Roanoke College Magazine 2013 (Issue One)

“The most momentous duty of one generation to another is its education.”

— Rev. Dr. David Bittle, first president of Roanoke College

A LETTER FROM PRESIDENT MICHAEL C. MAXEY

For decades, progress has abounded across our campus.

Thanks to hard work, astute planning and generous hearts, Roanoke College has improved on almost every measure. That progress is a sign of Roanoke’s quality, strength and ambition.

I heard about it when I came to work here 28 years ago. Since then, I have seen the College blossom. I hear about the progress from alumni returning to campus after years of absence.

They are pleased with what their alma mater has become.

This issue of the Roanoke College magazine is devoted to the launch this spring of the Roanoke Rising campaign. Roanoke Rising is our chance to capitalize on sustained improvements made over the past 50 years and to use them as a springboard to make the biggest gains ever in the history of the College.

This magazine outlines the five goals of the campaign — goals that will make an enormous difference in the education of future Maroons.

“I am passionate about the future

of Roanoke, in large measure because so many before us prepared us for this momentous opportunity.”

One campaign goal will help us prepare students to think analytically and creatively as they seek solutions to world problems.

Another goal provides us with the means to surround our students and faculty with a full array of outstanding facilities.

The campaign will allow us to maintain Roanoke’s accessibility to families regardless of financial means. For me, this is a very personal thing.

I spent a number of years working with financial aid and admissions and have seen firsthand the opportunities that scholarships create.

Roanoke Rising also attends to the Roanoke Fund. Unrestricted operating support provides the platform to benefit all students and makes bigger dreams a reality for Roanoke. The campaign, too, will give us the flexibility to seize unforeseen opportunities that will shape the College and our students in exciting ways.

I am passionate about Roanoke College and what it does for students. I am passionate about the future of Roanoke, in large measure because so many before us prepared us for this momentous opportunity. Roanoke’s past and present are wonderful and worthy of celebration.

Imagine an even greater tomorrow. That possibility is what we’ve launched with Roanoke Rising.

Board of Trustees Mr. Morris M. Cregger Jr. ’64, chair

Dr. Paris D. Butler ’00

Mr. Joseph J. Fields ’78

Ms. Kathryn Snell Harkness ’73, vice chair

Ms. Pamela L. Cabalka ’76

Mr. David L. Guy ’75

The Reverend James F. Mauney, D.D., secretary

Dr. M. Paul Capp ’52

Mr. Michael P. Haley ’73

Mr. Mark P. Noftsinger, treasurer

Ms. Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo ’78

Ms. Judith B. Hall ’69

Mr. Michael C. Maxey, president of the College

Mr. W. Morgan Churchman ’65

Mr. Richard S. Hathaway ’73

Mr. Kenneth J. Belton Sr. ’81

Mr. Malon W. Courts ’92

Ms. Peggy Fintel Horn ’78

A LETTER FROM BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR MORRIS M. CREGGER ’64

Like so many alumni, I have a passion for Roanoke College.

This great institution provided me with an excellent education and gave me the confidence to go out and follow my dreams, to expect more out of life and to enjoy every day. Roanoke College taught me that I could make a difference in the world. As a longtime member of the Board of Trustees, now serving as its chair, I feel it is my duty, as well as my privilege, to help continue the legacy of one of America’s finest liberal arts colleges.

The key to the future of our country can be found only within an educated public. That’s why Roanoke Rising: The Campaign for Roanoke College is so vitally important.

Roanoke gave us the foundation we needed. Now we have a responsibility to ensure that Roanoke continues to enhance its quality while remaining affordable for generations to come.

Roanoke Rising provides us with the opportunity to continue enhancing the excellence of a Roanoke education. From the addition of facilities and programs designed to foster learning and creativity to promising access through financial assistance for bright students from all walks of life, this campaign is our chance to craft an even more significant future built upon our many strengths.

“Roanoke gave us the foundation

we needed.Now we have a responsibility to ensure that Roanoke continues to enhance its quality while remaining affordable for generations to come.”

There is no better time than the present to continue this tradition of excellence by providing future opportunities for our students to stand out from the crowd as they pursue their careers

as thoughtful and empowered adults.

I ask you to join me in this quest as we continue to advance among the nation’s best liberal arts institutions. Join me as a supporter of Roanoke Rising. Doing so means that you are committed to maintaining the spirit of Roanoke, while rising to all we aspire to be.

On behalf of my fellow trustees, I thank you.

Mr. Donald J. Kerr ’60

Ms. Nancy B. Mulheren ’72

The Reverend Dr. Theodore F. Schneider ’56

Mr. John E. Lang ’72

Mr. Diedrich D. Oglesbee Jr. ’95

Ms. Lynn Dale and Mr. Frank V. Wisneski Jr. (Ex-officio,

Mr. Patrick R. Leardo

Mr. Roger A. Petersen ’81

Co-Chairs of Parent Leadership Council)

Mr. Shaun M. McConnon ’66

The Reverend J. Christopher Price ’75

Mr. Olin R. Melchionna Jr., Esq.

Mr. J. Tyler Pugh ’70

Mr. Bruce E. Melchor III ’72

Mr. Dale C. Sarjeant ’75

contents

ISSUE ONE | 2013

S P E C I A L

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E D I T I O N

The Campaign for Roanoke College • New Cregger Center and Science Complex • Academic Programs and Faculty Support • Scholarships and Student Support • The Roanoke Fund • The President’s Fund for Excellence

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The Campaign Launch: April 13, 2013

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From the Archives

The Campaign Steering Committee Maroon Musings The Rev. Paul Henrickson, College chaplain, on the importance of giving Campaigns through the years

RoanokeRising.com

• Watch Roanoke Rising: The Campaign for Roanoke College video • See photo gallery from the campaign launch

CONTACT US: Questions, comments and corrections may be sent to: Magazine Editor, Roanoke College Public Relations Office, 221 College Lane, Salem, VA 24153, or email rcmagazine@roanoke.edu

EDITOR’S NOTE Roanoke College Magazine Editor Contributing Editors Archives Contributing Writers Photography

Design & Production Printing

We hope you enjoy this special issue of Roanoke magazine. Our regular magazine content will return in Issue 2, 2013, scheduled to publish this fall. As always, thank you for reading.

Leslie Taylor Jenny Kincaid Boone ’01 Teresa Gereaux ’87

Roanoke College does not discriminate against students, employees or applicants on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, age, sexual orientation, marital status, national or ethnic origin, disability or veteran status.

Linda Miller Nan Johnson Brendan Bush Pete Emerson Jason Jones Don Petersen Mikula|Harris Classic Graphics

Roanoke College Magazine is published by the Office of Public Relations for alumni, students, parents, staff and friends of Roanoke College.

Editorial rights are reserved.

Please address correspondence to: Editor, Roanoke College Magazine Roanoke College 221 College Lane Salem, VA 24153-3794 rcmagazine@roanoke.edu

221 College Lane | Salem, VA 24153-3794 | www.roanoke.edu

College Switchboard..................................................(540) 375-2500 Admissions Local........................................................(540) 375-2270 Admissions Toll-free .................................................(800) 388-2276 Alumni/Parent Relations ..........................................(540) 375-2238 Alumni E-mail..................................................alumni@roanoke.edu Church Relations.........................................................(540) 375-2547 Colket Center................................................................(540) 378-5125 Intercollegiate Athletics.............................................(540) 375-2338 Olin Box Office .............................................................(540) 375-2333 © 2013 Roanoke College. All rights reserved. Roanoke College, Classic for Tomorrow and associated logos are trademarks of Roanoke College.

THE CAMPAIGN AT A GLANCE

GOAL: $200 MILLION Next-Generation Campus: New Cregger Center and Science Complex: $70 MILLION The Ultimate 3-in-1 Education: Academic Programs and Student Support: $35 MILLION Keeping Roanoke Affordable: Scholarships and Student Support: $45 MILLION Immediate Impact Throughout the College: The Roanoke Fund: $35 MILLION A Smart, Bold Future: The President’s Fund for Excellence: $15 MILLION

STORIES BY NAN JOHNSON

G

reat things happen at Roanoke College. Ideas. Opportunities. Experiences.

From real-world learning and a unique core curriculum, to long-lasting personal connections and a commitment to success, the opportunities are endless.

For Morris Cregger ’64, chair of the Roanoke College Board of Trustees, the Roanoke experience was life-changing.

“It provided me an excellent academic opportunity, but it also gave me the confidence to go out and follow my dreams,” he says. “It taught me to expect more out of life.”

Today, Roanoke College is poised to build on the success of years past. And there’s no better time to capitalize on Roanoke’s generations of success and strength than now.

Introducing Roanoke Rising: The Campaign for Roanoke College Roanoke Rising is a $200 million campaign designed to propel Roanoke College into the top ranks of America’s leading liberal arts colleges and preeminent institutions of higher learning.

It is an opportunity for all who have been touched by Roanoke to invest in the College’s future.

“What excites me most about this campaign is that it fuels the basic human transaction that happens on campus between professor and student, between coach and athlete, between actor and director, between artist and mentor,” says President Michael Maxey. “Roanoke Rising is about enhancing our unique environment for making those connections happen in ways that answer the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s students.

Young people are hungry for what we do. Society needs what we do.”

Longtime Roanoke benefactor and Board of Trustees member Nancy Mulheren ’72, a North Carolina native, was hungry to head south for college after moving to Long Island, N.Y., as a teenager. Roanoke was just what she was looking for.

“I knew it was for me the minute I Roanoke College Magazine

walked on campus. I looked at other schools, but applied only to Roanoke,” Mulheren recalls. “It’s a place where you can grow on your own terms and rise to a higher level than you thought.”

Rising to a higher level is exactly what this campaign is about.

Since 1842, the College has educated generations of enlightened thinkers, skilled leaders and innovative pioneers.

Within the alumni ranks are award-winning authors, notable athletes, internationally recognized scientists, judges, diplomats and key business leaders who have contributed to society in generous ways.

With a history like this, it’s easy to see Roanoke as a star on the rise. Years of financial stability, forward academic thinking, a commitment to the study of the liberal arts and an atmosphere of diversity and respect all help make Roanoke a place where great things happen.

Being a part of Roanoke Rising means even more great things are yet to be.

The Campaign Priorities Roanoke Rising is a five-pronged roadmap to greatness. The College will be enhanced to an unparalleled degree: two new campus facilities; enhancements to academic programming and faculty support; greater financial support for students; growth in annual giving; and an ability to embrace new ideas.

A Next-Generation Campus: New Cregger Center and Science Complex For future generations of Roanoke students to thrive, a next-generation campus is waiting in the wings that brings academics, athletics, recreation and community engagement under one roof and creates state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories that reflect the College’s quality science programs. Two key compo-

nents in the evolution of this new campus are the new Cregger Center and the new Science Complex. The completion of both will further Roanoke’s dedication to the education of body, mind and soul.

The Ultimate 3-in-1 Education: Academic Programs and Faculty Support Roanoke’s core curriculum — called “Intellectual Inquiry” or INQ — is the first step in the development of the College’s “3-in-1” approach to education, drawing students into topics of interest to build an essential foundation of knowledge. The

“Why now? Because the school is at a perceptible point to raise itself to a different level. It has the chance of being nationally recognized by more than U.S. News & World Report in educational and government circles and in the realm of peer colleges.”

WARNER DALHOUSE ’56 CHAIR, COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: In class with Dr. David Scaer, associate professor of French. • Alaina Casioppo ’13, rehearses with fellow members of the Roanoke College Jazz Ensemble. • Board of Trustees member Nancy Mulheren ’72, describes Roanoke College as “a place where you can grow on your own terms.”

next step is to provide more hands-on experiential learning opportunities for more students while giving faculty greater support for the College’s continued academic excellence.

Keeping Roanoke Affordable: Scholarships and Student Support Financial limitations stymie opportunities for some students to study abroad to develop language skills and a global perspective, or the chance to participate in a service-learning experience or a complex research project. Given the opportunity, a student can experience a life-changing turn that sets them on a path they’d never dreamed of. Access to financial aid can help make what Roanoke calls the “90degree turn” a reality for many.

Immediate Impact Throughout the College: The Roanoke Fund The Roanoke Fund provides an immediate source of critical financial support for the College. Gifts to the Roanoke Fund strengthen academic programs, enhance student life, support scholarships, provide athletic equipment and books for the library, and much more.

A Smart, Bold Future: The President’s Fund for Excellence Sometimes an idea is too good to pass up and financial resources are all that stand in the way of a solution to a problem or an opportunity for greatness.

When unexpected opportunities arise, the President’s Fund for Excellence can provide resources that bring vision to life.

“After the campaign, Roanoke College will look quite similar to what it is now, except better. It will retain its charm and character, but it will have more of what other schools offer. We’ll be able to provide more of those bells and whistles that some of the bigger schools crow about.”

Roanoke is known for answering the needs of today and tomorrow. The College has “stood the test of time,” says Dr. Norman Fintel, president emeritus of Roanoke College.

“We’re known for doing the right thing at the right time,” he says. “The time is right for Roanoke Rising.” RC

JOHN AND LYNN REICHENBACH FORMER CO-CHAIRS OF THE PARENT LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

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Roanoke College Magazine

CAMPAIGN PRIORITY: FACILITIES

Next-Generation Campus NEW CREGGER CENTER AND SCIENCE COMPLEX

Ashley Nyitray ’14, a student of Dr. Timothy Johann, assistant professor of chemistry, works to isolate a protein that is important in folate metabolism and chemotherapy.

Whether in the classroom or on the playing field, Roanoke College students have always strived for excellence. Students today, however, may find that a bit difficult in facilities built decades ago.

That’s why a funding priority of Roanoke Rising: The Campaign for Roanoke College supports the creation of a physical environment that fosters classroom excellence, recreational pursuits and athletic prowess — in state-of-the-art, modern spaces.

New Cregger Center Designed as a setting for the education of mind, body and spirit through academics, athletics, recreation and socialization, the new Cregger Center will sit at the campus crossroads. Its position at the crest of Peery Drive will combine Roanoke’s beautiful architecture and modern innovations.

As home to the Roanoke Valley’s Roanoke College Magazine

only competitive indoor track, the new center will offer the College’s nationally ranked track athletes a chance to practice and compete at home while providing ample space for intramural, recreational and fitness activities. With more than half of Roanoke’s students participating in fitness or club sports, Kwasi Amponsah ’13 goes up for a shot in a game against Virginia Wesleyan College.

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Cregger Center THE CHIEF GOAL OF THIS CAMPAIGN is to ensure that the Roanoke campus continues to provide the right environment for the transformative education the College offers. The new center is essential to the College’s future success.

Cregger Center features include:

the Cregger Center will be a welcome and wholesome relief.

“The new center is vital to the student experience,” says Scott Allison ’79, director of athletics. “Students need a place to recreate when it’s convenient for them — especially today’s generation.

It’s equally important to have a rallying point on campus and that’s what the Cregger Center is.”

This new rallying point will allow for graduation ceremonies to be held on

• A $26 million academic, athletic and community facility • Performance gymnasium with capacity for 2,500 seats • Multi-purpose field house building that includes a 200-meter indoor track and additional event seating for 3,500 • Fitness center • Athletic training room • Offices, including athletic department space • Laboratories, classrooms and faculty space for health and human performance programs.

campus during inclement weather and will allow the campus community and the community at large to be further engaged in the Roanoke experience during large lectures, concerts and major events.

At the campus community level, the

new center will bring students, faculty, coaches and friends together through event venues, dining areas, training rooms, offices, and health and human performance teaching spaces. For the Roanoke Valley community, it offers a

“Students need a place to recreate when it’s convenient for them — especially today’s generation. It’s equally important to have a rallying point on campus and that’s what the Cregger Center is.”

— Scott Allison ’79, Director of Athletics 10

Roanoke College Magazine

Students participate in a Zumba class in Alumni Gym. More than half of Roanoke College students participate in fitness or club sports.

facilities in our long-range plan and that’s an accomplishment we can be very proud of.”

New Science Complex

new facility for additional academic, cultural and athletic events. New event seating space for up to 3,500 plus several other social spaces, including dining areas, will allow the College to host outside speakers and events and bring the entire community together in ways that are not currently possible.

“Roanoke was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me,” says Al Stump ’52, a former Maroon runner who created an endowed scholarship in honor of his beloved track coach and iconic Roanoke figure Homer Bast, who died on May 20. “The new Cregger Center is going to be a big asset to the future of the school — not only for student athletes, but for the entire campus.”

Morris Cregger ’64, chairman of the College’s Board of Trustees and the new Roanoke College Magazine

“The Cregger Center will completely redefine the relationship we have with our students, our faculty and our staff. It gives us facilities that don’t exist in the Valley. It will redefine the relationship we have with the local community.”

MALON COURTS ’92 MEMBER, ROANOKE COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

center’s namesake, believes facilities are important to the student and faculty recruitment process. “Roanoke Rising will allow us to complete the last two major

Tyler Barnes ’14, of Centreville, Va., loves the Zen-like feeling she gets at Roanoke.

The laid-back atmosphere, she says, is calm and quiet — perfect for her research on estrogen contamination in the Roanoke River using zebrafish embryos. Barnes — a student of Dr. Chris Lassiter, associate professor of biology at Roanoke — hopes to become a veterinarian.

Barnes and many other students are doing wondrous things within the walls of Roanoke’s aging science building. A junior, Barnes was once mistaken for a graduate student as she presented a research poster at an international conference on zebrafish and genetics in 2012.

“Our undergraduates end up rising to the challenge we present,” Lassiter says.

“They’re doing complex techniques that I didn’t do until graduate school.”

Roanoke’s first-rate science programs are shaped by a superb faculty working in, perhaps surprisingly, a facility built in 1970. The new science complex, Lassiter says, will help attract students like Barnes and get them engaged in science not as something learned from a textbook, but as a process and a way of approaching the world.

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The Science Complex TRAINING FUTURE doctors, scientists, chemists, biologists, psychologists, mathematicians and computer technicians starts at Roanoke. The College has first-rate programs in these areas, but the three campus buildings that house the classrooms, laboratories and offices for faculty and staff in these departments are outdated. The College needs larger, modern space to adequately teach and prepare the next generation of student-professionals.

Science Complex features include: • Linking three of the science and math buildings — Massengill Auditorium, the Life Sciences building and Trexler Hall — into a comprehensive complex • Providing appropriate infrastructure for modern research. That infrastructure includes lighting, ventilation, power handling, telecommunications and load-bearing capacity.

Roanoke Rising helps put in motion the first phase of a state-of-the-art science complex that will link the Life Sciences, Massengill Auditorium and Trexler Hall buildings into a modern complex. Here, small groups of complementary disciplines will work alongside one another, as they do in the real world.

“I’ve toured the science building and was a little taken aback at the facilities,” says John Turbyfill ’53, trustee emeritus and former Board of Trustees chairman.

“Over time, we’ve renovated a few labs, but in general, they’re out of date and inadequate.”

Turbyfill sees Roanoke Rising as a way 12

to engage alumni in the College’s future.

“Roanoke currently does not have a science facility [that] supports the level of excellence provided by its faculty,” says Dr. David Gring, president emeritus and a scientist himself. “I’m bullish that this has to be done.”

Dr. Ben Huddle, professor emeritus of chemistry, agrees. “The new science complex means Roanoke will be at the forefront of science education in the United States. Roanoke is going places and we can’t do it without the support of a lot of people.”

“It’s time to hook your wagon to this star and be a part of it.” RC

“It is gratifying that people know Roanoke.

Its reputation in the sciences is really rising across the country.”

TYLER BARNES CLASS OF 2014

Roanoke College Magazine

CAMPAIGN PRIORITY: FACULTY SUPPORT

The Ultimate 3-in-1 Education ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND FACULTY SUPPORT

Katherine Shortridge, associate professor of fine art, talks with a student in her life drawing class.

“You and the Law,” “The Mathematics of Democracy” and “Humans and the Physical Environment” may sound like college course titles of the future, but at Roanoke College, they’re very much of the present.

Innovative courses such as these are offered through the “Intellectual Inquiry” core curriculum, introduced in 2009 to engage first-year students with the foundations of knowledge through real-life application. Designed by Roanoke’s distinguished faculty, this kind of academic programming marks the latest milestone in the College’s “3-in-1” approach to education, which is based on a history of offering strong majors.

Roanoke Rising: The Campaign for Roanoke College will help fund the development of another crucial milestone: an expanded hands-on experiential learnRoanoke College Magazine

Dr. Christopher Buchholz, associate professor of psychology

ing program for all students. Strong majors, an engaging curriculum and multiple “real world” opportunities to apply lessons learned is what defines the “3-in1” education found at Roanoke.

It is also defined by an outstanding faculty. Roanoke Rising will allow faculty to delve deeper into what’s best for the student, not only through academic programming but also through the identification and application of best practices and access to technological advancements.

As Dr. Richard Smith, vice president for academic affairs and Dean of the Col13

Prof. Giuliana Chapman, teaching associate in the Modern Languages Department, instructs an Italian course.

lege, explains, “Everything we’re doing is intended to push our faculty and our program. Roanoke is a leader in liberal arts education in America.”

Indeed, the Intellectual Inquiry curriculum is fast becoming a model for colleges and universities in the United States and abroad.

Academic Programming Jacob Manthey ’13 jump-started his career path as a business major the moment he opted for an internship through Pathways, Roanoke’s experiential learning program. As a human resources intern at nearby Carilion Clinic, Manthey participated in high-level meetings and regularly contributed his ideas.

“I was given whole programs to run.

I wasn’t just ‘the intern,’ I was part of the company in a real way,” he says. “The experience proved to me that everything we learn in the classroom is directly applicable to the outside, corporate 14

working world.”

From corporate experiences to study abroad programs, Roanoke’s experiential learning opportunities help students like Manthey broaden their view of the world and their role in it. It’s what helps young people grow from students to adults with the capacity to make a difference.

Roanoke’s experiential offerings include research, internships, service learning, study away and creative projects.

Each experience includes careful planning on the part of faculty as well as students, an ongoing evaluation process and a results reporting mechanism.

Each experience also carries a price tag.

“A student doing research might have costs associated with equipment or travel,” says Dr. Richard Grant, professor of physics and director of experiential learning. “In that case, we make grants available to help offset those costs. We want to take down the barriers to participation. Our program will grow in inter-

“The experience proved to me that everything we learn in the classroom is directly applicable to the outside, corporate working world.”

JACOB MANTHEY ’13 SPEAKING OF HIS INTERNSHIP THROUGH THE PATHWAYS PROGRAM

Roanoke College Magazine

“We believe we create environments Roanoke has the potential to integrate experiential learning into a classic liberal arts education in a way that is second to none. The campaign will support the integration and expansion of internship, research, study abroad, service and creative opportunities.

To continue to recruit and retain great faculty and build the strong majors for which Roanoke is known, we must: • create endowed chairs and professorships; • provide teaching and research support so that faculty can continue to work at the forefront of their fields; • establish program endowments to further our faculty innovation.

where students are in the best position to learn.

To keep our faculty on the cutting edge and support them in their innovation efforts, thereby continuing to create these environments, we need more resources to help them.”

— Dr. Richard Smith, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College

est, but there’s always more demand than there is funding.”

With support from Roanoke Rising, Grant and his colleagues will be able to remove the barriers to participation while adding more choices for students.

Faculty Development Dr. Gail Steehler always knew she wanted to be at a place where students and teaching really mattered. A national job search brought her to Roanoke College 28 years ago. Today, she teaches chemistry and

Dr. Richard Grant, professor of physics and director of experiential learning

Roanoke College Magazine

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Students learn the core principles of physics in “The Way Things Work: Sky Diving and Deep Sea Diving,” an Intellectual Inquiry course.

serves as associate dean for academic affairs and general education. As a teacher herself, Steehler knows firsthand what it’s like to be in the trenches of the academic environment. As associate dean, she’s well aware of the time and effort it takes to create programming that engages and motivates.

“It’s important to support faculty because they are ultimately the ones who work directly with students,” Steehler says. “If we want to push our students to greater heights, then we need to do that for the faculty. We need to push them and inspire them.”

Inspiring faculty and students is a key priority of Roanoke Rising.

“We believe we create environments where students are in the best position to learn,” Dean Smith says. “To keep our faculty on the cutting edge and support them in their innovation efforts, thereby continuing to create these environments, we need more resources to help them.”

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Resources made possible through the Roanoke Rising campaign, he says, include monetary support to attend conferences and time to develop new courses or re-tool pedagogies.

“In the corporate world, one could say this is our ‘R and D’ money,” Grant says.

“It’s the money we’re investing in our faculty to help them be more creative and more innovative.”

Creativity and innovation are part of Roanoke College’s success. “We all focus on our core mission,” says Steehler. “Let’s keep doing what we do well and build on that success.”

But it is new ideas, she says, that will take the College forward.

“Bringing new opportunities to our students requires new funding that enables teachers to take chances,” Steehler says. “Roanoke Rising will allow all of us to open doors. If you don’t open doors, you don’t know what’s on the other side and that’s what education is all about.” RC

“Roanoke Rising will allow all of us to open doors. If you don’t open doors, you don’t know what’s on the other side and that’s what education is all about.”

DR. GAIL STEEHLER ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AND GENERAL EDUCATION

Roanoke College Magazine

CAMPAIGN PRIORITY: STUDENT SUPPORT

Keeping Roanoke Affordable SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID

Dr. Leslie Warden, right, assistant professor of art history and archaeology, teaches Undergraduate Research Assistants Program (URAP) student Hannah Mauk ’14, how to analyze ceramics from archaeological contexts.

Growing up in pre-World War II Belgium, Regine Archer had ready access to an education. “I was used to schools where costs were low if students were productive and could handle the materials,” she says.

But life obstacles placed that education outside Archer’s grasp. The Nazi occupation interrupted her educational pursuits. Still, she never forgot that intellectual growth is liberating.

Today, Archer, chairman and former president of Salem’s Blue Ridge Beverage Co., is helping students attend Roanoke College through a scholarship she established a decade ago.

“Education is so important for a person’s development, for their future and for their aspirations,” says Archer, who received an honorary Doctor of Commerce degree from the College in May. “It leads to better earnings and a fuller life.

It sounds so simple, but education is the way to succeed and, ultimately, to make a contribution Roanoke College Magazine

to the greater community.”

More than 85 percent of Roanoke College students rely on financial aid and generous scholarships, like that created by Archer, in order to pursue their degrees. Roanoke Rising: The Campaign for Roanoke College addresses the growing need for student financial assistance. Scholarships will help bridge the gap between a student’s ability to attend Roanoke and the actual Regine Archer at the 2013 Commencement ceremony, where she received an honorary degree.

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professors here and I feel like I’m getting a better education because of that,” she says.

Barbara McKee Bays ’78, a Bittle Scholar herself, also formed relationships with her professors. One in particular — the late foreign language professor Lynn Eckman — inspired her to create a scholarship of her own.

“She was quite an inspirational figure and the person I wanted to grow up to be,” Bays recalls.

Bays was able to establish the scholarship thanks to a foundation created by her father. “My father knew the value of an education,” she says. “He wouldn’t have gotten one himself if it hadn’t been for the scholarship he received. My father showed my family and me that it’s important to be there for people who need that chance.”

The Rev. Dr. Theodore Schneider ’56, a member of the Roanoke College Board

Katie Holland’s extensive study abroad experience has confirmed her vocational calling — working for the U.S. Department of State.

cost of the student’s education. Through contributions to the campaign, the College can assure motivated, capable students a place among Maroons.

Roanoke Rising will also provide defining experiences through student support. Top tier institutions recognize that students who travel, engage in internships, participate in research, develop creative works and assist others through service learning are better educated and prepared to meet the world’s challenges. They are also more marketable to employers and better able to adapt to a diverse or global work environment. While Roanoke offers these experiential learning or hands-on opportunities, the College must ensure that all students have equal opportunity to participate in them.

Katie Holland ’14 witnessed the impact of study abroad in her life. As an in18

ternational relations major and a recipient of the David Bittle Scholarship — named for the first president of Roanoke College — she’s already studied in France and visited eight countries in the process. A lover of language and world cultures, she studied in China through a U.S. Department of State program while in high school. Her next study abroad program at Roanoke will take her there again.

“Eventually, I’d love to work for the State Department, possibly within a foreign embassy,” she says.

Not only has Holland’s experience confirmed her vocational calling, she has come to appreciate the learning environment at Roanoke. After being in big, lecture-style classes abroad, she found Roanoke’s personalized focus to be invaluable.

“I’ve formed relationships with my

“Roanoke was transformational in my life. Over my time here I became an accountable and grounded adult. Roanoke gave me a safe, supportive environment to grow.”

RICK OGLESBEE ’95 BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBER AND ALUMNI EXECUTIVE COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Roanoke College Magazine

Roanoke offers the following opportunities for students: Scholarships & Grants Scholarships typically are offered to students based upon their financial need or academic accomplishments. Need-based grants ensure that students from every background are able to attend Roanoke and create a diverse and broadly represented community.

Merit scholarships are for students with high academic achievement in high school. Competitive scholarships, such as Roanoke’s Scholars Program, allow students to test their knowledge, abilities and skills against other equally promising students.

Student Support Learning outside a classroom through research, internships, global travel and study, creativity and service learning helps students understand how their education applies to the real world.

Research awards: Roanoke’s research programs, which pair students with faculty members, include the Undergraduate Research Assistants Program and the Summer Scholars Program. Gifts to student research can help endow ongoing projects or provide stipends for student positions, allowing students to focus on advancing their scholarship and knowledge.

Barbara McKee Bays ’78, was inspired by the late foreign language professor Lynn Eckman to create a scholarship.

of Trustees, believes access to a liberal arts education at Roanoke through financial aid and scholarships, as well as providing students with a supportive learning environment, is a crucial building block of the Roanoke Rising campaign.

“Although Roanoke is a much bigger college than when my wife [Doris L. Schneider ’56] and I attended, it feels the same,” he says. “There is a devotion to the College. Alumni like us invest in the College because it treated us well as students.”

“But support also comes from others who have seen the success of the school,” he says. “Where there is support, there is ownership.”

When people give to Roanoke College, they are investing in the promise that Roanoke and its students will pursue excellence — an ethos that distinguishes the College.

Brenda Porter Poggendorf ’81, vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions and financial aid, concurs. “Scholarships enable students to attend Roanoke,” she says. “Student support ensures that as many students as possible have the opportunities that matter while they are here.”

“Fully integrating these experiences into a classic liberal arts education is a fundamental part of what makes a Roanoke College education unique and highly successful.” RC

Roanoke College Magazine

Internships: For many students, the possibility of pursuing an unpaid internship in their fields of study is a luxury they cannot afford. The long-term cost to students becomes evident when they begin their job search, because many employers require internships of prospective hires. Gifts for internships will ensure that students have the support to pursue work experiences relevant to their fields of study and that graduates are highly marketable.

Travel and Study Abroad Scholarships: Roanoke’s three-week Intensive Learning courses, known as May Term, take students on educational adventures in the classroom and around the world — whether scaling the heights of the Great Wall or surveying the grandeur of Yosemite. Gifts for travel and study abroad will help students pursue what may become the most defining experiences of their college years.

Creative Works: A classical education in which beauty and expression take life through a canvas, chord or character enriches the entire community. Gifts for creative programs will add dimension to students’ perspectives about the world and the ways artistic interpretations color it.

Service Learning: Every Roanoke student is called into service for others. Service learning is important for the recipients of the largesse, and even more significant for the students, who see their impact upon the world. Enabling students to reach others and value humanity is a life lesson every student should experience, and can, with gifts for these programs.

CAMPAIGN PRIORITY: ROANOKE FUND

Immediate Impact THE ROANOKE FUND

The Roanoke Fund assists in providing equipment for Roanoke athletes.

Roanoke’s Fintel Library offers a wealth of resources, thanks in part to the Roanoke Fund.

When Roanoke College operates like a well-oiled machine year after year with academic programs led by superior faculty, a library filled with resources, scholarships to help ease financial burdens and a more than reliable infrastructure, it’s because of the Roanoke Fund.

But the significance of this powerhouse support mechanism doesn’t stop there.

The Roanoke Fund’s giving capacity is continuous. It provides athletes with the equipment they need to pursue competitive excellence and students with opportunities to study away from campus while giving back to their communities.

How is this possible? It’s because of every single gift from every single contributor every single year. And it’s not the size of the gift that matters; it’s the power of the collective.

That’s the significance of a gift to the Roanoke Fund. In fact, the impact of the fund is so great that it would require an additional $40 million in endowment funds to equal the same level of support that the Roanoke Fund currently provides.

“When you give to the Roanoke Fund, you give to the very heart of what Roanoke College is all about,” says Pam Cabalka ’76, Board of Trustees member and 20

Roanoke Fund Chair. “Giving to Roanoke is about attracting the best students and the best faculty. It’s about maintaining our buildings and landscaping. It’s about the ability to provide scholarships and technology in the classroom.”

Some of these areas are not well known to donors, Cabalka says, but they are critical, and she is passionate about growing the Fund’s participation levels under the auspices of the Roanoke Rising campaign.

All gifts to the Roanoke Fund — regardless of size — increase the value of every gift to the Roanoke Rising campaign. As the College’s annual giving initiative, the fund supports the institution’s greatest needs day after day.

Pam Cabalka ’76, Board of Trustees member and Roanoke Fund Chair

Roanoke College Magazine

“When you give to the Roanoke Fund, you give to the very heart of what Roanoke College is all about.”

— Pam Cabalka ’76, Roanoke Fund Chair

The Roanoke Fund’s purpose is to help the College address its most critical day-to-day operating priorities.

Annual giving strengthens academic programs and enhances student life, helps to recruit and retain our renowned faculty, advances our campus infrastructure, supports scholarships and provides equipment for athletic teams, technology for classrooms, resources for research, books for the library and more.

Annual gifts to the Roanoke Fund will further each Roanoke Rising initiative, as well as all other activities at the College.

The fund’s strength comes from friends, faculty and staff, and from loyal alumni like Sandy Mulheren ’02 who, inspired by the philanthropic example of his parents Nancy Mulheren ’72 and the late John Mulheren ’71, created the gift challenge for the Young Associates program as a way for graduates of the last decade to make a mark on the future of the College.

“I found a home at Roanoke,” Sandy Mulheren said. “The camaraderie I experienced there was incredible. And it applied to faculty as well as students. When I talk to faculty today they still draw me into their excitement for their subjects and for the Roanoke experience.”

The Roanoke experience was, and still is, a family affair for the Mulherens. Just as his parents — who met at Roanoke College and became two of its most generous benefactors — Sandy Mulheren

“I found a home at Roanoke.

The camaraderie I experienced there was incredible. And it applied to faculty as well as students.”

Alumnus Bob Rotanz ’78 with President Michael Maxey at the Roanoke Rising launch program, held during the 2013 Alumni Weekend.

met his wife Vanessa ’02, in the same setting that is as inspirational today as it was then.

Bob Rotanz ’78, who also found a home at Roanoke, is a strong supporter of the Roanoke Fund and the Roanoke Rising campaign. He loved the Roanoke experience so much that he stayed in the Salem area after graduation and cofounded the iconic Mac and Bob’s restaurant. He also serves as an unofficial spokesman for all things Maroon-related.

The Roanoke Fund, he says, is a way to show support of the Roanoke experience so that it can continue for others in new and improved ways.

Says Rotanz: “It’s like a magic wand for the future of the College.” RC

Alumnus Sandy Mulheren has followed the philanthropic example of his parents in creating the Young Associates program.

Roanoke College Magazine

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CAMPAIGN PRIORITY: PRESIDENT’S FUND

A Smart, Bold Future THE PRESIDENT’S FUND FOR EXCELLENCE

President Michael Maxey, chatting with students on campus, views the President’s Fund for Excellence as a mechanism that will allow the College to respond to opportunities and encourage entrepreneurial behavior on campus.

It has been said that opportunity never knocks twice at anyone’s door. At Roanoke College, it doesn’t have to because of an innovative approach to quickly seizing an opportunistic moment the first time around.

“The President’s Fund for Excellence allows President [Michael] Maxey to react quickly when an unexpected opportunity or great idea presents itself,” says Vice President for Resource Development Connie Carmack. “It gives him the flexibility and agility to quickly bring a vision to life.”

These visions can take any form — from meeting a pressing campus need to strengthening an academic program to taking advantage of newly imagined technology. Whatever the case, the president can react to a great idea without 22

A Class of 2013 member carves her name into a bookcase in the President’s House at the Leave Your Mark event.

having to see it pass by because of funding challenges.

“If there’s something we need to respond to that presents itself, this fund gives us the latitude to capitalize on that opportunity,” Maxey says. “In my work, I’ve seen a tremendous number of our graduates become wonderful entrepreneurs who contribute to our community and to our society through creative business endeavors. I see the President’s Fund for Excellence as a mechanism that allows us as an institution to respond to opportunities and to encourage entrepreneurial Roanoke College Magazine

“The President’s Fund for Excellence The President’s Fund for Excellence is an unrestricted, discretionary endowment that supports

allows us to respond to great ideas, exciting opportunities and to encourage entrepreneurial behavior on the whole campus.”

— Michael C. Maxey, president of Roanoke College

unexpected opportunities — launching new faculty and student initiatives, introducing new areas of study, bringing speakers and artists to campus or purchasing new equipment. Gifts to this fund allow Roanoke College to act quickly and decisively where appropriate. The College’s president and leadership will determine how these funds are used. By giving to the President’s Fund for Excellence, alumni and friends of Roanoke show their ultimate support for the College and its vision.

foundation as well as its sound business practices. Their daughter, Sarah Dale ’15, is majoring in communications.

“Roanoke has been a financially solid institution for many years,” Wisneski says. “And it’s been solid without a significant endowment, which is impressive. To have a fund like this is a great idea because it creates a margin of safety for unforeseen opportunities. That’s key to helping the institution serve its mission. It provides an ability to satisfy both laudable and necessary objectives.”

Roanoke College has proven to be the perfect place for Sarah to grow into adulthood and discover her strengths,

Dale says.

“It’s been a good journey,” she explains. “We’ve been very impressed with the way the College communicates with kids and parents. We’ve felt a strong sense of community. When Sarah saw President Maxey on the treadmill at the gym, for me, the ‘community’ came full circle: the president doesn’t sit in a house on the hill.”

Giving to the President’s Fund for Excellence, Dale says, offers the College the agility needed to seize moments that, if missed, might mean the difference between an ordinary experience — and an exceptional one. RC

“To have a fund like this is a great idea because it creates a margin of safety for unforeseen opportunities. That’s key to helping the institution serve its mission.”

behavior on the whole campus.”

Lynn Dale and Frank Wisneski, incoming Parent Leadership Council cochairs, agree. As specialists in asset management, business development and strategic business planning in the profit and nonprofit arenas, both are appreciative of Roanoke College’s solid financial Roanoke College Magazine

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL J. LEE PHOTOGRAPHY

— Frank Wisneski, Parent Leadership Council co-chair

Lynn Dale and Frank Wisneski, incoming co-chairs of the Parent Leadership Council, say they appreciate Roanoke College’s solid financial foundation and sound business practices.

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PHOTOS BY BRENDAN BUSH AND DON PETERSEN

CH N U A L AIGN P M A C ING S I R E K O N A O R E T H 13, 2013 — APRIL

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OH,WH

hat is it the ubiquitous “they” say — “Go big or go home?” On April 13, Roanoke College launched its Roanoke Rising campaign with a huge celebration that pushed “big” to its conceptual limits.

The event was capped by a 55-minute launch program, emceed by beloved alumnus Bob Rotanz ’78. The program featured testimonials from student Alexandra DeLaricheliere ’14 and alumni Mike McAllister ’83 and Scott Allison ’79, all of whom spoke passionately about their love for the College and its vital role in their lives. A video, produced by alumnus Steve Mason ’91, poignantly depicted Roanoke’s journey from past to present. A second video, produced

by Toronto-based photographer Jason Jones, evoked excitement about the transformative potential of the campaign.

The program peaked with a number ticker reveal of the $200 million campaign goal on twin mega monitors. Board of Trustees Chair Morris Cregger ’64 disclosed that preliminary work already has raised well over $100 million. A surprise announcement that Board of Trustees member Nancy Mulheren ’72 and her family had pledged a gift of $25 million brought the crowd of 1,100 attendees to its feet.

The grand unveiling was followed by a virtual fireworks display.

Multicolored paper confetti rained down on the cheering crowd while the Roanoke College Choir and Oriana Singers, accompanied by the Jazz and Wind Ensembles, burst into Bruce Springsteen’s “The Rising.”

Without doubt, this was an event that marked history.

The campaign “is our call to action, our chance to be responsible for the success of today’s students as well as generations to come,” President Michael Maxey told the crowd. “Roanoke Rising is about being part of something greater than ourselves.”

“To this point we have quietly set out to explore just what the future could — and should — hold for us. The time for quiet endeavor is over. The time to step out onto the national stage is upon us.”

Watch the campaign kickoff videos at http://vimeo.com/roanokecollege/videos.

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President Michael Maxey, at lectern, with Board of Trustees Chair Morris Cregger and choir members, look on as the number ticker reveals the campaign goal.

AT A NIGHT! Rising.We are rising up. Rising, higher, higher. Rising. We are rising up. Higher, higher…

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Karen Waller, a member of The Waller Family Band,

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gets a crowd response during the post-launch celebration. From left to right, former Maroons basketball team members, Gerald Holmes ’83, Dwayne Evans ’85, Michael Baker ’81 and Ken Belton ’81. Smiling young alumni, from left to right, Gregory Morgan ’12, Rebecca Dallas ’11, Kirby Davis ’12, Matthew Burkhead ’07, and Margot McDonald ’11. As confetti falls, Dr. Jeffrey Sandborg directs the Roanoke College Choir. Current student Alexandra DeLauricheliere ’14, at left, and alumni Mike McAllister ’83, center, and Scott Allison ’79, spoke of their deep love for Roanoke. An emotional Nancy Mulheren ’72, dabs her eyes as President Michael Maxey announces that she and her family have made a $25 million pledge to the campaign.

The event tent nearly covered the Back Quad.

C A M P A I G N

V O L U N

Roanoke Rising: The Campaign for Roanoke College is led by a national Campaign Steering Committee—a group of volunteers committed to helping the College reach its fundraising and strategic goals as momentum builds for the campaign. Over the course of the public phase of the campaign, 12 regional campaign areas have been identified to help coordinate this very important and ambitious effort.

Members of the Campaign Steering Committee gathered for a photo with President Michael Maxey and his wife Terri during the 2013 Alumni Weekend. Front row, left to right, Warner Dalhouse, John Turbyfill, Terri Maxey, President Maxey, Pamela Cabalka, Munsey Wheby, Nancy Mulheren, Betsy Rhodes and Theodore Schneider. Back row, left to right, Tom Stevens, Barry Meek, Stephen Rhodes, Roger Petersen, Dale Sarjeant, Patton Coles, Mimi Coles, Janet Sarjeant, Bob Wortmann and John Stafford Jr.

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Roanoke College Magazine

T E E R

L E A D E R S H I P

• Campaign Steering Committee • Morris M. Cregger Jr. ’64................................................................ Co-Chair Donald J. Kerr ’60........................................................................... Co-Chair Nancy B. Mulheren ’72................................................................... Co-Chair Robert E. Wortmann ’60 ................................................................ Co-Chair Pamela L. Cabalka ’76.......................................................... Roanoke Fund Joseph H. Carpenter IV ’99.................................. Hampton Roads Co-Chair W. Morgan Churchman ’65....................................... Philadelphia Co-Chair William P. Coles IV ................................................ Roanoke Valley Co-Chair Mary R. Coles........................................................ Roanoke Valley Co-Chair Malon W. Courts ’92.......................................... At-Large; Atlanta Co-Chair Lynn Dale ........................................ Parent Leadership Council (Ex-Officio) Warner N. Dalhouse ’56 .................................... Community Advisory Group Nancy B. DeFriece................ Southwest Virginia/East Tennessee Co-Chair Mary Elizabeth Ellis ’63................................................ Richmond Co-Chair Joseph J. Fields ’78 ....................................................... Baltimore Co-Chair Judith B. Hall ’69............................................................ New York Co-Chair Kathryn S. Harkness ’73.................... At-Large; Washington, D.C. Co-Chair C. Steven Harkness ’69..................................... Washington, D.C. Co-Chair Peggy F. Horn ’78............................................................... Atlanta Co-Chair Michael W. Lantz ’87 .................................................... Richmond Co-Chair Barry T. Meek ’91 ................................................... Charlottesville Co-Chair

Rick Oglesbee Jr. ’95............................................ Alumni Executive Council Roger A. Petersen ’81..................................................................... At-Large Elizabeth W. Purvis ’72 ................................................. Baltimore Co-Chair Terry L. Purvis ’69.......................................................... Baltimore Co-Chair John B. Reichenbach ............................................... New England Co-Chair Margaret Lynn Reichenbach.................................... New England Co-Chair Elizabeth A. Rhodes ’78................................................ Richmond Co-Chair Stephen F. Rhodes ’74 .................................................. Richmond Co-Chair Robert E. Rotanz ’78............................................. Roanoke Valley Co-Chair Wendy E. Rotanz ’81 ............................................. Roanoke Valley Co-Chair Dale C. Sarjeant ’74....................................... At-Large; Charlotte Co-Chair Janet V. Sarjeant ’73...................................................... Charlotte Co-Chair The Rev. Dr. Theodore F. Schneider ’56............................. Church Relations John R. Stafford Jr. ’57........................................................ Society of 1842; Southwest Virginia / East Tennessee Co-Chair Thomas A. Stevens ’90 ...................................... President’s Advisory Board Jake Tarr ’82...................................................... Washington, D.C. Co-Chair Peter S. Treiber ’69 ......................................................... New York Co-Chair John R. Turbyfill ’53 ........................................................................ At-Large Munsey S. Wheby ’51............................................. Charlottesville Co-Chair Helen T. Whittemore ’80 ...................................... Hampton Roads Co-Chair Frank Wisneski................................ Parent Leadership Council (Ex-Officio)

• Honorary Campaign Steering Committee • C. Homer Bast ’79 ‡ Jean Beamer ’52 Norman D. Fintel, President Emeritus

David M. Gring, President Emeritus Bishop James F. Mauney Charles R. Moir

Donald M. Sutton Sr. ’54 ‡ Deceased

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maroonmusings

BY TH E RE V. R . PAU L H E N R I C KSO N Timothy L. Pickle Jr. and Timothy L. Pickle III Dean of the Chapel Emeritus

Paving the Way for Others

Paul Henrickson shares a laugh at the 2013 Baccalaureate.

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s every alumnus or alumna of Roanoke College knows, the college sits on a hill. It’s a small hill, but to get to any place on campus from off campus, it’s an uphill climb.

The front walk, known as Heritage Walk, begins at the north end of College Avenue and ends at the Founder’s Circle right in front of the Administration Building, the original structure on campus. The walk is slightly uphill, rising almost two stories in height between Clay Street and the Administration Building.

And this is as it should be; because when a student decides to journey along any “college avenue,” it is an uphill climb.

A college degree is not an easy or simple achievement; it requires dedication and hard work. Every student invests four years of his or her 28

life and significant family resources to achieving a college education. In a recent study conducted by the College Board, more than two-thirds of college-bound high school seniors indicated that paying for college will be a financial hardship for their families. So, when a student travels their college avenue, they need to be keenly aware of those who have made the path accessible and the slope easier to climb.

On Heritage Walk and in the “Founder’s Circle” are carved the names of those who have made significant gifts to the college. Most of these names are alumni of the College, people who are well-acquainted with the uphill journey to

From scholarships, to new facilities, to endowed professorships, the College has been generously supported by people who believe in Roanoke. a Roanoke degree. The pavers on Heritage Walk are reminders that when students walk the walk of a Roanoke College education, they are supported by thousands of generous people who have literally paved the way for them.

From scholarships, to new facilities, to endowed professorships, the College has been generously supported by people who believe in Roanoke.

These last words are essential, “…by people who believe in Roanoke.” In the church, we have saying about giving: “Stewardship is everything that happens after you say ‘I believe’.” People give to what they believe in. People give to a vision that invites them to be a part of something that is larger than themselves and a vision that will make a

meaningful difference in the world.

Roanoke College equips students with the skills required to work competently and constructively in society. In a diverse and complicated society, the world needs what a Roanoke education offers.

Paving the way for this vision requires generous people who believe in Roanoke College and are willing to put their confidence into action.

Alumni are an especially important group of “pavers,” because they know first-hand both the value and the challenge of a Roanoke education.

Alumni have walked on the path paved by others. Alumni have lived in the residence halls and gone to class in the buildings built brickby-brick by others who believed in Roanoke College. Alumni have had the road to opportunity paved by those who have brought honor and fame to the College. Alumni have benefitted from the generosity of those who have gone before and believed in the Roanoke vision.

Giving back to Roanoke is not an obligation — it is an opportunity; an opportunity to make the road to a Roanoke education easier and more accessible to another traveler.

Consider the uphill climb ahead and imagine how you will pave their way. You can give them a foothold on their future. RC

The Rev. R. Paul Henrickson, Timothy L. Pickle Jr. and Timothy L. Pickle III Dean of the Chapel, retired this spring from Roanoke College, where he has worked for the past 30 years. He spent countless hours ministering to students, faculty and staff, including leading late-night Bible studies with students and traveling to South Carolina and Louisiana to build Habitat for Humanity houses. He was also a spiritual advisor to the College community, making house calls to the dorm rooms of struggling students and helping students and staff with concern and care. For nearly three decades, he was the face of faith at Roanoke College.

Roanoke College Magazine

Alumni are an especially important group of “pavers,” because they know first-hand both the value and the challenge of a Roanoke education.

Henrickson on the College’s Front Quad last fall.

collegearchives

BY LI NDA AN G L E M I L L E R , CO L L EG E A R C H I V I ST

Campaigns Through the Years

The cover of a Roanoke College campaign brochure from 1910.

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undraising has been part of the Roanoke College experience since its founding. While many of us take for granted the hard work and personal sacrifices that led to the College’s success today, every member of the Roanoke family has enjoyed the fruits of those labors.

Nineteenth century fundraising was generally a simpler version of techniques used today. The president carried the responsibility of raising funds to provide what students needed, and in the College’s early years, presidents had to create infrastructure. First came the “Main Building,” as they called it then, in its three pieces: middle (1848), western portion (1852) and eastern portion (1854). The trustees offered “naming rights” for the two flanking

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buildings to each donor who gave $1,000. Two Salem men, Michael Miller and John Trout, were so honored.

President David Bittle was no novice at fundraising when he returned to Roanoke College in 1853.

He had spent the previous year doing just that for the soon-to-open Hagerstown (Md.) Female Seminary.

Bittle had to identify those people who supported a Roanoke education since Roanoke alumni were few in number and fewer still in their ability to make gifts to the College.

So he looked to “friends” of Roanoke College — residents of Salem who

While the methods have changed somewhat over the years, there is one element that has remained constant from the beginning: presidents, trustees, alumni and friends have remained passionate about Roanoke College and its continued success. were pleased to be honored with the presence of an educational institution in their midst — and fellow Lutherans, who were also pleased to have a Lutheran college in Virginia, where their sons could receive a solid education under the guidance of the dynamic president.

Bittle made visits to individuals, groups and Lutheran churches. He personally wrote letters to those beyond easy travel distance, explaining the “advantages” of Roanoke College and its needs. The catalogue was as much a publication for prospective donors as it was for potential students and included pages on the needs of the College and recent gifts. Even a box of paper and mineral specimens were deemed worthy of mention.

Anniversaries also have been opportune times to raise money.

For the Quarto-Centennial in 1878, Bittle and Financial Secretary (ultimately President) Julius Dreher ’71 sought to build Andrew Lewis Centennial Hall, honoring Salem’s most famous citizen and hero of the 1774 Battle of Point Pleasant. Before the goal could be reached, however, David Bittle died suddenly in 1876 — hence, Bittle Memorial Library.

An engraving of Bittle with words of thanks from Dreher went to each donor.

Improved rail travel allowed Dreher to tap a broader network of potential donors, as he headed north each year to cultivate “friends of Roanoke” more able to contribute sums than most post-Civil War southern friends. Newspapers in Boston and New York announced his arrival and upcoming events to greet him.

Fundraising for 1903 revealed plans for the addition of a third floor to the Administration Building as well as “connector pieces” that would make one huge building out of the original three.

In 1906, industrialist Andrew Carnegie offered colleges a “second $25,000” (today’s equivalent of $641,000) for increased endowment to whomever would pay off all in-

The Spring 1993 issue of the Roanoke College magazine was devoted to the finale of the successful 1992 campaign.

Roanoke College Magazine

Campaign material from The Difference, Roanoke’s ambitious campaign launched in 2002 with the goal of attaining national prominence.

debtedness and raise an additional $25,000. President John A. Morehead and the Board of Trustees embraced the challenge wholeheartedly. With contributions from trustees, faculty, the Virginia Synod, the Southwest Virginia Synod, friends of the College in Salem and Roanoke, and northern benefactors, the requisite $35,000 ($10,000 in indebtedness from the Administration Building renovation in 1903 plus the challenge amount) was raised within a year.

The first “modern” fundraising campaign was designed by fifth president Charles J. Smith and the trustees in 1920. The final hurdle impeding accreditation was the College’s meager endowment, so the group devised a plan to raise $500,000 and sought help from alumni, the Roanoke Valley community and the Lutheran Church. The Trustees agreed to request a contribution of $165,000 from the General Education Board with the remainder coming from the College. The trustees hired a firm for $10,000 to conduct the campaign, and appointed committee chairmen to cover all areas. Again, the College’s success was outstanding, raising funds for the endowment match, eliminating indebtedness and covering campaign expenses. The campaign ended in 1927, after which Roanoke College received accreditation.

The Centennial Challenge for 1942 took a different strategy. After determining the Roanoke College Magazine

need to add $30,000 annually to the College income, the trustees devised a plan whereby, instead of raising $1 million to invest and thus earn $30,000 annually, donors would pledge “A Living Endowment.” In this arrangement, the donor would keep the principal and give the interest earnings to Roanoke each year. World War II slowed fundraising efforts beyond basic facility needs. Of the four buildings designated as “urgently needed,” the College was able to build Smith Hall, the first women’s dormitory. That same year, an unexpected major gift from West Virginia manufacturer Henry Lucas provided almost complete funding for the building of a new chemistry building. Purchase of the Methodist properties at the corner of College Avenue and Clay Street in the early 1950s filled at least some of the College’s space needs.

The 125th Anniversary Challenge in 1967 was the result of a massive Master Plan for campus development, to provide a “well-ordered plan” of growth in the 1960s.

Phase I, launched in 1960, was a seven-year effort to raise $2 million in new endowment and facilities. With the goal to reach 1,000 students — an increase of 300 by 1970 — the College community knew that a larger infrastructure was critical. Phase I passed its goal in 1965, two years early, and could boast a “fine new library,” Bowman Hall for men, Crawford Hall for women, and four fraternity houses, totaling 450 new beds. Phase II focused on the College’s most ambitious plan ever: raising $5.1 million in three years for two centers — religion and fine arts, and sciences. Antrim Chapel and the Science complex were all completed by 1970. The Art center — what is now Olin Hall — opened in 1977 with assistance from the Olin Foundation.

The Sesquicentennial Campaign, “We dare to dream boldly,” kicked into gear in the early 1980s, with a “bold” goal totaling $75 million. The “Plan for Excellence” fun-

neled over one-third of that into the Sesquicentennial Endowment Program, which provided access (scholarships), teaching (professorships and instruction) and academic programs (departments, honors and library). Other gifts funded a major library expansion/renovation project and unrestricted programs. The Sesquicentennial year was inaugurated with the dedication of Fintel Library. Celebrations continued throughout 1991-92, culminating with a grand Alumni Weekend fireworks display.

Roanoke College’s 2002 campaign, The Difference, was ambitious, with the ultimate goal of attaining national prominence by 2002. Campaign priorities focused on four major areas: scholarships; endowed professorships, faculty development and the chaplaincy program; facilities and technology; and improved annual giving. The most significant accomplishments of the campaign were the building of Colket Center, renovation of the Courthouse (now West Hall), major scholarship and library endowments, and an overall endowment topping $100 million. Drs. Bittle and Dreher would have been proud!

While the methods have changed somewhat over the years, there is one element that has remained constant from the be-

The cover of the Roanoke Rising case statement and a sample page.

ginning: presidents, trustees, alumni and friends have remained passionate about Roanoke College and its continued success. Their devotion to Roanoke throughout its 171 years has remained steadfast, and the College, and all who love it, are its most fortunate beneficiaries. RC

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