President Dr. Kendra Boggess Vice President for Advancement Alicia Besenyei Chair, Concord University Foundation, Inc. Randy Price '84 MAGAZINE STAFF: 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
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. SUBMISSIONS: Please contact Amy Pitzer at 304-384-5211 or pitzer@concord.edu ADDRESS CHANGES: Go to www.concord.edu/advancement and fill out the Alumni Contact Information Update form under the Alumni tab!
ON THE COVER: With revenue at a milestone mark entrepreneur Ben Baker ’06 looks forward to expanding his successful screenprinting business. PHOTO: Tim Coffey Photography INSIDE COVER: Guests at the Roanoke Dinner hear how business is done by featured speaker John Bassett III, chairman of Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Company (seated in the front at left).
Features
In Every Issue
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Beyond the Classroom Legacy Family Alumni Entrepreneur Spring 2018 Commencement Staying Connected Roanoke Dinner Abracadabra Alumni Gala Mt. Lion Honors
University News Beckley Update Alumni Happenings On the Road with Roar Alumni Spotlight Class Notes In Memory
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ongratulations to the class of 2018! We officially have 343 new graduates joining the alumni family, which is now over 17,000 strong. Spring commencement signals the end of another successful academic year and I couldn’t be more proud of this graduating class. The graduates represented 17 states and 15 countries. We had 12 veterans earn degrees and our oldest graduate is 59. It is one of the greatest joys as president, to personally shake each graduate’s hand and congratulate them on this milestone in their life. Two very distinguished alums each received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities, honoris causa at commencement. Vincent Cali ’70 of Spicewood, Texas and David Kirby ’79 of Hurricane, West Virginia both excel in their careers, serve their communities and this institution and are ideal examples for our students and graduates. It was an honor to spend the day with both Vince and David as well as their families and welcome them back to campus.
The colorful photographs you will see further in this magazine help me introduce Concord’s newest adventure involving students and faculty in communication and art as well as several of our staff. Abracadabra is a regionally Emmy nominated children’s television series that starts shooting its sixth season this summer in Concord’s Fine Arts Center. The series presents information to children, ages four to 10, on health education, nutrition and science. They use live characters, including Daisy who is portrayed by Concord alum Desiree Davis Christian, puppets, magic and music. The opportunity for our students to work with an established, well-produced show like Abracadabra, is right in line with our mission. We are very fortunate to offer this experience to our students. Summer is the perfect time to reflect, review and prepare. While we are moving forward with several new programs and online opportunities with the intention of increasing our enrollment and meeting the market demands, we must also work through many challenges. As you are aware, the task of bringing in new students becomes more and more difficult each year with lower populations, increased competition and fewer state dollars to help fund new initiatives. I would ask each of you to help your alma mater by continuing to advocate for this great institution. Without a doubt, you are the best Concord ambassadors we have and serve as wonderful examples to our current and prospective students. We need your support, both in time and treasure, as we move into more arduous financial times. Give to the Annual Fund, attend an alumni event and stay in touch. We need you!
With that said, let me also be the first to invite you back to campus, particularly the weekend of Homecoming. As you will see, there are a number of activities planned including a brunch, the big game and a post-game party. It is such a wonderful time to reconnect with old friends and professors and enjoy our beautiful campus. Stay connected and in touch as our Advancement Office will be contacting you through email, postal service and social media to keep you aware of what’s happening on campus and perhaps in your neck of the woods! Have a wonderful summer. We look forward to seeing you in Athens soon!
Dr. Kendra Boggess, President 4
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First Program Held for Carl S. Azzara Music Colloquium Endowment The life and legacy of a Concord alumnus were remembered and celebrated during a presentation held at the University on April 24. The first program for the Carl S. Azzara Music Colloquium Endowment was presented by Dr. Christopher Azzara in the Wilkes Family Chapel that evening. An innovator in the area of music teaching and learning, Dr. Azzara is Professor and Chair of Music Education and Affiliate Faculty of Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. He is a pianist, arranger, author, and educator, and has made important contributions to advancing the understanding of creativity and improvisation in the music learning process. His presentation was entitled “Improvisation: Music Literacy that Goes Beyond the Page”. The Carl S. Azzara Music Colloquium Endowment is dedicated to the memory of Carl Azzara, a 1954 graduate of Concord, for his lifelong passion and dedication to being pianist, musician and teacher. The intention of the fund is to provide educational opportunities in music for Concord students, faculty, staff and the community through professional presentations. Dr. Christopher Azzara and his brother, Dr. Daniel Azzara, who is a professor at Penn State, joined with other family members and friends to establish the fund in honor of their father, Carl Azzara, and to acknowledge his devotion to Concord and the role it played in his life. While he was a student at Concord, Carl Azzara performed with the legendary Concord Commanders and cultivated his aspirations of becoming an educator. After graduating from Concord, he served as band director at Marion Senior High School in Marion, Va. for 10 years. During this time, he completed his
Former students of Carl Azzara drove from Wytheville to attend the Colloquium.
master’s degree at Indiana University. In 1960 was awarded the “Young Man of the Year Award” by the Marion Chamber of Commerce to recognize his positive impact on students and the community. He continued his career in Fairfax County, Virginia where he spent several years as the band director at Robert Frost Intermediate School and later as a high school counselor, guidance director and assistant principal. Carl, who was known as an accomplished and talented musician and dedicated educator, passed away on March 23, 2017. CU MAGAZINE
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UNIVERSITY NEWS
Students Present, Gain Honors at 2018 WV Undergraduate Literary Symposium Three Concord University English majors presented papers on literary topics at the 2018 West Virginia Undergraduate Literary Symposium held on March 3, 2018, at Fairmont State University. The nineteen presenters who participated in the symposium represented six colleges and universities in West Virginia (Concord University, Davis and Elkins College, Fairmont State University, Shepherd University, West Liberty University, and Wheeling Jesuit University) and one in Pennsylvania (Lincoln University). Representing Concord were: Rachel Pitcher, Abby Rector, and Jeremy Wood. Abby Rector was awarded First Prize for her presentation titled “Ebony and Ivory Live Together in Perfect Harmony” (an analysis of William Blake’s poem, “The Little Black Boy”).
Shown from left to right: Dr. Tony Patricia, Rachel Pitcher, Jeremy Wood, Abby Rector and Dr. Charles Brichford. PHOTO: Nathaniel George
Jeremy Wood tied for Second Prize for his presentation titled “Blake as Feminist? Placing Ahania in Its Proper Context” (a consideration of the feminist issues William Blake’s Ahania raises). Concord University English faculty who assisted by providing
opportunities for the students to practice presenting their papers to an audience and by offering feedback on their presentations included: Dr. Charles Brichford, Dr. Michelle Gompf, Dr. Tony Patricia, Dr. Tina Powell, Dr. Gabriel Rieger, and Dr. Elizabeth Roth.
Dr. Kathy Hawks among Finalists for Professor of the Year Honor Dr. Kathy Hawks at the banquet held for the Professor of the Year award.
Dr. Kathy Hawks, a professor of education at Concord, was named 6
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one of five finalists for the Faculty Merit Foundation 2017 Professor of the Year award. Dr. Hawks and the other 2017 finalists were honored during a banquet on April 12, 2018 in the Great Hall of the Culture Center in Charleston. The award was presented that evening to Dr. Joseph Horzempa, an associate professor at West Liberty University. The Faculty Merit Foundation was created in 1984 to provide a means to recognize and reward
innovation and creativity among the faculties of West Virginia’s public and private colleges and universities. Through the Professor of the Year program, the outstanding achievements of those individuals are brought to the attention of the general public. A $10,000 cash award is given to the candidate selected as Professor of the Year, with smaller awards to the other finalists. The Professor of the Year award is presented with financial support from Bowles Rice LLP and Graystone Consulting.
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Athletic Training Program Honored At State Conference The faculty and students of the Athletic Training Program at Concord University attended the West Virginia Athletic Trainers’ Association (WVATA) State Conference in Flatwoods, WV March 5 and 6, 2018. The Athletic Training Club raised funds to support the student attendance at this event in which Concord was heavily represented. The Mountain Lions received several awards and participated in various activities at the conference. John C. Roberts, Jr., MSEd, ATC, Program Director, was awarded the WVATA Athletic Training Educator of the Year. Shea Hoffman, senior Athletic Training student, placed second in the Student Poster Presentation Contest with “Scaphoid Fracture with Avascular Necrosis in a Multisport Athlete”. Taylor Life, a junior, placed third in the Student Poster Presentation Contest with “A Bicep Tendon Tear in a Collegiate Softball Pitcher Followed by a Labrum Tear with a Shoulder Dislocation”. Also presenting in the Student Poster Presentation Program was senior Rachel Starner. Seniors Brittany Domingo and Brandy Morrison along with junior Nila Hellams, placed third in the Academic Quiz Bowl. Laura Wamsley, MEd and John Roberts, MSEd also presented on “The Role Clinical Experiences
John C. Roberts, Jr. is the recipient of the Athletic Training Educator of the Year Award.
Play in Athletic Training Education and How to Optimize the Benefits” in the professional program.
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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UNIVERSITY NEWS
CALENDAR JUNE 28 CU Night with the WV Power Charleston, WV 6pm
Scholarship Supporters Saluted at Donor Appreciation Dinner
JULY 4 Independence Day University Closed JULY 20 CU After Hours Weathered Ground Brewery 2027 Flat Top Road Cool Ridge, WV 6pm JULY 27 Pine Trees Alumni Chapter Social Princeton, WV AUGUST 7 CU After Hours Campestre 345 Greasy Ridge Road Princeton, WV 5pm-7pm AUGUST 12 Athens-Concord Town Social CU Front Lawn 1pm-4pm AUGUST 13 Fall Semester Begins AUGUST 20 CU Night with the P-Rays Princeton, WV 7pm SEPTEMBER 20 CU After Hours Alumni & Student Mixer University Point Patio 5pm-7pm SEPTEMBER 27 Yankee Alumni Chapter Tailgate Shepherdstown, WV OCTOBER 4-6 Homecoming Weekend Check page 11 for schedule of events NOVEMBER 5, 6, 8 Phonathon 8
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Student speaker Kelsey Walls with Dr. Kendra Boggess at the 2018 Donor Appreciation Dinner.
Contributors to scholarships for Concord students were honored during the Concord University Foundation’s Donor Appreciation Dinner on April 19. Scholarship recipients also attended the dinner that was held in the Pais Fellowship Hall in University Point. Kelsey Walls served as the Student Speaker. She was introduced by Blake Farmer, Manager of University Advancement. Kelsey is a member of the May 2018 class at Concord and received a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management and a minor in PreLaw. She is a recipient of the ACT Scholarship, the Nelrose Price Scholarship, and the James H. “Buck” Harless Memorial Business Scholarship. Kelsey was active in campus life through various organizations including the Bonner Scholars Program, Appalachian Leadership & Education Foundation (ALEF), and Phi Alpha Delta PreLaw Fraternity. She received the 2017-2018 Presidential Excellence Award for Students and was named the Outstanding Business Student of the Year. As Miss Potomac Highlands 2018, Kelsey competed this summer for the title of Miss West Virginia in the Miss America Organization. She will be attending Appalachian School of Law in Fall 2018. Remarks on behalf of the University were presented by Dr. Kendra Boggess, President. Alicia Besenyei, Vice President of Advancement, offered the welcome and introduced Jamie Ealy ’95, Vice President of Enrollment Management, who spoke on behalf of the CU Administration.
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Graduating Seniors Celebrate at Dinner in Their Honor
This semester’s Senior Dinner, held Thursday, April 26, provided Concord’s soon-to-be-graduates with an enjoyable evening to celebrate their milestone. Graduating seniors, along with family members, friends and alumni, packed the Student Center Ballroom for the popular event. Dr. Marjie Flanigan, Vice President of Student Affairs & Dean of Students, encouraged and congratulated the graduates in her remarks. “For those of you who’ve been in my office, you may have seen the sign that reads, ‘I’m not telling you it’s going to be easy; I’m telling you it will be worth it!’ Hopefully, you will now – or soon – see the wisdom of those words,” Dr. Flanigan said. “We know that earning a college degree is not easy!” she said. “Upon graduating, you will join an elite group. Less than 20 percent of West Virginians have a four-year college degree, and worldwide the average is less than 7 percent. “In the coming years you’ll enjoy the benefits and privileges that arise from not just that hard-earned degree, but the broad education you received at Concord. Your Concord University degree will open doors to employment opportunities, as well as graduate and professional school,” she said.
“Let me say what an honor it is to be with you tonight, to share this celebration of your incredible milestone – earning your Concord University degree!” she said. “Please know how proud we are of each of you, and we wish you only the best!” The evening’s fare was a delicious dinner prepared by Aramark. After the meal, the seniors eagerly awaited for the winning door prize numbers to be drawn. Televisions, luggage, coffee makers and more great items were among the prizes, compliments of the Concord University Alumni Association, Career Services and the Advancement Office. At the conclusion of the evening, the seniors picked up their caps and gowns which had been steamed by campus volunteers. Bonner Scholars Graduate Assistant Hanna Jackson coordinated the steaming. The Office of Advancement hosted the Senior Dinner. Special support for the dinner was provided by donations from several alumni. Individuals making donations include Michael Kessinger ’72, Rose Kessinger ’67, Chris Tuck ’90, Susan Tuck ’87 and Jean Dickens ’81. Their generosity in helping make the dinner a success is appreciated. CU MAGAZINE
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UNIVERSITY NEWS
BECKLEY UPDATE Family Fun Days Part of Regional RESA Competitions
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Two regional competitions for school children took place at the Erma Byrd Center this spring. On March 3 the regional RESA Social Studies Fair brought students to the center while the regional RESA Science Fair took place in April. Concord University Beckley teamed up with Bluefield State College and New River Community and Technical College to host the competitions, expanding them to include a Social Studies Family Fun Day for the Social Studies competition and a STEM Family Fun Day for the Science event. The Fun Days provided families with a way to constructively spend their time while waiting on student projects to be judged. This included fun instructional games, professional and college exploration, and valuable family bonding time. Dr. Susan Williams, Director of Concord University Beckley, says “Concord University and its partners are committed to helping our youth understand how their
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Volunteer Roger Toney offers rocket demonstrations at the STEM Family Fun Day.
projects and interests can turn into academic studies and professional careers. We love working with such enthusiastic school children!” During the Social Studies event, Concord University’s Geography Department presented a huge map of West Virginia that allowed students to “walk across the state” and learn constructive information about different aspects of West Virginia. Also offered were Appalachian folk
dance lessons and other activities from the partners at the Erma Byrd Center. The STEM Family Fun Day offered 10 stations to visit including rocket demonstrations, a radiology lab and an on-site nursing lab with simulated patients. Participants could also play in the geology sandbox and enter and experience an inflatable NASA Star Lab, where they could learn about the solar system.
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Colorfully decorated jars hold creations by baker and entrepreneur Mikayla Akers.
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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
BEYOND
the classroom:
An entrepreneurship class assignment evolves into an award-winning business venture
I
BY ANGELA ADDAIR
Assistant Professor of Management
t seems to start when I write a simple math equation on the board: 2080 hours (average hours worked per employee each year) multiplied by 40 years (average number of years we work before retirement). When we consider we are spending 83,200 hours of our lives working, I suggest we make sure we are doing something we at least enjoy, and that tends to spark a lot of thought into the minds of my students…do I want to spend that much of my life working for someone else, or do I want to own my own business, and run it my own way, making my own rules, etc. A class assignment led Mikayla Akers to enter the West Virginia Business Plan Competition, but she had always dreamed of owning her own bakery. When she advanced to the semi-final round, that was when she and I started working together because I’m the Entrepreneurship Professor at Concord. The initial submission to the
competition isn’t too complicated, it’s basically a few questions, one page or less. However, once you get to the semi-finals it’s more intense. A feasibility study is required, along with a two-minute pitch, and individual face-to-face interviews with the judges. This was held in the fall in Buckhannon, WV. I received the notification that Mikayla had made it to the finals and I was probably just as much on cloud nine as she was. We worked for several months on her business plan and I’m pretty sure she would tell you for the most part she enjoyed the process, but we did have our moments of frustration. She would come into my office, and I’d say, “Oh what about this?” Then it would change her number, and her plan in general, but it made it so much stronger, so we knew she’d have to add it. Then there were times she would come to my office and tell me something someone had told her that was a bit discouraging, etc. »
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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
Angela Addair and Mikayla Akers with the $10,000 award.
Amelia Earhart's signature in the President's House Guest Book dated January 14, 1936.
Mikayla Akers Wins First Place – and $10,000 – In WV Collegiate Business Plan Competition Mikayla Akers of Beckley, WV, an Entrepreneurship student at Concord, won first place in her category of the West Virginia Collegiate Business Plan Competition. The competition started in October 2017, and had 292 applicants from 15 different colleges and universities in West Virginia. It was then narrowed down to 10 in three separate categories. After advancing from the semi-finals, where only six in each category remained, Mikayla was awarded $1,000 for being a finalist. The competition is hosted by the WVU College of Business and Economics BrickStreet Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Mikayla worked with her Entrepreneurship professor, Angela Addair, to turn her dream of 14
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owning her own bakery into a business plan for the competition, and becoming one step closer to a reality. The final competition was held in Morgantown, WV on April 20. Mikayla was awarded $10,000 to use towards the opening of her business, Inspiration Bakery, as well as, accounting and legal assistance. This is the first time Concord has had a first-place winner in the competition. Mikayla also won the first-place award of $2,500 in the Pitch Competition sponsored by the WV Hive in Beckley. She was also awarded $2,000 from the WVU ZinnStarter Program, making her overall awards total $15,500.
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
One thing I have always told my students is how much I would have loved to have been in the room when the first person pitched the idea that they were going to sell bottled water. Can you just imagine the feedback they received? Something like, “You know that’s from the tap, right? Everyone can get that when they want it anyway, and you think people are going to pay for it?” Yet I always ask in class for a show of hands from students who haven’t purchased a single bottle of water at some point in their life. Several of them usually have a bottle sitting on their desks. I’ve done this since I started teaching, and I’ve yet to have a single student raise their hand. My point in this exercise is the fact that there will always be people to tell you it’s a bad idea, not possible, wasting your time, etc. The point is, if it’s something you truly want to do, if it’s your passion in life, who are they to tell you anything about it? Why should they get to discourage your dreams? The finals were held in April in Morgantown, WV. Mikayla had perfected everything, even down to the menu items she would take with her to
"There will always be people to tell you it's a bad idea, that it's not possible and you're wasting your time. If it's your passion in life, who are they to tell you anything about it?" competition. She created one jar dessert that I named Heaven in a Jar because it was absolutely delicious. We certainly shared laughs and tears, and we had what I referred to as life talks. One of my very favorite questions is “why?”. Sometimes why gets
people uncomfortable. It’s more in-depth, but it was the one question Mikayla always knew I was going to ask, after everything. It got her prepared for the judges’ questions because they looked for the “whys”. She presented flawlessly, in my opinion, and then we just had to wait. I think that was the hardest part. At the awards ceremony when they announced that she had won the first-place prize for her category and $10,000 to start her business, we were ecstatic. The entrepreneurship program has almost tripled here at Concord over the past couple of years. I went to Omaha, NE for a conference this spring and hope to attend another one in Chicago, IL this coming fall. I’m also hoping to start a chapter of Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) on campus so that our students will be able to participate on a national level with the business plan and pitch competitions, as well as interact more with local entrepreneurs. █
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!
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LEGACY FAMILY
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LEGACY FAMILY
Josie Hanna ’17 celebrates at commencement with her family: Father, Mike; mother, Shane ’94; and sister, Mikayla.
he Hayes, Hunter and Hanna families have strong ties to Concord. For recent Concord graduate Josie Hanna being a part of this legacy helped influence her own decision to attend Concord.
“For me, the choice to attend Concord was easy!” Josie said. “I knew my family history with the school and after a visit there while in high school I could tell it was the place for me. I wanted to be close to home and family, as well as be able to be my own person, a name not just a number. With CU I got both! A native of Ronceverte, WV now living in Barboursville, WV, Josie graduated from Concord in December 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts degree. Her emphasis of study was in Public Relations and Speech Communication. “Attending Concord was just something that I
always thought I would do and I’m proud to say that I am a 4th generation Mountain Lion!” she said. Half a dozen of Josie’s immediate family members are Concord graduates. Her greatgrandmother, grandfather, grandmother, mother and two aunts are counted among the ranks of the University’s alumni.
FIRST GENERATION
Josie’s late great-grandmother, Mary Edgar McClung Hayes, began her career in » CU MAGAZINE
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LEGACY FAMILY
education with a teacher’s certificate. She continued her training at Morris Harvey College, and went on to earn a degree in Education from Concord in the early 1960s. She was from Lewisburg, WV. According to her family, she taught elementary school for more than 30 years. “She enjoyed watching young minds broaden and hoped she left a lasting impression on them to continue to grow and learn,” they said.
SECOND GENERATION
Josie’s grandmother, Marianna Hayes Hanna, and her grandfather, Douglas Hanna, continued the family tradition of teaching that began with Mary. Douglas Hanna, now deceased, graduated from Concord in the early 1960s with a degree in Education. He also pursued undergraduate studies at Berea College and took graduate classes through Marshall University and West Virginia University (WVU). His career as an educator – which spanned more than 35 years – began in a one-room schoolhouse near Montgomery, WV. Moving out of the public school classroom setting, he also taught with the Federal Prison System and the Federal government’s Job Corps. His hometown was Lewisburg. His family jokingly counts among his accomplishments “surviving having three of his four children as students in his classroom.” Marianna earned her bachelor’s degree from Concord in 1961 and took graduate classes from Marshall and WVU. She taught in West Virginia public schools for more than 30 years serving on the elementary school level and the junior high and high school levels where she taught home economics. Her field of instruction broadened with her time as a substitute teacher. “During the early and later years of teaching, I substituted in various areas including Vo-Ag when I taught high school boys about sheep breeding,” she explained. Marianna also spent several years as a school counselor. Originally from Lewisburg, she now lives in Frankford, WV. From top to bottom: Josie's great-grandmother, Mary Edgar McClung Hayes '60, grandfather, Douglas Hanna '62 and grandmother, Marianna Hayes Hanna '61
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Looking back on her college experiences, she says, “I have many memories of my days spent at Concord, which are too numerous and/or infamous to mention.” She does go on, however, to share one particular recollection. “One memory which I have repeated on many, many occasions was when I was in the theatre production of ‘[The Diary of] Anne Frank’ and needed to dye my hair. My father refused to allow me to dye my hair, so some of us came up with the brilliant idea of using carbon paper to change the color of my hair,” she said. “Needless to say, that was a feat to remember.” Along with being active in the Theatre Department at Concord, Marianna was also involved in the Home Economics Department and served as president of Delta Zeta sorority.
THIRD GENERATION
Josie’s mother, Shane Hunter Hanna, is another teacher in the family. Shane graduated from Concord in December 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree with Biology and General Science as her teaching fields. She has taken a number of graduate classes through WVU and Marshall and has a certification in Advanced Placement. Shane says that Concord’s “reputation for excellent teacher preparation and Biology as well as full accreditation in teacher education” influenced her decision to attend. As a Concord student, Shane excelled academically and was honored with several prestigious awards. She received the Hawey A. Wells, Sr. Award for Superior Achievement in Biology and the Kappa Delta Pi award. Earning the Wilson Hall Citizenship Award, her accolades extended to residence life. Shane was also active in campus organizations. She was a member of Gamma Beta Phi, Kappa Delta Pi, Cardinal Key and Collegiate 4-H. Additionally, she was a Biology Lab Assistant for the Science Department. She says that some of her favorite memories from her days as a student include “activities in the Valley and Subway (movie nights and photo booths), Gamma Beta Phi National Convention, Science labs and field trips with Dr. [Winton] Covey.” Campus traditions, like those surrounding Homecoming, also bring back fond memories for Shane. She said the “excitement and school spirit of Homecoming” along with the “parade and competition in the Valley” were her favorite parts of the yearly celebration. She also enjoyed Wilson Hall Christmas parties.
“I liked the family atmosphere of Wilson Hall and the diverse students I met as a student there,” she said. “I also enjoyed community service activities with Gamma Beta Phi. I made many Michele Hanna as a junior at Concord. good friends through campus organizations.” Shane has worked professionally as an educator and a scientist. “Since graduation I have worked as a soil fertility scientist, worked as a tutor at Davis Stuart group home, taught at Eastern Greenbrier Middle School as a computer science teacher and currently, since 2002, at Greenbrier East High School teaching Human Anatomy and Physiology, Environmental Science and AP Biology,” she said. Adding even more to her impressive resume, Shane is also a Health Sciences and Technology Academy teacher for WVU. During the summer, she teaches at the HSTA camp. Shane’s dedication and devotion to teaching
"I loved my science professors and felt very prepared for my career through my work at Concord. I am always confident to encourage my students to attend as I believe the Concord Science Department offers a rigorous program of study with a personalized learning enviornment."
- Shane Hunter Hanna '94
haven’t gone unnoticed. In 2013 she was named the Greenbrier County Teacher of the Year. The commitment she has for her students while they are in her classroom continues as their focus turns to college. For Concord bound students, this means a push to win the Hawey Wells Biology Award. As a recipient of the award, Shane encourages her students to aspire to the same honor. “When my students choose Concord, I challenge » CU MAGAZINE
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LEGACY FAMILY
“We are all very proud of our long history with Concord spanning four generations,” she said. “In addition to our immediate family, several of my mother’s cousins also attended Concord in the 60s and 70s.” Michele says that some of her best memories from her days as a Concord student revolve around intramural sports. “Even though the athletic gene skipped me, it was great fun playing on my sorority intramurals teams,” she said. “We did have a pretty good water polo team.”
"I absolutely would not be where I am today without the education from Concord. The professors and staff always pushed me to be my absolute best and would never take anything less, they always knew I was capable of so much more than I could have ever imagined" - Josie Hanna '17
them to strive to earn the Hawey Wells Biology Award,” she said. “I have had two former students rise to the challenge: Afton Wickline and Daniel White. “I loved my Science professors and felt very prepared for my career through my work at Concord. I am always confident to encourage my students to attend as I believe the Concord Science Department offers a rigorous program of study with a personalized learning environment,” she said. Along with her career as a public school teacher, Shane also shares her talents as an educator with her church where she is the Bible School Coordinator and a teacher. She lives in her hometown, Ronceverte. Josie’s aunt, Michele Lyn Hanna, is also originally from Lewisburg and now lives in Frankford. She graduated from Concord in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree with a concentration in management. For Michele, family who are alumni and the school’s location were influencing factors in her decision to attend Concord. 20
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One particular memory that sticks in her mind has its origins in a speech class. “I gave a ‘How To’ speech on how to run a football play called the ‘Muddle Huddle’ to a class of all football players except for me and one other girl,” she recalls. “After informing me that the play would never work, a few days later they returned to class and said they had tried it at practice and the play actually did work.” Michele was a member of Delta Zeta sorority. She says she enjoyed participating in the annual campaign for Homecoming queen. Michele’s career path has taken her into a variety of fields. “After graduation, I spent several years in the retail and property management fields,” she said. “I spent 19 years in the public relations field and am currently in my ninth year as a casino administrator.” Another of Josie’s aunts, Rebecca Hunter, graduated from Concord in 1999, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree, Magna Cum Laude.
FOURTH GENERATION
As the families’ most recent CU graduate, Josie has Concord memories that may be memories in the making for current students. “One of my best memories of Concord is a perfect
LEGACY FAMILY
example of why I chose CU!” she said. “Going to Starbucks most days of the week and being greeted by Gurnie, who not only knew my name but also my usual drink order, is a perfect testament to how close you become with everyone while at Concord.” When it comes to Homecoming, Josie says, “My favorite part of Homecoming was always the bonfire in the valley, no one can do it quite like CU!” “Other favorite memories include all of the time that I spent in the Public Relations workshop working on projects or working the box office for theatre productions, [and] the late night Sheetz runs with friends!” she said. Along with participating in the PR workshop, Josie was also a staff writer for The Concordian. She gained additional career experience serving as the Marketing Intern with the State Fair of West Virginia for four years. Today, Josie is the Marketing Director for an individual Anytime Fitness
franchisee. “I handle all aspects of marketing and partnerships for five locations in both West Virginia and Kentucky,” she explained. “This will soon to be six this summer as we open a new location in Oak Hill, WV.” Although early in her career, Josie credits her Concord education – and professors – with her success. “I absolutely would not be where I am today without the education from Concord,” she said. “The professors and staff always pushed me to be my absolute best and would never take anything less, they always knew I was capable of so much more than I could have ever imagined. Without the guidance and occasional push from Lindsey Akers and Dr. Cory Williams I would not be the person that I am today. I truly cannot thank them enough!” █
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIM COFFEY
BEN BAKER’S COMPANY, THE LAKE NORMAN SCREENPRINTING FACTORY, REACHED A MILESTONE LAST YEAR BY GENERATING MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN REVENUE.
The company is located in Mooresville, NC, and specializes in custom printed apparel, promotional products and other various marketing collateral. Over the last eight years, the business has produced over 17,000 custom orders for more than 3,000 clients. Some of these include Lowe’s Home Improvement, 3M Products, the Mars Family of Brands, The Avett Brothers and the top names in NASCAR Racing.
After a stellar 2017, the company’s momentum is continuing and new developments are on the horizon. “2018 will be a year of transition,” Ben says. He explained that plans call for “a complete rebranding of the business to focus on a larger target market and an expanded product line.” A new company name, BrandSpeed, is part of the exciting changes. »
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Ben was born and raised in Princeton, WV and he is a 2002 graduate of Princeton Senior High School. In 2006 he graduated from Concord, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree with an emphasis in management and marketing. Being a member of Mu Xi Phi fraternity is a highlight of his time at Concord, Ben says, and today, he maintains close ties with a group of his fraternity brothers. “Not only did I receive a wonderful education at Concord, I made lifelong friends. I became active in Greek life early on which opened doors for new CU MAGAZINE
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experiences that I never expected. From Spring Break trips to Greek Week and Homecoming, experiencing college as part of a fraternity is something that I’m so thankful for,” he said. “Even more than 10 years after graduation from Concord I still have a group of five or six guys who are very tight. Although our group has grown to include wives and families, we still travel together often, speak weekly and remain best friends today.” Considering himself “entrepreneurial by nature” Ben says he has “worked in and around small businesses his entire career”. In fact, Ben’s entrepreneurial aspirations began at an early age.
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He undertook his first business venture in the fifth grade when he sold banners that he printed from his parents’ home computer. He reports that “sadly, the business was cut short” after being “reprimanded for selling raffle tickets to win a banner to increase profit margins.” The incident didn’t deter him, however, and while he was still a student at Concord, he and Norm Miller ’06, a fraternity brother, started Fast Forward Media. The business sold and produced local video commercials and mini documentaries. Among their clients were local car dealerships, small businesses, The Chuck Mathena Center and
Concord University’s Entrepreneurship program. With the revenue generated from Fast Forward Media, he began developing real estate in Mercer County during his senior year at CU when he completed construction on multi-unit residential and commercial facilities. Ben worked at his family’s insurance business – The Sam Baker Agency – for three years, then moved to North Carolina to start his own business. After relocating to Mooresville in 2009, he founded the Lake Norman Screenprinting Factory. Ben says he is inspired by the interactions he has with his clients and this is something that he » CU MAGAZINE
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especially enjoys about being an entrepreneur. “My very favorite part of founding and growing our organization is the variety of clients that I get to work with daily,” he said. “I love meeting, talking to and learning from other entrepreneurs. Most of the people that I work with are small business owners, marketing directors, or community members working with charities and non-profits. I love marketing and business strategy. Working with so many entrepreneurs with so many ideas is very inspiring. In fact, I often learn more from my clients than they learn from me,” he said. As an example, he said that recently, he has “personally sat with a painting contractor with one employee who had never bought apparel before, one of the top teams in NASCAR Racing, the marketing director for a 40 year old family run donut shop in Iowa, a marketing team working on an apparel line for an Ohio based music festival and a mom buying team shirts for her daughter’s walk to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes.” “Each day is both challenging and different when you work in an organization like ours,” he said. “There’s also a great sense of pride and accomplishment around starting and growing a company. It’s hard, it’s demanding and is also the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done,” he said. “I’m grateful for each and every day that I have this incredible opportunity.” “I love having the flexibility to come and go as I please. Some days I work from home and some I work from the office. I can do this primarily because I have an incredible team of people around me working in our organization. I spent quite a bit of time finding the absolute best people that I could find to work with us and now I know that whether or not I’m there the customers are served well.” Ben has paid his dues, however, to get where he is today, saying he didn’t always have the flexibility in his schedule that he currently does. “Although I fully admit that it hasn’t always been that way,” he said. “In fact, I went for nearly six years without taking more than two days off in a row,” he said. Ben’s business philosophy is rooted in the words of Zig Ziglar. “Growing up my father always listened to recordings of famous business author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar,” he said. Ben’s dad, Sam Baker ’79, is a successful business owner.
Lake Norman Screenprinting Factory designs and produces the CU Alumni t-shirts given to graduates on the day of commencement.
“Zig had many famous quotes, but the one that always stuck with me is, ‘You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.' I will admit that the quote did not always make sense to me. However, after several years in business I began to understand exactly what he meant.” Applying the concept to his own business, Ben conveys it to his employees so they can understand how it relates to the company. “This is the way that I explain the concept to my team,” he said. “When our customers call us to buy apparel, promotional products or other marketing collateral, they aren’t doing it because they have to. Our products aren’t required to survive like food, water, shelter, etc. When someone buys from us it’s because they want to, not because they have to. “Every time they buy it’s because they want to use our products to accomplish something. This could be growing their organization, promoting their brand, building cause awareness, raising money for a charity, making their team look uniform, etc.,” he said. “What we have to do is find out exactly what it is they’re looking for, or what they want, and do our best to help them accomplish their goals. By helping them get what they want, they’ll help us grow our business.” Going a step further, he encourages » his employees to apply the concept to their own CU MAGAZINE
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goals. “I also believe that it’s important to embrace that philosophy with my own team members as well,” he said. “I often sit down with each of them to find out exactly what they want. I’m a big planner so I love working with my team to set long-term strategies for their own lives. I’m often surprised at what my team members want to accomplish in one, five or 10 years. “Being there for the initial planning stages and seeing my team members accomplish their goals is one of the absolute best parts of what I do,” he said. Ben also has advice for current business majors who are interested in one day owning their own business. “The advice I always give is to ‘begin with
"There's also a great sense of pride and accomplishment around starting and growing a company. It's hard, it's demanding and is also the most rewarding thing I've ever done."
the end in mind.’ If you want to start a business, you need to document a clear plan for what the organization will look like in six months, one year, five years and beyond. No matter what you want to do you must have a plan. Because if you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there?” he explained. “If the business has a low barrier to entry – meaning, it’s relatively inexpensive and easy to begin (like making T-shirts), my advice is to start as soon as possible,” he said. “You do not need to wait until you’ve graduated to make it happen. Plenty of students have ‘side hustles’ to make extra money and get experience during school. Get started as soon as possible. “If the business has a high barrier to entry, I recommend making a plan to get experience in the field as soon as possible. This could be a summer internship or your first job out or school. It’s always better to learn on someone else’s dime. Just make a plan to get the experience and move on to your own business,” he said. “Remember, you must begin with the end in mind.” While Ben is dedicated to the growth and
success of his business, he also has a strong commitment to volunteering and community service, something he attributes to his father’s example. “Serving the community is something that has been ingrained in me since I was very young,” Ben said. “My father has been a champion of the Mercer and McDowell county communities for as long as I can remember. In fact, some of my first memories are participating in baseball games as a part of Pinnacle Little League, which my father founded around 1990.” As an active member of the local Rotary Club in Mooresville since 2013, he serves as mentor to the Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders which is a leadership program for rising juniors and seniors in high school, and is part of the steering committee for the “Great Chili Cook-Off”. According to Ben, more than 5,000 people attend the cook-off with more than $50,000 raised annually. Taking his involvement to a more global level, Ben recently went on a Rotary sponsored mission trip to Honduras. “I originally joined the club not only to serve, but also to network and make connections,” Ben says. “What I did not anticipate was the incredible impact that such a small organization can have both in our community and around the world.” For his service to the organization, he has been named Rookie of the Year, Distinguished Rotarian (Rotary’s top award at the club level) and was a recipient of the President’s Award in 2016. “Giving back to the community is so important because the community gives so much to us. I love volunteering because it allows me to make an impact in a way that I truly care about. I love the community that I live in and believe that every single thing that we do to volunteer strengthens our area,” he said. Ben is a resident of Mooresville and is an avid cyclist and runner. His enthusiasm for cycling has carried over to his philanthropy. As Vice President of the Mooresville Area Cyclists, he became part of the five person team who founded and directed the MAC Poker Ride, a charity cycling event that is part of Ingersoll Rand’s Healthy Giving Series. He has completed 14 marathons and hopes to qualify for the Boston Marathon in 2019. █
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Concord celebrates with the Spring 2018 Class at the 143rd Spring Commencement Ceremony
“For the students, this day is all about you,” President Kendra Boggess said in her welcoming remarks during Concord University’s Spring Commencement on Saturday, May 5. “It’s a joyful day. It’s a culmination of many years of persistence and determination for each of the graduates and this is a time to enjoy, recognizing their accomplishments. It’s also a time to celebrate,” Dr. Boggess said. “As you take your first steps into your own future, we want you to know, the Concord community will always be here to welcome you 30
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back to ‘The Campus Beautiful’,” she told the graduates. Two ceremonies were held in the main gym of the Leslie R. and Ruby Webb Carter Center to accommodate the graduates and their families and guests. A morning ceremony began at 10 a.m. and an afternoon ceremony took place at 2 p.m. Concord’s registrar’s office reported that 82 graduate candidates applied for graduation along with 261 undergraduate candidates. Among the graduates are 107 individuals who
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graduated with honors. The class includes 12 veterans. Maria Denise Harer and Sarah Elisabeth Akers, both of Beckley, were honored as valedictorians of the 2018 Class. Harer received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Bachelor of Social Work, Summa Cum Laude. She offered greetings during the morning ceremony. “This is something we should be proud of,” Harer told her classmates. “However, as awesome as we are, we didn’t do any of this on our own.” She then thanked the family members, professors, staff and “friends and peers” who she said “helped me get here…who helped all of us get here.”
"For the students, this day is all about you. It's a joyful day. It's a culmination of many years of persistence and determination for each of the graduates and this is a time to enjoy, recognizing their accomplishments. It's also a time to celebrate." - Dr. Kendra Boggess
Susie Lusk from the Registrar's office helps students find their placement.
“Thank you, you are all indispensable,” she said. “So, now what?” she asked fellow graduates. “We’re all dressed up, receiving our diplomas, but what are we going to do after this?” “I’m guessing that many of you, like myself, feel anxiety at the mere mention of the future,” she said. “I would like to leave you with some words of encouragement,” she said. “The most encouraging thing I can do is remind you how far you have come.” “By looking back and seeing what we’ve done, I feel confident that we’ll be able to look ahead and see what’s possible. Graduation is only a stepping stone, it’s not a place to linger,” she said. Akers received a Bachelor of Science in Biology (Pre-Physical Therapy), Summa Cum Laude. She spoke during the afternoon portion of commencement. “We are here today to celebrate alongside the people who have helped us reach this day, our triumphs, our victories, our achievements and
the future journey that we each are about to embark upon,” Akers said. “Over the past four years, we have grown academically as well as personally,” she said. “Many of us started this journey afraid of being in a new place and away from home, but now this campus, ‘Campus Beautiful’ feels like home.” “Imagine each of our lives as a separate book in which graduation is the close of one chapter in our book, but the beginning of a whole new one,” she said to her fellow graduates, “… remember to never stop writing our story and reaching our dreams.” “Today, as we come to the end of this chapter, we sincerely thank all those who have helped us get this far and who will help us continue our journey,” she said, “and to my fellow classmates of the Class of 2018, congratulations.” Two honorary degrees were presented during the day. Vincent Cali and David Kirby both received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities, honoris causa. Cali, a 1970 graduate of Concord and a resident of Spicewood, Texas, was honored » CU MAGAZINE
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David Kirby, of Hurricane, WV, graduated from Concord in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree. He received an MBA from Marshall University.
"By looking back and seeing what we've done, I feel confident that we'll be able to look ahead and see what's possible. Graduation is only a stepping stone, it's not a place to linger." - Maria Harer '18
during the morning ceremony. After receiving a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Concord, Cali went on to earn an MBA from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. His distinguished career as a management consultant spanned more than three decades. Rising to prominence with Deloitte & Touche, he served the firm in a number of capacities until his recent retirement as Deputy to the Global CEO of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. Cali has served Concord University’s Business Advisory Council as chairman offering his knowledge and experience to assist students in their educational and professional pursuits. 32
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Achieving prominence in the financial services industry, Kirby has spent 35 years in the field, working as a corporate trust banker, an investment banker, a retail broker and a municipal advisor. He is currently a senior vice president and financial consultant at Hilliard Lyons, LLC in Charleston, WV. Kirby has served as chair of the Concord University Foundation and continues today as a member of the organization’s Board of Directors. His longtime support of the Foundation’s scholarship dinners has benefitted many students. He was recognized during the afternoon ceremony. Greetings from the Concord University Board of Governors were delivered by David Barnette ’73, 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 ’18, president of the Student Government Association, delivered greetings from the Student Government Association. »
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A Family that Graduates Together‌ Spring's 2018 class had an interesting pair of graduates: William Sherwood and his granddaughter Emily Brown. William graduated from Concord in 1972 but was unable to walk at commencement due to needing one summer course to complete his degree. The pair were able to walk together in the afternoon ceremony, fulfilling one of William's lifelong dreams.
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Candidates for graduation participated in a ceremony based on their fields of study. The morning ceremony included candidates for Master of Education, Master of Arts in Teaching and Master of Social Work. Undergraduate candidates from the Department of Business and Recreation and Tourism Management, Department of Education, Department of Social Work and Sociology and the Department of Communication Arts and Media also participated in the morning ceremony. Participating in the afternoon ceremony were candidates for Master of Arts in Health Promotion and undergraduate candidates from the Department of Fine Arts, Department of Humanities, Department of Social Sciences, Department of Biology Department of Physical Sciences, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and Department of Health, Physical Education and Athletic Training. Also participating in the afternoon ceremony were undergraduate candidates in Interdisciplinary Studies and the Regents Bachelor of Arts program. In addition to candidates for graduation from West Virginia, candidates from out-of-state represent: Virginia, Washington, Texas, Nevada, Tennessee, South Carolina, Ohio, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Georgia, Florida, California, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, New York and New Mexico. International graduates represent: China, Turkey, Liberia, Nigeria, England, Canada, Venezuela, Japan, Bahamas, Brazil, Mali, and Tunisia. The Concord University Band and the ConChords provided musical selections. A reception was held following both ceremonies in the small gym.
Valedictorians Maria Denise Harer and Sarah Elisabeth Akers, both of Beckley, were honored as valedictorians for the Spring Class of 2018. Harer received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Bachelor of Social Work, Summa Cum Laude. “Being a valedictorian is a huge honor and one that I appreciate very much,” she said. “For me, it means that hard work and discipline do not go unnoticed or unappreciated. It means that the integrity you put into your work, even homework, matters. “It also means that I had teachers who were extremely invested in my classes and me personally. The entire social work department is amazing and one teacher in particular, Lori Pace, went out of her way to make sure I succeeded,” she said. Harer will begin working on a Master of Social Work degree at Concord in the fall. Akers received a Bachelor of Science in Biology (PrePhysical Therapy), Summa Cum Laude. »
Maria Harer
“To me,
Sarah Akers
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2018 343
TOTAL GRADUATES 82 GRADUATES 261 UNDERGRADUATES
107
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12 61% FEMALE 36
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“To me, being valedictorian is a great honor which makes me feel I have excelled and succeeded as a student,” she said. “I hope to continue to excel as I continue my journey,” she said. “The hard work paid off and I am beyond thankful to God, my parents, my family, my friends, and my professors for helping me and encouraging me throughout this journey.” Akers is continuing her education in Marshall University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.
Honorary doctorates
Honorary degrees were presented to two alumni during the 2018 Spring Commencement. Vincent Cali ’70 and David Kirby ’79 both received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities, honoris causa. Vincent Cali has achieved outstanding success and prominence in his career, and has established a strong history of service to his profession, to the community, and to Concord University. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Concord in 1970, he accepted a position with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Continuing his education, he received a Master of Business Administration degree from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. During more than three decades as a management consultant, he has worked in a variety of industries, serving clients domestically and internationally in both the private and public sectors. Recruited by Deloitte & Touche, Mr. Cali spent over 32 years with the global professional services firm as a professional and a partner until his recent retirement. He held a number of positions including Consulting Managing Director, National Managing Director, and member of the Deloitte & Touche USA Board of Directors. His last duty was as Deputy to the Global CEO of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. Mr. Cali has made significant contributions of time and leadership toward improving and strengthening his profession. Among these are being a fellow and past chairman of the Institute of Management Consultants; past vice chairman of the International Council for Management Consulting Institutes; and a member of the advisory board of the Journal of Management
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Duke Bound! Corrina Robertson will be attending Duke University in the fall after being accepted by nine prestigious programs in Cell Biology including Washington University, Cornell, Yale, the University of Michigan Ann Arbor and others. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Consulting. Additionally, he is a former member of the Panel of Arbitrators of the American Arbitration Association. As a chairperson of Concord’s Business Advisory Council, he returned to his alma mater and contributed his knowledge and experience to assist future graduates in their educational and professional pursuits. In the area of community involvement, Mr. Cali’s service extends to Greenlights for NonProfit Success in Austin, Texas. David Kirby’s distinguished career in the financial services industry, his community involvement, and his dedication to Concord University are exemplary. After graduating from Concord in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree he continued his education by earning a Master of Business Administration degree from Marshall University. During a successful career that spans 35 years, he has achieved a place of prominence and respect in his profession. Excelling in a number of capacities, he has worked as a corporate trust banker, an investment banker, a retail broker and a municipal advisor. In his current role as senior vice president and financial consultant at Hilliard Lyons, LLC in Charleston, WV, he serves as a financial advisor to individuals, businesses, and institutions. Mr. Kirby’s dedication and devotion to his alma mater is evidenced by his work with the Concord University Foundation. He has offered his leadership abilities to tirelessly serve as its chair, and today, continues his service as a member of the organization’s Board of Directors. His commitment to the University and its students includes longtime involvement in the Foundation’s fundraising dinners. As a member of the planning committee and as a sponsor for these events, he is helping provide scholarships and support for additional campus projects. Beyond his career and professional accomplishments, Mr. Kirby generously gives his
Dr. Boggess presenting the Honorary Doctorate to Vince Cali '70
Dr. Boggess presenting the Honorary Doctorate to David Kirby '79
time and abilities to his church and in service to several organizations that enhance cultural offerings and day-to-day life for his neighbors locally and globally. He serves as an ordained minister with the Expression Church of Huntington. His community involvement extends to the Lewisburg Rotary Club and to Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg and the Carnegie Hall Foundation. █ CU MAGAZINE
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STAYING
CONNECTED This feature catches up with former faculty, staff and administrators and asks them to update us about their life today while sharing some memories of their days at Concord
DR. JERRY L. BEASLEY President Emeritus
Biographical sketch: I spent my early childhood in Hinton where we lived with my mother’s parents in the West End. I played basketball for Central Elementary and baseball with the Little League Reds. My father, a teacher and coach, moved us to Fort Lauderdale in 1956 where we joined a close, informal community of former West Virginians and Concordians who looked after one another. I now live on Vermillion Street in Athens about two blocks from the CU campus. Being asked to serve as Concord’s president was the greatest honor of my professional career. I counted it as a privilege 95 percent of
the time. Now, I’ve come to appreciate what I may have learned from that other five percent. I came to Concord determined to prove that “you can go home again,” but quickly learned that it’s not the same place you remember, and even if it were, a teacher and educator enlists to change people and places and, in the process, is changed. Current activities and pastimes:
The members tell me that by two 4-3 votes I was asked to join a group of retired Concord faculty and spouses (the Bards, Beattys, Manzos, Ryans, and Wells) who meet » CU MAGAZINE
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every Friday morning for breakfast and the Five Aces (Greg and Phillip Ball, David Bard, Joe Manzo, Danny Meade, Ray Mull, and Bob Whittinghill) occasional seminar on probability, permutations and decision theory. The latter group funds an annual scholarship for a deserving Concord student. I am also a trustee of the Concord Foundation that manages an endowment that ranks nationally among the top five percent of regional state colleges in dollars per student. I have served as the lay leader of the Concord United Methodist Church, the volunteer executive director of the Hinton Area Foundation, a member of the board of the WV Faculty Merit Foundation and a member of the board of Princeton Community Hospital and chair of its pension trust committee. I play in the Athens town park with my granddaughter Amelia Jean McKenna and her parents Tom and Sarah. I love to visit my other two daughters – Heather and Leah – and their families. I enjoy reading, hiking, canoeing and quizzing CU students who happen by on the sidewalk in front of my house. (I’ve learned that some of them now walk Broadway to avoid the nosy old man on Vermillion.) How are you staying involved in higher education?
I continue to read and write about higher education. Currently, I am serving on the search committee for a new chancellor of the WV Higher Education Policy Commission. Most of all, I enjoy attending plays, musical performances, art shows, lectures and athletic events … and maybe a party or two on the CU campus and browsing the new book shelves in the library. Retiring in a college town, especially Athens, is perhaps the best life this side of paradise. How are you staying in touch with students, faculty and staff? (In addition to the above) I read Concord’s magazine, The Concordian, and area newspapers and allow myself a measure of pride in what our alums are doing with their lives. Although I worked some distance from what really mattered on our campus, I enjoy seeing the reunions of 40
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alumni with their favorite teachers, and the glow of those teachers when their life’s work is appreciated so palpably. I often thought that the most important work on a college campus is invisible to all but those directly involved (student on one end of the log and the teacher on the other), but the effects of those exchanges are often very much evident to others in the years to come. And, that’s why I’m glad to stick around and see the real results that were the stuff of our dreams in an earlier day. Advice to college students:
Come sit on my porch in the good weather and we’ll talk. I’m confident that I will learn something from you, and you may get some benefit from visiting with me. I would hope that we both leave with a new friend. Advice to recent college graduates:
Some fortunate few know exactly what they want to do with their lives upon graduation. In contrast to them, I have always appreciated the opportunities I had to experiment with a variety of jobs and roles during the first five years after college. I was a college admissions officer, a freshman advisor, a dorm director, a film editor, an interim minister, a soldier and heavy construction equipment operator, a substitute teacher, a football coach, a graduate student, a bartender, a custodian, a cleanup crew leader, a friend, a suitor, a lonesome traveler, a political campaign volunteer, and a “plain clothes hippie” (with a button to prove it). If dabbling has any benefit, it’s the constant reminder of how little one knows. If shallow relationships teach us anything, it’s that commitment is not only a source of deep learning but also of joy-filled relationships. I hope you can find a few good friends who will accept and challenge you, a balance that’s hard to find. █
BECKLEY-RALEIGH COUNTY DINNER
Become Become a FRIEND a FRIEND of of thethe J. Franklin J. Franklin Marsh Marsh Library Library at at Concord Concord University! University! The The Joseph Joseph F. Marsh F. Marsh Library Library formally formally opened opened onon November November 29,29, 1941. 1941. The The library library hashas grown grown to to over over 157,087 157,087 volumes volumes today, today, which which include include books, books, microfiche, microfiche, magazines magazines and and bound bound periodicals. periodicals. The The library library hashas been been and and continues continues to to bebe a vital a vital part part of of thethe educational educational program program of of Concord Concord University. University. “Friends” “Friends” areare comprised comprised of of members members who who recognize recognize thethe value value of of a quality a quality library library and and want want to to support support and and enrich enrich thethe services services provided. provided. Becoming Becoming a Friend a Friend is aisterrific a terrific way way to to bebe involved involved in your in your community community and and to to help help promote promote a love a love of of reading reading and and learning. learning. Your Your annual annual giftgift helps helps us us • Expand • Expand access access to to online online databases databases and and journals journals • Improve • Improve library library technology technology and and build build forfor thethe future future • Purchase • Purchase rare rare items items forfor special special collections collections • Sponsor • Sponsor readings readings and and lectures lectures forfor thethe benefit benefit of of thethe University University as as well well as as thethe area area communities communities You You cancan become become a ”Friend a ”Friend of of thethe Library” Library” byby sending sending your your annual annual contribution contribution to:to: Concord Concord University University Foundation, Foundation, Inc. Inc. Friends Friends of of thethe Library Library Fund Fund POPO Box Box 1405 1405 Athens, Athens, WVWV 24712 24712 OrOr byby calling calling 304-384-6266 304-384-6266
Spring 2017 • 14
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ROANOKE DINNER
The 2018 Roanoke Dinner raised funds for the Pathways scholarship with special guest John Bassett III
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lumni and friends of Concord University from the Roanoke-New River Valley area gathered at the Shenandoah Club in Roanoke, VA on April 26 for the Concord University Foundation, Inc.’s Roanoke Dinner. Proceeds from this dinner will benefit the Pathways Scholarship supporting students at Concord University. The Pathways Scholarship was developed in partnership with the Maier Foundation in 2015 to improve retention by financially assisting sophomores, juniors and seniors. To date, 70 students have benefitted from the scholarship. John Bassett III, chairman of Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Company and author of “Making It in America,” was the featured speaker. Pathways Scholarship recipient Jeremy Wood ’18 of Nimitz, WV served as the student speaker. Wood graduated Summa Cum Laude in May with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English (Literature) and History of Philosophy. “Thanks to our many generous sponsors who supported this great event for the Concord University Foundation, Inc. It is thanks to outstanding individuals and businesses like these who financially contribute that we are able to
continue our efforts in providing scholarships for students,” stated Blake Farmer ’17, Manager of University Advancement. “The Pathways Scholarship is one particular scholarship we are able to award to many deserving students. With this scholarship we are able to provide for sophomores, juniors and seniors at Concord University to continue their education in their chosen field of study,” he said. Farmer expressed his thanks for “the support from individuals and businesses from all over” offering “a special thank you to our friends of the University in the Roanoke-New River Valley area who came out to support this event.” Bassett was introduced at the dinner by Victor Foti ’58 and Bart Wilner, president of Entré Computer Center. Taking a detour from the standard podium delivered keynote address, Bassett shared his story through a conversation with Wilner. The two men conversed from wingback chairs on a stage reminiscent of a television talk show set. Utilizing an interview format, the presentation featured a discussion about Bassett’s business and the books that spotlight his success. Bassett’s career in the furniture industry » CU MAGAZINE
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ROANOKE DINNER
Gold Sponors Glenn & Sandra Lowe and Victor Foti with Dr. Boggess and John Bassett III
Sue Foti with JoAnn Lonker.
spans more than five decades. Beginning with Bassett Furniture Industries, he has been at Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Company since 1983. He is the third generation of his family to be in the furniture business. His grandfather, J.D. Bassett Sr., founded Bassett Furniture Industries and along with Bunyan Vaughan, established Vaughan-Bassett Furniture. John began working in the furniture factory while he was still a teenager. He has also worked in sales, marketing and plant management and has served as president and CEO. 44
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With 100 percent of Vaughan-Bassett’s products manufactured domestically, the company, under his leadership, has become the largest manufacturer of wooden bedroom furniture in the nation. Bassett has held leadership roles and received numerous awards in the furniture industry. He is a former chairman of the International Woodworking Fair and a past president of the American Home Furnishings Association. In 2001, he was named Manufacturer of the Year by Furniture Today and received the AFMA’s Distinguished Service Award. InFurniture magazine named him Man of the Year in 2003. He was recognized as Pillar of the Industry by the International Home Furnishings Representatives Association in 2012 and inducted into the American Furniture Hall of Fame in 2013. The UNC Greensboro Bryan Business School named Bassett Entrepreneur Extraordinaire in 2014. Bassett has appeared on radio talk shows and in television news broadcasts. His speaking engagements have taken him to locations in the U.S.
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and to Switzerland. His successful story of battling to keep his company alive is chronicled in the New York Times bestseller “Factory Man” by Beth Macy. “Making It in America” is Bassett’s own account of his business philosophy and principles. Each guest at the Roanoke Dinner received a signed copy of “Making It in America.” Additional participants in the evening’s program include Alicia Besenyei, vice president for advancement, who issued the welcome and President Kendra Boggess who provided remarks on behalf of the University. Denise Bates, senior pastor of Cave Spring United Methodist Church, offered the invocation. Blake Farmer introduced the student speaker. Rose Ann Burgess ’59 played the piano during the reception. █ Margaret ’84 and Robert Sayre
GOLD SPONSORS
VICTOR '58 & SUE FOTI GLENN '66 & SANDRA '68 LOWE SILVER SPONSORS
KIMBERLY A.C. ENOCHS '87 • ENTRE COMPUTER CENTER TABLE SPONSORS
ROSE ANN BURGESS '59 • FOTI, FLYNN, LOWENS & CO. C-FIRST INC. • JOHN JESSEE '76 • FOUR STAR PETROLEUM DR. ROSEMARY GOSS '74 • ROBERT & MARGARET '84 SAYRE
Student speaker Jeremy Wood
Dr. Kendra Boggess and Kimberly Enochs mingling with guests at the reception prior to the dinner.
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ABRACADABRA
Dr. Adelman & Joey in “Ranger Joey Rides Again”, which was nominated for an Ohio Valley Regional Emmy last year.
‘Abracadabra’ Partnership Brings Magic of Children’s Television to Concord PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARILEA BUTCHER
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esiree' Davis Christian is delighted to be performing again on stage at Concord. As Daisy in the acclaimed children’s television show “Abracadabra”, she and the rest of the cast are filming season six this summer in the Fine Arts Center’s Main Theatre. “It feels incredible being back here at Concord and to be performing on the main stage like I did years ago,” she said. “The first day we were on set getting things together, I had to just take a few
minutes and explore the halls of the music and theater department and remember a lot of the memories I made while I attended Concord.” Christian graduated from Concord in 2012. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies degree. She was a member of the choir and the ConChords and performed with the Commanders. Her CU theater experience includes work with “Batboy”, “The Magic Flute” and Wanda’s Visit”. » CU MAGAZINE
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amazing gardener which I hope can rub off on me in my own garden at home!” In a fun and educational way, “Abracadabra” aims to teach children ages 4 to 10 about nutrition, health, safety and science through music, magic and ventriloquism. Nominated for a regional Emmy, the half-hour show is seen by audiences across a 10-state area and into Canada. “Abracadabra” is produced by Mike & Joey Productions, in association with the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) and West Virginia Public Broadcasting and in partnership with Concord University. The program is part of the WVSOM’s Healthy Children’s Initiative.
"The partnership has generated excitement and enthusiasm as our alumni, local school children along with our students, faculty and staff will now be participating in a show that can improve children's health and nutrition throughout what is currently a 10 state broadcasting area." - Dr. Kendra Boggess
Abracadabra cast members with the time machine preparing for a journey; Mr. Oops prepares to amaze the cast with a trick; Dr. Adelman, Joey, Daisy and the Abra Kids encourage Emma to find her talent.
A veteran of the “Abracadabra” cast with five seasons already to her credit, Christian has a leading role in the show as Daisy, the flower shop owner who creates nutritious and kid-appealing snacks. “Daisy is an excellent cook and knows a million healthy snack recipes. She understands the importance of eating healthy and exercising for children's health and the kids really look up to her,” Christian said. “Daisy is also an 48
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The popular show had previously been filmed at WVPBS studios in Beckley, WV. When PBS operations moved out of that location, another option was needed. Concord had the necessary facilities available and offered to have production relocated to the Athens campus with filming set to begin July 9. “Concord University is thrilled to be involved in and hosting the ‘Abracadabra’ television show on the Alexander Fine Arts Center stage beginning in summer 2018. We are partnering with West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in producing this children’s television series,” President Kendra Boggess said. “The partnership has generated excitement and enthusiasm as our alumni, local school children along with our students, faculty, and staff will now be participating in a show that can improve children’s health and nutrition throughout what is currently a 10 state broadcasting area,” she said. “We are honored to be able to add our special brand of Concord enthusiasm and ‘magic’ to this Emmy-award nominated show.” With “Abracadabra” being filmed at Concord this season, several members of the CU community are part of the production. William Bailey, Concord’s Manager of Radio & TV Services, coordinated the transformation of the Fine Arts stage into the set for “Abracadabra”. Bailey will »
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Dr. Adelman, Joey and Duk
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be providing his expertise and experience every step of the way during production this summer. Five Concord students are working on “Abracadabra” and are receiving college credit for their efforts. One recent CU graduate will be working with the current students as well. “They will be getting credit in Children’s Television Production,” Robert Hoffman, CU Assistant Professor of Communication Arts, said. He said this will provide an opportunity for the students to broaden their knowledge and experience beyond what has been offered through the University’s broadcasting curriculum. Hoffman, who is serving as technical director for “Abracadabra” says the show is utilizing new broadcasting equipment that will also be “used throughout the year in the [Concord’s] TV studio.” This includes cameras, switchers and lighting, he said. Hoffman says the state-of-the-art equipment provides a “faster and quicker” product. Dr. Michael Adelman, who portrays Mike in CU MAGAZINE
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“Abracadabra”, is the show’s host and creator. “I originally created this series in Des Moines, Iowa,” he said. The current season is the fourth adaptation of the show. Adelman, who will be retiring as President of the WVSOM, also produces and writes the episodes. “President Boggess has been very supportive and wonderful in having us on her campus and making us feel at home,” he said. Adelman notes several benefits of filming “Abracadabra” at Concord. One, he said, is that by working with CU “there is another academic institution in West Virginia partnering in this adventure”. He added that having Concord broadcasting students involved will “help educate students who will be the broadcasters of the future.” Performing for more than 50 years, Adelman brings his talents as a magician and ventriloquist to the set of “Abracadabra”. He runs a magic shop in the show and is the best friend and guardian of Joey, a boy puppet. This summer, the Concord community can get in on the act as a live audience for Adelman’s illusions during
2018 PRESIDENT'S ABRACADABRA BALL
filming at CU. Along with Christian, Marilea Butcher ’95 is another Concord alum involved with “Abracadabra”. Butcher produces the show and is Vice President for Communications & Administrative Affairs at the WVSOM. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts degree from Concord. “It is exciting to return to Concord to record ‘Abracadabra’,” she said. “I really enjoyed my time at Concord and am happy to be a part of the education for current students. I appreciate the education I received at Concord and it is great to be able to return and apply the skills I learned.” “‘Abracadabra’ has been such a rewarding experience because of the impact it has on youth to make healthy choices. Our days on the set are very busy, but we have fun. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for the students and I look forward to working with them,” she said. Outreach is a big part of the show’s influence. As Coordinator of Community Outreach for the WVSOM, Christian, along with other cast members, takes the “Abracadabra” messages into elementary schools.
"I really enjoyed my time at Concord and am happy to be a part of the education for current students. I appreciate the education I received at Concord and it is great to be able to return and apply the skills I learned" - Marilea Butcher '95
“My school outreach takes me to many different elementary schools across West Virginia and we get to cover topics that are based on episodes from ‘Abracadabra’. One visit may talk about bullying while the next may be about why exercise is important. There are other times when myself, Professor Science, Mike and Joey get to do live magic shows for entire elementary schools while also discussing subjects with the students such as healthy eating and staying safe,” she said. Recognized by her school audience, Christian has a big impact as Daisy. “Over the years my own personality has merged with the character Daisy and when I enter a classroom and introduce myself, even though I am not in costume the students and teachers know me as Daisy,” she said. Adelman says pre- and post-testing is done with the students to measure their retention of the material that
Join the fun online! Just like the set for the Regional Emmy nominated show, the website for “Abracadabra” is bright and colorful and full of fun and magic. “TV Times” for the show may be found there along with episode clips, information on the cast, healthy snacks, games and lots more. Check out the excitement at www.abracadabra.org
Adult cast of Abracadabra.
has been presented. He says they are seeing “87 to 92 percent retention which is huge for us.” With a new season before them, Adelman says viewers can look forward to “fresh episodes, new original songs.” One special episode, “Know to Say No to Drugs” deals with the dangers of drug abuse and the current opioid epidemic. Another show deals with “time travel and female scientists and educators through the ages”, Adelman said. “We are very fortunate to be able to produce a series that we hope can affect the health and lifestyles of the next generation,” he said. █ CU MAGAZINE
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ALUMNI HAPPENINGS Concordians Travel to Vietnam Dr. Joseph Manzo, Mrs. Sharon Manzo, and Mr. Chad Parsons traveled to Vietnam in March for two important reasons – college recruitment fairs and the chartering of the Vietnamese Alumni Chapter. Dr. Manzo is a Professor of Geography at Concord, Mrs. Manzo works in the Academic Success Center and Mr. Parsons is an Instructor in English as a Second Language. The three represented Concord at Hanoi University, Le Qui Don High School, and the Access American Education (AAE) Spring Fair. Dr. and Mrs. Manzo also visited a class at alumna Hai Minh Nguyen’s Kim Lien Education Center. Ms. Nguyen’s students were very eager to learn more about the USA and Concord University. They had creative questions about college in America, and the Manzos were able to dispel the notion that all food in college cafeterias is “fast food.” “It’s great to have alumni in countries where CU recruits!” Sharon Manzo said. At the AAE Fair, alumnae Linh Pham and Huong Truong spent the day at Concord’s table talking about their CU experiences and sharing all the good things Concord has to offer. “Being able to converse in Vietnamese was a plus, since our Vietnamese was limited to xin chao, tam biet, and cam o’n ban (hello, goodbye, thank you),” Sharon said. The evening of March 23 the three met with
Alums Gather at Myrtle Beach Concord alumni got together at Tony and Debbie Basconi’s favorite breakfast restaurant in North Myrtle Beach, SC after attending Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church Sunday services. Shown standing from left to right are Bill Staples, Bob Gallione and Tony Basconi, and seated left to right, Sue Staples, Eva DeMaggio Gallione and Debbie Basconi.
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Alums shown with Roar accepting the charter for the Vietnamese alumni chapter from left to right are: Hanh Tran, Khiem Ho, Hoang Phan, Nam Ha, Hai Nguyen, Hong Truong and Linh Pham.
seven CU alums for dinner and the chartering of the first Vietnamese alumni chapter. Although a miscommunication with the taxi driver caused a delay in locating the restaurant, they finally found seven very excited, former CU students eager to see people from their “home” away from home in Athens. “We enjoyed a delicious meal, presented the group with the charter and gifts, took numerous pictures, including with Roar, of course,” Sharon said. “Our international alumni have very fond memories of Concord and are most appreciative when Concordians visit their home lands. It’s good to keep in touch.”
ALUMNI
Donna Bryant ’78 and Gerald Bryant ’78 took ROAR to their daughter Kelsey’s nursing school graduation on May 3, 2018 at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, NC. Kelsey earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Shown from left to right are Donna, Kelsey, Kristopher and Gerald Bryant.
Grant Carlson (son of Michelle Kaczynski Carlson '00) and Jack Turner (son of Sarah Lively Turner '98) took ROAR with them to LEGOLAND in Winter Haven, FL.
Patricia Nolen Molvig '66 and her husband Roar Molvig took ROAR with them to Kongsburg, Norway!
TAKE ROAR WITH YOU!
Sam Farley '74 and ROAR made the laborious assent up to the Acropolis in Athens, Greece on May 12, 2018.
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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The Concord University Alumni Association hosted the 2018 Alumni GALA on Friday, May 4 in the Ballroom of the Jerry L. and Jean Beasley Student Center.
The GALA – Gathering, Awards, Legacy, Auction – offered a time to reconnect with friends and classmates and honor the accomplishments and service of alumni. The following awards were presented: Golden Alumnus, Joanna Fredeking ’73; Young Alumnus, Melanie Farmer ’07, ’15; Outstanding Alumnus, Eric Hopkins, M.D. ’94; and Alumnus of the Year, Julia Ann Pauley ’74. An alumni memorial service was also part of the evening. R.B. (Ben) Crawford ’58 conducted this special remembrance. A silent auction was held to raise money for scholarships. Musical entertainment for the GALA was provided by The Allen Smith Band. »
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1973
JOANNA FREDEKING golden alumnus award
The Golden Alumnus Award is presented to a member of the CUAA who has contributed time and /or talent to Concord University and the Concord University Alumni Association with no less than 25 years of service to the University community.
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oAnna Fredeking, the 2018 recipient of this award, is known for her professional accomplishments, her dedication to Concord and her service to the community. JoAnna graduated from Concord in 1973 and completed her Master of Arts in Educational Administration degree in 1978 from Marshall University. She started her career with the Mercer County Board of Education in 1973 as a 1st grade teacher at Mercer School. She then served as a curriculum coordinator before accepting a vice principal position at Oakvale School in 1983. Ten years later, JoAnna was named principal of Oakvale School where she stayed until 1989. She then went to Thorn School as principal. In 2000, JoAnna was selected to be principal at Princeton Primary School and stayed there until she retired in 2005. That same year, she also completed 100 hours of course work above her master’s degree. All total, JoAnna spent 32 years with the Mercer County School System. JoAnna is or has been an active member of various local, state and national organizations. She is also a lifetime member of the Concord
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University Alumni Association and has served as a board member for the Pine Trees Chapter of the CCUA. Each year, JoAnna hosts the Pine Trees Summer Social at her beautiful home in Princeton where members may sit on the huge porch or on the perfectly manicured lawn to enjoy food and friendship. JoAnna has a strong record of public and community service. She was the first female Mayor of Princeton and was a member of the Princeton City Council from 1991-1995. She was honored as the Citizen of Year in 2009 for the Matthew French Chapter, DAR; the Mercer County Reading Principal in 1997; and the Princeton-Mercer County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 1993. JoAnna and her husband, Stewart Otto Fredeking, are the parents of Lillian Ann Fredeking Graham, John Charles “Jack” Fredeking and William “Bill” Stewart Fredeking. Lillian and her husband, David Earl Graham, are the parents of Lauren Nicole and Whitney Alyse. Jack and his wife, Kathy, are the parents of John. Bill and his wife, Terri, are the parents of Corbin and Will.
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2007 MELANIE FARMER YOUNG alumnus award
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The Young Alumnus Award is given to a Concord alumnus who has demonstrated distinctive achievement in career, civic involvement or both and who is no more than 15 years past graduation. elanie Farmer is the 2018 recipient of this honor. In 2007, Melanie earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Concord after being an active member of the campus community through the Honors Program and Delta Zeta Sorority. Shortly after, she began working at the Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau as Marketing Director and Financial Administrator. While working in tourism promoting southern West Virginia, Melanie also became actively involved in the community serving on committees for Princeton AutumnFest and the Women’s Expo. She became a founding board member for a young professionals group, Generation GAP and spearheaded Make Mercer Shine, a local group encouraging county-wide recycling and cleanup of dilapidated properties. In 2010, Melanie began working for The City of Bluefield, WV as Community Relations Coordinator. In this position, she was responsible for bringing grant funded programs to Bluefield and worked with economic development and revitalization for the downtown area. In 2012, she returned to her alma mater as Grants and Contracts Assistant in the Office of Sponsored Programs. At Concord, she has received the 2016-
2017 Presidential Excellence Award for outstanding service to the University and the Mountain Lion award for Outstanding and Noteworthy service. Melanie now serves as the Assistant Director of Grants and Contracts, working to find grant funding for projects and development for the campus and local community. Melanie earned her Master of Social Work degree and became a Licensed Graduate Social Worker in the State of West Virginia in 2015. She has since worked part-time in social work as a Substance Abuse Therapist and now teaches adjunct in the Master of Social Work Program at Concord. Her engagement in the campus community continues through development of outreach programs, grant proposals and opportunities for students and other Concordians. Melanie serves on the Executive Council of the CUAA. Since 2013, she has chaired the Scholarship Committee, developing a standardized scholarship process and consecutively awarding more scholarships each year. She is a board member for the Mercer County Development Authority; coaches cheerleading for Upward Sports at First United Methodist Church in Princeton; and is secretary for her homeowners association. Melanie resides in Princeton with her husband, Jason, and two daughters, Layla and Jenna. CU MAGAZINE
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DR. ERIC HOPKINS OUTSTANDING ALUMNUS
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The Outstanding Alumnus Award is presented to a Concord alumnus who has made outstanding accomplishments in professional and civic life. he 2018 recipient of this award joins an esteemed group of individuals who have achieved success and prominence in a variety of professions from banking, law and education to public service and medicine. A veterinarian, a college president and a federal magistrate judge, along with a CEO and other business executives, are among the honorees making the list. Although an impressive group comes before him, this year’s Outstanding Alumnus, Dr. Eric Shane Hopkins, lives up to the achievements of his predecessors. Eric was born in Bluefield, WV. He spent much of his childhood in the communities of Athens and Elgood with his parents, Eddie and Bonnie Hopkins, and his twin sister, Jill. Eric attended Athens High School. He succeeded academically and graduated as the valedictorian of his class in 1990. After high school graduation, Eric attended Concord. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Concord in 1994. He then headed to Huntington and Marshall University to pursue his medical degree. He graduated with an M.D. degree from the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards Medical School
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in 1998. Dr. Hopkins then completed a 5-year General Surgery residency at Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) through West Virginia University. In June of 2003, at the young age of 29, Dr. Hopkins returned home to Mercer County where he set up a private practice. Fifteen years later, Dr. Hopkins has a successful practice in the same location across from Princeton Community Hospital. Along with offering care to patients at his medical practice, Dr. Hopkins also contributes to the field of medicine through his professional affiliations. He is a Past President of the American College of Surgeons, West Virginia Chapter. Additionally, Dr. Hopkins serves on the Princeton Community Hospital (PCH) Board and is the Current Director of Trauma at PCH. He is also a Registered Vascular Technician (RVT) and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Eric married Angie Fox in 1997. Angie graduated from Concord with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and Political Science in 1993. They have four children: Drew, 17, Beth, 15, Parker, 13 and Hudson, who is 5. The Hopkins family resides in Princeton where they are active members of the community.
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1974 JULIA ANN PAULEY alumnus of the year
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The Alumnus of the Year Award is presented to a member of the CUAA who has contributed time and/or talents to the Concord University Alumni Association. ulia Ann Pauley is the recipient of this award for 2018. A respected educator, Ann is a faithful and dedicated member of the alumni association and a devoted and loyal Concordian. Ann graduated from Concord in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education K-8 with a concentration in Social Studies. Continuing her education, she received a Master of Arts in Gifted Education, Learning Disabilities, and Mental Retardation from the WV College of Graduate Studies. She has also earned National Board Certification as a teacher. This certification is the highest level of licensure available to educators in the United States. She had completed extensive work toward her doctorate at Virginia Tech when “family illnesses required her to examine her personal goals”. Ann has taught in the Mercer County School system and also at Concord and Bluefield State College. She sponsored the West Virginia Education Association chapter at the colleges. As an educator, Ann has taught children as young as 3-4 years of age and as old as 69. She was named Mercer County Teacher of the Year for 1983-84. Ann is an active member of the Concord University Alumni Association. She has offered her time to
serve on the Executive Council and on a number of committees including membership, homecoming, alumni weekend and legislative advocacy. She has also been involved with the Pine Trees Alumni Chapter in a leadership role. Supporting her community, Ann has served a variety of organizations and programs. She has been a 4-H volunteer teacher; coordinator of the Princeton Senior High School Make a Difference Day; Coordinator of Youth Alive and Junior Civitan activities at Princeton Senior; and Coordinator of Make a Difference Day activities at Athens School. A guest speaker at Gideon International across four states, she has worked as a member and an officer with the Parent Teacher Organization, school sports programs and the band, her church, Cub Scouts and Heritage Girls. She has served as a judge for various school fairs and bowls, volunteers at Princeton Community Hospital and has coached soccer. Ann’s late husband, Michael, was a 1973 Concord graduate. She has two sons, Matthew and Benjamin, and six grandchildren.
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Alumni Spotlight FEBRUARY 2018
DR. BRAD LANE ’02 Join us in congratulating Concord alumnus Dr. Brad Lane (’02). Dr. Lane was recently recognized by the West Virginia Association of Optometric Physicians as their Optometrist of the Year! They had no trouble “seeing” just how great this Mountain Lion was at the profession!
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AARON BRAKEFIELD '04 Recognize anyone while you and over 103 million people were watching the Super Bowl this year? Viewers were treated with Concord University alum Aaron Nicholas Brakefield grabbing snacks and playing his best air guitar in the Sheetz advertisement at halftime!
December 2017 - Barbara Berg Richko '72
APRIL 2018
TIM CARRICO ’17, VALERIE SULLIVAN ’99, LARRY MARRS ’03 A hearty congrats to not one, not two, but THREE Concord alumni from WVNS-TV who took home awards from the West Virginia Broadcasters Association! Valerie Sullivan (’99) won for ‘Best Locally Produced Television Show’, Larry Marrs (’03) for ‘Best Coverage of Breaking News’, and Tim Carrico (’17) for ‘Best TV Creative’. You can watch this crew’s work every day on 59 News all across southern West Virginia and online at wvnstv.com
MAY 2018
KEVIN POWELL '89
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Concord University alum Kevin Powell has been nationally recognized as the BEST seller of Suzuki motorcycles in the United States among other accolades! Kevin Powell’s Automotive and Powersports Group operates six locations throughout Central North Carolina, representing 11 different manufacture franchises. 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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Class Notes
ACHIEVEMENTS 1970s ____________ AL MORGAN ’71 received the Volunteer of the Year award from the organizers of the Greenbrier Classic golf tournament. Al, who volunteers every year at the event, is a marshal responsible for taking care of the No. 1 hole including keeping the bridge near the tee cleared of spectators allowing the players to cross. He was saluted for his friendliness and for his willingness to work extra shifts and to fill in for the marshal committee chairperson when needed.
nearly four decades, currently teaches math at Bluefield Middle School. She volunteers to coach with the Math Field Day, Math Counts and the Math Olympiad.
1990s ____________
1980s ____________
IVORY ROWE ’80 has been named Mercer County’s 54th Teacher of the Year. Ivory, who has been a teacher for
BRIAN ALLEN, ’90 AND ’13, Continuity Director at WJLS in Beckley, was awarded “Best Creative” in the
radio category at the 2018 West Virginia Broadcasters Association annual awards ceremony in Morgantown, WV. Allen joined West Virginia Broadcasting – Raleigh County, in 2016. He writes copy, produces commercials and schedules their air time. He’s also done some creative voice work and announcing for “99.5 The Big Dawg.” Allen submitted the commercial he created for a local client last fall. “I was really excited about it,” said Allen. “In this case, it was just the right opportunity and of course the voice people really helped the spot. It’s always a team effort but it always feels good that you get to put it together.” Award entries were judged out-of-state by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters. This was the 15th year for the award show, which alternates between Morgantown and Charleston every spring. SHERRY HICKS-BUCKLES ’97 has been named Hyatt Regency’s Food & Beverage Director of the Year. She is Senior Director of Food & Beverage
Farley Pens Book on Being a Servant Leader DANIEL W. FARLEY ’67 chronicles his experiences leading and serving God as well as others in his recently released book “God’s Call to Service and Leadership”. Dr. Farley is a retired United Methodist minister who served as president for more than 33 years at GlenWood Park Inc., a United Methodist related continuing care retirement community in southern West Virginia. In the book he discusses his personal experiences in growing up in West Virginia, getting education in public schools, striving to achieve his life goals, having a strong family and a deep faith in Christ, and encountering cultural circumstances in his chosen career. Dr. Farley shares, “Effective organizations seeking
to have a distinct presence in the growing years of the twenty-first century will need human genius to create emerging organizations to do their work. This means being led to achieve rather than being forced through desire. “Due to the sophisticated nature and presence of today’s workforce, management will likely find itself spending many hours in reading, research, and exploration in order to determine the best message and approach to influence factors of work life that impact employees,” he said. “Boards must expect and leave to their CEO the task of setting the stage and enabling actors (personnel) to be motivated and to perform. The days are long gone for directing people as a boss and compelling them to work. CEOs who do not understand this fact will likely not survive, nor will they position their organizations to survive.” “God’s Call to Service and Leadership” is published by Christian Faith Publishing. It is available at traditional brick and mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. CU MAGAZINE
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Class Notes at Hyatt Regency Atlanta. Sherry was also quoted recently in The Wall Street Journal. Keeping a “brag book” with compliments and other confidence boosters is a technique that Sherry discusses in the article, “New Strategies Help Women Build Career Confidence”.
Former CU Student-Athletes Receive MEC Honors as Coaches
2000s ___________
LARRY MARRS ’03 was recently honored with the Golden Apple Award from the West Virginia Education Association for his work as a photojournalist with 59 News during the recent teachers’ strike. The award is given to professionals in media who excel in covering teachers’ issues.
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CHRISTY LAXTON ’04 is a recipient of a 2018 West Virginia Small Business Administration (WV SBA) Small Business Week award. She was named the WV Small Business Champion of the Year for her work with the Wyoming County Economic Development Authority. Christy has worked for the EDA for nearly 17
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Fellow Mountain Lion alums NICK BIAS ’06 and JOHN PAUL BLANKENSHIP ’06, ’08 coached the University of Charleston Golden Eagles Men’s Track & Field team to its first Mountain East Conference championship in the school’s history this spring. John Paul was named a Mountain East Conference Coach of the Year as well. Winner of seven conference championships at Concord, John Paul set school track and field records in the discus, shot put and hammer throw and was an NCAA All-American, among other honors. He was inducted into the CU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011. Nick ran cross country/track and field for Concord from 20032006. Among his highlights of years and has served as the organization’s executive director for more than a decade.
DON COLLEY ’08, a CU geography graduate, earned his Ph.D. at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Don is now on the geography faculty at Oklahoma State University.
John Paul Blankenship (left) and Nick Bias (right)
running for the Mountain Lions was being a scoring member of the 2004 WVIAC cross country championship team.
SUBMIT A CLASS NOTE! 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 always welcome! Mail: Concord University ATTN: Office of Advancement P.O. Box 1000, Athens, WV 24712. Email: advancement@concord.edu
Class Notes
Bias Shines in 4th Boston Marathon Run NICK BIAS ’06 made his 4th appearance in the Boston Marathon in April, logging his fastest time on the course. A time of 2:55:48 placed him in the top 1,000 finishers. The Boston Marathon is the 14th marathon Nick has run. He recorded his personal best time – 2:45:14 – during January in a Houston event. Nick ran cross country and track and field at CU. He was the 2006 WVIAC Scholar Athlete of the Year.
2010s ___________ McDaniel Impressive in 2018 Boston Marathon LANCE MCDANIEL ’10 (#1488) ran the 2018 Boston Marathon on April 16 completing the 26.2 mile course with a time of 2:51:41. Battling harsh weather with wind, rain and cold temperatures, he crossed the finish line in 692nd place overall out of 26,948 competitors. Lance ran cross country for the Mountain Lions and continues to compete in a number of events. He is a repeat champion of the Charlotte Thunder Road Half Marathon.
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IN MEMORY 1940s ___________
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CATHLEE “TABBY” KEATON ’40: March 29, 2018. Born December 30, 1920 at Pipestem Creek in Summers County, she was the daughter of the late Aubert W. Keaton and Bessie Lee Jones Keaton. She was an active member of Kee Street United Methodist Church in Princeton, attending faithfully as long as her health permitted. She attended elementary and high school in Athens. Tabby obtained her degree in Elementary Education from Concord College and her Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Marshall University. She taught first grade in Mercer County for 46 years. Her teaching career began in 1939 at Mora School in McComas where she taught for nine years. The next three years she taught at Montcalm and the last 34 years of her teaching career were at Athens. When she began at Athens, the school was associated Concord Training School for teachers. One summer she had 20 pre-school children plus 13 student teachers. Those were the days before West Virginia provided public kindergarten and teacher CU MAGAZINE
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aides. Many summer vacations she combined her love of traveling and at the same time bring back to her classroom the latest trends by taking Early Childhood Education classes at higher learning institutions including George Peabody for Teachers, University of Puerto Rico, Duke University, and Johns Hopkins University. She was a resident of Princeton. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one brother, Carlos Keaton and his wife Pansy, and one sister, Charlene White and her husband Jack. Left to cherish her memory are her niece, Sharon White Carter of Princeton; nephews, Aubert Keaton of Princeton and Richard Keaton of Manassas, VA; great-nieces, Morgan Lucado Belcher and husband Brandon of Culloden, WV, Lisa Lambert and family of Princeton, Lori Keaton of Princeton, and Karen Bruchstein and family of New Bern, NC.
JUANITA AGEE FRAZIER LONG ’44: March 28, 2018. Juanita was born in Mullins, WV, where she graduated from Mullins High School. She attended Concord University and resided in Athens, WV. Juanita taught school as a substitute teacher for the Sullivan County School System and the Kingsport City School System. A resident of Kingsport, Juanita was a member of First Broad Street United Methodist Church, Women of the Moose, Ladies Auxiliary of Eagles, Ladies Auxiliary of UFW, and a lifetime member of the PTA. She was preceded in death by parents, Daniel and Elizabeth Agee;
her first husband, Ray L. Frazier in May 1985; second husband, James F. Long; and brothers, Boyd H. Agee, D.H. Agee and Albert “Bill” Agee. Juanita is survived by her daughter, Sharon Russell and husband, Michael of Kingsport; stepdaughter, Judy Lord of Michigan; son, Richard L. Frazier and wife, Pauline of Kingsport; stepson, Larry F. Long and wife, Charylene of Gaffney, SC; four grandchildren, Denise Blackwell, Christopher “Stacey” Agett, Richard Frazier, Jr. and wife, Christy, Brandon Russell and wife, Nicky; 10 great-grandchildren; three step-grandchildren and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
1950s ___________
NANCY JOAN SMITH ’51: March 28, 2018. Nancy was born in Mullens, WV on March 22, 1929. She was an accomplished pianist and her most prized possession was the piano her parents gave her when she was a child. Nancy studied business at Concord College and Columbia University. She was a teacher at Herndon High School and worked many years as the food Service director for Wyoming County Schools. She was a member of the Mullens Chapter of the Eastern Star and served as their pianist. She retired in 1981. She moved to White Sulphur Springs to be near her family. She was preceded in death by her father Clarence E. Smith and her mother Della Scott Smith, one brother Clarence E. Smith, Jr. and a beloved grandmother Alice B. Smith. She is survived by many cousins and special friends.
Class Notes
GLEE (BUTLER) SMITH ’52: April 28, 2018. Glee was born on September 7, 1920 to the late Sherman E. and Ida (Mohler) Butler in Rifle, CO. She graduated from high school in Wauneta, NE and attended college in nearby Chadron. She graduated from Concord College with a Bachelor of Science degree. For a brief period, she was in the Women’s Army Corp. (W.A.C.) On September 15, 1945, Glee was married to Clyde William Smith of Layland, WV. They had three children: William Eugene, Carol Elaine and Clyde Robert Smith. Glee was a retired elementary school teacher, having taught for seven years in the rural schools of Nebraska and 24 years in West Virginia. She was a member of Calloway Heights Baptist Church in Beckley, WV and was formerly the assistant pianist and a choir member. For the past seven years, she had resided with her daughter and sonin-law in Claypool, IN. In addition to her husband of 53 years, Clyde W. Smith, Glee was preceded in death by her oldest son, William Smith; sister, Dorothy Holderman; three brothers: Irvin, Jay and Ivan Butler; half-brother, Leonard Bird; half-sister, Carmen Merrill; step-father, Warren Bird; granddaughter, Jennifer Smith and grandson, John Droke. Those who survive include son, Clyde Robert Smith of Bradley, WV; daughter, Carol Elaine (husband, Roy) Droke of Claypool, IN; five grandchildren; four great-granddaughters and one great-grandson. Glee was blessed with a loving family and church family, with good friends, and with kind neighbors.
BETTY WILLIAMS CAPALDINI ’54: March 20, 2018: Betty is survived by husband, Pete, to whom she was married for 64 incredible years. They spent the majority of their lives on the shores of beautiful Claytor Lake. While raising her family, Betty was a professional educator, having attained a master’s degree from Radford University and her undergraduate degree from Concord College. She taught grade school, was an assistant principal at Claremont Elementary and finished her career at Draper Elementary. Also known as “Nanny”, Betty was the driving force in her family, and her spirit will be missed by all who knew her. In addition to her husband, Pete, she is survived by: her daughters, Theresa (Lynn) Womack and Sharon (Mark) Oldham; son, James (Martha) Capaldini; grandchildren, Nicole (Brad) Hutchison, Peter (Megan) Womack, Philip (Elizabeth) Womack, Houston (Mina) Oldham, Rachel Oldham, Jesse Capaldini, Braden Capaldini, and David Capaldini; great grandchild, Xander Hutchison; and sister, Mildred Pat Chandler.
JAMES FRANKLIN BAILEY ’55: March 26, 2018. Jim was born on
June 18, 1933 to Thomas and Grace Bailey in Dunbar, WV. He moved to Bramwell, WV where he graduated from Bramwell High School in 1951. From there he went to Concord College and later enlisted in the US Marine Corps. He was honorably discharged as a drill sergeant. Jim, or “Oleboy” as he was so fondly called, soon moved to Bluefield and joined the Bluefield City Police Department where he was a City Police Officer from January, 1958. Jim rose thru the ranks until he retired as a Lieutenant in August 1, 1984. After his retirement, he joined the US Marshall Service where he worked for 14 years at the Federal Court House under the direction of The Honorable Judge Elizabeth Hallanan and The Honorable Judge David Faber. Jim began his masonic career as a mason and was a past master. He then went on to become a lifelong Shriner with the Beni Kedem Temple. Jim drove many children to the Children’s Shriners Hospital during his Shriner career. Jim was a lifelong member of the Bluefield Elks Lodge #269. Jim is survived by his wife of 25 years, Nancy Isabella Bailey; and three children with his first wife, Barbara F. Bailey, his son, James F. (Jimmy) Bailey, II, and wife Cathy of Bluefield, his daughter, Kimberly Croy and husband Brian, of Charleston, SC and his youngest daughter, Norma Jean (Cissy) Bailey, of Bluefield. Jim has four grandchildren that he adored, Brandon Croy, and wife Ashley, of Charleston, SC, Jennie Ann Bailey, Claire Bailey, both of Bluefield and Alexie Grace Croy of Charleston, SC. He has two step-children, Matt Pixley and wife Cindy from Fredericksburg, VA, and Mary Humphreys and husband, Keith from Roanoke, VA. He also has two wonderful stepgrandchildren, Tyler and Clair Humphreys. Also surviving are his brother Lt. Col. Garnett R. Bailey (Ret.) and wife Rita of Fairfax, VA along with his nieces, Suzie Sterrett, husband Jeff, from Williamsburg, VA and Becky Bailey Guenther. Jim had CU MAGAZINE
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Class Notes many things of which to be proud, but one he was especially proud of was that his grandson Brandon followed in his footsteps to become a police officer, first in Bluefield and then on to Mount Pleasant, SC. Jim enjoyed life by spending his time camping and boating at Claytor Lake and riding his many motorcycles. Jim had a passion for cars and motorcycles and you could always find him by his “OleBoy” license plate. Later in life he would spend it by reading many western novels and watching “Gunsmoke."
LEROY MABE ’55: April 30, 2018. LeRoy was a graduate of Bramwell High School, Bluefield (Junior) College and Concord University. He obtained the degree of Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He served proudly in the U.S. Army, having assignments with the Finance Corps and Army Audit Agency. He was a certified public accountant, having his own practice in Bluefield since 1976. He has been a board member of the WV Society of CPAs, and served ten years on the WV Society of CPA’s Professional Ethics Committee. In June 2013, he received the 41st Life Membership Award from the WV Society of CPAs. He was a former member and President of the Kiwanis Club of Bluefield and former treasurer of the local Red Cross chapter. LeRoy was a member of the Church of Christ, Duhring, which he served as treasurer and as a trustee. He was a resident of Bluefield. He was preceded in death by his parents, Edgar Roy Mabe and Sadie Mullin Mabe, and his only sibling, Betty Lou Mabe. He is survived by his uncle, William C. Mullin of Lanham-Seabrook, MD, and by many cousins and friends.
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DOROTHY H. MLEKUSH ’55: September 10, 2017. Dorothy Helen Trent was born August 9, 1935, in Wyoming County, West Virginia, to Drewrey and Hazel Hatfield Trent. She married Ronald Richard Mlekush on June 6, 1955, in Tazewell, Virginia. They were married for 62 years. She was an elementary teacher at Carbon Cliff schools for 22 years, retiring in 1991. She previously taught in Moline and East Moline. A resident of Moline, Dorothy taught for a total of 31 years in Illinois. She loved her family, and enjoyed reading, traveling, antiquing, and spending time by the water. Dorothy is survived by her husband, Ron; four children and spouses, Rick and Vicki Mlekush of Colona, Keith Mlekush of Murphysboro, Illinois, Sherry Reid of Davenport, and Mark and MaryAnn Mlekush of DeForest, Wisconsin; eight grandchildren; one stepgrandchild; 10 great-grandchildren; and her sister and brother-in-law, Beverly and Robert Childers of Hanover, Maryland.
DONALD WAYNE HAGER ’58: March 21, 2018. He was born January 4, 1935 in Bluefield, WV, and the son of the late Buford and Cleo Day Hager. He was proud to be the third of five generations to be members of First Presbyterian Church of Bluefield, WV, where he served as Elder and a Worship committee member. His hobbies were reading, listening to classical music, watching television, and gardening. He was known for his quirky sense of humor, and was
well loved by family and friends. He especially enjoyed rooting for the Bluefield Beavers football team, attending many games with family and listening to the games every Friday in his later years. He was also an avid fan of the Redskins and Yankees. Wayne was educated in Mercer County Schools. He was proud to have been a member of the Beaver High School a capella choir and the high school’s band. He received his Music Education degree from Concord, majoring in voice and trombone, and obtained his master’s degree from Madison College (James Madison University). Additional continuing education was obtained at Radford University. Wayne taught music at Lexington, VA town schools, and at Graham High School in Bluefield, VA. He was an instrumental music teacher, which included guitar, other stringed instruments, and handbells, and Band Director at Matoaka High School and Lashmeet schools for 40 years. During this time, he also taught at Montcalm High School. Following the closing of Matoaka High School, he taught at Lashmeet School and Silver Springs Elementary School, Princeton, WV. He retired in June 2000. During his teaching career he enjoyed being active within the MENC and as a NEA representative for Mercer County at county, state, and national levels. Wayne was privileged to be under the tutelage of Elizabeth Shelton and Robert Wright as a student teacher when Bluefield High School was first opened. Wayne enjoyed singing in the choirs of First Presbyterian Church, Bluefield College Masterworks Chorale, Summit Players musical performances, Flat Top National Bank Choir, First Community Bank Chorus and playing his trombone with the Bluefield Symphony. He also played handbells with First Presbyterian Handbell Choir. He was a former Choir Director at First United Methodist Church of Bluefield, VA,
Class Notes Trinity United Methodist Church of Bluefield, WV, and Falling Spring Presbyterian Church, Glasgow, VA. He also organized a brass ensemble which performed at Christmas and Easter services at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Bluefield, WV. He arranged the music which the ensemble performed. He was a resident of Bluefield. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Allen Day (A.D.) Hager, a brotherin-law George E. (Eddie) Arthur and his wife, Carolyn, his brother-in-law Joseph McElroy, two sisters-in-law, Nancy Wright and Frances and her husband, Art Schroeder. Surviving are his wife Dolly (Addie) Wright Hager, his daughters Melinda and husband Gregory Testerman of Bluefield, Karen and husband Randolph Worstell of Gordonville, Texas, his grandchildren Daniel, Rebecca, Samuel, Michael Testerman and his wife Katie, and Jennifer. Wayne’s great grandchildren are Anthony, Roland, Leland, Cameron, Zoey, and Madelyn. He also had numerous nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his brother Dewey and wife Debbie Hager of Princeton, sister-in-law Peggy Hager of Princeton, brotherin-law James and wife Joyce Arthur of Glasgow, VA, brother-in-law Jack and his wife Gay Arthur of Glasgow, VA, and sister-in-law Shirley McElroy of Roanoke, VA. Additional survivors include close members of the family of Walter A. Wright (Addie’s father) of Appomattox, VA and surrounding area.
1960s ___________
SHEILA WRIGHT ’62: May 5, 2018. Born April 15, 1940 in Matoaka, she was the daughter of the late Alvin Martin and Izetta Morris Martin. Mrs. Wright was a 1958 graduate of Matoaka High School and received her B.S. degree from Concord College. She was a school teacher in Mercer County from 1962 until her
retirement in 2003. A resident of Princeton, she attended the Princeton Rescue Squad Chapel. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Martin Wright. Survivors include her grandson, Martin Wright, II of Matoaka and four special cousins.
OTTIE BUD “BUDDY” COLLINS JR., ’68: April 14, 2018. Born May 8, 1946 at Scarbro, he was the son of the late Ottie B. Collins Sr. and Catherine B. Davis Collins. Buddy was a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, received his bachelor’s degree from Concord College and a master’s degree from Marshall University. He was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Concord. He was well known and greatly respected as an educator, having taught social studies and drivers education, retiring from Iaeger High School after a long career. Buddy was an avid Mountaineer fan and loved sports on all levels. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and a friend to many. He was a member of the McDowell Masonic Lodge 112, where he was currently serving as the Worship Master, and was a member of the Beni Kedem Shrine Temple. He was a resident of Bluefield. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his two siblings; Thomas G. Collins and Betty Ferraro. Those left to cherish his memory, his loving wife of 49 years, Wanda Dillon Collins; one daughter, Laura Beth Cottle and husband Kelly and their son, Andrew all of Gastonia, NC; two nephews, Woodrow and Wayne Collins both of Ellicott MD; two nieces, Rebecca Spena of Binghamton NY, and Kathy Pflieger of Bonita Springs FL; and his four-legged fur buddy, Tennessee. MICHAEL ’69 AND SUSAN HURT ’69: Susan died on December 20, 2016 at the age of 70. She was the daughter of the late Archie and Venice Dunford Hill. Sue was a graduate of Princeton High School and Concord College. While living in Purcell OK,
Susan was a Home Economics teacher who loved her students. Michael’s passing came on September 6, 2017 at the age of 70 in Lexington OK. Michael was the son of the late James and Mosha Waddell Hurt. Michael was a graduate of Princeton High School, Concord College and earned his degree in Veterinary Medicine at the University of OK. Michael was the co-owner of Purcell Veterinary Hospital until his retirement in 1994. Susan and Michael were high school sweethearts. They were completely in love and devoted to each other their entire lives. They were blessed to have one son, Christopher Hurt of Keller, TX, and a grandson, Justin Hurt of Wylie TX. Additional survivors for Susan are her sisters, Sandra and Chuck Collins of Chesapeake, OH and Patricia Harrison of Princeton. Michael is also survived by a brother Dave Hurt and wife Edith of Florida. Survivors also include a host of nieces and nephews.
1970s ___________
JUDITH MARIA “JUDI” IHLENFELDT MOLINARI ’72: June 19, 2017. She was born on August 27, 1939 in Alton, Illinois. Her father who was an Army pilot was transferred to Lawton, Oklahoma where she attended junior high school, and then moved to Chicago, Illinois where she attended St. Xavier Academy High School. After the birth of her children, she CU MAGAZINE
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Class Notes earned a B.A. from Concord College and a M.S. from Radford College in 1973. Judi was a member of Phi Delta Kappa Fraternity for over 42 years. She became a member of the American Psychological Association in 1976, and was a therapist, school psychologist and clinical psychologist both in Danville, Virginia and Houston, Texas for many years. Judi was a member of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) Lady Washington Chapter with more than 50 years of dedicated service. She was a three time cancer survivor, and had lived with multiple sclerosis for the past 28 years. Judi will be remembered for her sharp wit, her love of books, and cats of which she had many over her lifetime. Holly, her regal gray tabby, provided comfort and companionship to Judi after the death of her husband, Ronald. Judi was predeceased in death by her father, Bruce O. Ihlenfeldt; mother, Blanche H. Ihlenfeldt; and husband of 36 years, Ronald E. Molinari. She is survived by her son, Bruce Carney and daughter-in-law Sarah Carney of Richmond, Virginia; daughter, Jennifer Hudson and son-in-law James E. Hudson III of Houston, Texas; grandchildren, Serena Hudson, Kathryn Carney, Audrey Hudson, and James Hudson IV; sister, Sissy Tiedtke and brother-inlaw Donald Tiedtke of Long Beach, California; sister-in-law, Sandra Nelson of Lenox, Illinois.
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SUSAN LEE O’CONNELL ’72: April 9, 2018. Susan worked for the State of West Virginia and was the executive director of the Division of Public Transit for over 25 years. Under Susan’s leadership, the Division of Transportation achieved national recognition and expanded public bus transportation to all 55 counties in West Virginia. Susan was able to oversee the design and construction of numerous new bus depots and garages throughout West Virginia. She supervised the purchase of specialized vans that were distributed to regional agencies for use by the elderly. She received state and national recognition for her efforts and continued to work as a consultant for several major transportation systems after her retirement. As her colleagues said, “You will not find a person that was more respected and liked. She shattered the glass ceilings way before it become popular to talk about doing so. She quietly plowed her way through rules and regulations to make the public transportation in the state what it is today.” She worked with multiple administrations to ensure public transportation was among the best in the country. She received the State Leadership Award in 2011 from the Community Transportation Association of America and the WV Public Transportation of the Year in 2014. Susan was a devoted
member of Rock Lake Presbyterian Church in South Charleston and frequently sang in the church choir. She was a member of the South Charleston Junior Women’s Club and was an advocate for literacy programs throughout the state. Born November 3, 1950, she was a graduate of St. Albans High School and Concord University. Susan will be sorely missed by her family and her wide circle of friends. She is survived by her loving husband of 45 years, Brian O’Connell; daughter, Emily (Brett) Baker; sister, Merrily (Ed) Bailey; two grandchildren, Nathaniel and Cameron Baker; nieces, Taylor Bailey and Ashley (Tommy) Marion; and numerous other friends and family.
PATRICIA RUTH SPARKS ’77: May 27, 2018. She was born October 26, 1956 in Bluefield, WV, and was the daughter of the late Cecil Morgan and Evelyn Morgan. Pat graduated from Welch High School, earned her B.S. degree in Early Childhood Education from Concord University, her master’s degree from WVU, and completed the Doctor program at WVU in Curriculum and Instruction. She taught public school in Beckley, WV and at North Elementary in Morgantown. She was also an Academic Mentor for the WVU Football Program. A resident of Morgantown, Pat was a member of First Baptist Church in Morgantown.
Class Notes She is survived by her husband, P. Bruce Sparks; son Philip Bruce Sparks II and his wife Kaitlin Nicole Sparks; daughter Kristie Morgan Sparks; grandchildren Michael Alexander Sparks and Matthew Joseph Sparks; and sister Beverly Wyatt. In addition to her parents, she is also preceded in death by her brother Gary Morgan.
1980s ___________
SHERRY JONES BAKER ’82: December 26, 2017. Sherry was a graduate of Concord College, where she received a bachelor’s degree in Education and later received her master’s degree from West Virginia University. She was an educator for almost 36 years
with her last position as Attendance Director and Nutrition Coordinator in Monroe County. Sherry loved teaching and was passionate about her
students, always treating them kindly. Sherry was elected Homecoming Queen at Concord in 1981. Sherry’s surviving husband, Steve Baker, is also a graduate of Concord College. They have one daughter, Ann-McKenzie, who was Sherry’s most proud accomplishment.
MARSH HALL WATERCOLOR PRINTS The Office of Advancement is pleased to introduce to the Mountain Lion family a new art piece featuring the iconic Marsh Hall Administation Building on the Athens, West Virginia campus. This stunning 11x14 sketch and watercolor painting features the intricate architectural detail of the entrance of Marsh Hall along with the 48 bell Marsh Memorial Carillon. The money raised through this project will support the Concord University Annual Fund which is housed in the Concord University Foundation, Inc. The Annual Fund exists to support the University’s greatest needs including development and implementation of campus projects and the establishment of student scholarships. These exclusive, limited edition prints are being sold for $50 online at
www.concord.edu/cufoundation
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MT. LION
CONCORD UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT-ATHLETES – ACROSS THE SPORTS – CONTINUE TO RECEIVE ACCOLADES. THIS SECTION FEATURES SOME OF THESE RECENT HONORS.
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NCAA SCORING CHAMP JUNIOR GUARD TOMMY BOLTE
of the Concord University men’s basketball team has been announced as a NCAA Division II statistical champion. Bolte was officially awarded the leading scorer in Division II as he finished the 201718 season averaging 31.8 points per game. The Chillicothe, Ohio native led the nation in scoring by more than four points. Kyle Monroe of Michigan Tech was second in scoring at 27.7 points per contest. Since the start of the decade, only Bolte and Shorter’s Phil Taylor – during the 2016-17 season – averaged more than 30 points per game in all of Division II. Bolte was one of five players from the Atlantic Region to lead NCAA Division II in a specific statistical category. Seton Hill’s Spencer Casson (blocks per game), Wheeling Jesuit’s Haywood Highsmith (doubledoubles) and Kutztown’s Anthony Lee (three-point percentage) and Ethan Ridgeway (assists per game) were also named statistical champions by the NCAA. Additionally, Bolte became the first NCAA statistical champion in program history. A plaque will be sent to Bolte and Concord to recognize his achievement. Bolte was also voted to the Division II Bulletin Honorable » Mention All-American Team. The April announcement marks the second time Bolte has been selected to an All-American Team in the 201718 postseason. In March, Bolte was named a First Team All-American by the Conference Commissioner’s Association which is balloted by Sports Information Directors from around Division II. Bolte is the first Concord men’s basketball player to earn multiple All-American honors in the same season. 72
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NCAA FIELD GOAL % CHAMP FRESHMAN FORWARD RILEY FITZWATER of the Concord University women’s basketball team has been named the NCAA Division II Statistical Champion for individual field goal percentage during the 2017-18 season. During her first season of college basketball, Fitzwater shot 70.9 percent from the field (178-for-251). Additionally, she averaged 13.9 points per game and 11.4 rebounds per contest. The Glenville, WV native had nine games where she shot at least 70 percent with 10 or more attempts from the field. In her final six games of the season, Fitzwater shot 74.2 percent from the floor (46-for-62). Overall, Fitzwater led all divisions of women’s college basketball in field goal percentage as she edged Division III’s Hannah Spaulding of St. Thomas (MN), who shot 70.0 percent, for the national leader. Fitzwater and the women’s basketball program at Concord will receive plaques to recognize her achievement.
MT. LION NEWS Track and Field Teams Take On Hunger Challenge The Concord University men’s and women’s track and field teams participated in Heaven Sent Ministries annual Hunger Challenge in April at Johnston Chapel Baptist Church in Princeton. Head coach Mike Cox had 23 athletes volunteer their time to package rice and other enrichnutrient food into vacuum-sealed bags to send to countries struggling with hunger and starvation. Over the three-day event in Mercer County, the track programs played a small part in bagging over 200,000 meals that were being sent to Africa.
Participating in this year’s event for the Mountain Lions were Matt Plumley, Damon Akers, Aidan Payton, Josea Smith, Madison Sanders, Cooper Brady, Raheem Williams, Emilee Henry, Kaitlen Hubbard, Bennie White, Ryan Muse, Samuel Haynes, Justin Snyder, Riley Griffith, Heather Chernutan, Linda Ault, Autumn Thomas, Tyler Kosut, Samuel Thomas, David Meck, Andrew Barbera, Franklin Christie and Dwain Porterfield.
CU ATHLETICS
NFCA All-Region First Team Softball SOPHOMORE SECOND BASEMAN/SHORTSTOP JENNA WITT
of the Concord University softball team has been tabbed as a National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association (NFCA) All-Atlantic Region First Team selection. Witt receives the honor after hitting .448 with six home runs, 29 RBI, 23 doubles and three triples to go along with a slugging percentage of .776. The Harpers Ferry, WV native smashed the Concord singleseason records for average and doubles as she batted 10 points higher than the previous program record and had three more doubles than the former best. The middle infielder for the Mountain Lions finished the season ranking third in Division II in doubles, and Witt’s batting average and slugging percentage were both sixth in the Atlantic Region through games played during the regular season and postseason. After playing the first 15 games of the season at second base, Witt was forced to move to shortstop as a result of injuries for Concord, and committed just eight errors all season to record a fielding percentage of .961. With her first team all-region selection, Witt moved on for All-American consideration. Witt has also been voted to the Conference Commissioner’s Association All-Atlantic Region First Team, the organization announced in May. She becomes the second first team allregion selection for the Mountain Lions in program history, joining Alyssa Morris who garnered the honor at the end of the 2015 season. Additionally, Witt was also selected as an All-Mountain East Conference First Team performer.
JENNA WITT
MT. LION NEWS
Johnson Signs Free Agent Deal with Colts Senior defensive back Jeremiah Johnson of the Concord University football team has signed a free agent contract with the Indianapolis Colts. Johnson earned a spot on the Colts roster after receiving a call at the conclusion of the 2018 National Football League Draft. The Baltimore, MD native was the first four-time first team all-conference performer in program history and was twice voted an All-American by Don Hansen Football Gazette. Johnson ranks fifth in school history in interceptions with 11 and third in pass break-ups with 36 during his four years in the Maroon and Gray. Furthermore, Johnson forced four fumbles which ties him for fifth in program history. The shutdown cornerback for the Mountain Lions becomes the first CU football player in the NFL since current assistant coach Tracy Gravely spent time with the New York Giants during the 1990s.
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Trio Land USTFCCCA All-Region Team SENIORS TYLER KOSUT AND JUSTIN SNYDER ALONG WITH JUNIOR JASON WEITZEL have been named to the
United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA) All-Atlantic Region Team. Kosut was selected as an all-region performer in the 3,000-meter steeplechase after posting a personal-best time of 9:27.34 at the Mountain East Conference Championships. The Daniels, WV native had the fifth-fastest time in the region in the event and his showing at the MEC Championships earned him his third straight All-MEC Second Team honor in the steeplechase. Previously, Kosut was a two-time all-region performer in cross country, but this recent recognition is his first all-region honor in track and field. Snyder was voted to the all-region squad in both the 5,000-meter run and 10,000-meter run. Like Kosut, this is the first time the Princeton, WV native has been recognized on the all-region team in track and field after earning two all-region awards in cross country. Snyder ran the fastest time in the 10,000-meters in the MEC this season, and third fastest in the region. His time of 31:26 won the MEC Championships.
All-MEC Team Player
JUNIOR OUTFIELDER ABBY BEATTY
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of the Concord University softball team has been voted to the All-Mountain East Conference Tournament Team the league office announced at the conclusion of the postseason tournament. In three games at Moyer Sports Complex, Beatty batted .364 (4-for-11) with a home run, a double and eight RBI. The Roanoke, VA native collected at least two RBI in all three games for the Mountain Lions including a grand slam against Fairmont State in an elimination game. Beatty slugged .727 over the three-game stretch and the grand slam was the first of her career and her 17th career home run overall. The announcement marked the second time in the last three years that Beatty has made the All-MEC Tournament after she earned the award in her 2016 at the end of her freshman season.
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Meanwhile, Snyder clocked the second-fastest time in the Atlantic Region in the 5,000-meters when he ran 14:44 at the Duke Invite in late April. Weitzel was named to the all-region team in four different events. He earned the honors in the 1,500-meter run, 3,000-meter steeplechase, 5,000-meters and 10,000-meters. Weitzel clocked a time of 3:55.36 in the 1,500- meters at High Point for the fifth-fastest time in the region. The Athens, WV native stopped the timer at 14:29 at the Duke Invite to own the fastest regional time in the 5,000-meters. He ran the fourth-fastest time in the 10,000-meters in the Atlantic Region as he was seven seconds behind Snyder at the MEC Championships and finished second. Meanwhile, Weitzel clocked 9:11.24 in the steeplechase for third-best showing regionally. Weitzel owns school records in the 1,500-meters, steeplechase and 5,000-meters. Additionally, he was named the MEC Track Athlete of the Year at the conclusion of the MEC Championships. To be named to the All-Atlantic Region Team by the USTFCCCA, an athlete must be in the top five in his or her event. The Atlantic Region is made up of teams from the MEC, PSAC and CIAA.
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MEC Track Athlete of the Year
NFF Hampshire Honor Society SENIOR KICKER ZACK KEATON of the Concord University football team has been selected as a member to the National Football Foundation’s Hampshire Honor Society. To be a member of the prestigious club, student-athletes must possess a cumulative grade points average of at least 3.2, meet all degree requirements towards graduation and be a starter or significant contributor to his team. Additionally, the player must be in his final year of eligibility. Keaton graduated in December with a degree in business management after serving as Concord’s kickoff specialist and place kicker from 2014. After being CU’s kickoff specialist during the 2014 and 2015 seasons, Keaton handled all kicking duties the last two seasons. The Pembroke, VA native finished his Mountain Lion career top 10 in points by a kicker (fifth / 70), field goals made (fourth / 12) and extra points made (fifth / 34). This year, over 1,200 football players from 305 schools were selected to the Hampshire Honor Society from all divisions of college football. 2018 Football Schedule The Concord University football team in conjunction with the Mountain East Conference office has announced its 2018 schedule. The schedule features 10 conference games (five home, five away) and a nonconference contest against UNC-Pembroke in the middle of October. All kickoff times are still to be
JUNIOR JASON WEITZEL of the Concord University men’s track and field team has been voted as the Mountain East Conference Track Athlete of the Year. Weitzel won the 5,000-meter run at the MEC Championships to make All-MEC First Team in the event. The Athens, WV native also took home All-MEC Second Team in the 10,000-meter run and All-MEC Honorable Mention in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. All told, Weitzel raced 45 laps at Cebe Ross Field at the championships. During the regular season, Weitzel broke three school records – the 1,500-meter run, 5,000-meters and 3,000-meter steeplechase. Additionally, the junior hit NCAA Division II provisional qualifying marks in both the steeplechase and 5,000-meter run and was also named MEC Runner of the Week three times. Weitzel becomes the first conference athlete of the year in track or field since John Paul Blankenship was the WVIAC Field Athlete of the Year in 2006. Furthermore, Weitzel adds to his impressive list of accomplishments as he has also been the MEC Freshman of the Year in both cross country and track and field and was the MEC Runner of the Year in cross country in 2016.
announced with the exception of Concord’s home opener Sept. 6 against Charleston which will be at 7 p.m. on a Thursday night from Callaghan Stadium. The Mountain Lions open up the season at West Virginia Wesleyan Sept. 1 before the home date with UC. In week three of the season on Sept. 15, CU travels to UVa.Wise. Concord returns home to face Notre Dame Sept. 22 before closing the month at Shepherd Sept. 29.
Homecoming will be Oct. 6 against Glenville State. After its annual Homecoming game, the Maroon and Gray takes to the road for consecutive away games at West Virginia State Oct. 13 and at UNC-Pembroke Oct. 20. West Liberty visits Callaghan Stadium on Oct. 27. The final away contest of the season will be at Fairmont State Nov. 3, and the regular season wraps up on Senior Day Nov. 10 against Urbana.
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MT. LION NEWS Elliott, Jolly Added to Football Staff Football Two assistants have joined the Mountain Lions coaching staff. Former defensive back and one-time assistant coach Kevin Elliott returns to Concord after spending the last two seasons at Louisville as a graduate assistant. Elliott assumed the role of defensive coordinator for CU. Former University of North Carolina offensive lineman Kyle Jolly is the team’s new offensive line coach after the departure of Don Mahoney to East Carolina in the offseason. Elliott played for the Mountain Lions from 2008-2012 as a safety and was an all-conference selection during his senior season. Once his playing career was over, Elliott served as a defensive assistant coach on former head coach
Kevin Elliott Garin Justice’s staff from 2013-2015. In his first stint on the Concord sidelines helped coach all-conference selections Josh Clark, Derrick Johnson and Davon Marion. Jolly comes to Concord after serving as a graduate assistant at both the University of Washington and Old Dominion University. Before entering the coaching profession, Jolly – a 2009 UNC graduate – spent time in the NFL as a member of the Atlanta Falcons and
Kyle Jolly Pittsburgh Steelers organizations. As a three-year starter for the Tar Heels, Jolly started 38 consecutive games at left tackle and faced West Virginia University in the 2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl. Also during the offseason, CU quarterbacks coach Josh Zettergren was elevated to offensive coordinator to replace Mahoney.
Golf All-MEC Team / MEC Freshman of the Year SOPHOMORE ALEX HAMRICK AND FRESHMEN BRETT LAXTON AND JARED PORTER of the Concord University men’s golf team were named to the All-
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Mountain East Conference Team while Laxton was selected as the MEC Freshman of the Year. Laxton was also tabbed to the All-MEC First Team. In his first season in the Maroon and Gray, the Pineville, WV native averaged a score of 77.3 in six rounds of conference competition dating back to September. Laxton’s best round came in the middle round of the MEC Tournament when he shot a 70. Additionally, all three of Laxton’s rounds at the MEC Championship were in the 70s as he finished runner-up at the league tournament. The first-year Mountain Lion recorded six total rounds in the 70s throughout the fall and spring seasons. Hamrick landed on the All-MEC Second Team after an average of 79.1 during MEC play. Like Laxton’s, Harmick’s best round of golf in conference was the second round of the MEC Championship when he fired off a 75. Over half – eight of 14 rounds – for the Poca, WV native were in the 70s in 2017-18. Additionally, Hamrick was named the MEC Golfer of the Week in September after finishing second at the Battle of the Virginias Tournament. Porter capped off his freshman season by earning a spot on the All-MEC Honorable Mention Team. The Princeton, WV native put together an average of 79.6 during league events including two rounds in the 70s at the MEC Championship in October. Porter’s best round of the MEC season came during the first round of the conference championship when he shot 74. Overall, Porter shot six rounds in the 70s this season.
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Laxton becomes the second Concord golfer to pick up MEC Freshman of the Year honors in the last four seasons. Additionally, this is the first time CU has had three all-league selections since the 2014-15 season.
Baseball Honors
SENIOR CATCHER PAUL WILLIAMS of the Concord University baseball team has been selected First Team All-Mountain East Conference while eight other Mountain Lions earned all-conference honors. Williams earned All-MEC First Team at catcher for a second consecutive season. During the regular season, the Vinton, VA native batted .344 with three home runs, 33 RBI and 11 doubles. Williams ranked second in batting average among catchers with at least 100 at-bats in the MEC. The backstop for the Mountain Lions threw out 10 base steals—the second time in the last three years he has cut down double-digit base runners. Additionally, Williams only allowed three passed balls and guided the CU pitching staff to the fourth-best ERA in the MEC (5.52). As Concord’s number one on the weekends, Beckner went 6-4 overall and was 5-2 in conference games. The Roanoke, VA native rolled up 67 strikeouts in 65 innings and had an ERA of 4.29. Beckner had three complete games and shutout West Liberty in the middle of March. Additionally, Beckner had at least five strikeouts in seven of his 13 starts during the regular season. Frazier was named All-MEC for a third straight season after being an honorable mention selection in 2016 and was first team all-league in 2017. Frazier had a team-best 23 extra-base hits that included 14 doubles and seven home runs. Frazier also drove in 32 runs and hit .315 during the regular season as he tied for fifth in the MEC in doubles. After appearing in only four games during his redshirt freshman season, Linkous became a mainstay in the Concord lineup in 2018. The Blacksburg, VA native finished eighth in the MEC in batting average during the regular season at .380 while stealing 12 bases in 16 chances. Additionally, Linkous delivered two walk-off hits for the Mountain Lions. Webb posted a .335 batting average while hitting five home runs, nine doubles and finishing fifth in the conference in RBI with 40. The Whitby, Ontario native swiped seven bases in nine chances and slugged .503 in the regular season. Abernathy was the lone pitcher in the MEC to win at least five games during the season without a loss as he went 5-0 with a 5.07 ERA. Abernathy collected 53 strikeouts in 55 innings and tossed three complete games. Between playing the outfield, catching and being a designated hitter for CU, Clark hit .318 with five home runs, 31 RBI and seven doubles during his junior season. Perhaps, Clark’s biggest home run of the season came in
All-American Team
SENIOR DEFENSIVE BACK JEREMIAH JOHNSON AND SENIOR PUNTER GARRETT LEE were named
to the Don Hansen Football Gazette All-American Team as Honorable Mention selections. For Johnson, it is the second time in his career that he has been selected to the All-American Team by Don Hansen after earning an honorable mention distinction after his redshirt freshman year in 2015. To conclude his career, the Baltimore, MD native finished with 53 tackles, three interceptions, three fumble recoveries and two defensive touchdowns in 2017. Johnson ranks in a tie for fifth in interceptions (11), tied for third in pass break-ups (36) and tied for fifth in fumble recoveries (four) in the CU career books. This is the second time this postseason Lee has been named an All-American after picking up a first team selection from D2football.com in January. Lee averaged 42.5 yards per punt with 20 punts going inside the 20-yard line and 14 traveling at least 50 yards during his senior season. The Pearisburg, VA native concluded his Mountain Lion career with two of the top three punting average seasons in Concord history after averaging 43.3 yards per punt in 2016. a 2-1 win over Charleston as the Mountain Lions erased a late 1-0 deficit in game three of the weekend series. Peralta picked up his first all-conference selection as a utility infielder. The College Park, MD native batted a careerbest .318 during the regular season as he hit six doubles to go along with 17 RBI. Peralta also committed just one error in 138 chances—a fielding percentage of .993. For the third consecutive season, Wiersma was named to the all-conference team – this season as an honorable mention selection. The slugging first baseman had a team-best eight home runs to go along with a .322 average, seven doubles and 32 RBI. CU MAGAZINE
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M.R. "Jim" Coiner
M. R. “Jim” Coiner of Princeton, WV passed away, Sunday, April 22, 2018. He was born on August 5, 1934 in Webster Springs, WV to the late Maynard R. Coiner, Sr., and Agatha Pearl Morton Coiner. He is survived by Joyce Carol Hedrick Coiner, his wife of 57 years, one daughter, Cherie Elizabeth Coiner Durbin, her husband, Ronald Paul Durbin, Jr., and one grandchild, Barrett Alexander Durbin of Christiansburg, VA. Jim was a 1952 graduate of Webster Springs High School, Webster Springs, WV. Following high school, he served four years in the United States Air Force as an Air Force Radar Technician for a short time in South Charleston, WV and also at a remote outpost near Anchorage, Alaska during the Korean War. He later graduated from Concord College with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1960 and from
Ohio University, in Athens, OH, with a Master of Fine Arts Degree in 1962. Upon graduating from Ohio University, Jim taught at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN for five years. With an invitation from the president of Bluefield State College, and his strong desire to return to his beloved mountains of West Virginia, he accepted a position and taught there for two years. Jim then returned to Concord College and taught for thirty-one years until he retired in 2000. During Jim’s tenure at Concord, he served as Assistant Professor, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Art. He was instrumental in developing a new and updated curriculum in Commercial Art and Advertising, which is now called Advertising/Graphic Design. His intention for developing the program was to make sure his students had every opportunity to be self-supporting in their work as artists and provide a non-teaching track in commercial art. He also founded and advised the Concord Advertising Group, a student run advertising and design group that allowed students to gain real-life work experience while in college. An award-winning artist in his own right, Jim’s paintings and sculptures can be found in private as well as public collections, including The Butler Institute of American Art, in Youngstown, OH and the Huntington Museum of Art in Huntington, WV. In addition to
working with his college students, Jim was passionate about helping West Virginia artists and artisans promote and sell their work. With the support of state officials and state grants, he opened The Arts and Crafts Studio at Pipestem Resort and State Park in 1971. He and his students from Concord managed and operated the Arts and Crafts Studio during the summers for nine years, and then turned over the management and operation to the park so that it could be a year-round venture. Jim also felt the importance of serving his community through his thirty years of volunteer work in the Mercer Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol, West Virginia Wing. An official auxiliary of the United States Air Force, the Civil Air Patrol is a public service organization that carries out emergency service missions in the air and on the ground. Jim earned the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in this organization, and throughout the years, he served as a Search and Rescue Pilot, Air Operations Officer, Public Affairs Officer and Deputy Commander. He worked closely with state Civil Air Patrol leadership as he led design approvals and fund raising efforts for the new hanger and command center at Mercer County Airport. Jim was a long-standing member of Princeton Presbyterian Church where he participated as a greeter alongside his wife. He always greeted people with a positive spirit and a quick wit.
Karen D. Hays passed away May 9, 2018. Born January 7, 1952 in Princeton, she was the daughter of the late Alfred Cecil and Freda Moye Cecil. Karen was a Program Assistant to Fine Arts at Concord with 36 years of service. She was a
resident of Matoaka, WV. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one brother, Terry Scott Cecil. Survivors include her daughter, Rhonda Michelle Pogreba and husband Eric of Woodbridge, VA; two grandchildren, Jordan Watts of
Cincinnati, OH and Avery Pogreba of Fayetteville, AR; two sisters, Debra Woodring and husband Lloyd of Beckley and Rebecca Lynn Johnson of Matoaka; and other family, James Allen Reeves and wife Brenda Carol Reeves of Lerona.
Karen D. Hays
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Professor of Art Emeritus
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Program Assistant to Fine Arts
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Concord University Office of Advancement PO Box 1000 Athens, WV 24712
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