President Dr. Kendra Boggess Vice President for Advancement Alicia Besenyei Chair, Concord University Foundation, Inc. Randy Price '84 Concord University Office of Advancement PO Box 1000 Athens, WV 24712 1-304-384-6311 Fax: 1-304-384-6017 advancement@concord.edu www.concord.edu
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MAGAZINE STAFF: Director of Communications Amy Pitzer Staff Writer Sarah P. Dalton Graphic Designer, Sr. Foster Sheppard '14
The Concord University Magazine is published by the Concord University Advancement Office. A portion of the cost is underwritten by the Concord University Foundation, Inc. ADDRESS CHANGES & SUBMISSIONS: Please contact Amy Pitzer at 304-384-5211 or pitzer@concord.edu
ON THE COVER: Spring 2018 brought a new event to campus: The President's Ball. INSIDE COVER: Alumni, Students, Faculty and Staff enjoy dinner at the 2018 President's Ball.
Features
In Every Issue
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5 11 12 68 70 72
Beyond the Classroom Heritage & Horizon 19th Fall Commencement Beckley Dinner Founders' Day A Formal Affair Flygirl Where Are They Now? Athletics: Best of 2017
University News On the Road with Roar Beckley Update Mt. Lion News Alumni Spotlight Class Notes
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elcome to the Spring 2018 issue of the Concord University Magazine. As you have come to expect, this edition of the magazine is filled with stories and photographs that will remind you of your times on “The Campus Beautiful.” As we have braved through a much less rigorous winter than usual, warmer days are finally on the horizon. Soon our beautiful campus will be in full bloom and we will experience a refreshing springtime. With a new year and a new season, we each have the opportunity to reflect on the past and to think progressively towards a bright future. In Concord’s future, we will embrace change in order to improve the future for our students, surrounding communities, and our state.
As Concord transitioned into 2018, we began embracing new traditions on campus. It’s important that we, as a campus community, celebrate our history and progressively think of the direction we will take in the future. Since its founding, Concord University has built a reputation that signifies quality educational outcomes, not only in surrounding communities but throughout our state and around the globe. This year marked Concord University’s 146th Anniversary and we celebrated in a new and exciting way. The Office of Advancement presented a new event to the local community in celebration of Founders’ Day. This was an event like no other we have had on campus; the 2018 President’s Ball was a night complete with all the finest elements that contributed to a very successful event.
As you likely know, we are continuously seeking new opportunities that enable us to raise funds to enhance the educational experiences of our students and to help them build bright futures. Many of our students are in need of financial support and thanks to the Concord University Foundation, Inc., we are able to help alleviate the cost of higher education for many of them. Through our new event, our community was able to again show great support to the University and its students by donating funds that will be distributed in the form of student scholarships and campus projects. We owe thanks to our Office of Advancement, loyal sponsors in the community, and our campus community as a whole for the generous contributions that led to the success of Concord University’s very first President’s Ball. We are pleased to officially announce that the President’s Ball will become an annual event celebrating Concord University’s founding. We are excited to start this new tradition that will last for many generations to come. I encourage you to mark your calendar for March 2, 2019, for Concord’s 2019 President’s Ball. If you happened to miss out on this year’s event, you surely will not want to miss this grand event next year. As you enjoy this issue of the Concord University Magazine, I hope you are reminded of the fellowship and memories you have created in our home among the hills here in Athens, West Virginia. As always, showing your support through donations to the Concord University Foundation, Inc., your volunteer activities in our behalf, your attendance at events, sporting activities and fundraisers are essential to Concord and greatly appreciated. Thank you for remaining connected with us; it is my hope to see you here soon on “The Campus Beautiful.”
Dr. Kendra Boggess, President 4
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Concord Part of Alliance for the Economic Development for Southern West Virginia
Dr. Kendra Boggess, standing second from right, joins other institution representatives as Alliance Chair Marshall University President Jerry Gilbert speaks during the Jan. 8 announcement. Photo: Marshall University
Presidents and representatives from the 10 public higher education institutions made an announcement in Charleston on Jan. 8 regarding the Alliance for the Economic Development for Southern West Virginia (Alliance), a joint venture between West Virginia’s 10 southern colleges and universities to better connect the educational resources and workforce training offered in Southern West Virginia to promote the region, eliminate redundancies and share best practices, improve the quality of life for area residents, create jobs and revitalize southern communities. The partner institutions include: Bluefield State College, BridgeValley Community and Technical College, Concord University, Marshall University, Mountwest Community & Technical College, New River Community and Technical College, Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, West Virginia State University and West Virginia University Institute of Technology.
The Alliance’s main goal is to learn about all of the existing resources, in regards to education services, workforce training, the talent pool, all available business sites, and the willing partners in Southern West Virginia and promote and utilize these resources in a meaningful way that creates jobs, enhances the state’s business sector and competitive edge, ensures workers have access to the latest training and technology, builds long-lasting partnerships and ultimately revitalizes small Southern West Virginia communities. “It is time to come together to solve our own challenges and we are going to do just that,” Marshall President and the Alliance’s Chair Jerry Gilbert said. “The creation of this Alliance is very significant for West Virginia because our southern higher education institutions are showing our state’s leaders that we are committed to economic development, to partnering on projects that grow jobs and grow momentum. Southern West Virginia has many challenges, but we are sending a strong, clear CU MAGAZINE
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message that we are invested, we care and we will make a positive impact by working together.” “Concord University is proud to be a member of the Alliance, which will prove to be a vital force for economic development in southern West Virginia,” President Kendra Boggess said. “With their rich history of educational support for the region, the Alliance members are positioned to harness and apply shared resources to regional issues and committed to restoring hope to a challenged people and sparking development in the region.” The Alliance is focused on a 21-county area, including Boone, Cabell, Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Putnam, Raleigh, Summers, Wayne, Webster, and Wyoming counties. The Alliance will focus on fostering an environment for economic growth, through various initiatives. In order to grow the regional economy, the Alliance must identify and implement solutions to tackle the current challenges facing quality of life issues in the Alliance’s 21 county area, like
public health, livable communities and education issues. The Alliance will also work to build partnerships among local economic development organizations, the public educational institutions and the state. The Alliance will leverage its individual partner resources to create a master matrix of the educational, business and land resources offered in Southern West Virginia. Throughout the year, the Alliance will offer various events and workshops, like fighting the opioid epidemic, easing the transition to higher education, expanding broadband, fostering entrepreneurship and building local coalitions by pooling resources, talent and expertise at the higher education level. This Alliance represents more than 30,000 students who are currently working on obtaining various degrees, from Associate to Doctorate.
Concord among Top Public Colleges for Undergraduate Scholarship Funding Concord University has been ranked among the top 50 public colleges in the United States where undergraduate students receive the most scholarship aid. According to a study released by “The Student Loan Report”, Concord is ranked #49 out of 250 public schools. Concord leads in the ranking among the four West Virginia institutions of higher learning named in the report.
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“We appreciate that this study confirms the commitment that has, for many years, been at the heart of Concord’s efforts to support our students and provide affordable, high quality education for the people of West Virginia,” stated Jamie Ealy, Vice President of Enrollment Management. “In combination with another recent report that indicated Concord University graduates have the lowest student loan debt of any college or university in the state, this study punctuates the impact that Concord has upon the lives of our students, 80 percent of whom come from West Virginia,” he said. “The University remains committed to providing West Virginians with high quality, low cost higher education.” Peterson’s Financial Aid dataset was used to compile data for the report. Focusing on the academic year 2015-2016, the report looked at more than 500 four-year public institutions reporting information to Peterson about the Class of 2016 and its financial aid data. The list is comprised of the top 250 schools. According to the report, “the highlighting figure is the average scholarship financial aid per undergraduate.”
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Partnership on National Science Foundation Grant Brings Widely-Known Volcanologist to Campus Concord University along with five partner institutions has been awarded $579,998 through the U.S. National Science Foundation’s EarthCube program which seeks to transform research in the earth sciences via publically-accessible databases and online tools. The funded project is titled “THROUGHPUT: Standards and Services for Community Curated Repositories.” Other partner institutions include Columbia University, the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, Northern Arizona University, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of Minnesota. Dr. Stephen Kuehn, Associate Professor of Geology and Director the Electron Microprobe Laboratory, serves as Concord’s lead investigator. A major contribution to the project is information on explosive eruptions of Cascade Range volcanoes and of other volcanoes from around the world that has been collected by Dr. Kuehn and numerous Concord geology students over the last seven years. Data collected by researchers at other institutions will also be included. Concord has hired Dr. Janine Krippner to work on the THROUGHPUT project. Originally from New Zealand, she recently completed her doctoral degree at the University of Pittsburgh where she
Dr. Janine Krippner giving a presentation at Concord on volcanic activity.
studied pyroclastic flows from Shiveluch volcano in Kamchatka and from Mount St. Helens in Washington State. She actively engages in volcano outreach on social media and has attracted more than 11 thousand followers on Twitter (@ janinekrippner). She has also been interviewed many times by both print and broadcast media including the BBC News, CNN, Discovery Channel, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, National Geographic, and other media outlets around the world.
Keeping Up With Concord Social media has allowed people to keep in touch with individuals, groups and activities all across the globe and Concord is using some of these tools to keep its alumni connected to the University and each other. You can keep up with Concord through any (or all!) of the following outlets:
Facebook: Concord University Alumni Association, Inc. and Concord University Twitter: @CampusBeautiful and @ConcordUAlumni
LinkedIn: Official Concord University page and the
Snapchat: ConcordU1872
Pinterest: Concord University Alumni Association Instagram: ConcordUAlumni
YouTube: CUCATVIDEO Official Concord University Alumni group We hope you will take advantage of each of these sites as a quick and easy way to keep up with Concord! CU MAGAZINE
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Holiday Open House Celebrates the Season Smiles abound in the alumni lounge during visits with Santa.
President Emeritus Jerry Beasley makes sure his name is on the Good List!
The Princeton Senior High School Madrigals fill the chapel with song.
The annual Holiday Open House offered festive fun in the charming setting of University Point. This popular event was held the evening of Dec. 5 and was hosted by the Office of Advancement. Musical entertainment filled the Wilkes Family Chapel with seasonal songs. Guests were treated to performances by the Concord Jazz Band under the direction of Dr. David Ball and a chorus of students, faculty, staff and alumni led by Dr. Kelly Hudson. The renowned Princeton Senior High School Madrigals graciously entertained as well. Mr. Allen Kade is director of this talented group. A concert on the Marsh Memorial Carillon by Dr. Kipp Cortez added to the ambiance of the evening. Children, eager to share their wish lists with Santa Claus, stopped by the Erickson Alumni Lounge with parents and grandparents in tow. In the Seminar Room they put their creative energies to work decorating sugar cookies, adding sprinkles and dollops of icing to the holiday shaped treats. The Pais Fellowship Hall formed a welcoming backdrop for savoring a cup of wassail or hot cocoa with the friends, neighbors and colleagues gathered there. 8
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Concordians Support Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program
Carolyn Worley, Administrative Assistant, and Andrew Sulgit, Director of Student Activities & the Student Center, are shown with the array of gifts displayed in the lobby of the Student Center.
Concordians generously supported the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program again this past holiday season. Participants “adopted” a child and donated toys, bicycles, clothes and other gifts for the youngster. Thanks to this kindness, area children had a brighter holiday season. Concord has been participating in the Angel Tree program since 1988, and has been making dreams come true for countless children since then. Through the years, CU faculty, staff and students, along with individuals from the community, have joined together to support this worthy cause.
Reidmiller, Sexton Receive State Art Educator Awards
Kimberly Sexton '14, left, and Dr. Lauri Reidmiller, right.
Lauri Reidmiller, Ph.D. received the 2017 Higher Education Art Educator of the Year Award and Kimberly Sexton ’14, Concord University Art Education alum, received the 2017 Elementary Art Educator of the Year Award at the West Virginia Art Education Association Conference last fall. Dr. Reidmiller is an Associate Professor of Art at Concord, and teaches studio and art education courses. She has extensive experience teaching at the public school and the university level. She has worked as a graphic designer and continues to produce and exhibit her own artwork. Mrs. Sexton teaches at Gatewood, Rosedale, and Mount Hope elementary schools in Fayette County. Her students have received multiple student awards including winners in the Arts in the Parks, West Virginia Youth Art Month in Parkersburg and at Tamarack. Her students have also placed in the West Virginia Fire Marshal Poster Contest. The goal of the W.V.A.E.A. is to promote and maintain the highest possible degree of quality instruction in art programs throughout the state of West Virginia. The association also promotes the values of art in the schools to the public, school administrators, and government leaders. In addition the association works closely with other state and national associations and government agencies to strengthen the place of art in education throughout West Virginia. CU MAGAZINE
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CALENDAR
Veterans Honored during Ceremony in November
APRIL 11-12 / 16-17, 2018 Phone-a-thon 6-9pm Pais Fellowship Hall APRIL 19, 2018 Donor Appreciation Dinner University Point, Pais Fellowship Hall 6pm APRIL 24, 2018 Carl S. Azzara Music Colloquium University Point, Wilkes Chapel 6pm APRIL 26, 2018 Concord University Foundation Roanoke Dinner Shenandoah Club, Roanoke, VA 6pm MAY 4, 2018 Alumni GALA Ballroom 6pm MAY 5, 2018 Spring Commencement Carter Center, Gymnasium 10am and 2pm JUNE 28, 2018 CU at the WV Power Game Appalachian Power Park Charleston, WV Gates Open at 6pm Game time at 7pm OCTOBER 5, 2018 CU After Hours President’s House Lawn 5-7pm OCTOBER 6, 2018 Advancement’s Keg & Eggs University Point 10am until kickoff Homecoming CU vs Glenville State Callaghan Stadium
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Concord University honored veterans for their service and sacrifices during a special ceremony on Nov. 10, 2017. The morning event was held in the Wilkes Family Chapel in University Point and was sponsored by Concord’s Veterans Association. In his opening remarks Dr. Peter Viscusi, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, called the Veterans Day ceremony “a very important occasion.” Sharing qualities such as “courage, pride…dedication to duty, integrity,” veterans are “ordinary people who responded in extraordinary ways”, he said. Acknowledging the service of Americans from Valley Forge to Vietnam to Afghanistan, Dr. Viscusi said, “We remember and honor them all.” Veterans Committee Chair Chuck Elliott introduced the speaker, Veterans Advocate Steven Kennedy. “What an honor it is to be able to do this,” Kennedy said. “Veterans Day is a very important thing to this country.” Kennedy served in the U.S. Army and continues to be part of the Army Reserves. He is majoring in Social Work at Concord. His hometown is Bradshaw, WV. “It’s tremendous to be able to celebrate this in a free country,” he said. The patriotic ceremony began with the PikeView High School JROTC presenting the colors and the high school’s Sign Language Team presenting the Lee Greenwood song, “God Bless the USA”. Teresa Frey led the Pledge of Allegiance and Kaley Grace Morris sang the national anthem. Carolyn Worley offered a closing prayer at the conclusion of the program.
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Roar getting the scoop with Jared Kline '14 at WHSV-TV in Harrisonburg, Va.
Bethany Dye Adkins '01 and Roar took a trip to Mississippi where they visited Cruisin' the Coast near Gulfport, MS, and while there, visited the Windsor Ruins near Port Gibson.
Jack and Judy Lilly and Bob and Eva Gallione met in Kissimmee, Florida this winter. Bob ‘68 and Jack ‘67 have been TKE fraternity brothers for 54 years and their friendship continues to grow each year. They organized the TKE time capsule burial on the Concord campus in 1997 which will be opened in 2022. Shown from left to right, Jack and Judy Lilly and Bob and Eva Gallione.
TAKE ROAR WITH YOU!
Janet Conroy '86 and Roar soaked up the sun in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Show us where you’ve taken Roar! Find your cut out of Roar on page 79 of this magazine. CU MAGAZINE
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BECKLEY UPDATE CU BECKLEY STUDENT RECEIVES DAVID S. ROTH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Abigail Toney has earned the distinction of becoming the first CU Beckley student to be awarded the David S. Roth Memorial Scholarship since its inception in 2001. Abigail, a resident of Beckley, WV, and a sophomore at Concord University, is recipient of the 2017-2018 scholarship. Abigail was selected to receive the scholarship on the basis of the strong writing skills she demonstrated as a participant in the annual Roth Scholarship Writing Competition. “I am extremely honored to have been chosen for this scholarship,” Abigail said. “Those that entered and were chosen for each round of the writing competition were excellent writers, and I respect all of them,” she added. “I am happy to know that my writing skills are good enough to win a 12
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Abigail Toney, left, recipient of the David S. Roth Memorial Scholarship and Instructor of English Dr. Anthony Patricia, right
scholarship like this!” Instructor of English Dr. Anthony Patricia encouraged Abigail to enter the Roth Scholarship competition on the basis of her “exceptional writing skills.” He recalls, “I had the privilege of teaching Abigail in ENGL 102 Rhetoric and Composition II in the
Spring 2017 term at the Erma Byrd Higher Education Center. I realized right away that she was an outstanding writer. So I was thrilled but not surprised when I learned that she had won the Roth Scholarship.” A graduate of Shady Spring High School in Raleigh County, Abigail chose to attend Concord
BECKLEY UPDATE
University chiefly because of the opportunities it provides for one-on-one interactions between professors and students. She was also attracted by the reasonable cost of attendance and by the opportunity to take CU Beckley classes at the Erma Byrd Center. As a Business major with an emphasis in management who is exploring the possibility of an accounting minor, Abigail intends to pursue a career in business upon completing her bachelor’s degree program at CU. Her future plans include making sure her parents and grandmother “can relax and have leisurely lives.” Abigail is using the $1,000 Roth scholarship toward the purchase of books for her courses, as well as toward the cost of tuition and fees during the 2017-18 academic year. The purpose of the David S. Roth Memorial Scholarship is to encourage retention of currently-enrolled Concord University students
who, like Abigail, demonstrate strong writing skills. The recipient of this scholarship is chosen on the basis of an annual writing competition held each spring semester. Dr. David S. Roth taught English and journalism courses at Concord from 1969 to 1986. After his death in 1986, Dr. Sheila M. Chipley, Dr. William K. Finley, and Dr. William J. Ofsa were instrumental in launching the David S. Roth Memorial Scholarship Fund; and in 1990 Dr. Roger Sheppard established the Roth Memorial Scholarship 5K as an annual fundraising event. The members of Dr. Roth’s family have greatly appreciated all the donations that have been made to this fund, which has been managed since its inception by the Concord University Foundation.
GRADUATE ASSISTANT WORKING
with High School Mentoring Program The Beckley location now has a graduate assistant! Tymara McDowell is a Master of Social Work major who will be handling a pilot program called “Pay it Backwards”. The goal of this program is to take a small group of Liberty High School 10th graders and mentor them all the way through school to graduation and beyond. The students will be selected by their guidance counselor, Erica Hampton, based on certain criteria established by the program.
We want these students to have someone of confidence to be an extra set of “ears” to listen to their concerns and help them overcome obstacles that are keeping them from being a successful high school student. Our CU Beckley students selected to be mentors in this program will be there for the same Liberty students from now until they graduate, helping them every step of the way.
CHESS CLUB
holds tournament The Concord University Beckley Chess Club, in association with the WV Chess Association, had their first USCF Rated Tournament on Nov. 18, 2017. Players from both West Virginia and Virginia attended and enjoyed four rounds of competitive play. Chess sponsor Keith Lilly stated another tournament will be held at the Erma Byrd Center this fall.
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BEYOND
By Ms. Lori Pace
Instructor of Criminology
Dr. Tracy Luff
Professor of Sociology
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the classroom:
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
A new criminologty emphasis is preparing students for a variety of career options eginning with the fall 2017 semester, Concord University’s Sociology Department began offering a Criminology emphasis. This exciting liberal arts degree encourages students to think critically about crime and justice issues, to understand theoretical perspectives and research methods, and to cultivate practical skills applicable to a variety of careers. The core courses include Crime and Justice Systems, Social Problems, and Criminology while the evolving elective choices have included Violence in Society, Juvenile Delinquency, Deviant Behavior, Sociology of Law, Policing and the Community, and first offered Spring 2018 – Survey of Serial Killers. Integrated into the Sociology major, which provides a range of career and post-graduate choices for students, the specialization of a
Criminology emphasis prepares students for a variety of options including corrections, law enforcement, advocacy, court systems, juvenile justice, social policy, and data analysis. Criminology Instructor Lori Pace, who holds an M.S. in Criminal Justice from Marshall University, reports that the ability to translate what is learned in the classroom to actual jobs is what she’s most excited about. “When I meet former students out in the community or hear from them in other states, I am proud of the legacy of employment and career trajectories that the Sociology major has provided,” she said. “And now, being able to offer classes in the Criminology emphasis that reflect my passion and knowing the jobs available, I am terrifically excited that completing our degree means you can find jobs.” The Criminology emphasis is attracting students, too. Fayette County native Alyson »
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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
In the fall, students ventured outside of the classroom for field trips to the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Beckley, the Southern Regional Jail, and the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston. “The Lunatic Asylum was more for fun.” Ms. Pace said, “But it allowed us to see the history and medicalization of mental illness and also the systemic and institutional attitude to deviant behaviors and how, at different points, society responds.” At the end of the semester several students – Tara Waller, Riki Smith, and Rebekah Weaver – joined Ms. Pace in creating a crime scene at PikeView High School for Teresa Barton’s Forensic class. Students were given ten minutes to view a realistic crime scene with a deceased victim and two witnesses, allowed to question the witnesses, and then to write up what evidence would be important, how it would be dealt with, their next steps in the investigation, and their
"After taking so many Sociology classes and visiting Gene Spadero Youth Detention Center in one of Ms. Pace's classes, I decided to explore a more criminal side of the discipline. It only took one Criminology class before I knew it was the ideal route for my college career."
Sociology students visiting and touring the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, WV.
Watson shared, “After taking so many Sociology classes and visiting Gene Spadero Youth Detention in one of Ms. Pace’s classes, I decided to explore a more criminal side of the discipline. It only took one Criminology class before I knew it was the ideal route for my college career.”
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theory of the crime. The students reported being shocked at seeing the blood and the body, and Ms. Barton said bringing what they were learning from their forensics text to life was superiorly helpful. After the students turned in their crime scene written response, the CU group debriefed the essential evidence and the cause of death. Volunteering, community service, and fundraising have always been a part of Ms. Pace’s classes in Beckley and the students again supported October’s Domestic Violence Awareness by working with the Women’s Resource Center to hang purple ribbons in downtown Beckley and sponsor a Chili Night booth. Additionally, the students sponsored a “Stewards of Children” training for 33 people by Just For Kids Child Advocacy Center which equips adults to recognize and prevent child sexual assault and a “Handle With Care”
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
Shown with Ms. Lori Pace, right, at PikeView are, from left, Ricki Smith, Tara Waller and Rebekah Weaver.
CU students create a crime scene at PikeView High School for a Forensic class.
informative session by Andrea Darr, the Director of the Center For Children’s Justice, for 25 people at the Erma Byrd Higher Education Center. Andrea Darr has a longstanding relationship of generously inviting Ms. Pace’s students to attend the annual fall “Handle With Care” conference allowing scholarships for 17 students in Fall 2017. “It’s exciting to bring the ideas and practice of service to the Athens campus now too,” Ms. Pace said. “We will be working with Amanda Moore, Advocate with Mercer County’s Family Resource Center this spring to collect clothing and hygiene items to put together for victims of sexual assault because when a rape kit is performed often the clothing is taken as evidence.” Guest speakers enhanced the fall classes too with students meeting Federal Magistrate Judge Omar Aboulhosn, Day Report Case Manager Zack Hazelwood, Probation and Parole Supervisor Jill Bryant, and Parole Officer Jacob Jeffries, all four of whom are Concord alumni. “As the Coordinator for the Sociology and Criminology Internship option within each degree, I really valued former students sharing their
experiences. Jacob Jeffries actually did his internship with Mercer County Parole Services Division where he is currently employed,” Ms. Pace said. First Sargent Maddy of the WV State Police and Raleigh County Chief Deputy Canaday also visited the criminology classes giving the students a comprehensive appreciation of law enforcement careers. Hannah White decided to declare the Criminology emphasis after seeing the courses offered and what is incorporated beyond the classroom. “The guest speakers and field trips provide us with outside experience that increases our opportunities to make professional contacts,” she said. (It’s) helpful to feel more confident in applying for jobs.” As a member of the newly created multidisciplinary Southern West Virginia Re-Entry Council which brings together human services, public safety and other public agencies along with private agencies, non-profits, law enforcement, the courts, businesses, community-based service providers and faith-based organizations to collaborate, in partnership, to start identifying barriers to successful reentry for exoffenders and key indicators of recidivism, Ms. Pace has discovered an opportunity for the criminology students to be involved and possibly employed in the necessary focus on re-entry and transitional programs for the formerly incarcerated. Hannah White reinforced this attitude of hope for future careers, “I feel like with Criminology as my major, I will have so many opportunities. Not just within Sociological fields, but also in criminal justice, law enforcement, and the law.” For more information about the Sociology degreeCriminology emphasis, contact lpace@concord.edu or call 304-384-6054. █
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Baseball Hall of Famer Mario Ciarlo ’55 Goes into the Record Books as Dedicated Coach, Loyal Concordian Baseball is a major player in Mario Ciarlo’s life. He played the sport in high school, during his military service and as a college student. Recognized for his successful professional career as a high school baseball coach, Mario is also known for his exemplary leadership in athletic organizations. In October 2017, this 1955 Concord graduate added Mountain Lion Athletics Hall of Famer to his baseball legacy. Mario, a native of Waterbury, CT, played varsity baseball at Leavenworth High School. A multi-sport athlete, he was also on the junior varsity basketball team and the varsity football team along with serving as the baseball team’s manager. He graduated from high school in 1945, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was stationed in the South Pacific for two years during his 1945-1949 tour of duty. His baseball talents landed him on the Navy League in Pearl Harbor and the Iroquois Indians Seabees team. He also played basketball with the USS Tawasa squad from 1947-1948. Following this stint of active duty in the military, Mario began pursuing his bachelor’s degree at Concord and started playing baseball for the Mountain Lions. However, his studies and his collegiate baseball career were put on hold when he was recalled to active duty with the Navy in 1951. While serving during the Korean War in the early 1950s, he played for USS Mosopelea softball teams »
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Mario Ciarlo at the 2017 Homecoming Hall of Fame induction ceremony and breakfast. Photo: Tom Bone '76 / Bluefield Daily Telegraph
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HERITAGE & HORIZON
The 1954 Baseball Team The 1954 Mountain Lion baseball team is legendary. As WVIAC champions, this outstanding group of athletes was the first team at Concord to win a conference championship in any sport. Now more than six decades later, the thrill of claiming the title still resonates among the players. Back on campus for the team’s Homecoming 2017 induction into Concord’s Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 14, Mario Ciarlo ’55, George McKelvie ’57 and Harry Krall ’58 celebrated yet another accolade. For this trio of teammates, the Hall of Fame honor is especially sweet. “The 2017 induction of the 1954 baseball team rates for me, along with my induction into the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame, as two of the most humble honors that have been bestowed upon me in athletics,” Ciarlo said. Ciarlo, who spent more than three decades teaching and coaching in Waterbury, CT, recounts his Concord playing history. “I had not played organized baseball since high school, except for a brief stint during my Navy service,” he explained. “I played as a utility infielder for the 1951 20
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Friends and teammates at the 2017 Hall of Fame Breakfast. (pictured from L to R) Harry Krall '58, George McKelvie '57, Mario Ciarlo '55 and George "Dick" Fanning '58
team, but was called back to active service. In 1953, I resumed playing as the ‘old’ man for Coach Kyle’s team as a utility infielder. I also played on the 1954 WVIAC Championship team.” “As a team member of Concord’s baseball teams in the spring of 1951 and 1953, and the very special team of 1954, and my 18 years as a high school baseball coach provided for me a sincere gratitude to all teammates and players with whom I had been associated,” he said. Along with Ciarlo, McKelvie and Krall, members of the team include Don Mikush, John Brant, Rudolph Hardy, Tom Karlo, Bill Fix, Edwin Taylor, Pete Koch, Tom Gentry, Tom Moses, Stan Bienick, Bob Beckelheimer, Bill Cuthbert, Huey Miller, Bob Fix, Cam Wiley, Vern Auvil, Jack Buckland and Frank Parker. Beginning in 2017, the Concord Hall of Fame committee voted to induct conference championship and/or NCAA Tournament teams into the Hall of Fame. The 1990-1991 Concord men’s basketball team joins the 1954 Concord baseball team in being the first two teams to receive induction.
HERITAGE & HORIZON
in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Norfolk, VA. Mario secured his place in Mountain Lion Athletics history as a member of the 1954 WVIAC Championship baseball team which was the first team at Concord to win a conference championship in any sport. He and his teammates were honored for their accomplishment by being inducted into Concord’s Athletics Hall of Fame during Homecoming 2017. Mario continues to speak enthusiastically about being a part of “the very special team of 1954”. Mario graduated from Concord in 1955 with a bachelor’s degree in education. He received a master’s degree in education in 1958 from Hillyer College (University of Hartford) located in West Hartford, CT. After teaching briefly in West Virginia, Mario devoted more than three decades to teaching and coaching in Waterbury. His contributions as an educator include serving as a sixth grade teacher, a physical education teacher for elementary and high school students, and a classroom teacher for the 7th and 8th grades. Mario coached 6th, 7th and 8th grade baseball and basketball, taking his team all the way to the city championship title in 1957. He was the varsity baseball coach at Wilby High School in Waterbury for nearly two decades. During his tenure at Wilby, the Wildcats won several co-city championships and appeared in the Class M semifinals. Additionally, Mario contributed his coaching talents to boys and girls tennis, and an AllStar baseball team for the Connecticut Class M High School Coaches. He was also the Faculty
"Concord provided for me an opportunity to participate in an educational, social environment, all of which was beyond my imagination."
Manager of Athletics for several years. Dedicated to providing opportunities for the city’s youngsters to play and enjoy sports, Mario worked with the Waterbury Parks and Recreation Department from 1956 to 1987.
(left) Mario on active duty in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba 1951-52.
During the summer, he supervised playgrounds across the area and in the winter he ran indoor recreation centers. His duties also included being a recreational leader at the facilities. Mario retired in 1989. A retirement party acknowledging his 34 years of service with the Waterbury school system was among the celebrations in honor of this milestone. Mario is a lifetime member of the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA). He is a past president of the organization and served on the baseball committee and with the All-Star games for more than 25 years. In his President’s Message that ran in the Fall 1982 edition of the association’s newsletter, “Connecticut Coach”, Mario sums up his coaching philosophy. “Our basic goal, as coaches, is to develop mature and responsible individuals,” he said. “Each of us reach this goal in our own way, but our objective is a common one.” He was inducted into the CHSCA Hall of Fame in » CU MAGAZINE
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1995. Mario is also a recipient of the Waterbury Sportsmen’s Club Sportsmen’s Award. He received the Wilby High School Distinguished Service Award in 1993 and has been honored by the Naugatuck Valley League for coaching and service. He is a past president of the league. For his military service, Mario was awarded the World War II Victory Medal. He is a lifetime member of the Seabees Veterans Association of America, a member of the National Association of Fleet Tug Sailors and a member of the Navy Memorial, Washington, D.C. His professional affiliations include lifetime membership in the Waterbury Teachers Association, the Connecticut Education Association and the National Education Association. Additionally, Mario is a lifetime member of the National High School Athletic Coaches Association and a member of Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity. Reflecting on his college days, Mario has high praise for his alma mater. “Concord provided for me an opportunity to participate in an educational, social environment, all of which
"I remember the friendly attitude of students, faculty, and the townspeople of Athens." was beyond my imagination, growing up in Waterbury, CT, and my enlistment in the U.S. Navy in 1945 at 17 years of age,” he said. Concord “truly lived up to its motto” as “The Friendly College on The Campus Beautiful,” he explained. With his baseball experiences ranking high, Mario says he has “so many” good memories of Concord both in and out of the classroom. “When Mr. S.L. McGraw, registrar, accepted me, the fond memories began,” he said. “I remember the friendly attitude of students, faculty, and the townspeople of Athens.” “When I returned to campus from active duty, I roomed off-campus in the home of Aunt Peggy and Uncle Mac McComas, who provided a wonderful home to Concord students who lived with them,” he said. Appreciating his home away from home, Mario said the couple “took care of us like sons.” “The academic and social life abounded with 22
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(above) Members of the Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity 1950 (right) Pre-game prep with teammate Eugene Gilhooly '52 (below) Photos of Mario's Concord memories.
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Mario and his college sweetheart, Janet Lee Hall '53. (right) Mario stands across the street from the Sweet Shop where he and Janet Lee met.
graciousness. The academic staff, the bookstore in the old Ad Building, the Student Union, and the snack bar provided for the students a unique academic and social experience,” he said. “The spring formals and other special events, such as Sadie Hawkins Day, performances of the Concord Commanders and the Woody Herman Orchestra provided memorable college experiences,” he said. Like so many students through the years, Mario says the Sweet Shop holds a special place in his Concord memories. “I remember the Sweet Shop as a convenient and special gathering place for students,” he said. “I’ll never forget the hospitality of the Ferrells, who owned the Sweet Shop. A few Concordians – Leonard Dubuque, Eva Calabrese, Dan Romanello – ran the Sweet Shop until 1953, when Ralph Mustard operated it.” Mario recalls the moment romance entered his Sweet Shop story. “In late October 1952, I was passing time at the Sweet Shop when two lovely ladies entered the Sweet Shop – Janet Lee Hall and Sally Musick,” he said. “Janet Lee saw me and said to Sally, ‘I’m going to marry that man.’ Sally said, ‘You don’t even know him.’” “In January 1953, I re-enrolled in the college to resume my studies. That semester I was formally introduced to Janet Lee by Ronald Romanello and began a relationship that led to proposal and marriage
in November 1953,” he recalls. Sadly, Janet Lee, who graduated in 1953 passed away in 2015. Mario’s continued loyalty to Concord is strong. He explains that there are several reasons why he remains involved in University activities. “I stay connected to Concord University in the first place because it provided me with a first-rate education that supported my 37-year career as an educator and coach,” he said. He also maintains his Concord ties because of the activities and gatherings available to graduates. “It provides excellent opportunities for me to attend alumni events, which I have frequently taken advantage of,” he said. Mario returns to campus for Homecoming and has gathered in locations such as Washington, D.C. with other Concord alums in his region. Mario celebrated his 90th birthday on Jan. 15, 2018. A pillow decorated with Concord’s seal, designed and made by his daughter, is among the gifts he received for this milestone day. Along with his daughter, Mario also has a son and two grandchildren. He lives in Annandale, VA where he continues to enjoy an active lifestyle in retirement that includes making plans for his next visit to “The Campus Beautiful.” █ CU MAGAZINE
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Adam Pauley ’13 is making his mark as both a hometown advocate and an accounting professional You might not find it on his resume, but Adam Pauley’s experience as a pastry apprentice confirms his work ethic, dependability and willingness to expand his horizons. This interesting facet of his skill set resulted from something, however, that is most surely part of his academic and career background. While he was a student at Concord, Adam became the University’s first recipient of a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship from the United States Department of State. He applied this prestigious award to a semester-long study abroad program at the University of Salzburg in Salzburg, Austria during spring 2012. As he was looking for a constructive activity to fill up some free time in his day, the opportunity arose for him to apprentice at Schatz Konditorei, a delightful Salzburg patisserie. With his interest in cooking, Adam thought the activity would be a good fit for him. Along with learning something new, he said the apprenticeship would also allow him to work on his German language skills. As he learned the art of pastry making, Adam also cultivated discipline and dedication while getting to the shop in the city center each day. Only one bus would get him there on schedule and if he missed it, he faced a 40-minute walk to Schatz Konditorei. While the journey through “cobblestone streets, corridors and big iron gates” sounds picturesque the way » PHOTO: Chris Gosses
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Adam describes it, the trek wasn’t on his agenda. Arising in the wee hours of the morning, he consistently made his bus on time. He apprenticed the entire semester he was in Austria for the study abroad program. “It was a really good experience,” he said. Along with the academic and cultural enrichment gained from spending several months studying in Austria, Adam also drew inspiration from the towns and cities he visited and the attractions unique to each. He carried his observations back to his hometown, Whitesville, WV, and is applying what he saw to
revitalization efforts for the Boone County community. Whitesville was selected as a Turn This Town Around town in partnership the West Virginia Community Development Hub in 2015 and Adam has been instrumental in the designation. He explains how his Austrian experience translates to his work with Whitesville. “Salzburg is a smaller metropolitan area of Austria and beyond the city are beautiful towns and rural villages,” he said. “Tourism is an economic driver for these areas but each has a unique element or attraction. I draw a very similar comparison to rural areas in West
Turn This Town Around Working to Revitalize Whitesville Whitesville, WV became a Turn This Town Around designee in 2015. Focusing on revitalization and working in partnership with the West Virginia Community Development Hub, Turn This Town Around identifies town projects and provides the resources for their completion. Concord University alum Adam Pauley has been instrumental in Whitesville’s selection for Turn This Town Around and is a leading advocate for its revitalization. “I see a lot of potential in Whitesville,” he said of his beloved hometown. He describes the Boone County community as “typical in West Virginia…a boon-bust coal town that’s seen its heyday… in need of some TLC”. With his own ties to Whitesville as a child growing up
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there and having lived in the town as an adult, Adam says he’s also motivated to see the community succeed because he has family and friends who call it home. Along with a friend, Adam organized a group in the community interested in improving Whitesville. This led to town meetings and eventually the formation of a coalition to seek the Turn This Town Around nomination. Adam’s dedication to Whitesville has paid off as he has helped secure more than $2.3 million for community and economic development projects. He remains devoted to revitalization efforts today. Interestingly, a college study abroad program at the University of Salzburg provided Adam with inspiration and is shaping his vision for Whitesville. During the semester he spent in Austria, he noted similarities between the villages and towns there and communities in West Virginia. Like some of the Mountain State’s locations, the Austrian towns each had something special that attracted tourists. He says that developing such an attraction in his hometown could benefit Whitesville. In the “Our Stories” section of the website whitesvillewv. com, Adam is quoted as envisioning “[a] cleaner and more prosperous downtown area [with] little shops, little cafes, things like that so when people come here to visit us in Whitesville, they have a reason to stay more than just a couple minutes.” The website provides information for both residents and people interested in visiting Whitesville. Area happenings, upcoming events, community projects, employment resources, outdoor activities and heritage activities are all promoted along with biographical sketches on individuals, like Adam, who are making a difference in their town. Gracing whitesvillewv.com is a logo designed by Concord graduate Katie Sickman ’11. Fellow CU alum Kayleigh Phillips ’12, painted the logo as a mural downtown.
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Virginia, like Whitesville, and I believe rural areas can achieve a similar success. “Salzburg is within a very mountainous region of Austria, dotted with pristine lakes and alpine farms. I always feel at home in Salzburg because it reminds me of West Virginia, and I continue to draw upon the inspiration from my time there as a student and my return visits,” he said. Captivated by the area, Adam has enjoyed several additional trips to Austria and also to Germany. His aunt and uncle live in Germany and when he visits them, he goes back to Salzburg. “I train down from
"Salzburg is within a very mountainous region of Austria, dotted with pristine lakes and alpine farms. I always feel at home in Salzburg because it reminds me of West Virginia."
Munich,” he said. Adam’s international journeys have also taken him to Colombia with a friend who owns a coffee farm in the South American country. Adam is a 2013 honors graduate of Concord. He received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Accounting. As a student at Concord, Adam was actively involved in a number of campus organizations, often serving in a leadership role. When looking back at his Concord days, he readily acknowledges the importance that being a Bonner Scholar played in his college career. “The Bonner Program was one of the highlights of my time at Concord,” he said. “It was the most impactful program and extracurricular activity that I did.” He said he liked the “community involvement, community service” aspect of the program. Adam was also involved to a great extent with the Student Government Association (SGA). He was a senator, the business manager and chairman and member of the Student Affairs Committee. Additionally, he served as the SGA’s student representative on the Concord University Board of Governors (BOG). He said he came away »
Adam fills his days in Austria with remembering Concord in picturesque Hallstatt, apprenticing at Schatz Konditorei and studying at Universität Salzburg.
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Adam’s travel adventures take him to the village of Hallstatt, Austria and to Würzburg, Germany to visit with his aunt and uncle, Gerda Brand-Riggs and Glenn Riggs.
from his service on the BOG with valuable skills and knowledge that he finds useful in his current community involvement. “Perspective of 30,000 feet is how I summarize my experience on the Board,” he said. “I often worked with the details, which are necessary and important, as a student and student representative. Dr. (Darla) Wise once told me, if we work with the pennies, the dollars will come. I found that to be true then, as well today. “The role of a board member is to help govern the institution with the administration for today, and perhaps more importantly, for years to come. I use this future oriented perspective in the community development work I do. Sure, we work for the quick 28
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wins now, but achieving the larger goals is always the main objective,” he said. Adam worked in the Registrar’s Office all four of the years he attended Concord. He was also a resident assistant and a Student Ambassador for the Office of Admissions. Additionally, Adam was a McNair Scholar, a member of the Blue Key Honor Society and part of the Honors Program. He held membership in the West Virginia Advisory Council of Students, the Concord University Service Counsel and the West Virginia Campus Compact Student Advisory Board. He was also a Harry S. Truman Scholarship finalist and a member of the Concord University Accounting Society. Adam was honored by the West Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants in September 2012. He was named runner-up for the Outstanding Accounting Senior Award for all of West Virginia. He received a plaque of recognition along with a cash prize of $500. In a press release about the award, Adam’s Accounting professors at the time, Dr. Cindi Khanlarian
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and Dr. Jie Luo, noted his commitment to hard work and strong study habits. On top of all of his academic accolades and extracurricular achievements, Adam can also add Homecoming Royalty. Representing the Bonner Scholars, he competed for the crowns in 2010 with Anne Endres of Sigma Sigma Sigma. As Beauty and the Beast, the duo danced and decorated and paraded with charm and enthusiasm all the way to the 50-yard line Homecoming halftime coronation ceremony to win the coveted title. With his first-hand experience as Homecoming Royalty, Adam has a special perspective on the importance of traditions at Concord University. “I think traditions like Homecoming contribute to the overall experience of attending Concord.
"Attending homecoming as an alum is a great experience, too. New students experience this event in their own way and build upon this collective experience we call homecoming."
Traditions are important to campus culture yet remain personalized for everyone,” he said. “Homecoming is exciting as a candidate and allows one to build friendships and memories. I see my royal half several times a year at gatherings and social events in Charleston. “Attending homecoming as an alum is a great experience, too. New students experience this event in their own way and build upon this collective experience we call homecoming,” he said. Adam continued his education by earning a Masters in Professional Accountancy at West
Adam and Anne Endres after being crowned Homecoming King and Queen in 2010.
Virginia University’s College of Business and Economics in 2014. As one of Concord’s top accounting students, Adam has the distinction of being one of the first four CU students to be accepted directly into the master’s program without being required to take the GMAT. An articulation agreement between Concord and WVU makes the easier access possible. Adam currently works in Charleston, WV as a payroll tax accountant for the Office of the West Virginia State Auditor. He continues to be an advocate for Whiteville’s revitalization and now serves on the Hub’s Turn This Town Around Selection Committee. In March of this year he added to his Concord achievements by serving as the keynote speaker for the Founders’ Day Celebration. █
PHOTO SUBMISSION GUIDELINES We appreciate the photographs you share with us for possible inclusion in Concord’s magazine. To help us provide quality reproduction of photographs, we are offering the following guidelines for your information. Photographs need to be at least 300 dpi. Image file size needs to be at least 1mb per photo. Photos should be in jpeg format and taken with a camera and not a cellphone. If you have questions, please contact the Office of Advancement at advancement@concord.edu or 304-384-6311. Thank you! CU MAGAZINE
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19th "
o matter what you do in life…always remember to make a difference,” Ashley Nicole Wheeler challenged her fellow graduates at Concord University’s Nineteenth Fall Commencement. Wheeler, a resident of Shady Spring, WV, is the valedictorian of the Fall 2017 class. “We can all make a positive difference in the world,” she said. The Fall Commencement was held on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017 during an 11 a.m. ceremony in the main gym of the Carter Center. Wheeler received a Bachelor of Science in Education, summa cum laude. Her teaching field is Elementary Education K-6. She was the top graduate among 139 individuals receiving undergraduate
degrees. The class also included 27 master’s degree recipients. In her remarks President Kendra Boggess said, “You’ve been a wonderful class of students.” She noted that the Fall 2017 class had been on campus for the renovation of both the track at Callaghan Stadium and the Towers residence halls. Dr. Boggess said the class included four veterans, 47 individuals graduating with honors and 22 recipients of Regents Bachelor of Arts degrees. Graduates represent 11 states: West Virginia, Virginia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Texas, Florida, North Dakota, Indiana, Maryland and North Carolina. International students representing Liberia, Mali, India, Russia, South Korea, Nepal and Spain were also among the graduates. » CU MAGAZINE
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Dr. Timothy Mainland leads the processional as Grand Marshal.
Two individuals who have impacted higher education through their careers and bettered their communities through volunteer service received honorary doctorates. Lawrence Dale Dickens and Willa Jean Dickens both received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities, honoris causa. Dale and Jean are residents of Princeton, WV and are husband and wife. Dale Dickens retired from Concord as Director of Admissions, Emeritus. Jean Dickens, 32
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a 1981 graduate of Concord, also devoted a portion of her professional career to working at the University in the business and development offices. Jean said that early in their marriage and their careers they didn’t set out to work in higher education; however, the path they were on turned and led them to college and university work. Taking that road has been a good choice, she said, full of worthwhile experiences and the opportunity to assist many students through the years. She encouraged the graduates to change directions if their futures beckon them down a new path. “You don’t know where it will lead,” she said. The program also included messages from elected officials and representatives of the University’s constituent groups. Video greetings from the United States Senate were delivered by Senator Joe Manchin. A letter from Congressman Evan Jenkins on behalf of the United States House of Representatives was read by Dr. Peter L. Viscusi, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Greetings from the Concord University Board of Governors were delivered by William McKee '70, vice chair of the Board of Governors. Dr. Christopher McClain, faculty president, offered greetings on behalf of the faculty. Greetings from the Alumni Association were brought by Adam Wolfe '03, president of the Alumni Association. Sarah Fancher, president of the Student Government Association, delivered greetings from the Student Government Association. The Concord University Band and the ConChords provided musical selections. A reception was held in the Carter Center small gym following the ceremony.
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VALEDICTORIAN Ashley Nicole Wheeler is the valedictorian for the Fall 2017 class. She graduated summa cum laude earning a Bachelor of Science in Education degree with an Elementary Education K-6 concentration. A resident of Shady Spring, WV, Ashley grew up in Cool Ridge, WV. “This honor honestly means the world to me,” Ashley explained about being the top graduate of her class. “Being an elementary teacher, education in general is obviously No matter what very important to me. Even while in high school, my education and grades you do in life… were my top priority. I have always always remember to viewed school as being my full-time make a difference. job, because it does take an enormous amount of work. Ashley Wheeler '17 “I can’t take all of the credit for my success though. I owe a lot of my success in education to my mom, because even at a young age she always stressed the importance of education. She didn’t let me slack off from studying in elementary school, and this resulted in me having a very good work ethic and forming great study habits,” she said. “I’m sure at the time I didn’t see how important that was and would have much rather been playing, but now that I’ve gone through college I realize just how crucial it was to my overall academic success.” Looking back over her academic career, Ashley says that all of the hard work has been worth it. “There have been times where I’ve had to put my social life on the back burner, but to me, being valedictorian proves that all of the hours I’ve put into studying and doing my school work have paid off,” she said. Ashley is setting her sights on earning a master’s degree and a doctorate and eventually teaching at a university. “I do hope to one day, whether it’s immediately after graduation or while working my first job, obtain my Master of Education and even my doctorate,” she said. “After teaching for several years, I do see myself becoming a professor and teaching education courses at a university such as Concord. These courses are what shaped me into the teacher I am today, and I hope to have the same positive effect on beginning educators in the future.” »
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2017
FALL CLASS OF
GRADUATES FROM 11 STATES 7 COUNTRIES 34
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West Virginia Virginia Massachusetts Pennsylvania Iowa Texas
Florida North Dakota Indiana Maryland North Carolina
Liberia Mali India Russia
South Korea Nepal Spain
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TOTAL GRADUATES 27 GRADUATES 139 UNDERGRADUATES
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HONORARY DOCTORATES Willa Jean Dickens and Lawrence Dale Dickens each received the degree of Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa during the commencement ceremony. They were recognized with an honorary doctorate for their untiring professional contributions to higher education, their loyalty and dedication to Concord and their ongoing and compassionate service to the community as individuals and as a couple. Jean Dickens was born in Kentucky, but with a move to Raleigh County, West Virginia as a young child, she now considers the Mountain State her home. She graduated from Marsh Fork High School in 1957 and then worked for the Central Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C. Jean found her niche in the area of finances and devoted her professional life to working with and overseeing the financials for various institutions and companies during a career that spanned more than four decades. Her expertise benefited a land 36
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and mineral company, a bank, several colleges, and an osteopathic school, where her titles included Comptroller, Director of Financial Affairs, and Vice President for Financial Affairs. Her work as a financial analyst in Concord’s business office and later in development for the University are of special note in her higher education career. She has also served Concord as an adjunct instructor. Concentrating on business, Jean received a Regents Bachelor of Arts degree from Concord in
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1981. She continued her education by earning a master’s degree from the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies in 1985 and a certificate from the University of Kentucky’s College Business Management Institute. As a student, employee, alumna, and volunteer, Jean embodies what it means to be a loyal Concordian. As an active member of Concord’s Alumni Association, she serves on the group’s Executive Council as Treasurer and is a member of the Pine Trees Chapter. For her contributions of time and talents to alumni and the entire Concord community, the Concord University Alumni Association named her a Golden Alumnus in 2014. Dale Dickens excelled as a student at Marsh Fork High School, graduating from the Raleigh County, West Virginia school as the salutatorian of his class. After graduation, he honorably served his country in the United States Navy for four years. Following his military service, Dale received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Ohio University in 1958, completing the program in three years. His distinguished 34-year career in higher education started at Salem College. As Director of Admissions, he revamped the school’s recruiting techniques, growing enrollment. In 1972, Dale become Concord’s first Director of Admissions. His contributions and tireless work in building the program and expanding the reach of recruitment resulted in renewed vitality in enrollment. For 22 years he spent countless hours working with potential students, finding especially rewarding assisting those individuals who represented the first generation in their family to attend college. For his dedicated service, he was recognized by the Association of West Virginia Registrars and Admissions Officers.
Dale retired from Concord as Director of Admissions, Emeritus. Entering the workforce again, he was employed by the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, often visiting high schools on the institution’s behalf. His dedication has extended to Mountain Lion athletics. For more than 25 years he filmed both home and away games for the football team. His contributions were honored when he was inducted into Concord’s Athletics Hall of Fame. As Princeton, West Virginia residents, Jean and Dale are actively involved in the community, their church, and activities at Concord. Their tireless volunteerism extends to the Princeton Lions Club, the We Can Program, the Bluefield Union Mission, and local and regional collection efforts for Samaritan’s Purse. They will mark a special milestone in their marriage in July 2018 when they celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. As parents, their family includes two sons, two granddaughters, and one great-grandson. █
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Saying
to CU: The Beckley-Raleigh County Dinner, a fundraising event for CU, features WV Native Monte Durham –
he evening celebrated the value of education. From the featured speaker’s words to the scholars gathered there to the supporters of the fundraiser benefitting student scholarships and other campus projects, the Concord University Foundation’s Beckley-Raleigh County Dinner spotlighted education’s importance. Monte Durham, celebrity stylist and fashion director for TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta”, headlined the Nov. 2 event held at Tamarack in Beckley. Durham is also the fashion director at Bridals by Lori, the South’s premier bridal salon featured on TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta” and hosts the ever popular TLC “Say Yes To The Prom” initiative that makes proms more accessible for girls across 38
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the country with mentorship, dresses, makeup and accessories and is dedicated to providing a once in a lifetime experience. With his trademark flair, Durham spoke about the role education has played in his own life and success. Speaking to his audience in Tamarack’s ballroom, Durham also encouraged young adults in their educational pursuits. A native of Oak Hill, WV, Durham said he enjoyed the opportunity to visit his home state. He spoke highly of West Virginia and its people, mentioning a lot about his humble upbringing in the southern part of the state. Monte has described his ascension from a oneroom schoolhouse to the fashion industry as an unlikely story. Before he found his way to bridal, Monte worked in fashion merchandising »
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“My parents never shooed us away from the windows and said ‘Get away from it, we can’t afford it'…what they said to me and my three sisters was ‘Get an education, get a job, stay in school, and you can get that and everything else you want.’” - Monte Durham
Monte Durham delivers the keynote speech.
(above) Attendees at the dinner include: Rose Preston, Human Resources Manager and Dr. Cheryl Barnes, Associate Provost, Richard Jarrell ’84, Board of Governors Secretary, and Randy Price ’84, Foundation Chair. (right) Monte Durham, Dr. Kendra Boggess, President, and Dr. Peter Viscusi, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
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and hair styling, then made a name for himself as a Washington, D.C.-based bridal image consultant. His work has appeared in the pages of the Washingtonian, Martha Stewart Living, Brides Magazine, and several other publications. Monte’s no-nonsense fashion commentary and sense of humor have made him a favorite and regular guest on CNN and Fox. His current project is building the M.O.N.T.E. brand, a line of hair care he launched in the fall of 2012. This collection of five essential hair products simplifies styling so women can achieve salon-quality results at home. Monte resides in the Washington, D.C. area, where he devotes his free time to Capital Caring, a hospice organization, and The Welsh Terrier Cares Rescue Organization. Vice President for Advancement Alicia Besenyei offered the welcome and introduced Durham as the featured speaker. Introduced by Manager of University Advancement Blake Farmer ’17, President Kendra Boggess offered remarks on behalf of the University. Remarks on behalf of the
Concord University Foundation Board of Directors were given by Randy Price ’84, Chairman. The Foundation sincerely thanks and appreciates all individuals, businesses and organizations that supported this event through their attendance and sponsorships. Their
"We were so fortunate to have a talent like Monte Durham speak at our event. He is both genuine and sincere and incredibly generous. Monte’s enthusiasm for West Virginia, particularly the southern end of the state is inspiring. I can’t thank him enough for coming and sharing his story." - Alicia Besenyei, VP for Advancement generosity is an important means of furthering the work of the University and benefitting students in their pursuit of education. Prior to the dinner, Durham’s fans enjoyed time with their celebrity guest during the VIP
PATRON OF THE FOUNDATION
Dr. Brad Lane ‘02
FRIENDS OF THE FOUNDATION
First Community Bank • Aramark • Ethel Bowen Foundation TABLE SPONSORS
United Bank • BB&T • Mountaineer Automotive Chick-fil-A – Beckley Galleria• Pace Family Foundation, Inc. Princeton Community Hospital • ResCare R.T. “Ted” and Susan Rogers • New Peoples Bank AccessHealth • The Daniels Company
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reception. “He was extremely friendly and very well received by the audience. He met guests of the dinner at the VIP Reception signing autograph cards and taking photos,” Farmer explained. At home in front of the camera, Durham also granted several media interviews. Organizers of the fundraiser planned a delightful evening against a backdrop of dramatic centerpieces and other dazzling decorations. Adding to the ambiance, the Chris Oxley Quartet provided musical accompaniment for the gathering. This popular group is known for its traditional and contemporary jazz performances. Formed in 2004, the quartet includes drummer George Campbell along with three Concord alumni among its original members. These CU graduates are Chris Oxley ’98 on tenor saxophone, Judge Robert A Burnside, Jr. ’70 as keyboardist, and David Burnside ’10 on stand-up bass. Vocalist Jane E. Harkins joined the group in 2008. A silent auction rounded out the evening. Among the items up for bid were golf trips, spa retreats, and recreational adventures. Businesses who
Concord University students sitting at a table sponsored by The Daniels Company.
donated to the silent auction included: Pipestem State Park, Adventures on The Gorge, Ace Adventure Resort, Twin Falls Resort State Park, The Salt Cave and Spa, and Epic Escape Game. █
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Adam Pauley '13 addressing the audience at the Founders' Day Celebration.
Concord University Marks 146th Anniversary With Founders’ Day Celebration “Founders’ Day is a time when we can celebrate the rich history and the promising future of Concord University,” proclaimed President Kendra Boggess to the Concordians assembled to honor the institution’s 146th anniversary. “It allows us a time to reflect on how our past has shaped who are and an opportunity to define the goals we’ve set for ourselves for the future.”
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oggess’ words were part of her opening remarks for Concord’s Founders’ Day Celebration held the afternoon of Feb. 28, 2018 in the Alexander Fine Arts Center’s Main Theatre. Concord received its charter from the West Virginia Legislature on Feb. 28, 1872. Boggess outlined Concord’s progression of name changes through the years. The institution’s first name, Concord State Normal School, changed to Concord State Teachers College in 1931, then to Concord College in 1943, and to its present name, Concord University, in 2004. As she spoke, a screen behind her flashed images SPRING 2018
of photographs, event programs and other Concord artifacts from years past. “Like those who came before us, we share a deep commitment to and belief in the power of education to make a difference in the lives of our students, our communities, and the greater society,” Boggess said. “Concord has always been a pillar of educational excellence, an institution committed to community service and a place that welcomes all who want to ‘Come to Learn. Go to Serve.’” Boggess introduced Mr. Adam Pauley, keynote speaker, calling him “a very special person”. An honor graduate of Concord, Pauley received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
FOUNDER'S DAY
Presidential Excellence Award Recipients Award recipients include: Faculty Presidential Excellence Award, Dr. Nancy Burton, Dr. Kimberly Chambers, Ms. Angela Fedele, and Dr. Diane Grych; Classified Staff Presidential Excellence Award, Mr. Eric Curry, Mr. Kevin McMillion and Mr. Chris Smallwood; Non-Classified Staff Presidential Excellence Award, Dr. Sarah Beasley and Mr. Blake Farmer; Student Presidential Excellence Award, Mr. Tyler Coy, Ms. Maizy Landreth, Mr. Brandon Plyer and Ms. Morgan “Kelsey” Walls; and, Auxiliary Staff Presidential Excellence Award, Mr. Johnathan Keaton and Ms. Mattie Payne. degree in 2013. As the University’s first recipient of the US State Department’s Gilman Scholarship, Pauley spent a semester studying abroad in Austria. In 2014 he earned a Masters in Professional Accountancy at West Virginia University’s College of Business and Economics. Pauley has been instrumental in revitalization efforts for his hometown, Whitesville, WV, securing a “Turn This Town Around” designation through the West Virginia Community Development Hub and more than $2.3 million for community and economic development projects. He currently resides in Charleston, WV and works for the Office of the West Virginia State Auditor. “It’s always been a dream of mine to give a TED talk and I thought, ‘this is my opportunity.’ Bright lights, a big stage, a microphone and floorsize letters that read ‘Concord,’” Pauley said. “If you know anything about TED talks, the talks are centered on an idea, typically concise, informative and given by an expert in a particular field,” he explained, “which presents an issue for me because I’m not really an expert in any field, so I needed an idea.” Pauley continued by discussing the meaning of the word “idea” and where ideas originate. “With 7 billion people buzzing around this planet perhaps the most important idea of all is a university, a place to not only expect and explore ideas, but a place for ideas to flourish,” he said. “Today we celebrate the founders of Concord and I think it’s safe to say that this bunch are really the idea people.” Pauley went on to provide an informative look at the “idea people” throughout Concord’s history and growth. He mentioned individuals like Sarah Holroyd, William Reynolds and the Martin family who all contributed to the beginnings of the institution.
He spoke of the “idea” Dr. Jerry Beasley had when he served as president to raise scholarship funds through the Quest for Scholars. The Bonner Scholars program began with an “idea” from Corella and Bertram Bonner, he said, and more recently the campus has witnessed “the idea to renovate Towers”. The Founders’ Day celebration offered a time to honor faculty, staff and students. Presidential Excellence Awards were presented to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding dedication and service to Concord University. Dr. Timothy Mainland, Professor of Music, served as Grand Marshal. The welcome was issued by Dr. Peter Viscusi, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Dr. Kipp Cortez, Joseph Marsh Endowed Chair of Organ and Carillon, offered the prelude and postlude. The Concord University ConChords and the Concord University Band provided musical selections during the ceremony. A reception followed the program in the Alexander Fine Arts lobby. █ CU MAGAZINE
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In need of marketing materials for the event, Blake Farmer enlisted the help of Concord student Chelsea Goins to become the face of the event.
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2018 PRESIDENT'S BALL
In celebration of Concord University's 146th anniversary, the Office of Advancement decided it was time for a fresh and elegant event – The President's Ball was born BY BLAKE FARMER
The Idea The possibilities are endless on a college campus when it comes to events. You have plenty of rooms to host events both big and small, a great target audience at hand, and an unlimited amount of potential. Growing up in southern West Virginia and attending Concord as an undergraduate student you are sometimes limited in the types of events that are offered in the area. As a student, I recall many smaller scale events on campus, some held for specific campus organizations and some held for the entire campus community. As a Bonner Scholar, something we focused on in our program was unity and relationship building within the community. The organization would host a couple of social events each semester to bring
together the students in the program and enjoy fellowship with one another. These socials were many of my most prominent memories as a student at Concord. It was always easy to get caught up in the busy college schedules between homework, studying, and other obligations that you sometimes lost touch of what it meant to get the true college experience. Each social always left me thinking, “wouldn’t it be nice if we just had one big campus wide social during the school year?” Not just your regular, casual social, but a social this campus had yet to experience. Fastforward some time and I find myself sitting at my desk in University Point, thinking. I thought back to my time as a student and from » CU MAGAZINE
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Blake Farmer and Amy Pitzer unpack one of the three chandeliers purchased to glam up the Student Center Ballroom.
those experiences I brought it back to my current position in the Office of Advancement. At the time, I had just finished planning my first dinner for the Concord University Foundation, Inc. which was our Beckley-Raleigh County Dinner. It seemed like a daunting event leading up to it but it actually could not have gone any smoother. Afterwards, I was ready. Ready for any other event we may host through our office. I sat and thought, three and a half months into this job, “what is next?” As our Foundation dinner was primarily for our donors and community members of the Beckley area, we had two sponsored tables filled with students. It was refreshing to see the mix: students, donors, alumni, faculty, and staff all in one social setting. Then I thought, what was I and possibly many others missing as students to enrich our college experience? One massive social event, a social event unlike the others, an social event specifically for Concord. An event where we could bring all constituents together: students, alumni, donors, faculty, staff and the local community. An event where people 46
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could dress to the nines like they were walking a Hollywood red carpet. Something grand, something this campus hasn’t experienced, and that was it, a President’s Ball. Ideas poured and poured as I wrote down the possibilities of what we could achieve with this event. If this was something we were going to pursue, it had to be simply amazing. We needed a live band, a photo booth, a dinner, cash bar, and all the extras in order to make this event special. A formal dress code would certainly set this event apart from every other event we have ever had at Concord. People always seem to look for an excuse to dress up and in our area those chances to dress up are often slim. As we have our fundraising dinners for the Foundation in Beckley, Charleston, and now Roanoke, Virginia, I thought we needed something central to Mercer County, the home of Concord University. This was a new event that we could utilize to raise funds for the Foundation in support of scholarships and campus projects while incorporating the concept of our dinners yet also setting this event apart from the others. With Concord’s 146th Anniversary coming up in February I believed it would be the perfect time for us to host the Ball as a celebration of the University’s founding. My list of detailed ideas was overflowing and rather extensive. I organized everything in preparation for our next staff meeting on the following Monday. Monday came and there we were gathered around the meeting table in the Erickson Alumni Lounge of University Point. Our hour-long meeting was coming close to an end and my palms were literally sweating. I was so nervous thinking this idea was too big or too daring of me to present just nearly four months into the job. I presented the idea, and it was more than well received. I then discussed the idea with Dr. Boggess who was thrilled to hear of the new event we were developing for the University. We moved forward with it and I walked down the hall to my office and I immediately began work on Concord University’s very first President’s Ball.
The execution
The search for a great live band and excellent photo booth was on, and after hours of searching I believed we had found the perfect vendors for this event. We found Irresistible Groove, a five piece band out of Raleigh, North Carolina performing a range of musical genres. They could play anything from today’s hits including Bruno Mars all the way »
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Anyone who registered for the President's Ball dinner received a complimentary wine glass once they arrived at the event.
to the classics including Frank Sinatra. They were exactly what we needed considering we would have guests of all ages at this event. Live band? Check. We had to have a photo booth for guests to enjoy as they captured memories from the night, but not just your regular photo booth, we had to have something unique. I found the most perfect company that was an excellent fit for our event, The West Virginia Photo Booth Company had it all. They were an “open air” photo booth which allows for up to ten individuals to fit into a picture at a time. Photo strips would be available to all the guests 48
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with our custom event logo along the bottom of the strip, fun props and classic backgrounds. They were the right fit for the President’s Ball. Photo booth? Check. The next big task at hand, The Jerry L. and Jean Beasley Student Center Ballroom. The massive blank canvas on the third floor of the Student Center was quite overwhelming. If you have ever been in the Student Center Ballroom you know how large the room is, how tall the ceilings are, and how blank the walls are. We had to completely transform the Ballroom, we had to make it to where people didn’t think they were in the Ballroom. The ceiling had to be draped and we had to have chandeliers. We were determined to make a statement. Tables and chairs draped in dark linens with silver and teal accents, elaborate feather centerpieces and diamond accents would fill the tables. To really give this event the “red carpet” feel we needed a custom “step and repeat” that you see at the Hollywood movie premiers. Something else that would surely make a statement. With this event being new to Concord University and the communities of southern West Virginia, how it was marketed and presented to the public was essential. Announcing the President’s Ball had to be a huge deal, therefore, all the details and
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everything was very hush leading up to the day of announcement. A close-up, detailed, black and white photograph was used as a teaser on social media each of the three days leading up to the announcement. The announcement created a lot of curiosity among faculty, staff, and especially students. On January 31st the announcement was made with a 26-second greyscale editorial video across all University social media platforms followed by event posters plastered across campus. The feedback was unreal, the video organically reached nearly 10,000 individuals on Facebook alone. February came and as the month went on, the promotion of the event continued to grow. As our University press release went out about Concord introducing the President’s Ball as a part of the Founders’ Day Celebration, it was just fifteen minutes later that I received a call from our local television news station, WVVA. The station wanted to interview us live during the noon show. A week later, Dr. Boggess and I appeared on the show, giving us a wider platform to promote the event. The station also began airing our announcement video consistently for nearly two weeks. I must say, this was a surreal moment for me to see the video I made on television. After the success of the first video there was no question that we needed to create another video to release a week away from the Ball. Much like the first, this one created quite the buzz as well. Social media was used to our advantage and everyone really seemed to enjoy the strategy used throughout the process of announcing and promoting the Ball. Before we knew it, February 26th was here and it was game time, I feel as though this event was essentially the Super Bowl of my career. That Monday started the decorating process and after five days we had a fully decorated ballroom ready to go for Saturday’s President’s Ball. Complete with a standing reception area, dinner tables, draped ceiling, three chandeliers, and all the other details, I was certain this was going to be one event like no other.
Did you miss the promo videos? Don't worry! You can view both commercials on the official Concord University Office of Advancement Youtube account as well as the Concord University Facebook page!
The HEART
While organizing an event of this magnitude it is easy to get caught up in the rush of things. With the growing list of last minute details to finalize and the countless tasks at hand you tend to develop “tunnel vision.” You’re so focused »
Student workers steamed 147 chair covers for the event along with 200 sashes and 32 table runners.
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on achieving the goal and ensuring each detail is executed properly, you lose sense of your surroundings. As for me, simply walking through the Student Center, I constantly found myself fixated on the posters plastered everywhere promoting the Ball. A couple of weeks before the event I happened to glance at one of the bulletin boards filled with flyers of all shapes, sizes and colors. Immediately my eyes focused on one flyer. It was a standard size sheet of paper, with one clip art graphic, and a brief message alongside of it that read, “Need a FREE dress for the President’s Ball on March 3rd? We have 11 gorgeous dresses you can borrow for the night!” followed by the contact information of two students. I immediately found myself grinning from ear to ear and this maroon and grey heart of mine was full. It is gestures like this that make me even more proud to be a Mountain Lion. Nobody prompted these young ladies to lend out their own personal dresses to students they had never met before. They did it because they embody what it truly means to be a Concord University Mountain Lion. We live by “Come to Learn. Go to Serve.” and we put it into action. In our little piece of the world, this is what sets our students apart from the rest.
The NIGHT
On March 3, 2018 Concord University had its 2018 President’s Ball, the very first President’s Ball in the University’s history. The evening was filled with all the glitz and glamour you would hope to see as if you were at an elite Hollywood social event. Guests attended dressed in their formal wear. Gentlemen in their finest tuxedos, silk ties, and coats. Ladies in their most luxurious evening gowns, fine jewelry, and high heels. To step back and look at everybody you had to ask yourself, “Are we
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Erica Garnes, left, and Karlie Cline, right, generously offered to let young women borrow some of their gowns for the President's Ball.
really in Athens, West Virginia?” The elaborate decorations that filled the room were a statement in and of itself. The ceiling draping and chandeliers were something that hadn’t been done before. Many commented that the ballroom looked like something out of a movie. Guests enjoyed their dinner among students, staff, faculty, alumni, and members of the community. Exceptional service was provided throughout the evening ensuring your drink was never half empty and that your meal was fulfilling. The cash bar was a hit and enjoyed by many. The band took the stage at 7 p.m. They were an instant hit. Guests filled the dancefloor throughout the night sharing memorable moments with one another. Whether it was a slow dance or a line dance, it was an enjoyable three hours of nonstop live music that kept the evening going for a night filled with exceptional entertainment. The photo booth stayed busy throughout »
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the evening. You were lucky if you didn’t have to wait in line! Laughs filled the room with the countless number of funny props and poses that guests were giving the camera. Each guest was able to go through the photo booth as many times as they would like and take home their photo strips to remember the night. Everyone was also given a commemorative 2018 President’s Ball stemless wine glass to remember the night. We couldn’t have done it without the support of our campus community and the community in Mercer County. Our sponsors for the evening included Bronze Sponsors: Princeton Rescue Squad and Dr. Brad Lane ’02; and Gold sponsor, the Ethel Bowel Foundation. It is because of their financial contributions that we were able to make this night such a special occasion. Social media flooded with posts of guests about the great time they had at the Ball. All was worth it as guests entered the ballroom amazed by the decorations, jaws dropped and many said, “is this really the ballroom?!” However, for me, the most memorable moment of the Ball was when Dr. Boggess entered the room, seeing the Ballroom for the first time. Her face filled with joy as she took in the sight and enjoyed the company of her guests. It is hard to put into words how wonderful this event turned out without simply saying it was a great time. █
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Amelia Earhart’s visit to Concord in 1936 inspires a fifth grader's Social Studies Fair Project hen fifth grader Kylie Fields went to the Marsh Library at Concord to research her Social Studies Fair project on Amelia Earhart, she was hoping to locate some books on the famous aviator. To her delight, she discovered that Earhart had lectured at Concord in January 1936 and stayed at the President’s House. Kylie’s stepmother Natalie Fields, who is Concord’s Bonner Scholars Program Coordinator, recounts the discovery and their conversation with Library Director Connie Shumate. “We went to the CU Library and Connie was there at the perfect time to hear us ask for some help finding Amelia Earhart books. She excitedly asked if we knew Amelia had come to visit Concord, and neither of us did, so she told us a little bit about her time here,” Natalie said. “Kylie was very excited, and we got to go downstairs to see the museum pieces in the library with Amelia’s signed picture and the program,” she said. “Connie told us about the Amelia room in the President’s House, and of course I knew I had to ask about going.” A visit to the President’s House was soon arranged. The experience was especially meaningful for Kylie. » 54
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Amelia Earhart is believed to have disappeared somewhere over the Pacific Ocean in 1937. (Photo: Harris & Ewing/Library of Congress/Wikimedia Commons)
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FLYGIRL
A visit to the Amelia Earhart Room at Concord inspires Kylie.
Kylie stands where Amelia may have stood in the President’s House.
Kylie’s project includes research from visiting CU.
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“Kylie was so excited to be in a place she knew Amelia stayed,” Natalie said. “She was completely in awe to literally be setting foot somewhere this amazing woman had walked as well.” Kylie’s enthusiasm and excitement translated into a prize winning project. She received first place in her category at her school, Spanishburg Elementary, and earned the honor of advancing to the Mercer County Social Studies Fair in November. In the speech she presented as part of the competition, Kylie had this to say, “I had a lot of fun learning about Amelia during my investigation.” Along with Amelia’s aviation achievements, Kylie was impressed with Earhart’s perseverance and determination. “I wanted to do my project on Amelia because she is such a good role model for women to show them that women can do anything they set their minds to,” she said. “Amelia is most well-known for being the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean as well as reaching other high goals especially for a woman during that time period,” Kylie said. “Amelia was obviously very strong and determined.” In her speech, Kylie recounted her visit to the Marsh Library to conduct research and the discovery that Amelia had visited Concord and even stayed here. “The most exciting part was that Amelia Earhart stayed in a room [that] is still in the President’s House of Concord University,” she said. “I got to stand right where Amelia Earhart was at one time. I felt very shocked and curious.” In summing up the experience Natalie says, “This has all been such a wonderful educational opportunity for Kylie; and it’s definitely a wonderful experience, from my point of view, to see Kylie so excited to learn about and research such a strong female role model. I definitely think this will be something we always remember.” █
FLYGIRL
Amelia Earhart's signature in the President's House Guest Book dated January 14, 1936.
Concord’s Ties to Legendary Aviator Remembered Among the noted individuals to have visited Concord during the 1930s, legendary aviator Amelia Earhart is especially intriguing. Her amazing string of record-setting aviation achievements, along with her mysterious disappearance in 1937, have landed her in history books and folklore alike. Earhart lectured at Concord in January 1936, just a year and a half prior to when she vanished over the Pacific Ocean attempting to circumnavigate the globe. Not only did Earhart reportedly offer a captivating presentation during her Concord lecture, she is also said to have stayed at the President’s House, adding an interesting aspect to that campus landmark’s history. The Tuesday, Jan. 21, 1936 edition of The Concordian reports on her Concord lecture in an article entitled “Amelia Earhart Gives Picture of Her Adventures.” Her presentation style and the size of the crowd assembled to hear the lecture are highlighted. “Amelia Earhart, world famous aviatrix, described her air feats before the largest audience ever to hear a speaker in the main auditorium of Concord College, Tuesday night, January 14,” goes the lead of the nonbylined story. “In her own inimitable speaking style,” the article continues, “Miss Earhart, who is Mrs. George Palmer Putnam in private life, described her flights over various parts of the world.” Along with her formal presentation, Earhart would also address a more intimate audience during her visit to Athens. Marsh Library Director Connie Shumate
shares a story about that portion of Amelia’s Concord appearance. “According to word-of-mouth stories from Dr. Marsh the younger, she invited young women to the President’s House where she was staying and ‘held court’. The story is that she sat in the living room with girls in the floor surrounding her and encouraged them to be strong women...assured them that they could do and be whatever they chose,” Shumate said. The Concordian article concludes with Earhart’s departure from campus. “The noted women [sic] pilot who is traveling alone by automobile, left here the morning after her talk for Greenville, S.C., where she will again lecture on her recent adventures,” it said. Referring to Amelia Earhart artifacts in the Marsh Library, Shumate provides additional information about her time in West Virginia during January 1936. “The scan from Glenville [State College] shows that she was there on the 11th of January, and the article in The Concordian mentions that she left Concord on her way to East Carolina University which leaves one to deduct that she was making the college tour,” explained Shumate. In recognition of her visit to Concord, an Amelia Earhart exhibit has been displayed in the Marsh Library containing various items from the University’s archives. A room at the President’s House has been named the Amelia Earhart Room in honor of her stay there.
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Where are they now? VA L E D I C TO R I A N Lisa Darlington '98 s a professor, Dr. Lisa Darlington is working to instill a pursuit of academic excellence in her students, similar to the motivation and dedication that led to her being a covaledictorian for Concord’s 1998 class. “I think everyone should be encouraged to put forth their best effort, whether that effort be worth an A or a C,” she said. “I wish students wouldn’t settle for a ‘that’s good enough’ approach; you get out of the class what you’re willing to put into it. I hope that I convey that to my students.” Darlington, who is now an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Concord, was one of three valedictions to lead her class academically. As a Concord student, she maintained a 4.0 GPA. However, she said that during her undergraduate years, she wasn’t necessarily working toward the goal of being valedictorian, but focused her attention on doing her best. “I wasn’t aiming to be valedictorian; I never really paid attention to class rankings,” she explained. “I’ve always strived to do my best; the goal wasn’t a grade, class ranking or a title, but knowing I’d done things to the fullest of my abilities,” she said. “Even if my best isn’t at the top of the class, if I know I put the effort into it, and did everything I could to learn, I’m 58
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content.” Darlington earned a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Concord with Elementary K-8 and Math 5-Adult as her teaching fields. Along with being a co-valedictorian, Lisa’s academic achievements at Concord were recognized with several other prestigious honors. She received the Outstanding Education Major Award in 1998 and the Bruce Covey Mathematics Prize in 1996 and 1998. A McNair Scholar during 1997-1998, she was named to Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities in 1997. Additionally, she participated in the Summer Program for Women in Mathematics at The George Washington University in 1996.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Darlington continued her education at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University by receiving a master’s degree in Mathematics in 2002 and a doctorate in Educational Research and Evaluation in 2008. Her paper, “Factors impacting middle school math achievement”, was named an Outstanding Graduate Student Paper at the Annual Conference of the Eastern Educational Research Association in February 2008. “After graduating from Concord, I taught middle school math for a year in Wentworth, NC, and high school math for a year in Narrows, VA,” she said. “Then I went to graduate school. I’ve been teaching at Concord since Fall 2007.”
Among the courses that Darlington teaches regularly at Concord are College Algebra, Trigonometry, Elementary Statistics, Math for Public Schools, History of Mathematics, and Special Methods for Teaching Mathematics. Her campus involvement includes membership on the Math Department’s Algebra Committee, the Academic Policy Committee and Administrative Policies and Procedures Committee along with EPPAC: Educational Personnel Preparation Advisory Committee. “I also help with regional Math Field Day each spring, and the state contest when it’s at Concord,” she said. Darlington is a member of the National Council » CU MAGAZINE
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Darlington has several publications to her credit including “The Qualitative Research Quilt: Reflections on Process, Paradigm, and Practice” in the online repository of the American Educational Research Association. Her dissertation, “Factors that Influence the Satisfaction and Persistence of Undergraduates in Computer Related Majors”, is available as an electronic thesis and dissertation (ETD) through Virginia Tech. She has coauthored work on “Women in Computer-Related Majors” and her research with others has been presented at a Scholarship of Diversity Conference. She has also worked with grants related to mathematics and science education. Through the TEAMS Math Science Partnership grant, she team taught online
"When my schedule permits, I try to sit in on classes I never had a chance to take – and yes, I do the homework and take the tests. When you stop learning new things, you stagnate and become inflexible."
An avid quilter, Lisa Darlington recently opened an Etsy store selling her colorful quilts.
of Teachers of Mathematics and the Eastern Educational Research Association. She also serves as an AP Statistics Reader and NCTM CAEP Program Reviewer. She has previously been affiliated with the West Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the Mathematical Association of America, Pi Mu Epsilon Mathematics Honor Society and the WV State Network of Educators for the Smarter Balance Digital Library. 60
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graduate classes as part of certification for Elementary Math Specialist. Her participation in the STEMulating Student Achievement in Science and Mathematics, Mathematics and Science Partnership grant included serving as a math workshop instructor of Professional Development for middle and high school math and science teachers. Both grants also offered week-long summer workshops and follow-up sessions during the school year and were in conjunction with RESA-1. Lisa’s contributions to the University’s academic offerings and campus activities have echoes of another woman mathematician who was both a Concord student and professor. The late Mary Edna Beckett '54, Professor of Mathematics Emerita, was Lisa’s advisor during her undergraduate days at Concord. A popular instructor known for her dedication to Concord and its students, Beckett left a significant legacy that continues today in many ways through her advisee. “Oddly enough, I currently have her office, teach her classes, and sponsor her Honor Society” Darlington said. Among her many contributions to Concord, Beckett was a sponsor for Cardinal Key National Honor Society. In her work as a current Cardinal Key sponsor, Darlington works with co-chair Dr. Darla Wise to host Concord’s annual Honors Banquet for outstanding students. “Our main event each year is co-sponsoring the honors banquet with Blue Key. This year will be the 57th annual event,” she said. “In addition, we also
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
do fund-raising for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), our national philanthropy. Beckett was also a staunch supporter of and tireless leader with the Concord University Alumni Association (CUAA), a torch that she has passed on to Darlington as well. A current member of the CUAA’s Executive Council, Lisa says that Mary Edna’s efforts are responsible for her being at the post. “Mary Edna Beckett asked me to ‘come to a meeting’ without telling me she’d put my name in as a candidate,” she recalls. “Of course, once she got me there I was committed and I’m still coming.” Helping with the alumni tailgate at Homecoming is one of the ways Lisa assists with CUAA activities. Lisa is an avid quilter. With her talented stitches she has created a beautiful collection of colorful quilts. While her class schedule doesn’t allow her to participate in quilting groups that gather during the day, she does meet with a group online. “I have become involved with an online yarn/ fabric store called The Loopy Ewe that has an online community and regular virtual ‘camps/academies’ that give me a direction to guide my quilting,” she said. Lisa is also venturing into selling her quilts online. “I actually just recently (Feb. 13) opened an Etsy
shop to sell some of my quilts,” she said. She also has a Facebook page promoting her quilts called bookw0rm quilts. Reading is another of Lisa’s favorite pastimes. “I’m a bookworm,” she said. “I spend a lot of time reading with a (almost 18-year-old) cat in my lap.” Her special feline friend is named Cassie. Lisa counts Scouting among her community involvement activities. She has been affiliated with Boy Scouts of America and is a Lifetime Member of Girl Scouts of America. She devoted considerable time to working with a Girl Scout troop during graduate school and as she began her teaching career. She also volunteers with Royal Family Kids Camp and Club, Beckley and is a member of the Beckley Community Chorus. Lisa is an advocate of lifelong learning. “I love to learn; when my schedule permits, I try to sit in on classes I never had a chance to take – and yes, I do the homework and take the tests,” she said. “When you stop learning new things, you stagnate and become inflexible.” Originally from Beckley, WV, Lisa currently lives in Athens. █
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THE YEAR 2017 FEATURED SEVERAL MEMORABLE MOMENTS FOR CONCORD ATHLETICS FROM MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY CAPTURING A THIRD CONSECUTIVE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP TO WOMEN’S SOCCER MAKING THE CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FIVE YEARS AND FROM AN ALL-AMERICAN SEASON ON THE BASEBALL DIAMOND TO SOME RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCES IN SOFTBALL. Overall, the Mountain Lions had 29 First Team All-Mountain East Conference performers across nine sports, three conference players of the year, 11 all-region athletes and one All-American—baseball shortstop Chad Frazier.
This countdown was compiled by Wes McKinney '13 in the CU Sports Information Office. 62
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CU ATHLETICS
xc triple threat A Three-Peat for Men’s Cross Country
BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPIONS.
A three-peat. Three-time defending champions. The list is short: Shepherd football, Charleston men’s soccer, West Virginia Wesleyan men’s track and field, West Virginia Wesleyan women’s cross country, West Virginia State women’s tennis, West Virginia Wesleyan women’s track and field and Wheeling Jesuit volleyball. And now you can include Concord men’s cross country. Those are the teams that have won at least three consecutive conference championships since the inception of the MEC as a conference. For a second straight season, CU had the target painted squarely on its back heading into the conference cross country championship October 21. Again the Mountain Lions took everyone’s best shot and challenge. When the results were in, Concord stood on the stage by itself with a third straight MEC championship. And CU had some individuals take home
some hardware to go along with the team trophy. Justin Snyder was the individual conference champion and MEC Runner of the Year. Jason Weitzel was the runner-up for a second time in three years. Tyler Kosut and Michael Ruhnke joined Snyder and Weitzel on the All-MEC First Team. A pair of freshmen, Samuel Haynes and Samuel Thomas, were in the top 20 as they earned All-MEC Second Team—the second time in the threeyear run Concord had put six runners in the top 20 on its way to a team championship. Prior to this three-year run of excellence, CU had won just three cross country championships combined between the men and women. Now, six championship rings exist because of the three-time defending champions who embraced the challenge of achieving a three-peat.
UNDEFEATED.
as she overcame a one shot deficit from the first to second round to win the tournament by three strokes. That’s what Natalia Jornet is when Entering the MEC Championship in early October » she steps on the golf course for an MEC Tournament. Five final rounds around the links and five times she has been atop the leaderboard at an MEC Tournament. Jornet capped a brilliant 2016-17 season by winning her third MEC Tournament in three tries as she bested the field by eight strokes at the MEC Spring Invite at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, WV. After the event, Jornet was named the MEC Player of the Year as well as the MEC Freshman of the Year. For an encore, she began the 2017 fall season with a victory at the MEC Fall Classic at Stonewall Jackson Resort in Roanoke, WV Second MEC Medalist
JORNET WINS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
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at Glade Spring, the Barcelona, Spain native was the defending champion and the favorite to win again. As a freshman, Jornet had to comeback from a deficit heading to the third round. But as a sophomore at the MEC Championship, it may have been Jornet’s most dominating performance. After one round, she found herself up four strokes. The lead grew after two rounds as she carded the lowest round of the whole tournament with a 74. On the final day of the tournament, Jornet was never threatened as she won the tournament by a convincing 16 strokes. Jornet became the first CU female golfer to win conference championship medalist multiple times.
IN THE NEARLY TWO DECADES that head
coach Mike Cox has guided the Concord University men’s and women’s track and field teams, several milestones have been achieved, but even he witnessed a first for the program at the MEC Track and Field Championships in May. The Mountain Lions were able to add five more individual champions to the growing list of conference champions during Cox’s tenure. First it was Justin Snyder winning the 10,000-meter run, then a group of sprinters won MEC titles. Corey Carvelli grabbed the Gore Named MVP podium’s top spot in the 400-meter hurdles, Jonathan Gore sprinted to a championship in the 200-meter dash, Emilee Henry bested the field in the 400-meter dash and Taylor Hamm took home a title in the 800-meter run. Then, Hamm, Henry, Heather Chernutan and Autumn Thomas were victorious in the 4x400-meter relay to close the meet. But when the awards were beginning to be handed out at the meet’s conclusion, Cox was able to celebrate a first with Gore. On top of the Mountain Lions claiming their most individual conference championships since 2013, the Fayetteville, WV native was named the MVP/High Point of the conference championship meet—the first time a Concord athlete had taken home the award. In addition to winning the 200-meters, Gore was second in the 100-meter dash and long jump while also helping the 4x100-meter relay to a secondplace showing.
Track Wins Titles
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baseball wins division
PAUL WILLIAMS
THROUGHOUT THE COURSE of a 32-game conference
schedule, many highs and lows exist. Heading into the penultimate weekend of MEC play in the spring, the Concord baseball team needed to play approximately .500 baseball over an eight-game stretch to clinch the MEC South Division title and the number two seed in the upcoming conference tournament. The next-to-last weekend of the season pitted CU against Charleston. Concord lost three of four games to the Golden Eagles, but still controlled its own destiny for a MEC South crown, however, the feat would be a bit harder with the setback—the Mountain Lions now needed to win all four games over UVa.-Wise or win three and get some help from other teams. CU won the first two contests over the Cavaliers with a 3-2 win and a resounding 16-6 victory to push closer to the division championship. But, UVa.-Wise edged out 6-5 before Concord won the final game 9-8. CU used a comeback to set itself up for a division title on the final day of the regular season. After being down 6-0 through two innings, the Mountain Lions raced back to tie the game at 6-6 with a solo home run by Adrian Peralta punctuating the comeback. Paul Williams scored the winning run in the 10th as Concord held out hope for a West Virginia State win the next day. In the clubhouse at 19-13 for the MEC season, CU still needed WVSU to beat Charleston once for Concord to win the division. If Charleston won, it would be division champions. The Golden Eagles won the first three games, but West Virginia State came back in the final game of the series to stall a Charleston bid at the division and allow Concord to take home the division crown. JONATHAN GORE
CU ATHLETICS
ENTERING THE 2017 SEASON, it was
possible two career records could fall in the Concord University softball record books: career hits and career pitching wins. Senior pitcher Allie Reid started the season with 29 career wins in the Maroon and Gray, and needed seven to break the all-time record that was set just two seasons prior by Lacey McDougall. On March 29, the Lovettsville, VA native fired a fivehit shutout with five strikeouts off UVa.-Wise to tie the record of 35 career wins. Five days later, Reid set her
Softball Records Fall ALAYNA FURR
sights on breaking the record at Charleston. She was asked to toss nine innings, her longest outing of the season. Reid worked around 15 hits and three earned runs and five total runs. In the top of the ninth, Reid helped herself by driving in the go-ahead run to push CU in front 6-5. With the tying run at second in the bottom half, Reid was able to record the final out to obtain the career wins record. As the season progressed, another record was being chased: the all-time hits record. Senior shortstop Alayna Furr made a habit of racing down the first-base line to beat out infield hits throughout her career. Heading into a road doubleheader at UVa.Wise, Furr had tied the record set by Alyssa Morris just a season prior to Furr chasing the record with 228 hits. In game one, the middle infielder was held hitless which was a rarity as she had only gone hitless in three other games during the season. However in her second at-bat in game two, Furr smacked a single back through the middle for her 229th career hit. Furr finished her Concord career with 235 hits while Reid ended with 41 career wins to set benchmarks for someone to go after in the coming years.
HIT AFTER HIT, gap shot after gap shot, thenjunior infielder Chad Frazier of the Concord University baseball team was building quite a resume. With 83 total hits, 19 extra base hits and 15 stolen bases, it was apparent Frazier was putting together a special season in the spring of 2017. Since 1999, the baseball program at CU had produced nine All-Americans with seven of those being under the tutelage of head coach Kevin Garrett. At the end of the 2017 regular season, the awards started coming in for Frazier. First, there was a selection to the First Team All-MEC and subsequent MEC Player of the Year for his work in the batter’s box with a .428 batting average. But the Roanoke, VA native was also a threat on the 
frazier's All-American Campaign
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bases, stealing 15 in 16 chances. And Frazier was sharp in the field too, making just 12 errors in 227 chances at shortstop. After being voted as the conference player of the year, the next honor was a consensus selection to the all-region by the sports information directors in the Atlantic Region, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and lastly the American Baseball Coaches’ Association. On the final Friday of May, the biggest accolade for Frazier rolled in as he was named a Third Team All-American by the Conference Commissioners Association which is voted on by sports information directors from across the nation. Frazier made it double-digit All-Americans for the CU baseball program. In the spring of 2018, Frazier will be aiming to become the fourth player in program history to be a multi-time AllAmerican.
FORTY-POINT GAMES aren’t something that occurs every time
a college basketball game tips off. But, junior guard Tommy Bolte of the men’s basketball team was the proud owner of three 40-point games through six weeks of the 2017-18 season. The Chillicothe, Ohio native came on strong at the end of the last season as he averaged nearly 20 points per game over the last eight games, but what happened to start the 201718 campaign was nearly unforeseen. In the season opener at Winston-Salem State, Bolte scored 40 points and dished out 10 assists in a CU win. Less than 24 hours later, Bolte did one better by scoring 43 points against Fayetteville State. What might have been more impressive was Bolte made just one three-pointer in all the scoring. To put in perspective how rare 40-point games are for Concord, just one has occurred since the start of 2010 before Bolte’s stretch. After missing two and a half games due to injury, Bolte made his return to the floor and led Concord to a comeback win against Charleston while scoring 30 points in 22 minutes. Three days later, Bolte put on a show for the Carter Center crowd as he filled up the scoresheet to the tune of 46 points versus West Virginia State. Heading into 2018, Bolte’s 46 points were the third-most in a Division II game for the season. As 2017 drew to a close, Bolte was the only player in the nation with multiple 40 points games for the season, and he was averaging 34.1 points per game.
Bolte's Hot Start
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WOMEN'S SOCCER TURNAROUND WHEN WOMEN'S SOCCER Head Coach
Luke Duffy took over the program in the late summer of 2016, Concord had combined to win just 10 games in 2014 and 2015. In Duffy’s first year, the Mountain Lions won three games as the former Lees-McRae standout molded CU into the type of program he envisioned. During the course of the 2017 season, seven freshmen made at least 10 starts with the other four spots in the lineup consisting of two returners and two transfers. As the players grew, so did the wins. The Mountain Lions enjoyed their most successful season since 2012 as they made the conference tournament for the first time since a conference semifinal appearance five years ago. Duffy coached three First Team All-MEC players in freshman Morgan Carmichael, junior Pilar Elias and freshman Sarah Hill. Additionally, Hill was named the MEC Freshman of the Year. CU bowed out in the first round of the MEC to Notre Dame, but Concord had multiple players, Elias and Hill, make all-region at season’s end—the first time two or more women’s soccer players were all-region in program history in the same season. Duffy and his youthful squad were also able to more than triple the win total from the previous season and went from scoring 10 goals in 2016 to finding the back of the net 34 times in 2017. And the future looks bright for the Mountain Lions to continue to improve over the next few years with the young talent that saw significant playing time this past fall.
CU ATHLETICS
THE COUNTDOWN HEADS TO Pennsylvania where a
Concord cross country runner punched his ticket for the NCAA Division II Championship. Entering the 2017 season, junior Jason Weitzel of the men’s cross country team was the only two-time all-region performer in program history. Additionally, Weitzel was the defending MEC Runner of the Year and helped lead the Mountain Lions to a team appearance in the national championship meet in 2016. On the first Saturday of November, Weitzel was seeking to help Concord return to the national championship. With the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional meet being contested at Lock Haven University in Lock Haven, PA, the Athens, WV native had to settle for qualifying for the national meet as an individual. Weitzel was able to position himself inside the top five to start the race. Weitzel crossed the finish line in eighth place overall which was good enough for his third straight all-region honor. Furthermore, Weitzel completed the 10,000-meter course in 31:20 which is faster than the existing 10,000-meter school record on the track. At nationals, Weitzel finished 87th which was nearly 50 places higher than he finished in 2016 at the same meet.
Weitzel's RegionaL Run tO Nationals
THE COUNTDOWN FOR BEST OF 2017 concludes with a dominant defensive
effort from the Concord football team in a 7-0 win over UVa.-Wise. Admittedly, the summer of 2017 and beginning to fall camp was tough for Concord. In the middle of July, assistant coach and defensive coordinator Pat Dawson passed away less than a month away from the start of the season. The beloved-Dawson inspired a performance for the ages against UVa.Wise. It had been a tough start to the 2017 season as CU’s defense produced two touchdowns but fell to West Virginia Wesleyan in the season opener and lost at Charleston. In its third straight Thursday night game and second one at home, the Mountain Lions produced 10 sacks with juniors Colton Neal and Justin Noble each having three against the Cavaliers. CU had forced three turnovers through three quarters with interceptions from seniors Jeremiah Johnson and Chaudlier Shepherd and a fumble recovery by junior Andrew Jakubowsky. However, the game remained knotted at 0-0 heading to the fourth quarter. With UVa.-Wise backed up deep in its own territory, Brycen Lee lofted a pass along the far sideline. Along the boundary, Johnson was waiting to nab his second interception of the game. Johnson snagged the pick and began to sprint towards the opposite sideline with a convoy of blockers. The Baltimore, MD native covered 36 yards on the game’s only touchdown, but numbers didn’t define how big the pay was for a program that needed a pick-me-up after the devastating news it faced earlier in the summer. █
Defense Wins One for Dawson
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MT. LION NEWS CONCORD PUTS THREE ON DON HANSEN ALL-REGION TEAM A trio of Concord University football players has been selected to the Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Region team, the organization announced in January. Senior defensive back Jeremiah Johnson and senior punter Garrett Lee were voted to the all-region second team squad. Senior running back Nick Loftin was tabbed to the all-region third team as a fullback. Johnson concluded his final year in the Maroon and Gray by finishing third on the team with 53 tackles. The Baltimore, MD native picked off three passes, recovered three fumbles and forced another. Additionally, Johnson scored two defensive touchdowns with one against West Virginia Wesleyan, and had the game-winning score versus UVa.-Wise in a 7-0 win. This is the third straight year Johnson has been an All-Region selection by Don Hansen. With the announcement, Lee continued his collection of postseason awards. The Pearisburg, VA native has already been named CCA All-Region and was selected a D2football.com All-American. Lee averaged 42.5 yards per punt and landed 20 of his 68 punts inside the 20-yard line in 2017. Loftin earned his first career postseason award by being placed on the Super Region 1 Squad. While splitting carries in the CU backfield, Loftin rushed for 268 yards and two touchdowns. As a receiver, Loftin made 11 receptions.
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Nick Loftin, Jeremiah Johnson and Garrett Lee
FITZWATER VOTED USBWA DIVISION II NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK Freshman forward Riley Fitzwater of the Concord University women’s basketball team was named the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Division II National Player of the Week in January. Fitzwater averaged 18.5 points, 19.5 rebounds and 8.5 blocks per contest in two wins for the Mountain Lions prior to the announcement. The Glenville, WV native posted 22 points and 26 rebounds as well as nine blocks in a 71-70 win versus Wheeling Jesuit. She went on to score 15 points, grab 13 rebounds and blocked eight shots in a 90-63 victory over West Liberty. The 20-20 effort against WJU was Fitzwater’s second 20-20 game of the season after recording 26 points and 21 rebounds versus West Virginia State. At the time of the announcement, Fitzwater was the only player in MEC history to have two 20-20 games in the same season. Additionally, Fitzwater
led Division II in field goal percentage at 68.3 percent. She was third nationally in blocks per game, averaging 3.8 per contest and fourth in rebounds per game with 12.6. Fitzwater becomes the first national athlete of the week for Concord in any sport since Shawnee Carnett was the USTFCCCA Track Athlete of the Week in February 2014. LEE NAMED FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN BY D2FOOTBALL.COM
Garrett Lee
Senior punter Garrett Lee of the Concord football team was selected as a First Team All-
CU ATHLETICS
American by D2football.com Lee finished tied for eighth among Division II punters in average yards per punt at 42.5 during 2017. Lee pinned Concord’s opponents inside the 20-yard line 20 different times throughout the 2017 season. Additionally, the Pearisburg, VA native boomed 14 punts of over 50 yards.
Lee concluded his career second in punting yards at Concord with 2,891 and owns two of the top three punting-yard average seasons in program history. He becomes Concord’s first First Team AllAmerican from any publication covering Division II football since 2014.
Concord Lands 62 Fall Sport Student-Athletes on MEC Academic Teams The Concord University Athletic Department is proud to announce that 62 fall sports student-athletes landed on either the All-MEC Academic Team or the Commissioner’s Honor Roll. CU had 30 athletes on the All-MEC Academic Team. To qualify, students must have a fall semester GPA of 3.7. The Commissioner’s Honor Roll requires students to have between a 3.25-3.69 GPA for the fall term.
Thirty-two Mountain Lions received this designation. Additionally, athletes must be in their championship segment to qualify for these honors. Below is a breakdown by sport of athletes appearing on either the All-MEC Academic Team or Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
FOOTBALL
MEN'S SOCCER
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Andrew Jakubowsky Zack Keaton Jon Sawyers Caudlier Shepherd JT Turner
Oghoghosa Asalou Mahamadou Coulibaly
Taylor Dixon Alison King
ALL-MEC ACADEMIC TEAM:
COMMISSIONER'S HONOR ROLL:
Cameron Fannon Eric Festa Mark Large Garrett Lee Dwain Porterfield Nathan Toney
MEN'S GOLF
COMMISSIONER'S HONOR ROLL:
Colby Hill Jared Porter Marti Puig
WOMEN'S GOLF COMMISSIONER'S HONOR ROLL:
Annie Johnson Katie Maher Madison May Katelyn Sanders
ALL-MEC ACADEMIC TEAM:
COMMISSIONER'S HONOR ROLL:
Xander Bailey Alex Rhodes
WOMEN'S SOCCER ALL-MEC ACADEMIC TEAM:
Sarah Akers Makayla Ballenger Ali Cook Delaney Crumblish Pilar Elias Katelyn Gibbs Carley Graves Mira Kontio Taylor Life COMMISSIONER'S HONOR ROLL:
Ember Butterfield Morgan Carmichael Olivia Dougherty Sarah Hill Katie Maher Yasmin Mosby Micharae Thompson Courtney Wallace
ALL-MEC ACADEMIC TEAM:
COMMISSIONER'S HONOR ROLL:
Emily Hendricks Allison Lowe
VOLLEYBALL ALL-MEC ACADEMIC TEAM:
Kerrigan Fritz Joi Haywood Brooke Heck Casey Mandeville Lindsay Meade Alexi Prankus COMMISSIONER'S HONOR ROLL:
Ellie Lawrence Kristen Spearen
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ALL-MEC ACADEMIC TEAM:
Tyler Kosut Matt Strand Jason Weitzel
COMMISSIONER'S HONOR ROLL:
Jacob Ashcraft Riley Griffith Justin Snyder
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ALL-MEC ACADEMIC TEAM:
Sydney Haynes Bailey Knowles Aidan Payton
COMMISSIONER'S HONOR ROLL:
Kaylin Kessinger Megan Stemple
CONGRATS, MOUNTAIN LIONS! CU MAGAZINE
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Alumni Spotlight OCTOBER 2017
KATRINA MATNEY '10 Congratulations to Concord alum Katrina Matney (’10) for writing the Veterans Upward Bound grant that was recently awarded through the US Department of Education and, as a function of that, she has been named the Interim Program Director for the program.
NOVEMBER 2017
JEFF CAMBELL '96, '08 Congratulations to Concord alum Jeff Campbell (’96, ‘08) on being appointed by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice to the House of Delegates District 42 seat. The 42nd district includes most of Greenbrier County along with parts of Monroe and Summers counties.
December 2017 - Barbara Berg Richko '72
DECEMBER 2017
BARBARA BERG RICHKO '72 Congratulations to Concord alum Barbara Berg Richko (‘72) on being a recipient of the 2017 Honorary Patriot Award presented by the Seaford 9/11 Memorial Committee in Seaford, NY, where she resides. Recipients of the award are nominated by the public and selected by the committee in honor of five Seaford High School alumni who were lost on Sept. 11, 2001: Tommy Haskell, Timmy Haskell, John Perry, Robert Sliwak and Michael Wittenstein. The award has been presented annually since 2002. Criteria for the award include making significant contributions to Seaford schools, the community or the 9/11 Memorial.
JANUARY 2018
BEN BAKER '06
We’d like to congratulate Concord alum Ben Baker (’06) and his company, The Lake Norman Screenprinting Factory, on closing one million dollars in business during 2017! This is the factory that prints our Alumni shirts we give to new graduates. We certainly aren’t the only ones who recognize the quality. Congratulations! Alumni Spotlight features outstanding achievements of alums and is highlighted on CU’s website. To read further about these incredible alums, visit www.concord.edu/advancement/alumni-spotlight
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MAY 4, 2018
Student Center Ballroom | 6pm • Heavy hors d’oeuvres • Live Music • Cash Bar • Recognition of Outstanding Alumni • Memorial Program • Silent Auction for Scholarships Open to alumni, friends and the community!
TICKETS: $20 Register online at www.concord.edu/cufoundation/gala CU MAGAZINE
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Dr. Johnnie Burdette Linn III
Dr. Johnnie Burdette Linn III, an assistant professor at Concord University, passed on February 3, 2018 because of cancer. Johnnie was born on September 29, 1947 in Amarillo, TX. He was preceded in death by his father, Johnnie B. Linn, Jr. and his mother, Thelma (Houston) Linn of Texas. He is survived by his wife N. Linn of West Virginia, his brother, T. Linn of Texas, and his sister, D. (Linn) Ross and her
Lori Keaton
Concord University Assistant Professor
husband, M. Ross of Texas. He also leaves two nephews and a niece and their families. After graduating from Dimmitt High School in Dimmitt, Texas, he earned his B.S. degree with a major in Earth and Planetary Sciences at M.I.T. in Boston, MA. Next, he joined the Navy and while stationed in Iceland, he tracked Russian submarines. After returning home, he earned his M.S. degree in Oceanography at Texas A&M. Later he earned his J.D. at the University of Miami School of Law in Miami, FL. Finally, he earned his Ph.D. in Economics at Texas A&M. As an Assistant Professor of Economics, his Economics research papers were published in Economics Journals, in PA, USA and in Switzerland (See scholar. com). He worked as a Professor of Economics in Texas from 1984 to 1991, in Florida from 1991-1998, in North Carolina from 1998-2002 and in WV from 2002 to 2018. He was a member of the Bird Club, WV. His hobbies included – Nature: He enjoyed watching the
Aramark Food Production Manager
Lori Ann Keaton of Baker Lane, Spanishburg, ended her fight against sarcoma on Friday, February 2, 2018. Born December 9, 1970, in Madison, WV, she was the daughter of Doris Ann Gurski Deck and the late Robert Lee Deck. Lori was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. She was an employee of Aramark at Concord University for 24 years. Prior to that, she was an employee of the U.S. Coast Guard. Those left to cherish her memory are her loving husband of 20 years
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four seasons change each year as he did his birdwatching. He took Edwin Way Teale Spring nature trips fifty years later to see what changes there were in the landscapes. On his trips he enjoyed amateur nature photography. He was a nature blogger on twitter and also wrote nature articles published in the university newspaper. Games: map games, ship games, math puzzles, and trivia. Music: He sang classical hymn solos in church and sang “oldie goldies” at home. He enjoyed listening to classical music, Irish-Scottish folk music, marching band music and bluegrass music. Art: He painted bird pastels. Books: He enjoyed reading the classics in literature, American and world history, mysteries, nature books by Edwin Way Teale and other naturalists and birdwatchers, books by C. S. Lewis, books about ships, wars, foundations of government, and the old Britannica Encyclopedias. Movies: Bible stories, nature, adventure, historical, classics, military, mysteries and musicals.
Randall “Randy” Keaton; Three children, daughter, Skieler Hanks and husband Sim, Flora and soon to be Baby Bean and son, Austin Hamb and wife Savannah and their children, Paislee and Everest, daughter, Maranda Keaton and loving and loyal labrador, Mollie Girl; Sisters, Kristy Jarrell and family, Cindy Moyer and family; Several nieces and nephews.
Class Notes
ACHIEVEMENTS 1990s ____________ TOMMY BUZZO ’93 is the new assistant football coach/defensive coordinator for the Emory & Henry College Wasps. Part of the Bluefield High School state championship football team in 1984, Buzzo was an inside linebacker and defensive end for the Mountain Lions. He has played semi-pro football with the Roanoke Rush and coached at both the high school and university levels.
CU Geography graduates FRANK RATCLIFFE ’93 and JASON ROBERTS ’99 are supervising Concord students interning at their places of employment. Anthony Akers is an intern with Roberts who is Director of Region I Planning and Development in
Princeton. Cody Perkins is interning at Camp Creek State Park under the supervision of Ratcliffe, the Park Superintendent. Additionally, Concord student Kenneth Maiola is with the WV Conservation Agency. This agency is under the auspices of the WV Department of Agriculture.
2000s ______________
BRAD LANE ’02, ’03 has been named Optometrist of the Year by the West Virginia Association of Optometric Physicians. Lane was recognized at the organization’s Annual Congress in November. In 2013 he was named the West Virginia Young Optometric Physician of the Year. Lane received a doctorate of Optometry from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 2007 and earned an MBA in 2016.
Along with another optometrist, he is a practice owner of Appalachian Eye Care in Princeton and New River Eye Care in Pearisburg, VA. Lane serves on the Concord University Board of Governors and is Secretary of the Concord University Foundation Board of Directors. He is also a founding member of the University’s White Coat Society.
Ron Taylor ’91, ’94 Honored by Mathematics Organization
The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) has recognized Berry College Mathematics Professor RON TAYLOR '94 for “Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics.” “The mathematicians receiving these awards are the leaders in our community who carry out the MAA’s mission to advance the understanding of mathematics and its impact on our world,” said Michael Pearson, the executive director of the MAA. “Their distinguished service and dedication to mathematical excellence strengthen our community and open paths for future generations of mathematicians.” Dr. Taylor received the Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics. He is recognized for his success cultivating an Inquiry-Based Learning approach to his mathematics classroom at Berry College. He has used his experience to mentor mathematics faculty at other institutions and co-chaired the organizing committee for the Inquiry Based Learning-Forum & Annual Legacy of R.L. Moore Conference. Additionally, he teaches mathematics to minority students at summer camps and in pre-college math workshops. Dr. Taylor earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from Concord in 1991 and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Concord in 1994. He received a master’s degree in Mathematics from Winthrop University and a doctorate in Mathematics from Bowling Green State University. Dr. Taylor has taught at Concord as an adjunct instructor and a visiting lecturer, both in Business Mathematics. The Mathematical Association of America is the world’s largest community of mathematicians, students, and enthusiasts. CU MAGAZINE
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Class Notes Cookbook Features Talents of Alums and ‘Concord Mom’ Two Concord alums have teamed up with “a proud Concord Mom” to produce “Cooking Along the Midland Trail”. This regionally flavored cookbook features artwork by BRIANNE BARTON SOLOMON ’04, the editing talents of STEPHEN WILSON ’13 and hundreds of recipes collected by Stephen’s mother, Terry Wilson. “Recently I have been using my formatting and editing skills from Concord to help make my mother’s lifelong dream of publishing a cookbook a reality,” Stephen said. “Just a few months ago she held in her hand the first copies of her cookbook, a compilation of over 400 recipes,” he said. “These recipes are the product of her more than 30 years of cooking and over 10 years of independent catering. Many of the recipes have strong ties to her and the culture and foodways she learned during her upbringing and life in southern West Virginia.” Terry lives in Ansted, WV, a Fayette County town on the Midland Trail. As a National Scenic Byway, the Midland Trail brings historic Route 60 across West Virginia. The cookbook’s original artwork, created and designed by Brianne, includes depictions of West Virginia landmarks along the Midland Trail such as the New River Gorge Bridge, the Grist Mill at Babcock State Park, and the bridge at Hawks Nest State Park. Brianne lives in Culloden, WV, and is an art teacher at Hannan High School in Mason County. A resident of Morgantown, WV, Stephen teaches English 7 at South Middle School. The cookbook can be purchased on the “Cooking Along the Midland Trail” Facebook page and in various business locations in Ansted and Fayetteville, WV. According to Stephen, additional locations where “Cooking Along the Midland Trail” is available will be added this summer.
2010s ______________
PHOTO: DANIEL WALKER / WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING
ANDREA LANNOM ’10 is the new host of West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s “The Legislature Today”. The live television program covers the West Virginia Legislature each night from the state Capitol building. Andrea is also the statehouse reporter for The RegisterHerald. She has been a legal reporter 74
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for The Charleston Daily Mail and The State Journal and worked for the West Virginia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. STEPHANIE (MATTOX) PFEIFER ’13 successfully passed the West Virginia Bar Examination and is now a practicing attorney in southern West Virginia. In addition to her membership to the West Virginia State Bar, Mrs. Pfeifer is admitted to Federal Courts in the Southern District of West Virginia and United States Bankruptcy Court. She is currently working as an Associate Attorney with The Ratliff Law Firm in Bluefield, WV. Her practice areas include: Social Security, Personal Injury, Family Law, & Criminal Defense.
SELF PORTRAIT IN SHADOW / KYLENE BABSKI
KYLENE BABSKI ’15 received a Governor’s Award for “Self Portrait, in Shadow” in the West Virginia Division of Culture and History’s 20th West Virginia Juried Exhibition. The drawing, for which Kylene also received the D. Gene Jordan Memorial award, was among 10 pieces from the exhibition purchased for permanent
Class Notes placement in the West Virginia State Museum. The work of 80 West Virginia artists was featured in show that included 84 pieces of art. The show ran from Nov. 12, 2017 through Feb. 11, 2018 at the Art Museum of West Virginia University and is cosponsored by the West Virginia Commission on the Arts.
IN MEMORY 1950s ______________
GARNETT BURRELL WINFREY ’52: July 29, 2017. Born on July 8, 1926 in Bramwell, Mercer County, West Virginia, Garnett was the eldest of three children born to Fred Howard and Virginia Eggleston Winfrey. Garnett had fond memories of growing up on the family farm in West Virginia. Although he spent the last 57 years in Richmond, his roots were deep in West Virginia. Garnett will be remembered as a gentleman with unmatched integrity who was optimistic, intelligent, principled and genuine. He possessed an engaging sense of humor and a contagious smile. He had a strong devotion to God, his family, friends, and to the country he both loved and served proudly. Garnett was fortunate to meet his wife, Alice Page, on a blind date in 1942, but would not rekindle that spark until he returned home in 1945 from serving his country overseas in WW II. Garnett rose to the rank of Sergeant and served in
the 11th Airborne Division in the Philippine and Japanese theatres. At the end of the war, he was chosen to serve on General Douglas McArthur’s Honor Guard. Garnett and Alice were married on January 20, 1948. He served in the army reserves at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Concord College. The couple lived and worked in Garnett’s hometown of Princeton, WV for a number of years where he joined the Masons. In 1960, with first born daughter in tow, the couple moved to Richmond where he joined his childhood friend, Stan Smith at Atlantic Life. Garnett would follow Stan to Life of Virginia and earn his membership into The Chartered Life Underwriters where he enjoyed a career of 20 plus years. He went on to become Senior Vice President and Division Head where his strong leadership oversaw agencies in Ohio and states in the southeastern and southwestern part of the country. After retiring from Life of VA, he worked for several years at Special Service Agency and went on to teach English as a second language for the County of Henrico. Garnett was a devoted son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, friend, role model and mentor. Alice and Garnett shared a wonderful life together in Richmond and were blessed with a son and another daughter. Garnett was an avid hunter, fisherman, reader, jack of all trades around the house and a fine gardener. He and Alice were members of Trinity Methodist Church in Richmond and members of the Old Testament Class at Trinity for 50 plus years. Garnett was predeceased by his wife, Alice Page of 63 years, and survived by their three children, Brenda Mullane (Gerry) of Wayne, PA, Eric Winfrey (Martha Rogers) of Mechanicsville, VA, Marsha Olander (Jay) of Richmond, VA, two grandsons, five granddaughters and one greatgrandson. Garnett was predeceased by his brother Elwood, and survived by Elwood’s wife Janet White of
Princeton, WV, his sister Wilma Reitz (Jack) of Greenville, SC, sister-in-law Edna Southern of Princeton, WV, and sister-in-law Alma Lee Eden (Gerald) of Roanoke, VA.
CLARA PARKER ALVIS ’54: January 12, 2018. Born June 27, 1917 at War Ridge, she was the daughter of the late Lennie B. Parker and Mattie Nelson Parker. Mrs. Alvis was educated in Mercer County, earning a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in education. She was a retired teacher, having taught school in Mercer County for nearly 40 years. She was of the Methodist faith and was devoted to her family. She was a resident of Athens. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Glenn A. Alvis, along with six brothers and a sister, O. Roy Parker, J. Harry Parker, Frank Parker, R. Lee Parker, Fred Parker, Opie Parker and Ruby Lytton. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family. Those left to cherish her memory are her two sons and spouses, Derk and Linda Alvis, G. Len and Frankie Jo Alvis; grandchildren, Jonathan and Michelle Alvis, Alisha and Adam Taylor, Kevin and Leslie Alvis; great grandchildren, Evelyn Sue Alvis and Lucas Avery Alvis; numerous nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly; and special friends Eddie and Joyce Kessinger, Ted and Anne Kessinger. BILLIE ANN ANDERSON SANFORD ’54: January 26, 2018. Born on September 26, 1932 at the CU MAGAZINE
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Class Notes family farm at Farmdale, WV, she was the daughter of the late William Bryan (W.B.) and Fanny Ruth Will Anderson. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by sisters, Sally Christine Anderson Gentry and Virginia Lee Anderson VanDuyne. Billie Ann was a member of the Bascom United Methodist Church in Rupert. She was a graduate of Smoot High School and received a B.S. in home economics and language arts from Concord College. She taught school for many years in Greenbrier County. Billie Ann loved gardening and cooking. She loved children and one of her passions was Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child boxes. Survivors include her loving husband of 62 years, Raleigh Sanford of Rainelle; two daughters, Sandra (Tom) Riddle of Morristown, TN, and Sue Ann Sanford of Crawley; son, Daniel Sanford of Meadow Bluff; grandchildren, who were her pride and joy, Jared Riddle of Johnson City, TN, Joel (Marissa) Riddle of Chattanooga, TN and Jeffrey (Callie) Riddle of Memphis, TN.
FOUAD NACEEB MOSRIE ’57: January 29, 2018. Born in Lebanon January 17, 1934, he was the son of the late Naceeb and Sherifi Mosrie. Fouad was the retired owner and operator of Jimmy’s Restaurant, a downtown Princeton landmark that was opened by the Mosrie family over 70 years ago. A resident of Princeton, he was of the Methodist faith and a graduate of Concord University. In addition to his parents his wife, Linda Ann Mosrie and three brothers preceded him in death. Survivors include one daughter, Mona Mosrie and one son, Gary Mosrie both of Princeton, his faithful feline companion, “Dusty”, one brother, Nadeem Mosrie of Lebanon and several nieces and nephews.
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1960s ______________ PAUL EUGENE WEIKLE, SR. ’60: January 12, 2018. Paul was born March 14, 1931 in Princeton, WV, and was the son of Luther C. and Bessie E. Shumate Weikle. He graduated from Princeton High School in 1948. He graduated from Bluefield College with an AS in Electrical Engineering in 1957 and Concord College with a double major of Math and Physics after he honorably served in the United States Air Force. On June 22, 1962, Paul married Gwenyth Joyce Ray in Sarasota, FL. He was employed by The RCA Corporation, GE/RCA and retired in 1993 from Computer Sciences Raytheon as a Systems Analyst. He spent most of his evenings and weekends coaching and watching youth sports, including Cocoa High School football, baseball and basketball, Cocoa Little League and Cocoa Youth Football. He was an avid pool player, enthusiastic college sports fan and also enjoyed reading and spending time with his children and grandchildren. He was a resident of Cocoa, FL. In addition to his parents, his wife, Gwenyth Ray Weikle, sister, Thelma W. Lenner, and brother, Charlie Joe Weikle, preceded him in death. Paul is survived by his sister, Shirley Fletcher of Roanoke, VA; a niece, Sharon Sanderson of San Diego, CA; two sons, Paul Jr. of Jacksonville, FL and Edward (Dawn) of Riverview, FL; two daughters, Lisa of Cocoa, FL and Lynn of Merritt Island, FL; and three grandchildren, Alan, Brooke and Bryon all from Florida.
WILLIAM A. HIGHTOWER ’64: January 23, 2018. Known affectionately as “Bill” all his life, William Aaron Hightower was born on February 29, 1936, at Hetzel in Logan County. The youngest of four children, he was the son of the late Grandison and Anna Hall Hightower. His brother, Donald and sisters, Martha and Georgia have preceded him in death as well as his father and mother-in-law, Johnnie and Hattie Simpkins and sister-in-law, Wanda Vass Simpkins. Bill’s early years were spent in Logan, where he was a 1954 graduate of Logan High School. He entered the US Air Force where he faithfully served his country. Following his stint in the service, Bill and his family migrated to Beckley settling on Church Street. He married Vada Simpkins. September 16 of this year would have been their 57th wedding anniversary. Bill attended Concord College where he graduated with a degree in Business Administration. Bill and Vada made their home in the Washington, DC area for 38 years where he worked in the General Accountant’s Office for the US Government. They retired to Beckley in 2003. Bill Hightower will be remembered for his soft spoken ways, his love of animals and his willingness to help others. In addition to his beloved Vada, he leaves to cherish his memory his brother-inlaw, Carroll D. Simpkins.
Class Notes
1970s ______________ 1980s ______________
LEAH JEAN “JEANNE” MORRIS ’64: February 24, 2018. Born May 21, 1937 in Bluefield, she was the daughter of the late Tony Lotito and Rena Peraldo Lotito. Jean was a graduate of Bluefield High School and Concord College. She earned her master’s degree at Marshall University. A longtime educator, she began her career at Wade Elementary in Bluefield in the mid-1960s. In the early 1980s, she taught at Spring Hill Elementary in Huntington and Culloden Elementary. Following her retirement from public schools, she became the supervisor for student teachers at Marshall University. She and her late husband John were prominent in the political and social scenes throughout their 30-plus years in the Huntington area. A resident of Bluefield, WV, she formerly lived in Milton, WV. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Bill Morris in 2010. Surviving are sons Tony Morris (Patty Compton) of Bluefield, WV and Chris Morris (Tonya) of Roanoke, VA; brother Tony (Dusky) Lotito, Jr. (Rosemary) of Pounding Mill, VA; daughter-in- law Karen Morris of York, SC; grandchildren Brittany Naumann of Huntington, WV, John Morris of Cincinnati, OH, Bill Morris of Clemson, SC and Sara Morris of York, SC; greatgrandsons Christian and Carter Naumann of Huntington, WV; several nieces, nephews and cousins; caregiver Linda Fox; and her beloved dog Korie.
THOMAS EARL BREEN ’70: December 29, 2017. Born January 15, 1948, he was the son of Richard Breen and the late Ann Breen, nee Baier; beloved husband of Carol A. Breen, nee Weiss, and the late Beatrice “Bebe” Breen; devoted father and stepfather of Brad Breen, Tyler Breen, Cristine Ehly, Austen Ehly, and Michael Boryk; and cherished grandfather of Toarin and Tyler, Jr. He was a resident of Pasadena, MD.
DENNIS LEE PERDUE ’75: January 19, 2018. Born in Princeton November 22, 1950, he was the son of Pearl Marie Perdue Rorrer of Pearisburg, VA and the late Boyd R. “Dutch” Perdue. A resident of Alderson, Denny was a graduate of Princeton High School, received a B.S. degree in English from Concord University and his Masters in Playwriting from West Virginia University. Denny lived and worked in many different places throughout his life, including Kansas, New York, and New Jersey. In addition to his father, his stepfather, Charles E. Rorrer, Jr., and his nephew, Samuel “Sammy” Perdue, preceded him in death. Survivors in addition to his mother include one son, Ian Scott Perdue of Lewisburg; sister, Susan Perdue of Narrows; brother, Sam Perdue and wife Jennie of Princeton; lifelong friend, Wayne Campbell of Neola and many aunts, uncles, nephews, a great niece and his extended family, all of whom he loved dearly.
SUNNY SUZANN BELL ’80: February 7, 2018. Born January 17, 1956 in Mullens, WV, she was the daughter of the late Clifford Charles “Sonnie” Phillips, Jr. and Betty Jo Wickline Phillips. She was the granddaughter of the late Luther and late Vesta Cassity Wickline and the late Clifford Charles “Cliff”, Sr. and late Evelyn Murphree Phillips. Sunny was preceded in death by a nephew, Jarrod Lee Smith. Left to cherish her memory is her husband of 30 years, Terry Bell, son James Ray “Jamie” Lusk, III, and wife Ashley of Mullens; grandchildren Alec and Lincoln Lusk of Mullens; sister Terri Lea Phillips Smith and husband Barry of Mullens and children Jeremy Smith, wife Kristen, daughter Rylie of Kingsport, TN, Dr. Cassidy Smith of Trinity, FL and Taylor Smith of Mullens; cousin Dr. Mike Witt, wife Kelly, son Ian of Mullens and out-of-state cousins Debi Phillips Samuelson, Rick Phillips, Edward Curry, Rachel Phillips Holcomb, and Brenden Phillips. As an honor student, Sunny Sue graduated from Mullens High School in 1974 where she was a cheerleader for the Mullens Rebels. Her education included a BS in Psychology from Concord College and a Master’s in Psychology from Marshall University. Owner of Assessments, Inc. in Mullens and Beckley WV, Sunny touched the lives of many with her kind heart and CU MAGAZINE
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Class Notes nonjudgmental ways as witnessed by the professional care of her clients. Sunny Sue was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Mullens and the Women of the Moose.
FRANCES JEANETTE CASEY ’82: January 15, 2018. Born December 26, 1924, Jeanette was the eldest child of RB Conner and Clara Wheby. She
was preceded in death by two sisters, Josephine Conner and Betty Sparks. Her surviving siblings are Kenneth Conner of Englewood FL, and Phyllis Posey of Princeton, WV and Clara Lee Mullin of Yulee, FL. Jeanette was the widow of Master Sergeant Raymond T. Casey and mother of eight children, three deceased: Richard, Michael and Joan Ellis Lyons. She is survived by five children: Patricia (William) Basham of East Ridge, TN, Mary Walkup of Buckeye, WV, Robert Casey of Moatsville, WV, Frances Knowles of Van Nuys, CA, and Maureen Casey of Guatemala; 17 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and 3 greatgreat-grandchildren. Jeanette was an active member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. She faithfully participated in the Ladies Altar Society, Women’s Prayer Group,
Bluefield Deanery and the Wheeling Mount St. Joseph Annual Retreat. She had been a Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader. Having graduated from Concord College after raising her children, she taught Special Education at Spanishburg High School from age 60 to 70. She was a resident of Princeton. Jeanette enjoyed traveling and spending time with her family. Her life was a bright example of generosity, hospitality and Christian love to all.
Calling for Class Notes We want to hear from you! Send us your personal and professional accomplishments, news on marriages and family additions and updates on other noteworthy events in your life. Photographs are welcome as well. Please email your news items to advancement@concord.edu or mail them to Concord University, Office of Advancement, P.O. Box 1000, Athens, WV 24712.
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ONLINE Check out the Concord University Alumni Association website for all your up-to-date alumni news and updates. Please visit: concorduniversityalumni.com
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TAKE ROAR WITH YOU! We want to see you with Roar wherever you go! Cut out Roar, to the left, and take him on your fun adventures. Then, take a photo with our friendly mascot and send it to us so we can share with the rest of the CU alumni family!
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Concord University Office of Advancement PO Box 1000 Athens, WV 24712
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