Lander Magazine Spring 2019

Spring 2019

Magazine for Alumni & Friends of the University

CNLs – A New Nurse Lander’s Clinical Nurse Leader Program Helps Pave the Way for Better Patient Care

Embracing Affordable Learning | History Faculty Shine as Scholars | Athletics Hall of Fame | Alumni Profiles

Gaming for the Championship Lander University hosted the 2019 Peach Belt Conference League of Legends Esports Championship, March 29-30 in the Abney Cultural Center Auditorium. Though USC Aiken claimed the title, the honor of hosting the event was a coup of sorts for Lander, as the university is planning to build a facility for Lander Esports and other gamers on campus. While this is the second year for the PBC Esports Championships, the sport is experiencing a meteoric rise in popularity. The 2018 League of Legends World Championship attracted more than 200 million viewers, easily topping the 98 million viewers of Super Bowl LIII. – photo by Laura M. Brown

Magazine for Alumni & Friends of the University

4 AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH

Lander’s faculty are leading the way in keeping higher education affordable, thanks to an innovative approach to learning materials.

4

12 CNLS: A REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE

As Lander graduates its largest class of Clinical Nurse Leaders, the master’s program is helping to pave the way for new advancements in patient care and health care administration.

24 ‘DOING GREAT THINGS’

Whether it’s publishing books, diving into research, speaking at conferences, or developing intriguing courses, Lander’s history faculty are busy making waves in the classroom and beyond.

40 ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME

Lander welcomes a new class of inductees to its Athletics Hall of Fame, with a special ceremony in their honor.

12

IN THE SPOTLIGHT An Accomplished Academician: Dr. Scott L. Jones........................................34 A Mind for Business: Dr. Stacie A. Bowie...............................................................35 Lifting Up Students: Steve and Liz Wohlwend..................................................61

HIGHLIGHTS Homecoming...........................................................................................................................30 Alumni Reunion.....................................................................................................................32 Life at Lander............................................................................................................................36 Scholarship Dinner...............................................................................................................45

24

ALUMNI PROFILES 'Nosing' for Big-Time: Allistar Banks.........................................................................47 Lander Alumni Selected as Greenwood Under 40 Stars..........................47 The Power of a Liberal Arts Education: April Chaffins.................................50 Thoreau Would Approve: Ellison Smith.................................................................52 Meet Greenwood's New City Manager: Julie Wilkie.....................................54 A Calling to Protect and Serve: Chrissie Cofield..............................................56 Mini-Disaster Leads to Lander Degree: Dan Martins...................................58

UNIVERSITY IN REVIEW

40

News Briefs...................................................................................................................................6 Fall Commencement...........................................................................................................20 Bearcat Sports Roundup...................................................................................................38 Giving & Scholarship News.............................................................................................44 Class Notes................................................................................................................................46 Alumni Board Members....................................................................................................60 www.lander.edu/magazine

1

Magazine for Alumni & Friends of the University

LANDER MAGAZINE STAFF Megan Price, Editor Deb Nygro, Co-Editor, Writer and Photographer Mike Blackwell, Videographer Laura M. Brown ’16, Photographer Graham H. Duncan ’17, Editorial Assistant and Writer Jeff Lagrone, Writer Rixon Lane, Sports Writer Eric Lawson, Writer L. C. Leach III, Writer Dawn Lewis, Digital Content Coordinator and Photographer Maria Scott, Designer

LANDER ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Denise Manley ’89, Director of Alumni Affairs & Annual Giving Debbie Lyons Dill ’90, Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs Debrah Hodges Miller ’76, President Rodney Jones ’08, Vice President Jalysa O’Conner Green ’12, Secretary Lamar Scott ’82/84, Treasurer Don Durden ’12, Vice President for Young Alumni

LANDER EXECUTIVE OFFICERS Richard E. Cosentino, President Scott L. Jones, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Andy J. Benoit Jr., Vice President for Enrollment and Access Management Stacie A. Bowie, Vice President for Finance and Administration Brian P. Reese, Director of Athletics Crystal Rookard, Vice President and General Counsel J. Adam Taylor ’87, Vice President for Governmental Relations and Chief of Staff Michael J. Worley, Vice President for University Advancement E. Boyd Yarbrough, Vice President for Student Affairs

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Linda L. Dolny ’69, Chair Cary Corbitt ’74, Vice Chair Cathy Lee, Secretary Robert A. Barber Jr. Holly Bracknell John E. Craig Jr. Maurice Holloway ’78 Raymond D. Hunt ’90 Marcia Thrift Hydrick ’81

Jack W. Lawrence Donald H. Lloyd II ’83 Peggy M. Makins ’81 Robert F. Sabalis Donald H. Scott ’75 DeWitt B. Stone Jr. Angela G. Strickland ’02 S. Anne Walker ’72

Lander University provides equal access and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, national origin, sex, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, or age in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Tracy Clifton, Title IX Coordinator, Grier Student Center, 864-388-8055, tclifton@ lander.edu. For further information on Lander’s notice of nondiscrimination, visit www.lander.edu/titleix.

Institutions are required to publish an annual report disclosing campus security policies and three years of selected crime statistics. Lander's Annual Security Report is accessible at www.lander. edu/clery. Questions or concerns may be directed to the Lander University Police Department at 864-388-8222.

Stock art is provided by istockphoto.com.

2

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

A Message from the President Dear Alumni and Friends: Within this issue of Lander Magazine, you might notice a theme – there are big things happening at Lander University.

Our enrollment continues to surge. We began the academic year with the largest freshman class in the university’s history, and all indications point to another healthy enrollment for the coming fall semester. With our university bursting at the seams, we are setting our sights on new opportunities and avenues for growth beyond our Greenwood campus. This fall, Lander University will return to the University Center of Greenville, providing students in the Upstate area with another convenient location for their Lander studies.

Our graduate academic offerings are expanding, including the introduction of a new Master of Science in Management degree program, as well as a new Montessori track for the Master of Education in Teaching and Learning. Our Master of Science in Nursing – Clinical Nurse Leader program will graduate its largest cohort in program history this May, and, as you’ll read, those students are already making a difference in local health care settings.

Along with making waves in the publishing and research fields, our faculty are driving innovative changes in the classroom. On the pages that follow, you will learn about a group of Lander professors who are pioneering a new approach to affordable learning that is helping to keep the cost of higher education within our students’ reach. Our alumni are driving change, as well, and you will read about several Lander graduates who are transforming their communities through their leadership and service.

On the playing fields, it was another incredible year for our Bearcat teams, and many made appearances in regional and national tournaments. Lander Athletics welcomed three new varsity teams this academic year – men’s and women’s lacrosse and men’s wrestling – and we’re already eyeing new sports to add in the near future. Our students also made a grand entrance into the virtual gaming arena, with Lander hosting the Peach Belt’s eSports Championship this spring.

These stories and more await you in this issue of Lander Magazine. As you read through them, I hope you will feel the same sense of pride that I feel when I reflect on our university and our students, alumni, faculty and staff. Big things are happening at Lander, and there are even more to come on the horizon. So, as we close the chapter on yet another successful year, I can’t help but feel excitement for the next chapter about to begin.

Sincerely,

Richard Cosentino President, Lander University

LU

Get Connected youtube.com/c/landeruniversity

facebook.com/followlander

Videos by Mike Blackwell Photos by Laura M. Brown

Lander University April 11, 2019

instagram.com/landeruniversity

Members of Lander's Call Me MISTER program are something else! They recently organized and coordinated the donation and distribution of free professional clothes to Lander students taking part in internships or job interviews.

Peach Belt Conference Esports Championships at Lander University Lander University served as the host site for the Peach Belt Conference League of Legends Esports Championship March 29-30.

Lander's Call Me MISTER program provides professional clothes for students at Lander

Follow us

twitter.com/follow_lander

Journalism in S.C. Public Life Guests got an in-depth look at the current state of journalism and public life through experiences and reflections of veteran members of the media in S.C., during this Achieving the Promise event at Lander.

I’d like to thank all my coaches and friends who helped me get to this point in my life.

I’m proud to announce that I’ll be continuing my education as well as my wrestling career at Lander University. #GoBearcats

Lander nursing majors (left to right) Tranisha Hardy, Kristen McKnabb and Samantha Matthews explore the abundance of opportunities available within their field during the Nursing Recruitment Fair, held on Wednesday, Feb, 27. Recruiters from regional hospitals, local medical practices and graduate schools were available to speak with nursing students about summer internships and career opportunities.

Tyler Dahlgren, Camden

Lander University students, faculty and staff stood firmly against acts of sexual violence on college campuses and around the world this week as they celebrated Denim Day Wednesday.

WLBG Radio, Laurens

Lander University Homecoming Bearcat Showcase 2019

Ozan Cilder and I were recognized as MVP for our respective tennis and cross country teams at Lander University this evening.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Lander. I leave Lander and Greenwood for Spring Hill in Mobile, AL with a heavy heart in many ways and for many reasons.

See highlights from campus events during Lander University's 2019 Homecoming.

Fergus O’Rourke ’19; Dublin, Ireland

Lander’s annual Late Night Breakfast is a fan favorite as Lander students study for their finals late into the night. See more photos on Lander's Instagram page.

www.lander.edu/magazine

3

An Innovative Approach Lander Embraces Affordable Learning Last fall, Lander Professor of Teacher Education Dr. Lee Vartanian became the first Lander educator to receive a PAL Award, recognizing him as a Professor for Affordable Learning. Since then, the award, conferred by the Partnership Among South Carolina Academic Libraries (PASCAL), has been bestowed upon 16 of his colleagues as well, giving Lander more PALs, by far, than any institution of higher learning in the state.

The award is part of the South Carolina Affordable Learning (SCALE) initiative, that seeks to reduce the cost of higher education by promoting the use of low-cost and no-cost learning materials, including open educational resources, sources available on the internet, and library resources.

4

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

By Jeff Lagrone

Vartanian said that he has “noticed an uptick in the past 10 years or so in textbook prices,” and he’s not alone. According to PASCAL, the cost of textbooks has increased at four times the rate of inflation over the past decade.

Vartanian was recognized for changing the way he went about teaching a course called “Global Issues in Education.”

Previously, he had used a textbook that discussed education in different countries.

In the chapter on Israel, for instance, an Israeli teacher education professor discussed the history of education in that particular country.

“It was interesting,” he said, “but you can go online and see videos within Israeli

schools; you can watch a TEDtalk of an Israeli teacher; you can see blogposts from teachers who are working in Israeli schools – these kinds of things where you can actually hear from teachers and get a window into those schools.”

Best of all, such sources are free.

Vartanian called the switch to free and open-source materials in that course, and in the other undergraduate classes he teaches, a “refreshing change. When you create your own content, you’re taking charge of what you think is the good stuff,” he said.

Going bookless in his “Survey in American Literature” class was easy for Associate Professor of English Dr. Lloyd Willis, because the literature that he focuses on is all in the

Lander PALs Using Low-Cost & No-Cost Learning Materials NAME

DEPARTMENT

COURSE

Farha Ali

Mathematics and Computing

The Internet of Things

Sean Barnette

English and Foreign Languages

Writing and Inquiry II

Amir Bhochhibhoya

Nursing

Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone

Pablo Chialvo

Biology

General Biology

Michael Farmer

Teacher Education

Instructional Technology for Teachers

Rebecca Fernandez

Teacher Education

Instructional Technology for Teachers

Tess M. Gemberling

Psychological Science

Social Perception & Behavioral Statistics in Experimental Psychology

S. David Mash

History and Philosophy

Sacred Texts and Ideas

Keith McCaslan

Computer Information Systems

Computer Fundamentals

Asma Nazim-Starnes

Visual Arts

Digital Art and Design

Gina Poore Dunn

Mathematics and Computing

Survey of Mathematics

Ian M. Sargent

English and Foreign Languages

Writing and Inquiry II

Susan B. Shurden

Business Administration/Accounting

Principles of Financial Accounting

Lee Vartanian

Teacher Education

Global Issues in Education

Lloyd Willis

English and Foreign Languages

Survey in American Literature

Ashley Woodiwiss

Government, Criminology & Sociology

Political Philosophy

Kelly C. Young

Mathematics and Computing

Survey of Mathematics

public domain, making it readily available to students.

“Everything they need is available through a hyperlink. They can just click on that link, and go right to it," he said.

Willis’s students who wish to purchase paper copies of the selections that he discusses are free to do so. However, he said, “very few” do.

Between a quarter and a third of the classes that Lander currently offers require no textbooks, according to Willis.

“The more I’ve learned about this on our campus, the more I’ve been impressed by the number of people who have been doing this on their own,” he said.

Willis was asked if he thought the move away from textbooks by so many professors would have the effect of reining in publishers, as far as the prices they charge.

“It will,” he said. “I’m already starting to see a little bit of it. I get emails about affordable books for freshman composition or other subjects. They’re starting to use affordability as a marketing tool.”

“The Internet of Things,” which brought Associate Professor of Computer Science Dr. Farha Ali recognition as a PAL, has always been a bookless course.

“The material that I wanted to cover was scattered across several books.” Instead of asking students to purchase multiple books, “I made my own material,” she said.

Ali hasn’t sworn off books altogether. “If I teach a programming class, I use a book,” she said.

Helping faculty members find free or inexpensive material that suits their purposes is a big part of what University Archivist April Akins does in her role as Lander’s coordinator of affordable learning. Akins, who also serves as vice chair for PASCAL’s Affordable Learning Task Force, said she’s assisting a number of faculty members in identifying materials that they can use in the fall.

She disputes the notion that such sources are in any way inferior in quality.

“A lot of the materials that we purchase, the print materials we have, e-book

collections – they’re by university presses.

They’re written by faculty who are at the same level as the people who have written the textbooks. Even with the open educational resources, it’s faculty who are writing these materials. They have systems in place that allow you to see the peer review process, so you can evaluate the resource before you use it. You’re not just picking something off the internet and saying, ‘this was free; I’ll give it to my students to use.’”

Lisa Wiecki, director of Library Services, said that librarians “can play a huge role in helping faculty to locate the resources that they need.” She said that the online guide that library staff members have developed, which allows faculty members to search for affordable materials by subject matter, “has been really useful.”

Wiecki praised Akins for being “willing to learn everything she possibly could” about affordable learning. “We’re proud of what she’s done, and also proud of our faculty for really embracing this,” she said.

www.lander.edu/magazine

5

NEWSBRIEFS

Lander University Awarded S.C. Humanities Grant for Year-Long Civic Engagement Initiative n Bringing together scholars, journalists, civic leaders, students and citizens, Lander University’s College of Behavioral and Social Sciences recently completed its “Achieving the Promise: Democracy and the Informed Citizen” series, delivering a year-long conversation aimed at cultivating an informed citizenry.

Sponsored by a grant from South Carolina Humanities, the series provided a distinct set of opportunities for Lander’s campus community and citizens within the Lakelands region to participate in political discourse, reflect on the role of the media, and strengthen the relationship between Lander University and the City of Greenwood.

The grant was co-authored by Dr. Ashley Woodiwiss, chair of Lander’s Department of Government, Criminology and Sociology; and Dr. Lucas McMillan, dean of Lander’s College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. Events included

a voter registration drive and political candidate forum prior to the 2018 general election; a panel discussion on civic engagement, featuring local and state-level civic leaders from various backgrounds; the publication of student essays in the Index-Journal; and a panel discussion on the role of journalism in public life, featuring some of South Carolina’s most-notable media professionals.

“Lander’s Achieving the Promise project provided a wide variety of programs focusing on the theme, ‘Democracy and the Informed Citizen,’” said Dr. Woodiwiss. “While turnout for the events approached two thousand, the real story of the project were the lives touched and the imaginations expanded for those who attended.”

Achieving the Promise set out to accomplish four goals: to empower and enlighten students and community members on how to be informed citizens and model good political dialogue in a contentious political environment; to teach about civic engagement and life in a pluralist democracy; to analyze the role of the media in the 21st century; and to improve Lander’s relationship with the greater Greenwood community.

“The goals of the project were achieved,” Woodiwiss said, “and democracy, at least in this little corner of South Carolina, was well-served.”

Rookard Promoted to Vice President and General Counsel n In January, Lander University announced the promotion of Crystal Rookard to vice

Crystal Rookard, vice president and general counsel for Lander University.

6

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

president and general counsel. She reports directly to Lander President Richard Cosentino and plays a vital role in providing legal and strategic advice to the president, Board of Trustees and other senior administrators.

Rookard’s promotion received national attention from The American Lawyer’s national online publication, www.law.com, when it shared the news along with a similar move by Harvard University, as part of a national trend among universities to place their general counsels in senior roles.

“I’m excited to be a part of the Lander University family,” said Rookard. “My career passion is working for the public interest, and I firmly believe that education is a powerful means for self-improvement and improving our society.”

Since joining Lander in 2017 as the university’s first general counsel, Rookard has been busy making the position her own. In addition to developing an infrastructure for legal policies and procedures, she has also assumed supervision of the university’s Office of Human Resources and has overseen the organization of the Diversity Advisory Council.

“In just over a year, Crystal has made a tremendous and positive impact at Lander,” said President Richard Cosentino. “She is well-versed in many of the important legal issues facing higher education today, and her experience working closely with students, faculty and administrators will continue to serve Lander well.”

A graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law, Rookard has extensive experience in the areas of Title IX, the Clery Act, the Violence Against Women Act and the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (SaVE) Act. She has also conducted training courses on employee relations, human resource management and legal issues, anti-discrimination, sexual harassment, supervisory training and workplace laws.

Lander Student Spearheads Growth in Environmental Organization n Shortly after enrolling at Lander, Libby Bergmann changed her major from biology to environmental science. “It clicked for me and just made sense. Environmental science encompasses everything I want to do,” the senior from Beaufort said.

That seemingly simple realization has turned into Lander’s own example of the “Butterfly Effect” – the theory that one small change can trigger larger differences.

Bergmann became an active member in Lander’s Environmental Science Student Organization (ESSO), a student-led group committed to environmental awareness and action. When she was later elected as the group’s president, membership swelled from 15 to 75 active participants.

“Libby is driven, excited, and engaged at Lander and in the local and global community. She is an excellent example of what our students can grow to be,” said Dr. Diana Delach, assistant professor of environmental chemistry and faculty advisor to ESSO. The demographic makeup of ESSO includes participants representing the full spectrum of academic majors, political beliefs and backgrounds. “Our members major in education, English, and STEM concentrations, and lean to the left and to the right, politically,” said Bergmann. “We’re members because we care about nature and the environment.”

Each semester, ESSO members fulfill a philanthropic-based project and a volunteer clean-up activity. During last semester’s Soles for Souls project, ESSO collected 300 shoes for people who needed them – a perfect example of making full use of a recyclable item.

On the Lander campus, ESSO is planting a pollinator garden for native bees, butterflies and other pollinators. “Bees have been declining in recent decades, and ESSO wants to help give them a home and a clean environment to live in. This will hopefully help make us the second Bee Campus USA in South Carolina,” said ESSO member Zachery Woods, a sophomore biology major from Arkansas.

Members of the Lander University Environmental Science Student Organization (ESSO) group take a break after cleaning Grace Street Park in Greenwood. The student-led group is committed to environmental awareness and action.

College of Business Earns Reaccreditation from World’s Premier Accrediting Organization n Lander University’s College of Business

has earned a five-year extension of accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International.

Since less than five percent of the world’s business schools are AACSB-accredited, the designation secures the College of Business’s status as being a member of a highly exclusive group. In fact, five years following graduation, the majority of alumni from AACSB-accredited schools are either in senior-level positions or have risen to high levels in their organizations.

According to Dr. Barbara Wheeling, dean of the College of Business, reaccreditation is an intensive one-year process that culminates with an on-campus visit from an AACSB team.

“Throughout the year, we monitor a host of performance standards to

ensure we’re providing an exceptional educational opportunity for Lander business students,” said Wheeling. “This includes ensuring our business faculty not only maintain, but improve their qualifications through efforts including research publications and presentation activities. We also continually assess our students’ learning and problem-solving skills throughout each academic year.”

Members of the AACSB reaccreditation team were particularly impressed with Lander’s experiential learning opportunities, Wheeling said, which emphasize business students working directly with businesses in the Greenwood community, and the early emphasis on career preparation.

“Unlike many business schools that offer a single career-prep course during a student’s senior year, Lander’s College of Business begins a student’s career preparation in their sophomore year, and it continues through their junior and senior years,” she said.

www.lander.edu/magazine

7

NEWSBRIEFS Lander Professor Creates Statewide Jazz Ensemble n In October 2017, Lander's Dr. Robert Gardiner and 17 musicians

from across South Carolina created the S.C. Jazz Masterworks Ensemble – an 18-piece big band geared toward the study and play of Duke Ellington and other mid-20th century jazz greats.

The effort took another year to plan and launch, and came after 30 years of what Gardiner called “constant, internal nagging.”

“The idea first occurred to me in the late 1980s,” said Gardiner, now in his 16th year as a professor of music at Lander. “But it always seemed too ambitious to attempt until now.”

Gardiner chose 18 musicians for the ensemble because it is the standard instrumentation for a big band as it has evolved over the last 120 years. The jazz group features one vocalist, five saxophones, four trombones and trumpets, and a rhythm section consisting of guitar, piano, bass and drums.

“This ensemble is made up of some of the most outstanding jazz musicians, soloists and band leaders across the Carolinas,” Gardiner said.

“Our goal is to present jazz concerts at the highest artistic level.”

The band’s first concert season showed a lot of promise, playing venues such as the S.C. Jazz Festival in Cheraw; the Newberry Opera House, with jazz trombonist Wycliffe Gordon; and the Harbison Theater in Irmo, in “Carolina Shout!” this past April.

“Our first three concerts were all very well received by our audiences,” Gardiner said. “The one in Cheraw opened to an enthusiastic and packed house.”

As for the second season, which will begin in the fall of 2019, Gardiner said the group members can’t wait to take the show to a higher level.

“This is a labor of love – with a great deal of work, but all enjoyable,” he said. “I want it to be something that will last for generations.”

The 18-piece S.C. Jazz Masterworks Ensemble performs in its first concert at the Art of the Big Band, Oct. 20, 2018, at the South Carolina Jazz Festival in Cheraw. From left, front, guitarist Amos Hoffman, national touring musician and recording artist; saxophonist and ensemble director Robert Gardiner; and saxophonist Tracy Patterson, professor of music at Winthrop University.

Interning a Semester in Washington, D.C. n Upperclassmen Brooke Trotter and Sarah Grigg spent the fall of 2018 in Washington, D.C., in a paid work-study internship through the Washington Semester Program.

Directed by the University of South Carolina Honors College, the program ran from August 25 through December 7, and both Trotter and Grigg earned Lander course credits while serving in two separate political offices.

Together, they were the 16th and 17th students from Lander to be accepted into the Washington Semester Program since its inaugural year of 2010.

And in a word, both Grigg and Trotter said their experience was “life-changing.”

“Part of me wishes I could do the entire program all over again,” said Grigg, who worked in the office of U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, R-Rock Hill, S.C. Trotter, assigned to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the White House, added, “I am extremely thankful for this amazing experience and all the lessons I learned with it.”

Pictured are Washington Semester interns Sarah Grigg, left, and Brooke Trotter.

8

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Lander University Celebrates Ten Years of Filmmaking Diversity Council Inspires Through Events n Since its establishment in 2016, Lander University’s Diversity Council has advised the president and other core university constituents about diversity matters as they relate to the university’s mission.

“The purpose of the Diversity Advisory Council is to provide an ear and voice to Lander students, faculty and staff, ensuring that all feel welcomed, heard and valued,” said Lander Vice President and General Counsel Crystal Rookard, council chair. “Additionally, we believe that students who learn to adapt and thrive in a diverse learning environment will have a significant advantage in tomorrow’s workforce.”

The Diversity Advisory Council has worked hard to identify and organize a host of events for the campus family.

On Sept. 7, Greenwood District 50 Superintendent Darrell Johnson energetically shared his own experiences in overcoming obstacles during his career as an educator and as a NCAA Division I basketball on-court official. Next, panelists shared their personal insight into the meaning of black history during a January 31 event, kicking off a monthlong series of programs designed to provide students and the community with opportunities to discover more about African American history and culture.

Lander University’s Celebration of African-American Chefs lunch on Feb. 19 provided diners with a unique menu of chef-inspired entrées, sides and desserts.

Black History Month events concluded on Feb. 27 with “Closing the Achievement Gap: Lander University’s Minority Education Summit.” Lander’s Black Student Union, the Lander Teaching Fellows and the university’s Department of Teacher Education organized the event.

Top: Dr. Darrell Johnson (left), superintendent of Greenwood School District 50, shares a laugh with Lander University graphic design major Samuel Elliott, of Newark, NJ.

n Lander University showcased films written and directed by filmmakers of all age groups as part of its 10th annual film festival this past spring. A total of 36 films were submitted for the festival’s two-week competition, “the most ever turned in for our festival,” according to Paul Crutcher, lecturer of media and director of the Lander University Film Festival.

Paul Crutcher, Festival Director Students and members of the community had the opportunity to attend two workshops as part of the festival. Bill King, of Greenwood Aerial Video, hosted a drone video workshop, and Grainger Hines, who stars in “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” on Netflix, held a question-and-answer session with festival participants.

“Patrons of both our awards ceremony and our outdoor movie night expressed that this is the highest quality of short films (across the board) that we have had in the ten years the festival has taken place,” Crutcher said. “Our hope as a festival committee is that this event continues and that Lander University will continue to champion film appreciation and film production in our region.”

At the beginning of the competition, each director received a unique line of dialogue, written by Hollywood writers and directors. The participants then had two weeks to write, cast, shoot and edit a short film that creatively integrated the line in some way. This year’s lines were a collection of lines from the ten previous film festivals. “We are the only student film festival in the country that provides required lines of dialogue from major Hollywood writers,” Crutcher said.

To learn more about the Lander University Film Festival, and to view past submissions, visit landerfilmfestival.com.

www.lander.edu/magazine

9

NEWSBRIEFS

Lander Launches New Graduate Degree Programs n The expansion of master's degree programs and online classes has been a priority for Dr. Richard Cosentino since being named the 12th president of Lander University. This spring, the university announced it is launching two unique graduate programs that feature online classes.

Master of Science in Management Fresh off the heels of earning a five-year extension of accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Lander’s College of Business continued to make news, unveiling plans to offer an online Master of Science in Management graduate degree program. The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education has already green-lighted the program, and officials received word in April of approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

The College is currently accepting applications for the program, with classes expected to begin this summer.

“The Master of Science in Management program is entirely online to accommodate working professionals,” said Dr. Barbara Wheeling, dean of the College of Business.

“While our classes will include topics on leadership and business research, much emphasis will be placed on quality management and design. In our region, quality management and design are in high demand in the manufacturing and health care fields, so this is a wonderful opportunity for professionals to advance Dr. Barbara Wheeling their careers.”

Dean, College of Business

Although there are two other Master of Science in Management degree programs in the state, Lander’s program is the only one offered by an AACSB-accredited university.

Requirements for admission into the program include a grade point average of 3.2 from an accredited business school. Applicants without an undergraduate business degree can still apply, but will be required to take a Business Fundamentals course as they begin their studies.

To register for the Master of Science in Management program or to receive more information, visit www.lander.edu/apply, or call the College of Business at 864-388-8224.

Master of Education in Teaching and Learning – Montessori Concentration The newest concentration to Lander’s Master of Education in Teaching and Learning degree has been in the works for nearly two years.

“This new Montessori concentration is unique in that Lander recognizes credentials that teachers have earned from free-standing MACTE-accredited Montessori certification programs, awarding 12 Montessori concentration hours toward the completion of its master's in teaching and learning,” said Barbara Ervin, director of Montessori at Lander. “This adds a third concentration to Lander’s M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning, which currently offers concentrations in Instructional Technology and Diverse Learners.”

Along with Lander’s undergraduate Montessori teacher education program and M.Ed. in Montessori education, the new online program will solidify Lander’s role as a trusted leader in Montessori education in the Southeast.

For more information about Lander’s Montessori graduate programs, contact Barbara Ervin at 864-388-8751 or bervin@lander.edu; or Martine Fezler at 864-388-8628 or mfezler@lander.edu.

Lander Hosts Largest Grad School and Career Fair n Making good on its commitment to helping students launch

their careers or continue their education at the graduate level, Lander University hosted representatives from 56 employers and graduate programs during its Graduate School & Career Fair on Oct. 10, in the Grier Student Center.

“With 56 employers and universities taking part, this was the largest turnout we’ve had in almost a decade,” said Amanda Morgan, director of Career Services at Lander.

Junior mathematics major and business minor Tanay Singh, of Columbia, saw the event as a networking opportunity with potential future employers. “I spoke with a recruiter from BMW who remembered meeting me during last year’s event, and he’s already recommending me for several positions,” he said.

Left: Tanay Singh, a mathematics major from Columbia, speaks with a representative at Lander’s Graduate School and Career Fair in October.

10

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Lander Plans Return to University Center in Greenville

Timeless Beauty Through the Decades n Hannah Courtney Wilson had never been in a pageant before, but that didn’t stop her from being named Miss Lander University 2018, following the pageant held in November in the Josephine B. Abney Cultural Center Auditorium.

The special education major from Clinton wowed the judges with a high-energy dance number that she choreographed herself, performed to a medley of “Beat It” and other Michael Jackson songs.

Wilson has been dancing at the same studio since she was two years old. She described dance as her “passion. It’s what I love to do.”

The sophomore, who was sponsored by Lander’s Sassy Cats Dance Team, hopes to teach in a middle school or high school following graduation from Lander. Getting a master’s degree and working as a middle school or high school guidance counselor is another one of her goals.

“And I still want to teach dance classes on the side,” she said.

Other winners in the pageant included Allyson Taylor Reinhardt, a freshman nursing major from Greenwood, who was named both first runner-up and Miss Congeniality; Jessica Nicole Lewis, a senior elementary education major from Honea Path, who was named second runner-up; and Molly Kathryn McDermott, of Hodges, who won the People’s Choice Award.

The theme of the pageant was “Timeless: Beauty through the Decades.” Emcee Laura Riddle Dennin concluded the pageant by saying to the contestants, “You all were perfect examples of timeless beauty.”

Above: Finalists in the 2018 Miss Lander University Pageant included, from left: Jessica Nicole Lewis, of Honea Path, second runner-up; Miss Lander 2018 Hannah Courtney Wilson, of Clinton; and first runner-up Allyson Taylor Reinhardt, of Greenwood.

n After seven years, Lander University is making

plans to expand its academic offerings and return to the University Center in Greenville (UCG).

“We’ve got new academic programs that are at various stages of approval,” said Dr. James Colbert, associate provost and director of Lander’s UCG Program. “Pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), Lander should be ready to provide a full offering of courses at the University Center in the fall of 2020.”

Located at 225 S. Pleasantburg Drive in Greenville, the University Center serves as a hub for nine South Carolina colleges and universities, including Clemson University, the University of South Carolina, Anderson University and Converse College.

Lander was a charter member of the University Center initiative but left in 2012. Part of the decision to return is based on near-capacity student population at the Greenwood campus.

“We cannot grow anymore in Greenwood,” said Lander President Richard Cosentino, “but we can definitely grow our online offerings and expand into other facilities.”

Allen Promoted to Police Chief n In December 2018, longtime Lander police officer Greg Allen officially became the university’s new Chief of Police.

Allen succeeded former chief Eddie Briggs, who retired in August, and his promotion came after a four-month stint as interim chief.

“I really don’t know the words for it,” Allen said about the promotion. “It’s a blessing.”

In a personal way, Allen’s promotion represented the closing of a circle. Since becoming a Lander police officer in 2007, he has held nearly every other available position, including investigative sergeant, investigative lieutenant, support service captain, and uniform patrol service captain.

Now overseeing 13 full-time officers and a staff of 35, Allen looks to expand the department’s educational and safety programs, and to build stronger relationships within the community.

“And we will do our best to continue to keep our community safe,” he said.

www.lander.edu/magazine

11

Clinical Nurse Leaders: A Revolutionary Change

Lander’s CNL program pioneering a new approach to state health care

By L. C. Leach III, Photos by Laura M. Brown

In the spring of 1959, Sylvia Brooks got up from her seat, walked across a small stage, and received her associate’s degree in nursing from what was then Lander College.

It was a major moment, because the young Brooks was the first graduate in the school’s first nursing class – two years after the college had begun the Self Memorial Division of Nursing, a twoyear program for qualified applicants.

But, in May 2019, 13 nursing students from Lander University will walk across a much bigger stage and become the largest graduating class of a Master of Science in Nursing program that qualifies each of them to sit for the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL®) certification, a new health care designation designed to improve patient care and safety.

12

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Their milestone marks a signature achievement of a CNL partnership established in 2017 between Lander and nearby Self Regional Healthcare (SRH).

And, more than just graduating a new class of nurses, this partnership not only represents a revolutionary era of U.S. health care, it puts Lander on the forefront of every CNL nursing program in South Carolina.

“We are currently the only school in the state to have a CNL partnership with an area health care system,” said Dr. Holisa Wharton, dean of Lander’s William Preston Turner School of Nursing. “The 13 members of this class are our largest CNL class to date, and the program they have just completed stands to serve as the model for every future CNL partnership in South Carolina.”

Top: In May 2019, Lander University graduates 13 students from its Master of Science in Nursing - Clinical Nurse Leader program.

CNL students pictured above, L-R: Stephanie Ahn, Virginia Dean, Amy Leigh Logan, Joshua Eidson, Tonya Williams, Jessica Kelly, Portia Bluford-Briggs and Stephanie Lewis.

CNL – A New Nurse Despite its newness to Lander and Self Regional, the concept of the Clinical Nurse Leader originated in 1999 with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).

AACN officers were concerned over a new report by the Institute of Medicine (“To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System”), which estimated that 44,000 to 98,000 Americans were dying each year due to errors in health care.

The Institute urged health care systems to reorient their efforts to reduce these errors and improve patient safety.

From this recommendation, an AACN task force developed the model of a "New Nurse" graduate – one that would be educated beyond a four-year program, with a new professional credential and new scope of practice.

This model soon became the blueprint for the CNL – serving in the role of an advanced generalist nurse, applying their clinical knowledge at any point of care where needed, but without having to specialize in one or more specific areas of medicine, like an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse.

This kind of care would allow other nurses to spend more time in specialty areas, such as surgery, ambulatory, neonatal, oncology and research, and ostomy, which involves the treatment of patients with acute and chronic wounds.

“We were at a crossroads in health care,” said Dr. Joan Stanley, Chief Academic Officer with the AACN, and a chief proponent of the

national CNL initiative. “Nursing shortages were increasing, and patient care was not as stellar as we thought it could be. We wanted the ‘New Nurse’ model to help us answer these concerns.”

It was the first new role to the nursing profession in 35 years – and when the AACN convened a meeting in June 2004 to discuss next steps in the initiative, 77 schools of nursing and their partner health agencies committed to working together to implement this new model of care delivery.

Texas Health Resources, Maine Medical Center, Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs were among the first pilot programs.

From their efforts, the first set of CNL curricular standards was established in 2006, with the first CNL degrees conferred in 2007.

Both Lander and USC Upstate began their own CNL programs in 2014 – the first two in South Carolina.

And, by 2016, the CNL initiative had mushroomed to more than 190 health care agencies and 90 universities across the U.S. “We’ve been tracking CNL graduates since 2005,” said Robert Rosseter, chief communications officer with the AACN, “and through 2018, more than 11,000 nursing students have graduated from master'slevel CNL programs.”

Stanley added that this figure is expected to go much higher in the next decade because “the entire health care system has said they need nurses with a CNL skillset to address the gaps in patient care and patient safety.” (continued on page 14)

Meet the CNLs In May 2019, Lander will graduate 13 Clinical Nurse Leaders, who are part of the first CNL partnership program between Lander and Self Regional Healthcare (SRH) in Greenwood. Here is a snapshot of 10 CNLs employed at SRH, and their entry into the program.

Tonya Williams Although she is nearing 18 years as a nurse, Tonya Williams remembers feeling a pinch of nerves when she changed to a CNL. “For a long time, I had been assigned to a single floor, looking after certain patients and performing certain duties,” said Williams, a 2002 Lander graduate working in SRH Five Tower Medical. “But when I was reclassified as a CNL-Intern, I didn’t know how my other team members would accept me or my new position.”

Williams also found that no two days were alike anymore. Instead of having a set schedule of duties and patients for the duration of their stay, she now has to be ready for different duties and patients every day.

“The new challenge for me now is following 12-16 patients each day,” she said.

“So keeping up with their care has been an adjustment, especially when other nurses request my help as well.”

But, Williams added that the new role has also meant learning new aspects of health care to improve her ability as a nurse and help plan some next steps.

“After I get through this semester and graduate, I plan to settle into my role as a CNL and use my experience as a CNL to possibly earn my doctorate, go to Nurse Practitioner School, or teach,” she said. “I’m keeping my options open.”

www.lander.edu/magazine

13

Meet the CNLs

The Lander - SRH Partnership Keeping an eye on CNL progress were Lander nursing professors Dr. Holisa Wharton and Dr. Liz McDowell.

When they attended the February 2017 AACN-CNL Summit and Research Symposium in Atlanta, Ga., they learned that many U.S. health care systems with CNL partnerships had shown vast improvements in patient outcomes and safety.

McDowell and Wharton saw the potential to shift the university’s CNL program into a higher gear – and shortly after returning from the symposium, they met with Dr. Linda Russell, senior vice president and Chief Nursing Officer at Self Regional, to see if Lander and SRH could form its own CNL partnership program.

“We saw many future benefits in the idea,” Russell said, “and it was also a way of taking our original partnership from 1957 to a higher level.”

In the next eight months of planning, 17 nurses at SRH were approached to be in the pilot class. As an incentive, SRH agreed to pay a large portion of their education, to allow them to continue working fulltime with minimal financial burden.

And shortly after 10 of the 17 nurses became CNL-interns in August 2018, Wharton, McDowell, and Russell knew they had something special.

“We’ve already seen evidence that this first team of CNLs has improved the quality and safety of our patient care,” Russell said.

“And, we believe they will lead to increased nurse satisfaction and physician satisfaction. So, in terms of us providing Greenwood with better health care, we recognize that it’s a new day.”

So new, in fact, that many of the 10 Lander CNLs often find it hard to explain what their new role is all about.

Jessica Kelly Growing up in Honea Path, S.C., Jessica Kelly was not one of those “young girls who wanted to become a nurse.”

“In fact, I was afraid of the medical field, with all the death, blood, and needles,” Kelly said.

But midway through high school, she needed an extra class requirement at her local career center, and her only choices were engineering or medical.

“I chose medical courses simply because I didn’t want to be surrounded by boys,” Kelly said, laughing. “But, I was actually pretty good in these courses – and the science behind them was fascinating to me.”

From there, Kelly never looked back – graduating from Lander in 2012 with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and going straight into Self Regional.

But after six years as a staff nurse and lead nurse, Kelly decided to become part of the Lander-SRH partnership program – and she has been happy with the move ever since.

“I plan to stay right here at SRH,” she said, “and I hope my CNL status and training will allow me to give better care to my patients.”

14

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Bridging Gaps in Patient Care CNL nurse Jessica Kelly, for example, can tell you about bedside care, hospital safety procedures and rapid responses when patients become unstable.

But ask her to explain her role as a CNL …

“It’s been my biggest challenge,” Kelly said. “But, in a nutshell, I help bridge gaps in patient care.”

Bridging this gap means Kelly now serves SRH in many points of care, such as: • reviewing patient charts daily and assisting nurses in documentation and goals of patient care for that day; • assisting the nursing staff with preventive measures, and in critical patient areas, such as inserting IVs and Foley catheters into the bladder to drain urine; • monitoring the need for central lines and other devices that put patients at high risk for infection; and • coordinating interdisciplinary care rounds with nurses to help determine patient needs.

“I think CNLs are important on any health care level,” Kelly said.

“And soon, I hope I can tell people I’m a CNL without hearing, ‘What does a CNL do?’” (continued on page 16)

Lana Guffey Floor nurse Lana Guffey is one of two CNL students who won’t transition into her new role until August 2019.

But, rather than being on pins and needles waiting for the change, Guffey is taking it all in stride – with a touch of dry humor.

“Floor nursing tends to be more physical,” said Guffey, a 2005 Lander graduate currently working in the SRH orthopedic/vascular unit. “I expect this new role to be more mentally stressful.”

If so, you might never see it on Guffey’s face or hear it in her voice – which, in many ways, mirrors her level personality.

“Nursing is the only career path I wanted,” she said. “I started at a different school as a pre-med major, which gave me a glimpse into all medical professions, and from that I transferred to Lander to pursue nursing.”

As for any concerns about becoming a CNL, Guffey said she doesn’t have any.

“The way I look at it is that I will be able to use my experience to mentor new nurses as they enter the profession – and I will be able to help patients get everything they need to be successful in achieving their health care goals.”

Stephanie Ahn When Stephanie Ahn began her journey to a CNL, she wondered if it would erode a quality she valued most: making people feel special.

In 13 years of nursing, Ahn had never heard of a CNL, and, at first glance, the new role seemed more to do with technology than people.

“The CNL course is focused with online learning,” said Ahn, a 2006 Lander nursing graduate, “and I was worried about losing the personal touch with my professors.”

But her worry soon vanished, thanks to her Lander instructors “who made all the difference.”

“They have been present and supportive every step along the way,” she said, “and, I enjoy being available as a resource to my fellow nurses.”

The road to this resource began in 2003, when Ahn worked as an office manager in a mental health clinic. She loved talking with patients and counselors, but “hated being confined to a desk.”

Once she moved to SRH in 2006 and the Intensive Care Unit, she had no more worries about a desk – and her transition to CNL has only increased her personal touch with patients, and herself.

“Once I graduate and pass my CNL certification, I plan to continue my work in the ICU,” she said, “and I would love to be part of a medical mission trip one day.”

www.lander.edu/magazine

15

Meet the CNLs Amy Leigh Logan Amy Leigh Logan logged 17 years in labor and delivery before becoming a CNL. But, despite her experience, Logan faced the same unfamiliar ground as her other CNL colleagues.

“We didn’t know what was expected of our new position,” she said.

“But, my motivation in becoming a CNL was to ensure that evidencebased practice was introduced such that staff members would understand the need for changes in practice.”

Part of this motivation meant getting used to the switch from being a unit leader with a single patient load, to “seeing a lot of patients in my 8-hour shift.”

“We have two different specialties – OB-GYNs and Pediatrics – that serve our unit,” Logan said. “My biggest challenge has been coordinating patient care with the different physicians that serve this unit.”

But, she added, her new role has already allowed her to introduce ways to simplify the use of amnio-infusions, internal uterine monitoring, and internal uterine pressure catheter placement for better patient outcomes.

“Once the staff realized this position could help improve patient care, they began coming to me with questions, such as, ‘Amy, do you think we could do this a different way?’”

The Lander CNL Program

Denting the Shortage

All students coming through Lander’s CNL master's program must meet the same requirements.

Each student must have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from an accredited school. Additionally, each student must pass an array of CNL academic courses, which are given entirely online; and all must complete 400 practicum hours, regardless of age or experience as a nurse.

Courses beyond their BSN degree include advanced pharmacology, advanced clinical assessment, healthcare structure and finance, and evidence-based practice.

“Our CNL program is designed to be completed in five semesters,” Holisa Wharton said, “and 10 of the 13 nurses in our pilot partnership have done their practicum, or their practical training, at Self Regional.”

Amy Leigh Logan, for instance, is already wondering in this early stage how far the Lander-SRH initiative can go.

“I knew becoming a CNL would help ensure more efficient care for patients with evidence-based practice,” said Logan, now in her 18th year at SRH in Labor and Delivery. “I think in the long run, CNLs will improve patient care and confidence at all levels of health care.”

Such confidence could soon face a critical test, as the AACN expects many U.S. health care systems to experience a sizable nursing shortage.

For example, in 2007, the American Hospital Association estimated that U.S. hospitals were understaffed by approximately 16,000 nurses.

The Health Resources and Services Administration in Rockville, Md., projected this shortage to surpass the one-million mark by 2020.

But, Lander clinical instructor William Maxwell Clegg said that CNL partnerships are an obvious way to dent this shortage, because of their “multiple advantages.”

“CNLs are true bedside nurses – they have the time to visit each patient under their care,” Clegg, who also graduates from the CNL program in May, said. “They can save hospitals millions of dollars by keeping patients safe, and helping them feel more involved in their health care decisions, which increases patient satisfaction.”

And Suzanne Vaughn, director of nursing quality at SRH, added that the CNL partnership demonstrates this dedication.

“Collaboration between us and Lander is a top priority for furthering our CNL program,” Vaughn said. “In the past two years, we have witnessed a culture change for the better, related to perceptions of how the CNL program benefits our patients and our entire health care team.” (continued on page 19)

16

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Joshua Eidson

Lisa Smith

Having graduated Lander in 2007 with his BSN, Joshua Eidson said obtaining his master's was something he felt was inevitable – even before he knew what a CNL was.

Lisa Smith has seen and done a lot in her 25 years as a nurse – so when she agreed to become a CNL, she didn’t expect it to add much to what she already knew.

“Once out of nursing school and in the workforce, I realized that direct patient care was something I really enjoyed,” said Eidson, who works in the Operating Room at SRH.

But before the newness of the role and the program had worn off, Smith realized that she had entered not only a new world of nursing, but potentially a new future.

“Being a CNL, I get to spend the most time possible in that kind of care.”

“I am the SRH nurse manager for Women's and Children's Services (labor and delivery, NICU, and pediatrics),” she said, “and being a CNL has helped me understand leadership from so many different angles, and how health care has evolved into the complex entity it is today.”

When asked about transitioning into his new role, Eidson pointed to his background as a big influence.

“Before becoming a CNL, I was a front-line team member,” he said. “I had to learn to change into a mindset of, ‘How can I help others who are directly involved with patient care, without being a hindrance to their workflow?’”

But, at the core of why he made the change, Eidson said it had to do with patient outcomes.

“We get to look at processes and evaluate their effectiveness so that our patients get the safest and highest quality care,” he said.

Like her colleagues, Smith has found it personally challenging to “work and study fulltime.”

Now that she’s proven she’s good at both – and has learned a new discipline to boot – Smith feels she may just now be hitting her stride.

“I’m a life-long learner,” she said, “and I intend to use my CNLtraining to become a more effective nurse, and nurse leader.”

www.lander.edu/magazine

17

Meet the CNLs Angela Smith Angela Smith is the second CNL student who won't transition to her new role until August 2019, but she is already counting the days.

“I am so enthusiastic about this position,” said Smith, a surgical floor nurse at SRH. She explained that her enthusiasm is an extension of a day, not so long ago, when her future seemed frighteningly uncertain.

“I was a single parent raising three kids practically by myself, when I decided to go back to school,” Smith said. “I wanted a stable career, but I didn’t know if I would be able to handle being a nurse.”

Almost from her first class, however, nursing school was like hitting a jackpot with a long-range payoff.

“Nursing just seemed something I was born to do – and I didn’t even know it until I began nursing school,” Smith said.

Now with graduation looming and a new job waiting, Smith said her uncertain future is just a memory.

“It’s been tough juggling a fulltime job, being a new wife and a mom, and going to school fulltime,” she said, “but I see a lot of positive changes ahead due to the incorporation of the CNL – and I am proud to be a nurse!”

Portia Bluford-Briggs Never mind that Portia Bluford-Briggs started as a graduate RN at Palmetto Health Richland in Columbia in 1993.

Or that she underwent two transfers – one to Lexington County Community Mental Health Center in 2005, and then to Self Regional in 2011.

Despite 26 years in nursing, Bluford-Briggs said it was changing to the role of a CNL that was the toughest decision she ever made.

“And the funny thing was that I knew it was a great opportunity to advance my career,” said Bluford-Briggs, who served as a staff nurse before entering the CNL program.

But, she knew if she committed, there would be no turning back – regardless of the toll that work and school “would take on my family.”

While she has persisted and made it through the program, Bluford-Briggs said she will be glad when she graduates.

“There were times during the past year when I almost gave up on the CNL program because it was very stressful … but quitting would have been out of character for me,” she said. “I didn’t want my supporters to see me as a failure, and with each assignment and class, I became more and more excited at the thought of becoming a CNL. And now, I can’t wait to graduate and begin my new role.”

18

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

CNL Confidence – Near and Far Whether large or small, CNL partnerships around the country have led to a number of improved health care outcomes, including these three:

Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS) An early pilot for the CNL initiative, TVHS operates across Tennessee and parts of northern Kentucky. In 2007, TVHS officials reported these CNL-related outcomes: • a 40 percent decrease in patient returns to critical care.

• an 18 percent decrease in critical care days.

• a decrease in central catheter line infections, from 179 per year to 0 per year. This achievement netted the system a savings of $500,000.

University of Virginia In 2011, a CNL student at UVA was noted by Dr. Kathryn Reid for “Bundling Up Clostridium Difficile,” a bacterium that infects humans and other animals, causing diarrhea and inflammation of the colon. The CNL’s efforts in a local intensive care unit reduced the bacterium rate from an average of 10 cases per month to 0 cases for a three-month period.

Rush Oak Park Hospital – Chicago, Ill. Rush Oak began its CNL program in 2012 under the direction of Denise Wienand. In 2015, Wienand authored "Implementing the Clinical Nurse Leader Role,” in which she noted a decrease in the average length of stay from 5.73 days to 4.85 days.

“Since then we’ve improved to a rate of 3.58 days, our 30-day all-cause readmission rate has decreased from 12 percent to 7.8 percent, and staff satisfaction has also increased,” said Wienand, “all because of our addition of CNLs.” It is these kinds of outcomes that Self Regional hopes to see from their CNLs. “Hospitals are now seeking out CNL students,” said Dr. John Paguntalan, a ’97 Lander alumnus and nurse practitioner at SRH. “The growth of our CNL program lies in the success of CNLs improving measurable health outcomes that are effective, efficient and sustainable.”

It’s a challenge that Jessica Kelly, Amy Leigh Logan and CNL-to-be Angela Smith are ready to embrace – in the same spirit Sylvia Brooks did in 1959, when she and other members of that year’s class set Lander’s nursing wheels in motion.

“I’m so glad I was part of this first CNL partnership program,” said Smith, a surgical floor nurse at Self Regional. “I think my training will allow me to be a better educator, leader and patient advocate – and I am proud to be a CNL!”

Stephanie Lewis Before she became a CNL, Stephanie Lewis did a lot of bedside nursing – and she wasn’t sure at first how she would adjust to the change. But almost from day one, Lewis felt like the CNL role had been created just for her.

“I love this position,” said Lewis, who earned her BSN from Chamberlain College of Nursing in Downers Grove, Ill., just west of Chicago. “I think I have the best job in the hospital.”

But becoming a nurse, let alone a CNL, was not a lifelong dream. It came from wanting something better for herself and her family.

“I had a young child who needed someone who could provide a good life for him,” she said. “I was a waitress at the time, and all the while I kept smiling, thinking of the day when I could say, ‘I’m a nurse.’”

Those smiles come often these days for Lewis, who is using her CNL status to mentor new nurses and gain a better understanding of disease processes.

“I enjoy the job so much,” she said. “I hope it does not change.”

www.lander.edu/magazine

19

Purity and Knowledge Lander Confers Degrees Upon 219 Graduates at 158th Commencement

By Megan Price; Photos by Laura M. Brown, Deb Nygro and Dawn Lewis

When crafting words of wisdom to impart to Lander University’s fall 2018 graduating class, commencement speaker Dr. Sean Barnette didn’t have to search far and wide for the perfect inspiration.

He found it engraved in Lander’s institutional seal. “’Puritas et Scientia’. They’re decorative words. They’re fancy, they’re Latin,” said Barnette, Lander’s 2018 Distinguished Professor and associate professor of English. “They mean ‘purity’ and ‘knowledge.’ A Latin motto is kind of like a university’s one wish. When Lander decorates itself with these words, it’s saying, ‘This is our one wish for you.’”

Barnette, who joined the Lander faculty in 2005, earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of South Carolina, before pursuing a doctorate in rhetoric, writing and linguistics from the University of Tennessee.

As he addressed the 219 summer and fall graduates before him, Barnette said that, at first glance, the word “purity” may seem an odd or outdated choice for a univerFall commencement speaker Dr. sity motto. But, drawing on the Sean Barnette, Lander University’s 2018 Distinguished Professor. teachings of 19th century Danish

20

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, Barnette suggested that purity might actually be a perfect fit.

“Purity is, in part, to wield one thing,” he continued. “[That means] you know your one wish and you’re committing yourself to it, despite whatever difficulties and disappointments may come along. That kind of purity is active, not passive; fierce, not fearful.”

The second part of Lander’s motto – “scientia,” or knowledge – is more obvious. “You’re here today because, even if you haven’t devoted the last few years to purity, you have devoted them to knowledge. You have an understanding of how the world works, how nature works, how ideas work, how humanity works, or how it doesn’t.”

“Purity and knowledge. These are words you will take with you today. My wish for you is that they be more than merely decorative.

That by continuing to pursue knowledge and purity of heart, you will honor your university – and more importantly, yourself.”

During the ceremony, five students were recognized as finalists for the Thayer Award, Lander’s highest honor for academic achievement.

Michaela Smith, an elementary education major from Greenwood, S.C., was announced as the recipient of the prestigious award, which is presented to the graduating senior with the highest grade point average who has earned at least 60 credit hours in residence at Lander.

Lander President Richard Cosentino also recognized Daisy Dantes, of Laurens, and Dale Fleming, of Greenwood, who both graduated as commissioned officers for the U.S. Army.

In keeping with tradition, several graduating seniors took part in the ceremony’s proceedings: Jatrese A. Brownlee, a nursing major from Hodges, S.C., provided the invocation and benediction; Charles Giles, a mass communications and media studies major from Fountain Inn, S.C., performed the Star-Spangled Banner; and William Johnson, a music major from Greenwood, S.C., performed Lander’s alma mater.

Thayer Award

4.0 Medalists

During the ceremony, Lander’s highest academic honor, the Thayer Award, was presented to elementary education major Michaela Smith, pictured, of Greenwood, S.C.

Graduates who achieved a 4.0 Lander GPA were awarded with a special ceremonial medal, struck with the university seal. Pictured, from left, are: Matthew Timothy Woodyard, history; Alexis Brianna Holloman, business administration; Cora Malyn Foshee, business administration; Rebecca Ashlyn Strickland, business administration; and Michaela Rae Smith, elementary education.

Student Veterans Right: At each ceremony, Lander recognizes the graduating seniors who are serving or have served in the U.S. Armed Forces by presenting them with a special stole.

Among those honored was Dale Fleming, of Greenwood, who has served with the S.C. National Guard since 2013. Fleming, center, is pictured with Chris Giles, director of Lander Military and Veterans Services, left, and President Richard Cosentino.

Bearcat Athletes Below: As part of their academic regalia, Lander’s graduating student-athletes wear a medal featuring the Bearcat swoosh. Bearcat team members in the fall Class of 2018 included, from left, McKenzi Irene Ferguson, psychology, softball; Ty'Hesha Reynolds, exercise science, women’s basketball; Breshay Shi'On Johnson, early childhood education, women’s basketball; Corentin Da-Mutten, business administration, men’s soccer; James Samuel Bartlett, exercise science, men’s golf; Samuel Louis Linn, business administration, baseball; Matthew J. Albertson, exercise science, men’s soccer; Jacob Childress, political science, baseball; Hannah R. Cowan, political science, women’s soccer; Victoria Mary Lange, business administration, women’s soccer; and Casey L. Wooten, nursing, softball. Also pictured is Lander Director of Athletics Brian Reese and President Richard Cosentino.

www.lander.edu/magazine

21

FALL 2018 CO M M EN C E M EN T

22

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

www.lander.edu/magazine

23

Pictured, Lander University welcomed academics, authors and researchers to campus in March for a two-day symposium on World War I and its impact on the South. The event, made possible by a grant from S.C. Humanities, was partly inspired by recent scholarly work from Lander’s own faculty historians.

24

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

LANDER HISTORY FACULTY

‘Doing Great Things’

LANDER HISTORY FACULTY ACHIEVING AT A HIGH LEVEL

By Jeff Lagrone, Photos by Laura M. Brown

Lander’s recent symposium on the South and World War I was a resounding success, drawing large audiences and attracting scholars from across the country, but it might never have happened without the publication of The American South and the Great War, 1914-1924, by Lander’s Dr. Ryan Floyd, associate professor of history.

It was Floyd’s book, published in November by LSU Press during the 100-year anniversary of the end of the war, that inspired Dr. Lucas McMillan, dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, to apply for a grant to South Carolina Humanities, which made the symposium possible.

Floyd participated in several of the symposium’s eight panel discussions, as did his co-editor, Dr. Matthew Downs, associate professor of history at the University of Mobile, Alabama. Five of the authors who contributed essays to the book also took part in the two-day symposium, held in March 2019.

Floyd got the idea for his book while researching Abandoning American Neutrality: Woodrow Wilson and the Beginning of the Great War, August 1914-December 1915, published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2013.

“I was surprised to discover that there were no books on the American South in World War I. There were articles here and there, or a chapter here and there,” but no books, he said.

Being a historian, he said, “is like being a detective or an investigative journalist. You discover things, and that’s what makes it exciting.”

Floyd has been in demand on the lecture circuit, too. In November, he spoke on “The First World War and the American South” at the South Carolina Archives and History Foundation’s World War I symposium in Columbia. He was also interviewed on South Carolina Public Radio. (continued on page 26) Pictured, Lander’s Dr. Ryan Floyd and his latest publication.

www.lander.edu/magazine

25

LANDER HISTORY FACULTY

Floyd isn’t the only Lander historian with a new book. Defending the American Way of Life: Sport, Culture, and the Cold War, co-edited by Dr. Kevin Witherspoon, professor of history, was published in November by the University of Arkansas Press.

Witherspoon collaborated on the book with Dr. Toby Rider, assistant professor of kinesiology at Cal State-Fullerton.

“Ryan and I actually had a little bet about whose book would arrive in our hands first,” Witherspoon said, referring to his competition with Floyd. “He beat me by like a week.”

Witherspoon, who has served as department chair for four years, said “it’s really cool that our department had two books to come out within a week or two of each other. We went through a very similar process,” he said.

Like Floyd, Witherspoon had a busy fall. In October, he traveled to Colorado Springs, Colo., to attend the 50th reunion of the 1968 U.S. Olympic team, whose exploits he documented in his book, Before the Eyes of the World: Mexico and the 1968 Olympic Games, published in 2008 by Northern Illinois

26

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

University Press. A highlight of the trip was meeting Olympic athlete Tommie Smith, whom he credited with inspiring his book.

Witherspoon’s experiences at the reunion were part of what he talked about a week later at the University of Dayton, Ohio, where he was invited as the featured speaker for the 31st Annual Doris Drees Distinguished Speaker Series. In addition to addressing an audience of several hundred people, he also lectured in seven different classes. “It was a whirlwind,” he said.

Witherspoon’s teaching schedule for the fall included “1968 – United States and the World,” a global issues course that he developed. “I was so excited to offer that course during the fiftieth anniversary year,” he said.

The speaking engagements continue for Witherspoon, as he is scheduled to give a presentation at the upcoming conference of the North American Society of Sports History in Boise, Idaho, on the historical significance of the reunion he attended.

Department chair Dr. Kevin Witherspoon (pictured above, left) recently co-edited a book on sports culture and the Cold War.

LANDER HISTORY FACULTY

“We have some of the best teachers and scholars in the country, and there is no weak link.”

For miles logged on the lecture trail, no one beats Dr. Franklin Rausch, an associate professor of history and Lander’s Asian studies expert.

Since last May, he’s spoken at conferences, workshops and forums in New York City; Seoul, South Korea; Ontario, Canada; and Los Angeles, Calif.

“You know you’re busy when you have to post a day-by-day calendar on your door to alert students whether you’re going to be in Korea or Canada or California, or in your office. You can’t keep up with everything he’s doing,” Witherspoon said.

Rausch has also been busy publishing. He co-authored the book Catholics and AntiCatholicism in Choson Korea, published by the University of Hawai’i Press in 2017, along with Dr. Don Baker, professor of Korean history and religion at the University of British Columbia. Last year, Rausch collaborated with Dr. Gilliean Lee, Lander professor of computing, on a translation of the Korean folk story, “A Tale of Two Sisters,” published in the scholarly journal Acta Koreana.

“He’s got dozens of 20-30 page academic articles published,” Witherspoon says of Rausch. “It just blows you away.”

According to Witherspoon, Rausch “undersells himself.” He describes him as “incredibly humble.”

“Everybody wants him on this or that committee, or to do this or that project, because he just brings joy to the room, and he seems to delight in whatever administrative task you give him. He can somehow find the happy elements of being a part of these committees that have to do all kinds of detail-oriented work. He’s an amazing guy.”

Dr. Franklin Rausch, pictured, an associate professor of history at Lander, is a sought-after lecturer and recently co-authored a book on Catholicism in Korea. – photo by Randy Pace

(continued on page 28)

www.lander.edu/magazine

27

LANDER HISTORY FACULTY

“I’ll stack our faculty up against any department, anywhere.”

Dr. William Ramsey, pictured, Lander professor of history, was granted a sabbatical for the spring 2019 semester in order to work on his latest book, The Yamasee Nation in Peace and War. – photo by Mike Blackwell

28

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

“Amazing” is an adjective that could also be applied to Dr. William Ramsey, professor of history, whose most recent book, Dilemmas, published in 2015 by Clemson University Press, is a critically-acclaimed book of poetry.

Ramsey was granted sabbatical leave for the spring 2019 semester to work on his newest book, The Yamasee Nation in Peace and War. The book expands upon ideas that he first explored in The Yamasee War: A Study of Culture, Economy, and Conflict in the Colonial South, published in 2008 by the University of Nebraska Press.

“I’m researching the evolution of the Yamasee political leadership within the nation itself, and their early involvement and the consequences of their involvement in market relations with Europeans,” he said.

The Yamasees, a Lowcountry tribe that occupied territory near the present-day town of Yemassee, were among the South Carolina colonists’ most important allies during the first two decades of the 1700s, supplying the South Carolina plantation system with labor in the form of Indian slaves captured in Florida.

The partnership didn’t last. The competition between England, France and Spain for trade and influence in the region destabilized the relationship between South Carolina and its native American allies, leading, in 1715, to war. “The Yamasees and virtually every other Indian nation in the South rose up to attack South Carolina and nearly destroyed the colony,” he said.

Ramsey said that his new book will discuss how the Yamasees’ activities as slave raiders transformed their society, and how the Yamasee War reshaped the region.

“The sabbatical has allowed me to visit some archives, most importantly the British Archives in the British Colonial Records Office in London, and make more progress than I’ve been able to make over the last few years,” he said.

LANDER HISTORY FACULTY

Lander’s history faculty demonstrate “a real energy about research,” according to Floyd, but also “a real energy about the students, and trying to help them.”

The department’s medievalist, Dr. Robert Figueira, is a good example. Witherspoon describes him as “an incredible teacher in the classroom. His attentiveness to the students, I think, is where he really separates himself. He’s our faculty leader for the Phi Alpha Theta Honor Society. He does so many things when it comes to student activities.”

In addition to authoring numerous book chapters, articles and supplements, Figueira edited Plenitude of Power: The Doctrines and Exercise of Authority in the Middle Ages. Essays in Memory of Robert Louis Benson (Aldershot, U.K.: Ashgate, 2006).

Figueira is Lander’s longest-serving professor of history, and his “institutional memory” comes in handy.

“To have a Robert in your department is vital, because he knows where we’ve been, and what we’ve tried and what we haven’t, and how things have worked or not,” Witherspoon said.

In Floyd’s view, things have worked well. He believes that most former students would say “they had a good experience here.”

Rausch was asked what, in his opinion, the department does well.

“I think we manage to offer our students a lot of choices in terms of both chronology (teaching ancient to contemporary

history) and area (covering much of the world), while still being able to present courses that go into a lot of detail. In addition, we are able to work with our students on an individual level,” he said.

McMillan credited such individual attention with helping students land internships near campus, such as at the Ninety Six National Historic Site, and farther away, including the Smithsonian Museum, the Kennedy Center and the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Ramsey believes that Lander’s history program compares favorably with others. “We have some of the best teachers and scholars in the country, and there is no weak link,” he said.

“That’s one of the things that I always say when we have open houses or recruitment events,” said Witherspoon. “I’ll bring in a stack of the books and articles we’ve published, and put our work up on the screen, and tell the parents and the kids, ‘I’ll stack our faculty up against any department, anywhere.’”

He believes that Lander’s history faculty are “doing great things. I’m immensely proud of this group, and to be representing them is a privilege for me.”

Top: Dr. Robert Figueira, pictured at the 2019 Academic Symposium with Lander student Molly Brunson, is Lander’s longest-serving professor of history.

www.lander.edu/magazine

29

Homecoming 2019 Around the Bearcat Globe Photos by Deb Nygro, Dawn Lewis and Megan Price

Homecoming 2019 kicked off with a roaring bonfire, pep rally and showing of the Super Bowl game.

Despite a few days of cold drizzle, Bearcats didn't let the foul weather dampen their fun, and a special courtside wedding paired up the team mascot with a bride.

Teams pushed customized go-carts down the hilltop of Willson Street to gather speed for the Soapbox Car Race, and fans rallied together on Spirit Night.

Students strutted their talents in the Bearcat Showcase and showed off muscle power during Field Day challenges. Phi Mu captured the 2019 Bearcat Cup, after the group accumulated the most points during the Homecoming Week activities.

Homecoming King and Queen A charming pair of seniors was announced as King and Queen during halftime ceremonies at the basketball games on Homecoming Day. Courtney Cannon, a political science major from Mauldin, was crowned Homecoming Queen; and Santos Pagรกn, a mass communications major from North Augusta, was named Homecoming King.

30

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

www.lander.edu/magazine

31

Homecoming 2019

Alumni Reunion Photos by Megan Price, Eric Lawson and Jeff Lagrone

Along with hosting traditional Homecoming festivities, Lander University also welcomed back its alumni for a weekend of fun, with a special celebration for the Classes of 1959, 1969, 1979, 1989, 1999 and 2009.

Alumni Homecoming and Reunion Weekend kicked off on Friday, Feb. 8, with the annual alumni golf outing, followed by a social hour at the Alumni Center and an outdoor concert in the University plaza. The Class of 1969 enjoyed their 50th Reunion Dinner that evening at Cambridge Hall, where they shared memories and reminisced on their time at Lander with fellow classmates and family. The following day, alumni were treated to a reception in the university’s newly renovated Bearcat Lounge, before heading over for tailgating and the Homecoming Day basketball games against Flagler College.

“It is always wonderful to see our alumni back on campus, but it was especially exciting to welcome home such a large group of Lander graduates for our homecoming and reunion festivities,” said Denise W. Manley ’89, executive director of Alumni Affairs. “There were so many great stories shared, and lots of hugs and laughs. It was truly a fantastic weekend, and we’re already looking forward to the fun for next year!”

Celebrating 60 Years: Marking her 60th year as a Lander alumna was Wilma Wilson Reeves Phillips, a member of the Class of 1959.

32

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Lander’s Newest Golden Grads: Along with marking their 50th reunion, the Class of 1969 enjoyed a new distinction as Lander Golden Grads, reserved for those with at least 50 years as alumni. Class members in attendance included, front row, from left: Pat Penn, Linda L. Dolny, Beth McElveen Kendjoria, Kay Rish Gregory and Lloyd Collins. Second row, from left: Margaret Shivers Ridlehoover, Louise McPhail McCain, Patricia Wood Hasty, Judy Hanvey Simmons, Deborah Edwards and Derrell Gregory. Back row, from left: Larry Ridlehoover, Steve Bolton, Sandra Lawhorn Boyter, Ron Perry, Brenda Reese Wash, Faye Fultz Sample, Jeanie Criminger Jones and Jan Daubener.

40 Years and Counting: Among the members of the Class of 1979 celebrating their 40th reunion were, front row, from left: Robin Scott, Mashura Dzvairo Mufuka, Sue Baldwin Cannon and Amelia Brown. Back row, from left: Tad Riddle, Martha White Coats, Anne Ackerman Sadler, Earlene Burgess Ramsey, Jennifer Wetherell Bundrick and Randy Holloway.

Milestone 30th: Joining together for their 30th reunion, the Class of 1989 attendees included, from left: Charlene Geiger Sprowl, Sheree Hill, Denise Wilson Manley, Malissa Giles and Monty Johnston.

Many Lander alumni took part in the annual golf outing at Greenwood Country Club to kick off the 2019 Homecoming and Alumni Reunion Weekend festivities.

Taking home the trophy for the putting contest was Mark Sanders, Class of 1984; and the bragging rights for the best score on the greens went to the team of Robin Scott ’79, Chuck Parris ’80, Tim Walker ’81 and Steve Hanke ’81.

The Class of 1999: Among those celebrating their 20th reunion were Class of 1999 grads, from left: Lori O’Sheilds Shaw, Cindia Deith and Jennifer Parle Campbell.

Together Again for 10: The Class of 2009 marked their 10th reunion, with attendees including, from left: Rob Gilchrist, David Connor, Townsend Kirkland and CK Kirkland.

Alumni mingle with classmates, family, and Lander faculty and staff at the annual alumni social, held at the Alumni Center, and the 50th Reunion Dinner, at Cambridge Hall.

www.lander.edu/magazine

33

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Transitions in Leadership Lander Welcomes Jones, Bowie to Administrative Cabinet

By Megan Price, Photos by Laura M. Brown

As the Spring 2019 semester got underway in January, Lander University welcomed two new appointees to President Richard Cosentino’s administrative team: Dr. Scott Jones, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; and Dr. Stacie Bowie, Vice President for Finance and Administration.

An Accomplished Academician With more than 28 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Scott L. Jones was chosen as Lander’s next chief academic officer, following an extensive national search launched upon the retirement of former provost Dr. Suzanne Ozment.

Before arriving at Lander, Jones spent 16 years at Indiana University Kokomo, serving first as a member of the faculty before moving into administration as associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. Additionally, he served as a tenured professor of English and was the founding dean of IU Kokomo’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

“In addition to being a well-respected academician, Dr. Scott Jones has been a key driver in the development of new academic programs and strategies, including online and graduate programs, which are two areas of priority at Lander,” said President Cosentino. “His accomplishments in higher education are impressive, and I am excited to see how Dr. Jones will apply his expertise and experience to successfully lead our academic team at Lander University.”

At IU Kokomo, Jones initiated a complete revision of the school’s general education program and led efforts to launch new, relevant degree programs, update existing programs and remove unnecessary barriers to student success. He also worked with the offices of Student Success and Advising, Admissions and the Registrar to develop, implement, improve and monitor academic policies and procedures.

Prior to IU Kokomo, he taught at Cornell University and at Purdue University, where he received both his master’s degree and Ph.D. in

34

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

English. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and English from Illinois State University, and he is a graduate of Harvard’s Institute for Management and Leadership in Education and Indiana University’s Executive Leadership Institute.

“I am deeply impressed by the students, faculty and staff at Lander University,” Jones said. “The faculty are truly dedicated to offering transformative, high-quality degrees to students, and to preparing them for fulfilling careers or graduate education. Faculty take the time to make meaningful connections with students and build lasting relationships.”

Jones said he is looking forward to helping Lander University craft its next chapter of success.

“I have been excited to work with faculty in developing degrees to serve new populations of students, including initiatives in online education and at the University Center of Greenville,” he said. “Additionally, I am collaborating with faculty to begin the process of creating policies and systems to improve faculty jobs and increase efficiency at Lander University.”

A frequent publisher and presenter, Jones is an article reviewer for The Electronic Library, International Journal of Electronic Business, Technical Communication, and Journal of Business Communication. He is a member of numerous professional organizations and think tanks, including the Higher Learning Commission’s Accreditation Peer Review Team and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Re-Imagining the First Year of College Initiative Team.

A Mind for Business Dr. Stacie A. Bowie, a 26-year veteran of financial and operational leadership in both higher education and private industry, joined Lander University on January 22 as vice president for Finance and Administration.

Bowie, whose notable career includes an eight-year stint as Coastal Carolina University’s CFO, takes the reins from former vice president Greg Lovins, who retired from Lander in October.

“Having been in South Carolina higher education for years, I was very aware of Lander's outstanding reputation throughout the state and with the members of the legislature,” Bowie said. “I am excited to be part of a dynamic community of faculty and staff who work hard to meet our students’ needs and continually improve the university through a fast-paced, creative and strategic approach.”

Bowie most recently served as a senior vice president of public finance with Stephens Inc., an independent financial services firm with more than 1,200 employees and offices across the U.S. and in Europe.

In her role, Bowie acted as a higher education specialist and managed debt financing for higher education institutions, as well as school districts, municipalities and utilities.

Prior to Stephens, Bowie spent more than 10 years at Coastal Carolina University, serving first as associate vice president for Finance and Administration before advancing to the role of vice president and chief financial officer. As CFO, she managed all financial and administrative functions at the institution and led a team of more than 370 employees.

While at Coastal, Bowie delivered $86 million in savings through balance sheet restructuring, and secured $263 million in financing for new construction and debt restructuring. As a member of the Executive Council, she also assisted with the creation and implementation of the

institution’s first IT strategic plan and two facility master plans.

“Dr. Stacie Bowie is a proven leader in higher education finance,” said President Cosentino. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this important role, from budgeting and planning, to developing and implementing strategic initiatives.”

“Additionally, her familiarity with South Carolina’s higher education system – and its unique strengths, opportunities and challenges – will be instrumental in helping our university continue on its trajectory of record growth,” he added.

As Lander’s vice president for Finance and Administration, Bowie oversees approximately a dozen fiscal and administrative support service units, including the Bearcat Shop and Bookstore, Budget, Finance, Business Office, Student Accounts, Dining Services, Facilities Management, Information Technology Services, Printing Services, Procurement, Special Events and University Police.

Along with becoming more familiar with the Lander campus and surrounding community, Bowie said she has enjoyed “getting to know our exceptional employees and students” during her first few months at the university. “I am also excited by the opportunity to work with President Cosentino and his entire leadership team to contribute my part to the advancement of the University’s mission and vision,” she said.

Bowie, who has also served as a financial controller and consultant with a number of Fortune 1000 technology and construction management corporations, holds a Doctorate of Business Administration from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College, as well as an M.B.A. from Coastal Carolina. She earned a bachelor’s in business administration and accounting from the University of Maryland University College. www.lander.edu/magazine

35

Life@Lander Photos by Deb Nygro, Laura M. Brown and Breana Davis

Students gathered with loved ones for Family Day, carved pumpkins, and glowed as they sprinted across campus for the Moonshine Run during the fall of 2018.

A new Miss Lander dazzled the audience with a high-energy dance routine, a Ferris wheel gave exhilarating views during the Holiday Tree Lighting, and the Humane Society of Greenwood helped spread a little puppy love with Paws on the Plaza.

Re-energized after winter break, students returned to campus for the spring of 2019 with backpacks full of textbooks and a fresh list of courses. After a long day of study, undergrads found ways to unwind, such as exercising at the Fitness Center, cheering for the Bearcats on game days, creating crafty projects, and catching some amazing stage performances and concerts.

Enjoy these photos of some of our favorite moments of Life at Lander.

36

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

www.lander.edu/magazine

37

Bearcat Roundup

Lucky Number Three Bearcats’ Remarkable Season Earns Region Title For Lander men’s soccer, the third time was the charm.

After falling to conference rival Young Harris in the regular season and dropping a heartbreaker to the Mountain Lions in penalty kicks in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship, the Bearcats toppled the nation’s No. 1-ranked team in the NCAA Southeast Region championship, giving Lander its first region title since 2005.

Lander’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals in 13 years capped a remarkable run of play for the Bearcats, who finished the season with a 16-2-3 overall record. Lander boasted one of the nation’s top defenses throughout the season, shutting out 16 of its 21 opponents. No team scored on the Bearcats from October 10 until November 18, a program-record stretch of 942:26 without conceding a goal.

After opening the season with three consecutive wins by one goal, the Bearcats rolled through the month of September unbeaten and built an 8-0-1 record, before suffering a 3-0 setback to Young Harris on Oct. 6. Lander bounced back with a dramatic 2-1 road win at Carson-Newman, before embarking on its historic run of defensive play. The Bearcats blanked their final five opponents of the regular season, finishing second in the conference standings and earning an automatic berth into the PBC Tournament semifinals.

A 2-0 victory over Clayton State sent Lander into its fourth consecutive PBC Tournament championship match – a rematch with the Mountain Lions. The two squads battled to a scoreless draw for 110 minutes before Young Harris prevailed in penalty kicks to deny Lander its second-straight tournament title.

38

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

By Rixon Lane

Lander earned the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Southeast Regional, the program’s fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. In the region semifinal against Anderson at Van Taylor Stadium, Sia Jamedar found the back of the net in double-overtime to put the Bearcats back into the region championship.

Facing Young Harris for the third time in the season, Lander struck first on a Jordan Skelton header in the 31st minute and held off the Mountain Lions’ 12 shot attempts in the second half to clinch the region championship.

Headlining the Bearcat club was Skelton, the senior captain.

The Newcastle, England, native anchored Lander’s defense while leading the team with 17 points and eight goals. Skelton was tabbed as a consensus All-American by the United Soccer Coaches and the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association, while also earning first team Scholar All-American accolades, first team All-Southeast Region honors, and first team All-Peach Belt honors.

He set a PBC record by becoming the first field player in conference history to win five weekly awards.

Sophomore midfielder Thibault Chretien joined Skelton on the All-PBC first team, while also being named an All-Southeast Region.

Senior midfielder Oliver Brock, senior defender Richard Bryan, sophomore defender Kyle Ferguson, and freshman goalkeeper Jacob Withers each earned second team All-PBC honors, while Brock, Ferguson, and Withers were all tabbed as second team All-Region performers.

Above: The Lander men’s soccer team celebrates after toppling No. 1 Young Harris, 1-0, to win the Southeast Region title in November.

Lander Women's Soccer

One for the History Books

By Rixon Lane

The Lander women’s soccer team posted the greatest season in school history in 2018, earning the program’s first bid to the NCAA Tournament, while finishing second in the Peach Belt Conference regular-season standings – the highest finish ever for the Bearcats.

Lander stormed out of the gate with a 5-0-1 mark after six contests, shutting out three of its first six opponents. Sitting at 2-2-1 in Peach Belt Conference play in early October, the Bearcats closed the regular season with a flourish. After beating UNC Pembroke for the first time since 2013, Lander routed USC Aiken, before rallying to beat Flagler in double-overtime. A 3-0 win over Francis Marion guaranteed the Bearcats home-field advantage in the PBC Tournament, and a victory over Georgia Southwestern in the regular-season finale secured the No. 2 seed in the tournament, Lander’s highest seed ever.

After falling to Georgia College in the penalty kicks in the PBC Tournament quarterfinals, the Bearcats were awarded their firstever NCAA Tournament bid, landing the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Southeast Regional. Lander’s historic season would come to an end in Jefferson City, Tenn., as the Bearcats rallied from a 2-0 deficit before falling in penalty kicks to Lincoln Memorial in the regional quarterfinals.

For the first time since 2014, Lander placed four players on the

Emily Jermstad

Brianna Taylor

All-Peach Belt Conference team. Junior forward Emily Jermstad, senior midfielder Victoria Lange, sophomore midfielder Chloe Le Franc, and sophomore forward Brianna Taylor were all named second team All-PBC players. Additionally, Taylor and Jermstad were both tabbed as All-Southeast Region selections. Taylor earned second team honors, while Jermstad picked up third team honors.

The Bearcats’ 12 wins marked the second most in program history, topped only by the 2007, 2011 and 2013 clubs. And, for the first time in school history, Lander went unbeaten at home, as the Bearcats outscored opponents 17-4 at Van Taylor Stadium en route to a 6-0-2 mark on their home pitch.

Lander is slated to return every player that recorded a goal, an assist or a save during the 2018 season, and 74 of the Bearcats' 94 points during the year were registered by underclassmen. Juliette Vidal led the team with 10 goals, while Jermstad’s 10 assists were tops on the team. Sarah Owen made 69 saves for a 0.97 goalsagainst average.

Above: Lander sophomore Kylee Eppl, pictured front, was named PBC Defender of the Week in October. – photo by CJ Williams

www.lander.edu/magazine

39

Honoring Lander’s Legends

Lander Athletics Inducts Six Into Hall of Fame

By Rixon Lane

The 2019 Lander Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees are: Maurice Alibey, Men’s Soccer, 1987-90 A native of Trinidad, 1991 Lander graduate Maurice Alibey was a three-time NSCAA NAIA All-American for the men’s soccer program. Alibey ranks as the second all-time leading scorer in Lander history with 181 points, and he set the single-season shots records with 111 in 1990, leading that team to the NAIA Final Four.

Alibey finished his Lander career with 72 goals and 37 assists. During his time at the university, he also represented Trinidad & Tobago at the World Cup qualifiers in 1989.

In February, Lander Athletics welcomed six new members to its prestigious Hall of Fame, honoring the inductees with a special dinner and ceremony at the university.

“Each of these individuals has made a significant impact at Lander, whether as a player, as a coach, or as a loyal supporter of our student-athletes and athletic programs,” said Lander Athletics Director Brian Reese. “It is an honor to welcome this outstanding group to the Athletics Hall of Fame, and to recognize their efforts – and lasting legacies – at Lander University.”

Pictured, from left, are Lander University's 2019 Athletics Hall of Fame inductees Paul Henri-Arrigoni; Susan Going; Maurice Alibey; Cheryl Browning, representing Lorraine Redderson, who was inducted posthumously; Kristie Weed; and Van Taylor.

– contributed photo

40

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Paul Henri-Arrigoni, Men’s Tennis, 2010-13 Paul Henri-Arrigoni, who graduated from Lander in 2013, was a three-time First-Team ITA All-American and four-time First-Team All-Peach Belt Conference selection for men's tennis.

During his Bearcat career, the Bordeaux, France, native compiled a 55-15 singles record and was named the 2010 Southeast Rookie of the Year.

Henri-Arrigoni, who helped lead the Bearcats to four NCAA tournament appearances and the 2013 Southeast Region championship, was the 2011 recipient of the M.V. Wells Award as Lander’s Male Athlete of the Year.

Susan Going, Service to Lander University, 1973-Present Susan Going, who has worked at Lander since 1973, has served as a librarian, faculty athletics representative, director of NCAA compliance, and student-athlete advisor while working in Academic Affairs. She also served as the official scorer for the Lander men’s soccer team for more than two decades.

Presently, Going is Lander's assistant to the vice president for Academic Affairs and university policy administrator. Additionally, the Associate Professor Emerita has served as chair and secretary of the Faculty Senate, and as a member of the Tenure and Promotion Committee.

A native of Englewood, N.J., Going received her bachelor’s degree from Knox College and master’s degree from Emory University.

Honoring Lander’s Legends Lorraine Redderson, Coach, Program Founder, 1968-82 Lorraine “Doc” Redderson was the founder and coach of the Lander women’s volleyball (1968-82), women’s basketball (1968-76) and softball (1968-81) programs.

During Redderson’s 29-year career at Lander, she served as a mentor for many students and alumni. As a member of the Lander faculty, she was chair of the PEES Division and was active on many university committees. She sponsored field days, sports days and clinics for local high schools to improve girls' sports programs in the area, through the South Carolina High School League. Additionally, she served as the president of the South Carolina Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

A native of Patterson, N.J., and a graduate of St. Petersburgh Junior College, Redderson earned her bachelor’s degree from Florida State University, an M.Ed. from the University of Northern Colorado, and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Arkansas.

Van Taylor, Men’s Soccer Coach, 1985-2014 Van Taylor, who served as Lander's men's soccer coach for 30 seasons, coached Lander to 391 wins. He led the program to nine NCAA

Tournaments, two Southeast Region championships, seven PBC regularseason titles, four PBC Tournament titles, one NAIA Final Four and four NAIA District 6 titles.

The three-time NCAA Southeast Coach of the Year, Taylor was also honored three times each as the Peach Belt Conference and District 6 Coach of the Year. He produced 18 All-American and 40 All-PBC selections.

An NAIA All-American and graduate of Erskine College, Taylor, a goalkeeper, played 10 years of professional soccer and was a Parade AllAmerican at West Essex High School in North Caldwell, N.J. He received a master’s degree in education from Lander University and completed a certification in administration and supervision at Clemson University.

Kristie Weed, Softball, 1988-91 A native of Batesburg-Leesville, S.C., Kristie Weed, an outfielder, is a two-time NAIA All-American and four-time All-District 6 player.

A two-time District 6 Player of the Year, the 1991 Lander graduate set career softball records for runs scored, doubles, total bases, at-bats, hits, triples, runs batted in and sacrifice flies.

Weed is one of three Lander players to have her number retired (No. 3). She still holds the Lander single-season record for hits (90) and total bases (145).

Lander Volleyball

Netting Another Successful Season

By Rixon Lane

After a year’s absence, the Lander volleyball team returned to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four seasons, capping a 22-8 campaign.

The Bearcats started strong in 2018, winning 13 of its first 15 matches heading into Peach Belt Conference play. In its final match of September, Lander earned a 3-0 win at perennial PBC power Flagler, the program’s first-ever shutout over the Saints and the third win against Flagler in program history.

Sitting at 19-6 in late October, Lander closed the regular season with three consecutive wins, beating Flagler, Georgia College and Augusta at home to clinch the No. 2 seed in the PBC Tournament for just the second time.

After hosting a successful PBC Tournament, Lander received its fourth NCAA Tournament bid. The Bearcats were tabbed as the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Southeast Regional, Lander’s highest NCAA Tournament seeding in program history. The Bearcats ended the year in the regional quarterfinals.

Lander had a program-record four players chosen as All-Peach Belt Conference performers.

Freshman Kaitlyn Krafka was selected as a first-team all-PBC player and the conference’s Freshman of the Year. Sophomore Hannah Hritz, junior Hannah McManus and freshman Madilyn Reed each earned second-team all-conference honors. Reed was also honored as the PBC’s Setter of the Year, becoming the first Bearcat ever to win the award.

Following the season, Krafka was honored as the American Volleyball Coaches Association Southeast Region Freshman of the Year, along with earning D2CCA All-Southeast Region first team accolades. Hritz and Reilly Kuenstler were both named to the PBC All-Academic team.

Lander’s Reilly Kuenstler goes high for the hit against Limestone College. – photo by Hannah Davidson

www.lander.edu/magazine

41

Bearcat Basketball

Richards Tapped to Lead Bearcats on the Court

By Rixon Lane

In March, Lander Athletics announced the selection of Drew Richards, who has been a part of four NCAA Tournament appearances in the last five seasons, as the next head coach of the Lander men's basketball team.

"In an incredibly impressive field of candidates, Drew stood out,” Lander Athletics Director Brian Reese said. “He possesses a great understanding of the game and has Coach Drew Richards had success everywhere he's been."

In five years with UNC Pembroke, the last four as associate head coach, Richards helped guide the Braves to a 113-43 record and four NCAA Tournament appearances, including three straight appearances in the last three years. His teams compiled a 72-29 record in Peach Belt Conference play and swept the PBC regular season and tournament championships in 2016-17 and 2017-18.

His 2018-19 squad achieved a 21-10 record, giving UNCP its third consecutive season with at least 20 wins; advanced to the PBC Tournament semifinals for the third straight year; and earned the program's third consecutive berth in the NCAA Tournament.

During his time with the Braves, Richards was named as one of the top 25 Division II assistant coaches in the country.

Richards came to UNC Pembroke after serving as an assistant coach for one season at Cameron, where he was an integral part of the Aggies' best conference start in school history in 2013-14. He began his collegiate coaching career at Missouri State-West Plains, where he helped lead the Grizzlies to a cumulative 63-30 record in two seasons, as well as the 2012-13 NJCAA Region XVI regular season title. His 2011-12 team finished ninth nationally in field goal percentage defense, while also setting a program record for fewest points allowed in a season.

As a player, Richards spent four seasons at Missouri State, where his Bearcats teams averaged 20 wins per season and made three trips to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT). He led the team in blocks each of his final three campaigns and currently ranks third in program history in career blocks. He also played professionally for one season with Erdgas Ehingen Steeples, where he finished ninth in the league in blocked shots and 12th in rebounds per game during the 2008-09 seasons.

Richards earned his bachelor's degree in public relations from Missouri State in 2008, and a master's degree in sports science from the United States Sports Academy in 2013. He and his wife, Caeli, have two children: Knox and Benton.

42

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Women’s Basketball The Lady Bearcats turned a supposed “rebuilding” season into one of the program’s best campaigns in recent memory.

After losing nearly 70 percent of its players from a season ago, the team posted a 24-9 record in 2018-19, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s “Sweet Sixteen” for the first time since 2012. Lander, who entered the Southeast Regional as the No. 5 seed, earned a measure of revenge against Carson-Newman, the team that ousted the Bearcats from last year’s NCAA Tournament, with an 82-79 victory over the Eagles. The following night, Lander upset top-seeded Anderson 64-61 on the Trojans’ home court to advance to the region championship game. The Bearcats’ season came to an end in a 73-62 loss to second-seeded North Georgia. Lander’s appearance in the NCAA Tournament marked the program’s fifth consecutive postseason appearance.

Junior guard Jessica Harris was named the PBC’s Player of the Year, while senior guard Mylea McKenith garnered all-conference accolades. Harris, who also earned all-Southeast Region honors, led the conference in four different statistical categories, and became the newest member of Lander’s 1,000-point club, while McKenith set the program record for steals in her career.

Top: Lander women’s basketball head coach Kevin Pederson celebrates with (from left) team members Michelle Wright, Symone Starks, Amiaya Melvins and Ariana Sanders in the NCAA Southeast Regional semifinals.

Men's Basketball The men’s basketball team underwent a mid-season coaching change, before going on a late-season run to end the 2018-19 season.

Following the resignation of head coach Steve Roberts after a 95-76 victory over Clayton State in late January, assistant coach Ryan Hilburn led the Bearcats to a .500 record over the final 12 games of the season, including a run of six wins in nine games, and an 88-80 upset win over No. 18-ranked UNC Pembroke during Homecoming week.

The Bearcats also participated in the highest-scoring game in PBC history on Jan. 2, hanging on to defeat Young Harris, 128-121.

Junior forward Marquel Wiggins was chosen as a third-team allPeach Belt Conference selection after leading the Bearcats with 17.4 points per game.

Lander Spirit Program

Cheer & Dance Teams Sweep the Country in Competitions

By Deb Nygro and Rixon Lane

It was a whirlwind of jumps, tumbles and dance moves that led to a winning competition season, as the Lander cheerleaders and Sassy Cats dance team swept the judges' scoreboards this spring. Led by Coach Kim Schoolfield, the teams competed against schools from across the country.

Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Spirit Competition Featuring cheer and dance teams from across the Peach Belt Conference, the PBC Spirit Competition welcomed a fierce rivalry of teams at Augusta University on March 3. Lander's dance team, the Sassy Cats, continued its dominance of the PBC by winning its third consecutive championship, while the Bearcat cheer team claimed the league title, giving Lander a sweep of the PBC Spirit Competitions.

Clash of the Conferences Two weeks later, the Bearcats headed to Gaffney to compete in the Clash of the Conferences, held at Limestone College. The cheerleaders earned the title of All-Girl Division Champions and were crowned as Grand Champions, as the highest-scoring team across all intermediate teams, co-ed and all-female combined.

"We spent two weeks making our routine more difficult than the Peach Belt routine," said Schoolfield. "We had a chance to showcase our routine in front of a packed house, and we got feedback from the judges to help prepare us for Nationals."

National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Championship The group then traveled to Daytona, Fla., where the cheerleaders took 7th Place in the All-Girl Cheer category, competing against teams from across the country in the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) College Nationals.

"My heart is so full," said Coach Schoolfield. "The lessons, the memories, the awards, the bonds - it was simply unforgettable!"

Dance Team Union (DTU) College Nationals in Las Vegas In mid-April, the dance team wrapped up its competition season with a trip to Las Vegas, where the Sassy Cats competed in the Dance Team Union (DTU) College Nationals. After ranking eighth in prelims, the Sassy Cats clawed their way through the competition to finish strong at 4th Place. While in Vegas, the Lady Bearcats did find some time to relax and enjoy the scenery, which included zip lining over the city lights. – photos courtesy of Kim Schoolfield

www.lander.edu/magazine

43

Giving

And Scholarship News

Learning Leadership at Lander

Men’s Tennis Team Alum Steve Bolton ’69 Gives Back to His Alma Mater

By Graham Duncan

Steve Bolton has never forgotten the positive impact the men’s tennis team had on him while a student at Lander University. As a member of the inaugural 1968-69 team, he credits his Lander tennis career with giving him the leadership and teamwork skills he’s used as an aeronautics, defense, and business professional. “At Lander, you learned how to do teamwork,” Bolton said.

After graduation from Lander, Bolton joined the United States Army, and spent 21 years as a helicopter pilot. In addition to his Lander education, he holds a master's in aeronautical science from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, and has worked in the defense industry for 23 years. He is now a partner with the LS Bolton Group, which specializes in working with small companies looking to do business with the Department of Defense.

Just as Bolton built his own successful career, his alma mater did the same with the team he helped found. “It’s unbelievable,” Bolton

44

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

said, noting Lander’s 12 national championships in men’s tennis.

“We never envisioned that it would grow like that. It was very humbling to be part of that first team.”

Now, when Bolton makes a trip to Greenwood, he and others can watch the Bearcats play on Bolton Court, which was named for Bolton in appreciation for his generous gift to Lander University. The name of the court was unveiled during Bolton’s 50th class reunion in February of this year, where he had the pleasure of meeting the current members of the Lander men’s tennis team. “Being able to meet with the team when I went back for my 50th anniversary, and see what quality players and young men the team has produced, was very rewarding for me,” he said.

Bolton hopes that his gift will inspire other student-athletes to follow their dreams, as well. “Don’t let obstacles get in your way,” he said. “Obstacles are there as challenges. If you have a desire and a dream, go for it!”

Steve Bolton ’69, center, meets the members of the Lander men’s tennis team during the unveiling of Bolton Court in February. A member of the inaugural men’s tennis team at Lander, Bolton describes Lander’s success in men’s tennis as “unbelievable.” – photo by Dawn Lewis

2018 Eleanor Shiflet Teal Scholarship Dinner

Saying ‘Thank You’ Photos by Laura M. Brown

The 2018 Eleanor Shiflet Teal Donor Appreciation and Scholarship Dinner brought together hundreds of Lander University students and donors for an evening of connection and conversation, allowing the university’s many scholarship recipients to say ‘Thank You’ to their generous supporters.

Headlining the October banquet was keynote speaker and co-sponsor Robert Strickland, a 2002 alumnus and donor who serves as senior regional consultant vice president at First Citizens Bank Wealth Management in Columbia. A native of Hull, England, Strickland came to Lander on a soccer scholarship.

His wife, Angela, is an ’02 Lander alumna and member of the university’s Board of Trustees.

Also speaking were current students and scholarship recipients Jordan Skelton, of Newcastle, England, a business administration major and member of the men’s soccer team; Courtney Cannon, a political science major from Greenville, S.C.; and Jessica LeBlanc, a nursing major from Lexington, S.C. Angela and Robert Strickland

Jordan Skelton, Jessica LeBlanc and Courtney Cannon

See more photos at: www.lander.edu/photos

www.lander.edu/magazine

45

LU

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.

Thomas W. Palmer ’67 retired from Hexcel Corporation.

Dr. Lloyd Collins ’69 has been a 50-year member of the American Chemical Society and is now an Emeritus of the organization.

Dr. Wanda Luster Andrews ’78 received the Community Action Award from the YWCA of the Upper Lowlands, Inc.

Justin Kelley ’08 has a new position as Assistant Dean of Students at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J. Miranda Asson ’09 received the Star Award for Best use of Digital Platform from the South Carolina Broadcasters Association.

Kirsten Stewart Connor ’12 was promoted to Director of Strategic Enrollment at Lander University.

Joyce Steele Stewart ’78 retired from Pickens County School District after teaching for 38 years.

Elly Deal ’12 completed her Master’s in Human Resources Management in September 2018. She has a new position with a manufacturing firm in Greenville.

Elaine Knight ’79 retired from Laurens School District after a wonderful career teaching Physical Education.

Dave R. Garretson ’12 has a new position as Senior Account Manager for Swanson Russell in Lincoln, Neb.

Joe Franks ’80 received the Mary Frances Poole Alston Award from Lander University for her service to the campus community.

Joe is the Director of Counseling Services at Lander.

Allistar Banks ’13 recently completed and published her latest children's book, A Colorful Balloon Ride, available on Amazon.

Dr. Sherry Eppelsheimer ’82 received the South Carolina Association of School Librarian’s Intellectual Freedom Award.

Eppelsheimer, principal of Wando High School in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., has worked in public education for more than 30 years, serving in a variety of teaching and leadership roles. She is a Nationally Board Certified Teacher and former Teacher of the Year award recipient.

Carl C. Scibetta ’84 and ’09 received his Doctorate in Education Leadership from Northcentral University. He is a board certified psychiatric and mental health nurse at Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System and St. Luke’s Hospital.

Serita Acker ’89 was honored as a Woman of Distinction by Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands.

Michael Bain ’93 was promoted to Site Cross Solution Lead at the NRV Assembly Plant for Volvo Trucks.

Rochelle Binion ’94 accepted a new position as Chief, Chaplain Service, at the Sioux Falls Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

46

C. Will Bond ’02 was promoted to Senior Trading Manager with Greenwood Capital.

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Kenneth Calliham ’14 was promoted to Assistant Director of Recruitment with the Office of Admissions at Lander University.

Sabra Cheek ’14 obtained a master’s in Education Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University in 2015. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Higher Education from the same institution.

Erin Nodine ’14 accepted a new position as Associate Athletic Director for StudentAthlete Success at Lander University.

Na’Shima Carter ’15 earned her law degree from Charleston School of Law and passed the South Carolina Bar. Zach Wilson ’15 was hired as a forensic interviewer at Beyond Abuse. He is also an adjunct teacher for the Department of Psychological Science at Lander University.

Lauren Schuster ’16 accepted a new position as Executive Assistant/Technical Writer at Logic Technologies, Inc. Graham Duncan ’17 is a new Public Information Coordinator at Lander University, and is responsible for managing the university's social media accounts, as well as assisting Governmental Relations.

Weddings

Jamie Ramm ’11 and Jessica Kathryn Ballentine, Dec. 31, 2018, Greenwood. Jamie is the Director of Operations for Lakelands Toros. They live in Greenwood.

Taylor A. Craft ’14 and Robert C. Thomasson, Apr. 14, 2018, Laurens. Taylor is the authorization coordinator for Health Related Home Care with Abbeville Area Medical Center. They live in Greenwood.

Carolyn Bradi Whitmire ’16 and Frankie Nicotri III, July 14, 2018, St. Helena Island.

Bradi is a paralegal at Harvey & Battey, and Frankie is an HVAC specialist for HVAC Gochnauer Mechanical. They live in Beaufort.

Jeremiah Grooms ’18 and Katie Porter ’18, Dec. 15, 2018, Greenwood. Katie is the Sr. Registered Behavior Technician at Project Hope, and Jeremiah is an Education Specialist at Beyond Abuse. They live in Greenwood.

Chase O’Dell ’18 and Meg Lacombe ’18, Nov. 3, 2018, Beaufort. Chase works in the Registrar’s Office at Lander University, and Meg is employed with D & D Laboratory.

They live in Greenwood.

Births

Ashley Stathas White ’06 and Thomas White, a daughter, Charlie Mae, Nov. 12.

Elizabeth “Liz” Roark Bolton ’07 and AJ Bolton, a daughter, Julia Isabella, Oct. 2. Julia joins big brother Max, who is 5.

Jessica Smith ’11 and Jordan Smith, a daughter, Larkin Caroline, July 26, 2017.

Andrew Tims ’11 and Brittany Bratcher Tims ’11, a son, Andrew Coleman, Oct. 15.

Coleman joins big sisters, Kayley-Vines and Kennedy.

Elizabeth Jones Brock ’13 and Cody Brock ’13, a daughter, Ellyson Rae, Dec. 11.

Kandice Bryant ’14 and Kaleb Davis, a daughter, Karson Brooke, July 2018.

Sabrina Cheek ’14 and Stephen Williams, a son, Stephen Jr., Feb. 2016; and a daughter, Abigail, March 2018.

Daniel A. Keown ’16 and Kristan Keown, a son, Wrigley, March 7.

Katherine Tipp Lukas ’16 and Spencer Lukas, a daughter, Mary-Abigail, Oct. 10.

ALUMNI PROFILES

Allistar Banks ’13 :

‘nosing’ for big-time

By L. C. Leach III, Photos by Laura M. Brown

After graduating from Lander six years ago, Allistar Banks started seeing red – all due to two curious friends named Nosy Nicole and wideeyed Ashton.

Far from making her angry, however, Nicole and Ashton have led Banks into some snooping adventures involving submarines, boots, balloons and magical airplanes.

Though Nicole and Ashton are make-believe, Banks considers them two of her best friends – and no matter where she follows them, Banks hopes they will eventually lead her to becoming a fulltime writer of children’s books.

“I’ve wanted to do this my whole life,” said Banks, who graduated Lander in 2013 with a degree in mass communications. “I have been

writing children’s stories since fourth grade and had my first book published on Amazon in 2014.”

That first book was Nosy Nicole and the Red Airplane. Red was just an incidental color for the story, but before she was finished, Banks wondered what would happen if she made red a part of every Nicole adventure.

She tested her brainstorm with a second effort, Nosy Nicole and the Magical Red Airplane, and from that moment, she knew she had her mold.

“Right now, I’m working on Nosy Nicole and the Red Cowgirl Boots, and Nosy Nicole and the Red Submarine,” Banks said. “And, I hope Nicole and Ashton will lead me to money, wider recognition, and the New York Times Bestseller list.”

Lander Alumni Named Greenwood Under 40 Stars

Rachel Gillion Davis

Sylvia Wicker Martin

Rodney O. White Jr.

Five Lander University alumni were among those selected for the

Greenwood Chamber of Commerce’s Connect Young Professionals’ Greenwood Under 40 Stars. The group was honored collectively during a reception at Inn on the Square. Honorees are participants of the Greenwood Chamber’s Leadership Greenwood initiative, which cultivates people who want to be leaders in their community and educates them about community issues and possible solutions.

Lander alumni recognized as Greenwood Under 40 Stars are: Rachel Gillion Davis ’07: Currently serving as marketing and development coordinator at Carolina Health Centers, Inc., Davis led Connect Young Professionals as its 2018 chairwoman, served as a United Way team captain, volunteered with Community Indicators, and was a board member for the Upper Savannah Care Consortium.

Sylvia Wicker Martin ’03: As education coordinator at the Arts Center of Greenwood, Martin is a member of the studio potters guild and works with community artists and business representatives to present at events.

Hanna Norris Dover

By Eric Lawson

Sean J. Mims

Rodney O. White Jr. ’14: As project manager for Community Initiatives, White is committed to making lifelong impacts through mentoring young people and guiding them through programs like Safe Haven After School and the Benefit Bank. He also volunteers with the Food Bank, Meg’s House, and is a Connect Young Professionals steering committee member.

Hanna Norris Dover ’04: Entrepreneur and owner of Think Tank on Main and Jameson Rentals, LLC, Dover volunteers for the Arts Center, Beyond Abuse and Self Regional Healthcare Foundation. She is also a charter member of Greenwood Women Care; serves on the hospital foundation’s annual support committee; is a Madame Curie Society member, and is a charter member of the 1951 Club.

Sean J. Mims ’05: A teacher and coach at Brewer Middle School, Mims is also co-founder and director of HoopsEdu, an organization that promotes excellence, character, education and service while teaching young people to play basketball.

www.lander.edu/magazine

47

In Memoriam Eleanor Jackson Carmichael ’42, Abbeville, Dec. 1. She was a retired business owner and member of Abbeville Presbyterian Church. Surviving are her son, two daughters and seven grandchildren.

Arramenta Murph Hite ’43, Seneca, March 20. She was a retired school teacher and member of Saint Mark United Methodist Church. Surviving are a son, four daughters, ten grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

Mae Lynch Crouch ’44, Irmo, Sept. 1. She retired from the South Carolina Supreme Court and was a member of St. John’s United Methodist Church. Surviving are her two sons and two grandsons.

Evelyn Sears Kincaid ’45, Clemson, Aug. 6. She was a member of Clemson United Methodist Church. Surviving are her daughter, son, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Virginia Hart Kinard Epps ’47, Ninety Six, Jan. 30. She was a member of Ninety Six Presbyterian Church and the Ninety Six Bridge and Garden Clubs. Surviving are her two sons, one grandson and two great-grandchildren.

Mary Lou Evans ’47, Pendleton, Aug. 27.

She was a retired store and office manager and was a member of First Baptist Church of Pendleton. Surviving are her son, a brotherin-law, a granddaughter, two great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Evangeline Layne Landress ’48, Madison, Ala., Sept. 30. She served with the Salvation Army. Surviving are her husband, three daughters, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Martha Burnett Strom ’48, Greenwood, Aug. 22. She was a member of First Baptist Church. Surviving are five children, 12 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and a sister.

Gloria Patricia Robinson Edwards Scott ’53, Honea Path, Aug. 7. She was a retired school teacher and member of Honea Path First Baptist Church. Surviving are three daughters, two sons, four grandchildren and a sister.

Tim Ethridge ’59, Greenwood, Aug. 5.

He served in the South Carolina National Guard and was the owner and operator of Ethridge Monument Co. He was a member of St. Mark United Methodist Church.

Surviving are his wife, three daughters, five grandchildren and a sister.

Johanne Monroe Valentine ’59, Cumming, Ga., Dec. 6. She was a teacher for many years and later worked for Life of

48

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Georgia. Surviving are two sons, a daughter and four granddaughters.

Carl Möller Brock ’61, Greenwood, Sept.

30. He was a retired director of the Greenwood Vocational Rehabilitation Center and a member of the Church of the Resurrection. Surviving are his wife, two daughters, two grandchildren and a brother.

Rebecca Elaine Grice Duvall ’62, Greenwood, Sept. 7. She was a retired nurse and a member of Tranquil United Methodist Church. Surviving are her husband, a son, a sister, a brother, and several nieces and nephews.

Surviving are her husband, two sons, one daughter, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Raymond D. Jackson ’75, Greenwood, Dec. 11. He served with the U.S. Navy, and was a retired restaurant owner and operator. Surviving are his wife, a daughter, two sons, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Sherwin L. Johnson ’77, Calhoun Falls, April 7. He was a teacher, principal, and member of First Baptist Church in Laurens.

Surviving are numerous cousins and very close friends.

Terry W. Skidmore ’63, North Augusta, Jan. 3. He was a retired math teacher and a member of Fairview Presbyterian Church.

Surviving are his son, daughter, two grandsons and a sister.

Karen Metts Blanset ’79, Saluda, April 5.

She was principal of Millbrook Elementary.

Surviving are her parents, husband, two daughters, two sisters, and three grandchildren.

Marie Bone Martin ’64, Greenwood, April 6. She was a retired school teacher and member of First Presbyterian Church. Surviving are a daughter-in-law, two grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Thomas N. Boswell ’79, Cross Hill, Dec. 26. He served in the U.S. Air Force and was a retired nurse with Self Regional Hospital.

Surviving are his wife, daughter, granddaughter, three sisters and a brother.

Mildred Whittaker ’64, Rabun Gap, Ga., Sept. 21. She was a retired school teacher and Sunday school teacher, and was a member of Clayton First United Methodist Church. Surviving are her daughter, son, three grandchildren, two sisters-in-law, two brothers-in-law, 14 nieces and nephews, and many great-nieces and nephews.

Emma “Leonette” Bridges Ford ’79, Jan. 30. She was a retired school teacher and member of the Eastern Star and Immanuel Lutheran Church. Surviving are several nieces and nephews.

Betty Jean “PJ” Voorhees ’65, Greenwood, Feb. 24. She was a retired nurse with Self Regional Hospital. Surviving are her companion and many friends who were like family.

Millie “PE” Still Kennedy ’67, Walterboro, Jan. 10. She was a retired school teacher and women’s basketball coach. Surviving are her husband and brother.

Elsie Ann Wiggins ’69, Kershaw, April 2.

She was retired from the S.C. Baptist Convention Office and a member of West Main Baptist Church. Surviving are a brother, sister, and nieces and nephews.

Ann Bagwell Campbell ’72, Hodges, Jan. 9. She was a homemaker. Surviving are her mother, husband, three daughters, seven grandchildren, a sister and two brothers.

Albert Michael “Mike” Creswell ’72, Greenwood, Oct. 25. He retired from Greenwood Mills and was a member of Northside Baptist Church. Surviving are his mother, wife, daughter, two grandchildren and two brothers.

Mary Frances Norman ’74, Greenwood, Nov. 25. She was a retired school teacher and a member of Goshen Baptist Church.

Jack Pelham Jones ’79, Greenwood, Jan. 6. He retired from Greenwood County and was a member of Ware Shoals First Baptist Church. Surviving are his wife, son and sister.

Sybil Fleming Woodall ’79, Clemson, Jan. 2. She was a retired school teacher and member of Upper Long Cane Presbyterian Church. Surviving are her daughter, son, five grandchildren and a brother.

Greg Rankin Wrenn ’79, Summerville, Dec. 21. He was a member of Summerville Church of the Nazarene. Surviving are his wife, son, daughter, four grandsons, two aunts and an uncle.

James “Jamey” A. Hughes Jr. ’81, Tobaccoville, N.C., March 23. He worked in finance and enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Surviving are his parents, in-laws, wife, son and a sister.

Mary Katherine Graybeal Rice ’81, Greenwood, Feb. 12. She was retired from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. Surviving are her husband, three sons, a daughter, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Craig Roberson ’09, Anderson, Aug. 12. He was a pharmacist. Surviving are his parents, grandmother, brother and sister.

Dr. Lorraine Anne Redderson Lander Magazine would like to pay a special tribute to a member of the Lander University community who passed away in January 2018.

Dr. Lorraine Anne “Doc” Redderson, 76, a longtime member of the Lander faculty and founder of the university’s first volleyball and softball programs, was known as a mentor and role model for her students and players, both at Lander and far beyond.

A native of New Jersey, Dr. Redderson graduated from St. Petersburgh Junior College and Florida State University, where she majored in health and physical education, and was a member of the band, volleyball, basketball and softball teams. She earned a master’s in education from the University of Northern Colorado, followed by a doctorate in education from the University of Arkansas in 1972. During her 29 years at Lander, Dr. Redderson served as chair of the physical education department for 15 years and was active on many faculty and university committees. She also served as president of the South Carolina Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and was a lifelong member of the National Alliance. She launched Lander’s first volleyball and softball programs during her first year on campus, and she began field days at local high schools, which also began girls’ track programs.

Dr. Redderson was a charter member of Greenwood Presbyterian Church, where she served as vice president and president of the Women in the Church, taught the Ester Circle for over 20 years, sang in the choir and edited the church newsletter.

She is survived by a brother; two sisters-in-law; three nephews; a niece; several grand nieces and nephews; three great nieces; and several special friends, neighbors and caregivers.

SYMPATHY TO Sharon McMahan Adams ’65 on the passing of her husband, J. Thomas Adams Jr., Oct. 15.

Linda Groggel ’67 on the passing of her husband, Dwight K. Groggel, Dec. 27.

Linda Latham Dolny Lister ’69 on the passing of her father, Gus Latham, Sept. 29.

Letitia Wiggins Moore ’70 on the passing of her sister, Elsie Ann Wiggins ’69, Apr 2.

Debbie Dorn Spearman ’70 on the passing of her mother, Eunice Wall Dorn, Feb. 7.

Helen Odiorne Martin ’71 on the passing of her mother-in-law, Marie Bone Martin ‘64, April 6.

Beverly Graydon Spivey ’74 and Stan Spivey ’78 on the passing of her mother and his mother-in-law, Martha Curry Graydon, Oct. 24.

Molly M. Spearman ’76 on the passing of her mother-in-law, Marian Fay Reese Spearman, Oct. 22, and on the passing of her father, Rudolph Mitchell, Jan. 29.

Jo Ann Myers ’76, Mary Alice Poore ’02, and Nancy Lindsey ’14 on the passing of their father, David Lindsey Jr., Nov. 5.

James Burton ’77 and Linda Burton ’76, and David Burton ’84 on the passing of their mother and mother-in-law, and Russell Burton ’01 and Hunter Burton ’12 on the passing of their grandmother, Doris Burton, Nov. 25.

David E. Finley ’77 on the passing of his brother, and Andrea Finley Kelly ’09 on the passing of her uncle, Lewis Welborn Finley, Jan. 20.

Fred Wactor ’78 and Myra Greene ’78 on the passing of his mother and her motherin-law, Dorothy Wactor-Lynch, Sept. 19.

Cathy Bass Sayer ’81 on the passing of her mother, Irene Jones Bass, Oct. 15.

Jeff Smith ’81 and Lisa Smith ’81 on the passing of her mother and his mother-inlaw, and Granger T. Smith ’10 and Mary Lyle Smith Cathcart ’13 on the passing of their grandmother, Delray Granger “Del” Schulze, Feb. 6.

Wayne White ’83 on the passing of his sister-in-law, Karen Metts Blanset ‘76, April 5.

Debbie K. Powell ’84 on the passing of her mother, Evelyn Sears Kincaid ’45, Aug. 6.

Margaret T. Blalock ’92 on the passing of her mother, Anna Carden Semple Trice.

Robin Pruitt Lawrence ’96 on the passing of her father, Charles Pruitt Jr., Oct. 6.

Eleni T. Tskikalakis ’97 on the passing of her brother, Giannis Tsantakis, Sept. 30.

Monica Patterson ’03 on the passing of her sister, Christina Margaret Nickles, Aug. 14.

FACULTY/STAFF Elizabeth Harris deBeaugrine Jervey, who retired from Lander in 1995 after spending 27 years in Student Affairs and serving as dean of students, passed away November 25 in Georgia. She was 81. A native of Warren County, Ga., Jervey was a 1959 graduate of the University of Georgia, and she earned a master’s in administration from Clemson University. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Warrenton and served with the Girl Scouts of America for many years. She was also a member of the Class 1A tennis team at Warren County, winning three state championships. Jervey is survived by several nieces.

Dr. Sheila Burris Marino, who served as a professor of education and dean at Lander from 1973-2006, passed away in Knoxville, Tenn., on Jan. 17, at the age of 71. In addition to her service at Lander, Dr. Marino was retired from North Greenville University as a professor and acting dean of education.

A member of Meridian Baptist Church, she was preceded in death by her husband, parents and a brother, and is survived by two daughters and four grandchildren.

Sympathy to Andy Benoit, Vice President for Enrollment and Access Management, on the passing of his mother, Helen Mae Fontenot Benoit, on Feb. 23.

www.lander.edu/magazine

49

ALUMNI PROFILE

April Chaffins ’16:

The Power of a Liberal Arts Education

By Eric Lawson, Photo by Megan Price

50

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

A Call to Duty Columbia native and Lander University alumna April Chaffins ’16 is a prime example of the power of a liberal arts education – and an aversion to being pigeonholed.

Even though she majored in English as a student, she is now a member of Emergency Support Function (ESF) 24, which is responsible for getting South Carolina businesses and industry back up and running when disaster strikes.

By just about any measure, the 2018 hurricane season was an especially deadly and expensive one for the Palmetto State. “Even though Hurricane Florence had come and gone, the flood waters from North and South Carolina were still wreaking havoc when Hurricane Michael came through,” explained Chaffins, now 25.

Shortly after graduating from Lander with a degree in English, Chaffins secured a position with the S.C. Department of Commerce processing grants for businesses in the state. “While I was a student at Lander, I interned with the S.C. Department of Insurance. From then on, I knew I wanted to work in federal or state government because I wanted to help people, and I recognized the value of the strong benefits packages that come with those positions. That may be something many people do not think about at my age, but I knew that it was important for my career.”

While that’s heady thinking for some, overachieving is something at which Chaffins excels.

During her sophomore year at Lander, she was one of only 14 students selected to take part in the University of South Carolina’s Washington Semester Program, for which she interned with the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School Division in the nation’s capital.

Back on campus, she served Lander as a Presidential Ambassador and a Resident Assistant; and the local community as a member of the Blue Key Honor Society, which hosts several volunteer opportunities each semester.

Academically, she was a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society, which recognizes educational achievements.

Chaffins began her experience with the S.C. Department of Commerce as a grant administrator. While holding the position,

she was appointed deputy director of ESF-24 and later promoted to program coordinator for Business and Industry Emergency Management.

“My job is essentially making sure South Carolina businesses are prepared for emergencies, and have what they need in order to get back on their feet after disaster strikes,” she explained. “Of course, there are some business owners who have the mentality that ‘it will never happen to me,’ so much of my time is devoted to education and encouraging them to think about preparedness.”

As part of her responsibilities, Chaffins is a key member of the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) that springs into action from a Columbia-based command center as soon as a potential storm or other calamity is identified. She joins representatives from the Governor’s Office, the National Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), various state agencies, local government representatives, and volunteer organizations.

“While no one can predict tornadoes, SERT members are notified as soon as a tropical disturbance is noticed 1,000 miles away,” she explained. “For example, even though Hurricane Michael seemed to catch many people by surprise, SERT members were well aware of the storm’s progress and potential well beforehand, even though we were still coordinating recovery efforts from Hurricane Florence.”

While the responsibilities shouldered by Chaffins and her SERT teammates may go relatively unnoticed by the general public, their work is vital. “ESF-24’s mission is to get business and industry back up and running, and people back to work as quickly as possible. Whenever businesses are impacted, the local economy in that area is impacted as well. The quicker we’re able to get businesses back to standard operations, the faster normalcy is returned,” she explained.

Even when storms have faded from the news cycles and the skies have cleared, Chaffins and the rest of SERT remain on as the recovery phase continues.

“We were activated for an entire month when Hurricanes Florence and Michael came roaring through,” she said. “It can be a very tiring job, but the sense of purpose in helping to protect your home state is invigorating enough.”

www.lander.edu/magazine

51

ALUMNI PROFILE

Ellison Smith ’16:

‘Thoreau Would Approve’

By Graham Duncan

Smith translates English degree into exciting career with AmeriCorps & Florida State Parks What do you do with a B.A. in English? That’s the question Ellison Smith ’16 contemplated after graduating with an English degree from Lander University.

With a wealth of opportunities before him, and uncertain of where to begin, Smith ultimately decided on joining AmeriCorps and has spent the last two years working for Florida State Parks through the AmeriCorps program.

“My father was actually in the Peace Corps,” said Smith, “and he heard about AmeriCorps during his time there. He nudged me to go into the program, and honestly, it’s the best move I could have made.”

While many have heard of the Peace Corps, Smith noted that AmeriCorps is a companion organization that focuses on “stateside” community service projects in areas such as education, veteran assistance, disaster relief and conservation. Smith was first assigned to “Project A.N.T.” or “AmeriCorps Non-Native Terminators,” and spent a year helping to control the spread of invasive plant species within the Florida State Parks. “Each park I’ve worked in is gorgeous in its own way, but I do have my favorites,” Smith said. “John D. MacArthur Beach State Park in Jupiter is one of the best views of the Florida coast I could ever ask for.”

Now in his second year, Smith currently works as an outreach and volunteer recruitment member for Florida State Parks District 5, and attributes much of his success in this role to the communication, critical thinking and decisionmaking skills he acquired through his English degree. “My supervisor is actually having me in more meetings simply because of my skillset,” he said, “so now I’m assisting with how the park markets certain things to the public or how they approach assessing their volunteer workforce.”

The progress Smith has made with the AmeriCorps program is no surprise to Dr. Lillian Craton, associate professor of English and the director of Lander’s Honors College. She knew that his achievements in the classroom would translate well in his current role. “Most of our English majors find traditional ‘desk jobs’ after graduation, but Ellison’s choice makes perfect sense,” she said. “He’s a gifted communicator who thrives as part of a team; people are drawn to him.”

Going forward, Smith is looking to find a permanent position with Florida State Parks and pursue graduate school. He continues to express his gratitude to AmeriCorps for giving him such a rewarding experience. “I’ve grown so much from this organization, and aside from getting an extreme change in scenery, they’ve helped me find a purpose, a passion, goals, and an absolutely amazing sense of self,” he said. As for Dr. Craton, she has no doubt that her former student, with his training as an English major, will continue to thrive in this field.

“He has a philosophical streak, a sense of community spirit and social justice, behind his desire to preserve a threatened natural environment,” she said.

“Thoreau would approve.”

Lander alum Ellison Smith (center) poses with other members of Project A.N.T., a team dedicated to controlling the spread of invasive plant species within the Florida State Parks system. – photos courtesy of Ellison Smith

52

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

AmeriCorps is a companion organization of the Peace Corps, which, according to Smith, focuses on “stateside� community service projects across the United States.

Smith is currently in his second year with AmeriCorps, and enjoys working for the Florida State Parks system.

www.lander.edu/magazine

53

ALUMNI PROFILE

54

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Julie Wilkie ’03:

Meet Greenwood’s New City Manager

By Graham Duncan, Photo by Laura M. Brown

Rewarding careers are always within reach with a degree from Lander University. That reach now includes the City of Greenwood’s top executive post.

Last December, Julie Wilkie ’03 was named city manager for Greenwood, S.C. – a place that both she and Lander University are proud to call their home. Born and raised in Greenwood, she graduated from Ninety Six High School in 1999 before earning a degree in political science from Lander. After graduation, Wilkie moved to Columbia to earn her master’s in public administration from the University of South Carolina in 2005.

Yet, her aspiration to serve her hometown ultimately drove Wilkie and her family back to Greenwood. In 2009, she accepted the position as the assistant city manager and is often commended for her role in organizing the annual South Carolina Festival of Discovery, as well as for her assistance in the ongoing beautification efforts in Greenwood’s Uptown district.

Her high level of care and devotion to Greenwood is what ultimately led the mayor and city council to pick Wilkie as the replacement for outgoing City Manager Charlie Barrineau, who resigned in November to take a job with the South Carolina Municipal Association. “In government, it is always good to look at all options, but needless to say, we all kept coming back to Julie,” said Greenwood Mayor Brandon Smith. “All of her experience, knowing the nuances of Greenwood County as a native, and nine years as Charlie’s assistant prepared her for the job.”

As both a Greenwood native and Lander alumna, Wilkie believes her unique perspective will help nurture the strong relationship between the city and the university. “It’s a great feeling to be able to make a difference in the community where you grew up,” she said.

“As city manager, I want to be able to foster a sense of connectivity and engagement between Uptown Greenwood and Lander.”

Mayor Smith admitted that he relies on Wilkie’s connection with Lander when considering future partnerships aimed at benefiting both Lander students and Greenwood citizens alike. “It is the vision of the city to continue to retain Lander graduates to help grow Greenwood stronger,” Smith said. “I hope Julie is an inspiring example to Lander’s female students, as well as students looking to go into public administration.”

It’s this sense of shared vision and camaraderie between local government, the university, businesses and non-profits that Wilkie believes sets Greenwood apart from other municipalities in South Carolina. “There is a mentality of kinship and cooperation that exists in Greenwood that just doesn’t exist in other places,” she said. “I’m sure there are communities that think they have it, but one trip to Greenwood would probably change their minds.”

Wilkie is one of several successful public administration professionals who started their journey with Lander’s Department of Government, Criminology and Sociology. Beth Eavenson ’10 works as a regional representative with the state of Georgia’s Department of Community Affairs; and Blake Stone ’12 serves as the city manager in Abbeville, South Carolina. “We are very proud of our new city manager, Julie Wilkie,” said Dr. Lucas McMillan, dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. “She is another great example of a Lander alumna who is now furthering her career as a public service professional.”

In fact, Wilkie attributes getting her “spark” for public administration from members of Lander’s faculty. Former Greenwood County Manager Jim Kier, who also taught as an adjunct professor at Lander, coordinated an internship for Wilkie with his office; and it was Dr. Mike Avey who pulled her aside before graduation to ask her to consider going into public administration. “I credit Lander and the opportunities I was afforded there for where I am today,” she said. “My professors gave me the tools I needed to guide my future.”

Uptown Greenwood, S.C. – contributed photo

www.lander.edu/magazine

55

ALUMNI PROFILE

Chrissie Cofield ’11

A Calling to Protect and Serve

By Eric Lawson

Chrissie Cofield had dreams of being a law enforcement difference-maker early in her life. “One of my high school classmates wrote in my ninth grade yearbook that she hoped I became the police officer I always spoke of being,” she recalls.

Cofield not only hit the career mark she made for herself, she has achieved a level of success few others have. In mid-October 2018, she was named Chief of Police for the Laurens Police Department – becoming just the 11th female in the state to lead a police department.

The appointment, made by the Laurens City Council and thenMayor John Stankus, has been the culmination of a decades-long law enforcement career in which Lander University has played a pivotal role.

Although born in California, Cofield moved quite a bit as a child, since her father was an active service member of the U.S. Marines.

“We even lived in Japan for a while before eventually settling in Clinton.”

Two weeks after graduating from Clinton High School, Cofield enlisted in the U.S. Army as a military police (MP) officer. “I’m a firm believer in service, and at that time, I had no desire to attend college. So, I thought, what better way to serve my country than following in my father’s footsteps and joining the military?”

56

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

After basic training, Cofield was stationed in Korea for one year, followed by a stint in Kansas, before family life encouraged her to make another career decision. “When I became expectant with my daughter, I was given the option to transition over to the Reserves,” said Cofield, now a mother of two, and engaged to be married in the fall of this year.

After her service in the military, Cofield worked briefly in security for an area hospital – a position that would lead directly to the City of Laurens Police Department.

“In 1999, I was involved in a minor traffic accident, and when Laurens police officers responded, they began to explain the legal process, which included filling out the incident report. I told them about my experience as an MP, and that I was familiar with the process. They then said I needed to come see them about a job.”

After a ride-along with then-Chief Robin Morse, Cofield was hired as a patrol officer.

“The first difference I noticed between life as an MP and a civilian police officer was that people we encountered in the military community had to do what we told them, because of their oath and the consequences under military law. In the civilian world, the people we encounter don’t have to do what we say, although there are still consequences stemming from the law.”

During encounters with civilians, Cofield relied heavily on her communication skills. “When I say communication skills, I mean

“My main emphasis to criminal justice students is, in addition to being here to protect and serve, we must place emphasis on service above self.”

that I have the gift of gab. Many of the people that police officers encounter every day just want to be heard, so it’s often best to let them vent and not take their words personally. As law enforcement officers, we have to understand that everyone does not react and process things as we do. I have found that being empathetic and compassionate are invaluable tools for a law enforcement officer.”

After finding her footing as a patrol officer, Cofield rose steadily through the ranks as her natural leadership skills became apparent to others around her. In 2005, she was promoted to the rank of patrol sergeant, before being promoted one year later to patrol lieutenant, assuming responsibility for a patrol shift of five officers and one dispatcher.

Shortly after the birth of her son, though, Cofield was diagnosed with symptomatic lupus, which can cause tremendous damage to the body via the immune system.

“It was then I realized that I couldn’t keep jumping in and out of police cars and chasing bad guys, but at the same time, I didn’t want to leave law enforcement, so I made the decision to pursue an administration position. To achieve that, though, I realized that I had to make my light shine a little bit brighter than that of others, so I pursued a four-year college degree.”

After earning her associate’s degree from Piedmont Technical College (PTC), she earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice management from Lander, while still working for the Laurens Police Department. When she graduated in 2011, she was promoted to administrative captain, a position that gave her supervision over all administrative aspects of the department.

“Because a four-year degree was a requirement for the position, it was the Lander degree that was the catalyst for me being promoted to the rank of captain. Even though I had years of professional experience under my belt, my relationships with my Lander professors added much to my skillset.”

With her appetite for furthering her education whetted, Cofield earned her master’s in criminal justice from Anderson University Command College. She even began leading criminal justice classes at PTC and the University of South Carolina at Union.

“My main emphasis to criminal justice students is, in addition to being here to protect and serve, we must place emphasis on service above self. Law enforcement officers get it right when it comes to protecting; however, we must begin building relationships with our communities. Let’s shake a few hands, help someone fix a flat tire, or just simply stop and ask if there is anything I can do to help you.”

“Law enforcement is a great career because we are able to touch the lives of our community members daily,” she continued.

Further advancement for Cofield came in 2013 when she was promoted to the rank of Major and Assistant Police Chief during the tenure of then-Chief Sonny Ledda.

When Ledda resigned to become Chief of Police in Clinton in early October, Cofield was Interim Chief in the immediate aftermath.

Just a few weeks later, the City Council removed the “interim” tag from Cofield’s position.

“Having worked directly with Chief Cofield, I can state without hesitation that she is a consummate professional,” said Chief Ledda.

“She is meticulous in everything she does and is a natural leader.”

In addition to her responsibilities as Chief of Police for the Laurens Police Department, Cofield is a member of the South Carolina Police Chiefs Association, South Carolina Police Officers Association, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement, National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, The Riley Institute of Diversity Leadership (Riley Fellow), and FBI-LEEDA. She has also successfully completed the Carolina Command College sponsored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

www.lander.edu/magazine

57

ALUMNI PROFILE

58

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Dan Martins ’18:

Mini-Disaster Leads to Lander Degree

By L. C. Leach III, Photo by Laura M. Brown

The road to a Lander University degree started with state flooding for Greenwood-native Dan Martins.

In October 2015, Martins was working as a plant manager in Columbia, S.C., when lowcountry floodwaters destroyed the facility he was managing.

But, when he got involved in area recovery efforts, Martins saw firsthand how much the public and private sectors had to work together to bring relief to people who had lost more than a business facility.

The experience made him realize “how important emergency management skills are for manufacturing managers.”

When he learned that Lander offered a Master of Science in Emergency Management, Martins enrolled in August 2017 as a non-traditional student for three semesters of studying, tests and practical applications, leading him toward a third college degree.

“I already had a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, and a Master's in Business Administration,” he said. “After looking into Lander’s M.S. in Emergency Management, I saw the value of this degree for a range of job opportunities, either as a plant manager, risk manager or emergency manager.”

Now, he is using his newfound knowledge and degree to assist the Japanese company Teijin Carbon Fibers, Inc., in establishing a new carbon-fiber production facility in Greenwood.

“I am the facility’s general plant manager,” said Martins, who graduated from Lander in December 2018. “My role is to lead the development of the operations team, lead policies and procedures, and meet the organizational needs of the new plant. This includes the environmental, safety and hygiene programs – which align with many of the emergency management platforms learned at Lander.”

The Teijin facility, which broke ground in 2018 during the company’s 100th anniversary, is expected to create more than 200 jobs, with an investment of $600 million in Greenwood County by 2030.

Martins said between the flooding relief and the Teijin plans, the timing for his new degree couldn’t have been better.

“My father was a career teacher and I have always had a desire to continue to learn,” he said. “This degree aligns with my passion to keep people safe, as well as being a community partner to help those in need after a disaster.”

Dr. Matt Malone, an assistant professor of political science, who taught Martins in six classes, said his only regret was not being able to keep him as a student.

“Dan excelled in our program based both on his prior work experience and his due diligence in his academic studies,” Malone, who serves as coordinator of Lander's emergency management program, said. “He was a huge asset, and also spoke to one of my undergraduate classes about emergency management in the private sector.”

Martins added that in addition to learning about preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation plans should an area disaster occur, his Lander courses also introduced him to how the local government, nonprofit organizations and the private sector all work together to strengthen the community.

“And that was important to me for my job with Teijin,” he said, “because Teijin wants to be engaged in the community and the education of people to make Greenwood County an excellent place to live and work.”

Below: Floodwaters rise over a street in Columbia, S.C., in this file photo from Oct. 4, 2015. – photo courtesy iStock.com

www.lander.edu/magazine

59

Alumni Association Welcomes New Members

By Eric Lawson

Chris Cabri

Terry Pruitt

The Lander Alumni Association is governed by a 30-member board of directors.

Its purpose is to foster continued interest among alumni in their alma mater.

Recently, four Lander alumni were added to the Lander Alumni Association Board of Directors: Chris Cabri ’93, Greenwood, S.C. After graduating from Lander with a degree in business administration, Cabri earned an M.B.A. from The Citadel in 1996, and a master’s in financial services from American College in Bryn Mawr, Penn., in 2015.

In the last two decades, he has spent most of his career as a financial advisor and is a Franchisee Owner/Financial Planner for Ameriprise Financial. In the Greenwood community, Cabri serves as a member of Sertoma, the Self Regional Hospital Foundation board, and the U.S. Tennis Association for South Carolina.

Everett Stubbs

Beth Burnette Eavenson

Terry Pruitt ’82, Spartanburg, S.C. Beginning with a degree in music education from Lander, Pruitt followed with a master’s in educational administration from The Citadel in 1992, then with a doctorate in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University in Florida in 2000.

Since then, Pruitt has served as a high school band director, high school principal and district superintendent. He is currently the deputy superintendent for Spartanburg School District 7. He was named 2017 S.C. district administrator of the year; 2001 Lander distinguished alumnus; and 2014 S.C. Alliance for the Arts education administrator of the year.

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 Denise Manley at 864-388-8351 or dmanley1@lander.edu.

60

LANDER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2019

Everett Stubbs ’08, Chester, S.C. Shortly after receiving a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Lander, Stubbs entered Charlotte School of Law in Charlotte, N.C. Now a partner with the law firm of Gaston, Marion & Stubbs, P.A., in Chester, S.C., Stubbs practices several disciplines of commercial, criminal and family law across many S.C. counties.

He also serves on the Chester County Chamber of Commerce board; as the Chester County chairman of South Carolina Ducks Unlimited; and is a former House of Delegates member of the South Carolina Bar. Beth Burnette Eavenson '10, Elberton, Ga. A double major in political science and Spanish at Lander, Eavenson followed her bachelor’s degree with a master’s in public administration from the University of Georgia.

Now the Region 5 Representative for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Eavenson has also served on many area leadership groups including the Broad River Area Employer Committee, the Georgia Economic Developers Association, and the International Economic Development Council’s Young Professionals Committee.

In addition to her new role with the Lander Alumni Association, she will soon begin duties with the Athens Tech Foundation Board.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Lifting Up Students: Wohlwend ’81 and Wife Create Scholarship Endowment

As a teenager, Steve Wohlwend was recruited to play golf for then-Lander College following a successful career at Irmo High School. His high school teammates John Atkinson, Mel Gaddy and Rex Johnston attended Lander, and after a recruitment trip to Jackson Station, Steve was sold.

Golf may have been the portal for Steve to enter Lander, but the school and campus community ended up having a tremendous impact on his life. He graduated with an accounting degree in 1981, and followed that with an MBA from Mercer University in 1984. With his CPA and Certified Employee Benefits Specialist certification from Wharton School of Business, he spent most of his career with Aetna Insurance in senior management positions. He and his wife, Liz, have three children: Erica, John and Katherine.

Steve’s first home-away-from-home was the Lander apartments, but he also resided in Brookside and Coleman, and he had the full experience of campus life at Lander. In addition to golf, Steve became very involved in student government, eventually serving as student body president. He was also involved in Greek life, serving as president of a newly formed fraternity, Kappa Sigma. “Student life was fantastic,” he said. “Intramurals were fun, and attending basketball games at the Civic Center – with some pre-game fun at the Thunderbird and post-game celebration at Starnes – was a special treat with our great basketball teams and great players like Clinton Cobb and Alonzo Harrison. Sunday mornings with Roger Feaster cooking us breakfast in the dining hall after a long night was especially appreciated. Those four years on campus flew by.”

What may have impressed Steve the most was the personal relationships he developed with professors. Dr. Aron Tannenbaum helped with an internship in Washington D.C., and John Spier taught accounting and what the numbers meant. Dr. Marvin Cann taught history and turned Steve into a Civil War enthusiast. “Dr. Cann was probably the most important professor that I had,” Steve said. “He taught me to view the world through a different prism, which proved very beneficial in both

business and personal life.”

Steve credits Lander as the launching pad for his successful career.

“The professors taught students to think critically and question things.

They really cared about us, and I am very grateful for all the support I received from the faculty and staff. Even the administrative leadership like President Larry Jackson, Doug Spears, Cherry Corbett and Randy Bouknight had a big impact on our college experience.”

Being a member of the Lander Alumni board has allowed Steve to hear impactful stories from other alumni from all generations. “I can sense their pride in Lander as they share stories of making lifelong friends; where the best eating and drinking spots were; having professors that made an impact on their lives; meeting a spouse or significant other. Lander has given so many the opportunity to learn and grow and build confidence to thrive in the world.”

Several years ago, Steve and a few others endowed a scholarship in memory of ’81 classmate Bill Bonds, who followed Steve as president of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. After graduation, Bill became an outstanding and beloved football coach, touching many lives before he passed away in 2009. “We have seen the impact of this scholarship on young student lives, which compelled Liz and I to do more.”

For the couple, that desire to do more translated into a $250,000 gift to Lander to endow student scholarships at the university.

“The last decade has certainly changed the higher education landscape. As alumni, we have a responsibility to create a culture of giving to ensure we sustain and grow, as well as invest in, the future generations to come. Our hope is to appeal to our fellow alumni to lift up the next generation of Lander students with financial support, as Lander helped to lift us up.”

Mike Worley, vice president for University Advancement and executive director of The Lander Foundation, said Lander and its students are grateful for the transformational support shown by the Wohlwend family.

“Endowed student scholarships are one of the measures of a worldclass university, and we’re so thankful to Steve and his wife, Liz, for being tremendous ambassadors for Lander,” Worley said. www.lander.edu/magazine

61

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

320 Stanley Ave., Greenwood, SC 29649-2099 Change Service Requested

Lander Spirit Teams Soar to the Top

2019 SPIRIT AWARDS

Lander’s cheer and dance teams captured plenty of trophies during the 2018-19 season, including a Peach Belt Conference Championship sweep. Lander’s Lady Bearcat also made her national debut during the whirlwind season of jumps, tumbles and dance moves, which wrapped up with two national Top 10 finishes. Read more about their season on page 43 of this issue of Lander Magazine. – photo courtesy Kim Schoolfield

All-Girl Cheerleading Peach Belt Champions Dance Team Peach Belt Champions Clash of the Conferences: 1st Place All-Girl Clash of the Conferences: Grand Champion NCA College Nationals: D2 All-Girl 7th Place DTU College Nationals: 4th Place Dance