Marshall Magazine, Autumn 2023

4 PRESIDENT: Catching up with Brad D. Smith.

6 COVER STORY: The Division of Aviation is soaring with rising enrollment and plans to expand to other colleges in West Virginia.

12 FOOTBALL: The Thundering Herd stands ready for a challenging season that includes a visit from perennial power Virginia Tech.

18 SOCCER: The Marshall University men's and women's soccer programs have high expectations for the 2023 season.

22 SCHOLARS: The Honors College promotes academic excellence while encouraging scholars to be socially conscious leaders.

26 LITERATURE: Breece D’J Pancake was called the greatest American writer since Ernest Hemingway, but his life ended in tragedy.

30 CAMPUS: Marshall’s fraternities and sororities are more focused on academics, community service and camaraderie than ever before.

34 THE ARTS: The School of Theatre and Dance has a proud history that dates back to humble beginnings in the basement of Old Main.

President Brad D. Smith

Executive Editor Susan Tams

Director of Communications

Leah Payne

Publisher Jack Houvouras

Managing Editor Dana Keaton

Art Director Katie Sigler

Senior Graphic Designer Suzanna Stephens

Photographic Services Manager Austin O’Connor

Contributing Photographers C-USA, Cameron Donohue, Peyton Griffith, Marilyn Testerman-Haye, Rick Haye, Rick Lee, Noah Mascarin, Morgan Napier

Contributing Writers Amy Deal, Michael Friel, Jack Houvouras, Amanda Larch, Keith Morehouse, Katherine Pyles

Editorial Advisory Board Michelle Biggs, William “Tootie” Carter, Larry Crum, Karen McComas, Sheanna Spence, Susan Tams, Grant Traylor

Marshall Magazine is distributed three times a year by: Marshall University One John Marshall Drive Huntington, WV 25755

ADVERTISERS’ CONTACT: HQ Publishing Co. P.O. Box 384 Huntington, WV 25708 304-529-6158 mail@marshallmagazine.com

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Comments or suggestions should be addressed to: magazine@marshall.edu

Designed & Published by:

The key players in the Division of Aviation include Nancy Ritter, Director and Chief Instructor; Bill Noe, Chief Aviation Officer; James Smith, Director of Aviation Maintenance Technology; and Leeann Lemon, Manager of Business Operations. Photo by Rick Lee. on

Catching up with President Smith

1-3. President Smith participated in Community Cares Week, which took place May 23-26. He worked on landscaping and painting, in addition to other projects. He also worked with students with the MU Early Education STEAM Center to plant flowers at the Memorial Student Center.

4. President Smith outlined the Marshall for All, Marshall Forever project for West Virginia legislators when they attended their interim meeting kickoff June 4.

5. President Smith participated in recognizing Marshall staff members for work anniversary milestones at the annual Staff Appreciation Luncheon June 7.

6. President Smith and his wife, Alys, attended the Great American Thunderfest July 16. The event was an outing to a Cincinnati Reds game, hosted by the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Alumni and Big Green Chapter.

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Breaking Barriers

Marshall’s Division of Aviation is surpassing all expectations with booming enrollment and plans to expand to other colleges across West Virginia and beyond.

By Jack Houvouras

PHOTO BY NOAH MASCARIN

Bill Noe has never had a problem with heights. When he was just 4 years old, he climbed the 16-foot ladder at the Olympic Pool in Huntington and leaped off the high dive. As a Hall of Fame swimmer at Marshall University, there were few swimming records beyond his reach. When he decided to become a professional pilot after college, he embraced flying to higher and higher altitudes. As an executive with NetJets, the largest fleet of private jets in the world, he scaled the company ranks to become its president and chief operating officer. And today, as the head of Marshall’s Division of Aviation, it should come as no surprise that he intends to see the program soar to unimagined heights.

“We are only two years in, and our enrollment has exploded beyond initial projections,” said Noe. “We’ve purchased more planes, started an aviation maintenance technology school and just ordered our first helicopter for a new rotor-wing program. We’re also expanding our school model to other colleges in West Virginia. There’s really no ceiling for how high we can go.”

The university’s foray into aviation education began in 2017 when officials approached Noe, an alumnus and highly respected executive in the industry, about lending his expertise to their plans. Noe agreed to serve as an

advisor and volunteered countless hours to help design and implement nearly every aspect of the program. In recognition of his contributions, in 2021 the university opened the Bill Noe Flight School at Charleston’s Yeager Airport. Housed in a 10,000-square-foot academic building that includes flight simulators and hangars, the school offers a four-year degree for pilots as well as individualized training programs.

“There is a pilot shortage around the world,” said Noe, Marshall’s chief aviation officer. “The statistics show that the aviation industry will be hard-pressed to catch up with demand over the next 20 to 30 years. The opportunities for careers in this field are wide open.”

Looking back now, Marshall’s expectations for the flight school were modest. Administrators had hoped to admit 20 students in year one, but the demand far exceeded that.

“We admitted 24 students in the first fall semester, but when word started getting out about the flight school we received an influx of applications,” said Noe. “So, we decided to add a spring semester. The program continued to gain momentum, and today we are running 140% above our initial projected growth path.”

In addition to a worldwide pilot shortage, the airline industry is also in dire need of maintenance technicians.

Leading the university’s Division of Aviation is alumnus Bill Noe whose career began as a pilot at Netjets. He then transitioned into management and was eventually named President and C.O.O. of the company.

Because of that, in 2022 Marshall opened an Aviation Maintenance Technology program. Located at Huntington Tri-State Airport, it is the result of a collaboration between Marshall University and Mountwest Community & Technical College. Students will earn an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) through an 18- to 24-month program.

“Our program will certainly fill a void in the aviation industry, but I also see potential for it to serve as an economic driver for the region producing a workforce with malleable skills,” said James Smith, director of the Aviation Maintenance Technology program. “One-quarter of the students who graduate from our program will go to work in oil and gas, maritime and automotive industries. So, this program is a blessing for all the industries in the region.”

Today, students in either of the university’s aviation programs can pick and choose what type of career to pursue.

“Whether you want to be a pilot or a maintenance technician, you are guaranteed immediate employment. Most of our students will have secure jobs upon or before they attain their certifications and qualifications,” said Noe. “There is basically zero risk. That’s an immediate return on your education investment. There’s no other industry like this today.”

According to Salary.com, the average annual salary for an aviation maintenance mechanic is $89,822, while the average annual salary of a commercial airline pilot is $184,201. However, pilot salaries vary in other sectors such as military, cargo, freight, law enforcement and more.

“We have aircraft manufacturers right now telling us they want to hire people coming out of our programs. In addition, they want to support our program financially and donate equipment to help us train future aviation professionals,” Noe said.

There’s no need for instruments to gauge what those kinds of strong industry investments mean for Marshall’s reputation or its meteoric rise in the world of aviation.

“Marshall’s aviation division is operating at a transformational level,” said Marshall University President Brad D. Smith. “Bill Noe and his amazing leadership team have fostered a culture of professionalism, service and operational rigor. Bill has built an environment

The rapid ascent of the aviation program has surpassed all expectations. The original plan was to begin a helicopter rotor-wing program in 2026, but will now start later this year. Helicopters are essential for law enforcement, medical transport services, border patrol, pipelines and more.

Emma Carr is a student at Marshall’s Bill Noe Flight School. By 2028 the aviation program is projecting to produce more than 100 commercial pilots with each graduating class.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HARDY COUNTY LIVE

where top talent can achieve their greatest aspirations.”

While the program is indeed gaining speed, its ultimate mission remains the same: to produce high-quality talent and then find them jobs, whether they operate, build or maintain aircraft. Noe’s intention is to feed the program well, watch it grow stronger and help advance the state of West Virginia.

“That’s when I go to work creating paths to guaranteed employment, guaranteed opportunity and guaranteed fulfillment for our aviation professionals just about anywhere they want to go,” he said.

The rapid ascent of the aviation program has surpassed all expectations. The original goal for the flight school was to eventually acquire 20 aircraft. Today, Marshall has upped that target to approximately 40. A helicopter rotor-wing program was planned for year five but will now begin in year two.

“The helicopter world is starving for pilots, and maintenance technicians, too,” Noe explained. “Helicopters are vitally important in America, and they are never going to go away. They are essential for law enforcement, medical transport services, Border Patrol, the Coast Guard, pipelines, you name it.”

Of course, more students entering the program requires more faculty. Noe used his 30 years of connections in the industry to recruit the best instructors in the country. Some have come to West Virginia from as far away as North Carolina, Arizona, Michigan and California. His most prized recruit is Nancy Ritter, the school’s director and chief flight instructor, who moved to West Virginia from Orlando, Florida.

“Nancy is an aviation industry icon and one of the most renowned professionals in this field,” said Noe. “She saw what we were doing at Marshall and wanted to be a part of it. It is beyond belief that we have such a high-caliber professional with an unmatched level of expertise leading the flight school. We are

incredibly fortunate to have her.”

Ritter, who moved to the Mountain State with her husband and three children, said she is honored to be a leader in the program.

“It’s exciting to be a part of the energy surrounding aviation in West Virginia today,” said Ritter. “Marshall University is demonstrating vision by addressing the need for more professionals in our industry, and we are proud to be educating the next generation of pilots.”

In June, Marshall announced plans for an additional location of the Bill Noe Flight School at West Liberty University near Wheeling, West Virginia, based out of the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport. Classes are expected to begin in the fall of 2024.

“We are happy to be partnering with Marshall University and are looking forward to building West Virginia into the premier aviation state,” said Dr. Cathy Monteroso, West Liberty’s interim president.

The new location will be fully populated with Marshall’s technologically advanced airplanes and staffed by Marshall’s top-tier flight instructors. This expansion was never part of the original plan, noted Noe; however, when the opportunity presented itself, the university was quick to respond.

“Other colleges and universities in the state have seen what we are doing and asked if we could come in and help run their programs,” Noe explained. “We are just in our second year and are already expanding the

PHOTO BY NOAH MASCARIN

model out. Next, we will be announcing further expansions with other aviation programs. There will be many similar announcements in the future. We plan to expand in West Virginia first, then to surrounding states, then across the nation. We even have our sights set on a global footprint.”

By 2028, Marshall’s aviation program is projecting to enroll 450 students and produce more than 100 commercial pilots with each graduating class. In addition, it is expected to bring aviationrelated industries to southern West Virginia and provide much-needed economic development for the region.

“The aviation ecosystem has a trickle-down effect that is enormous,” Noe said. “You need more accountants, attorneys, flight attendants, dispatchers, air traffic controllers and fuel truck drivers. We want to use the aviation program as a marketing platform to promote Marshall University, and then use Marshall University to promote West Virginia. One of our top goals is to attract business, industry and jobs to the state.”

While West Virginia may seem like an unlikely command post in the industry’s battle to keep up with demand, the state is rich in aviation history, Noe pointed out.

“This state produced Chuck Yeager, the man who broke the sound barrier and is arguably the most famous pilot in history,” he said. “It produced Katherine

Johnson, whose calculations helped NASA put the first man on the moon. And it produced George S. Roberts, one of the first Tuskegee Airmen.”

Noe’s passion for Marshall aviation is palpable. His days are long and demanding as he works with students, instructors, politicians, airline officials, aircraft manufacturers and more. But he said that is what is required to become an industry leader that produces capable, adaptable, industry-savvy professionals. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“My wife, Lisa, says that the only time she sees me

smiling more than when I am going to fly my plane is when I am coming to Marshall,” he said. “And that’s very true.”

Jack Houvouras is the publisher of Marshall Magazine

In recognition of his many contributions to the aviation program, Marshall named their new flight school in honor of alumnus Bill Noe. It is housed in a 10,000-square-foot academic building at Charleston’s Yeager Airport.

The Aviation Maintenance Technology program began is 2022. Located at Huntington Tri-State Airport, it is a collaboration between Marshall and Mountwest Community & Technical College. Students will earn an Associate of Applied Science degree through an 18- to 24-month program.

PHOTO BY RICK LEE

PHOTO BY RICK LEE

BIGGER & BETTER?

After installing one of the largest video scoreboards in the nation at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, Coach Huff is hoping the Herd’s play on the field produces bigger and better highlights.

By Keith Morehouse

Linebacker Eli Neal was the Thundering Herd's leading tackler in 2022. He pleased coaches and fans when he announced his decision to return for his senior season.

PHOTO BY AUSTIN O’CONNOR

It’s midsummer at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, and there’s a gaping hole in the upper bleachers of the south end zone. That old familiar scoreboard is gone. Some of the great moments in Marshall University football history happened in that end of the stadium. Listen closely, and you might be able to hear the echoes.

“Willy Merrick, in his first field goal try ever from 22 yards. Merrick! Yes! Can you believe it?”

“One for the record books, Randy Moss! And he threw the ball over at McDonald’s!”

“Fourth and goal. Pennington looking, throwing, caught touchdown, Marshall!”

The Herd has scored 7,687 points in 217 games in

this stadium, averaging 35 points per game. But come this season, a brand-new video board, standing 38 feet tall and nearly 97 feet wide, will record the successes of Thundering Herd football. It will be one of the largest football scoreboards in the country.

What kind of success this version of the Thundering Herd can have makes for interesting reading. Marshall went 9-4 last year, ended the season on a five-game win streak and won the Myrtle Beach Bowl. But the crowning achievement of that season came in a 2621 upset over No. 8 Notre Dame in South Bend, the “shock” heard ’round the football world.

“I think it carries more weight for the fan base and

When we prepare well and we play really hard, we have a chance to compete with anybody in the country.

— Head Coach Charles Huff

Defensive lineman Owen Porter decided to return for his senior year and was named to the Preseason First Team All-Sun Belt Conference.

PHOTO BY MARILYN TESTERMAN-HAYE

the community and the brand,” said head coach Charles Huff about that epic win. “Like I tell these guys, it probably has made every other game harder because no one’s going to take you lightly. When we prepare

2023 MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

well and we play really hard, we have a chance to compete with anybody in the country.”

Marshall’s personality was defined by its defense in 2022. The Herd had the sixth-stingiest scoring defense in the country, giving up only 16 points per game. Several playmakers are gone, including defensive back Steven Gilmore,

Sophomore quarterback Cam Fancher is back with a year’s experience under his belt, but there’s a lot of competition waiting in the wings for his highly-coveted position.

PHOTO BY RICK HAYE

linebacker Abraham Beauplan and defensive end Koby Cumberlander. But Huff got the best recruiting news of the offseason when star Owen Porter decided to come back for his final year of eligibility. When asked about Huff’s reaction to the good news, Porter said his coach exclaimed, “What took you so long to tell me?”

The former Spring Valley star was loyal to his hometown school. There were overtures from other programs, and the transfer portal was a distinct option; but Porter, who had 9 1/2 sacks and 60 tackles last year, said he still has a championship to win. His return cements his all-time status as a fan favorite.

“I actually hear that quite often from lots of people,” Porter said of the fans’ reaction to his return. “My family’s here; my friends are here. This is my home. None of those schools wanted me out of high school. Now that I’ve gotten good, they’re not gonna ride my coattails on the back end of my career.”

This defense added another local tie-in in the offseason. Former Cabell Midland all-stater and Wake Forest defensive back J.J. Roberts left Winston-Salem for his

hometown. Roberts is eager to make a mark at Marshall and said he can give his teammates a little scouting report when the Herd heads to Raleigh to take on NC State.

“We played them my sophomore year, and I actually ended up getting an interception on their quarterback,” Roberts said. “I’m looking forward to going back there but wearing green this time. That’ll be fun. It gets the adrenaline pumping.”

The Thundering Herd’s nonconference schedule is daunting this season. After the opener against Albany, they head to old rival East Carolina; two weeks later, a home date with perennial national power Virginia Tech awaits. And the game against the Wolfpack represents a rare October nonconference matchup.

The conference schedule has its own share of land mines. Collegefootballnews. com noted: “Marshall will win a few of the tougher dates — like it did last year against Notre Dame, James Madison, and Appalachian State — but going to East Carolina won’t be easy. Going to N.C. State is a problem. Hosting Virginia Tech is dangerous, and dealing

Quarterback Cam Fancher is back with a year’s experience under his belt, but there’s a lot of competition for that highly coveted position.

Running back Rasheen Ali is back from an injury that saw him sit out most of last season. The star running back led the nation in touchdowns as a freshman in 2021. Look for Ali to lead the Thundering Herd offesne with a lethal combination of speed, agility and power.

PHOTO COURTESY C-USA

with James Madison and Georgia Southern at home aren’t layups.”

Taking a trip to Myrtle Beach one week and to the mountains of North Carolina the next will make for a nice fall break for fans. But not for the football team, which has trips to Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State back to back. That trip to Boone is especially interesting for former Mountaineer linebacker KeSean Brown.

“Coach Huff just stood out to me the way he does things,” the 6-foot-2-inch, 220-pound linebacker said after his arrival in Huntington. “Leaving Appalachian State wasn’t easy, but I have no regrets. At the end of the day, I just had to do what’s best for me. It’s just go take care of business. That’s what I do.”

On the offensive side of the ball, the Herd will want to generate more production than its 24 points per game average in 2022. Quarterback Cam Fancher is back with a year’s experience under his belt, but there’s a lot of competition for that highly coveted position. Rice transfer T.J. McMahon threw for 2,102 yards and 18 touchdowns last year for the Owls. And there’s Cole Pennington and Chase Harrison hoping to get Huff’s

attention and move up the depth chart.

“We saw Cam making strides game to game,” Huff said of his sophomore quarterback. “He has done everything a starting quarterback is supposed to do. He’s 5-1 as a starter. But Cole, Chase and T.J. are coming in and progressing quickly, and that’s going to force Cam to up his game. If not, one of those guys will pass him.”

While the Herd lost senior Khalan Laborn, who ran for 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns last season, superstar Rasheen Ali returns after missing most of his sophomore year with an injury. As a freshman he rushed for 1,401 yards and led the nation in scoring with 23 touchdowns. Marshall also must replace leading receiver Corey Gammage and find a go-to threat for the 2023 season.

The coaches, players and fans are all hoping the 2023 Herd’s play on the field matches the stadium’s new video board — bigger, better and full of highlights.”

Keith Morehouse is the sports director at WSAZ NewsChannel 3 in Huntington.

Sophomore Makai Laguines from Warner Robins, Gaeorgia, started 17 games last season as a true freshman.

Fans have high expectations for this season’s soccer squads.

By Keith Morehouse

FALL SOCCER

PREVIEW

Sophomore Matthew Bell from Kingston, Jamaica was the 2022 Sun Belt Men’s Soccer Freshman of the Year.

Photos by Austin O’Connor

The Marshall University men’s soccer team was in Rio De Janeiro in June, and the Herd needed an audible in the worst way. Not on the pitch, but at a social gathering during a 10-day exhibition tour in Brazil.

“We went to the last place in Rio, Das Pedras, and the guys had all signed up for karaoke,” head coach Chris Grassie recalled. “But the power goes out. It kicks back on a few minutes later, and they can’t get the karaoke machine back on board. Marshall to the rescue — we did an a cappella version of an Adele song to close the karaoke night to a standing ovation.”

The Herd was on pitch during the exhibition games as well, making the most of a trip to the homeland of Pele and Ronaldo. No country has more than the five World Cups that Brazil has. The game of soccer courses through the streets and is an everyday part of the landscape there.

That’s especially true in Rio, sophomore midfielder Ryan Holmes said.

“You look out the window, and people are playing

on the beach,” he said. “You drive down the street; there’s people playing in the street. It’s in their blood there. It’s amazing.”

What that summertime trip did for the program and its team’s bonding may not be completely known until the 2023 season plays itself out. But Coach Grassie knows the importance of symmetry and chemistry in a team sport, and he thinks the Herd is already reaping the benefits.

“We got to see what the guys learned in the spring who came back, and then we got to see all the new players,” said Grassie. “We had more time to prep for Brazil than the NCAA gives us to prepare for our first preseason game. We had essentially a double-time preseason.”

One of the new guys Grassie got to watch is 6-foot, 3-inch forward Alvaro Garcia-Pascual. He’s a former first-team All-Sun Belt selection who transferred in from Coastal Carolina. He said Marshall’s national soccer reputation and the passion in the program reeled him in.

“I came here to win,” said Garcia-Pascual. “I transferred

“ ”

I came here to win. I transferred to the best program in the country to win a national championship.

— Alvaro Garcia-Pascual

Adam Aoumach was the 2022 Sun Belt Men’s Soccer Newcomer of the Year. The Paris, France, native tallied a team-high nine assists last year.

to the best program in the country to win a national championship. The field, the atmosphere — it is just great.”

Winning has become a habit around here. Last season the Herd went 11-4-4 and beat both No. 2 Pitt and archrival West Virginia in Huntington. They also advanced to the NCAA Tournament and beat Elon and No. 4 Virginia before falling to No. 13 Indiana.

As long as Grassie is the coach, expectations always stay the same inside the offices at Hoops Family Field.

“What we really aspire to is excellence,” said Grassie. “It has to be enjoyable; it has to be a great experience — but we also tell the guys that they are here to win a national championship, because we’re good enough to do it.”

Marshall’s players know the days of surprising teams are long gone, “especially since the national championship a couple of years ago,” said Holmes. “Marshall’s been one of the bigger names in college soccer. We can’t really sneak up on anybody. When we show up, we have to be on our game.”

Not unlike that night in Rio.

Marshall’s women’s head coach Michael Swan is not a “what have you done for me lately” kind of coach. But what his team did down the stretch last season did pique the best of his coaching instincts.

The Herd suffered just two losses in its last six games and made the Sun Belt tournament in its first year in the league. Marshall beat rival Appalachian State in Foley, Alabama, before falling to No. 2 seed South Alabama to end the year.

“It was a little bit of trial and error,” Swan said of the Sun Belt. “I reflected a lot on last year. Even though we viewed it as a success because we got to the conference tournament, I still do believe we kind of underachieved a little bit.”

That first go-round in the Sun Belt was eye-opening for sophomore defender Madison Townes.

“Coming in as a freshman to a new conference, playing my first game, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is insane,’” Townes said. “Now, we’re familiar with all these teams. I think that’s really going to help us.”

Defender Campbell George has learned not to take the game for granted. The senior transfer from Xavier sat out the spring season because of injury. She and Townes both had to watch from the scoreboard room while their teammates worked.

“Sitting there watching them practice every day was

pretty rough,” George said of her springtime downtime. “It makes you appreciate it a lot more. I think we’re both very excited to be past that injury and ready for the season and to be back out there playing with everyone.”

Swan said he hopes to utilize his depth and integrate the experience of his returners with the talent of his newcomers — and he’s asking for help from the veterans.

“Being one of the oldest players on the team is definitely different,” said George. “And being a transfer has been different, too. I was the new person last year, so I understand how they feel coming in and being nervous to start with a new group of girls in a new town.”

Only a sophomore, Townes has grown up quickly.

“We get a chance to be leaders instead of the coaching staff coming in and doing it for us,” Townes said. “It’s great for us to get that comfortability with each other before we go into the season.”

Swan is using the end of last season as a motivating springboard into 2023, he said.

“I’m very confident that this squad can really ruffle some feathers again,” Swan said. “New faces, new bodies, but a lot of talent.”

Keith Morehouse is a freelance writer and the sports director at WSAZ NewsChannel 3 in Huntington, West Virginia.

I’m very confident that this squad can really ruffle some feathers again. New faces, new bodies, but a lot of talent.

— Michael Swan

Luiza Travassos is a freshman transfer from Indiana University. A native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she has international playing experience.

HONORS College

By Katherine Pyles

Honor. The word has several meanings, but when it comes to education it often relates to achieving academic excellence. For example, only a select number of students graduate from college “with honors.” But honor can also refer to one’s core beliefs and actions: a “person of honor” is an individual who values honesty and integrity. In the case of Marshall University’s Honors College, the mission is to foster both meanings.

“We strive to promote academic excellence and lifelong learning,” said Dr. Brian Hoey, the college’s new dean. “But we also want to produce scholars

who are socially conscious leaders who apply their knowledge for the greater good.”

By definition an Honors College is an enriched, accelerated curriculum for high-achieving students. Admission is highly selective, leading to smaller classes and unique academic opportunities. In addition, it provides an environment for innovative teaching within an interdisciplinary curriculum motivated by creative, critical inquiry.

Hoey described the university’s Honors College as “a crossroads of sorts,” saying that it exists “betwixt and between” the university’s other departments and colleges. It

The Honors College promotes academic excellence while encouraging scholars to be socially conscious leaders.

Students accepted into the Society of Yeager Scholars, a distinct part of the Honors College, spend a summer semester studying abroad at the University of Oxford in England.

is, to borrow a word from Hoey’s academic discipline of anthropology, “liminal.” And that is perhaps its greatest strength.

“We are between everything else, and we’re in no one place,” explained Hoey, who joined the Honors College as a faculty member in 2011 and served as associate dean, then interim dean, before being named dean in December 2022. “Students come from everywhere. Faculty come from everywhere. We’re the crossroads, and that’s an amazingly powerful — and sometimes precarious — place to be.”

People come to the Honors College from different backgrounds, he said, with “different hopes, dreams, desires and wants,” and the mission of the Honors College is to provide opportunities to each of them. That goes for the students admitted into the college; the students, faculty and alumni who utilize the Office of National Scholarships for assistance applying to programs like the Fulbright, Boren and Gates Cambridge; the members of the Society of Yeager Scholars; and the faculty who teach honors-designated courses across all academic disciplines.

“The Honors College aims to provide a space where people from all over the university can come together to share ideas outside of the customary confines of institutional structure,” Hoey explained. In addition to honors-designated courses in their own departments, faculty may propose interdisciplinary seminars to the Honors College. Past seminar subjects include “Technology and Human Identity,” “Shakespeare, Sex and Politics,” “Lie to Me, Truly: Hybrid Nonfiction and Documentary” and “Psychology of Social Media.”

“We rely on the goodwill of others to help us achieve our mission,” Hoey said. “That includes all the faculty and members of the Marshall community who contribute through teaching and mentorship.”

Hoey, who began teaching in the Honors College within a year of its formation, knows firsthand the value of contributing to honors education. The Honors College was formed in 2010, but Marshall’s honors program has existed since the early 1960s, around the time Marshall became a university.

“I was attracted to the opportunity to work with

outstanding students in an intimate environment, teaching subjects that I couldn’t necessarily teach in my home department,” Hoey said. “The Honors College provides faculty with a way to pursue their passions. It’s a very compelling thing to be involved in.”

Hoey joined Marshall’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology in 2007, where he helped to create a fully separate major in anthropology and served for several years as the department’s director of undergraduate studies. Hoey, an award-winning author of I’m Afraid of That Water, said his background in anthropology, while perhaps unusual for an honors dean, is something he draws upon daily, particularly in his efforts to ensure that honors education at Marshall is “defined by work that is, in fact, honorable.”

“My role as dean is to encourage and maintain a culture that values not only lifelong learning and discovery but also doing honorable work — and doing it in a way that appreciates why things are the way they are, and what we need to do to make a change,” he said.

For Hoey, one such change has been opening the

My role as dean is to encourage and maintain a culture that values not only lifelong learning and discovery but also doing honorable work — and doing it in a way that appreciates why things are the way they are, and what we need to do to make a change.

– Dr. Brian Hoey Dean

The university’s new dean Dr. Brian Hoey wants to promote academic excellence and life-long learning.

college’s admissions process to students whose standardized test scores and high school GPAs don’t meet the minimum requirements for automatic invitation. He said the process, known as “holistic review,” is part of the college’s commitment to “inclusive excellence.”

“Inclusive excellence can only happen if we allow people to come to us from wherever they’re coming from and give them an opportunity to show us who they are and why they believe in the mission of honors education,” he said.

Another recent change is broadening opportunities for experiential learning, where students “get their hands on real things that make differences in people’s lives,” Hoey said. The Honors College organizes the annual TEDxMarshallU event through a student-led, faculty-mentored team. The college is also developing a specialized track within the Lewis College of Business for honors students to explore social entrepreneurship.

Students in the Honors College have access to merit-based scholarships, designated housing, study abroad experiences and priority registration for classes; they also receive special recognition at graduation. For students accepted into the Society of Yeager Scholars, which Hoey explained is “a distinct part of the Honors College, with a history that predates it,” those benefits also include full tuition, room and board; an annual stipend and textbook allowance; study at the University of Oxford; and a laptop.

The Society of Yeager Scholars is directed by Honors College Assistant Dean Cara Bailey, along with, Bailey said, the program’s “very active and incredibly supportive” Board of Directors. Bailey is working to increase gifts to the program, which in turn increases the number of students the program can accept, and to promote alumni involvement. But her focus is first and foremost on the students, she said.

“My door is always open to students,” Bailey said. “And that’s in all aspects: making sure they have seminars that are appropriate for their future, making sure they’re on track academically, reaching out to donors to secure funding for our programming and just being here as a sounding board for students as they make their way through this program.”

When Bailey joined the Honors College in 2014 as the Yeager outreach coordinator, there were 22 students in the program. Now, there are 31. She said her goal is to see 40 students in the program by 2027, the Society of Yeager Scholars’ 40th anniversary.

The late Chuck Yeager, the famed test pilot who broke the sound barrier, speaks to a class of Yeager Scholars during one of his annual trips to the Marshall University campus.

In 2019 the Honors College began organizing the annual TEDxMarshallU event through a student-led, facultymentored team. Guest speakers from around the world have participated.

PHOTO BY CAMERON DONOHUE

Aligned with that objective, and in keeping with the college’s focus on inclusive excellence, are Bailey’s efforts to reduce barriers to admission.

“We want to make sure that anyone interested in the Yeager program is able to apply,” she said. “There are no geographic limitations. There are no specific majors we’re looking for. We want a diverse cohort.”

The Society of Yeager Scholars, which will host its alumni reunion Oct. 13-14, relies on an active network of alumni to mentor and support students, many of whom have turned down an Ivy League education for Marshall’s rigorous and most prestigious scholarship.

“What makes me the proudest is when I hear students say, ‘I could go to Harvard, I could go to Penn, I could go to Princeton — but I know Marshall is where I need to be,’” Bailey said. “We are showing outstanding students that there is a community for them here; that they can have the education the Ivy League would give them, but in a way that supports them and makes them feel seen.”

She said Hoey’s “forward-thinking” leadership of the Honors College and anthropological approach to

building community are instrumental in that. As for Hoey, he said it boils down to being a “collaborative partner” to all other units of the university.

“At Marshall, we always say that we’re a family,” Hoey said. “At any other place, you might go, ‘Yeah, sure,’ but we really do have that here. And that means we are always looking toward what we can do to help each other, and what we can do to rise together. The Honors College is not a degree-granting college, but it adds value to every degree that’s conferred at Marshall.”

In addition to seeking financial support for the Honors College, including naming-rights gifts, Hoey said he encourages honors alumni to participate in mentorship, experiential learning and the college’s ongoing strategic planning. Alumni can visit www.marshall.edu/ honors to learn more and reach out to honorscollege@ marshall.edu with questions or ideas.

Katherine Pyles is a freelance writer and editor living in Huntington, West Virginia.

Honors College Assistant Dean Cara Bailey (left) and former Honors College Dean Nicki LoCascio (right). LoCascio retired in 2021 after 22 years at Marshall.

Breece D’J Pancake

By Michael Friel

Breece Pancake burst onto the literary scene in 1977 — a brilliant, dazzling light out of nowhere. Author Mike Murphy said he “may have been the best American writer of his generation.” The venerable Kurt Vonnegut in a letter to author John Casey wrote, “I give you my word of honor that he is merely the best writer, the most sincere writer I’ve ever read.” And literary giant Joyce Carol Oates proclaimed Pancake to be “a young writer of such extraordinary gifts that one is tempted to compare his debut to Hemingway.”

Pancake, a Milton native and son of Marshall University, had landed a prestigious writing fellowship at the University of Virginia in 1976. He soon realized every young writer’s dream: He sold a short story, Trilobites, to The Atlantic Monthly. Within a year, additional stories appeared in The Atlantic and other national publications. The New Yorker solicited his work. Publishing giant Doubleday asked for a novel.

Then, suddenly, just as Pancake teetered on the brink of bona fide fame, the 26-year-old writer, for reasons unclear, took his own life on Palm Sunday 1979.

• • • • • •

Today, 44 years later, fans of Pancake make the pilgrimage to Milton from far-flung places across the United States and abroad to glean more about the writer and his slice of Appalachia.

They stop at the library where his mother, Helen, once worked. They’re greeted just inside by a modest display case

of Pancake memorabilia, including an amalgamation of newspaper clippings and photos. Visitors frequently trek to his nearby resting place to reflect. They leave small stones and other tokens as a show of remembrance and admiration.

After earning a degree from Marshall, Pancake taught for a while at two Virginia military academies before beginning his writing fellowship at the University of Virginia. But soon after arriving on campus he felt like an outsider, a hillbilly among the Southern aristocracy. Sometimes he leaned into the stereotype. The Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist James Alan McPherson, who had just begun teaching there and eventually became a close friend, first met Pancake in 1976. In the foreword to The Stories of Breece D’J Pancake , McPherson said Pancake came lumbering down the hallowed halls of UVA wearing a flannel shirt, faded blue jeans and a big U.S. Army belt buckle, and spoke with a distinctive Southern drawl.

McPherson described Pancake as “wiry and tall, just a little over six feet, with very direct, deep-seeing brown eyes. His straw-blond hair lacked softness. In his face was that kind of half-smile/half-grimace. He wasted no words and rewrote ceaselessly for the precise effect he intended to convey.”

In his foreword McPherson wrote, “There was a mystery about Breece Pancake. He was a lonely and melancholy man. Yet there was also an antagonistic strain in him, a contempt for the conformity. And his position at the university … as a man from a small town in the hills of

Heralded as the greatest American writer since Ernest Hemingway, this is the long-overdue story of the Marshall alumnus’s brilliant and tragic life.

An artist’s rendering of Marshall alumnus Breece D’J Pancake by Sassa Wilkes.

West Virginia … contributed some to the cynicism and bitterness that was already in him. He loved the outdoors and during those trips into the mountains he seemed to be at peace.”

Despite his personal struggles at UVA, he found professional success early on. While many young writers struggle in vain for years to get published, Pancake sold his first story to The Atlantic Monthly. His editor at the magazine said, “In 30-some years at The Atlantic, I cannot recall a response to a new author like the response to this one. Letters drifted in for months, obviously from people who knew nothing about him, asking for more stories … or simply expressing admiration and gratitude. Whatever it is that truly commands reader attention, he had it.”

“I open the truck’s door, step onto the brick side street. I look at Company Hill again, all sort of worn down and round. A long time ago it was real craggy and stood like an island in the Teays River. It took over a million years to make that smooth little hill, and I’ve looked all over it for trilobites. I think how it has always been there and always will be, at least for as long as it matters. The air is smoky with summertime. A bunch of starlings swim over me. I was born in this country and I have never very much wanted to leave. I remember Pop’s dead eyes looking at me. They were real dry, and that took something out of me.” — Opening lines of Trilobites

Pancake’s stories are quintessential Appalachian. The narrative is shaped by history, folklore and geography. The landscape is harsh. His protagonists tend to be searchers, longing to escape a past they cannot quite let go. Pancake once wrote, “If only one thing is true to being a writer, it is to remain at once the most moral man and the most repentant sinner God could want.”

Pancake felt vindicated after being published. In a letter to his sister Donnetta, he wrote: “This has really set fire to Wilson Hall and the (cross yourself) English Department [at UVA]. Poor second-rate citizen Pancake who can’t speak the King’s English … who (God forbid) went to work when the money ran out — that turkey made it.”

The 12 completed stories Pancake left behind appear in the posthumous collection of his work, The Stories of Breece D’J Pancake, which has been reprinted multiple times since its 1983 debut. The Pulitzer Prize-nominated volume is studied in literature classes around the world.

Pancake was acutely aware of his status as a West Virginian. As McPherson noted he was “very self-conscious about the poverty of his state, and about its image in certain books. He told me he did not think much of Harry Caudill’s Night Comes to the Cumberlands. He thought it presented an inaccurate image of his native ground, and his ambition, as a writer, was to improve on it.”

It’s hard to surmise why Pancake committed suicide. Like his father, he had a drinking problem that no doubt contributed to his melancholy. In fact, he had been drinking on that fateful day when, for reasons unknown, he wandered into his neighbor’s empty house and sat in the dark. When the family returned home, he fled back to his small house and ended his own life. In the years preceding his death, there were some clues that may have explained his state of mind. An article in The New Yorker noted that, “His father … died of complications resulting from multiple sclerosis in 1975. Three weeks later, his closest friend, Matthew Heard, was killed in an automobile accident. And, in 1977, his girlfriend, Emily Miller, bowed to pressure from her well-to-do family and rejected Pancake’s marriage proposal. “Her parents have decided I’m not good enough for her,” he wrote to his mother after Emily spurned him.

But perhaps these words by his mother shed the best light of all: “God called him home because he saw too much dishonesty and evil in this world and he couldn’t cope.” • • • • • •

In a cemetery on a hill not far from downtown Milton, Pancake was laid to rest next to his father. His mother joined them upon her death in 2014. In the end, Breece got what he longed for: to return home.

In a September 1974 letter to his parents while teaching in Virginia, a homesick Pancake wrote: “I’m going to come back to West Virginia when this is over. There’s something ancient and deeply rooted in my soul. I like to think that I left my ghost up one of those hollows, and I’ll never be able to leave until I find it — and I don’t want to look for it because I might find it and have to leave.”

Michael Friel is a freelance writer living in South Charleston, West Virginia.

The 12 short stories Pancake left behind were later published and nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.

Greek Life

Stereotypes about Greek life abound, but today Marshall’s fraternities and sororities are more focused on academics, community service and camaraderie than ever before.

By Amy Deal

At colleges and universities across America, fraternities and sororities strive to enhance the college experience through social interaction, academic support, leadership opportunities, community service and alumni networking. Students also become part of a brotherhood or sisterhood that can lead to lifetime friendships.

Greek life has long been a part of the landscape at Marshall University. The first Greek organization, the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority, established its chapter in 1922. That means that Greek life has been going strong at Marshall for more than 100 years.

Currently, there are 16 fraternities and sororities on the Huntington campus with a membership of approximately 400 students. They are governed by three councils: the Interfraternity Council, which governs fraternities; the Panhellenic Council, which governs sororities; and the National Pan-Hellenic Council, which governs African American fraternities and sororities. The councils are made

up of elected members from each Greek organization. Recruitment, more commonly known as “rush,” is held twice a year during the fall and spring semesters, with chapters setting up information tables and hosting events at their chapter houses and other locations. Students attend a variety of social functions to determine which Greek organizations they would like to join.

Unlike some of the stereotypes attributed to Greek life such as wild weekend parties, there is a serious side that is often ignored.

“Being a member of a Greek organization helps prepare someone for their life post-college,” explains Corey Cunningham, coordinator of fraternity and sorority life at Marshall. “There is a structure to each chapter where members must attend mandatory meetings, be on time and actively participate. It promotes teamwork and offers members the chance to be elected to various officer positions.”

PHOTO BY AUSTIN O’CONNOR

Dr. Andy Hermansdorfer, Marshall’s director of student involvement and leadership, has been at Marshall for over 20 years and says membership in fraternities and sororities comprises 3-4% of the student population. While a student at Marshall, Hermansdorfer was a member of Alpha Sigma Phi, and his first job out of college was working for his fraternity. The pay wasn’t great, he admits, but the experience was priceless.

“When you join one of the Greek organizations, you are joining for life,” says Hermansdorfer. “I have fraternity brothers from all over the country that I am still in contact with. We often rely on each other when seeking a job. I don’t think any other organization on a university campus offers that type of networking. Your fraternity or sorority becomes your support system for life.”

Anna Lindsay, an alumna of Sigma Sigma Sigma, agrees that being in a sorority helped prepare her for life after college.

“During my years in Greek life, I learned time management, communication and leadership skills that I still use today,” she says. “Greek life helped me reach my full potential as a student, employee and friend.”

Erin Crawley, an alumna of Phi Mu, says she would advise someone looking to join a Greek organization to go for it.

“It can be especially helpful if a student hasn’t been able to meet people or find their place at the university,” she says. “Joining helped me meet people and provided me with wonderful memories. I’m still in contact with several of my sisters.”

When asked what he would say to a parent whose college student is considering joining a Greek organization, Hermansdorfer explains that research has shown that students who get involved in Greek life are more likely to graduate and are overall more satisfied with their college experience.

“The staff overseeing Greek life at Marshall take the time to ensure that students have advisors in place to help them make the best decisions,” he says. “Advisors make sure the students are studying, that they are safe and that they have access to the resources they need to stay healthy and be successful. These factors contribute to the academic success of Marshall’s Greek organizations, which have an overall GPA of over 3.0.”

Hermansdorfer notes that this statistic might surprise people who were involved in Greek life 20 years ago, but it shows that the focus on academics has increased and is taken seriously.

To support this academic focus, there are scholarships of various levels available both through national Greek organizations and through Marshall directly. Interfraternity Council (IFC) President Casey Adkins says the IFC offers scholarships as well. One example is the Emerging Leader Scholarship, which is given to new members each semester.

“I was recently awarded a $1,000 national scholarship from my own national fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega,” Adkins says. “The governing councils have academic policies in place to encourage and create the best academic standings. Many of our core guidelines and standards

are based around academics, as that is our primary goal in Greek life. We also have things like study hours, reserved rooms in Drinko Library, tutoring access and more.”

Of course, Greek life isn’t only about academics. Other areas of focus include philanthropic and service opportunities. Cunningham says he’s very proud of the charitable work the Greek organizations do each year.

“Community service is one of the most important things our organizations do,” says Cunningham. “In the last three years, we have almost doubled the number of community service hours the average fraternity or sorority performs.”

Recently, Marshall’s fraternities and sororities visited the J.W. Scott Community Center, where they played games with kids and helped replant a garden. In addition, they presented the center with a check for $800 that had been raised for the center’s scholarship program.

Goodwill was the beneficiary of a recent friendly competition among Marshall’s fraternities and sororities. After Goodwill contacted Cunningham’s office expressing a need for business casual clothes, a plan for a “donation drive showdown” was put into motion. Large bins were decorated by each Greek organization and placed in front of the Memorial Student Center. The winner would be decided by the bin with the largest amount of clothes. The competition was so intense that an alumna of Delta Zeta drove three hours to donate eight bags of clothes to help her sorority sisters.

Marshall also takes the issue of hazing seriously. Last year during National Hazing Prevention Week, Lianne Kowiak, whose son Harrison Kowiak died in 2008 after a hazing incident at Lenoir-Rhyne University, attended Marshall’s anti-hazing event and spoke about her son and the dangers of hazing. The chapters held a kickball game that raised $300 for a scholarship Kowiak created

in her son’s memory.

Another example of giving back to the community is the ongoing partnership among Marshall’s sororities and Sisters of Hope, a breast cancer support group at the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center. An annual powderpuff football game played by the women of the Panhellenic Council is held in October and raises several hundred dollars for Sisters of Hope each year. Members of the support group attend the game and enjoy a pink-themed lunch. A supply drive is also held to gather items that patients need during treatment.

Hermansdorfer says that a misconception about members of Greek organizations is that they don’t care about things outside their own fraternity or sorority. That could not be further from the truth, he says.

“They do care,” he says. “They care about the university, the community and each other. Today’s students are making healthier decisions when it comes to their mental and physical health.”

And the members of the Student Involvement and Leadership team, under the direction of Hermansdorfer and Cunningham, are there to support and encourage the students every step of the way.

Corey Cunningham, director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, says community service has almost tripled in recent years.

“ ”

Being a member of a Greek organization helps prepare someone for their life post-college.

— Corey Cunningham

PHOTO BY RICK LEE

TAKING CENTER STAGE

The School of Theatre and Dance has a proud history that began in the basement of Old Main in the 1920s.

By Amanda Larch

Originally located in the basement of Old Main, the Marshall University School of Theatre and Dance began as an extracurricular activity. It continually produced shows beginning in the 1920s before it became an official field of study when the College of Fine Arts — now the College of Arts and Media — was established in 1984.

The school has always held deeply rooted professional standards, and students receive not only a good theatre education but also a relevant one, said John Colclough, interim director of the School of Theatre and Dance.

“Our students graduate knowing the responsibility and the dedication it takes to create a theatre production,” Colclough said. “All of the work that we do on our productions is collaborative.”

Providing a framework of study that allows students to succeed after college has produced some notable alumni, including Brad Dourif, who first rose to fame when he was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; Conchata Ferrell, who led a significant Broadway and Hollywood career, starring in the film Mystic Pizza and the television series Two and a Half Men; and Los Angeles-based actor and West Virginia native Nathan Mohebbi.

Other notable alumni of the school include Justin McElroy, co-creator of the wildly popular My Brother, My Brother and Me podcast, along

Dance has also been an integral part of the school’s rich history. More recently, the program has served as a way to connect with Huntington’s vibrant dance community.

with his brothers Travis and Griffin, both of whom were involved in various capacities in theatre during their time at Marshall.

“The McElroy brothers created one of the ground-floor podcasts,” Colclough said. “They have been very successful in what they’ve done, and their theatre education both here and in the community of Huntington has helped to support or build their notoriety and helped to give them

the successful business that they have.”

The intersection of preparedness and well-timed good luck is where many graduates find success with their theatre experience and background, no matter where they end up. Colclough said graduates find ways of using their theatre skills in a variety of careers.

“In an age of virtual reality, digital media, film, television and theatre, our students are going out there and

John Colclough, interim director of the School of Theatre and Dance, said the school has always held deeply rooted professional standards, and students receive a relevant theatre education. He explained that graduates find ways to use their theatre skills in a variety of careers.

The school stays up to date on new material and selects shows accordingly each year. Typically there are four productions each year, and part of the challenge is to have a season that’s educationally viable for the students but also interesting for audience members.

PHOTO BY RICK LEE

figuring out the job market,” Colclough said. “They’re doing things like podcasts and creating YouTube channels. They’re taking their skills and learning how to use communication, collaboration and creativity to do a variety of jobs, and yet still feel good about the fact that they had a theatre education and that theatre is an important element in their lives.”

Programs offered include general theatre, production, performance, dance and musical theatre, which was established just a few years ago. Colclough said his hope is to continue to grow the musical theatre program.

The current home of the School of Theatre and Dance, the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center, was built in 1992 and houses two performance venues: the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse and the Francis-Booth Experimental Theatre.

“For this building to happen on this campus at that time was really quite remarkable,” Colclough said. “This is still a state-of-the-art theatre 30 years later.”

Part of Colclough’s job is to stay up to date on new material and select the shows for each school year. Typically there are four productions each year, and he said part of the challenge is to have a season that’s educationally viable for the students but also interesting for audience members.

“I want to have a season of shows that are challenging to our students, but not so challenging that we can’t find success,” he said.

The School of Theatre and Dance often partners with other departments on campus. This fall, students will put on The Winter’s Tale, one of William Shakespeare’s lesser-known plays, as well as The Book of Will , about how the complete works of Shakespeare came to be. Colclough said he’s already been in contact with Marshall’s English department about working together.

Next spring, students will be producing a play called The Wolves, about a high school girls soccer team, and Colclough will be reaching out to the Marshall women’s soccer team and the athletic department.

“In the piece, the actresses are actually doing ball drills and skills, and there’s a net onstage,” he said. “I hope to reach out and see if they can lend us a little bit of their knowledge base and work with us on that.”

Dance has also been an integral part of the school’s rich history. More recently, the program has served as a way to connect with Huntington’s vibrant dance community. In fact, local dance company teachers have served as adjunct instructors in the program.

“Currently our students are working with Shelby Nelson Burcham from Elite Performance Academy and MaShawn Morton, a local dancer whose career has taken him around the world,” Colclough said. “The excitement among our students

I think if a student anywhere in the state of West Virginia is interested in a degree in theatre, Marshall University Theatre is the place to go. There are a lot of great things going on at this university, and Marshall University Theatre is no exception.

— John Colclough

Originally located in the basement of Old Main, the university’s theatre program began producing shows in the 1920s. It became an official field of study when the College of Arts and Media was established in 1984.

for these fine artists is palpable.”

The School of Theatre and Dance is experiencing some exciting changes and a season of growth. In addition to the appointment of Colclough as the theatre school’s interim director, there’s a new dean over the entire College of Arts and Media.

“I think if a student anywhere in the state of West Virginia is interested in a degree in theatre, Marshall University Theatre is the place to go,” Colclough said. “There are a lot of great things going on at this university, and Marshall University Theatre is no exception.”

Now in its 10th year, the school’s Theatre ETC! (Educational Touring Company) outreach program introduces theatre to young audiences. Students put together an entire theatre piece, including educational resources surrounding it, and tour each spring semester performing at elementary, middle and high schools. The touring company has also been invited to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe next year. Seventeen Marshall students will perform at the festival for the first time in more than a decade, and the show they hope to do is The Telltale Lilac Bush, a ghost story set in West Virginia.

“We’ll take a little bit of West Virginia with us when we go to Scotland,” Colclough said.

All Marshall students are invited to participate in dance courses, with a dance minor available to students in all majors. Dance classes are offered at all levels, from beginner to advanced, in a variety of dance forms including ballet, jazz, modern and tap. The dance minor has three goals: to provide regular academic opportunities for Marshall students interested in dance, to provide a regular movement and dance program for theatre majors in support of their performance classes and to support the Marshall Contemporary Dance Company, which holds an annual dance concert.

Students enrolling in the school’s dance minor must fill out an advisement folder to be left in the theatre office, and interested students are encouraged to declare the minor in the first semester of their participation in the program.

In 2017 the school presented the classic musical “Guys and Dolls” at the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse.

Amanda Larch is a freelance writer and editor living in Hurricane, West Virginia.

EXITSTAGE LEFT

By Amanda Larch

It wasn’t until he experienced what he calls “a dress rehearsal for retirement” that the idea to exit stage left came to Jamez MorrisSmith, director of theatre facilities for the Marshall University School of Theatre and Dance.

When the university was closed during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Morris-Smith was able to enjoy the springtime — usually the theatre school’s busiest period.

“Having that time off, and having the reduced stress, cemented it for me,” he says. “I kept telling people that I have a young man’s job, and some other young man needs it.”

“When it came time for me to decide on where I was going to college, there was no other choice — it was going to be Marshall,” Morris-Smith says.

“ ”

Over the years, I’ve had some of the best, most hardworking students you'd ever ask for. They learn from doing, more than you’d ever get out of a book. It’s practical and hands-on work. I don’t think people look at our home here in the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse as an academic laboratory, but it is.

After almost 40 years, Morris-Smith will officially retire Aug. 18, saying farewell to the university that has been his home since he arrived as a student in 1975.

When he came to Marshall, though, he wasn’t set on being a theatre major; instead, he was a premortuary major. He says his Speech 103 professor encouraged him to audition for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The rest, as they say, is history.

“I figured out pretty quickly that I liked the scenic design part of theatre and creating those environments for the show, so I drifted into technical theatre,” he recalls.

Once Morris-Smith graduated, he toured with a theatre company before coming back to Marshall for a part-time job as a scenic designer. Then, in 1988, he moved into the director of theatre

Jamez Morris-Smith, a highly respected fixture in the theatre school, prepares to retire after 40 years behind the scenes.

Photo by Rick Lee

— Jamez Morris-Smith

facilities position. Morris-Smith’s final scenic design was for “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” production last spring.

“No matter what kind of a day or a week or a month we’ve had, we always have fun,” he says. “Over the years, I’ve had some of the best, most hardworking students you’d ever ask for. They learn from doing, more than you’d ever get out of a book. It’s practical and hands-on work. I don’t think people look at our home here in the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse as an academic laboratory, but it is.”

Morris-Smith is quick to point out that his career success was not accomplished entirely on his own. He has high praise for his colleagues, including Deb CarderDeem, Kevin Bannon and the team of staff members who make the university’s many events and productions possible.

“They could win a gold medal in event planning,” he says.

Morris-Smith says some outstanding memories over the years include the last show in Old Main before the School of Theatre moved to its current location on Fifth Avenue in 1992, as well as staging the memorial service for Dr. Paul Ambrose, a son of Marshall who died on 9/11.

Making the switch from Old Main was quite a challenge, but it also allowed the new home of the School of Theatre to host receptions, galas, dinners and other events. Morris-Smith took on extra responsibilities to make these events possible, eventually earning him the nickname “the Martha Stewart of Marshall.”

“I was learning all about catering linen and dinner styles and buffets and what’s a good food to serve at a reception,” he recalls. “I have no idea who first said, ‘You’re like Martha Stewart,’ but it just stuck. I don’t think I make as much as Martha — but I do have a former student who works with Martha Stewart Industries. That’s pretty cool.”

Amanda Larch is a freelance writer and editor living in Hurricane, West Virginia

GreenEver YOUR ALUMNI

CONNECTION

A MESSAGE FROM JIMMY BLACK

MUAA National President

Hello Herd Family! My name is Jimmy Black, and I am honored to be your next Alumni Association president.

First, I want to thank my predecessor Mikala Shremshock for her leadership these past three years. She has been instrumental in guiding our organization through the difficulties of the pandemic and helped us remain strong and united. Before I delve into some of the projects and upcoming events that the hardworking and dedicated 30-plus members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors have been up to, allow me to introduce myself to those of you who may not know me.

My “Marshall Story” is a bit different than most. In fact, I didn’t even know about Marshall University until I was 12 years old. I do, however, remember the exact date that I became a Marshall fan. Both of my parents served in the military, and we moved around to various West Coast army bases for most of my youth. In the fall of 1997, we had settled in the Seattle/Tacoma suburb of Spanaway, Washington, after my father’s retirement from the Army. As with most sports-crazed youth, ESPN’s Sportscenter was a part of my daily life. And on September 6, 1997, I turned on the living room television and started watching college football highlights. As I began to watch the highlights, I saw a team new to me clad in green and white locked in a battle with Army. In that highlight package, a tall, lanky wide receiver caught my attention as he proceeded to juke, hurdle and outrun the entire Army defense! Randy Moss, of course, instantly became my new favorite player and I became enamored with all things Marshall University. And, as irony or fate would have it, my mother’s second career with the Corps of Engineers would lead us to Huntington less than two years later. Regardless of your own Marshall story, if you’re reading this article, chances are you love this university as much as I do. That’s what makes the Alumni Association so rewarding. By the time you read this, we will already have had our July board meeting and new member orientation where we’ll be making our final preparations for Homecoming. Also at that meeting, I will be rolling out my vision for the Alumni Association focused on the “3 Cs.”

My plan is simple. We will focus on providing and adding the most value to our current alumni, current students and the communities that we all live in. Our alumni are doing incredible work and more of your stories need to be told. If you are looking for more ways to get involved, visit our alumni website formarshallu.org and our @ formarshallu social media handles to get started.

In closing, I have one additional story to share. I’m very much a creature of habit — not quite like Steve Jobs and his closet of black turtlenecks, but not far off. When I travel to the airport I wear a similar outfit — a black Marshall pullover and black Nike Tech fleece sweats. It’s my favorite comfortable travel attire. And the great thing about being a Marshall alum is that it doesn’t matter if I’m traveling to the beach, on a business trip or to another country, if I’m wearing Herd gear, I’m guaranteed to get called out by another Herd fan. So, whether you see me at your local airport, on campus, or at The Joan this fall, when you see me I hope your greeting is the same I get from strangers in airports across the world — Go Herd!

Sincerely,

Jimmy Black President, Marshall University Alumni Association

1980s

Rebecca Leasure (’80, ’86) has released “A Brilliant Light,” a children’s book that brings the birth of Jesus to life for young readers. Leasure is a retired educator who served more than 38 years.

Lee Ann Billups Blevins (’87) was named the winner of the Second Annual State Fair of West Virginia Art Contest. Blevins’ artwork, which is a painting depicting her great nephew with a prize-winning cow, was featured as the official print of the State Fair. Blevins is a Kenova native, which is where she currently lives and is a retired Cabell County, West Virginia, teacher. She is currently a member of Allied Artists of West Virginia, Tri-State Arts Association of West Virginia, and Tamarack Artisans of West Virginia.

2000s

Jerod Smalley (’01) sports director and news anchor for NBC4 TV in Columbus, Ohio, was cast as a courtside commentator in a movie about LeBron James’ high school career at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary. The movie, “Shooting Stars,” premiered on Peacock in June.

Bryan Allen (’04, ’06) has been named associate athletics director for development at Northern Kentucky University. Allen will work closely with athletics and university development personnel on immediate and longrange fundraising efforts including major gifts, endowed scholarships and capital projects, as well as overseeing the athletics development day-to-day operations and the Go Norse Fund.

CLASS NOTES

Allen joins the Norse after serving as the associate athletics director for development and major gifts at Virginia Commonwealth University for the past six years. A native of Huntington, West Virginia, Allen is a double graduate of Marshall University with a bachelor’s degree in physiology and a master’s in athletics administration.

Alex Donovan (’05) has been named West Coast sales manager for packaging equipment solutions company IMA Dairy & Food USA. Donovan will lead customer relations and sales efforts in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Alaska and Hawaii. He earned his bachelor’s degree in organizational communication from Marshall and studied graduatelevel communications at Portland State University.

Dr. Marc Hettlinger (’09) has opened a new direct primary care practice, Hettlinger Health, in Barboursville, West Virginia. He was born and raised in Huntington and was a member of the last graduating class of Barboursville High School. After completing his undergraduate studies at West Virginia University, he had a brief career in sales before going on to medical school at Marshall University, from which he graduated in 2009. He has served the local area as a primary care physician since 2012 and has held various educational and administrative roles within the Department of Internal Medicine at Marshall University along the way.

2010s

Davey Jude (’16) was the runner-up in the 104th West Virginia Amateur at the

Greenbrier’s Old White Course. Jude finished with a two over par to finish just behind Barboursville native and 19-year-old Cameron Jarvis.

Morgan Zerkle (’17) has been named head softball coach at Marshall. Zerkle, who starred at Marshall from 2014-17 and went on to represent Team USA and play professionally, takes over as head coach after spending the last four seasons at Miami (Ohio). The Milton, West Virginia native returns home to Marshall, where she became one of the Thundering Herd's most decorated student-athletes in recent memory.

Luke Creasy (’18), HD Media’s beat reporter for Marshall University sports, was named West Virginia’s Sportswriter of the Year for 2022 by the National Sports Media Association. Creasy was honored at the 63rd NSMA Awards Weekend and National Convention. Creasy leads HD Media’s Marshall coverage of every sport except women’s basketball.

In Memoriam

Glenn L. Pemberton (’63) passed away April 18, 2023, at his home in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He graduated from Marshall University and worked for the IRS in Columbia and SDOR in Myrtle Beach. He is survived by his wife, Marianne Pemberton; his son, Glenn, and daughter-in-law, Donna Pemberton; and three grandchildren.

The pageantry and excitement of Homecoming will return to Marshall University beginning Monday, Sept. 25 and culminating with the crowning of Mr. and Miss Marshall at halftime during the game against Old Dominion University on Saturday, Sept. 30.

This year’s Homecoming theme, “Super Marco: Level Up,” will celebrate video games throughout the decades, while also paying tribute to the university leveling up its status as one of the nation’s top tier universities.

Slotted between early-season matchups against Virginia Tech and North Carolina State, this year’s celebration will mark the earliest Homecoming has come to the Huntington campus since a victory over Toledo in the 1977 Homecoming game on Sept. 24.

“Homecoming is such an integral part of the Marshall University calendar for our alumni, our supporters and our student population,” said Matt James, executive director of the Marshall University Alumni Association. “It is a unique time where the entire Marshall family comes together to celebrate the rich history and proud traditions of our university. And this year we are excited to shake things up a bit with an earlier date right in the heart of

the schedule. So, mark your calendars and join us in September for as many events as your schedule will allow as we prepare for another wonderful week of Homecoming activities.”

Several pillar Homecoming events will highlight the weeklong celebration, including the annual Unity Walk, Homecoming Parade and numerous tailgates and gatherings throughout the day on Sept. 30. The Marshall University Alumni Association will also celebrate its reunion classes, as the classes of 1973 and 1998 return to the Huntington campus for a special weekend.

“We are super-excited to welcome everyone back to Joan C. Edwards Stadium for Homecoming 2023 on Sept. 30,” said Athletic Director Christian Spears. “The Sun Belt schedule has offered us a unique opportunity for a late September Homecoming game against a familiar conference foe in ODU. We look forward to seeing all of Herd Nation join us at The Joan for a beautiful day of football on Sept. 30!”

The Thundering Herd is coming off a 9-4 season, highlighted by a historic win over Notre Dame and a victory in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. Marshall finished third in the East Division during its inaugural season in the Sun Belt Conference.

Since the opening of The Joan in 1990, Marshall is 27-6 in Homecoming games and 9-1 in its past 10 games. This season will mark the third time the Old Dominion Monarchs have come to Huntington as the Homecoming opponent, with the Herd taking victories in 2021 and 2017.

Some of the Homecoming highlights include:

Monday, Sept. 25

Green and White Week

Huntington campus offices will be in the Homecoming spirit as they decorate using the “Super Marco: Level Up” theme. The offices will be judged on Sept. 28. Prizes are awarded in multiple categories for large and small offices.

Unity Walk / Homecoming Court Announcement

All students, teams, organizations, residence halls, faculty, staff and community members are invited to walk the campus perimeter and show their Marshall pride. The event ends with the naming of the 2023 Homecoming Court.

Friday, Sept. 29 Class Reunion Celebration

The Marshall University Alumni Association is excited to host the 25th and 50th classes on Friday, Sept. 29, at Brad D. Smith Foundation Hall. Please join us for light refreshments at 4 p.m. Class members are then invited to participate in the Homecoming Parade beginning at 6 p.m. We will have a trolley available to ride in the parade, or you are welcome to watch the parade from our patio area.

Homecoming Parade

Floats, marching bands and everything you love about parades fill the air on a Friday night beginning at 6 p.m.! And if you can’t make it, join us on social

media @ForMarshallU for a special live broadcast of the parade!

Pep Rally and Bonfire

Marshall’s newest Homecoming tradition immediately following the parade! Alumni and students enjoy a bonfire with entertainment from the Marching Thunder, and Marshall University cheerleaders, plus activities and appearances by Marshall coaches and players!

Saturday, Sept. 30

Marshall Alumni & Family Tailgate

The highlight of Homecoming week! ALL are invited to this wonderful tailgating experience. It will take place in the Joan C. Edwards Stadium East Lot (beside the Chris Cline Indoor Athletic Facility) and begin three hours before kickoff. Come enjoy great food, hang with friends, play tailgating games, and enjoy live music and appearances by the Marching Thunder, Marshall University cheerleaders and special guests. Don’t miss the famous Marshall Alumni & Family Tailgate in its new location prior to the game!

Homecoming Game vs. ODU

Marshall battles Sun Belt Conference foe Old Dominion University in the annual Homecoming game.

For a complete schedule please visit formarshallu.org/homecoming

GREEN DONATIONS Can Change the World

by Taylor Stuck-Vance

Adonation to Marshall University can directly affect the world.

Just ask Tom Wolf and Leslie Petteys, two of the major donors to West Virginia’s first compost facility created by Marshall’s sustainability department.

“I am a big believer in waste to energy,” said Tri-State restauranteur Wolf. “It’s the best way to take care of our trash. Waste to energy is widely used in Germany, which has a population of about 82 million people, which is the size of Montana. And they have not one landfill. I like that they recycle everything they can.”

One-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted, with most ending up in landfills. As the waste gradually decomposes, it releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Restaurants create even more organic waste than the average household. Wolf, who owns McDonald’s and the Hall of Fame Cafés in Huntington and Ashland,

Kentucky, hopes Marshall’s facility can grow to the point that restaurants can join in the effort.

“We have to come up with a system where organic waste can make its way from restaurants to Marshall,” Wolf said. “I’d like to see it expand throughout the TriState. In New York, if you have a baked potato and you don’t eat it, it goes in a different bin and is composted. Maybe someday that happens here.”

Marshall’s facility, located on Norway Avenue in Huntington, will remove approximately 750 tons of waste from going to a landfill and prevent 100 tons of methane production per year. The digester has the capacity to compost eight tons of organic waste per day. Organic waste consists of food waste, lawn waste, white office paper and cardboard.

In addition, the university’s carbon footprint will be lowered by reducing waste haul to landfills and thousands of dollars will be saved each year in waste haul fees.

Marshall University’s new commercial composting facility is the first in the state of West Virginia and the second largest in the eastern U.S.

“Compost is a highly desirable product,” said Amy Parsons-White, Marshall sustainability manager. “I am thrilled that Marshall University and the state of West Virginia are leaders in bringing this technology to the eastern United States.”

Petteys, a former professor of music at Marshall, has been involved with the sustainability department since its inception, bringing Earth Day celebrations to campus and other initiatives.

“I grew up on a farm with my grandparents, and there you reuse everything you can and make something out of whatever you’ve got,” she said. “I’m just a farmer at heart. That’s why sustainability is really important to me.”

When Parsons-White took the helm, she brought with her dreams of making Marshall a green campus and Petteys wanted to help her make those dreams come true.

It took a lot of work to get the facility up and running, including working with state lawmakers to change laws on post-consumer food waste.

“The compost facility allows Marshall to cut our waste haul spending, reduce our carbon footprint, offer courses and internships to our students, work with community gardens and make a profit from what was once our trash,” Parsons-White said. “The expansion of composting in the state has the potential to diversify

our economy and develop a new, sustainable workforce. It is a huge win for Marshall, Huntington and West Virginia.”

At the spring ribbon-cutting ceremony for the facility, Petteys said she can’t wait to see how the university continues to expand the program.

“The facility opens up all these opportunities for education, not just for the students here, but for the community as a whole and people from outside the area,” Petteys said. “It shows there is a different way to do things.”

Wolf said Marshall needs to be the leader in all things green — it is our color, after all.

To support the compost facility, you can purchase the compost tea Herd Dirt, worm castings and compost by the bag at the Wild Ramp in Huntington’s Old Central City. You can also make a donation by visiting give.marshall.edu and designating the Compost Program Fund.

Top left: Amy Parsons-White and Leslie Petteys. Top right: Amy Parsons-White and President Brad D. Smith (bottom right) both spoke at the ribbon cutting April 14.

DALLAS KAYSER

Attorney proud to be able to give back to university that believed in him

Sometimes, all it takes is a little belief in a person to make them realize that anything is possible.

That was certainly the case for retired lawyer and full-time Marshall University supporter Dallas Kayser.

“I believe we all succeed only by others helping us along the way. That is certainly my story,” Kayser said. “If we give back some of what people helped us with, everyone will benefit.”

Kayser recently retired after more than 45 years as an attorney in the Point Pleasant, Huntington and Charleston areas. While his legal experience spanned numerous complex civil and criminal litigations, his true passion in the practice was banking and financial law, something he developed a knack for while studying at Marshall in the early 1970s.

During his time in the field, he was a respected member of the law community, finally retiring in 2021 as a partner with Kayser Layne & Clark, PLLC. Away from his profession, Kayser has dedicated his life to helping others, serving on boards and volunteering his time in and around his community.

Motivated by that passion for giving back and the inspiration of those who helped him on his education journey, Kayser and his wife, Lee Anne, established the C. Dallas and Lee Anne Kayser Scholarship Fund at Marshall. The fund will serve students in the areas of business, law and science.

“I believe it is critical to help students today in the same way that others helped me back in 1969 as a freshman at Marshall,” Kayser said.

“I think about this statistic often: young people are about 25% of our population, but 100% of our future. I believe that and I hope that, in some small way, this can help future students succeed.”

Kayser came to Huntington in the fall of 1969 with big dreams, but no real idea on where those dreams would take him. So, as many young people do while away at college, he got involved. In addition to his rigorous class schedule, Kayser found enjoyment, and a few lifelong friends, in numerous activities on campus.

An economics major, Kayser served as the financial controller of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity chapter on campus. He was also a competitor on the Intercollegiate Business Games team, serving as the resident economist. Led at the time by Professor William Kehoe, Kayser and other business students at Marshall made the finals both years competing, traveling to Emory University in Atlanta, where they twice were runners-up.

But perhaps the most unusual extracurricular activity that he took

part in as a young student was his time as a member of an honorary group of individuals tasked with handling the live bison mascot at Thundering Herd football games.

“We were in charge of Marco during the football games at Fairfield Stadium. Of course, back then, Marco was a real buffalo and not a person in a suit. We would parade Marco around the field in a cart to cheer on the team. But one game, he got loose on the south end of the stadium while the game was still being played and caused quite the excitement,” Kayser said. “Somehow, we managed to corral Marco back on the cart and get him off the field. Not long after that, the real buffalo was retired and replaced by our modern-day mascot.”

Of course, Kayser’s time at Marshall wasn’t all positive. Shortly into his sophomore year, the university suffered tremendous loss when a plane carrying the Thundering Herd football team, fans and community members crashed returning from a game against East Carolina University. All 75 people on board were killed.

Like many who were on campus and a part of the Marshall community at the time, it was a difficult period as they struggled with how

to move forward in the wake of such tragedy.

“I had classmates, friends and pledge brothers on that plane. The crash left the entire university and Marshall community devastated,” Kayser said. “It was hard to comprehend how so many lives and so much potential was taken from us. There was an eerie feeling which permeated the university for quite some time.”

While the hurt was deep, Kayser found solace in the strength of the community and feels that what has been born out of that tragedy has made his bond with the university even stronger today.

“I’m sure that every student thinks often about that crash and the lives that were lost. But after so much tragedy, Marshall came back stronger than ever,” Kayser said. “In so many ways, that makes me and other alumni proud of our school and excited for the future. Since 1970, Marshall has added a medical school, engineering school, pharmacy school, aviation school and so many other great programs and opportunities. It is exciting to be a part of that.”

I BELIEVE WE ALL SUCCEED ONLY BY OTHERS HELPING US ALONG THE WAY. THAT IS CERTAINLY MY STORY. IF WE GIVE BACK SOME OF WHAT PEOPLE HELPED US WITH, EVERYONE WILL BENEFIT.

DALLAS KAYSER

Kayser counts among his chief memories from his time as a student the now-famous Thundering Herd football victory over Xavier University the year following the crash, which was memorialized in the Warner Bros. film We Are Marshall. He also recalls rallying around other athletic teams in the years after the accident, including the Marshall men’s basketball program, with players such as Mike D’Antoni and Russell Lee competing at the former Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse.

Professionally, Kayser counts among his mentors from that time Dr. Ramchandra Akkihal, a teacher of economics at the university, and Dr. William Westbrook, Kayser’s faculty advisor and one of his biggest supporters to pursue his dream of studying law.

“Dr. Akkihal was an outstanding and brilliant teacher of economics, especially the harder classes like quantitative analysis and international economics. He is an exceptional person as well. He is a humanitarian for all people in need, especially from his home area in India. He helped found a business school there with the cooperation of Marshall,” Kayser said. “And when I was thinking about attending law school, Dr. Westbrook encouraged me in the way that only he could, through common sense, clear thinking and leadership.”

After graduating from Marshall, Kayser would obtain a law degree in 1976 from the West Virginia College of Law before getting his first opportunity in the field as an associate with Ducker & McCreight, attorneys in Huntington.

In addition to his personal practice, Kayser has been an active member of his community, serving

children, Matthew, Jennifer, Emily and Kathryn, and four grandchildren.

Kayser is currently chairman of City Holding Company and City National Bank, where he began his professional career as a student.

“Banking has been interwoven in my career since 1969, when I began my studies at Marshall. I later had the privilege of serving as legal counsel for the Peoples Bank of Point Pleasant, and then chairman. In 1985, the Peoples Bank merged with City National Bank. In 1995, I was elected to the board of City Holding Company, and I was recently reelected as chairman of the board of City Holding Company and City National Bank and chairman of the executive committee,” Kayser said. “My biggest thrill in being named chairman is to have been chosen by my peers to serve in that capacity. I am humbled and honored by their confidence in me.”

on numerous boards and advisory committees. He even coached soccer with the Point Pleasant Youth Soccer League in the 1990s.

Kayser also helped establish the Kayser Family Fund for Special Needs Citizens as a member of the Mason County Community Foundation, which was formed to serve the special needs citizens of Mason, Cabell and Wayne counties. Today, Kayser lives in Lavalette with his wife, Lee Anne. He has four

Through it all, Kayser remains thankful to all those who have helped him along the way and is dedicated to repaying that kindness to others.

“I recently read an article about university president Brad D. Smith where he stated something that so many Marshall grads could say. He said that he succeeded in life because someone at Marshall believed in him,” Kayser said. “In my experience, and that of so many others, it is the same.”

DR. AKKIHAL WAS AN OUTSTANDING AND BRILLIANT TEACHER OF ECONOMICS, ESPECIALLY THE HARDER CLASSES LIKE QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS. HE IS AN EXCEPTIONAL PERSON AS WELL. HE IS A HUMANITARIAN FOR ALL PEOPLE IN NEED...AND WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT ATTENDING LAW SCHOOL, DR. WESTBROOK ENCOURAGED ME IN THE WAY THAT ONLY HE COULD, THROUGH COMMON SENSE, CLEAR THINKING AND LEADERSHIP. – DALLAS KAYSER

Homecoming Parade, Reunions, Homecoming Tailgate and more!

MARSHALL VS. OLD DOMINION

For more information contact alumni@marshall.edu

25TH AND 50TH YEAR REUNIONS

The Marshall University Alumni Association is excited to host the 25th and 50th classes on Friday, Sept. 29, at Brad D. Smith Foundation Hall. Please join us for light refreshments at 4 p.m. The classes are then invited to participate in the Homecoming Parade beginning at 6 p.m.

Then, join us Saturday, Sept. 30, three hours before kickoff for our Marshall Alumni & Family Tailgate located in the Joan C. Edwards East Lot. You and one guest will be admitted for free. Come enjoy great food, live music, performances by the Marching Thunder and Marshall University cheerleaders, and more!

EverGreen

A MESSAGE FROM THE OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS

EMBRACE THE NEW AGE WITH OUR BRAND-NEW WEBSITE AND ENHANCED WAYS TO CONNECT

Greetings, Fellow Alumni and Friends of Marshall University:

We are excited to announce some fantastic developments that will undoubtedly enhance your experience with Marshall University as valued members of our alumni community. Over the years, our alumni have been the bedrock of our institution's success, and we are delighted to strengthen our bond with you as we step into a new age of connectivity.

As you may already be aware, we have recently launched a brand-new website that has been designed with you, our esteemed alumni, in mind. This platform has been crafted to serve as a hub of information and interaction for the Marshall University Alumni Association and the Marshall University Foundation, catering to your diverse needs and interests. We invite you to explore the website and take advantage of the new features.

This new age of connectivity is not just limited to our website. We are expanding our presence across various social media platforms, where you can engage with us and your fellow alumni in realtime. Our official social media handles can be found at @ForMarshallU on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and we encourage you to follow, share and contribute to the discussions, events and announcements.

At Marshall, we cherish the bond with our alumni community, and your active involvement strengthens our legacy. We believe that together we can create a more vibrant, supportive and resourceful network that benefits all members.

We invite you to visit the new website at www.ForMarshallU.org and update your contact information, leave a class note and start leveraging the vast array of features and opportunities. Your presence and participation are invaluable, and we eagerly look forward to witnessing the impact you'll make in this new age of connectivity. We also want to say congratulations to Jimmy Black as the new president of the alumni association. Your dedication, leadership skills, and passion for our alma mater have undoubtedly played a significant role in this well-deserved achievement.

We also want to say that, as we embark on this new chapter, we are thrilled to have you at the helm, guiding our alumni community towards greater heights. Your vision and commitment to fostering a sense of belonging among our graduates will undoubtedly strengthen our network and enrich the lives of our members.

Thank you all for your continued support, and we hope to reconnect and celebrate our shared journey soon!

Until next time, Godspeed and GO HERD!

Best Regards,

Marshall University Office of Alumni Relations

P lease share your news wi t h us!

Preference will be given to active alumni.

Other news will be printed as space allows and should be received within six months of the event.

Send details to Marshall University Alumni Association

519 John Marshall Drive • Huntington, WV 25755