Longwood
Lancers Everywhere
THE WORLD IS THEIR CLASSROOM
Volume 10, No. 2, Autumn 2011
A Magazine for the Alumni and Friends of Longwood University
From the Editor
It was nearly 12 years ago when I wrote my very first “ Letter from the Editor” for the inaugural issue of Longwood Magazine. That first issue, Vol. I, No. 1, was published in Fall 1999 and featured Dr. Jane Goodall on the cover. Dr. Goodall visited campus thanks to the efforts of the Student Government Association, the Alumni Association, and especially Longwood student, now alumnus, Yared Fubusa. Now, as our 20th edition of Longwood goes to press, I am writing my last “Letter from the Editor” as I am retiring from after serving as your editor and PR chief for the past 15 years. In that first issue, Longwood “College” boasted an enrollment of 3,600 (now 4,800) and 22,000 alumni of record (now 31,000). There were many more changes to come, both good and bad, from our transition to university status and NCAA D-1 to the Great Fire of 2001 that tested the mettle of the entire Longwood family. There have been new bricks and mortar, including Brock Commons, a new science center, which would be named in honor of John H. and Karen Williams Chichester, ’74, a new health and fitness center, heating plant, Center for Communication Studies and Theatre, and, of course, a completely reconstructed Ruffner Hall built to the original archival blueprints with new amenities and infrastructure throughout. These are just a few of our more prominent campus additions that have been covered by Longwood Magazine. Over the years, Longwood Magazine has been honored with major awards from the Public Relations Society of America, the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, and other professional organizations. Additionally, the marketing / communications efforts of the Office of Public Relations have been recognized with major awards from the American Association of Museums (LCVA publications), the American Advertising Federation, and the Printing Industries of Virginia, among others. Awards are nice, but the true success of Longwood Magazine and the Longwood Public Relations office is due to the people who work here. I have been honored to work with such a dedicated and professional group. Their longevity at Longwood underscores their commitment to your alma mater. When I first began my job here in 1996, I had no office, no phone, and a PR staff of one – Kent Booty. Kent has been here so long that we like to kid him that his first press release was about Robert E. Lee’s retreat up High Street. But seriously, Kent has provided us with an historical perspective and continuity that is worthy of the generations of students who have become Longwood alumni.
As you may know, Kent also is an associate editor of Longwood Magazine, a role he shares with Gina Caldwell who has been with us for six years. Gina serves as primary communications liaison between Longwood and major external media outlets including print, radio, television and other electronic media, while initiating media and promotional programs that support our marketing plan developed by CRT/tanaka. Gina provides the media with story ideas, background, press releases, editorial copy, photography and other forms of communication that convey the story of Longwood in a positive manner. Gina is also our go-to person for crisis communications, a role that has become increasingly important in higher education today. One of my first hires in the new PR office was David Whaley, who has done a superb job as our director of publications and visual arts. In addition to serving as creative director of Longwood Magazine, David’s support of the LCVA and the Longwood community has enhanced our fund raising and development efforts. David also serves on the national board of the University and College Designers Association Foundation. At the other end of the longevity spectrum are James Rutter and Mary Jo Stockton, both key members of our web communications staff, which is under the exemplary leadership of Longwood alumnus Dave Hooper, Class of 2000. Dave has been with us since graduating from Longwood and has created one of the most dynamic web environments in higher education. Dave’s dedication to his alma mater is evident in every facet of his work – he exemplifies the concept of citizen leader. Keeping us all on schedule and out of trouble is Cocheyse Gilliam, another Longwood alum and another long time Longwood employee. Cocheyse, who graduated from Longwood in 1997, has been with us since 1999. She manages the daily operations of the public relations office with particular emphasis on budgetary supervision of all PR accounts (state and foundation) including purchasing, accounts payable / receivable, procurement, and other budget matters including supervision of the CRT/tanaka marketing budget. Officially, Cocheyse is our office manager, but she does so much more, working with all of us – faculty, staff, and students – in a professional and collegial way. From writing to design, from media relations to special events, Cocheyse does it all. She is, indeed, the glue that holds this office together. We are very fortunate that Cocheyse has been with us for 11 years. So, let me wrap up my last letter by saying that the state of the PR office is great and you have an excellent staff to carry on the good work of the past years and the legacy of Longwood will continue in Longwood Magazine. Thanks, Longwood. It’s been a great ride.
On Our Cover: Longwood anthropology students living and learning in England. Read complete story, p. 3.
Dennis Sercombe Editor
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Contents 1 ON THE COVER
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President’s Message Living and Learning Abroad in England Since 2007, Longwood has offered the course Archaeology of England in Prehistoric, Roman and Medieval Times.
FEATURES
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Longwood @ Yellowstone National Park This General Education capstone course attracts students from all majors.
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Waterwalk: A Passage of Ghosts Longwood professor Steven Faulkner and his son re-created Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet's famous river journey.
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The Edward I. Gordon, M.D. Clinical Simulation Learning Center
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Nick Creasey, '13, is a member of the U.S. Paralympic Men's National Soccer Team.
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LANCER UPDATE
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Athletics News
ON CAMPUS
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Longwood News & Alumni Events
IN PRINT
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Recent Publications by Longwood Faculty, Staff, Students & Alumni
Longwood
is published twice a year for the alumni and friends of Longwood University by the Longwood University Foundation Inc. All materials Š Longwood University. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or full is strictly prohibited. Comments, letters, or contributions can be sent to the Office of Public Relations, Longwood University, 201 High Street, Farmville, Virginia 23909.
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Telephone 434.395.2020, Fax 434.395.2825. Address changes should be sent to the Office of Alumni Relations, Longwood University, 201 High Street, Farmville, Virginia 23909. Telephone 1.800.281.4677, Fax 434.395.2825. on the web @ www.longwood.edu/longwood
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Printed on recycled stocks. No state funds were used to print this publication. To request this magazine in alternate format ( large print, braille, audio, etc.), please contact the Longwood Learning Center, 434.395.2391; TRS: 711.
Contents
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Longwood Publisher Editor Creative Director Associate Editors Contributors
Longwood University Foundation Inc. Dennis Sercombe David Whaley Kent Booty, Gina Caldwell Brian Bates, PhD., ’92, Michele Bates, Duane Berger, Kathy Johnson Bowles, Beth Cheuk, Diane Easter, Cocheyse Gilliam, ’97, Alex Grabiec, ’07, David Hooper, ’00, James Jordan, PhD., Ron Logan, Cricket Gicz Morris, ’06, Greg Prouty, Paula Prouty, ’85, James Rutter, Nancy Shelton, ’68
Editorial Office
Longwood University Office of Public Relations 201 High Street, Farmville, Virginia 23909 telephone 434.395.2020 fax 434.395.2825 email pr@longwood.edu on the web at http://www.longwood.edu
Editorial Advisory Board
Longwood University
Dennis Sercombe, Chairman, Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications Kent Booty, Public Relations Writer and Photographer Bryan K. Rowland, Ph.D., Vice President for University Advancement Gina Caldwell, Media Specialist David Hooper, ’00, Director of Web Communications Greg Prouty, Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations Chris Register, Associate Professor of Art Nancy Shelton, ’68, Director of Alumni Relations David Whaley, Director of Publications and Visual Arts
Patrick Finnegan,
President
Marjorie M. Connelly,
Rector of the Board of Visitors
R. Kenneth ‘Ken’ Marcus, Ph.D., ’82, Stephen R. Meyers, ’83, Board of Visitors
President of the Longwood University Foundation Inc.
President of the Longwood University Alumni Association
Marjorie M. Connelly, Rector, Richmond, Virginia M. Jane Brooke, ’63, Richmond, Virginia John W. Daniel II, Richmond, Virginia Edward I. Gordon, M.D., Farmville, Virginia Rita Berryman Hughes, ’74, Vice Rector, Virginia Beach, Virginia Thomas A. Johnson, Lynchburg, Virginia Ripon W. LaRoche II, M.D., Farmville, Virginia Judi M. Lynch, Ph.D., ’87, Richmond, Virginia Jane Sheffield Maddux, Charlottesville, Virginia Stephen Mobley, ’93, McLean, Virginia Marianne Moffat Radcliff, ’92, Richmond, Virginia Susan E. Soza, ’62, McLean, Virginia Ronald Olswyn White, Midlothian, Virginia
Volume 10, No. 2, Published September 2011
Contributors
From the President They say that time flies when you’re having fun, and now I know that saying is absolutely true. My first year as the 25th president of Longwood University has come to a close and it certainly went by quickly – and if you have seen pictures of me covered in paint at Color Wars, cheering on the Lancers at a basketball game, or speaking to the graduates at commencement, it was definitely fun! My experience at Longwood has been everything I expected and more. I have had the privilege of celebrating the university’s 100th anniversary of the Honor Code, guest lecturing at classes, welcoming potential students at orientation, and working with the various university boards. I have come to an even fuller appreciation of our dedicated staff and faculty. I have traveled the state getting to know our alumni, donors, and friends and sharing the Longwood story with them. I have started to learn the General Assembly process, opened a new bridge and a new Nursing Simulation Center, and shared meals with students in the Dining Hall. Joan and I have also enjoyed our new home, Longwood House, and being welcomed into Farmville and the surrounding community. Although this has been a busy year, I am proud that we have been able to kick off an Academic Strategic Plan process. I believe this plan will guide the academic life of the university in the coming years and will help us focus on what is best for our students in the future. A task force is currently starting its work, with recommendations to be made next year. I look forward to sharing our plan with you in the coming year. Another key initiative of mine continues to be promotion of the university. When I was selected to be president, I mentioned that I wanted to spread the word about Longwood and what it can offer students. I am proud to say that our incoming freshman class is the largest in Longwood’s history, so perhaps that word is spreading. Nothing works better than endorsement from our alumni, donors, and parents – so thank you for your enthusiasm about Longwood and sharing your pride. As I move forward into my second year, I am excited about what is ahead. In addition to completing the Academic Strategic Plan, we’ll be working to expand international opportunities for our students as well as potentially bringing more foreign students to Longwood. We’ll press forward on a conference affiliation for our intercollegiate athletic program, look for innovative ways to upgrade our internship program, and continue to emphasize the key roles that leadership and character play in developing graduates who are committed to making a difference. We will remain committed to providing our students with the personal touch and the sense of community that make an education at Longwood something special, both in and out of the classroom. Go Lancers! Patrick Finnegan President
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Living & Learning Abroad In England Brian Bates, Ph.D., ’92, Associate Professor of Anthropology & James Jordan, Ph.D., Professor of Anthropology Like all of our colleagues at Longwood, we are always
appreciation for the value of an international experience in
searching for new ways to enhance the learning of our
the development of a college-educated person. It seemed
students – to help them define their limits intellectually and
only natural to us that the rich archaeological tapestry of
culturally and then push them beyond those limits so that
England could serve as a vehicle for exposing our students
they grow as scholars and as human beings. This is always
not only to the exciting cultural heritage of that island
a challenge, because no matter how inquisitive we may find
nation but also to the vibrant, diverse, energetic culture
our students to be, we recognize that true learning comes
found there today.
only when one’s boundaries are tested and then exceeded, and this can be an uncomfortable experience for some, but
From that initial conversation ensued several more until we
a worthwhile one for all. It is in this constant quest for new
decided that we would set about the planning process to sort
No matter how inquisitive we may find our students to be, we recognize that true learning comes only when one’s boundaries are tested and then exceeded, and this can be an uncomfortable experience for some, but a worthwhile one for all. opportunities that we developed a course that has proven to
through all of the complexities of teaching a course in a
be far more rewarding in its transformative value in the
distant land. At first we decided to do several “dry runs” to
intellectual and personal growth of our students than we
London to develop our course materials and to build upon
could have ever imagined. In this experience we have found
the already established contacts that we had in England
not only a new vehicle to offer the richness of the world to
which were necessary to make the course proceed smoothly.
our students, but a rebirth of sorts for our own professional
In March 2006 and then again in March 2007 we travelled
growth and development.
to England “on our own dime” as it were, to fine-tune our program and galvanize the local contacts and infrastructure.
In October 2005 while attending the Primitive Technology
When we returned to Longwood in March 2007, we were
Club’s semi-annual PRIM-TECH weekend seminar, we
confident that we had a course that would be academically
had a casual conversation about the possibility of offering
demanding and culturally challenging for our students.
a course on the archaeology of England for our undergraduates. In the Anthropology Department we
Throughout the planning stage we were focused on the fact
have a long tradition of offering international learning
that the true value of this course would be met only if we
opportunities for our students, and we have a deep
were diligent in ensuring that students were not only
Back row, from left: Caitlin Gray, Lauren Hilt, Elizabeth Baker, Jamie Mesrobian Middle row, from left: Whitney Rice, Meghan Banton, Katherine York, Dr. Jim Jordan Front row, from left: April Harper, Sally Meadows, Samantha Zerio, Aubrey Neuf, Dr. Brian Bates (kneeling)
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learning about the archaeological past of England but also
Most people think of themselves as having one birthday,
about its very rich and diverse cultural reality today. Beyond
but in our anthropology classes at Longwood we often say
that, we felt compelled to make this an academically rigorous
that we who study other societies around the world actually
learning experience. To that end we took the position that
have three birthdays. The first birthday is the day you are
we are university professors, not tour guides, and while we
born in the society where you will grow up. The second
were taking our students overseas, we would not approach it
and third birthdays come much later. The second occurs
as “a trip,” but rather as an intellectually challenging course
when the young anthropologist does their first fieldwork,
delivered with a foreign nation as our classroom and its
learning about the lives of people living some other place
cultural diversity as our teaching aids. Since adopting that
in the world – slowly, not all in one day, the fieldworker
mindset we have not referred to this experience as a trip,
is born a second time into a different world. This is seen
rather we always emphasize that it is a course. The value of
as a sort of initiation ceremony into our discipline.
this approach cannot be overstated and is evident in the
And the third birthday happens when the young
student perspectives that we will share in this article.
anthropologist returns to their home world with a new
We began to see the potential for a truly transformative experience manifest itself in our students almost from the moment that we landed at Heathrow Airport. Over the next 10 days we watched as our students matured through their fieldwork experience and grew as human beings with a new appreciation for the richness of the world beyond our American shores. The Archaeology of England in Prehistoric, Roman
appreciation, a new perspective, on the difference in the
and Medieval Times was offered for the first time in
lives of people in various places.
December 2007. The initial course consisted of 11 students and two professors. We began to see the
We could see these rebirths in our students during and after
potential for a truly transformative experience manifest
the Archaeology of England course. Indeed, perhaps the best
itself in our students almost from the moment that we
way to see the rebirths is in the very words our fieldworkers
landed at Heathrow Airport. Over the next 10 days we
wrote in their journals each evening after our seminars and
watched as our students matured through their fieldwork
the day’s fieldwork. We offer here our students’ reflections
experience and grew as human beings with a new
from the field in their own words.
appreciation for the richness of the world beyond our American shores. On our return flight, as the students
Holly Phelps, ’12, double-majoring in anthropology and
slept, read, or watched movies, we began to debrief each
music, like many people in our technology-obsessed world
other on the experience that was nearing its final stages. We were perhaps too close to the moment back then to
was surprised at the tasks prehistoric people could perform: “ Visiting the great earthen circles at Avebury and at Stonehenge
truly appreciate what had been transpiring for our
made me have a great appreciation for human capability in the
students and also for us.
past. The people who built these monuments were at one time
Most recently, we offered the course in December 2010.
sophistication and knowledge of their environment that
This time we had 17 students enrolled in the course.
rivals our own.”
considered savages. This clearly is not the case. They have a
With the passage of time and multiple opportunities to observe the value of this experience, we believe that we
Reflecting on her time at Stonehenge also, Rachel Anderson, ’11,
now have a more complete understanding of just how
wrote: “I think the most astonishing thing to all of us today
valuable this course is for the intellectual and experiential
were the incredible feats that people went through to build
growth of our students.
this structure. They did so much with so little. And I have
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Longwood archaeologists at the 5,000-year-old prehistoric site at Stonehenge on the Salisbury Plain.
so much but feel as though I’ve done so little ... it makes
Yes, in the U.S. we have some nice buildings and natural
my life appear to lack meaning compared to these
scenery, like the Grand Canyon. But we don’t have the
prehistoric people.”
Crown Jewels or the Tower of London ... If we did decide to
After travelling and studying the past over nearly the entire
mean little in comparison. You cannot build a history.”
build a cathedral to rival St. Paul’s Cathedral, it still would length and breadth of England and from a time 5,000 years ago up to the Great Plague and Great Fire of London in the
Our Longwood scholars were often struck not only by the
1660s, our Longwood anthropologists developed the
cultural differences in the objects and places they could see,
awareness that prehistory and history were everywhere here –
but even more powerfully by the more subtle social factors
from the Picts and Celts to the Saxons and Normans to the
which distinguish life in 21st century Virginia from other
Romans and the Dark Ages. This contrasts with much of life
ways of daily living. The variation in ideas and attitudes and
in the United States where the present and the future are
values and beliefs which make a culture unique became
valued so much more, it seems, than the past.
increasingly apparent to our students.
Alyssa Foley, ’12, double-major in anthropology and history,
Jennie Yuhas, ’12, noted in her journal: “I now realize how
reflected: “England lives with her history ... In America we
much space Americans waste. Our houses are huge, our cars
separate ourselves from our history, creating a divide between
are huge, our roads are wide, our restaurants are gigantic ...
ourselves and our past.”
This experience has made me realize how Americans are obsessed with how large an amount we get ... We expect to
Michael Thorogood, ’11, Longwood anthropology major
get “free refills” of everything. Most people here are in really
who was born in Liverpool, England, wrote: “Having so
good physical shape because they regularly walk; in the U.S.
much history in such a small area is fascinating. It is like
we drive. If we have to go one block from the comfort of our
having Colonial Williamsburg wherever you go!”
LazyBoy and T.V., we drive our car.”
Our only Arabic language speaking anthropologist in the
This “private automobile-centric” view of the world stands
course, Courtney Traylor, ’12, touched squarely on the
in sharp contrast to the British way of getting about. Carrie
remarkable permanence of the past in the United Kingdom
Mosby, ’12, the 2011 winner of our Department’s Cover
in her journal: “Standing before these four sites –
Award for Outstanding Scholarship, noted: “Our travel to York
Stonehenge, West Kennett Long Barrow, Silbury Hill, and
has really made me think about the availability of public transit
Avebury – makes me feel quite insignificant. They are such
here. Almost every place is connected in one way or another.
large monuments and have lasted thousands of years ...
You can catch a bus, or train, or in town, the underground ...
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Carrie Rae Mosby, '12, writes an entry in her course journal
A medieval gate in the city of York in the north of England.
in front of the British Museum.
In the U.S., I now realize how dependent I am on my car – without it I would not be able to get anywhere.”
bit threatening, would help us to comprehend more fully the effects of our teaching. In a field course such as The Archaeology of England, where students and teachers form one living and
Casey Cate, ’11, one of our majors who spends parts of his
learning seminar day after day, and where students keep
summers hiking the Appalachian Trail, noted a related
written journals of their experiences, we professors can perhaps
American cultural trait here. After we had walked several
come a bit closer to perceiving our students’ minds.
miles to reach a certain spot at the archaeological site of Avebury in the Salisbury Plain, Casey wrote: “If Avebury
Sometimes what we see aids us in a practical way to see what
was located anywhere in the United States there would be
we’re doing, as when Michael Thorogood wrote “Today,
a parking lot right in the middle of it!”
I began the day a bit behind again. It sure is difficult in this course to get eight hours of sleep a night!”
Also reflecting this “take charge and drive right up to it” attitude we often find in our own culture, Holly Phelps
Or, the revelations may shine light on an individual’s
shrewdly noted a nuance in the way British as opposed to
realization of a new alignment of some long held notions,
Americans navigate in a crowd: “There is a difference in
as when Cathy Burkhard, ’12, wrote, “Today it suddenly
etiquette I found fascinating. People in England wait quietly
became clear that most if not all, of our American traditions
when they need to get by, saying “Thank you” once the
came from England.” Or, it may be a singular, almost
way was free. Americans step up and say “Excuse me”
quirky, surprising glimpse of an oddity. Holly Phelps had
in order to get by.”
such a moment deep in the burial crypts under St. Paul’s
One evening, after the class had discussed the literary
tombs of 2,000 years of British elites: “In an out-of-the-way
Cathedral in London surrounded by the ornate vaults and stereotype of “the Ugly American,” Rachel Anderson wrote: “ While American ways spread out all over the world affecting
corner was a very small statue of George Washington on a tiny pedestal. I found it interesting that the British would
lives and societies, America seems somehow impervious to
memorialize him, even in such a small fashion, since he did
others’ cultures. I am very glad to have left for a time my
cause them quite a bit of trouble back in the 1700s!”
American bubble and come here so that, I hope, I won’t fulfill any of those awful stereotypes.”
Sometimes the journals recorded a profoundly felt process
We, in common with most professors, frequently say that we
when Amber Hirst, ’13, the youngest student in our course
would like very much to know what is in the minds of our
wrote in her final entry: “My experiences in this course have
students. Knowing these thoughts, while perhaps personally a
changed my life ... I have officially fallen in love with England!”
which can reasonably be termed a “conversion experience” as
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Longwood students examine the ruined walls of the Cluniac Priory in the village of Lewes, East Sussex, on the southern coast of England.
But, perhaps most poignantly of all for us professors, our
this course they have, in a very real sense been reborn into
students’ thoughts can allow us to recall our own first days in
our culture, rejoining it with a quiet new perspective on
the field: “The person wishing to be an anthropologist needs
what it means to be a member of our society. Perhaps more
fieldwork to truly know it. Going to another country ...
important, they have a fundamentally new and transformed
is not something everyone can do ... I’ve been homesick at
way of thinking about the culture of others, whether they be
times in this course but it has made me reflect on why
in a distant land or across town. This skill set, this way of
I want to be an anthropologist.” – Jennie Yuhas, Senior
developing a more open, considered, thoughtful approach to
Anthropology Major
encounters with people who are from different backgrounds
“In an out-of-the-way corner was a very small statue of George Washington on a tiny pedestal. I found it interesting that the British would memorialize him, even in such a small fashion, since he did cause them quite a bit of trouble back in the 1700s!” – Holly Phelps, ’12 As anthropologists, we are trained to examine cultures
and cultures, is more meaningful in our world today than
with what Margaret Mead called “disciplined detachment.”
at any time in our history. In a very meaningful way, the
This approach is necessary so that we can develop a fair
Archaeology of England in Prehistoric, Roman, and
understanding of each culture in its own terms, rather than
Medieval Times course has helped students to grow
in the terms of our own culture. While we do not pretend to
intellectually and personally in ways that transcend the
believe that this skill, which takes years, or perhaps an entire
stated course content. Indeed, it is more than a little ironic
career, for the seasoned anthropologist to develop, can be
that a course that covers broad periods when tolerance for
mastered in a course of just several weeks duration, we do
the differences between people was hardly the norm,
believe that we have witnessed profound change in our
has become the vehicle for developing the very skills
students through this course. Upon their return home from
required for a more tolerant world view.
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Yellowstone’s iconic geyser, Old Faithful.
Longwood @ Yellowstone National Park Gina Caldwell Associate Editor LU@YNP is a rich, interdisciplinary
Blogs for the May 2011 project can be found at: http://blogs.longwood.edu/yellowstone2011/
project focused on the difficult yet fascinating challenges associated with the management of our public lands.
The LU@YNP experience challenges students to work in unpredictable, interdisciplinary settings and to do so collaboratively. Additionally, those students see their faculty operating in exactly the same challenging context and in the same collaborative and adaptive mode.
The project grew from Longwood’s involvement with the
In this process, students practice the skills of 21st century
Stewardship of Public Lands initiative of the American
citizen leaders.
Democracy Project. Since its inception, the Yellowstone project has focused on developing a novel, rigorous, and
“ One of the goals of GNED 495 is to have students stop
engaging General Education capstone experience for
thinking like students and to start thinking like citizens
students from all three Colleges within the university.
and to interact as one would in the workplace, PTA, church,
Participation in the program has grown from eight students
or other places in society,” said Dr. Alix Fink, associate
in 2006 to 48 students in 2011. While in the field, students
professor of biology, who leads the group along with
and faculty blog about their experiences and impressions.
other Longwood faculty.
Katie Robey, ’12, looks for wolves in Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley.
Since the beginning of the project, Longwood faculty and
Finnegan, Caitlin Zoetis, ’11, a biology major who was first
staff participating in the trip have included Josh Blakely,
involved with the 2009 project, wrote: “I have always been
area coordinator for Residential and Commuter Life;
interested in working with animals and thought that a career
Dr. Scott Cole, associate professor of political science;
in veterinary medicine would allow me to do so. I have
Kerri Cushman, associate professor of art; Dr. Alix Fink,
also always been interested in environmental issues, and
associate professor of biology; Dr. Joseph Garcia, professor
working as the student assistant to the sustainability
of geography and earth science; Dr. David Hardin, associate
coordinator at Longwood has provided both theoretical
professor of geography; Dr. Edward Kinman, associate
and practical ways to be more involved in the stewardship
professor of geography; Elizabeth Kocevar-Weidinger,
of our environment. But here is the best part: the trip to
instructional and reference services librarian; Dr. Heather
Yellowstone brought this all together and helped me to
Lettner-Rust, assistant professor of English; Kelly Nelson,
re-focus my education and goals toward a career where
associate professor of art; Mark Newton, adjunct faculty in the
I can work with animals and have an impact on
sciences; Dr. Phillip Poplin, associate professor of mathematics;
environmental issues. I was able to see firsthand what a
and Dr. Carl Riden, associate professor of sociology.
career in wildlife management looks like, meet professionals
The impact of the project on the students who participate is
and learn about the habitat and habits of
long lasting. In a letter to Longwood President Patrick
various species indigenous to the area.”
who enthusiastically shared their perspectives on wildlife,
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West Thumb Geysir Basin on the edge of Yellowstone Lake.
What Are Students Saying About The LU@YNP Experience? About Transferring the Experience to Local Communities: “ I have never been a person to really care about these sorts
About Making Important Connections: “ This class allowed me to do a lot of things that I would not
of things, but after listening to everyone and all of their
have been able to do in graphic design if I was working for a
different perspectives ... it got me more interested in local
client. In my free time, however, I feel like I could really
issues around Virginia.”
make a difference through freelance work with a cause. Any public issue that I had feelings for, I could take a stand and make simple things like signs or posters or other public
About Perspectives on Citizenship:
documents for the general public.”
“ I was able to learn how to be an active citizen who can make decisions by listening to all sides and then making my best decision.” “ This course helped me understand the roles of citizenship at
About Listening to Diverse Viewpoints: “ Through this course I have learned that it is OK if you
a new level. I feel throughout school I have learned the role
are not emotional about something and someone else is –
of citizens as just voting and being aware of politics.”
you still need to let them express their ideas and viewpoints. I guess by facing this in a class I was not allowed to shut
About a Sense of Civic Duty: “ I really feel like I could make a difference now, when I did
the emotional person out. I had to listen and interact ... this was hard for me to do but I feel like I have grown a lot in this way.”
not feel that way before. The people we met and talked to in Yellowstone are so passionate about some very serious issues, that they have shown me that I need to be more passionate about things that are affecting my life too.”
About Finding Common Ground: “ When I was in Yellowstone, meeting all of those people, it was like a whole new world. Those people actually knew what they were talking about and knew both sides of the issues. I think that the progress I made while in Yellowstone was really about the fact that I opened my mind to these new ideas that I was hearing from all of these different people. At first, when we were all at home and were doing discussion boards, I was very opinionated, but I really did not understand both sides of all of these issues. I just knew what I felt was right and made my opinions based on that.”
10
LU @ Yellowstone: A Student Travel Journal Katie Robey, ’12 Katie Robey, a senior visual and performing arts major from Lexington, was a member of the 2010 LU@YNP project. The following is the journal she recorded during the trip.
“ The people we met with and talked to are so passionate about what they believe in, it’s almost exhausting, which is fantastic. So often I find myself settling down into a comfortable routine, not questioning what’s going on around me. People like Linda and Nathan (wildlife biologists), Bruce (a lifelong Montana cattle rancher), and Julia (a bison enthusiast and Montana state senate candidate) have devoted their lives to the issues that they stand for.” – Katie Robey, ’12 In May 2010, 42 Longwood students, six student “logistics
The students who arrived on early flights were given the
managers,” and six Longwood professors journeyed out west
opportunity to ride into Grand Teton National Park for
to study biology, leadership, and sociology in Grand Teton
some sightseeing. Within just a few hours of being in
National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and surrounding
Wyoming, the students were able to observe elk, mule deer,
towns. The entire group traveled in a series of mini-vans and
pelicans, osprey, bison, and a coyote. The night ended
Suburbans from Jackson, Wyoming, to Gardiner, Montana.
with an orientation for students to meet the professors
During the seven-day trip, the students engaged in non-stop,
and hear about upcoming assignments including
hands-on learning in a variety of disciplines. They gained
blogs and “Place as Text.”
knowledge of sociology from Dr. Carl Riden, biology from Dr. Alix Fink, geology from Dr. David Hardin and Mark Newton, geography from Dr. Edward Kinman, art from Kerri Cushman, and received constant technological guidance from instructional and reference services librarian Elizabeth Kocevar-Weidinger.
Place as Text – Explorations into Community Issues Before departing for the trip, the students completed a pretrip group project to familiarize themselves with local issues
Arrival in Jackson
affecting the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The students were divided into groups of three called “packs.” Each pack worked together prior to the trip, and continued to do so
Upon arrival in Jackson, the students were greeted by
throughout the course. On the first day in Jackson, the packs
Longwood faculty members and fellow students. Shuttles
went out into the town and really began exploring local
ran from the airport 10 miles south to the hotel in Jackson’s
issues first hand by observing and conversing with residents
city center. With Grand Teton National Park serving as a
of the area. This assignment was called “Place as Text” and
backdrop to the airport, the shuttle ride provided a first
was done in three different towns throughout the trip.
glimpse of the wildlife and topography that would be studied throughout the trip.
11
12
Road Trip
The group took a tour of the Yellowstone National Park
After a brief stay in Jackson and a bit of exploration of
park. Original paintings by Thomas Moran from a surveying
Grand Teton National Park, including an art activity at
expedition in 1871, which were used to persuade members
Jenny Lake, it was time to head to Yellowstone. The student
of Congress to create the first National Park, are now kept
logistics managers packed the cars and everyone loaded up
in the archives.
Archives, which houses some of the oldest artifacts of the
for a road trip from Jackson, through Idaho, and into Montana. Along the way, professors taught via walkie-talkie
Students also had the opportunity to meet with local rancher
radios that were in each vehicle. Students learned about
Bruce Malcolm to learn about a rancher’s life. Bruce met
everything from potato irrigation and wildlife to Native
with students in his barn, where everyone sat on hay bales
Americans, Aryan Nations and civilian militias throughout
and had a truly unique classroom experience. Bruce shared
the area. The students also received a brief geology lesson
stories with the group about working in state-level politics,
at Lower and Upper Mesa Falls in Idaho and had a chance
ranching cattle, and leading hunting trips in the area.
to take some great photos!
Yellowstone Wildlife Watching
Unique Recreational Opportunities Along with learning sociology, biology, geology, geography,
Once in Gardiner, Montana, the students learned about
and art, the students did have some time for recreation.
Yellowstone National Park and studied the wildlife that
The group was given the opportunity to go swimming in the
makes the park its home. Wildlife biologists Dr. Nathan
Boiling River, where a hot spring meets a river full of glacial
Varley and Linda Thurston served as guides for the students
meltwater. They also were able to hike within Yellowstone
and professors on wildlife watching trips. This was a unique
National Park, explore Mammoth Hot Springs, and get in
opportunity because Nathan and Linda have they have lived
some exceptional sightseeing, including Old Faithful and
in the area and have special knowledge of the Greater
the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
Yellowstone ecosystem. Students observed grizzly and black bears, bald eagles, bison, elk, coyote, wolves, mountain goats, mule deer, and pronghorn antelope.
Guest Lectures
Become a Leader and Discover the Power in You! The LU@YNP program teaches more than science, art, and sociology. The program also encourages students to
While in Yellowstone, the students had the opportunity not
become leaders within their own communities upon return.
only to learn from Longwood professors and Nathan and
The students learned the importance of their voices and
Linda, but also from other locals. President and Executive
their actions in creating a better world. Besides, what better
Director of Yellowstone Country Guardians Michael Leach
way to learn that with such a fantastic and picturesque
met with students in a park for an outdoor classroom
background as Yellowstone and Grand Teton
experience. Michael worked for the National Park Service for
National Parks?
seven years before founding Yellowstone Country Guardians. More information about the organization can be found online at http://www.yellowstonecountryguardians.org/.
Lim Hale, ’09, and Caitlin Zoetis, ’11, take in the amazing sites found within Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.
13
Waterwalk: A Passage of Ghosts Longwood Professor Steven Faulkner’s Book About His Re-creation of Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet’s Famous River Journey is Made into Feature Film
14
“ I should not be surprised that he remains an enigma to his mother and me. And how could I expect two months on the water to overcome the continuing distractions of our overly busy lives? Two quiet months of hard canoeing, of campfires and conversations, of sleeping under the silent stars cannot replace 16 years of a speed-addicted, media-juiced culture. But it was something. Something real, and still, and quietly enduring. There, for a time, the stories were ours, the adventure was our own, and the once-upon-a-time fairytale was once our time. However long he lives, whatever decisions he makes, however he chooses to define and lead his life, those two months are ours for good.” – Steven Faulkner
Kent Booty Associate Editor In 1996 Steven Faulkner and his
“I suspect my students will have a good laugh when they see me in this movie,” said Faulkner, assistant professor
16-year-old son took a 1,000-mile canoe trip from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to St. Louis.
of English, who has taught at Longwood since 2006. “ They put me in a scene in which I play a disheveled old swamp rat whittling on a stick who points them the way out of the swamp. I don’t say a word. The actor playing me, Robert Cicchini, is also co-director, so I assume he knows what he’s doing. I never expected my book would be
Faulkner, now an English professor at Longwood University,
turned into a movie.”
wanted to re-create the famous 1673 journey by French explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet, who
The film, produced by the Michigan Blue Lake Production
discovered the Mississippi River and learned that it flowed
Co., will be released in 2012 and will premiere in Green Bay,
into the Gulf of Mexico. Faulkner also wanted to connect
Wis., which Faulkner plans to attend. It will be shown by
with his son. Because Faulkner was then in graduate school
four theater chains at about 100 theaters in the Upper
at the University of Kansas and was working two jobs, he felt
Midwest, as well as in Berkeley, Calif., and Laon, France,
he had not been spending enough time with Justin.
where Marquette lived. Both of the main actors (Chase
The 61-day trip was turned into a book, Waterwalk:
is playing Faulkner’s son) have agreed to attend a screening
A Passage of Ghosts, published in December 2008. The book
of the film at Longwood.
Maser, a theater student at Western Michigan University,
is being turned into a film, called simply Waterwalk, that will be released later this year. The real names of both Faulkner
Filming for the movie wrapped up in May. “It was filmed
and his son are being used, though because the actor playing
on location in Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri,”
his son is half-Korean, the Justin character is being portrayed
Faulkner said. “The lake and river scenes were filmed over
as his adopted son.
29 consecutive days that began August 17 last year.
Steve Faulkner's son Justin paddles on the Fox River in Wisconsin during their 1,000-mile canoe trip.
15
They did the inside scenes in January. One scene they still
The canoe trip was inspired in part by a children’s book that
have to do is the car crash that Justin had four years later.”
Faulkner had read 10 years earlier to Justin’s older siblings (Justin is Faulkner’s third son and the fourth of his seven
“ I was there for four days during filming. The two actors
children). The book, published in 1951, was The Explorations
didn’t know how to canoe, the river was in flood, and they
of Père Marquette by the late Jim Kjelgaard, who wrote
were weaving around and crashing into trees. I was trying to
children’s books, many of them about dogs, and is best
tell them how to go straight, and one of the assistants also
known for Big Red.
knew how to canoe and was trying to help them. All four of those days, they were learning how to canoe, which is about
“ Kjelgaard, whom I loved as a kid, wrote a children’s
as long as it took Justin and me to learn. By the time I left,
biography of Marquette that told the tale of him going
they were just getting the hang of it.”
across the Great Lakes and across Wisconsin and down the
“I’ve had lots of people tell me you’re never supposed to go in just one canoe, and I knew that. You’re supposed to take two in case one capsizes. In spite of the dangers, my wife was pretty good about me going on the trip, maybe because she knew she couldn’t talk us out of it. Plus, she knew we had life insurance! I wouldn’t advise anyone to try it without more experience than we had.” – Steven Faulkner Faulkner had praise for the actor playing him. “Robert saw
Mississippi,” Faulkner said. “I wanted to see if it could be
that I wear glasses, and he said ‘Well, maybe I ought to wear
done again, and I wanted to see how much our nation had
glasses,’ so we went to the local Walgreens and he bought a
changed, if the wilderness is still there. Also, I wanted to
pair of glasses and punched out the lenses so the light can’t
spend more time with my son. I was taking classes at the
reflect off them. He ended up not wearing glasses. After
time and working two jobs, and I hadn’t had as much time
I returned here, Rob called me every couple weeks saying
with Justin as I’d had with his older brothers and sisters.
‘How should we do this scene?’ He’s a really nice guy, not
Justin wasn’t excited at first. He didn’t know if he wanted to
some arrogant Hollywood actor.”
spend that much time with Dad! But he adapted well.”
The filmmakers have changed some things around. “In the
How did Faulkner prepare for the journey? “Before the trip,
movie, my son wants to go on the trip and has to talk me
Justin I had gone canoeing only once, one afternoon
into it,” Faulkner said. “Instead of me being a graduate
on the Kansas River, though that wasn’t related to the trip.
student in Kansas, I’m a small town newspaper editor in
And I’d read a book on canoeing, which I thought was
Michigan who’s just won an award for obituary writing and
sufficient. It did help the first three days. Fortunately,
then loses his job. And, even though the trip was in 1996
we had good weather the first three days which really
before all this modern technology, in the movie my son
helped since we were learning to canoe and were on Lake
supports the trip – remember, I’ve been laid off – by
Michigan, where canoeing is more difficult than on
stopping at various places along the way and blogging,
a river. So, I learned how to canoe on Lake Michigan.
asking for donations. Also, there’s a lot of conflict in the
Then, on the river on about the third day, we got waves
movie between father and son, and the son is angrier than
and winds. Wind is a real problem. When it’s windy,
Justin was. You sign away your rights, and I knew that.”
you have to angle into the waves; you can’t go straight in.
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It wasn’t all still water ... Steve Faulkner and his son navigate rapids on their adventure.
The canoe would lift up and practically crash when it came
The trip began May 21, 1996 in St. Ignace, Mich, on the
down. We were about a mile from land and had 50 or 60
southern tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, about where
miles of lake behind us, so we couldn’t go that way.
Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet. The trip ended in late July under the St. Louis Gateway Arch. “I invited both of
“ I’ve had lots of people tell me you’re never supposed to go in
my older sons, but neither could go, and now they regret it,”
just one canoe, and I knew that. You’re supposed to take two
Faulker said. “Had all four of us gone, it would have been
in case one capsizes. In spite of the dangers, my wife was
more like the Marquette-Joliet trip, which involved two
pretty good about me going on the trip, maybe because she
canoes and seven people.”
knew she couldn’t talk us out of it. Plus, she knew we had life insurance! I wouldn’t advise anyone to try it without more experience than we had.”
“ We paddled 300 miles on Lake Michigan to Green Bay, then to the Fox River, which was in flood, to Portage, Wis., where the river curves to within two miles of the Wisconisn
At the time of the trip, Faulkner was living in Topeka, Kan.,
River. Then, by taking a two-mile canal, we got on the
and working on a Ph.D. at the University of Kansas, about
Wisconsin River, which is down current, and we got on the
30 minutes away. “I was working two jobs: running a
Mississippi just below Prairie de Chien (Wisconsin) and went
newspaper route seven nights a week, 365 days a year, for six
400 miles on the Mississippi. It’s not very good canoeing on
or seven hours a night, and I was taking two classes in the
the Upper Mississippi, which is a mile wide in some places
evening. I was an impoverished student at the time. Justin
and can be more like a lake than a river, with not much
and I shingled a house to get the money for the trip.
current. Plus, there are a lot of locks and dams, about 22
We took the $700 and bought a canoe, which was cheap
locks. They would open the gates and let us into the locks.
for a canoe even back then.”
Fortunately, we didn’t have to portage once on the Mississippi.
17
“ Canoeing looks romantic, but it’s really hard work,” he said. “It’s hard on your lower back. One day when we’d
“ The river was flooded and we canoed through the trees, then we surprised a fisherman in a jon boat back in the trees.
canoed for nine hours on Lake Michigan, I could hardly
When I said hello, he practically jumped out of his boat.
stand up at the end of the day. Most days we got up late and
Fortunately, the fisherman told us how to get out. Another
canoed six or seven hours. We would take about an hour
memorable day was when we were on the Mississippi and
break at lunchtime. We stayed in a tent every night except
we had hours of constant rain. We went in a café and
for two nights, one of which was in Montello, Wis., when
ordered one item at a time: pancakes, some bacon, some
a man in whose yard we were camping became interested in
juice, more coffee, pie. We must have been in there three
us and had us spend the night inside the house. Every couple
or four hours until the rain quit.”
of weeks we would get food, and we stopped in Hannibal, Missouri, and visited the Mark Twain sites. Justin and
What did he enjoy most about the trip? “Being out there
I were reading Huckleberry Finn while canoeing down
immersed in nature. I’m a city guy, and my son was a city
the Mississippi.”
boy. I liked being out there in the wind and rain and sun, cold nights that we could hardly sleep, hot days in the upper
The trip was almost derailed June 20 in Appleton, Wis., some
90s, watching wolves chase a buck into Lake Michigan,
25 miles south of Green Bay. “At Appleton, which is the 400-
finding baby raccoons in an abandoned house along the
mile mark, the river was in flood. We couldn’t fight the
shore, finding coyote pups running with their mother –
current and we cut to the inside of the bend, where the water
all kinds of aspects of the natural world. I enjoyed the
is quieter. The canoe capsized, and our stuff wasn’t strapped in
proliferation of nature, the changing of the seasons, taking
because we’d had to portage around the dams a half-dozen
it hour by hour, day by day, the birds, the animals and the
times that day. After we ran below the dam, the canoe stayed
people we met along the way, who were always offering to
in the backwash but eventually kicked out, and Justin swam to
lend us a hand. It’s an experience that I’ll take with me for
the canoe and pulled it out. We saved all three backpacks and
the rest of my life. And I’m sure my son will too.
one life preserver, but we lost the other life preserver and the paddles. We also lost the canoe’s spay skirt, which keeps the
“ I think the trip changed my son a lot. He became a canoeist
waves off, and a fly from the tent, so I made one, and I lost
and kayaker and camper. He bought a kayak and spends lots
my camera, which had my name on it and was found a few
of nights in a tent, with his family or friends. A trip like this
miles down river by the police, who called my wife, who
slows you down, since you never go more than three or four
became worried. Fortunately, the canoe – which I named
miles an hour. You get to see landscape, the water, the
Natty Bumppo, after James Fennimore Cooper’s hero
animals, the fish. You get to see stuff you wouldn’t see on
in The Last of the Mohicans – was fine.
television or from the window of a car. Justin and I became closer, and we both enjoy reminiscing about the trip.”
“I was devastated because I thought the trip was over, since we’d lost so much stuff. Fortunately, a woman who came
Faulkner was asked to compare his journey to that of
down to help us called the local newspaper, and they sent
Marquette and Joliet. “Of course, nature has changed so
a couple reporters. One reporter, instead of just asking
much. On the early part of the trip, along Michigan’s Upper
questions, offered to help us and drove us around to some
Peninsula and the 300 miles on Lake Michigan down to
stores so we could replace our supplies including life
Green Bay, a lot of that is wilderness. The Hiawatha
preservers and paddles. He also took us to meet his editor,
National Forest and other parts of it are just full of fir trees.
who offered to put us for the night. We were soaked from
It’s very wild in a lot of parts. As we crossed Wisconsin, there
swimming out of the river, in the nick of time, and we spent
were dairy farms and little cities and little towns, and then
the night with him. He gave us socks and shirts and drove us
once we hit the Mississippi, you could see how much has
around to buy a tent. Without the help of the good people
changed since 1673. It’s an industrialized river.”
of Appleton, Wisconsin, our trip would have ended there. A lot of people let us set up our tent and took us in and
“Also, of course, the journey by Marquette and Joliet was
showed us around. There are a lot of very good Midwestern
much more dangerous than ours. They were going into area
people out there in upper Michigan and Wisconsin and
that was totally unknown. Part of the way, they had Indian
down the Mississippi.”
guides, but after a while even the Indians didn’t know where
Faulkner and his son found themselves one day in a 35-
is now the Wisconsin River, through swamps, and finally on
to go from there. They just made their way west along what square mile swamp, which didn’t have much current. “We got out of that partly by trial and error,” Faulkner said.
18
out to the great Mississippi River. And they were sometimes helped by the local Indian tribe, who had heard about these
“ For the waves are still running with the wind, and the ground sometimes takes on the motion of the waves, and the currents are still running to an unknown sea, and sometimes I feel the twist of a sudden swirl or am caught floating backwards in a quiet eddy, and feeling this, I will glance back and see our reflections there.” – Steven Faulkner strange white men from the East, and they were sometimes
mountain bikes, and hiked on a part of the Lewis and Clark
in fear of these men. At one time a tribe captured them
Trail known as the Lolo Trail, which they had to give up
and debated whether to kill them all, but eventually they let them go.
since it was so difficult. Justin camped with them one night. “ That’s my next book,” Faulkner said. “I’m going back there this summer, and Justin wants to go. We’ll go on mountain
“And once Marquette and Joliet got to the end of their
bikes on the Lolo Trail.”
journey, they had to turn around and go back up 1,500 more miles, against the current of the Mississippi River,
At the end of his book, Faulkner wondered whether he had
which wasn’t blocked by any dams at the time. Theirs was a
succeeded in connecting with his son.
really tough journey – they had to fight disease, the weather, tribes they didn’t know about. The people along our journey
“ I should not be surprised that he remains an enigma to his
were universally kind and helpful. Joliet almost died on the
mother and me. And how could I expect two months on the
journey. He got swamped on a rapids in Montreal, two of
water to overcome the continuing distractions of our overly busy
his friends were drowned, and some fishermen found him on
lives? Two quiet months of hard canoeing, of campfires and
a rock knocked out. Marquette made his way back up to the
conversations, of sleeping under the silent stars cannot replace
area of Green Bay and rejoined the mission and later made it
16 years of a speed-addicted, media-juiced culture. But it was
back to some of the tribes that he had visited to carry on his
something. Something real, and still, and quietly enduring.
mission, but he came down with dysentery and died on Lake
There, for a time, the stories were ours, the adventure was
Michigan about a year later.”
our own, and the once-upon-a-time fairytale was once our time. However long he lives, whatever decisions he makes,
Faulkner is scheduled to appear in a companion 20-minute
however he chooses to define and lead his life, those two
documentary about the Marquette-Joliet voyage that is being
months are ours for good.
produced with the Michigan Council for History Education. His interview for that was filmed in August 2010 near Portage, Wis.
“ For the waves are still running with the wind, and the ground sometimes takes on the motion of the waves, and the currents are still running to an unknown sea, and
Faulkner isn’t through with rugged adventures with his sons.
sometimes I feel the twist of a sudden swirl or am caught
Last summer he and his youngest son, Alex, took a 10-day
floating backwards in a quiet eddy, and feeling this,
trip in which they canoed on mountain rivers in Idaho, rode
I will glance back and see our reflections there.”
Longwood professor Steve Faulkner looks forward to the release of the film based on his book.
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From left: Nursing student Stacy Bolt; project manager Kim Bass of Longwood Capital Planning & Construction; Dr. Melody Eaton, chair of the Nursing Department; Longwood President Patrick Finnegan; lead donor Dr. Edward Gordon; and Cindy Crews, clinical simulation director in the Nursing Department, officially open The Gordon Center.
The Gordon Center Opens Longwood Nursing Program’s Amazing New Instructional and Simulation Facility Kent Booty Associate Editor Longwood University’s nursing
“ The nursing students who will go through this program are going to save lives,” Dr. Gordon said before he and others
program has a state-of-the-art instructional and simulation facility.
cut a ceremonial ribbon Feb. 1 in the corridor of the CSLC. “And they’re going to save lives in a way that is so different from in the past because they’ll go into their first clinical experiences with live people who actually talk back to them
The Edward I. Gordon, M.D. Clinical Simulation Learning
and know what to do and have been through some of the
Center (CSLC), located on the renovated third floor of
horrors of the mistakes that were made in the simulation lab
Stevens Hall, is designed to advance the clinical and critical
but not in the real world. The amount of things that can be
reasoning skills of Longwood nursing students in a safe
done here just appear to be endless, and the growth potential
environment. The facility was made possible by a $1 million
of this is also endless. This Center ties together all of the
gift from Dr. Edward Gordon, a longtime Farmville
things that mean the most to me – health care, nursing,
physician, in August 2009. The CSLC features high-tech
computers, Farmville and Longwood – and is more than
equipment including manikins capable of simulating a
I ever envisioned.”
remarkable array of physiological functions, called “highfidelity patient simulators,” and a digital audiovisual system
All of the funding for the work and equipment for the
that allows for live recordings of simulated experiences to be
CSLC came from private donations and grants. Other
recorded and played back for faculty and student evaluation.
donors include the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and
The cameras and manikins are controlled from one central
Community Revitalization Commission, the Mary Morton
control station.
Parsons Foundation, the Richmond Memorial Health
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Student nurses Alison Kitchen '13 (center) and Marsha Blevins '13 (right) receive training from Wanda Bolton, RN, a community health partner and volunteer.
Foundation, and the Marietta McNeill Morgan and Samuel Tate Morgan, Jr. Foundation. The CSLC labs have been
“Anything that you can do in a clinical setting simulation lab, we can do here,” said Cindy Crews, clinical simulation
used since August 2010. Longwood’s bachelor of science in
director and lecturer in the Nursing Department.
nursing (B.S.N.) program, launched in fall 2009, currently
The facility has four high-fidelity manikins and about
has 74 students.
12 mid- and low-fidelity manikins, which are somewhat less advanced. The manikins are in the Patient Simulation
“ You cannot help but be impressed by the Center and the
and Fundamentals labs.
technology that our students will have the opportunity to use to aid in their learning,” Longwood President Patrick
“All of the high-fidelity manikins can breathe, talk, and have
Finnegan said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “This Center puts our program on the cutting edge of educating and
a wide range of physiological responses,” Crews said. “We can simulate anything from birth to death, and we have
training these student nurses to help prepare them to be
a manikin who delivers. We have adult, pediatric and infant
among the very best in their profession. Thank you,
manikins. ‘Sim Man 3G’ is one of the most advanced
Dr. Gordon, for your outstanding support of this Center,
patient simulators. He can have seizures, blink and sweat,
for your enthusiasm for our nursing program, and for all
and he has bodily fluids. He runs the full gamut.”
your efforts on behalf of Longwood University. You are helping to make a difference in the lives our students, whom we know will go on to assist and serve others in an area of great need for our Commonwealth and our nation.”
Crews, who earned a B.S.N. in 1996, said this type of nursing instruction wasn’t available when she attended nursing school. “ The use of high-fidelity patient simulators in nursing education kicked off in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and it became a
Dr. Melody Eaton, chair of the Nursing Department, also
mainstay in 2006,” she said. “Most nursing schools now have
praised Dr. Gordon’s generosity and touted the CSLC’s
some level of simulated nursing experiences. Virginia and
benefits. “This Center will play a key and integral role in the
Texas are leading the way in this field.”
success of our new nursing program,” she said. “It will offer experiential learning in a safe environment. Students will
In the Patient Simulation Lab with Sim Man 3G, the
enhance their knowledge, critical thinking skills, and
manikin and software can calculate if students are doing
confidence in caring for patients.”
effective chest compressions and medication administration. The other Patient Simulation Lab has, in addition to
The CSLC includes two Patient Simulation Labs, two
another high-fidelity manikin, a code cart with a working
Fundamentals Labs, a Health Assessment Lab, a control
defibrillator. One Fundamentals Lab has five stations with
room, a conference/debrief room, and a storage/prep room.
mid-fidelity manikins on which students can check pulses,
21
blood pressures and respirations and listen to lung, heart and
and Longwood, which is a vital part of Farmville. And then
bowel sounds. The other Fundamentals Lab has some high-
it brought in the individuals who were instrumental in me
fidelity manikins including Noelle, a “birthing simulator
doing every single thing that I do in medicine – nursing.
who actually delivers vaginally,” said Crews, as well as Sim
What better way to look into a mirror and see who I am
New B, a neo-natal simulator that weighs seven pounds and
than to place all of this into one environment? What better
is 21 inches (“He cries, moves, has pulses, turns blue, and
way to reflect who I was than to put all of this into play?
can have seizures,” said Crews), a 20-pound toddler
This is a perfect fit.”
supposed to be about 18 months old, and an electronic medication-dispensing machine. Both Fundamentals Labs
Dr. Gordon noted that his late wife was a nurse and all three
are set up with a 12-seat classroom (lab sections are limited
of his daughters are nurses. He and his wife, Loretta, moved
to 10 students).
the family to Farmville in 1973 and began his pediatric and
Dr. Gordon’s early interest in using computers to enhance health care practices and his dedication as a practicing physician are among several strands of his life that led to his donation to Longwood’s clinical simulation lab. In the Health Assessment Lab, which has five physical
family medicine practice that he continues today. Loretta,
exam stations with functioning equipment, students
who died in 2005, was a licensed practical nurse (LPN) who
practice doing physical assessments and histories. In the
managed his practice and served as his nurse until her
control room, each of the monitors goes to a separate
retirement in 2003. His oldest daughter, Ginger Amos, is a
room, and there is a continuous live video feed. “In this
registered nurse (RN) and radiology technician, practicing as
room you can communicate overhead and through the
his nurse and office manager. Another daughter, Deborah
manikins to the students,” Crews said. “It’s like a whole
Gordon, a 1981 Longwood graduate, is an RN who
different world in here!”
practices as a nursing supervisor at Piedmont Geriatric Hospital, and another daughter, Gwen Buchanan, is an LPN
In the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Dr. Gordon, surrounded by
who practices in the operating room at Centra Southside
his four children and five of his eight grandchildren, talked
Community Hospital in Farmville. Dr. Gordon’s son,
of how his interest in medicine and computers began. As a
Michael, a deputy with the Cumberland County Sheriff ’s
young boy, Dr. Gordon developed polio, resulting in a year-
Department, is also involved in the medical profession as an
long hospitalization and his desire to become a physician.
emergency medical technician.
When computers were first introduced, he tried to pique his son’s curiosity by enrolling him in a class, at the now-defunct
The renovation that paved the way for the CSLC, called
Longwood Campus School, to introduce him to the
Phase I, was completed by August 2010. The Virginia
Commodore Vic-20 computer. Although his son was “not
General Assembly in March 2011 appropriated $885,800
too fascinated,” Dr. Gordon was “most intrigued,” and he
to cover the construction cost of Phase I1, in which an open
incorporated the use of computers into his medical practice.
room of about 3,000 square feet at the Wheeler Mall end
His early interest in using computers to enhance health care
of Stevens Hall, also on the third floor, will be renovated.
practices and his dedication as a practicing physician are
This work, expected to be done by August 2011, will create
among several strands of his life that led to his donation to
a student lounge, two debrief rooms, a third Patient
Longwood’s clinical simulation lab.
Simulator Lab for maternal and infant simulators, an exam room, an apartment-like home care area, and offices for
“ Computers became intertwined with my health career, and I found I could become more productive in learning and in
some of the nursing faculty and the clinical simulation director. Offices for all the faculty and staff in the nursing
caring for patients by utilizing my medical knowledge with
program are currently on the second floor of Stevens, which
computers complementing this approach,” he said. “So,
is shared with some classrooms in the Art Department while
when I was approached about the simulation lab that tied
Bedford Hall undergoes an addition and renovation. Non-
computers and medicine, the tie became perfect. It also tied
lab classes in the Nursing Department meet on the second
two other loves of mine – Farmville, of which I am a citizen,
floor, which has a 44-seat classroom. Stevens Hall, which
22
From left: Stacy Bolt '13, Dr. Joe Montoya, Marc Bein '13, in training at The Gordon Center.
opened in 1951, was home to Longwood’s science programs
been married to an RN for almost 40 years now, I have a
for 54 years.
deep appreciation for what nurses do to assist those in need.”
The nursing program has 34 sophomores and 40 freshmen.
In the CSLC, the audiovisual system was provided by a
The goal is to admit 40 students every fall (44 were admitted
company called Education Management Solutions, the high-
last fall) and to have 120-160 students by 2014. One
and mid-fidelity manikins were provided by Laerdal, medical
student, Stacy Bolt, ’13, of Farmville, was chosen by her
equipment and supplies were provided by Pocket Nurse, and
classmates to help cut the ribbon.
the headwalls, which have suction, oxygen and compressed air, were provided by Modular Services.
“ The Nursing Department is in its infancy, but there is no doubt it has hit the ground running,” Finnegan said at the
In addition to Dr. Gordon’s family practice, he is the chief
ribbon-cutting. “From a competitive admissions process to
physician to The Woodland retirement community, medical
innovative technology and terrific partnerships, this is a
director for Piedmont Regional Jail and the Farmville Police
tremendous addition to Longwood’s academic program,
Department, and a Commonwealth of Virginia medical
which also serves a great need in Southside Virginia. Our
examiner for Prince Edward and Cumberland counties.
state has 624 nurses for every 10,000 residents, lagging well
He is a member of the Longwood Board of Visitors and
behind the national average of 746. In the last few years,
Farmville Town Council.
Virginia has fallen from 40th to 45th among the states in nurses per capita. This program and these students are
When Dr. Gordon was handed a pair of scissors shortly
directly involved in Longwood’s aim of graduating citizen
before the ribbon-cutting, he joked “Now remember,
leaders who contribute to the overall good of society. Having
I’m not a surgeon.”
23
Nick Creasey, ’13
Meet Nick Creasey, ’13 Nothing Can Stop This Member of the U.S. Paralympic Men’s National Soccer Team Kent Booty Associate Editor Nick Creasey’s life reads like a case
Games in London, and in one international tournament in England. In the tournament in the Netherlands this summer,
study in a medical journal.
which Creasey likened to the World Cup, the team qualified
Creasey, a Longwood junior, has undergone two surgeries for
play as well.
for the Paralympic Games in London, in which he hopes to a brain tumor, first when he was five and later in the seventh grade. Just before the first surgery, his right side was
“ This is a dream come true,” Creasey, an art education
paralyzed – his use of that side of his body remains limited –
major from Chesterfield County, said of his participation
and afterward his paralysis increased and he had to learn to
in Paralympics, for athletes with physical disabilities.
walk again. He needed another surgery after breaking his kneecap in the fifth grade and later had major leg surgery,
“ I’m playing against the best players in the world who are representing their countries, and I’m able to represent
to help him walk better. His vision is limited but is good
my country. And I’ve been able to see places I never
enough to drive. He’s had inpatient and outpatient
would have seen.”
rehabilitation, occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT), and had to switch to being left-side dominant.
Paralympic soccer is played seven-a-side on a smaller field
Despite these setbacks and his physical limitations, he has
eligible for Paralympic soccer, athletes must be ambulatory
and with smaller goals than non-disabled soccer. To be not slowed down or been prevented from playing his beloved
and have a diagnosis of non-progressive brain damage that is
sport. Creasey, a lifelong soccer player and a soccer referee,
associated with motor control dysfunction such as cerebral
is a member of the U.S. Paralympic men’s national soccer
palsy, traumatic brain injury or stroke.
team. He has played in three international tournaments in the Netherlands, including one this June that was a qualifying tournament for the 2012 Summer Paralympic
24
“Usually 12 players travel with the team, and there’s a pool of about 30 people who participate in the camps, which are
like tryouts,” Creasey said. “I usually travel with the team. In
A five-part YouTube series about Creasey, “ParaView with
addition to the World Cup this summer, I’ve played in two
Nick Creasey,” was produced in summer 2010 by Ron
other tournaments in Holland, in May 2009 and October
Logan, a photographer who works with the U.S. Soccer
2009, and one in Manchester, England, in May 2010. I’ve
Federation. The series, which features an interview with
missed only one tournament, last October in Argentina. I’ve
Creasey that runs a combined total of 39 minutes, can be
been to more than 10 camps, which are held at the Olympic
viewed at http://www.youtube.com/user/rlogan2009. It was
Training Center in Chula Vista, California, near San Diego.
filmed at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.
“ This is a dream come true. I’m playing against the best players in the world who are representing their countries, and I’m able to represent my country. And I’ve been able to see places I never would have seen.” – Nick Creasey, ’13 Some of the camps are closed (invitation only) and some are
Creasey played recreational soccer beginning at age four and,
open. Fortunately, the team is considered a full national
said his mother, began “dribbling a ball around soccer fields
team by the U.S. Soccer Federation which sponsors all the
at the age of two.” His older sister played on a boys’ team
team’s expenses while on trips and at camps.”
during his early childhood, and their father, Mike Creasey, coached youth soccer. “As soon as I could walk, I had a ball
His most recent tournament, June 17-July 1 in Emmen,
on my feet,” Creasey said.
Assen and Hoogeveen, the Netherlands, was the Cerebral Palsy International Sports & Recreation Association (CPISRA)
Not long after he began playing organized soccer, his
Football 7-a-side World Championships 2011, which featured
medical issues emerged. When he was five, he was diagnosed
teams from 16 countries. The U.S. team, which defeated
with a tumor he described as “literally the size of an orange.”
Ireland and Japan and lost to Iran, was one of eight teams that
Linda Creasey called it a “benign childhood tumor, which he
qualified for next year’s Paralympic Games. This summer’s
probably had at birth. Fortunately, it was benign. Before his
tournament and the one in the Netherlands in October 2009
first surgery, he was vomiting all the time and sleeping 18
were sponsored by the CPISRA.
hours a day.” The tumor was removed in his first surgery, in May 1996 at the Medical College of Virginia (MCV, where
Creasey attended his first three Paralympic camps while
Linda Creasey works as a registered dietitian). Two days
still in high school, and he played in his first tournament
before that surgery, his right side was paralyzed as a result
a month before graduation. “He skipped his senior prom to
of swelling in his brain. Afterward, he was significantly
go to Holland,” said his mother, Linda Creasey.
paralyzed. “It took him about two weeks to stand on both feet and walk a little,” said Linda Creasey.
Creasey first learned about Paralympics through a girls’ soccer game that he refereed in Richmond during his
He underwent inpatient rehabilitation for two weeks, then
senior year in high school. The coach for one of the teams,
had to attend outpatient rehab at Children’s Hospital in
Matt Bush, who lives in Virginia Beach, noticed Creasey
Richmond every day for three months. He had trouble
and began talking with him. Bush gave Creasey’s contact
walking afterward and had to wear an orthotic for about five
information to Jay Hoffman, also of Virginia Beach and the
years. “The orthotic, which began just below his knee, was
head coach of the Paralympic team, who contacted Creasey’s
to keep his lower leg and foot in an L-shape. At first he had
parents. One of the teams playing that day was from
to wear it day and night, then just at night. He hated
Virginia Rush, a soccer club for which Bush and Hoffman
wearing it.”
both work. “ I learned to walk again through OT and PT,” Creasey said. “Nick’s a remarkable young man,” Hoffman said. “He’s very
“ PT, especially, got my legs going again, and I kept playing
dedicated to the Paralympic program, and he has found
youth soccer after my first surgery. The farther down the
a way to compete at the highest possible level. When he
extremity, the less use I have, like my fingers and toes.
comes into the camps, he’s always one of our fittest players.
My hip, shoulder and knee are more mobile. I was told that
He’s a great kid.”
I had the best brain tumor, in regards to outcome, at the
25
Nick Creasey, ’13, in action with the U.S. Paralympic soccer team. Photos by Ron Logan / U.S. Soccer.
best age. You learn fine-motor skills up until you’re eight, so
ninth grade. “He has had 24 MRIs in his life but now needs
I had a three-year gap in which I could reconnect with those
one only every two years,” said his mother. “When he was
fine-motor skills.”
young, he thought the MRIs were what was causing his tumor, especially since he walked into MCV for his first
The first occurrence of the tumor also affected his vision. “ I see in what is called stripes, which means half of the visual
MRI, two days before the tumor surgery when he was five, and ended up paralyzed. So, they were traumatic for him.
field in my right eye isn’t there. It doesn’t quite pick up
Due to his apprehension when he was young, he had to be
where my left eye leaves off, and my peripheral vision is
put to sleep before each MRI, and the drug causes you to
limited. Instead of 180 degrees of vision, I have only
not breathe, so they had to intubate him – insert a breathing
112 degrees. A requirement for a driver’s license is that
tube. Finally we were able to convince him that the MRIs
your vision be 105 degrees, so I make it by seven degrees.
weren’t causing the paralysis.”
I drive better than a lot of my friends!” Creasey had leg surgery in the eleventh grade that involved “ The tumor recurred beginning in the fourth grade.
muscle lengthening. “They operated on my achilles tendon,
They weren’t sure what it was at first, and the doctors
adductor muscle, posterior and big toe tendons, so I would
monitored it. It was a microscopic cell at first and eventually
have a better walking gait. That surgery has made an
became about half the size of my pinky fingernail. After the
amazing difference. It’s made my ability to walk cleaner,
second surgery, which is called stereotactic radiosurgery, the
and my balance is also much better. I used to walk on the
tumor shrunk and eventually went away. I’ve been clean ever
toes and balls of my feet, and now I walk flat-footed thanks
since two years after that surgery.”
to the surgery on the achilles tendon.” Following that
Creasey learned he was tumor-free through an MRI in the
MCV for about three months.
surgery, he underwent outpatient rehabilitation at
26
Longwood Center for the Visual Arts Awarded National Accreditation Beth Cheuk LCVA Program Manager Joining the ranks of museums like the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, and the University of Virginia Art Museum, the LCVA has received national recognition from the American Association of Museums (AAM). Accreditation from the AAM is a seal of approval for the LCVA’s high professional standards and dedication to public service. Across the country, only 4.5 percent of all museums are accredited. In honor of the LCVA’s accomplishment and its general
Accreditation is important on a number of levels. It validates
contributions to the cultural and economic health of the
the work of the museum, providing confidence to current
region, on March 27, the Town of Farmville proclaimed that
and potential donors of the
April 2011 is “LCVA Month.”
excellence of our programs, policies, and our
To assist the LCVA in getting out the good news of its
stewardship of
accreditation, area students, LCVA staff, LCVA patrons,
artworks given
and others have been photographed “jumping for joy.”
or loaned to
Area businesses added to the festivities by posting
the center.
congratulatory messages on their marquees. “Congrats
It fulfills a
LCVA – national museum award,” dotted the streets of
longtime
Farmville, adding charm and spreading the message that
goal of the
the LCVA is for everyone.
staff and board and supports
LCVA Advisory Board president Julie Kline Dixon notes, “ I’m delighted and flattered to have been president of the
Longwood’s overall commitment for
board when this good news came through. But of course, the
departments to be accredited by
accreditation was made possible by the efforts of many past
their associated professional agencies. Finally,
presidents – people like Pat Fitzgerald ’54, Jack Blanton,
it communicates to the region and beyond the value
Harriet Miller ’51, and, most recently, Heyn Kjerulf.
and excellence of our exhibitions and educational programs,
Advisory board members past and present, LCVA staff
helping the LCVA continue to attract visitors and attention
members, volunteers, and the strong support of our
from across the area, region, state, and beyond.
community have made possible this tremendous accomplishment.”
27
P
the
ART
o f t he cen t u r i es
Kathy Johnson Bowles LCVA Director Guests at the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts’ fourth gala traveled through a live history of art with models and artists recreating classic and contemporary masterpieces. They took a walk along the Seine River in Georges Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. They stood alongside the husband and wife in Grant Wood’s American Gothic. They even hung out with hipster Andy Warhol and experienced pop art from the 1960s. These live artworks not only were jaw-dropping theatrical successes, but they also symbolized the LCVA’s mission to encourage art, from every century, in our everyday lives. Themed The Party of the Centuries, the gala was a major success, selling out of tickets nearly a month before the event and generating buzz that started well before the event and continues even now. Aside from the live artworks, guests commented on the excellence of the food, the elegance of the flowers and general décor, and the fun addition of dancing to live music by the Catalinas. In total, the event netted more than $100,000 for the LCVA’s educational programs. However, much more than just a party, the gala itself is a celebration of the arts and the artists in our community. Between the live art displays and the silent auctions, the event highlighted the talents of up-and-coming artists studying at Longwood (who painted the canvasses for the models) and provided a platform for local and regional arts to display and sell their work. The event also serves as an invitation for everyone who attended the event to learn more about the LCVA and the university. Guests at the gala went home more aware of the LCVA’s strong conviction that art is an important – and beautiful – element of everyday life. Proceeds from the gala make possible programs such as lectures, films, and workshops for adults; summer studios, in-school presentations, and on-campus field trips for
students; and activities such as the Annual Area Youth Art Exhibition, Kids’ Activity Rooms, or the Free Family Workshops, which welcome and lift the spirits of everyone, young and old. The gala would not be possible without the help of hundreds of people, whether sponsors, committee members, volunteers, contributing artists, or, in many cases, a combination of the above. The LCVA is indebted to many but particularly wants to acknowledge the work of tireless and cheerful gala co-chairs Emily Pilk and Joan Witschey. The food and decorating chair, Melissa Panzarello, along with her husband, Eric Koger, and some of their students in the theatre department, helped transform an idea about live art into an unbelievably effective reality. Chris Dowdy served as chair of the gala’s sponsorship committee and achieved record contributions that exceeded $120,000. Drawing from the talents of students and faculty, the models, painters, seamstresses, stylists, scriptwriters, and coaches for the live artworks exceeded our expectations in every way. And of course there would be no point in having a gala if it weren’t for the artists who contribute works for the auctions. The LCVA is profoundly appreciative for each person’s contributions to this special evening.
Clockwise from top: Candy ’69, Katherine, Chris, and Chuck Dowdy pose with Mary Beth Dillon as ToulouseLautrec's Jane Avril. Dancing to music provided by The Catalinas was a popular addition to the 2011 gala. Longwood’s First Lady and Honorary Chairperson for the Gala, Joan Finnegan, places a bid during the silent auction. Guests such as Robert Burger enjoyed studying and speaking with the models who interpreted the live artworks. Shown here is Madeline Hunter portraying Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I.
29
Clockwise from top: Gala committee members Kim Davis and Angela Jackson work on the Jackson Pollock-style painting that adorned the band’s stage during the gala. Melissa Panzarello of Longwood’s Theatre Department measures Brandon Hennessy ’12, for his role as Annie Leibovitz’s Portrait of Christo. Stuart Gregg ’12, was one of many art and art ed majors at Longwood who recreated masterpieces to serve as the backdrops for the live art interpretations at the gala.
Committee Members President and Mrs. Patrick Finnegan, honorary chairpersons Emily Pilk, co-chair Joan Witschey, co-chair Kathy Johnson Bowles Johnnie Britt Lonnie I. Calhoun III Stanley A. Cheyne Crista Cory Kim Davis Guy Dixon Julie K. Dixon Candice Jamison Dowdy ’69 Charles H. Dowdy III Chris Dowdy Katherine Feil Dowdy
30
Jarrod Fergeson Larissa Smith Fergeson Kristin W. Gee Everett Gee Navona Hart Pat Hicks Harlan L. Horton Angela M. Jackson Dirk Johnson Eric Koger Jennifer Logan Jessica Moseley Melissa Panzarello Lisa F. Tharpe Rob Wade Brad Watson Lorrie Cundiff Watson ’95 Michael David Whaley Pam Wilson
Joan & Pat Finnegan and Gwen Eddleman / Guy & Julie Dixon with Trey & Kristin Gee with Ed Kinman as Vincent van Gogh / Smantha Kozub & Troy Austin
Chris & Barbara Howard and Judy Forlines & Richard Cralle / Kate Duval, Bob Satterfield, Bob Duval, Sue Satterfield, Walter & Joan Witschey
Bill & Harriet Miller with Meg Gouldin, Betty Rowe, and AnnaLeah Chantry / William & Ann Oppenhimer with David Whaley / Harlan & Reed Horton
Jarrod & Larissa Fergeson / Kathy Johnson Bowles with Chris Dowdy and Julie Dixon / Michael & Anne Lund and Marian Hahesy Calhoun & Lonnie Calhoun with Madeline Hunter
Tim & Lisa Tharpe, Congressman Robert Hurt, and Darlene & Dick Bratcher / Virginia & Brad Watson
31
Lancers Update Longwood Lancers Enjoy An Outstanding Spring Greg Prouty Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations Longwood University Athletics recently
Senior men’s golf standout Michael Young just missed on an
enjoyed another outstanding spring
Championships. He led the Lancers with his school-record
individual invitation to the post-season NCAA Regional
sports season. The Lancers’ softball team finished 2011 with a Division I record 37 wins (37-13), including 10 straight wins to start the year before finishing with 15 wins in the last 20 games. Highlights included a 7-5 road win at number eight Georgia, a 1-0 shutout at No.14 Hawaii, and a 2-0 shutout of Notre Dame, before adding two-game sweeps of Virginia, South Carolina, Penn State, and Liberty while splitting games against Virginia Tech and East Carolina. Longwood just missed on an invitation to the 2011 NCAA Division I Softball Championship. Head Coach Kathy Riley has an outstanding 15-year record of 434-230-1, including 13 winning years.
73.26 average, including five top-five efforts among six top10 finishes. Young enjoyed an outstanding four-year career with a new school-record scoring average of 74.10, including 11 top-five among 26 top-20 individual career finishes. Longwood women’s lacrosse finished 2011 with a winning record of 10-8, including 5-2 in the National Lacrosse Conference (NLC). The Lancers were the No.3 seed for the NLC Tournament, falling in the semifinals. The Lancers’ two tennis teams each enjoyed winning campaigns as the men finished 12-7, its second straight 12win season while claiming the Independent Tournament title, and the women completed their year with a record of 8-7.
The Longwood baseball team won 14 consecutive games during the period of March 1-19, including a road win at VCU and a four-game sweep of Buffalo, and the Lancers
New Mascot Coming Soon
finished 2011 with a record of 28-18. It marks the 30th overall 20-win campaign and 23rd season with at least 25
In early March, Longwood President Patrick Finnegan asked
wins in the program’s 34-year history. Veteran 33-year head
Director of Athletics Troy Austin to chair a Longwood Spirit
coach Charles Buddy Bolding attained milestone coaching
Initiatives Committee of faculty, staff, students, and alumni
victory number 900 with a 6-4 road win at James Madison
to work on finding a new mascot and creating a school fight
May 10 and is now 900-495-4, including 30 winning
song. The goal was for the committee to deliver a new
seasons during his tenure. (see related story)
mascot by August for the start of the new school year, while
Longwood women’s golf posted a tournament-record,
semester. The committee released sketches for voting upon
introducing a new fight song later during the 2011 fall 36-hole score of 291-297-588 March 28-29 while finishing
for a new Longwood Lancers mascot on May 1 at the Late
in first place among five teams at its own Tina Barrett
Night Breakfast in the Dorrill Dining Hall. Alumni, faculty,
Invitational played at The Manor Resort Golf Club in
staff and students were emailed on May 2 with instructions
Farmville. Freshman Amanda Steinhagen took individual
for one week of online voting to select the new mascot.
medalist honors in the field of 28 with her tournament-
The mascot will be a costumed individual celebrating
record and collegiate-best four-under par 69-71-140 for
Longwood school spirit, and there is no intention to change
her first college victory.
the athletics logo with the lance and horse graphic.
32
Mark Montgomery, ’11 Selected by New York Yankees Longwood University baseball standout Mark Montgomery was selected by the New York Yankees in the 11th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft on June 7, day two of the three-day, 50-round amateur draft. The 6-0, 205-pound right-handed pitcher was 1-0 with 10 saves and a 0.89 earned run average in 22 appearances, including 30.1 innings and 48 strikeouts (14.24 per nine innings) as a junior closer with the Lancers during 2011. Montgomery, the 359th overall selection, becomes only the ninth Longwood baseball player to ever be drafted. “ We’re thrilled at Mark being drafted by the New York Yankees,” said 33rd-year Longwood head coach Charles Buddy Bolding. “It’s the premier organization in professional baseball and they have a great reputation at developing pitchers. He should have the opportunity to advance rapidly through their organization.” Montgomery established new Longwood season-records for ERA (0.89), saves (10), and fewest hits allowed (12 or 3.56 per nine innings) during 2011. He yielded just four runs, three earned, while limiting opponents to a .120 batting average with only 10 walks (2.97) and no home runs allowed. Montgomery led the pitching staff in appearances, games in relief, ERA, saves, strikeouts, opponent batting average, games finished (21), and batters struck out looking (16). Throughout his three-year, 64-appearance career at Longwood, Montgomery was 7-6 with 16 saves and a 3.79 era over 128.1 innings with 157 strikeouts (11.01). He owns the school-record for career saves (16), while ranking sixth in ERA (3.79). – G.P. 33
Longwood Ruggers celebrate their national championship with President Patrick Finnegan.
Men’s Rugby Team Wins National Championship The Longwood University’s men’s rugby team
“After last fall, the team made it a goal to win the national championship, and they worked really, really hard,” said Dr. John
has won the national championship.
Graham, associate professor of computer science, who coaches the men’s and women’s rugby teams. “They were dedicated to it. They cut
The squad captured the national title in Men’s College Division III of
their spring break short and came back early to play a playoff game.”
USA Rugby by defeating Occidental College of California, 36-27, on May 1 in Virginia Beach. Some 138 colleges and universities from
Graham was treated to a Gatorade “bath” after the championship
across the country compete for the national championship at this level,
game, and the players participated in their post-game ritual of posing
which has no connection with Division III in NCAA-sanctioned
shirtless for a team photo. About 500 Longwood fans, including local
intercollegiate athletics.
alumni, attended the game, he said.
The championship game was played the day after the semifinal game,
“Midnight Madness here on campus was the night we won the
also played in Virginia Beach, in which Longwood defeated Salve
championship, and when we walked into the dining hall, all of the
Regina University, which had been ranked No.1 in the nation, 31-19.
student body stood up and applauded,” Graham said. “President
Those two games were part of the Final Four, similar to the Final Four
Finnegan, who was there, shook hands with all of the players
in the national college basketball tournament. The Longwood men’s
and high-fived them.”
rugby team had twice made it to the Final Four, losing in the national semifinals in 2009 and 2007, but had never won the national
After capturing the regional championship, the team entered the
championship.
national championship, beating Mount St. Mary’s, 48-25, on April 2 in Farmville. On April 16 in Knoxville, Tenn., the Longwood team
The Longwood squad, undefeated during its regular season last fall,
eliminated the University of West Florida, 31-17.
first won the state championship last November (winning both games), then won the regional championship in March (winning all three
Earlier the team won the regional championship, of the Mid-Atlantic
games), then advanced to the Final Four by winning two games in
Rugby Football Union (MARFU), by defeating the College of New
April that correspond to the “Sweet 16” and “Elite Eight” rounds of
Jersey, the University of Delaware, and the University of Richmond.
the NCAA basketball tournament.
MARFU encompasses Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and southern
34
Pennsylvania. The team won the state championship, of the Virginia Rugby Union (VRU), by beating Hampden-Sydney College and then the College of William & Mary. It was Longwood’s third VRU title in the last five years. “Among all the Virginia schools that play rugby in Division III, we have the smallest male enrollment of any of them except Hampden-Sydney,” Graham said. “In our regular league season, we play them and William & Mary, Christopher Newport, the University of Richmond, Washington & Lee, and Roanoke College. We won 19 games and lost only two games all year: to VMI in the finals of the Todd Miller tournament on Feb. 26, and to Old Dominion in a pre-season game Feb. 5. Both VMI and ODU are Division II teams; we were 19-0 against Division III teams. We played four teams ranked in the Top 20 by USA Rugby and beat all of them. We beat Virginia Tech, and we beat VCU twice. We played 21 games, which is a lot of rugby.” The most valuable player (MVP) of the national tournament was Ben Smith, a Longwood freshman from Matoaca. Preston Leep, a senior from Richmond, was the team captain and this year’s MVP. The second week in April he received the first Todd Miller Scholarship, named for a Longwood rugby player who died in March 2008 and established by Todd’s mother, Ellie Miller. The scholarship recognizes a
President Patrick Finnegan was interviewed by SPORTSfever Television Network’s Jon Schaeffer at halftime of the LongwoodJames Madison men’s basketball game that was nationally televised live December 1 from Willett Hall on Fox College Sports (FCS).
member of either the men’s or women’s team who has at least a 2.8 grade-point average and is of solid character and playing ability. This year’s Todd Miller Tournament, which raises money for the
First-Ever Live TV Game
scholarship, was the third annual tournament. Longwood University Athletics accomplished one of its most Rugby is a club sport at Longwood. It has been played at Longwood
significant achievements in program history while hosting its first-
since 1979, although Graham, who came to Longwood in 2005,
ever national television live broadcast of a men’s basketball home
is the first coach. Even though Graham retired at the end of
game against James Madison University on the Fox College Sports
the spring semester, he will continue to coach the men’s and
Network (FCS) December 1, 2010. The highly anticipated
women’s teams. – K.B.
contest was played in front of a hugely supportive and raucous record-crowd of 1,963 in sold-out Willett Hall (1,807). The Lancers led 41-36 at halftime during a closely played first half that featured six lead changes and five ties. JMU needed a late 24-6
Winning the Right Way
run to gain control and secured its come-from-behind road win with 5-6 free throws over the final 33 seconds, much to the disappointment of the unbelievably loud capacity crowd in the
As a Longwood Lancers fan, your support is crucial to the success
jam-packed facility while on TV.
of our programs and student-athletes. The NCAA prohibits specific activities between individuals who are representatives of our athletic
“ The environment in Willett Hall that night is exactly what college
programs and our prospective and current student-athletes. If you are
basketball is all about,” said eighth-year head coach Mike Gillian.
a member of the Longwood University faculty, staff, alumni, or Lancer
“ The crowd was incredible, the game was well played between two
Club, or have donated to, or been otherwise involved with Longwood
evenly matched teams and the only thing that could have been
Athletics, you are a representative of our athletic programs. Please help
better is if we would have come out with a win.
ensure the eligibility of our prospective and current student-athletes. “ Our Longwood students took their pride and spirit for this Visit www.longwoodlancers.com and click on NCAA Compliance link
fabulous institution to a whole new level. There are not enough
to learn how you can be involved with Longwood Athletics
ways to say how much we appreciate the support everyone shows
in the right way.
our program when they turn out to watch us play.”
We thank you for your continued support.
Longwood will open its 2011-12 campaign on Friday night,
For more information please contact:
beginning at 7 p.m. – G.P.
November 11, against visiting Navy at Willett Hall in Farmville Nick Schroeder Director of Compliance 434.395.2417 schroederng@longwood.edu
35
Longwood University baseball head coach Buddy Bolding (No.16) talks to his team following an exciting 9-8 win in 11 innings past James Madison University March 29 at Charles Buddy Bolding Stadium.
Bolding Earns 900th Career Win Greg Prouty Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations Longwood University 33rd-year baseball head coach Charles Buddy Bolding earned his 900th career coaching victory on May 10 during a 6-4 road win at James Madison University in Harrisonburg. Coach Bolding’s 900 career wins are more than any other active college baseball coach in Virginia among all Divisions (I, II, III, and NAIA). “ This is another great achievement for a truly remarkable person,”
Longwood had enjoyed yet another successful campaign during
said Longwood Director of Athletics Troy Austin. “Congratulations
2004 with a record of 31-16 that capped a remarkable run of 24-
to Coach Bolding and his family for winning 900 games.”
straight 20-win seasons (1981-2004).
Bolding became the Lancers’ mentor during the fall of 1978, and
Bolding’s tenure at Longwood is highlighted by six appearances
has since posted 30 winning seasons. Longwood finished 2010
in the NCAA Division II Tournament, and two trips to the
with a record of 28-20, its first season after the University
Division II College World Series. The 1982 team was the first to
dedicated the baseball facility as Charles Buddy Bolding Stadium
reach the national championships with a 31-10-1 record. More
on October 3, 2009. The Lancers posted a winning record of 26-
recently, the 1991 squad completed a school-record 41-8
22 during 2009, following a 2008 season during which Coach
campaign while advancing to the final four of the Division II
Bolding reached his milestone 800th career win on March 8,
national championships.
2008 with a 6-5 come-from-behind home victory past Binghamton at the formerly known Lancer Stadium. Longwood
Bolding served as a United States Army medic in Vietnam, then
finished that year (2008) with a record of 23-26-1, after posting
received his bachelor of science degree from Milligan College
a winning record of 34-19 during 2007, the program’s 12th 30-
(Tenn.) in health, physical education and recreation in 1973, and
win season overall, following a 23-27 record during 2006.
earned his master of science degree from the University of
Prior to playing its first Division I schedule in 2005, as required
Tennessee in 1974. He and his wife, Andrea, have three children:
during the school’s four-year Division I Reclassification, Bolding
Lauren, Suzanne, and Brad -- each of whom attended and two
had coached Longwood to 26 consecutive winning seasons
who graduated -- from Longwood (Brad also played baseball
(1979-2004). In 2005, however, the Lancers finished 16-32.
before graduating from Old Dominion University).
36
Reinson New Head Coach
Bacon Appointed
Longwood University Director of Athletics Troy Austin
The Office of University Advancement and the Department
announced April 12 that Bill Reinson has been promoted as
Intercollegiate Athletics have announced that Scott Bacon has
the school’s new women’s basketball head coach. Reinson has
been appointed the director of development for intercollegiate
served as the interim head coach since December 6, and led
athletics. He previously served as the director of broadcasting
the Lancers to a record of 6-17 over the final 23 games,
and media relations for the Lynchburg Hillcats, the Carolina
including four losses by four points or less among eight losses
League (Advanced-A) affiliate of the Atlanta Braves from
by nine points or less. A native of Mesa, Ariz., he had been an
2007-11. Bacon has served as the voice of the Lancers for
assistant with the men’s team at Longwood since September
Longwood Men’s Basketball since 2007-08.
2002 and has 11 years of collegiate coaching experience with three post-season appearances. Reinson becomes the
Bacon is responsible for cultivating and soliciting financial
program’s eighth head coach since 1970. Longwood and
support for intercollegiate athletics. His duties include
Reinson have agreed to a new multi-year contract.
managing a charitable giving program, soliciting and training volunteers, managing events, coordinating solicitation efforts,
“Bill has faithfully served Longwood for the past nine years,
and serving as executive director of the Lancer Club Advisory
and this past winter he accepted the difficult task of assuming
Board. Bacon will continue in his role as voice of the Lancers
leadership of the women’s basketball program at mid-year,”
for men’s basketball, while adding some additional sports
said Austin. “In that role, he lifted team morale and their
broadcasting that will begin with a few select baseball games
performance showed improvement. During the interview
during the 2011 season.
process, he presented an exciting vision for the future of our women’s basketball program.”
“Scott did a great job generating revenue and building a constituent base with the Lynchburg Hillcats,” explained
“I love Longwood University,” stated Reinson. “It has been a
Director of Athletics Troy Austin. “I am excited to work
lifelong dream of mine to be a Division I head coach, and I
with Scott to continue to enhance the Lancer Club and
am grateful for the opportunity and excited about the chance
fundraising initiatives.”
to build a very successful women’s basketball program here at Longwood. I would like to thank President Patrick Finnegan
“I am tremendously excited for the opportunity to join the
and Troy Austin for showing faith in me, as well as everyone
Longwood family,” said Bacon. “It has long been a goal of
else who supported me during this process.”
mine to work on a college campus and I cannot imagine a better place to accomplish that goal than Longwood where
Reinson’s philosophy and vision for the program will include
there are so many people I know and respect.” – G.P.
recruiting talented, intelligent student-athletes who understand the importance of competing together as a team. The program will be fundamentally sound and well-prepared, sharing the basketball and working to create good scoring opportunities for one another. Defensively, the team will play as a unit, utilizing pressure defense to create turnovers, which will lead to transition opportunities. The program will be in superior condition and display non-stop hustle on both ends of the court. Longwood women’s basketball will be comprised of quality young women, with outstanding character, who will be assets to both the college and the community. – G.P.
Lancers Web For all of the latest news and information please visit www.longwoodlancers.com.
37
Longwood University News
On Campus
Alumni award recipients (2nd from left, from left to right) Brig. Gen. Joe Bass, ’83, Ann McCants Carter, ’62, Dr. Jim Thornton, ’85 and Lisa Brodie Williams, ’91 were congratulated by President Patrick Finnegan (far left) and Steve Meyers, ’83 (far right), president of the Longwood Alumni Board.
Citizen Leaders Recognized Four Longwood University alumni were
Longwood University. You have shown that success in your
honored recently with new Alumni
serve as leaders, mentors, and role models. You can be
Association awards that recognize citizen
personal and professional lives means even more when you immensely proud of the work you have done and of being named as the first winners of the new alumni awards.”
leadership. Bass, whose command is headquartered at Fort Belvoir, is Brig. Gen. Joe Bass, ’83, of Clifton, commanding general
believed to be the first Longwood graduate to attain the rank
of the U.S. Army’s Expeditionary Contracting Command
of general. He became a brigadier general Dec. 18, 2009,
(ECC), received the William Henry Ruffner Alumni Award,
four weeks after he took over command of the ECC.
the highest and most prestigious award given by the
He oversees more than 1,200 people around the world, has
Alumni Association. Dr. Jim Thornton, ’85, of Clarksville,
served in Iraq and Kuwait in contracting assignments, and
superintendent of the Mecklenburg County public schools,
has two master’s degrees. He was featured in the Volume 9,
and Lisa Brodie Williams, ’91, of Midlothian, an English
No. 2, Summer 2010 issue of Longwood magazine. Bass,
teacher at the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School in
who wrestled at Longwood and was an ROTC cadet, was
Richmond and the author of two novels, received the
nominated by Jay Poole ‘82, a retired Army colonel who was
Thomas Jefferson Professional Achievement Alumni
his fraternity (Delta Sigma Pi) brother at Longwood.
Award. Ann McCants Carter, ’62, of Petersburg, an active community service leader in the Petersburg and Richmond
“ He is a true and caring leader and is the epitome of what a
areas, received the Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry Humanitarian
citizen leader should be,” said Poole, now dean of education
Alumni Award.
and outreach for the Army Logistics University at Fort Lee. “I have served with him a number of times during our careers,
“ You have taken the lessons you learned at Longwood
and I can attest that he is an outstanding mentor, coach and
and beyond and are the embodiment of citizen leaders,”
leader who exemplifies the finest qualities that Longwood
Longwood President Patrick Finnegan told the alumni in
would want from an alumnus. We’ve been the best of friends
presenting the awards during a dinner on March 4.
for over 30 years; he’s probably my best friend."
“Through your actions, you have distinguished yourselves with your professional success, outstanding involvement and
Jim Thornton, who has a master’s degree from Virginia State
commitment to your community and service to
University and a doctorate from Virginia Tech, has been
38
Longwood University News
superintendent of the Mecklenburg school system since July
confidence and perseverance. To many, she is a role model.
2010. Before that, he was with the Cumberland County
They often come back for a surprise visit to let her know
school system for 19 years, the last six years as
how college life is going. When they run into her in the
superintendent, and also was principal of the high school,
grocery store, they stop to catch up. They remember what
athletic director and a math teacher. He was named the
her class was like and their memories must be pleasant, for
Region 8 Superintendent of the Year in 2007 by the Virginia
they are always smiling.”
Association of School Superintendents. His wife, Mary Larkin Thornton ‘88, whom he met at Longwood, is a
Ann McCants Carter, who has a master’s degree from the
regional vice president with ARAMARK Higher Education
University of Virginia, taught French and Spanish in
and was Longwood’s dining service director from 1993 to
Richmond, Hampton and Petersburg for many years, and
1998. Thornton was nominated by Dr. Amy Griffin,
she also was a school library media specialist at St. Vincent
superintendent of the Cumberland County schools, who
De Paul High School in Petersburg. She was recording
is a Longwood alumna (B.S. ’89, M.S. ’95).
secretary of the Medical College of Virginia’s Hospital Auxiliary (MCVHA) from 2005 to 2010, and in April 2011
“ Jim is a visionary who advocates putting students first with
she assumed that position again. In 2009 she received a
high expectations for all students and staff,” Griffin said. “ Jim continues to inspire those of us dedicated to public
MCV volunteer (the group didn’t even have a 10,000-hour
education to be leaders and make a difference in the lives
service pin, so they gave her two 5,000-hour pins), and as
of all children, not just a select few. He has ‘grown’ three
of mid-February 2011 she had logged 11,700 service hours.
current superintendents under his leadership, vision, and
In April 2010 she received the President’s Award, the highest
mentorship, including myself, for which I am forever
award given by the MCVHA.
thankful. I have to say that I really never planned to be a superintendent, but with Jim’s encouragement and push,
She was one of the founders, in 1999, of MCV’s “Make It
here I am.”
Happen” project, in which volunteers meet weekly in Richmond to make hats, teddy bears, quilts and other items
Lisa Williams is in her third year at the Maggie Walker
for patients. The project, which Carter coordinates, started
Governor’s School for Government and International
out for pediatric cancer patients but now includes all MCV
Studies, and she taught previously at Clover Hill High
patients. In 2010 Carter alone made 91 fleece blankets, 380
School in Chesterfield County (12 years), Hampton (four
pillows, 36 hats, 150 surgical hats, 272 drainage bag holders,
years) and Memphis (one year). She achieved National Board
and 83 tissue packs, among other items. Carter was
Certification (NBC) in 2007 and has served as a mentor to
nominated for the Longwood alumni award by Dr. Nancy
NBC candidates. A 2009 winner of the R.E.B. Award for
Vick, professor emerita of education.
On Campus
10,000-hour service pin, the highest ever awarded to an
Teaching Excellence, she will travel to Africa and to the Midwestern United States over the next two summers to
“Ann has a long history of outstanding involvement,
further her studies in genealogy and African American
commitment, enriching the lives of others and improving
history, which she studied in summer institutes at Yale
the welfare of her community,” Vick said. “For the Make
University and Brown University last year.
It Happen project, on Wednesdays, she leaves her home
Williams, the first member of her family to graduate from
garage at 6. After a quick breakfast, she begins work
college, is pursuing a master of fine arts in creative writing at
in the Volunteer Services office where she picks up
Virginia Commonwealth University. She has published two
and sorts mail.
in Petersburg at 5:20 a.m. and arrives in MCV’s parking
novels, Plight and Passion and Flight of Phoenix, and has published poems in collegiate literary magazines and articles
She delivers Make It Happen items to various departments
in educational journals. She was nominated by LaToya
of the hospital. In the afternoon, she works in the
Peace, her sister.
patient/family library. She finds health information for patients or helps them find information using books,
“Lisa has touched students’ lives,” said Peace. “Sure, she
magazines, and computers. This work may involve helping
knows her subject, but it is more than that. She loves kids.
with seminars, photocopying, faxing, setting up VCRs for
She cares about their past, their present, and their future.
individuals or groups. She arrives back home at 5:30 p.m.
She cares not only that they pass those SOL tests, but that
Ann is not new to her awards, but I believe this one,
they pass the test of life as well. So, she gives them tools like
from her alma mater, will be her favorite.”
39
Longwood University News
On Campus
Bryan Rowland, Ph.D.
Dr. Bryan Rowland Longwood’s New Vice President for University Advancement Kent Booty Associate Editor
Dr. Bryan K. Rowland is Longwood University’s new vice president for university
“ Longwood has a rich history and a wonderful future,” said Dr. Rowland. “Under the leadership of President Finnegan and the work of dedicated faculty and staff, Longwood will
advancement. Dr. Rowland has served as a
accomplish much as it works to educate citizen leaders.
vice president at Wright State University and
The university advancement division is committed to its goals
the University of Arizona. He also served as
the efforts of our students as they evolve into citizen leaders.”
of improving the overall student experience and supporting
director of development of two colleges at Virginia Tech, where he worked for nine years and earned his doctorate.
Rowland was vice president for advancement at Wright State University (WSU), in Dayton, Ohio, and president of the WSU Foundation from October 2008 until September 2010. His responsibilities included oversight of alumni
“ Longwood is fortunate to have a person with Bryan’s
relations, communications and marketing, development,
background, experience, and leadership abilities to take a
and foundation administration. The WSU Foundation has
strong department to the next level,” said Longwood
an asset base of more than $100 million. Rowland was
President Patrick Finnegan. “His expertise and proven team-
special assistant to the provost at Wright State from October
building skills will be vital in moving forward in the
2010 to December 2010.
increasingly important area of private fundraising, coordinated with other methods of highlighting and
Rowland held several development positions at the
advancing the university.”
University of Arizona from 2002 to 2008, including
40
Longwood University News
vice president for development for Arizona Health Sciences with the University of Arizona Foundation. In that position, he managed a development program that raised more than $35 million annually for four colleges and five medical research centers. He also served as senior director of development and alumni relations for that university’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Prior to that, he worked at Virginia Tech from 1993 to 2002. He was director of development for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences his last two years and also was director of development for the College of Natural
Peggy Agee Earns Prestigious Award
Resources for two years. Dr. Peggy Agee, assistant professor and coordinator of the Rowland has a B.A. in speech communication from the
undergraduate program in communication sciences and disorders, is recipient of The Louis M. Di Carlo Award for Outstanding Recent Clinical Achievement, presented by the American Speech-
in educational leadership and policy studies from Virginia
Language-Hearing Foundation. The award was presented at the
Tech. He is a native of Christopher, Ill., in southern Illinois
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
about 90 miles southeast of St. Louis. He and his wife,
convention in Philadelphia in November 2010.
On Campus
University of Illinois, an M.S. in workforce education and development from Southern Illinois University, and a Ph.D.
Stephanie, an attorney, have a 12-year-old son, Jacob. Stephanie Rowland’s family is from Suffolk, Va.
Dr. Agee was presented the State Clinical Achievement Award by the Speech-Language-Hearing Association of Virginia during
“ I look forward to helping Longwood tell its wonderful
the group’s annual convention held in April 2010. Her selection
story and further engage its alumni and students,” Rowland
for this award earned her an automatic nomination for the
said. “I’m a first-generation college student, and I’m
Di Carlo Award.
excited about this chance to help others gain access to the opportunities that have been afforded me by my experiences
As recipient of the awards, Dr. Agee is recognized for her efforts
with high-quality institutions like Longwood. I’m excited
during the past six years to advance clinical practice in speech-
to work with our faculty, staff, university leadership and
language pathology and specifically for her efforts to give at-risk
alumni to grow and support Longwood. I would describe
children in the Southside region the skills to “crack the reading
myself as a relationship-builder. I like to connect alumni
code” and develop strong literacy skills. Dr. Agee created a
and friends with their university.”
number of clinical initiatives to serve children in rural, Southside
Franklin Grant, ’81, associate vice president for university
programs independently. In order to assist needy families unable
Virginia and developed and marketed these initiatives and advancement and director of planned and major gifts, was
to afford the modest tuition costs for these programs, Dr. Agee
named interim vice president for university advancement on
initiated several fundraising opportunities including Brunswick
Sept. 20, 2010 following the resignation of K. Craig Rogers.
stew and chili sales and Bingo games in the community.
President Finnegan expressed his “heartfelt thanks to
Through the Longwood Center for Communication, Literacy,
Franklin Grant, not only for his decades of success as
and Learning (LCCLL), Dr. Agee launched Camp Jump Start,
Longwood’s primary fundraiser, but for his willingness
a preschool language and literacy camp for 3-5 year-olds designed
to step up as the interim vice president for university
to facilitate the development of emergent literacy skills.
advancement and his dedicated service in that position for eight months. I do not know anyone who is more
The program is aimed toward developing the skills that the
committed to the goals and values of Longwood University,
National Early Literacy Council identifies as predictors of future
and I am delighted that Franklin will continue to be fully
literacy success – alphabet knowledge, concepts about print,
engaged in our capital campaign and other essential
phonological awareness, invented spelling, oral language, and
private fundraising efforts, where he has led the way
name writing. Camp Jump Start completed its fifth year of
for so many years.”
operation in summer 2011. – K.B.
41
Longwood University News
On Campus
Eleanor Borbas Williams,’77, Honored Julie Wiley Levine (left), ’93, and Eleanor Borbas Williams, ’77, Alpha Sigma Alpha chapter advisor for 31 years, presented a check for $1,500 recently to Longwood President Patrick Finnegan during a reception held at Longwood to honor Williams for her dedication to ASA.
Utilize Your Longwood Resources Longwood’s Academic and Career Advising Center offers help to all Alumni. Go to http://www.longwood.edu/career/alumni/index.htm
Tell Us About It ... Do you know a Longwood graduate making a difference? Logon to http://www.longwood.edu/alumni/awards.htm and tell us about it.
Are You Ready To Receive Some Longwood Loot? Are you planning an Alumni gathering? Let us send a Longwood Loot box. Please send the names and class year of your attendees, the date of the event, and your mailing address to alumni@longwood.edu.
Longwood University News
On Campus From top left: Fredericksburg Event: President Patrick Finnegan with Bill Fiege, ’95, and Renee Simeone Fiege, ’97; Betty Hodnett White, ’65, Jeanine McKenzie Allen, ’62, and Lorie Ford Allen. Chesapeake Event: Ashley Jarrett, ’10, Patrick Crute, ’10, Patrick Finnegan, and Dave Crute, ’81; Janet Holloway and Joan Finnegan. Farmville Event: Charles Puckett, Cam Tinnell, Penny Puckett, and Dr. Wayne Tinnell; Jim Charleston, Kathy Charleston, M.S. ’90, Dr. Marvin and Lee Warriner Scott, ’62.
Celebrating Founders Month Longwood celebrated Founders Month in March with a series of events held in Richmond, Fredericksburg, Chesapeake, and Farmville. Longwood President Patrick Finnegan delivered remarks and welcomed alumni and guests. 43
Longwood University News
Robin Andrews, ’83, served 23 years as an FBI agent.
FBI Agent Robin Andrews, ’83
On Campus
Kent Booty Associate Editor The investigation into the horrific shooting in Tucson, Arizona, in January that left a congresswoman critically injured and claimed six lives has a Longwood connection.
“ Fortunately, I’ve never been injured in the line of duty, and, even though I’ve had my weapon out, pointing at subjects, I’ve never had to fire,” Andrews said in a phone interview in late March. “However, I’ve been spit at, vomited on, shouted at, cursed at – everything you can think of.”
Robin Andrews ’83 led the Violent Crimes squad of the
Before joining the FBI, her job was even more dangerous.
Tucson FBI office, which spearheaded the investigation,
She was an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) scuba diver
until retiring May 31 after a 23-year career as an FBI agent.
during a five-year stint with the Navy. Her assignments in
Andrews also led the investigation in another high-profile case,
that career, in which she attained the rank of petty officer
the shooting death of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry near
third class, included Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Fallon
Tucson in December 2010. Though she is retired – her last
Naval Air Station in Nevada, and a submarine tender in
day was her 50th birthday – she may be called to testify
Holy Loch, Scotland.
in either case. “EOD scuba divers look for live torpedoes on the ocean Andrews, who oversaw eight other special agents, was the first
floor and place plastic explosives on the torpedoes, blowing
female agent in what is officially the Tucson resident agency
them up in place, to render them safe,” she said. “I was
of the FBI’s Phoenix division, which investigates crimes in
never injured, but one time, while diving in Virginia Beach,
Southwest Arizona. She had held the rank of Supervisory
there were sharks beside me in the water. There was also a
Special Agent since 2006. Before commanding the Violent
time in Holy Loch, Scotland, when my dive buddy and
Crimes squad, she led the Cyber Squad and before that the
I were connected by a line. He had placed too much weight
Drug Squad. In her FBI career, all of which was spent in
on his weight belt, and we sank to the lake floor, quickly
Tucson, she investigated homicides, drug crimes, and crimes
becoming stuck in the ocean mud. It became a life-
against children including sexual abuse and Internet child
threatening situation. I pulled him over to me and hit his
pornography exploitation. Her work included investigations
chest, motioning him to inflate his buoyancy control vest,
on two American Indian reservations near Tucson, one of
as I did. Visibility was extremely poor, but we finally made
which, the home of the Tohono O’odham Nation, is the
it back to the surface. Another time, around Maryland,
third largest reservation in the United States.
jellyfish were everywhere – literally thousands of them – and I was dressed in coveralls to cover every part of my body except around my regulator, so they stung my lips which was quite painful. After a coworker and good friend on my EOD team died while diving on a training mission,
44
Longwood University News
“Fortunately, I’ve never been injured in the line of duty, and, even though I’ve had my weapon out, pointing at subjects, I’ve never had to fire.” – Robin Andrews, ’83 I decided it was time to move on, especially since my enlistment was almost up. His death took the wind, the
“ Eventually I knew it was time to retire and to be around good people for a change instead of criminals.
passion, out of my sails. I don’t dive any more, though
You see distressing, horrific crimes, and this work can
I do snorkel.”
be a grind. It’s a job that is 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Even when you’re off-duty, you’re getting emails
Andrews joined the FBI only a week after leaving the Navy. “I requested any office on the East Coast, and they assigned me to Tucson. And I’ve always wanted to be near water,
and phone calls. Before I retired, I found that I didn’t have as much passion as in my younger years, so I figured it was time to let someone else do this.”
Sonoran Desert. But it’s been a wonderful career. Every day
In the most prominent case late in her career, Andrews
has been different and challenging, and I’ve been blessed to
investigated the tragedy Jan. 8, 2011 in which U.S. Rep.
work with so many hard-working, dedicated, caring agents.”
Gabrielle Giffords, who represents the Tucson area, was
“We investigate everything from crimes in Indian country
among 19 people who were shot, six fatally, in what has been
to assaults on Federal officers, such as the U.S. Border Patrol
called an assassination attempt. Andrews knew three of the
agents, to bank robberies. We probably handle hundreds
victims, including Chief Federal Judge John Roll, whom she
of cases at any time. When I worked with Innocent Images
had seen in court recently. She has conducted safety fairs
(a program to combat child pornography/child sexual
with Giffords aide Gabe Zimmerman, also killed, and is
exploitation), I handled 50 cases, and I also had a heavy
acquainted with Giffords. The other prominent case she was
case-load on the reservations.”
working on at the time of her retirement was that of Brian Terry, who was killed Dec. 15, 2010 in a shootout with
Andrews is “very proud” of her work with the FBI’s
border bandits near Rio Roco, Ariz., about 10 miles from
Innocent Images National Initiative, which she did while
the Mexican border.
investigating crimes against children, including Internet child pornography, from 1999 to 2006. “I initiated
On Campus
which is why I joined the Navy, and they sent me to the
Andrews, a native of the Woodlawn community in
Innocent Images in the Tucson office and acquired the
Carroll County, near Galax, attended Longwood on
funding for it, and I developed and formed the S.A.F.E. –
a golf scholarship, majoring in business administration.
Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement – team, composed
A two-time All-American, she won the state tournament
of federal, state and local law enforcement officers.
for female collegiate golfers in 1979, finished fourth in the
I’ve executed search warrants all over the country in
national women’s Division II golf tournament in 1981,
connection with this effort, including over 100 search
and was runnerup in the state amateur tournament in 1982.
warrants just in Tucson.” From August 1999 to August
She was Longwood’s female athlete of the year her senior
2006, the S.A.F.E. team was responsible for 82 arrests,
year, the first woman golfer to win that honor. She couldn’t
82 indictments, 66 convictions and 142 search warrants,
attend her Longwood commencement ceremony because
according to a 2007 article in the Tucson Citizen, which
she had already joined the Navy and was attending boot
described the squad’s work as an effort to “take Internet
camp in Orlando, Fla. She and her Longwood golf coach,
child predators off the keyboard and put them in jail.”
Dr. Barbara Smith, now retired, exchange Christmas cards every year.
“ When I was working Innocent Images matters, as well as Indian country matters, there were times I’d go home at night and cry. I saw some tragically sad cases. I could tell
“ I would not be where I am today were it not for golf and Longwood College,” Andrews said.
you story after story of things you couldn’t imagine. Just when you think you’ve seen the worst of humanity, something will come along that’s even more horrific. Sexual abuse can be a cycle, and few can break it. I’ve seen victims of child sexual abuse become the perpetrators. However, some can break the cycle.
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In Print
Longwood University News
Recent Publications by Longwood Faculty, Staff, Students & Alumni
Waterwalk: A Passage of Ghosts by Dr. Steven Faulkner, Assistant Professor of English This book chronicles the 61-day, 1,000-mile canoe trip that Faulkner took in 1996, before coming to Longwood, with his 16-year-old son Justin. The trip was an attempt to connect with Justin – because Faulkner was then in graduate school and was working two jobs, their time together had been limited – and re-created a famous 1673 voyage by French explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet. The trip began on Lake Michigan, on the southern tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and ended in St. Louis, with the last 400 miles spent on the Mississippi River. The experience is being turned into a film that will be released in spring 2012 (see related story on p. 14). Published by RDR Books, softcover, 371 pages
Tank: An Ugly Dog’s Adventure by Ellen Mullinax Poppe, ’90, Longwood Alumna
On Campus
This children’s book, which Poppe calls “realistic fiction,” is about the time on Thanksgiving 2008 when her family’s 10-year-old basset hound, Tracker, turned up missing, prompting a search. “On the fifth day, the pound found him,” Poppe said. “He was only three blocks from our house. He was so overweight and so low to the ground that they had nicknamed him ‘Tank.’ Tank goes with me to booksignings and signs with his paw-print. He’s more popular than me!” Poppe, who has a master’s degree from East Carolina University, is a teacher-librarian at Vandora Springs Elementary in Garner, N.C., and lives in nearby Fuquay-Varina. Her husband, Doug, played basketball at Longwood in the late 1980s. Published by Mirror Publishing, softcover, 28 pages.
Extra Special by Ashley Clement Frey, ’03, Longwood Alumna Frey describes this as a picture book for first- and second-graders. “It’s about a kangaroo, who are supposed to have big feet, who has one big foot and one small foot, and it’s about accepting others who are different and being comfortable in who you are,” said Frey, a first-grade teacher at Cumberland Elementary. “He has to face the challenge of playing soccer when he’s clumsy. Being a kids’ book, it has a happy ending – it ends with everyone being happy!” Published by Crossbook, softcover, 28 pages.
Stealing Secrets by H. Donald Winkler, former Associate Vice President and Executive Director of Public Affairs and Publications This book, subtitled “How a Few Daring Women Deceived Generals, Impacted Battles, and Altered The Course of the Civil War,” tells of the stories of 43 female spies in that conflict. “The stories of women spies are filled with suspense and seduction, treachery and trickery, romance and bravery,” wrote Winkler. “Women took enormous risks and achieved remarkable results – often in ways men could not.” Winkler, who has written three previous books about Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, retired from Longwood in 1995 after 13 years and lives in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Published by Sourcebooks Inc., softcover, 352 pages
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From left: Rector John Adams, Dr. David M. Carkenord, Elizabeth (Beth) Megan Riley, ’11, and President Patrick Finnegan. Dr. Carkenord, professor of psychology, received the Student-Faculty Recognition Award and Beth Riley, ’11 was a recipient of the Sally Barksdale Hargrett Prize for Academic Excellence. President Finnegan followed the tradition in which each new president is the commencement speaker at the end of his or her first year in office.
Graduates Encouraged To Serve ... Longwood University graduates were urged at commencement May 14 to maintain their integrity, to be courageous enough to try new things, and to serve others. “Service above self will always be the gold standard by which you value your life, not how much gold you can accumulate,” Longwood President Patrick Finnegan told the graduates. Finnegan, who came to Longwood in July 2010, was following a tradition in which each new president is the commencement speaker at the end of his or her first year. Some 830 bachelor's degrees and 162 master's degrees were awarded. This includes students who finished degrees requirements in summer 2010 and fall 2010, in addition to May 2011. Elizabeth (Beth) Megan Riley, a liberal studies major from Suffolk, and John-Harwood Scott, a chemistry major and biology minor from Farmville, shared the Sally Barksdale Hargrett Prize for Academic Excellence, given to the graduating senior with the highest grade point average. Both graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Scott also received the Dan Daniel Senior Award for Scholarship and Citizenship. This is only the sixth time that a graduating senior has received both awards.
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