INSIDE
December 10, 2019 | Vol. 65, Issue 4
Black Friday p. 2 E-Gaming Room p. 4 Senior Spotlight p. 5 Chris Warren p. 6 Sports Recaps p. 7
Letter from the Editors
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Happy Holidays and end of the semester, Ferrum! This past semester The Iron Blade has enjoyed providing you with Ferrum College news. During the semester we covered everything from Homecoming to the Empowerment Concert. We hope you enjoyed reading this semester’s volume of The Iron Blade and we look forward to bringing you Volume 66 when we return next semester. If you or anyone you know would like to join The Iron Blade staff next semester, please reach out to Dr. Mingxiao Sui or send an email to IBlade@ferrum.edu.
Final Exam Study Guide
Tis’ the Season... By AnnGardner Eubank Since January of 2018, Ferrum College President Dr. David Johns has been hitting the ground full force with wide varieties of change on Ferrum’s campus both internally and externally. From campus beautification and revamping residence halls to adding three new majors to Ferrum’s curriculum, Johns has spent nearly two years making major changes on campus. One of the most recent and significant changes Johns has recently announced is the dissolving and merging of several majors in the college’s curriculum. “Merging some of these majors is a way to preserve teaching in those areas and also to save on some expenses,” Johns said. “By doing this, it impacts the size of faculty needed and brings together areas of study that have kinship and can connect people with a wider variety of colleagues.” While some may see merging, downsizing, or dissolving as a sign of a faltering business or administration, Johns made it clear it’s just a step many colleges, universities, and corporations do regularly. “There’s no reason for people to be worrying about the college. I’d be worried about the college if it doesn’t make changes,” said Johns. Some majors that are merging include Philosophy and Religion, along with Political Science and History. The language curriculums will also undergo changes as well, including English being offered in a different format and Spanish being taught with more emphasis in areas like education or criminal justice. “We’re following student interests while also being driven by the outside market and job demand,” said Johns. Programs with consistent low enrollment are being reevaluated in order to make sure academic resources are being appropriately distributed. Johns said that it’s also critical for Ferrum graduates to be competitive in the workforce, so the academic teams have been analyzing the bureau of labor statistics to understand which degrees, majors, and programs are in high demand. “This kind of thing happens all the time in colleges everywhere. We’re closing programs, but we’re opening up new ones, too,” said Johns. The sociology major is one of several that is planned to be dissolved and will be replaced with something in a related field of study and will be driven by student demand. Johns is confident the merging of majors won’t put anyone at a disadvantage. Students who have already declared their major and have remained on track with their course plans will still be able to graduate with their majors. Among other significant changes through campus, Johns was proud to announce that Ferrum will be the first college in the state of Virginia to guarantee transfer students from Virginia community colleges will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in two years. The “Ferrum Promise,” as it’s been coined, is hoping to give Ferrum a competitive edge and attract a larger enrollment. The changes in majors and minors, along with the enactment of the Ferrum Promise, will begin in the Fall semester of 2020.
For the Changes By Mary Stoudt
Throughout the history of higher education, changes are often made in order for colleges and universities to be sustainable. Ferrum College is currently going through a period of change in order to be a sustainable institution and to keep up in today’s world. According to Ferrum President, Dr. David Johns, the idea of offering voluntary retirement packages to employees came about over a year ago. These retirement packages were offered to faculty ages 55 and older and go hand in hand with other changes happening at Ferrum. Johns said, “This incentive helped make retirement possible for people close to retirement age and nothing about this retirement plan is age driven.” Even with the retirement plans being offered to employees, Johns noted how important it was to keep as many people as possible at Ferrum to avoid outsourcing. The retirement packages being offered to Ferrum employees is not unique to Ferrum. The Roanoke Times published on November 12 about Radford University offering early retirement to select employees due to interest being voiced by faculty. “Interested teaching and research faculty must be 50 or older with at least 15 years of service at the college or a minimum of 15 years in the Virginia Retirement System by May 9, 2020,” (Roanoke Times). Even though Ferrum and Radford’s retirement packages came about for different reasons, the end goal is still the same: Offer employees the opportunity to retire early if they desire. As of now, some faculty and staff have accepted the retirement packages and depending on their position, Ferrum will seek a replacement for those positions, according to Johns. “In order to be strong and competitive the college needs to make changes,” said Johns. The retirement packages being offered to Ferrum employees are not an indication that Ferrum is closing. Instead, the retirement packages are a way to keep Ferrum current and up-to-date.
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The Iron Blade
OPINION
What are Your Opinions on Black Friday?
“I think Black Friday shopping is fine, however, I think it should stay on Friday. A lot of stores start sales at like 5 p.m. on Thursday and that cuts into family time on Thanksgiving.” --Miranda Dougherty, Senior
“I think it’s overrated and people need to shop online to stay safe. Also, don’t bring your kids Black Friday shopping either... That’s how they get lost.” -- Kyle John, Junior
“I like Black Friday, but some people are stupid and make shopping hard.” -- Kintwon Pettiford, Sophomore
“I can’t stand it. The lines are long. I stood in line for ages for literally two items in my hand. As for the atmosphere, everyone is aggressive. One lady pushed me one time and she was like 50. My sister and I got up at 6 a.m. It’s a good bonding time, but we vowed never to do it again in our lives.” --Sierra Smith, Senior
December 10, 2019 Vol. 65, Issue 4
Ferrum College
Ferrum College 215 Ferrum Mountain 215 Ferrum Mountain Rd. Ferrum, VA 24088 Ferrum, VA 24088 IBlade@Ferrum.edu IBlade@Ferrum.edu
Editor-in-Chief: AnnGardner Eubank News Editor: Mary Stoudt Sports Editor: Frances Best Sam May
Layout Editor: Diamond Hudson Social Media Editor: Destinee Nelson
Rd.
Staff: Caroline King Joshua Reeves Kieron Sawyer Lindsey Foster Advisor: Mingxiao Sui
The Ferrum College Iron Blade Newspaper is a student-written, student-managed, and studentproduced newspaper. Opinions do not necessarily express the views of all students or the staff. Letters may be emailed to IBlade@ferrum.edu. Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.
December 10, 2019
Destined For Greatness By AnnGardener Eubank
Destinee Nelson has been a key member on The Iron Blade staff for the past three semesters, serving as both a staff writer and social media director. The Leesburg native will be graduating in December with her bachelor’s degree in Media and Communication with a minor in journalism. Besides working for the paper, Nelson has been an active member on campus in several ways. She’s worked for Chrysalis and is the Vice President of her sorority, Theta Gamma Omega (OGO) which she has been a member of since Spring 2017 and has also served as social chair for two semesters. “I’m the first Greek in my family and the first of my immediate family to graduate from college,” Nelson said. Nelson has always kept a busy schedule, both in and out of school. Beyond busy course loads and campus involvement, she has spent her summers busy working. The past summer she had two jobs in retail at both Abercrombie and Fitch and at Pacsun. On top of those two jobs, she also worked as a social media intern at Federated Realty in Northern Virginia which she plans to continue working after graduation. “After graduation, I’ll be working for my internship as well as possibly training as a manager for Abercrombie,” said Nelson. The youngest of three, Nelson has two older siblings who are twelve and fifteen years her senior. In her free time, Nelson enjoys being with her family and friends, going to the movies, and travelling and trying new restaurants, with her favorite food being Hibachi. While Nelson plans to move out west to California’s Bay Area and later pursue investigative journalism, she has made a lot of memories, connections, and relationships here at Ferrum. “I’m going to miss my sisters, sweetheart, other friends and boyfriend when I leave Ferrum,” Nelson said. “I’m also going to miss the scenery of campus and how there’s barely any traffic near Ferrum.” While Nelson may miss Ferrum after December, she will be missed as well, especially by her sorority sisters, including President Layura Henley. “Destinee is one of the kindest people I know,” said Henley. “I’m so thankful to have her as my sister. I don’t know what I’ll do without her next semester, but I know she’s going to do great things.” Other than her friends and sisters, Ferrum also brought her together with her boyfriend of almost three years, Jonathan Garcia. “Destinee is a genuinely good and loving person. I’m really going to miss having that around every day,” said Garcia. After her years at Ferrum, Nelson has learned a thing or two about time management and handling a busy schedule. Her main piece of advice for underclassmen is to just have the grit to get up and get the job done. “Get up for classes no matter how hard it may seem because you can always nap, that’s what I did! Also learn time management. I’m taking nine classes this semester for twenty one credits and learned how to manage my time,” said Nelson. Nelson’s advisor, Dr. Harl, also has some advice she wanted to share with her advisee “E.L. Doctorow once said that ‘Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.’ You don’t have to see where you’re going, you don’t have to see your destination or everything you will pass along the way. You just have to see two or three feet ahead of you. This is right up there with the best advice on writing, or life, I have ever heard,” said Harl. We at The Iron Blade are very proud of Nelson and her hard work and are thankful for her contributions to the paper. She will be missed by many when she graduated but will always have a home in Ferrum with the Ferrum family. Congratulations on a great college career. We cannot wait to see where you go!
December 10, 2019
The Iron Blade
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Black Friday Controversy
PRO By Diamond Hudson
P R O
‘Tis the season for shopping! After two days of cooking and babysitting a turkey on Thanksgiving day itself, we’re able to get holiday shopping started as early as 3 ‘o clock in the morning. In previous years, businesses would be closed on Thanksgiving day to celebrate the holiday. Today, Thanksgiving merges with Black Friday, which is really Black Thursday after dinner. Many businesses open at 6 p.m. Thankgiving Day for shoppers. Even Walmart is open for 24 hours for last-minute grocery pick-up items. Outlet malls, traditional malls, and supercenters such as Walmart, Target, and Costco are open as early as Thursday from 6 o clock to midnight. Then on Friday, everything is back to standard operations until midnight, although, that
does not exclude the savings deals that take place during this time. All sales are extended and have made Black Friday a four-day long event that leads into Cyber Monday for those who prefer to shop online. Christmas lights are circulating around every tree, hot chocolate is being served at restaurants and street vendors, and lines are formed to get into stores. There are 50% off signs in window displays and working staffs are doubled. But why is Black Friday considered a holiday tradition though the day was originally meant to commemorate the stock market crash that happened in 1929? The truth is that Black Friday is a promotion day for retail and products. For people who don’t want to do their Christmas shopping in December, they
can strike a better deal on this one day. In return, there’s an increase in traffic and sales within a short period of time. It is a clear day for retailers to capitalize on customer demand. For example a particular pair of shoes or an anticipated video game will be released on that Friday to promote sales and will offer it at a lower price than the original listing price if someone preordered it prior to that day. Another opportunity for retailers is to clear out old stock before the Christmas season. In electronics stores, T.V.s and laptops are sold at a lower price and whatever does not sell that day is listed even lower that following Monday to make space for new inventory. Customer Acquisition also plays a part in the promotional aspect of Black Friday.
The holiday allows retailers to retain and acquire new customers at a low cost to them. If the discount offered by the store can draw new customers in to try a new product, there is a 50% chance that customers liking the product and potentially return again to pay full price for the same product. After participating in the Black Friday weekend event, many gifts are probably wrapped and placed for safekeeping until the Christmas tree is trimmed. This can be considered a benefit because the sales can promise free shipping on packages and also guarantees that the packages will arrive before Christmas. This does not help in the Christmas traffic for those who decide to stay in during the shopping festivities.
CON By Destinee Nelson The day after Thanksgiving is spent differently between families. Some families are winding down after an amazing homecooked meal, others are camped outside various stores around the country. The daunting and anticipated day has a name: Black Friday. During Black Friday, manic shoppers are focused and ready to jump on every deal they see or anyone that gets in their way. To be honest, the country would probably be better off without this outrageous post-Thanksgiving tradition. Personally speaking, the shopping rage isn’t worth it. After working in the retail industry for about four years, this is one major day out of the whole year that mall employees dread. People that work in retail sacrifice their quality time with family for one night of chaos caused by insane customers. Throughout several years of working on
Black Friday, I’ve seen first hand just how real the shopping rage is. Shopping on Black Friday can make the calmest person into craziest when it comes to the last pair of jeans or holiday sweaters. In total, I’ve been apart of four Black Fridays in the past few years. One at Pacsun in 2015 and the last three at Abercombie and Fitch. The Leesburg Outlets located in Leesburg, Va where I currently work is one of the busiest outlet malls there is. Due to our location (we are close to Dulles Airport), which provides us customers from all over the world. There have been incidents where people have died due to aggression and violence that has come about through Black Friday shopping. On a Blck Friday outing in 2002, a Houston man was killed after an argument at his local Wal-Mart. This is not okay, the holidays should be a time of
happiness and peace, but instead, it starts with the mayhem of Black Friday which results in danger and violence. Last year, customers became so crazy that many stores had to hire extra security and allow only a few people into a store at a time. Many stores have the same sale prior to Black Friday which is what some people don’t seem to understand. When it comes down to doorbuster deals and other sales at various malls, the idea of Black Friday gets hyped up when in reality it’s not a huge difference from what the store was offering the week prior. Many stores have the same sales prior to Black Friday, but customers aren’t aware of that. Working in the retail industry has given me the advantage to know more details about my store before others. Waiting outside in the cold weather, sitting in bumper to bumper traffic, and not
C O N
getting any sleep after Thanksgiving isn’t worth it. Especially when traffic occurs There have been numerous accidents reported on Black Friday throughout the years. In my opinion, my life is more important than going shopping in madness. The fact that people die during this “tradition” is beyond me. If it were up to me I wouldn’t start Black Friday on Thanksgiving night. This change would give retail workers the opportunity to be with their families and enjoy Thanksgiving. Black Friday should start on Friday morning instead of Thursday night. The United States has made the idea of Black Friday so popular that it has influenced other countries, but they haven’t started celebrating it. Black Friday isn’t everything that people think it is. Retailers work the hardest on this day and it still goes unappreciated.
By Mary Stoudt Senior Diamond Hudson has been a part of The Iron Blade for three semesters. This December Hudson will be graduating from Ferrum College with a degree in Media Communication with a minor in Journalism. During Hudson’s three semesters working for The Iron Blade she has been a staff writer and layout editor. Through her skills in Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and InDesign, Hudson has added a new level of complexity to the layout for the Iron Blade. In addition to her time working for The Iron Blade, Hudson has also worked for Chrysalis, Ferrum’s literary and arts magazine, hosted a radio show during E-Term 2018, served as treasurer for Lambda Sigma Honor Society, secretary for Black Student Union, and has been a member of the English Club. Outside of the classroom, Hudson has been busy with her internship and blog, The Pretty Otaku. Hudson started her internship in 2019 with Rush Innovation and worked in the Media Communication department managing social media accounts. Hudson began her blog in February 2019 which focuses on anime and manga. Since starting her blog, Hudson has been able to rapidly expand and reaches readers from all over the United States to as far as Indonesia. Currently Hudson plans on starting a new project with her blog by hosting an online fandom auction. The plans for this auction are still in the works and Hudson plans on having the auction in February. After graduation, Hudson plans on continuing with her blog and managing social media accounts for Dare 2 B U Salon. In May 2020 Hudson plans on going back to school to earn her Masters in Public Relations and a Masters Certificate in Women and Gender Studies. Hudson’s time at Ferrum has been one of success. With her contributions to the Iron Blade and campus involvement, Hudson has truly left a mark at Ferrum. You can now see her work being featured in the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. Headquarters bi-monthly magazine as their new Layout Editor. From all of the Iron Blade staff, Diamond you will be missed.
Senior Diamond Hudson
NEWS
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December 10, 2019
Gaming Galore By Sam May
Ferrum College has implemented a new gaming room that any of the college students on campus can access and play at. The gaming room is located downstairs in the basement of Bassett which was once known as Confettis and has been very popular with students since it has opened. College students are able to take their gaming console to the gaming room to set it up and play online with their friends.The new gaming room also offers a chance for students to socialize with fellow gamers, providing a fun and sociable new environment for gamers within campus. Leo Galpin, a Freshman on campus, uses the gaming room on a regular basis and has enjoyed the new addition to the campus so far. “I think the gaming room provides the students with a spot where they can go to relieve stress from working and focus their attention on gaming. It allows them to meet new people, so it’s also a social spot,” said Galpin. The gaming room is open until 2am Monday through Sunday and has many features within it. The room has multiple monitors for gamers to connect their console to and is styled in an orderly fashion Gaming staion with monitors, reclining chairs, and PCs. Photo Credit: Frances Best. with the monitors spread evenly across long desks, allowing for participants to sit next to their friends while gaming. Some of the monitors are brand new 4k which are curved, which provides players with new experiences that they may not have come in contact with before due to the high price of these monitors. Behind each desk is a state of the art gaming chair. The chairs are tall and adjustable helping to keep gamers comfortable and offer back support at the same time. Each chair is black in color giving them a sleek look, so one can game in style and get the full gaming experience. Towards the front of the room are much bigger TVs that are mounted on the wall, so those who want to be the center of attention and make sure everyone can see how they are performing will enjoy using one of the giant TVs instead of the smaller 4k monitors that provide more of a private gaming experience instead. Those who have yet to visit the new game room are encouraged to stop by Bassett Hall to check out the addition for an opportunity to destress and socialize.
Disney+ and Chill: What You Should Binge This Holiday Break By Diamond Hudson
As a millennial, I grew up with Disney. I had plush toys, themed birthday parties, bedsheets, coloring books, and VHS tapes. I remember in order to collect the classic films on VHS and soon DVD, you had to wait for the advertised commercial, “Disney is now releasing... from the vault!” On the screen, you see the golden vault open and the signature Disney blue in the background with Pixi dust to give a dramatic introduction to the rereleased classic. But now, what is a commercial? With the capabilities of streaming from various platforms such as Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video, viewers no longer have to wait to see those commercials to gain access to re-releases or pay full price to own copies of these films. As of Nov. 12, Disney has just launched their latest platform, Disney+. This platform contains all of the classics for all ages that dates back to the 1960s with Tugboat Mickey
The Parent Trap (1961) flyer.
to the most recent Marvel Avengers: Endgame. Not only does it include movies and TV shows from previous years, but it will also in the near future stream reboots of series such as The Proud Family, Lizzie McGuire, and the Princess Diaries. For only $7 a month, viewers can gain access to all the classics, National Geographics, Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar. “I was able to pre-order Disney+ back in October. I thought it was weird that many of their movies were taken from Netflix. But now all I see is Disney. I just
watched Cadet Kelly the other day,” Freshman, Jordan Mitchell said. But where to start for your binge marathon? “I suggest the live-action of Lady and The Tramp if you like dogs. It’s just as cute as the animated one,” Freshman, Lindsey Foster said. Below I have listed and summarized five must watch movies and TV shows that students on Ferrum College campus have agreed should be binged in between studying for exams or during the holiday break. The Parent Trap (1961) Many viewers, millennial or not, are familiar with this twin classic, whether they watched the original or the remake starring Lindsey Lohan in 1998. “Isn’t it that movie with the twins and they switch places and then their parents get back together? I only saw the one with that girl from Freaky Friday with my sister. So if there’s another I’ll probably watch that with her too,” Junior, Matt Baker said. The film is about a pair of twins who are separated at birth due to their parents getting a divorce. Then later on in life they meet at a summer camp and concoct a plan to reunite their parents by switching places. The only difference between both versions is that Lohan’s version is missing the catchy song, “Let’s Get Together.” Although the handshake she does in the film originated from the 1961 version. Belle’s Magical World (1998) Almost every little girl when through a princess phase which was promoted by the Disney Princesses. “I always wanted to be Tiana growing up because my name was Tiana. I didn’t want to kiss a frog but the boys on this campus are like kissing frogs, unfortunately. But I never heard of a show from Beauty and the Beast besides that show from the Little Mermaid,” Freshman, Tiana Moore, said. This series is actually a movie broken into three episodes. This is a liveaction animation crossover as well. Belle is introduced
as a bookstore owner in the village she lives in. Children always come into the store for advice for their problems and she helps solve them. Ducktales (1987) For six seasons, Donald Duck’s three nephews roamed around with their wealthy great-uncle Scrooge, going on adventures as they wait on Donald to return home from the war. The program was later given a sequel, Quack Pack in 1996. These four main characters are introduced in the Disney remade classic, Mickey’s A Christmas Carol in 1983. “I was born in the 2000s so I have no idea about the main Disney characters outside of the Disney Princesses. I only watched Jim Carey’s A Christmas Carol. Beyond Mickey and Minnie Mouse I have no clue who Donald Duck is but based on the trailer I watched the show seems funny,” Freshman, Jenna Lambert, said. Kim Possible (2002) One of Disney’s first female “heroes” is the main reason why this show should be watched. An average high school cheerleader, the daughter of a neurosurgeon and rocket scientist, and best friend is able to countless save the world. It even has a catchy theme song which is a predominantly used ringtone and notification sound. She was voiced by Christy Carlson Ramano, who also starred on Even Stevens during this era of Disney. “I just watched the live-action the other day with my cousins over Thanksgiving Break and I’d rather watch the cartoon. I’m on the last season currently and I don’t even skip the intro song,” Senior, Alice Walker said. Stars Wars: Mandalorian With the box office franchise almost finishing the movie series, Disney decided to continue the sci-fi classic as a television series that can only be viewed on their platform. Want to see the origins of the baby Yoda memes? This is it. After the fall of the Empire, a lone gunfighter makes his way through the lawless galaxy. “There are only four episodes and I love Star Wars, I own the entire series on DVD. If Disney keeps making Star Wars movies they can have my money,” Freshman, Josh Reeves said. There’s something on Disney+ for everyone. There are more than five series that are a must watch. Some movies and shows will make you relive your childhood again. With a lineup of animated films, live-actions, and crossover films, Disney Channel Originals, Muppets, and more, there is an unlimited number of options to make any mouse-eared fans binge only Disney+.
December 10, 2019
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Ferrum Favorite: Carl Schwabenton By AnnGardner Eubank
If you’ve ever spent time in the library, you’ve probably seen Carl Schwabenton hard at work. If he saw you, he probably greeted you with a smile and a bright “Hey! How are you?” Carl came to Ferrum in the Fall of 2015 and it quickly became a second home for him. He loves Ferrum so much that he had to take a victory lap and stay an extra semester. Carl will be graduating this month with majors in history and social studies. Once he graduates he plans on finding a teaching job at a middle school and eventually teach at the highschool level once he’s a few years older. The Blackstone native came to Ferrum and has made friends that have turned into family and professors that have turned into mentors and friends. He says that Ferrum is like no place else and will always have a special place in his heart. “Ferrum is more of a weird, dysfunctional family. Everyone is here to help one another. Everyone is trying to help everyone graduate,” he said. Carl has made the most of his time at Ferrum and has become involved in a variety of organizations. He has been a member of the Ag club, served as the vice president of the junior class, and has served as both social chair and alumni relations coordinator for Delta Chi. Carl is so loved on campus that he was even voted Homecoming King in the fall of 2018. It seems that Carl doesn’t know a stranger and that everyone is his friend and admire his kindness. His fraternity brother, friend, and roommate, Alec Kendrick, shared what makes Carl an admirable friend. “Carl is one of those guys that can always cheer you up no matter what kind of day you are having. He instantly brings life to a room and always brings positive energy and vibes with him wherever he goes,” Kendrick said. Carl has clearly made friends with his peers on campus, and has even befriended a lot of his professors and staff. He has formed bonds and personal relationships with so many people he’s encountered. “I’m definitely going to miss the people at Ferrum the most, especially the professors. I should not know as much about my teachers as I do,” he joked. “I’ve made friends with a lot of people on campus, like the ladies at the omelette station, the campus police, and Mike Ferguson.” His relationships with his professors are what Ferrum is all about. He advocates that students talk with their professors in order to get the most out of school. “Talk to your professors. They’re more relatable and understanding than you would think. If you know you’re struggling, be assertive and ask for help,” he said. While Carl has nothing but kind words for his professors, the respect and kinship is a mutual feeling. His professor and advisor, Dr. Timothy Daniels, has respect and admiration for his work ethic and character. “If you’ve ever been at the ARC or first floor of the library at odd hours over the past few years, you’ve probably seen Carl there. That speaks to his work ethic. And what I love about his path at Ferrum is that his hard work over the summers in the fields of southside Virginia is partially what motivated him to increase his effort in and outside the classroom. If you’ve been to a campus event, he’s been there too. That speaks to his love for this campus and his desire to support his colleagues here (sometimes maybe a bit too vocally). Those two attributes, perseverance and care for the people who surround him, along with his genuine good nature and attitude, are what are going to make him an excellent teacher in his own right,” Daniels said. While some seniors have a list of things they want to do on campus before they graduate, Carl said he doesn’t have a list because he’s “done it all.” From his campus involvement to weekends with friends, Carl has made some special memories that will last a lifetime. What’s new? Carl’s in the library..... Again “One of my favorite memories would have to be from my spring semester of my freshman year. We had been snowed in for days and a bunch of my buddies and I played a football game in the snow behind Chapman. It was just one of those fun days,” Carl said. Carl has embraced all of what Ferrum is and has given it his heart. While he’s ready to take on the real world, he says he will definitely miss it, but the community might just miss him more. Christian Haley summed it up when he took note of the impact Carl has made on those he’s befriended. “Carl is one of the most genuine and kind hearted people I’ve ever met. He doesn’t know what a stranger is and he’s friends with just about everyone on campus. He’s been a great friend to me as well and I’m happy just to know him. Ferrum won’t be the same without him, but I know he’ll go on to do big things,” Haley said. While his time at Ferrum is coming to a close, Carl will always have a welcoming home her. The Ferrum community is proud of all he has accomplished and will definitely miss his kind spirit and positive energy once he graduates.
ual Milk & Cookie n n s Ev bA u l en C t P H H Wednesday, December 11, 2019 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM Panthers Den
students are welcome to bring themselves and their children.
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December 10, 2019
Chris Warren: Hall of Fame By Joshua Reeves
Photo Courtsey: Seattle Seahawks.
Chris Warren, a Ferrum alumni, has been nominated for consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He began his football Career as a standout at Robinson Secondary School. After his high school career, Warren went on to play for the University of Virginia before transferring to Ferrum College for his junior and senior years. While at Ferrum, he rushed for a total of 2,708 yards and rushed for 32 touchdowns. Following his career at Ferrum, Warren entered the NFL where he was selected in the 4th round by the Seattle Seahawks, where he would spend most of his 11-year NFL career. After a slow start in his first two seasons in which Warren only saw 17 total carries for 24 yards, he had a breakout season in his third year and rushed for a total of 1,017 yards and three touchdowns. The next three seasons Warren rushed for over 1,000 yards, with his best season being in 1994 in which he rushed for 1,545 yards and 9 touchdowns. After his stint with Seattle was over, he had a total of 6,706 yards and 44 touchdowns. He played the next three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, where he rushed for 948 yards and eight total touchdowns. By the end of his career, Warren finished with 7,969 total yards rushing and 1,935 yards receiving and 57 total touchdowns. Over the course of his career, Warren was a three time pro bowl selection and a two time all pro selection. Before leaving Ferrum to go to the NFL, he was just a few credits shy of graduating. In the early 2010’s Warren returned to Ferrum to finish his degree at his alma mater.
Ferrum Women Struggling Early
Ferrum Looking To Find Their Groove By Joshua Reeves After dropping an exhibition game to start the season against App. State by a score of 83-56 in November, the Panthers started their season off at home against Methodist College. The game saw a lot of back and forth action but Ferrum ultimately couldn’t catch up, losing by a score of 70-64. Rashad Reed had a team high of 15 points, while Marcus Plair had a team high 9 rebounds. Following the loss, Ferrum had another home matchup against William Peace College, Ferrum trailed by two points at halftime, 37-35, but ended up outscoring William Peace by 10 in the second half to win by a score of 90-82. After the win Ferrum traveled to Greensboro College. Against Greensboro Ferrum seemed to struggle in all aspects, shooting just 36.1% from the field, 17.1% from three point range, and 50% at the charity stripe. While Greensboro shot almost above 50% in every category except three pointers, where they were 16 of 33 for Kajuan Madden-McAfee in Ferrum’s season opener. 48.5% The Pan- Photo Courtsey: Ferrum College. thers then played host to Berry College and lost by a score of 61-53, they then traveled to Virginia Wesleyan and lost 60-54. “We’ve lost by eight or less in three of our games already this season,” said Coach Tyler Sanborne. “If we adjust a few things, and execute better down the stretch to close out games, we can be a really good team.” The Panthers were able to snag a 78-73 win over University of Lynchburg and will compete at Averett on the 9th at 7 p.m.
Chris Warren, Photo Courtsey: Best Sports.
By Joshua Reeves So far to start the season, the Women’s Basketball Team has struggled, holding a record of 0-6. To start the year, they dropped a close battle against Mary Baldwin. The game saw seven ties and eight lead changes but Mary Baldwin held on to win by a score of 68-62. Following the loss, Ferrum competed against Sage College. The Panthers trailed by 11 at halftime but ultimately couldn’t pull off a comeback losing by a final score of 74-57. Kayla Cabiness scored a season-high 22 points and hit 5 three pointers in the loss. Their next matchup was against Haverford College where Ferrum just couldn’t seem to get anything going, scoring a season low 33 points in the game and shooting just 38.7% from the floor and 17.6% from three point range. The next game was an ODAC matchup against Guilford College. Ferrum was down just six at halftime. However, a Freshman Kayla Cabiness had 23 points for Ferrum. late 4th quarter run by Guilford in which Photo Credit: Frances Best. they outscored Ferrum 30-16 in the final 10 minutes ultimately cost them the game, losing by a final score of 74-59. They then traveled to Greensboro for a non-conference matchup and lost by a final score of 76-67. The team then hosted Shenandoah College where the Panthers struggled, losing by a final score of 69-49. “We are a really young team,” said Head Coach Bryan Harvey. “We just need togain some experience and cut out the mental mistakes. I like the potential this young team has.” The team will be competing next in an away game at Emory and Henry.
Diving into 2020: Swim Team’s Optimism By Kieran Sawyer
With winter sports now in full swing, both the men and women’s swim teams are looking to make a statement in the ODAC this year. Both teams began competing during the late fall with their first meet which was held on Oct. 5 at the Guilford Invitational. The men finished third out of the three teams competing, while the women finished in sixth out of seven. Junior, Katie Shoaf, was sixth in the 100 butterfly, eighth in the 100 freestyle and ninth in the 50 freestyle. Both the men and women competed against three ODAC teams in a home meet on November 2. The men's team finished 0-2 and the women finished 1-1, beating Randolph 66-51. The teams returned to competition on Nov. 15 against Bridgewater College. Both teams dropped two duals against both Southern Virginia University and Bridgewater. Despite their shortcomings, the new faces of the program are looking to be able to compete and showcase their skills for the remainder of the season. Kailen Beckner, a mid-season walk on, is optimistic for the rest of the season. “I feel pretty good about how we look this year. I am excited for the meets we have coming up,” said Beckner. Both teams will be competing next on January 11 at Virginia Wesleyan University.
Hunter Tharpe displays back stroke. Photo Courtesy of Steven Marsh
December 10, 2019
The Iron Blade
SPORTS
Equestrian Recap
By Caroline King The Ferrum College Equestrian Team began their season competing in an Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) show, hosted by Hollins University. One rider, Emma Williams, rode in Pre-Novice Hunter Seat Flat and placed 3rd. The Panther riders finished in ninth place in a field of nine teams. “We did not have our entire team compete, so we were at a bit of a disadvantage with only three riders for the competition. We plan to compete with seven riders next week, so I’m looking forward to seeing how we do at full strength,” said Coach Cornwell. For their second and third show for the Fall season, Ferrum’s team competed at Bridgewater and Lynchburg. At Bridgewater, two riders placed. Emma Williams placed 3rd in the Pre-Novice class again and Hattie Rieck competed in Novice Hunter Seat Flat and placed 3rd. At Lynchburg, Gloria Wood finished 5th in the Limit Hunter Equestrian Over Fences and 2nd in the Limit Hunter Seat on the Flat. Koogler finished 4th and Halm placed 5th in the Limit Equestrian on the Flat. Howell saw 4th in Novice Equitation on the Flat. Rieck ended the day for the Panthers placing 4th in the Introductory class. For their final show, the team traveled to The Barracks Farm on Nov. 3 to compete in the University of Virginia’s Fall IHSA Horse Show. The Panthers closed out the day with an 8th-place team finish in a field of nine teams. Lauren Weaver and Gloria Wood posted the highest individual performances for the Panthers, with Weaver finishing 4th in Novice Hunter Seat Equitation section B and Wood finishing 4th in Limit Hunter Seat Equitation Over Fences. Wood has now qualified for next spring’s IHSA Regionals (Region 2, Zone 4), to be held Saturday, March 21 at Hollins University. She will compete in Limit Hunter Seat Equitation on the Flat. “Overall I’m proud of how our riders represented themselves and the progress we’ve made over this fall season. UVA is traditionally a more competitive show for our region. With that said, our riders came home with some really good ribbons for the day,” said Cornwell The Virginia IHSA show competition closed out Ferrum’s fall IHSA season. Cornwell’s team will be back in action Saturday, February 8 at another IHSA Show, at Washington and Lee University in Lexington.
The Ferrum Esquestrian Team after a competion. Photo cred : Hattie Rieck.
Ferrum vs Emory By Lindsey Foster
The Ferrum Panthers took on The Wasps of Emory and Henry on Saturday, Nov. 16 for their last game of the season in the annual Crooked Road Classic match up. Ferrum won the coin toss prior to the game’s start and deferred the ball to Emory and Henry. The Wasps received the ball on the kickoff on the first play. The Ferrum College Marching Band traveled to support their team. The marching band played pep songs during the game to cheer on the Panthers and encourage them to score. Involvement from the crowd also showed support by cheering and hollering to push Ferrum to get on the board. The energy of the first half of the game was intense and heated. Both teams were given penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct. Other calls were made by the officials and were not well received by spectators, as the crowd often boo’d and disagreed throughout the game. With Emory and Henry leading Ferrum 28-0, Ferrum finally got on the board thanks to Ryan Beidleman while running a 75-yard touchdown pass from Zack Clifford with 4:50 in the half left on the clock. Ferrum’s Taylor Brown returned a Wasp fumble for 48 yards to score just before halftime. Once halftime hit, the score was 35-15 with Emory and Henry in the lead. Following halftime, Emory and Henry continued their lead while scoring a 44-yard touchdown pass, along with a two-yard blocked return and a 44-yard field goal were also made, making the score 52-15 at the end of the third quarter. Four minutes into the fourth quarter, Clifford scored a three-yard touchdown for the Panthers. Quentin Wallace then made an 18-yard scoring strike from Clifford to up the score 52-29. The end zone was found again by Overstreet from 19 yards out. Brian Mann then closed his record-setting career with a one-yard touchdown run for the final count. Mann, along with eighteen other graduating seniors, completed their Ferrum careers and are now Black Hat alum. “Ferrum football has taught me how to overcome anything life throws at me. I have faced adversity throughout my college career and that has made me become a better individual. Ferrum football will always have a major impact on my life. I have made life long friends with my teammates as well as the coaching staff. I want to be remembered as a player who always gave his best and tried his hardest no matter what situation he was given,” said Mann. Ferrum ended their second season being a part of the ODAC. Nineteen players will be graduating in either DeSeniors Blackhats after their final game for the panthers. cember or May Photo Credit : Ferrum College with 80 returning players expected to return for the 2020 season.
Billy Wagner Hall of Fame By Frances Best Billy Wagner, a former Ferrum baseball stand-out, was inducted into the 2019 National College Baseball Hall of Fame on Nov. 2. Wagner was one of eight individuals selected to be inducted. The former pitcher for the Panthers even spent some time off the mound briefly playing for Ferrum’s football team as the starting defensive back in 1990. Wagner competed for Ferrum’s baseball program from 1991-93. Wagner had a decorated career while at Ferrum, earning several records before being drafted into the major leagues. Wagner’s baseball career at Ferrum was extremely successful and celebrated. Wagner made Ferrum history by being named to the MLB’s All-Decade team for the 1990s for his career as a relief pitcher for the Houston Astros from 1995-1999. He alo finished his baseball career at Ferrum with a 17-3 record along with a 1.63 run average. Wagner still currently
holds the record for the NCAA Division III which he set in 1992 by having the most strikeouts during nine innings in a single season at 19.1 and with 109 strikeouts in 51.1 innings. In 1993 Wagner was selected to be on the NCAA Division III first-team as an All-American. Wagner was drafted in the first round of Major League Baseball for the Astros as the 12th pick overall. Wagner’s professional career lasted for 18 years,16 of those years were spent playing in the majors. Wagner played for nine teams throughout his professional career which included the Auburn Astros in 1993, the Quad City River Bandits in 1994, the Jackson Generals in 1995, the Tucson Toros in 1995, the Houston Astros from 1995 to 2003, the Philadelphia Phillies from 2003 to 2005, the New York Mets from 2005 to 2009, the Boston Red Sox in 2009, and the Atlanta Braves in 2010.
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Photo credit : Cooperstown Hall Of Fame.
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The Iron Blade
December 10, 2019
Panther Briefs
Senior Spotlight:
Sierra Smith By Frances Best
Sierra Smith is a Criminal Justice major who is originally from Maryland and came to Ferrum in 2015 as a freshman. Since arriving at Ferrum, Smith has taken part in campus activities such as Sister 4 Sister and working as a Resident Advisor (RA) for two semesters. Smith plans to graduate in May of 2020. Smith is appreciative of the friends that she has made during her time at Ferrum and feels that being in close contact with them will be what she will miss most about Ferrum. “I would say I’ll miss the friendships I’ve made. A lot of my friends live far away. Also my professors are really cool,” said Smith. Smith described her time at Ferrum as being an experience that has had its ups and downs. Although she is grateful for the experiences Ferrum has given her, she feels that there is still room for improvement at the college. “The experience has been good and bad. I think certain students are unaware of what to take when they first start coming here and then they might take the wrong classes. Also, a lot of students aren’t prepared for certain teachers. Some teachers don’t have tutors for their classes and that also makes it worse,” said Smith. Smith is excited to graduate because she feels it will make her family proud to see her accomplishment of earning her degree and looks forward to the moment that she will be able to walk across the stage in her cap and gown. “I’m looking forward to walking across the stage and making my family proud. Overall, I think I made it and I’m happy about that. It’s nice to also graduate and walk across the stage with my friends,” said Smith. Smith is still unsure of what she will do after graduating but has several ideas in mind when it comes to what she wants her future to look like. “Right now I’m just trying to think of where to work and I’m trying to look for a career in my field. Also, maybe an apartment somewhere outside of Maryland. I want to travel somewhere else,” said Smith.
Coffee and a Show with Amy Cox By Lindsey Foster On November 18th, Ferrum College’s Spiritual Life held a concert in the Panther’s Den with musical guest and Ferrum alumni, Amy Cox. Students received two free slices of pizza and free coffee drink of their choosing during the event. This event had students come together to enjoy a night of sharing songs and stories of love, family, and life. Cox is a singer-songwriter with a passion for God, people, and stories. Most of the songs Cox has written have come from her own personal experiences. There is no one certain kind of music Cox enjoys when it comes to her musical inspirations. Cox mostly enjoys artists who tell stories in their songs. They are not very well known but are in their own circle, such as Warren Barfield. “I also really enjoy the Jonas Brothers Amy Cox and Lindsey Foster and Taylor Swift. I also get inspiration from Photo Credit: Jacob Wilson artists I listened to while growing up like the Monkeys and The Beatles,” said Cox. Cox has new music currently in the works. A bluegrass project will be coming within the new year. There is no set date for the release, but it should be out in January.
Left to right: Justin Muse, Jan Nicholson, Amy Cox, David Johns, and Eugene Hacker. Photo Credit: Jacob Wilson.
Cox’s album “Coming Home to You”
Cox’s Christmas album “Chasing Light”
d r a o B n i t e l l Panther Bu January 16,
Jan 17,
Mindfulness Meditation 1pm-2pm
FASO Yoga 12pm-1:30pm
January 17,
January 20,
Ferrum Bowling Night @ Rocky Mount Bowling Center 4:00pm-11:00pm
Martin Luther King Day (Follow the Special Events Schedule)
January 21,
January 23,
January 30,
Last Day to Add Any Classes
Mindfulness Meditation 1pm-2pm
Mindfulness Meditation 1pm-2pm
January 22,
January 24,
January 31,
Club Fair 4:30pm-7:00pm
FASO Yoga 12pm-1:30pm
FASO Yoga 12pm-1:30pm
January 14, Move-in day, Residence Halls open for all students Janruary 15, Classes Resume
Winter Break Winter Break is right around the corner! All campus Residence Halls will be closed during Winter Break. If you have not made travel arrangements for Winter Break, based upon the Residence Hall opening and closing times, please do so now. Students are to leave campus no later than 24 hours after their last exam. Residence Halls will close beginning at 12:00 PM on Tuesday, December 17, 2019 and are scheduled to reopen at 9:00 AM on Tuesday, January 14, 2020. Check-in and Advising Day is scheduled for Tuesday, January 14, 2020. Classes begin on Wednesday, January 15, 2020. Additional Winter Break information will be forthcoming by way of campus email, residence hall floor meetings and flyers/posters. Internship Oppurtunity Red Valley UMC (30 Red Valley Rd. Boones Mill) is looking for student interns who will serve as a choir director and a soloist. We have a wonderful pianist and a passionate choir. The candidates are not required to have a music degree but enthusiasm for music, praise, and worship is a must! One period of this internship will be one semester (either midJanuary to mid-April or mid-Sept to mid-Dec; the spring semester includes Easter Cantata and the fall semester includes Christmas Cantata – this may require an extra practice and rehearsal. These Cantatas could be on other dates than actual Easter and Christmas). The hours for this position would require every Sunday (10:20 AM to 12:20 PM) and one evening every other weekday (one and half hours; Example 1st and 3rd Wednesday or whatever day chosen by leader and choir members)Red Valley UMC will provide a scholarship for this internship; $1,000 for a choir director and $700 for a soloist. Or, two friends can share the responsibilities and scholarships ($850 for each). If you are interested in applying for this internship, please contact Pastor Jae Song at jaesong@ vaumc.org.