years that I wanted to share with young designers. In 2010 I got an art instructor position at North Greenville University. I’m currently teaching full time a variety of drawing and graphic design classes. I’m in the process of self-publishing two books intended for students interested in using design software and working with type in their designs.”

Join Dr. Tom Sawyer and Mars Hill Colleg

Alumni and Friends on a journey t

Turkey and Greece June 18-30, 2013

including highlights from th Journeys of Paul and th Churches of the Book of Revelatio Highlights You will fly from New York to Istanbul, Turkey. Guided tours and visits in Turkey will include: • the Blue Mosque, famous for beautiful ceramic tiles • St. Sophia Basilica, ancient seat of the Byzantine Church • Topkapi Palace, residence of the sultans; • the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest covered markets in the world • the famous Bosphoros (via boat tour) • the Dardanelles Strait (via ferry) • Cannakkale • the ancient city of Troy with its replica of the famous Trojan horse • the cities of the churches of Revelation: Pergamum, Thyatira, Smyrna, Sardis, Ephesus, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (Rev. 2-3) • Pamukkale and the ruins of Hierapolis, including the Roman Baths with their white lime cascades (Col. 4:13) • Ephesus (Eph., Rev. 1:11, 2:1-7, Acts 18 & 19), one of the world’s greatest archeological sites

• the reputed home of the Virgin Mary • St. John’s Basilica, where, according to legend, he was buried.

By cruise ship, you will visit the Greek isles including Patmos, where John wrote the Book of Revelation: Rhodes; Crete; and Santorini; with optional shore excursions: • on Patmos, to the Monastery of St. John and the Holy Cave of the Apocalypse (Rev. 1:9) • on Crete, to the Palace of Knossos.

Your cruise will continue to Athens. Guided tours and visits in Greece will include: • ancient Corinth (see 1 & 2 Cor.) where the Apostle Paul lived and preached • the Acropolis citadel and its several buildings, including the Parthenon • and the original Mars Hill, or Areopagus, where Paul gave his famous sermon to the intellectuals of Greece (see Acts 17).

You will fly back to New York from Athens, Greece.

Cost: land tour - $2,685; airline ticket - $1,290 (estimate) First deposit due: October 20, 2012

Dr. Tom Sawyer, MHC professor emeritus of religion will be providing information about tour sites as they relate to the New Testament.

tails and informational Sign up now for more de Norton (828/689-1347, emails. Contact Darryl 89Ophelia DeGroot (828/6 dnorton@mhc.edu) or .)

1438, fdegroot@mhc.edu ginal MARS HILL, the ori e Th : top m fro s, , Photo eece; the ruins of Ephesus Parthenon in Athens, Gr y rke Tu , ale kk mu e; and Pa Turkey; Santorini, Greec Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

9

Awards of Note G. McLeod Bryan Caring Awards This year’s recipients of the G. McLeod Bryan Caring Awards are Dr. Greg Clemons, professor of Spanish, and student Samantha Oldham ’12. The awards were presented at the Mars Hill College Community Service Convocation April 10.

Dr. Greg Clemons is deeply involved—both on and off campus—in efforts to encourage students to reach their highest academic potential, and to broaden understanding of other cultures and of international human rights.

The Caring Awards recognize recipients who have made a positive impact on the community, whose involvement in the community is ongoing, whose action in the community is directed at serious social challenges and who work to connect the campus and wider community.

Clemons is known as a friend and mentor to many students. In addition to being a Spanish professor in both the traditional and adult programs, he is the coordinator of MHC’s foreign language program and the faculty leader of student trips to Chiapas, Mexico. He is the faculty advisor for Alpha Chi, an international society which honors students in the top ten percent of their classes, and he is the previous president of Alpha Chi’s Region III, covering the southeastern U.S. He also serves on the committee which plans and implements SLAM (Student Liberal Arts Mosaic).

Samantha Oldham, a business major and Bonner Scholar from Houston, TX, made a name for herself on campus with the annual Hunger Awareness Week movement. She also worked every year planning events that raise money for local charities like Neighbors in Need and MANNA Food Bank, and planned educational events that address the issue of food insecurity.

Off campus, Oldham volunteered with Three Streams Family Health Center, and with Homeward Bound’s A HOPE Day Center.

Clemons and Oldham

He is a frequent speaker in MHC’s classes about LGBTQ issues, and he is faculty co-sponsor of the student human rights group Safe Haven.

Off campus, he has served on the board of directors for the Asheville Sister Cities organization, the World Affairs Council of WNC, and on the board of the Foreign Language Association of North Carolina.

Ball Receives I. Ruth Martin Award for Christian Service Eddie Ball ’86, a resident of Mars Hill and an Information Technology Systems Technician with Mars Hill College, has received the I. Ruth Martin Award for Christian Service. The award was presented at the Mars Hill College Community Service Convocation April 10.

The award was established by I. Ruth Martin ’38, to be given to a Christian individual who has served faithfully without any spotlight recognition.

Ball was nominated for the award for his willingness to use his technical skills to help 10

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

others. Ball often works after hours and goes beyond what is required of his job because of his concern for students and others on and off the Mars Hill College campus.He has volunteered his time to help the Mars Hill Fire Department, Madison High, Mars Hill Elementary, Brush Creek Elementary, Hot Springs Elementary, North Buncombe Elementary, Burnsville Elementary and Madison Youth League. In addition, he is a regular blood donor and participant in the annual Walk for a Cure in Madison County, a fundraiser for breast cancer research.

Ball is a member of California Creek Baptist Church in Mars Hill.

Holcombe Receives Michael Emory Award Michael Holcombe, a 2012 graduate from Mars Hill majoring in social work, received the Michael Emory Award from Mars Hill College.

The Michael Emory Award is presented annually to an individual who demonstrates Christ-like compassion, loyalty and service to the economically, socially or emotionally oppressed and diligent pursuit of truth and justice even when such pursuit may be unpopular. The award is given in honor of “Big Mike” Emory ’94, whose life exemplified the criteria of the award. “Big Mike” was in seminary preparing for a life of ministry when a tragic accident led to his untimely death.

During three years of working at My Sister’s Place in Madison County, Holcombe worked to help survivors of domestic violence.

On campus, he not only promoted, but participated in, awareness events on campus such as the Clothesline Project and Take Back the Night.

He was also instrumental in planning and putting on the fundraising event “Dude Looks Like A Lady” in his junior year with all proceeds benefiting My Sister’s Place.

Michael volunteers with The Coalition for Southern Equality, and has worked on behalf of the LGBTQ community regarding civil rights. He was also the primary voice in last year’s effort to get Safe Haven recognized as an official human rights student organization at MHC.

Carver Receives Baptist Heritage Award Mars Hill College has honored trustee M. Kyle Carver Sr., of Leicester, NC, with the Baptist Heritage Award for 2012.

Carver was one of 16 North Carolina Baptists from across the state recognized for their accomplishments and dedication during the 12th annual Baptist Heritage Award ceremony in Greensboro on April 24. The event is co-sponsored by the Baptist State Convention and the N.C. Baptist Foundation.

Carver is an alumnus, a trustee and a volunteer leader at Mars Hill College.

He joined the Board of Trustees in 1978, has chaired numerous board committees since that time, and served one term as chair of the board.

Carver has been a member at Newfound Baptist Church for 60 years. He currently serves as vice chair of the deacons and president of the church’s Baptist Men group. With Baptist Men, he has served in disaster relief and construction ministries in N.C., and across the country.

In the Buncombe Baptist Association, Carver has served as assistant treasurer and chair of the administrative team. He has also been a member of the Finance Committee, the Rest Area Ministry, and WNC Mountain State Fair Ministry.

Professionally, Carver taught middle school science for more than 30 years. He served four terms on the N.C. Council for Exceptional Children and was awarded the Distinguished Middle School Science Teacher of N.C. in 2007.

LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE AWARDS The Outstanding Leadership and Service Awards were presented at the 2012 Community Service Convocation, April 10.

Students were selected for this award for modeling lives of service and for their leadership in creating positive change through both action and accomplishment. This is a relatively new award, created during the last academic year to honor and celebrate the hard work and dedication of these very deserving students.

Recipients of the award are: Jordan Crawford, Candler, NC; Brittany Marcum, Brevard, NC; Traci Morgan, Marshall, NC; Justin Gragg, Lenoir, NC; Meagan Green, Webster, NC; Ariel Sheppard, Micro, NC; Brittany Hazeldine, Huntington, WV; Aaron Rapp, Mars Hill, NC; Paige Bedard Faircloth, Mars Hill, NC; Joo Kyung “Esther” Kim, Thessaloniki, Greece; Josh Linhart, Arden, NC; Rachel Connor, Granite Falls, NC; Alicia Foden, Snellville, GA; Megan Trasport, Waynesville, NC; Amanda Beth Hoffman, Waynesville, NC. Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

11

Amazing Alumnus

Marcus Thomas ’85 Marcus Thomas paints in his home studio.

It’s been a good year for Marcus Thomas ’85.

Marcus is continuing to enjoy a successful career as an artist; a book about his life and career, called Flight of the Mind, is due out this fall; and his painting, Biltmore Winter, has been chosen by Biltmore Wine Company to adorn the label of its 2012 Christmas wine.

“I feel like it’s all coming together, and it feels good, it feels right,” Marcus said. “We’re really excited.”

Marcus usually speaks in the first person plural because his wife, Anne Gahagan Thomas, takes such an active role in marketing his prints and managing his career.

That arrangement is due in part to Anne’s interest and business acumen, but it is also a practical necessity, since Marcus has been paralyzed from the shoulders down since soon after he graduated in 1985.

The beautifully intricate paintings that Marcus creates would be a thing of wonder, even if they were created by an artist with the use of his hands. But the wonder is amplified by the amazing method of the artist: Marcus’s paintings come to life under a brush held in his mouth.

12

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

by Teresa Buckner

What’s more: limited mobility forces him to sometimes paint with the canvas turned upside down or sideways, without ever losing focus of how the completed image should look.

Had he made different choices, or allowed different emotions to rule, the accident that left Marcus a quadriplegic could have led to bitterness, rage, or despair. Instead, Marcus’s story is one of triumph, redirected dreams, talents discovered, enduring love, and unbelievable success against all odds, all held together with gargantuan measures of optimism and determination.

During his student days at Mars Hill College, Marcus Thomas would never have guessed that his future career would involve art. At that point, his major was recreation, his goal was to be the general manager of a four-season resort, and the focus of his free time was anything active he could do outside.

“I loved any kind of sport: baseball, basketball, tennis and water sports like kayaking and boating; and I really

enjoyed skiing, hiking, camping, any kind of outdoor adventure, really,” he said.

Marcus credits art teacher Ken Gregory for teaching him some of the elements of composition in a photography class he took at Mars Hill. “But that was really my only artistic training,” he said.

When Marcus graduated in December of 1985, he believed he was headed toward a life and a career focused on his passion for active adventure. But then, on March 3, 1986, only three months after graduation, everything changed. Marcus fell while skiing and slid headfirst into a tree, leaving him paralyzed from the shoulders down.

“I have no memory of the accident,” he said. “I woke up about three weeks after, hooked up to a respirator, and no memory of what happened. Of course, Anne and my family were around me and filled in all the gaps.”

With strong support from Anne, family and lots of friends, Marcus began to focus on recovering, both physically and mentally. After six months of intensive therapy in a series of health and rehab facilities, Marcus was released, and he and Anne moved in with his parents in Hopewell, Virginia.

Marcus Thomas, as he appeared in the 1979 Laurel

have to do is create a feeding station in your back yard, and they provide the entertainment.”

Marcus also found that painting the scenes of nature, and sometimes being outside during the creation of the painting, kept him engaged in the outdoors, though his physical activities were limited.

“What a great way to stay active mentally and to remain active outdoors! I wasn’t physically moving outdoors, but mentally I was still engaged. Emotionally, I was still engaged,” he said.

By the next year, Marcus and Anne assembled twelve of his best paintings into a 1988 calendar which they printed and sold. According to Marcus, comparing it with his current work, the paintings “were not very good, very amateurish, but it felt good, it felt like the right thing to do.”

Marcus went to graduate school, briefly, “with the enormous help of Anne,” at Virginia Commonwealth University, intending to get a master’s degree in rehab counseling. But Marcus was more and more focused on painting, and both he and Anne were focused on selling the calendar.

Marcus quit school and devoted himself to painting full time.

That decision led to another calendar It was about six months after the Marcus and Annie Thomas, at their for 1989, and later to limited edition accident when Anne and Marcus’s home in Weaverville. prints. From there, the couple began sister, Amanda, gave him a gift–a set doing art shows and later, sales of Crayola paints. It was something through a website. just to pass the time, they thought. Little did they know the world that their simple gift would open for Marcus.

“And 25 years later, we’re still smiling,” Marcus said.

“The only purpose at that early stage, was just to have fun. Marcus does smile, and often. He and Anne share an It was something different to do,” Marcus said. “But from obviously loving relationship, and a shared dedication to the beginning painting just really captured my attention. living life as it is, not as it might have been.

It really felt right, and the more I painted the broader “I don’t think the accident was meant to be. But I do my ideas became, and the more I zeroed in on specific think the ability to adapt was meant to be,” Marcus said. subjects, birds being one of my main interests.”

“I never really experienced anger or pity or anything like As part of a lifelong love of the outdoors, Marcus had that, and I feel very fortunate for that. Everyone would always been fascinated by the idea of flying and birds, in handle it differently. I appreciate what’s happened in the particular, are a frequent subject of his paintings. “That past, but I still stay focused on now. I don’t want to get interest in flight carried over and the birds became a too far ahead of myself and I don’t want to fall behind. natural thing for me,” Marcus said. “I love their colors. I Anne and I both share that philosophy, to just kind of love the wide variety. How accessible they are. All you live in the moment.” continued...

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

13

Marcus Thomas, cont...

Living in the moment is keeping the Thomases plenty busy, traveling to art shows all over western North Carolina, Virginia and, in the winter, Florida. On top of their “regular” schedule, this fall, Marcus and Anne are traveling and planning events to correspond both with the publication of Marcus’s book, and the introduction of Biltmore’s Christmas wine.

Biltmore Winter will be the cover painting for Biltmore Winery’s 2012 Christmas wine.

Flight of the Mind, A Painter’s Journey Through Paralysis, is a 25-year retrospective of Marcus’s life, written by MHC alumna and former

adjunct professor Leslee Johnson ’95 It was a project Marcus and Anne had contemplated for some time, but the pieces fell together when they met Johnson a couple of years ago at a show in Richmond, Virginia, and realized she lived in the Asheville area.

The book will also come out with a DVD about Marcus’s life, and includes additional paintings not included in the book. The DVD was produced by Asheville Multimedia, a local company owned by Weaverville native Bob Peck, with music arranged by his brother, MHC alum Danny Peck ’01.

Through the book and DVD, Marcus will be able to share with the world, not just his art, but the many things he’s learned about life in the last 25 years.

“I hope it provides a little bit of hope. Everybody struggles with something and perhaps some of them sort of get beyond that difficult point to reach out and enjoy all that’s around,” Marcus said. “There’s so much beauty in life. Enjoy the moment now, enjoy the people around you. It’s definitely a shared journey.”

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO SHOULD BE HERE NEXT YEAR?

F

TELL US! Here at Mars Hill College, we are having the best recruiting year in our history.

But we still need your help! You as members of the Mars Hill family are uniquely qualified to know those students who would be a good fit at “the Hill.” Please tell us about prospective students you may know. You can give the Mars Hill College Admissions Department a call at

828.689.1201 OR, encourage prospective students to visit our web page, at

www.mhc.edu

SEE AN EXHIBIT OF MARCUS THOMAS’S WORK When You Come for HOMECOMING on

Saturday, October 13 in Montague Hall from 9 am to 1 pm Join Marcus and Anne Thomas for an exhibit of Marcus’s paintings.

Copies of Flight of the Mind will be available, together with a DVD about Marcus’ life and work, and a print of a special painting that he has created especially for MHC alums!

MHC CONNECTIONS

When Flight of the Mind and its accompanying DVD is released in the fall of 2012, Marcus Thomas will not be the only alum of MHC whose work is represented.

LESLEE JOHNSON ’95: WRITER Flight of the Mind is Marcus’s story, but it is Leslee Johnson’s words.

Leslee N. Johnson graduated from Mars Hill College in 1995 with an interdisciplinary major in mathematics, philosophy, and literature. She completed her master’s degree at New York University in philosophy and writing, and then from 2003 to 2008, she was an instructor of English and philosophy at Mars Hill College.

Currently, she works as a freelance writer and editor in Asheville, NC, where she lives with her husband, Cameron Allen ’06. Her freelance work includes diverse projects, from writing for Biltmore United Methodist Church, to editing a memoir for the founder of the Tigerlily Foundation, an organzation that supports young women who are fighting cancer, to developing a book about leadership, written by the CIO of NASA.

Leslee and Marcus and Anne Thomas plan to continue their collaborative work with a project that pairs Marcus’s paintings of hummingbirds with an exploration of the history in the stories of America’s indigenous peoples.

DANNY PECK ’01: MUSICIAN Flight of the Mind will come out with a DVD produced

by Asheville Multimedia, a local company owned by Weaverville native Bob Peck. Music for the DVD will be created by his brother Danny Peck, another MHC alum.

After graduating with a computer science degree in 2001, Danny spent some time working as a web developer in Charlotte and Chicago before moving back to Asheville in 2009. Danny’s career is deeply rooted in computers, as is his creative passion outside of work. As long as he’s been able to use a computer, Danny has been making music under the moniker “dep.” His methodology with making music has always been to start from the ground-up, building a song around his own individual samples that he pulls from his various field recordings. Learn more about Danny’s music here: http:// dep.fm.

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

15

Amazing Alumnus

Eric Mann ’81

Eric Mann ’81 (right) on the job at the Jacksonville, FL, YMCA

by Beth Hardin ’08

Sometimes, decisions that seem inconsequential can have ripple effects that change the course of a person’s life.

make the choice that eventually led Mann to his current position as chief executive officer of First Coast YMCA in Jacksonville, FL.

Just ask Eric Mann ’81.

The trajectory of Mann’s progression through the leadership of the YMCA organization is a classic case of a young man gradually climbing the ladder of success. In the years since Mann’s graduation, he has progressed from a youth department intern (Asheville), to youth director, to senior program director (New Haven, CT), to associate executive director, to branch

In the spring of 1981, Mann was required to complete an internship for his recreation major at Mars Hill College. He applied to four different organizations in Asheville and they each responded positively, but the YMCA offered to pay his mileage. That’s all it took to 16

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

Eric Mann, as he appeared in the 1981 Laurel.

executive director (Los Angeles, CA), to vice president (Cincinnati, OH), to senior vice president (Charlotte, NC), to CEO (Pittsburgh, PA) to his current role in Jacksonville, FL. Needless to say, quite the ladder was built when he started his thirst for knowledge during his internship through Mars Hill College.

In 1977, when Mann stepped foot on “The Hill,” his plans were to either be a coach or to work for a parks and recreation organization.

The professors at Mars Hill have a history of investing in the lives of their students and Mann still appreciates them today. A couple of Mann’s favorites were Coach Harrell Wood and Dr. Virginia Hart. They encouraged, challenged, and strengthened his goals and dreams. “I had some great mentors that encouraged me to look at the Y as an opportunity to become full time because of the values and what the Y was doing. It fit my personality.”

“At that time, I was young and I was eager to learn.

I think I’ve always been eager to learn. It was all new. It was exciting,” said Mann. So, he worked hard, doing whatever was asked of him. For one semester, Mann soaked up every experience like a sponge while he drove the bus, ran the after school program, and learned to enjoy lesson planning.

As an employer who now hosts 20 interns per year, Mann knows the importance of internships. “There’s no question about it. Without my internship, I would’ve never gotten involved with the YMCA. After the internship, they offered me a full time position working in the youth department.”

It was during his stint in Los Angeles that Eric met his wife, Branita, a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, on a blind date at the YMCA. They have a daughter, Erica, who is a

sophomore at Hofstra University in Long Island, NY. Mann thoroughly enjoys being a community leader and representing his organization, which he believes makes such a positive impact in the community. He said, “I think that the values that I bring to this role, a lot of them were established and encouraged at MHC, such as independent thinking and making good decisions based on our moral compass.”

Mann has some advice for current Mars Hill students, “Take advantage of every learning opportunity that you can. Internships provide a wealth of experience that every employer is looking for.

Don’t be afraid to do some work without getting paid.

It may not be a monetary compensation but it will be an experience compensation.

When I was an intern, I had the inside track, they really liked the work I was doing as an intern, so I was able to seamlessly move into the work force with employment from graduation.”

Every summer, Mann welcomes new interns to the Y by meeting with them personally. Not long ago, he met with a new group, asking each intern to say his or her name, class year, major, and school. Surrounded by interns from larger universities, MHC student intern Nerman Imsirovic ’12 felt self conscious, thinking many people may have never heard of Mars Hill.

After everyone had shared, Mann said to the group, “Guess who my favorite intern in here is?” They all looked around, wondering who had gained the favor so quickly.

He pointed to Imsirovic. “You don’t know this but I am a grad of MHC and I got my start as an intern.”

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

17

LION ATHLETICS: 2012 Spring Sports Update

by Rick Baker

Mars Hill athletic programs wrapped up a successful spring season. The Lions produced a shared conference title, a regional title, three All-Americans, two conference players of the year, a freshman of the year and 17 all-conference team members.

Tennis The women’s tennis team made the SAC Tournament, finishing 9-10 overall including a 5-4 mark in conference play. Erika Piñate was undefeated in conference play for the second consecutive season, earning her back-to-back player of the year honors. Tatiana Dualiby also earned all-conference honors.

The men’s tennis team finished with an 8-10 overall record. Lucas Simm, Euquerio Guerrero, Enrico Patriarca, and Guilherme Lima were named AllConference.

Lacrosse The lacrosse team enjoyed a very successful season that saw the Lions finish with an 11-3 record and tie for the conference championship. The team was ranked as high as ninth nationally and was ranked in the USILA poll in five consecutive weeks. Chris Cudmore and Dylan Price earned All-America honors, TJ Cowx was named conference player of the year, and Tyler Thilo was named freshman of the year. Four other Lions made all-conference teams.

18

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

Softball The softball team finished 22-24 overall and earned the eighth seed in the SAC Tournament. Senior Natalie Haithcox earned All-America honors, leading the nation in slugging percentage and becoming the school’s all-time home run leader.

The team had three winning streaks of three games or more.

Baseball The baseball team finished with a 17-31 overall record. First baseman Coty Pate and outfielder Joey Belviso were each named to SAC all-conference teams. Belviso slammed nine home runs to help earn first team recognition and Pate’s 14 homers placed him on the second team.

Track The men’s track and field team took first at Regionals. It was the fifth regional title in school history. Seven Lions earned all-region honors at the event. The team set a large number of school records at various points throughout the season.

The women’s track and field team placed fifth at Regionals. Two Lions earned all-region at the event. Team members set several school records during the season.

Golf The men’s and women’s golf teams each finished in tenth place in the SAC. Jacqueline McCormick was the top finisher for the women’s team at the conference tournament.

The top men’s performer at the conference tournament was Dylan Payne.

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

19

70 Years and Counting...

Bob and Rachel Chapman celebrate 70 years on “The Hill.”

It was the early fall of 1942—seventy years ago this August—when Rachel Messick first came to Mars Hill College as a student. It would be another year before her future husband, Bob Chapman, came to the campus, sight unseen, to begin his freshman year.

The story of their life together, like so many others, began on “The Hill.” But unlike the hundreds (or thousands?) of other couples who have found each other at Mars Hill through the years, the Chapmans’ life has been inextricably entwined with life at the college for the past seven decades. Now, even in their retirement years, they continue to be one of those iconic couples who represent the ethos that is Mars Hill College.

Bob and Rachel first met as students in a typing class in 1943. But it was a bumpy start.

“She didn’t like me at all,” Bob said.

Rachel nodded. “He had had typing and he thought he was the best student in the class, and I guess he was. But he let us know it,” she said.

“She thought I was a smart-aleck know it all,” Bob said, 20

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

laughing, while Rachel smiled and nodded.

Having recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary, they can now enjoy the irony of their unpromising beginning. It wasn’t until they returned to work during the summer session of 1946 that things began to change.

Rachel had just graduated from Women’s College in Greensboro (now UNC-G) and had been invited

by Dean Ralph Lee to teach for the summer session.

Bob had been invited to work for Dean Lee over the summer as his office assistant.

One evening, Dean Lee invited Bob, Rachel, and another staff member to his house for watermelon.

They all walked to Dean Lee’s house together, but when the third member of the party had to leave early, Bob and Rachel were left to walk back to campus alone.

“And I guess you could say that a spark began to glow,” Bob said.

By the end of the summer session, they were engaged.

By the end of session they also had jobs at Mars Hill

College. Rachel had been invited to remain on the business faculty, and Bob had been invited to work with Registrar J. W. Huff as assistant registrar after he completed his senior year at Furman University.

college would loan money to faculty and staff to build a house at 5% fixed-rate interest if you had clear title to the property on which the house was to be built,” Bob said.

Rachel resigned from a teaching position she had already accepted in Reidsville, NC, so that she could remain at Mars Hill. Bob completed his senior year at Furman and then returned to Mars Hill as assistant registrar.

The Chapmans moved into their home on Bailey Street not long before their first daughter, Susan, was born. When, a little over a year later, they realized they were going to have another child, they decided that their current house was not adequate.

Bob was to begin work June 1, 1947. But he had something very important to do first.

“Dr. Blackwell was a very thoughtful and generous man, and he gave me a week’s vacation before I ever started working here, so that Rachel and I could go on our honeymoon,” Bob said.

Dr. Blackwell performed their wedding ceremony on June 1, 1947, in Mars Hill Baptist Church, a building which students now know as Owen Theatre.

“We honeymooned in New Orleans. Then, as soon as we got back, I had to go to Furman for graduation exercises—that was on a Sunday—and then I began working on Monday. It was a tight schedule but, oh, was it worth it!”

Bob and Rachel began their married life in a single room in Stroup Dormitory.

The following year, Huffman Dorm was completed and they were “upgraded” to a two-room suite. Still, they had tight quarters, and their only “kitchen,” was in the bedroom closet. But that was adequate because they ate their regular meals in the dining hall.

Bob said: “We used one room for our bedroom, and we had a small refrigerator in it and a double hot-plate with an oven that could be set on one of the burners in our bedroom closet. And the other room we used as a living room.”

Later, the Chapmans moved into an apartment in what they called “the Robinson house,” which sat where the Pittman parking lot sits now, and in 1952 they built a house on Bailey Street through a special lowinterest loan program administered by the college.

“In those days, there was nowhere for young faculty and staff to live in Mars Hill. So, the

They sold the first house to Rachel’s newly-widowed mother, and used the loan program to build the house in which they now live, two doors up on Bailey Street. Their second daughter, Melanie, was born in 1954.

In 1957, J.W. Huff retired, and Bob moved into his position as registrar.

It was a position he would hold until his retirement in 1991. All during those years, he was also a member of the business faculty.

Rachel remained a member of the business faculty at MHC during her entire career. The Chapmans officially retired in 1991, but continued teaching part-time for two more years.

When they fully retired in 1993, the Chapmans had given a combined total of 93 years of service to the college: 47 for Rachel and 46 for Bob.

Top: Rachel Messick and Bob Chapman in 1946 Bottom: Rachel and Bob Chapman at their wedding, with Rev. John Link (back left) and Dr. Hoyt Blackwell (back right).

The Chapmans’ two daughters attended Madison County Schools and later, they both graduated from Mars Hill College. Susan Chapman Richardson ’74 is now a technical services librarian for the City of Birmingham, AL, Library System.

She lives in Birmingham with her husband Paul Richardson ’73, and two children (Robert and Rachel).

Melanie Chapman Vinten-Johansen ’76 lives in Grayson, GA, with her husband Jakob Vinten-Johansen.

She recently retired from Emory Midtown Hospital, in Atlanta, after 33 years as a registered nurse.

Because the Chapmans have been so continued...

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

21

Chapmans, cont...

dedicated to the college for these 70 years, their story in many ways coincides with the story of Mars Hill College.

a fire alarm one evening, he came to campus, and stood helpless, watching smoke billow from the building.

For them, the figures of Mars Hill history were flesh “Smoke was coming out under the eaves all around the and blood human beings who even now inhabit their building,” Bob said. “But suddenly it just erupted in memories as teachers, mentors, friends and colleagues. flames. I was standing in the registrar’s office, which With fondness, they recall the dignity of President was in Marshbanks, and I just watched it burn. The fire Robert Moore and his wife, Bursar Edna Moore; the department came, but there was nothing anyone could friendliness of President Hoyt Blackwell ’22; the do.” gentleness of Caroline Biggers; and the youth and vigor When Mars Hill went from a junior college to a four-year of President Fred Bentley. They recall other young men college in 1964, the Chapmans were here. In 1966, Fred as college students, who would one day take the reigns of Bentley began what would be a thirty-year presidency, the college presidency. Max Lennon ’60 (president from one that coincided with the tremendous cultural changes 1996 to 2002) and Dan Lunsford ’69 (president from 2002 to present) were two of the thousands of promising young students who passed through their classes.

The famously strict campus rules of the 1940s and 50s were a way of life that the Chapmans remember well as an integral part of their college days.

“You weren’t supposed to hold hands on the campus,” Bob said. “And boys and girls weren’t supposed to stop on the little circle (now the upper quad) and talk to each other during the school day, while classes were going on. I’ve always been somewhat of a chatter box and I got called down more than once for stopping and talking to a girl on the little circle between the library and Spilman.”

Students during the Chapmans’ college years were far less mobile, and that created an insular, but intimate campus environment.

“Students didn’t have automobiles, and we had our entertainment here on the campus, either provided by the college, or created by the students,” Bob said.

On-campus entertainment might include events put on by the very active, and competitive, campus literary societies. These events, called “receptions” and “anniversaries” stressed manners, proper dress, and etiquette as much as they stressed fun. Other entertainment might include the occasional (tame and chaste) movie in the auditorium. Infrequently, students might go to Asheville by bus, but female students could only leave campus with the permission of the Dean of Women.

“So you see, we have lived through quite a change in Mars Hill,” Rachel said.

The strict structure began to change somewhat when World War II ended and young veterans flooded the campus to seek a college degree. “When the war was over and the veterans started coming on the GI bill, rules and regulations changed rather quickly,” Bob said.

“Those men had been in service, exposed to life on the battlefield and other places, and they just wouldn’t accept the rules as they were.”

Historic campus events—both good and bad—are part of the Chapmans’ memories. Bob remembers well the fire that destroyed Mars Hill’s first auditorium. Having heard 22

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

“We have lived through quite a change at Mars Hill College.”

Rachel Chapman

of the latter half of the 20th century, and that oversaw the rigors of becoming an accredited baccalaureate institution. And still, the Chapmans were here.

Today, Mars Hill is very different, but Bob and Rachel Chapman remain an active part of the campus.

Bob is now the president of the Retired Personnel Association and Rachel is active in helping host association gatherings. Bob was also instrumental, during the sesquicentennial year, in co-editing the book, Through the Long Years, with Director of Auxiliary Services Darryl Norton ’80, and former Vice President of Publications Walter Smith ’46.

Since around 2000, the Chapmans have also been caretakers of the flower garden that sits between Pittman Dining Hall and the Moore Fine Arts building. In 2003, the garden was dedicated to them and is now named the Chapman Garden.

Bob and Rachel Chapman have definitely made their mark on Mars Hill College since they arrived 70 years ago. And they say if they had it to do again, they would make essentially the same choices.

“It’s been a good life,” Bob said. Through the years, he received offers to work at both UNC-G and Furman, but ultimately, he chose to remain at Mars Hill. “We’ve been here through good times and times that were not so good, through peak enrollment and salary increases, and through other times when enrollment would hit bottom, and there were no salary increases at all. But I wouldn’t change the choices we’ve made,” he said.

Rachel agrees. “We’ve considered other places, but being at Mars Hill allowed us to be part of this close-knit group. And that was a life we wanted for ourselves and for our daughters.”

ALUMNI NEWS

New Director of Alumni Relations

September 1 will mark a change in leadership for Alumni Relations at Mars Hill College.

eleven years to work with the most special people I know —our alumni,” Fifi said.

Ophelia “Fifi” DeGroot ’58, who has been Director of Alumni Relations for eleven years, will move into a new role as Alumni Relations Resource Consultant. At that point, Beth Hardin ’08, who was previously the Alumni Relations Associate, will become Director of Alumni Relations.

Beth Hardin is a third generation “Mars Hillian,” with several relatives among the alumni she will be serving in the coming years.

Alumni who have enjoyed a friendship with Fifi need not fear that she will disappear from life at Mars Hill College. She will, in fact, continue to maintain parttime office hours at the college, and will be reachable at the same office, phone number, and email (828/689-1438; fdegroot@mhc. edu).

In her new role, Fifi will continue to manage the CarterHumphrey guest house, coordinate 50th (and 60th!) year reunions, and assist with events related to Homecoming, Founders Week, and the Toward 2056 committee.

Fifi said that the past decade has marked an important period in her life that built on many deep and numerous lifetime connections to MHC. “I care deeply about ‘our school,’ and I feel so fortunate to have had the past

During the past year as alumni relations associate, she has focused on creating opportunities for young alumni to get more involved at MHC. As director, she hopes to continue seeking quality networking opportunities for MHC students and genuine engagement opportunities for alumni.

“As a proud alumna of Mars Hill College, I’m thrilled about the opportunity to become the Director of Alumni Relations. Fifi has done such a wonderful job over these past years, and has helped create a wonderful sense of community and connection for so many of us as we’ve moved through our years away from the Hill, that I’m excited to see where we can go from here. I’ve learned so much from her in my current role in the Alumni Office, and I’m truly honored to build on the path she’s laid out.”

Alumni can reach Beth at: alumni@mhc.edu, or 828/689-1148.

The Bascom Lamar Lunsford Festival

CELEBRATING 45 YEARS The Second Oldest folk Festival in western North Carolina Celebrating Regional Music and Dance Traditions Music ~ Dancing ~ Crafts ~ Workshops

OCTOBER 6, 2012 www.lunsfordfestival.com 828.689.1571 Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

23

BUILDING

FOR

THE

Providing the best educational and social experience possible for a rising number of students requires the ongoing improvement of facilities and surroundings at Mars Hill College. The following projects are currently underway, or recently completed at this time.

A SECOND LOCATION IN ASHEVILLE: Mars Hill College has signed a lease on a building on Airport Road in Asheville, NC, which will enable the college to open a second location in January, 2013.

While Mars Hill College has offered classes in rented and borrowed locations in the Asheville area for over 30 years, leasing a building on Airport Road will allow the college to provide these services in a building it can call its own. A second location will allow MHC to provide a highquality educational experience for students in the AshevilleHendersonville area, while raising the visibility of the college in the Asheville market and increasing the efficiency of its off-campus offerings.

AZALEA TOWNHOUSE APARTMENTS: The college’s Townhouse Apartments were unused for several years until this spring, when they were gutted and completely remodeled. The total renovation and remodeling of the townhouses has recently been completed, and the newly refurbished living quarters, named Azalea Townhouses, are open for occupancy as of the opening of the fall, 2012 semester.

By extensively renovating the townhouses, rather than razing them and starting over, MHC has chosen a course which is both environmentally and financially responsible.

Energy efficient aspects of the renovation include: high efficiency lighting, carpet and decking made from recycled material, spray foam insulation and overlay on exterior walls, high efficiency windows, water-conservative plumbing fixtures, high efficiency heat pumps that adjust to

FUTURE

occupancy, LED lighting for the exterior of the townhouses and the basketball court outside.

NEW RESIDENCE HALLS Construction began this summer on one of two new planned dormitories on the south side of campus. The larger of the two, to be named Laurel Residence Hall, will house 67 students.

Under current plans, another, slightly smaller dormitory named Dogwood Residence Hall is planned to begin the construction phase in July 2013. Laurel Hall will sit on “men’s hill,” near Gibson dorm, while Dogwood will sit behind the townhouses.

DINING HALL RENOVATION: Construction was just completed on a $1.2 million renovation of Pittman Dining Hall. The cafeteria’s newly designed interior, financed by Chartwells food service, features “made to order” prep stations and an open kitchen. The new design will mean fresh, to-order food and more variety.

DON HENDERSON BASEBALL FIELD: Construction is currently underway on Don Henderson Baseball Field. Phase I of the project includes a repositioned playing field with new grass turf, an in-ground irrigation system, new fencing, new backstop, and a 385-foot center field (up from a current center field of 345 feet).

Phase II, to begin during the 2012–13 academic year, will add dugouts and a new game operations/press box.

BROYHILL PAVILION: Construction on a pavilion behind Broyhill Chapel is also ongoing. Students in vocational classes at Madison High School have cut the timbers to frame the pavilion and a contractor recently assembled the pavilion on site.

A later stage of construction will include masonry on the pavilion to match the chapel.

Left page, top to bottom: The new south Asheville location on Airport Road, Azalea Townhouses, Laurel Hall (artist’s rendering); Right page, top to bottom: The remodeled interior of Pittman Dining Hall, the beginnings of a backstop and dugouts on Don Henderson Baseball Field, and Broyhill Pavilion.

Faculty

STAFF

LICATIONS...ACHIEVEMENTS...PRESENTATIONS...PUBLICATIONS...ACHIEVEMENTS...PRESENTATIONS...PUBLICATIONS B and Dr. Matt Baldwin, Associate Professor of Religion & Philosophy: Spring 2012, published “The Touchstone Text: A Forensic Rationale for Biblical Studies in American Liberal Education,” Teaching the Bible in the Liberal Arts Classroom, ed. Jane S. Webster and Glenn S. Holland (Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2012).

Mr. Jarod Camerota, Head Coach, Tennis: January 2012, published an article in Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: “An examination of preactivity and postactivity flexibility practices of National Collegiate Association Division I tennis coaches.”

Chris Cain, Associate Professor of Education: 2012, developed and published a five day in-service for teachers in the public schools for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, called the “ACT Mathematics Professional Development for Teachers of Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities,” with V. Faulkner and R. Lyman. 2012.

Dr. Rick Cary, Professor of Art: Selected as a 20122015 Road Scholar by the North Carolina Humanities Council. In that role, he will give presentations across the state related to his photographic collection: Credo: Documenting Signs Following Believers in Southern Appalachia.

April 2012, Cary and his photography exhibit Credo, were also featured in a an article in Bold Life magazine, titled: “Following Signs in the World of Serpents.”

Dr. Ron Collins, Assistant Professor of Business: September, 2012: Published an article with Dr. Ed Wright, and Teresa Domagalsk in Business Communication Quarterly: “Improving Employee Selection with a Revised Resume Format.”

Ms. Hannah Furgiuele, Program Coordinator, Ramsey Center for Regional Studies: Finalist in The Appalachian Mountain Photography Contest, with photo titled: Parents Beware.

FACULTY and STAFF, cont...

continued...

WELCOME NEW FACULTY AND STAFF Shane Anders, Grounds Crew.

Elizabeth B. Anderson, Assistant Professor of Social Work; M.S.W., Virginia Commonwealth Univ.

Emily Ayscue, Information and Applications Mgr, Admissions; B.S., Business Admin., Mars Hill College.

Bryan Bagwell, Assistant Coach, Women’s Basketball; B.S., History, Wake Forest Univ.

Barrie Barton, Assistant Director, Bailey Mountain Cloggers, M.A. Arts In Education, Vermont College, NC Dance Education Teaching Certification, Univ. of North Carolina, Charlotte.

Beth J. Cessna, Assistant Professor of Business; M.B.A., Univ. of Chicago.

Ronald Collins, Assistant Professor of Business; Ed.D., Florida International Univ., Ph.D., Saybrook Univ.

Kenneth Gregory, Assistant Professor of Art; M.F.A., East Tennessee State Univ.

Gary Hamel, Head Coach, Men’s Soccer; B.S., Physical Educ., Springfield College.

Heather Hawn, Assistant Professor of Political Science; J.D., Campbell Univ., Ph.D., Univ. of South Carolina Sarah Jansen, Head Coach, Women’s Basketball; M.S., Sports Mgmt., Univ. of California, Pennsylvania.

Brett Johnson, Assistant Professor of Sociology; Ph.D., Univ.of Colorado.

Michael Landis, Director of Student Activities, Manager of Wren Student Union; M.A., College Student 26

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

Personnel, Bowling Green Univ.

Lemona Ledford, Administrative Assistant, Adult and Graduate Studies; A.A.S., Business, A-B Tech.

John McMillan, Assistant Coach, Football; M.S., Physical Educ., Jacksonville State Univ.

Deb Myers, Director, LifeWorks; M.Ed., Univ.of Vermont.

Laura D. Whitaker-Lea, Assistant Vice President for Student Development; M.A., Bowling Green State Univ.

Rebecca Long, Instructor of Music; M.S. in Music Theory, Univ.of Southern Mississippi.

Renee Parrish, Human Resources Information Systems Manager; B.S., Communications, Appalachian State Univ.

Aaron Rembert, Head Coach, Baseball; M.S., Entrepreneurship, Western Carolina Univ.

Rick Scruggs, Head Coach, Men’s Basketball; M.S., Coaching, United States Sports Academy.

Barbara Sims, Professor of Criminal Justice; Ph.D., Sam Houston State Univ.

Ricky Spradling, Assistant Football Coach; B.S., Recreation and Sports Mgmt., Mars Hill College.

Jessica VanCleave, Assistant Professor of Sociology; Ph.D., Univ.of Georgia.

Jessica West, Assistant Professor of Theater Arts; M.F.A., Univ.of Georgia.

BLICATIONS...ACHIEVEMENTS...PRESENTATIONS...PUBLICATIONS...ACHIEVEMENTS...PRESENTATIONS...PUBLICATIONS Dr. Kathy Meacham: Professor of Philosophy: May 2012, presented “Evidence-Based Ethics: A Case of Clinical Ethics in Context for Third-Year Medical Students in a Longitudinal Clerkship,” at the “Ethics Education in a Global Perspective” conference sponsored by the International Association for Education in Ethics, at the Center for Healthcare Ethics, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh.

March 2012, Spoke at the “Great Quotes” program in Hendersonville, NC, on a quotation from Schopenhauer: “Death is the true inspiring genius, or the muse of philosophy. . . . Indeed, without death, people could scarcely philosophize.”

Published article in Conservation Biology with Heather Lumpkin and Monica G. Turner, titled: “Effects of Climate and Exurban Development on Nest Predation and Predator Presence in the southern Appalachian Mountains.” (U.S.A.) Dr. Ashby Walker, Assistant Professor of Sociology.

June 2012, was the lead presenter for research presented at the American Diabetes Association national conference in Philadelphia. Study Title: “Increased Social Networks and Higher Socioeconomic Status Improve Metabolic Control in Type 1 Diabetes.”

Dr. Scott Pearson, Professor of Biology: August, 2012,

Class Notes

Mars Hill, the Magazine of Mars Hill College welcomes your personal snapshots when you send in news of weddings, babies, accomplishments, etc.

Send your photos to: alumni@mhc.edu, or Alumni Office, P.O. Box 370, Mars Hill, NC 28754.

1940s Dr. H. Cowen Ellis ’42 celebrated the 70th anniversary of his ordination on June 7, 2012. Dr. Ellis was ordained on Sunday, June 7th, 1942, in Belmont Baptist Church in Nashville, TN. Rev. Rolen Bailey ’47, and Frances Stuart Bailey ’46 celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on May 31, 2012. The Baileys have three children (one deceased), three grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. They live in Culpepper, VA.

1950s Katerina Katsarka Whitley ’55 has recently published a Greek cookbook, Around A Greek Table: Recipes and Stories arranged to the Liturgical Seasons of the Eastern Church. The book organizes 100 unique recipes around the Eastern Church’s yearly seasons and explores the ancient stories that are told around Greek tables in the honored tradition of combining myths with food. The book was published by Lyons Press in April 2012. Read more at www.katerinawhitley. net/books.htm.

Tom Bodkin ’57 and his wife Betty received the Baptist Heritage Award from the North Carolina Baptist Foundation in April 2012. The award recognizes outstanding dedication and contributions to Baptist life in North Carolina.

Marjorie Jordan ’58 and her husband, Morris Jordan, retired in March 2012 from their roles as secretary and music minister, respectively, of First Baptist Church of Kings Mountain, NC. The Jordans were honored for their contributions during a special service at the church.

1960s Arthur Jacobson ’60 retired as a Federal Administrative Law Judge in Cleveland, OH. He had 32 years of Federal service, and lives in Independence, OH, and Naples, FL. He is also a retired Air Force Reserve officer and Master Navigator.

Jerry Davis ’65 was named president of the American Association of Presidents of Independent College and Universities (AAPICU). He continues to serve as president of College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, MO. Bro. Harrison “Sonny” Mull ’67 celebrated 40 years as the pastor of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Fairdale, KY, on March 22, 2012.

1970s Jim Wilmoth ’70 of Dobson, NC was inducted into the Surry County Sports Hall of Fame last year in recognition of a lifetime of sports achievement, as a high school and college athlete, and later, as a coach and as an athletic director.

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

27

Class Notes

Ronald Deyton ’73 of Burnsville, NC, retired in recent years from First Western Bank, an institution which he founded. First Western Bank is now merged with TD Bank.

Vicky Narron Warren ’75 retired from her position as an Early Childhood Program Specialist with the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) on October 1, 2011. At her retirement, she was presented with membership in the Order of the Long Leaf Pine for over 33 years of service.

Vicky is the owner of a business which includes antiques and vintage clothing shops. She is also in the midst of restoring an old farm house on the family farm in Nash County, NC, that has been in her family for six generations.

Patricia White Widdowson ’73 of Pilot Mountain, NC, was appointed to the Board of Trustees for Surry Community College in May 2012 by the Surry County Board of Education.

Carl Hatchell ’74, associate head coach of the Shaw University (Raleigh, NC) Women’s Basketball team, is celebrating the team’s NCAA Division II championship win earlier this year. The team was featured in the Spring 2012 issue of Champion magazine.

Beverly Snowden ’74 Public Information Officer for Hickory Public Schools, was recently honored with seven Blue Ribbon Awards for Excellence in Writing.

Beverly received the awards from the North Carolina School Public Relations Association during its annual “Blue Ribbon Awards for Effective Communications” celebration in Durham.

Robert Cobb ’77 just celebrated his 35th Anniversary with One Main Financial, a subsidiary of Citigroup, in Cary, NC. He transferred to a new Durham, NC, office in April 2012.

John Rountree ’78 is the creator of Postcards Along the Way, an exhibit of black and white photography which was on display in July 2012 at the MESH Gallery in Morganton, NC. Cheryl Aldridge Beck ’79 retired in June, 2012 after 33 years with the Jackson County Extension Service.

She was recognized at a retirement garden party on June 22 in Sylva, NC.

1980s Rev. Dave Byrd ’82 competed, by invitation, in July 2012 in the Professional Disc Golf Association’s World Championships. He placed 89 out 108 in the “advanced grandmaster” category. Byrd notes that 30 years ago, in the spring of 1982, he won a Frisbee golf tournament on the campus of Mars Hill College. Now a 28

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

hospice chaplain, Byrd lives in New Hampton, IA, with his wife Becky Byrd ’82.

Rev. Timothy Lolley ’83 is the pastor of Hazelwood Baptist Church in Waynesville, NC. The church celebrated its 95th anniversary in a special service on July 8, 2012.

Alfreda Zdanovsky Gerald ’85 was cast as an extra in the 2012 comedy Madea’s Witness Protection. Gerald plays the lead vocalist in a church choir singing “Oh Happy Day” in the final scene of the movie.

Gina Terry ’87 has been named a Maestro in Outreach by Kindermusik International. Gina is an early childhood specialist and teaches Kindermusik in Statesville, NC. The Maestro in Outreach award recognizes excellence teaching Kindermusik to children with special needs. Only 27 other educators from six different countries have earned this designation.

Dr. James Timothy Brewer ’89 of Mooresville, NC, was chosen in January as the president of Mitchell Community College.

Kimberly Kendrick Pruiett ’89 of Aiken, SC, recently was hired as a middle school chorus teacher at Paul Knox Middle School in North Augusta, GA.

1990s Sheryl Williams Wilson ’91 has joined White Oak Realty Group, a Highlands, NC, real estate firm, as a broker and strategic pricing specialist.

Jeffery Simerson ’93 married Tracy Caldwell McElroy on June 16, 2012. The couple reside at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, SC. Daniel Brigman ’94 was named the new superintendent of Catawba County Schools, NC, as of July 1, 2012. Previously, Daniel was superintendent of Macon County Schools.

Brian Dennis Alexander ’99 and his wife Kandra, announce the birth of their daughter, Makena Belle, born on February 21 (which was also Brian’s birthday!)

Makena has a big brother, Bradyn.

Kendra Brown ’99 won first place in her division in a sprinternational distance triathlon, held in Lexington, SC.

2000s Dr. Llanie Ranzer ’00 of Boca Raton, FL, has been teaching at Keiser University for almost 5 years in the field of biotechnology. Four years ago, she became the Biotechnology Program Director, and last year she became chair of the Biotechnology Department.

Jon ’06 and Char’Lee Pickens Stoehr ’07 had a son, Jamison Porter, born May 20, 2012. The Stoehrs live in Greer, SC.

Amy Smialowicz Fowler ’01 and Todd Fowler welcomed their first child, Hill Albright Fowler, on January 23, 2012. The Fowlers live in Asheville, NC. Lana Bagwell O’Shields ’01 has been named the Assistant Principal for O. P. Earle Elementary, in Landrum, SC.

Hill Albright Fowler

Denise Shelton Cline ’02, who played with the Lions women’s basketball team from 1998-2002, was among five athletes named to the South Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame in March 2012.

Ashleigh Trievel Wiggins ’04 and her husband Luther, had a baby boy on October 5, 2011, named Lincoln Chase.

Luther, Ashleigh and Lincoln Wiggins

Aaron Buchanan ’06 graduated from Campbell University in May, 2012, with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

Ollin Dunford ’08 has been named assistant coach for the East Carolina University women’s basketball program.

Dunford came to the program after a very successful 20-win season at UNC Wilmington.

Jamison Porter Stoehr

Matthew Dameron ’09 graduated from Campbell University in May 2012 with a Master of Business Administration degree.

Courtney Evans Wright ’09 married J. Patrick Wright on June 23, 2012. The couple resides in Knoxville, TN.

2010s Stephen Saxon ’09 and Diana Palumbo Saxon ’10 were united in marriage on June 2, 2012, in WinstonSalem, NC. The couple live in the Piedmont Triad.

Kristina Rathburn ’11 has received a prestigious $25,000 scholarship from Rotary International.

Rathburn is currently pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Peace in Costa Rica.

Michael Pinkerton ’12 has received a Carolina Panthers Graduate Scholarship. Michael plans to pursue an MBA at Mercer University.

In Memoriam 1930s

Ruth Hoke Sturgis ’31, of Rock Hill, SC, March 11, 2012 Ruth Moore ’32 of Stanardsville, VA, July 11, 2010 Clifton Powell ’39 of Raleigh, NC, May 26, 2012

1940s Juanita Rush Evans ’40 of Hendersonville, NC, February 17, 2012 Marjorie Loven White ’40 of Winston-Salem,

Margaret Renegar Barile ’43 of Cary, NC, June 14, 2012

Lena Reynolds Hoyle ’45 of Connelly Springs, NC, March 11, 2012

Lonnie Brock ’43 of Greensboro, NC, June 29, 2012

Emerson Yelton ’45 of Greensboro, NC, July 13, 2012

Phyllis Raburn Crotts ’41 of Winton-Salem, NC, April 12, 2012

Ruby Lyon Peabody ’43 of Dover, DE, March 2, 2009

Nannie Waters Bretz ’46 of Spring Lake, NC, May 15, 2012

Ralph Jinnette ’41 of Goldsboro, NC, March 13 2012

Pauline Ware Phifer ’43 of Kings Mountain, NC, December 4, 2011

Dr. Lamar Brooks ’46 of Wilmington, NC, April 5, 2012

Louise Foy Baugus ’42 of Morehead City, NC, October 4, 2011

William Hudson ’44 of Durham, NC, July 4, 2012

Warren Twiddy ’42 of Edenton, NC, June 9, 2012

Dora Pickett Thomas ’44 of Chinquapin, NC, October 15, 2011

Martha Rivers Jarrell ’46 of Greenville, SC, formerly of Hanahan, SC, March 1, 2012

NC, (formerly of Marion, NC), February 9, 2012 Margaret Greene Carpenter ’41 of Waynesville, NC, April 19, 2009

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

29 29

In Memoriam

Rose Roberson Stewart ’46 of Cookeville, TN, January 2, 2012

Walter Ruff, Jr.’52, of Florence, SC, March 25, 2012

Mitzi Brockman Tzouvelekas ’46 of Simpsonville, SC, December 18, 2011

Margaret Hudspeth Sain ’52 of Monroe, NC, June 27, 2012

Guy Johnson ’47 of Hamburg, NY, November 29, 2010 Edward Clarkson ’49 of Kenner, LA, October 30, 2011 Dr. Malcolm Harrell ’49 of Harrisonburg, VA, December 19, 2011 Ruby Hoffman Jones ’49 of Kannapolis, NC, March 2, 2012 William Stapleton ’49 of Charlotte, NC, April 20, 2012

Dorothy Ann Dacus ’53 of Greenville, SC, March 7, 2011 Dr. Ben Carter Elmore ’53 of Dickson, TN, December 17, 2010 Carole Altman Little ’53 of Tallahassee, FL, July 4, 2012 Bobbie Jean Thompson Reese ’53 of Knoxville, TN, February 21, 2011 Ruth Copeland Montgomery ’54 of Adamsville, AL, February 23, 2012

1950s

David Stanton ’54 of Mars Hill, NC, May 28, 2012

Florence Rice McGee ’50 of Spartanburg, SC, June 3, 2012

Lydia Crowe Elliott ’55 of Southport, ME, April 28, 2012

Joseph Moody ’50 of Creedmoor, NC, April 20, 2012

Shirley Segars Shelley ’55 of Rockingham, NC, June 6, 2012

Dorothy Dixon Payne ’50 of Pickens, SC, April 28, 2012

Shirley Hamby Phillips ’56 of Panama City, FL, May 24, 2012

Rev. William Blanton ’51 of Union, SC, May 9, 2012

Betty Bryan Winebarger ’56 of Weaverville, NC, June 3, 2012

Winnie Luffman ’51 of Elkin, NC, formerly of Chapel Hill, NC, July 5, 2012 Betty Turner Olive ’51, of Cary, NC, March 20, 2012

Edgar Casey ’57 of Burgaw, NC, July 28, 2011 Donna Campbell Bell ’58 of Olympia Fields, IL, March 21, 2012

Betty McAlister Vaughn Charlton Davis ’58 of ’51 of Chapel Hill, NC, June Atlanta, GA, April 16, 2012 25, 2012 Elizabeth Simmons ’58 Joseph Bennett ’52 of of Asheboro, NC, May 4, Greenville, NC, June 30, 2012 2012

30

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

Monroe Southern ’58 of Advance, NC, June 22, 2012

1960s

Michael Green ’79 of Greensboro, NC, June 9, 2012

1980s

Donald Caldwell ’60, of Mars Hill, NC, February 16, 2012

Linda Mundell Womack ’81 of Snow Hill, NC, February 17, 2012

Lucius Morgan ’60 of Asheville, NC, January 28, 2012

Rev. Paul Womack ’81 of Snow Hill, NC, February 29, 2012

Helen Burch Porter ’61 of Newport News, NC, February 3, 2012 Kenneth Weaver ’62 of Mebane, NC, May 22, 2012 Jack Gardner ’63 of Cape Carteret, NC, May 20, 2012

1990s Greg Wallin ’90 of Mars Hill, NC, June 15, 2012

Faculty/Staff Dorothy Ann Dacus ’53 of Greenville SC, former member of the MHC library staff, March 7, 2011

Elizabeth Stafford Hansen ’63 of Rochester, NY, June Paul Davis of Jonesboro, TN, MHC grounds crew, 8, 2010 June 13, 2012 Wilmer Calhoun ’65 of Clara Knight of Mars Hill, Conway, SC, August 29, NC, former secretary for 2011 the Media Center, March Mary Newman McCoy ’65 20, 2012 of Franklin, NC, June 28, Dr. Paul Schierhorn of 2012 Weaverville, NC, Professor Frances DeEtta Watson of Theatre and Director of Beaver ’67 of Andrews, BFA Musical Theatre, July NC, February 2, 2012 8, 2012 James Parker ’68 of David Stanton ’54 of Mars Herndon, VA, August 19, Hill, NC, MHC facilities 2011 crew, May 28, 2012 Paul Matheny ’69 of Anderson, SC, July 28, 2012

1970s Thomas Twilley ’70 of Millsboro, DE, July 23, 2011 Aubrey Venable ’70 of Greenville, SC, March 19, 2012.

Alex Sutton ’71 of Clyde, NC, February 24, 2012

Dr. Carolyn Thompson of Lookout Mountain, TN, former chair of the Dept. of Social Work, March 2, 2012 Rev. Glenn L. Vernon of Citronelle, AL, former professor of theatre, April 29, 2012

A FEW THOUGHTS Paul Schierhorn, Professor of Theatre Arts 2007–2012 Paul Schierhorn passed away in Asheville, July 8, 2012 after a courageous and valiant fight with cancer.

Paul came to Mars Hill in the Fall of 2007. He directed Working by Studs Terkel. It was a captivating and illuminating production. In turn, he directed Little Shop of Horrors, Dancing at Lughnasa and Chicago. Likewise, he was musical director and composer for numerous Theatre Arts Department productions.

I will most remember Paul as the father in Brighton Beach Memoirs, by Neil Simon. His wife Maria played his onstage wife and my son Cameron, his son Eugene. It was a moving and sensitive performance. Not only was Paul a talented musician and composer but a consummate actor as well.

Prior to arriving in Mars Hill Paul was Professor of Theatre at Tulane University where he taught voice, speech and acting.

He was a founder of the Shakespeare Festival there and directed productions of Glad All Over, Cymbeline, Working, a Flea in Her Ear, Macbeth and The News (written by Paul and produced on Broadway in 1985).

Paul will always be remembered as having a kind and gentle soul. He was a mentor to many and will be missed.

Bill Gregg, Chair Theatre Arts and Art. Producing Artistic Director, SART

Paul Davis, MHC Grounds Crew 2001–2012 Paul embodied the old-time work ethic that often seems to be lost in today’s sound bite world. Often he would work alone fixing washed out track or adding drainage when water puddled. He knew what needed to be done.

My first year working with Paul was the last “real grass” year for the football stadium, I asked what he needed to do to have a perfect field and he knew. Coaches still remember that field with its perfect height and lush green color.

Students and community appreciated the behind-the-scenes work, assistance with car breakdowns and an always easy going manner.

Near the end Paul gifted his co-worker Phillip Carroll and me with two of his last hugs and acknowledgement of our presence and shared times together. This gift wil not easily be forgotten.

Thanks to Lisa for sharing this bear of a man. He will be missed.

Mark Norwood MHC Grounds Supervisor

David Stanton, MHC alumnus, ’54; MHC Facilities Crew Painter, 1985–2009 David Stanton was a very quiet, soft-spoken man, and a good worker. He was a painter for Mars Hill College for almost 24 years, and in all the time I knew him, he was an exemplary worker. I never knew him to be late, or to cause an issue of any kind. He simply did whatever was asked of him, and he never complained or expressed any negativity at all. He loved his church and his family and will be remembered as the kind of man that brings stability to the world.

Donald Edwards MHC Director of Facilities

Carolyn Rinkus Thompson Brown, Professor and Chair of the Dept. of Social Work 1976–1985 Carolyn Rinkus Thompson Brown was a “Founding Mother” of Mars Hill College Social Work. She was among the phalanx of extraordinarily gifted and qualified new faculty who were brought to campus early in the tenure of Dr. Richard Hoffman who, as Academic Dean, successfully piloted the college from its two-year course to its current robust four-year anchorage.

Hoffman’s commitment to service-learning, involvement in the community, encouraging students with support and providing resources for off campus engagement led to the birth and expansion of the Division of Social Sciences, of which the Social Work Department was a new flower. Carolyn more than met these newly-emerging institutional standards, and blending her own effervescence and extroverted persona with them became one of the “public faces” of the department not only to students (as it became an ever-more popular and significant major) but to agency representatives off campus as well. Her laughter, insouciance, and collegiality were blessings for all who shared offices with her in Founders’ Hall. In addition to her commitment to getting the Social Work program off the ground and then solidly established, she served ably and well on a number of faculty and college-wide committees, and participated in shaping MHC’s liberal arts core.

Dr. George Peery, Professor Emeritus of Political Science Note: Following her years at MHC, Dr. Thompson established the Master of Health Administration Degree Program at University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and she was named Professor and Founding Dean of the Honors College at University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Later still, she became the First Lady of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga when her husband, Dr. Roger Brown, took the presidency of that institution.

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

31

Mars Hill College PO Box 370 Mars Hill, NC 28754

Will You “Answer

the Call” ?

Our Fall 2012 Phonathon is just around the corner!

In the coming weeks, one of our exceptional students will call you about the Mars Hill Annual Fund.

We invite you to answer the call and become a Mars Hill supporter. It’s a great way to connect back to the school, swap stories with a current student about life on The Hill, and share your pride with the next generation.

32

Mars Hill, The Magazine - Fall 2012

Joo Kyung Esther Kim, MHC Class of 2013