Marshall Magazine, Summer 2023

Marshall magazine

Marshall

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

Atsede Elegba, Rick Lee, Morgan Napier

Contributing Writers

Bill Belanger, James E. Casto, Jack Houvouras, Kaylin Jorge, Amanda Larch, Katherine Pyles

Editorial Advisory Board

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

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Box 384 Huntington, WV 304-529-6158 www.hqpublishing.com © 2023 by Marshall University

PRESIDENT : Catching up with President Brad D. Smith.

COVER STORY : President Brad D. Smith and the university’s communications team are taking a dynamic new approach to marketing Marshall.

: First Lady Alys Smith is a wife, mother, attorney and philanthropist who has advocated for social justice most of her life.

president Catching up with President Smith

For President Brad D. Smith, spring 2023 was a time to honor Marshall’s past, celebrate its present and pave the way for its future.

1. President Smith receives the proclamation of Marshall University Day at the Legislature Feb. 1 from Marshall alumnus Del. Sean Hornbuckle.

2. President Smith joins a student from Tolsia High School in Wayne County, West Virginia, in an academic signing ceremony March 21. The ceremony signifies the student’s plans to attend Marshall in the fall.

3. President Smith greets a member of the audience at the annual Scholarship Brunch April 1.

4. President Smith helps recognize the $1,000,000 gift from the Maier Foundation to establish the Sandra D. Thomas Scholarship at Marshall. Thomas was a member of both the Maier Foundation board and the Marshall Board of Governors.

5. President Smith listens intently to the address by Roger Hillis, a member of the Young Thundering Herd, at the spring fountain ceremony April 22.

6. President Smith presents the honorary Doctor of Letters diploma April 29 to commencement speaker John Donahoe, who is the CEO of Nike.

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MARKETING MARSHALL

The university communications team is taking a dynamic new approach to selling the Marshall brand.

By Katherine Pyles

Photos by Rick Lee

(From left to right) Back row Clark Davis, Mike Powers, Chris McComas, Brock Burwell, Austin O’Connor, John Winters, Steven Schmidt. Middle row Jean Hardiman, Leah Payne, Mallory Jarrell. Front row Dave Traube, Renee Denney, Melanie Chapman.

When Marshall President Brad D. Smith conducted a 100-day listening tour to kick off his presidency, he wanted to learn what matters most to the university community. He met with over 1,000 people — students, alumni, faculty, staff, community leaders and others — in 38 separate listening sessions. Out of the sessions emerged a handful of topics that were identified as key opportunities for improvement, which Smith labeled “The Big Five.”

One of those five, it turned out, was marketing.

“A resounding theme that emerged was the desire to tell our story in an increasingly digital world,” Smith said. “The pride in our university and the global awareness of our brand were highlights, but our level of investment in digital marketing was cited as an area of increased emphasis. With that input, we began the journey to ‘punch above our weight.’”

Enter Dave Traube, a 2010 Marshall alum and the university’s new chief marketing and communications officer. Traube joined Marshall in October 2022 to lead what he calls a “reimagining” of the university’s approach to marketing. Previously, Traube explained, Marshall produced excellent communications work but outsourced most of its marketing efforts.

“The university’s communications department was a high-functioning team, and it served the university really well, but in a very communications-focused way,” Traube said. “Outside groups were helping to market the university and tell the Marshall story.”

That all changed when Traube joined Marshall last fall from the University of Charleston, where he was vice president of communications and marketing. Traube

is “a proud son of Marshall and a top-tier marketing professional,” Smith said, “and his mastery of storytelling is inspiring.”

For Traube, marketing his alma mater comes naturally.

“When you’re an alum, you can be passionate about the university in a way that no one else can,” said Traube, who majored in broadcast journalism at Marshall. “When you’re telling the Marshall story, you’re also telling your own story. You’re weaving in your own experience. And that can be powerful.”

Current marketing efforts place an emphasis on “moments,” he said, and inviting prospective students to “live their Marshall moment.”

“We’re personalizing the power of the moment — those rare moments that you can find and create during col lege,” he said. “Marshall offers such a unique canvas for those moments, for figuring out who you are and what your future could look like. We want people to get excited about that and understand the opportunities that await them at Marshall.”

Traube said the trend of declining enrollment in higher education, “all over the country, at institutions big and small,” creates a sense of urgency. To reverse that trend at Marshall, he and his team are collaborating with the admissions and recruitment of fice to expand the university’s pool of prospective students, taking a dynamic, personalized approach to recruitment and outreach.

That includes working to reach students outside West Virginia.

“Beginning this fall, students from 59 counties in the Tri-State region will be eligible for our metro rate, which, in many cases, is lower than the instate tuition rates in Ohio and Kentucky,” Traube noted.

The eligibility covers a 100-mile radius from the Huntington campus.

“Part of our central messaging is the affordability aspect for people right outside West Virginia’s borders,” Traube said. “We want to invite students in the metro areas to take advantage of what Marshall can offer them.”

Prior to Traube’s hiring, Smith brought in a consulting firm to evaluate Marshall’s marketing efforts and identify effective strategies

going forward. He also welcomed alumnus Kipp Bodnar (’04), chief marketing officer of HubSpot, to the university’s Board of Governors.

helping our marketing team achieve the next level of success.”

Bodnar joined HubSpot, a marketing and sales software company, in 2010. He was named chief marketing officer in 2015.

Bodnar works closely with Traube and regularly lends his expertise in marketing trends and strategies to the Board of Governors. He said he’s pleased to see Marshall’s leadership embrace the role of marketing in strengthening the university.

“With Kipp Bodnar we have access to one of the best marketing minds in our generation — and he happens to be a son of Marshall,” Smith said. “Kipp is a world-class digital marketer and is fully engaged in

“The Board of Governors is an amazing group of people, with an incredible depth and breadth of knowledge, and it’s exciting to see the buy-in to the importance of marketing,” said Bodnar, who majored in journalism and was executive editor of the Parthenon while at Marshall. “We’re asking things like, ‘How will this decision

Dave Traube, a 2010 Marshall alum, was named the chief marketing and communications officer in October 2022. Traube has been charged with overseeing a complete “reimagining” of the university’s approach to marketing with more emphasis on digital and social media.

“ ”

With Kipp Bodnar we have access to one of the best marketing minds in our generation — and he happens to be a son of Marshall.

— Brad D. Smith

build the Marshall brand?’ and ‘How are we going to leverage this decision to increase admissions and meet our other core goals?’”

He said Traube is helping Marshall differentiate itself from other institutions by looking at marketing’s bigger picture.

“Most universities have a pretty similar strategy when it comes to marketing,” Bodnar explained. “They spend a lot of money on paid advertising and social media and search engine optimization — and then it all falls apart when students get to the website. The website doesn’t work; it’s too hard to use; the experience is too painful. But Dave and his team are transforming the entire online experience. They’re building a web experience that makes it easy for students to understand

why Marshall is a fit for them and easy for them to take the next step in their journey.”

Traube described it as “building out the underbelly.”

“What I’ve spent a lot of time on so far is the logistics of launching a digital experience that is successful, well thought through and built around our goals as an institution,” he said. “We’re laying the groundwork for a new digital marketing era for the university.”

He said alumni have a key role to play in “building the Marshall brand,” which, if you’re wondering, has nothing to do with logos or shades of green. In marketing, branding is how people feel about a product or a company — or, in this case, a university — when they see it. It’s “how you feel when you look at a photo of campus, or read about an academic program you’re interested in,” Traube said. In other words, the Marshall brand is everything that makes the university unique.

“One thing that I think is so special about Marshall is the way people feel about it after they leave,” Traube said. “So many alumni still love the university and engage with the university in different ways. It’s not just supporting athletics, although athletics are part of it. It’s having

“ ”

We’re laying the groundwork for a new digital marketing era for the university.

— Dave Traube

President Brad D. Smith said a resounding theme that emerged from his 100-day listening tour was the need to tell the Marshall story in an increasingly digital world. Current marketing efforts invite prospective students to “Live Your Marshall Moment.”

gear; it’s being proud to tell people where they went to school. I don’t think every school has that. Every school wants to have that — but at Marshall, we have it.”

As higher education faces a paradigm shift, he said, the personal side of the Marshall story is what will continue to set the university apart.

“There’s so much competition in higher education today. There are so many degree options, so many vocational programs and alternatives to college,” he said. “But engaging with something that stays with you for the rest of your life — that’s special. It’s one thing to say, ‘You should try it. You should enroll. This could be a great experience for you.’ But it’s another thing to say, ‘I tried this. I

enrolled. I loved my experience.’”

The Marshall story belongs not just to the university but to every member of the Marshall family, he said, and the marketing and communications team is working diligently to make sure that story is heard.

“If you’re not helping people

understand who you are and what you offer, if you’re not telling your story, then people are going to find the story somewhere else,” Traube said.

“And quite often, what they find is not going to be correct. It’s going to be whatever version of you someone else tells them. That’s where marketing comes in. People can give you a million different definitions of what marketing is, but at the end of the day marketing is telling your story — and inviting people into that story.”

Katherine Pyles is a freelance writer and editor living in Huntington. She is a 2009 graduate of Marshall University, where she was a member of the Society of Yeager Scholars.

Beginning this fall, students from 59 counties in the Tri-State region will be eligible for our metro rate, which, in many cases, is lower than the in-state tuition rates in Ohio and Kentucky.

— Dave Traube

PROVOST

AVI

By Jack Houvouras

Dean Avi is now Provost Avi. Dr. Avinandan Mukherjee, known affectionately as “Dean Avi” by students and faculty across the university, recently transitioned from dean of the Lewis College of Business to provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. On April 6, President Brad D. Smith selected Mukherjee from a pool of five qualified candidates to steward Marshall’s future in higher education. He had held the interim provost role starting in July 2021.

As provost, Mukherjee oversees the development of all the educational programs at Marshall, including nine colleges and two schools, university libraries, enrollment, student affairs, student success and research. He oversees a budget of nearly $150 million for academic expenditures and research.

The university’s new provost first made a name for

himself when he took charge of the Lewis College of Business in 2017. Just two years later, it was recognized as one of the nation’s best business schools by The Princeton Review in its annual rankings. In addition, Marshall was ranked in the top 3% of business schools in the world to be dually accredited by AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) in both business and accounting. Also during his time as dean, Mukherjee secured a $25 million gift from Brad and Alys Smith to fund a new 77,000-square-foot business school complex to be built in the 1400 block of Fourth Avenue. It is currently under construction and will open in January 2024.

In addition to those major accomplishments, Mukherjee brings a world of experience to his role as provost. He has circled the globe and taught in nine countries, including the United Kingdom, India, Denmark, Bangladesh,

Dr. Avinandan Mukherjee made a name for himself reimagining the College of Business. Now he is focused on stewarding all the university’s education programs.

“ ”

I really feel like a global citizen. One of the most important things I’ve learned is that despite our cultural differences, we all share fundamental values.

— Dr. Avinandan Mukherjee

PHOTO BY RICK LEE

Singapore and Malaysia. He is a distinguished researcher, having published and presented more than 100 scholarly articles in leading journals garnering 6,500 citations. Considering his resume, it’s easy to see why Mukherjee was tapped for such a prestigious post.

• • • • • •

Mukherjee was born in Calcutta, India, a city of more than 15 million people, and attended one of the largest secondary schools in the world. When he was young his father gave him a book about the U.S. Constitution, which piqued his interest in the United States.

After earning a degree in electrical and computer engineering at Jadavpur University, he earned his doctorate in marketing and international business from the Indian Institute of Management, one of the top 100 business schools in the world. He then taught at schools in nine different countries before moving to the United States, where he graduated from the prestigious Management and Leadership in Education (MLE) program at Harvard University.

“I really feel like a global citizen,” Mukherjee said. “One of the most important things I’ve learned is that despite our cultural differences, we all share fundamental values and desires. We all seek love, happiness, security and meaning in our lives. By embracing our similarities and respecting our differences, I believe we can build bridges of understanding and create a more peaceful, harmonious and inclusive world.”

Mukherjee was dean of the College of Business at Clayton State University in Georgia and chair of the

marketing department in the School of Business at Montclair State University in New Jersey before being named dean of Marshall’s Lewis College of Business in 2017. After starting the job, Mukherjee said he had a handful of salient observations.

“The college needed a cultural shift from silos to teamworking,” he explained. “In addition, the business school was not as innovative or as connected to local economic development as many other business schools. Finally, there were no online programs, and there was not enough focus on research.”

As dean, Mukherjee led a comprehensive reimagination of the business program. Working with faculty, students and administrators, he formed six strategic task forces to explore a new building; the first online programs; a new doctoral program; an entrepreneurship and innovation center; global connections; and faculty excellence.

“One of the first things I did as dean was to reach out to Brad Smith,” said Mukherjee. “I found him to be so down to earth, inspiring and kind. He bought into our vision of a complete reimagination of the business school, and he supported our dream of building a state-of-the-art business school and innovation hub that would transform the regional economy.”

After securing the $25 million donation from the Smiths — the largest gift in the college’s history — Mukherjee set out to oversee the design of a new $40 million facility that would be named the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation.

“This building will help shape the future of business education,” said Mukherjee. “With its cutting-edge design and innovative technology, the Smith Center is a space where students, educators and professionals can come together to create, learn and grow. It’s also a symbol of our commitment to excellence in business, where students can choose from over 20 majors and accredited programs.”

The location of the new three-story building on Fourth Avenue is in keeping with the university’s continuing expansion toward Huntington’s downtown. Along with classroom space, the facility will feature a forum and auditorium; computer and finance labs; office space; meeting rooms; and study spaces for students. Its design will allow for more interdisciplinary collaboration among students and faculty, concurrently advancing research, 21st-century learning and community engagement.

On April 6, 2022, following the departure of Provost Jaime Taylor, who had accepted the presidency of Lamar University in Texas, Smith announced that Mukherjee had emerged from a nationwide search as the university’s new provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.

Dr. Avinandan Mukherjee's tenure as dean of the College of Business was so impressive that the university named him provost in 2022.

“I am delighted Dr. Mukherjee accepted the position,” said Smith. “He is the right leader to steward Marshall’s current and future position in the higher education arena.”

Smith cited Mukherjee’s interdisciplinary orientation and innovative approach, as well as his track record of progressive leadership, international education and experience, research and scholarly contributions, and fundraising experience as the main reasons for his selection.

“I am excited and honored at this opportunity to continue to work closely with President Smith and our dedicated faculty, staff, students and alumni to foster academic excellence,” said Mukherjee.

But his goals as provost extend far beyond academic excellence. His ambitious list includes:

• Promoting strategic enrollment management

• Student success

• Leadership development

• Research

• Fundraising

• In-demand knowledge and on-demand access

• Accreditation

• Diversity and inclusion

• Global partnerships

In his first year as provost, Mukherjee moved quickly to build an accomplished academic leadership team; he utilizing national searches to hire four new college deans, two new school directors and two new vice presidents.

University stakeholders are confident that their handpicked choice for provost will be as successful in his new role as he was in the College of Business. Meanwhile, Mukherjee continues to log long hours while taking time to appreciate his rapid ascent at Marshall.

“For me, Marshall is not just a workplace; it’s a community that feels like a family. One of the things I love most about working at Marshall is the strong ties with the Huntington community,” he explained. “Huntington is a charming city with a rolling, breathtakingly beautiful landscape. I wake up every morning feeling grateful for the comfortable lifestyle, the low cost of living and the stateof-the-art health care available here. There’s a warmth and welcoming spirit here that’s hard to find anywhere else.”

When he’s not working or serving on numerous boards, the worldly scholar said he is a huge soccer fan who enjoys

following the Thundering Herd as well as the FIFA World Cup and other international soccer matches.

“There’s something truly special about seeing all the different countries come together to compete in the world’s most prestigious soccer tournament,” he said. “I think what draws me to soccer is the sense of unity and camaraderie that it fosters. No matter where you come from, soccer can bring people together and create a sense of community. It’s truly a beautiful sport.”

And while he may be Marshall’s second-most powerful administrator today, Mukherjee embraces a nontraditional leadership philosophy.

“True leadership is not about power or authority, but rather about serving others. It is about using my skills and abilities to make a positive impact on those around me,” he said. “I believe that through servant leadership, we can all make a positive impact on the world and leave it a better place than we found it.”

Jack Houvouras is the publisher of Marshall Magazine. He earned his B.A. in journalism from Marshall University in 1988

True leadership is not about power or authority, but rather about serving others. I believe that through servant leadership, we can all make a positive impact on the world and leave it a better place than we found it.

— Dr. Avinandan Mukherjee

Dr. Avinandan Mukherjee played an integral part in securing the funding for the new Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation.

PHOTO BY RICK LEE

campus life

A SAFER CAMPUS

Marshall implements several new measures as part of an ongoing commitment to the safety of its students, faculty and staff.

By James E. Casto

Photos by Rick Lee

Chief Jim Terry, director of Marshall’s Office of Public Safety, stands in front of one of the new speed limit signs on Fifth Avenue.

Marshall University has put in place an array of measures aimed at keeping the campus safe for students, faculty and staff, as well as members of the public.

The safety measures undertaken include reduced speed limits on busy Third and Fifth avenues, a university-wide awareness campaign about pedestrian safety and a new crosswalk on 20th Street.

The speed limit reduction, pedestrian awareness campaign and crosswalk were implemented as the result of ongoing discussions among Huntington Mayor Steve Williams, Marshall University administrators and officials with the West Virginia Division of Highways (DOH). The discussions were initiated following a tragic accident in November 2021, when a Marshall student was struck and killed by an oncoming vehicle in the 1800 block of Third Avenue.

In June 2022, West Virginia Department of Transportation Secretary Jimmy Wriston issued a temporary order reducing the speed limit to 25 mph from 35 mph on Third and Fifth avenues between Sixth and 20th streets. The reduction will remain in place pending completion of a DOH traffic safety audit of the campus area. The audit is still in progress.

When a Marshall Pedestrian Safety Task Force studied the safety of pedestrians on and around the Huntington campus, it recommended two items to President Brad D. Smith: reduce the speed limit around the campus, and deploy a public awareness campaign on pedestrian safety.

Responding to the task force, Marshall launched a new pedestrian safety campaign, called “Heads Up Herd,” reminding pedestrians to keep their heads up and their eyes off their mobile phones.

“ ”

The safety of our students, faculty and staff is Marshall’s highest priority.

— President Brad D. Smith

Dr. Marcie E. Simms, Marshall’s vice president of Intercultural and Student Affairs, speaks with students next to one of the university's HELP Phones. There are 30 of these emergency phones located throughout the Huntington campus with direct contact to campus police 24 hours a day.

The campaign reminded pedestrians to cross streets at designated crosswalks; to always look left, right and left again before crossing; and to make sure they are seen by oncoming drivers.

“The No. 1 complaint I receive from people is how members of our community cross streets surrounding the university,” said James E. Terry, director of MU’s Office of Public Safety. “I want students and employees to think about what they’re doing before they cross a roadway in an unsafe manner. The risk of getting hurt is simply is not worth the time you might save.”

Meanwhile, the City of Huntington has installed a new crosswalk on 20th Street between Third and Fifth avenues, designed to make it safer for pedestrians to access the Marshall Rec Center and the Joan C. Edwards Stadium. Pedestrian pushbuttons on each side of the crosswalk trigger beacon lights that flash to alert motorists in both lanes of traffic that people are preparing to enter the crosswalk. The crosswalk also includes signage alerting motorists to yield to pedestrians.

“The safety of our students, faculty and staff is Marshall’s highest priority,” said President Smith. “As we wait for the traffic safety audit to be completed, the temporary speed reduction, the pedestrian awareness campaign and the new crosswalk on 20th Street have added tools to keep everyone as safe as possible.”

When completed, the audit is expected to include an analysis of historical crash data; a review of traffic signage and markings on roadways; on-site observations; and a comprehensive review of how vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle safety could be improved in the affected areas.

Meanwhile, school officials are addressing the issue of guns on campus after the 2023 West Virginia Legislature enacted a bill allowing people with concealed carry permits to take firearms onto public college and university campuses. The new law will take effect July 1, 2024. At Marshall, an ad hoc committee has been formed to draw

up recommendations for how to go about complying with it.

“It’s going to be a challenging job, but the committee members are already hard at it,” said Dr. Marcie E. Simms, MU’s vice president of Intercultural and Student Affairs.

“Working with the Higher Education Policy Commission and other universities and colleges across the state, the committee is determined to deliver its final recommendations well before the law’s implementation date.”

Simms cited a number of other useful safety measures in place on the Marshall campus, including:

HELP Phones — “We have more than 30 emergency phones located throughout the Huntington campus,” she said. The phones provide direct contact with the campus police dispatcher 24 hours a day. The Green Machine — “If a student is anxious about walking between the campus and their destination, they can ride the Green Machine, a free bus operated by the Tri-State Transit Authority,” she said. “Whether you need to get downtown for an art class, visit Student Health Services at the Marshall Medical Center at Cabell Huntington Hospital or maybe just go shopping, all it takes is your MU-ID to ride.”

MUPD Escort Program —

“If a student feels unsafe getting to their car or residence hall, they can contact the MU Police Department, which will dispatch an officer to their location and walk them to their vehicle or residence hall.”

MU Alert — In an emergency, the university uses text messages, e-mails and telephone calls to quickly alert community members of a threat and provide safety instructions. Students, faculty and staff can choose the contact methods they prefer.

James E. Casto is the retired associate editor of The Herald-Dispatch and the author of a number of books on local and regional history.

In an emergency, text messages, e-mails and phone calls alert community members of a threat and provide safety instructions.

The No. 1 complaint I receive from people is how members of our community cross streets surrounding the university. I want students and employees to think about what they’re doing before they cross a roadway in an unsafe manner.

— Chief Jim Terry

The Parthenon turns 125!

One of the nation’s oldest college newspapers is celebrating a milestone anniversary.

By Amanda Larch

Having been published for decades by the time Marshall College attained university status in 1961, the Parthenon is, in a way, older than Marshall University itself.

Established in 1898 as Marshall’s student newspaper, the Parthenon is one of the oldest college newspapers in America. Over those years it has garnered a multitude of national awards, scooped local newspapers on several big stories and produced some of the nation’s most respected journalists and media executives, including two Pulitzer Prize winners.

To mark the Parthenon’s

125th anniversary this year, the journalism school

23 game against Virginia Tech and will incorporate

weekend,” said Sandy York, interim director of the SOJMC. “A save-thedate will go out first. We set it around a big football game in hopes that a lot of people will want to come.”

When York was named interim director in 2021, she had worked as the faculty advisor of the Parthenon for 10 years. Even in her current role, she remains heavily involved with the paper.

has planned a special alumni weekend this fall, complete with tailgating and open tours of the newsroom. The weekend is tentatively planned to coincide with the Sept.

the annual W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications (SOJMC) Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

“We are going to make it a whole journalism fall

“I started at Marshall in 1998, and that was the year of the 100th anniversary — so this also marks my 25th year with the Parthenon,” she said. “The students were working on the 100th anniversary edition when I started here.

The newspaper staff are planning on marking the paper’s milestone anniversary with special editions and other commemorative stories this fall, according to Executive Editor Evan Green.

“We’re definitely going to put something together, but we haven’t finalized our plans yet,” Green said.

The Parthenon is not only one of the oldest newspapers in the country, but it was also one of the first newspapers in West Virginia to create a website and establish an online presence. It continues to expand its digital reach through e-newsletters. Even as the paper has moved from printing multiple times a week

to publishing one print edition weekly, it’s still a valuable news source for students. The Parthenon consistently keeps up with everything at the university; oftentimes, it stays ahead, making for a fun and exciting job for students and faculty alike.

“There are times we’ve moved with the industry, or hopefully a little bit ahead of the industry,” York said. “We’re always looking to what social media are doing.”

Green said one of his goals as executive editor is to expand the paper’s social media presence.

“We are working on developing an app through our website so students can easily access the Parthenon and get updates when we post new content,” he said. “We’re

trying to make this digital push to make sure students have easy and complete access to the news source on campus.”

Through the years,

the Parthenon has produced a variety of special editions centered on homecoming, the state Legislature, sports and more, sometimes breaking major news.

Dr. George Arnold, who worked as an advisor and SOJMC professor for more than 30 years, was a faculty member in 1970 when Parthenon reporter Jeff Nathan was one of the 75 killed in the Marshall plane crash. The crash “was unquestionably the saddest part of the history of Marshall University,” Arnold said.

Following the crash, Parthenon students approached SOJMC faculty about putting together a special edition of the paper, Arnold recalled. W. Page Pitt, department chairman at that time, told students to do whatever

I look back and see just how cool that was.”

In 1961 journalism students stormed into classrooms across campus with special editions of the Parthenon that proclaimed Marshall College was now Marshall University.

Students work on a recent edition of the Parthenon. Over the last 125 years the student newspaper has garnered a bevy of national awards and produced some of the nation’s most respected journalists and media executives, including two Pulitzer Prize winners.

PHOTO BY RICK LEE

they wanted for the special edition, and he would fund it.

In two and a half days, the 24-page edition went to press. Arnold said it’s the only time he can remember content from both faculty members and students, as the paper has always been entirely student-produced.

“We had a hard deadline, and there were some things faculty members were a little bit better able to write because we had been around and we knew people,” he explained. “Page Pitt and others wrote the stories.”

Pitt mailed a copy of the special edition to journalism schools across

the country. The edition received not only complimentary feedback but also several national awards.

edition than of any special edition we ever did.”

Though not involved with the paper in 1961,

edition all over campus,” he said. “They burst into classrooms, yelling, ‘We are a university!’ Most students just closed their notebooks and ran out to celebrate. It was one of the happiest moments I ever witnessed in my 41 years at Marshall.”

Along with Arnold, Dr. Ralph J. Turner was a prominent leader at the Parthenon. Turner set the ethical and professional standards for the paper, Arnold said.

“We didn’t do it for the awards; we did it to honor and remember those who were killed in the plane crash,” Arnold said. “I think I am prouder of that special

Arnold was a student when Marshall College became a university.

“I was in a history class when journalism students started handdelivering the special

“He was the most highly ethical person I ever knew — not only in journalism, but in his own personal life,” Arnold said.

Turner stressed professionalism to all J-School

Sandy York, interim director of the SOJMC, said school officials are planning to celebrate the milestone anniversary during a weekend in the fall. York has worked as the faculty advisor of the Parthenon since 2011, before stepping into her current role as interim director.

The Parthenon has told the history of Marshall University since 1898, and we expect it will do the same for the next 125 years.

— Sandy York

PHOTO BY RICK LEE

’s Distinguished Alumni

Since the Parthenon’s inception in 1898, hundreds of talented students have logged hours working for Marshall’s student newspaper. Many have gone on to successful careers in a wide variety of fields. The following is a list of some of the most accomplished individuals who have worked in the media industry in the last 125 years.

NELSON BOND, class of 1934, is considered one of the founders of modern fantasy and science fiction. His work includes seven books, three plays, six motion pictures and more than 50 network television plays.

JIM COMSTOCK, class of 1934, was nationally recognized for his wise and witty writings about Appalachian heritage. He spent 20 years publishing materials for the West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia and the West Virginia Hillbilly, a critically acclaimed newspaper with worldwide followers.

JACK MAURICE, class of 1935, was the Pulitzer Prizewinning editor of the Charleston Daily Mail from 1950 to 1978. He received the Pulitzer in 1975 for his editorials about the Kanawha County textbook controversy. He also won the Society of Professional Journalists Sigma Delta Chi national award for distinguished service in journalism.

GORDON KINNEY, class of 1941, began his career in radio before joining the Ad Council, an institution that produces public service announcements for nonprofit organizations and distributes them to some 33,000 media outlets each year. Kinney rose to vice president of the Ad Council and worked on campaigns to combat polio, fight drug abuse and “Keep America Beautiful.”

GAY PAULEY SEHON, class of 1942, had a stellar career in New York working for United Press International (UPI). In 1977, she became the first female senior editor at UPI. She also won the Matrix Award from the New York Chapter of Women in Communications for her reporting on the People’s Republic of China.

MARVIN STONE, class of 1947, was the editor-in-chief of U.S. News & World Report from 1976 to 1989. Due to his extraordinary generosity to Marshall, the School of Journalism and Mass Communications library was named in his honor.

BURL OSBORNE, class of 1960, had a 20-year career with the Associated Press before serving as editor and publisher of the Dallas Morning News. In 1992, he was the recipient of the National Press Foundation’s George David Beveridge Jr. Award for Editor of the Year.

JOHN HACKWORTH, class of 1971, worked as the editor of the Sun newspapers and won a Pulitzer Prize in 2016 for a series of editorials about the beating death of an inmate at the Charlotte (North Carolina) Correctional Institution.

JOHN WILSON, class of 1972, was an editor at the Miami Herald, the Washington Times and the Detroit News before serving

as the assistant science editor at the New York Times for nearly 10 years. He was also a founding member of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association.

ANGELA DODSON , class of 1973, began her career at the Huntington Advertiser and would go on to become the first African American woman to serve as a senior editor at the New York Times. She also authored the book Remember the Ladies: Celebrating Those Who Fought for Freedom at the Ballot Box, highlighting women’s impact on U.S. politics.

SEAN CALLEBS, class of 1983, was a correspondent for CNN for 20 years before moving to CGTN. He has won numerous awards for his news reporting, including a national Emmy for his coverage in the aftermath of the 1993 Mississippi River flood. He is also an award-winning documentary filmmaker and a United States diplomat to Afghanistan.

PETE RUEST, class of 1997, went on to work at some of the nation’s leading ad agencies including the Martin Agency, Young and Rubicam, Wieden+Kennedy and Energy BBDO where he was a vice president. Throughout his award-wining career he has worked on campaigns for Nike, Timberland, NASCAR, AnheuserBusch, Wrigley, Sears and Bayer.

BRENT CUNNINGHAM, class of 1988, spent 15 years as a media critic while serving as managing editor of the Columbia Journalism Review. He has written for the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Vox, CNN.com and more. His critical writing about the media was included in the anthology Our Unfree Press: 100 Years of Radical Media Criticism.

MARK TRUBY , class of 1994, was an award-winning reporter and editor at the Detroit News before being named chief communications officer of the Ford Motor Company.

LOU SAHADI, class of 1953, went on to a highly successful sports writing career in New York City. He was a contributor to the New York Times and New York Post, and authored 26 books including the official biographies of Willie Mays, Don Shula, Hank Stram and Johnny Unitas. He was also an independent magazine publisher of such titles as Pro Football Monthly Pro Boxing Scene, Pro Hockey Scene, Pro Baseball Scene, Pro Basketball Scene and more.

WAYNE FAULKNER, class of 1972, was the executive editor of the Parthenon at the time of the Marshall plane crash. He helped put out a special 24-page edition to mark that tragic event. He went on to work for newspapers in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami before a stellar 25-year career at the Chicago Tribune.

students, to the point that it transformed other faculty, Arnold said. This was not accomplished through preaching, he said, but by setting an example.

“He always held high standards, and the rest of us followed,” Arnold explained. “I saw Ralph Turner put his job in jeopardy by upholding those standards — that’s how dedicated he was.”

Best friends outside of work, both Arnold and Turner taught advanced reporting and advanced editing and layout classes every semester and acted as advisors to the Parthenon for more than three decades, leaving an indelible mark on the paper for future students.

“Ralph Turner did something revolutionary: Within two years, he had increased the Parthenon from two days a week, which it had been for decades, to four days a week,” Arnold said. “That’s astounding.”

Green said getting involved with student media like the Parthenon, MU Report and WMUL-FM is how Marshall journalism students prepare for the real world; they create connections, network and can easily build up their resumes, equipped with everything they need to enter the workforce.

“The J-School is not the kind of place where you can just take classes and that’s all you do; the J-School is what you make of it,” he said.

Reflecting on being part of the 125-year legacy of the Parthenon, Green said he is simply carrying on the tradition of excellence established by the student editors who came before him.

“It’s definitely a big responsibility on my shoulders, but it’s nice to know you have the torch, and that you will pass it on to the next generation,” he said.

The paper has always been free to students on campus. It’s written for students by students, York said.

“Students know their target audience,” she said. “And it’s always exciting when our student journalists get the scoop before anybody else.”

A student newspaper provides hands-on education that involves working with, and sometimes for, classmates. York said students build lifelong friendships through their time at the paper.

“We’ve had lifelong relationships come out of the Parthenon and all of our student media, which is amazing,” she said. “You’re learning a skill, and what you do here goes out with your name on it. It’s something to be proud of. There’s no other place where you’re getting that kind of experience.”

The real-world experience that the Parthenon provides was born out of necessity, Arnold said.

“It was imperative that we prepared students well for the marketplace, because they needed a job as soon as they graduated,” he explained. “The best way to do that was to

use the Parthenon. We never considered it just a student newspaper. The publication had professional standards, and we expected students to meet those standards. More importantly, they wanted to meet those standards.”

Green said he started with the Parthenon the second semester of his freshman year as the features editor, then worked as managing editor before becoming executive editor.

“It’s been a really great experience; I feel like I’ve become a much better journalist,” he said. “I’ve gotten a lot of connections in the J-School. And overall, I’m happy with the product we’ve created and the improvements we’ve been able to make.”

Every edition of the Parthenon has been archived in the university’s library system, available to all on Marshall Digital Scholar, a project that’s been ongoing since York started as the newspaper’s advisor.

“The Parthenon has told the history of Marshall University since 1898, and we expect it will do the same for the next 125 years,” York said.

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

Dr. George T. Arnold (left) and Dr. Ralph J. Turner (middle) confer with students in the Parthenon newsroom. The two professors were trusted advisors to the student newspaper for three decades.

More than 95 years have passed since he founded the university’s renowned journalism program, but the legend of this iconic professor lives on today.

W. PAGE PITT

By Bill Belanger

“Heads up, everybody!” The words came in a low roar.

“March is not the only thing that comes in like a lion,” I muttered to the student next to me. Professor W. Page Pitt, head of Marshall’s journalism department, strode to the big copy desk in the center of the classroom. The man had what we called “a commanding presence.” Actually, we were in awe of him.

This was 1931. It did not bother Pitt that Marshall’s journalism department, which he had founded four years earlier, was housed in a humble green and white frame house facing Fifth Avenue near 17th Street. The crowded little front room serving as Pitt’s office had two desks and one telephone. His secretary, Virginia Lee, needed no intercom. She and her boss shared the phone with a long cord when the department was organized in 1927.

The other room, a classroom unconventional by any standards, accommodated a big semi-circular table with a cutaway known to newspapermen as “the slot.” Some students took their places around it to get closer to the enigmatic teacher. Others sat beyond, hoping to escape his notice. A few of the desks held old Underwood typewriters. A newspaper rack leaned limply against the wall. It was the best semblance of a newsroom atmosphere Pitt could manage with minimum state funds during the Depression.

Although he was legally blind, rarely could students get by with absence or tardiness in class. He was a complex character. Even his blindness was an enigma — a story ofttold is that friends would brush past him unrecognized, yet he was known to hail a student across the street and comment on the color of a necktie or a new hairdo.

The blindness was the result of surgery for mastoiditis when he was a child. Many dates about Pitt’s life are subject to change. Facts that were established include his birth in New York City in 1900 and that his father moved to West Virginia and owned part of a coal mine, where the younger Pitt worked summers. After teaching high school English in the West Virginia school system, Pitt

was summoned to Marshall in 1926 to teach journalism and serve as advisor for the Parthenon, the college’s student newspaper. The following year he organized the journalism department with a focus on newspaper work. As the world of mass communication expanded, courses were added in advertising, broadcast journalism and corporate relations. When the need for more courses became evident, he added faculty who were specialists in their fields.

Meanwhile physical changes were being made. The department itself moved out of the little green and white house to the basement of the expanding Morrow Library and a few years later to Smith Hall, where it is now located. A computer system was installed, and in 1979 the department was upgraded to the status of an official journalism school. When it was dedicated the following year as the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism, Pitt, who had retired in 1971, said it was the happiest day of his life. Later the name was expanded to include other courses, and today the school is known as the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

He enjoyed “shocking” people. While many gave raving compliments to the colonial-style Student Union (predecessor to the current Student Center), Pitt remarked in class that it “looks like Washington’s outhouse.” That was daring humor then, but it was characteristic of “the Grand Old Man of Journalism” who “liked to keep ’em awake.”

“The word ‘legend’ is one that’s often overused,” said James E. Casto, the former associate editor of the HeraldDispatch, “but it’s the one that comes quickly to mind when the conversation turns to Page Pitt.”

Casto, who studied under Pitt in the early 1960s, has published numerous books and (like Pitt) dozens of freelance magazine articles under his byline. He’s quick to credit Pitt for helping get his journalistic career off to the right start.

“I took Pitt’s class in feature writing,” said Casto, “although there were lots of days when we talked about ’most everything but feature writing. One of the things that

“ ”

The word ‘legend’ is one that’s often overused, but it’s the one that comes quickly to mind when the conversation turns to Page Pitt.

— James E. Casto

This portrait greets visitors to the offices of the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

made Pitt such a remarkable teacher was his wonderfully unpredictable nature. Most of the time our textbook was that morning’s newspaper, and the subject of discussion was that day’s big story — or, then again, maybe something Pitt had been arguing about with the other fellows down at the Elks Club.

“I suspect I learned more about the actual mechanics of writing from others, first at Marshall and later at the Herald-Dispatch. But from Page Pitt I learned that good stories are where you find them, and the world is full of them if you know how to smell them out. Pitt may have been blind, but he could smell a story for miles. I consider myself privileged to have studied under him.”

What about the man as a person? Depends on whom you ask. Strong-willed, unyielding on any point of controversy — these were frequent descriptors. Who could be neutral or impartial about Pitt? Whenever he heard (and he heard it often) that people either loved him or hated him, his reaction was the same: “I don’t care what they say, just as long as they say ‘Pitt.’”

At times flamboyant in his lifestyle, he was quick to anger and slow to forget yet could always show warmth. Above all else, Pitt was diverse, excelling at chess, bridge, bowling and fishing. And remember, this man was blind. But for all his independence, one of his greatest interests

required help — reading. Many a Saturday morning, students, including myself, would read to him for a few hours from books or magazines of his choice. The reward was a luncheon that could not be found elsewhere. He was a gourmet cook.

For Pitt, the more things changed, the more they stayed the same. In earlier years, he seemed to have little respect for the textbook, though he occasionally referred to it, whether to keep students prepared or uncertain no one knew. For most classes he thought it more relevant that students subscribe to a newspaper than buy a book.

He was a frequent contributor to magazines — detective, western, adventure fiction (to the pulps). His pen name was Roy Page.

Today’s United High School Media Program at Marshall tells more about his vision than any of his projects. Originally called the United High School Press, it is a summer convention that draws high school journalism students interested in media careers to Huntington for workshops, awards and contacts.

A list of distinguished careers that resulted from Pitt’s labors would be too long, but a few worth noting include Jack Maurice, Pulitzer Prize winner and newspaper editor; Soupy Sales, nationally known entertainer and TV personality; Burl Osborne, editor and publisher of the Dallas Morning News ; Marvin Stone, editor of U.S. News & World Report ; Jim Comstock, founder of the famed West Virginia Hillbilly; Gordon Kinney, senior vice president of the Ad Council; and Gay Pauley Sehon, senior editor at UPI.

Old and ailing, Pitt died in a hospital in Florida in 1980. Ask anyone who knew him, and they would attest that his fiery spirit and his refusal to let a handicap limit his life live on. His former student and colleague, Dr. Ralph Turner, expressed it best, gesturing toward a classroom. “He is still here, still with us, not only in this school but wherever. The legend still inspires us all.”

This article by Bill Belanger (1941-2000) was first published in the Huntington Quarterly in 1997. Belanger, a reporter and editor for Huntington newspapers for more than 50 years, earned her B.A. in journalism in 1935 and her master’s degree in journalism in 1972, both from Marshall University. She was inducted into the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism Hall of Fame in 1986.

“ ”

The man had what we called “a commanding presence.” Actually, we were in awe of him.

Professor W. Page Pitt shares a laugh with his most famous and mischievous student — television superstar Soupy Sales.

Trailblazer

Meet Angela P. Dodson, a 1973 Marshall alumna and the first Black female senior editor of the New York Times.

By Katherine Pyles

Journalist, editor and author Angela P. Dodson has led a storied career. She joined the New York Times as a copy editor in 1983, then worked as the style editor before becoming senior editor for administration in 1992 — the first Black female senior editor in NYT history. She’s the author of Remember the Ladies: Celebrating Those Who Fought for Freedom at the Ballot Box, with a bevy of other writing and editing projects to her name. Dodson has covered some of the nation’s most historic moments, while simultaneously making history herself.

“I’ve loved writing since I first learned to read,” said Dodson, a native of Beckley, West Virginia. “I told my parents when I was 11 that I wanted to be a journalist. I don’t even know where I learned the word, but that’s what I wanted to be.”

Her family lived in Pennsylvania for several years before returning to the Mountain State when Dodson was a teenager. Heavily recruited by schools like Brown and Michigan State, she chose to attend Marshall.

“My older brother went to Marshall the year before I did, and I had cousins who went there beginning in the 1960s,” said Dodson, who lived in Chesapeake, West Virginia, just outside of Charleston, through high school and college. “I loved Huntington as soon as I saw it.”

At least a dozen members of Dodson’s family have graduated from Marshall, some of whom she met for the first time in school. A chance encounter introduced her

to a side of the family she hadn’t known: the Dotson family, spelled with a T.

“I might never have known some of my Dotson cousins had we not all met at Marshall and realized we were related,” Dodson said. “It’s a funny story — my brother was on the dance floor with a woman and had spent the greater part of the evening talking to her. When they introduced themselves, they realized they shared the same last name. He was dancing with our cousin, Paulette Dotson (Scott), from Williamson.”

The two families connected on campus and learned that their great-grandfathers were brothers who moved to West Virginia from southwestern Virginia, “but somewhere along the way the name spelling got changed for one of them,” Dodson said.

Dodson said her family’s ties to Marshall began with her cousin Marguerite Hairston Coleman, one of the first Black women to attend the university. Other members of the family soon followed in her footsteps.

“Once Marguerite started there, we all kind of just followed one another,” she said. “We all had a good experience at Marshall. We all got our degrees, and as a family we’ve been fairly successful in our careers and in our lives.”

They started attending reunions together and remain friends. In 2018, Dodson and her family established the Dodson, Dotson and Hairston Family Scholarship in Coleman’s memory. The scholarship benefits Marshall

students from southern West Virginia.

“Creating the scholarship was a way to give back to students like us,” she said. “We specifically picked the coal mining counties that our parents and grandparents came to from Virginia around 1920 or before. Each county named in the scholarship is one where someone in our family lived, either to farm or to work the mines.”

While at Marshall, Dodson was one of the first four members initiated into the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in 1972. She helped found the university’s chapter of the sorority, an international organization founded by Black women at Howard University in 1908. Founding members of the Marshall chapter celebrated their 50th anniversary during last year’s homecoming.

Her junior year, Dodson’s professor and mentor Dr. Ralph J. Turner selected her for a summer internship at the Charleston Gazette. When classes resumed that fall, Dodson planned to focus only on her studies; but another local paper, the Huntington Advertiser, had its sights set on the J-School’s rising star.

“I heard they were looking to hire ‘a Black journalist,’” she recalled. “I was reluctant to go in for an interview if they were just looking for any Black journalist they could find. But what I didn’t know was that Editor Don Hatfield had been reading me for some time in the Parthenon. Ralph convinced me to go, and Don interviewed me the same day I called him. He gave me a writing test and hired me on the spot.”

Journalist, editor and author Angela P. Dodson has led a storied career. In addition to being named the first Black female senior editor at the New York Times, she is the author of Remember the Ladies: Celebrating Those Who Fought for Freedom at the Ballot Box.

PHOTO BY ATSEDE ELEGBA

As for being the paper’s first Black reporter, Dodson said prejudice was a non-issue in the Advertiser’s newsroom.

“The staff at the Advertiser was very small,” she said. “We were very close, and still are.”

Dodson continued to work at the Advertiser after graduating from Marshall in 1973. In 1974, her colleagues helped her land a job at Gannett News Service in Washington, D.C.

Dodson worked for Gannett Inc. (which owned the Huntington papers) for several years, taking a weekend editor position while completing her master’s degree, which she earned in 1979 from American University. While completing her M.A., she went to work for the Times Union, a Gannett newspaper in Rochester, New York, before returning to D.C. to work for the Washington Star. In

1981, she accepted a job in Louisville at the Courier-Journal.

There, Dodson married her Courier-Journal colleague, Michael I. Days, whom she had met in Rochester when they worked for competing papers. She was approached by the New York Times soon after. Dodson had been teaching editing in a program for minority journalists, and one of her colleagues in the program and a visiting speaker — both of whom worked at the Times — recommended her for a copyediting position. Times editors invited her for a tryout, telling her not to be discouraged if she didn’t hear back for months.

Less than two weeks after her tryout, she was offered the job.

But Dodson and Days had just bought a house in Louisville, and Dodson was “on the verge of turning it down,” she admitted. “My husband finally said, ‘Angela, no one turns down the New York Times.’”

Days had to find a job to be with her. He was hired at the Wall Street Journal’s Philadelphia bureau, and the couple relocated to New Jersey in 1983. They commuted in opposite directions for almost two decades. Days later joined the Philadelphia Daily News as a reporter and would go on to become editor, a position he held for 10 years.

At a time when diversity in journalism was immensely lacking and at a publication where competition was intense, Dodson experienced an element of culture shock when she started at the Times.

“I always say New York City is the place valedictorians go to kill each other off,” she said. “It’s a competitive atmosphere, and everyone’s vying for something. I wasn’t that kind of person. I just went in every day and did my job.”

Nevertheless, Dodson’s editorial talent and work ethic led to promotion after promotion. She was among few minority journalists at the Times, and the opportunity to be a “historic first” among Black journalists lay just on the horizon for her — a realization that didn’t sink in until she was promoted to style editor in 1991.

“When I got the promotion and walked back to my department, the staff gave me a standing ovation,” Dodson recalled.

“My office basically filled up with flowers, from journalists all over the country.”

Two years later, Dodson was promoted again, making her the publication’s first Black female senior editor. As senior editor for administration, she helped recruit and hire staff. She said while many of her colleagues were

I am concerned that the industry has segmented into camps of left-wing or right-wing opinion journalism, especially in broadcasting.

—Angela Dodson

Dodson, seen here at Marshall in 1972, was a reporter for the Parthenon before becoming Huntington’s first Black journalist.

supportive, there remained an “undercurrent” of prejudice and classism.

“I remember editing a story earlier in my career there, and the reporter argued with me, saying, ‘If you had ever covered the Senate, you’d know this.’ I told him I had covered the Senate, of course,” she said. “Another time I had hired a woman as a copy editor who was Black, and a reporter disagreed with her editing. He said to her, ‘Well, I went to Yale.’ And she said, ‘I did, too.’ There was an assumption among some that you couldn’t possibly be better or smarter or more qualified than your white colleagues — or that you couldn’t be right, and they be wrong — as if the Times would hire incompetent people as editors.”

Dodson left the Times in 1995, going on to hold prestigious editorial positions for publications like Essence Magazine and Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. She worked as a writer and editor for Black Issues Book Review before being named the publication’s executive editor in 2003. Dodson took on side projects as well, including hosting the syndicated radio program Black Catholics, Yes! for nearly 20 years.

Dodson got into book writing “accidentally,” she said, after her former manager at Black Issues Book Review asked if she’d be interested in doing some editing and ghostwriting for her at a major publishing house. Today, Dodson takes on a wide range of projects, from ghostwriting memoirs for athletes to writing religious meditations. She’s the founder and CEO of Editorsoncall, a company that connects clients with freelance writers, editors, graphic designers and photographers. Dodson has worked with organizations like the National Black Writers Conference, the National Association of Black Journalists, the American Press Institute and the American Society of Newspaper Editors, often serving as a mentor to young Black journalists.

“When I was entering the profession, there weren’t many people I could go to for advice,” she said. “Mentoring is very important to me — just seeing young people come into the field and helping them the best I can.”

She continues to be a source of support for minority journalists making their way in a difficult profession.

“The things I hear from minority journalists today are like déjà vu in a lot of ways,” she said. “I have a lot of people that I’ve brought under my wing — people looking for advice or comfort or both.”

In her spare time, Dodson enjoys collecting art and antiques, cooking, reading and collaborating with her husband on writing projects. They have four sons, brothers they adopted in 1991, and they’ve been promoted to grandparents. One of their sons, Adrian, passed away in 2022.

Grateful for the mentorship she received at Marshall, Dodson often returns to the place she got her start. She served on the board for the Society of Yeager Scholars for several years, has addressed journalism classes at the university and has spoken at various events and conferences. While on a book tour in 2019 for Remember the Ladies, she spoke to the Huntington League of Women Voters and for an assembly at Huntington High School. In 2021, she did a virtual talk for the Dr. Carter G. Woodson Lyceum.

“I have a lot of really good memories at Marshall,” she said. “I’m always happy to come back.”

Reflecting on the future of journalism, she said it’s young and aspiring journalists who give her hope.

“I am concerned that the industry has segmented into camps of left-wing or right-wing opinion journalism, especially in broadcasting,” she said. “On the other hand, I am optimistic, because our young journalists seem well-prepared and multitalented. They are not only making existing media exciting and informative, but they are also creating new media outlets, nationally and locally, that meet the needs of diverse audiences.”

Katherine Pyles is a freelance writer and editor living in Huntington. She is a 2009 graduate of Marshall University, where she was a member of the Society of Yeager Scholars.

“ ”

When I got the promotion and walked back to my department, the staff gave me a standing ovation. My office basically filled up with flowers, from journalists all over the country.

—Angela Dodson

Alys Smith

Marshall’s First Lady is a wife, mother, attorney, philanthropist and social justice advocate. She’s also been a “warrior for change” since she was 9 years old.

By Kaylin Jorge

In a rare moment, Marshall University First Lady Alys Smith is not in motion as she sits in the president’s house, a stately home overlooking Ritter Park into which she and husband Brad have breathed new life. Although taking a break between meetings, Alys is still working — sitting down for an interview the morning before Marshall’s annual Green and White Game while also preparing for an event at her new residence after moving to Huntington from Menlo Park, California. Guests will arrive to a vibrant front porch that gives a glimpse of how much life is changing there — as well as for many in Huntington — as the Smiths usher in a new era. Although being at the helm of countless events comes with the job title, Alys is much more than just the active

first lady of Marshall University. She is first and foremost a mother to two daughters: Devon, a recruiter at a tech company in northern California, and Payton, who followed her parents to Huntington and is working as a prosecutor in Cabell County.

“Everywhere I go, somebody stops me to tell me that they have just worked with Payton in court, and they are so impressed. And I am just so proud of what she is doing,” Alys said. “Devon is still in northern California. She is killing it out there. She and her husband are super happy, and they have such a great relationship.”

Alys and Brad’s daughters’ success makes all the more sense seeing as how both parents live life purposefully, fight for change passionately and never shy away from a challenge. One look at Alys’ impressive

We’ve tried for years to even the playing field in Appalachia for all people, the underserved, the overlooked. The Wing 2 Wing Foundation is all about education, because that is the great equalizer.

— First Lady Alys Smith

PHOTO BY RICK LEE

resume shows how hard she is working to make a positive difference. She’s the co-founder of a nonprofit giving back to Appalachia, serves on several boards and represents foster kids in abuse and neglect cases as a licensed attorney in West Virginia. Alys earned her undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University in 1983 and a J.D. from the University of Akron School of Law in 1986, a degree she hoped would help her “lead a life of purpose,” she said. She is a staunch supporter of women in all walks of life, a social justice advocate, a prolific giver, a promoter of education and an outdoor enthusiast.

From a young age, the Akron, Ohio, native has been a champion of empowerment, especially in the gender rights arena — a passion fueled first by her childhood. Growing up as the daughter of second-generation immigrants (her paternal grandfather from what is now Ukraine and her paternal grandmother from Poland), Alys had a very traditional upbringing.

“My mom didn’t work after she had us,” Alys said,

referring to her identical twin sister and younger brother. “She had planned to be a doctor but was denied entry into Ohio State’s medical school because of her gender, and that was always a big issue for us.”

Things have certainly changed since then. Alys’ sister is a physician in Ohio, the career that their mother could only dream of but never accomplish. Growing up with a mother who dreamt of a freer future for women, Alys said she and her sister were naturally “warriors for change.”

“At age 9, we wanted to play T-ball, but we weren’t allowed because we were girls,” Alys recalled. “When we would mention it to our dad, a trial attorney, he would say, ‘Well, you know, that’s just the way it is.’ My mom was willing to fight with us every time. Even though we fought, the end result was the same: we weren’t allowed to play, even though we were better athletes. It just didn’t sit well with us.”

Throughout her career, including working for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and being a licensed attorney in multiple states, Alys said she has pushed for women’s rights in the face of gender inequality and instances of sexual harassment.

“I ended up becoming a trial lawyer, no big surprise, always fighting for gender equality and hoping to make a difference,” Alys said. “Brad always jokes, ‘You’re a warrior looking for a war,’ because wherever he sees something that seems just fine, I’ll say, ‘Wait a minute, what about the women?’”

In addition to her successful professional career, Alys has let her heart lead the way, launching philanthropic efforts with her husband such as the Wing 2 Wing Foundation, a program that encourages entrepreneurship in rural West Virginia.

“We’ve tried for years to even the playing field in Appalachia for all people, the underserved, the overlooked,” she said. “The Wing 2 Wing Foundation is all about education, because that is the great equalizer. We want to support those entrepreneurs who are trying to do good things for the Appalachian region.”

The couple also founded Ascend West Virginia, a program that incentivizes remote workers to come to the Mountain State so they can work where they play.

“The Ascenders are some of the greatest ambassadors for West Virginia that you’ll ever meet,” she said. “We have a 98% success rate of them staying here. It’s going well, and we’re going to continue moving forward with it.”

Supporting West Virginia — and especially Marshall — has been a longtime passion for Brad and Alys. They donated more than $35 million to

Alys Smith is an active leader in the community. She helped in the search for a Title IX director at Marshall and established a women’s symposium.

Marshall and $25 million to West Virginia University before they even settled in the Mountain State. Despite their passion for the Appalachian region, however, it took decades of a prolific career elsewhere to finally lead them back to the land that held their hearts.

“Brad and I have moved seven times in 12 years for jobs across the country,” Alys said. “I had to keep taking bar exams. I have been admitted to the bars in four states now, including West Virginia.”

After all of those moves, the couple landed in California when Brad accepted a position at Intuit in 2003. When he was named CEO of the company in 2008, Alys took a step back from her professional career to focus on family.

“It was just a time for me to stay home and take care of my two daughters, who had moved enough and needed a stabilizing force in their lives,” Alys said. “I did a lot of volunteering in schools; I was a mentor for young, at-risk women; I was a court-appointed special advocate. I kept really busy. I was very involved with my girls, and I have absolutely no regrets about that. My girls have truly turned out to be vibrant, brilliant, strong women who can stand on their own.”

For 18 years, the family built a nice, comfortable life in California, Alys said. But when a door opened at Marshall with the opportunity for Brad to be president of his alma mater, it gave the couple a chance to take the next step in helping West Virginia. By putting boots on the ground, Alys explained, they could help lead the transformation taking place at the university, in Huntington and across the state.

“As first lady, I have a platform to make a difference in the lives of others,” she said. “In particular, I have more access and more opportunities to find ways to help women here in Appalachia.”

Now that she’s here, in addition to her work as an attorney, Alys is very involved in the community and at Marshall, particularly in areas that empower women.

“I think the women here are one of West Virginia’s greatest assets,” she said. “I have met women from all walks of life, and they’re all doers. They are so community

focused, with the desire to improve Marshall University, Huntington and the state.”

At Marshall, Alys helped in the search for a Title IX director and established a women’s symposium alongside Dr. Hilary Brewster, associate professor of English and director of the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies program at the university.

“Alys believes very much that women have so much to offer in terms of community building, professional success and mentorship,” Brewster said. “She is really big on mentorship, which is one of the areas we focus on at the symposium.”

The two have worked closely on many events, including the Women Warriors Summit slated for Oct. 6 at Mountain Health Arena that will focus on “courageous conversations” and giving women the tools they need to succeed at work and in their daily lives. Alys has enlisted the star power of actress Nicole Kidman to serve as the keynote speaker and Soledad O’Brien to serve as the host and emcee.

“This summit will be a powerful day for women to learn new skills and to hear they aren’t alone. A lot of the problems that they have, others have,” Alys explained. “I find that women, no matter their station in life, have so much in common.”

With every event, every speech and every woman and child she helps, Alys’ message is getting stronger. It’s a message guided by her belief that a couple, working together, can help change the way the community sees leadership at Marshall.

“Brad and I are so happy to be here, and we’re working together to help move the needle further at Marshall,” Alys said. “I think today we’re living the most meaningful, purposeful life we’ve ever lived.”

Kaylin Jorge is a freelance writer living in Huntington. She earned her B.A. in broadcast journalism from Marshall University in 2014 and is the communications manager for the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

Alys Smith was a featured speaker at the 2023 West Virginia Chamber of Commerce Women's Leadership Summit held at The Greenbrier.

ever

A MESSAGE FROM MIKALA SHREMSHOCK MUAA

National President

Greetings fellow alumni,

With summer upon us, it is with a mix of both sadness and excitement that I share that my term as national president of the Marshall University Alumni Association is coming to an end. The past three years have been quite the journey, especially with the challenges brought on by the COVID pandemic. However, despite the obstacles we faced, I am proud of all that we have accomplished together as a board. And, through it all, I know that the incoming executive team will be well prepared to take the Alumni Association to new heights.

One of the things I am most proud of during my time as MUAA president is our expansion of chapters and overall involvement with our alumni. We have been able to establish new chapters in different cities and strengthen our relationships with existing ones. This has allowed us to engage with a more diverse population of alumni and share in some of their impressive accomplishments.

Additionally, I am proud of the new staff members and the great working relationships we have developed. These individuals have brought fresh perspectives and ideas that have helped us continue to grow and engage with our alumni community.

As a result of our efforts, we have seen a renewed interest in supporting scholarships and campus programs. Our alumni have shown a strong commitment to giving back and supporting the next generation of the Thundering Herd. This is a testament to the bond we all share and the love we have for our beloved university.

As I step aside from my role as president, I encourage all of you to become actively involved with the Marshall University Alumni Association. Whether it be through joining a chapter, attending events or making a contribution, your participation is essential to our continued success. I look forward to seeing how our association will continue to grow and prosper in the years to come.

Thank you for the privilege of serving as your alumni president. I will always be proud to be a part of the Marshall University family.

Sincerely,

Mikala Shremshock President, Marshall University Alumni Association

1980s

Debra Hall (’83) has been named principal at Bland County High School in Bland County, Virginia. Hall, who is from Princeton, West Virginia, served as principal at Mount View High School in McDowell County, West Virginia, for 10 years.

1990s

Melvin Cunningham (’97) has been named the head football coach at Murray High School in Murray, Kentucky. Cunningham was previously the head football coach at

CLASS NOTES

Fairland High School in Proctorville, Ohio. Cunningham played football at Marshall and played in the NFL for the Miami Dolphins.

2000s

Jerod Smalley (’01) is the new First at 4 anchor for NBC4 (WCHM-TV) in Columbus, Ohio. Smalley will continue his responsibilities as sports director until a new director is hired. He has served as sports director since 2006.

Darby Dunnagan (’07) has been named the first female director of video operations for the Chicago Bears. Dunnagan was previously the

In Memoriam

Pat Bruce Harris (’68) passed away March 22 in Vero Beach, Florida. Born in Logan, West Virginia, on Sept. 4, 1946, to the late Robert Bruce and Margaret (Goodwin) Harris, Harris graduated from Logan High School and Marshall University.

Harris spent his business career as a sales and marketing executive, starting out at Sears Roebuck in Charleston, West Virginia; Cumberland, Maryland; and Buffalo, New York. He then spent many years in the newspaper industry as advertising director for the Gannett Rochester Newspapers, vice president of Gannett Media Sales in New York and VP of Eastern Sales for the national newspaper USA Today. He later became executive vice president of sales and marketing for the in-store marketing firm ActMedia in Connecticut, and closed his career as CEO of internet promotions pioneer IGain.

Harris was happiest spending time with his family, especially on the water. Harris sailed catamarans on Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and trimarans on Long Island Sound and Narragansett Bay. He

director of player development at Northwestern University. She began at Northwestern in 2013 as the director of video operations; and before Northwestern, she spent six years at the University of Memphis as the football program’s video coordinator.

2010s

Elea Paybins (’19) illustrated the new children’s book “Kurt Discovers the Orchestra” by West Virginia author Tom Beal. This is the second book Paybins and Beal have worked on together, the first being “Bara Seal & Emily Too,” which was published in 2018.

was an early adopter of windsurfing and continued to windsurf well into his 70s. A past commodore of the Norwalk Yacht Club and a member of the New York Yacht Club, Harris was dedicated to exposing others to the joy, confidence and resilience developed through sailing. For the past eight years, Harris had served as the chairman of the board for the Youth Sailing Foundation of Indian River County (YSF), whose mission is to provide Indian River County, Florida, with educational, recreational and competitive sailing programs for all ages in a safe environment. Also at YSF, Harris taught adult sailing, managed regattas on the Indian River Lagoon and worked with other volunteers in the maintenance shop.

Harris is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Julia, with whom he raised three devoted daughters: Mimi (Erich) Steadman, Emily and Erica (Mat) Nardone. Harris is also survived by dear sisters Shawn Chillag and Robin Harris, and six cherished grandchildren who lovingly called him Pop.

For more Class Notes, go to www.herdalum.com.

Marshall University and the Marshall University Alumni Association (MUAA) proudly hosted the 84th annual Alumni Awards Banquet on Saturday, April 1, at the Brad D. Smith Foundation Hall.

The banquet recognizes outstanding alumni, university supporters and students during an evening of celebration and reverence of the great things being accomplished by the Marshall University alumni community.

Highlighting the list of more than a dozen honorees at the 2023 awards banquet were Bill Noe and Dr. Randi D. Ward as the recipients of the Marshall University Distinguished Alumnus and Alumna awards. Randy Dunfee was selected as the recipient of the Distinguished Service to Marshall University award; Mendy Aluise was selected as the recipient of the Outstanding Community Achievement award; and Christopher Taylor received the Distinguished Young Alumnus award.

BILL NOE

Born in Ashland, Kentucky, and raised in Huntington, Bill Noe is the chief aviation officer for the Division of Aviation at Marshall. Noe, an accomplished pilot and business executive, is the former president and chief operations officer for NetJets, a global private jet company based in Columbus, Ohio.

Honors & Awards

Marshall University Alumni Association honors Bill Noe, Randi Ward and others at 84th Alumni Awards Banquet

Before Noe reached for the skies, he dived below the waters of the Huntington Olympic Pool at the tender age of 4. He was noticed by Huntington YMCA swim team coach Bob Shaw, who approached him about competitive swimming. Noe began breaking local and state records at a young age, which led him to attending Marshall and joining its swim team. One of Noe’s biggest accomplishments while at Marshall was the 1983 Southern Conference Swimming Championship, where he set six pool, six school and six conference records while leading Marshall to the championship. He also won the “Most Valuable Swimmer” award. Noe was inducted into the Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.

Noe left Marshall his junior year, though he returned and earned his Regents Bachelor of Arts in 2005, to work for an industrial contractor. The owner of the company was a pilot who invited Noe on his plane one day, which led to his decision two years later to attend the FlightSafety Academy in Vero Beach, Florida. Noe later worked for American Flyers, a well-known training academy, but had his eye on a bigger prize — working for NetJets — which he ultimately achieved. He climbed the NetJets ladder, eventually becoming president and COO in 2006.

Before becoming chief aviation officer at Marshall, Noe served on the university’s

Bill Noe

Randi D. Ward

Randy Dunfee

board of governors. Marshall’s flight school is named in his honor.

RANDI D. WARD

Dr. Randi D. Ward is an educator, chancellor of the World University of Leadership and Management, bestselling author, editor and entrepreneur. She graduated from Marshall in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in language arts, setting forth her 37 years as an educator in West Virginia and Georgia.

In 2011, Ward taught English as a second language in Cairo, Egypt. Her time in Egypt had a profound impact on her, and prompted her to write her memoir, “Because I Believed in Me (My Egyptian Fantasy Came True).” In 2013, Ward founded Rise Up, an adult English language center, with Ahmed Mohamed and Ehab Mohamed, as well as the 6 October English Institute with Samar Farouk, which opened in 2014.

Ward has many varied interests and passions. She is a world traveler and has toured and visited 61 countries on four continents, including four trips to Egypt. She penned a second book, “Dream Bigger,” and is working on a new novel, “Random Wanderings.” She is also a writer and the chief editor for Morocco Pens, an online Moroccan magazine featuring educational articles and essays in English. She is a professional motivational speaker and dreams of having her own interview platform to feature talented people around the world; and plans to pursue these goals in the near future.

In addition to receiving the Distinguished Alumna award, Ward is the recipient of many other awards and accolades, most recently being recognized with Strathmore’s Who’s Who 2022 Lifetime Achievement

award and as Hoinser Group’s 2022 Inspirational Leader of Excellence.

RANDY DUNFEE

Randy Dunfee is the recipient of the Distinguished Service to Marshall University award.

Dunfee is a Huntington native, entrepreneur and businessman. He graduated from Huntington East High School while working in the afternoons and evenings. His ambition led him from being a stock boy at Fabric Town Interiors to purchasing the company when he was just 21 years old. He is still president of the company and fully active in the day-to-day operations. What began as a business specializing in fabrics has grown to include flooring, carpet, window treatments, upholstery and more. Dunfee has worked with notable clients, including Jay Rockefeller when he was governor of West Virginia and Warner Bros., for which Dunfee provided set décor for “We Are Marshall.” The famous green carpet at the movie’s premiere in 2006? That was all Dunfee.

Dunfee is a lifelong Marshall fan, and his support for the university has only grown the more involved he has been through the years. He has worked extensively with the Big Green Foundation and the Quarterback Club, as well as supporting Marshall through the Vision Campaign. In addition to his support to Marshall, Dunfee also supports Hospice of Huntington, Facing Hunger Foodbank and the Boys and Girls Club.

MENDY ALUISE

Mendy Aluise is the recipient of the Outstanding Community Achievement award.

Aluise is a partner at the Huntington-based

Mendy Aluise

Christopher Taylor

Southern Coalfields Alumni & Big Green Chapter

Marshall Alumni of the Mid-Ohio Valley

awards & honors

accounting firm Somerville & Company PLLC. She began her career with Somerville after graduating from Marshall in 2004. During her career, she has been involved with several professional organizations, including the Huntington chapter of the West Virginia Society of CPAs, of which she served as president from 2015-2016, and the West Virginia Society of CPAs, of which currently she serves as treasurer and is slated to become president in 2025.

Aluise has also been involved with several local nonprofit organizations, including Hospice of Huntington; the Marshall Artists Series; and Generation Huntington, which is a subcommittee of the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce. She served on the Marshall University Alumni Association board of directors. For many years, Aluise was a longtime board member and vice president of Girls on the Run of Cabell and Wayne County, which aims to empower elementary school-aged girls.

CHRISTOPHER TAYLOR

Christopher Taylor is the recipient of the Young Alumnus award.

Taylor is the chief technology and information officer at Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina. He graduated from Marshall in 2008 and earned a bachelor’s degree in computer forensics. After leaving Marshall, he worked with the Transportation Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security. As part of his work, Taylor, who grew up in Keyser, West Virginia, was able to travel to several major cities across the country. At present, Taylor has visited 43 states. He also owns his own company, Melanin Travels LLC, which encourages all people, but specifically people of color, to travel more. Through his company, he has traveled to Aruba, Dubai, Rome,

Lisbon, Barcelona, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Mexico and Jamaica.

This year’s Awards of Distinction went to 1. Sassa Wilkes (College of Arts and Media), 2. Zach Meyers (College of Business), 3. Lucianne Call (College of Education and Professional Development), 4. Adam Weibel (College of Engineering and Computer Sciences), 5. Denise Hogsett (College of Health Professions), 6. Dr. Janine Janosky (College of Liberal Arts), 7. Jody Ogle (College of Science), 8. Dr. Robert J. Cure (Marshall University School of Medicine) and 9. Dr. Sarah Dunaway (Marshall University School of Pharmacy).

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After leaving TSA and DHS, Taylor moved to South Korea and taught English as a second language at Noble Academy. When he returned to the U.S., Taylor moved to Washington, D.C., and worked at the Securities and Exchange Commission as a government contractor. In 2014, he received his Cisco Certification and moved to San Francisco. In 2017, he returned to the East Coast and moved to North Carolina. His ultimate goal is to become the chief technology officer or chief information officer of Google or Samsung, which are his two favorite tech companies.

CHAPTER OF THE YEAR –SOUTHERN COALFIELDS ALUMNI & BIG GREEN CHAPTER

Since its formation in 2017, the Southern Coalfields Alumni & Big Green Chapter has experienced tremendous growth and was named the MUAA Chapter of the Year for the first time in 2021. Through outstanding annual events, a tremendous online presence and dedicated members, this chapter has truly brought Marshall University to southern West Virginia.

In 2022 alone, the chapter awarded four $1,500 scholarships to incoming freshmen in the four southern West Virginia counties. It has made significant contributions to Marshall, both in academics and athletics through a partnership between the Marshall University Alumni Association and Big Green Scholarship Foundation.

CHAPTER OF THE YEAR – MARSHALL ALUMNI OF THE MID-OHIO VALLEY

As one of the most successful Marshall University Alumni Association chapters ever, there is nothing this group of dedicated individuals can’t do. Through highly successful events and online outreach, this chapter supports alumni in Parkersburg and the surrounding communities.

In 2022, the chapter awarded eight scholarships for students in the area, bringing the chapter’s lifetime total to 112 scholarships awarded. The chapter also raised more than $20,000 for Marshall University through innovative events like a hybrid fundraiser, which included an in-person rally and online auction.

AWARDS OF DISTINCTION

Individual Awards of Distinction were also presented during the event to honorees from each of Marshall’s

schools and colleges. This year’s Awards of Distinction went to Sassa Wilkes (College of Arts and Media), Zach Meyers (College of Business), Lucianne Call (College of Education and Professional Development), Adam Weibel (College of Engineering and Computer Sciences), Denise Hogsett (College of Health Professions), Dr. Janine Janosky (College of Liberal Arts), Jody Ogle (College of Science), Dr. Robert J. Cure (Marshall University School of Medicine) and Dr. Sarah Dunaway (Marshall University School of Pharmacy).

SPECIAL AWARDS

In addition to the standard awards, two special awards were presented during the evening.

Special recognition was given to Mikala Shremshock as the outgoing president of the Marshall University Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Shremshock is a 2006 graduate of Marshall with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. She has served as president since 2020 and ends her term in June. She was president during the COVID period and helped lead the board through a difficult time, using online resources to conduct complex board meetings to assure that the board did not miss a beat. She works for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and she is an ultramarathon runner.

Meanwhile, the Unsung Hero Award was presented to Richard Plymale for his work supporting students at Marshall University.

The Fort Gay alumni association has played an integral role in championing high school graduates in Fort Gay, West Virginia, who seek higher education. Plymale has been with the group for more than 25 years and served for 20 years as the president. He is a 1960 graduate of Marshall with a bachelor’s in business. Following graduation, Plymale had a 33-year career in sales and marketing with the Johnson & Johnson Family Companies. Plymale is a WWII veteran, having served in the Navy before coming to Marshall.

Through Plymale’s involvement, the group established the Fort Gay High School Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded to students graduating from Tolsia High School in Fort Gay who attend Marshall. Since 1999, 36 students have benefited from the Fort Gay alumni association’s generosity. What began as a $500 annual award has now been endowed through the Marshall Foundation and grown to a value of more than $575,000, with more than $200,000 awarded to the students.

Richard Plymale

Mikala Shremshock

MARSHALL FOUNDATION HAPPENINGS

Annual Scholarship Honor Brunch celebrates donors and scholarship recipients

Student scholarship recipients were honored Saturday, April 1, at Marshall University during the 2023 Scholarship Honor Brunch, hosted by the Marshall University Foundation. This annual event recognizes those students who are beneficiaries of privately funded scholarships, as well as the donors and families who made the awards possible.

Dr. Ron Area, CEO and senior vice president of development of the Foundation, delivered a special welcome to more than 400 students and donors who attended the event in the Don Morris Room of the Memorial Student Center. This year’s brunch marked the 28th occurrence of the event, originally started in 1993, missing the annual occasion in 2009, 2020 and 2021.

“The Scholarship Honor Brunch brings together scholarship beneficiaries and award benefactors and highlights our mission to maximize continuous financial support for Marshall University and its students,” Area said. “We are absolutely committed to increasing the accessibility of education

for our students and are thankful for the benevolence of our donors who truly support their Marshall family through their donations as well as their presence here today.”

Sophomore Nicolas “Nico” Raffinengo, from Boynton Beach, Florida, served as the student speaker. A double major in political

The Scholarship Honor Brunch is a celebration of scholarship recipients and donors. This year's featured speaker was President Brad D. Smith.

Krystle Davis, senior director of donor relations at the Marshall University Foundation, served as host of the 2023 Scholarship Honor Brunch.

science and international business, Raffinengo is a member of the 35th class of Yeager Scholars, the Charlie and Alma Slack Class of 2025. Raffinengo said he owes his current and future success to the scholarships he has received at Marshall.

“I think scholarships are something that can even out the playing field,” he said. “A lot of students can’t go to college because of the cost; and when people are able to donate to universities it lowers the cost for students overall, which allows more students to attend university and seek higher education.”

Raffinengo is an ACTA Scholar,

THE SCHOLARSHIP HONOR BRUNCH BRINGS

TOGETHER SCHOLARSHIP BENEFICIARIES AND AWARD BENEFACTORS AND HIGHLIGHTS OUR MISSION TO MAXIMIZE CONTINUOUS FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR MARSHALL UNIVERSITY AND ITS STUDENTS.

— DR. RON AREA

Presidential Ambassador, Pre-Law Club president and member of the Marshall Student Government. He also volunteers as a local debate coach. He attributes all of this to the role scholarships play in his student journey.

“I think that it is so helpful,”he said. “It allows me to take on all these things like volunteering in the community and allows me to take part of organizations on Marshall’s [Huntington] campus, because now I have all this extra free time where I can do volunteer work and help instead of focusing on how to pay the bills. And I think overall that uplifts the community in a way that you can't really see anywhere

Laurie Martin (center), president of the Mid-Ohio Valley Alumni and Big Green Chapter, poses with students and other attendees at the 2023 Scholarship Honor Brunch.

Sophia Shank, recipient of the Marshall University Alumni of the Mid-Ohio Valley Thundering Bison Club SOM Scholarship, was one of many students to enjoy time at the 2023 Scholarship Honor Brunch.

Marshall Foundation board member Max Lederer, Marshall Foundation CFO Scott Anderson and former Marshall Alumni Association board member Mark Hayes enjoy a laugh at the 2023 Scholarship Honor Brunch.

else — because a lot of people have scholarships, and they want to give back, too.”

Marshall President Brad D. Smith, 38th president of the university, once again served as the featured speaker. Smith and his wife, Alys, established the Brad D. and Alys Smith Family Scholarship in 2014 prior to beginning to serve as the president and first lady of Marshall University.

“Education is the great equalizer, but we know that the cost of an education is becoming more burdensome on our students,” Smith said. “Together, we have already built a strong foundation at Marshall, and I cannot wait to see what we can do to ensure Marshall for all, Marshall forever.”

In an interdisciplinary effort, the College of Arts and Media’s School of Theatre and Dance, along with the School of Music, capped off the program with a sneak peek of an upcoming production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”

To learn how to establish a scholarship to help students at Marshall, contact Krystle Davis at the Marshall University Foundation by phone at 304-696-6781 or by e-mail at krystle. davis@marshall.edu.

Marshall University Foundation hosts second Day of Giving

Marshall University held its second-ever Day of Giving April 26-27.

Hosted by the Marshall University Foundation, this annual event is an opportunity for the Marshall family to join together and make a lasting impact on the students of Marshall and to help shape the future of the institution. In total, Marshall’s Day of Giving raised $72,360 for the university.

“Philanthropy is near and dear to my heart,” said Marshall University President Brad D. Smith. “It is an

opportunity to give back and support the things we love … as we recognize those who support our students, our campus and our mission through giving.”

While Marshall has participated in national giving days in the past, this was the second time the university has set aside its own day dedicated to garnering financial support and highlighting those who give back to the university.

“Setting aside a day dedicated to recognizing those who make a profound impact on our institution through financial support is just one of the ways we can say thank you,” said Dr. Ron Area, CEO of the Marshall University Foundation.

“Marshall’s Day of Giving is a great way for members of the Marshall family to make a difference and show their support for the university. Because all gifts, no matter the amount, add up to making a real difference for the students of Marshall.”

Marshall’s Day of Giving came

on the heels of the highly successful Marshall Rises campaign, the largest comprehensive campaign in the history of the university, which concluded last year. Marshall Rises raised more than $176 million in support of the university, with more than 50,000 gifts recorded during the campaign.

One area most directly affected in recent years is student support, with more than 500 additional students receiving scholarship aid annually than before the start of the campaign. In total, scholarship aid increased by 44% during Marshall Rises, with $5 million in scholarship aid awarded annually over the past three years from more than 2,200 privately funded scholarships.

For more information about making an impact through giving, contact the Marshall University Foundation at 304-696-6264 or visit marshall.edu/foundation.

PHILANTHROPY IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK AND SUPPORT THE THINGS WE LOVE ... AS WE RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, OUR CAMPUS AND OUR MISSION THROUGH GIVING.

— BRAD D. SMITH

A MESSAGE FROM THE OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS FOR MARSHALL U

Greetings, Fellow Alumni and Friends of Marshall University:

As the final graduate made their way across the stage at Mountain Health Arena during spring commencement and greeted Marshall University President Brad D. Smith with a warm handshake, another class was formally solidified into the ranks of Marshall alumni. It was a bittersweet finale to an otherwise hectic end to the semester. Whether it was the recognition of outstanding alumni, students, alumni chapters and Marshall supporters at the annual Alumni Awards Banquet; the nearly 400 students and donors who packed into the Don Morris Room to celebrate student success during the Scholarship Honor Brunch; or the support of donors and volunteers across the country during Marshall’s Day of Giving and Community Cares Week, the spring months were jampacked with exciting moments and opportunities to celebrate. And while the summer months ahead are often a great time to reflect and recharge in preparation to do it all over again beginning in August, the Office of Alumni Relations is already hard at work preparing another great year for you.

Beginning with Homecoming, which moves up in the calendar to September for only the second time in history, we will be bringing some new programming to accompany the already wonderful traditional events such as the Homecoming Parade and Alumni Tailgate. Highlighting the list of new events is a special reunion celebration for the 25th and 50th anniversary classes on Friday, Sept. 29, in the Memorial Student Center beginning at 6 p.m. It has been several years since we have been able to have a reunion event on campus, and we are excited to welcome our classes of 1973 and 1998 back to Marshall to join in the Homecoming festivities!

Online, we are putting the finishing touches on a brand-new website that encompasses all aspects of alumni engagement and philanthropy in a combined effort between the Marshall University Foundation and Marshall University Alumni Association. The website accompanies a new landing spot for social media as well, located at @ForMarshallU. The combined online presence of both entities will allow our teams to present more impactful content, while providing alumni and Marshall supporters with a one-stop shop for all alumni and donor needs. Lastly, the Marshall University Alumni Association would like to take this time to say thank you to our outgoing board president Mikala Shremshock. Mikala helped lead the association through a unique time in its history during the pandemic and has helped lay the groundwork for the next leadership team and new board members to build upon.

As always, we want to hear from you! If you have any suggestions, ideas or comments about the alumni experience at Marshall University, you can reach out any time by e-mail at alumni@marshall.edu. We look forward to this new chapter in alumni engagement at Marshall University and hope to see you at an event or on campus sometime soon.

Until next time, Godspeed and GO HERD!

Regards, Marshall University Office of Alumni Relations

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