A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY
SPRING 2019
Our
Longwood has claimed Joan ofArc as its inspiration for morethanacentury
In the News
Literary Talent Scout
Off the Shelf: An Unforgettable Librarian
MonumentstotheiconicfiguretestifytoJoan ofArc'scentralroleat Longwood
FEATURES
Alumni at the venerable Washington Post arethriving inthe midst of a revolution in the news industry
Page 15: Journalists in smaller markets play a critical role
Page 16: Alums makethe news must-see TV � AShining
Six alumni are recognizedfor theircontributions to Longwood and theircommunities J
Brent Roberts will make you forget everything you thought you knew about librarians I
Dos Passos Prize isoften first in line to recognize top American writers DEPARTMENTS 3
Art that glows in the dark, construction update, an unexpected multigenerational connection to Longwood, and more
39
ON THE COVER
Sculptor Alexander Stoddart's monument, installed on campus last semester, provides a 21st-centuryinterpretation of Joan of Arc. Alexander Stoddart (Scottish, 1959- ); Joan of Arc, 2018; bronze. Story on Page 24.
48
A record-settingmen's basketball season, the new Voice ofthe Lancers, and more
Sweatshirt magic (Page 41), shadowing program brings students and alumnitogether, exploring the rainforest, and more
Longwood is working to help turn the tide of Virginia's teacher shortage
(1) Q_ I 0 Q_ co (1) (/)
-l
COVERSTORY I24 I ATaleofThreeJoans
IIOI A DifferentWorld
Moment
22I O&A: OfftheShelf
30I Talent Scout
OnPoint
32 34 35
lnPrint LancerUpdate
LongwoodCalendar
AlumniNews
EndPaper
SPRING 2019
Publisher
Longwood University Foundation Inc.
Michael Lewandowski, President Editor
Sabrina Brown Creative Director
Rachael Davis Associate Editors
Gina Caldwell, Matthew McWilliams, Lauren Whittington Sports Editor
Chris Cook Designer
JoDeeStringham Photographer
Courtney Vogel
Contributors
Tom Allen/The WashingtonPost, Ryan Bengford/WVEC13, Kent Booty, Hiba Abu Chabke '19, AutumnChildress'18, Wesley Della
Valla, David DuncanPhotography, Patrick Folliard, Ted Hodges '85, Rachel Ivers, Jen Jaqua/SuffolkNews-Herald, Mike Kropf '14, Justin Pope, Elizabeth Seaborn, Jason Snyder, Mike Theuer, The WinchesterStar, Jason Wong, SamraZeweldi
Advisory Board
Ryan Catherwood, Wade Edwards, Larissa Fergeson, Courtney Hodges, VictoriaKindon, David Locascio, JustinPope
Board of Visitors
Marianne Moffat Radcliff '92, Rector, Richmond
Eileen Mathes Anderson '83, Glen Allen
Katharine McKeown Bond '98, Mechanicsville
Michael A. Evans, Mechanicsville
Steven P. Gould, Danville
David H. Hallock Jr., Richmond
Eric Hansen, Lynchburg
Colleen McCrink Margiloff '97, Rye, N.Y.
Nadine Marsh-Carter, Richmond
Larry I. Palmer, Richmond
Polly H. Raible '91, Midlothian
Ricshawn Adkins Roane, Great Falls
Lucia Anna "Pia" Trigiani, Alexandria
FROM THE PRESIDENT
If you're visiting campus after anabsence of evenjust afew years, you'll notice quite a number of new and wonderful buildings and spaces. In all of them, we have worked hard to carry forward Longwood's distinctive spirit. In that vein, I am especially proud of the new statue of Joan of Arc, created by acclaimed Scottish sculptor Alexander Stoddart, which was dedicated in November and now stands formidably at the south end of Brock Commons.
In this issue of the magazine, Matt McWilliams delightfully recounts the story of Longwood's proud history with our patron hero, dating back more than a century and now extending to three beautiful statues. The article explains why so many students here over the years have found a deep connection with Joan of Arc-a strong young woman, determined to overcome the obstacles and prejudices before her and assume the mantle of leadership.
Traditions matter. Here at Longwood, they tie together the generations of students and alumni with an enduring bond. Even as institutions grow and evolve, traditions remind us of the fundamental and timeless strengths at their hearts. Perhaps above all, traditions help create and preserve our special sense of community, which, in the experience of the many alumni in my family and in my own experience as president, has proved the essential ingredient in what so many love about this place.
Longwood'sfaithfulhonoring of Joan of Arc is among our strongest and most enduringtraditions, and this latest statue is a remarkableaddition to our campus, powerfully strengthening this connection for a new generation. Come see it for yourself. It is a world-class piece of sculpture that on its own is worth the trip. And there is so much else here that is new as well-from residence halls to the Upchurch University Center to our soon-to-open new admissions building across High Street from the Rotunda. All of it reflects the best of our past as well as the future.
W. Taylor Reveley IV President
longwood A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY
Editorial offices for Longwood magazine are maintained at the Office of University Marketing and Communications, Longwood University, 201 High Street, Farmville, VA 23909. Telephone: 434.395.2020; email: browncs2@longwood.edu. Comments, letters and contributions are encouraged. Printed on recycled stocks containing 100% post-consumer waste. No state funds were used to print this publication. To request this magazine in alternate format (large print, braille, audio, etc.I, please contact Longwood Disability Resources, 434.395.2391; TRS: 711. Published March 2019 2 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
Reveley at the dedication of Longwood's newest Joan of Arc statue in November 2018
President
t•lDIPOINTI
What Do You Get...
...when you cross an art class with a biology class? Art made with glow-in-the-dark bacteria
Sitting in abiology laboratory on the second floor of ChichesterHall, KamarinBradley'19,agraphic design major, carefully pulled a sheet of aluminumfoil out of hernotebook. On it, she hadcarefullycut outa stencil, a minion from DespicableMehollering the word "BIO!".
After shefitthefoil into a Petri dish withthe help of nearbyToriAcosta '19, abiology major, Bradley tooka paintbrushandbegan dabbing clear liquidonto the stencil, creating aninvisible piece ofart.
Photobacteriumleiognathistrain KNH6glowing bacteria thatin just a few hours would begin to emit a softblue-green light, revealing thepattern the studentshad created.
"Welcome to our interestingadventure," said Trubitsyn, assistantprofessor ofbiology who initiatedthe collaboration.
Many of the students' artworks adopteda Longwood-basedtheme-arotunda, Lancer logo or CHI symbol-butmany of Rice's students liftedimagesfrom their sketchbooks: intricate drawingsof flowersor characters
As the microbes consume nutrientsin the bottom of the Petri dishes, they emitthe light, whichcanonlybe seen in pitch-black rooms. Once the nutrients are gone, thebacteria stop glowing.
"Thesebacteriaarefascinating,"saidTrubitsyn. "They come fromponyfish, foundin
It wouldn'tbe invisiblefor long atleast not atnight.
The projectis acollaboration between Dr. DenisTrubitsyn's upper-level microbiology class and Lauren Rice's artclass tided, aptly, Introduction ro New Media.
Newmediaindeed: The clear liquidthat Bradley andAcosta carefully painted onto the bottoms of their Petri dishes was teeming with bioluminescent microbes-scientific name
chat required delicate strokes to encourage the luminescentbacteriatomultiplyand glow in perfectly straight lines.
''Art, asinscience, is often acollaboration," said Rice. "We share ideas andwork together. There exists a whole history of ephemeral artthat whichis madeto not lastfor along time. Withthis collaboration, we have about three daysto enjoy the glow of the artworkbefore it disappears."
theIndianand Pacificoceans, andhaveareally interesting symbiotic relationship. The bacteria getnutrientsfrom thefish, andliveina special organinitsbelly wherethey shine lightdownward, effectively reducing shadows thatreveal the ponyfish's locationto potentialpredators. These types ofrelationshipsare very important in nature, and, of course, we are echoing that same collaboration withartstudentsinthe classroom."-MatthewMcWilliams
SPRING 2019 I 3
Visitors to campus these days can see the fulfillment of several goals of Longwood's Master Plan happening before their eyes. The work includes construction of two new buildings-one for admissions and the other providing academic space-and the renovation of Frazer Hall, a student residence.
Progress Report
0 Admissions Building
The new admissions building, located directly across High Street from Ruffner Hall, will include a welcome center for visitors and a display focused on Farmville and Longwood history. Construction is at about the halfway mark with completion expected by August of this year. The facility will provide seven times the space of the building previously occupied by the admissions office.
@ Frazer Hall
Work on the Frazer Hall renovation also is about 50 percent complete, with much of the interior framing and rough-in plumbing and electrical work finished. The building is on schedule for occupancy by fall 2019. As part of this two-phase project, nearby Curry Hall
will get a similar makeover after students move out at the end of this semester. The second phase of the project also includes installing new neighborhood landscaping.
@) Academic Building
Longwood's new academic building is about 15 percent complete and is expected to open its doors by fall 2020. It will provide four stories of additional classroom, research and faculty office space. Construction includes a pedestrian tunnel that will cross the eastwest corridor of campus, providing access from Venable Street to Brock Commons. The goal is to have the building meet LEED Silver standards for a healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green building.
ONPOINT
4 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
AmI Blue?
"SmallTalk"
overheard on the Longwood campus
II It'sreallyimportantthatwehonor andhaveprideinourhistorybutalso thatweallowalliestojoinusand showtheirhumanity:'
Dawn Porter (via the Internet), filmmaker, screening of her documentary Spies ofMississippi about the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission, February 2019
II Youdon'treadapoem.Itreadsyou."
Frank Bidart, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Longwood Authors Series, February 2019
For a growing number of lakes in the U.S., the answer is no, professor's research shows brown and murky.
ThefreshwaterinAmerica'slakes isincreasinglyturninggreenishbrown-whichhasnegativeconsequencesforwaterquality,fishandtheaquatic foodchain.
LakesinthecontinentalUnitedStatesare progressivelybecoming"murkier,"according toaresearchpaperco-authoredbyDr.Dina Leechandrecentlypublishedin Limnologyand Oceanography(readthefullarticleat https:/1 aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com). Leech,associateprofessorofbiologyatLongwood,isthe leadauthoroftheresearch,whichrevealsthat from2007-12,thedominantlal(etypeinthe U.S.shiftedfromclearbluetogreenishbrown andmurky.Approximately45percentoflakes werebluein2007,butby2012thatfigurehad decreasedtoonlyabout28percent.Inthose samefiveyears,murkylakesincreasedfrom23 percentto35percent.
"Bluelakestypicallyarethosethatdonot showevidenceofnutrientpollutionorelevated organicmatterwhilemurkylakeshavehigh levelsofboth,"Leechsaid.''Ashifttoward murkinessisamanagementconcernbecause murkylakestendtohavemorealgae,including potentiallyharmfulcyanobacteria.Andwith poorqualityfoodatthebaseofthefoodweb, overtimemurkylakesmaynotbeabletosupportahealthyfishery."
Leech'sresearchwaspublishedin Limnology andOceanography's specialresearchnewsletter, whichhighlightsselectedsubmissionsthathave beenjudgedontheiroriginalityandintellectualcontributiontothefieldsoflimnologyand oceanography.LimnologyandOceanographyisa journalpublishedonbehalfoftheAssociation fortheSciencesofLimnologyandOceanography.Thejournal'sunifyingthemeistheunderstandingofaquaticsystems.
UsingdatafromtheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency'sNationalLakesAssessment Program,Leechandtheotherresearchers demonstratethatmanylakesacrosstheU.S. areincreasinginbothtotalphosphorusand dissolvedorganicmatterconcentration.The resultsemphasizethatmanylakesaresimultaneously"greening"and"browning,"with potentiallynegativeconsequencesforwater qualityandfoodwebstructure.Thefindings showthatmurkylakessignificantlyincreasedin theNorthernAppalachian,SouthernPlainsand Xericecoregions.
Theresearchsuggeststhatmoreworkneedsto bedonetoreducenutrientand/ororganicmatterrunoff,particularlyfromagriculturalareas. Therealsomaybelinkstoclimatechange-for example,changesinprecipitationpatternsthat influencerunoffalthoughtheseareharderto pinpoint.-Lauren Whittington
11 By honing our mountaintop imaginations, we can begin to see and think independently and to teach our children to be independent thinkers as well:'
Sydney Trent, social issues editor at the Washington Post, Martin Luther King Jr. Week keynote address, January 2019
II Iwasinspiredbymy11th-grade mathanalysisteacher.Itwasn'tbells andwhistles.Shedidherjobwell,I respecteditandIworkedhard:'
Brandon Taylor '07, instructor of mathematics at the RoanokeValley Governor's School for Science andTechnology, Mathematics and Computer Science Colloquium, November 2018
JWehavetohavefaithinourselvesto havetheabilitytochangethingsfor thebetter,evenifit'sjustoneperson atatime:'
Ellen Oh, author of the Prophecyand Spirit Hunters books, Summer Literacy Institute, July 2018
ONPOINT
SPRING 2019 5
AnArtist and Old Lace
Photographerfeatured at LCVA has Longwood connections that go back more thana century
EvaO'Leary,anartistwhosephotographs areonexhibitattheLongwoodCenter fortheVisualArtsthroughMarch31, hasneverseenhergreat-great-grandmother's weddingdress.O'Learyhasn'tseenthephotographschatconnectherprofessionalworkwith hergreat-great-grandfather'savocation.
BenedictChatelain,however,hasseen-and eventouched-thedelicatedress,wornin 1907byayoungbridewhowasanalumna oftheStateNormalSchoolinFarmville,lacer knownasLongwoodUniversity.Chatelainalso hasheldinhishandsscoresofphotographs takenbychatyoungbride'sgroom,whotaught atthesameschool.
Ir'sexcitingstuffforsomeonewholoves historyanditsartifacts,andChatelain,who worksinthearchivesinGreenwoodLibrary, lovestocellthestoryofhowtheitemscame intoLongwood'spossession.
saidChatelain.Kaices donatedthematerialsto Longwoodin2017.
Thewomanwhowore theweddingdresswas MaryVenableCox,a relationofthewoman forwhomCoxHallwas named.Shegraduated fromtheStateNormal Schoolin1900andthen traveledtoNewYorkto furtherhereducationat theTeachersCollegeat ColumbiaUniversity.After returningtoFarmvillein 1904toteachalgebra, shemetJohnChester Mattoon,whoalsowas teachingatthecollege.
leallstartedwithaletterfromElizabeth Kaites,granddaughteroftheyoungcoupleand grandmotherofO'LearyKaicesknewabout hergrandparents'connectiontoLongwood Hisclassroomsubjectwas manualarts,butheapparentlylovedphotography, capturingimagesnotonly ofstudentsinthearchery
andhadalargecollectionoftheirbelongings chatincludednotonlytheweddingdressbut alsopersonalcorrespondence,anotherdress and160early20ch-cenuturyphotographs,a numberofchemfeaturingLongwoodstudents.
"Shewantedthematerialstogosomewhere theycouldbepreservedforfuturegenerations andusedtotellthehistoryoftheuniversity,"
Belly Dancing, Anyone?
Students from across campus turned out earlyin the springsemesterto learnmoreabout Longwood's175 student organizations, which rangefrom bellydancingto student government. Held each semester, Involvement Fairshelpstudents connect with others whoshare their interests, find aplace where they can lend a hand as a volunteer or get involved in a cause.
0
andmandolinclubsbutalsooftheAppomattoxRiverandBuffaloCreek.
JohnandMarymarriedandhadafamily. ChatelainhopeschattheMattoons' greac-greac-granddaughcer,O'Leary,willone dayvisitthearchivestoseethecollectionin personandfindoutaboutherancestors.
0 Sigma Alpha Iota is Longwood's music fraternity.@ Members of the club football team competeagainstclub teams at other schools.@} The Club de Espanol gives students the chance to practice their Spanishand learn more about the culture of countries where the language isspoken.
"lewouldbeajoyformetogettohelpher learnsomethingaboutherfamilythatshe didn'tknow,"hesaid.
Toseesomeofthephotosfromthecollection,visit digitalcommons.longwood.edu! mattoon.-Sabrina Brown
ONPOINT
A photo of Mary Venable Cox Mattoon, Class of 1900, issurroundedby her wedding dress. Both items are in the Greenwood Library archives. The photography of Mattoon's great-great-granddaughter, Eva O'Leary, is currently on exhibit at the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts.
6 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
PutMeIn, Coach
Coaching groups create a sense of belongingforfreshmen and mentors with shared interests
llOneTuesdayeveningalittlemore than amonthinto his freshmanyear, ,; JaelonHariston waslearningtorun thestate-of-the-an equipment inLongwood's communication studies broadcaststudio.Hariston, with a boomingvoice andlarger-than-life personaliry, was using the equipmenttofilm improv comedy skits, andhad starredintwo of the three studentskits.
1 If they have questions, Dr. EmilyHeady, senior director ofstudent success andretention, said the coaching-group modelis a best practice in use at a number of colleges and universities, but Longwoodis one of the few to offer it to all incoming students. There are some early indications that the implementation of the coaching groups has been a success, including a significantreduction in the overall number of freshmen who ended
I'm a point of contactforthem to go through to help them work outthose problems.'
-CLI NT WRIG HT, COACH ING GROUP ME NTOR
"This is awesome!"Hariston '22 exclaimed after getting a crash course in operating the large broadcast TV camera.
Hariston is one of the students in Clint Wright'sfirst-yearcoachinggroup-an innovative new approachtohelpingfreshmen acclimate to college life that Longwood introduced and pilotedin the fallsemester. The 60 groups, led by faculty and staffcoaches and built aroundsharedinterests,providethekind of mentoring support that has long been one of Longwood'strademarks. Wright, the broadcast studio managing editor, leads a group made up mostly of art majors who are interested in film and performance.
Wrightapplied to be a first-year coach becausehe liked the ideathathe'dbe able to give new Longwoodstudentsa sense of direction. With his access to the professional studio equipment-what he likes to call his "playground"-he knew he could give his group something tangible that they could focus on andhave fun with.
"Coaching groups are an interesting concept," he said. "It's this idea of creating a noncurricular experience that allows students to come together and create a sense of belonging in their freshman year that is not necessarily tied to a faculry member they deal with on a daily basis. If they have questions, I'm a point of contact for them to go through to help them work out those problems."
their first semester onacademic probation. The coachinggroupsarebuiltaroundshared interests. Themajoriry ofstudentsinWright's group-16 outof 18-aregraphicandanima-
tiondesignmajors. Theywere placedinhisgroup becausethey allsaidtheyhadaninterestinfilm andmoviesinasurveyprior toorientation.
Aftermeetingforthefirsttimeandlearning theyhadaccesstothe broadcaststudio, the students decided that filming asketchcomedy showwouldbeafunprojectfortheir groupto undertake. Theydecidedtomeetweeklytobrainstormideasandwrite content, andspentclose totwohoursinthestudio filmingthreesketches fortheirinitialepisodeof "SkitHappens."They filmedtwosubsequentepisodesduringtherest ofthefallsemester. Inadditiontowritingthe scripts, theygotexperiencerunningthecameras andsoundboards, andalsogainedexposure to someofthevideoeditingprocess.
The students had so much fun with the project, they continued their group into the spring semester and have been working on an additional episode of the show. They also plan to form an official club on campus. They've already picked a club name-Studio 105, which is the room number ofthe broadcaststudioin French Hall.-LaurenWhittington
ON POINT
SPRING 2019 I 7
Profit and Nonprofit
Artstudents sell their work, sharingproceeds with scholarshipfund, food bank
Call it a taste of business school for art students.
More than 700 handcrafted items made by srudents and alumni went up for sale at the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts at the end of the fall semester, not only offering the community unique gifts for the holiday season but also giving students an opportunity to raise money for a scholarship and a community donation.
Students in the studio arts program sold their own work, raising more than $4,000, which was shared with a newly created student scholarship anda donation to FACES, the local food bank.
'Tm very proud of my students for pushing through adverse conditions this semester after our regular studio space was damaged by Hurricane Michael," saidAdam Paulek, asso-
QualityTime
ciate professor of arr who leads the ceramics program. "They have all risen to the occasion and found the kind of perseverance that they'll need as they develop as artists. The arr itself is top-notch, and I'm proud of them for donating much of the proceeds to scholarships and a
Research project looks atimpactof activities that bringfamilies together
It might be aneasy peanut butter bird feeder made fromribbon and cardboard tubes. It might be makingcookies.
1hese are examples of theprojects some Farmville-areachildrenhave been takinghome in their backpacks as a way toencourage families to sit down and spend time together, creating extraordinarily valuableinvolvementthat many families say they justcan'tseem to find timefor.
During the lasr year, Longwood students have been sending home pre-packagedfamily activities to areaHead Start classes and collecting data on whether thosefamiliesfeel closer to each other
"The biggest thing parents say is they don't have the time to engage with their children as much as they want to," said Kayla Barner '19, who is analyzing the data and will present key findings at a conference inApril. "We designed these activities to specifically address that challenge, and we're using the data to make them even more effective."
The multiyear project run by Dr. LeeBidwell, professor of sociology, and Dr. JoEllen Pederson, assistant professor of sociology, involves multiple students and will culminate in some of them, includingBarner, presenting at theVirginiaSocial ScienceAssociation conference chisApril.
The project began three years ago when Pederson and Bidwell embarked on a needs assessment in the community lookingat family involvement. Using data gatheredfrom parents and teachers in Prince Edward County, the professors and students took two tracks: developing andgatheringdata oneasy, ageappropriate family activities within theHead Start community, and developing activities for parents and children atMadeline'sHouse, a local domestic violence shelter. In all, more than 80 srudents in three classes took part in theresearchproject.
Haley Schultz '21, a psychology and sociology double majorand member of the Corm-
worthy organization in town."
The Longwood student art sale is a well-established annual event, but this is the first rime the proceeds have gone toward funding the Student Collective Arts Scholarship. Nearly $1,400 of art sales went toward the scholarship, and $500 went ro the food bank.
"Selling artwork is part of the curriculum in the studio arts at Longwood," saidAngela Bubash, associate professor of art who leads the metalsmirhing and jewelry program and helped organize the show. ''Allstudents in the design incraftprogram understand that selling their art is part of being a working artist, so this is a great opportunity for them. But it doesn't end there. This is an important part ofour outreach into the community, showing offthe skills of our students to a wider audience."
ierHonors College, has adapted thefamily activities for distribution at Madeline's House, where children deal with "adverse childhood experiences" like witnessingintimate partner violence.
Those activities, revolving around things like gardeningand cookingtogether, and creating string art, done in safe, stable, nurturing relationship environments, help children build resilience in dealing with some of the trauma they have experienced, said Schultz.-Matthew McWilliams
ONPOINT
8 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
Dr. JoEllen Pederson (left) and Dr. Lee Bidwell are wrapping up a three-year research project that involved more than 80 students.
Territorial Imperative
Brock Experience will take students to Puerto Rico
■Nextyear,groupsofLongwood studentswilltraveltoPuerto Rico-aCaribbeanterritorythat hasbeenthesubjectofintensedebatesince adevastatinghurricanestrucktheislandin September2017.
Whilethere,theywillponderthequestion ofwhatresponsibilitiestheUnitedStateshas toitsterritories-and,byextension,broader,interdisciplinaryquestionsaboutwhatit meanstobeAmericanandthenatureofour compactwithoneanotherascitizens.
ThecourseisthenewestBrockExperience, agrowingseriesofimmersive,citizenshipfocusedcoursesatsitesaroundtheUnited Statesmadepossiblebya$5.9milliongift fromJoan'64andMaconBrockin2016. Thislatestoffering-complementingnearlya half-dozenotherBrockcoursesalreadyexistingorinthepipeline-willbedevelopedby Dr.MelanieMarks,professorofeconomics. Receivingthetwo-yearfacultyfellowshipto
1 Before Hurricane Maria,
many were unaware that Puerto Ricans are citizens ofthe United States.'
-DR. MELANIE MARKS, PROFESSOR OF ECONOM ICS
developaBrockExperienceisoneofthetop honorsforaLongwoodprofessor
Therearenoeasyanswerstothequestions surroundingthestatusofPuertoRico-and that'sabigpartofwhatdefinesatopicfora Brockexperience.Ontheground,Longwood studentswillinterviewPuertoRicanresidents abouttheirperceptions,visitlocalschoolsand businesses,andtalkwithofficialstoexplore thesequestionsmorefullyanddiveintothe civic-anduniquelyAmerican-debate.
AtnotimewastheissueoftheUnited States'responsibilitiestoitsterritoriesin higherreliefthanwhenHurricaneMaria,a Category5storm,tookdeadlyaimatPuerto Rico,devastatingtheisland.Stormdamage wasestimatedatmorethan$8billion.Recoveryhasbeenslowandbesetbynumerous problems,bothpoliticalandstructural.
OntheU.S.mainland,adebateplayedout inthepressoverwhattheresponsibilityofthe UnitedStatesgovernmentwastothecitizens ofPuertoRico,amidsomemisconceptions abouttheroleoftheterritoryinAmerican societyandgovernment.
"BeforeHurricaneMaria,manywere unawarethatPuertoRicansarecitizensofthe UnitedStates,"Markswroteinherproposal. "PuertoRicanstravelfreelytothemainland,paySocialSecuritytaxes,participatein Medicareandaresubjecttofederallaw.Yet theyhavetheirownconstitution,noelectoral votesinpresidentialelectionsandCongressionalrepresentationisnonvoting."
CrashCourse
ENGL 215: Virginia Literature Instructor
Dr.JohnMiller,associateprofessorofearly Americanliterature
What They're Reading
JohnSmith, The General/ Historie; Thomas Jefferson, Notes onthe State of Virginia; John PendletonKennedy, SwallowBarn; EdgarAllan Poe, Tales; ThomasNelsonPage, InOle Virginia; EllenGlasgow, The Romantic Comedians; EdwardP.Jones, The Known World.
Present Meets Past
Studentsoftenfindrelevancetotheirown livesinthesehistorictexts,makingthem moremeaningful.Theyexploretheinfluence onpresent-dayVirginiaculturebyasking questions:WhydoourheroesstillechoJohn Smith?Howarewestillentertainedbythe GothicismperfectedbyPoe?Whataspectsof Longwood'scurriculumfulfillJefferson'svisionofpubliceducation?
Fresh Perspective
Millerhadtaughtaversionoftheclassbefore, butitwasfocusedmoreonliterature."TheoutcomesassociatedwiththenewCivitaecurriculumallowustoinvestigatemorecreativelyand thoroughlythelinksbetweentheliteratureand thehistoryofthecommonwealth,"hesaid.
Lasting Legacy
AsconversationscontinueaboutConfederate monumentsincitiesandtownsacrossthe South,Miller'sclassbeginstheconversation inhistorictexts."Analyzingthelegacyof 19th-centurytextssetonplantationsallows ustoexploretheliteraryrootsof'TheLost Cause,'thatnostalgiaforanimaginedpreCivilWarsocietythatalsofueledthebuilding ofsomanyoftheConfederatemonuments thatarethecenterofcontroversiestoday,''he said."We'reabletoexplorewhatthosemonumentsmeanttothepeoplewhobuiltthem andthepsychologicalinvestmentthattheir defendershaveinthemtoday."
ONPOINT
SPRING 2019 I 9
LONGWOOD ALUMNI AT THE VENERABLE WASHINGTON POST ARE THRIVING IN THE MIDST OF A REVOLUTION THAT HAS SHAKEN THE NEWS INDUSTRY TO ITS CORE
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JASON WONG
Nothingcomparestothepureadrenalinerush TRAVIS LYLES '15 getswhenhe'sabouttotweet breakingnewsto13.3millionfollowers.Especially whenit'sexclusive.
SuchwasthecaseonanotherwiseslownewsSunday inSeptember2018whenLyles,asocialmediaeditoratthe Washington Post, wroteabreakingnewstweetthatheknewwouldinstantlytogo viral-gettingtensofthousandsofretweets.
The Washington PosthadanexclusiveinterviewwithChristineBlasey Ford,thewomanwhoaccusedthen-SupremeCourtnomineeBrett Kavanaughofsexualassaultthreedecadesearlier.TheCaliforniaprofessorwasspeakingpubliclyforthefirsttime,andLyleswouldbethefirst totweetthestorytomillionsofpeoplearoundtheglobe.
Hecraftedaseriesoftweetsthatwouldgooutfromthe Post's primary Twitteraccount.ThenhewaitedtohittheTweetbutton.
"Myheartwasbeatingveryfast,"hesaid."Irememberthatdayas beingverysurrealbecauseIgottohandlethatstory,whichcompelled newscoverageforthenexttwomonths."
LylesisamongahandfulofLongwoodalumniwhoworkatthe Post. Heand ANTHONY J. RIVERA '03 arepartofaburgeoningdigitallyfocusednewsroomthathasbeentransformedinrecentyearsand reorientedtofocusonmultimediastorytelling.
A NEWAGE OF JOURNALISM
Foundedin1877,the Washington Postisenjoyingaresurgenceunderthe ownershipofAmazonfounderandCEOJeffBezos,whopurchasedthe paperfromitslongtimeowners,theGrahamfamily,in2013.In2017,
, It's been a roller coaster. We went through a dip, BUT NOW WE ARE IN A GROWTH TRAJECTORY. IT'S A REALLY EXCITING TIME.'
-ANNA KNAPP '97
thenewspapermorethandoubleditsdigitalsubscriptionsandgrewdigitaladvertisingrevenue,turningaprofitforthesecondconsecutiveyear despitethechallengingoveralllandscapeforthemediaindustry.
Between 2004 and 2018,
Thenewsbusinesshasstruggledtoadapttothelossofprintadvertisingandthedigitalmediarevolutionoverthepastdecade-withmany newspapersclosingandothersfacinglayoffsandmarchingorderstodo morewithless.
But,inthatlandscape,thereareLongwoodalumnilikeLyleswhoare thrivinginthenewmultimediaage,fromthe Post's newsroomindowntownWashington,D.C.,totelevisionstationsandcommunitynewspapersfromSuffolktoDanvilletoNorfolk[seestoriesonPages15-17]. Thesejournalistsaredeliveringpertinentnewsandholdinggovernment officialsaccountableatatimewhenmanysayithasneverbeenmore important.
"It'sbeenarollercoaster,"said ANNA KNAPP '97, whohas workedinadvertisingandmarketingatthe Postformorethantwo decades."Wewentthroughadip,butnowweareinagrowthtrajectory. It'sareallyexcitingtime."
Anna Knapp is a global media account manager responsible for advertising sales across all of the Posts platforms in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast region.
DAILY NEWSPAPERS AND 1,749 WEEKLIES20% of the total in operation in 2004-closed or merged.
EXPANDING NEWS DESERT/UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA 12 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
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-THE
Knappisaglobalmediaaccountmanagerresponsibleforadvertising salesacrossallofche Posts platformsinchemid-AtlanticandSoutheast region.Duringhertenure,shehasmanagedandgrowna$12million accountportfolio.
Bueinanindustrywherepayingyourdueshashistoricallybeena requirementofgettingafootinthedoor,shebeganwheremanyinthe newsbusinessdo-atthebottom.HerfirstjobatthePostwasasan interninthecirculationdepartmentcallcenter.
"Youhadtobeinyourseatby5:30a.m.andreadytotakecallsfrom subscribers,mostofwhomwerecomplainingaboutnotgettingtheir newspaper,"shesaid.
TwentyyearslaterthePoststillhasprintsubscribers,butnewsismore oftendeliveredrotheirelectronicdevicesviapushalerts,emailandsocial mediachannelsthanitiscotheirphysicaldoorstep.The Post's rebirth hasbeendrivenbykeepingafocusontraditionaljournalismwhilebeing innovativeinhowthenewsispresentedanddisseminated-that'swhere LylesandRiveraareonthefrontlines.
CHANNELING THE NEWS
WhenBezoscookownershipofthe Post, oneofhisfirstinitiativeswas launchinganew,morevisualmobileapp.Riverawashiredasadigital producerin2015toworkoncuratingcontentprimarilyfortheapp.
Nowamultiplatformeditor,heispartoftheteamthatcuratesandcopy editsnewschatispushedouttotheappandalsotoplatformslikeApple News.
"Newsiscreateddifferentlyforthemobileappvs.thehomepage,"Riverasaid."Ir'sadifferentexperiencefortheuser.It'smuchmorevisual."
' IN THOSE WHITE-KNUCKLE TIMES, WHEN I KNOW WE'VE GOT BIG BREAKING NEWS, that's the part of the job that's rewarding.'
-A NTHONY J. RIVERA '03
Hecreatessomeoriginaldigitalcontentaswellandoccasionallywrites longerfeaturestoriesforthenewspaper.In2016,Riverawroteaweekaheadbriefingfocusedonthepresidentialcampaignthatwasexclusively forAppleNews.
UnlikeLylesandKnapp,Riveratookalesstraditionalpathinto journalismandworkingatthe Post. AnEnglishmajor,hecookcreative writingclassesatLongwoodandworkedforthewritinglab,buthe didn'tenvisionbecomingajournalist.Irwasfiveyearsafterhegraduated fromLongwoodchathebeganthinkingaboutanewscareer.
"SomethingclickedinmyheadandIsaid,'Iwanttowrite,"'said Rivera,whohadalwayshadaninterestinpoliticsandcurrentevents."I reallywantedtocellastoryandgetdowntothetruthofsomething.I justfeltthissuddendrawtogointojournalism."
WhilebarcendingandwritingablogaboutcheD.C.barscene,he decidedtogetamaster'sdegreeinjournalismandpublicpolicyat AmericanUniversity.Tharledtoaninternshipandfreelancejobon CapitolHillworkinginradioproduction,wherehespentclosetoayear interviewingmembersofCongressandhelpingtowritethefirstdraftof history.Nowinsteadofchasinglawmakerstogathernews,he'spushingbreakingnewsalertsouttomillionsofmobiledevices.It'sasimilar adrenalinerush,andhe'shooked.
"Inchosewhite-knuckletimes,whenIknowwe'vegotbigbreakingnews,that'sthepareofthejobthat'srewarding,"Riverasaid.'Tm constantlytellingmyselfIcan'tbelieveI'mhereandgettingtobepareof what'shappeninginthenewsroom."
Lylesfeelsthesameway.
The Postcreatesroughly500piecesofcontentaday,includinglongandshore-formstories,videos,podcascsandbreaking-newsalerts.Asa socialmediaeditor,Lyles'jobistodecidehowtobestdisseminatethat contentonsocialplatforms.Heispareofthesix-personcoresocialteam chatrunsthepublication'sFacebook,TwitterandInsragramaccounts from6a.m.to7p.m.daily
SPRING 2019 I 13
After bartending and writing a blog, Anthony Rivera earned a master's degree in journalism and public policy at American University. In 201 5, he went to work for the Post, where he is a multiplatform editor.
"We have 13.3 millionTwitter followers, 6.2 million followers on Facebook and 1.6 million followers on Instagram," Lyles said. "A lot of people are relying on us togettheir news. Ourjob is to react to news as it happens and get it out as quickly as possible."
Just a decade ago itwould have been hard to imagine that a 25-yearold would be making editorial decisions abour how the Posts content is disseminated, which is what Lyles is doing as he reads headlines and stories and then decideswhere to put them on social media.
About a third ofLyles' time is spent managing the Post's Instagram account, which has doubled its followers since he took over. When hewas hired in 2017, hewasgivena mission to devise a new strategy for the account. Lyles decided to focus more on news photos instead ofphotographyassociatedwith feature stories.
"IfyoulookatourInstagramaccount, you'llknowjustabouteverything you needto know about thenews thatday," Lyles said. "Mygoal is for it to be our bestphotographyandvideos, and it's really working forus."
, Journalism is more important now than ever, whether it's national news or local. THERE AREN'T MANY THINGS YOU CAN DO THAT ARE MORE CRUCIAL TO DEMOCRACY THAN BEING A JOURNALIST.'
-TRAVIS
LYLES '15
CRUCIAL TO DEMOCRACY
Lyles, whowas acommunicationstudies majorwith a concentration in digital media, always knewhewanted to be in the news business. He traces his affinityfor breakingnews to his years at Longwoodwhen he worked on TheRotunda staff. After graduating, he got an internship with BusinessInsiderin NewYork. That led to a full-time job blogging about business news in the entertainment industry. Then therewas ajob opening for a social media editor.
"I had to make a decision whether I wanted to be a social media editor or ifI wanted to be a reporter," Lyles said. "I felt like therewas more opportunity in social media." Hewas later hired as social media editor at the Virginian Pilotbefore landingat the Post.
A decade ago, the positions that Lyles and Rivera have today weren't found in the news business. The rapid evolution ofthe industry has been both exciting and challenging for Longwood's communication studies program.
"As seniors, our students are often applying for jobs that didn'texist when they started their college careers," saidJeffHalliday, an associate professor in the department. To keep up, the department's faculty changed the way the communication studies major is structured, significantlytweakingthe curriculum.
"It is really a unique time for teaching media," Halliday said. "It is fascinating to watch and to help our students identify their niche in a market that's continuing a rapid transformation."
It's still a tumultuous time in the news business. InJanuary, about 1,000 jobs inmediawere lost as the result oflayoffs at BuzzFeed, HuffPost and Gannett, the country's largest newspaper chain.
Knapp remembers rounds ofbuyouts andvarious restructurings at the Postoverthe pasttwo decades andhas seen the ebb and fl.owofthe digital revolution through the advertising and marketing prism. The formatand business model oftraditionaljournalism is likelyto changemore in the future-with the nonprofitmodel increasinglybeingexploredand tested.
Meanwhile, newsexecutives, from billionaire media company owners like Bezos to the smaller local news publishers, are still adjusting and trying to find a formula thatworks.
Though Lyles, Knapp and Riverafollowed different paths, they have similar advice to anyone interested in a journalism career today: be persistent, be nimble and be willing to embrace change.
"Therearestill a lot ofjournalismjobs outthereand a lot ofcompanies are hiring," said Lyles. "Journalism is more important now than ever, whether it's national news or local. There aren't many things you can do that are more crucial to democracy than being ajournalise." @
14 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
The adrenaline rush oftweeting the Post's breaking news to 13.3 million followers never gets old for Travis Lyles.
Journalists in smaller markets play critical role in their communities
Whether it's working at the Washington�ostor cove�i�g local news stones m commun1t1es around Virginia, many alumni journalists see their jobs as practicing one of the purist forms of citizen leadership.
"No matter whattype ofjournalism you are in, it's a powerful tool to create change and to impact society for the better," said HALLE PARKER '18, whowas editor-in-chief of The Rotunda while at Longwood. After graduating last year, she landed ajob as the county government reporter for che Danville Register &Bee.
During her first weekon thejob, a 7-month- > old was abductedby her father from a Danville i. � gas station and taken to North Carolina. The gi baby was found two days lacer, and Parker ] scored her first big story when she got an ex- c Ctl elusive interview with the child's mother about � the ordeal. o
"That's what you callbeing thrown right into the fire," Parker said.
TRACY AGNEW COOPER '06, like Parker, beganhercareer in local newspaper journalism shortlyaftergraduatingfrom Longwood. She was hired as a reporter for the SuffolkNews-Heraldin 2006, lacer was promoted to news editor and, in 2017, she became the editor.
"Community news is absolutely vital," Cooper said. "We are the ones whoarethere covering kids' sports and community events, and holdinglocal leaders accountable."
Shestarted at the Suffolk paper at a time when thenewspaperbusinessmodelwas on the precipice of a majorshift. News outlets were beginning to pay more attention to their online presence and websites, social media was in its infancy, and publishers were looking for ways to replace traditional advertising revenue after Craigslist virtually killed classified ad sales.
Her paper is one of the success stories.
"The SuffolkNews-Heraldis still going strong. Our readership hasactuallygrown over the past fewyears-digitalreadership as well as print," she said, adding that printreadership is 30,000, and the websiteregularlyhas more
than 100,000 unique visitors and gets 300,000 pageviews a month.
Still, localnewsroomresources are tight.
In her short time with the Danville newspaper, Parker has seen the number of reporters shrink from four to three-in a five-person newsroom that once employed 20. Photographers were among chose cut, so Parker is responsible for caking photos and sometimes video when she reports a story. Her versatility 3:1 --�as a multiplacform reporter gave her an advan- j cage in the hiring process. �
"I have social media experience, too, so the :;)! managing editor sought my advice on how to make our social media more engaging," Parker said. "You have to make yourself as invaluable as possible in the currentjob market."
Despite the thinningresources, Parker said she is stillhopeful for thefuture. She hopes to one day report from overseas as a foreign correspondent.
'Tm optimistic about the futureof news because I know chat people have to have it," shesaid. "I view journalismasa public service. There's always going to be a needforgood storytellers."-Lauren Whittington
"O ·;; Ctl 0
C Q) ..., (top) Her assignments as a reporter/photographer for the Danville Register & Bee take Halle Parker far afield. She's one ofthree reporters atthe paper,wherethe newsroom staff has shrunkfrom 20 to 5. (above) Tracy Agnew Cooper has risen from reporterto editor at the Suffolk News-Herald, whose print readership has grownto 30,000 overthe pastfew years. SPRING 2019 I 15
Alums make the news must-see TV
AUTUMN CHILDRESS '18 grew upintheTVnewsbusiness-literally. Asachildshewouldsometimes wakeupat3a.m.togotoworkwithher mother,amorningnewsanchoratthelocal ABCaffiliateinRichmond.
''I'dsleepunderherdeskuntilitwastimeto goonair,"Childresssaid."Thenshe'dwake meup,andI'dwatchherdothenews.Iknew thatitwascool,andIreallywantedtodoit."
Hercareerchoicewassealedwhenshe arrivedatLongwoodandtookProfessorJeff Halliday'sintrotopublicspeakingcourse.She decidedshewantedtofollowhermother's footstepsintoabroadcastTVcareer.Four yearslater,that'sexactlywhatshedid.
ChildressstarredherjobasadaysidereporteratWHSVinHarrisonburgjustweeks aftergraduation.Onarypicaldaysheturns aroundtwostoriesforairby5p.m.,whichshe shootsandeditsherself.She'salsoresponsible forwritingwebstoriesandcomingupwith additionalweb-exclusivecontent.
Halliday,anassociateprofessorofcommunicationstudies,citesChildressasanexample ofLongwood'sabilirytopreparegraduatesfor journalismcareers."Ifyoucomeheretobea journalist,youcanbeajournalist,"hesaid. "Ir'sverypossibleifyouworkhard."
Longwood'scommunicationstudiesprogram,whichtracesitsmodernoriginstothe lateDr.BillStuart,hasroughlydoubledinsize sinceHallidaywashiredastheuniversiry'sfirst full-timemediaprofessorin2007.Thereare currentlymorethan200studentsinthemajor.
"Ir'sexcitingtoseehowmanypeoplewho cuttheirteethhereareleadingreallyfulfilling careersinthenewsbusiness,"saidHalliday, aformerTVsportsanchorandreporter,and formerradiotalkshowhost.
ChildressarrivedatLongwoodatthesame timeastate-of-the-art$1millionbroadcast studioinanewlyrenovatedFrenchHallwas comingonline."Ir'sacornerstoneofthedigital mediaconcentration,andIthinkit'sareal jewelfortheschool,"saidHalliday.
Bythetimeshegraduated,Childresshad shot,editedandproducedtwoaward-winning shortdocumentariesandhadadynamichighlightreeltosendtopotentialemployers.
TheresourcesavailabletoChildressarein starkcontrasttothosethatwereavailableto PHILIP TOWNSEND '06, atwo-time EmmyAward-winningjournalistwhowas atLongwoodmorethanadecadeearlierand alsomajoredincommunicationstudies.
Currentlytheweekdayco-anchorofthe4 p.m.newscastatWVEC13NewsNow,the ABCaffiliateinHamptonRoads,Townsend recallstherewasonlyonebroadcastjournalismclassofferedwhenhewasastudent, andhegraduatedwithoutaresumetape. Hespentthesummerafterhegraduated workingtocreateatapeandeventuallywas hiredasaproductionassistantatWVEC. HelandedhisfirstreportingjobatWHSV inHarrisonburg-thesamestationwhere Childressnowworks.
Historically,gettingastartinTVnews involvedcuttingyourteethbehindthescenes atasmall-marketstationbeforeyoucould gethiredasanon-airreporter.Buttheold dues-payingsystemisn'tasrigidtoday.
"WhenIfirststarted,theywouldonlyhire reporterswhohadexperienceinothermarkets,"Townsendsaid."Nowwehavetwoor threereportersstraightoutofcollege."
Anchoredbyastrongcadreoffaculty, Longwood'scommunicationstudiesprogram iscontinuallyevolvingtoensuregraduatesare competitive.
"Thebackboneofwhoweareasaprogram ismakingsurewearestayingontargetwith professionalexpectations,"Hallidaysaid."That includeschangingandtweakingthecourse offeringssothatourgraduatesstandoutinthe jobmarket.
"Whetherit'straditionalnews,ordocumen00 taryfilmmaking,orsocialmediamanagement, :;;;orpublicrelationscontent,ourstudents �shouldgraduatewiththeabilirytodoallof .c uthosethings."
NATHAN EPSTEIN '11, asportsreport- C E 2 erforWAVY,theNBCaffiliateinPortsmouth :::andHamptonRoads,hasseenthosechanges �firsthand.
�"WhenIgotintothebusiness,everything ::, 8thatwedidforthewebwassecondaryandthe
16 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
on-air product was the primary focus," he said. "Now I think theon-airproduct is stillfirst, bur notby much."
Epstein arrivedon campus at the same rime asHalliday, who servedas his mentor-a relationship that continues to this day. On occasion, Epstein returns to campus to visit one of Halliday's classes or to report a story, which he did recently whenhe covered Longwood's men's basketball team andfirstyearcoach GriffAldrich.
While the TV newsbusinesshasn'tbeen hitashard as printjournalism, the industry facessimilarpressures based on viewers' changinghabits.
Increasingly people are getting newsexclusivelyfromsocial me-
'If you come here to be a journalist, you can be a journalist,' says Jeff Halliday (center), associate professor of communication studies at Longwood. dia, andmoreandmore consumers are ditching cable and satellite services-primarily watching screaming services instead.
"You have tobe digitally minded to get into this industry now. Ir's not just about being
onTV," saidTownsend, who did a stint at a station in Dallas before returning toHampton Roads as an anchor in 2016. "I can't wait to show news to people at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. anymore. They want to see it on Facebook as soon as I have it."-LaurenWhittington
Longwood Alumni in the Media
In addition to the alums mentioned in the preceding pages, many other Longwood alums work in the media.
Below is a partial list.
Will Armbruster '10
Digital content manager, WRIC TV (Richmond)
Kyle Centers '10
Junior video editor, National Geographic
Farah Walton '10
Marketing consultant, Sinclair Broadcasting
Claire Turck '11 Manager, Digital Customer Care, Washington Post
Ashley Hodge '13
Staff writer, The Gazette-Virginian (Halifax County)
Michelle Goldchain '14
Web producer, Education Week (Washington, D.C.)
Kevin Green '14
Digital content producer, WAVY TV (Portsmouth)
Eric Hobeck '14
Assistant district manager, circulation, The Daily Progress (Charlottesville)
Nick Conigliaro '15
Morning news reporter, WR!C TV (Richmond)
Briana Adhikusuma '16
Business reporter, The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk)
Taylor O'Bier '16
Digital producer, WAVY TV (Portsmouth)
Ri'Shawn Bassette '17
Multimedia journalist, WALB TV (Valdosta, Georgia)
David Pettyjohn '18
Reporter, The News Virginian (Waynesboro)
If you are an alum and work in the media, Longwood magazine would like to include your information in the next issue's Class Notes.
Please send your name, your graduation year, your job title and where you work, and any other information you'd like to share to browncs2@ longwood.edu.
u w > � "2 11) a:i C "' >-
SPRING 2019 I 17
hinir
Alumni recognized for their contributions to Longwood and their communities
BY PATRICK FOLLIARD ILLUSTRATIONS BY MIKE THEUER
Surprised, but honored.Thatsums uphowthisyear'ssixdeservingrecipientsfeltonlearningthey hadbeenrecognizedinLongwood'sannualAlumniAwards program.Togethertheyhaveloggedyearsofeffort,serviceand invention,allworkinghardtoaddvaluetotheircommunities. Additionally,theyareuniquelyconnectedbytheirlovefor LongwoodUniversity.
Theyrangefromalawenforcementofficertoalibrarian, andallhavebenefitedfromandsignificantlycontributedtothe university.Earlierthismonth,theyjoinedtheimpressiveroster ofalumniandalliesoftheuniversitywhohavebeensingledout fortheirdedication,professionalsuccessandbig-heartedness sincetheawardsprogrambeganin1970.
"I'vealwayslikedtotrynewthings,"saidRandyCopeland,CEOof
VelocityMicro,aprivatelyheldboutiquecomputermanufacturer locatedinRichmond."Thoseexperienceshavegivenmetheskillstosinkor swim.Fortunately,I'veusuallybeenabletoswim."
WhenJeanRidenourAppich'52learnedshewasreceivinganaward, shethoughtamistakehadbeenmade:"Certainlytheremustbe peoplewho'vedonemorethanme?"
Butinconversation,sherevealsalonghistoryofservice:Fordecadesshe helpedorganizeclassreunionseveryfiveyearsandalumniactivitiesinbetweenSheservedonLongwood'sFoundationBoardandontheAlumni Boardaspresident.Andthentherewerethefundraisinganddevelopment efforts.Butitallseemedmorelikefunthanwork,shesaid.
Asahigh-schoolsenior,Appichalreadyknewthatthatshewantedto teachphysicaleducationatthemiddle-schoollevelinRichmond.She heardaboutLongwood'sreputationforjobplacementandapplied.
"TwoothergirlsandIlivedonthesecondBoorofMainbuilding[now RuffnerHall].Ourcentrallocationguaranteedlotsofcompany,"she said.Fromthestart,shelovedthephysicaleducationprogram,which taughthereverythingfromcoachingskillstomoderndance.
Shortlyaftergraduating,AppichwasmarriedandmovedtoElPaso, Texas,whereherhusbandwasstationedatFortBliss.Shedidn'tstay long,however,returningthatSeptembertoVirginia,whereshewent straighttoworkteachingphysicaleducationtoseventh-andeighthgradegirlsinRichmond.
Theexperiencewasajoy,butaftertwoyearsshebecamepregnantwith thefirstofherthreechildrenandhadtostopworking."Inthosedaysa womancouldn'tteachpastherfourthorfifthmonth,"shesaid."Ireally missedit."OvertheyearsAppichvolunteeredwithnumerousorganizationsinRichmond,includingtheYWCA,whereshehelpedwithswim-
Speakingofsinkorswim,Copelandhadneverbeentothecampus whenhearrivedtostartclassesatLongwood.Hisfather'splanwasthathe wouldmajorinbiologyandthengoontodentalschool.ButwhenCopelandgotaCinOrganicChemistry,hewasadvisedtochangehismajorto business.That'swhenthingsbegantoclick.
"Ibecameexcitedaboutmybusinessclasses,madefriendsand,inmy sophomoreyear,metmywife."
Aftergraduating,hewenttoworkforhisfather,whosecompanymanufacturedplumbingproducts.Copelandstartedatthebottom,dragging heavysacksofmarbledustacrossthewarehouse,butitwasn'tlonguntil herosetothepositionofsalesman-thecompany'sfirst.Ontheside,he builtandsoldcomputers,aninterestthatwouldexplodeintoalucrative, gratifyingbusiness.
HisoriginalplanforVelocityMicrowastobuildCADworkstationsystemsforthekitchen/bathdesignindustry.Thecompanysoontookoff, earninganEditors'Choiceawardfromprestigious PCMagazinefor itshigh-endPCsandworkstations.VelocityMicra'sproductlinealso includesAndroidtablets,externalopticaldrivesandmonitors.Customers includeretailerslikeBestBuyandAmazonaswellascorporations,universitiesandgovernmentagencies.
In2010,CopelandwasinvitedtobeaLongwoodEntrepreneurin Residence.Hesharedhisbusinessphilosophy-"!thinkbeingethicalis thebestwaytobemoreprofitable"-mentoringbusinessstudentsand speakingtobothlargeandsmallgroupsonsubjectssuchasinternational business,marketingandbusinessethics.
Hisowncollegeexperience20yearspast,Copelandfoundthestudents weren'tthatdifferent.
"Inoticedstudentswereengagedinvaryingdegrees.Somewerevery excited.Theyremindedmeofmyselfinthosedays.Othersnotsomuch. Yougetoutofschoolwhatyouwant.Forme,thatwasalot."• mingandotherexerciseprograms.Shealsowasanelderinherchurch. Appich,wholivesatWestminsterCanterburyinRichmond,saysshe doesn'tgetaroundasmuchthesedays."ButIwasabletomakemy65yearreunion.About15or16ofusshowedup,alongwiththreehusbands. Wethoughtwewererightcute,"sheaddedwithachuckle.•
SPRING 2019 I 19
n the summer of2015, Nottoway Middle School librarianJudy Deichman noticed that, even though che librarywas open, "the kids I really needed to reach weren't coming." She reasoned that the students may nothave had away to gee to the library, which is located in Crewe, a rural areawithout public cransporcacion.
Her solution: rake che books to che students.
That same summer, she got a grant to pay for che books, buc che county didn'tappropriate funds for a vehicle. Undaunted, Deichman went in searchofwheels. A local preschool owner near her home in Chesterfield donated a 27-year-old small bus soon after. Wich help from school employees and parents, Deichman retrofitted it with bookshelves, signage and a P.A. system so music could announce its approach just like an ice cream truck.
When she climbed behind che wheel for the Nottoway Book-A-Way Summer Bookmobile's maiden voyage in the summer of2016, she learned that unairconditioned buses can be stiflingly hot. She pressed on, delivering books Monday through Thursday. The following summer, sheadded federallunches forabout 65 eligiblestudentson her route.
"They'regladtoseethebuscoming.It'sanimportantpartof theirday," Deichman said.
And it's just as important to Deichman-a realization she made one daywhen shewasvolunteeringin the libra1ywhere her five children attendedschool. "I thoughtto myself, 'I love chis. Libraries are where I'm meant to be."'
She enrolled in Longwood's librarianship program, a mixofonline and face-to-face classes helmedby a pair ofenthusiastic and accommodating professors. Twoyears lacer she had earned a Master ofEducation in school librarianship and found a position where she could make a difference.
Deichman, who received the 2018 American Association ofSchool Librarians' (AASL) Innovative Reading Grant, would like to see more bookmobiles on the road.
"Ic's vital to prevent summer slide, especially for kids who'd otherwise have no access to the libra1y during summer months." •
Otis Brown likes to saychat "Longwood is not out chasing ocher institutions' rabbits. The university does what it can and does it right." Though not an alumnus, Brown undeniably has played a role in shaping Longwood into what it is today.
He led the formation ofthe Longwood Real Escace Foundation, which, using the public/private partnership plan and bolstered by his leadership, allowed the university to expand off-campus, university-managed housing for students in both Lancer Park and Longwood Landings.
"Alarge part ofthe Real Estate Foundation's early success was due directly to our excellentboard members," said Brown. "Theyhad a good grasp ofwhat the foundation should and should not do. Ifit didn't make sense financially, then we didn't do it."
Brown served on theBoard ofVisitors from 2003-1 1, including a term as vice rector. And he was a member ofthe visionary committee chat recognized the potential ofHull Springs Farm, a 662-acre property bequeathed to the university chat is situated between two tributaries to the Potomac River andjust a shore distance from the Chesapeake Bay. Today Hull Springs Farm is a living, breaching outdoor classroom for budding scientists, archaeologists and conservationists-and more developments are on the horizon.
Brown's connectionwith Longwood began while he was an undergraduateat the University ofRichmond. "Mywife is an alumna of Longwood, or Longwood College as it was known in those days. When wewere dating, I'd driveout to Farmville to see her." Overtheyears, hisattachmenttoLongwoodhasonlyincreased.
Gov. Mark Warner initially asked Brown to serve on the Longwood Board ofVisitors. "Fouryears lacer, then-Gov. Tim Kaineasked me to continue, so I was involved as more than a casual person," said Brown, a longtime Chesterfield resident.
He spent much ofhis career in public service to the commonwealch. In 1966, when he was just 32, he was appointed director ofthe Virginia Department ofCorrections and Welfare. From 1972-77, he served as Virginia's secreta1y ofhealth and human resources. Following that, he consulced until 1989, when he took over the State Fair of Virginiaand served as presidentfor 15 years. •
I
20 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
Officially a cataloging specialist in Longwood's Greenwood Library, BettyAndrewsEikeunofficiallydoublesas anin-househistorian. When co-workers from Special Collections andArchives needsomeoneto identify people orplaces in oldphotographs, they go to Eike. Occasionally sheremembers theface and not the name, but oftenshenails it.
For Officer Robert "Robby" Newman, a Roanoke city police officer and U.S. marshal canying out high-risk warrants, each workday is different, but there are similarities: "You're dealing with a lot ofpeople-some new and some you've seenbefore who are experiencing what's oftena crisis in their life. You have tobe there to help themfigure it out."
Communitypolicingispartof thejob, he said. "We're encouraged to interact withpeople in our area. This includesafter-schoolhomework programs and events for organizationslike Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Ir fosters a positive relationship."
In addition to dealing with the public, Newmanalsohelps in training new police officers and is a memberof the tactical response ream. Future goals include becoming a taskforceofficer with the U.S. Marshalsand lacer getting intocommandstaff. "I never want to gee toofar fromthe streets. It maychangehere andthere as circumstances change. That's something I'll re-evaluate as itcomes."
He decidedtopursueacareerinlaw enforcement in hissophomore year atLongwood. It seemedafamiliar and viable professional trajectory, he said. "It's reallyinterestingto takewhatyou've studiedat universityand apply it to real life. Sociology caught me a lot about people. Andfromcriminology, I learnedalot about case law and the details of our justice system.
"Bur relationships are without adoubt the biggest thing I took away from Longwood, personally and professionally," he said.
He met his wife, Brooke, duringtheir freshman year at Longwood. And asan outfielder on Longwood'sbaseball team, heshareda unique relationship while living, studying andplaying with his teammates. Today, he counts these Lancers amonghis closest friends.
Her knowledge is impressiveburnot surprising. Afterall, Eike has worked at the library for 50 years, andher campus association goesback evenfurther. Most of herfamilyeither worked or graduatedfrom Longwood. Eike, alifelong Farmville-area resident, arrived atLongwoodas anundergraduate in 1961, and, with the exception of two years when she taught in public school, she wason campusearningdegreesand then working at the library.
In the 1970s, Eike rode her Honda motorcycle to work. Since then, she and thelibraryhave changed.
"When I started, we used the oldcardcatalog. Now we have an electronic library system. The changes are vast andhave beenamazingto see. Today I catalog everything fromtraditional print material tomultimedia and electronicresourceslikestreamingvideos ande-books," she said.
Eikerememberswhen the librarymoved to its presentlocation in 1991. "That was hard workbut terrifically exciting. Administrators, faculty members, staffand students helped reshelve books in the new building."
Despite the changes, Eike's devotion to Longwoodremainssteadfast. The libraryis where she feelsmosteffective andengaged. Eike haslost her husband, Gene, a well-known broadcaster in Farmville, and her immediate family. Now the library is her home, she said. "That's one reason I've stayed solong. You just don't give up onyour family.
"Probablyone day I'll keel over in thelibrary, be stamped 'discard,' and rolled out with theotherdiscards," shejoked. Until thenyou'll know wheretofindher. •
"When I first graduatedfrom the PoliceAcademy, I was most interested in high-speedchases," Newmansaid. "Today I consider intervening in young people'slives andmakinga positive impressionon themequally as important." @
SPRING 2019 I 21
We all know someone like Brent Roberts, butwe don't always expect a quirky, colorful personality like his from a librarian.
He is well-known on campus for turning conversations and meetings into fits of laughter. (He'll sing his favorite Hamiltonsong"Dear Theodosia," ifyou're wondering-at the drop of a hat.) He's also known to use his disarming humor tofindalliesfor the constant stream of new ideas he and hisstaffhave for making Greenwood Library amoreintegral part of the community.
One of those ideas was applying for a National Endowmentfor theArts Big Read grant, which aims to build abetter community around reading one book. He's alsodeeply involved in the annual Virginia Children's Book Festival, which brings authors, illustratorsand thousands of children to campus. And he's ushered in changes to makethelibrarymore accessible and usefulfor students.
We sat down with Dean Roberts to talk about the NEA Big Read grant and more.
Hello, Dean Roberts. Hello, sir. It's a pleasure to be here on the Merv Griffin Show!
Let's first do a typical question all librarians get: What books are you currently reading?
I'mreading TheEnglish Girlby DanielSilva on my Kindle-see, even librarians embrace technology. I've just finished Wherethe Water Goesby DavidOwen (because I'm involved in the Colorado River Brock Experience), That WeMayBe Oneby Tom Christofferson anda book called RedJoanbyJennie Rooney.
What's going on with the Big Read grant that everyone is talking about?
It's a huge deal. We got $15,000 from theNationalEndowmentfor theArts to develop communitywide programming and discussion
really the purpose of the Big Read, using the book as a springboard. The reason we chose BurningBrightis that it deals with a lot of the challengesthat SouthsideVirginiafaces. The opioid crisis of the present, the CivilWar of the past, poverty, alcoholismand drug abuse, arson-they are all there.
We'll have agreatkickoffonApril 6 at the farmers' market in downtown Farmville with some introductorydiscussion, demonstrations, live music, food trucks and distributions of the book. Then there will be more discussions throughout the month at various locations in town, dramatic readings, musical eventsand even a storyteller tellingJack tales atthe public library. Uack talestypicallyinvolve ayoung hero namedJack who must overcome the challenges of harsh mountain life using intelligence, braveryand, occasionally, trickery.]
the community for example, the Longwood Center for Community Music, Virginia Children'sBookFestival, LCVA and the Department of English and Modern Languages. We are preparingtruecitizenleaders, armed with compassion, confidence and empathy to go forth into the world.
That last sentence would have been better with a third "c" word Communism? Coriander?
How are librarians involved in the classroom?
Librarians haveplayed a keyrolefromthe very early stages in building our new Civitae core curriculum. Information literacy is a central aspect in both the Foundations level-most English 165 classes will have exposure to a librarian-but also in the Perspectives level. As a result, there are opportunities at every level in Civitae for students to interact with librarians anddevelopgreater facility with navigating the informationoverload.
Tell me about information literacy
Well, it's finding, accessing, evaluating and deploying information in a professional way. This goesback to President Reveley's discussion about the habits of democracy, so that people can come together and talk through their issues. I would add that one of the habits of democracy is information literacy. It doesn't do people anygood to cometogetherand talk unless theyare well-informed and wellprepared with solid source materials.
You're a well-known history buff Now that you've been in Virginia for three years,
1 1 hope it brings the community together to talk about current issues in our region. That's really the purpose ofthe Big Read... '
-Brent Roberts, Greenwood Library Dean
are there any sites still on the must-see list?
I haven't been to a lot of the Civil War battlefields. I'd like tovisit Chancellorsville and Manassas particularly.
bookshelf?
Well, there are books right inside the entryway, so about two.
What kind of programming is on tap, and what will it do for the community?
I hope it brings the community rogether to talk about current issues in our region. That's
You say often that you want Greenwood Library to be more than just a campus building. What we are trying to do with the Big Read grant exemplifies what we are trying to do with the campus and the community in general. We are the most promiscuous library youhave ever seen. We'll partner with anybody if it brings peopletogether andraises theculturallife of
What's your favorite part of the day here?
How many steps do you have to take when you walk into your house before you reach a around the book BurningBrightby Ron Rash. The book is a rich tapestry ofAppalachian history, culture, poetry and music all wrapped up in one collection of short stories.
Generallyit's lateafternoontowardthe endof thesemester. I can step out ofmyoffice, and the atrium is packed with people. Then I walk upstairs to group study, and every one ofthose tables is packed withyoung scholars. That's what reallywarmsmyheart! 8
SPRING 2019 I 23
Withmonumentstotheiconicfigurefromoneendofcampustothe other,LongwoodhasdrawninspirationfromJoanofArcformore thanacentury
BY MATTHEW McWILLIAMS
ATale ree
Likemanygoodstories,thisonebeginswithalegend.Here'showitgoes. Irwas200l,andRuffnerHallwasonfire.Theflamesspreadquicklyinevery direction.Foreveryonewatching,itwasasthoughtheheartofLongwoodwas beingdestroyed.ThefirespreadquicklytowardthehistoricColonnades,where countlessgraduationpictureshavebeentakenandCHIWalksinitiated,andtherewas nothingtostopit.
Excepttherewas.FortherestoodJoanofArcastrideherhorse,swordheldhighJoanieonthePony-glowingbrightredfromtheheat,fightingbacktheflamesfrom burningmoreofherbelovedcollege.Andsomehow,almostmiraculously,theColonnadeswereuntouched.
Aslegendsgo,it'saprettygoodone.But,ofcourse,itwouldbeJoanwhokeptthe flamesatbay.JoanthebelovedpatronheroofLongwood,theinspirationforstudents, forevertheFirstLadyofLongwood.
1)
A HERO FOR THE AGES
"Hereshewillstandforathousandyears,"said PresidentWTaylorReveley,justbeforethe neweststatuecoJoanofArcwasdedicatedin November,morethanacenturyafterthefirst sculpturewasplacedundertheRotunda.
ThatthestoryofaFrenchpeasantteenager whohelpeddrivetheEnglishoutofFrancehas survivedformorethansixcenturiesisremarkable.Perhapsevenmoreremarkableischatthe storycontinuestoinspiredevotiontoday.
Shewasonly19whenshewasburnedatthe stake,havingbeenturnedovertotheEnglish andconvictedofheresyandcross-dressingina politicallyriggedtrial.Herdeathwasonlytwo yearsaftershearrivedinOrleans,aFrenchcity chathadbeenundersiegebyEnglishforcesfor ayear.
ClaimingchatGodhadinstructedhercolife thesiege,sheledFrenchforcestovictorynine dayslacer.
It'sastoryofcourageandfaithandleadership,andonechatresonatedparticularlystronglyintheearly20thcentury,aswomenacrossthe globestakednewgroundforthemselves.
A GIFT FROM THE CLASS OF 1914
In 1914, PresidentJosephJarman was lookingforastatue toputunderthe Rotunda. At thesame time, Maria AdamsBristowStark, classpresident, waslookingforasubjectforher commencementspeech.
Longwooddidn'tgolookingforaheroine, butthetimewasripetofindone.In1914, women'ssuffragewasinfullswingacrossthe countrySeveralstateshadalreadygranted womentherightcovote,andwithinfiveyears Congresswouldpassthe19thAmendment. Astheworlderuptedintoglobalwar,women foundthemselvesinnewroles.
Oncampus,Stark,anxiousaboutherupcomingcommencementspeechand,suffering fromwriter'sblock,turnedcoherfavorite Englishprofessor,Dr.JamesGrainger,forhelp. Thepaircookstockoftheworldandsettledon atimelytheme:LeadershipofWomen.
Starkcouldhaveusedasasubjectany numberofwomen'ssuffrageheroines:SusanB. Anthony,ElizabethCadyStanton,AlicePaul. Instead,forreasonswemayneverknow,she choseJoanofArc,whoatchattimewasundergoingaworldwideresurgence.Francehad markedthe500thanniversaryofherbirch,and shewasaboutcobecanonizedbytheCatholic Church.
Quicklythechoicebecamemorethanjusta commencementspeechtheme.
"ActhesametimechatIwasstrugglingfor atheme,theSeniorClasswasdeliberating overanappropriategiftcotheCollege,"Stark wroteinaletteryearslacer."Fortunately,we
hadlearnedfromDr.Jarmanthathehadlong wishedcohaveasuitablepieceofstatuaryfor theRotunda.Aftermuchresearchandseveral consultationswithDr.Jarman,theclassof 1914,onhisrecommendation,decidedchat theirgifttotheCollegewouldbeastatueof 'JoanofArcListeningcotheVoices,'assculpturedbyChapu."
Thatsummer,theseatedfigureofJoan ofArc,eyesgazingupattheheavens,hands claspedinpiousprayer,hersimpledresscascadingingentlefoldsontotherockwhereshe isresting,arrivedoncampusandwasplaced undertheRotunda.Soonshewouldbeknown oncampusasJoanieontheStony.
Asanicon,JoanofArcistheultimate blankcanvas,takingonallbrushscrokes,often reflectingbackwhatpeoplewanetoseeinher. Shehas,inface,stoodasasymbolforopposing forcesthroughoutthelase600years,sometimes simultaneously:Frenchnationalism,French defeatism;theCatholicChurch,oppositionto thechurch;patriotism,emancipation;audacity, largesse;thefarpoliticalright,women'sliberation;biblicalliteralism,LGBTQ+rights.She's SaintJoan,canonizedbythesamechurchchat convictedandkilledherfivecenturiesbefore.
"Sheisbothusedandabusedbyagreat manygroups,"saidDr.KellyDeVries,aprofessorofmedievalhistoryatLoyolaUniversityin Maryland,whoauthoredaseminalworkabout Joanin2011andspokeatLongwood'sannual MedievalConferencechatyear."Historically speaking,whatwehaveisanincrediblybrave, spirituallyobsessed,devoted,zealouswoman whochangedhistory.Itneverhappenedchat waybeforeandhasn'thappenedchatwaysince. Bueherstoryissopowerfulandsoinspiring chatalotofdifferenttypesofpeopleseethemselvesinher,andchat'swhysheenduresmore thansixcenturiesafterherdeath."
Thisisperhapsthemostimportantrealizationinunderstandinghowa15th-century
'
After much research and severa consultations with Dr. Jarman, the class of 1914, on his recommendation, decided that their gift to the College would be a statue of'Joan ofArc Listening to the Voices'... '
-MariaBristowStark, 1914classpresident
Purchased as a gift by the Class of 1914, this depiction of Joan of Arc, affectionately known as Joanie on the Stony, is centered under the dome ofthe Rotunda. Henri-Michel-Antoine Chapu (French, 1833-1891); Joan of Arc at Domremy, 1870; cast by P.P. Caproni and Brother ofBoston, 1914; plaster; collection ofthe Longwood Center for the VisualArts.
26 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
Defining [Longwood's] identity and affirming itself as a college for women ... has a lot to do with why Joan of Arc not only was chosen in the beginning, but why her story resonates so powe rfu lly through generations of students.'
-Dr. Kat Tracy,professorofmedievalliterature
Frenchteenagerbecamethedefiningcultural touchpointatasmallteacherscollegeinSouthsideVirginia.Thewomentheresawsomething ofthemselvesinher.
ANOTHER JOAN CO MES TO CAMPUS
For13years,JoanieontheStony presidedoverLongwood'swomen.Her centralplaceundertheRotundamade her,practically,alandmarkinthehub ofdailycampuslife,whichbredadeep familiaritywithherfigure.Studentsmet atthestatuebeforeheadingtothedining hall,betweenclassesorbeforeheading downtown.Unlikeotherwomen'scolleges aroundthestatethathadthesame
JoanofArcstatue-Radford,James Madison,MaryWashington-thefigure stirredsomethingdeepinsidestudentsat Longwood.Somethingthatdemanded moreofJoanofArc.
"PartofthispuzzleisLongwooditself,"said Dr.KatTracy,professorofmedievalliterature atLongwood."It'sthethird-oldestpublicuniversityinVirginiaandhasalwaysbeenitsown place,unaffiliatedwithanyotheruniversity,so itwasfreetodevelopitsownculture.Defining itsidentityandaffirmingitselfasacollegefor women-especiallywithHampden-Sydney rightdowntheroad-hasalottodowithwhy JoanofArcnotonlywaschoseninthebeginning,butwhyherstoryresonatessopowerfully throughgenerationsofstudents."
AnearlynotefromCHItofreshmanstudentsillustratesjusthowcampusburnedwith theintensityoffeeling:
Thisyourchallenge.Withthe spiritofJoanasyourguide,seek togrowinmentalstatureasyou quietlycontemplatetheadvice, thewisdom,theinspirationof youradministration,yourfaculty, andespeciallyofyourfriends-the upperclassmen,thegirlnextdoor,
theroommate...LettheboundlessfaithofJoanpermeateyour lifeandspuryouontothehighest endeavor.Dream,hope,planwith her,andwithgreatermaturitygo ontobuildthetangibleoutof yourintangibledreams.Tofeelthe spiritofJoanofArcandtosense hervisionoftheidealistoenlarge thespiritofthecollegeandto watchitgrow
EnterLucyHaleOverbey'27.
Since1914,studentslikeOverbeyhaddevotedcountlesshourstothestudyandcompilationofeverythingJoanofArc.Hundred-page
scrapbookswerefilledwithclippings,original poetry,photosandpostcardsoftheirheroine. Theyprofessedtheirdevotiontoherexample inlengthyRotundacolumns.Theydedicated pageafrerpageofthe Virginian yearbookto herspirit.
SostrongwasthisdevotionthatOverbeyand herfellowmembersoftheJoanofArcchapter ofAlphaDeltaRho,anationalservicesorority, decidedtheysimplymusthaveanotherstatueof theirheroineoncampus.Theonethatcaught theireyewasnotanimageofthepensiveteenagertheypassedintheRotundaeveryday,but ofastrong,straightmilitaryhero.
WhatismoststrikingabouttheJoanofArc depictedinAnnaHyatt Huntington'striumphantsculptureisnot thescale,herposition astrideherhorseor evenhermilitaryarmor insteadofadress.It's herposture.
Huntington'sJoanof Arcisrigid,herlegsand backramrodstraightin thesaddle,armpointing straightupwithher swordextended.It'sa markeddeparturefrom thesoftandinnocent teengirlcontemplating
The Joan of Arc sculpture fondly known as Joanie on the Pony is a reduced version of the bronze 191 5 monument Joan ofArc by Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington. Longwood's copy, based on a casting of Huntington's monument in New York City, was a gift from the artist in 1927 in response to a request from students. Huntington was one of the foremost American sculptors of the early 20th century. Anna Vaughn HyattHuntington (American, 1876-1973); Joan of Arc, 1920; bronze; collection of the Longwood Centerforthe VisualArts.
'
SPRING 2019 I 27
angelic voices. This is a militaristicJoan, aggressive, sure ofherself andher mission.
The sculpture inspiredOverbey to write these impassioned words toHuntington in 1926:
"To raise [the money forthe statue] means that we willhave to make the greatest sacrifices we have ever made," wrote Overbey. "However, each of us is fired with such a keen desire to have this statue that nothing can stop us... . And it's your statue, Mrs. Huntington, that has inspired us We have studied every picture and every statue ofJoan ofArc, and yours is the only one that represents theideals ofour Joan ofArc Circle."
Huntington andher husband, an arts philanthropist, wrote back almost immediately with unexpected news: They would gift the statue to the small rural college. "My wife is happy in the thought that theJoan is to stand in your great state and among those whose devotion to ideals will make its dwelling with you a distinction to the sculptor and a tribute of honor to a great woman."
InApril 1927, thestatuenowknownatLongwoodasJoanieonthePonyarrived.Huntington spokeatthe dedication, andtheJoanlegacywas cementedfor thenext hundred years.
The 13 years betweenJoanie on the Stony's arrival in 1914 andJoanie on the Pony's installation in 1927 hold the key to the phenomenon on our campus. It was during those years that the women of Longwood madeJoan ofArc the object of ardent devotion, writing and dedicating themselves to her with a fervor unseen on other campuses housing her image.
It may have been her rural upbringing that linked her to Longwood women. Or her piety and devotion. Or herlegacyas a strong, unbending woman.
"The 1920s saw swiftchanges inAmerican life-growing cities, increasing diversity and expanding roles for young women in culture,
Sculptor
inthe workplaceand in ourdemocracy," said Dr. Larissa Fergeson, provost and professor of history. "To students at the time, Joan of Arc inspired ideals of leadership, cooperation and service to their college and to their nation. I think you can read their enthusiasm aboutJoan as not only a reaffirmation of more traditional feminine values of devotion and service, but also a recognition of and pride in-young women being active, engaged leaders."
A JOAN FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
For 50 years there they were: Joan under the Rotunda and Joan in the Colonnades (later moved to her current location outside Blackwell Ballroom).
They watchedover countless CHI walks and commencement photos. They imparted luck to nervous test-takers. They provided the basis for the name of Longwoodathletics' reams: the Lancers.
' To raise [the money for the statue] means that we will have to make the greatest sacrifices we have ever made. However, each ofus is fred with such a keen desire to have this statue that nothing can stop us... .'
-LuceyHale Overbey, Classof1927
Alexander Stoddart gave a campus lecture on the history of Joan of Arc in sculpture, including a discussion of one of the most famous depictions- Emmanuel Fremiet's gilded 1874 Joan ofArc that sits in the Place des Pyramides in Paris. He also spoke about his own process for creating the Joan of Arc monument that stands at the southern end of Brock Commons.
28 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
She taught me what's possible. It's a concrete lesson that :asks that seem insurmountable aren't necessarily so. People saying " you cannot" is no reason to turn back.'
-MarianneMoffatRadcliff '92
Butperhapsmostimportantly,theybecame thecontinuitybetweengenerations,despite radicalchangestothecollege:ashifttoliberal arcseducationinthe1940s,explosivegrowth instudentenrollmentinthe1960s,thefull admittanceofmalestudentsinthe1970sand transitiontoDivisionIsportsinthe2000s. Throughitall,therewasJoan.
In 2014, asarchitectsandcampusplanners consideredprojects toshapeLongwoodforfoturegenerations, theydecided to commission a large, dramaticpiece of publicartto be installedatthesouthern endofBrock Commons, tyingthatpartof campus to the historic northern core. The subjectofthe monumentwas neverin question. How coulditbeanyoneother thanJoan ofArc?
RenownedneoclassicalsculptorAlexander Stoddart,whowaschosenrocreatethenewest JoanofArcmonumentatLongwood-the chirdandlargestsculpture,installedin November2018atthesouthernendofBrock Commons-wasinspiredbythecommission.
"Igotacompletevisionofthemonument instantly,"hesaid."Verylittlehaschanged sincecharmoment.It'ssimilartoamelody thatacomposerhearsinhishead:Ircomesout intact,andthecomposertriestocatchupto whatalreadyexists."
UnliketherwoJoansthathavetakenon iconicstatusinthelasecentury,Stoddart's Joan,whileneoclassicalinform,isintentionallyofthe21stcentury.Herdeliberateandrogyny,unflinchingpowerandforward-moving posturereflectatimewhen,globally,women areagainstakingnewground.
"She'snotmeanttobecuteorsweet,"said Stoddart."She'smeanttobeadauntingfigure. IwantedtomakeherwhatweScotswouldcall
abitgallus.There'snorealEnglishequivalent,butit'ssortofself-confident,daring, evencheeky.ThinkSteveMcQueenorJames Cagneyfromchoseoldmovies.Butifyou chinkaboutit,shewasateenagegirlincharge of5,000men.She'dhavetobemorethan abitgallustopullchatoff.Lookat what'shappeningintheworldtoday withgalluswomenrakingcharge oftheirownlives.IwantedJoanto reflectchat."
Duringthededicationin November2018,whenthe
Longwoodcommuniryfirstsaw the15-fooc-callmonumentin fullformatopitspedestal,itwas MarianneMoffatRadcliff'92, BoardofVisitorsrector,whoput herfingeronthegreatlessonof Joanandwhyshehasendured oncampus.
"Astragicasherendingwas, heraccomplishmentsarenearly unmatched,"shesaid."Shetaughtme what'spossible.It'saconcretelesson thattasksthatseeminsurmountable aren'tnecessarilyso.Peoplesaying'you cannot'isnoreasontoturnback.These arelifelessonsworthlearning."
Perhapsthat'swhy104yearsafter JoanofArcfirstarrivedoncampus,she isasmuchasymboloftheuniversityas cheRotundaitself,partofthefabricofthe place,aninextricableculturaltouchpoincfor studentsandvisitors.
Perhapschat'swhy104yearslater, JoanofArcisLongwood.Ifsheisa blankcanvas,generationsofLongwoodstudentshavepaincedher blueandwhite,castingontoher theirloveanddevotiontotheir almamater.@
'
Longwood's newest sculpture of Joan ofArc, standing 15 feet tall, was installed in November 2018 at the southern terminus of Brock Commons. AlexanderStoddart (Scottish, 1959- ); Joan ofArc, 2018; bronze.
il:JJ Talent cont
Dos Passos Prize is often first in line to recognize top American writers
BY MATTHEW McWILLIAMS
om Wolfe, Annie Proulx, Colson Whitehead.
They are counted among America's greatest authors, theirworksachievingcritical acclaim and a place in the syllabi ofclassrooms from sea to shining sea.
But before all that when most ofthe world was just beginning to take note oftheir talent-they all came to Longwood. Why?
Since 1980, Longwood's Department of English and Modern Languages has been honoringAmerican authors with one ofthe leastwell-known but most highly sought-afrer literary prizes-theJohn Dos Passos Prize. Ir's a coveted prize within the literarycommunity because ofthe department's track record in tapping authors who then go on to win the top literary awards in the world.
"We like to think ofthe Dos Passos Prize as almost the Golden Globes to bigger prizes' Oscars," said Dr. John Miller, professor ofearlyAmerican literature, who is on the award committee. "The Dos Passos recognizes qualities in writers that tend to draw the attention ofocher awards."
The Dos Passos Prize was created to honor one ofthe greatest and most overlooked authors ofthe 20th century, John Dos Passos, best-known for his U.S.A. trilogy. It is given annually to a contemporaryAmerican author who has produced a substantial body ofpublished work chat displays characteristics ofDos Passos' writing: an intense and original exploration ofspecificallyAmerican themes, an experimental approach to form and an
interest in awide range ofhuman experience.
Dos Passos honorees include authors who have gone on to receive the Pulitzer Prize, Man Booker Prize, National BookAward (four times) and PEN/Faulkner Award. More than 10 Guggenheim Fellows also are among the Dos Passos recipients.
The 2012 Dos Passos winner, Colson Whitehead, spoke at Longwoodjust after the publication ofhis fifth book, ZoneOne. He
30 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
Tom Wolfe, shown here in 1988, had already won acclaim for his nonfiction works when he received the Dos Passos Prize in 1984 and was turning his writing talents to fiction. Hewent on to write The Bonfire of the Vanities, a best-seller published in 1987 and often called the quintessential novel of the 1980s.
Passos winner in 1997 after publication of her National Book Award-winning novel The Shipping News, but before she received the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction.
had been awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, commonlyknown as a "genius grant" a decade prior, but had yet to find national success. Zone
'63 who ensured its legacy by endowing the Carson and Sharon Coulter Gibb Fund, which provides much of the funding for the award.
Colson Whitehead had amassed a body of published work by 2012, the year this photo was taken and he also was tapped for the Dos Passes Prize. He went on to win the Pulitzer Prize (2017) and the National Book Award (2016) for his novel The Underground Railroad.
One was a New York Timesbest-seller, but it was his next novel, The UndergroundRailroad, that earned him the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the National BookAward.
The 1984 Dos Passosawardee,Tom Wolfe, hadalready made his mark onthe worldof nonfiction with TheElectricKool-AidAcidTestand TheRightStujfm the 1%Os and '70s. But when he arrived at Longwoodtoaccepthis award, he was in the middle of writinghis first novel.
"When you all were kind enough to give me the prize, I happenedtobe in themidst of writing The Bonfireofthe Vanities, and I was sufferingfroma severe case of The Doubts," Wolfe toldEnglishprofessorMarthaCook. 'Theprize itself did wondersfor myspirits at thatmoment... The opportunity to read aloud from theearlychapters of the book and to get such a wonderful response from the Longwood students andfacultymeant a great deal to me."
Cook, alongtimeEnglish professor, chaired the Dos Passos Committee for manyyears, but it was Longwood alumna Sharon Carson Gibb
PaulBeatty, the 2015 winner, took a more circuitous route to literary stardom. A slam poet in his youth, he garnered a great deal of attention for his spoken word renditions of his verse, but turned his back on that scene to explore novels. Almost 20 years after his first novel was released, however, the world took note when he published 2015's Man Booker-winning novel The Sellout. In an interview just before he spoke to a class of Longwood English students who had studied his work, he compared his novels to Dos Passos' work.
"For me, the parallelsreallycome in the structure and the freedom [Dos Passos] uses in writing-he juse sticks all this intertextualiry in his booksand that stuff is great," he said. "I remember reading The 42ndParallelwhen I was probably 23 or 24, andI said, 'woah.' Itwasdark andheavy and dense, and it really spoke to me. Part of the politics of it, in the decades before World War II, social justice was a part of everything. I have a German friend who is a historian who hates a lot of the literature that came out of the WPA andhad a lot of these communist ties. I always tell her that in the States, it was a weird thing, but if that wasn'ttangentialon some level to your life, there was something wrong with you in a lot of social circles. [Dos Passos'] novels andmy work are both at least aware of that context."
The 2018 Dos Passos recipient, KarenTei Yamashita, will acceptherawardatLongwood onApril 4. Yamashita is anovelist, short stoty writer and playwright who has been nameda finalist for the National BookAward for fiction.
"KarenTei Yamashita's work is unique in its exploration of characters who live between cultures, nations and groups," said Dr. David Magill, associate professor of English and chair of the Dos Passos Prize committee. "She challenges our preconceptionsof identity and citizenship with narrativesofcommunitythat stretchacrossphysicalborders and confound social categories.'' @
John Dos Passos PrizeWinners
• Graham Greene, 1980
• Gilbert Sorrentino, 1981
• Robert Stone, 1982
• Dorris Betts, 1983
• Tom Wolfe, 1984
• Russell Banks, 1985
• John Edgar Wideman, 1986
• Lee Smith, 1987
• Shelby Foote, 1988
• Paule Marshall, 1989
• Larry Woidode, 1990
• Elizabeth Spencer, 1991
• William Hoffman, 1992
• Ernest J. Gaines, 1993
• James Welch, 1994
• Helena Maria Viramontes, 1995
• Annie Proulx, 1997
• Maxine Hong Kingston, 1998
• Eric Kraft, 1999
• Jill Mccorkle, 2000
• Madison Smartt Bell, 2001
• Randall Kenan, 2002
• Richard Powers, 2003
• Maureen Howard, 2004
• Tim Gautreaux, 2005
• Kent Haruf, 2006
• Allen Wier, 2008
• Robert Bausch, 2009
• Percival Everett, 2010
• Mat Johnson, 2011
• Colson Whitehead, 2012
• Sherman Alexie, 2013
• Ruth Ozeki, 2014
• Paul Beatty, 2015
• Danzy Senna, 2016
• Chang-rae Lee, 2017
• Karen Tei Yamashita, 2018
SPRING 2019 I 31
through March 31
Exhibitions: Morgan Everhart:FlowersfarMy Failuresand Eva O'Leary: SpittingImage. Longwood CenterfortheVisualArts.Information: lcva.longwood.edu.
through April 7
Exhibition: StartwithArt, LearnfarLife:Annual Area YouthArtMonth Exhibition. LongwoodCenter forVisualArts.Information:434-395-2551or roberrsbm@longwood.edu.
through April 15
Callfor Entries: LongwoodAlumniArtExhibition2019. Information:434-395-4940orgrabiecam@longwood.edu.
MARCH
25
BlackwellTalks: "ANarrativeInquiryStudyon theImpactofWomen'sRelationalAggressionon Creativity,"featuringDr.DorothyC.Suskind.Noon, MaugansAlumniCenterVirginiaRoom.Information: 434-395-2223.
27
Women'sTennis:vs.CharlestonSouthern University.3p.m.,LancerCourts.Information: longwoodlancers.com.
BLACKWELL TALKS
27
FourthAnnual Day ofGiving/LoveYour Longwood Day. Makeagifronlineat give.longwood.edu.Information:434-395-2032.
30-31
Softball: vs.Campbell.Ip.m.SaturdayandSunday, LancerField.Information:longwoodlancers.com.
30
Men'sTennis: vs.PresbyterianCollege.Noon, LancerCourts.Information:longwoodlancers.com.
APRIL
1
BlackwellTalks: "TheMoreFascinatingQuestion: CanaHorseLaugh?ORWhatIsItLikeToBeaDog?" featuringDr.BrettMartz.Noon,MaugansAlumni CenterVirginiaRoom.lnformation:434-395-2223.
4
Dos Passos Prize Ceremony and Reading: KarenTeiYamashita,anovelist,shortstorywriter, playwrightandprofessorknownforherworksof Asian-Americanliteratureandmagicrealism.7p.m., BlackwellBallroom.lnformation:434-395-4910.
6
Powerlifting Competition: #Livelikeshiv 1p.m.,HealthandFitnessCenter.Information: 434-395-2186.
6
Women's Lacrosse:vs.RadfordUniversity. 2p.m.,BurgerJacksonField.Information: longwoodlancers.com.
6-7
Baseball: vs.CharlestonSouthernUniversity.3p.m. Saturday,Ip.m.Sunday;BuddyBoldingStadium. Information:longwoodlancers.com.
8
BlackwellTalks: "lncreasingRegisteredNurse RetentionUsingaMentorshipProgram,"featuring Dr.KrystalForlines.Noon,MaugansAlumniCenter VirginiaRoom.Information:434-395-2223.
9
Softball: vs.Virginia.6p.m.,LancerField. Information:longwoodlancers.com.
10
Greek Sync: Dancecompetitionbetweenfaternityandsororityorganizations.7p.m.,Jarman Auditorium.Information:byrnesma@longwood.edu.
10-14
Theatre: Berlin to BroadwaywithKurt Weill. 7p.m.WednesdaythroughSaturday,2p.m.Saturday andSunday;CommunicationStudiesandTheatreArts CenterInformationandtickers:434-395-2761or longwoodrickets.com.
11
Mathematics and Computer Science Colloquium: "TheRoleofMathematicalModels inModernInvestmentManagement,"feamringDr. AdvaitApte,VirginiaRetirementSystem.4p.m., Ruffner356.Information:434-395-2189.
12-15
SpringWeekend. Information:434-395-2I03.
APRIL 1 32 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
13
Softball: vs.CharlestonSouthern.1p.m.,Lancer Field.Information:longwoodlancers.com.
13- May 15
Exhibition: PointofDeparture:DepartmentofTheatre, Art, andGraphicandAnimationDesign 2019Senior Exhibition. Openingreception:5p.m.April13, LongwoodCenterfortheVisualArts.Information: 434-395-2551orrobercsbm@longwood.edu.
16
Concert: WindSymphonyandJazzEnsemble. 7:30p.m.,JarmanAuditorium.Information: 432-395-2504.
17
Women's Lacrosse: vs.CampbellUniversity. 4p.m.,BurgerJacksonField.Information: longwoodlancers.com.
19
SeasonalWine and Brew. 5-7p.m., LongwoodCenterfortheVisualArts.Information: lcva.longwood.edu.
23
Mathematics and Computer Science Colloquium: "ModelingandOptimizinga ProductionProcess,"featuringDr.SudharshanaApce, AltriaGroup.4p.m.,Ruffner356.Information: 434-395-2189.
Concert: CameracaandChamberSingerswirh CommonwealthChorale.7:30p.m.Thursday, JarmanAuditorium;3p.m.Sunday,FarmvilleUnited MethodistChurch.Information:434-395-2504.
LOVE YOUR LONGWOOD ANNUAL DAY OF GIVING MARCH 27
26
CommunityAchievementintheArtsAwards. 5p.m.,LongwoodCenterfortheVisualArts.Information: 434-395-2551ortoberrsbm@longwood.edu.
29
Concert: UniversityChoirs.7:30p.m.,Jarman Audirorium.Information:434-395-2504.
MAY
8
Baseball: vs.NorthCarolinaCentralUniversity. 5p.m.,BuddyBoldingStadium.Information: longwoodlancers.com.
10
SeasonalWine and Brew. 5-7p.m.,LCVA. Information:lcva.longwood.edu.
10 -12
Baseball: vs.PresbyterianCollege.5p.m.Friday, 3p.m.Sarurday,Ip.m.Sunday;BuddyBolding Stadium.Information:longwoodlancers.com.
17
Nursing Pinning Ceremony. 2p.m.,Jarman Audirorium.Information:434-395-2657.
17
Graduate Commencement Ceremony. 5:30p.m.,JarmanAudirotium.Information: 434-395-4086.
18
Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony. 9:30a.m.,WheelerMall.Information:434-395-4086.
31- June 2
AlumniWeekend. Variouslocationschroughom campus.Registration,costandinformation: go.longwood.edu/alumniweekend.
JUNE
1 - Aug. 4
Exhibition: LongwoodAlumniArtExhibition2019. Openingreception:5p.m.June1,LongwoodCenter fortheVisualAm.Information:434-395-2551or robercsbm@longwood.edu.
28
SeasonalWine and Brew. 5-7p.m., LongwoodCenterforrheVisualArcs.Information: lcva.longwood.edu.
JULY 22-26
GlobalVillage: Summerdaycampforchildren gradestwothroughseven.Registrationandcoses:434395-2372orlongwood.edu/globalengagemenc/.
25 -26
16thAnnual Summer Literacy Institute. BlackwellBallroomandRuffnerHall.Registration, costandinformation:434-395-2682or churchap@longwood.edu.
AUGUST 30
The G.A.M.E.: GreatestAthleticsMarchEver.3:30 p.m.,WheelerLawn.Information:434-395-2107.
Alleventsarefreeandopen to thepublicunlesscosts, tickets, etc., arenoted. ALLeventsaresubjecttocancellation andchange. Pleasevisitlongwood.edufor updated information. Personswithdisabilities who wishtoarrange accommodations ormaterialin an alternativeformatmay caLL434-395-2391 (voice) or711 (TT).
SPRING 2019 I 33
IIDIPRINTI
books by alumni, faculty, staffand friends
Medieval and Early Modern Murder
edited by Dr. Larissa "Kat" Tracy, professor of medieval literature
Inthis,herseventhbook,Tracy collectedandeditedtheworkof 19otherscholars fromacrossvariousdisciplines, aswellaswriting theintroduction andanarticle. Thebookexaminesmurder intheMiddle Agesinitslegal, literaryandhistoricalcontextsinseveraltextualtraditions, includingIcelandicsagas,OldFrenchfabliaux, Arthurianaandassassinationaccounts.Tracy iseditorforBrill'sExplorationsinMedieval CultureseriesandgeneraleditorofEolas:The journaloftheAmericanSocietyforIrishMedieval Studies.PublishedbyWoodbridge:Boyde!!Press, hardcover,486pages.
Culturally Relevant Teaching in the English Language Arts Classroom
by Dr Sean Ruday, associate professor of English education
Ruday'sninthbook,basedoneducational strategiesheuseswithhisstudentsintheclass-
CUL URALLY REL VANT
room,reflects whathecalled "thepushin educationto includeawider rangeofperspectives.Iwantthe conceptsthat studentslearn inschooltobe relevantoutside ofschool.For example,studentscanfind
relevantexamplesofstrongverbswhenthey watchorreadaboutsports-strongverbssuch as'sprinted'or'chucked'or'hurled'arefrequentlyusedinsportsdescriptions,andthey cangivestudentsreal-worldexamplesofconceptstheylearninschool.Thebackgroundsof allstudentsshouldbevaluedandincludedin thecurriculum."PublishedbyRoutledgeEyeon Education,hardcover,156pages.
Disability and World Language Learning: Inclusive Teaching for Diverse Learners
by Dr. Wade Edwards, professor of French and associate dean of CookCole College of Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Sally Scott
Thebooksupportsnationaleffortstobothenhanceforeignlanguageinstructionatthecollegelevelandsupportdiverselearningneeds. Toaddressthesetwinconcerns,Longwood's modernlanguagefacultyandtheOfficeofDisabilityResources(thendirectedbySallyScott) begancollaboratingabout10yearsago,supportedbyagrantfromLongwood'sCook-Cole College.Thispartnershipeventuallyresultedin a$420,000demonstrationgrantfromtheU.S.
DepartmentofEducation-thesecond-largest researchawardeverreceivedatLongwoodat thetime."Thebook,basedontechniquesfirst pilotedintheclassroomsinGraingerHall, focusesonlower-levellanguageclassesthat satisfygeneraleducationrequirements,"said Edwards.PublishedbyTeachersCollegePress, softcover,168pages.
inFormative Assessment: When It's Not About a Grade
Thispractical, research-based bookwhich hasbeen translatedinto Arabic-provideshelpfor teacherswith formative assessments, whichmonitorstudentlearningthroughongoingfeedbackconductedbyteachers."There's notalotoftrainingwithformativeassessments, butit'seasytotrainteachersandquicklyproducessignificantimprovementsinstudent performance,"saidKerns,vicepresidentand chiefacademicofficerforRenaissanceLearning. Kernswasintroducedtoformativeassessments inanindependentstudycourseinhismaster's programatLongwoodwhenhisprofessor,Dr. BettyJoSimmons,requiredhimtoreadwork byRickStiggins,theleadingU.S.experton thesubject."Ilaterservedonanadviso1yboard withDr.Stiggins,andheisnowaprofessional colleague,"saidKerns.PublishedbyCorwin Press,softcover,136pages.
HAUIIN(;
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSROOM
SEAN RUDAY R
IN TIii
AGuideforTeachers
34 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
When It's NotAbout a Grade
by Dr. Gene Kerns '90, M.S. '96, and Robin Fogarty
#OnTheRise
Men's basketball pulls off a season bound for the record books
llWhenLongwoodhiredGriffAldrichasheadmen'sbasketballcoach inMarch2018,theheadcoachof theteamAldrichhadworkedwiththeprevious twoyearshadstrongwordstoshare.
"LongwoodUniversityhititoutofthepark withthehiringofGriffAldrich,"saidRyan Odom,headcoachattheUniversityofMaryland-BaltimoreCounty,whohademployed Aldrichasdirectorofrecruitingandprogram development.TheAmericaEastchampion UMBCRetrieverspunctuatedAldrich'stime therewithastunningupsetofNo.1seed Virginiainthefirstroundofthe2018NCM Tournament.
hadamassed15wins,reachedtheirhighest nationalrankinginD-Ihistoryandwonfive BigSouthgamesinaconferencethatisat itsstrongesthistoricallyfromtoptobottom. Theprogramhasembracedthehashtag #OnTheRiseforacampaignhighlightedby signaturevictories,recruitingwinsandevenan impressivefallsemesterGPA.
etingup25spotsfromitsall-timenext-best markandastunning65placeshigherthanthe team'sfinishin2017-18.
Ayearlater,Odom'swordshaveproventobe morethanjustsupportforalongtimefriend.
Injustoneseason,Aldrichandhiscoaching staffhaveengineeredoneofthemostdramatic turnaroundsinallofNCMbasketball,leading Longwoodtoahistoricseasonthatisamong theprogram'sbestsincetheLancersmadethe jumptoDivisionI15yearsago.
Attheendoftheregularseason,theLancers
ThesesuccesseshavereinvigoratedLongwood'sfanbase,whosefervorisespecially evidentinWillettHall,wheretheLancers haveroutinelydrawnnear-selloutcrowdsand compileda9-5homerecord.Andexcitement surroundingtheprogramhasextendedoff campus,earningcoveragebynewspapersand localTVnetworks,anddrawingnumerous sportswriterscocampus,includingnationally renownedauthorand WashingtonPostcolumnistJohnFeinstein.
Handinhandwiththatnewfoundenthusiasmarethenumbersthatprovethisyearisone fortherecordbooks.ConsiderKenPom.com, aprominentbasketballrankingsservice,which hasLongwoodatitshighestrankingever,rock-
EvenmoreimpressiveisthatAldrichhas achievedtheseresultswithateamcomprised primarilyofveteranplayerswhohavebought intothenewvision.Onlyahandfulofnewcomers-notablypointguardsSeanFlood'20, abusinessmajor,andShabooryPhillips'20, asociologymajor,andshootingguardJaylon Wilson'20,asociologymajor-havecontributedcothisyear'ssuccess.
There'snomagicbulletinAldrich'smethod.Yes,heandhisstaffhaveimplementedan up-tempo,3-point-focusedoffensethathas capitalizedonacropoflong,athleticshooters. Yes,PhillipshasemergedasoneoftheBig South'scopguards.Yes,theLancersbrokethe schoolrecordfor3-pointersandareamongthe BigSouth'stop-rankeddefensiveteams.
ButtheingredientsinLongwood'sbreakthroughthisyeararenottiedtoanyone playeroranyunbeatablescheme.Therecipe risesaboveanyoneindividualorplaycall-or evenend-gameresult-andinsteadrestson afive-pillarfoundationthatAldrichoutlined beforeheevenacceptedthejob:excellence, grit,humiliry,gratitudeandservice.
"Therearealotofthingsyoucan'tcontrol, butyoureffort,yourgritandyourtoughnessthatshouldneverbesecond,"Aldrichsaid.
-Chris Cook
lk1DtlltlUPDATEI
Lifting Spirit
Third annual Special Olympics powerlifting meet draws widespread campus support
ThesoundtrackofIlerHallisunmistakable.Asymphonyofcrashingbarbells, primalgruntsandallmannerofhype musicplayedatear-splittingvolumeshaslong emanatedfromthebuilding,thebyproduct ofLongwoodstudent-athletes'dailytraining regimenintheirwell-equippedweightfacility locatedinthemiddleofLongwood'scampus.
ButonaSaturdayinFebruary,adifferent groupofathletessettledinroIler'ssquatracks, Olympicplatformsandbenchestotal<epart inacompetitionthathumbledeventhe strongestLancer.
"Everyyearthiseventisablastforeveryone involved,"saidRoth,whoispresidentofthe StudentAthleteAdvisoryCommittee."To watchtheseathletesshowcasetheirabilitiesis infectiousandfuntowatch.Beyondthat,to seethewholecampuscometogetherandprovideanenergeticandsupportiveenvironment fortheseathletestocompeteisatruetestament towhataspecialplaceLongwoodis."
Thecompetitionbeganearlyinthemorning withLongwoodstudentsandstaffoverseeing, judgingandspottingthelifts.
Thatcropofathletescamefromallover VirginiatocompeteintheannualSpecial OlympicsPowerlifringMeetthatLongwood hasproudlyhostedforthreeyearsrunning. Thisyear,theeventdrewmorethan20participants,whocompetedinpowerlifting'straditional"BigThree"-thedeadlift,benchpress andbacksquat.
C.J.Roth'16,aformerLongwoodbaseball playerandLongwood'scurrentassistantdirector ofsportsperformance,organizedtheeventonce again,employingtheassistanceofdozensof Lancerswhovolunteeredtheirtimetomonitor lifts,setupandbreakdownequipment,and cheeronthecompetitorswiththehelpofthe Longwoodcheerleaders.
Inyearspast,Longwoodathleticshasbeenthe primarydriveroftheevent,butthisyear'smeet expandedevenfurtherintoLongwood'scampus community.StudentsfromLongwood'sHealth, AthleticTraining,RecreationandKinesiology (HARK)program,aswellasmembersofthe LongwoodLIFEprogramjoinedLongwood's student-athletesasvolunteersattheevent.
"Seeingthecombinationofhappinessand laserfocusonthefacesofthelifterswasa specialthingtowitness,"saidLongwoodmen's soccerplayerWillyMiezan'19,anexercisesciencemajorwhogotanup-closelookatevery lifeasaspotterduringthemeet."Justwatching chemlifemademewanttojoin chem."-Chris Cook
LANCERUPDATE
36 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
0 Willy Miezan '19 (right, wearing cap), who volunteered to be a spotter during the event, encourages a lifter to do his best. @ Longwood athletic trainer Morgan Langton shows her support to a meet participant. @) The Longwood cheerleaders added their energy to the event-and welcomed a few 'honorary members' to the squad.
The Voice
Longwood's new lead broadcaster brings Lancer action to fans near and far
SamHovan'stimingisimpeccable-notonly inhisplay-by-playcommentarybutalsoinhis arrivalatLongwoodjustintimetotakeover astheVoiceoftheLancersforahistoricmen's basketballseason.
HiredinNovembertotaketheplaceof DariusThigpen,Hovandivedinwithannouncingtherecord-settingeffortsofthemen's basketballream,bringingtheactionofevery gametofanswhocan'tbethereinperson.His performancesairliveonlinethroughFarmville stationWVHL92.9FM,aprouduniversitysponsorandofficialhomeofLongwood athletics.
AsLongwood'sleadbroadcaster,Hovanalso callsbaseballandsoftball,aswellasfalland springsportscharaironESPN+.Awayfrom themicrophone,heservesastheathleticscommunicationscontactforLongwoodbaseball.
AnativeofElkhart,Indiana,Hovanpolished hisbroadcastingskillsduringhisrimeatthe prestigiousSyracuseUniversityNewhouse SchoolofPublicCommunications,wherehe graduatedin2013withamaster'sdegreein broadcastanddigitaljournalism.Hewent ontoserveasthedo-it-allsportsinformationdirectorandleadbroadcasteratArizona WesternCollegeforfouryearsbeforecoming toLongwood.
"We'rethrilledtoaddapersonofSam's talentsandcharactertotheLongwoodathletics staff,"saidChrisCook,assistantvicepresident forathleticscommunications."ImetSamyears agoatDukewhenhewascompletinghismaster'scapstoneproject,andIwasimpressedthen withhisprofessionalismanddemeanor.Thar
program.Duringhistimethere,headded livesrreamingofthebaseball,men'sandworn-
1We're thrilled toadd apersonof Sam's talents and charactertothe Longwood athleticsstaff.'
-CHRIS COOK, ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR ATHLETICS CO MMUNICATI ONS
stillholdstruetodayandisovershadowedonly byhistalentsasabroadcasterandcommunicationsprofessional."
ArArizonaWestern,Hovancarriedtelevised broadcastsfortheschool'sfootballprogram aswellasthemen'sandwomen'sbasketball
en'ssoccer,softballandvolleyballprograms, whilealsoproducingallpublicityandcoverage forthedepartment.
Healsospenttimeinprofessionalbaseball, workingwiththeSr.PaulSaintsoftheAmericanAssociationoflndependentProfessional
Priortojumpingintotherealmofathletics communications,Hovanputhisbachelor'sdegreeinmathematicsandphysicsfromLeTourneauUniversitytouseasahigh-schoolreacher inTexas.Aftertwoyearsintheclassroom,he beganworkonhismaster'sdegreeatSyracuse. Aspartofhismaster'scapstoneproject,he landedhisfirstjobinsportswithTheDevils Den,arecruitingwebsiteanddigitalmedia outletdevotedtocoverageofDukeUniversity athletics.
Lancerfanscancatchhimontheairchis springcallingthemen'sandwomen'sbasketball posrseason,aswellasallofLongwood'sspring sportsonESPN+andthebaseballandsoftball "GameoftheWeek"airingonWVHL.
LANCERUPDATE
Baseballasabroadcastandmediaassistantfor the2014season.
SPRING 2019 I 37
Lancer Roundup
Wallace repeats as Big South Defensive Player of the Year
The fall produced yet another winning season for Longwood women's soccer, and at the heart of the Lancers' run to a third-place Big South finish was againsenior defender
Sydney Wallace '19, a kinesiology major Wallace became only the second Big South player to earn Big South Defensive Player of the Year honors in back-to-back years, doing so in both 2017 and 2018. Sheendsher career as one of the most decorated players in school history, setting a school Division I record for minutes played and spearheading one of the Big South'sstingiest defenses during her four-year tenure.
Softball game set to air on ESPNU
Longwood's Big South dynasty softball program off to an 8-3 start, will earn Longwood national recognition again this season, as the program will host an ESPNU broadcast from campus for a second-straight year.The Lancers, who last year defeated rival Liberty on ESPNU at Lancer Field, will welcome the nationally televised college sports network to campus for the March 24 showdown against Big South newcomer USC Upstate at 4 p.m. That game will mark the third consecutive season that the powerhouse Lancers have appeared on ESPN's flagship college sports network, which airs live on cable networks and streaming platformsaround the world.
Led by 2 outstanding seniors, softball picked to win again
The expectations arehigh once again for Longwood softball, as the Lancers were picked by theleague's coaches to finish first in the conference in theannual Big South Preseason Poll. Senior pitcher Sydney Gay '19, a sociology major, was picked as the Big South Preseason Pitcher of the Year, and fellow senior catcher Kalynn "Bug" Batten '19, a biology major, wasnamed the Big South Preseason Co-Player of the Year The two anchor a Longwood team led by head coach Kathy Riley in search of the program'sfifth Big South title in 2019.
Baseball, softball set alumni days
The Longwood baseball and softball programs will both host alumni days this spring, inviting Lancers of years past to returnto campus for a day's worth of celebration and support for this year's teams. The Lancersoftball program now in its 22nd season under two-time Big South Coach of the Year Kathy Riley, will host its alumni day on March 30, while the baseball program, in its fifth year under Ryan Mau, will hold its gathering on April 27. For more information, contact Longwood assistant director of athletics engagement Kylie Dyer at 434-395-2352 or dyerka@ longwood.edu.
Sophomore soccer player earns Academic All-District honors
Women'ssoccer standout Carrie Reaver '21 has been a fixture on Longwood's backline ineach of her first two seasons, earning Big South Freshman of the Year recognitionin 2017 and All-Big South honorable mention recognition as a sophomore. But along with her on-field honors, Reaver has been perfect as a student, logging a4.0 grade-point average that earnedher CoSIDA Academic All-District Ill accolades this past fall.A biology major, Reaver achieved those high academic marks while also leading Longwood in minutesplayedin 2018.
LANCERUPDATE
38 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
Sydney Wallace '19
Me and My Shadow
Students learn about careers, connect with alumni in new program
■It'sjustanotherdayattheofficefor Longwoodstudentswhoparticipate inthenewworkshadowprogram runbyAlumniandCareerServices.
Theprogram,whichhappenedforthe
secondtimeinJanuary2019,pairsjuniorsand seniorswithanalumwhoworksneartheir hometownandwhosecareerareamatchestheir interests.Thestudentthenspendsadaywith thealumatwork.
"Thegoalistoconnectouralumniwithour studentstogiveourstudentsatasteofwhat theprofessionalenvironmentislikeaswellas toprovidenetworkingopportunitiesforour futurealumni,"saidTeresaDodson,assistant
directorofemployerengagementandinternshipservices.
WorkshadowlocationsincludedtheFederal ReserveBankofRichmond,theofficeofthe StateInspectorGeneral,MassMutualCom-
monwealth,theMyers&StaufferCPAfirm andMassimoZanettiBeverageUSA.ShadowingtakesplaceduringthefirstweekinJanuary, whenstudentsareonwinterbreak.Seventeen studentsparticipatedthisyear.
I The goal is to connect our alumni with our students to give our students a taste of what the professional environment is like as well as to provide networking opportunities for our future alumni.'
-TERESA DODSON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EM PLOYE R ENGAG EMENT AND INTERNSHIP SERVICES
"Wehavegottenalotofpositivefeedback," Dodsonsaid."Studentsenjoyedtheexperience, andalumnifelttheyweremakingadifference, withtheaddedbenefitoflearningfromthe studentsabouthowtheuniversityhasgrown andchanged.Theimportantthingisthatour studentsareconnectingwithsomeoneinthe professionalworldwhocanhelpthem.
"Someofthealumnihavegoneaboveand beyondtheprogramandhavesetupbiweekly meetingswiththeirstudentswheretheycan talkandthealumcanprovideguidance.We're tryingtocreateanongoingconnectionthat growsovertime."
Dodson'sofficesentoutaninterestemail toalumnilastSeptemberaskingabouttheir careerareasandtheirwillingnesstospend aworkdaywithastudent.InOctober,they emailedjuniorsandseniorswithatleasta3.2 GPAaskingthemtosignupfortheprogram. Finally,inNovember,thematchesweremade andthestudentsmetone-on-onewithacareer counselortolearnnetworkingskillsandget them"connection-ready."Hopingthatthe programgrowsinpopularity,Dodsonwould liketomake35-50matchesnextyear.
"Theprogramgivesalumniasenseofpride andisawayforthemtogiveback-notwitha monetarygiftbutwithagiftoftheirtimeand talent,"shesaid.
Ifyou'dliketovolunteerfornextyear'sprogram,contactDodsonatdodsonts@longwood. edu. KentBooty
NEWS!
... u
Caroline Carter '19 (center) spent a day immersed in the Washington, D.C., political scene while shadowing Kaitlin Owens '16 (right), a criminal justice reform and policy analyst with the American Conservative Union Foundation. They met James Scribner '17, regulatory affairs specialist at the National Mining Association, for lunch following a tour of the Capitol. Carter is a biology major and political science minor.
SPRING 2019 I 39
ClassNotes
1970s
Louise Scolamiero Liddle '75 was namedchairoftheboardoftrustees ofDestinationImaginationInc. (DI)inOctober2018.DIisaglobal volunteer,nonprofiteducationalprogramdedicatedtoinspiringthenext generationofinnovators,leadersand creativeproblemsolvers.LiddlepreviouslytaughtatMontevideoMiddle SchoolinRockinghamCountyfor28 yearsandforthepastthreeyearshas beenalibrarianatSpotswoodHigh School,alsoinRockingham.ShebecameinvolvedwithDIwhenshewas hiredasrhegiftededucationresource teacherattherwoschools.Shehasa master'sdegreefromJamesMadison University.
1980s
John Hudson '80, wholivesinBerryville,ismalevocalistforYesterday SwingOrchestra,vocalistandkeyboardistforDixieRhythm,vocalist fortheClarkeCountyCommunity Bandand,sinceage16,amemberof theSeniorChoirofDuncanMemorialUnitedMethodistChurchinBerryville.HehasreleasedseveralCDs, bothasasoloartistandwithvarious ensembles,featuringhisvocals.Heis theauthorofrwononfictionbooks (historiesofthetownofBoyceandof theBankofClarkeCounty,wherehe
isseniorvicepresidentandmarketing director)andaself-publishednovel, DusttoDust.
Johnel Brown Reid '85 was appointedvicepresidentofpublic affairsforCentersrone,aNashville-basednor-for-profithealth careorganization,inJuly2018.She overseesCenterstone'smarketingand communicationseffortsandstrategic brandmanagement.Reidhas15 yearsofexperienceinhealthcare communicationsandstrategicplanning,havingworkedpreviouslyfor CommunityHealthSystems,based inFranklin,Tennessee,andNashville-basedHCA.
John Schlesinger '87 ranforthe PortsmouthSchoolCommittee(the equivalentofaschoolboard)in RhodeIslandinNovember2018. SchlesingerisanITprojectmanager forNTTDATAServicesandanIT consultant.Hehasamaster'sdegree fromVirginiaTech.
Tuan Truong '89 retiredasaU.S. Armycolonelafter30yearsofservice inNovember2018.Truong,who beganhismilitarycareerasanROTC cadetatLongwood,hasdeployed onnumerousassignmentsroSouth Korea,GermanyandIraq.Hehas servedinrolesrangingfromplatoon leaderrobrigadecommander.He hasanMPAfromMichiganState University.
Alum finds fulfillment in working with victims of human trafficking
Melissa Sorensen Milam '96 recentlyreceivedoneoftheU.S.DepartmentofJustice'shighesthonorsforherworkwithseverelytraumatized victimsofsextrafficking,forcedlaborandothercivilrightscrimes.
Milam,victimservicescoordinatorforthecriminalsectionofDOJ's civilrightsdivision,receivedtheAttorneyGeneral'sAwardforExcellencein LegalSupport,presentedbythen-AttorneyGeneralJeffSessionsinOctober 2018.
Milamprovidessupportrovictimsofhumantrafficking,hatecrimes,law enforcementmisconductandviolationsoffreedomofaccessroclinicentrances,withsextraffickingandforcedlabormakingupthemajorityofher caseload.Hersupportextendsfromthepointwhenvictimsareinterviewed beforetrialthroughpost-sentencing;theaveragecasetakesaboutayear.
"Icrytoputallofmyresourcesattheirreachandhopechartheyare ablerorakeadvantage,"saidMilam,whohasamaster'sinsocialworkfrom CatholicUniversityandisalicensedclinicalsocialworker.
"Thesearepeoplewhohaveexperiencedseveretraumaandprolongedexposureroviolenceandneedsupport.Ihavetheabsolutebestjob.Ir'ssuper meaningfulwork.Thejoyofmyworkisinbeingapartofthejourneythese peopleareon,goingfromvictimizationrobeingsurvivors."
Milamhasbeeninthejob,whichinvolvesfrequenttravelanywherein theUnitedStares,forfouryears.SheworkedinthesexoffenseanddomesticviolencesectionoftheU.S.Attorney'sOfficefor11yearsandbefore thatworkedwithat-riskyouthfortheFairfaxCountyjuvenileanddomestic relationscourt.
Friends don't letfriends stop running marathons
Thefriendshipberween Danny Baty '02 (right)and Garret Green '04 hasnoronlylasted20 years-it'salsoendured26miles.
Afterbecomingbestfriends atLongwood,wherethey roomedtogetherandweretennis teammates,thetwoinspiredeach ocherrorunthemostrecent ChicagoMarathon.
"Thedayafterrunningthe MarineCorpsMarathon[in 2017],IpostedonFacebookthat Iwasgoingroretirefrommarathons,"saidGreen."ButDanny rexredmeandsaid,'Youinspired me;we'regoingtoruntheChicagoMarathontogether."'
InOctober2018thetworan-andfinished-the26-mileeventside byside.
WhenBary'sleftkneelockedupatmile12("Ididn'tthinkIcould finish"),heraidhisfriendrogoonaheadwithouthim,butGreensaidhe wouldstaywithhim.Amonthearlier,whenGreendidn'tchinkhecould finishajointpracticerun,Baryhadagreedrostaywithhim.
Theyalsohaverunrwohalf-marathonstogether.
Theduo'sparticipationintheChicagoMarathonwasafundraiserfor theSemperFiFund,whichhelpsposr-9/llwounded/injuredMarinesand theirfamilies.Greenhasraisedmorethan$25,000forthefundsince2017, andheplanstocontinueraisingatleast$5,000ayear.Hebecameinvolved throughhiswork(heownsandmanagesafitnesscenter)withafriend,a MarineCorpslieutenantcolonel,whowasinjuredinAfghanistan.
ItwasthefirstmarathonforBary,wholivesinChesapeake,andthe secondforGreen,aFredericksburgresident,who'sapparentlyforgottenhe decidedtoretirefrommarathons.HeplanstoruntheBigSurMarathon alongtheCaliforniacoastlineonApril28.
Jewell Grinnell Tunstall '89, aspecialeducationinstructional assistantatRuralPointElementary SchoolinHanoverCounty,was recognizedasherschool'sSupport EmployeeoftheYearinNovember 2018BeforejoiningtheRuralPoint facultyin2014,shewasafirst-grade andspecialeducationreacherinHanoverfrom1989-2000andtaughtat church-affiliatedpreschoolsinNorth Carolinafrom2004-14.Sheisthe authorofForeverFamily, achildren's bookabouttheprocessofadopting herrwochildren.Herhusband, Chris Tunstall '88, isassistantvice presidentforhumanresourcesatthe FederalReserveBankofRichmond. ThecouplelivesinMechanicsville.
1990s
Chris Mitchell '91, headcoachofrhe RandolphCollegeequestrianream, servedasacoachandclinicianatthe 2019CollegePreparatoryInvitational FloridaHorseShowinJanuaryin WestPalmBeach.Beforejoining RandolphCollegein2012,Mitchell
wastheridingcoachfor13yearsat CornellUniversity,wherehisteams claimed27horseshowreamcrowns andfourIvyLeaguetides.Heserves ontheIntercollegiateHorseShows Associationboardofdirectorsandwas amemberoftheNCAAsteeringcommitteeforequestriansport.
Dr. Wendy Lyle-Jones '92, principaloftheBuckinghamandDillwyn correctionalcentersandRusrburg FieldUnit,wasguestspeakerata SouthBostonobservanceofDr.MartinLutherKingJr.Daysponsored bytheHalifaxCountyBusinessand ProfessionalCouncil.Beforegoing intocorrectionaleducationnineyears ago,shewasprincipalofCumberland HighSchool,assistantprincipalof DinwiddieMiddleSchoolandtaught Spanishfor12yearsinCumberland, PrinceEdwardandDinwiddiecounties.Sheisanordainedelderwiththe PentecostalAssembliesoftheWorld andauthorof TheFatherFactor: TheMissingLinkBetween Godand OurSons. Shehasamaster'sdegree
ALUMNINEWS
40 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
ContinuedonPage41
The Magic oftheTraveling Sweatshirt
A special part of one Longwood family's history gets a new life with currentfreshman
byHeather Waldo '22
Mymomandmyuncleboth attendedLongwood(back whenitwasacollegeandnot auniversity)Thismeansthattwoofmy grandmother'sthreechildrenwereattending thesameschool,andsheconsequentlyfelt compelledtogetsomeformofLongwood merchandisetoshowhersupport.Shechose asweatshirt.
Mymom,TamaraSmithWaldo'90, alsopurchasedaLongwoodsweatshirtthat sheworeforalongtime-evenyearsafter shegraduated.Sadly,mymom'ssweatshirt didn'tsurvivetothepresentday.Butmy grandmother,DonnaCarr,decidedtohang ontohersthroughallofthechangesand phasesofherlifeaftermymomanduncle, BradSmith'91,graduated.Andchisis wheremysrorybegins.
Recentlymygrandmotherwaslooking throughsomethingsinhercedarchest, andshecameacrossthesweatshirtshehad purchasedsomanyyearsearlierOnceshe foundit,shetextedapictureofittomy
momandme,saying,"LookwhatIfound!" Mymomcouldn'tbelieveshehadkeptthe sweatshirtforsolongandhowgooditstilllooked.
I loved how retro [the sweatshirt] looked and how itis completelydifferentfrom any Longwood apparel you can buy now.
Thesweatshirtisstillwhitewithvibrantcolors ofyellowandblue.Youwouldneverthinkcharitis nearly30yearsold.
AssoonasIsawthephoto,Iimmediatelyasked ifIcouldhavethesweatshirt.Ilovedhowretroit lookedandhowitiscompletelydifferentfromany Longwoodapparelyoucanbuynow.Somygrandmotherwasheditandgaveittomethenexttimeshe cametovisit.Sincethen,Ihavewornthesweatshirt multiplerimes,andpeopleoftencommentonit. Oneofmyfriendsevenaskedmeiflhadgottenitat Pairet's,astoreonMainStreetthatsellsLongwood apparel.WhenIcoldheritwasactuallymygrand-
mother'sfrom30yearsago,shethoughtthatwas prettycool.
Thatsameday,aladyinthedininghallalsocommentedonit.Shesaid,"DoesthatsayLongwood College?"Ilookeddownatit,laughedalicde,then replied,"Yes,itdoes.Itwasmygrandmother's."She wentontosayhowmuchshelovedmysweatshirt andhowitremindedherofherLongwoodexperience.(ShehadalsoattendedLongwoodwhenitwas stillacollege.)
Tome,thesweatshirtwassomethingIthought lookedunique,andIlikedtheretrostyle.Ofcourse, it'salsospecialtomebecauseitbelongedtomy grandmother.Buttotheladyinthedininghall,the sweatshirtwasareminderofatimewhenalloflife's possibilitieslaybeforeher.Shebegantosmileand reminisceabouthercollegedays.
It'sfascinatinghowthesameobjectcanevokesuch differentfeelingsandmemoriesfordifferentpeople. Thesweatshirttookonanewmeaningformechat day.Iresolvedtotakecareofitandkeepupwithit, justasmygrandmotherhad.OnedayI'llpassthe sweatshirt-anditshistory-ontosomeoneinthe nextgenerationofourfamily.Ihopechatsomeone willalsobeafreshmanatLongwood.
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andadoctoratefromVirginiaScace University
Dr. Tara Temple Roane '94 was appointedaninterimmemberofthe KingWilliamCountySchoolBoard, representingtheFifth/Mangohick District,inOctober20I8.Herterm expiresDec.31,2019.Roanehas beendirectorofspecialeducationand srndentservicesfortheEssexCounty schoolsforfouryears.Shepreviously workedintheKingWilliamCounty andEssexschoolsystems.Shehas beenyouthministeratTomiPraise WorshipCenterinAshlandfor22 years.Roanehasamaster'sdegree fromRegentUniversity,apostmaster'sfromGeorgeWashington Universityandadoctoratefom WaldenUniversity.
Charlaine Coetzee Hirst '95 becameaU.S.citizeninNovember 2018afterlivinginthiscountryfor 27years.TheCapeTown,South Africa,nativerooktheoathofallegianceinDurham,NorthCarolina, anddescribedtheceremonyas"very movingandemotional."Afour-time All-AmericanwholedtheLongwood women'sgolfteamronationalchampionshipsin1993and1995,Hirstis aClassALPGAteachingprofessional whoisaself-employed,full-timegolf instrucrorattheCount1yClubof WhisperingPines,NorthCarolina. Sheplayedgolfprofessionallyfor nineyearsontheLPGAFutures Touruntil2004,whenshebeganher teachingcareer.Sheisamemberof theWomen'sGolfCoachesAssociationHallofFameandtheLongwood AthleticsHallofFame.Themagna cumlaudegraduatereceivedtheDan DanielSeniorAwardforScholarship andCitizenshipathercommencement.Activeinalumniaffairs,sheisa memberoftheboardsfortheAlumni AssociationandtheLancerClub.
Rohsaan Settle '95, direcrorfor srndentconductatVirginiaTech,is servingasinterimdirecrorforFraternityandSororityLifeforthe2018-19 academicyear.Hehasworkedsince 2000atVirginiaTech,wherehe receivedamaster'sdegree,andhas beenthechiefconductofficersince 2014.HereceivedtheAdvisorofthe YearAwardfor2002-03fromthe SouthAtlanticaffiliateofCollegeand UniversityResidenceHalls.Hewas assistantdirecrorforstudentorganizationsandleadershipdevelopment
Current freshman Heather Waldo; her grandmother, Donna Carr (right). who purchased the sweatshirt nearly 30 years ago; and Heather's mom, Tamara Smith Waldo '90
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atGannonUniversityfrom19982000.HeisamemberofLongwood's alumniboard.
Kim Cowles Turner '96, director ofNewKentCountyParksandRecreation,waselectedpresidentofthe VirginiaRecreationandParkSociety (VRPS)inNovember2018and beganherone-yearterminJanuary. Turner,whoservedasVRPSvice presidentin2018,hasbeeninvolved withtheorganizationsinceshewasa Longwoodstudent.Shereceivedthe VRPS's2016DistinguishedService Award.Beforeswitchingtoacareer inparksandrecreation,shepracticed therapeuticrecreationinmental healthandlong-termcarefacilities. HerhusbandisJason Turner '95. ShevisitedLongwoodlastyearwith hermother, Farron Davis Cowles '68,whoattendedher50threunion.
Dr. Arkena Dailey '98waselected presidentoftheVirginiaBoardof PhysicalTherapyinAugust2018 Sheisservingaone-yeartermafter twotermsasvicepresident.Shewas appointedtotheboardbythenGov.TerryMcAuliffein2015She wasappointedinJanuary2017to athree-yeartermontheEducation CommitteefortheFederationof StateBoardsofPhysicalTherapy. Dailey,wholivesinHampton,isa physicaltherapyclinicalspecialist forSentaraHealthSystemandan adjunctinstructorinOldDominion University'sphysicaltherapyand athletictrainingdepartment.Shehas aDoctorofPhysicalTherapydegree
Amanda Renwick Lloyd '04was nameda2018Top40Under40 honoreeinHamptonRoadsby Inside BusinessinOctober2018Theaward recognizesprofessionalswhosework andvolunteereffortsmakeHampton Roadsabetterplacetolive.
Lloyd,wholivesinNorfolk,is directoroftheAcademyforNonprofit ExcellenceatTidewarerCommunity College(TCC),whereshehasbeen anadjuncthistoryinstructorfor10 years.Previouslysheheldmultiple administrativepositionsforthecity ofNorfolkfornineyears,mostlyin training/organizationaldevelopment andprogramming,andbeforethatshe workedinmarketingatOldDominionUniversityforthreeyears.
fromtheUniversityofSt.Augustine forLifeSciences.
2000s
Corrine Richardson Louden '02 washiredinAugust2018asdeputy inspectorgeneraloftheVirginia OfficeoftheStateInspectorGeneral. SheistheNo.2personatthe40personagency,createdin2012toinvestigatewasteandidentifyinefficienciesintheexecutivebranchofstate government.Twocoworkersarefellowalums: Taylor Woody'16,who worksparttimeincommunications, andspecialagentKatrina Moulton Goodman '97, M.S. '01. Louden waspreviouslyhotlineinvestigations supervisorfortheVirginiaDepartmentofCorrectionsandaseniorinternalauditorwiththeVirginiaState Police.SheistreasurerofLongwood's CollegeofBusinessandEconomics AlumniAdvisoryBoardandisactive intheAssociationofGovernment Accountants(AGA)Shewasvice presidentoftheAGASouthAtlantic Regionfrom2017-18andisamemberoftheAGAjournal'seditorial boardandsecretaryoftheRichmond chapter'sexecutivecommittee. Loudenandherhusband, James "Jay" Louden '01, asergeantwith theRichmondPoliceDepartment, liveinChesterfieldCounty.
John Masi '02, asinger-songwriter basedintheWashington,D.C.,area, releasedhisfirstsoloalbumandthird overallalbum, Capture theHeart, in September2018Beforegoingsolo in2010,hewasthefrontmanfor theRichmond-basedJubeus,which releasedthealbums Two Tone Circles
AfterbeingclassmatesinhighschoolandatLongwood-wherethey livedtogetherallfouryears-theyarenowfourth-gradeteachersatHillpointElementarySchoolinSuffolk,wherebothdidtheirstudentreaching. Theirclassroomsareacrossthehallfromeachother
"Theydidn'tdothatdeliberately,burirwasprobablyagoodidea-they knewwewouldbeineachother'sroomsallthetime,"saidMauniewirha laugh.
TheymeratJohnYeatesMiddleSchoolafterMencarinimovedto Suffolkintheeighthgrade,burtheydidn'tbecomecloseuntilthenextyear atNansemondRiverHighSchool.Theironlyseparationoccurredwhen MauniestayedatLongwoodtoearnhermaster'sdegreeinthereading, literacyandlearningprogram.ShejoinedtheHillpointfacultyinfall2018, ayearafterMencarini.
"Peoplecalluspartnersincrime;theysayyoucan'tfindonewithoutthe other,"Mauniesaid."We'relikeanoldmarriedcouple."
InNovember,shewasappointed bythegovernortotheHistorical RecordsAdvisoryBoard.Sheis president-electoftheJuniorLeague ofNorfolk-VirginiaBeach(she becomespresidentinJune)anda memberofLongwood'sAlumni BoardandtheNorfolkPublic Libraryboardoftrustees.She createdtheNorfolkPublicLibrary volunteerprogram,amodeleffort duplicatedbylibrariesacrossthe nation.
Lloyd,whosaysbecomingpresidentofLongwoodUniversityisher ultimatecareergoal,hasamaster's degreefromODUandispursuing aPh.D.atHamptonUniversity.
Jeffrey Mitchell '02ofBluegreen Vacationswonthe2018BestResort AssistantManagerawardfromthe AmericanResortDevelopmentAssociation.TheawardrecognizesMitchell'sworkasassistantmanagerat LaurelCrestresortinPigeonForge, Tennessee,andatShenandoahCrossinginGordonsville,wherehewas guestservicesmanagerfrom2015-17 HehasmanagedtwooceanfrontresortsinBradentonBeachandHomes BeachinFloridasinceJuly2018
Brandie O'Neill '06joinedKinsale InsuranceCo.,basedinRichmond,as aclaimsexaminerinSeptember2018
Josh Holder '07 joinedSouthState BankofRichmondasamember ofitscommercialbankingteamin December2018Holder,whohad beenwithSonabankofRichmond, alsoincommercialbanking,provides consultativebankingsolutionsto
ALUMNINEWS
BFFs since 9th grade nowteach at same school
Christyna Mencarini '17 (right)andHope Mounie '17, M.S. '18, have beenapartforonlyoneyearsincebecomingbestfriendsintheninthgrade.
a11d NaturalMood. Masilivesin Alexandria.
Community college leader makesTop 40 Under 40 in Hampton Roads
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Super Natural Experiences
Science comes alive for students whose teacher has explored Peruvian rainforest, Galapagos Islands under National Geographicfellowship
Formanyteachers,"professionaldevelopment" takestheformofattendingaclass,workshoporconference.ButforBeckySchnekser '05,M.S.'06,itmeanstrekkingtoaliterally boilingriverdeepintheAmazonianjungleor swimmingwith3-foot-longmarineiguanasin theGalapagosIslands.
Person ofInterest
Anelementaryschoolscienceteacherac CapeHenryCollegiateindependentschoolin VirginiaBeach,Schnekserisoneof40teachers intheUnitedScatesandCanadawhowere awardedahighlycompetitivetwo-yearGrosvenorTeacherFellowshipfromLindbladExpeditionsandNationalGeographicin2018.The annuallyawardedfellowshipprovidesfieldbasedprofessionaldevelopmentopportunities onNationalGeographicscientificexpeditions forpre-K-12educators.
LastJulyandAugust,Schnekserspenttwo weeksincheAmazonianrainforestofPeruwith scientistsscudyingtherecentlydiscoveredlargest documentedthermalriverintheworld, Shanay-Timpishka,whichmeans"boiledbythe heatofchesun."Flowinghocforroughlyfour miles,cheriveractuallyboilsacsomepointsand canreachtemperaturesashighas210degrees Fahrenheit-morethanhotenoughtocook alivehaplessfrogsandotheranimalsthatoccasionallyfallintothesteamingwater.
Schnekser,whohelpedcollectwatersamples anddocumentfishspeciesinthecoolerportionsoftheriver,explainsthatthermalrivers aretypicallytheresultofnearbyvolcanoes, butthisriverisunusualincharit'smorethan 430milesfromchenearestactivevolcano.She willreturntoShanay-Timpishkachissummer tohelpwithabiodiversitysurveyandtoaid scientistssearchingforlifeintheriver.
InNovemberandDecemberlastyear, Schnekserspent10daysworkinginthe GalapagosIslands,whereshecompletedbehavioralstudiesofendemicspeciessuchasmarine iguanasinanefforttostudytheimpactof climatechangeonanimallifethere."Thetemperatureofthewaterisrisingfasterthanthese creaturescanevolvetosurvive,"shesaid,which isdecreasingfoodsourceslikealgaeandfish.
Aspartofherfellowship,shealsotook 360-degreephotosandvideosthatsheisusing
toaidindocumentationandconservation efforts,aswellastocreatevirtualrealitytours andaugmentedrealityexperiencesthatteachers andstudentsworldwidewillbeabletoaccess.
Schnekser'sownsmdents"absolutelylove" hearingaboutherfieldstudies,shesaid,noting chathersecond-gradeclasscreatedafaux documentarywiththestudentspretendingto bemarineiguanasbecause,theycoldher,"we're expertsontheirbehaviornow."
Asateacher,Schneksereschewstextbooksin favorofreal-lifeexperiences"chatwillinform [students]asadultsgoingintocheworldlater."
then lay on their backs like a puppy would, begging to be petted,' she said
pups. She resisted the urge to give them a belly rub, observing the islands' prohibition against touching wildlife.
Forinstance,shecakesagroupof15fifthgraderseachyearonatriptoassistwithendangeredcoralreefstudiesincheFlorida Keys.Shealsocontactsscientistsasfaraway asAfricaforvideoconferencinglecturessoher smdentscanlearnfromprofessionalsworking inchefield.
Shehopesherexperienceswillinspireother teacherstoviewprofessionaldevelopmentfroma newperspective."Findawaycogeeintochefield andbringitbacktocheclassroomtogive[students]theexperienceofhowwhatyou'reteaching translatestotherealworld."-RichardFoster
ALUMNINEWS
(top) Becky Schnekser stages a 360degree camera to collect images and videos of Shanay-Timpishka, a boiling hotthermal river in the Peruvian rainforest. (bottom) Schnekser observes a sea lion nursery in the Galapagos Islands, where mother sea lions leave their young while they hunt for food. 'They actually came up to the camera to investigate and
of the
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operatingcompaniesincentralVirginia.HeisagraduateoftheVirginia BankersAssociationSchoolofBank Management.
Adam Russo '07 hasbeendirector oftheOfficeofSchoolFoodandNutricionServicesforthePrinceWilliam CountyschoolssinceJune2017He overseesa$50millionbudgetand 1,000employeesat101schoolsand centers.RussowaspreviouslydirectoroffoodservicesforcheHanover CountyschoolsandadistrictsupervisorwithcheNorfolkschools.Heisa formerrestaurantowner.
Ashley Greene Webb '07, curatorofcollectionsandexhibitions archeHisroryMuseumofWestern Virginia,isscheduledtogiveanArr AfterDarkpresentationattheLongwoodCenterfortheVisualAnsin March.Webb'stopic,"Yesteryear's Pantaloons:ThePreservationof HistoricCostumes,"isrelatedroher business,Bustle,amuseum-quality preservationcompanythatfocuseson weddingdresses,historictextilesand otherfamily-relatedtextiles.Shewas theLCVA'scollectionsmanagerfom 2009-13andalsohasworkedatrhe HarrisonMuseumofAfricanAmericanCultureandtheWilliamKing MuseumofArc.Shehasamaster's degreefromBournemouthUniversity inEnglandandismarriedto Michael Webb '07.
Dr. Melissa Ridley Elmes, M.A.'09, assistantprofessorofEnglishatLindenwoodUniversityin St.Charles,Missouri,wasoneof109 Sc.Louis-areaeducatorswhoreceived EmersonExcellenceinTeaching AwardsinNovember2018.Recipientsareselectedbytheirschools' administrationsfortheiraccomplishmentsandsteadfastdedicationro cheteachingprofession.Elmesisvice presidentoftheSocietyforMedieval FeministScholarshipandamember oftheModernLanguageAssociation executiveforumforCelticStudies. Herhusbandis Nick Elmes '04.
Diondra Mercer '09, M.S. '11, marriedDeSeanFinneyonNov.10, 2018 Tiffany Mayo House '09, M.S. '12, servedasmacronofhonor; Janene Hudson '09wasmaidof honor;andTiffaniVasquez'09was abridesmaid.MercerlivesinEssex Countyandisaschoolcounselorat EssexHighSchool.
2010s
Dr. CristinaValdivieso Bain '10 graduatedwithaPh.D.inclinical psychologyfromcheVirginiaConsortiumPrograminClinicalPsychology inAugust2018.Thatmonth,she andherhusband, Jacob Bain '09, welcomedtwinboys.Sheisastaff psychologistwithPrimaryMental HealthCareartheHamptonVeteran AffairsMedicalCenter.
Heather Sutherland '11 wasone offiveglassartistswhoseworkwas featuredinche FreshMastersexhibitionJan.23-March9acUrbanGlass, aBrooklyn,NewYork,arrsrndiofor glassartistsandstudents.Thebiennial,jury-selectedexhibitionhighlightedoutstandingworkbyrecent MFArecipientsacrosschecountry. Sutherland'swork"examinespresentationsofintersectionalfemininity inpopularculturebyshowcasing theirtrappingsandwhatoftengoes unseen,"saidanUrbanGlassnews release.Sutherland,whoreceivedan MFAfromtheUniversityofWisconsinin2017,recentlycompiecedaresidencywiththeCreativeGlassCenter ofAmericawithWheatonArts.
RebeccaWeinberg Van Huss '12 joinedKinsaleInsuranceCo.as aclaimsservicesassistantinOctober 2018.Shehadbeenaclaimsassistant withAlfaAllianceInsuranceCompany.VanHussvolunteerswitha rescueorganizationinAshlandchat isfindinghomesforgreyhounds affectedbyFloridaConstitutional Amendment13,whichwilleffectively endgreyhoundracingby2021.Her husband, Nathaniel "Nate" Van Huss '14, isabodilyinjuryclaims adjusterwithJamesRiverInsurance Company.
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Business is sweetfor couple cooking up barrelsof'wildcrafted' hickorysyrup
"Ifwecanjustsellthese48bottles,we'llbehappy."
Thar'swhatJoyce Miller Miller '75 andherhusband,Travis,were thinkingonchewaytotheirlocalfarmers'marketin2011,theircarloaded downwithhickorysyruptheymadethemselves.Theysoldour,launch111g whathasbecomeperhapsrhelargestoperationofitskindinthecountry.
FallingBarkHickorySyrupisstillrunbyjustthetwoofthem,though rheynowhavefourdistributorsandsellmorethan2,500gallonsayear. TheymakeandbottleeverydropintheirBerryvillehomeandrefertothe syrupas"wildcrafced,"atermtheycoinedtodescnbeforagmgforfoodand/ ormedicinalplants.
Thesyrup,whichcomesinsevenAavors,issoldinstoresandunder privatelabelsatseveralhistoricsites,includin�Mou?tVernon-wherethe coupledoesademonstrationonGeorgeWash111gtonsbirthdayeveryyear andMonticello.ThebusinesshasbeenprofiledbyCNN,NanonalPublic Radioand The Washington Post.
"TheproductionteamisjustTravisandme,andwe'restillmarried,"she saidwithalaugh."Wemakeitwork."
Ittakesfourtofivedaystomakeeachbatchofsyrup,yieldingabout34 gallons.Theyfirstcharthebark(mostoftheirhickorycomesfromshagbark hickorytrees),cookitinwaterunderpressure,let1trestacoupleofdays, filterittoremovesedimentandfinallyuseahydrometertogetthecorrect balance.
"Wenevertakeadayoff.Wesayeveryday'saholiday,"saidMiller.
Alumni board president reflects on successes as herterm ends
AsTammyBirdJones '81 finisheshertermas presidentoftheAlumniBoard,sheviewswithpride theincreasedvisibilitytheboardhasachievedthrough campusandregionalevents,participationinvolunteer projectsandengagementwithstudents.
SheisespeciallypleasedwiththeWelcometothe Cityeventsaroundthestatefornewalumniandthe RingCeremonyforjuniorsandseniors.
Theboardhasbecomemoreinvolvedinoutreach throughvolunteerprojectswirhseveralFarmville-area charitiesandsocialprograms."Wetrytodoavolunteer projectinconjunctionwitheachofourmeetings," shesaid.
Inanefforttoengagewithstudents,theboardhas invitedtheSGApresidenttoicsmeetingsforthelase
twoyearstoprovide anupdateonstudent government-sponsoredactivities.Last yeartheboardused socialmediatoexpressitsenthusiasm forLongwood'sannualDayofGiving.
t½ Jones'two-year I termaspresidenc, andseven-yearstint ontheboard,endsinJune."I'veworkedwithgreat peopleontheboardandintheOfficeofAlumniand ,,CareerServices.I'llmissit.It'sbeenagreatexpenence.
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44 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
Living the Brand
Alumna's job promoting alumni engagementvia social media fulfills longtime goal
AshleyJones'12isoneofmany Longwoodalumsinspiredbythelate Dr.BillStuart,professorofcommunicationstudies,whowasknowntorespond toalmostanygreetingwiththesamephrase: "Livingthebrand."
JonesremembersoneconversationinparticularwithStuart,whowasherseniorthesisadvisor anddiedunexpectedlyinfall2012.Theytalked aboutherfuture,andafterwardsshepromised herselfchatsomedayshe,coo,wouldbe"living thebrand"asaLongwoodemployee.Shemade goodonchatpromiselastfall,whenshewas namedassistantdirectorofengagementcommunication,withanemphasisonsocialmedia,for AlumniandCareerServices.
Jones'transitionfromherpreviousjobas marketingcoordinatorforAramark'sLongwood divisionwasseamless.Moreimportantly,the connectionsshemadeandskillssheacquired preparedherfortheresponsibilitiesofbeinga leadcommunicatorwiththousandsofLongwoodalumniwhospannearlyninedecades.
"It'sbeenalongroad,mixedwithopportunitiesandstruggles,butalwayswithstepsin chisdirection,"saidJones.
What excites you the mostabout yourjob?
BeingabletoconnectwithLongwoodalumni onmanydifferentplatforms!It'slikejuggling. There'salotchatgoesintoit-butIloveit.I featurealotofthrowbackphotosonFacebook, andImainlyuserecentphotosonlnstagram becauseouraudiencethereincludesmore recentalumni.Twitteristhebridgebetween FacebookandInstagram.Inadditiontohandlingsocialmedia,IoverseetheFlagRaiser program.It'salwaysexcitingtoseewherethe Longwoodflagwillgo.
How has social mediaimpacted engagement with alumni across the decades?
There'saplatformforeveryone,whichisgreat. Alumnicanconnectwithusinwhicheverway ismostcomfortableandnaturalforchem.BeforeFacebook,Idon'tchinkAlumniandCareer Serviceswouldhavebeenabletokeepalumni asinformedaswedonow.Canyouimagineall theemails,postcardsandpamphletswewould havetosendtomatchourFacebookfeed?
Whatisyourfavorite Longwood tradition?Why?
Bandfestbringsbackoneoftheproudestmemoriesofmytimeworkingasgeneralmanager ofWMLU,thecampusradiostation,which sponsoredtheevent.Duringmyjunioryear, RedJumpsuitApparatusandStateRadiowere forcedtomoveinsideLankfordduringthe middleoftheperformanceduetoathunderstorm.Within20minutes,theWMLUstaff setupasmallportablestageinLankfordBallroom,clearedoutthecouchesandchairs,and setupafewspeakersandmies.Thenextthing Iknew,RedJumpsuitApparatuswasplayingin theLankfordBallroom!
What doyouseeon the horizonfor social mediaand howmost people useitin theirdailylives?
Well,it'snotgoinganywhere,andit'sdefinitelyadaptingtowhatuserswant.Snapchat storiesareagoodexampleofhowsocialmedia iscontinuingtoevolve.Instagramlaunched itsownversion,andnowFacebookhaschem. Livevideosarealsopopularrightnow,andI thinkchat'sdueinparttoviewersnotwantingsomethingthat'srehearsed.Theywant somethingthatfeelsrealandauthentic.Inthe future,Ichinkaugmentedrealitywillcontinue togrowinpopularity.Personally,I'dlovetosee anElwoodorJoaniefacialfilter!
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Ashley Jones '12 strategizes content for Facebook, lnstagram and Twitter.
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GoingViral
Overwhelming response fromalumni teachers to social media campaign sparks weeklong digital, on-campus event
Whenasocialmediacampaign focusedonLongwoodalumswho areteacherswentvirallastAugust, staffinAlumniandCareerServicesknew theywereontosomething.
PartneringwithAdmissions,theyhad plannedtogiveout"cheerkits"filledwith Longwoodswagtothefirst100teacherswho agreedtouseittodecoratetheirclassrooms.In lessthan24hours,500teachershadsignedup, and600boxesofswageventuallywereshipped.
Afterthecheerkittsunami,AlumniandCareerServicesstaffstartedthinkingaboutcreating alumnicommunitiesanchoredinsharedcareers. Educatorsweretheobviouschoiceforapilot program.
InNovember,LongwoodalumniandeducationfacultycelebratedAlumniEducators AppreciationWeek,whichsrartedwithfive daysofsharingmemoriesonsocialmediaand concludedwithadaylongWeTeachtoEnlightensummitoncampusexploringtrendsin education.Plansarealreadyintheworkstodo itagainnextyear.
Thesocialmediaactivitieswereorganizedby AshleyJones'12,assistantdirectorofengagementcommunication,andAmberLitchford '17,programspecialistforalumniengagement. Alumniteacherssharedmemoriesoftheir mentors(#MentorMonday),weregivenavirtual campustour(#TuneinTuesday),provided updatesontheircareersandhowLongwood preparedthem(#WhereWednesday),submitted theirfavoritestoriesandphotographsfromtheir Longwooddays(#ThrowbackThursday)and showedofftheirLongwoodspiritbywearing Longwoodgear(#FabuLoUsFriday).Theactivitiesgeneratedanoverwhelmingresponseon socialmedia.
About75educatorsparticipatedinthe on-campussummit,whichincludedapanel discussiononcombatingtheteachershortage inruralVirginiathatwasmoderatedbyDr. SarahTanner-Anderson'02,M.A.'07,assistant professorandprogramdirectorofeducational leadership.
"Someoftheactivitieswerecelebratory whileochersweremoreinformational,"said Tanner-Anderson.Shealsoledoneofthe sevenroundtablediscussions,whichinvolved Longwoodfacultymembersandprovidedwhat
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shecalled"smaller-scaleopportunities,more intimateopportunitiestoengage."
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"Itwasanincredibleinauguralevent-one thathasneededtohappen,"shesaid,adding thatalumniK-12teacherswhoattendedearned reaccreditationpoints.
Membersofthepanelontheteachershortage includedDr.JanMedley'97,M.S.'03,principalofAmeliaCountyMiddleSchool;Dr.MarthaEagle,M.S.'01,superintendentofNelson CountyschoolsandanadjunctinLongwood's educationalleadershipprogram;andDr.ChristopherJones'93,M.S.'94,associateprofessor anddirectorofspecialeducationatLongwood, wholedoneoftheroundtablediscussions.
Campustours,includingtoursofthenew UpchurchUniversityCenter,alsowereonthe summit'sagenda."Somealumnihadn'tbeen backtocampusinsometime,andtheysaid itlookedmoreunified-andbeautiful-than before,"saidTanner-Anderson.
"Thiswasagreatbeginningthatwehopeto buildonbypilotingadigitalcommunityfor alumnieducatorsandLongwoodeducation srndentsthatwillgivethemtheopporrnnityand themechanismtoconnectwitheachother,"said KatieTrammell,associatedirectorforprofessionalcommunitiesandoperationsinAlumni andCareerServices.
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EDUCATORS APPRECIATION WEEK Social Media Engagement FACE BOOK 83&1ikes 239comments
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Megan Crowe '14, M.Ed. '15, was firstrunner-upinthe2019Teacher oftheYearcompetitionfortheRichmondPublicSchools,announcedin November2018CroweisaTitleI readingteacheratOakGrove-BellemeadeElementarySchool,where shehastaughtsince2015.Sheisthe schoolwideliteracyleadandpreviouslywastheleadteacheronthefirstgradeteam.
Sharonda Claiborne '16 appeared inHalifaxCommunityTheatre's productionofrhecomedy Christmas Belles inNovember2018.Claiborne portrayedthesocietymatronPatsy Priceintheplay,performedatThe PrizeryinSouthBoston.Claiborne, whoappearedinseveralLongwood Theatreproductions,isanelementary substituteteacher.
Katerina "Kati" Hall '16joined SenecaResources,LLC,inRichmond asanaccountmanagerinNovember 2018ShehadpreviouslybeenaprofessionalrecruiterwithApexSystems.
Terron Watkins '17 joinedthe Richmond-baseddevelopmentoffice ofJackson-FeildBehavioralHealth ServicesinJuly2018.Hisprima1y responsibilitiesareonlinegiving, specialevents,Christmasprograms, theYoungProfessionalsSocietyand assistingthevicepresidentofdevel-
•opmentwithfundraisingandcommunicationsprojects.Jackson-Feild providespsychiatricresidential treatmentforadolescentswhohave experiencedsevereemotionaltrauma intheirlives.Watkinspreviously workedindevelopmentatGrace Place,anadultdaycareservicesfacilityinRichmond.
For Kaydan Ferguson '18and Aaron Burstein '19, theshowmust goon-especiallywhenhonoringrhe memoryoftheirfriendandfellow theatremajor Denise Martin '18.
Theywereorganizingaplaywriting festivallastyearwhenMartin,who hadplannedtowriteaplayforthefestival,diedshortlyaftergraduating.For chatandotherreasons,rheyinitially cancelledthefestivalbeforerevivingit asafundraiserforascholarshipfund inMartin'smemory.
Thetwo-day,six-playfestivalin LynchburgwasputoninJanuaryby UnifiedTheatreCompanyFerguson isthecompany'sfounderandartistic director-andanotherLynchburg company,lnTuicionTheatreGroup, startedbyBurstein.Theeventraised about$1,000,ofwhich$200wentto thescholarshipfortheatremajors.
Fergusonplanstoholdthefestival everyyearasascholarshipfundraiser andtodonate5percentoftheproceedsfromeachofhercompany's showstothescholarship.Inaddition, 10-15percentoftheproceedsfrom eachofthecompany'sshowsgoestoa selectednonprofit.
Melvin Johnson '18wasnamed supportiveservicesdirectorofSTEP (SolutionsThatEmpowerPeople) Inc.inDecember2018.Johnson overseesandmanagestheagency's homeless-prevention,re-entryand volunteertax-assistanceprograms. HejoinedSTEPin2017asre-entry coordinator.Previouslyheservedas amemberoftheRe-entryCouncil forMartinsvilleandHenryCounty, andhehasworkedwithclientsat GraceNetwork.Beforechathewasa studentandcommunityoutreachspecialistatPatrickHenryCommunity College,whereheearnedanassociate'sdegree.
Haley Mitchell '18 joinedCapital InteriorContractorsinRichmond asitsmarketingandworkforcedevelopmentchairinJanuary.Shehad beenacourtroomclerkwithHenrico Countycircuitcourt. Send
If you have any news from your professional or personal life, we'd love to hear about it. Please email the details to alumni@ longwood.edu. Remember to give us your full name, the year you graduated and the degree you received.
Sunflowers arethe secret in tastydips,spreadscreated by newcompany
Steven Valdez '14 co-foundedandischiefoffinanceand strategyforanewcompany chatmakessunflower-based dipsandspreadschatarenondairy,all-natural,gluten-free andvegan.
Productsmadeand marketedbySSUPPFoods (SSUPPstandsforSustainableSunflowerUrban PlantPowered)aremadefromthefirstbuddingstage ofasunflowerplant,whichiscalledamicrogreen. Microgreensarethemostnutrient-richformsofa plantand,intheopinionofthefolksatSSUPP,the mostdelicious.
FoundedinMay2018byValdezandtwoochers, thecompanybegansellingitsproductsinFebruaryin boutiquemarketsinRichmondandCharlottesville. One,whichfeaturesthebaseingredientSunPower,is frozenandforwholesalers.Theotherthree,inchickpeaandjalapenoflavors,arerefrigeratedandpackaged forretailsale.Valdezexpectstheproductlinetobe availableinlargechaingrocerystoresbylatethisyear.
Themicro-sunflowersaregrownurbanvertically indoors,which"drasticallyincreasessustainabilityand transparencyinthesupplychain,"saidValdez.The growingandmanufacturingareyear-roundatHatch KitchenRVA,acommercialkitchenincubatorin Richmond.ThefacilityisjusttwomilesfromSSUPP's corporateofficeinCapital One's1717InnovationCenter aspartoftheselectiveStartup Virginiahigh-growthincubator. ValdezandfellowcofoundersDavidPeytonand KyleRosen-Longaremakinga namefortheircompany,sharingtheirbusinessphilosophy andprogressinpresentations atLongwood's CollegeofBusiness andEconomandtheUniversityofVirginia DardenSchool BusinessiLab.
Virginia Jones Canada '40 0cc.11,2018
Mallory Davis Foster '43 Dec.14,2018
Harriet Ball Howell '43 Jan.10,2019
Betty Smithdeal Miller '44 Oct.10,2018
Ruth KauffmanTacy '45 Dec.14,2018
JeanAnderson Clayton '46 Dec.16,2018
Carlotta NorfleetWick '46 0cc.24,2018
Mary Dickerson Ellis '47 Sept.27,2018
MaryEmma Ragsdale '47 Jan.18,2019
FrancesTreakle Rountree '48 Dec.15, 2018
Jean EdgertonWinch '48 Dec.5,2018
MargaretWatts Bauknight '49 0cc.23, 2018
Cathryne Mosteller Garrett '49 Oct.26,20I8
BettyAtkinson Ballard '49 0cc.13,2018
Mary Ellen MooreAllenWalter '49 Dec.18,2018
Sarah Droste Brown '50 Oct.17,2018
Margaret Forrester Ransone '50 Nov.16,2018
MaryJoWard '52 Jan.17,2019
Sarah GrahamWells '52 Nov.18,2018
NancyJeffreysWoodall '53 Jan.13,2019
Mary Louise Burnette '54 Dec.7,2018
Helen Short Schumann '54 Dec.5,2018
CharlesAlbert Skinner '56 Jan.2,2019
Carolee Silcox Bush '57 Sept.26,2018
PatriciaMaeJones '57 Sepe.29,2018
VirginiaAnn Sniegon '58 Jan.16,2019
William JamesAllen '59 Nov.28,2018
Betty Rawls Unwin '59 0cc.14,2018
Carla McNair Claymore '64 Oct.8,2018
NancyWalnes Brake '68 Sepe.26,2018
Janet Elizabeth Justice '69 Oct.17,2018
Bernadette Swartz Cover '70 Jan.15, 2019
Peggy Blankenship Gary '70 Dec.25, 2018
Carol Johnson Hobson '70 Nov.2,2018
Sallie Smith Carmichael '71 Nov.19, 2018
Cynthia Clarke Jarvis '71 Jan.11,2019
FredAtkins Palmore '71 Dec.13,2018
Carolyn Brown Kirtland '72 Jan.6,2019
Shelley Haag Bailey '73 Nov.8,2018
Claudia Nuckols MacSwain '77
Nov.9,2018
Donna Brooks Ourand '77 Oct.13,2018
Deborah Davis Hunt '79 Nov.25,2018
KeithWylie Davis '81 Dec.13,2018
Juliet RoseTinsley '84 Jan.7,2019
Sonya Robinson Christmas '88 Jan.8, 2019
JohnWayne Noel '94 Dec.2,2018
Heather Brae Bakos '97 Sept.29,2018
Tonya Shanette Bland-Ward '98
Oct.31,2018
Jill Gusewelle '00 Nov.17,2018
Kevin Lloyd Kuhn '07 Nov.17,2018
FACULTY,STAFFANDFRIENDS
Christine Hadel Burrell 0cc.21,2018
Nellie Campbell Nov.6,2018
Roy Linwood Clark Nov.15,2018
RoyTucker Garrett Dec.16,2018
VincentAlbert Iverson Dec.10,2018
Anne B. Jarvis Nov.18,2018
WilliamT Miller Nov.9,2018
PhyllisStancill Pruden Dec.6,2018
Robert M. Sexton Nov.8,2018
JeffreyR.Whitney Oct.23,2018
Cl ass Notes
us your
class notes
ALUMNINEWS
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In Memori am
SPRING 2019 I 47
Missing Persons
Longwood is working tohelpturn the tideofVirginia's critical teacher shortage
by Dr. David Locascio
InJanuaryof2016, the Virginia Department ofEducation (VaDOE) released a legislative study focusing on the shortage ofqualified teachers in Virginia's classrooms. In the threeyears since the report, additional studies have been commissioned and meetings convened to furtherconsider the economic, demographic and geographic characteristics of teacher recruitment and retention challenges within the commonwealth.
A report by the VirginiaAdvisory Committee on Teacher Shortages in October 2017 prompted former Gov. Terry McAuliffe's executive order recognizingthe shortage as a "growing crisis" threatening Virginia's economic footing. McAuliffe's emergency measures increased funding for recruitment efforts and expanded some forms oftuition assistance for prospective teachers.
Gov. Ralph Northam has maintained a similaremphasis on the shortage, signing bills in his first year in office chat streamlined aspects ofthe teacher licensure process and oudining plans to boost the previously proposed pay raise for teachers from 3 to 5 percent, acknowledging the widely held view chat one ofthe primary factors contributing to theshortage is low teacher pay.
Virginia is, in fact, in the lowest third of states in average teacher pay but it's not alone in dealingwith a teacher shortage.
Nationally, the retirement ofbaby boomers combined wich modest but steady increases in K-12 student enrollment have contributed to shortages in many states. The shortage is exacerbated by a constriction ofthe pipeline into thefield and high rates ofattrition for beginning teachers. According to a 2018 study by theAmericanAssociation ofColleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), chenumberof people completing teacher preparation requirements from 2008 to 2016 fell by 23 percent. Ofchose who do complete the requirements, an increasing number never enter their own classrooms. And manywho do enter the classroom leave che profession within five years.
Salary, worlcing conditions and inadequate support are the most frequencly cited reasons for truncated teaching careers in both urban
and rural settings,with geographic isolation a factor identified by rural teachers, especially chose without a prior connection to che rural communiry in which they caught.
In Virginia, the legislative attention to che issue hassomewhatobscured the challenges related to adequate regional distribution of qualified teachers. Virginia's overall population growth is projected to placeic among che 10 most populous scares by 2040, bur che growth patterns are decidedly regional. According to projections by che Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, the 19 Northern Virginia counties and cities char make up che VaDOE's Region 4 will grow in population by48 percent between 2010 and 2040. In contrast, the 12 local school divisions char make up Southside's Region 8 are expected to experience a 1.2 percent decline in population in char 30-year span.
Longwood and its College ofEducation and Human Services are working to help our school division partners address thesechallenges:
• We are actively working with high schools to expand "grow-your-own" programs like VirginiaTeachers for Tomorrow.
• Faculty are working closely with the admissions office on targeted recruiting ofpotential teachers.
• We are in the process ofdeveloping a middle grades exploratory curriculum aimed ac
feeding into high-school dual-enrollment offerings like Teachers for Tomorrow.
• Our longstanding partnerships with community colleges are being leveraged in new ways to expand reacher-preparation pipelines, and we are offering transfer students wich associace's degrees a viable path to licensure through some ofthe streamlined aspects ofthe new Civitae core curriculum.
• Ac che request ofsome regional school partners, we will be expanding professional development programming chat will focus on facets ofnew-teacher induction that have been empirically shown to reduce attrition and increase the likelihood oflong, productive teachingcareers.
Research has consistencly shown that the quality ofa child's education is highly dependent on the capabilities ofher or his teachers. The shortage ofqualified teachers, in all its regional forms, represents a challenge that all Virginians should consider as critical. 8
Dr. David Locascio is an associate professor of education and associate dean of the College of Education and Human Services. He joined the Longwood faculty in 2004.
EndPaper
48 I LONGWOOD MAGAZINE
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