Planting seeds now for a stronger Roanoke tomorrow
NEW POINT OF VIEW
May Term courses, such as this study of ecotourism in Portugal, expand students’ minds and worldviews, giving them a glimpse of life outside their own bubble.
By Lindsey Nair ’98
by Daniel Belloni ’28
The Sete Cidades hike on the island of Sao Miguel in Portugal’s Azores archipelago culminates in this stunning view, which Isabel Bradley ’26 and Hayden Hanke ’27 celebrated with an epic selfie. Students in Andreea Mihalache-O’Keef’s May Term course, “Ecotourism and Sustainable Agriculture in the Azores and Lisbon,” were treated to 15 days of adventure as they learned from organizations involved in agrotourism and sustainability work.
In addition to working on an eco farm and touring pineapple and tea plantations, the class hiked to this site overlooking the volcanic caldera that includes the Twin Lakes of Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul, or Green Lake and Blue Lake. Hanke learned that in local folklore, the lakes are thought to represent forbidden lovers. “It was a wonderful start to our journey on the island,” he said, “and we were very lucky to have seen it without any clouds.”
Photo
10 A Powerful Reminder
Sandy Williams IV’s stunning sculpture, “Authors and Architects,” is a six-foot-squared monument to the enslaved laborers who helped build a college that still stands today.
By Lindsey Nair ’98
18 Generations Ahead
Roanoke College aims to triple its endowment over the next five years, an ambitious goal designed to bolster financial aid and educational opportunities for students.
By Christina Nifong
26 Speaking from Experience
Deb (Murray) Lemon ’90 talks adventure, adaptability and authenticity — some of the keys to her success in experiential marketing.
By Lindsey Nair
’98
Award-winning Toronto illustrator Mike Ellis has created eye-popping art for The New Yorker, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post. He now adds Roanoke College Magazine to the list as we feature his work on the cover and inside with our lead story, “Generations Ahead.”
Let’s try this again ...
Following the last issue, we heard from a few hawk-eyed alumni who noted problems with the caption under a “Back in the Day” photo on pp. 34-35. Regrettably, we had misidentified one basketball player and were missing names for some of the other women on the bench. They are (L-R): Susan Highfill ’79, then the assistant coach; Head Coach Lynn Agee; Charlene Curtis, also an assistant coach at the time; Ann Harwood ’83, Ann Moore ’81 and Lisa Oliphant ’83.
Highfill remains the all-time leading scorer in women’s basketball for the Maroons. Her
number was retired and she is a member of the Athletic Hall of Fame. Harwood also is a member of the Hall of Fame. Curtis had a highly decorated career, going on to be the first Black women’s head basketball coach in the ACC and a member of Radford’s Athletic Hall of Fame. She also coached for University of Virginia, Radford and Temple University, and later served as a television color analyst and supervisor of ACC officials.
Thank you to the readers who wrote in about this!
Editor Lindsey Nair ’98, Associate Vice President, Marketing and Communications
Contributors Alicia Petska, Mike Carpenter, Jordan Haack and Anna Wehr
Archives Jesse Bucher
Photography James France, Griffin Pivarunas ’16, Carissa Szuch Divant, Kaylen Ayres ’25, Ryan Hunt ’18, Daniel Belloni ’28 and Sally Terrill ’27
Illustration Mike Ellis
Design & Production Mikula-Harris
Printing Bison Printing
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
Rita Farlow
Roanoke College does not discriminate against students, employees or applicants on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, national or ethnic origin, disability or veteran status.
Roanoke College Magazine is published twice a year by the Office of Marketing and Communications for alumni, students, parents, staff and friends of Roanoke College. Editorial rights are reserved.
Questions, comments and corrections may be sent to: Magazine Editor Roanoke College Office of Marketing and Communications 221 College Lane Salem, VA 24153-3794 rcmagazine@roanoke.edu
Mr. Malon W. Courts ’92, Chair
Mr. Kenneth J. Belton Sr. ’81, Vice Chair
Mr. James S. Frantz Jr., Secretary
Mr. David B. Mowen, Ex-officio, Treasurer
Dr. Frank Shushok Jr., Ex-officio, President of the College
Mr. Kirk Howard Betts
Dr. Paris D. Butler, MPH ’00
Ms. Pamela L. Cabalka ’76
Dr. M. Paul Capp ’52
Mr. Joseph H. Carpenter IV ’99
Ms. Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo ’78
Mr. W. Morgan Churchman ’65
Ms. Kimberly Davis-Riffe
Mr. Robert P. Fralin
The Rev. Harry W. Griffith
Ms. Judith B. Hall ’69
Ms. Kathryn S. Harkness ’73
Dr. Jared J. Herr ’04, M.D.
Ms. Peggy Fintel Horn ’78
Mr. Patrick R. Leardo
Mr. Christopher N. Merrill ’93
The Rev. Dr. Phyllis Milton, Bishop
Ms. Nancy B. Mulheren ’72
Mr. Roger A. Petersen ’81
Mr. J. Tyler Pugh ’70
Mr. David W. Robertson ’89
Mr. C. Micah Spruill ’11
Mr. Daniel E. Strelka ’89
Mr. Andrew K. Teeter ’71
Mrs. Nicole B. Terrill ’95 (Ex-officio)
Mr. Peter S. Treiber ’79
Dr. Garnett B. Whitehurst
Ms. Helen Twohy Whittemore ’80
Mr. Andrew Masterman and Mrs. Cheryl Masterman (Ex-officio, Cochairs of the Parent Leadership Council)
Mrs. Cara (Bayersdorfer) Kenney ’98 (Ex-officio, Chair of the Alumni Executive Council)
Mr. Alexander “Sandy” Mulheren ’02 (Ex-officio, Chair of the President’s Advisory Board)
221 College Lane | Salem, VA 24153-3794
TIM RIBAR COLLECTION
‘Rooted
and Open’ at Roanoke
A guiding philosophy at Roanoke College balances our Lutheran heritage with an inclusive, forwardthinking and purpose-driven approach to education.
As I sat down to write this note, I received the most delightful email from an incoming student named Austin. He wrote, “There is no point to this email other than my expressing my joy to be here. I am using the school computers for the first time and figured telling you this would be a great way to begin.”
While many of you are years removed from your days as students at the college, I’ll bet you still remember that same sense of excitement – and recognize how the possibilities that were ahead of you then turned into the life you are living today.
That sense of possibility is exactly what drew me to Roanoke College over three years ago. Early in the interview process, someone shared an inspiring document with me from the Evangelical Lutheran
Called
to “serve the neighbor,” our
greatest responsibility is to help students “discern their gifts and hone their skills so that they are able to contribute capably, confidently and courageously to the needs of a world that desperately needs them.”
Church in America’s Network of Colleges and Universities. Called “Rooted and Open,” it puts into words what has been part of our DNA for nearly 200 years: an educational mission rooted in tradition and enduring values yet open to new traditions, ideas, perspectives, and people. Called to “serve the neighbor,” our great-
To be “rooted and open” means to be based on a foundation of tradition and values, yet open to new ideas, perspectives and people.
est responsibility is to help students “discern their gifts and hone their skills so that they are able to contribute capably, confidently and courageously to the needs of a world that desperately needs them.”
To that I say, Amen.
I have the joy of watching students’ lives transform in big and small ways every day at Roanoke College, starting from those very first steps, thanks to our talented and dedicated faculty and staff and the support of our alumni, partners and friends. At this moment in the world, when it can be all too easy to believe that hope is in short supply, our students make me certain that something new and beautiful is always being born, and the future is full of surprising potential, generosity and love.
So from me to you, I want to say thank you for all the ways you’re staying connected to building a hope pipeline into the world. Our students are poised to follow in your footsteps, planting seeds of goodness and service as leaders and citizens for a brilliant tomorrow.
Thanks be to God – and you.
With hope,
Frank Shushok Jr.
To read more about “Rooted and Open” at Roanoke College, visit roanoke.edu/rootedandopen.
AT RIGHT: Some students preferred a classic black mortarboard at Commencement 2025 while others showed off major flair with customized designs like this Monopoly board.
ABOVE: Jim Sarsfield ’25 jazzed up his Commencement attire with some ODAC drip that he scored as a record-breaking thrower on the track and field team.
AT RIGHT: The Class of 2025 had eight co-valedictorians, all women, and one salutatorian. From left: Madeline Higgins of Danville, Va.; Sydney Pennix of Roanoke, Va.; Rebecca Goldstein of Medford, N.J.; salutatorian Connor Tyson of Waxhaw, N.C.; Rhianna Gleason of Midlothian, Va.; Simran Gill of Salem, Va.; Riya Patel of Salem, Va.; and Julia Bassett of Midlothian, Va. Not pictured: Peyton Bradford of Salisbury, Md.
AT LEFT: President Shushok and Mikayla “MK” Hefferon share an excited hug as Hefferon collects her degree in health and exercise science at Commencement 2025.
AT RIGHT: Dr. Michael Friedlander prepares to receive his honorary degree during Commencement 2025. Friedlander is executive director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, which under his leadership has spurred regional development and provided valuable opportunities for students and alumni.
ABOVE: On Arbor Day, the college planted two new trees on campus, one in memory of Roanoke College’s fifth president, Charles Smith (1920-1949), and one in honor of Professor Emeritus of Biology Darwin Jorgensen. Four generations of Smith’s descendants looked on as a dawn redwood was planted in his memory on the Front Lawn. That same day, a sweetgum was planted in front of Chalmers Hall for Jorgensen, who is pictured here adding a ceremonial shovelful of dirt to his little tree.
AT LEFT: Tori Schoonmaker ’27 and other students spent their spring break in North Carolina, where they helped restore homes damaged by Hurricane Helene.
AT RIGHT: Kathryn Sullivan was the first American woman to walk in space, and in April, she walked into a Roanoke College classroom to visit with students. Sullivan, an astronaut, oceanographer, geologist and triple Guiness World Record-holder, also delivered the Shirley C. and Donald E. Morel Lecture while on campus.
ABOVE: A new welcome sign was erected on Thompson Memorial Drive that showcases the thriving town-gown relationship between Roanoke College and the City of Salem. Pictured are (L-R) Salem City Manager Christopher Dorsey, Salem Mayor Renée Turk ’77, Roanoke College Presidential Advisor/General Counsel Catherine Potter, and Roanoke College President Frank Shushok Jr.
AT LEFT: Liz Satynska ’26 welcomes guests to a naming ceremony for the M. Paul Capp Administration Building in April. Satynska’s involvement in the ceremony was special because she is from the Ukraine and Dr. Capp is the child of Ukrainian immigrants. Read more on P.48.
ON THE QUAD
COLLEGE NEWS & CAMPUS HAPPENINGS
Grand Entrance
Student research, faculty dedication, administrative support and community enthusiasm culminated in the spring delivery of Roanoke’s long-awaited memorial to enslaved laborers.
By Lindsey Nair ’98
In the chilly morning hours of April 1, 2025, a boom truck gently lowered the “Authors and Architects” memorial into its permanent position across from Roselawn.
Its literal foundation is a concrete square, but the sculpture is also buttressed by more than 10 years of work to uncover and understand the role of slavery in the life of the college.
That work has included membership in the Universities Studying Slavery organization; establishment of the Center for Studying Structures of Race (CSSR); dedication of placards on the Administration Building; creation of a campus walking tour; memorial planning; and in-depth research conducted by CSSR Director, College Historian and Professor Jesse Bucher and his students.
“The ‘Authors and Architects’ memorial on our campus is a meaningful tribute and a powerful reminder of the 829 enslaved individuals who, at great sacrifice, helped create what Roanoke College is today,” said Roanoke College President Frank Shushok Jr. “We take time to acknowledge that all community members, past, present and future, will have benefitted from their lives.”
To read more about the memorial dedication, see page 10.
A powerful reminder
Years of research and collaboration have contributed to a memorial sculpture that recognizes and honors the role of enslaved laborers at Roanoke College.
By Lindsey Nair ’98
When Roanoke College was founded in 1842, there were some 2.5 million enslaved people in the American South. Our founders and leaders, like many white leaders of the time, owned enslaved individuals and relied on them to help build and sustain their communities.
This is a difficult and unpleasant truth, but Roanoke College chose to face it head on.
On April 4, 2025, hundreds of people gathered in the grass across from Roselawn to witness a major milestone on the college’s journey to understanding: the dedication of “Authors and Architects,” a
“As we look forward, pay close attention to what sits between the past and the future: It is us.”
— Professor Jesse Bucher
six-foot-squared monument to the people who sacrificed their time, energy and –above all – their freedom to help build the college that still stands today. The large bronze sculpture, designed by Richmond artist and educator Sandy Williams IV, is in the form of hundreds of stacked books, many of which are embossed with the names of enslaved people with ties to school history.
The books that make up the cubeshaped sculpture were cast from 3Dscanned replicas of the college’s original library and record books. The names on the memorial, among others, were identi-
Hundreds of names identified during student research are represented on the sculpture. Some books were intentionally left blank to symbolize the stories that are yet to be uncovered or that have been lost.
fied through hours of research conducted by 15 Roanoke College students as part of the Genealogy of Slavery (GOS) project, which began in 2019 under the direction of College Historian and Professor of History Jesse Bucher. Bucher is also director of the Center for Studying Structures of Race (CSSR), which is dedicated to the study of race and the legacies of slavery in America.
Concurrent with the dedication, Bucher released the History of Enslavement Report, written to summarize the work of the GOS project and produced in response to a formal request from the board of trustees. The report includes an abundance of details from official records that establish the fact that Roanoke College directly benefited, and even grew stronger, as a direct result of the widespread practice of enslavement.
The arrival of “Authors and Architects” is not an end mark for the research; instead, it is a significant milestone on a journey that will continue to shed light on Roanoke’s history and provide valuable experiential learning for students.
“The 829 names that appear on this memorial belong to individuals enslaved by founders of Roanoke College. They produced wealth that gave rise to the college. They gave skilled labor to create campus buildings that still stand. They gave shape to this place,” Bucher said.
“As we look forward, pay close attention to what sits between the past and the future: It is us. We have the capacity, the courage and the curiosity to seek the truth about the past, and to see a new future.”
To read more about the memorial and see the History of Enslavement Report, visit roanoke.edu/authors_architects.
An agreement with Virginia Western Community College will create a four-year biotechnology degree program that will support the region’s growing biotech corridor. Students at VWCC will have a seamless transfer path to Roanoke while Roanoke College students will be able to take several courses in VWCC’s associate’s degree in biotech program.
In a deal inked with Tulane University, Maroons will qualify for expedited admission (and a scholarship guarantee) at one of the nation’s leading public health graduate schools, the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Mentoring and networking opportunities are also part of the arrangement.
Howdy, partners!
Roanoke continues to link arms with local industry and other higher education institutions to create academic partnerships that strengthen the region and open doors for learners.
Athletic trainers are in high demand nationwide, and Roanoke College students can now take advantage of those opportunities with a master’s degree in the subject from Radford University. Radford will reserve two spots per year in its program, which is open to students of all majors.
Roanoke’s strategic plan, “Imagine Roanoke,” calls for moving rapidly to advance new initiatives, partnerships and ways of thinking that are borne of innovation and designed to bolster the college, its students and the local community.
There’s no rest for the ambitious as we strive to grow our list of partnerships, which already include deals with Boston University, Virginia Tech, William & Mary, Hollins College, West Virginia University, the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine and three regional community colleges. Read on to learn about our four newest partnerships, and visit roanoke.edu/partnerships to learn more about these student-first arrangements.
The TMEIC Scholars program was created in collaboration with TMEIC, a global leader in innovative manufacturing and environmental systems engineering that has a center in Roanoke. This program offers scholarships, internships, professional mentoring and a guaranteed job interview at TMEIC for graduating scholars interested in engineering. Pictured at our announcement press conference are (L-R): Dean Karin Saoub, School of Health, Science, and Sustainability at Roanoke; Declan Daly, VP of business development, TMEIC; Associate Professor Bryan Cobb, Roanoke College; TMEIC President/CEO Manmeet Bhatia; and Roanoke College President Frank Shushok Jr.
RETIREMENTS
Faculty farewell
Educators Tom Carter, Marc LaChance and Hans Zorn were celebrated this spring as they retired after years of faithful service to the college.
By Alicia Petska
Three beloved members of the Roanoke College faculty – with a combined service of 73 years – took their much-deserved retirement at the end of the 2024-25 academic year.
Tom Carter, associate professor emeritus of English and communication studies, joined the college in 1994 and helped create the communication studies program. He taught classes in mass communication, media ethics, journalism and more, launching scores of students into the media and writing professions. He also served as faculty advisor for The Brackety-Ack and taught a popular INQ course, “Ghosts and Human Perception.” He was described by his peers as an educator whose “gentle presence and generous wit will be sorely missed.”
Roanoke certified Bee Campus USA
Marc LaChance, a lecturer in the Fine Arts Department, served as director of the Wind and Jazz ensembles, bringing 28 years of experience as a conductor and professor of low brass, music theory and jazz studies. A gifted trombonist, he taught classes in music fundamentals, jazz history and improvisation. His Great Dane, Ingrid, also earned fans among students and faculty. LaChance’s fellow faculty wrote that he was a “mensch on the bandstand and a pro in the classroom” who will be missed for his spirit and collegiality.
Hans Zorn, professor emeritus of philosophy, gave 35 years of service to Roanoke, designing the philosophy major and serving as department chair. He also helped design the INQ curriculum, advised and trained the VFIC Ethics Bowl team, delighted students with the annual Zeno Contest, and mentored scores of students. He received a Dean’s Exemplary Service Award for his work. An accomplished cook, brewer and gardener, he kept a banyan tree in his office for students who needed enlightenment and support.
Former students who wish to congratulate these faculty members may email them at carter@roanoke.edu, lachance@roaoke.edu or zorn@roanoke.edu.
Five environmental studies students at Roanoke helped make the campus a friendlier place for pollinators.
Could Roanoke be more environmentally friendly? A group of environmental studies majors made it their beeswax to find out.
As part of their senior practicum, Mikaela Gantz ’25, James Hartmann ’25, Charlie Hastings ’25, Jim Nichols ’25 and Abby Young ’25 worked with Bee Campus USA to get the college certified as a Bee Campus USA site, recognizing its dedication to pollinator-friendly practices that support environmental needs.
As part of its certification, Roanoke renewed its commitment to pollinatorfriendly landscape management, including
the use of native plants on campus. The students added a selection of pollinator plants to the campus garden on Hawthorn Road, where the college’s Beekeeping Society keeps a hive, and installed bat and bee houses at the Environment Center, located on the Elizabeth Campus. The Environment Center is restoring about five acres of meadows, woods and creek swales.
“Pollinators play a crucial role in our ecosystems, and we’re proud to be part of a national effort to protect them,” said Professor Kathy O’Neill, chair of environmental studies.
Roanoke is the 200th college or university nationwide to join the Bee Campus USA program.
Said Hartmann, “We wanted to show how even small changes can be part of a big impact.”
Carter
LaChance
Zorn
A bee peruses rosemary flowers in the campus garden
Precious Cargo
Roanoke’s newest housing option turns single-use shipping containers into modern, eco-friendly housing with a community feel.
By Lindsey Nair ’98
When college leaders decided to take Crawford Hall offline for renovations during the 2025-26 academic year, it presented a conundrum: Finding a place to house the more than 150 students who would have called it home this year.
The solution, in a nutshell, was innovation.
Over the summer, a new student housing option took shape on the back end of campus, off Hawthorn Road. Called Maroon Village, the community was constructed from repurposed shipping containers that offer sleek, eco-friendly design packed with modern comforts, including state-of-the-art temperature control, onsite laundry and a built-in neighborhood vibe.
The forward-thinking solution put Roanoke at the center of a growing trend as other higher ed institutions also embrace shipping container living, and as American culture remains intrigued by the tiny home phenomenon.
The solution also advances a key imperative in Roanoke’s new strategic plan: “To develop an on-campus residential experience that is an exemplar of a 21st century learning laboratory – beautiful, integrated, practical and inspiring.”
Maroon Village is Roanoke’s first residence offering to feature renewable energy, with sustainable solar panels, repurposed materials and energy-efficient design. The fully furnished units are
Each unit is outfitted with individual temperature control, wi-fi, a vanity and storage space.
outfitted with individual mini-splits for temperature control, and they are situated around a central courtyard where students can relax or play games. A double unit serves as a common room for village residents, inviting them to hang out, watch TV, prepare food or eat.
Maroon Village can accommodate up to 157 students and is expected to serve as flex housing for years, allowing the college to renovate additional residence halls in the future.
To learn more about Maroon Village, visit roanoke.edu/maroonvillage.
Wrestling royalty
Mark Samuel ’26 took the Roanoke College wrestling program to new heights this year when he became a national champion.
By Mike Carpenter
Just five years ago, when Roanoke College first announced the addition of wrestling, the program didn’t have a coach, much less a team. Then-Athletic Director Scott Allison said, “We couldn’t be more excited for the challenges that lie ahead.”
What lay ahead would have made them even more excited: the school’s first-ever national champion in wrestling and the first for the college in any sport since 2010.
That champ is Mark Samuel ’26, who foreshadowed his winning season one year ago with a third-place finish at the 2023-24 Division III Wrestling Championships, earning All-American honors.
Samuel started the 2024-25 Championships in Providence, Rhode Island, with three wins on the first day in the 141-pound single-elimination bracket. He opened with a 13-6 win over Cole Becker from Augsburg, had a major decision victory (11-1) against his foe from Centenary, and scored a 13-11 win over Ty Bisek from Concordia-Morehead.
Samuel’s three wins set up a showdown in the semifinals with Josh Wilson, a top-seeded Greensboro wrestler who had defeated him the last six times they met. Samuel persevered in the semifinals, scoring a hard-fought 2-1 victory in a tiebreaker over the defending national champion. In the finals, the fifth-seeded Samuel matched up with Sean Conway from the University of Chicago and captured the title with a 9-3 win.
“Going into Nationals, I had worked harder than I ever had before,” said Samuel. “Since it was the last tournament of the year, I wanted to end on a positive note, so mentally I was ready to have a good last tournament. Throughout my matches, I was constantly adjusting my style and game plan for each of my opponents just to gain that little edge over them.”
Samuel, a
Samuel, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and All State Wrestler of the Year, finished the season 33-4 with five pins, 10 technical falls and three major decisions. He was honored as the school’s co-Male Athlete of the Year.
“The route that Marky had to navigate to win an NCAA title was one of the most challenging brackets I’ve ever seen as a coach,” said Head Coach Nate Yetzer. “Marky is a born winner, but he did have to make changes in his training and mindset to jump a level to win a title. I’m really proud that he made those changes.”
The young Roanoke College wrestling program now has a national champion, four All-Americans and three Old Dominion Athletic Conference team titles in that span.
“What Marky has done for the program is remarkable,” Yetzer said. “He has helped elevate the program here.”
Mark
junior from Wilmington, North Carolina, captured the national championship title in March.
From game to fame
Five new names were added to the Athletic Hall of Fame this spring
By Mike Carpenter
Five former student-athletes were inducted into the Roanoke College Athletic Hall of Fame in April as part of the 2025 Alumni Weekend festivities.
Robin (McLaughlin) Gallagher ’94 was the women’s soccer team’s all-time leading scorer until the 2004 season. A forward, she racked up 94 points on 41 goals and 12 assists, helping power the Maroons to four straight ODAC championships, including the 1990 ODAC title. She was a First-Team All-ODAC selection in 1992 and 1993, and a VaSID All-State and an NSCAA All-South Region selection as a senior.
Brandon Ketron ’12 was a three-time First Team All-ODAC honoree in golf and finished top five as an individual in three of four years at the ODAC Championships. In 2012, he won the ODAC Tour-
nament as an individual and earned the Ted Keller Sportsmanship Award. His work led the Maroons to a second-place finish at the 2012 ODAC Championships.
Matt Madalon ’06 led men’s lacrosse to back-to-back ODAC Championships and NCAA Tournament Final Four appearances in his three seasons. The goalkeeper was a two-time Second Team USILA AllAmerican, two-time VaSID All-State, and two-time First Team All-ODAC selection. He was also ODAC Player of the Year and a selection to the USILA North/South All-Star game. As of April, Madalon ranked third in wins, third in saves per game, fourth in goals against average, and seventh in saves in the Roanoke career record book. He also holds third and 10th in saves and third in wins in the single season categories.
Steve Mason ’91 earned First Team AllODAC and Third Team All-American honors in 1990 and ’91, and led Roanoke men’s lacrosse to ODAC Championships in 1988 and 1990. His play in goal was an
(R-L) Steve Mason ’91, Robin (McLaughlin) Gallagher ’94, Athletic Director Curtis Campbell, Brandon Ketron ’12 and Melissa (Slusher) Rickmon ’04. Not pictured: Matt Madalon ’06.
important catalyst in the Maroons’ run to the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Tournament. As of April, he ranked second in career goals against average, fourth in career saves, fifth in career saves/game, sixth in career wins, and ninth in career save percentage. He earned the Paul S. Griffin Award for dedication and leadership and was the 1991 Male Athlete of the Year.
Melissa (Slusher) Rickmon ’04 helped the women’s volleyball team to four playoff berths, including two semifinals and an appearance in the 2001 ODAC Championships. She also helped the team earn its first regional ranking in 2002. Her accolades include three ODAC Player of the Week awards, First Team All-ODAC, Second Team All-State and a three-time Second Team All-ODAC selection. Also an Academic All-American, she currently sits second in career attacking percentage (.346), career kills (1568), and single season kills (458 in 2002) as well as fifth in career digs (1073) and ninth in career aces (146).
Sweet dreams
The men’s basketball team completed a historic run that took them all the way to the Sweet 16.
By Mike Carpenter
The Roanoke College men’s basketball team had a season for the ages in 2024-25, completing an historic winter that culminated in their first Sweet 16 appearance since 1995-96. The Maroons finished the year 25-6, the most wins for the program since 1993-94.
After advancing to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) title game, Roanoke played three thrilling NCAA tournament games, two coming down to the final possession. The Maroons were 18 points down midway through the second half against Pfeiffer University in the first round but came back for a 71-70 win. The shoe was on the other foot in the next round, as Christopher Newport University rallied from a 17-point deficit to
tie the game in the closing seconds. Joshua McClary ’26 sank a midrange jumper with under five seconds to play, and a defensive stop on the other end gave the Maroons the victory. In the Sweet 16 against Catholic University, Roanoke had a chance to win the game in regulation but couldn’t convert, and the Cardinals
“It was a tightly connected group that shared an uncompromising focus on each other and the team at large.”
— Head Coach Clay Nunley
won the contest in overtime.
“Our team was special in a lot of ways,” said Head Coach Clay Nunley. “It was a tightly connected group that shared an uncompromising focus on each other and the team at large. We had tremendous leadership, balance, and depth, which
The college community proudly feted members of the men’s basketball team in March as they prepared to board the bus to Hartford, Conn., for a Sweet 16 matchup with Catholic University.
showed in pivotal points in the season.” Roanoke finished No. 15 in the nation in the final D3hoops.com Top 25 poll.
The Maroon men have been ranked in the final D3hoops poll of the season only one other time, in the 1999-2000 campaign. Roanoke came in at No. 16 at the end of that year, making this year’s ranking the highest in program history by D3hoops.com for a season-ending poll.
McClary, named co-Roanoke College Male Athlete of the Year, was the All-State and All-ODAC Defensive Player of the Year and was also a first-team honoree from both organizations. He took home second-team NABC District 6 accolades and second-team Region 6 honors from D3hoops.com. Nunley earned All-State Coach of the Year honors, and junior Marcus Morgan ’27 earned second-team all-conference accolades.
“What I valued most was the character that our student-athletes displayed on a daily basis,” Nunley said. “The group was incredibly rewarding to coach and took us on a historical ride through the season.”
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Paige Breuer ’28 earned ODAC Rookie of the Year, All-Region Rookie of the Year, and All-ODAC honors. RC earned the five seed in the ODAC playoffs after going on a seven-game win streak.
TRACK & FIELD
The men finished third at outdoor ODACs and fourth at indoor ODACs. The women placed fourth at both. Ophelia Ladner ’27, Brady Fowler ’26 and Amari Carter ’29 earned AllAmerican honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Ladner was also named the ODAC Scholar Athlete of the Year for the outdoor season.
CYCLING
Hays Edmunds ’26 and Lauren Weigel ’28 won championships in cyclocross while Aunika Kemp ’26 and Jensen Cervati ’27 earned ACCC titles.
TENNIS
The men went 8-10 this season, sweeping four opponents for the first time since 2007. Julia Bassett ’25 led the women’s team in singles wins (7) and tied with Lia Streibich ’26 in doubles victories (6).
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Roanoke advanced to the ODAC Championship. Colin Mendoza ’26 earned ODAC Defensive Player of the Year while Connor Tyson ’25 was named the ODAC/Viriginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete.
GOLF
RC placed ninth at ODACs. Palmer Cuny ’25 was an AllODAC selection and finished T14th at ODACs to earn All-Tournament.
MEN’S LACROSSE
RC went 13-6 and 8-2 in conference play. Julian Kammerman ’26, Luke Kammerman ’25, Wyatt Whitlow ’24, and Weston Hammond ’27 garnered AllAmerican status.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
Roanoke went 12-7 and 8-2 in conference play. Grace Koutouzis ’25 was named the ODAC Offensive Player of the Year. Koutouzis and Maddie McDonald ’27 garnered All-American and All-Region honors.
SWIMMING
The men placed second while the women placed third at ODACs. The women dominated the regular season, going 6-0 in duals.
SOFTBALL
Maggie McCray ’26 broke the program’s single game strikeout record three times and took down the ODAC record with her 20Ks against Bridgewater. McCray also set the program’s single season record for strikeouts (205).
BASEBALL
Roanoke went 19-21-1 and took three wins over ranked opponents under first year head coach Brett Kaminski.
more information about athletics, visit roanokemaroons.com
A NEW ERA
Longtime men’s lacrosse coach Bill Pilat ’85 has retired, and Grant Zimmerman of Centre College is the program’s new head coach.
A changing of the guard has taken place at the top of Roanoke’s celebrated men’s lacrosse team.
Bill Pilat ’85, one of the winningest coaches in NCAA men’s lacrosse history, took his much-deserved retirement at the end of the 2024-25 academic year after 37 years at the helm. Replacing him is Grant Zimmerman, former head coach at Centre College.
“The players I have coached mean everything to me.”
— Bill Pilat ’85
Pilat, an acclaimed college lacrosse player in his own right, coached the Maroons to 10 ODAC titles, 15 NCAA Tournament appearances and four trips to the Final Four. He’s been named ODAC Coach of the Year 11 times and has coached 19 Male Athletes of the Year at Roanoke. He left with a 413-187 record over his time at Roanoke.
“The players I have coached mean everything to me,” Pilat said. “I’ve worked alongside some great coaches, administrators and athletes, and this has been the best 37 years anyone could ask for.”
Zimmerman, the sixth head men’s lacrosse coach in program history, was a four-year starter for the University of North Carolina, where he racked up laurels. He also played on the Netherlands men’s national team and was an assistant coach at Denison College before joining Centre College’s coaching staff.
“After a comprehensive national search, it was clear that Grant has the leadership, experience, and passion needed to take our program to the next level,” said Athletic Director Curtis Campbell.
Read more about Pilat’s retirement and Zimmerman at roanokemaroons.com.
Pilat Zimmerman
Roanoke College aims to triple its endowment over the next five years, an ambitious goal designed to bolster student financial aid and ensure an educational experience that fully prepares students for a competitive, rapidly changing world.
GENERATIONS
AHEAD
The year was 1959. Marvin Phaup Jr. ’62 was spending his summer at a textile plant in Roanoke, cleaning equipment “alongside two other hard-luck students,” he recalled.
One year before, he had graduated from a small high school in Mecklenburg County and headed to the University of Virginia. It hadn’t gone well.
“I was flat on my back academically,” Phaup remembered.
His father suggested he look into transferring to the liberal arts school just down the road. Turns out, Roanoke College was exactly what he needed.
“Roanoke took me as I was and put me back together again and gave me a basic foundation,” Phaup said. He graduated second in his class and returned to UVA for a master’s degree in economics. In the ensuing years, he would win a Fulbright scholarship to Norway, earn his Ph.D. and move to Washington, D.C., to work for the Congressional Budget Office as a budget analyst. He said none of that would have happened without his years at Roanoke College.
BY CHRISTINA NIFONG t
“I just didn’t have the basic skills, and Roanoke gave me those—patiently,” Phaup said. “I really feel like they rescued my academic and professional life.”
Phaup’s story is not uncommon among Maroons. Roanoke College students and alumni speak of their close relationships with their professors, deep friendships with peers, student research they were able to complete as undergraduates, and life-changing trips they took in summers, semesters abroad or May Terms. Many alumni were recipients of scholarships or financial aid.
At a time of rising costs, shifting enrollment patterns and diminishing support from federal funding, Roanoke College has a greater need than ever for its alumni, community and supporters to give back— especially to the school’s endowment. This year, the college has narrowed its fundraising focus to student financial aid and unrestricted endowment giving with an aim to triple the endowment over the next five years. This investment helps ensure that all Roanoke students can meet the rising costs of college. It also ensures access to opportunities that enhance their campus experience and give them skills to thrive in today’s increasingly complex and competitive world.
“I just didn’t have the basic skills, and Roanoke gave me those—patiently. I really feel like they rescued my academic and professional life.”
— MARVIN PHAUP JR. ’62
“I think this process puts good into motion,” Roanoke College President Frank Shushok Jr. said of endowment giving. “It’s like you are part of everyone. And everyone, collectively, is literally changing the future for generations of students.”
Phaup began making donations to the college as soon as he could swing it financially, in the mid1970s, when he was in his 30s. “I felt like I owed them a lot. I still do,” he said.
When it came time to draft a will, Phaup named Roanoke College as one of his beneficiaries. Bequests are a vital source of donations for the college, bringing in more than $27 million for the endowment over
the last 15 fiscal years. Still, among living alumni aged 65 and older, only 8% have a documented planned gift with the college. All alumni are encouraged to consider including their alma mater in their estate planning.
“It seemed like one of the places where my money would do the most good,” Phaup said.
WHAT IS AN ENDOWMENT, ANYWAY?
In personal finance terms, an endowment is akin to a 401(k) – an investment in the future, a pool of money with a set of restrictions, a carefully managed fund with a variety of income streams. It’s not a checking or savings account, where readily available monies pay for everyday budgeted expenses. It’s a collection of donations invested to return long-term dividends that are spent on scholar-
“The gifts people made 50 or 60 years ago are today influencing the lives of young people and their futures. That’s an exponential legacy.”
—PRESIDENT FRANK SHUSHOK JR.
ships, projects, programs and other needs.
Just like at the personal level, the larger the investment, the bigger the payouts. So, a university with a $750 million endowment (such as St. Olaf College in Minnesota) receives a heartier annual payment than a university with a $400 million endowment (Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania) or a school like Roanoke with a more modest endowment ($170 million).
A college’s endowment is, in fact, made up of many smaller endowments—endowed professorships, endowed scholarships, endowments supporting athletic programs or research projects. The monies are combined and invested in stocks, bonds, real estate, hedge funds and more. Each university determines how much of its assets can be spent per year (typically 45% of investment returns). Depending on the particulars of each endowment, the funds that are drawn down support teaching salaries, student financial aid and other student opportunities. If donations are made to an unrestricted endowment fund, they can be spent on hard-to-pay-for maintenance (such as replacing a boiler or a roof) or provide seed money for a larger initiative. Nationwide, two-thirds of endowment spending is allocated to student financial aid and academics, according to a 2025 National Association of College and University Business Officers report.
“There are so many analogies to investing in a 401(k),” said Shushok. He emphasizes that endowment giving is even more powerful and long-lasting than retirement investing. Financial planners often advise that a 22-year-old who puts $100 a month into a retirement account can expect to have $1 million by the time they retire.
“But when people invest in an endowment, they are investing in a long line of students, through the lifetime of an institution,” says Shushok. “The gifts people made 50 or 60 years ago are today influencing the lives of young people and their futures. That’s an exponential legacy.”
Vice President for Advancement Nate Stewart, himself a Roanoke College graduate from Southwest Virginia, said, “What I like to tell alums is: ‘I can’t pay back the person who gave the scholarship for me to go to Roanoke College, but I can pay it forward for the next generation of students to come to Roanoke College.’”
At Roanoke College, invested endowment funds start with a contribution of $50,000 before the fund can be endowed. All endowment donations are managed by an outside financial firm. New endowment donations are invested for four quarters before returns are spent, giving the money a chance to grow. After
that, the interest from the investment can be applied to whatever use was identified by the donor through a signed fund agreement.
At Roanoke, named endowments support faculty chair positions, centers and institutes, fellowships, need or merit-based scholarships, and the Campus Preservation Fund, among other designations. Only 8% of Roanoke’s endowment is unrestricted, explains Stewart. This is an area the school is hoping to grow.
Recently, Roanoke College created the President’s 25 campaign, or “P25.” It’s a fundraising effort to encourage donors to give $5,000 or more per year for five years (a total of $25,000). An anonymous benefactor is matching every dollar, so $5,000 a year quickly becomes a $50,000 unrestricted endowment investment.
“There’s no shortcut to success here,” Stewart says. “It’s going to take making sure we have conversations with donors of all different abilities to give at all different levels.”
Roanoke College’s goal to triple its endowment would expand the school’s nest egg to $510 million. A common way to evaluate the power of an endowment is to divide it by the number of students attending an institution. With an average enrollment at Roanoke College of 1,750, when the college achieves its goal, the endowment average per student would increase from $4,857 to $14,571. That will make an enormous difference in how the college is able to support students with scholarships.
“Most people don’t know that an institution’s strength, and often its reputation, is directly tied to the strength of its endowment,” Shushok said. “Because the strength of its endowment allows you to support students adequately. It allows you to recruit and support the best faculty and staff.”
“You can draw a direct line from a strong endowment to a strong Roanoke College in the future.”
‘PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY’
About a mile from the brick-lined walkways and manicured lawns of the college’s main campus stretches a tumble of grasses and wildflowers, dense tree canopy and tangled undergrowth. There’s an information sign; a scattering of bee, bat and bird boxes; and a few numbered red blocks that hint at a self-guided tour.
This is Roanoke College’s Environment Center, located on the Elizabeth Campus. Despite its unassuming vibes, it’s a unique space: at once an out-
“There’s no shortcut to success here. It’s going to take making sure we have conversations with donors of all different abilities to give at all different levels.”
— NATE STEWART, VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT
door classroom, a hands-on environmental lab, a research site, a connector to the community, a restoration effort and an opportunity for students to gain valuable, real-world experiences.
“It’s really rewarding,” said Hayden Hanke ’26 of the time he has spent at the Environment Center. As a senior environmental studies major and biology minor who hopes to one day create nature documentaries, Hanke has spent much of his last year-and-ahalf at the center. That included two months last summer conducting research on the diversity of plant, insect and bird species; leading educational programming for kids in the community; and creating a photo guide of birds and butterflies likely to be seen on site.
“I’ve been building all types of skills that are really good for the workplace,” he explained, while pointing
out native plant species and a data-collecting weather station on the edge of the meadow. “Plus, it gives me purpose, taking care of this land.”
Yet, without a financial gift from Briscoe and Kenan White, opportunities like the one Hayden enjoyed would not exist. Their contribution in 2013 established an endowment that provides ongoing funding for the work that happens here, paying for research supplies, the van that ferries students from main campus and on field trips, and stipends that support students’ summertime labor.
The Environment Center isn’t a building or a pro-
“It’s all well and good to create something, but you have to support it. For me, an endowment is insurance into the future.”
— KENAN WHITE
fessor’s salary. It’s the kind of project that might not be covered by tuition revenue or an annual fund drive. A grant might fund its groundbreaking but likely wouldn’t maintain its work across a dozen years. This hands-on learning project, so central to the students who experience it, is an example of why Roanoke College is hoping to grow its donor giving.
For the Whites, whose son Ben graduated from Roanoke College in 2011 with a degree in environmental policy, and who, themselves, spent time hiking and camping in the Roanoke region when they were students at Virginia Tech and Hollins University, establishing an endowment that funded environmental education aligned with their values and priorities.
“It’s clearly providing opportunity,” said Kenan White of the family’s contributions. Regarding a longer-lasting investment, she said: “It’s all well and good to create something, but you have to support it. For me, an endowment is insurance into the future.”
For the Whites, contributing to the schools their three children attended feels like a tangible way to show gratitude. “If I look at the time spent at those schools and the impact that those schools had on my children, I owe them a lot,” says White. “And so it makes sense to me as a parent whose child had a great experience at that school.”
SERVING STUDENTS TODAY
Today’s college students face even more challenges than previous generations.
The cost of college has risen drastically over the decades, even as the need for a college degree is more important than ever. Large land-grant universities who once served a wide swath of high school graduates from their state have become more prestigious and competitive. Often, it’s smaller schools like Roanoke College that serve students who depend on financial aid and need paid summer internships.
“Small, independent colleges like Roanoke College are doing a lot more of the heavy lifting when it comes to social mobility and giving people a chance to invest in their talents,” Shushok said.
Today, he explains, 40% of Roanoke’s students are underrepresented or underserved, populations that include veterans, rural students, first-generation students and students of color.
This shift in student demographics has affected Roanoke’s funding model, Shushok said.
Schools attract students both by the experiences they offer and their ability to provide an affordable
tuition rate. If Roanoke College sets tuition higher than its peer institutions, students will go elsewhere.
“Without students, we have no mission,” said Vice President of Advancement Stewart.
But if Roanoke College offers a tuition rate it can’t afford, then that financial aid steals from budgeted expenses.
“Last year, we awarded $36 million in financial aid,” Stewart said. “Only $3.6 million was actually funded through the endowment.” That difference equates to an unfunded discount in operating revenue, essentially eroding the level of excellence to which the college aspires.
“If we can continue to grow scholarships for students, that’s going to allow us to attract more students,” Stewart said. “But also, funding student scholarships enables us to meet students where they are, with actual dollars.”
Roanoke College today receives less tuition revenue per student than in the past, Stewart said. That gap must be made up somehow.
“We don’t fund enough of the needs that our students have,” Shushok said. “We are going to close that gap. We want people on the team who are going to help us do that. We need them.”
It’s not only tuition. In its effort to serve today’s students, Roanoke also strives to provide funding for summer internships, travel experiences and learning opportunities like the Environment Center. Because learning doesn’t happen only in the classroom.
“Providing those experiences can set us apart in the recruitment and retention of students,” Stewart said.
“That’s the thing that inspires me every day,” he said. “Seeing our students, seeing their hopes, their purpose, their possibilities, and then trying to make sure we can raise money to meet all of those needs.”
SHAPING A LIFE
When Talia Cartafalsa ’24 talks about her summer work in Maine’s salt marshes, you can hear the excitement in her voice – and the potential for her research to make the world a better place.
“My lab group is interested in the interactions between salty groundwater and fresh groundwater, and how much carbon is being transferred to the coast,” she explained.
After graduating from Roanoke College as a valedictorian, she enrolled in the Ph.D. program in ocean and earth sciences at Old Dominion University. Her summer research was in partnership with the U.S.
“... funding student scholarships enables us to meet students where they are, with actual dollars.”
— NATE STEWART, VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT
Geological Survey and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. “This will make up at least one of the chapters in my dissertation,” she said.
Her success so far, and her future, are the result of the programs, research and opportunities she discovered at Roanoke College as an environmental studies and chemistry double major. In her sophomore year, she was connected with the Environment Center. “I just fell in love with it. I completed research for credit every semester after that,” she explained. “It was such a huge part of my college experience.”
In 2024, she enrolled in a senior practicum class,
working with the same professor who had advised her over the previous two years. “That class was very student-driven,” she said. “It was very much up to us to make decisions and make the project happen.”
Cartafalsa built a rain garden at the Environment Center, then presented her project as a prototype to a Roanoke church that was interested in building a rain garden on their property.
“In addition to the subject material, what I learned was how to be a project leader, how to be a team
“It’s experiences. Getting them out. Getting them into. Getting them onto. That’s what we want to see.”
— KENAN WHITE
builder, how to work with classmates more as colleagues. These were the most important skills.”
Cartafalsa is exactly the kind of student the White family hoped they might inspire with their endowment giving. “It’s experiences. Getting them out. Getting them into. Getting them onto. That’s what we want to see,” said White.
Shushok concurs: “I just don’t know that there’s anything more powerful than a student knowing that someone else gave what they had to help them have a future that might be different than the one they would have had without it.”
Similar to Roanoke College senior Hayden Hanke’s summer 2025 internship, Cartafalsa spent two summers conducting research at the Environment Center, some of which was supported by the White family endowment.
“I treated the summers as continuations of what I was already doing,” Cartafalsa said, “which was amazing. I feel like we got the most done during the summers.”
Without housing and a stipend, Cartafalsa, from Massapequa, New York, doesn’t know if she could have remained on campus over the summers. “You have to ask yourself, ‘Does it make the most sense to go home and work a job where I’m making money or stay on campus doing the research that I love?’ Not having to make that choice is huge.”
Shushok hopes alumni will think back to the choices they had to make as students. How, in everyone’s college years, there are decisions and paths –taken and not taken – that shape the rest of a student’s life. What if an endowment donation might open a door, shift a journey of someone and their future family? How amazing might that be?
Would it be worth it to set aside some personal savings to pay it forward to the communal future?
“I think it’s so helpful to return to those days and reflect on how literally transformative those years were and how much it has shaped just about everything your life has been about: your friendships, your vocational choices, your values, your sense of moral responsibility,” Shushok said.
“I just believe an investment in that kind of human formation pays all kinds of dividends.”
To learn more about planned giving and other endowment gifts, contact Vice President for Advancement Nate Stewart at 540-375-2230 or nastewart@roanoke.edu.
Speaking from experience
FOR DEB (MURRAY) LEMON ’90, EXPLORATION AND AUTHENTICITY ARE ESSENTIAL TO BOTH LIFE AND BUSINESS — AND THEY’VE BEEN THE KEYS TO HER SUCCESS IN THE WORLD OF EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING.
BY LINDSEY NAIR ’98 PHOTO COURTESY OBE
FRESH OUT OF Roanoke College, Deb (Murray) Lemon ’90 was working as an accounting clerk and delivering Domino’s at night to make ends meet when she and Diana Friedlander ’90 hatched an adventurous plan.
“I hadn’t been west of the Mississippi, so we formulated this idea of driving across the U.S.,” Lemon said. “It was kind of like ‘Thelma and Louise,’ except nobody died that we know of, so we have a fun story.”
Nearly four months and 11,000 miles
after leaving the nation’s capital, Lemon landed in Colorado with loads of memories but empty pockets. When she walked into the Nike factory store in Silverthorne looking for work, she had no idea she was embarking on an even grander journey—one that would take her around the world and to the top of a global marketing firm.
At Roanoke, Lemon had majored in business administration, played basketball, served as student body president, and joined Delta Gamma. As a first-generation college student who hadn’t been far from her hometown of Fredericksburg, Virginia, those opportunities were formative. “I had a good range of experiences in both social leadership and just showing up for people at Roanoke,” she said, “and that was really eye-opening and interesting for me.”
Her determination to explore life’s every nook and cranny took her across the country and into that Nike store, where she secured a retail job at $4.50 per hour. Working after-hours events at Breckenridge Resort helped her land an invitation to work the Nike Honolulu Marathon, where she mingled with sports marketing executives, Japanese business partners and elite runners.
“I was hooked,” Lemon said. “That confluence of all of us together working to create a goal that had a start and a finish — it felt amazing.”
By 1996, Lemon had worked her way up to running events manager in the Nike
marketing division, which took her to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and running events in New York, Chicago and Boston. She lived in London for a year, then in New York, where she founded the Nike Women’s Marathon and came up with the idea to award a Tiffany’s necklace to every finisher — still her favorite project.
Lemon made the jump to a marketing agency in 2005, partnering with Dan Hirsch at On Board Experiential (OBE), an award-winning, global company headquartered in Los Angeles that specializes in creating impactful brand experiences. Their work includes Nike’s After Dark Los Angeles 13.1 (with a London event ex-
“How you treat people and work with people in business is not a short-term thing because you never know where you’re going to run into somebody next.”
ecuting this fall), the EEEEEATSCON food festival series for The Infatuation, and the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge—the largest global running event. Lemon, who serves as CEO and co-owner of OBE, has helped grow the firm from eight employees to 150. She was instrumental in incubating and launching multicultural sister agency Think True and contributed to the acquisition of a London-based agency, now operating as OBE’s first international office.
Looking back over her 30 years in marketing, Lemon points to relationshipbuilding as one of the two most important factors in her success. For example, one of
her best clients today was previously her intern at Nike.
“How you treat people and work with people in business is not a short-term thing because you never know where you’re going to run into somebody next,” she said.
The second factor in Lemon’s success is that thirst for experience. Her advice to Roanoke College students and recent graduates is to take every opportunity to grow, learn and lead, no matter how small. Volunteer for the plant sale. Take a retail job and mop floors. Reach out and introduce yourself. Take the trip. Tackle the intimidating project.
Deb (Murray) Lemon ‘90 was the first in her family to graduate from college. Now, thanks to a mix of hard work, tenacity and life experience, she leads an awardwinning, global marketing firm that creates memorable brand experiences for clients all over the world.
“All these experiences laid the foundation for my leadership style,” Lemon said. “I like to be curious, adaptable and always prioritize authentic connections. Leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about influence and impact. If you don’t have those, it’s hard to make a dent — no matter what your title is.”
FOREVER MAROONS
ALUMNI NEWS & UPDATES
Second Nature
As the coordinator for Piedmont Environmental Council’s Plantings for the Piedmont Program, Linnea (Stewart) Sherman ’19 is working with landowners to protect Virginia’s waterways.
By Lindsey Nair ’98 |
by Hugh Kenny
Linnea (Stewart) Sherman ’19 has the kind of job that really could change the world – one button bush at a time.
With a B.S. in environmental studies from Roanoke and an M.S. in biodiversity, conservation and management from Oxford, Sherman works for the Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) in Virginia. There, she coordinates with landowners to establish riparian buffer enhancements along waterways. The buffers, which include native trees and shrubs, can control sediment, reduce agricultural runoff and create hospitable habitat for native wildlife such as birds and aquatic species.
The long-term goal? Improving water quality in the Rappahannock, Potomac and York river watersheds and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay.
So far, Sherman has worked on more than 40 projects, helping landowners to identify state and federal funding sources and coordinating the design and implementation of buffers. As much as she loves nature, Sherman said, it’s the landowners who most inspire her.
“I enjoy seeing people being willing to do a project they might not see through to the end, because some of these trees will take 50 years to grow full size,” she said. “They are willing to make these land management decisions for the benefit of future generations.”
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1960s
H. Fred Fishel Jr. ’63 is retired and living in good health in Lebanon, Mo. He reports that he has three children, eight grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.
1970s
In July 2024, Brian Hoffman ’74 celebrated 50 years as sports editor of the Salem Times-Register. He also serves as sports editor for the Vinton Messenger, Fincastle Herald and New Castle
Record. Hoffman is a member of Roanoke’s Athletic Hall of Fame and was a recipient of the Charles Brown Award in 2005.
1980s
The Rev. Ned Morris ’88 became the new rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Salem, Va. He served as the priest in charge for one year before his appointment. Morris earned a degree in religion and philosophy at Roanoke and spent eight years as an assistant to then-Chaplain Paul Henrickson. He also holds a Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University and an M.Div. from the General Theological Seminary in New York. He has served several other Episcopal churches in the south.
A play written by Steve Franco ’89 has been staged in five countries and 39 states across the U.S., and it recently celebrated its 600th show. “In-laws, Outlaws & Other People (That Should Be Shot)” is a comedy that Franco first began to imagine as a theater student at Roanoke. The play, about a family Christmas Eve dinner that turns into a hos-
tage situation, was staged at Showtimers Community Theater in Roanoke County in December 2024. Franco earned a theater arts degree at Roanoke and is the theater arts director at Glenvar High School in Salem.
1990s
Brian Chenault ’90 recently began a new job as an instructor at the Amsterdam campus of the Dutch National Police Academy. He will be teaching Dutch law, police procedure, psychological intervention and other topics to recruits in a rigorous two-year academy program. Chenault has lived in The Netherlands since 1995 and was previously a teacher of epistemology, global politics, history and English at several Dutch high schools. He has also taught postgraduate teacher-training courses at Utrecht University. Chenault holds a B.A. in international relations from Roanoke and an M.S. in educational studies from Radford University.
Michelle R. Austin ’93 was appointed president and chief continued on page 33
Jim Cattell ’63, Nan (Bretherton) Cattell ’64, Peggy Hamaker ’66 and Mic Hamaker ’62 have lived in the same retirement community, Lansdowne Woods of Virginia, for 10 years. The community is located outside Leesburg, Va.
William H. Logan Jr. ’69 and his son, Chad Logan, recently got together with Ian R.D. Williams ’69 and his daughter, Anne Williams, to celebrate being the only two parent/ child pairs of district court judges in Virginia, all deciding cases within the 26th Judicial Circuit. The elder judges are retired, but they still preside over cases as recall judges.
Driven by discovery
Tom Baugh ’73 arrived at Roanoke College as a freshman in 1969. He didn’t know it yet, but he was starting a journey that would lead to the high-flying world of NASA.
By Alicia Petska
As a child in Chesterfield County, Virginia, years before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, Tom Baugh ’73 was captivated by the far-off galaxies of science fiction.
“It was that idea of what could be possible,” said Baugh, a political science graduate. “I would try to imagine if there was more out there than I knew. The ‘what if’ interested me.”
Baugh — who earned a law degree from Washington and Lee and a master’s in urban studies from Trinity University — couldn’t have known he’d build a career at NASA, visiting space centers nationwide and negotiating procurement contracts.
His path to the Johnson Space Center, hub of the manned space flight program, wasn’t straightforward. But it was shaped by that embrace of the unknown. And it started for him at Roanoke Col-
lege. Just 16 after high school, Baugh moved and joined the recently desegregated campus, becoming one of only a few Black male students living on campus and one of the first who wasn’t an athlete.
“People wondered sometimes why I went there,” he said with a chuckle. “But the answer was simple. I went there to get
“It was that idea of what could be possible. I would try to imagine if there was more out there than I knew. The ‘what if’ interested me.”
an education and got a good one at that.”
Growing up in the rural South, where even desegregated schools were still socially divided, Baugh described Roanoke as being “thrown into the deep end of integration.”
“Roanoke was the first time I really found myself with individuals who weren’t African American,” he said. “I roomed
Tom Baugh ’73 and his wife, Lockie, with astronaut Jim Wetherbee at a Space Flight Awareness Award reception.
with Douglas Vaught ’73 from Galax, Virginia, and we became good friends. He just accepted me for who I was, as did many other individuals at Roanoke. Those friendships were instrumental.”
Originally, Baugh planned to follow his father into medicine but was miserable in his lab courses. It was the social sciences — government, history, geography — where he thrived. Political science professor Bill Hill connected him with an internship in the General Assembly, where he got to see future governor Doug Wilder in action. That kindled an interest in public administration and government.
Post-Roanoke, Baugh earned his law degree, but realized he didn’t want to practice law. He pursued a master’s at Texas-based Trinity, where faculty nominated him for the Presidential Management Intern Program, which mentored future leaders.
Each step brought with it uncertainty — but also possibility. Baugh saw every opportunity as a chance to grow and learn.
Then came a call from NASA. The interdisciplinary background he had in government and law was a perfect fit for the agency. That launched a 30-year career that saw him rise to deputy procurement manager for the Space Station Program and took him more places than he ever predicted.
“I certainly never imagined doing any of that when I was growing up,” said Baugh, now retired. “It’s been an unexpected but fascinating journey.”
Maroons pen new nonfiction, young adult reads
“Living off the Government? Race, Gender, and the Politics of Welfare”
By
Anne Whitesell ’11
Whitesell is an assistant professor of political science at Miami University, and her research has appeared in numerous journals.
Publisher: New York University Press
Overview: “Living off the Government?” highlights the impact of harmful stereotypes and explores how welfare recipients lack adequate political representation.
Review: “...Whitesell’s reexamination of welfare policy through the lens of racial and gender bias should be enlightening even for experts. Her insights on the lack of political representation should also serve as a wake-up call to advocates who presume to lobby on poor Americans’ behalf ... a valuable addition to scholarship on the limitations of American social policy.”
— Washington Monthly
“One Step Forward”
By Marcie Flinchum Atkins ’97
Atkins holds an M.A. and M.F.A. in children’s literature from Hollins University.
Publisher: Versify, an imprint of Harper Collins
Overview: “One Step Forward” is Atkins’ debut YA historical fiction novel about Matilda Young, the youngest American suffragist imprisoned for picketing the White House to demand women’s right to vote. Written in verse, the novel highlights the battles leading up to the Nineteenth Amendment.
Review: “Atkins’ skillful use of concrete poetry greatly enhances the work. Powerful, necessary reading.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Good Trouble: The Selma, Alabama, and Derry, Northern Ireland, Connection 1963-1972”
By Forest Issac Jones ’95
Jones is an award-winning author who specializes in Irish history, the U.S. civil rights movement and Northern Ireland.
Publisher: First Hill Books, an imprint of Anthem Press
Overview: “Good Trouble” connects the Black civil rights movement in the United
States and the Catholic civil rights movement in Northern Ireland. Building off unprecedented access and interviews with participants in both movements, Jones crafts a gripping and moving account of these pivotal years for both countries. Review: “Jones is a detailed researcher, and ‘Good Trouble’ is based on a wide array of material, old and new. Jones offers affecting accounts of both the Selma to Montgomery march and the Belfast to Derry march. His book reads like a historical thriller at times. A must read.”
— Richard Moriarty, North West District Editor of The Sun
“Diversity Without Discrimination: How to Promote a Culture of Unity in a Post-DEI/Affirmative Action World”
By Carol Swain ’83 and Mike Towle
Swain is a best-selling author, prominent national speaker, former professor, and political scientist.
Publisher: Be the People Books
Overview: This updated version of “The Adversity of Diversity” includes a new preface, epilogue, title/subtitle, cover and additional insights about what sweeping orders to eliminate DEI will mean for America.
executive officer of Bank of Botetourt. Her new role began June 30, 2025, when the previous CEO retired. Austin previously served as president and chief operating officer. She holds a BBA from Roanoke and an MBA from Troy State University.
Christopher “Topher” Merrill ’93, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Harrison Street, a Chicago-based global real assets investment management firm, was one of 12 recipients of the 2025 Horatio Alger Award. The award is given each year to individuals who have overcome challenges in business and life to become successful, and who have remained committed to higher education and community service.
Hunter (Burrow) Routt ’93 was named director of administrative services for the Salem, Va., school division. She holds a degree in psychology from Roanoke and a Master of Education from the University of Scranton. She has served in various roles with the Salem school division since 1994.
Christopher Cobb ’96 has joined the New York City office of Cozen O’Connor, an international law firm. Cobb has nearly three decades of experience as a residential real estate and construction litigator. He holds a B.A. in international relations from Roanoke and a J.D. from American University.
Israel Pattison ’97 completed his second master’s degree, a M.S. in talent and organizational development at the McColl School of Business, Queens University of Charlotte. He is a scrum master at SoftPro in Raleigh, N.C.
Matthew Horwatt ’99 is deputy director for environmental secu-
‘Live life more intentionally’
Cedric Wilson ’09 has always been a caring ear to his friends, and now he’s receiving recognition for the positive impact of his Roanoke therapy business, Seeking Wellness.
By Lindsey Nair ’98
Cedric Wilson’s favorite spot at Roanoke College has always been the Chaplain’s Office porch at Morehead Hall.
The 2009 graduate spent so much time having conversations on that porch that his friends began to jokingly refer to Wilson’s “office hours.” It’s no surprise that, 16 years later, Wilson is a licensed professional counselor and the owner of his own therapy practice in Roanoke, Seeking Wellness.
“Being able to connect with my friends there and have really deep conversations — and working for the Chaplain’s Office and incorporating spiritual components — ended up being this anchoring moment that I look back on in my professional career,” he said. “I love that.”
Wilson, who majored in sociology at Roanoke and earned a master’s degree in professional counseling at Liberty University, was one of Roanoker magazine’s “40
Under 40” for 2025. His anonymous nominator mentioned his passion for helping others lead authentic lives and his interest in the intersection of mental health and culture. In fact, his practice is becoming known for providing culturally aware therapy for marginalized groups, including women, people of color and LGBTQ+ clients.
“I have always had a strong love for people,” Wilson said. “And I know that one of the big pieces for me becoming a therapist was wanting to let people be known and seen, and to help people live life more intentionally in ways that they wanted to.”
Before opening his own practice, Wilson was acting director of the counseling center at Shenandoah University. He has also worked as a mental health clinician and therapist at Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare. In those roles, he observed the constraints of the mental health system and became aware of the dearth of Black male therapists in Roanoke. That put him on the path to opening his own practice. He now employs nine mental health professionals who specialize in everything from PTSD to substance abuse, and he enjoys the freedom to be creative in addressing mental health.
In 2024, Wilson was awarded the Suzee Leone Grant to create a therapeutic gaming program, which allows middle schoolers to confront and manage their challenges through video games and tabletop/role-playing games. This is an example of the kind of creative, outside-the-box therapy that Wilson hopes to expand within the Roanoke community. He has also received the BIPOC Sponsorship Award from the Virginia Counselors Association Leadership Academy and was named a Roanoker magazine 2024 Health Hero.
Wilson, a Baltimore native, said he’s glad that he and his wife, Caroline (Lance) Wilson ’11, chose to stay in the Roanoke Valley and build both a business and a life here with their children.
“I love Baltimore, and I love visiting and seeing my family,” he said, “but there is something about Roanoke that is intangible. I knew this was where I was supposed to be.”
ALUMNI AT WORK
rity within the assistant secretary of the Army’s installations, energy and environment directorate, where he develops and implements international environmental agreements with allied militaries. His impact extends to creating the Castner Range National Monument and developing the Environmental Security Scholars Program at the U.S. Army War College. In addition to a degree in international relations from Roanoke, Horwatt holds a master’s degree from Webster University.
2000s
Chris Turnbull ’00 has been named chief of staff for Carilion Clinic President and CEO Steve Arner. Turnbull has served Carilion Clinic for 10 years, most recently as senior director of the CEO Transition Team. He has also worked with global international development agencies and smaller communications and management consulting firms. He holds a B.A. in English from Roanoke and an M.S. in management with a focus on
A big family welcome
Help us congratulate these members of the Class of 2025 and welcome them and their classmates to the alumni network. We doubt this will be the last time these outstanding grads appear on these pages, as they are off to do impressive things!
By Lindsey Nair ’98
Sydney Pennix ’25, of Roanoke, Virginia, earned a degree in psychology with honors and was co-valedictorian of her class. She excelled as a student researcher in the Psychology Department and Center for Studying Structures of Race. She is now studying at William & Mary to be a marriage and family therapist.
Blake Lutz ’25 was a criminal justice major at Roanoke and interned with the Roanoke County Police Department. He has decided to join the United States Navy and pursue a military career.
Madeline Diane Higgins ’25, of Danville, Virginia, earned a degree in English education and plans to teach English at Hidden Valley High School in the fall. She also was co-valedictorian of her class at Roanoke.
Connor Tyson ’25, of Waxhaw, North Carolina, was salutatorian of his class and captain of the men’s volleyball team. As a health and exercise science major, he conducted research on jump and landing mechanics for volleyball players. He has been accepted into Eastern Carolina University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
leadership communication from the University of Maryland Global Campus. He is a member of Roanoke College’s President’s Advisory Board and has been an adjunct professor at Roanoke.
S. Graham Simmons III ’01 is an equity member of Norris McLaughlin, P.A. In addition to serving on the firm’s management committee, he also cochairs the Business Law Practice Group. Based in eastern Pennsylvania, he focuses his legal practice on business/corporate
law and commercial real estate, regularly representing clients in mergers and acquisitions, commercial lending and land use matters. He is actively involved in local civic and nonprofit organizations. He earned his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law after receiving his B.A. in history from Roanoke, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Phi.
Brooke (Clark) Ladner ’02 received the McKnight’s Women of Distinction Hall of Honor award recognizing women who have
Julia Bassett ’25 earned a degree in health and exercise science with honors and was co-valedictorian of her class. At Roanoke, she founded a new program, MAPLES (Multiple Adaptive Play Experiences in Sports), that provides regular open-gym hours on campus for local individuals with disabilities. She was accepted into Radford-Carilion’s Occupational Therapy Program.
Ben Cerkovnik ’25 was a health and exercise science major at Roanoke, where he was captain of the cycling team. He plans to attend James Madison University for graduate school in kinesiology and exercise physiology.
Pennix
Lutz Higgins
Tyson Bassett Cerkovnik
made significant contributions in the senior living, skilled nursing and home care industries. Ladner is senior vice president of business development at Regency Integrated Health Services in Victoria, Texas. At Roanoke, she was a member of Phi Mu and earned a degree in international relations.
Katie Davis ’04 has been promoted to director of finance for Botetourt County, Va. She previously served as senior financial analyst. Davis holds a BBA from Roanoke and an MBA from Valdosta State University.
Kristy Ellmer ’04 recently released a Ted Talk about navigating change with confidence. Ellmer, who holds a BBA from Roanoke and an MBA from Mercer University, is a managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group. To view her talk, visit ted.com and search “Kristy Ellmer.”
James Burton III ’08 was named Employee of the Year for Virginia’s District 15 Probation and Parole Office. He studied Spanish at Roanoke and writes pre-sentencing reports for Roanoke, Roanoke County and Salem circuit courts.
The Rev. Jen Collins ’08 was recently appointed as assistant to the bishop for congregational vitality of the Minneapolis synod for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Collins studied art and biology at Roanoke and obtained her M.Div. at Bethel Seminary-St. Paul. She has served Twin Cities congregations for 10 years in various roles.
Adam Rosten ’08 is head varsity baseball coach at Pomperaug High School in Southbury, Conn. Rosten holds a B.A. in history
from Roanoke, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Phi. He also earned a master’s in secondary education and teaching from Mercy University.
Lottie Schottmiller ’08 earned a spot on the Roanoker magazine’s 40 Under 40 list for her human resources work for Delta Dental and her extensive volunteer work. She earned a BBA at Roanoke and an M.S. in HR management at Villanova.
Jamie Brackenrich ’09 made Roanoker magazine’s annual 40 Under 40 list for 2025. Brackenrich earned a B.S. in health and human performance at Roanoke, then went to Radford University for a bachelor’s and master’s in nursing. She is a nurse practitioner for a neurology practice in Roanoke.
2010s
Greg Hanlon ’11, associate vice president for advancement at Roanoke College, made the Roanoker magazine’s annual 40 Under 40 list. He holds a B.S. in health and human performance from Roanoke and a master’s in educational leadership from University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. His extracurriculars include being a Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce Leadership Roanoke Valley advisor and a volunteer for both the Maroon track team and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association cross-country meet.
Sara Sloman ’12 turned her love of Mahjong into a Richmond, Va.-based business, RichMahj, that hosts mahjong classes and events in the Richmond, Williamsburg and Virginia Beach areas of Virginia, as well as Morehead City, N.C. People interested in learning the American version of
the ancient Chinese game can gather friends for private lessons or business events. Sloman’s business was featured in Richmond BizSense in early 2025. Learn more at richmahj.com.
Jake Stewart ’13, a defense litigation attorney at Cranfill Sumner LLP, was chosen for inclusion on the 2025 North Carolina Rising Stars list, which recognizes attorneys under age 40 for their professional achievements and recognition from peers. Stewart earned a history degree at Roanoke, then obtained a J.D. at the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law. He served as a judicial intern in the Superior Court of New Jersey and was a law clerk for the Maryland Office of Attorney General and Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC, before joining Cranfill Sumner.
Jennifer Blaney ’14 is a tenured associate professor of higher education in the Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia. Blaney’s research explores how community college degree pathways can advance equity in STEM fields. In 2024, she received two National Science Foundation grants to help advance her work. Blaney holds a B.A. in music from Roanoke, where she participated in choir and the Summer Scholars Program, and both a master’s degree and Ph.D. in higher education from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Halee Simmons Evans ’14, a nursing home administrator at Rocky Mount Health and Rehab in Virginia, was named to Roanoker magazine’s 40 Under 40 list for 2025. Evans, who has a degree in business administration with a concentration in healthcare administration from Roanoke, stood out during the
pandemic for the infection control protocols and vaccination policies she implemented. She was also lauded for her ability to balance a career with volunteer work.
Zahava Urecki ’16 was named a senior policy analyst at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C. Previously, she spent eight years working on Capitol Hill, most recently as a professional staff member for the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources under U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV). She has also served as a legislative aide, legislative correspondent and staff assistant in Manchin’s office. Urecki earned a degree in political science at Roanoke College, where she was the college’s first Truman Scholar.
Hunter LeClair ’16 has been named tourism, marketing and events manager for the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department of Gloucester County, Va. In that role, she will boost tourism, improve visitor experiences and oversee marketing for the county’s Visitor Center, Museum of History and large events such as the Daffodil Festival. LeClair is also an assistant field hockey coach at Page Middle School and a member of the Gloucester Resource Council. She holds a degree in sociology from Roanoke, where she worked as a peer advisor in Career Services.
Lydia Mpyisi ’16 created a YouTube channel, “The Medical Dots,” that promotes health literacy and encourages viewers to proactively manage their health care. Mpyisi holds degrees in environmental studies and biology from Roanoke and is currently a medical student at University of Columbia-Missouri School of Medicine. She was inspired to
create “The Medical Dots” because, as she learns medicine, she wants to extend that knowledge to others to improve their quality of life.
Char Bell ’18 was named director of marketing for Warm Hearth Village, a retirement community in Blacksburg, Va. She has previously worked in marketing and social media management for
several companies, including Front Range Systems. She earned a degree in communication studies at Roanoke.
Damian Ream ’18 received his M.S. in medical physics from Georgia Tech in December 2024. His next step will be a residency program in diagnostic imaging physics. Ream earned degrees in physics and math at Roanoke.
2020s
Madelyne Culkin ’23 has joined RightClick, a Connecticut-based staffing and recruiting company, as a technical recruiter. Culkin earned a degree in public health studies at Roanoke, where she also completed an internship with the Bradley Free Clinic. She worked in the pharmaceutical industry before joining RightClick.
Carlos Domacasse ’24 joined The Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore, where he will lead the Diller Teen Fellows Program. Domacasse earned a degree in political science with a minor in communication studies at Roanoke. He participated in Pi Kappa Phi and served as president of the student body.
McHenry-Board wedding
Anderson-Beinhorn wedding
Sichelstiel-Othus wedding
Diotalevi-Casey wedding
Miner-Mills wedding
Werner-Posterli wedding
Cassullo-White wedding
WEDDINGS
Lyle Anderson ’76 married Dubhe Beinhorn ’78 on Jan. 19, 2025, in Roanoke. Anderson and Beinhorn were college sweethearts who reconnected after more than 40 years. Anderson said, “There was still a spark there after all these years.” Anderson is retired from his own business and Beinhorn is vice president of federal sales and customer success at Blackberry. They live in Roanoke.
Jaina Diotalevi ’11 married Dan Casey in Vero Beach, Fla., on Jan. 25, 2025. Nine of the bride’s fellow alumni attended the wedding.
Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo ’78 married Monk White on Dec. 28, 2024, at Colony Hotel in Palm Beach, Fla. The wedding was attended by a number of Maroons, including some of Cassullo's former classmates and fellow members of the board of trustees. Guests were entertained by the Aqua Belles synchronized swimmers.
Courtney McHenry ’14 and Chase Board ’14 were married on June 8, 2024, in Belcamp, Md. Their wedding was attended by a big group of their fellow Roanoke College alumni.
Kyra Sichelstiel ’15 and Matthew Othus ’15 were married Aug. 3, 2024, in Wilsonville, Oregon. Hannah (Godsey) Crouch ’15 was a bridesmaid.
Logan Miner ’19 and Bradford Mills ’20 were married in Park City, Utah, in 2023. Miner holds a degree in psychology from Roanoke and Mills has a degree in environmental studies. The family lives in Blacksburg, Va.
Abigail Werner ’19 and Vince Posterli ’18 were married on Aug. 4, 2024, in Baltimore, Md. The pair grew up 10 minutes from one another but didn’t meet until they attended Roanoke College.
FAMILIES
Janelle (Hollister) Bounds ’11 and her husband, Nathan, welcomed a daughter, Piper Elizabeth, on Dec. 2, 2024. Piper joins big brother Braxton, who is two. The family lives in Severna Park, Md.
Carolyn (Miesen) Benstone ’14 and her husband, Benny, welcomed a baby boy, Anbo Elijah Reade, on Jan. 23, 2025. Proud grandfather is Wayne Miesen Jr. ’75. The Benstones live in Sanford, Fla.
Damian Ream ’18 and his wife, Jessica, are the proud parents of a baby daughter, Elyse June, who was born two days after Christmas 2024. The Reams live in Barboursville, Va.
Kylah Strickland ’18 and her husband, Ross Strickland ’18 welcomed a baby girl, Charlotte Marie, on Sept. 1, 2024. The family lives in Richmond, Va.
IN MEMORIAM
Virginia “Ginger” (Groseclose) David ’47, of Blairsville, Ga., died Jan. 28, 2025, at 98. After Roanoke, she obtained a nursing degree at Johns Hopkins University. She and her husband were married for 67 years and had five children.
Laura “Elizabeth” (Snapp) Bartley ’49, of Roanoke, Va., died March 21, 2025, at 97. At Roanoke, she studied biology
Dr. Harry I. Johnson Jr. ’48, of Roanoke, Va., died Nov. 13, 2024, at 97. He was a trustee emeritus and a member of the Society of 1842 and the President’s Society at Roanoke. He also established several scholarships at Roanoke and, in 1991, received the Roanoke College Medal. His involvement in the Science Center Campaign Committee at Roanoke would have pleased his father, a 1912 graduate of Roanoke who was chair of the Chemistry Department – and a Roanoke College medalist himself. The junior Johnson served in the U.S. Navy during WWII, then enrolled at Roanoke, where he participated in Pi Kappa Phi. He earned a medical degree at the Medical College of Virginia and served as a physician for 43 years. He acted as chief of medical services at Roanoke Memorial Hospital and as medical director for the Appalachian Blood Center. Following medical school, he was commissioned as an officer and served in the U.S. Naval Reserve Medical Corps, retiring with the rank of captain. Outside of work, Johnson was president of the Johnson Family Investment Corporation and traveled all over the world. He also enjoyed gardening and spending time with friends and family.
Piper Elizabeth Bounds
Anbo Elijah Reade Benstone Elyse June Ream
Charlotte Marie Strickland
Mourning
Pi
Kapp’s ‘Fourth Founder’
Durward Owen thought his position at Pi Kappa Phi would be just one stop on his career journey, but his transformative leadership of the organization ended up spanning 35 years.
By Lindsey Nair ’98
Durward W. Owen ’55, known as the “honorary Fourth Founder” of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, died April 20, 2025, at 94.
Born and raised in Roanoke, Owen played baseball and joined the Xi Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi at Roanoke College. His time at Roanoke was split as he left to serve in the Army and Air Force before returning to complete his degree in 1955. He went on to earn an MBA from Florida Atlantic University.
In 1959, Owen became executive secretary (later known as executive director) of Pi Kappa Phi, and for the next 35 years, he remained devoted to making a positive impact on the organization. His accomplishments included helping to grow Pi
During his tenure in leadership at Pi Kappa Phi, Durward Owen ’55 had an immeasurable impact on the organization.
Kappa Phi from a small Southern fraternity with 46 chapters in 1959 to a national brotherhood with 136 chapters and six associate chapters by 1994.
Owen also helped found Pi Kappa Phi Properties, created the Nu Phi Society, and expanded the fraternity’s values of service, character and leadership to a lifelong commitment for Pi Kapps. He was also instrumental in cultivating a culture of alumni volunteerism and community engagement, and founding The Ability Experience, a philanthropic initiative aimed at changing the way society views people with disabilities and fraternities. Owen considered that initiative his greatest accomplishment in the role.
Owen was a member of the North American Interfraternity Conference Board of Directors and president of Fraternity Executives Association, and his lifelong title of “Honorary Fourth Founder,” bestowed upon him in 1994, was an unprecedented honor. He also was named Mr. Pi Kappa Phi, inducted into the fraternity’s hall of fame, and received the Roanoke College medal, Roanoke’s highest honor for alumni.
Upon his retirement, Owen said, “The pleasure of serving Pi Kappa Phi has been all mine. The debt is mine, too, for I am forever appreciative of having had the honor of serving Pi Kappa Phi ... It has been a labor of love.”
In addition to his children and grandchildren, Owen is survived by his nephew, Matthew Hines ’07, and his niece, Laura Parris ’92
and met her future husband, Dr. Cavitt K. Bartley ’48. She supported her husband as he earned a medical degree, worked in his private practice and raised three children. Survivors include her son, Steven C. Bartley ’72
Thelma (Shank) Hildebrand ’49, of Salem, Va., died Dec. 11, 2024, at 97. She earned a degree in fine arts at Roanoke, where she was a member of Sigma Kappa Phi. She was a beloved mother and a devoted member of the Christian faith. She was a member of Roanoke College’s Society of 1842. Survivors include her daughter Sarah (Hildebrand) Caldwell ’80
Dr. Richard Dodd ’51, of Hilton Head, S.C., died March 12, 2025, at 95. Dodd was captain of the varsity track team at Roanoke, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Phi. He served in the U.S. Army, obtained a medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia in 1955, and was an ear, nose and throat physician for more than 30 years.
Barbara Gommi ’52, of Bloomfield Hills, N.Y., died Jan. 10, 2025, at 94. She earned a B.A. in English and played field hockey. She enjoyed a long career in medical research and published two birding guides.
Dolores (Chelf) Smith ’52, of Salem, Va., died Feb. 4, 2025, at 93. She was a dedicated teacher for more than 30 years, and she was active in historical and lineage organizations. In her retirement, she and her dogs provided pet therapy to veterans.
Ann Cecil Renick ’54, of Roanoke, Va., died Feb. 22, 2025, at 92. After earning her B.A. in education at Roanoke, she obtained
her master of education from the University of Virginia. She was passionate about children and enjoyed working and volunteering in the school system.
John Druzbick ’55, of Vienna, Va., died Dec. 11, 2024, at 93. Druzbick played basketball for the U.S. Marine Corps and Roanoke College, where he received a degree in physics. After retiring from a position as scientific advisor to the U.S. Marine Corps, he obtained a Ph.D. from American University and enjoyed a second career as a visiting university professor.
Paulette (Anne) Willard ’56, of Henrico, Va., died Feb. 19, 2025, at 92. At Roanoke, she earned a degree in education, joined Delta Gamma and met her husband, Steve Willard ’56. She taught second grade, volunteered with several local schools, and participated in many book clubs.
Nancy (Garst) Mowles ’57, of Roanoke, Va., died Jan. 9, 2025, at 90. She spent 39 years as a teacher in the Roanoke County school system.
Violet Testerman ’57, of Harrington, Del., died Nov. 11, 2024, at 88. Testerman studied English and physical education at Roanoke, where she was a standout member of the field hockey and basketball teams. She earned eight varsity letters at Roanoke and was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 1976. Testerman later earned a master’s degree at Appalachian State University. She taught school and coached sports, leading her teams to conference championships.
Karl Choice ’61, of Corinth, Texas, died Sept. 1, 2025, at 86. He was the first of his family to
IN MEMORIAM
Exemplar of dedication
The Honorable G.O. Clemens, longtime local judge and friend to Roanoke College, died Dec. 26, 2024, at age 88.
By Lindsey Nair ’98
The Honorable Gerald O’Neal “Tom” Clemens had a little joke he shared with his grandchildren: “There’s hot tea and there’s cold tea, but the best tea is loyalty.”
All jokes aside, Clemens knew a thing or two about loyalty. Whether it was his devotion to justice, the time and resources he invested in his community, or his fierce love of family and friends, loyalty was a thread that ran through Clemens’ life.
He was also fiercely intelligent and excelled at nearly everything he did. He graduated from high school at just 16 years old, lettering in basketball, baseball and track. After his graduation from Virginia Tech, where he participated in the Corps of Cadets, Clemens served in the U.S. Army, attaining the rank of colonel. He also passed the bar exam early, after just two years in law school at Washington and Lee University, and earned a master’s degree in crim-
The Honorable G.O. Clemens served his community for decades, both professionally and through his volunteer work.
inal justice from Northwestern University on a Ford Foundation Fellowship.
Clemens practiced law at Kime & Jolly for nearly 20 years before the Virginia General Assembly appointed him to the General District Court. He was elevated to the 23rd Judicial Circuit Court bench in 1985 and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1997. After retiring, he went right back to work, practicing law with his son at Clemens & Clemens in Salem.
Judge Clemens also taught business law at Roanoke College and, in the 1980s, served as secretary on the college’s board of trustees. His connection to the college was personal, as his two sons, Charles Clemens ’91 and The Honorable John Christopher Clemens ’87, are both Maroons, as is his daughter-in-law, Whitney (Cranwell) Clemens ’95. When he wasn’t working, the senior Clemens was volunteering with the Jaycees, WVTF Radio Reading Service or his church, College Lutheran in Salem. He enjoyed relaxing with his family at Claytor Lake, collecting sports and political memorabilia, cheering on the Hokies and the Braves, and spending time with his children and grandchildren.
Kenneth Garren, president emeritus of the University of Lynchburg and VP academic dean emeritus at Roanoke College, said Clemens served as commander of his Army Reserve unit and was on the board of trustees during Garren’s tenure at Roanoke. He will remember Clemens as immensely accomplished, respected, and possessing of that other “tea”: integrity.
“I was impressed with his ability to be successful in so many different areas,” Garren said. “I found him to be strongly engaged in all of his leadership positions while being respected by all those who were so fortunate to know him. He did it all with great care and unquestioned integrity.”
“Bill was the consummate theoretician and practitioner of modern college admissions and recruitment.”
— Mike Maxey
Teaching by example
Bill Turner ’63 was a college admissions expert who shared his knowledge with dozens of schools, including his alma mater.
By Lindsey Nair ’98
William “Bill” Turner ’63 was responsible for keeping scores of students across the country on the path to a college degree. He made higher-education enrollment his life’s work, and that influence will live on through generations.
Turner, of Newport News, Va., died March 3, 2025, at 82. He served as director of admissions for several higher education institutions and, later, as an admissions consultant. When he received recognition from his alma mater as one of the top 150 Roanoke alumni, he said, “My greatest accomplishment has been found in the capacity to help thousands of students seeking higher education.”
Born in Alexandria, Va., Turner earned a B.A. at Roanoke College before going on to earn a master’s at American University and a Ph.D. at University of Pittsburgh. He also served in the U.S. Marines and
earned a prestigious Fulbright scholarship.
Early in his career, Turner taught high school history, worked as assistant director of programming at the Smithsonian Institution, and served as associate director of admissions at Carnegie Mellon University. In 1967, he was named director of admissions at Roanoke College, a role he held until 1973. He went on to serve in the same role at Washington University in St. Louis and Michigan State University.
Turner wrapped up his career as an admissions consultant, putting his earned experience to work for dozens of university admissions programs across the U.S. In that capacity, he met Michael Maxey, who served as director of admissions and financial aid at Roanoke College and, later, as Roanoke’s 11th president.
“Bill was the consummate theoretician and practitioner of modern college admissions and recruitment,” said Maxey.
“Dozens of colleges and universities, including Roanoke, benefitted from his wise counsel and brilliant insights, which were always delivered with good humor and a caring demeanor. He was an educator par excellence.”
emigrate to the U.S. from South Korea, and he attended Roanoke on a soccer scholarship, going on to earn an M.A. from University of Oklahoma. He worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 37 years and enjoyed traveling and swimming.
Warren Buford ’62, of Greensboro, N.C., died Jan. 8, 2024, at 88. An Army veteran, he studied economics at Roanoke before earning an Ed.D. from University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. He was a lifelong educator who also devoted himself to service.
Patricia (Thompson) Valleau ’62, of Portland, Ore., died March 4, 2025, at 83. While at Roanoke, she was a member of Delta Gamma and sang in the college’s choir. After graduating, she worked in social work and as a stay-at-home mom. She was passionate about gardening and sailing with her family and friends.
Diana (Bush) Davis ’64, of Roanoke, Va., died Dec. 9, 2024, at 80. After graduating from Roanoke, she worked in hospitals all over Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee and Forida before becoming CEO of Manatee Community Blood Center. Both of her grandfathers were Roanoke alumni, as were her mother and two sisters. Survivors include her nephew, George Francisco ’88
Ron Lunsford ’65, of Roanoke, Va., died Jan. 4, 2025, at 82. He held a B.A. in economics from Roanoke and had a long career in the grocery business. Lunsford was “director of fun” for his Kappa Alpha brothers in college, and he never got tired of throwing epic parties that his friends and family would never forget.
Joseph W. Carroll Jr. ’65, of Kennett Square, Penn., died Jan. 15, 2025, at 81. He earned a chemistry degree at Roanoke, where he participated in lacrosse and Sigma Chi. After 41 years with DuPont, he retired and did consulting. He also served on his local school board and coached youth sports.
Russell Jones ’66, of Lancaster County, Penn., died Nov. 24, 2024, at 80. At Roanoke, he studied economics and psychology before serving in the U.S. Army. He enjoyed traveling and exploring wildlife. Survivors include his wife, Ann (Gidden) Jones ’69
Roland Wehger ’67, of Shelton, Conn., died April 17, 2025, at 80. He earned a degree in biology and had a successful career in IT management within the pharmaceutical industry. His hobbies included diving, gardening and playing guitar.
William P. Hunter ’68, of Roanoke, Va., died April 14, 2025. He met his wife Susan at Roanoke and had a career as a stockbroker. He loved music, singing in church choirs, playing guitar in the family bluegrass band, and touring the country to perform at Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Bonnie (Bland) Little ’68, of Winchester, Va., died Feb. 6, 2025, at 78. She studied English at Roanoke and taught the subject for 33 years.
Rebecca (Poff) Marshall ’69, of Chantilly, Va., died Dec. 21, 2024, at 77. She studied psychology and participated in Chi Omega at Roanoke, where she met her husband, Jaquelin “Jay” Marshall ’69. She volunteered as an EMT and was a substitute teacher, and she loved animals.
IN MEMORIAM
The dimming of a star
Scotti Hartman ’95 will be remembered as a charismatic, generous and compassionate person who dedicated herself to making the world brighter for others.
By Lindsey Nair ’98
When friends and colleagues described the personality of Elizabeth “Scotti” (Boardwine) Hartman ’95, they used phrases like “walking ray of sunshine,” “always smiling” and “contagious joy.”
It is no wonder, then, that Hartman’s sudden death on March 9, 2025, cast a dark cloud over the hearts of so many people in the Salem-Roanoke community.
Hartman, a Salem native, dedicated her life’s work to seeing the good in others and serving both individuals and the community. Her bubbly charm and giving spirit were evident even before she landed at Roanoke College, where she was a proud member of Chi Omega sorority and served as Student Government Association president. Hartman graduated from Roanoke with a B.A. in sociology
Scotti Hartman ’95 poured love and joy into her work and her relationships in the community.
and a concentration in social work. She also completed The Management Institute at Roanoke College.
“She loved Roanoke College,” said Hartman’s husband, Howard Hartman, “because she made so many friends and had so many good experiences there.”
For 25 years, Hartman served as director of admissions for Richfield, a senior living community in Salem. She then worked as director of community and development at Richfield for two years before accepting a position as vice president of business development for Good Samaritan Hospice, the only nonprofit, community-based hospice in Southwest Virginia.
Hartman also invested in her community as a board member for the Salem Area Ecumenical Ministries and Salem YMCA. She was a longtime member of the Salem Rotary Club, serving as president of its foundation board, and she was president of the board of Senior Networking Group. She was also on the board of directors for the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce.
As Hartman’s obituary beautifully stated, “The words that best describe Scotti are kind, generous, and selfless. These are not just words, but the principles by which she lived her life. She had an innate ability to see the good in people and to bring out the best in them. Her spirit of giving was not confined to her actions; it was a part of her very essence.
“Scotti’s life was a lesson in love, a reminder that the most profound impact one can have is to uplift others.”
Daniel A. Bryan ’70, of Roanoke, Va., died March 23, 2025, at 85. He served in the U.S. Air Force before graduating from college and beginning a career with Fleetwood Mobile Homes. He also earned a private pilot’s license, building a runway on the family farm. His greatest passion was playing bluegrass fiddle.
Dr. George Jeitles ’70, of Pottstown, Penn., died Feb. 6, 2025, at 78. Jeitles served his community as a beloved veterinarian.
Barry C. Scull ’71, of Roanoke, died March 21, 2025, at 75. He earned a BBA at Roanoke and became an accountant. He loved cars – especially red ones.
Susan (Dalglish) Halata ’75, of Summit, N.Y., died Dec. 31, 2024, at 71. At Roanoke, she studied political science and participated in Delta Gamma. She was a dedicated early childhood educator for more than 30 years.
J. Edwin Reynolds ’75, of Roanoke, Va., died April 13, 2025, at 78. He held a BBA from Roanoke and retired from Siemens Industries. He enjoyed serving his church, volunteering and substitute teaching.
Michael Dowdy ’77, of Washing-
Henry “Hank” Brabham ’73, of Goodview, Va., died March 31, 2025, at 73. He held a BBA from Roanoke and served as president of Brabham Petroleum for 32 years. He was active in multiple fraternal organizations, including the Freemasons and Shriners.
FACULTY, STAFF AND FRIENDS
Robert D. Denham, a 15-year faculty member and chair of the English Department at Roanoke College, died Dec. 14, 2024, in Bellingham, Wash. He was 86. Denham came to Roanoke from Emory and Henry, where he also chaired the English Department. He was a scholar of Canadian literary critic and theorist Northrop Frye, editing or writing more than 30 books and dozens of scholarly articles about Frye. He also was founding director of the Iron Mountain Press; served as editor of the ADE Bulletin, Iron Mountain Review and Northrop Frye Newsletter; and was an editorial board member of Shenandoah. He donated hundreds of books to Fintel Library and shepherded just as many students during his career as both a teacher and advisor. His 2004 retirement resolution celebrated him as a man of both “class and sass.” Denham will be remembered for his wisdom, integrity, magnanimity and gentle grace.
Thomas L. (Tom) Robertson, of Naples, Fla., died March 7, 2025, at 81. He served on Roanoke’s board of trustees from 1993 to 2004. As president and CEO of the Roanoke Hospital Association, Robertson was able to bring together several hospitals to form Carilion Health System. Prior to that, he served as comptroller for Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Additionally, his efforts at the Carilion Biomedical Institute helped form the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute.
ton, N.C., died Dec. 17, 2024, at 69. Dowdy earned a degree in biology at Roanoke and was a member of Pi Kappa Phi.
Matthew Plasket ’78, of Frederick, Md., died Dec. 6, 2024, at 69. He earned his B.A. in chemistry at Roanoke, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Phi. Plasket retired from Lockheed Martin in 2016. He was passionate about flying, earning his pilot’s license in 1990. He also loved to restore cars, golf, and camp with family.
William “Mike” Phipps ’84, of Herndon, Va., died March 30, 2025, at 63. He earned a degree in political science and was a member of Pi Lambda Phi at Roanoke College. He then earned a law degree at George Mason University. He served as deputy commonwealth’s attorney for Prince William County and earned numerous awards for his service and professionalism.
Brian Reger ’90, of Roanoke, Va., died Nov. 29, 2024, at 56. At Roanoke, Reger earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He was retired from the Roanoke Fire Department and enjoyed participating in the Guns and Hoses Charity Hockey Game.
James Holzhauer ’91, of Roanoke Va., died Dec. 28, 2024, at 76. After earning his B.A. in education at Roanoke, he went on to teach at Roanoke Catholic School for more than 25 years. He was heavily involved in Roanoke area pageants, including
Robertson also led a successful fundraising campaign to reopen Hotel Roanoke and build its conference center. In 1984, he and his family held the first Scott Robertson Memorial Golf Tournament in Roanoke to remember his son and lay the foundation for the program First Tee – Roanoke Valley. Robertson also organized the annual WWHB Invitational Golf Tournament. In 2007, he was inducted into the Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame.
Thomas Dinsmore (T.D.) Steele, of Fort Myers, Fla., died Aug. 7, 2024, at 98. Steele was a developer, community leader and philanthropist who served on Roanoke’s board of trustees for 27 years, playing a vital role in the school’s expansion and growth. A U.S. Navy veteran who served in WWII, he held degrees from Harvard University and Virginia Tech. Steele was a successful farmer, raising Arabian horses and Angus cattle on his land in Virginia and Kansas. He was also involved in Roanoke-area development projects, including Crossroads and Tanglewood malls, and he was heavily involved in civic and professional organizations. His leadership of the Building and Grounds Committee at Roanoke included helping to negotiate the land swap to put a college entrance on Thompson Memorial and the redesign of Fintel Library, which he insisted should have the domed roof that is now a Salem landmark. The college awarded him an honorary doctorate in commerce in 2009.
Richard Owen ’92, of Roanoke, Va., died Jan. 25, 2025, one day before his 55th birthday. He earned a BBA at Roanoke, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Phi. Owen had a distinguished, 30-year career in banking, most recently as executive vice president of mortgage banking and corporate sales director for Carter Bank. He joined Carter Bank in 2017, establishing the mortgage division and growing that portfolio to nearly $650 million. He also played an instrumental role in the creation of the bank’s Corporate Sales Team. He will be remembered as loyal, kind, humble and fiercely intelligent. He was a devoted father and a friend and mentor to many. In his memory, Roanoke College and Carter Bank established The Richard Clark Owen ’92 Memorial Scholarship to support students pursuing a degree in finance. Those interested in contributing to this cause may visit roanoke.edu/HonorRichOwen.
the Miss Virginia Pageant and the Miss Botetourt Beauty Pageant, and enjoyed acting in local theater.
Kay Thompson ’95, of Rocky Mount, Va., died April 23, 2025, at 73. She held a degree in psychology from Roanoke and taught in local schools for 29 years.
Steven Dronsfield ’98, of Terrace Park, Ohio, died Nov. 13, 2024, at 50. Dronsfield received a B.A. in criminal justice at Roanoke, where he played lacrosse and co-founded the club hockey team. He had a career in law enforcement and was chief of the Terrace Park Volunteer Fire Department. He enjoyed coaching
kids and playing ice hockey with friends. Survivors include his wife, Jennifer (Kipp) Dronsfield ’97
Jeffrey S. Rollings ’99, of Dallas, TX, died Jan. 21, 2025, at 49. He earned a degree in political science at Roanoke. His loves included sports and animals, and he volunteered at his church and a local animal shelter.
Adrienne Austin ’00, of Lynchburg, Va., died Nov. 20, 2024, at 46. After earning her B.A. in business administration, she worked as a senior financial consultant and business process expert. She enjoyed traveling and authored a book about her family’s heritage.
Brian Hough Wallace ’01, of Charlotte, N.C., died July 2, 2024, at 45. At Roanoke, he was a member of Sigma Chi. He went on to a career in construction, and he enjoyed spending time in the outdoors and rooting for the Carolina Panthers.
Gregory Winston ’01, of Roanoke, Va., died Nov. 2, 2024, at 52. He earned a B.S. in biochemistry at Roanoke, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Phi. He retired from a career in law enforcement and cherished traveling with his family and friends. He also coached wrestling and football.
Emily Winstead ’21, of Catonsville, Md., died Feb. 23, 2025, at 25. After earning her B.S. in biochemistry at Roanoke, Emily worked as a medical scribe at Carilion Memorial Hospital and attended Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Laura Cilley ’24, of Webster, N.H., died March 29, 2025, at 22. Cilley earned a degree in communications and screen studies at Roanoke and was a proud member of Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority.
Magic! RELIVE THE
Alumni Weekend 2025 was another one for the memory books as generations of Maroons returned to Salem to reconnect with friends, experience the nostalgia of being on campus again, and celebrate major milestones such as the Class of 1975 50th Reunion.
1. Members of the Class of 1975 show they can still “Get Down Tonight” during the Par-Tee and Casino Night event. 2. Alumni try their luck at the card table during the Par-Tee and Casino Night event in the Cregger Center. 3. Shannon Mace ’15, Rosemary Mulligan ’15, Jed Curtis ’13, Hannah (Cline) Curtis ’13, Joshua Kennedy-Metz ’11 and Lauren Kennedy-Metz ’14 catch up at Bloodies and Bagels. 4. Logan Tyler ’23, a midfielder on the women’s soccer team during her time at Roanoke, shows she still has the skills during the women’s soccer alumni game. 5. The Honor Guard class celebrates its 50th Reunion at Fishwick House, the home of President Frank Shushok and the Rev. Kelly Shushok.
INSPIRING IMPACT
GIVING NEWS
Building tomorrow
With the final interior beam of its skeleton in place, the McConnon Discovery Center construction project celebrated a major milestone.
By Lindsey Nair ’98
When the McConnon Discovery Center is completed on the Roanoke College campus in 2026, the names of more than 1,000 dedicated benefactors will be enshrined in its bones.
In mid-July, the names of 1,057 donors were inscribed on a steel beam in an act of appreciation for their support of the stateof-the-art, $60 million project. One week later, that beam was raised into place at the top of the interior structure in a con-
struction-industry tradition known as a topping-out ceremony. Those names will forever be a part of the 32,000-square-foot learning space that will transform STEM education and innovation at Roanoke College.
Construction began in spring 2025 with the razing of Massengill Hall to make room for the central building, which will house eight teaching labs, classrooms, and flexible collaboration spaces. After the McConnon Center is completed, Life Science and Trexler halls will receive face-
lifts to complete the project.
“We did this because we did it together,” President Frank Shushok Jr. told the crowd. “We trusted each other’s skills and we trusted in what we can do together, and I hope this can be just the beginning of the ways that we can reformat our minds to think about the future we can create together.”
To learn more about the McConnon Center project and lend your support, visit roanoke.edu/science_center.
“We did this because we did it together.”
— President Frank Shushok Jr.
A crane lifts into place the final steel beam in the skeleton of the McConnon Center. Per tradition in the construction industry, an American flag and an evergreen tree were fastened to the beam. The tree symbolizes good luck, prosperous growth and the successful completion of the building’s frame. t
tMassengill Hall was taken down in February 2025 to make way for the new central structure.
Preparatory work took place to ready the site for erection of the McConnon Center.
(L-R): Dr. Kenneth Garren ’62, former vice president and dean of Roanoke College (and president emeritus of University of Lynchburg) and his wife, Sheila Garren, along with retired Chemistry Professor Ron Oetgen and his wife, Barbara Oetgen, were among the benefactors who signed their names to the final steel beam of the McConnon Center’s frame.
HONORS
The historic Administration Building on the Roanoke College campus has been named for Dr. M. Paul Capp ’52.
For Dr. M. Paul Capp ’52, Roanoke College was the beginning of his lifelong journey of learning, leading and serving others. Now, 178 years after its construction in Salem, the college’s Administration Building has been named after him, something he said “is an honor beyond comprehension.”
After growing up in Yonkers, New York, Capp came to Roanoke on a baseball and basketball scholarship. He excelled in those sports, earning laurels as Roanoke College Athlete of the Year and as a charter member of the college’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Capp studied physics and worked as a laboratory instructor. He was elected president of his sophomore, junior and senior classes, and he served as president of Kappa Alpha Fraternity.
I understand that my four years at Roanoke were the foundation and launching pad for everything that unfolded for me.
— Dr. M. Paul Capp ’52 “ ”
Administration Building named for beloved alumnus
Following graduation, Capp signed a professional baseball contract with the Boston Braves playing for the Welsh West Virginia Miners. Faced with a decision to either report for spring training the next year or matriculate to Duke University to study nuclear physics, he dropped the ball – in a good way. Capp was at Duke for two years before transferring to the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where he earned a medical degree.
Following a successful residency at Duke, Capp became radiologist-in-charge of pediatrics there. Later, he served as an associate professor, chief of pediatric and cardiac radiology, and vice chair of the Duke Department of Radiology. In 1970, he joined the staff of the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, where he was a professor and chair of the Radiology Department for 23 years. When he retired in 1993, he was named professor emeritus.
The college’s Administration Building, now the M. Paul Capp Administration
Capp has dedicated his life to health care, education and service, including time on the Roanoke College Board of Trustees.
Building, has long stood as a symbol of the college’s mission and purpose in society. Capp has likewise been a stalwart alumnus, living an extraordinary life of service and leadership – and providing immense support to his undergraduate alma mater in the form of generous gifts and wisdom. Since 2002, he has been a member of the college’s board of trustees.
“At my age, I have a full view of my life,” Capp said. “I understand that my four years at Roanoke were the foundation and launching pad for everything that unfolded for me. As the child of Ukrainian immigrants, Roanoke College gave me four years off the streets of New York City to grow, be mentored and become inspired.”
As a baseball and basketball player at Roanoke, Capp earned a spot in the Athletic Hall of Fame.
Celebrating our alumni
During Roanoke College’s annual Society of 1842 luncheon, held on Alumni Weekend, individuals were recognized for their steadfast commitment to the college and their communities.
By Anna Wehr
The Rev. J. Christopher Price ’75 and his wife, Terry Koehler Price ’76, are led by their faith and servant hearts. This spring, their devotion to the college and their community was recognized when they were both awarded the Roanoke College Medal, the highest honor for a Maroon.
The award was presented during the annual Society of 1842 luncheon, where the Emerging Alumni Award and Maroons by Choice Awards were also presented.
The Rev. Price devoted himself to pastoral ministry, serving in the Evangelical Lutheran Church for more than 30 years, while Terry Price worked in health care. Together, they had two daughters and two grandchildren, and they’ve fostered more than 30 children. They are active members of the Richmond Alumni Chapter, and Rev. Price served for 22 years on the board of trustees. They have provided leadership for several other boards and societies at the college. They created an endowed scholarship in their family’s name and made a generous contribution to the
Terry Price ’76 and the Rev. Chris Price ’75 were awarded the Roanoke College Medal, which recognizes outstanding alumni whose professional accomplishments, community engagement and service to the college represent the ideals of leadership, integrity and citizenship.
Center for Student Success in memory of their daughter, Katie.
Additional honorees included Alexander Phillips ’01 and Emily Metro Phillips ’01, winners of the Emerging Alumni Award. Both athletes at Roanoke, the pair continue to share their love of sports through coaching in their community. They donate generously to their alma mater and visit campus often. He is president of Tidy Services in Salem, and she is a certified Pilates Master Instructor.
Chuck Baker, general manager and owner of Haley Toyota, received a Maroons by Choice Award. Under his leadership, Haley has heavily engaged in philanthropy with a focus on supporting local athletes. The company was an early contributor to the school’s football program.
John W. Burress III, another Maroons by Choice honoree, began his career at his father’s company, J.W. Burress Inc., later becoming president. After retirement, he shifted his focus to Roanoke College, consistently supporting school initiatives alongside his wife, Mary Louise.
A third Maroons by Choice Award went to Frank and Pamela DiRamio, who quickly engaged with Roanoke College while seeking community in Salem. Whether they are attending athletic games, “adopting” students or giving, the DiRamios are honorary Maroons.
The Society of 1842 honors alumni and friends who have generously included Roanoke College in their estate plan. The society boasts a current roster of more than 1,150. For more info, visit roanoke.myplannedgift.org.
Built to serve
A Quonset hut erected on the Roanoke College campus in the late 1940s began its existence as a naval training facility at Camp
By Jesse Bucher
A curious structure is visible in historic aerial photos of the Roanoke College campus, and most Maroons aren’t familiar with the building’s fascinating history. Long before the Quonset hut was erected along Market Street to serve as a shop for Buildings and Grounds, it served the U.S. military.
Quonset huts take their name from Quonset Point at Davisville Naval Construction Battalion Center in Rhode Island, where they were first manufactured in 1941. During World War II, the Amer-
ican Navy needed buildings that could be rapidly built and moved to house and train troops, store materials, serve as kitchens or infirmaries, and more. They represented an important innovation in efficient design, with walls and roofs formed from corrugated steel curved into an arch. Crews could quickly build the durable huts and enclose the ends with inexpensive materials like plywood.
The U.S. government supported manufacture of more than 150,000 Quonset huts during WWII. After the war, many of the huts were sold off as surplus, proving popular in other settings, especially as storage on farms.
The hut that later transformed into Roanoke’s Buildings and Grounds shops started as Building 53 in the Dock Area at Camp Peary in Williamsburg, where the Navy used it as a classroom in its Naval Training Base.
World War II-era Quonset hut
After the war, Roanoke negotiated with the Federal Works Agency Bureau of Community Facilities to receive Building 53. The agency granted Roanoke a Quonset hut because the college had recently supported the training and instruction of veterans. It had also hosted Army and Navy aviation troops on campus during the war.
Relocation of the hut was carried out by R.K. Williams construction, but crews on campus transformed the hut’s interior into a functioning space. According to a Brackety-Ack article from Oct. 17, 1947, the ground floor housed offices, workshops, plumbing and electrical supply storage, janitor supplies and machinery for grounds maintenance. The second floor included storage for trunks, furniture and more. Physics professor Charles Raynor, the college’s director of plant and equipment, said, “This Quonset building is a very valuable addition to the Property of Buildings and Grounds; it will fill a long felt need.”
Although the Quonset hut that was part of the college’s mid-century landscape gave way to the science complex, the college acquired two other huts for the Buildings and Grounds shops that were relocated to Tennessee Street in Salem. Those huts are still in use as storage spaces today.
Jesse Bucher is the Roanoke College historian and director of the Center for studying Structures of Race. He is also an associate professor in the History Department.
Peary in Williamsburg.
The
that was erected at Roanoke College in the late 1940s is visible in the lower left corner of this 1960s aerial photo, below the athletic field.
Doing justice
As an award-winning special agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Zachary Neefe ’09 spends his days targeting child predators. A criminal justice major at Roanoke, he spent time as a patrol officer and detective before joining HSI. He is also a member of the Invictus Task Force, a criminal justice instructor, and a Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician.
How would you describe your Roanoke College experience in a nutshell?
A whirlwind! I moved from Michigan to attend Roanoke; met my future wife, Libby (Seaks) Neefe ’07; participated in all sorts of Chaplain’s Office activities; worked at Fintel Library and lived for six months in Mexico through a student exchange program.
Why did you choose to go into law enforcement? And why child exploitation investigations specifically?
I knew from an early age that I wanted to be a police officer. As a patrol officer around 2012ish, I located a runaway girl who I later learned was being sexually abused by her father. This incident opened my eyes to familial abuse and indirectly was a segue into child exploitation investigations.
Is there a particular case or cases that it felt especially fulfilling to be involved in?
There is no greater reward for me than to work a case where a child has been removed/rescued from a home where abuse was actively taking place, either through the offender being arrested or by other interventions. I’ve been a part of many of these cases and it never gets old. Our task force has arrested pastors, law enforcement officers, firefighters, teachers and other offenders in positions of public trust, which is also hugely fulfilling as they oftentimes hide behind their status and reputation as a means of concealing their continued abuse of society’s most vulnerable populations.
What would you want the public — particularly parents — to know about child exploitation?
As a parent myself, I have to constantly remember to walk that balancing act between being too cautious and allowing too much freedom. My experience as an investigator, and now through academic research, reminds me that the threat to our children is not the creepy white van with the guy handing out candy. We must now be ever-vigilant with our children’s online activities, chat platforms, and in-game messaging, as that’s where today’s child exploitation offenders have gone to victimize kids.
Photo by Angela Kerr Photography
Rooney visited the belltower with his friends Maple and Magnolia, the president’s pups, but the color forgot to meet them there! Will you dig out your art supplies and help them out? We’d
Beam me up!
The names of more than 1,000 donors were inscribed on this steel beam before it was lifted into the sky on July 23, 2025. The beam became the final piece in the frame of the McConnon Discovery Center. Read more about this construction tradition — and find out why this beam is decorated with a flag and a tiny tree — in the Inspiring Impact section on Pp. 46-47.
