Lander Magazine Spring 2016 by Lander University

Spring 2016

Magazine for Alumni & Friends of the University

Ushering in the Next Chapter Lander Celebrates the Presidential Inauguration of Richard E. Cosentino

Habitat Project is Labor of Love | Bearcats Set Records | Soap Venture Takes Off | Pre-Professional Grads Find Success

Making Beautiful Music In November, one of the largest choirs ever assembled on stage at the Josephine B. Abney Cultural Center Auditorium delivered a moving performance of G. F. Handel’s Messiah. The powerful production was the combined effort of 150 singers from the Greenwood Festival Chorale, Laurens County Chorale, University Singers from Lander University, and the Chancel Choir of First Baptist Church, Greenwood. Accompanying the choir was an orchestra of instrumentalists from the university and surrounding communities. Sharing the podium were Lander’s Dr. Chuck Neufeld, conductor of the University Singers and the Laurens County Chorale, and the Festival Chorale’s Dr. Marion Smith. The mass ensemble performed selections from all three parts of Handel’s masterpiece, including the well-known “Hallelujah” chorus, earning a standing ovation from the more than 650 in the audience. – photo by Megan Price

Magazine for Alumni & Friends of the University

10 LABOR OF LOVE

An army of volunteers gets going on Lander’s first on-campus build for Habitat for Humanity, and they make quick work of the job.

16 RAISING THE BAR

With the guidance of faculty, several Lander science majors are turning a class soap-making project into a business venture.

20 STRIVE FOR SIGNIFICANCE

U.S. Congressman Trey Gowdy addresses Fall 2015 graduates as the keynote speaker at Lander’s 152nd commencement in December.

32 A WONDERFUL DAY IN MY LIFE

The university community welcomes special guests from across the region, state and nation to witness and join in celebration as Lander inaugurates its 12th president, Dr. Richard E. Cosentino.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Breaking the Silence: Ann Scott O’ Brian & Lynn Hohn ................................. 24 New Insights on Human Rights: Kimberly Modica...........................................26 The Pursuit of Knowledge: Donald Berni................................................................27 A Crowning Achievement: Katlyn Gordon............................................................28

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS Pre-Professional Success ..................................................................................................52 Distinguished Alumna of the Year..............................................................................58 Grace IIer Norman Award ................................................................................................61 Young Alumni of the Year ...............................................................................................62

UNIVERSITY IN REVIEW

News Briefs................................................................................................................................4 Homecoming...........................................................................................................................29 Lander Welcomes New Leadership............................................................................38 Art Around Campus.............................................................................................................40 Bearcat Sports Roundup...................................................................................................42 Giving & Scholarship News.............................................................................................48 Class Notes................................................................................................................................56 Alumni Events..........................................................................................................................64

ON THE COVER

Sparks fly as the finishing touches are made to Lander’s new ceremonial mace, designed and produced by Assistant Professor of Art Douglas McAbee. The mace, made of polished steel and modeled after the iconic bell tower of Old Main, made its official debut at the presidential inauguration of Dr. Richard Cosentino, which took place March 21, 2016. – cover photo by Laura M. Brown – photos this page by jon holloway (10), Caroline Jenkins (20) and Laura M. Brown (16, 32)

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Magazine for Alumni & Friends of the University

LANDER MAGAZINE STAFF Megan Price, Editor Dave Lorenzatti, Writer Jeff Lagrone, Writer Eric Lawson, Writer Lisa Canada, Writer and Editorial Assistant Mike Blackwell, Photographer Laura M. Brown, Photographer Maria Scott, Designer Bob Stoner, Sports Writer Rixon Lane, Sports Writer

LANDER ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Myra Greene ’78, Director of Alumni Affairs & Annual Giving Debbie Lyons Dill ’90, Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs Jim Nichols ’95, President Debrah Hodges Miller ’76, Vice President Zenata Donaldson ’98, Secretary Lamar Scott ’82/’84, Treasurer Rodney Jones ’08, Vice President for Young Alumni

LANDER EXECUTIVE OFFICERS Richard E. Cosentino, President S. David Mash, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Andy J. Benoit Jr., Vice President for Enrollment and Access Management H. Randall Bouknight, Vice President for Student Affairs Gregory M. Lovins, Vice President for Business and Administration Jefferson J. May, Vice President and Athletics Director Ralph E.G. Patterson, Vice President for University Advancement J. Adam Taylor, Vice President for Governmental Relations

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Jack W. Lawrence, Chair George R. Starnes ’81, Vice Chair Linda L. Dolny ’69, Secretary Robert A. Barber Jr. Bobby M. Bowers Holly Bracknell Cary Corbitt ’74 Catherine Lee Frederick Maurice Holloway ’78 Raymond D. Hunt ’90 Marcia Thrift Hydrick ’81 Donald H. Lloyd II ’83 Mamie W. Nicholson Claude Robinson ’79 Robert F. Sabalis DeWitt Stone Jr. S. Anne Walker ’72 It is the policy of Lander University to prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sex, veteran status and genetic information in regard to the administration of all campus programs, services and activities, including intercollegiate athletics and the admission of students, employment actions or other sponsored activities including obligations of Title IX. Information regarding these policies/procedures and contact information can be found at www.lander.edu.

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

A Message from the President Dear Alumni and Friends: Greenwood is inland, so perhaps a surfing reference is misplaced, but I feel I have been riding wave after wave of good fortune, excitement and joy since I joined Lander University. From the friendships I have formed with my new colleagues, to the discovery of Lander students’ philanthropy and entrepreneurship, to the enthusiastic embrace I enjoyed at my installation, I feel truly blessed to be part of Lander at this time in its history. This issue of Lander magazine will give you a glimpse of the university community that is fueling my excitement. You’ll meet several of our remarkable students who are making a difference building a Habitat home and others who have taken a chemistry lesson to a whole new level. Our student-athletes are performing at their peak, with both men’s and women’s basketball teams winning Peach Belt Conference titles. Win or lose, these fine athletes exemplify the best attributes of Lander students. The efforts of Lander students – in our classrooms and laboratories, in our community, and on the playing field – are showing us time and again that Lander is preparing smart, focused, dedicated citizens who are ready to compete for and take their place in the world. Based on the success of Lander graduates, we have every reason to believe today’s students will make their mark in South Carolina and beyond. In this issue you will meet several former students, Lander alumni who studied in our various pre-professional programs. These students applied their Lander degrees toward advanced study and, not surprisingly, achieved professional success in their chosen fields – from law to optometry. In fact, this issue contains several pages of alumni class notes and updates, including profiles of some of our most distinguished graduates. In my opinion, the life of a university is not complete without its traditions, whether we’re talking about homecoming, commencement or, as it happens, a presidential inauguration. Our photographers have been busy, and I think you’ll enjoy revisiting some of our most recent celebrations in words and pictures. The photos of my installation are especially moving for me because they bring to mind that remarkable day – truly one of the most memorable of my life – and the outpouring of kindness and support from my current and former colleagues, Lander faculty and staff, and most of all, Lander students. I confess that I really hoped that at least some students would attend, so Jessie and I were overwhelmed with emotion when we saw the entire upper level of Finis Horne Arena filled with our students. Because, as clichéd as it sounds, these students really are the reason we show up to work every day. So, I hope you enjoy this magazine. The stories and images show that our students – current and former – give us every reason to be both proud and optimistic of what they have done and where they are headed. Best Regards,

Richard Cosentino President, Lander University

Get Connected

youtube.com/c/landeruniversity

A New Lander.edu On January 3, Lander’s Office of University Relations unveiled a completely redesigned website for the university. While the URL remains the same (lander.edu), the look and impact of the site are brand new. For Lander webmaster Rob Lindsey, the process of redesigning and coding the site was an effort about a year in the making. “The new site is much more agile than its predecessor, essentially allowing us to add and change content on the fly,” he said.

The Inauguration of Richard E Cosentino

twitter.com/follow_lander “I just want everyone to know that Benjamin was on his Nintendo typing in his favorite sports team and he put Lander University!” Natalie Thompson, freshman; women’s soccer player

Homecoming 2016 Alumni Affairs Putting Contest “It was an honor speaking at Lander University’s commencement ceremony. Congratulations to the fall class of 2015!” U.S. Representative Trey Gowdy

facebook.com/followlander Lander University Run or Dye 5K Fun Run

“Jessica Harris is our #PlayeroftheWeek. She’s heading to Lander to play for the Bearcats!” WLTX-TV, on the Sumter basketball player who earned MVP Honors at the Carolinas All-Star Classic in Myrtle Beach

“Proud to say that I have verbally committed to Lander University to play soccer!! Go Bearcats!” Katie Arthur, Chapin; future Lander student

+29 Fantastic time at the LU Run or Dye 5K!

“Told y’all not to sleep on Lander University!” Latashianna Angelic Alexander, ’19, after the Lander men’s basketball team won the PBC conference championship

Hustle for Habitat 5k Fun Run

instagram.com/landeruniversity Ebony Magazine shared on their social media this photo of Lander’s Kappa Gamma Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, which celebrated its one-year anniversary at Lander in January.

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PILGRIMAGE TESTS STUDENTS’ PHYSICAL ENDURANCE AND MORE

NEWSBRIEFS

n El Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James) is a network of pilgrim-

Lander University students prepare to step off on a 500-mile hike on El Camino de Santiago. From left, standing, Stephen Sanders, of Greenwood; Ettele Toole, of Evans, Ga.; and Jennifer Vassy, of Gaffney. Kneeling: Michael Norryce, of Abbeville, left, and Kenneil Mitchell, of Columbia. – contributed photo

age routes, winding across Europe and leading to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain, where the apostle St. James is buried. It attracts many thousands of pilgrims each year; they walk for religious reasons or to challenge their physical and mental endurance. Lander University Spanish Professor Dr. Carlos Mentley has hiked the Camino15 times since 2003. Last May, he led five Lander Honors College students on an odyssey that covered 500 miles in 31 days. The students were seniors Jennifer Vassy, of Gaffney; Ettele Toole, of Evans, Ga.; and Kenneil Mitchell, of Columbia; junior Michael Norryce, of Abbeville; and Stephen Sanders, of Greenwood, who graduated last year. They encountered a punishing heat wave soon after arriving in Spain, and for four grueling days, they sweltered in temperatures reaching into the upper 90s. The students nursed blisters and a variety of aches and pains during their journey, but Mentley said they never complained. What began for Michael Norryce as an adventure soon became a spiritual experience. He said, “I found God on the Camino and with that came peace of mind.” For Kenneil Mitchell, the trip was a spiritual awakening after the death of his grandfather. “I walked for him and felt his presence in my heart.” Later, Mentley and the students would discuss their Camino experiences at the international Symposium on Pilgrimage Studies at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va.

Lander Launches New Tradition With Holiday Celebration

Scarlett Elizabeth Stephens, a freshman from Williamston, competes in the Tacky Christmas Sweater Contest. – photo by Mike Blackwell

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

n On Dec. 1, the Lander campus was filled with the sounds of horse hooves and the sweet smells of gingerbread as the university ushered in the holiday season with an evening of fun that included horse-drawn carriage rides, music, gingerbread house and tacky sweater contests, ornament making and the lighting of the university Christmas tree. Guests from throughout the community enjoyed performances from the Greenwood High School Show Choir, the Emerald High School Concert Choir and Lander’s Student Brass Ensemble. Also lending their talents to the holiday cheer were Lander’s Wind and Brass ensembles, the Faculty Brass Quintet, the Old Main Singers and the GreenWood Winds. Because the event was such a success, plans have already been made to do it again on Nov. 29 for the 2016 holiday season – making it the newest of Lander traditions.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE n The renovation of Moran Plaza between the Grier Student Center, Carnell Learning Center and Jackson Library is moving into the home stretch. Phase two is scheduled for completion in the spring, and work on the third and final phase will follow. Phase two included rebuilding exterior stairs and walkways to three buildings, an ADA-compliant access ramp to the library and Chipley Hall, and the addition of cascading pools encircling a seating area and leading to a waterfall. The next phase will complete a new entrance to Johnston Commons and extend the concrete and paver plaza design to West Sproles Avenue and Lawson Street, with completion before the fall semester begins. According to Jeff Beaver, director of Engineering Services and Facility Operations, improving safety and access were the primary goals of the overall renovation, but it will also make it possible for firefighting equipment and other emergency vehicles to reach the inner core of campus more easily.

Neufeld Sings on Russia’s Big Stage

A Star in Lander’s Police Department

n The Cecilia Ensemble, the 12-member professional choir in which Lander Associate Professor of Music Dr. Chuck Neufeld sings, participated in the Moscow State Conservatory’s XI International Choir Festival. They were the only American choir to receive an invitation and were sponsored by the U.S. Embassy. The ensemble sang four concerts while in Russia and worked on American music with the Moscow Conservatory Choir. Neufeld, a tenor, said that he and the group “were very well received.” A full house was in attendance for their performance at the International Choir Festival, the same stage where Rachmaninov played and Van Cliburn won the International Piano Competition. The reception was likewise warm when the ensemble sang a movement from Rachmaninov’s “Vespers” at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the great mother church of Russian Orthodoxy. After the performance, one of the security guards embraced members of the group, saying, “Brother! Brother!” Neufeld called it “a beautiful, unforgettable moment of cultural unity.”

uals named “Stars Under 40” by ConnectYP, the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce’s young professionals organization. Honorees are recognized as emerging leaders who are role models for others based on several qualities, including community service. Allen said he was surprised to have been selected for the award. Allen has been a Lander police officer for over half of his 16 years in law enforcement, joining the department in 2007. Before that, he was a deputy sheriff in Abbeville County. A native of Calhoun Falls, he has a degree in criminal justice from South Carolina State University. Why did he select law enforcement as a career? He said, in his youth, he enjoyed watching TV detective dramas and wanted to be an investigator. Allen is a volunteer with Real Men, a Lander student organization affiliated with Beyond Abuse, an agency whose focus is ending sexual violence and child abuse. In his spare time, he is on the board of Abbeville Youth Athletics and coaches basketball and soccer. Allen’s wife, Lolita, is a 2001 Lander graduate and teaches at Lakeview Elementary School in Greenwood. They have two children: Cameron, 8, and Micah, 6. – photo by Laura M. Brown

n Capt. Greg Allen of Lander’s Police Department is among 13 individ-

EMPLOYEES RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING JOB PERFORMANCE

Five employees received Lander’s 2016 Staff Excellence Awards. The recipients are, from left: Kimberly Shannon, Megan Price, Melissa Thompson, Glenn Shaw and Susan Wood. – photo by Dave Lorenzatti

n Lander held its annual Staff Excellence Awards breakfast in March, and for the first time in the history of the event, the number of employees who were honored was increased from two to five. The awards are presented to staff members who demonstrate outstanding dedication to their jobs and exemplify the university’s family spirit. Winners are nominated by their co-workers, who state reasons why each nominee deserves to be selected for an award. This year’s recipients are Megan Price, director of University Relations and Publications, and FOIA officer; Kimberly Shannon, RN, Lander’s Wellness Center director; Susan Wood, assistant director of Admissions and residency officer; Melissa Thompson, administrative assistant to the vice president for Academic Affairs; and Glenn Shaw, superintendent of Building Maintenance.

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NEWSBRIEFS

THE DINNER TABLE AS AN INFORMAL CLASSROOM n Groups of Lander students and faculty are spending casual

time together, sharing mealtimes and conversation, and these meet-ups have become popular with both sides as worthwhile opportunities to communicate outside of class. Two years ago, Dr. Josie Ryan, associate professor of mathematics, began sitting down to dinner with students in Lander’s dining hall, and it wasn’t long before several of her faculty colleagues started doing the same. “Dinner with Dr. Ryan” attracts her math students and some from other majors, and the conversation is not confined to schoolwork. She said, “They talk about their boyfriends or girlfriends, tell jokes. Sometimes they need a grown-up they can run things by or to just hang out with an adult.”

Eight students, on average, share Tuesday dinner with Dr. Sean Barnette, associate professor of English. He said some students described the get-togethers as the highlight of their week. Nursing lecturer Mary Cromer spends informal time with about 12 nursing students. Last semester, she introduced movie night, and students select films that have medical or healthcare storylines. Cromer said the conversations often find students sharing laughter and encouraging each other, especially during stressful days – “lightening the load,” as she put it. She added, “And they encourage me on stressful days, reminding me why I chose to teach.” Dr. Diana Delach, assistant professor of environmental chemistry, said her informal gatherings with students have enabled her to develop strong relationships with them. Dr. Lee Vartanian’s dinners with students are often family affairs as his wife, Ivy, and year-old twin boys, Mays and Owen, join the group. The associate professor of teacher education and director of the Teaching Fellows program said it reminds him of his student days. “When I was in college, I was separated from home, and it was nice to be around a family.” He said students and his twins enjoy one another’s company. Vartanian added, “There’s no agenda. We have good, informal chats, and the students offer suggestions and give me feedback about their classes.” Dr. Lee Vartanian shares weekly mealtimes with students in Lander’s dining hall, and his wife and twin sons frequently join the get-togethers. From left, Vartanian; his wife, Ivy; son Mays, in the lap of Isabel Whaley; and Mays’ twin brother, Owen, held by MacKenzie Boyd. Whaley and Boyd are education majors. – photo by Mike Blackwell

HEIDI CRUZ MAKES CAMPAIGN STOP AT LANDER n Heidi Cruz, wife of Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, visited Lander in February, taking time to meet with university senior staff, and speaking to and shaking hands with students, faculty and staff in Johnston Commons. She said she was gratified by the outpouring of students and others who welcomed her. Pictured: Heidi Cruz, on her visit to Lander, speaks to students, faculty and staff gathered in Johnston Commons. – photo by Dave Lorenzatti

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

Lander Gets MSP Grant n Lander science and teacher education faculty are working with local teachers

this year in hopes of bolstering the science program in area middle schools. The collaboration was made possible by an $87,000 Math and Science Partnership (MSP) grant that Lander was awarded by the South Carolina Department of Education. The grant is paying for science workshops, team-teaching opportunities and professional development conferences, as well as a week-long, intensive summer camp where middle school teachers will engage in scientific Lander Professor of Physics Dr. David Slimmer, research and explore ways of using dean of the College of Science and Matheit in their classes. matics, visits with Cathy Chalmers, director for Lander Professor of Physics Dr. Gifted and Talented and Magnet Programs for David Slimmer helped to write the School District 50, during a workshop at Lander. – photo by Jeff Lagrone grant, along with Associate Professor of Education Dr. Cynthia Gardner, Associate Professor of Education Dr. Lee Vartanian and Greenwood School District 50 Science Coach Jenny Risinger. Slimmer said that while many high school science teachers have backgrounds in the discipline, many middle school science teachers do not. The South Carolina Department of Education sees the development of middle school science teachers as a critical need, according to Slimmer. “They’re funding these types of endeavors because they recognize that there’s a problem,” he said. He said that the grant is potentially renewable “based upon how we do or what effects we have.” Middle school science teachers from nearby school districts will also be invited to participate in the program if the grant is renewed. Slimmer said it’s important for faculty members at Lander to “share what we know, what our expertise is, to make stronger students in the school district, which potentially makes stronger students for us down the line.”

MSP Program Director Dr. Cynthia Gardner, an associate professor of education at Lander, discusses a concept with Jenny Risinger, science coach for School District 50, and her fellow teachers. – photo by Jeff Lagrone

RAMSEY PUBLISHES BOOK OF POETRY n Lander Professor of History Dr. William Ramsey is known as one of the best teachers in a department full of them, but teaching isn’t his only talent. Since he was 15, he’s also written poetry. “I just failed to gain traction as a poet,” he says. That could change with the publication of Dilemmas by Clemson University Press. The book, which can be downloaded for free as well as purchased in hard copy form, gathers 66 of Ramsey’s best poems from the last 25 years. “These poems are the products of a comprehensive intelligence compounded by a transformative imagination, delivered in language that soars,” writes Don Johnson, poet-in-residence at East Tennessee State University. While it’s Ramsey’s first published volume of poetry, it’s by no means his first published work. Nearly half of the poems appeared previously in literary journals, such as Plainsongs, Onionhead, Poetry and The South Carolina Review. “I’ve had a few big breakthroughs, a few moments where I swam with big fish,” he says. Several themes stand out in Dilemmas. One is the speaker’s love for his wife and the difficulties that sometimes arise from it. Another is the assorted pains of growing old. Dilemmas associated with a life devoted to art appear at several points in the book. In “Monsieur Transitif,” the issue is how to overcome the grammatical hurdles inherent in turning inspiration into poetry. In “Why I’m So Late,” the problem is how to square the time needed for introspection with the demands of the world. Dilemmas is not the kind of book a young man would write. “If I had managed to publish a book in my 20s, then it would have been a different thing, but as it is, this one reflects the thoughts of age,” he said. – photo by Mike Blackwell

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NEWSBRIEFS

Coca-Cola Film Brings Father and Son Together n When Paul Crutcher, general manager of Lander University’s

XLR digital radio station, gave his son up for adoption 24 years ago, who would have ever imagined a bottle of Coke would lead to their reunion? But, in effect, that’s exactly what happened. To be clear, the father and son were not entirely estranged. Crutcher, hoping to have a relationship someday with his boy, periodically sent letters and photos to the adopting family in the Midwest, letting them know how he could be reached when his son felt the time was right. For Brandon Derk, Crutcher’s biological son, the time seemed right when he saw an advertisement seeking people with a touching story – in particular a parent and child who had never met. That ad was, in fact, part of a Coca-Cola marketing campaign that would include a video released on the Internet – a short film capturing life’s special moments, including Crutcher and Derk’s reunion. But all of that was yet to be revealed. Up until the day of filming, neither knew exactly what was in store. Derk thought perhaps he would meet his dad over a video conference or Skype call; Crutcher knew even less. “I got a call on a Tuesday in November, the week before Thanksgiving, asking if I would talk with a producer in a conference call,” Crutcher said. “The woman said she couldn't tell me what it was about, but that I was going to like it.” Before long, Crutcher and his wife, Robin, who is a faculty member in the math department, were on a flight to California and booked into a hotel room. They knew only that Derk was involved in some way and that Coca-Cola was behind the whole project. Once in their hotel room in Studio City, they began to suspect Derk might be onsite, especially when the 60 different directors,

©YouTube / Coca-Cola

A Surprise in Store

Brandon Derk, pictured, awaits the first meeting with his biological father, which he believes will take place online. Upon opening his hotel door, Derk discovers a bottle with the phrase “Share a Coke with your Dad.” – Images copyright Coca-Cola/YouTube and accessed via www.dailymail.co.uk.

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

Paul Crutcher, right, XLR Lander Radio general manager, was reunited last fall with his son, Brandon Derk, center, as part of Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” holiday marketing campaign. Also pictured is Crutcher’s wife, Robin, a member of the Lander faculty. – photo courtesy Paul Crutcher

producers and crew members began scrambling around, hiding in bushes and whispering into their headsets. Derk, on the other hand, was led to believe he was meeting his father over Facebook Messaging – separated by a continent. In fact, there was only a hotel corridor between them. As the short film – only two and a half minutes – shows, Crutcher and Derk each responds simultaneously to a knock at their respective doors. The doors open and the audience sees the father and son meet for the first time. And they happen to share a Coke, too, of course. Since their meeting in the hotel hallway, father and son have remained in touch, and Paul and Robin’s son, Dylan, and daughter, Ashten, are getting to know their new half-sibling. “We keep in contact almost every day now,” Crutcher says. “We look forward to getting all of us together to spend some time. If the Skype sessions are any indication,” he adds, “there will be lots of laughs.”

©YouTube / Coca-Cola

The Big Reveal

©YouTube / Coca-Cola

At the same time across the hall, Paul Crutcher opens his door, and the father and son see each other in person for the first time in 24 years. Their emotional reunion was coordinated by Coca-Cola and was one of several special moments captured in Coke’s short film.

British Journal Publishes Research by Dukes, Delach

Members of the MLK Jr. Community Choir of Greenwood thrilled the audience during a Jan. 14 service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – photo by Laura M. Brown

LANDER CELEBRATES MLK DAY AND BLACK HISTORY MONTH n Lander recognized the achievements of Dr. Martin Luther

King Jr. with a special program on Jan. 14 and celebrated Black History Month with a host of events in February. The program honoring King featured a performance by members of the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Choir of Greenwood, as well as an inspiring address from Gerald Witt, assistant superintendent for administration for Greenwood School District 50. Witt challenged audience members to work toward King’s dream of having a nation together as one. On Feb. 5, the campus community kicked off Black History Month celebrations with an MLK Remembrance Walk. With many in interlocking arms, a large group of walkers made its way from Lander’s main entrance to the new fountain on the Cultural Center lawn. The group then made good on its promise to echo King’s call for community service by making the trek to West Cambridge Park for an afternoon of cleaning up litter along the three-mile walking trail. On Feb. 11, the Grier Student Center Dining Hall chefs treated the campus family to a delicious lunch featuring flavors and recipes made famous by African American chefs. The classic film “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” – starring Katherine Hepburn and Sidney Poitier – was shown in the Josephine B. Abney Cultural Center on Feb. 11. The campus family was also treated to tours of the historical homesite of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays on Feb. 25. Mays was often referred to as the “Father of the Civil Rights Movement” and was a mentor to Dr. King.

n A team of researchers, led by Lander Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dr. Albert Dukes and Assistant Professor of Environmental Chemistry Dr. Diana Delach, recently had an article appear in the prestigious scholarly journal RSC Advances, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry. The article, “Real-Time Imaging of Lead Nanoparticles in Solution – Determination of the Growth Mechanism,” describes their work with nanoparticles – tiny structures that have potential uses in biomedical, optical and electronic fields. Traditionally nanoparticles have been grown in a flask, with samples removed from the flask at intervals and examined under an electron microscope. One problem with this approach is that it yields nothing more than a snapshot of the nanoparticle growth process. By using a specialized sample holder that allowed them to dissolve lead salts in water, Dukes and Delach were able to perform the reaction directly in the microscope, using the electron beam of the device to initiate the growth process. At first, the seeds of the lead nanoparticles developed like those made from other metals, such as gold, silver or platinum. Quickly in the growth process, however, larger lead nanoparticles dissolved smaller neighboring particles, then began to rapidly increase in size. “Watching them grow 10-to-20 times larger in the course of a minute or two was exciting because we’ve never been able to do that before,” Dukes said. Learning more about how lead nanoparticles grow can shed light on how other, safer nanoparticles might also be grown, Dukes said, “which will enable us to better engineer them.”

Assistant Professor of Environmental Chemistry Dr. Diana Delach and Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dr. Albert Dukes adjust settings on an electron microscope to collect images of lead nanoparticles during the growth process. – photo by Laura M. Brown

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LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

LABOR of Love

By Jeff Lagrone

After breaking ground on campus February 25, volunteers rolled up their sleeves and got to work on Lander Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on-site Habitat for Humanity house. Students, faculty and staff have been an integral part of the construction from the very first day, and their labor of love will help a local family achieve the dream of owning a home. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; photo by Deb Crenshaw-Nygro

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Getting off to a strong start

Breaking Ground Getting construction going were, from left, Randy Bouknight, vice president for Student Affairs; Erin Garland, Student Affairs assistant and adviser to the Lander chapter of Habitat for Humanity; Chad Charles, executive director of the Greenwood chapter of Habitat for Humanity; Lander President Richard Cosentino; Greenwood Mayor Welborn Adams; Jessica Trotter, president of the Lander chapter; and Lander First Lady Jessica Cosentino. – photo by jon holloway

Thanks to lots of help from students, faculty, staff and members of the community, the new Lander University chapter of Habitat for Humanity made quick work of its first house. Construction began on campus immediately after the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 25. In two weeks, the house had a roof, and the windows and doors were in, with the exterior siding following soon afterward. In fact, the tremendous show of force put the project ahead of schedule, allowing subcontractors to complete specialized work in early April, before volunteers picked back up to install cabinetry and work on trim and paint. The house was moved in the early morning hours of April 25 to a lot in Kirksey Forest in south Greenwood, where construction will continue throughout the summer, with participation by the family awarded ownership. The decision of who “gets” the house will be made by the Greenwood area chapter of Habitat for Humanity, with which the Lander chapter – an initiative of First Lady Jessica Cosentino – has chosen to partner. Habitat for Humanity doesn’t “give” houses away, as some people think; it makes them available to people who need them on a cost basis. Foreclosure looms, if monthly payments aren’t made, although this happens, on a national level, less than 4 percent of the time. “We do a lot of training and education during the application process to make sure the families are self-sustainable and understand their responsibilities,” said Chad Charles, executive director of the Greenwood chapter. Four families, all headed by working moms, are still in the running. Need is not the only consideration. The Greenwood chapter requires that homeowners contribute 500 hours in “sweat equity,”

Following the Plan

Leading the Way

Blueprints for Lander Habitat for Humanity’s first building project called for an 1,120-square-foot house with three bedrooms, two baths, a front porch and rear deck. – photo by Deb Crenshaw-Nygro

Chad Charles, executive director of the Greenwood chapter of Habitat for Humanity, was one of several dignitaries who spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony. – photo by jon holloway

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

which usually means they work on other people’s houses in addition to their own. The organization pays close attention to “how quickly they’re getting their hours,” Charles said. Another example of the cooperative spirit existing between the Greenwood chapter and Lander can be seen in Lander’s donation of a house it acquired when it purchased land for the Jeff May Sports Complex, and the Greenwood chapter’s acceptance of it, with the knowledge that it would have to be moved. Charles hopes to find a lot nearby for the house, located behind the Citgo station on Montague Avenue. The house will be rewired and replumbed, with a third bedroom and second bath added after it’s moved. An ordained minister, cancer survivor and fourth-generation builder, Charles said he is “super-excited” about the new partnership with Lander. He singled out Lander’s new first lady for particular praise. “Jessie has been so easy to work with and get along with, and when she casts a vision, you can see it. You want to grab ahold of it with her,” he said. Students were impressed that the president’s wife was willing to work right alongside them. “She takes time to hear them, get to know their names, what their majors are,” he said. Cosentino said that volunteering “is a great way for students to get to know each other. During one day at the build, two students who went to the same high school met each other for the first time!” She said she was “very proud of our students and the way that they have come out to support this initiative.”

“super-excited about the new partnership’’

A New Chapter Erin Garland, center, adviser to the new Lander chapter of Habitat for Humanity, poses with, from left, Laura Brown, chapter secretary and historian; Jessica Trotter, president; Anna Valentine, building coordinator; and Sonny Nodine, treasurer. – photos by jon holloway

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‘‘we’re going to make the biggest impact” – photos by Deb Crenshaw-Nygro

Cosentino found an early ally in nursing major Jessica Trotter, of Pendleton, S.C. “When Jessica Cosentino came on campus and she mentioned starting a new chapter, I was like, ‘I’m your girl,’” Trotter said. It wasn’t much of a stretch. Trotter was already working for the Greenwood chapter. “Once I realized that Habitat in Greenwood was so strong, I kind of jumped in and helped them with a lot of things that aren’t related to the Lander chapter. I go to all the board meetings; I’m going to speak at an event to raise money for their chapter.” Trotter said that Charles is a big part of the reason why the Greenwood chapter of Habitat for Humanity is so active. “Chad is so on fire. When you have people like that pushing to get people in homes, you’re going to get them up quickly and you’re going to have a lot happening,” she said. Part of Trotter’s agenda as president is to have the Lander chapter assist as much as it can with the building projects of its partner. “That’s where I think we’re going to make the biggest impact,” she said, referring to the army of volunteers that the university could muster. The first order of business, however, is to continue work on Lander’s first house at its new Kirksey Forest location. Volunteer opportunities will be available into the summer, and those

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interested in helping can sign up at landerhabitat.com. Online donations can be made on the same page. “I don’t want students to build on campus and then just give up. I want this to be Lander’s house from start to finish,” Trotter said. In addition to the physical support, the Lander and Greenwood communities have come through with financial support of the project. Almost 100 runners and walkers signed up for the Hustle for Habitat 5k Fun Run in February, and proceeds from the event helped with building costs. Chapter adviser Erin Garland, with the Division of Student Affairs, helped coordinate the run, and she said she was “thrilled” to see so many people take part in the event. The Alumni Association has also stepped up to the plate to help raise funds, coordinating a “Dine Out for Habitat” event during Homecoming Week. Four Greenwood-area restaurants – Polo’s, T.W. Boons, Howard’s on Main and Montague’s – donated 10 percent of their sales on specific days when customers mentioned the Habitat build. Myra Greene, director of Alumni Affairs and Annual Giving, called on alumni to continue their generous support of the project’s fundraising goals. “Lander’s students, faculty and staff have done a fantastic job of volunteering to build the house. I am asking our alumni to honor that hard work by donating whatever they can,” she said. n

“I’m your girl” “It was amazing being able to come home” Within one month in 2004, Lander Habitat for Humanity President Jessica Trotter’s 15-year-old brother, Justin, died of cancer, and she and her mom, Renee, moved out of the house that they had lived in with her dad. “I went from this entire family, this perfect world, to just me and my mom,” she said. For the next year, she and her mother, a cosmetologist, lived with various relatives while Renee tried to rebuild her business, which had suffered as a result of the trips she had made with Justin to New York for his cancer treatments. When Renee heard about an opening at the Habitat for Humanity Restore in Anderson, she applied and got the job. The additional income allowed her to rent an apartment off Main Street in Anderson. It wasn’t the worst, but it wasn’t the best, either. “My grandparents would have to pick me up from school, and then I would have to stay at their house until late, while my mom was working. I couldn’t be in that area by myself,” Trotter said. When her mother’s co-workers brought details like that to the attention of the executive director of Anderson’s Habitat for Humanity, she encouraged Renee to apply for a house. “Because of her working there and the situation we were in, they were able to expedite her application, and we got a house that

year, which was super-quick.” Their church also played a role in making sure that Trotter and her mom were in their new house by Christmas in 2006. “Somebody donated a tree, so it was all decorated when we moved in,” she said. Trotter has fond memories of that time in her life. She had her own bathroom – big stuff for a teenager – and got to choose the color of her room. “We had a great yard, and I got my first dog. Our neighbors were wonderful. It was amazing being able to come home and being closer to school.” The kitchen of the Habitat house was where she learned to cook. “Every night – every single night – we would make cookies,” she said. After her mother remarried, returned to school and got her real estate license, money was no longer the concern it had been. “We decided it wouldn’t be fair for us to live in that house that was given to us when we were in a hard place, or to sell it or rent it, so we actually gave ours back,” she said. “We just signed it over as if it was our donation.” The house had served the purpose for which it was built and the mission of Habitat, which Trotter said is “to get you on your feet and back where you need to be.” n Top: Jessica Trotter, pictured, president of Lander’s Habitat for Humanity chapter. – photo by Laura M. Brown

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Raising the Bar CHEMISTRY PROJECT BECOMES A STUDENT-LED SOAP VENTURE By Lisa Canada, Photos by Laura M. Brown ’16

While most people would struggle to name a single ingredient in a bar of soap, that’s not the case with a handful of Lander students. They know soap inside and out. “Making soap,” as it turns out, “is a very simple chemical process,” says Dr. David Gardner, professor of chemistry in Lander’s Department of Physical Sciences. In fact, Gardner says that soap making has been a common exercise in teaching labs for a long time. But the typical soap experiment is what the professor calls a “cookbook” exercise, where students are given specific instructions – a recipe, in other words. They follow the recipe. They get soap. The trouble, Gardner says, is that the students remember the rote activity, but not much else. He and assistant professor of chemistry Dr. Albert Dukes wanted to push the students farther. “It occurred to us,” Gardner says, “that we could turn soap into a project that far exceeds the traditional lab experiment.” The two professors, along with physical sciences department colleagues Drs. Diana Delach and Lisa Brodhacker, created what, in effect, has become an artisanal soap production venture led by a small team of Lander students. The Blue Tower Chemists – a nod to the university’s official colors and the iconic tower of Laura Lander Hall – is composed

of sophomore chemistry majors Meg Lacombe and Lori Smith; Gray Brewer, a junior earning a dual degree in chemistry/chemical engineering; and Jamilah Nelson, a senior studying environmental science. “We are putting the students in charge of a soap-making business,” Gardner says, “and they are having to overcome the challenges associated with supply chains, product qualitycontrol testing, development, marketing and the like.” More importantly, Gardner adds, this project gives students the chance to “understand both science and how science interacts with other aspects of the real world.” Under the guidance of their instructors, the Blue Tower Chemists started getting their hands dirty – making soap. Soon after, the faculty and students realized there was perhaps another opportunity at hand. “We also recognized that small bars of student-made soap would be an interesting recruitment tool,” Gardner says. Instead of handing out key chains and ballpoint pens to prospective students, he thought, why not give them a small bar of soap manufactured in a student-run operation? Before long, the soap-making venture ramped up, and now the operation is considering increasing the product size and expanding their market. (continued on page 18)

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STUDENT-LED SOAP VENTURE

Now that the project and product have launched, the faculty team members have taken on a “board of directors” role, guiding, mentoring and supporting the young chemists as they navigate through the complexities of product development and production. Those students are also learning management skills. Because one of the Blue Tower Chemists will graduate in 2016 and another will continue his dual degree program at Clemson, the team is learning organizational development. Specifically, they are in the process of recruiting other students, evaluating applications and interviewing the future team members – again, more realworld experience. But this part of the process is about more than filling vacancies. Adding to the team will be important to the venture because group dynamics have been a critical factor along the way. The soap project may have taught different lessons to each of the chemistry students, but they all agree that working as a unit, learning to value one another’s skills and communicating ideas to the group have been some of the most enduring lessons. The Blue Tower Chemists’ personnel will likely expand to include more than just chemists. It’s possible future team members will include an art student to help with a logo and packaging design, and perhaps in time a business student to bring some

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marketing skills to the mix. Eventually, the soap venture may grow into a commercial endeavor, with an expanded product line and marketing the soap at the campus bookstore – possibly even local boutiques. Gardner foresees more real-world opportunities even further afield, including converting used vegetable oil from the cafeteria into bio-diesel fuel. Perhaps a brewing enterprise will someday take hold on campus. Ultimately, Gardner envisions the possibility that these hands-on chemistry projects – and other projects outside of chemistry – will spin off into small business, entrepreneurial endeavors. He imagines Lander University could become known as a school where small, student-run business ventures serve as laboratories teaching realworld skills. “To achieve that goal,” Gardner says, “would be an incredible accomplishment.” In the meantime, Gardner and other physical science faculty members are opening up to their undergraduates all sorts of new opportunities to learn and grow, both as students and as future young professionals. Gardner and his colleagues couldn’t expect a greater accomplishment than that. n

MEET THE BLUE TOWER CHEMISTS

It is not uncommon for chemistry students to conduct an experiment in making soap. But it is uncommon for those students to learn to make soap, research the marketplace, develop a production plan and control for quality, among other skills. In short, four Lander undergraduates have turned a standard lab experiment into a growing venture. Jamilah Nelson, Meg Lacombe, Lori Smith and Gray Brewer call themselves the Blue Tower Chemists. Under the guidance of Lander faculty members Drs. Lisa Brodhacker, Diana Delach, Albert Dukes and David Gardner, these four young chemists are in the business of making artisanal soap. But before the project became a business, there were lessons to learn: making a superior product, producing it on a large scale, marketing it and then managing the enterprise. The greatest challenges, though, were not about the product or the process. Rather, these students learned one of the most basic and necessary skills of adulthood: how to work with others toward a common goal. “[The] most challenging part of this project,” says Gray Brewer, a junior from Greenwood, “would have to be overcoming initial failures and growing together.” Sophomore chemistry major Lori Smith, also from Greenwood, agrees. The greatest challenge, she says, “has been finding our niches within the project, in order to work best with each other toward the common goal.” “Making soap itself isn’t difficult,” explains Meg Lacombe, sophomore chemistry major from Beaufort, S.C. “But learning how to work within a team and make decisions ... ‘team’ was something we each had to learn.”

Not surprisingly, these four students have taken the lessons to heart and applied what they’ve learned to their studies and to their aspirations. Jamilah Nelson, a senior from Abbeville, is studying environmental science, but her work as a Blue Tower Chemist has opened a new field of interest for her. “This project has allowed me to realize how chemistry and environmental science can cross paths,” she says. Specifically, she’s interested in further studying soap’s negative effect on the environment and how, as an environmental scientist, she may be able to mitigate those effects. The other Blue Tower Chemists chime in. “This project has made me realize how much I enjoy organic chemistry,” Smith says, adding that she can apply this knowledge in pharmacy school. Both Brewer and Lacombe may specialize their careers based on what they’ve learned from this project. Brewer, earning a dual degree in chemistry and chemical engineering, is now considering engineering management, too. Lacombe’s career interests have expanded to include chemical sales. “With the business decisions we’ve made,” she says, “I’ve become more interested in business, and that career path combines two passions I’ve found because of the project.” The Blue Tower Chemists hope the project grows, even after they’ve graduated, including expanding product lines, exploring other chemical processes to monetize, and establishing scholarships with the revenue. As for their personal goals, perhaps Brewer sums it up best. “I hope that I continue to take the principles instilled in me from this company,” he says, “and translate them to my future endeavors and continue to grow along with them.” n From left: Jamilah Nelson, Meg Lacombe, Lori Smith and Gray Brewer.

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Strive for Significance U.S. Congressman Trey Gowdy Addresses Graduates at Lander’s 152nd Commencement By Megan Price, Photo by Caroline Jenkins

Lander University conducted its 152nd commencement on Saturday, Dec. 12, when approximately 200 summer and fall 2015 graduates crossed the stage in Finis Horne Arena to receive their degrees.

Lander President Richard Cosentino places a doctorate hood on U.S. Congressman Trey Gowdy, who received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree during the fall commencement ceremony. – photo by Laura M. Brown

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The commencement speaker was U.S. Congressman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), who is in his third term representing the 4th District of South Carolina. In May of 2014, he was named chairman of the House Select Committee investigating the terrorist attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya. He is also a member of the House Committees on Ethics, Oversight and Government Reform, and Judiciary, and also serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security. In his commencement address, Gowdy urged Lander’s newest graduates to “strive for significance. Strive to live a life that matters. “In the grand scheme of things, each of us only has a little bit of time. Luckily, it doesn’t take a lot of time to do something

“The challenge is not the time – the challenge is finding something that you care enough about to want to lead.”

significant,” Gowdy said, citing that it took only three days to preserve democracy at Thermopylae over 2,000 years ago, and only 11 days for Martin Luther King Jr. to pen one of the most famous letters in history. “You can do it in three days, you can do it in 11 days. You can actually do it in a much shorter period of time than that,” he continued. “The challenge is not the time – the challenge is finding something that you care enough about to want to lead.” Gowdy said great leaders do not have to be famous to be influential. After being elected to Congress, he said he was awestruck at first by the many monuments and buildings – named for famous individuals – he saw each time he flew into Washington, D.C. However, he quickly realized that he needed to shift his focus. “I needed to look out ... at the elegant, white crosses that punctuate the rolling, green hills at Arlington (National Cemetery),” he said. “And I don’t know the name of a single person there. If you want to build a state, a country, it won’t be the names of people you know, necessarily. It will be the people who led lives of virtue, even if it was anonymously.” Gowdy pointed to the 1982 crash of Air Florida Flight 90, which struck the 14th Street Bridge over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., as an example of this principle. Six individuals survived the crash, and a 17-year-old Gowdy watched with his father as the rescue unfolded on television. “A rope was lowered into the hands of a man you’ve never heard of. He has all of their lives in his hands, along with all his hopes and dreams, and he passes that ladder to a stranger,” Gowdy said, adding that he watched this scenario repeat until every other passenger

Lander President Richard Cosentino, left, and First Lady Jessica Cosentino, second from left, welcome fall commencement speaker U.S. Congressman Trey Gowdy, right, and his wife, Terri. – photo by Caroline Jenkins

was plucked from the icy waters of the Potomac. “And when the helicopter comes back for Arland Williams, he has succumbed to fatigue and drowned. “You don’t have to be famous to change the course of history. You don’t have to be famous to impact other people’s lives. You just have to live a life of conviction and service and find something that you care enough about that you are willing to sacrifice,” he said. “If you can find that, you will be a leader.” Following his speech, Gowdy was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the university. Far left: Virginia Christine Watson of Greenville, who graduated in December with a degree in exercise science, received the Thayer Award, Lander’s highest honor for outstanding academic achievement. From left: Rick Watson, her father; Watson; her mother, Wendy; and President Cosentino, who presented the award. – photo by Mike Blackwell Left: Jarrod Dwayne Nelson, of Fountain Inn, was Lander’s first recipient of the Master of Science in Nursing – Clinical Nurse Leader degree. – photo by Laura M. Brown

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GRADUATE GALLERY FALL 2015 COMMENCEMENT

1 4

5 1. Among the summer and fall 2015 graduates were, from left: Gina P. Dunn, assistant professor of mathematics and chair of Lander’s Department of Mathematics and Computing, who received a master’s in Teaching and Learning; William Doug Mikeal, technical director with Lander’s Special Events office, computer information systems; and Christopher Damian Knarr, with Special Events, master’s in Teaching and Learning. 2. Nicole Drew Fuller, administrative specialist with Lander’s College of Education, presented a diploma to her then-fiancé,

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nursing major Steven Ray Fuller, during the ceremony. The couple were married shortly after commencement. 3. Mass communication major Courtney Marcietta Johnson, of Laurens, left, and nursing major Freda Denise Armstrong, of Columbia, pose for a photo. 4. Waiting for the commencement ceremony to begin are, from left: Robert Prior, of Surrey, U.K., business administration; Andrew Ryan McCullough, of Simpsonville; Alexa Valentina Bueno, of Trujillo, Peru, business administration; Carlos F. Solis, of Morelia, Mexico, business

7 administration; and Kai Fang, of Guangdong, China, business administration. 5. Pictured from left are business administration grads Adam Blake Wilkins, of Boiling Springs; Olivia Kathleen Rushton, of Ninety Six; Hailey Nicole Lewis, of Williamston; and Tanner Ray Poore, of Anderson. 6. From left: Exercise science major Kevin Ryan McKittrick, of Fountain Inn, shares a smile with business administration majors Covone Jesus VanDorn, of Greenville, and Johnny Wade Walker, of Maiden, N.C.

13 7. Celebrating before the ceremony are friends Marcus Trevor Brown, of Camden, business administration; Crystal Keyara Wallace, of Gaffney, exercise science; and Shaquea Shantel Guinyard, of Sumter, business administration. 8. College of Education graduates included, from left, Kylee Jones Brand, of Hartsville, psychology; Savannah Paige Taylor, of Laurens, early childhood education; and Elizabeth Chandler Hepler, of Ninety Six, elementary education. 9. William Blake Fisher, a business administration major from Anderson, walks across the stage to receive his diploma during Lander’s fall commencement.

10. Master of Arts in Teaching-Art Concentration major Danielle Elizabeth Tavernier, of Simpsonville, smiles for the camera while waiting to receive her degree at Lander’s fall commencement.

12. Lander’s newest graduates enjoy a moment of proud satisfaction before exiting Horne Arena.

11. December was a big month for exercise science majors Erin Fricks Paysinger, second from right, and Austin Kane Paysinger, right, who were married one week prior to commencement. Next to Erin is her sister, Lauren Anna Fricks, a business administration major and fiancée of Seth Alexander Smith, far left, who studied political science. Fricks and Smith plan to marry in May.

– photos by Laura M. Brown

13. Graduates celebrate as they march out, concluding the ceremony. 14. New alumna Kylee Brand poses for a picture at the university fountain after receiving her degree. – photo by Deb Crenshaw-Nygro

15. Lander Board of Trustees Chair Jack W. Lawrence, left, presents a diploma to a graduate. – photo by Caroline Jenkins

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Ann Scott O’Brian '15

Breaking the Silence Students Earn National Honors for Emotional Documentaries By Dave Lorenzatti

Ann Scott O’Brian, right, is stunned the moment her name is announced as winner of a national award for a documentary she wrote and produced. Lynn Hohn, left, received an award for being selected as a finalist in the competition. – contributed photos

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Lander mass communication majors Ann Scott O’Brian, of Columbia, and Lynn Hohn, of Summerville, received national recognition in the fall for radio documentaries they produced, in which they described having personally experienced the stresses associated with emotional trauma. The documentaries were among nearly a thousand entries submitted by students from across the country to the annual competition sponsored by College Broadcasters Inc. (CBI), an organization for students involved in radio, television and other media-related studies. O’Brian received the top prize in the Best Audio Documentary/ Public Affairs category for her production that tells the story of her brother and the circumstances that led him to take his life. The eight-minute feature uses his name as its title: “Joshua Scott Blankenship.” He was a former Marine who served two tours of duty in Iraq. During his first tour, he was assigned to a unit responsible for retrieving the bodies of Americans killed in action and arranging for them to be returned home. In her narrative, O’Brian said her brother was deeply troubled by that experience, but he returned to Iraq a second time. It was during his second tour that he became ill and was prevented by medics from going on a detail with members of his unit, all of whom were killed when their truck was blown up. O’Brian describes how, after coming home from his second tour, Blankenship grew despondent and began showing signs of extreme psychological distress. She said, “A silent sniper was active in his brain.” Her story portrays a young man struggling to overcome his torments leading to his final act of desperation when, in the summer of 2010, he used a friend’s gun to commit suicide. He was 25 years old. O’Brian said it was heartbreaking to see him wrestle with the demons that haunted him and drove him to his death. She wrote and produced the documentary as a tribute to him. She also wants her brother’s story to make people understand that many war veterans return home with psychological and physical disorders, such as traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder, and that they need help. She also demonstrates her concerns by publicly advocating for Hidden Wounds, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Columbia that provides military veterans with counseling and other resources to help them cope with psychological war injuries.

Lynn Hohn '17

Lynn Hohn is a member of the technical crews responsible for sound and lighting related to theatre and musical productions in Lander’s Cultural Center auditorium. – photo by Laura M. Brown

Lynn Hohn’s entry was also in the Best Documentary/Public Affairs category. It focuses on the victims of rape and sexual abuse, specifically the physical suffering and emotional heartaches they experience. Hohn is all too familiar with the topic because she was frequently subjected to sexual abuse over a period of years, beginning when she was about seven years old and continuing until she was a junior in high school. In her five-minute production, “A New Paradigm,” she tells about her personal experiences, as well as the experiences of others. She said victims of sexual abuse and rape often struggle with losing their self-esteem, especially when they blame themselves for what happened. She emphasizes that it is not their fault, and she tells victims, “You are worth more than what you’ve been through. Don’t let it take over your life, and don’t be afraid to tell your story.” She said it is helpful to confide in a friend who is a listener and can be supportive. Ironically, Hohn didn’t take her own advice – for many years, she did not talk about what was happening to her. Then, at the age of 16, she broke her silence and spoke publicly about it for the first time.

Hohn, who is scheduled to receive her mass communication degree next year, was presented a CBI award for being selected as a finalist in the competition. She said she was excited that O’Brian had won first prize. As part of her studies, Hohn has an interest in sound design and video editing, and she is a member of a crew that handles technical requirements for theatre and musical productions at Lander. O’Brian graduated last fall and, on the Monday after commencement weekend, she was hired as the hospitality director for a new restaurant in Columbia. She is also the marketing manager for O’B Joyful Farm, her family’s blueberry farm in Eastover, S.C. O’Brian hopes to have her own marketing and public relations firm at some point in the future. It took O’Brian and Hohn five weeks to produce their documentaries for airing on Lander’s XLR Radio and for the advanced radio production class taught by Paul Crutcher, Lander’s broadcast and emerging media specialist. Hohn said, when Crutcher assigned the project, he told his class the documentaries should have weight and be emotional. Hohn’s and O’Brian’s productions did not disappoint.

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

New Insights on Human Rights Kimberly Modica '16 By Dave Lorenzatti

Kimberly Modica spent last semester in the nation’s capital, immersed in tasks related to human rights. A political science major in Lander University’s Honors College, Modica was in the Washington Semester Internship program, sponsored by the University of South Carolina Honors College, which selects qualified students to work and study in Washington, D.C., and earn course credits. The Waterloo, S.C., native, who graduated this spring, had an internship with Human Rights Watch (HRW), the organization that advocates for worldwide human rights and justice. Her duties included helping to run the Washington office, conducting research and event planning. Thanks to her HRW supervisor, she was also invited to the White House, where she attended a Rose Garden reception for Pope Francis when he arrived to meet with President Barack Obama, on the pontiff’s first visit to the U.S. She said, “I was honored to be a part of such a historical event, to see the pope on American soil.” Modica described the internship as a perfect match because of her interest in human rights, adding that it was a personal growth experience that taught her she can be productive in a work environment. She also found the months she spent in Washington to be culturally enriching, thanks to the city’s many museums and historic places. Modica plans to attend law school and eventually become a lawyer specializing in human rights.

Political science major Kimberly Modica spent time on Capitol Hill during her Washington Semester internship with Human Rights Watch last fall. – contributed photo

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Donald Berni, a U.S. Navy veteran who served aboard nuclear submarines, found that Lander was the perfect place to study for his next career as a chemistry teacher. – photo by Laura M. Brown

Donald Berni '16

The Pursuit of Knowledge By Eric Lawson

Donald Berni’s 33-year career as an expert in nuclear energy began when he answered a simple “Nuclear Power: We Train” newspaper ad in his native Brooklyn, N.Y. “I was a 23-year-old supermarket manager and had just been told that the outlook for supermarket managers was not good. So, I decided to call the number in the ad.” His call was answered by a U.S. Navy recruiter. Planning to serve for a few years and emerge qualified to begin a new civilian career afterward, Berni was sent to boot camp and nuclear power school. “For six months, we studied every aspect of nuclear energy. It was two years’ worth of nuclear power education compressed into six months.” He served aboard nuclear submarines for 10 years before beginning work as a training specialist with the Savannah River

Site. After being downsized, Berni decided to pursue his dream of becoming a chemistry teacher. With the encouragement of his wife, Karen, Berni enrolled at Lander to earn a college degree. “I had some college experience, mostly negative, while working with the Savannah River Site. By far, my experiences with Lander are much better. The relationships between Lander faculty and students are genuine. I’ve also found that, at Lander, you truly earn your grade.” Berni is a member of the Alpha Chi National Academic Honor Society and the American Chemical Society and is the recipient of the Outstanding Senior Award presented by the Western Carolinas Section of the American Chemical Society. He graduated from Lander with his B.S. in chemistry on April 30.

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Katlyn Gordon '18

A Crowning Achievement By Megan Price

When the Miss South Carolina pageant takes place this summer, Lander University’s Katlyn Denise Gordon will be among the contestants. The sophomore music major from Clover, S.C., earned her spot in the statewide competition after claiming the title of Miss Lander University 2015-16 in November. Eleven Lander students took to the stage to vie for the honors, earning points from judges in four categories: business wear, talent, evening wear and an interview. In addition to the title of Miss Lander, Gordon earned the People’s Choice Award, as voted on by the audience and community, as well as the Talent Award, for her performance of the song “Popular,” from the hit musical Wicked. Gordon, who is a member of the Bearcat Dance Team, said the Miss Lander pageant experience was “awesome. I met so many new people, and I’ve grown so much closer with them.” She initially decided to enter the pageant as an opportunity to perform. “I’ve always been a singer – all my life,” she said, adding that she has also recently started acting. Her ultimate ambitions are to teach, although she enjoys being in the spotlight. “When I’m on stage, it’s a completely different feeling – everything is behind me.” As Miss Lander University, Gordon will next compete in June for the title of Miss South Carolina. The week-long competition will take place in Columbia, where more than 50 contestants from communities and universities across the state will vie for their opportunity to represent South Carolina in the celebrated Miss America competition in September. To prepare for the experience, Gordon has been getting helpful advice and guidance from her friend and fellow Bearcat Dance Team member Haley Moore, Miss Lander University 2014-15. She also has the support of her family, friends and faculty, including her adviser, associate professor of music Dr. Lila Noonkester. “She pushes me to my max,” Gordon said. With them cheering her on, Gordon is ready for the next step in her journey. “I’m a little nervous, but also super-excited. It will be a long week, but I know it will be fun.”

Sophomore music major Katlyn Gordon walks the stage during the Miss Lander University 2015-16 pageant, which took place in November at the Josephine B. Abney Cultural Center. – photo by Megan Price

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Once UponHomecoming a Time 2016 In February, Lander students, alumni, faculty and staff united in celebration of Homecoming Week 2016, “Once Upon a Time.” Along with the traditional favorites – the annual Soapbox Race, Bearcat Talent Showcase, Spirit Night, tailgating and sporting events – there were several new activities on the agenda, including a “Bob Ross Paints It Up” competition, in which students dressed as the iconic American painter to put their artistic talents to the test; and a Medallion Search, in which students raced to locate special medallions hidden across campus. After wrapping up the competition portion of the week, students hit the dance floor for the Throwback Time Machine Dance Party. Capturing the 2016 Bearcat Cup, awarded to the group accumulating the most points during Homecoming Week activities, was Zeta Tau Alpha. Homecoming Weekend also featured alumni fun, with socials and tailgating, a Welcome Back Party at Sports Break and the annual alumni golf outing at Greenwood Country Club. Members of Lander’s Kappa Tau chapter of Phi Mu celebrated the chapter’s 45th anniversary with a special luncheon at the Mill House, while the Upsilon Eta chapter of Omega Psi Phi gathered for a 40th anniversary banquet at Greenwood Country Club, featuring keynote speaker S.C. Senator Floyd Nicholson. – photos by Laura M. Brown

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Homecoming 2016 Results HOMECOMING KING AND QUEEN Sonny Nodine, a senior business administration major with marketing/management emphasis, and Sara Hix, a junior business administration major with health care management emphasis, were crowned at halftime ceremonies during the men’s and women’s Homecoming Day basketball games against Augusta University. OVERALL WINNERS: 1st Place – Zeta Tau Alpha 2nd Place – Phi Mu 3rd Place – Chi Sigma

COMPETITION WINNERS: Banner – Zeta Tau Alpha Bearcat Showcase – Zeta Tau Alpha Medallion Search – Phi Mu Spirit Night – Zeta Tau Alpha Bob Ross Paints it Up – Phi Mu Soap Box Car – Zeta Tau Alpha Soap Box Race – Chi Sigma

ALUMNI GOLF OUTING: Winning Team: Mark Holcombe ‘87, Billy Ford ‘86, Barry Roe ‘88 and Keith Talbert ‘79 Winning Putt: Brantley Blalock Longest Drive: Justin King ’08 – photos by Mike Blackwell, Laura M. Brown, Jeff Lagrone, Eric Lawson, Deb Crenshaw-Nygro, Ralph Patterson and Megan Price.

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The Inauguration of Richard E. Cosentino

“A Wonderful Day In MyLife” By Dave Lorenzatti

More than 1,200 people gathered in Finis Horne Arena on March 21 to witness the pomp and ceremony as Dr. Richard Cosentino was installed as the 12th president in Lander University’s distinguished 144-year history. Guests included state, municipal and federal dignitaries; two retired Lander presidents; current and retired faculty; students, alumni and community residents, along with delegates representing more than 50 colleges, universities and learned societies. In his opening remarks, Dr. David Mash, Lander’s provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, said, “Today’s ceremony reminds us of Lander’s history and points to our future.” Among those bringing greetings to the president was Lt. Gov. Henry McMaster, who described the inauguration as a “special day for a special school.” He congratulated the university for making a difference for South Carolina and its citizens. Francis Marion University President Luther F. Carter welcomed Cosentino on behalf of the educational institutions represented at the event; and Molly Spearman, S.C. Superintendent of Education and a 1976 Lander graduate, began her remarks by saying, “Welcome to my university!” She added, “I’m proud and thankful for the education I received at Lander,” and she stated that Cosentino would add a distinct touch to the university. Lander Student Government Association President Hayley Miller and Director of Development Van Taylor also offered remarks on behalf of the students and staff, and Dr. William Ramsey, professor of history, shared with the audience a poem he wrote in honor of the inauguration, titled “The Night Before.” Greenwood Mayor Welborn Adams said the local community and Lander have a mutually-beneficial relationship, which he expects to grow because of Cosentino’s energy and enthusiasm. Dr. Kenneth Kitts, president of the University of North Alabama, recalled when he and Cosentino were colleagues and friends as administrators at the University of North Carolina-Pembroke. Kitts said he knew from the start that Cosentino was “engaging and very

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smart. He always did his research. He was very incisive, calm under pressure and introspective.” He said Cosentino has vision and lives his values. He concluded, “Congratulations, Lander. You’re in very good hands.” Jack Lawrence, chair of Lander’s Board of Trustees, which hired Cosentino to be president, said it was obvious during the interview process that he has energy, vision and commitment, along with an impressive background. During the ceremony, trustees and Lander alumni Linda Dolny ’69, George Starnes ’81 and Maurice Holloway ’78 presented Cosentino with the presidential medallion, symbolizing the authority and responsibility of his office. In his remarks, Cosentino said, “This is a wonderful day in my life. I am deeply honored to be entrusted with the responsibilities of president, and I don’t take them lightly.” He said he looks forward to the opportunity to carry on the university’s commitment to the liberal arts and sciences. Cosentino announced that Lander’s senior leadership has worked to craft a new strategic plan aimed at keeping the university in step with the continuing evolution of higher education. He applauded Lander’s faculty for making students eager to learn and helping them to become marketable, productive citizens. He also encouraged students to excel in their professional and personal lives, adding, “Make being the best your goal, and it will define your life’s journey.” Cosentino became president of Lander on July 1, 2015. He came from UNC- Pembroke, where he was vice chancellor for Finance and Administration. He has more than 25 years of experience in higher education as a senior administrative and financial executive and a background in fundraising, enrollment management and government relations. Cosentino has two children, and he and his wife, Jessica, make their home in Greenwood. –top photo by Caroline Jenkins; bottom photo by Laura M. Brown

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Inauguration

Gallery

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Getting t�e Numbers Straight By Dave Lorenzatti

Dr. Richard Cosentino was the unanimous choice of Lander’s Board of Trustees when, on March 3, 2015, members selected him to become the university’s 13th president. Cosentino reported for work on July 1 and, before his inauguration 265 days later, it was revealed that he isn’t Lander’s 13th president – he is actually number 12. That discovery led observers to wonder how he rose one spot on the presidential roster. Dr. DeWitt Stone, a Lander trustee and great-grandson of university founder the Rev. Samuel Lander, unearthed the discrepancy while digging through the university archives for some historical information Cosentino had requested. Stone discovered that Robert O. Lawton, Lander Professor of Bible and English, was named acting president in 1923 after the death of John Willson, Lander’s second president. Less than two months later, Lawton was replaced by B. Rhett Turnipseed. Turnipseed, according to Stone’s research, should rightly be considered Lander’s third president, but the confusion in numbering was traced to a misprint. Stone said university catalogs dating from the 1920s identified Lawton as a former acting president. Lander archivist April Akins found a catalog from the late ‘60s wherein the word “acting” had been omitted from Lawton’s title. As a result, the presidents who followed him were numbered incorrectly. Now, Cosentino has formally taken his place among Lander’s list of distinguished chief executives, and thanks to Stone and Akins, his place as the 12th president has been affirmed. – photos by Caroline Jenkins and Laura M. Brown

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McAbee Rises to the Challenge of Creating a New Mace By Jeff Lagrone

It took Assistant Professor of Art Doug McAbee some time to warm up to the idea of creating a new Lander University mace after he was asked to do so by the university’s 2016 Inauguration Committee. “Honestly, this is the type of request that I would normally turn down since it’s not exactly in line with the sculptural work I create,” he said. But, after thinking about it, he saw it as an opportunity to have Lander’s mace designed by someone familiar with the university, rather than an outsider. “This was the idea that made me brave enough to accept the offer,” he said. With McAbee on board with the idea, Lander trustees commissioned him to begin work on the mace, which would be a gift to the university from the faculty. There was never any doubt that the new mace would be made out of steel, his favorite metal. He began by doing some research. “I was interested in the mace as a historical weapon, but also as a symbol of power and authority,” he said. The process of conceptualizing and creating the mace took several weeks, “with days and days of grinding and polishing.” The design McAbee settled on features images of Old Main, the Earth and a root. “Old Main symbolizes the rich history of our university. It sits on a hemisphere of the Earth, signifying how our small university has a worldwide reach through the quality education of our students. The root signifies that we are continuing to grow and develop as we strive to provide our students with a state-of-the-art education.” The mace will be used in formal academic occasions, such as commencements and convocations, and it will be carried by the chief university marshal, the senior-most member of the Lander faculty. Terry Powell, a master craftsman and lead carpenter with Lander’s Physical Plant, created the mace’s ceremonial stand as well as the wooden cabinet that will house the mace when not in use. It will be displayed in the President’s Office suite between ceremonies. Creating the university’s new mace was challenging, both artistically and technically, but McAbee said he is “very happy with the result, and I hope everyone else is as well.”

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Unveiling t�e Mace

The First Look Sculptor and Assistant Professor of Art Doug McAbee, pictured top left, and Master Craftsman Terry Powell, top right, were in the spotlight on March 17, when the Lander community gathered at Monsanto Gallery for their first look at the new university mace and its accompanying cabinetry. Students, faculty and staff even had

an opportunity to hold the mace, which made its official debut at the presidential inauguration a few days later. While Lander’s mace is new, the use of ceremonial maces is a centuries-old tradition, symbolizing an institution’s authority, scholarship and academic integrity. – photos by Laura M. Brown go.lander.edu/magazine

Joining The Team By Lisa Canada, Photos by Laura M. Brown ‘16

Lander Welcomes Lovins and Benoit to Administration When a new president takes the helm of a university, one of the first orders of business is to begin constructing the team of cabinet members who will help carry out a vision for the institution. Two of President Richard Cosentino’s newest cabinet members are Gregory Lovins, Lander’s new vice president for Business and Administration/ Chief Financial Officer, and Andy Benoit Jr., who fills a new position, vice president for Enrollment and Access Management. The university announced the appointments in January of 2016, and both men come to Lander with solid credentials, broad experience and a shared vision for knitting Lander University’s faculty, staff and students into the Greenwood community and beyond. Although their jobs require different skill sets, Lovins and Benoit share two interests: connection to place and commitment to family. Greg Lovins has an enduring affection for the mountains of North Carolina, where he was born and has spent much of his life. College in Chapel Hill and jobs in Raleigh and Charlotte expanded his horizons, but the mountains kept drawing him back. He doesn’t expect to be too homesick, though, as he settles into Greenwood because the community feels like home. “The friendliness of the people and size of Greenwood remind me of Boone,” Lovins says. A change in weather, he admits, will be a bonus. “I’m looking forward to warmer temperatures, ” he says, “and a little less frozen precipitation in the winter. ” He will also enjoy the longer golf season and a closer proximity to the beach, one of his family’s favorite destinations. Lovins jumps at the chance to discuss his loved ones. Claudine, Lovins’ wife of 25 years, is a middle school teacher who specializes in career and technology education. Their two daughters’ interests and aspirations would make any parent proud. Caroline, a first-year student at Appalachian State University, is studying studio art and technical theater, with a career goal of designing sets and other structures as a Disney “imagineer.” Mary, a high school sophomore, wants a career working with autistic children, but in the meantime is involved in student government, clubs and dance. In fact, both Caroline and Mary have danced ballet since the age of three. It’s easy to see that Greg and Claudine Lovins have encouraged their daughters’ broad interests and guided them toward successful

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adulthood. Ironically, it’s the two daughters who pointed their dad in a somewhat unlikely direction: classical dance. Lovins disclosed that he has taken part in several of their local dance company’s ballets, alongside his daughters. “I don’t wear tights!” he assures me, but he has indeed performed on stage in several ballets, including, among others, Swan Lake, Beauty and the Beast, and of course, The Nutcracker. “It’s been a different but fun way to spend time with my family,” he said, which is always time well spent. Andy Benoit also nurtures an abiding affection for his family, their history and their home. A native of Louisiana – where he has spent his entire career – Benoit (pronounced “ben-WAH”) grew up on a rice and cattle farm with an extended family that includes aunts, uncles and 27 first cousins, who are as close to him as siblings. He comes to Lander by way of the University of Louisiana, home of the Ragin’ Cajuns. That’s a fun bit of wordplay, but Benoit can call himself Cajun and be completely legitimate. He is the real deal. “My family’s roots can be traced all the way back to Nova Scotia and France before the exile of the Cajuns down to Louisiana in 1755,” he explains. Even more surprising, Benoit is a first-generation English speaker. Both of his parents grew up speaking Cajun French until they enrolled in school. He picked it up second-hand. Along with their extraordinary language, Cajuns are known for their food – everything from the “holy trinity” (bell peppers, onions and celery) to jambalaya to beignets. Benoit falls in line with this heritage, as well, admitting that he not only enjoys cooking – he’s really good at it, too. Outside of extended family gatherings and the kitchen, Benoit loves sports and even coached for a few years. Now he follows the Saints football (of course), a handful of baseball teams, and, believe it or not, hockey. Perhaps it’s that Nova Scotia heritage that draws him to the ice. And he continues to work on his golf game, an ongoing struggle, he admits. He also hunts and fishes with friends. There’s a phrase commonly used in southern Louisiana: Laissez les bon temps rouler! (“Let the good times roll!”) But Benoit’s philosophy is a bit different. Instead of looking for good times, he seeks remarkable ones. “Your life should be extraordinary,” he says, “in everything you do.”

Ready for the Challenge Lander’s newest cabinet members were chosen from a rich pool of applicants in a national search, and both have outstanding qualifications and experience to help Lander meet a new set of challenges complicating higher education. Greg Lovins received a master’s degree in business with a finance emphasis from Appalachian State University and an undergraduate degree in business with an accounting emphasis from the University of North Carolina. He is a certified public accountant and has five years’ experience as an assistant state auditor in North Carolina. He is also on the Board of Directors and treasurer of the Southern Association of College and University Business Officers. At ASU, some of his duties included budgeting, purchasing, co-chairing the Campus Master Plan 2020 Committee, supervising several capital projects, and identifying more efficient and effective campus operating practices. Last year, U.S. News and World Report ranked ASU among the five most efficient Southern regional universities. Lovins said, “Lander has a rich tradition and I’m honored to be joining a great university and working for a dynamic leader in President Richard Cosentino.” Andy Benoit served as director of undergraduate admissions and recruitment and assistant vice president of enrollment management at the University of Louisiana (UL) at Lafayette. He was responsible for strategies focused on recruitment and admission of freshmen, transfer students and individuals wanting to return to college. Benoit has 18 years’ experience as an assistant or director of student recruitment, admissions and enrollment at LSU at Baton Rouge, the University of New Orleans and McNeese State University, in Lake Charles, La. He has a bachelor’s degree in speech communication and a master’s in instructional technology from McNeese State, and is planning to complete a human resource education/adult learning doctoral program at LSU. He said he is excited to join President Cosentino’s leadership team and he welcomes the opportunity to supervise the university’s enrollment efforts. He added, “Lander is positioning itself for a period of strategic growth and progress, educating current and future students to become tomorrow’s leaders.”

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ARTGALLERY

ART AROUND CAMPUS By Laura M. Brown ’16

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7 9 Take a walk around Lander . . . and you will likely notice interesting additions to the landscape. Various sculptures, created by students of Assistant Professor of Art Doug McAbee, have been installed throughout campus. The works stirred up a buzz of conversation and have been enjoyed by Lander pedestrians and visitors alike. Here is a look at some of the featured pieces, along with the artists’ interpretations. Megan D’Angelo ’16 Murrells Inlet, S.C. . Graphic Design 1. Venture 2015: “It represents the relationship between professors and students. Professors influence their students and help them grow in their skills.” 2. Partners in Crime 2015: “In college, you meet friends that fit together with you like a puzzle.” Kristen Bennett ’17 Elberton, Ga. . Visual Arts 3. Peggy 2015: “Peggy is a 10-foot-tall steel sculpture that demonstrates society’s twisted view about how women should look: long legs, large hips, tiny waist and large bust. I believe women don’t need to look a certain way to be beautiful. So, in a way, this sculpture is poking fun at society.” Luke Howell ’17 Belton, S.C. . Graphic Design 4. Inescapable 2015: “My love for nature inspired this work. It represents the cycle of life and exchange between our life and the life of trees.”

9 Kayla Frost ’17 Charleston, S.C. . Visual Arts 5. Unseen Aliens 2015: “It’s a monument to honor all the insects and other small lives that make a comfortable human life possible. The specific insects revered in this piece are dirt daubers, the Black Widow’s greatest predator.” Elizabeth Earles ’17 Columbia, S.C. . Visual Arts 6. Untitled 2015: “The ragged exterior of the sculpture represents my frustrations. The interior of the sculpture is a calmer place, like a hideaway where I can go to calm down.” Jarvis Miller ’16 Rembert, S.C. . Visual Arts 7. Broken Time 2014: “The inspiration for this sculpture is seeing time being broken by kids who are handed whatever they want, when they want, versus the generation back then.” Olivia Bolt ’17 Laurens, S.C. . Visual Arts 8. The Armored Lady 2015: “This sculpture deals with concept of the perfect human. I let the piece rust because generally rust is seen as something that needs to be fixed, and the blade is cutting through the person to show how our want and desire for perfection will hurt us in the long run.” 9. Limbs of Life 2015: “This installation deals with giving back to the environment. The Earth continuously provides humans with materials that we abuse. The limbs of the installation symbolize that this crisis can only be fixed by the hands of the people.” go.lander.edu/magazine

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Lander Basketball

Lady Bearcats Stay Focused on the Team By Rixon Lane Photos by Bob Stoner

“We believed we had the talent to win big.” After claiming the Peach Belt Eastern Division title a season ago, the Lander women’s basketball team took the next step in the 2015-16 campaign. The Bearcats recorded their highest win total in five seasons with a 25-7 overall record. Lander won its first conference tournament championship since the 2008-09 season, the fourth in program history. Lander opened the year with a buzzer-beater over Lincoln Memorial (58-56), and topped 100 points four times in the first nine games of the season. However, they stood at 12-6 overall and 6-3 in the conference after a loss to Columbus State in mid-January. “We believed we had the talent to win big, but too often we were coming into games trying to ‘talk tough,’ and we weren’t backing up our words with the needed intensity on the floor,” said head coach Kevin Pederson. “The girls focused more on the team aspect and less on their individual games.” The Bearcats reeled off 10 consecutive victories to end the regular season, finishing with a 16-3 record in Peach Belt play and their second-straight Eastern Division championship. Lander wrapped up the division with a 73-64 win over Augusta and ended the regular season by topping Georgia College, 88-64, on Senior Night. As it turned out, Lander would have to face Georgia College for the second time in four days to open the PBC Tournament. The Bearcats knocked off the Bobcats again to advance to Columbus, Ga., for the tournament semifinals. The Bearcats avenged a regular-season loss to Clayton State by beating the Lakers, 95-67, in the PBC semifinals. With a 12-game

winning streak on the line, Lander faced Columbus State for the tournament championship. Behind senior point guard Bre Crum’s 25 points, the Bearcats defeated Columbus State, 72-68, snapping the Cougars’ 32-homegame winning streak and handing Lander its fourth conference tournament title – its third under coach Pederson. “Going into the PBC tournament, we were down to nine players, but everyone knew their role and embraced it,” said Pederson. “Bre Crum really took her game to a different level. Her performance in the championship game was one for the ages and, without it, we would not have won.” With the PBC Tournament championship on its résumé, the Bearcats were awarded the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament’s Southeast Regional at Limestone College, in Gaffney, S.C. Lander dropped the first-round matchup of last year’s Southeast Regional in Gaffney, and the Bearcats were seeking a measure of redemption in the opening-round contest against seventh-seeded Francis Marion, a team Lander swept during the regular season. But, the Patriots stunned the Bearcats by taking a 62-55 lead with 1:22 to play. Bre Crum answered with six points to cut the deficit to 62-61 with 10 seconds remaining. After forcing a turnover, Lander had one final shot at the win, but a last-second three-pointer was off the mark and the Bearcats’ season came to an end. Crum was named to the first-team All-Peach Belt team and was also tapped as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. Breshay Johnson was a second-team all-conference honoree, while Ty’Hesha Reynolds was a third-team selection. Above: Senior Bre Crum, PBC Tournament Most Valuable Player and AllPBC Defensive Player of the Year.

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Lander Basketball

Living in the Moment “This group of guys definitely raised the bar for the program.” Not everyone was as excited about Lander men’s basketball as Steve Roberts was when he was hired for his dream job as the Bearcats’ head coach last April. With only four returners teamed with 10 new players, Lander was picked to finish 12th of 14 teams in the Peach Belt Conference coaches’ preseason poll. Not much to smile about. But standing atop a ladder, thrusting the freshly cut net into the air after the Bearcats won the PBC Tournament on March 6 in two overtimes against arch-rival Augusta University in Columbus, Ga., you couldn’t have knocked that grin off Roberts’ face with a 2x4. “That was the icing on the cake,” said Roberts. Roberts, a 1984 Lander graduate who played for the legendary Finis Horne, and assistant coaches Ryan Hilburn and former Bearcat standout Jarred Jackson ’07 led the program to its fourth PBC tournament title in the 25-year history of the conference. With the championship, Lander also earned the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA national tournament. The unexpected winner of the PBC East Division, the Bearcats

Defenders Tobiasz Hose (5), Travis Fredimon (12), Sergio Smith (34), Rahu Purdie (15) and JR Washington (10) at the PBC tournament championship game.

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By Bob Stoner

earned a top seed in the PBC Tournament that pitted them against the West Division’s fourth-seeded Georgia College in a first-round game at Lander’s Horne Arena. Fresh off defeating the Bobcats in Horne Arena, 91-84, three days earlier in the regular-season finale, the Bearcats advanced into the semifinals with an 83-77 win on Feb. 27. “We went into the Peach Belt Conference not knowing if we would make it into the NCAA (without the automatic berth),” said Roberts. “We approached (the tournament) as a new season. One of the big factors was being able to beat Georgia College twice in three days, because they were ranked above us in the region.” No longer on their home floor, the Bearcats took care of business in Columbus State’s Lumpkin Center when they defeated the West’s No. 2-seeded Montevallo – a team Lander hadn’t beaten in seven previous tries – 71-70, earning a meeting against Augusta University for the championship. And it was a wild one. Tied 62-62 at the end of regulation and 75-all after the first overtime, it took a JR Washington put-back off a Tobiasz Hose missed shot – with two seconds remaining in the second overtime – to seal the win by one whole point, 87-86.

Lander junior JR Washington goes in for two points against top-seeded Lincoln Memorial in the first round of the NCAA Southeast Regional.

Brower’s No. 41 Jersey Retired Washington, a junior wing from Manassas, Va., who was voted the tournament’s MVP, and Hose, a senior wing from Brunswick, Ga., scored 20 points each, while guard Rahu Purdie, a freshman from White Oak, N.C., led the team with a career-high 24 points. Purdie joined Washington on the all-tournament team. “All year we had guys who stepped up when we had to have someone, and we never knew who it was going to be,” said Roberts. “In the championship game it was Rahu. This group of guys definitely raised the bar for the program.” Despite a PBC tournament title and a 22-9 record, Lander was surprisingly seeded No. 8 in the following week’s Southeast Regional and would face top-seeded and No. 1-ranked Lincoln Memorial University on their home court in Harrogate, Tenn. The Railsplitters prevailed, 98-71, and went on to win the regional and finished second in the national championship tournament. For the season, Washington, who nailed a Lander record 99 three-pointers, led the team with 19.6 points per game and topped the PBC in steals with 80. Voted to the All-PBC team for the first time, he scored a career-high 41 points against Columbus State during the regular season and also reached the 1,000-point milestone. Washington’s 626 points ranks him No. 5 on Lander’s all-time single-season list. In addition, he takes 1,329 points into his senior season, which ranks him ninth on LU’s career scoring list. Hose, who was named to the All-PBC team for the second time, averaged 14.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, ending his two-year Lander career with 926 points. So, what was the secret to Roberts’ success? “In the beginning, I just wanted to keep everything simple and observe as much as possible,” he said. “From day one, every day was a process in the journey. Our motto was ‘To Live in the Moment.’ “ Roberts and his staff realized they just might be onto something when they went into Christmas break with a 9-2 record, which included seven wins on the road and three games clinched in overtime. “That was a big confidence-builder,” he said. “Because we won games early, (the players) began to trust in us and believe in the system. Our team chemistry was very good. By Christmas break, everyone kind of knew what their role was, and as the season progressed we just kept getting better.” After going 7-2 in January, Lander lost its first three games in February. “We hit a little speed bump in February,” he said, “but were still able to clinch the East Division title on the last day.” What about next year? “I get to look at these trophies everyday and feel good about what we accomplished,” said Roberts. “So, give me a couple of months until you ask me about next year.”

Pictured are Geoff Brower, left, a 2000 Lander grad and basketball standout, and Chipper Bagwell, who coached Brower at Lander. Brower’s jersey was retired in February in a ceremony at homecoming. – photo by Joshua S. Kelly By Bob Stoner

The Lander Athletic Department honored one of its own during homecoming festivities when it unveiled Geoff Brower’s No. 41 as the program’s latest retired jersey. Brower, a native of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., who transferred to Lander after starting at Florida State, played two seasons for the then-Senators in 1998-99 and 1999-2000 and led Lander to its only Elite Eight appearance in his first season. “It’s not too often you get a chance to coach a McDonald’s AllAmerican and runner-up ‘Mr. Basketball’ from the state of Florida,” said Chipper Bagwell, the former Lander men’s basketball coach under whom Brower played. An NABC first-team All-American as a senior, Brower was inducted into the Lander Athletic Hall of Fame on May 21, 2011. He was a twotime All-Peach Belt Conference performer and was also named to the All-Southeast Region team. “I was fortunate to play in the ACC and travel all over the United States playing major college basketball, in and out of some great universities and arenas,” said Brower during his Hall of Fame induction. “And I was just as fortunate to finish my career at Lander.” Bagwell remembers a key conversation he had with Brower when he arrived on campus. “I told him that he could be a player who got all of our team involved or he could be selfish and score 30-plus points per night,” recalled Bagwell. “Fortunately for us, he chose the former. “He was a great team player. He made all the players feel like a valuable member of the team. He had no big ego. He was a true blessing for me to coach.” The South Atlantic Region Tournament MVP in 1999, Brower scored 1,032 points during his two seasons, averaging 16.7 points per game. “(Brower) has remained loyal since he graduated and stays in touch with me,” added Bagwell. “It is a real honor for me to see his No. 41 be retired and hung on the wall of honor forever.”

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Lander Volleyball

Setting the Mark for Victories By Bob Stoner

“The NCAA tournament is no longer a goal, it is an expectation.”

From left, Lander’s Halle Dotson, Reyonia Whipple and Julia Ferreira-Alves defend an opponent’s shot during the NCAA Southeast Regional Tournament at USC Aiken. – photo by Bob Stoner

Since Ashley Stathas returned to her alma mater to take over as its

head volleyball coach four years ago, it has been a continuous step in the right direction. But the 2015 season was the best step yet. The Bearcats won a school-record 25 games and set a Lander mark for victories in the PBC with 11. The Bearcats earned their second-ever berth into the NCAA tournament – and its first since 2008 – and advanced to the second round for the first time. “Making it as far as we did has been the goal for Lander volleyball for the past four years,” said Stathas, who played for the Bearcats from 2001-04 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science in 2006. “One of our players said it best: ‘The NCAA tournament is no longer a goal, it is an expectation.’“ Stathas opened her career in 2012 with 15 wins – earning PBC Coach of the Year honors – and followed with respective win totals of 18, 22 and 25. Lander advanced to the PBC semifinals for the fifth time in school history by defeating Montevallo, 3-2, but fell to eventual champion USC Aiken in the semifinals. Lander, the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Southeast Regional, upset third-seeded Wingate, 3-1, then finished their season with a 3-1 loss to Lenoir-Rhyne. “Our goal was to get to the (NCAA) tournament,” said Stathas. “Once there, we were just going to see how far we could go. We knew we were facing a tough three-seed in the first round, but the girls made the commitment to stay through Thanksgiving break and train every day. Winning that first round was a wonderful feeling for all of us. It showed that all the hard work paid off.” Seniors Tarryn Angermeier and Julia Ferreira-Alves, along with

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junior Halle Dotson, garnered post-season honors. Angermeier, a middle hitter from Spartanburg, S.C., was named to the All-PBC and AVCA All-Southeast Region teams, and was selected to the NCAA Southeast Region All-Tournament team. In the PBC, Angermeier was first in sets played (141); second in block assists (136), total blocks (159) and blocks per set (1.13); third in solo blocks (23); and seventh in total attacks (995). The 2012 PBC Freshman of the Year, she set the Lander career record for block assists (379); is second in total blocks (438) and total attacks (3,807); and third in total kills (1,331). In Lander’s single-season records, she is second in block assists. Ferreira-Alves, from Knoxville, Tenn., was selected to the Division 2 Conference Commissioner’s Association second team. In PBC statistics, Ferreira-Alves, the PBC Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year, was first in sets played (141) and total digs (695); and second in digs per set (4.93). Named to the All-PBC team as a junior, she is second on Lander’s career list in digs with 695. Dotson, a six-foot-one-inch junior outside hitter from Titusville, Fla., was named to the Southeast Region All-Tournament team. In PBC statistics, she was first in sets played (141); fifth in total kills (392) and block assists (90); sixth in total blocks (98); and eighth in kills per set (2.78) and total attacks (988). “I believe we had a good year because of two aspects,” added Stathas. “One was the selflessness of our girls. They were truly in it for the team. Not for personal gain, but for the success of the team and program as a whole. Second was our leadership. We had a very strong and experienced upperclass of athletes who showed strong leadership and discipline, on and off the court.”

Lander Soccer

Ready for a Serious Run By Rixon Lane

“A national tournament appearance gives us so much to build from, and these young players gained so much experience.” Lander men’s soccer responded to the program’s first head coaching change in 30 years with its best season in nearly a decade. The Bearcats finished with a 14-3-2 record under the direction of first-year head coach Lee Squires. Lander opened with nine consecutive victories, the second-best start in program history, including overtime thrillers against King (2-1) and UNC Pembroke (2-1). Lander outscored its opponents 25-6 in the first nine matches of the season, shutting out four teams during the streak. After dropping their first match of the season to Montevallo (2-1) on Oct. 12, the Bearcats responded with upset wins over #7 Wingate (3-0) and #23 Young Harris (3-1). Lander capped the regular season with a No. 12 national ranking and the No. 3 seed in the PBC Tournament. After knocking off Clayton State (3-1) to move on to the semifinals at Blanchard Woods Park, the Bearcats edged Flagler, 3-2, to advance to the conference championship for the first time since 2009. In a rematch with topseeded Young Harris, the Mountain Lions prevailed, 2-0. At 14-3-1 on the year, Lander earned the school’s ninth bid to the NCAA Tournament and its third in the last four seasons. The Bearcats nabbed the No. 4 seed in the Southeast Regional and took on Wingate in the opening round. Lander took a 1-0 lead into halftime, but Wingate rallied with a goal in the 70th minute to force overtime. Neither team found the net in OT and the match would ultimately come down to penalty kicks, with Wingate claiming a 5-3 edge. “We got off to a great start,” said Squires. “There was a sense throughout the season that we knew we were talented but were unsure as to how good we really were. Now we know we can be pretty special going forward, as we already have a lot of key pieces and support systems in place. What is important now is the program as a whole continues to develop and prepare for a serious run at conference, regional and national championships.” Sam Lofts, Hugo Delhommelle and Barrett Nielsen were named first team All-Peach Belt selections, while Russell Parker made the second team. Delhommelle was named as the conference Freshman of the Year. Parker, Delhommelle and Jamie North were All-Southeast Region second team honorees, while Lofts and Nielsen were named to the third team. Lander was one of the nation’s best defenses, allowing just 0.89 goals-against per match, tops in the conference. The Bearcats finished the year ranked No. 20 nationally in goals-against average.

Above: Hugo Delhommelle, left, PBC Freshman of the Year, battles for the ball in the PBC tournament championship game. – photo by Bob Stoner

Lander’s 14-3-2 overall record marked the Bearcats’ 16th consecutive season with a record of .500 or better. They ended the year ranked No. 24 nationally, one of only two teams in the PBC to end the year ranked in the top 25. “With a lot of freshmen seeing playing time, a new coaching staff putting across new ideas, and a tough conference and region, we achieved a lot,” Squires said. “Fourteen wins, a conference final and a national tournament appearance gives us so much to build from, and these young players gained so much experience. These are exciting times for Lander men’s soccer, and we are already eagerly anticipating and working toward next season.”

Lady Bearcats Qualify for PBC Tourney The injury-riddled Lander women’s soccer team hobbled for most of the season in 2015, but the Lady Bearcats were able to hold on and qualify for their ninth consecutive PBC tournament. After tying perennial contender Armstrong State, 1-1, in the regular-season finale, eighth-seeded Lander earned a first-round matchup with top-seeded and No. 6-ranked Columbus State in the PBC Tournament. The Bearcats took a 2-0 lead in the first 13 minutes of the game, but Columbus rallied for a 6-2 victory. Lander finished the season 7-8-1 overall and 5-5-1 in the PBC. Logan Lewis, a sophomore from Lexington, S.C., led the team with eight goals and 16 total points. Meanwhile, Sara Flores, a junior from Kingston, N.Y., added four goals and four assists; and Alexis Rogers, a senior from Anchorage, Alaska, had three goals. Sophomore goalkeeper Shannon DeSantis, of Marietta, Ga., played in 12 games with eight starts and allowed just 12 goals for a 1.24 goals-against average, while recording 39 saves. Head coach Chris Ayer has amassed a 94-62-13 overall record in 10 years for a .594 winning percentage.

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Alumni and Friends, One of our great traditions includes the selflessness and generous acts of philanthropy that define members of the Lander Family. The Oxford English Dictionary defines philanthropy (from the Middle French word philanthropie) as “love of mankind,” and “the active effort to promote the happiness and well-being of others [through] practical benevolence.” It is with this definition in mind that I invite you to take a moment to celebrate and applaud the countless ways in which thousands of alumni and friends have impacted Lander University over the past year through philanthropic endeavors sponsored by The Lander Foundation and Alumni Association. Students who are admitted to Lander represent the best hope for the future – the future of our university and the communities it serves. These young people are bright, engaged students whose accomplishments and drive have secured them a place here. Yet, even among those exceptional students who make it into Lander, there are those without the financial means to afford the top-notch education they have earned. Lander helps them get that education. This is why scholarships are crucial to our university. Philanthropic support designated to scholarships gives us the ability to create a class that includes the best students, regardless of income. The result is a student body that better reflects the world outside our gates, and thus, better serves that world. Our new president, Dr. Richard Cosentino, has an incredibly exciting strategic plan that will be made public soon. His plan will address the challenges and opportunities presented by a changing environment, develop new ways to fulfill our mission and respond to the needs of local and global communities. Your gifts to the Forever Lander Excellence Fund will help propel our university through a renewed commitment to our students. • Help us PREPARE OUR STUDENTS for a lifetime of learning and scholarship. • Help us ENABLE OUR FACULTY to remain experts in their fields as they continue to inspire our students. • Help us BUILD ACADEMIC PROGRAMS that equip our students for careers of the next century. • Help us MAINTAIN AND CREATE FACILITIES where future generations of Lander students will learn, play and thrive. This is the perfect time to make a gift to Lander, and we hope you will consider it. Lander students and faculty are worth supporting! Sincerely,

Ralph Patterson Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Director of The Lander Foundation 864-388-8350; rpatterson@lander.edu

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Giving & Scholarship News

Milling Nursing Scholarships Offer Assistance to Single Parents

By Jeff Lagrone

Greenwood real estate agent Roe Milling has established two new nursing scholarships at Lander. The Ida Lou Ashley Milling Nursing Scholarship, an endowed scholarship, honors Milling’s mother-in-law. The Ashley and Roe Milling Nursing Scholarship, a funded scholarship, was also established in memory of Roe Milling’s mother-in-law, as well as Roe’s husband, Ashley, a 1979 graduate of Lander. Ashley Milling, a business administration major at Lander, worked as an insurance agent in Greenwood prior to his unexpected death last year. Ida Lou Ashley Milling, who died in 2004, was an associate nursing director at Self Memorial Hospital when she retired in 1974. For years following the death of her husband in 1960, she worked to support Ashley and his older brother, Jim. “She worked second shift so that she was able to be home with the kids when they were home from school, and then she had a woman to come and stay with them at night,” Roe Milling said.

“It was tough,” she said, describing what life for her mother-inlaw was like. The recently created scholarships are open to juniors, seniors and graduate students from Greenwood, Anderson and Greenville counties, with priority given to single parents. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or above and demonstrate financial need. The scholarships are renewable, as long as the required GPA is maintained. Milling said she has sold numerous houses to nurses who are single mothers. “I talked to several of them about doing this, and they thought it was a great idea,” she said. Myra Greene, director of Alumni Affairs and Annual Giving at Lander, expressed appreciation to Milling for “helping Lander students achieve their dreams of becoming nurses.” Tax-deductible contributions to the two scholarships may be made payable to The Lander Foundation and mailed to Lander University, Office of University Advancement, 320 Stanley Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29649. – photo by Laura M. Brown

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Hubbard Scholarship Established By Jeff Lagrone

The Lander Foundation Welcomes New Members Created in 1948, The Lander Foundation is an independent nonprofit responsible for receiving, managing and investing gifts for Lander’s welfare.

Members appointed in 2015 are: Dr. Lorraine Angelino, of Greenwood, contracts management coordinator for Self Regional Healthcare’s Department of Supply Chain Management. Her academic credentials include having graduated from and been a lecturer in Lander’s Health Care Management program. She is also a member of the Lander Alumni Association Board of Directors. Dr. Ben Davis, of Greenwood, retired president and chief executive officer of Connie Maxwell Children’s Home in Greenwood. An ordained Baptist minister, he is past president of Baptist Childcare Executives and recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian award. Nancy Scott, of Greenwood, former chair of Lander’s Faculty/Staff Development Committee. She has been active in local garden clubs, including serving as president of the Ivy and Morning Glory clubs. She has also served as chair of the Self Regional Foundation Ball. Jim Nichols Jr., of Easley, project manager for Ridgeline Construction Group in Greenville. A 1995 Lander graduate, Nichols is president of Lander’s Alumni Association, and he represents the association on the Foundation board.

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A new scholarship has been established at Lander in honor of former Financial Aid Director Ian M. “Mac” Hubbard. Hubbard served as Lander’s financial aid director from 1980 until 2001, guiding thousands of students through the process of applying for scholarships, grants and loans. Criteria for the scholarship are financial need and an acceptable grade-point average. The award will be made by the financial aid office. Hubbard found out about the scholarship, established by his friend and current Lander Financial Aid Director Fred Hardin, at his 80th birthday party. “Learning of the scholarship in my name was a complete and absolute shock. I was literally speechless,” he said. Originally from California, Hubbard grew up in New Jersey, where he attended both high school and college. From 1968 until 1973, he worked in the financial aid office at Eckerd College, in St. Petersburg, Fla. He A new scholarship has been established at came to Lander from Wesleyan College Lander in the name of former Financial Aid in Macon, Ga., where he was director of Director Mac Hubbard. Hubbard is pictured financial aid for seven years. with his wife, Holly. – photo by Debbie Dill While at Lander, he served on several committees of the South Carolina Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (SCASFAA), serving as president during the 1985-86 school year. His wife, Holly, formerly directed the Advising Center at Lander. Hardin described Hubbard, whom he has known since 1986, as “just a great guy. He thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the students on a personal level,” he said. Hardin, who also served as president of SCASFAA, said he is “proud to have followed in Mac’s footsteps professionally, but I am much more proud to call him and his lovely wife, Holly, dear friends.” He invited Lander graduates, retirees and Hubbard’s former colleagues to join him in boosting the amount of the scholarship. Lander Director of Development Van Taylor expressed a similar wish. “This scholarship celebrates Mac’s great work. We hope that those who appreciate or benefited from his good work will continue his legacy by helping this scholarship grow,” he said. Checks should be made out to The Lander Foundation – Hubbard Scholarship, and mailed to the office of University Advancement, Lander University, Stanley Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29649. Donations can be made online at go.lander.edu/annualgiving by clicking on ‘Giving’ at the top of the page. Questions should be directed to Taylor. He can be reached at 864-388-8350.

Scholarship Banquet Filled With Achievement Through Generosity By Eric Lawson, Photos by Mike Blackwell

The Eleanor Shiflet Teal Scholarship Banquet, held Nov. 12, featured a host of powerful testimonials from alumni and students alike, as they told stories of achievement made possible through gifts to The Lander Foundation. Dr. Usha Menon ’92, the first Lander graduate to earn a doctorate degree in nursing, spoke of how her Lander education has served as the bedrock for a sterling medical career that has included national and international awards for research and nursing. Ettele Toole, a senior political science major from Augusta, spoke via video while recuperating from surgery. While she originally came to Lander with an athletic scholarship as a member of the Bearcat volleyball team, Toole eventually stepped away from the team to concentrate on her studies and received an academic scholarship. “Being a Lander Bearcat means being a

part of a university that encourages you to do more than just be a student. It’s being a part of a community that proudly wears blue and yellow, and supports academic and athletic programs. It’s about experiencing college, rather than just attending,” she said. “To the donors, I and my fellow students will never be able to express our appreciation for all your support. My only hope is that we make you proud, and one day we can be sitting where you are, giving back in such a big way.” Covone Jesus VanDorn, a senior business major from Taylors, spoke of the gap bridged by scholarships that, for him, turned the dream of earning a college degree into a reality. “I come from a middle-class family, and for me, the question was not what college I wanted to attend, but rather, how was I going to afford to go to college? I had two part-time jobs but needed help in closing the gap between who I was and who I wanted to become.

Covone Jesus VanDorn ’15, left, with Ralph Patterson, vice president for University Advancement and executive director of The Lander Foundation.

“When I received my first scholarship in 2013 from Lander’s School of Management, I smiled from ear to ear. It was just like opening a Christmas gift. I was amazed that someone who didn’t know my name believed in me enough to donate their own money,” he continued. “As I prepare to graduate, I’ve come to realize that being successful is not about what you can achieve, but how much you’ve helped others to succeed.”

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Setting Their Sights on Success

Dr. Brian Vahjen ’02

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Dr. Jennifer Hershberger ’02

Lander’s Pre-Professional Programs:

Road Maps Leading to Graduate-Level Studies By Dave Lorenzatti, Photos by Laura M. Brown ’16

Many students enroll in Lander’s pre-professional programs to prepare for careers in dentistry, medicine, law, occupational therapy, physical therapy, optometry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine. Although not majors, the programs provide a coursework plan that equips students with the knowledge, skills and experience needed for advanced study at graduate school. Drs. Jennifer Hershberger, Brian Vahjen and Linlei Ward; and Jeremy Babb and Christin Moss Lowe are just a few Lander graduates who completed pre-professional studies and have gone on to successful careers.

Jennifer Hershberger and Brian Vahjen are ophthalmologists at Greenwood Eye Clinic in Greenwood. They graduated from Lander in 2002 with biology degrees, having taken many classes together and teaming up as lab partners while studying in the pre-professional optometry program. Vahjen, a Greenwood native, said he virtually grew up at Lander, where his father, Dr. Peter Vahjen, now retired, taught chemistry. “I got to know a lot of the science faculty and knew I’d get a good education.” He was a four-year starter on the men’s soccer team and was voted the 2002 Peach Belt Conference Outstanding Male

Scholar-Athlete for having the highest GPA of all graduating seniors. Vahjen was midway through the University of South Carolina Medical School when he decided to specialize in ophthalmology after “shadowing” Greenwood Eye Clinic co-founder Dr. Charles Bobo. He was attracted by the technology and long-term relationships with patients. “I’m able to diagnose and treat problems, and only in rare cases do I refer patients to other eye specialists.” Vahjen said he excelled in medical school, especially his freshman and sophomore years, because of his Lander studies. “Many of the courses overlapped with what I learned at Lander.” Abbeville native Jennifer Hershberger came to Lander, influenced by her mother, Dawne Ferguson Hershberger, a Lander nursing graduate and nurse practitioner in Abbeville. Jennifer graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina, and four years later, she joined her former lab teammate Vahjen at Greenwood Eye Clinic. She agrees with him about receiving outstanding preparation for medical school. “Lander taught me that studying isn’t only about memorizing the material. You have to understand and apply the information.” And she stated unequivocally that her MUSC classmates were not as well-prepared as she was. Hershberger was persuaded to study ophthalmology while volunteering with a group that provided eye exams at free clinics in Charleston. “Plus,” she added, “I would be able to perform surgery.” Hershberger and Vahjen have strong family ties to Lander. In addition to her mother, three of Hershberger’s five sisters – Stephanie Whitlock, Katherine Hudgens and Julianne Hershberger – are Lander graduates. Vahjen’s wife, Lauren; his older brother, Michael; and Michael’s wife, Heather, also have Lander degrees.

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Dr. Linlei Ward ’08

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Dr. Linlei Ward, who studied in the pre-professional veterinary medicine program, obtained a biology degree from Lander in 2008, and in 2012 she graduated from the University of Georgia School of Veterinary Medicine. A year later, when a veterinarian in her hometown of Kingstree, S.C., retired, she purchased his practice and renamed it Four Square Veterinary Care. Her patients vary in size and species, from household pets to much larger animals. Because Kingstree is a rural area, she is frequently summoned to care for horses, cows and other livestock. At Lander, Ward was the first president of the university’s Tri-Beta Chapter, the national biological honor society. She also played women’s rugby on a team coached by her biology professor, Dr. T.D. Maze. She expressed appreciation to Maze and the science faculty for leading her through courses that qualified her for veterinary school. “Lander prepared me extremely well and taught me how to think on my feet.” She has a busy and growing practice with a small support staff, plus her parents, who help with administrative work and maintenance. Ward recently received the Williamsburg HomeTown Chamber’s community service award for beautifying her property. Ward said her plans and dreams of becoming a veterinarian have come true thanks in large part to Lander’s veterinary medicine pre-professional program. “Being a doctor is everything I ever imagined.” Jeremy Babb, a 2011 political science alum, studied in the pre-law program while at Lander. In 2015, he graduated from Charlotte (North Carolina) School of Law, and in February he took the bar examination in Georgia, where he works as the regulatory compliance manager for TMX Finance in Savannah. He cited Lander faculty members for their support and guidance as he planned for a law career. He was a research assistant to Associate Professor of History Dr. Kevin Witherspoon, an experience he said helped him develop a strong attention to detail and research skills he relies on as a lawyer. He also expressed gratitude to other faculty members for their advice as he prepared for law school. Babb was the first Lander student selected for the Washington Internship Program, sponsored by the University of South Carolina Honors College. He spent the spring 2010 semester as an intern in the Washington office of then-Congressman Gresham Barrett, of South Carolina. Asked to sum up his Lander experience, he said, “I will forever cherish the time I spent at Lander.” Babb is married to Ashley Kaney, who is also a 2011 Lander graduate with a degree in early childhood education.

“Lander prepared me extremely well and taught me how to think on my feet.”

Jeremy Babb ’11

Christin Moss Lowe ’11

Christin (Moss) Lowe, who studied in the pre-professional physical therapy program, graduated from Lander in 2011 with degrees in exercise science and Spanish. She also received the Thayer Award, Lander’s highest award for academic achievement. After graduation, she joined the adjunct faculty in Lander’s Physical Education and Exercise Science program, and for two years she was the assistant coach of the women’s soccer team. During her four years at Lander, she was a starting midfielder on the soccer team and in 2009 was named an Academic All-American. Lowe is scheduled to graduate in December from East Tennessee State University with a clinical doctorate in physical therapy. She offered high praise for Lander’s pre-professional program and how it prepared her for post-graduate studies. “The professors were wonderful. They taught me how to be independent and apply the information I learned in classes.” After spending some time working as a physical therapist, Lowe plans to return to school to earn a Ph.D. Her husband, Michael Lowe, graduated from Lander in 2013 with a degree in exercise science. n – contributed photos go.lander.edu/magazine

Class Notes Class Notes are compiled by Debbie Dill, assistant director of Alumni Affairs. Please mail items for Class Notes to Alumni Affairs, CPO Box 6004, Lander University, 320 Stanley Ave., Greenwood, SC 29649, or email items to ddill@lander.edu.

’70s

Barry Wilson ’78 retired in 2009 but is working in higher education as an adjunct instructor specializing in online courses. He was appointed dean of the School of Worship Leadership at Missional University last fall.

’80s

Paul Pridmore ’84 was recently named administrator of the Clinton Presbyterian Community. Leslie S. Bradley ’88 was appointed North America East Division manager for the Industrial Business unit of Parsons Corporation. Andrea Dye Daniel ’89 is the new president of Athens Technical College in Athens, Ga. She took office on April 1 as the school’s fourth president after serving for six months as the executive vice president. Daniel was the unani mous choice of the state board of the Technical College System of Georgia for the job. She joined Athens Tech 19 years ago after working as a senior planning analyst for the Atlanta Regional Commission. She began as the college’s registrar, then held vice presidential positions for external affairs, student affairs and economic development. Daniel graduated from Lander with a degree in political science and went on to receive a master’s in public administration from the University of Georgia. She has a doctorate in business administration, specializing in organizational leadership, from Northcentral University. In 2010, she was named the Phi Theta Kappa Distinguished College Administrator and she was presented an award recognizing her for superior individual and chapter achievement in Society programs. Athens Tech is one of 22 schools in Georgia’s

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technical college system and has an enrollment of 4,000 students. It offers a range of academic programs in more than 150 occupational areas as well as core or introductory college courses. Daniel is a native of Elberton, Ga., where she, her husband and daughter make their home.

’90s

Lois Mufuka Martin ’90 received the 2016 Drum Major for Justice award from the Allegheny County Bar Association. Martin is the chief volunteer engagement officer for the United Way in Pittsburg, Pa. Randy Blackerby ’91 is the new student services coordinator for Limestone College Extended Campus. Tracy Powell Cromer ’91 was named 2015-16 Teacher of the Year for the Greenwood Early Childhood Center. Patricia M. Edwards ’91 was named publisher of the Newberry Observer. She is also group publisher for Civitas properties in South Carolina, which includes The Union Times, The Newberry Observer, The Herald Independent, The Easley Progress and The Pickens Sentinel, and is responsible for editorial, advertising and circulation operations. Edwards graduated from Lander with a degree in English and decided to go into journalism after taking an elective course on news writing. She has over 25 years of newspaper experience as a reporter, photographer, editor, page designer and publisher for daily and weekly publications in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida. She joined Civitas Media in 2012 as general manager and regional editor for the company’s properties in South Carolina. Civitas publishes more than 100 publications in 12 states, for a combined weekly distribution of over 1.6 million copies.

Tarquiann Bates ’94 was named the 201516 Morrow High School Teacher of the Year in Morrow, Ga. Jesse Washington III ’95 was named superintendent for Orangeburg Consolidated School District Five. Washington graduated from Lander with a degree in elementary education and received a master’s degree in educational leadership and a doctorate in educational administration from the University of South Carolina. He has 15 years’ experience as an educator, having held positions in several South Carolina school districts as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and director of public information. He has also worked as an instructor for the University of South Carolina and Walden and Grand Canyon universities. He has a background as a special education coordinator in school operations and student services, among other responsibilities. Since 2011, he has worked as the chief human resources officer for OCSD and, in September of last year, he was appointed the district’s interim superintendent. Jennifer Lewis Detreville ’97 was named 2015-16 Teacher of the Year for Lakeview Elementary School in Greenwood. Lynn Johnson Szlachetka ’98 is the benefits officer for Charleston County School District.

’00s

Cathi Dempsey Hadd ’00 was named 2015-16 Teacher of the Year for Brewer Middle School in Greenwood. Evelyn Harris ’00 was named 2015-16 Teacher of the Year for Rice Elementary School in Greenwood. Brent Garrett ’04 is senior vice president for Citizens Building and Loan, SSB.

Tracy Ouzts McGovern ’93 was named 2015-16 Teacher of the Year for Springfield Elementary School in Greenwood.

Diondra R. Smalls ’07 was named the new director of Admissions for Voorhees College.

Andi Moore ’93 was named 2015-16 Teacher of the Year for Northside Middle School in Greenwood.

Ashley Ashworth Landreth ’08 was named 2015-16 Teacher of the Year for Merrywood Elementary School in Greenwood.

Jamie Gillenwater ’09 was selected as international conference program manager for The Society for Technical Communication. Jamie is a consultant with Transcend Text, LLC.

Markela Dandy ’14, pictured below on left, and Haley Shelton ’14, right, were accepted by audition to take part in the 2015 Harrower Summer Opera Workshop at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

Evan Henderson ’09 now works for the Department of Transportation as the OSHA safety officer for Richland County.

’10s

Allan Manyika ’10 received a Community Service Certificate of Appreciation for his service to the United Way of the Piedmont VITA program. Chaney Rolin ’10, pictured below on right, took part in a concert in July of last year honoring the memory of country music star Conway Twitty. The event is held each year at the ranch of country music legend Loretta Lynn in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. Rolin, who graduated from Lander with a vocal music education degree, performed at the concert and received a warm welcome from Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter, Tayla.

Seth Whitehead ’14 was named 2015-16 Teacher of the Year for Lockhart School in Lockhart, S.C.

Weddings William B. Wilson ’78 and Beverly Meadows Hall ’76, Hodges, May 2, 2015. Barry is an independent higher educational contractor, teaching for a number of universities and colleges. Beverly is the library media specialist at McCormick High School. They live in Hodges. Leonard K. “Kenny” Moody III ’03 and Carrie McGee, Jacksonville, Fl., April 2015. Kenny is a licensed agent for SelectQuote. They live in Jacksonville, Fl. Julie Marie Byrd ’05 and Adam R. Price, Lexington, Sept. 5. Julie works for InterMedical Hospital of South Carolina in Columbia as a registered nurse. Timothy D. Riddle ’08 and Ansleigh R. Pack ’13, Taylors, April 18, 2015. Tim is a security guard with AnMed Hospital in Anderson. Ansleigh is an automotive photographer at Toyota of Greenville. They live in Belton. Vuokko Vahatalo ’09 and Juhana Kronqvist, Finland, Aug. 15. They live in Finland.

Kendall Jenkins Gott ’11 was named 2015-16 Teacher of the Year for Green Sea Floyds High School in Green Sea. Kayla Caudle ’14 was recently crowned “Miss Rodeo South Carolina” for 2016 and will represent the state at the Miss Rodeo America pageant in December, the first representative from S.C. in more than 30 years.

Rosie L. Carman ’13 and Chris Hobbes, New York, N.Y., December 2013. They live in New York City. B. Rhett Sapough ’13 and Rebecca D. Sessions ’13, Simpsonville, Nov. 21. Rhett is an admissions adviser at Piedmont College in Demorest, Ga. Rebecca is a marketing account executive for Morton Vardeman & Carlson in Gainesville, Ga. They live in Lula, Ga.

Shanelia Rhome ’09 was named the 2015-16 Teacher of the Year for Pinecrest Elementary School in Greenwood.

Shelly Turnburke Hlavka ’10 is an early preschool lead teacher in Michigan.

Institute in Bethesda, Md. Lindsey is a registered nurse at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. They live in Arlington, Va.

Jeffrey Whatley ’10 and Kathryn Hine, Waterloo, March 14, 2015. Jeffrey is pursuing a master’s in school counseling from Winthrop University. They live in Columbia. Andrew D. Willis ’11 and Lindsey Elizabeth Dill ’12, Columbia, May 30, 2015. Andrew is the manager of Network Engagement & Development at Harwood

Brock Sullivan Steifle ’13 and Chelsey Carolyn Simmons ’15, Greenwood, June 27. Brock is an occupational health coordinator at Self Medical Group in Greenwood. They live in Greenwood. Brock is the son of Gregory Thomas Steifle ’78 and Pamela Sherard Lytch ’81.

Births Kellie O’Connell Casavale ’99 and Chris Casavale, a daughter, Ellison Josephine, Dec. 6. Ellison joins big sister Declan. Stephanie Bailey Kelley ’01 and Michael Kelley, a son, Michael James III, Oct. 26. He joins big sister Emma, 12. Jennifer Hershberger Roark ’02 and Walter Roark IV, a daughter, Elliot Mason, Oct. 7. Proud grandparents are Jackie Devore Roark ’72 and Walt Roark III. Mary Ann Bryant ’05, a daughter, Sara Evelyn “Evie,” Jan. 31, 2015. Samantha Byrd Mello ’05 and Max Mello, a son, Theodore Bradley, Dec. 2. Bradley Fender ’06 and Amanda Wilkie Fender ’09, a daughter, Campbell Reese, Sept. 24. Marcia Nix McTaggart ’08 and Stephen McTaggart, a son, Cameron Michael, Sept. 11. Amanda Rowland Dunlap ’10 and Wells Dunlap, a son, Rufus Thornwell V, Oct. 14. Rebecca Simmons Coker ’14 and Tyler Coker, a son, Nolan Ross, May 1, 2015. Proud grandparents are Ann Hancock Coker ’76 and Richard Coker.

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2016 Distinguished Alumna of the Year

Dr. Usha Menon '92 Lander University’s Distinguished Alumna of the Year Award honors Lander graduates who have earned distinction in their careers. By Lisa Canada

Dr. Usha Menon’s professional and academic profile and the importance of her work made her an easy choice for this year’s Distinguished Alumna award. Usha Menon, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., graduated from Lander University’s School of Nursing in 1992, then proceeded to earn a doctorate in nursing science from Indiana University’s School of Nursing with a minor in public administration. She has combined those two areas of interest into an extensive research program. Menon now leads several interdisciplinary teams in carrying out various research projects funded by the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society and the Susan G. Komen Foundation, among others, to the tune of $20 million. Her research is based in the field of tailored counseling, in which health care research and interventions are designed for specific populations. In particular, Menon develops and tests protocols customized for underserved people – such as the elderly, minorities and at-risk communities around the word – to educate them on the importance of cancer screenings as a means of early detection. Her teams study populations as varied as the Amish, Korean Americans, Latinos, Chinese American women and communities in India and Africa, as well as others.

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

Menon’s work has earned her the respect of the research community. Lander University is only one of many organizations that have honored her for her contributions to science. She has won the Investigator with a Brilliant Future Award from the American Academy of Nursing/ Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science. She also was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame, was named a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and was selected as a Top 100 Alumni Legacy Leader by Indiana University’s School of Nursing. She recently accepted a new position as a professor and associate dean for Research and Global Advances at the University of Arizona Cancer Center. Although Menon has earned grants, honors, awards and highly coveted positions, her work mentoring others, she feels, is her greatest achievement. “I am most proud of being a mentor to young nursing faculty and students,” she says, “and of their achievements in research, practice and academics. They are the hope, momentum and future of our profession.” She is also quick to promote Lander’s role in her career, often referring to the university as a “well-hidden gem among nursing schools.”

“I received a stellar education in nursing that prepared me well for not only a professional clinical nursing role,” she says, “but set the stage for inspiring me to ask more questions and consider graduate school. The discipline, skill, professionalism and compassion modeled by my Lander professors have stayed with me through my career.” Compassion and giving back are important themes in Menon’s personal philosophy. As a student at Lander, she herself received scholarships, thanks to the support of Lander benefactors. Now she is playing her part paying it forward. “Scholarships helped me complete my education at Lander,” she says, “and I hope alumni’s generosity will continue to support many Lander students.” Menon is among those alumni giving generously with her support of the Larry and Barbara Jackson Nursing Scholarship and annual gifts to the Nursing program. “Usha Menon has never forgotten her roots at Lander,” says Myra Greene, director of Alumni Affairs and Annual Giving. “Her accomplishments are a great source of pride for our university, and her willingness to give back to her school to ensure the future of the nursing program and to help students is extraordinary.” – contributed photo

In Memoriam DR. JOANN R.G. BOYD-SCOTLAND Joann Boyd-Scotland, who died on Feb. 16 at age 65, joined the Lander faculty in 1986. She was dean of the School of Education, professor of education and director of graduate studies. In 1993, Boyd-Scotland was appointed president of Denmark Technical College in Denmark, S.C., retiring in 2014. She is survived by her husband, the Rev. Dr. Michael Scotland, and five children.

DR. CHAN SUP CHANG

Emeritus Professor of Business Chan Sup Chang, 82, died in Greenwood on Dec. 27, 2015. He was on the Lander faculty for 27 years and retired in 2000 as professor of management. Royce Caines, former dean of the College of Business and Public Affairs, remembers Chang as “one of the good guys who truly wanted to help students succeed.” His survivors include his wife of 52 years Dr. Nahn Joo Chang, Emeritus Professor of Nursing, who taught at Lander for more than 30 years, and two sons.

DR. JOSEPH DAVIS

Joseph Davis, retired chair of Lander’s Department of Education and professor of education, died on Feb. 16 in Laurens. He was 82. He joined the faculty in 1973 and a year later was appointed dean of professional studies, administering pre-professional programs in education, nursing, business, health, physical education and recreation. In 1975, he was named associate dean and director of teacher education. He leaves his wife, Edith, and three children.

WAYNE JUSTESEN JR.

Wayne Justesen Jr., of Greenwood, former member and president of The Lander Foundation, died on Feb. 3. He was 69. Justesen closed out a lengthy career with Greenwood Mills when he retired in 2012 as general counsel and secretary. He also served as chair of the South Carolina Humanities Council and the National Council of State Humanities Councils. His survivors include his mother and three sons.

SEN. WILLIAM H. “BILLY” O’DELL

Sen. Billy O’Dell was one of the longestserving members of the South Carolina Senate, holding office for 27 years. He died on Jan. 7 at age 77. The Ware Shoals Republican, who represented Senate District Four, was described by a Senate colleague as a great public servant who cared deeply about the people he represented. Lander recognized his public service in 2009, awarding him an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. O’Dell kept informed of Lander’s current activities and future plans by regularly attending the university’s annual legislative breakfast. He is survived by his wife, Gayle, and two children.

MAURICE “MO” SCOTT

Mo Scott was not a Lander alumnus, but his was a familiar face on the university campus. A retired manager of Monsanto, now Solutia, in Greenwood, Scott died on Jan. 26 at age 71. Scott was a Lander Docent, supporting university athletics and other programs, and served as a member of The Lander Foundation Board of Trustees. He was an avid pilot and an Angel Flight and Mercy Flight volunteer, flying patients to distant

locations for medical care. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, a current Lander Foundation trustee, and three children.

ROBERTA CORNELIA MAJOR

Roberta Cornelia Major, of Greenwood, emerita professor of music, died on March 2. She was 88 years old. A native of Greer, she was on the Lander faculty for 32 years and served as chair of the Department of Music. In 1985, family and friends honored Roberta and Janie Craig Major, her mother, by establishing a memorial scholarship in their names for rising junior piano majors.

ALUMNI Gladys O’Brien Bruce ’37, Seneca, Sept. 16. Gladys was a retired school teacher and member of Seneca Baptist Church. Surviving are a son, two grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and a sister. Doris Jackson Land ’40, Abbeville, Jan. 18. Doris taught school and later owned and operated “The Ladies Shoppe.” She was also an active member of several civic organizations. Surviving are her husband, a sister, a nephew and two nieces. Mable “Peggy” Summerford Sanborn ’42, Casselberry, Fla., Sept. 5. Surviving are her husband and a son. Rachel Timmerman Smith ’42, Trenton, Oct. 5. Rachel was retired from the S.C. Department of Social Services and a member of McKendree United Methodist Church. Surviving are two sons and three grandchildren. Martha Sligh Chalmers ’46, Greenwood, Dec. 18. Martha was retired from Lander after 25 years of service. She was a member of Main Street United Methodist Church. Surviving are a son, two daughters, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Josephine “Jo” Smith Burch ’48, McCormick, Feb. 22. Jo was a retired school teacher and member of McCormick United Methodist Church. Surviving are a son, a daughter, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

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In Memoriam, continued Bobbielu Lupo Woodward ’48, Stone Mountain, Ga., Oct. 26. Bobbielu was retired from social services and a member of Mountain Park United Methodist Church. Surviving are her husband, a daughter and three grandchildren. Marcine Griffin Robinson ’49, Waxhaw, N.C., Jan. 24. Marcine was a retired school teacher and member of Mineral Springs United Methodist Church. Surviving are her husband, two sons and a daughter. Gwendolyn Laramore Counts ’51, Greenwood, Oct. 16. Gwendolyn was a retired school teacher and member of Immanuel Lutheran Church. Surviving are a son, a daughter, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Charles A. Henderson ’52, Columbia, Oct. 15. Charles was a retired school teacher and member of Shandon Baptist Church. Surviving are his wife, a son, a daughter and three grandchildren. Peggy Gibson McLaurin ’54, Irmo, Dec. 17. Peggy was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church and enjoyed cooking, needlepoint and playing bridge. Surviving are a son, two daughters, two brothers and a sister. Janice Curran Cothran ’56, Greenwood, Sept. 30. Janice was a retired school teacher and member of Hodges Presbyterian Church. Surviving are two sons, a daughter, five grandchildren, one great-grandchild, two brothers and a sister. Gay Droze Perry ’57, Dearing, Ga., Nov. 29. She was a member of Dearing Baptist Church. Patsy Floyd Brown ’58, Greenwood, Feb. 21. Patsy was a retired P.E. teacher and an

avid golfer. She was a member of Main Street United Methodist Church. Surviving are her husband, two sons, a daughter and four grandchildren. Carolyn Hayes Culbreath ’58, Spartanburg, Oct. 2. Carolyn was a retired school teacher and also worked in the family business, Woodruff Hardware and Farm Supply. Surviving are a son, a daughter, four grandchildren and a brother. Peggy Troutt Taylor ’58, Orangeburg, Aug 21. Peggy was a volunteer and served many civic organizations. She was a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church. Surviving are her husband, two sons, two daughters, ten grandchildren, a great-grandchild and a brother. Nina Sinclair Greer ’60, Union, Feb. 13. Nina was a retired school teacher and member of the Union County Council. Surviving are her husband, a son, three daughters, ten grandchildren, four greatgrandchildren, three brothers and a sister. Barbara Shumpert Berry ’62, Latta, Jan. 26. Barbara was a retired teacher and member of Mount Andrew United Methodist Church. Surviving are many family members. Mary Owens Grosse ’62, Tuscaloosa, Ala., Dec. 4. Mary worked for the S.C. Department of Agriculture and the Mississippi Water & Air Pollution Commission. She was a member of Altar Guild of Christ Lutheran Church. Surviving are her husband, a brother, and many nephews and nieces. Ann Lawton Hardy ’71, Melbourne Beach, Fla., Jan. 3. Ann, formerly of Greenwood, was a retired school teacher and member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. Surviving

Join the Tower Club and Connect With Alumni in Your Area Lander has Tower Clubs located in Charleston, Columbia, Greenwood and the Upstate. Annual membership dues support alumni projects and the Alumni Scholarship Fund. Meetings, projects and social events are planned throughout the year.

For Tower Club information, visit www.lander.edu/alumni or contact Alumni Affairs Director Myra Greene at 864-388-8351 or mgreene@lander.edu.

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

are two daughters, two granddaughters, and two brothers. Perry R. Rowland ’75, Burnsville, N.C., Sept. 5. Perry was a retired P.E. teacher, coach and principal. He was a member of Spruce Pine United Methodist Church. Surviving are his wife, three sons, two grandsons and a brother. Marion R. Elledge ’79, Greenwood, Dec. 27. Robert was a U.S. Navy Veteran and served in the S.C. National Guard. He retired from Monsanto and was a member of Northside Baptist Church. Surviving are his wife, a daughter and a grandson. Hugh Ashley Milling ’79, Greenwood, Aug. 21. Ashley was an insurance salesman and member of Woodmen of the World Lodge #60. He enjoyed collecting classic cars and riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle. Surviving is his wife. Bobbie Jo Vickers Nicholson ’84, Simpsonville, Nov. 12. She was employed with Apartment & Corporate Relocation Services. Surviving are her husband, a son, a daughter and a sister. Allan W. Coursey ’88, Ninety Six, Nov. 18. Allan was the golf course superintendent for The Patriot at Grand Harbor Golf and Yacht Club and a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church. Surviving are his mother, a sister and a nephew. Mary Kathrine Henderson Constant ’93, Greenwood, Nov. 8. She was a former teacher at Pinecrest Elementary School and a member of First Greenwood Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Surviving are her husband, two daughters, her parents, a special aunt and cousins. Ashley Onley Pruitt ’96, Greenwood, Oct. 31. Ashley was a member of First Presbyterian Church. Surviving are her husband, three children, her mother and stepfather, a brother and two sisters. Joshua “Josh” C. Croom ’04, Summerville, Nov. 7. Josh was employed by DSM in Kingstree and a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. Surviving are his wife, a daughter, his father, a brother, a grandmother, a stepbrother, two stepsisters, nephews and nieces. Kristina Lynn Waters ’07, Gray Court, Feb. 20. Kristina was a math teacher at Hillcrest High School and a member of Rabun Creek Baptist Church. Surviving are her parents, a brother, a sister and a grandmother.

IN SYMPATHY Willene West Ogburn ’43 on the passing of her son, Henry H. DuRant.

2016 Grace Iler Norman Award

Mary Cheatham Batson ’46 on the passing of her daughter, Mary Lynn Batson. Thelma Chiles Clark ’49 on the passing of her husband, Thomas B. Clark. Mary Mitchell Henderson ’51 on the passing of her husband, Charles A. Henderson ’52. James W. Brown ’60 on the passing of his wife, Patsy Floyd Brown ’58. Joyce Moore Bledsoe ’64 on the passing of her husband, David Bledsoe. Ann Carol Wells Corley ’68 on the passing of her niece; David ’73 and Betty Jo Wells Henderson ’74 on the passing of their daughter; and Jeff A. Constant ’93 on the passing of his wife, Mary Kathrine Henderson Constant ’93. Elaine Hart Fowler Owens ’68 on the passing of her son, Jeffrey S. Fowler. Stan E. Alexander ’70 on the passing of his son, Mark R. Alexander. JoAnne Chalmers Campbell ’76 and Tommy Chalmers ’81 on the passing of their mother; Cathy Scott Chalmers ’81 on the passing of her mother-in-law; and Paige Chalmers ’12 on the passing of her grandmother, Martha Sligh Chalmers ’46. James L. Burch Jr. ’77 on the passing of his mother, Josephine Smith Burch ’48. Archie E. Booker ’78 on the passing of his mother, Mary Jane “Cass” Casstevens Booker. Cherrie Cox Campbell ’78, Jackie Cox Nappier ’86, Angela Southerland Wypasek ’90, Tom Campbell ’96 and Donna Ann Gilmer ’95 on the passing of their father, stepfather and grandfather, John L. Cox Sr. Laura Lander Davis ’78 on the passing of her mother-in-law, Frances Hair Davis. D. Lebron Bright Sr. ’82 on the passing of his father-in-law, William M. Haggerty. Paula A. Moseley ’83 on the passing of her mother, Dorothy Olive Moseley. JoAnna E. Poole ’08 on the passing of her mother, Janet D. Boyd.

Dr. Lorraine Angelino '05 The Lander Alumni Association reserves the Grace Iler Norman Award for a Lander graduate who has made “significant achievements within the Alumni Association and Lander University.” By Lisa Canada

This year’s Grace IIer Norman Award acknowledges alumna Dr. Lorraine Angelino for her work serving Lander University in almost every capacity. Angelino first came to Lander University as a student, of course, but she was not typical. By the time she enrolled, she had already earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of South Florida and a doctorate in educational leadership from Clemson University. But, she found a program at Lander that intrigued her, so she enrolled as a non-traditional student in 2003. “I was drawn to Lander University because of an online certificate program in Healthcare Management,” Angelino says. “I excelled in the program, and loved the online learning process.” She did excel, graduating in 2005, and is now the contracts management coordinator for Self Regional Healthcare in Greenwood. In addition to her professional life, though, she has dedicated herself to other organizations, in particular to Lander. In fact, when considering her greatest accomplishment, Angelino instead picks two achievements: her advanced studies – including post-graduate certificate from Lander – and her work in Rotary, an organization that brings people of all walks of life together to exchange ideas. For Lander, Angelino not only taught courses for eight years in the College of Business and Public Affairs, but also participated in the local Alumni Tower Club and as a volunteer. She also serves as a member of The Lander Foundation Board of Trustees and the university’s Alumni Association Board of Directors. Indeed, Angelino touched Lander University in many ways, building relationships as she went. “My Lander University family,” she says, “which is made up of so many people from administrators, professors, alumni, students and staff, has had a tremendous impact on my life. “This award says to me,” she adds, “that I have also had an impact on them and Lander University.” – photo by Laura M. Brown

Elly E. Deal ’12 on the passing of her father, Edward L. Deal Jr.

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2016 Young Alumni of the Year The Young Alumni Award acknowledges recent graduates who not only have excelled in their careers but who have also given back to their communities and to their university. By Lisa Canada

“We had many exemplary nominees for the Young Alumni Award this year,” said Myra Greene, director of Lander’s Alumni Affairs and Annual Giving. The awards committee considered so many potential recipients, in fact, that it was difficult to narrow down the field. So, the Alumni Association selected two alumnae, Danita Washington and Dr. Amanda Wagoner, to share the Young Alumni Award. Both recipients possess an extraordinary commitment to lending a hand to those who are coming up behind them. Danita Washington graduated in 2006 from Lander’s School of Management and is an auditor with a health care cost containment firm. It’s her work outside of her job that earned her special notice from Lander’s alumni office. “Danita,” Greene says, “continues to pay it forward” in her commitment to and support of those who come from similar

situations. Her personal experience with hearing loss, for example, led Washington to establish the DKW Hear Me Speak Foundation, which works to increase awareness of hearing loss. In partnership with the Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf, the DKW foundation raises money to provide audiology screenings, hearing aids and other services to the hearing impaired. She credits her professional development to the internship that placed her in a health care management program. “Being part of Lander’s business program was one of the best decisions I have ever made,” she said. “Having professors like Dr. Royce Caines, Sam Tolbert and Dr. Deborah Natvig helped me to grow into a successful young professional and a better person.” Yet, Washington’s proudest accomplishment is her philanthropy. Again, she credits her professors and others at Lander who directed her toward a career where she can be of service to others.

Danita Washington ‘06

Dr. Amanda Wagoner '07

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

Dr. Amanda Wagoner’s lifelong dream to be a veterinarian was put in motion at Lander. Although everyone pointed her toward Clemson’s vet school, the avowed Gamecock fan sought a different university. “I visited Lander and knew this would be the right choice for me,” she said. “Lander's biology program laid the foundation for me to get into veterinary school.” But, it wasn’t just Lander’s academic program that kept her on course. “My adviser, Michael Runyan, and the entire biology faculty always encouraged me to pursue my dream,” she says. “I was not just a number to the professors. I was a person who they genuinely cared about, and they wanted to see me succeed.” And succeed she did. Upon graduation from Lander in 2007, Wagoner set off for vet school. When she completes her final residency and joins the Animal Emergency and Referral Center in Flowood, Miss., her dream will be realized. Although her training has taken her around the country, from South Carolina to Mississippi – with stops in Colorado and Pennsylvania – Wagoner’s heart has remained with Lander. Her dream, she says, “would not have been possible without the support from my family and my Bearcat family.” Shortly after her graduation, the Wagoner family created a scholarship for freshmen biology majors, ideally ones who pursue Lander’s pre-veterinary medicine curriculum. This enduring commitment to Lander, says Myra Greene, is what drew the Alumni Association’s attention. “Amanda has excelled in the field of veterinary medicine,” Greene said, “and the pre-veterinarian scholarship established by her family paves the way for Lander students to follow in her footsteps.” Danita Washington and Dr. Amanda Wagoner are outstanding examples of engaged alumni, who work to give back to and improve their communities and their alma mater. – photos by Laura M. Brown

GET YOUR LANDER GEAR ON

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Afghans Ball Caps Spirit Gear Tailgating Chairs Window Decals License Plates and more!

Mention this ad and receive 10% off your purchase when you visit the Bearcat Shop on campus! (Discount not available for online purchases.) Summer Hours: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Thursday

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864-388-8384

ALUMNIEVENTS By Eric Lawson, Photos by Debbie Dill

2 1

3 The Lander Alumni Association held events across the Carolinas and Tennessee, making stops throughout the fall and winter months to host a full lineup of socials and gatherings for alumni and university friends. Here, we take a look at some of our favorite moments from these events: 1. Swingin’ with the Medallions: Lander alumni were among the many who enjoyed a concert by the Swingin’ Medallions on Oct. 1 at the Inn on the Square in Greenwood. – photo by Mike Blackwell 2. Young Alumni Council Meets President Cosentino: On Sept. 29, Lander’s Young Alumni Council hosted its “Cosentino Connect” event at Howard’s on Main in Greenwood. The YAC is dedicated to serving Lander alumni who graduated within the past 15 years. 3. Brunch in Charleston: The Charleston Tower Club met at Virginia’s on King for a Lowcountry-style brunch on Oct. 25. 4. Fall Social Attracts Large Turnout in Columbia: The Nov. 3 Fall Social was a huge success for the Columbia Tower Club. The group traded stories and enjoyed a fantastic meal at Villa Tronco in the capital city. 5. Greenville Alumni Enjoy Poinsett Club: The Upstate Tower Club treated Greenville alumni to dinner at the Poinsett Club for a “Lander on the Road” event on Feb. 11. The Poinsett Club is one of only 35 five-star private clubs in the U.S.

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2016

4 6. Looking Good in the Queen City: “Lander on the Road” traveled to the home of the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 5 with a trip to Charlotte. Alumni enjoyed a wonderful meal and good times at the Blue Restaurant. 7. Fall Fling for Greenwood Tower Club: The Greenwood Tower Club certainly made good use of the new Lander Foundation and Alumni Center by hosting their Fall Fling there on Nov. 16 8. A Darling Celebration: The Lander Evening Club held a fun celebration in honor of Chandler Reep Darling ’83, pictured front row, third from left, who retired from Lander’s Division of Student Affairs in January after more than 28 years of service to the university. 9. Class of ’34 Lander Lily: On Dec. 10, Lander’s Alumni Association held its third annual Lander Lily Luncheon, hosted by First Lady Jessica Cosentino at the Foundation and Alumni Center. The event raises funds for the Lander Lily Funded Scholarship, which is awarded to students in the Honors College. A special guest was 103-year-old Nancy Anderson Self ’34, of Columbia, who is shown with Myra Greene, left, director of Alumni Affairs and Annual Giving, and Jessica Cosentino. 10. Dining Fine in Spartanburg: The renowned and historic Piedmont Club was the setting for the Jan. 26 “Lander on the Road” gathering in Spartanburg. The fun event was sponsored by the Upstate Tower Club.

Upcoming Alumni Events May 2016 – October 2016*

May 6

Bearcat Benefit Auction

Jun. 2

Lander Topiary Fan Day

Jun. 11

Upstate Tower Club SummerFest Brewery 85

Jun. 21

Samuel Lander Golf Tournament

Aug. 6

Glenas Green 5k and Fun Run

Oct. 4

Columbia Tower Club Fall Social

Oct. 6

Greenville Tower Club Fall Social

* Events/dates subject to change. See www.lander.edu/alumni for details. ®

FOR MORE ALUMNI NEWS & EVENTS

Join the Lander University Alumni Affairs fan page on Facebook. To view the page or become a fan, visit facebook.com/landeralumni.

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Making History

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID BURLINGTON, VT PERMIT NO. 19

Spring 2016

Lander University became the second school in the 25-year history of the Peach Belt Conference to sweep the men’s and women’s tournament championships when the Bearcats attained the feat on Sunday, March 6, 2016, at Columbus State University in Columbus, Ga. In the first game on championship Sunday, the Lander men defeated Augusta University, 87-86, in double-overtime. The Lady Bearcats followed with a 72-68 victory over host Columbus State. For Steve Roberts, it was his first championship in his first year as Lander’s head basketball coach; however, he was an assistant to Bruce Evans when Lander won in 2007. Meanwhile, Lander women’s head coach Kevin Pederson was winning his third title after earning back-to-back trophies in 2008 and 2009. Ironically, it was Columbus State that earned the first PBC tournament sweep when the Cougars claimed both championships at Lander’s Horne Arena in 2000.

Pictured, from left, are Lander women’s basketball head coach Kevin Pederson, athletic director Jeff May, and men’s head coach Steve Roberts, following the teams’ conference championship wins. – photo by Bob Stoner