Fall 2013
The Fine Arts Take a Front Seat at Methodist University
Linda and Ralph Huff donate $1.5 Million for Huff Concert Hall
Fall 2013
Dr. Ben E. Hancock Jr. President Dr. Delmas Crisp Executive Vice President and Dean of the University The Rev. Dr. Michael Safley Vice President of University Relations and Campus Ministry Robin Davenport Vice President for Institutional Advancement Sandy Ammons Associate Vice President of University Relations
On the Cover: Thanks to Linda and Ralph Huff, this auditorium will be renovated and renamed in their honor, becoming the Huff Concert Hall in the John M. Reeves Fine Arts Building.
Roxana Ross Editor Jessica Wanger Associate Editor Lauren Cook Wike Alumni Editor Nate Jervey Athletics Editor Brenden Wilson On-Campus Graphic Designer and Campus Photographer Jessie Heath Pamela A. McEvoy Contributing Writers and Photographers Rhonda Forbes Creative Director The Parish Group Photo Contributor
methodist.edu | 800.488.7110
Methodist University Today Magazine is published for friends and alumni of Methodist University by the Office of University Relations, Methodist University, 5400 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville, N.C. 23811-1498. Printed by Professional Printers. Methodist University does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, gender, national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation or disabilities for otherwise qualified persons in the administration of its admissions, educational policies, scholarships, loan programs, athletics, employment or any other university-sponsored or advertised program. Methodist University is related by faith to the North Carolina Annual Conference, Southeastern Jurisdiction, The United Methodist Church. Methodist University is an independent corporation rather than an agency of the Conference and is responsible for its own debts and obligations. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Methodist University Today Magazine, Methodist University, Office of University Relations, Reeves Auditorium, Attn: Sandy Ammons, 5400 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville, N.C. 28311-1498. Circulation: 20,000 copies About this donor report: Designations in this publication include donors whose gifts were received between July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013, unless otherwise noted. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this report is accurate; however, with a project of this magnitude, the possibility for unintentional errors or omissions exists. We sincerely apologize for any such errors. Please report any corrections to Robin Davenport, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, at (910) 630-7609, toll free at (800) 488-7110, or email her at rdavenport@methodist.edu.
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ConTenTs I. NEWS Board of Trustees ..............................................................................................2 Center for entrepreneurship .................................................................................3 Master Plan Update ..........................................................................................4 The MU Journey ...............................................................................................6 school of health sciences ................................................................................12 spring Commencement....................................................................................15 Upcoming events ............................................................................................18 Faculty/staff news .........................................................................................20 summer happenings .......................................................................................24 Athletics ........................................................................................................40
II. FINE ARTS huff hall ......................................................................................................28 Music ...........................................................................................................32 visual Arts .....................................................................................................35 Theatre .........................................................................................................38
III. ANNUAL REPORT OF DONORS endowment history .........................................................................................50 Cumulative Giving ..........................................................................................52 2012-2013 Annual Giving ..............................................................................55 Gifts in Memory or honor of .............................................................................66 Alumni Giving ................................................................................................70 endowment society .........................................................................................76 endowed & Annual scholarships .......................................................................80 Boards .........................................................................................................82 2013 Loyalty day donors ................................................................................84
IV. ALUMNI NEWS Announcements ..............................................................................................90 Class notes ..................................................................................................90 MU on the Move!...........................................................................................93
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ThoMAs L. WALden APProved As TrUsTee eMeriTUs
President Ben Hancock and Bishop Hope Morgan Ward present Tom Walden, center, with the MU Medallion at the NC UMC Conference June 13. Photo by Bill Norton.
After 14 years of service with the Board of Trustees, Thomas “Tom” L. Walden was unanimously approved by the board to become a Trustee Emeritus in May. In June, Walden was presented with the MU Medallion and a citation at the North Carolina United Methodist Church Conference. “Throughout his life, Tom Walden has found numerous ways to serve God and his neighbors, whether it was through service to the United Methodist Church, Boy Scouts of America, the U.S. Army Reserve, Methodist University, or other avenues,” President Ben Hancock said. After graduating from the University of Tennessee’s pharmacy school in 1952, Walden ran a neighborhood drugstore for three years in Memphis, Tenn., before going to work for 35 years for The UpJohn Company, which would eventually become Pfizer. He served for 30 years in the U.S. Army Reserve, retiring in 1978 with the rank of lieutenant colonel. Walden also donned another uniform for more than 50 years, as an adult registered scout leader with the Boy Scouts of America, which awarded him the council’s highest volunteer award, the Silver Beaver Award, in 1966. In 1994, Walden began a ministry in church building that continues today. A member of Methodist University’s Board of Laity Friends since it was established in 1995, Walden also started visiting Methodist University each summer to help with remodeling and renovation work on campus. Walden is married to his wife, Jan, a former instructor at Louisburg College. They have four children, Thomas Jr., Joseph, Jane, and Gregg; and six grandchildren.
dr. rAkesh GUPTA Joins The BoArd oF TrUsTees The Methodist University Board of Trustees recently welcomed a new member, Dr. Rakesh Gupta. A resident of Fayetteville, Dr. Gupta is originally from India. Since 1990, he has been a gastroenterologist at Cape Fear Center for Digestive Diseases, where he is a partner of former MU Trustee Dr. Wes Jones. “We are so pleased that Dr. Gupta is joining our board of trustees,” said Board Chair Mary Lynn Bryan. “He brings to the Methodist Board a questioning mind, a commitment to higher education and to our community, and wide international and health care experience. His advice will be extremely valuable as Methodist University continues to develop its health sciences curriculum.” Dr. Gupta is a graduate of J.N. Medical College in India, Cornell University Medical College, Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, and SUNY Health Science Center. He is a member of the Cumberland Community Foundation, and past chairman of the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center Board of Trustees. In 2008, Cape Fear Valley awarded him the Physician Leadership Award. He is also a former chief of staff, vice chief of staff, and chief of medicine at the hospital. For the past five years, Dr. Gupta’s office has helped the MU Physician Assistant Program by serving as a location for students’ elective rotation. Dr. Gupta is married to Dr. Vinita Gupta, a pediatrician at Womack Medical Center. They have a son, Amit Gupta, who is currently a student at the UNC School of Medicine. The family attends Hindu Bhavan, where Dr. Gupta is president of the temple’s executive committee.
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MU NEWS
Center for Entrepreneurship
c
CFe reCoGnizes BUsiness TrAiLBLAzers The Center for entrepreneurship at Methodist University presented four prestigious business awards at the spring entrepreneurial Leadership summit in April.
Howard Bullard Trustee Howard Bullard, president of Bullard Furniture, was presented with the American Business Ethics Award for his company’s commitment to ethical business principles. Bullard Furniture has been owned and operated by the Bullard family since 1957. Bullard joined the family business in 1964, after attending college and serving in the Army. Under his leadership, the business expanded to one of the largest and most successful locally owned retail businesses in the region. For more than a decade, Bullard served as the chairman of the Fair Business Practices Committee of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce. He is widely recognized for his business success and commitment to the community. Larry Haire and H.R. Haire Jr. This year’s winner of the Small Business Excellence Award was Haire Plumbing and Mechanical Company. Established in 1947, Haire Plumbing has built a strong reputation as an experienced business with a wide range of services and excellent customer service. The company’s “Quick As A Hare” logo is widely recognized as a leader in the industry. Three generations of the Haire family, H.R. Sr., Larry, H.R. Jr., and Richard, have worked hard to expand their business in the past 66 years. They have also shown a consistent history of support, care, and pride for their employees and the community.
Jan Spell Jan Spell was named the Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur of the Year. Spell is passionate about living and doing business in Hope Mills. She has dedicated her career to helping the community that has given her and her husband, Terry, so much for more than 30 years. She has energetically led the Hope Mills Area Chamber of Commerce in a new direction as president, now serving her seventh term. Spell was recognized for her exceptional work with the Hope Mills Area Chamber of Commerce as well as a real estate agent and land developer. Tom Keith Tom Keith knows about hard work. He starting working in the family hardware store when he was eight years old and has worked hard ever since. As the winner of the Silver Spoon Award, Tom Keith is recognized as an expert in real estate appraisal and business valuation. In his 42 year career, he has personally trained two-thirds of the commercial appraisers in Cumberland County. Keith also helped establish a state appraisal board that would become the model for the similar boards across the country. Keith is known for his expertise, strong work ethic and his contribution to the Fayetteville community.
From left, Award winners Tom Keith, Larry Haire, Jan Spell, H.R. Haire Jr., and Howard Bullard at the Spring Entrepreneurial Leadership Summit.
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Update
MAsTer PLAn
Go online to methodist.edu/ transformation to watch a video about campus improvements made this summer.
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Trustees
Berns Student Center
MU NEWS Football Field
Tennis Courts
Library
Bond rATinG AFFirMed Fitch Ratings has affirmed Methodist University’s “BBB” bond rating. This is the second year the University has held a bond rating. Last year, MU issued $17.5 million in bonds for capital projects and refinancing. The BBB rating reflects historically stable operating performance and adequate coverage of debt obligations. Investment grades reflect the financial stability and credit worthiness of a company. In general, the higher the rating, the more financially stable the organization and the more willing investors are to invest. “By having its own BBB investment grade rating, the University is able to sell revenue bonds in its own name, rather than through the financial backing of a letter of credit provided by a bank,” said Associate Vice President for Business Affairs and Controller Dawn Ausborn. “The University benefits from reduced costs of debt financing through lower interest costs and elimination of letter of credit fees.” The University’s first investment grade rating (BBB) was received in June of 2012 and will be reviewed on an annual basis by Fitch Ratings, and Standard and Poor’s.
Library
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LT. Gen. rUsseL honoré LeAds in “The neW norMAL” The Second Annual Lafayette Leadership Speaker Series took place at Methodist University Sept. 6. Featuring retired Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré as its keynote speaker, the co-sponsored event by the Lura S. Tally Center for Leadership Development and the Fayetteville Lafayette Society was hosted as part of the 7th Annual Lafayette Birthday Celebration. Honoré, who was dispatched by President Bush to lead New Orleans out of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, spoke on the topic of leadership in his lecture titled, “Leadership in the New Normal,” which is also the title of his book. Afterward, President Ben Hancock awarded him with the University Medallion. Honoré also spoke about the privilege and responsibilities of freedom and its cost. “Leadership means sacrifice,” he said. “The freedom we have today comes from great sacrifice.” Honoré, who believes giving back is an essential part of patriotism, is an active speaker, business consultant, CNN contributor, and senior scientist for the Gallup Organization.
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The first cohort of Leadership Fellows was inducted during a ceremony at Methodist University on April 24. Leadership Fellows were introduced to Michele Macumber, who spoke at the Leadership Fellows Banquet, and helped present fellows with their pins.
Engage. Enrich. Empower.
CUMBerLAnd CoMMUniTy FoUndATion Gives sChoLArshiPs, CoMMUniTy enGAGeMenT GrAnT Cumberland County high school students and the local community are benefitting from two grants Methodist University received this year from the Cumberland Community Foundation (CCF). This summer, the CCF designated Methodist University, along with two other local colleges, to receive scholarship assistance for Cumberland County students as part of a $10 million endowment the foundation received in 2011. The Robert H. Short/Cumberland Community Foundation Scholars Program will help local high school students remain in the Fayetteville area when they attend college. With the initial scholarship grant received on Aug. 9, Methodist University selected four local students to receive the Robert H. Short/CCF Scholars award, worth $5,200 per year. Corin Cramer, Taylor Jones, and Bryana Summers, all of Fayetteville, and Brandon LaValley of Hope Mills were the first recipients of this new scholarship at Methodist University. “These students represent some of Cumberland County’s best and brightest,” said Dean of Admissions Jamie Legg. “The average GPA for this group is 4.18, and the average SAT score is 1143. We are thrilled to be able to help these students attend school close to home with this new grant program, which truly helps the community in a variety of ways.” In 2011, the CCF received a $10 million endowment, interest from which could eventually pay about $500,000 in annual tuition for local students who attend one of the county’s local colleges. The funding was bestowed through the will of the late Robert H. Short, a Fayetteville investor and businessman who died that year at the age of 89. Short, who never graduated from high school himself, made many anonymous contributions to local education programs throughout his life in order to give other students opportunities he did not have. Born in Greensboro in 1921, he served in World War II before returning home to work for
CCF Board Member Emily K. Schaefer, left, and CCF President S. Lynn Legatski present Dr. Ben Hancock with the first scholarship funds from the Robert H. Short/Cumberland Community Foundation Scholars Program.
Burlington Industries. In 1951, he moved to Fayetteville to work at Major Appliance Co., which he eventually bought and ran until 1983, when he sold the business and retired. Short was also a founding member of the local Boys and Girls Club, and was actively involved in the United Way. A successful investor, he served as an advisor for the Academy of Finance at Douglas Byrd High School, which helps students understand the stock market. “This gentleman was a very generous philanthropist during his life. We are very honored to continue his legacy of support for education, forever,” said Mary Holmes, executive director of the Cumberland Community Foundation. “Typical of most of our donors, he never wanted the spotlight and lived a modest, quiet life. He just wanted to help kids go to college, an opportunity he never had.” At the beginning of the year, CCF also granted the Center for Community Engagement a $10,000 grant to develop the center’s infrastructure and build the center’s capacity to consistently impact the community and sustain its work over time. That funding has helped the center develop its website to effectively market and communicate Center for Community Engagement work, including a repository of completed projects and interaction with social media pages. The website also includes an online assessment and planning tool, online volunteer sign-up, project-specific pages, and interactive project timelines and planning tools.
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MonArChs JoUrney
To sPAin
“spain was a great experience because it is a country filled with so much Medieval, renaissance, and Baroque culture and art...”
Patrick Jacobs, Dr. Cristina Francescon, Andrea Garcia, and Brittany McCoy outside of the Hotel Husa Los Seises in Seville, Spain.
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Three MU juniors, Andrea Garcia, Patrick Jacobs, and Brittany McCoy, studied abroad in Cádiz, Spain, for three weeks in June, where they were immersed in the country’s language and culture. The students, who were led by Modern Language Professor Dr. Cristina Francescon, all have a Spanish major or minor. While there, they took two intensive study courses with Francescon and the Universidad de Cádiz, went on excursions, and participated in service learning opportunities. “Spain was a great experience because it is a country filled with so much Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque culture and art, which is very different from that of my country in South America,” said Garcia, who is originally from Peru. As well as seeing the historic sights of Cádiz, a peninsular port city in southern Spain, Francescon took the students on side trips to the Spanish city of Seville and the Moroccan cities of Chefchaouen, Tangier, and Tetuan on the weekends. In Seville, the group visited the famous Seville Cathedral, which is the third largest church in the world and the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, and the Alcázar, a royal palace built by the Moors in the 10th century. In Morocco, they rode camels, visited a bazaar, and ate in traditional restaurants. After a few days of adjustment in Cádiz, where they stayed with host families, the students began their service learning project, part of the requirements for Francescon’s course. The entire group volunteered at a soup kitchen run by the Fundación Benéfica Virgen de Valvanuz. One of the students also volunteered with the Spanish Red Cross in the children’s ward of the Puerta del Mar Hospital.
BUsiness sTUdenTs exPLore
CULTUre, eConoMy oF sWeden “our group was able to visit many museums and cultural points that were incredibly informative, fascinating, and have inspired me to read more about sweden’s rich history.”
Clockwise from top left, MU students at the Gevalia coffee factory, posing on an old wheel used in steel production at Långshyttan, and touring a modern steel mill.
In May, eight business students travelled to Sweden for a cross-disciplinary study abroad program led by Dr. Josiah Baker, assistant professor of financial economics, and Reeves School of Business Dean Joseph Doll. The students, who were all enrolled in one of three different classes, used the trip to examine aspects of business, marketing, and economics in the northern European country. Starting in Stockholm, the group toured several different parts of the country, visiting museums, palaces, government buildings, and factories, as well as attending a lecture and meeting students at Uppsala University. The students who attended were Chris Broyles, Emina Efendic, Chris Harper, James Johnson, Patrick Lime, Gina Martinez, Dorothy Vega, and Amanda Zimmerman, who were all juniors at the time. During their eight days in the country, the group travelled to the cities Gamla Stan, the old town
of Stockholm; Uppsala; the localities of Langshyttan, Hedemora, Avesta, and Borlänge in Dalama County; and Falun, the capital of Dalama County. “Our group was able to visit many museums and cultural points that were incredibly informative, fascinating, and have inspired me to read more about Sweden’s rich history,” Martinez said. “My favorites were the cathedrals, the ashes of the Vikings, the Royal Palace, and the Stockholm City Hall.” Depending on the specific class that they were registered in, the students had various goals for the trip such as learning ways to improve American businesses with Swedish practices, developing a marketing plan to enter the Swedish market, or comparing Swedish and American economics. After their return, the students produced presentations and research papers on the trip. “Some studies show that Sweden is a leading country in supporting an entrepreneurial mindset,” Baker said. “It’s had a unique economic development that has affected modern Swedish business practices, making it relatively easy to create a business in Sweden.”
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PeACe ProJeCT
eMPoWers WoMen in yeMen “With a high unemployment rate, men in yemen are heavily burdened by the responsibility of being the sole support for their families...”
Women in Yemen learn and work in the Biliquis Foundation for Development as part of MU’s winning selection for this year’s United World College’s Projects for Peace, designed by student Esra Al Shawafi, who is pictured at top.
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Last summer, Methodist University Sophomore Esra’a Al-Shawafi returned home to Yemen and was depressed by the living conditions she found in her country, which had been through much upheaval as part of the Arab Spring. This summer, she returned home determined to make a difference through Projects for Peace, an initiative of the Davis United World College. Every year, students across the country design peace project proposals and apply for one of 100 annual $10,000 grants that the program provides. The concept was launched in 2007, and every year since then, at least one project by Methodist students has been chosen. Al-Shawafi’s project, “Sewing and Business Skills for Economical and Peaceful Integration of Women in Society,” is designed to be a selfsustaining program that teaches women the skills to provide a revenue stream for themselves, their families, and their communities, which will help promote peace. “With a high unemployment rate, men in Yemen are heavily burdened by the responsibility of being the sole support for their families,” she said. “Thus, there should be an alternate way to empower women that is accepted by men. This project aims at giving women an accepted solution through teaching sewing and business skills that will integrate them economically into society, and make them partners with men in generating income for the family.” This summer, Al-Shawafi travelled to Sana’a, Yemen’s largest city, and organized the project with the help of a non-profit organization, the Biliqis Foundation for Development, which focuses on empowering women and local development. With the grant money, Al-Shawafi purchased machines and materials for sewing and embroidering, which were then stored at the Foundation’s offices, where the training and workshops were held. The Foundation also arranged for trainers and workshops on sewing. The initial phase of the project focused on helping 20 women. As well as sewing, the project included giving the women some useful business skills. For the business workshops, Al-Shawafi turned to her mother, Amal Al-Yosufi, who is an accountant. During the workshops, they taught women about topics such as budgeting and marketing. “These twenty women will help raise their families’ income considerably, thus the project will not only help those women but also their families, thereby lowering the level of poverty in general,” she said.
neW reseArCh FeLLoWs ProGrAM BeGins This FALL
“At the end of their sophomore year, the students will be eligible to apply to become a full CUrC Fellow.”
Student Ravon Sheppard discusses the harpsichord restoration project that he and other music students worked on for last year’s Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium.
A new feature from The Center for Undergraduate Research and Creativity, the CURC Fellows Program, is being introduced this fall. This is a designation for students who want to immerse themselves in a culture of research and creativity. Students will be able to apply starting in the spring, and if approved, will be designated as CURC Fellow candidates. “After being approved, the students will start fulfilling a series of requirements focused on research and creative projects,” said Director of the CURC Clay Britton. “At the end of their sophomore year, the students will be eligible to apply to become a full CURC Fellow. Upperclassmen will also be able to apply this year, if they have already met the program’s requirements.” Requirements for candidates will include things like attending relevant events, writing essays, building a portfolio, and completing an independent study project, which they will present at the annual MU Research Symposium. After being named a fellow, the students will still continue the same sort of work to successfully complete the program, with a second set of requirements that must be met before they graduate, at which time they can receive a CURC Fellow Certificate of Completion. “The process to become a CURC Fellow is designed to be intense and rigorous,” Britton said. “However, at the end, the successful students will be well-rounded and open-minded, and will have had an experience that sets them apart from their peers at MU and at other institutions.” In order to become a fellow candidate, students will have to apply and receive a nomination from a member of the faculty or staff. Students will learn about the process to become a CURC Fellow as part of their First Year Seminar course, which is a required class for all traditional freshmen.
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School of Health Sciences TeLeMeCo To LeAd
ProPosed doCTor oF PhysiCAL TherAPy ProGrAM Methodist University has named Dr. Todd Telemeco director of the proposed Doctor of Physical Therapy Program in the new School of Health Sciences. “Telemeco comes to MU with a career spanning more than a decade as a leader and innovator in physical therapy education, research, and clinical practice,” said Dr. Delmas Crisp, executive vice president and academic dean of Methodist University. “His rich experience and vision will guide Methodist as we develop our Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, build the new Health Sciences building, and launch the program in Fall 2015.” Telemeco previously served as the associate director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va.
PiLkinGTon rePresenTs MU
As PresidenT oF nC ChAPTer oF nATionAL sTUdenT nUrses AssoCiATion Mary Catherine Pilkington always knew she wanted to be a nurse. Now, as a senior at MU, she is serving as the president of the North Carolina state chapter of the National Student Nurses Association (NSNA), as well as the MU chapter. As a student in the first class of the Bachelor of Nursing students at MU, Pilkington became involved with the NSNA in fall 2012. . She worked alongside faculty and her peers to start MU’s first NSNA chapter, and has been serving as the president of the chapter ever since. “I have been so blessed in my years at Methodist to have such great professors and an awesome group of classmates that teach me every day and inspire me to a good nurse,” said Pilkington. “As the first class of BSN students at Methodist, we have all grown so much together and have a strong bond that I am really thankful for.” After a year of recruiting new members, working on projects and fundraising activities, Pilkington joined two other MU NSNA officers for the North Carolina Association of Nursing Students meeting, where she decided she wanted to dive deeper into the program. As the president of the North Carolina chapter of the NSNA, Pilkington will work with all university chapters in the state, as well as keep up with her involvement in the MU chapter. With more than 60,000 nationwide members, the NSNA helps mentor the professional development of future nurses, and assists in facilitating their entrance in the profession.
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dr. sAnJAy GUPTA sPeAks AT PresidenTiAL LeCTUre series
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, world-renowned neurosurgeon and Emmy award-winning chief medical correspondent for CNN, made a special visit to Methodist University Sept. 18 for the inaugural Presidential Lecture Series. He presented his lecture, entitled “Medicine and Media,” to a large crowd in Huff Concert Hall at a ticket-only evening event. As part of his visit, he also spent time at more intimate events with students and local health care professionals. In the main lecture, Gupta regaled the audience with jokes and stories about his experiences as a correspondent. “It’s taken me to places I didn’t ever dream of before,” Gupta said. He also told everyone he did one thing every day that scared him, and encouraged others to do the same. Media and medicine are similar, he said. Both have the potential to improve lives, have credibility at their core, and in both, you must know your audience. “So much of the intersection between medicine and media revolves around the idea that there are better things we could be doing for our health,” Gupta said. “It’s my job to know what they are to tell you.” Better understanding and implementation of nutrition is one of the most important things people can do for themselves, he said. Another commonality he shared from his travels for CNN is the idea of reciprocal altruism. “I believe people are inherently compassionate,” he said. “It’s the default setting. We are hard-wired to be altruistic ... It’s what ties us together.” Based in Atlanta, Gupta joined CNN in the summer of 2001. He reported from New York following the attacks on the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001. In 2003, he embedded with the U.S. Navy’s “Devil Docs” medical unit, reporting from Iraq and Kuwait as the unit traveled to Baghdad. He provided live coverage of the
first operation performed during the war and performed lifesaving brain surgery five times in a desert operating room. As a practicing neurosurgeon, Gupta plays an integral role in CNN’s reporting on health and medical news for shows like “American Morning,” “Anderson Cooper 360°,” and CNN documentaries, and anchors the weekend medical affairs program “Sanjay Gupta, MD.” His medical training and public health policy experience distinguish his reporting on a range of medical and scientific topics including brain injury, disaster recovery, health care reform, fitness, military medicine, HIV/ AIDS, and other areas. In addition to his work for CNN, Gupta is a member of the staff and faculty at the Emory University School of Medicine, as well as associate chief of neurosurgery at Grady Memorial Hospital. He regularly performs surgery at Emory University and Grady hospitals. According to President Ben Hancock, the Presidential Lecture Series was made possible through the generosity of community partners and individuals who have underwritten this program. Sponsors include Bryan Honda; Family Foods, Inc.; Lafayette Ford Lincoln; Linda and Ralph Huff; Rosalind and Terry Hutchens; and BB&T. “The Series strives to bring renowned national experts to the campus and community, emphasizing signature programs at Methodist University,” Hancock said. “Dr. Gupta was a natural choice for the inaugural lecture, given the recent creation of the School of Health Sciences.” The new school houses the Physician Assistant, Nursing, Health Care Administration, Athletic Training, and Applied Exercise Science Programs.
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PhysiCiAn AssisTAnT sTUdenTs GAin GLoBAL PersPeCTives in MexiCo The public health clinic in Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca, Mexico provides primary health care services to a rural and growing village of 8,000 people. This summer, the clinic’s staff got some help with their mission from two students in Methodist University’s Physician Assistant Program: Meagan Parsons and Benjamin Cook. Parsons and Cook, who will both graduate in December, spent the month of July in Oaxaca, volunteering at the clinic and working alongside local practitioners. Some of the students’ tasks included doing basic health assessments and physical diagnosis, helping with inoculations, and updating handwritten medical records. The students also gave stitches and assisted with a delivery. One of their most valuable experiences was evolving into competent Spanish-speaking student medical providers. Though both students had studied Spanish as part of their undergraduate degrees, it took them a few days to “find their ears,” as Parsons phrased it. “Being immersed in the Spanish language has really helped me improve my communications skills,” Cook said. Learning the ways health care is delivered in rural Mexico will also help the students in their own professional goals, which are to work in rural North Carolina communities after they graduate. Parsons plans to work with Spanish-speaking populations in the small, rural community of Rockingham, N.C. Cook hopes to work in an emergency department or urgent care facility, and hopes the experience will help him connect better with patients in those settings. Dr. Deborah Morris, the PA Program’s academic coordinator, and the students’ MU supervisor for the trip, visited the clinic during part of their residency. She said the trip gave the students broader perspectives of the world of the world and the ways healthcare is delivered in a system that is different than the system in the United States. It also gave them some insight in their future patients. “There is a flow of people between Oaxaca and North Carolina,” Morris said. “It is helpful for students to have this experience to be more effective as PAs. I hope that we can send more students next year. The clinic doctors would definitely welcome more of our students.”
While they were there, Meagan and Ben kept a blog about their work and adventures. Read more at oaxacajuly2013.wordpress.com.
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Photo credits and thanks to Norma Hawthorne of the Clinica de Salud in Teotitlan del Valle, who contributed to this article.
MeThodisT UniversiTy CeLeBrATes
Spring Commencement
The newest Methodist University alumni celebrated their achievements with the 50th Annual spring Commencement Ceremony on saturday, May 11 in the March F. riddle Center. Lt. Gen. Daniel B. Allyn, commanding officer of the XVIII Airborne Corps, delivered the commencement address to 197 candidates for graduation. Allyn, who previously served as the deputy commanding general of the XVIII Airborne Corps and the chief of staff of the XVIII Airborne Corps, also served two tours of duty with the 82nd Airborne Division and three tours of duty with the 75th Ranger Regiment. Allyn told students to reach outside their comfort zone and learn from their mistakes. He also encouraged them to commit themselves to three of the Army's values: selfless service, respect and personal courage. In keeping with University tradition, Army ROTC cadets Makeeka Harris, Sasha-Al Lee, Derrick Nabors, Tarama Rainford, Ashley Selfridge, and Claudia Vargas were commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. Graduating students presented the flags of Continued, p. 16
Above: President Hancock and Lt. Gen. Daniel B. Allyn stand in front of graduates during Spring Commencement. Left: Rev. Dennis Goodwin delivers the Baccalareate sermon at Spring Commencement on May 11.
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Continued from p. 15
Gambia, Israel, Kosovo, Serbia, South Sudan, Swaziland and Tibet. The University also heard from the Distinguished Graduate, Alysa Freeborough, who spoke on behalf of her class. The L. Stacy Weaver award was presented to Stephanie Ongley. During the ceremony, the University presented Al Cleveland, current board member and past chair of the Board of Trustees, with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. Cleveland is a senior partner at McCoy, Wiggins, Cleveland & O’Conner PLLC, where he has been practicing for more than 50 years. As well as serving as a member of the Methodist University Board of Trustees, Cleveland served as chair from 2005 to 2008. According to President Hancock, the University’s commitment to creating and sustaining a “culture of excellence” is a byproduct of Cleveland’s guiding vision for the University. Prior to the commencement ceremony, the Rev. Dennis Goodwin delivered the baccalaureate sermon. Goodwin, who began his ministry in 1976 after graduating from Barton College with a Bachelor of Arts in religion, served in multiple capacities in the National Guard and the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. He served as the district superintendent at the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church from 2007 to 2012, and was the senior pastor at Trinity United Methodist Church from 1999 to 2007. He is currently the senior minister at Haymount United Methodist Church in Fayetteville.
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Above: Stephanie Ongley receives the L. Stacy Weaver award. Below: Trustee Al Cleveland receives an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.
neTWorTh AWArds sChoLArshiPs To MU sTUdenTs
Local professional women’s organization NETWORTH recently awarded scholarships to two Methodist University students. Seniors Rica McDonald of Baltimore, Md., and Leighanne Truelove of Virginia Beach, Va., will each receive a $2,000 scholarship for the 2013-2014 academic year, as well as an honorary membership in NETWORTH for one year. McDonald is a mass communications major who plans to work in broadcasting, and Truelove is a biology/zoology major who is planning to become a mammal keeper/trainer. NETWORTH is an organization of professional and executive women in the Fayetteville and Cumberland County area. Its primary purpose is to provide peer networking and to promote continuing professional development among women in the community. To be considered for a NETWORTH scholarship, students must be female, enrolled full time, demonstrate high scholastic ability, community involvement, financial need, and possess professional career goals with the plan to enter or re-enter the workforce.
FreshMAn Move-in dAy
Members of area churches including Manna Church, Cedar Falls Baptist Church, Village Baptist Church, and Fayetteville Community Church, welcomed Methodist University students on Aug. 10 and 16, and helped them move in to their dorms. MU alumni also served as “Monarch Movers.”
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UPCoMinG evenTs
For more information on any of these events, call 910.630.7062.
OCTOBER Oct. 7
6:00 p.m.
Professional MBA Program Open House
Oct. 10
3:30-5 p.m. Author C.J. Lyons Book Signing 6:00 p.m. Presentation
Berns Student Center Yarborough Auditorium
Oct. 17
7:30 p.m.
Fayetteville Symphonic Band
Huff Concert Hall
Oct. 18
7:00 p.m.
Foreign Film Festival: “Mar adentro”
Hendricks Science Complex, Room 122
Oct. 22
7:30 p.m.
MU Jazz Monarchs
Huff Concert Hall
Oct. 24
6:30 p.m.
Opening reception for “Igneous Expressions,” Glass Art Show
David McCune International Art Gallery, with show running through Dec. 12
Oct. 25
7:30 p.m.
MU Faculty Recital
Hensdale Chapel
Yarborough Auditorium
HOMECOMING & PARENTS’ WEEKEND
Oct. 25 & 26 Oct. 27
8:00 p.m.
Matt Nathanson in concert
Doors open at 7:00 p.m., Riddle Center
Oct. 27
4:00 p.m.
Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra
Reeves Auditorium
NOVEMBER Nov. 1
7:30 p.m.
Friends of Music Guest Artist Series: Tom Scott Jazz Piano Recital
Hensdale Chapel
Nov. 1
7:00 p.m.
Foreign Film Festival: “El secreto en sus ojos”
Hendricks Science Complex, Room 122
Nov. 4
6:00 p.m.
Professional MBA Program Open House
Yarborough Auditorium
Nov. 14
6:30 p.m.
Center for Entrepreneurship’s 40th Annual Economic Outlook and Stock Market Symposium
Embassy Suites
Nov. 15
7:00 p.m.
Foreign Film Festival: “Jodái-e Náder az Simin”
Hendricks Science Complex, Room 122
Nov. 20
8:00 p.m.
Pangea
Huff Concert Hall
Nov. 20
11 a.m.
Wesley Heritage Celebration
Hensdale Chapel
Nov. 22
7:30 p.m.
All Choirs Concert
Huff Concert Hall
Nov. 24
3:00 p.m.
MU Jazz and Concert Band
Huff Concert Hall
dECEMBER Dec. 1
7:00 p.m.
Moravian Love Feast
Hensdale Chapel
Dec. 5
7:30 p.m.
Fayetteville Symphonic Band Concert
Huff Concert Hall
Dec. 6 & 7
7:30 p.m.
Yuletide Feaste
Hay Street United Methodist Church
Dec. 14
10:30 a.m.
Baccalaureate Ceremony
Huff Concert Hall
Dec. 14
2:00 p.m.
Commencement
Riddle Center, ticket required
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2013 HOMECOMING AND PARENTS’ WEEKEND For more information, visit www.methodist.edu/alumni.
4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Early Registration
6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Alumni Reunion Homecoming Kick-off and Reception
6:30 p.m.
16th Annual Hall of Fame Banquet
7:30 p.m.
Friends of Music Concert
9:30 p.m.
Homecoming Bonfire and Pep Rally
Lobby, North Hall ScrubOaks 5780 Ramsey Street #108 Berns Student Center Hensdale Chapel Behind Riddle
7:00 - 7:20 a.m. 7:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m.
Registration, 3rd Annual Homecoming 5K/Fun Run Race Starts Race Awards Ceremony in front of Reeves
8:00 a.m.
Parents’ Weekend Registration Tent Opens
Davis Library Quad
8:00 a.m.
Homecoming Registration Tent Opens
Davis Library Quad
9:00 a.m.
MU Journey for Parents
9:00 a.m.
MU Chorale “Gathersing”
10:00 a.m.
MU Alumni Awards Ceremony
10:00 a.m.
Walking Tour of Campus
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Homecoming Fair
Davis Library Quad
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Lunch on the Green by Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Davis Library Quad
1:00 p.m.
Football Game Kickoff vs. LaGrange
Monarch Stadium
2:00 p.m.
Women’s Soccer Game vs. LaGrange
MU Soccer Field
3:30 p.m.
Men’s Soccer Game vs. LaGrange
MU Soccer Field
4:00 p.m.
Lady Monarchs Volleyball vs. Covenant
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Parents’ Dinner with President Hancock
7:00 - 11:00 p.m.
Saturday Night Alumni Party
Alumni Event
General Event
For secure, online registration, visit methodist.edu/alumni/homecoming.htm or call 800.488.7110 ext. 7167 or 910.630.7167.
Reeves Fine Arts Building Front Lawn
Nursing Building Auditorium Directly across from Quad Chorale Room Reeves Fine Arts Building Yarborough Auditorium Clark Hall Begins at Nursing Building
Riddle Center Alumni Dining Room Crown Coliseum Banquet Room Parents’ Event
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dAvis CoMBATs hUMAn TrAFFiCkinG WiTh Cross-CoUnTry Bike ride “i am passionate in the belief that every person – every human being -– has the right to choose their path. i am greatly honored to be a part of a global community that is working so hard to combat sex slavery and human trafficking.”
Dr. Spencer Davis takes a break in Cedar Breaks, Utah during his cross-country trip.
How far would you go to help someone in need? Would you donate money? Would you get you in your car and drive an hour or two to help? Would you be willing to bike across the country? Spencer Davis, Ph.D., associate professor of financial economics at Methodist University, did exactly that. Shortly after spring graduation, Davis flew to California for the start of a cross-country bike ride to help raise awareness and funds to combat sex slavery and human trafficking. Davis began his trek May 16 after retrieving his bike from a shop in San Francisco. He spent the next two months pedaling his way through California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Mississippi, Illinois, Kentucky and Virginia. By partnering with “Coins for Children,” a ministry of Manna Church in Fayetteville, N.C., 100 percent of Davis’s fundraising efforts were channeled directly to the Nepali Rescue Project, which works to rescue, counsel and provide skills training to victims of human trafficking in Nepal. Through Ride for Rescue and “Coins for Children,” Davis was able to assist innocent human trafficking victims in their quest for education and a new start. Approximately $13 can fund the rescue, rehabilitation and education for one victim of human trafficking. “I am passionate in the belief that every person - every human being - has the right to choose their path,” said Dr. Davis. “For young ladies who are rescued from sex
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trafficking, it is the right to choose happiness in whatever form, whether it be by raising a family, establishing a career, etc. I am greatly honored to be a part of a global community that is working so hard to combat sex slavery and human trafficking.” Unlike his first solo bike trip across America in 2011, Davis’s trip was supported by a home team of volunteers and Methodist University staff members. Davis was in direct contact with the home team, who alerted him to speaking engagements, promotional possibilities, and upcoming events in cities and towns he was scheduled to bike through. Through a collection of detailed maps, he made plans to eat, sleep and visit a variety of areas, even meeting some people to ride with on the route. “I met a young man when I was west and biked with him for a while before we went our separate ways,” said Davis in an interview during his cross-country trek. “I also met a couple of guys who were headed to Virginia, so we’ve been biking together since then.” By raising funds for “Coins for Children,” Davis and the rest of the Ride for Rescue team hope to save the lives of multiple young women and children impacted by sex slavery and human trafficking circles. “I would like to visit (Nepal) and see what is happening,” said Dr. Davis. “One day I would like to travel to Nepal and see the impact.”
FAcULTy AND STAFF NEWS
ForensiC exPerTs exPLore CoLd CAses Dr. Katherine Brown was a presenter at the Vidocq Society training sessions, held on the Methodist University campus June 17-21.
THE FOLLOWiNG FACULTY WERE RECOGNizED AT THE UNiVERSiTY'S ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY APRiL 17:
Members of a renowned Philadelphia-based crime-solving club, the Vidocq Society, gathered at Methodist University June 17-21. The week-long meeting provided training in forensic science methods and allowed members to review cold homicide cases. Two faculty members in MU’s Department of Justice Studies, Forensic Science and Cyber Crime are Vidocq Society members, Dr. Katherine Brown and Mr. Dave Pauly. Brown, who spoke at the training week, worked alongside the department’s Center for Excellence in Justice Administration to coordinate the training week. “This is a unique opportunity for law enforcement agencies from across the United States and North Carolina to receive training and receive pro bono assistance from the Vidocq Society experts on their unsolved homicide cases,” Brown said. Pauly said that that it is rare for the society to meet outside of Philadelphia. “This training is unprecedented for this region, with top-tier forensic experts all assembling in one location and at one time for the benefit of law enforcement professionals,” Pauly said. The Vidocq Society was founded in 1990 and is dedicated to assisting with long-unsolved murders and other major cases. The society is named after Eugene Francois Vidocq, a brilliant 18th century French detective. The nonprofit group’s work is done at no cost to victims’ families or law enforcement. For more information on The Vidocq Society, visit vidocq.org. MU’s Center for Excellence in Justice Administration works to improve the investigative abilities of justice professionals by delivering unique and relevant development experiences to the surrounding justice community.
Hustwit
Dyke
Kirchner
DeyampertMcCall
Trapp
Walsh
Dr. J.R. Hustwit was awarded the Exemplary Teacher Award from the General Board of Higher Education Ministry of the United Methodist Church. Dr. Carl Dyke accepted the Alfred E. Cleveland Award for Excellence in Teaching. Dr. Mary Kirchner was awarded the Distinguished Professor of the Year Award. Mary Deyampert-McCall and Dr. Frank Trapp were presented with the Annual Award for Excellence in Academic Advising. Dr. Richard Walsh accepted The President’s Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Expression.
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MU niGhT
AT The sWAMP
During the “dog” days of summer, the University combined an MU on the Move! event for alumni and a university staff outing by hosting an event at J.P. Riddle Stadium, home of Fayetteville’s SwampDogs. This wooden bat league brings in college baseball players and interns from all over the country. Alumni and staff were treated to a hotdog and covered dish supper before the game. The SwampDogs gave the honor of throwing the first pitch to Dr. Hancock and the University’s bookstore manager, Larry Smith, who celebrated his birthday at the game and has been a longtime “Dog” fan and host to players.
PresLer honored
AT reTireMenT reCePTion
Dr. R. Wayne Presler is presented a retirement gift by President Ben Hancock during his retirement reception at Methodist University on May 9.
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Dr. Robert Christian addresses his friend and colleague, Dr. R. Wayne Presler, during the reception.
MU sTorMWATer WorkshoPs
FAcULTy AND STAFF NEWS
TeACh sMArT WATer MAnAGeMenT To ProFessionALs And sTUdenTs
More than 20 professionals from four states traveled to Methodist University in March for a two-day workshop hosted by the Environmental and Occupational Management (ENM) Program. The group, which also included select students from the ENM Program and members of the University’s grounds and maintenance staff, learned about state-of-the-art best practices for managing stormwater. The workshop was held in conjunction with staff from North Carolina State University. The workshop was the first of a series that the department is planning, and a second was held Sept. 20. Managing stormwater isn’t a problem most people give a lot of thought to, but the workshop was very opportune. A few months later, the Cape Fear region experienced an extremely wet and rainy summer. There were parts of the summer where it rained every day. All that water has to go somewhere, and when it does, it takes with it all sorts of things that don’t need to end up in the ecosystem, like chemicals from fertilizer, weed killers, and oil from roads and parking lots. In 2007, the University partnered with Fayetteville’s Public Works Commission to install four bioretention areas, designed to absorb normal rainfall back into the ground after no more than 48 hours, which also helps prevent erosion in other areas of campus, as well as sending less pollutants into the Cape Fear River. Another 16 bioretention ponds were designed and are planned for the future. “With well over a third of North Carolina’s waters assessed as ‘impaired’ by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), more and more stringent requirements are being handed down on communities to reduce the loading of sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus into our waterways,” said Dr. Kurt W. Smith, assistant professor of environmental and occupational management. “Learning effective management practices has become an important skill for environmental planners, engineers, landscape architects and the development community in order to move ahead in economic development in a way that can be permitted by the EPA.” At the end of the first workshop, the group restored and improved one of the bioretention ponds created in 2007, giving everyone a hands-on opportunity to put into practice the skills they discussed in the classroom. The participants also took a written exam and received a certification in the installation of at least one form of stormwater management.
Above, Mitch Woodward, N.C. Cooperative Extension agent, discusses storm water management.
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CooL CAMPs FiLL hoT sUMMer dAys Methodist University opened its doors to the community during the summer months, welcoming students from across the region and state for summer camps. With a dozen day and residential camps for students to choose from, there was no shortage of opportunities for the MU community to reach out to engage, enrich and empower young learners. CSI-MU
The CSI-MU Camp offered an in-depth look at modern crime scene investigation techniques. With 21 campers, “CSI-MU was successful in inspiring young minds to learn logically and analytically,” said Dave Pauly, camp director. Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Education (STEM) Camp
The Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Education (STEM) Camp hosted 30 middle school-aged young learners in June. With 27 camp facilitators including faculty, staff, students and volunteers in the areas of math, chemistry, biology computer science, health sciences, environmental science, forensic science, and creative writing, students explored a wide variety of topics during their five-day camp. “When I was walking the campers between buildings on campus, some of them came up to me and said the camp was the best they ever had,” said Dr. Tat Chan, camp director. “This kind of feedback and encouragement is the best reward for us – the camp facilitators.” Campers were divided into two groups to attend special events and workshops during the week. They programmed robots with computer science lecturers, witnessed chemical reactions with the chemistry department, explored the virtual reality lab, and found blood types of blood specimens with the Physician Assistant Program professors. Girl’s Basketball
STEM Camp students programmed robots to follow a track of tape on the floor, and then timed them to see who had the fastest robot.
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Girl’s basketball campers spent a week improving their knowledge and skill of the game with Head Coach DeeDee Jarman. With 52 campers, the girl’s basketball camp gave young athletes the chance to challenge themselves and grow as athletes. “The highlight was awards day on Friday. Campers were awarded with free throw winners for each league, hot shot champs from each league, knock out champs from each league and intensity lay ups champs from each league,” said Jarman.
Boy’s Basketball
Boy's basketball campers were also able to improve upon their knowledge of the game with two camps. Boasting 90 campers at the first, and more than 100 at the second, head coach David Smith said the success of such large camps was made possible by multiple facilities on the MU campus. “The weather cooperated with us so we were able to use our outside courts and Nimocks to accommodate all our campers,” said Smith.
Engage. Enrich. Empower.
Soccer
The women’s soccer team at MU offered camps to local girls interested in improving their skills. With approximately 50 girls at each camp, the girl’s soccer camp helped young female athletes make positive, lasting changes in their skills. “It’s very rewarding as a camp director to see the positive development in our soccer community every year,” said Bryan Madej, women’s soccer coach. The boy’s soccer camp was also held this summer, with approximately 60 boys in attendance. Softball
Seventy campers attended a week of softball camp at MU during June. “We had a great week of camp. The highlight of the camp was that it was not 95 degrees this year,” said Ron Simpson, women’s softball coach. The softball camp also added a “Mini-Monarch” program for the first time. Comprised of 7- and 8-year-old students and led by MU athletes Katie Byrd and Annie Zaremski, the “Mini-Monarch” program taught the fundamentals of hitting, fielding and throwing. “I was really proud of both of them for giving such outstanding instruction, and even more so, for being role models for that age group. We will definitely have our ‘Mini-Monarchs’ back next year,” said Simpson. Cheer
Participants at the MU Cheer Camp got an exciting opportunity when they were able to cheer at the boy’s basketball camp game. With 38 participants and seven MU cheerleaders, the camp focused on dances, cheers, stunts, and chants. During the week, participants also took part in crazy sock and colors day, show-n-tell, banner day, and t-shirt day. At the end of the week, they were able to showcase their talents for their families and friends. “I really enjoyed doing this camp and I look forward to doing this again next summer,” said cheer coach Tameka Delmar. Volleyball
The MU Volleyball Camp boasted an impressive 145 campers during four camps this summer. “Beginner’s camp is usually our largest camp, where we get a lot of youngsters who are still figuring out if it is something they want to learn. I try to make it fun, activity-wise, so the kids will be drawn to volleyball and hopefully want to make it a lifelong activity,” said Eddie Matthews, head coach. Football
Seventy-five young athletes participated in a five-day Football Camp this summer with Zach Hufford and the MU Football staff. “We had a large number of campers who had attended the camp previously. Due to inclement weather, we had to spend some of the camp indoors, but all campers and coaches still had fun. We look forward to having an even larger turnout next year,” said Hufford.
A young athlete takes his position during a drill at the Methodist University Football Camp. Photo by Zach Hufford.
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Show You Care Day JULy 10, 2013
Methodist University faculty members Jeremy Hustwit (right) and Clay Britton (center) dig holes for plants in front of Stout Hall.
Faculty and staff lay two brick walkways and plant more than 70 bushes beside the fountain.
President Ben Hancock sweeps mulch off a walkway.
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The Fine ArTs
Take a Front Seat
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Giving in Concert
LindA And rALPh hUFF GiFT $1.5 MiLLion To renovATe AUdiToriUM
“The arts give you a great appreciation of life. Methodist University is a leader in bringing these opportunities to the community, especially for young adults.�
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Artist’s rendering of Huff Concert Hall
The auditorium in Reeves hasn’t changed much since Trustee Linda Baker Huff graduated from Methodist University in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts in music. That won’t always be the case, thanks to a generous gift from Linda and her husband, D. Ralph Huff III. At the Aug. 23 Opening Convocation, President Ben Hancock announced that the Huffs would be donating $1.5 million to renovate the auditorium in the John M. Reeves Fine Arts Building. The auditorium part of the building will now be known as the Linda and Ralph Huff Concert Hall. Hancock praised the Huffs for helping the university take bold steps forward with the Master Plan, which calls for transforming the campus, including the Reeves Fine Arts Building and its auditorium. “The new Linda and Ralph Huff Concert Hall will provide a state-of-the-art facility to benefit future generations of students and thousands of community members,” he said. “Most important, it will help make the performing arts available to everyone in the greater Fayetteville community.” Linda and Ralph both have a strong love of fine arts and a history of being involved with music as students. Linda Huff would go on to teach K-12 music in Hoke and Cumberland County schools for 15 years, as well as direct the First Praise music group at their church, First Presbyterian in downtown Fayetteville. She is also a current board member of the Fayetteville Symphony. Together, the couple led an effort to raise an endowment to supplement the Hoke County’s choral arts program in honor of their high school music teacher.
“I know how important the arts are, and how arts can mold and shape a life,” Linda Huff said. “It is so very important to continue to support good quality arts opportunities like those at Methodist for future generations. The arts give you a great appreciation of life. Methodist University is a leader in bringing these opportunities to the community, especially for young adults.” Ralph Huff, who graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, spent his life working as a realtor and developer, taking over Coldwell Banker United Realty in 1990 and eventually merging the business into its current form, Coldwell Banker Advantage. In 1991, he and Linda started H&H Homes, and Ralph said he has seen how his wife uses knowledge she was taught for music to be president of a business and run it with success. “The skills that you learn through the arts can be transported into business and life itself,” he said. “But in these trying budgetary times, in a lot of the public schools, that’s one of the first things that gets cut. When we give a gift like this, we want it to be something that elevates the whole community. The fine arts and Methodist University do that, and we are happy this can be shared with the whole community.”
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ACAdeMiCs, CULTUre, And exPression CoMPLeMenT MU Fine ArTs
Methodist University’s fine arts departments do more than offer classes and outlets for creatively inclined Monarchs. They also provide the larger community with enriching, high-quality culture and entertainment. Through music, art, and the stage, Methodist University opens a wide window to a multitude of expressions of the ever-changing human experience. Whether with the notes of medieval carols sung round a festive feast; stirring lines from a modern playwright; or cool, smooth lines of sculpted glass, the fine arts cross boundaries and take the community along on the journey. Academically, the fine arts at MU are comprised of three departments that offer a combined 12 degrees and concentrations. Within the basic three, students can focus on aspects like performance, education, or management, or specific fields of art, like graphic design or sculpture. Nonmajors can also take classes, join musical performance groups, and get involved with theatrical productions. The value of MU fine arts goes above the wealth of teaching and sharing talented students with the community, as the departments also bring local and renowned artists and opportunities to campus with events like special workshops, performances, and exhibits.
Originally, the John M. Reeves Fine Arts Building was the home for all three departments. In 2010, MU opened the William F. Bethune Center for Visual Arts, where the Art Department is now located. The new 8,844-square-foot building has a printmaking studio, painting studio, graphic design lab, photography lab, digital photo studio, as well as drawing and art education space. The center is also home to the David McCune International Art Gallery, which regularly hosts shows featuring the work of students and visiting exhibits. Under the university’s Master Plan, the Music and Theater Departments will also see new growth, with plans for extensive renovations as well as expansions to Reeves. The plan calls for the building to be transformed into a signature facility with a state-of-the-art 1,100-seat concert hall. In the back of the building, smaller expansions will be made on both floors to benefit the Department of Music downstairs and Department of Theatre upstairs. Upstairs will also see the auditorium, which is the largest such space on campus, receive renovations like new concert hall seating and lighting, and a renovated lobby. With a palette of bright vision and deep enthusiasm, the “culture of excellence” is painting an impressive future for the fine arts at Methodist University, outlined by steady lines of community support.
On Sept. 7, the David McCune international Art Gallery hosted a showing and reception featuring the paintings of Appie Bolton. Shown here in the gallery are Appie Bolton, center, with her children, from left, Beth Kessel, Laura Ferrell, Amy Parker, and Tommy Bolton.
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FINE ARTS
reeves serves MAny PUrPoses For The CoMMUniTy
The John M. Reeves Fine Arts Building has hosted thousands of events in the last 46 years. More than 20,000 guests visit the auditorium each year for events ranging from graduation ceremonies and lectures to children’s dance and music recitals to nationally recognized musical artists. The auditorium serves as the hub for performances and events at Methodist University including musical performances, theatrical productions, cultural events, ceremonies and lectures. Methodist University has also partnered with many local and regional groups to host events and conferences, including local schools and churches, the Fayetteville Symphony, the U.S. Army, and the N.C. Conference of the United Methodist Church. “Methodist University takes deep pride in our signature partnerships with community fine arts organizations,” said University Relations Event Coordinator Sam Morrison. “The success of the fine arts programs on campus is directly related to the strong partnerships forged over many years. One of the ways we continue to strengthen these partnerships is through the use of campus facilities. From the sounds of orchestras and choirs resonating through Reeves to the stillness found in a priceless work of art, it is clear that Methodist University makes it a priority to partner with community fine arts organizations.”
The John M. Reeves Fine Arts Building is a cultural venue for the Fayetteville community, where people of all ages come to enjoy concerts, theater productions, pageants, seminars, and other special events. Below are some of the organizations that have enjoyed fantastic events in Reeves. ♦
Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra
♦
Miss Fayetteville Pageant
♦
North Carolina Symphony
♦
Fayetteville Symphonic Band
♦
Womack Army Medical Center/ Department of Medical Education Graduation
♦
The Dance Theater of Fayetteville
♦
♦
Center for Excellence in Justice Administration
HOSA (Healthcare Occupations Students of America)
♦
Friends of Music
♦
♦
Army Ground Forces Band
♦
United Methodist Women
Alpha Omega Dance, World of Dance, Fayetteville Dance Center, Angelic Arts Dance, Carolina Dance Co.
North Carolina Conference United Methodist Church: Annual Conference Session for Youth
♦
♦
Cumberland Oratorio Singers
♦
Gilbert Theatre Glee Concert
♦
Women of Worth Conference (Harvest Family Church)
♦
North Carolina State Ballet
♦
Fayetteville Police Department
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Music
MU ChorALe’s “siGnATUre ProGrAM” ProMoTes CoMMUniTy enGAGeMenT The Methodist University Chorale does more than perform. They recruit. With multiple high-profile performances scheduled throughout the school year, the MU Chorale works to reach out to alumni, future students, and the community at large. “The president calls it one of his “signature programs,” said Dr. Michael Martin, conductor. “We try to make a significant impact in churches and in the community by performing as outreach for the university.” Their performances are not for glory or recognition. Instead, Martin prefers to focus on a three-pronged program: reaching out to prospective students at churches and high schools, reuniting alumni with the current Methodist University Chorale, and fostering camaraderie between the university and the community. Each member of the chorale is hand-selected by Martin based on more than just musical talent. He searches for musicians who are patient, tolerant, diverse, and willing to represent Methodist University. The willingness of his students to represent the university goes beyond the music. When performing at high schools, Martin ends each concert with a question and answer session. With a wide variety of majors and minors represented in the chorale, his students are more than willing to answer the questions of future Monarchs. “I usually take the last 15 minutes of any performance at a school and have the chorale sit on the bleachers behind me. Then I explain to the students that they are more than welcome to ask any questions they may have about Methodist University, the chorale program, or any of our other programs,” explained Martin. “There are always questions, and our students do a good job answering them.”
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Martin also tries to reach out to former chorale members, including those who performed when Methodist University was known as Methodist College. “I always try to reconnect alumni to the program we have now,” said Martin. “When they hear the chorale perform, they have a new connection to the university and music. If they are close enough, we are drawing them back in. They are exposed to the chorale, remember the desire to sing, get connected with me, and are drawn back into the program. We have six or seven alumni who are participating in the Cumberland Oratorio Singers now. They’re all involved again.” In addition to recruiting new students and reuniting alumni, Martin and the MU Chorale also focus on giving back to the community. They take part in church services at local and regional churches, perform for groups such as the Lafayette Society, and sing at significant events, such as the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church’s inauguration ceremony for Bishop Hope Morgan Ward, where the MU Chorale was asked to act as an anchor for the ceremony. When asked about the success of the chorale, Martin is quick to point to their number one supporter. “I attribute a lot of our success to President Hancock,” said Martin. “His energy and youthful support for the fine arts make a difference in this university. I was impressed, pleased and honored that in his first few years of establishing himself at Methodist University, he was present at everything we did. Even if it was just sitting in on a small gathering for the chorale members, eating donuts, and watching movies, he was there. He’s at everything we do, and it makes a difference. The kids take a lot of positive pride in representing President Hancock and Methodist University. They want to do a good job for him.”
FINE ARTS
MUsiC dePArTMenT GAins
FULL TUiTion sChoLArshiP The Methodist University music department may be small in comparison to other music programs, but they pride themselves on providing students with the best education possible. Now, they are going one step further to ensure every music student at MU has the same opportunities they would have at a much larger school. The department is now offering a full tuition music scholarship to deserving vocal and instrumental music majors. “This is a tremendous opportunity and honor for the department and the students involved in the program,” said Dr. Keith Dippre, music department chair. “These students will be put through their paces and displayed in a very high-profile manner while at Methodist University. They will perform more often, and will be involved in individual events designed to conspicuously showcase their talent.” The full tuition music scholarship has been awarded to three students for the 2013-2014 academic year. All three students will be full-time music majors in the day program, be required to maintain a 2.5 GPA average in all music courses, and maintain a high level of performance and service to the music department and university. Each student will be evaluated on an annual basis to determine eligibility for scholarship renewal. The recipients of the full tuition scholarship will also be involved in high-profile performances and activities such as concerts, tours, sporting events, fundraisers, and music-related functions. In addition to performances and their schoolwork, all students awarded the full tuition scholarship will be expected to be faces of the university. They will represent students, the music department, and Methodist University as a leader and role model in a variety of roles. They will be expected to be good liaisons for the community and help build the relationship between MU and the surrounding areas. “We’re not going to make these students robots and stick them on a stage to play all the time,” explained Dippre. “They all have to be willing to participate, and they have to be a good fit for the MU community. This is not a huge program, but we have very specific needs and we’re looking for a good fit into our program and our university. Each of these students has to have a desire to flourish at a small school.” The MU music department provides training in music, education and performance. The objective of the department is to produce graduates who are prepared to teach music, perform, conduct, further advance the student of music in a graduate school setting, or promote the arts in the larger community. Each student awarded the full tuition scholarship will work toward one of four degrees within the music program; a Bachelor of Arts in Music, a B.A. in Music with a concentration in Arts Management, a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, or a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance. The full tuition scholarship program will be available to any new student at Methodist University, regardless of whether they have credit from previous colleges or universities. “At the end of the day, there is no magic formula for this scholarship,” said Dippre. “We’re open to all new students. We’re just looking for people who will flourish in our department and at MU.”
From left, Helen Kim, Sydney Jarrard and Jamario Covington are the first recipients of the music department’s full tuition scholarships. Kim, Jarrard and Covington will all major in music at MU, and will participate in a number of high-profile performances designed to highlight the music program and Methodist University.
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WeLLs PerForMs
Dr. Larry Wells, right, with Timothy Altman (left) and Leonardo Carrieri during the S. Giacomo Festival in italy on May 25. Photo by Tracey Wells.
AT inTernATionAL MUsiC FesTivAL
Dr. Larry Wells knows the importance of honing his craft. An associate professor of music at Methodist University and an avid trumpet player, he rarely takes a day off. Good musicians rarely make waves in the arts world. Even great musicians are quickly forgotten. Opportunities are rare for professional musicians, and Wells won’t let them slip past unnoticed. So when he was invited to play at the S. Giacomo Festival in Italy, he knew it was an opportunity he couldn’t miss. “Timothy Altman, with UNC Pembroke, knows someone affiliated with the festival,” Wells explained. “The chance to perform is something not many people get.” The S. Giacomo Festival takes place annually, from March to September. With a wide variety of musical performances, from chamber music to orchestral repertoire, the festival attracts the best and brightest musical talent from all over the world. Wells and Altman wasted no time planning their trip. Scheduled to play May 25, they would have very little rehearsal time with their organist, Leonardo Carrieri, whom they had never met or played with. Playing at the S. Giacomo Festival may have been the opportunity of a lifetime, but it came with its own set of challenges. “Italians will boo you,” explained Wells. “If they don’t like you, they will let you know it.” As they composed their set list for their performance, Wells and Altman were struck by another intimidating factor. Several of the pieces they were performing had been composed in a church down the street from their venue. The historical context added another angle to an already important performance. Wells and Altman traveled to Italy May 16 and spent the first part of the trip taking in the festival and preparing for his upcoming performance. They had one day of intense rehearsal with Carrieri before they took the stage. To Wells’ delight, there were no boos from the crowd. Instead, there was a standing ovation. “The whole experience, from traveling to playing with someone like Leonardo, was great,” said Wells. “On a personal note, it also provided confirmation that Tim and I are the musicians we hoped we were. I try to teach my students to play like I play. This trip, and the three bows we took at the end of our concert, told me I’m teaching the right thing. We played right before the Four Tenors took the stage. That really says something about the caliber of our music.” While in Italy, Wells also had the opportunity to teach a master trumpet class at the Trent Conservatory, thanks to a mutual friend. Ever the opportunist, he refused to let it go to waste. Wells gathered a collection of his favorite MU paraphanalia to take to the master class. “I had the opportunity to create a relationship for Methodist University overseas, and it’s the type of thing that can provide my students with extra educational opportunities.”
Methodist University’s Summer Jam music camp hosted approximately 70 students during a weeklong residential and day camp in July. They all participated in the final camp concert on July 1, which featured the Summer Jam Jazz Band, Chorus, Orchestra, and Concert Band. Campers enjoyed a variety of musical elective choices, ranging from music theory to rock band.
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Visual Arts exCeLLenCe on disPLAy
In 2010, Methodist opened the William F. Bethune Center for Visual Arts, which also houses the David McCune International Art Gallery. Fittingly, the first exhibit in the gallery was a show of works by Bethune and McCune, two local artists who gave strong support to the new facility. Since then, the gallery’s executive director, Silvana Foti, has been working to fill a niche in the local arts community with shows that support student and local artists, as well as exhibits that bring national and international artists to the area. With the careful planning and guidance of Foti and the gallery’s advisory board, the gallery is developing a reputation as a local jewel and becoming an art destination. The timing of the new gallery’s opening was fortuitous for many in Fayetteville after the Fayetteville Museum of Art closed the same year. Seeing the community’s cultural loss, the new gallery on the Methodist University campus has aimed to fill part of the gap left by the closure. In 2011, the gallery symbolically took up that challenge with its first show after the opening exhibit, when it hosted part of the permanent collection of the Fayetteville Museum of Art, works which were otherwise condemned to storage. That year, the gallery hosted mostly student work, with two individual senior art exhibits and the senior graphic design class exhibition, as well as the “Heavy Metal” show by McCune. By 2012, the gallery was finding its footing and picking up speed, bringing in an African safari-themed show from Paula Fitzpatrick, a handmade textile show and workshop from Sharron Parker, and a student invitational that showed the best of current students’ artwork. The gallery has shown no sign of slowing its pace in 2013 and 2014, starting off with last semester’s “Harvey Littleton & Friends” vitreograph print show and the 2013 Senior Graphic Design Student Exhibition, which was once again a display of smart professionalism from the program’s graduating seniors. This semester, the gallery is exploring the abstract works of Lisa Stroud with her show, “Driven by the Heart,” which began Sept. 19 and will run to Oct. 17. The paintings will be followed by an invitational show featuring a group of nationally and internationally known glass artists who make their home in North Carolina, which will run from Oct. 24 to Dec. 12.
AT McCUne GALLery
The David McCune international Art Gallery in the William F. Bethune Center for Visual Arts at Methodist University welcomes the public to visit at no cost. With several different exhibitions and shows throughout the scholastic year, the gallery is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.
In February, the gallery is making a serious bid for a wider audience, with a name that is sure to draw a crowd – Pablo Picasso. Thanks to generous sponsorship donations, the university will host a Landau Traveling Exhibit, “Pablo Picasso: 25 Years of Edition Ceramics, The Rosenbaum Collection.” Though renowned for his paintings, sculptures, and graphics, Picasso was also intrigued by ceramics. After seeing the works of the exceptional Madoura potters at a crafts fair in 1946, he asked the potters for an opportunity to work with ceramics. From 1947 to 1971, Picasso had his own space in the Madoura studio, where he worked when he pleased. Forty of his works from this period will be on display at Methodist University for two months. “The McCune Gallery’s unique space and North Carolina’s long and deep tradition of ceramics make this a once-in-alifetime chance to experience a show of this quality,” Foti said. The exhibition also features original posters from previous exhibitions and photomurals of Picasso at work at the Madoura pottery, as well as an essay and chronology of Picasso by Gerald Nordland, noted author and independent curator, and former director several galleries such as the San Francisco Art Museum and the Washington (D.C) Gallery of Modern Art.
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McCUne GALLery erUPTs WiTh
iGneoUs exPressions in oCToBer
Glass art in all its forms will be the subject of a new show, “Igneous Expressions,” this fall at Methodist University. More than 20 artists from western North Carolina will participate in this invitational show, which will run from Oct. 24 to Dec. 12 in the David McCune International Art Gallery in the William F. Bethune Center for Visual Arts. There will be an opening reception at the gallery on the evening of Thursday, Oct. 24, which is open to the public. Gallery Executive Director Silvana Foti and artist Kate Vogel have been working together for more than a year to organize this special show and bring it to Methodist. Western North Carolina is home to many glass artists and has a strong art community in the Spruce Pine region, near the Penland School.
“It’s a very diverse body of work,” Vogel said. “There’s not a single type of imagery, and there are functional vessels, abstracts, large wall pieces, and full size sculptures. The common thread is glass, and the fire that forges it. The title “Igneous Expressions” references the fire that creates the glass and the burning ideas that inspire the finished forms.” Glass art comes in many forms: blown, or “hot” glass; cast glass from molds; and “cold worked,” which involves cutting and polishing glass. The show will feature more than 60 different pieces
of glass art. Vogel and her husband, John Littleton, have been collaborating on glass art for more than 30 years, and some of their pieces will be on display at the invitational. There will also be pieces from John’s father, Harvey Littleton, considered the father of American studio glass. Some of the other well-known artists who will be featured include Rick Beck, Mark Peiser, and Richard Ritter. When considering artists and works for the show, Foti and Vogel looked for artists who would engage students and the general public, to put together a show of top-quality work in a variety of styles that show the breadth of what is possible with glass. “We want to find as many entry points as possible for people to engage with the glass, and to show the depth of what’s being done here in Western North Carolina,” Vogel said.
“driven By The heArT” PAinTs sTories in The ABsTrACT Through Oct. 17, the David McCune International Art Gallery is presenting the “Driven by the Heart” art exhibition by featured artist Lisa Stroud. The show, which had its opening reception Sept. 19, features large, colorful, abstract paintings. Stroud, who has an extensive background in journalism as a freelance writer and for the Raleigh Times as a features writer, named the show in reference to her creative process, where she lets her emotions lead the way. Her professional background also heavily influences her mixed media paintings. She is always looking for “the story” – whether hers or someone else’s – she will tell with paint on canvas. Some of her paintings start with words on the canvas, which a sharp-eyed viewer can sometimes make out in the finished works. Stroud started painting eight years ago as a way to relieve the stress of caring for her aging mother, who suffered from dementia. Finding herself unable to write, she yearned for another creative outlet. “I’ve enjoyed every stop along my pathway. But, for me, the passion is painting. The joy of telling my stories on canvas,” she said. One of her paintings, “Honor, By Any Measure,” was the first piece of abstract art collected by the National Museum of the Marine Corps. It now hangs in their permanent collection. She was proclaimed Best in Show in the 54th National Juried Art Show at the Maria V. Howard Arts Center in Rocky Mount, N.C., and the winning piece remains in its permanent collection. Her works have hung in both local and national exhibitions and she was a finalist in the 2010 Artist’s Magazine annual competition. She was also honored when her work was selected for the 2011 Artspace Three-Person Curated Biennial “Marked.”
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FINE ARTS
sUPPorT BeAMs
FroM GALLery’s Advisory BoArd
Mac Healy, one of the eight people on the David McCune International Art Gallery’s advisory board, has referred to the gallery’s upcoming Picasso show as its “coming out party,” a particularly apt description for the young gallery that has an impressive schedule for the year. By hosting such a big-name exhibit, the university’s gallery is definitely sending a message: The McCune Gallery is all grown up. As the gallery takes its first dance in frills and finery, among those watching most proudly are the gallery’s board members, who played a major role in bringing the McCune to this point. Since the board formed in 2011, things have moved fast, with an increased effort on fundraising to bring in work from national and international artists, as well as strong shows of regional pieces, and a two-year journey to physically bring the gallery up to museum standards. Some of the board members, like Healy, were also involved with the now-closed Fayetteville Museum of Art. “We saw an opportunity to service the need for a real visual arts place in the community,” Healy said. With the availability of the building and the tie-in with Methodist’s desire to be a part of the community, I think it opens a natural window for us.” Janet Parks, who serves as a consultant to the board and Executive Director Silvana Foti, is a former arts educator and served on the North Carolina Arts Council Board for 13 years. “Everyone I’ve talked to about the gallery has been very excited about it, and the quality they’re seeking,” Parks said. “I feel like it’s going to be a star in the community. I think it has a very strong board. They know art and appreciate it, and I think they are committed to helping support this financially in seeking out donations.”
25 YEARS OF EDITION CERAMICS From the Rosenbaum Collection
Coming in February to the DAVID McCUNE INTERNATIONAL ART GALLERY
Organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions
The board’s intent is to arrange at least one national or international exhibit like the Picasso show every year, as well as one focused on North Carolina artists, like the “Igneous Expressions” glass invitational. In order to bring in those kind of shows, the board and Foti first had to complete a two-year odyssey to upgrade the facility, investing about $60,000 in the gallery’s metamorphosis. Originally designed simply to display student work, the space now meets more professional guidelines laid out by the American Alliance of Museums. The changes affected various areas like security, insurance, light, and humidity monitoring. All of the changes led up to the completion of an intense, 40-page facility report, a must-have item when arranging for high-profile exhibits. “I think it’s been phenomenal for a gallery of our size to reach that level in such a short time,” said advisory board member Naoma Ellison. “We can thank various people in the community who have donated money for certain pieces of equipment, and we certainly can thank the staff at the Museum of Art in Raleigh for the help that they extended and advice on how to best go about it. My feeling is that with Silvana’s hard work, we have really reached a new milestone.” Healy said the board is also looking for suggestions for future exhibits that the community would like to see, especially the types of large-interest shows that will bring guests from out of town. “This is a great opportunity to be a venue for the entire community, and hopefully people will want to be a part of it,” Healy said. “We hope people would come down, see the Picasso show, and stay for a night or two in Fayetteville. We would love for the gallery to be a stop for visitors.”
Theatre
dePArTMenT oF TheATre rAises on A neW yeAr
The CUrTAin
New productions that look behind the curtain are a theme of this year’s theater schedule, with fresh debuts planned from student playwrights. The Department of Theatre has a new chair this year, as well, who is looking to bring a new energy to the department and productions that engage with the student body on a new level. “I want people to be excited about going to the theater,” said Theatre Chair Dr. Evan Bridenstine. “We’re going to be reaching out to students where they are, even if it’s just something short and impactful, the idea is that this is something that’s not only enjoyable, but also worthy of being done.” Part of how Bridenstine wants this to happen is by reaching out to other areas of campus, collaborating with other departments and utilizing new spaces. He also wants to keep the strong connections the department has built over the years with other local theater companies, Cape Fear Regional Theatre and Gilbert Theater. He’s calling the idea, “WIP,” which stands for Works in Progress. WIP will also be the name of the spring production, which will be a collection of student-created pieces, such as spoken-word performances or more complicated works. “The idea is to involve people,” Bridenstine said. “I want to engage people where they are, to go to something that connects students with something they care about, in forms that they know and are comfortable with.” Currently, the goal is to hold WIP workshops in October, with the finished production presented in late February. At the same time, the department can also stay true to its academic purpose, to prepare theater majors to work in the field. It sounds like a challenge, but building a full evening’s production from the ground up, using student ideas and decisions, also sounds like an excellent learning experience. It also isn’t too much of a stretch for the department after working in recent years with student improv. Led by Nick Owen ’13, the department recently presented a series of “Troupe or Dare” improv shows, which mixed improv with movement pieces on social themes. “It was a combination of serious and silly, which is a combination I like to embrace,” Bridenstine said. “I would also like to get the improv running again.” Getting more people involved with the theater, whether in the audience, under the spotlight, or backstage, is at the heart of Bridenstine’s goals. Like Shakespeare almost wrote, at Methodist, all the men and women can be more than merely players. All students, regardless of major; faculty; staff; and even local community members at times; are welcome to audition and participate in Department of Theatre productions. Keeping the program open to as many people as possible can also increase theater appreciation, and Bridenstine sees that as essential. “People sometimes have these arts and education discussions, that imply that somehow the arts and theater is an extra, an add on, but it’s part of what makes us human,” he said. “Theater contributes to the areas of empathy, storytelling, and using the stories we tell to define who we are, and what we believe.” A bigger, better home for the department is one thing Methodist believes in, and in the next few years, students should see what are now preliminary plans for renovations and expansions in the fine arts building become reality, and not just a story. The plans are still in their early stages, but more workshop space, and expanded and enhanced offices are in the works for the department as part of the project.
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FINE ARTS
ArTs ALUMni Jodi College Now an employee at Saint Patrick’s Catholic School in Fayetteville, Jodi College teaches kindergarten through eighth grade art and Catholic religion classes to grades 4-6. With such a varied age group to keep engaged and interested in art projects, College finds it interesting to watch her pupils work and grow. She uses her experiences to help inspire her students, regardless of age, to explore different types of art. “My experience at Methodist with the art department showed me what I am capable of doing as an artist, and how I can show my students different techniques,” said College. “I was able to experience things and use different mediums that I never knew I could mix together.” As an MU graduate, College continues to make art, in addition to teaching. She uses her degree with a concentration in ceramic sculpture to continue to create art for others, and shares her knowledge of clay and kilns with her students. LaToya Rene Robertson LaToya Rene Robertson has always had an underlying desire to know more and better herself. Motivated by her thirst for knowledge and curiosity, and inspired by those she comes into contact with, she spends her days running a small music firm called DCL Studios. Her firm creates, edits, performs, records, and teaches music performance. When she arrived at MU, Robertson had plans to go to medical school and become a bio engineer. However, seeing her talent and drive, friends pushed her to study music. Together with MU alum Christopher Robinson ’07, Robertson began DCL Studios. An acronym for Dream It, Create It, Love it, DCL Studios helps artists seeking to be the best. Offering services in all areas of the music business, DCL Studios also works with agencies such a recording labels, television and film companies, stage plays, ensembles, independent artists, marketing firms, radio, and event planning companies. “My time at Methodist showed me that it’s not enough to be good and knowledgeable, but you must roll your sleeves up and prove yourself every step of the way,” said Robertson. “I was always a hard worker but my college experience showed me how to work hard so that it makes a difference, rather than me just sweat for no reason. Thanks to Methodist and the key people there, I was polished to be a business woman, a responsible citizen, and a woman who dares to dream.”
Anthony Bishop While he wasn’t a theater major during his time at Methodist University, Anthony Bishop’s work with the MU theater department shaped his career. A religion major, he first began dabbling with theater while he was at Methodist, participating in “Crimes of the Heart,” directed by Megan Owens, as the stage manager. After his first play, he was involved in projects every semester, coupling them with occasional technical work, running lightboards, and lighting design. “Through learning theater here, I ended up becoming the master of ceremonies at my church, so whenever big events happen, I’m usually the one to help put things together,” said Bishop. As a current student in Duke University’s Master of Divinity program, Bishop hopes to become a priest in the Jesuit order. He is expected to graduate in 2015, and says that his time on stage has helped him prepare with being in front of people as a priest.
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MU AThLeTiCs
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AThLETIcS
MonArChs rACk UP sPrinG Wins The spring sports season proved to be the most successful season for the Monarchs in the 2012-13 school year, as Methodist captured a trio of USA South Athletic Conference Championships within hours of one another on Sunday, April 14. in all, five different MU athletic teams competed in their respective NCAA Division iii Championship to cap off another successful year in Methodist Athletics.
Women’s Tennis Shortly after the baseball team captured its improbable title came word that the women’s tennis team was engaged in an epic duel with Christopher Newport for the conference championship. The Monarchs, seeded No. 1 and winners of the regular season championship, found themselves trailing 2-1 after doubles, but bounced back to win three of the first five singles matches to square the match at 4-4. All tied up and with a berth in the NCAA tournament on the line, MU’s No. 1 singles player, senior Kat Meindl, outlasted CNU’s Kim Morrissett 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (75) in the day’s final match to clinch the Monarchs’ sixth USA South Tournament Championship. The win propelled MU into the NCAA Tournament, where Methodist saw its season come to an end with a 5-0 loss to 16th-ranked Washington and Lee. The Monarchs finished the season with an overall record of 20-3, including a stretch of 19 consecutive wins and six different players earned all-conference honors, including Meindl and junior Laura Baker, who were both named First Team All-USA South.
Baseball Baseball began the aforementioned Sunday afternoon by capping a thrilling run through the USA South Tournament with a 10-2 win over LaGrange. The Monarchs, who sat with a record of just 8-15 midway through the season, won nine of their next 12 games leading up to the USA South Tournament and earned the No. 6 seed in the postseason tournament. Methodist opened with a 3-2 win over No. 3 Averett, and followed that with a 2-1 win over No. 7 Maryville courtesy of a walk-off homerun by senior Brandon Thigpen. The Monarchs earned a spot in the USA South title game by knocking off Piedmont 4-2, thanks to two more RBIs from Thigpen and a strong pitching performance from sophomore Daniel Royer. Facing LaGrange in the title game, Methodist wasted little time in asserting itself and rode another home run from Thigpen, as well as 7.0 solid innings from Michael Judge to its third conference tournament title. For his efforts, Thigpen was named the Tournament MVP after hitting .471 with three home runs, two doubles, seven runs driven in and five runs scored over four games. In the NCAA Tournament, the Monarchs opened play with a 4-3, 10-inning win over Huntingdon, before dropping successive contests to Bridgewater and Milsaps to finish the season at 25-22.
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Men’s Golf Later on that Sunday afternoon, the MU men’s golf team completed a rally of their own, storming back from a four-stroke deficit entering Sunday’s third and final round to post an 11-shot victory over Christopher Newport in the USA South Championships. No MU player shot worse than 73 on the final day on the par-72 venue at Benevue Country Club, led by senior Ben Boyle’s finalround 70 and junior Dakun Chang’s one-under 71. The win was the 29th for the Monarchs and earned them an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, Fla. At the NCAA Tournament, hosted by the Methodist University Athletic Department, the Monarchs opened play with the best round in relation to par after the first day, but could not keep up the pace and finished in third place overall for the second consecutive year. Seniors Mike Wesko and Andrew Bateman tied for seventh place individually with matching 291’s. Wesko shot a 2-under score of 69 in the final round, while Bateman carded a score of 70 (-1). Following the event, Wesko was named a First Team All-America by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). Bateman was later named a Second Team All-America and junior Jeff Wells took home third team honors. Head Coach Steve Conley, USA South Coach of the Year, was also named the GCAA’s Southeast Region Coach of the Year. In the 10 tournaments that Methodist took part in, the Monarchs never finished worse than fourth place and took home three tournament titles. Women’s Golf The NCAA Division III Golf Championships also marked the end of an era as the Methodist women’s team fell short in its quest for an unprecedented 16th consecutive national title. Winners of 25 of the first 27 national championships ever contested, including each of the last 15, MU wound up in third place overall, 20 strokes behind Mary Hardin-Baylor. Senior Jenny Sullivan was the top Monarch finisher, taking home fourth place individually with a four-day score of 304. Junior Loretta Giovannettone joined her in the Top 10 with a seventh-place finish with a four-round total of 312. Sullivan was named a First Team All-America and junior Kelsie Carralero garnered Honorable Mention All-America laurels. The duo also earned All-Region accolades, as did Giovannettone and senior Andrea Daly. Head Coach Tom Inczauskis was named the Regional Coach of the Year for the second time in as many seasons.
Track and Field The final Methodist team to appear in the NCAAs was the men’s track team, as Reggie Scales qualified for the National Championships in the 100m dash. Seeded 12th entering the event, Scales’ time of 10.83 in the preliminary rounds did not qualify him for the finals and capped the Monarchs’ season, the first under first-year head coach Roland Whiting. At the Mason-Dixon Conference Championships, the MU women’s team, led by a pair of event wins by Bria Wilson, captured seventh place, while the men took home eighth place overall. Wilson won the 100m in a time of 12.27 to edge Zakiyyah Richardson of Gwynedd-Mercy by .02 seconds. In the long jump, she posted a mark of 5.58 meters (18’3.75”) to win by nearly a full foot over Danielle Crowley of CNU. On the men’s side, Donte Smith recorded a third-place finish in the 400m with a time of 49.24.
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Men’s Tennis Not to be forgotten among the five Methodist teams that made the NCAAs was the men’s tennis team, which enjoyed a successful campaign of their own. The Monarchs opened their season by winning each of their first 16 matches, including 11 in 9-0 fashion. The win streak was snapped by nationally ranked N.C. Wesleyan the week before the USA South Tournament. MU opened USA South Tournament play with a 5-1 win over Ferrum before dropping a heartbreaking match, 5-4, to second-seeded CNU. The Captains’ Joey Manilla held off MU’s Greg Patterson, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-2, to break a 4-4 tie and send CNU into the finals, where the Captains would fall to N.C. Wesleyan. Six different Monarchs earned all-conference honors, including junior Duncan Miller, who was tabbed to the first team. Junior Greg Patterson and freshman Taylor Buchholz were each selected to the second team.
Softball The Methodist softball team finished the season at 2321 overall after playing a difficult early-season schedule that featured a host of nationally-ranked teams. Sitting at just 14-16 late in the season, the Monarchs won seven of their final 10 games entering the USA South Tournament, to grab the tourney’s No. 5 seed. After rain washed out the first day of postseason play, the Monarchs won two of three games on day two, including an 11-9 win over N.C. Wesleyan, to advance to the final day of play. Methodist’s tournament run came to an end with a 4-1 loss to No. 1 seed Ferrum. Lindsay Tippett was a second team all-conference selection. She finished the season hitting .364 and led the team with 32 RBIs and 14 doubles. She also added three home runs and scored 15 runs.
Women’s Lacrosse Finally, the women’s lacrosse team, which featured a roster with eight first-year players, struggled to a 1-11 finish. The Monarchs’ lone win of the season came in a 13-5 triumph over USA South foe N.C. Wesleyan. In that game, sophomore midfielder Cassie Walter tallied a career-best six goals and added four assists. At the conclusion of the season, sophomore midfielder Hope Motahari was named a Second Team All-USA South selection. She finished the season second on the team in scoring with 36 points on a team-best 32 goals with four assists. She also led the team in draw controls (39), groundballs (32) and caused turnovers (14).
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AThLeTiC CALendAr
Oct. 2
2:00 p.m. Women’s Soccer vs. N.C. Wesleyan
Oct. 2
4:00 p.m. Men’s Soccer vs. N.C. Wesleyan
Oct. 2
7:00 p.m. Women’s Volleyball vs. N.C. Wesleyan
Oct. 4-6
All day Women’s Tennis vs. MU invitational
Oct. 5
1:00 p.m. Football vs. Christopher Newport
Oct. 16
7:00 p.m. Women’s Volleyball vs. Ferrum
Oct. 19
2:00 p.m. Women’s Soccer vs. Mary Baldwin
Oct. 22
7:00 p.m. Women’s Volleyball vs. William Peace
Oct. 26
10:00 a.m. Women’s Volleyball vs. Maryville
Oct. 26
1:00 p.m. Women’s Soccer vs. LaGrange
Oct. 26
1:00 p.m. Football vs. LaGrange
Oct. 26
3:30 p.m. Men’s Soccer vs. LaGrange
Oct. 26
4:00 p.m. Women’s Volleyball vs. Covenant
Oct. 27
1:00 p.m. Women’s Soccer vs. Huntingdon
Oct. 27
3:30 p.m. Men’s Soccer vs. Huntingdon
Oct. 30
1:00 p.m. Women’s Soccer vs. Ferrum
Oct. 30
3:30 p.m. Men’s Soccer vs. Ferrum
Nov. 2 Nov. 2
TBA Men’s Soccer vs. USA South Quarterfinals TBA Women’s Soccer vs. TBA
Nov. 16
1:00 p.m. Football vs. N.C. Wesleyan
Nov. 23
2:00 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. Washington and Lee
Nov. 26
5:30 p.m. Men’s Basketball vs. Randolph
Nov. 26
7:30 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. Emory & Henry
Dec. 3
7:00 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. Lynchburg
Dec. 30
2:00 p.m. Men’s Basketball vs. Connecticut College
Dec. 31
2:00 p.m. Men’s Basketball vs. Messiah
Football games are $6 for general admission, and basketball games are $4 general admission. Both are free with an MU iD, or for children under 6. All other athletic events are free to attend. For more information on any of these events, visit mumonarchs.com.
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hALL oF FAMe indUCTees, TeAMs oF disTinCTion MU AThLeTiCs AnnoUnCes
The Methodist University Athletic Department has announced its 16th Hall of Fame class, with three former outstanding student-athletes being tabbed for inclusion. Additionally, the department announced plans to, beginning this year, honor “Teams of Distinction.” Former softball player and women’s golfer Lisa Wymer ’88, former baseball player Rodney Jones ’90, and former men’s golfer Brion McLaughlin ’00 make up the induction class of 2013. Wymer stands out as one of the most accomplished softball players to have ever played for the Monarchs. She was also a member of the women’s golf team and participated on the 1988 team that won the national championship. A three-time first team all-conference selection, she was also a Second Team All-America following her sophomore season, in which she led the country in wins (34) and was sixth in ERA (0.64). That year she set NCAA Division III marks for games pitched (48), complete games (45) and innings pitched (307.2), which all stand today. Wymer led the country in wins as a freshman, with 29, and is the Methodist and USA South career leader in the category with 87 wins (done in just three seasons), a number that also ranks 19th in NCAA Division III. Jones was a two-time All-America on the hill for the Monarchs, helping lead the team to four NCAA appearances, including a South Regional title in 1988. A two-year captain, he posted a career record of 33-5 (.868) while appearing in 46 games with 41 starts in four seasons. He never lost more than two games in a single season and posted three consecutive campaigns with nine wins. His 15 complete games are third best at Methodist, as are his 33 career wins. In 293.1 career innings, he struck out 190 and posted a career ERA of just 2.98.
McLaughlin was a standout golfer in a program rich in history. The 1997 NCAA Individual National Champion and National Freshman of the Year, he was a two-time All-America (’97, ’98) while also earning First Team All-USA South honors in 1998 and Second Team All-USA South accolades in 1997. He helped lead Methodist to four straight USA South conference titles, three NCAA Championships (’97, ’98, ’99), and an NCAA National Runnerup finish in 2000. In winning the Individual National Title as a freshman in 1997, he used a final-round score of 74 to post a four-day total of 297 and edge teammate Mike Adamson by a single stroke. The following year, he took third place individually with a four-round score of 285 to finish two strokes back of teammate, and fellow MU Hall of Fame inductee, Chad Collins. Teams of distinction The “Teams of Distinction” designation has been created to honor the many teams at Methodist that have distinguished themselves as special, with great performances at the conference, regional and national levels. Beginning in the fall of 2013, a permanent wall unit will hang in the Riddle Center recognizing teams that are selected. Nominations will close by June 1 for the following fall’s recognition and teams may be nominated at any time by contacting the athletic director or the sports information director. During the Hall of Fame Banquet at Homecoming this year, the following “Teams of Distinction” will be recognized: the Monarch Women’s Golf Team from 1986-1988; the Monarch Men’s Golf Team of 1990; the 1977 Baseball Team; and the Men’s Basketball Team of 1973, 1974, and 1975.
This year’s Hall of Fame induction Ceremony will take place in the Berns Student Center on Oct. 25, beginning at 6:30 p.m., sponsored by the Monarch Booster Club. Reservations are $25 per person, due by Oct. 20. For more information, contact Athletic Director Bob McEvoy at 910.630.7182.
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sTUdenT AThLeTes reCoGnized AT oPeninG ConvoCATion
This summer, the Methodist Department of Athletics announced its annual male and female Scholar Athletes of the Year, as well as honoring its top student-athlete of the year with the Mason Sykes Cup. Senior volleyball player Hayley Williams was the female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, while senior baseball player Tyler Younger was the male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The annual awards are given to the male and female varsity athletes with the highest GPA for the given academic year. The recipients must have been full-time students for both the fall and spring semesters and possess a GPA of at least 3.2. These students were recognized for their accomplishments during Opening Convocation in August. The Sykes Cup, named for former Methodist coach Mason Sykes, is awarded annually to the University’s top studentathlete, and was bestowed upon senior men’s golfer Mike Wesko. Based on outstanding athletic achievement, and a minimum grade-point average of 2.0, the Methodist coaching staff has chosen an annual winner every year since 1986. Younger Younger, a physical education major, wrapped up his senior season helping the Monarchs capture the USA South Tournament Championship and helped make the team’s 23rd appearance in the NCAA Tournament possible. Methodist finished the season with a final record of 25-22. A four-time USA South All-Academic Team honoree, as a well as a four-time Methodist Scholar-Athlete, Younger made 43 starts at first base and hit .275 with 32 runs scored and 29 runs driven in. He led the team with three triples and added eight doubles and a home run. A stellar fielder, he committed just two errors all season and finished with a fielding percentage of .994. The Monarchs finished the season by winning 17 of their final 24 games, including four straight in the USA South Tournament, before falling to Milsaps, 8-2, in the NCAA Tournament.
Wesko Wesko is the fifth men’s golfer to take home the award and the first since Adam Horton won the award in 2004. A two-time All-America and two-time USA South Player of the Year, Wesko helped lead the Monarchs to their second consecutive third-place finish at the NCAA Championships this spring, tying for seventh place individually. He shot a final-round 69 (-2) and finished with a scorecard of 71-70-81-69 for a four-day total of 291. The senior also tied for seventh place (78-75-72--225) at the USA South Championships as the Monarchs rallied on the third and final day to capture their 29th conference title by 11 shots over runner up Christopher Newport. He finished the season ranked third in the country with a stroke average of 72.3 and recorded three tournament wins and five Top 5 finishes among his six Top 10 finishes. Additionally, he finished his career as a four-time Methodist ScholarAthlete, a four-time member of the USA South Academic All-Conference Team, and a two-time National Golf Coaches Association Scholar All-America.
Williams An elementary education major, Williams was also a four-year member of the USA South All-Academic Team and a four-time Methodist Scholar-Athlete. She helped lead the volleyball team to a 16-12 record in 2012. She was fourth on the team with 166 kills with a hitting percentage of .206. Defensively, she led the team and finished sixth in the conference with 92 total blocks. For her career, Williams ranks second all-time at Methodist with 242 career blocks.
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Tom Austin, Methodist’s head baseball coach, received the Thomas R. and Elizabeth E. McLean Foundation’s annual Methodist University Coach of the Year Award this year. The award, in its fifth year, recognizes the top head coach in the Methodist athletic department as voted on by a committee of Methodist University faculty and staff. Austin joins previous winners Francie Barragan, Steve Conley, Duane Ross and Tom Inczauskis. Austin, who has led the baseball team since 1980, won the award for the first time after leading the team to a 25-2 record, its third USA South Conference Tournament title and its 23rd appearance in the NCAA Tournament. For his career, he is 1,032-457-9 (.692) and is among the all-time leaders in Division III in terms of all-time wins and winning percentage. He has never had a season below .500 in his career. His streak of consecutive seasons at .500 or better appeared in jeopardy early in the season. However, the Monarchs righted the ship and won nine of 12 games leading up to the USA South Conference Championships to get their record to 17-18. The Monarchs then stunned the league, becoming the first No. 6 seed to claim the tournament as they won four consecutive games, to claim their third USA South Tournament title and pull above .500 (21-18) for the first time since Feb. 27. Methodist won three of five games after the USA South Tournament while awaiting word on its NCAA Tournament destination to head into postseason play at 24-20. In the NCAA Tournament, the Monarchs opened regional play with a 4-3 win in 10 innings over Huntingdon. The Monarchs were eliminated from NCAA play with losses to Bridgewater and Milsaps, and finished the year at 25-22.
hALL oF FAMe GoLF ToUrnAMenT The 16th Annual Hall of Fame Golf Tournament was held June 21 at King’s Grant Golf and Country Club. The tournament winners were Howard Hudson ‘69, chair of the MU Athletic Booster Club; Vice President Rick Lowe; his son, Jacob Lowe; and Dan Murray.
The Lowdermilk winners of the Hall of Fame Golf Tournament are the top team with at least two MU graduates. This year’s Lowdermilk winners were, from left, Derrick Soellner ’10, ’11 MBA; Landon Bentham ’08, ’10 MBA; Sam Morrison ’09, ’10 MBA; and Joel Thomas ’10.
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By the Numbers
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ENROLLMENT FALL 2012
2,359 MU’s overall enrollment 977 MU’s residential enrollment 452 New freshmen enrollment 118 MU’s international student enrollment, with 106 living on campus
202 MU’s graduate student enrollment
Go Monarchs! 1 2 5 5
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USA SOUTh PLAyER OF ThE yEAR Mike Wesko (Men’s Golf) USA SOUTh cOAchES OF ThE yEAR Francie Barragan (Women’s Tennis) and Steve Conley (Men’s Golf) ALL-AMERIcANS Mike Wesko, Andrew Bateman and Jeff Wells (Men’s golf); and Jenny Sullivan and Kelsie Carralero (Women’s Golf) cONFERENcE chAMPIONShIPS Men’s Soccer, Baseball and Men’s Golf (USA South Tournament Chapionships); and Women’s Tennis (USA South Tournament Championship and USA South Regular Season Championship) NcAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANcES Men’s Soccer, Baseball, Women’s Tennis, Men’s Golf, Women’s Golf, and Men’s Outdoor Track and Field ALL-cONFERENcE WINNERS Football (13), Men’s Soccer (6), Women’s Soccer (1), Men’s Cross Country (1), Women’s Cross Country (1), Men’s Golf (5), Baseball (2), Men’s Basketball (1), Women’s Basketball (3), Softball (1), Men’s Tennis (6), Women’s Tennis (6), Volleyball (1), Women’s Lacrosse (1)
As the Annual Report of Donors reflects information from the 2012-2013 fiscal year, these figures are a review of the 2012-2013 scholastic year.
Engage. Enrich. Empower.
ALUMni neWs BirThs Brandy Helm Gluski ’03 and her husband, Michael Gluski Jr., welcomed their second child, Calvin Michael, on April 22, 2013. He was born at Healthpark Hospital in Fort Myers, Fla., at 8 a.m., weighed 8 lbs. 3 oz. and was 21 in. long. He was welcomed home by his very excited big brother, Trevor Michael, who is four years old. Brandy is still working in corporate retail with Chicos FAS Inc. as a senior allocator for the White House Black Market Outlet Division. Michael is a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial. All are happy and healthy and residing in Fort Myers, Fla.
Rafael Bernaola ’07, ’09M and his wife welcomed a second child into their family May 28, daughter Stella Josefin. The family lives in Clarksville, Tenn.
MArriAGes Sonia Smith ’08 writes that she “married my best friend and the love of my life on Aug. 4, 2012. I am a proud grandmother of three-year old granddaughter Nikera and one-year old grandson Ayden.” Sonia and her family live in Fayetteville, N.C.
CLAss noTes Thomas Pope ’78 is the 2013 recipient of the Henry T. McLemore Award, given for outstanding lifetime achievement in motorsports journalism. The award was presented May 2 in Talladega, Ala., during the International Motorsports Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. Thomas joined the Fayetteville Observer sports staff in May 1978 and now serves as sports editor. He has won more than two dozen writing awards in National Motorsports Press Association contests, and received the George Cunningham Award in 1994 as the NMPA’s writer of the year. Pope is a co-author of three NASCAR-related books, including the biography of driver Davey Allison, and he also helped select the top 50 drivers in NASCAR and NHRA history. He is also a three-time recipient of the media award given by the International Hot Rod Association. Earlier this year, he received the Russ Catlin Motorsports Journalism Award of Excellence. Photo courtesy: Fayetteville Observer vickie Erben ’81(MU Education Department) graduated May 11 from St. Joseph’s University, earning a Master of Science in Special Education with a concentration in Wilson Reading. Dr. Michael J. Sundborg ’83 has joined the FirstHealth of the Carolinas cancer care team and is a gynecologic oncologist. Sundborg has an office at the Southern Pines Women’s Health Center in Pinehurst and provides chemotherapy infusion therapy at FirstHealth Outpatient Cancer Center. Sundborg
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served 33 years in the U.S. Army and has been chief of the department of obstetrics and gynecology, chief of the division of gynecologic oncology and director of medical education at Womack Army Medical Center. Terry E. Farr Sr. ’89 of Terry Farr Real Estate School was presented with the N.C. Real Estate Commission’s Billie J. Mercer Excellence in Education Award, given annually to recognize excellence in the field of real estate education. Farr was named Educator of the Year by the N.C. Real Estate Educators Association. Christopher Shaw ’94 is the new head women’s soccer coach at Barton College in Wilson, N.C. Chris, who spent the last four seasons as associate head coach at North Carolina State University, began at Barton July 1. Paul Knight ’94 has been hired as the new head baseball coach at Middle Georgia State College as the institution enters the first full year in Knights baseball. Knight brings to the MGSC program 11 years of experience as a head baseball coach at Lenoir-Rhyne University and Florida Tech, both in NCAA Division II. Before becoming a head coach he spent six years as an associate head coach at Wingate University and two years as graduate assistant with the University of Richmond, reaching the NCAA Regionals once with each program. Coach Knight graduated from Methodist in 1994 with a B.S. in computer science before earning his Master’s in sports management from The University of Richmond in 1996. As a player for Methodist, Knight was part of two NCAA Division III World Series Teams.
John O. Sandrock ’99 of Lillington was appointed to the N.C. Social Services Commission. He is the veterans’ services officer for Lee County Senior Services and is a retired master chief petty officer in the Navy. Mary Kinney ’00 has joined the advisory board for Methodist University’s Lura S. Tally Center for Leadership Development. Kinney is the marketing director for the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County. She graduated from Methodist University (then Methodist College) in 1999 and was the first recipient of the Lura S. Tally Award for Leadership Excellence, and she was named a Distinguished Graduate of the Leadership Program. Brenda vandervort ’00 is now working with Expedia Cruiseship Centers as an independent consultant. Expedia Cruiseship Centers is an extension of Expedia.com. While ECSC specializes in cruising, the company services all areas of travel, including: all-inclusive vacations, family vacations, destination weddings, honeymoons, Disney, and group travel. If you would like to contact Brenda for questions, or assistance with bookings, she can be reached at bvandervort@cruiseshipcenters.com, on her website at www.cruiseshipcenters.com/brendavandervort, or toll free at 855.730.8081. Jennifer Sturcken, P.A.’03, ’05M has joined Vita Medical Care Clinic as a certified physician assistant. She has served Fayetteville and local communities for nearly 10 years and is a lifelong resident of Fayetteville. Detective John Benazzi ’05, a decorated Fayetteville Police Officer, was honored May 16 for his efforts to help solve community issues. Detective Benazzi was presented with the Crystal Award during the department’s annual awards banquet at the Crown Expo Center. This was the inaugural presentation of the award, which recognizes an officer’s role in helping residents understand the function of the police and their role in making the community better. Benazzi is a detective with the Special Victims Unit and works primarily with victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. Matthew B. Seals ’05 of Rockingham, N.C., received the Master of Divinity degree, cum laude, from Hood Theological Seminary in Salisbury, N.C., on May 11. He is married to Leslie Seals. Rev. Seals is pastor of Pee Dee and Zion United Methodist Churches in Rockingham. Mike McEvoy ’07, safety engineer at Ashland, Inc.’s manufacturing facility in Texas City, Texas, recently received a “Best in Texas” safety award from the Texas Chemical Council and Association of Chemical Industry of Texas. The
annual award, which is the trade association’s highest honor, recognizes outstanding safety performance for facilities in four size categories. Ashland’s Texas City facility was named as the 2012 winner in the category for 610,200 employees. Mike graduated with the Occupational and Environmental Management degree. He is the son of the University’s director of athletics, Bob, and director of public affairs, Pam. Emily Brown ’09 achieved PGA CPP 2.0 certification in Golf Operations. Emily works at Olympia Fields Country Club, a private club outside Chicago in Olympia Fields, Ill. Matt Starr ’10, head golf professional at Meadow Links Golf Club in Cincinnati, Ohio, had an article on equipment evaluations published in the July 2013 issue of PGA Magazine. It can be accessed on page 34 at http://www. pgamagazinedigital.com/i/141233/38. Joshua Speight ’11 graduated from the MU PGA program and became a club pro, first at Hell’s Point in Virginia Beach, Va., and now at Viniterra in New Kent, Va. He qualified to play in the PGA Professional National Championship at Sunriver Resort in Bend, Oregon June 22 with a field of 312 PGA club professionals who qualified in their sectional events. The event was televised by the Golf Channel. vanessa Latham ’11 began a Master of Science degree program this fall in Park and Resource Management at Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pa. Not even an opposing player hitting for the cycle could keep former Methodist University pitcher Chris Perry ’12 from earning his first victory at the Class A level. Perry allowed 3 runs on 5 hits with 6 strikeouts and a walk July 19 as the Peoria (Ill.) Chiefs held off the South Bend Silver Hawks 7-5 in a Midwest League game before 2,703 fans at Dozer Park in Peoria, Ill. It was Perry’s first appearance for the Chiefs in Peoria. Perry threw 93 pitches, of which 57 were strikes, in his second start for Peoria after being promoted earlier this month from short-season State College, Pa. Perry is 1-0 with a 2.25 earned-run average and 15 strikeouts in 12 innings with the Chiefs. He was 2-0 with a 1.61 ERA in four starts for State College. For the season, Perry is 3-0 with a 1.83 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings in six starts. Alysa Freeborough ’13 was accepted by the Fayetteville Police Department into the September 2013 police academy. Writes Alysa to her MU professors, “I wanted to take a moment and thank each of you for the knowledge and support that you have provided me. Each of you has played a crucial role in shaping me into the person I am today, and for that, I am grateful. Thank you all so much for everything!”
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(continued)
The Rev. Arnold Pope, who served as Dean of Students at Methodist from 1968 to 1982, was inducted into the 2013 Fayetteville Sports Hall of Fame. Dean Pope was a charter inductee into the N.C. Weightlifting Hall of Fame. He won 27 state and six Southern titles in the Open Division. In the Masters Division he won 11 consecutive National Championships and was inducted into the National Masters Weightlifting Hall of Fame in 1998. He still competes in the Masters Division and won additional national titles in 2011 and 2012. He was a high school football official for 43 seasons and officiated in the ACC for 11. He presently serves as supervisor of officials for the Southeast Football Officials Association. He also competed as a pro athlete in the Scottish Games and was the North American Caber Tossing Champion in 1976. In 1971, he was the first American to win a caber competition in Scotland. Dean Pope sends his fond remembrances to all his “sons and daughters” from his cherished years at Methodist University!
Correction: In the Spring 2013 issue, we incorrectly identified a photo of a PGM alumnus. Below is the correct photo of Thomas Hutton ’10.
40 Under Forty Methodist University joins the Fayetteville community in congratulating all 2013 “40 Under Forty” honorees, including Doris Jackson Munoz ’06, director of campus life, and Jasmine Coleman ’05. These signature people join the ranks of the past award winners listed below, all of whom have been connected with the University as partners, board members, alumni, or employees. Nichole Canady ’95 Kristin McCarthy ’96 ♦ Dr. Jason A. Williams ’98 (Raleigh) ♦ Lt. Matthew Hurley ♦ Kristie Meave ’11 MBA ♦ Charles Allen V ’11 MBA ♦ Francie Barragan ♦ TJ Jenkins, Former Foundation Board member ♦ Johnny Wilson ’99, Board of Visitors ♦ Wyatt Jenkins, Board of Visitors ♦
Methodist University was one of three universities hosting the first PGA Golf Management University Program Summer Experience this year. The mission of the PGA Golf Management University Program Summer Experience is to identify a diverse group of high school juniors and seniors interested in a career in golf and introduce them to the PGA of America’s Golf Management University Program by offering a meaningful and rewarding educational experience on the campus of one of the 20 PGA accredited university programs in the U.S. Alumni came back to campus to share their insight into the profession, including (from left to right): Andrew Shuck ’95, Head Golf Pro at the Charlotte Country Club, Charlotte, N.C.; Angelo “AJ” Catucci ’11, Assistant Pro at Pinehurst #6 in Pinehurst, N.C.; Jerry Hogge, Director of the PGA Management Program at MU; Kyle Ferra ’09, Assistant Pro at Carolina Country Club in Raleigh, N.C.; and Mike Krick ’92, Head Golf Professional at Carolina Trace Country Club in Sanford, N.C.
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Methodist University is proud to call all these honorees Monarchs as they continue to do their part in adopting a “culture of excellence” both on campus and within our community.
Frogland Jam 2013
Schedule for 2013-2014
MU ON THE MOvES!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013 Swansboro, N.C., Ribeyes in Cape Carteret
April 2014, TBA Fayetteville, N.C.
Monday, October 14, 2013 New York, N.Y. with Alumni, MU Accounting, and Campus Ministry mission team students during Fall Break
Tuesday, May 13, 2014 Greensboro, N.C. in conjunction with USA South Men’s Division III Golf Championships
Tuesday, November, 19, 2013 Raleigh, N.C. Wednesday, January 22, 2014 Orlando, Fla. Meet and Greet Reception during the PGA Show 4 to 6 p.m., Orlando Convention Center Thursday, January 23, 2014 West Palm Beach, Fla. February 2014, TBA Washington, D.C. Saturday and Sunday, March 1 and 2, 2014 Charlotte, N.C. in conjunction with the MU Chorale’s Spring Tour to Nashville, Tenn. The Spring Tour runs from February 28-March 5.
May 2014, TBA Richmond, Va. Thursday, June 12, 2014 NCCUMC Annual Conference in Greenville, NC June 2014, TBA Pinehurst, N.C., Alumni event during the U.S. Open Championship at Pinehurst, June 12-15, 2014 Saturday, June 21, 2014 Frogland Jam in Hampton Roads, Va.
For the most current information on upcoming MU on the Move! events, visit methodist.edu/alumni/onthemove.htm.
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Office of University Relations 5400 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 methodist.edu Address Service Requested
YOUR GIFT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
“I am proud of Methodist and I want it to shine.” - Rhyan Breen ‘07 Attorney Farris & Farris, PA
WHY I GIVE BACK ... “It was the people I encountered at Methodist that prepared me for my future and really made a difference in my life. I give back because I am proud of Methodist and I want it to shine. Thanks, Methodist, for giving me the tools to be successful after graduation.” By giving to Methodist you confirm that you value your degree. It also exemplifies the sense of pride and responsibility that all alumni share. Your gift is critical to help Methodist uphold its standard of excellence and provide an even better experience to the next generation of Monarchs.
Your gift, no matter the size, makes a difference!
MUFUND To make a gift, visit methodist.edu/giving or call 800.488.7110 ext.7200 or 910.630.7200
Inside back cover is in separate file: MU061-FALL 13_Cover mech.indd
Back cover is in separate file: MU061-FALL 13_Cover mech.indd