“Roanoke College thinks big, especially when trying to make improvements in the lives of students.” — President Michael C. Maxey
contents
ISSUE TWO | 2014
12 SPECIAL F EAT U RES
5 DEPA RT M ENTS 2
President’s Pen Board of Trustees
3 4 5
Snapshots We heard from you...
12
Crown Jewel
18 22
Family Affair
28
Roanoke Rising
The 155,000-square-foot Cregger Center, scheduled for completion in 2016, will have far-reaching impact on the College and community.
At Roanoke, parents are invaluable members of College family.
Good Reads Roanoke magazine profiles five alumni whose recently released books represent diverse literary styles and genres.
News about the Campaign for Roanoke College
College News • A bit of “Scandal” • Fintel Library facelift • Family Weekend!
30
Sports News • Susan Dunagan retires after impressive 33-year career. • New coaches
34
Alumni News • James Perry ’82 cares for our nation’s symbolic backyard. • A chat with Danae P. Foley ’92, new president of the Boston Alumni Chapter • Remembering artist Harriett Stokes ’35
46
Maroon Musings
22
“What I Want”
47
From the Archives SGA anniversary
48
RoaNotes Roanoke College, by the numbers
CONTACT US: Questions, comments and corrections may be sent to: Magazine Editor, Roanoke College Public Relations Office, 221 College Lane, Salem, VA 24153, or email rcmagazine@roanoke.edu
29 ON THE COVER: The special fold-out cover shows two renderings of the Cregger Center, a transformative project currently under construction on the northeast side of the main campus.
ROANOKE.EDU 1
president’spen Roanoke College Magazine
As you read this, construction is in full swing on the northeast end of campus where Bowman Hall once stood. I see it daily, and from your computer, cellphone or tablet, you, too, can watch the pouring of concrete and digging of dirt by clicking on a live webcam stream on the College website. (Go to http://tinyurl.com/mjha3tm.) Today, the mounds of earth outnumber the concrete foundation walls at the construction site, but make no mistake: The Cregger Center is taking shape. It’s exciting to envision the potential this project holds for the future of the College.
This dream of Morris Cregger, Donald Kerr, Nancy Mulheren, and many others, is, for all the right reasons, big enough.
This issue of Roanoke magazine shines the spotlight on the Cregger Center — from a fold-out cover to a sixpage story/photo feature that includes words from three individuals who have had a significant role in bringing the project from concept to construction: Morris Cregger ’64, Donald Kerr ’60 and Nancy Mulheren ’72. These alumni dreamed big. The result is a 155,000-square-foot complex — what will be “a jewel in the Roanoke Valley’s crown,” Kerr proudly says.
Editor Contributing Editors
Alumni News Archives Contributing Writers
Photography
Leslie Taylor Jenny Kincaid Boone ’01 Teresa Gereaux ’87 Linda Lindsay Linda Miller Jenny Kincaid Boone ’01 Karen Doss Bowman Ray Cox Sarah Cox Nan Johnson James Shell ’79 David Treadwell Brendan Bush Sam Dean Austin Giles Matt Modlin Natalee Waters
Design & Production
Mikula|Harris
Printing
Bison Printing
It could not happen without support from many people who share in the vision of these alumni and their belief in the importance of giving back to an institution that does much to mold lives. I am reminded of a comment made by award-winning journalist Byron Pitts, who spoke at the 2014 Associates Evening in October. Quoting NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, Pitts said: “If your dream only includes you, then your dream isn’t big enough.” This dream of Morris Cregger, Donald Kerr, Nancy Mulheren, and many other members of the College family, is, for all the right reasons, big enough. Go Maroons!
Roanoke College does not discriminate against students, employees or applicants on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, national or ethnic origin, disability or veteran status. Roanoke College Magazine is published twice a year by the Office of Public Relations for alumni, students, parents, staff and friends of Roanoke College. Editorial rights are reserved. Please address correspondence to: Editor, Roanoke College Magazine Roanoke College 221 College Lane Salem, VA 24153-3794 rcmagazine@roanoke.edu
Michael Creed Maxey
2014 – 2015 / board of trustees Mr. Morris M. Cregger, Jr. ’64, chairman Ms. Kathryn Snell Harkness ’73, vice chair The Reverend James F. Mauney, D.D., secretary Mr. Mark P. Noftsinger, treasurer Mr. Michael C. Maxey, president of the College Mr. Kenneth J. Belton, Sr. ’81 Dr. Paris D. Butler ’00 Ms. Pamela L. Cabalka ’76 Dr. M. Paul Capp ’52 Ms. Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo ’78
Mr. W. Morgan Churchman ’65 Mr. Malon W. Courts ’92 Mr. David L. Guy ’75 Mr. Michael P. Haley ’73 Ms. Judith B. Hall ’69 Mr. Richard S. Hathaway ’73 Ms. Peggy Fintel Horn ’78 Mr. Donald J. Kerr ’60 Mr. John E. Lang ’72 Mr. Patrick R. Leardo Mr. Shaun M. McConnon ’66
Mr. Olin R. Melchionna, Jr., Esq. Ms. Nancy B. Mulheren ’72 Mr. Diedrich D. Oglesbee, Jr. ’95 Mr. Roger A. Petersen ’81 The Reverend J. Christopher Price ’75 Mr. J. Tyler Pugh ’70 Mr. Dale C. Sarjeant ’75 The Reverend Dr. Theodore F. Schneider ’56 Mr. Frank V. Wisneski Jr. and Ms. Lynn Dale (Ex-officio, Co-Chairs of the Parent Leadership Council)
221 College Lane | Salem, VA 24153-3794 | www.roanoke.edu
College Switchboard..................................................(540) 375-2500 Admissions Local........................................................(540) 375-2270 Admissions Toll-free .................................................(800) 388-2276 Alumni/Parent Relations ..........................................(540) 375-2238 Alumni E-mail..................................................alumni@roanoke.edu Church Relations.........................................................(540) 375-2547 Colket Center................................................................(540) 378-5125 Intercollegiate Athletics.............................................(540) 375-2338 Olin Box Office .............................................................(540) 375-2333 ©2014 Roanoke College. All rights reserved. Roanoke College, Classic for Tomorrow and associated logos are trademarks of Roanoke College.
2 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
snapshots We The Kings brought their pop punk style of music to campus on Sept. 6 (top left, continuing clockwise). • Dr. William Hill, left, Roanoke College professor emeritus of Public Affairs, with Constitution Day speaker Dr. Gordon S. Wood, historian and professor emeritus at Brown University. • Adam Koski ’16 with a group of young students during May Term in India. • Hammer time at the R House build on Aug. 24. • Jennifer J. Wiseman, Ph.D., senior project scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope, discussed revelations of the Hubble at the Sept. 23 Crumley Lecture.
and I am third. Reading the “Doing Great Things” special feature in the most recent issue of Roanoke reminded me of that sign from so many years ago. Putting the needs of others before our own is indeed a worthy goal.
we heard fromyou L ETTER S , T WEE TS A N D POSTS
Thank you for profiling Roanoke alumni who are doing great things. It was a pleasure to read about them, and I hope they inspire many others to make a difference in the lives of others. I’m more thankful than ever that our son chose to attend Roanoke College. Martha Martin Locust Grove, Va.
“The profiles were most interesting and highlighted one of the most important aspects of the Roanoke experience — the involvement in the world beyond ourselves.”
Maggie Strakna @maggiestrakna
Commons @RoanokeCollege is seriously awesome. Chef Matt has been super helpful with my dietary restrictions and makes sure I have good food! Taylor Robertson @TayRob93
I’m so happy with how today went, and I’m so happy with how many students and faculty have reached out to me. I love @RoanokeCollege West End Center @WestEndCenter
Roanoke College tutors are always a big help during homework time!!! http://fb.me/1t03IHEny Breezy @SabbyMcIntyre
Had a great lunch with my sisters! #GammaSigDoesCommons @RoanokeCollege Thank you for being a place where I could find amazing community ^_^ Samantha Koberlein @Samantha Elayne
I love my new friends. I love my dorm. I love my RA. I love the food. I love the campus. I love everyone’s attitude. I love Roanoke College.
ELSEWHERE ON THE WEB “There is a certain stigma for women who speak their mind.”
DOING GREAT THINGS I want to commend you and your staff for the excellent spring issue. The profiles were most interesting and highlighted one of the most important aspects of the Roanoke experience — the involvement in the world beyond ourselves. The magazine had a good balance among all the various dimensions of Roanoke. Thanks for this reminder of what Roanoke College is all about. Luther Mauney ’60
When my husband was a seminary student, he told me about a sign in the office of one of his professors. It said simply “I am third.” When he asked about it, the professor explained that those words had guided his life for many years: God is first, my neighbor is second,
ON THE WEB Anita Turpin...was and always will be a hero of mine. You fought like a lion to secure a second internship for me at the CBS affiliate while I was a senior at Roanoke College. The fruit of your labor was a 12-year career in sports broadcasting that culminated in the genesis of Red Velocity, Inc, a production company that is filming in countries around the world. I would NOT be where I am today without you. I am grateful. Incredible professor, mentor and now friend. The brick and mortar of Roanoke College. Steve Mason ’91
Evelyn Clark ’15, who in August, was featured in MSNBC’s Women in Politics: College Edition. To read more, visit http://tinyurl.com/lb9dkgx and http://tinyurl.com/m6p2ntf
• Listen and watch RC students Sabrina McIntyre ’16 and Brittany Mossor ’16, sing an uplifting tune while working at the Roanoke Rescue Mission. http://youtu.be/R-cI-rcvXro
• Watch President Mike Maxey and wife Terri accept #ALSIceBucketChallenge and challenge freshmen, O Group leaders and Ken Garren ’62, president of Lynchburg College. https://vimeo.com/104322574
LindseyAnsbro
Roanoke College coach just called me for trackkkk #Pumped
We want to hear from you! Roanoke magazine welcomes letters and emails about what you read in this publication. Please mail letters to: Magazine Editor, Department of Public Relations, Roanoke College, 221 College Lane, Salem, VA 24153, or send an email to: rcmagazine@roanoke.edu. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and may be edited for style, clarity or content. Questions, comments and corrections may be mailed or emailed to the same mailing address and email address. Be sure to “like” us on Facebook.
4 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
“
collegenews Judy A. Smith, crisis management expert and inspiration for the TV series “Scandal,” was guest speaker at the Roanoke Regional Forum on Sept. 15.
“
A hint of “Scandal”
We all make
mistakes; we’re all human. It’s just that [my
clients’] stuff is a little more public.
”
THE PUBLIC KNOWS Judy A. Smith, the crisis management virtuoso who inspired ABC’s hit television series “Scandal,” for the household names that have sought her guidance in times of trouble. White House intern Monica Lewinsky, NFL quarterback Michael Vick, U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, NBA Champion Kobe Bryant, actor Wesley Snipes. Actually, about 95 percent of clientele at her crisis management firm, Smith & Company, “are on the corporate side,” lesserknown perhaps, but equally as mired in mess, she told a standing-room only crowd at the College-sponsored Roanoke Regional Forum on Sept. 15. “I can talk about crisis management for hours,” Smith said. “It’s my passion.” As her notoriety soared, so bubbled up the idea of a Shonda Rhimes-produced political thriller series based on Smith and the work of her firm. “Scandal” is a drama-enhanced, made-for-TV version of Smith’s life and work, with central character Olivia Pope surrounded
by a small team of employees (known to fans as “gladiators”). It is there that fact veers into fiction. For the most part. Fans are familiar with Olivia Pope’s penchant for relaxing with a glass of wine while lounging on the sofa in casual but comfortably chic clothing, a bowl of popcorn nearby. True to life, Smith said, maybe minus the chic loungewear. And Pope’s trademark white coat? That is all Smith. The truth is that Smith is a devout believer in the truth, and in helping people in times of crisis with truth-telling at the center of righting the wrongdoing in the public’s eye. When called upon to assist, the first thing Smith said she asks is “Can we help? Can we move the needle?” To do so, “we need the truth and we need the facts — not some of them but all of them,” she said. “The truth is helpful. We all make mistakes; we’re all human. It’s just that [my clients’] stuff is a little more public.”
BIO: NAME: Judy A. Smith EDUCATION: B.S., Boston University; J.D., Washington College of Law, American University WORK HISTORY INCLUDES: associate counsel and deputy director of public information in the Office of the Independent counsel, Lawrence E. Walsh; assistant U.S. attorney and special counsel to the U.S. Attorney of the District of Columbia; special assistant and deputy press secretary to President George H. W. Bush; senior vice-president of corporate communications, NBC. Currently: Founder and president of Smith & Company; Co-executive producer of ABC’s “Scandal.”
—Leslie Taylor ROANOKE.EDU 5
collegenews BEST IN CLASS
QUANTITATIVE REASONING
Professor wins econ teaching award
RC professor part of team awarded NSF grant
Dr. Michael Enz at the Economics Teaching Conference.
DR. MICHAEL ENZ, visiting assistant professor in business administration and economics at Roanoke College, has received the first-place 2014 Economist Educators Best in Class Teaching Award. The award is sponsored by Cengage Learning, a global education company, and the National Economics Teaching Association. The award was created as a way to recognize exceptional economics teachers. Current and past winners have demonstrated innovative ways to engage and inspire students in their economics coursework. This year’s winners were chosen by NETA from numerous submissions. Enz’s winning entry, titled “Self Grading,” was about a grading exercise, called “GradeIt,” that he has incorporated into his classes. “Over the years, I have noticed that students have a difficult time adapting to my testing style and learning how to study for an exam,” Enz said. “This year I decided to have the students work the grading process on their own, prior to receiving a graded exam. I knew that students would have to take the time to read the answer key, understand the correct answer, then identify how their answer measured up to the correct answer.” Enz, who first incorporated GradeIt this year, said it has given students a good idea of how he tests and grades, removed some of the anxiety students might feel when getting a test back, and has brought some students good feelings about getting their exams back “because they did better than they had thought.” “As for how it has helped me, any time students are better prepared for the next exam, I am better off,” Enz said. Enz and the second- and third-place winners each received cash awards — one for themselves and one for their department — in addition to a trip to the 2014 Economics Teaching Conference Nov. 6 and 7 in San Diego, Calif. To see the video portion of Dr. Enz’s award entry, visit http://tinyurl.com/p2goloa. 6 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
DR. DOROTHYBELLE POLI, associate professor of biology at Roanoke College, has been awarded, with collaborators from five other colleges and universities, a $2.9 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant will be used to promote and facilitate the use of math in the biology classroom. Poli will be working on the design, promotion and use of a central online hub for biologists and mathematicians to collaborate to improve students’ understanding of quantitative reasoning. “Quantitative skills are among the core competencies for career success in the biological sciences,” Poli says. “Unfortunately, the widespread incorporation of quantitative skills in biology has been slowed by poor communications among quantitative biology educators and an academic reward system that places less value on better teaching than on traditional research.” That is about to change if this collaboration of educators — QUBES (Quantitative Undergraduate Biology Education and Synthesis) — has any say in the matter, says Poli. The collaboration includes Poli and educators from the University of WisconsinMadison, University of Pittsburgh, The College of William and Mary, Radford University and Unity College. “The QUBES team is optimistic that by making it easier for people involved in math-biology education to interact, QUBES will encourage faculty to create new ways of increasing math literacy in undergraduate biology training,” Poli says. Poli has been teaching at Roanoke College since 2006. She teaches botany, general biology, cell biology, plant diversity, and evolution. Her research interests range from paleobotany to plant physiology. She is also a research associate with the Virginia Museum of Natural History. Poli is well suited to helping faculty from different disciplines work together. In 2012, she was one of the authors on a paper published in American Biology Teacher, a professional journal designed to support the teaching of biology and life science. “Drawing on Popular Culture: Using Tattooing to Introduce Biological Concepts” was published with professors from other academic departments: Dr. Matthew Rearick, associate professor of health and human performance, and Dr. Matt Fleenor, associate professor of physics.
“Quantitative skills are among the core competencies for career success in the biological sciences.”
Dr. DorothyBelle Poli, co-recipient of a $2.9 million National Science Foundation grant.
collegenews AROUND THE QUAD
CABINET POST
New student affairs VP joins staff IN AUGUST, Roanoke College welcomed Aaron L. Fetrow as the new vice president of student affairs. Fetrow, former vice president of student affairs and dean of students at Guilford College in North Carolina, was selected from a national applicant pool of more than 160 candidates. At Roanoke, Fetrow’s responsibilities will closely mirror those he had at Guilford. He will oversee the College’s services to students, including residence life, campus safety, student activities, Greek social organizations, student health, counseling and athletics. Fetrow succeeds Dr. Eugene Zdziarski, who left Roanoke in June to take a position as vice president of student affairs at DePaul University in Chicago. Fetrow has presented at numerous conferences and workshops in the past on topics such as crisis management, media relations, FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) and other legal issues in higher education. He is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, the Association for Student Conduct Administrators and the American Bar Association. Previously, Fetrow was an employment law attorney with the Indianabased law firm Baker & Daniels. He earned a J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2003, a master’s degree in history from Truman State University in 1997 and a bachelor’s degree history from
Aaron Fetrow at the Parent Leadership Council breakfast during Family Weekend.
Manchester College (Indiana) in 1994. In addition to his experience at Guilford, Fetrow worked in student affairs at Truman State University and at the University of Tennessee.
STUDENT NEWS
RC student receives Rotary scholarship JESSICA COMPTON ’15 has received the Rotary Skelton/Jones Scholarship. The prestigious scholarship, offered by Rotary — a service organization with programs that span the globe — funds a year of graduate study abroad at a university of Compton’s choice. Compton, a Literary Studies major from Mount Pleasant, S.C., is considering graduate schools in Australia. She plans to earn a master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language. Compton is the first Roanoke student to receive the competitive scholarship, worth $30,000.
student organizations, including College Democrats, LAMBDA Gay-Straight Alliance and the Public Affairs Society. What she told MSNBC: “I think it’s difficult being a female leader anywhere in the world. There is a certain stigma for women who speak their mind and stand up for their beliefs. It is a complicated balance trying to keep everyone in a group happy, especially at a small school where we cooperate so much with the other political groups. My greatest challenge would be encouraging other women to get involved and take on leadership positions.” Her dream job? To serve as the first woman governor of Virginia, Clark told MSNBC.
Senior featured in MSNBC.com series EVELYN CLARK ’15 was among students profiled in MSNBC’s online series “Women in Politics College Edition.” The ongoing series highlights promising women leaders in student government on college and university campuses across the country. Clark, a Martinsville, Va., native, is majoring in political science and minoring in French, with a concentration in gender and women’s studies. At Roanoke, she also is involved in numerous ROANOKE.EDU 7
collegenews AROUND THE QUAD
CHANGING SPACES
New look for library main floor
FINTEL LIBRARY ushered in the fall semester with a main floor renovation — a sprucing-up that includes new seating, better lighting and improved technology. Changes to the library became necessary after increased traffic began to flow through the library’s front doors, a result of the January 2013 opening of CUPS on Campus cafe just inside the library entrance. “The library became stickier,” said Stan Umberger, director of the library. “The Roanoke College community began congregating, working and conversing as a collective unit. It was new activity that we had never seen.” The upgraded space includes expanded seating in the CUPS area, specific zones for learning, up-to-date technology, and new carpet, paint
and lighting. Custom-designed cases for recently published books and periodicals were installed, as were a large whiteboard wall and television monitor. The Lending Services area was redesigned and now includes a small collection of frequently used reference publications.
Other changes include: • A new Collaboration Zone, replacing the former computer stations. • A computer area called the Information Commons, which houses large tables and computer pods. The area includes a laptop counter with elevated seating, along with a printing station. • A Focused Study Zone that features traditional seating and diner-style booths.
WRITTEN WORD
Authors educate, entertain, inspire ROANOKE COLLEGE has been awash with authors this fall. Beth Macy, author of New York Times bestseller “Factory Man,” visited campus Oct. 1 to relay the colorful story of furniture factory owner John Bassett III, first with a small group of students and again with an audience that packed the Olin Theater. Macy’s visit came several weeks after the announcement that actor Tom Hanks and his production company, Playtone, will produce a miniseries for HBO based on the book. Howland Blackiston ’73, author of “Beekeeping for Dummies,” came to campus Sept. 29 (his first time back on campus since graduating) to talk about the beloved but endangered honeybee. Blackiston, co-owner of a Connecticut-based retail consulting and design firm, discussed the threat to “30 percent of everything we eat” because of the decline in bee population. Sukey Forbes ’87, visited campus on Oct. 20 to discuss the memoir she authored, “The Angel in My Pocket,” after the death of her middle child, Charlotte, who died in 2004 of malignant hyperthermia, a rare genetic disorder. Forbes wrote the memoir to help others who are grieving and seeking support. Turn to page 22 to read more about Sukey Forbes and other alumni authors.
8 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
Author Beth Macy, right, at the “Factory Man” book-signing following her Oct. 1 talk at Olin Theater.
collegenews AROUND THE QUAD
LIFELONG LEARNING
Elderscholar program marks 30th year ROANOKE COLLEGE’S Elderscholar program, an on-campus educational series of events aimed at adults older than 55, celebrated its 30th anniversary on May 21 in the Olin Hall Gallery. For three decades, Elderscholar has been among the most visible and popular examples of Roanoke College’s commitment to providing educational opportunities to Roanoke-area retirees. Each fall and spring, Elderscholar participants come to campus to hear weekly lectures given by members of Roanoke’s faculty and enjoy food and fellowship in the College’s Sutton Commons. Elderscholar began in 1984 as a spin-off of Elderhostel, a worldwide study and travel program for seniors. Since then, participation has increased from an inaugural class of 17 people to two semester-long programs per year, each with about 170 participants. In addition to its signature lecture series program, Elderscholar has organized book discussions and travel programs. An adventure component is its newest addition, with outdoor trips for the young at heart.
From left to right, Laura Morales, Hugh Scruggs and Margaret Klapperich at the Elderscholar 30th Anniversary celebration May 21.
For more information on the Elderscholar program: Contact the Office of Community Programs and Special Events at (540) 375-2323.
CANNED ART
College competes in Canstruction THEY CALLED IT “TWO CAN SPAM”— a giant can of Spam more than 6 feet tall and nearly 3.5 feet wide, with an accompanying toucan bird standing 2 feet, 6 inches tall. Two Can, made entirely of cans of food, was the tongue-in-cheek creation of a team of Roanoke College students, faculty and staff who participated in this year’s Canstruction Southwest Virginia competition on Nov. 6. The College competed against eight other teams from across the region, representing architecture, engineering and construction firms, high schools, and other colleges. The Roanoke College team designed the Two Can sculpture using more than 1,000 food cans with label colors similar to those of the Spam can — specifically, the can that shows a slice of the processed meat product on a sesame seed bun, layered with onions, tomato, cheese and lettuce. The sculpture was created at the Taubman, along with other cansculptures, during a 12-hour building blitz that began around noon and ended at midnight. Collection bins for canned food donations were placed inside the Taubman throughout the Canstruction exhibit. When the exhibit closed, cansculptures were dismantled and all cans were given to the Feeding America Southwest Virginia food bank for distribution throughout the region. To view a time-lapse video of Two Can Spam’s creation, visit www.roanoke.edu.
ROANOKE.EDU 9
Y L I FAM
D N E K E E W BY
IN G I T S U A ND
LES
t, TERS A A perimen W x e y E r t E is m NATAL ic of Che in a Mag
PHOTOS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
art le take p nd highlight. p o e Dining p g ter and eeke Youn n W e y C il t e m r Fa the Colk Marcus Trio. a regula ored by s nny n o p s , ad y the Le u b t ial Q n e e h t m n the Offic t a g Friday o atured entertain in r ss 16. , fe ys her cla s of 2015 and 20 la p is Services d lasse roudly ith ’16 p embers of the c m S . D a ncil Rebecc ony, held for m hip Cou s r e d a m e e rent L Ring Cer at the Pa n io it n g rent reco an Grandpa , makes le t it B . n a as Louis Receptio dressed r. , 6 ’1 w acon al Tou h Bigelo dolph-M Meredit e on the Historic n a R t s nc h again appeara cer matc con 1-0. c o S ’s n a e at the M ed Randolph-M s r o t ta c riting pp Spe reative W roons to C a e M h . t e t g Colle ctions a ing sele ding. it r w d e r n Rea s sha Student oetry and Fictio P s’ Student
4 1 0 2
CROWN JEWEL CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON THE SITE OF THE OLD BOWMAN HALL, THE CREGGER CENTER WILL SERVE AS A SETTING FOR WHAT ROANOKE DOES BEST — EDUCATING THE MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT. B Y
N A N
J O H N S O N
rom Sutton Commons and the Colket Center, to Kerr Stadium and Fintel Library, physical improvements on the Roanoke College campus have always symbolized unity and tradition in a way that is indelibly etched in the minds of students and neighboring Roanoke Valley residents. The Cregger Center represents the latest in a long line of Roanoke College responses to the needs of its students, bringing together academics, athletics and recreation under one roof. “Roanoke College thinks big, especially when trying to make improvements in the lives of students while they’re here,” says Roanoke College President Michael Maxey. Thinking big is just what Morris Cregger ’64, Board of Trustees chair, was doing when it occurred to him, with the Bast Center long outgrown, that Roanoke College didn’t have a student activity hub. After thinking about it and meeting with fellow board members, the discussion turned to constructing a new building rather than renovate existing spaces. “We saw a need and I saw a fit for what I wanted to do for the school,” Cregger says. “I hope it’s going to be
F
ROANOKE.EDU 13
The construction site, from stadium view, and at right, the finished product. Below, left to right: The gallery; Morris Cregger ’64, Board of Trustees chair and the man for whom the Cregger Center is named; the Kerr-Cregger Field House; Nancy Mulheren ’72, who has been hands-on in the development of landscaping and hardscaping; Dr. John Creasy, associate professor and chair of the Health and Human Performance Department.
a gathering point for students.” Mulheren, a Board member, announced a $25 million pledge Cregger wasn’t the only alumnus or alumna to recognize the from the Mulheren family to the College — the largest gift in need. During Alumni Weekend this past April, he and fellow the College’s history. Of that pledge, $4 million is for the Maroons Hall of Famer Donald Kerr Cregger Center, to be used for land’60, announced a joint $5 million scaping, hardscaping — such as gift toward construction of the lampposts — and interior design. Cregger Center’s Field House. “I’ve really been hands-on in the “We hadn’t had any new facilities development of all the landscaping in quite a while and we thought [the and hardscaping,” says Mulheren, Cregger Center] was something we who co-chairs the Board of Trustees’ Building and Grounds Committee. really needed to do to stay competi— MORRIS CR EGGER ’ 64 “That has been my push: Improving tive with other schools,” says Kerr, the look of the campus.” also a Board of Trustees member. “In order to make it happen, Mulheren emphasizes that her Cregger Center involvewe needed others to step up like Morris did.” Nancy Mulheren ’72 already had done just that. When ment has not been with the physical layout, where the Roanoke launched its Roanoke Rising campaign in 2013, classrooms and locker rooms will be located, for example.
“I OWE THIS TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE SCHOOL. I WANT OTHER PEOPLE TO HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES THAT I HAD.”
14 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
“I’m more concerned with making sure the finished prodevent seating space for 3,500 and a 200-meter indoor track, uct blends with the rest of campus — and the surrounding the only one of its kind in the Roanoke Valley. The center community,” she says. “And I really want to make certain that currently is under construction at the peak of Peery Drive on the landscape for the front and back the site of the old Bowman Hall. of the building is equally attractive. “These new facilities are going to It has become necessary to totally be the best in the region by far,” says rework what has become the main Dr. John Creasy, associate professor entrance to the College off and chair of the Health and Human Thompson Memorial, and also Performance Department. “I’m most develop a new ‘athletic quad’ at the excited about the opportunity for back of the new Cregger Center.” students to have a multitude of — D R. JOH N CREASY The 155,000-square-foot complex activities under one roof. It provides is multifaceted and features classrooms, offices, meeting space we don’t currently have and allows us to be inside and spaces, a performance gym with a 2,500-seat capacity, a very active during times of inclement weather.” fitness center, an athletic training room, and in the field The Cregger Center isn’t for athletes only. That’s a misconhouse — to be named the Kerr-Cregger Field House — ception Creasy would like to correct.
“IT’S UNBELIEVABLE. THIS ISN’T AN ATHLETIC BUILDING, IT’S A ROANOKE COLLEGE BUILDING AND A COMMUNITY CENTER.”
ROANOKE.EDU 15
The 155,000-square-foot complex will feature offices, meeting spaces and, as seen here, classrooms.
“It’s for all students in the community. The new basketball floors, inside activity space, the track and new science labs are all on the same floor as the classrooms. Rather than trying to locate classes where campus space is available, we designed what we needed for our students,” Creasy says. “Those studying health and human performance will have the opportunity to apply theories learned in the same space.” The new center already is a tremendous recruiting tool even before it opens, as Creasy and others share renderings with prospective students. The impact, however, isn’t limited to the College itself. The Salem community, the Roanoke Valley and points across the commonwealth and the region will feel the impact. “We’re very excited about the Cregger Center at Roanoke College because it adds additional sports marketing opportunities for the area,” explains Carey Harveycutter, director of tourism for the City of — D ONALD Salem. “We’ve already had preliminary discussions about having high school track meets there, and we’re becoming more involved with the NCAA regionals track meets. It opens up the Valley for more athletic events.” The reaction, he says, has been very positive within the sporting community and beyond. “The field is wide open for what could be done with a variety of sports. With state-ofthe-art timing and high-quality surfaces, it’s going to be a great tool to attract additional sports to the Valley.” As an academic and social event venue, the new center will give Roanoke College a chance to engage with its surround-
ing community like never before. “It will accomplish a lot of good,” President Maxey says. “It expands our cultural and intellectual reach and will become the location for large public lectures and events, including our convocation. It gives us the chance to vastly expand our cultural programming.” The Cregger Center evolved out of a need and a vision for what could be done to make a wonderful campus even better; it also came from a need to give back. “You go through life and a lot of meaningful things happen to you that you take for granted,” Morris Cregger says. “This is my way of honoring all of the people who helped mold my life and pick me up when I took the wrong road and expected nothing in return. I took it for granted. But if they had not been there and taken the time with me, I would not be here today.” “Throughout my life, my parents, coaches, teachers, friends, business KERR ’ 60 associates and teammates have blessed my life in so many ways,” Cregger says. “I owe this to the community and to the school. I want other people to have the same opportunities that I had.” Kerr has the same devotion to the project. “When Morris and I started talking about the need for a student center with multiple uses, including athletics, we agreed we were going to do this the right way, and not cut corners,” Kerr says. “It really is a jewel in the crown.” RC
THE CREGGER CENTER “IS GOING TO BE THE JEWEL IN ROANOKE VALLEY’S CROWN.”
16 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
RESIDENCE HALL WAS HOME TO THOUSANDS uch of Stefanie Seslar’s Roanoke College experience is defined by the place she called home for three years — Bowman Hall. “It was the epicenter of Greek life,” said Seslar ‘03, who was president of the Delta Gamma sorority. “Living in the [Delta Gamma] quad as a sophomore, a whole new world opened up for all of us.” Similarly, years spent living and bonding with other students in Bowman’s basement led to deep friendships for Will Farmer ’02 and the forming of a group that eventually became a Roanoke fraternity that is active today. Farmer and Seslar are just two of the thousands of Roanoke students who have made homes within Bowman’s walls since the residence hall opened in The wrecking ball strikes at the Bowman demolition ceremony on June 26. 1965. The three-story structure on High Street, with rooms organized in a quad-style living space, across campus to the building on Bids Day, the day she was built on land given to Roanoke by Alpheus joined Delta Gamma. Bowman Jr. ’1906, a longtime member of the Roanoke Bowman’s location was convenient to many parts of College Board of Trustees. The hall bears his name. campus, including the Sutton Commons, she said. And The campus bid adieu to the storied building in June, she enjoyed the building’s sorority life culture. demolished to make way for the 155,000-square-foot Farmer was a resident advisor in Bowman’s basement Cregger Center. from 1999 to 2001. He and about 18 male students who When Bowman opened 49 years ago, it was considlived there formed a tight bond that led to the creation of ered a state-of-the-art residence hall. Its layout featured the Independent Brothers of Roanoke College, which six or seven rooms arranged around a central lounge area eventually became the Phi chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha. that connected to an adjoining quad with a community The chapter had been active at Roanoke from 1896 to bathroom. Two students lived in each room. 1909. Bowman’s design was unique compared to Roanoke’s “Many of the friendships I developed living in the older campus living spaces. Bowman students felt that basement have stuck with me through the years,” said they lived in small neighborhoods throughout the buildFarmer, now an auctioneer and general manager at ing, said Tess Blethyn, director of residence life and Farmer Auctions in Salem. housing at Roanoke. Bowman won’t be entirely forgotten after its razing. Bowman initially was an all-male dormitory, but later, Materials from the building will be recycled and used for its top three floors housed females while its basement ground leveling at Roanoke’s nearby Elizabeth Campus. rooms were reserved for men. For years, Bowman also Also, some of Bowman’s furniture will be used in other housed Roanoke’s sororities — Delta Gamma, Chi campus buildings. In addition, the hall’s brick pavers will Omega and Phi Mu — on each floor. be reused at the planned Cregger Center. Bowman has had other purposes through the years. Farmer said Bowman’s demolition is bittersweet. The College’s Campus Safety office was located on the “While I am sad to see Bowman Hall go, the progress building’s first floor, until it moved to a new location on of the College is exciting, and I hope this new chapter College Avenue earlier this year. Also, there was a dance builds on the success of the past,” he said. studio in Bowman’s basement. Watch Cregger Center construction progress at Looking back on her Bowman days, Seslar, now direchttp://webapps.roanoke.edu/cregger/newhall.cfm. tor of alumni relations at Albertus Magnus College in Connecticut, recalled her excitement when she walked — JENNY KINCAID BOONE ’01
M
ROANOKE.EDU 17
FamilY A F FA I R Parent Engagement at Roanoke Parental involvement is well documented as increasing on college campuses across the country, often referenced in the context of the “Helicopter Parent.� But at Roanoke, parents are invaluable members of College family, playing a crucial role in shaping the college experience for students. BY KAREN DOSS BOWMAN
AFTER A SERIOUS BIKING ACCIDENT sent Ryan Glascott ’16 to a local emergency room last October, his parents Jim and Deirdre Glascott rushed from their home in Bedford, N.Y., to be with him. When they arrived several hours later, they were surprised and heartened to find his fraternity brothers at the hospital, rallying to support their friend. And they were even more encouraged when Roanoke College President Michael Maxey dropped by the hospital to check on Ryan. “It was just this incredibly warm and nurturing feeling we got when we arrived at the ER and found everybody to be just as concerned about Ryan as we were,” Deirdre Glascott says. “Roanoke is really a super special place.” Jim Glascott adds: “We almost feel like we’re part of a family. It gives me comfort knowing that not only is my son getting a great education, but he’s in a place where people care about him.” That positive experience is just one of many reasons the Glascotts enthusiastically support Roanoke College. As members of the Parent Leadership Council (PLC), the Glascotts feel they are able to bolster their son’s academic experience at Roanoke by offering feedback about Ryan’s college experience and by assisting with recruitment events in their hometown. >>>
“
It gives me comfort knowing that not only is my son getting a great education, but he’s in a place where people care about him. — jim glascott
”
Jim and Deirdre Glascott, with sons Ryan ’16 and Colin, during Family Weekend 2013.
ROANOKE.EDU 19
“If we didn’t believe in the school so much, we wouldn’t take the time to do these kinds of things,” Jim Glascott says. Parent support and involvement is strong at Roanoke. The PLC — which engages parents through volunteer programs, communications and special events, and other leadership roles — includes the families of nearly 40 students and represents the geographic demographic of the student body and all class years. The group meets twice a year, where members are informed about the College’s activities, policies, programs, concerns and plans for future development. In return, these parents are a valuable sounding board for College officials, providing observations and suggestions about the College’s programs, plans and student life matters. But serving on the PLC isn’t the only option for parent involvement at Roanoke. President Maxey shares updates about the College with all parents during presentations at Family Weekend and through other
communications. Many parents have been instrumental in setting up internships for students or helping them find jobs after graduation. Others, like the Glascotts, are advocates for Roanoke, boosting admissions efforts by talking to the parents of prospective students about their own positive impressions of the College. “Those are valuable ways every parent can contribute to Roanoke,” Maxey says. “In doing so, they help shape our admissions for the future. Parents also are in a unique position to compare us to other institutions — to share ideas from other places. That’s a valuable service parents can provide. They can give reactions to things we do to help us make the College better and stronger.”
A Family Feel When Frank Wisneski and Lynn Dale, of Boston, brought their daughter Sarah Elizabeth Dale ’15 to Roanoke, they were impressed with the level of connection their
“
Sarah talks about chatting with President Maxey at the gym, when they’re running on treadmills next to each other. He’s very present on the campus. — lynn dale
Frank Wisneski and Lynn Dale are the parents of Sarah Elizabeth Dale ’15.
20 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
”
entire family felt with Roanoke. They believed that Sarah, now a senior, would thrive in the close-knit environment. As co-chairs of the PLC, the couple have been pleasantly surprised to see how invested President Maxey is in the lives of the students and in every aspect of the College. “Sarah talks about chatting with President Maxey at the gym, when they’re running on treadmills next to each other,” Dale says. “He’s very present on the campus, and he and Mrs. Maxey really want to know the students personally. That’s been important for us.” The couple, who have hosted receptions for accepted students and their parents in their home, feel it’s important to give back to the campus community that has so enriched their daughter’s life. “Anytime you can do that, whether through monetary gifts or by providing other services, you are helping to shape and enhance the value of the educational experience at Roanoke,” Dale says. “We also feel like we have the opportunity to set an example for our daughter of what it means to be a contributor and not a taker. It’s a way to show that we care about her and that her College matters to us.” Wisneski adds: “It’s also a way we can help protect the financial investment we’re making into her college education. Parents can help make sure that the Roanoke College their kids leave is a better place.” PLC members also take on an active role in helping the College reach its annual fund-raising goal through leadership gifts and by encouraging other parents to give to the Roanoke Fund. Over the years, PLC members have established various challenge gifts to foster a culture of philanthropy among all parents, as well as current students. “This chain of giving makes the
“
[We] have found it rewarding on lots of levels to help make our children’s schools the best places they can be and a good experience for everyone. — mimi coles
Mimi and Patton Coles are the parents of a 2014 RC graduate and a current freshman at the College.
College experience better for everyone,” Maxey says. “No one has ever paid the total cost to attend Roanoke. So when parents give back, it’s a nice way to express appreciation for others who gave in years past to make their child’s experience positive.” Patton and Mimi Coles, parents of Quint Coles ’14 and Jimmy Coles ’18, are Roanoke Valley co-chairs of the $200 million Roanoke Rising campaign. They believe parents have an important role to play in strengthening the College for the future. “We’ve been very involved with our children’s education from the time they were in elementary school,” Mimi Coles says. ‘We’ve enjoyed it, and have found it rewarding on lots of levels to help make our children’s schools the best places they can be and a good experience for everyone. When your child is happy and content, you’re happy and content as a parent.”
”
and the father of Patrick Leardo ’06, appreciates the openness and warmth of Roanoke’s staff and faculty. He finds their willingness to answer questions clearly and honestly a stark contrast to the larger institutions his other children have attended, where he has experienced
frustration when trying to resolve problems or address concerns. Pat Leardo, who makes an effort to cultivate good working relationships with all of the College’s top administrators, hopes to see Roanoke continue its rise in the college rankings and to achieve a national reputation among small, liberal arts colleges. He considers Roanoke one of the “best kept secrets” in the country and hopes that greater parent involvement can help Roanoke become more widely known, helping the College continue to carry out its mission. “If more parents became involved at Roanoke, they would have a much greater understanding of the students’ and the College’s needs,” says Leardo, chair of the board’s Finance Committee. “They’ll feel more connected and will really be blessed by the emphasis on close, personal relationships that is embedded in the culture of the College.” RC
“
If more parents became involved at Roanoke, they would have a much greater understanding of the students’ and the College’s needs.
MOVING FORWARD Pat Leardo, a member of the Roanoke College Board of Trustees
— pat leardo Pat Leardo, a member of the Roanoke Board of Trustees whose son Patrick is a 2006 graduate of Roanoke College.
” ROANOKE.EDU 21
Good From time to time, Roanoke magazine has included news about alumni who have had books published. But in the past year, the number seemed to swell, as did the variety in literary style and genre. On these pages are profiles of several alumni whose recently released books represent that diversity.
Presenting: Roanoke College alumni authors.
1
Angel in her pocket n the summer of 2004, Sukey Forbes ’87 had it all: a handsome and successful husband; three beautiful children; a comfortable lifestyle; and an impeccable family lineage. Her roots extended on her father’s side back to Ralph Waldo Emerson, the essayist, and John Murray Forbes, the business magnate. Her mother descended from the Saltonstalls, upstanding Boston Brahmins. Then life turned upside down. On Aug. 18, 2004, her 6-year-old daughter, Charlotte, died suddenly of malignant hyperthermia, a rare genetic disorder. Forbes was mired in unconsolable pain and grief in the weeks and months following the tragic loss of her middle child. What happened? How could a creature so lively, so dear, so herself, be here one day and gone the next? The Forbes family tendency to maintain stiff upper lips, even in the face of unspeakable tragedy, compounded and extended the grieving process. Forbes didn’t know what to feel or how to grieve or, on the most elemental level, how to get through the day. She felt guilty that she wasn’t able to be a good wife to her husband Michael or a good mother to her son Cabot, who was 8 when Charlotte died, or daughter Beatrice, who was 3. She felt guilty if she laughed. She’d lost her zest for life. On top of it all, she couldn’t accept that her daughter Charlotte was gone. Years later, Forbes decided to write a book about her daughter’s death to help other people who had experienced such a calamitous experience. She wanted to write a book with
I
22 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
a positive message, one that would show that there can be joy and life on the other side of grief. The following excerpt from Chapter One of her book. “Angel in My Pocket: A Story of Love, Loss and Life After Death,” conveys Forbes’ thoughts during the early stages of what she now calls the “AC” (“After Charlotte”) period. “She loved to run through the fields and see shapes in the clouds and catch snakes and turtles out by the lake. But she also loved princesses, and as she began to learn to read and write, most of the stories she composed were about her own variations on Snow White and Cinderella. I remember her, just days before she died, dancing through a neighbor’s garden, hopping about to taste each and every variety of arugula. I also remember her during berry-picking season. She’d just come back from a birthday party and was purple all over from making jam in the kitchen, but on top of the berry stains her face was painted like a tiger’s. “A fairy princess and a critter catcher. A tiger who made jam. A middle child who nonetheless ruled the roost. The mystery that haunted me during my first months without her was: What happened to all these contradictions? All this exuberance? What about all this joy? They say my daughter died, but where exactly did my daughter go?” As Forbes reflects on this time, she says, “I faced three stark choices: to die, to exist or to live. I couldn’t die because I had a husband and two kids to take care of. I didn’t want just to exist because that was a living death. I wanted to live. I wanted to get through the grief, but I couldn’t find a roadmap.” In trying to find a roadmap, Forbes read books about death and grieving and confided in friends and others who had lost a child. While in the searching process, a friend suggested that Forbes visit a medium. Filled with skepticism, Forbes attended a group session with the medium the friend had recommended, along with about 500 other people. At one point, the medium looked in Forbes’ direction, and said, “I’m getting a girl. She’s about 7 years old.
“
I wanted to add to the conversation about grief, whether it’s grieving about the death of a family member or about any severe loss.
Sukey Forbes
She died very suddenly. She has other siblings.” Forbes was stunned but still skeptical until the medium came over to her and described some things and events that she couldn’t possibly have known in advance. “I walked out of the auditorium weak-kneed and trembling, but also on a cushion of air,” Forbes said. “I was thinking, ‘OK, my daughter has come through and she’s OK. She’s more than OK; she’s been dead for seven months, and I think I just had a conversation with her!” Forbes acknowledges that talk of ghosts and the spirit world come naturally to her and the many members of the Forbes clan who’ve spent time on Naushon, the family’s island retreat off Cape Cod, for the last 150 years. As the book jacket notes, “The Forbes family archives hold records of ancestors who believed in reincarnation and studied mysticism, and apparitions have long been a familiar sight at their private island of Naushon.” Sukey Forbes stands today on the other side of grief, capable of laughter and joy, clear on her priorities, grateful for her blessings, optimistic about her future. In explaining her decision to write this memoir, Forbes says, “I wanted to add to the conversation about grief, whether it’s grieving about the death of a family member or about any severe loss. And I wanted to remind people to think about what’s really important in life.” — DAVID TREADWELL ROANOKE.EDU 23
2
Writing with pictures oel Gill ’01 has come full circle from his high school days of loving comic books. With an associate’s degree in graphic design from Virginia Western Community College, a B.A. in fine arts from Roanoke College, and an M.F.A. in painting from Boston University, he is now using comic-book style graphic art to tell stories about early African Americans. “Strange Fruit, Volume 1: Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History,” published in June by Fulcrum Publishing, is a collection of nine stories about unsung early civil rights heroes. Gill chose the book’s title to reflect the symbolism in “Strange Fruit”— the haunting song protesting racism in America, particularly lynchings — performed most famously by jazz singer Billie Holiday. “I was trying to say that I was in some ways freed from the fear that my father and grandfather had lived with,” explains Gill, who grew up in Southwest Virginia. “I also wanted to convey, however, that because the rope was still there, we still had a ways to go.” Gill, who is associate dean of student affairs and chair of the Arts Foundation at New Hampshire Institute of Art, says he chose his comic book style to illustrate “sometimes great and sometimes tragic” stories “of Joel Gill other people who were also able to cut the rope.” The comic illustrations have “the ability to tell stories and to do things that other mediums can’t do,” he says. “You can do things visually and play with the understanding of symbolism.” The impetus for the book was a comment made by a friend of Gill’s from Boston University. “He said my paintings were trying to tell a story and failing,” Gill recalls. He was considering doing a series of paint-
J
“
He told me I was doing the Lord’s work, and that was pretty amazing.
24 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
ings about lynchings as a metaphor about him living in the Northeast and being brought up in the South. He found the story of Henry “Box” Brown — a 19th-century Virginia slave who escaped to freedom by shipping himself to Philadelphia abolitionists in a wooden box — and began gathering other obscure stories. “The stories sort of evolved organically as people would tell me about them. They weren’t written for kids, but written because I thought they were interesting.” The comic style, he says, was not so much the best way to tell these stories, as it was the best way for him to tell them. “I had to figure out a way to draw it with dialogue,” he says. “I am more successful drawing comics than I was at painting.” The research came in many forms; most of the resources were regional. People passed them down to family or recorded them on paper. He found information in historical societies and even the National Cowboy Hall of Fame — this about Bass Reeves, born a slave in 1838. Reeves became one of the first black deputy U.S. marshals west of the Mississippi River and arrested more than 3,000 criminals. “Bass Reeves: Tales of the Talented Tenth,” due out in October of this year, is an extension of that short story. Gill’s collection of stories is also a statement that one month devoted to black history is not enough. “We talk about the idea that we have Black History Month, Gay Pride Month, etc., but why not be diverse all the time,” Gill asks “Ultimately, these stories are American history.” Famed author and Harvard professor Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. agreed so much with Gill that he wrote the foreword for the “Strange Fruit” book. “He told me I was doing the Lord’s work, and that was pretty amazing,” Gill says. Gates reflects in his foreword, “In his breakthrough graphic novel, gifted artist and storyteller Joel Gill paints for us a different kind of ‘Strange Fruit’: not the unspeakable crimes against humanity inflicted on black Americans throughout our history, but the unspoken heroes of our past, dangling outside an educational system, which, beyond highlighting the ‘greatest hits’ of Black History Month, leaves too many children to strive without steeping them in the stories of their ancestors who succeeded against the steepest of odds.” Says Gill of his life up to the present: “You start out doing things, and one thing leads to another. It’s hard to predict. I originally went to school for comics and fell in love with painting. It’s just kind of come full circle within the last 10 years.” — SARAH COX
3
Dream weaver ’ve always been obsessed with dreams,” says Mary Crockett Hill ’91 about the genesis of her new young-adult novel “Dream Boy.” “It seems a strange thing to me that we go to sleep at night and tell ourselves stories, and the stories we tell say some interesting things about ourselves,” says Hill, who co-authored the book with Madelyn Rosenberg, a Northern Virginia-based former newspaper reporter and journalism professor. “I thought it would be kind of cool to explore the idea of questioning what is and isn’t real in our dreams.” Hill, currently a senior lecturer in the Roanoke College English department, is an award-winning poet who has
“I
Mary Crockett Hill
“
I thought it would be kind of cool to explore the idea of questioning what is and isn’t real in our dreams.
also written a history of Salem and served as director of the Salem Museum, but this is her first published novel. “It was a bit of a stretch to go from poetry to novels,” she acknowledges. She found herself thinking about language differently, and had to remind herself that in prose, “the story is the thing.” “Dream Boy,” a young-adult novel, was published by Sourcebooks and released on July 1. The book’s plot is described by WinterHaven Books, a YA book blog, with this: “Annabelle Manning feels like she’s doing time at her high school in Chilton, Va. She has her friends at her lunchtime table of nobodies. What she doesn’t have are possibilities. Or a date for Homecoming. Things get more interesting at night, when she spends time with the boy of her dreams. But the blue-eyed boy with the fairytale smile is just that — a dream. Until the Friday afternoon he walks into her chemistry class.” The idea of someone in a dream coming to life struck Hill as “a fun way to look at questions of dreams vs. reality.” The subject seemed a natural fit for a young-adult novel. “I love young people,” Hill explains. “They are in a really interesting part of their lives. Teens are very alive — maybe it’s just the hormones. They are full of ideas, rebellion, and humor, and are always questioning things. They’re also very smart.” It was also natural for Hill to turn to Rosenberg as co-author, as the two met 15 years ago while co-teaching a creative-writing class for teens. The two began without a plan or outline — “just a general sense of a story arc, a character, and a situation,” Hill says — and gradually reshaped the material through extensive editing. “It was interesting to see something that was built out of not only my own imagination but hers as well. It was a conversation through writing.” Of the many writing classes that Hill taught at Roanoke, she believes that her best preparation for co-writing “Dream Boy” and getting it published was a class she taught on the art and craft of the best seller. Hill says she learned a lot about the publishing business while teaching that class and was able to put her learning to good use in finding a publisher for “Dream Boy.” Despite the macabre nature of its plot, and its tagline of “If dreams can come true, so can nightmares,” Hill admits that the book is “just ultimately really a fun story.” — JAMES SHELL ’79
ROANOKE.EDU 25
4
Baseball buff s an English major at Roanoke College, Matthew Silverman ’88 once spent money he really couldn’t afford to fly to New York for the first two games of the 1986 World Series. Since then, Silverman has parlayed that passion for sports — Major League Baseball in particular — into a writing, editing and blogging career. Silverman is author or co-author of 10 books, all with baseball themes. His latest, released in 2013, is “Swinging 1973; Baseball’s Wildest Season,” an entertaining and meticulously researched look at one of baseball’s watershed seasons. Silverman has sobering advice to those optimists who would follow a similar sports-related career path. “You have be flexible and you have to be lucky,” he says.
A
Matthew Silverman
“
You have to be flexible and you have to be lucky.
“To be perfectly honest, it sounds great on paper, but there have been a lot of things that have not gone right.” His latest book was essentially three years in the making, with a substantial part of that time simply finding a publisher. Connecticut’s Lyons Press eventually agreed to take it on. The result was a history of the 1973 season, as told through the stories of three teams: the New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics and New York Mets. The Yankees, considered baseball’s most famous franchise, were emerging from a long period of irrelevance, under the new ownership of George Steinbrenner, and on the doorstep of a fresh run as a championship contender. The Mets, New York native Silverman’s favorite team, were the 1969 champs who would make an unlikely run to the ’73 Series. The swashbuckling A’s, the eventual champs, were one of baseball’s great dynasties but underappreciated in the day and now largely forgotten. Woven throughout the narrative is a timeline of social and cultural history that runs parallel to the baseball story. Anybody who lived during that tumultuous era would recognize the references to “All in the Family,” Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon,” and Bruce Springsteen’s breakthrough classic “The Wild, the Innocent, & the E Street Shuffle.” There was also Watergate. Swinging ’73’s priceless reference to the resignation of tax-offending Vice President Spiro Agnew was through the anecdote of a fan standing in line at McDonald’s listening to a game from the National League championship series between the Mets and Cincinnati Reds on a transistor radio and earpiece, and relaying details to the girl behind the counter. The broadcast was interrupted with important news. “Agnew just resigned,” the fan announced. “Who cares?” the girl replied. “What’s the score?” Silverman cares about both writing and history. From Roanoke, he went on to use those skills as a newspaper reporter and editor, researcher and publisher. He is working on a book about the famous 1986 series between the Mets and the Boston Red Sox, with an expected release in 2016. It’s been fun but not easy, Silverman maintains. His parting advice to would-be writers and historians: Find a second career to help pay the bills. “Writing books is not something you can really plan for.” — RAY COX
26 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
5
Explaining Eisenhower
D
ouglas E. Clark ’72 decided it was time to set the record straight. For five years, from 1948 to 1953, former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was president of New York’s prestigious Columbia University. But historians claim that he was an ineffective academic leader who largely was absent as speculation ran rampant that he would run for president of the United States. Clark was not convinced of these opinions. As a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania, Clark, who majored in political science at Roanoke College, dug deep into the truth of Eisenhower’s reign at Columbia. He listened to oral history transcripts, read academic papers housed at Columbia, the Library of Congress and the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, and conducted other research. The result was Clark’s dissertation, and last year, his debut as an author, with the book “Eisenhower in Command at Columbia.” The book, which is Clark’s analysis of the former president’s leadership, debunks historians’ opinions of Eisenhower’s academic role. Through his research, Clark, who is vice president for enrollment services and assistant to the president for government relations at Ferrum College in Virginia, found that Eisenhower was a more effective university president than many believe. Eisenhower frequently visited classrooms and spoke to
students, assuming a kind of symbolic leadership, he said. Also, the president would strike up conversations with faculty members, asking about their research and work. “He wanted to get a sense of what future leaders in the faculty would need to progress in their careers,” Clark said. The book contains much insight for current college presidents and others with administrative roles in higher education. “It’s little things that presidents do and say that can have a lot of symbolic meaning,” said Clark. “That is probably the biggest takeaway for me.” — JENNY KINCAID BOONE ’01
More Alumni Authors Paul Dellinger ’60 has published “Mr. Lazarus and Other Stories,” a collection of 24 short stories previously published in magazines and other venues over the years. He is a retired Roanoke Times reporter and lives in Wytheville, Va.
Beverly L. Ryle ’65 has authored “Ground of Your Own Choosing,” described as a “guide to a new kind of work security, one not dependent on any particular job, but on a person’s own capacity to generate work.”
Marshall Harris ’71 has co-authored “Aviation in Roanoke” with former City of Roanoke Mayor Nelson Harris. The book, a historical timeline of aviation in Virginia’s Roanoke Valley, covers the evolution of aviation in the valley and tells the story of the students and faculty at Roanoke College who left for war and trained on campus for the military.
Douglas E. Clark ROANOKE.EDU 27
campaignnews
Giving with Purpose “We feel that the College does a great job in providing a quality education, and we’re happy to help it continue that excellence.” — Doug Horn
Doug and Peggy Horn met at Roanoke College and share a deep affection for its role in their lives. CAMPAIGN LEADERSHIP
Staying close to Roanoke College eggy Fintel Horn ’78 understands first-hand the value of a close-knit campus, where professors not only teach, but also guide students through the process of discovering their talents and passions. She had that kind of experience at Roanoke. Peggy was a biology major at St. Olaf College when her father, Dr. Norman Fintel, became Roanoke College’s eighth president in 1975. When Peggy spent the summer on Roanoke’s campus with her parents — Dr. Fintel and wife, Jo — she took an economics course taught by Professor Ed Siefried. By the time she completed the course, Peggy had decided to transfer to Roanoke to pursue a major in business and economics. “I was bitten by the bug — I loved economics,” says Peggy, a managing partner with Morneau Shepell SBC Ltd., a leading provider of technology and outsourcing services for employee benefit plans. “A light bulb went off for me, and that course really gave me direction. Economics combined my love of words with the analytical and numerical abilities that always were easy for me. That course changed my life.” Horn and her husband, Doug Horn ’78, met at the College and share a deep affection for its role in their lives. They are now volunteers for Roanoke Rising: The Campaign for Roanoke College, serving as regional co-chairs in Atlanta. “Roanoke is such a warm place, and we believe it’s important to help the College move forward with its mission to continue providing a great educational experience for young people,” says Peggy, who joined the College’s Board of Trustees in 2009. “A campaign is a long process, and it takes a lot of people to make something like that successful. We’re just happy to be a part of it.”
P
“ ” A campaign is a long process, and it takes a lot of people to make something like that successful. — Peggy Horn
28
The Horns already have supported a number of campus projects, including the Pirro Patio that will adjoin the new Cregger Center and overlook Kerr Stadium. The patio will be named in memory of former Roanoke head lacrosse coach John Pirro, ’77, who died in 2013 after a long battle with Huntington’s disease. Pirro and Doug, both from Huntington, N.Y., were lacrosse teammates in high school and at Roanoke and remained close friends. “John was the cornerstone of Roanoke lacrosse,” says Doug, who played on the College’s 1978 national championship lacrosse team. “He’s the person who encouraged me to go to Roanoke, and I’m grateful for that.” Peggy is honored to share in her father’s impressive legacy at Roanoke. During his presidency, enrollment increased while academic standards improved; financial aid was expanded to include merit-based awards; and the Honors Program was established. Dr. Fintel also helped boost the College’s endowment and oversaw numerous building, expansion and campus beautification projects. The Horns maintain close ties to the Roanoke Valley, where they still own a house and where Peggy’s parents live. They have three adult children; the youngest, Robert, is a member of Roanoke’s class of 2015. “We’ve got such a history with and an affection for Roanoke,” says Doug, who serves as president of the SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference. “We have such great memories of the College, and we continue to have really close bonds with our friends 35 years later. We feel that the College does a great job in providing a quality education, and we’re happy to help it continue that excellence.” — Karen Doss Bowman
campaignnews
INSPIRATION
Journalist shares moving message at 2014 Associates
“Countless people have stepped out for me, stepped out on nothing to help me.”
Alumni Chapter Receptions
“Know that your investment saves lives,” Byron Pitts said at the 2014 Associates Evening.
s guest speaker at the 46th Annual Associates Evening Oct. 24, Emmy award-winning journalist Byron Pitts delivered a strong and personally candid message about the importance of giving back. He shared one example after another of the life-changing, transformative power of people “stepping out” for those who simply need a helping hand. Pitts was a college freshman at Ohio Wesleyan University, failing his freshman English class. He was at the point of withdrawing from the university when an English professor — a first-year faculty member — offered to help him. “She stepped out on nothing and saved my life,” said Pitts. “She had no reason to talk to me, but she did.” His class grade improved. He stayed at Ohio Wesleyan, graduating in 1982 with a degree in journalism and speech communication. He set his sights on becoming a journalist, with a goal of joining the staff of “60 Minutes.” He rose through the ranks of broadcast news, building from small local markets to larger ones, then eventually becoming chief national correspondent for “The CBS Evening News” and a contributor to “60 Minutes.” Currently, he works as anchor and chief national correspondent at ABC. Pitts has repaid that English professor’s favor many times over in his adult life. He shared the story of meeting an 11-year-old girl, Pilar, during a visit to a charter school in Baltimore, his hometown. After speaking to a group of students, including Pilar, she approached him and asked: “Mr. Pitts, where do you go, where do you hide, when the world hurts too much?” It was learned that Pilar’s mother had abandoned her. Pilar was placed in foster care and later abused by an older boy in the foster home. Working with authorities, Pitts was able to help get Pilar to a safer environment. Now, she is a high school junior who has never earned less than an A- in her classes. Where does she go now when she wants to retreat from the world, Pitts has asked her? “Her mind, her imagination, ‘where no one can touch me’,” he said she told him. What Pilar deserves “is an opportunity,” Pitts said to Associates guests. “And when that person in your space asks you that question, tell them ‘Come to me.’”
The alumni chapter reception season commenced Oct. 1 with the Southwest Virginia/Eastern Tennessee Chapter Reception at the Bristol, Tenn. home of Nancy Defriece, regional campaign co-chair. The receptions of six more chapters followed: Roanoke Valley on Oct. 16; Charlotte on Nov. 12; Atlanta on Nov. 13; Baltimore on Nov. 19; Philadelphia on Nov. 20 and Washington, D.C. on Nov. 23. Chapter receptions will continue in December, with New York on Dec. 3, New England on Dec. 4, Hampton Roads on Dec. 15, Richmond on Dec. 17 and Charlottesville on Dec. 18. For more information, visit roanoke.edu/Alumni.htm.
A
CAMPAIGN PROGRESS
GOAL:
$200,000,000
$150,000,000*
— Leslie Taylor * As of October 31, 2014
ROANOKE.EDU 29
sportsnews In the huddle at a NCAA tourney game against McDaniel College during the 2009-10 season.
“ ”
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Dunagan retires, ends stellar career
Although I am
retiring from
basketball, the
student-athletes that I have
coached will
always be a part of my family. — Susan Dunagan
30
SUSAN DUNAGAN, THE WINNINGEST COACH in the history of Virginia, retired as Maroons’ head women’s basketball coach in June, after 33 years at Roanoke College. Dunagan stepped down as both the school and Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) career wins leader, with more than 600 victories. “Although I am retiring from basketball, the student-athletes that I have coached will always be a part of my family,” Coach Dunagan said. “I’ve been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with quality people in every area of Roanoke College and have made great friends in the Roanoke Valley. I realize this move will allow new energy into our basketball program to work with a first-class team building toward Roanoke’s 14th ODAC Championship and 12th NCAA Tournament appearance.” The Roanoke Valley native posted a 33-year career record of 611-271, including a 449-141 mark in ODAC play. She compiled sixteen 20-win seasons, a conference-record 13 ODAC Championships and 11 NCAA Tournament appearances. The “Dunagan Dynasty” began in her second season as Roanoke’s head coach in the first year of NCAA Div. III for women’s athletics. In 1982-83, the Maroons finished with a 20-5 record and won the program’s first ODAC Championship. It was an 11-game turnaround from a 9-13 mark from the previous season in the final year of the old AAIW (Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women). “My entire career has been an unbelievable blessing,” Dunagan said. “I am fiercely proud of the program we have built here at Roanoke. I couldn’t have asked any more from my players, my assistant coaches, the community and this great institution. Together, we did something very special here.”
“Her ability to connect with and motivate the young women in our basketball program was truly special. She loved them dearly, yet they always knew that she would hold them accountable.” — Scott Allison ’79
sportsnews Her success did not go unnoticed, as Dunagan was named ODAC Coach of the Year nine times. She was named Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) District Coach of the Year in 1997 and named Virginia State Coach of the Year by the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) in 2000. In the spring of 2001, the legendary coach was inducted into the Roanoke College Athletic Hall of Fame. “Susan has left an indelible mark of excellence at Roanoke College,” Director of Athletics Scott Allison ’79 said. “Her ability to connect with and motivate the young women in our basketball program was truly special. She loved them dearly, yet they always knew that she would hold them accountable.” Dunagan’s basketball program is a breeding ground for success. She has coached 12 All-Americans, nine ODAC Players of the Year, 14 All-South Region and 37 All-ODAC players. The Roanoke program has also been a stepping-stone into the coaching ranks. No less than 30 of Dunagan’s former players and assistant coaches have moved on to have successful head coaching careers at both the college and high school levels. The on-court triumphs of Maroon basketball players also spill over into the classroom. In her 33 years of coaching at Roanoke, all of her four-year players have earned a diploma. She has been an excellent role model and an inspiration to her players. “We thank Susan for her devotion to Roanoke College,” Allison said. “Her accomplishments have earned her a place among the elite in NCAA Division III women’s basketball history.” Before joining Roanoke, Dunagan spent 11 years at Cave Spring High School in Roanoke where she taught health and physical education, and driver’s education. She also coached track and basketball, having been named Roanoke Valley Metro Coach of the Year three times (1975, 1976 and 1979). Dunagan received her Bachelor of Science degree in physical education in 1970 at Radford University and returned for her master’s in physical education in 1976. She graduated from Roanoke Catholic School in 1966. — Brad Moore
Photos from top: 1997-98 ODAC champs • 1999-2000 ODAC tournament win. • At a 2005-06 season game against Virginia Wesleyan. • With a referee at a game against Meredith College in 2009-10.
THE LEGACY OF SUSAN DUNAGAN
33 12 2001
SEASONS
611 14
Roanoke College Women’s Basketball Coach
CAREER WINS
ALL-AMERICANS
ROANOKE COLLEGE ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
9-time 37 11
ALL-SOUTH REGIONAL PLAYERS
13
ODAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
ODAC COACH OF THE YEAR
ALL-ODAC PLAYERS NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES
ROANOKE.EDU 31
sportsnews NEW COACHES
Six join Maroons coaching staff
Carla Flaherty
Tom Biskup
ROANOKE COLLEGE started the 2014-15 sports season with six new coaches on the Athletics staff. Carla Flaherty, head coach of the women’s basketball program, comes to Salem after spending four years as head women’s basketball coach at Lasell College in Massachusetts. In the 2013-14 season, she guided the team to a record of 12-14 and the team’s first Great Northeast Athletic Conference post-season appearance in program history. Prior to her time at Lasell, Flaherty spent six years as the assistant women’s basketball coach at her alma mater — Bates College, in Maine — from 2004-2010. At Roanoke, Flaherty steps into the role previously held by Susan Dunagan, who retired after 33 years at the helm of the women’s basketball program. Flaherty developed her NCAA Division III roots at Bates, said Scott Allison ’79, RC director of athletics. She stayed on as an assistant, cutting her recruiting “teeth” in the NESCAC, an elite Division III conference. Most recently, as the head coach at Lasell, Flaherty took over a neophyte program and in four short years, turned it into a competitive Division III program. “I am excited to join the Roanoke family with its rich history that is evident within the athletic department and the surrounding campus community,” said Flaherty. “I am honored to take over the reins from a true coaching legend.” Tom Biskup enters his first year as assistant women’s basketball coach at Roanoke. Biskup comes to Roanoke from Southern Maine Community College, where he was an assistant coach for the Seawolves for two seasons. He helped coach SMCC to a 19-8 overall record and a 12-3 mark in the Yankee Small College Conference in 2013-14. Over the two years, the Seawolves went 36-17 overall and 22-7 in conference play. Biskup’s primary basketball responsibilities included recruiting, practice planning, and working with the SMCC guards. Also, during his time at SMCC, he co-directed a weekly basketball clinic for elementary school-age children. Biskup is a 2012 graduate of the University of Maine. Curtis Peery ’09, joins the coaching ranks at Roanoke College after being named head coach of the Roanoke golf program and assistant basketball coach under Head Coach Page Moir. Peery was a four-year letter-winner on the hardwood as a three-year
32 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
Curtis Peery
Eugene Galloway
starter for Moir’s men’s basketball team. After graduation, he went on to a graduate assistant post for Roanoke men’s basketball alumnus, Frankie Allen ’71, at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. After two years, Peery was promoted to a full-time assistant coach at UMES, where he stayed for two years. In golf, Peery takes over for Rob Landis, who coached the Roanoke College men’s golf program from 2008 through the 2013-14 season. In men’s basketball, Peery replaces former assistant coach Mike Strickland, who has assumed the role of director of basketball operations at The Citadel. Eugene Galloway will serve as the new assistant coach of the Roanoke Track & Field and Cross Country programs. Galloway steps into the role previously held by Carl Blickle, who was named head coach of the track and field, and cross country programs at Ursinus College in Pennsylvania. Galloway comes to Roanoke from Winston-Salem, N.C., where he served as assistant coach for two seasons at the high school level and four more years at Momentum Personal Training. At Reynolds and Bishop McGuinness high schools, he coached numerous athletes to All State honors. During his time at Momentum, he worked with many high school athletes, 15 of whom earned athletic college scholarships. An outstanding student at High Point University, Galloway was a Big South Presidential Scholar three consecutive years. Twice, Galloway won the Big South Indoor and Outdoor Triple Jump and also qualified for the NCAA Division I East Regional.
Other new coaches: • Brian White ’14 – assistant men’s soccer coach. White, a former Maroons soccer player, was a three-time, All-ODAC selection under current men’s soccer Coach Ryan Pflugrad ’02 and former men’s soccer Coach Scott Allison. White is a native of Virginia Beach. • Maggie Wagner ’11 – assistant volleyball coach. Wagner was a standout member of the Maroons volleyball team from 2008-2010. During her time at Roanoke, she made the ODAC All-Tournament team in 2009 and 2010; was named a second team All-ODAC performer in 2008; and a First Team All-ODAC pick in 2010.
sportsnews
SCOREBOARD MAROON CLUB NEWS The Maroon Club enjoyed another banner year in 2013-14, exceeding last year’s numbers in both memberships and funds raised. In addition, 14 individual sports programs increased their giving from the previous year, and memberships increased more than 20 percent, to nearly 800 total members.
WOMEN’S SOCCER 11-7-1 (7-4-1 ODAC)
FIELD HOCKEY 8-11 (2-6 ODAC)
MEN’S SOCCER 15-3-2 (10-0-1 ODAC) Regular Season Conference Champions (third time in last four years)
VOLLEYBALL 21-8 (7-4 ODAC)
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Fourth at ODAC Championships
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Fourth at ODAC Championships Note: As of November 10, 2014
The Maroon Club held nearly 30 events last year to support teams and the College’s proud athletic tradition. This fall alone, the Maroon Club has hosted the following events: • Maroon Club Kick-Off Golf Outing (Aug. 8) • Cross Country Alumni Day (Sept. 20) • Baseball/Softball Alumni Weekend (Sept. 26-27) • Men’s Soccer Alumni Day (Oct. 11) • Men’s Basketball Tip-Off Reception (Nov. 10) Each event has spurred more interest in the Maroon Club and helped boost membership. Upcoming Maroon Club Events include the following: • Men’s and Women’s Basketball Trip Event – Dec. 19-20 (Daytona Beach, Fla.) • Men’s Basketball Reception (Roanoke vs. Emory & Henry) – Jan. 21 (Emory, Va.) • Basketball Alumni Day – Feb. 7 (Roanoke College, Bast Center) • Men’s and Women’s Basketball Doubleheader Event (Roanoke vs. Eastern Mennonite) – Feb. 21 (Harrisonburg, Va.) • ODAC Basketball Tournament Reception – Feb. 27-March 1 (Salem Civic Center) • Men’s Lacrosse Event (Roanoke vs. Randolph-Macon) – March 14 (Ashland, Va.) • Alumni Weekend Golf Outing – April 10 (Roanoke Country Club) • Hall of Fame Reception – April 10 (Wortmann Ballroom) • Maroon Club Reception – April 11 (Kerr Stadium) The Maroon Club supports student-athletes and their programs at Roanoke College. Some of the Athletic Department improvements that have been made over the past year include: • New video equipment to improve our web sharing. • Baseball program moves to new home at Memorial Stadium/Lewis-Gale Field. • Softball program gets permanent home at Moyer Complex (Field 4) with new signage displaying their tradition.
Cross Country Alumni Day
Baseball Alumni Day
To join the Maroon Club, or for information, contact Brad Moore, assistant athletic director for external relations, at moore@roanoke.edu or (540) 375-2344.
RC | sportsfacts • With a record of 11-7-1, the women’s soccer team capped off their ninth consecutive 10-win season. Head coach Phil Benne finished his 26th season at the helm of the program with a career win total of 298, ranking among the top 12 active coaches in NCAA Division III. Benne entered the season as the 20th all-time winningest coach in Div. III. • The field hockey team finished the season with the program’s best win record since 2004. With the win total, the Maroons produced the best season for head coach Briana Banks in her five years at the helm of the program, having won six games during the 2011 season. It more than doubled last season’s win total as well. Shelbi Holloman ’17 earned All-ODAC First Team honors, the first player to do so since 2009. • For the first time since 2002, and the second time in school history, the men’s soccer team
For the latest scores, go to
maroons.roanoke.edu
finished undefeated in the ODAC regular season, winning a school-record 10 ODAC contests. The Maroons currently are 15-2-2, which is tied with the 2000 team as the fifth-highest single season win total in school history. The Maroons won the ODAC Regular Season Title for the 14th time overall and the third time in the last four years. The team fell in the 2014 ODAC Championship Game, 1-0 to Lynchburg College on Nov. 8, exiting the tournament with a record of 15-3-2, 10-0-1 in ODAC play. Marc Dinkel ’16 was named ODAC Player of the Year. Coach Ryan Pflugrad ’02 was named ODAC Coach of the Year. • The volleyball team earned the program’s sixth 20-win season in school history, all under the tutelage of 16-year head coach Blair Trail ’99. This is the first 20-win season for the Maroons since 2010, and Roanoke improves from the 2013 season, having won 19 matches that year.
Freshman Brooke Bostwick ’18 was named ODAC Rookie of the Year, the first RC player to ever earn this honor, and received All-ODAC Second Team honors. The women defeated Washington and Lee in the regular season for the first time since 2000. Trail, who is the winningest coach in school history, finished the season with 287 career victories, which puts her second among ODAC coaches. • The men’s and women’s cross country teams finished fourth in the ODAC Championships. Harrison Toney ’16 took second place on the men’s side, running the 8K in a time of 26:27.3, earning All-ODAC First Team honors. Caitlin Ashley ’16 took fifth place (All-ODAC First Team) with a time of 24:33.3. Kerri Dalton ’17 was All-ODAC Second Team finishing in eighth with a time of 24:58.
ROANOKE.EDU 33
alumninews
Roanoke College magazine welcomes news of your recent accomplishments and/or transitions. You can write to us at: Office of Alumni Relations, Roanoke College, 221 College Lane, Salem, VA 24153-3794; call us toll-free at 1-866-RCAlums; fax us at 540-375-2398; email us at alumni@roanoke.edu or update your record online at www.roanoke.edu/maroonsonline. Due to space constraints and time between issues, submissions to Alumni News might appear in an upcoming issue of the magazine. Editorial contributions are welcome but subject to editing. Photographs may be used as space permits, submitted in print or digital format. Digital photos must be 1 MB in size or larger. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee return of contributed materials. We look forward to hearing from you!
class notes 1950s David A. Maxwell ’53 was named professor emeritus at University of New Haven, where he taught law for 31 years. Durward W. Owen ’55 received the Barnes Award for Outstanding Interfraternalism from FarmHouse International Fraternity. The award was created in 2012 to honor Rick Barnes, FarmHouse International president, and his long-term service to the organization and the entire fraternal movement. Durward was recognized for his long-time service to Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, in addition to acting “as a mentor to others, as an advocate for risk management education and as a role model of the interfraternal spirit,” according to a FarmHouse news release.
1960s Kenneth and Ellen Kerr Hockman ’67 ’67, residents of Seattle, Wash., recently spent two weeks touring archaeological and religious sites in the Holy Land.
34
ALUMNUS RECEIVES YORK THEATRE COMPANY AWARD
W. David McCoy ’62 has received the York Theatre Company Founder’s Award. The award, which recognizes individuals who have made a significant impact on the sustainability of the arts, has been given only once before, to Janet Hayes Walker, founder and producing director of the York Theatre Company. McCoy, who has served the York Theatre Company for more than 37 years as president and as chairman of the Board of Directors, received the award at the 22nd Oscar Hammerstein Award Gala on Dec. 9, 2013. The gala featured performances by actress/singer Bernadette Peters and actress/ singer/dancer Vanessa Williams. A resident of Palm Beach, Fla., McCoy enjoyed a long career as an executive with Exxon International and Esso Middle East. Currently, he serves as president and treasurer of the Croquet Foundation of America. He also serves on the National Council of Glimmerglass Opera Company and on the Board of Directors of The Omega Ensemble, a non-profit chamber music series whose mission is to introduce outstanding young artists to the public. A patron of the New York Philharmonic and Cooperstown Music Festival, McCoy’s past honors include the National Arts and Business Council’s Business Volunteer of the Year Award and the “Our Town Thanks You!” Award from Manhattan’s Our Town newspaper.
Peter Harholdt ’69 received the International Motor Press Association’s 2014 Ken Purdy Award for excellence in automotive journalism for his book, “Sensuous Steel: Art Deco Automobiles.” Peter shared the award with co-author Ken Gross. The book was produced to accompany an exhibit of Art Deco-styled cars at the Frist Center for Visual Arts in Nashville, Tenn. The award is named for Ken Purdy, an auto writer who was editor of Parade and True magazines in the 1940s and ’50s before he became a freelance writer.
1970s Stan Parker ’72 was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame on April 1, 2014, in recognition of his outstanding coaching career and work with the Philadelphia Phillies’ high school baseball tournament. Karen Cowart Newtzie ’73 received the honorific title of professor emeritus at Rappahannock Community College in May 2014. Dr. Susan M. Ford ’74, interim dean of the graduate school at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, was appointed acting provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs in August 2014. Susan, a full-time faculty member since 1980, was chair of the Department of Anthropology from 2005 to 2011 and has been interim dean of the graduate school since November 2012. R. Craig Lefebvre, Ph.D. ’74, lead change designer in the Center for Communication Science at RTI International continued on page 36
alumninews ALUMNI PROFILE
Managing the monument J
AMES PERRY ’82 helps care for our nation’s symbolic backyard. Perry, who serves as chief resource management officer for the National Parks Service, in Washington, D.C., says that his job is, without doubt, a labor of love. “Our resources are just so iconic,” Perry says of the nation’s most-visited national park. The National Mall and Memorial Parks, located mostly between the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument, is home to the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials, Tidal Basin and many other memorials and monuments visited by millions every year. Perry takes great satisfaction in work on behalf of the National Mall, plus more than 150 “uptown reservations” (including well-known spots such as Dupont Circle, Farragut Square and Franklin Park) also included in the National Park. That work, he says, benefits visitors to Washington, the District’s residents and the future generations of both. Perry and his team manage natural and cultural assets, including turf and wildlife, and maintain the historic elements of the properties. Perry and his staff also make recommendations to the park superintendent about caring for the national treasures under their purview, and they GETTY IMAGES James Perry speaks to the media during a preview tour of the Washington Monument prior work with congressional commissions to be sure the work to its reopening on May 12, 2014. is in compliance with federal law. “Everything that happens on the National Mall goes before a personal history, he says he always wanted to attend a small college congressional commission,” says Perry. in Virginia — and that Roanoke was a great fit for him. Overseeing museum curators, historians and natural resource Perry remembers Roanoke’s history department fondly, saying managers means busy days yearthat he found “fascinating people and fascinating courses” at the round for Perry. “One of the things College. He credits his academic advisor, Dr. Susan Millinger, and that attracted me to the Parks ServProfessor Mark Miller, with helping shape his path. An internship ice is that there is so much variety,” with the Roanoke Valley Historical Society was his introduction to he says. “You have to be very much work with organizations focused on preservation. As a Roanoke a generalist. No two days here are student, Perry worked summers as a National Parks Service tour ever the same.” guide and later became a field ranger. As with all things in a post-9/11 Given his roots, it only made sense that this history major landed world and especially in Washington, at The College of William and Mary in Colonial Williamsburg after there are also issues of security. After receiving his degree from Roanoke. There he also studied history, D.C. experienced a 5.8-magnitude graduating with a master’s degree. earthquake in the summer of 2011, Perry has since lived and worked in Florida, New York, D.C., Perry’s team was forced to close the Virginia, and Maryland. He has worked for the United States Washington Monument to visitors. Supreme Court, Colonial Williamsburg, the American Red Cross, “It’s basically a standard masonry and other parks and historical organizations. He says he is comfortrepair job,” Perry said of the project. “It’s just that it’s 500 feet in able wherever there is rich history in which he can immerse himself. the air and across the street from the White House…It means that His office, tucked away in a historic stucco building along the if the president’s helicopter is going to fly over, we have to get the Potomac River, is certainly one of those places. workers off the scaffolding.” Perry says he has come home — to Washington, D.C., to resource The monument reopened to visitors in May after a $15 million, management and to the National Parks Service. nearly three-year restoration. “In my career, I have reached the point where I’m trying to instill “I consider myself a historian…I’m just not doing it in a classic the preservation ethic in the next generation,” he says. “I have realsense,” Perry says. ized that I won’t be able to work at every national park. I just want Perhaps Perry’s interest in history can be attributed to tracing his to see this work continue.” — TRACI CROCKETT MOE ’01 family to the 1630s in Jamestown, Va. In part because of that bit of
“I consider myself a historian… I’m just not doing it in a classic sense.”
ROANOKE.EDU 35
alumninews
Eric Janson ’75 shared a news update and a photo of himself with several of his RC classmates. Pictured, left to right, are Bill Mckinnon ’75, Eric, Sherrie Nicolson ’77 , Tony Gulotta ’75 and Bob Nicolson ’75 , watching the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Bob and Sherrie’s home in Enfield, N.H. Eric is an attorney with Janson & Koppenheffer in Lebanon, N.H. He teaches estate planning as an adjunct professor at Vermont Law School. His daughter, Julia, is a junior at Keene State College. Bill is semi-retired and living in Shelburne, Vt. When he isn’t refereeing basketball games, he and his black lab, Grace, walk seven miles a day. Bob is the general manager of Gerrish Honda, while Sherrie works for the U.S. Postal Service. Their daughter, Hilarie, has two children, Olivia and Colin, who Bob and Sherrie spoil whenever they can. Their daughter Sarah received her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering this year from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Tony is the owner of Renal Staffing, a headhunting agency in Manchester, N.H., that places dialysis nurses. Tony has two children and five grandchildren, all of whom live near him in Manchester.
and professor at the College of Public Health, University of South Florida, has been awarded “The Kotler Glass,” the Philip Kotler Social Marketing Distinguished Service Award. During the award presentation, Craig was recognized as a creative architect of programs and an innovator and catalyst in the field of social marketing. Previously, he was the recipient of the William D. Novelli Award for Innovations in Social Marketing and a Silver Anvil from the Public Relations Society of America. Craig is the author of “Social Marketing and Social Change: Strategies and Tools for Improving Health, Well-Being and the Environment.” He is a noted leader in the application of social media and mobile technologies in public health and social issues at the national and international levels. Wayne Miesen ’75 retired from the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves after 28 years of service. Most recently, he was Command Master Chief for Port Security Unit 305, based in Fort Eustis, Va. His daughter, Carolyn Miesen ’14, is a magna cum laude graduate of Roanoke. Will M. Passano ’78 assumed the directorship of business development with VOX Telehealth. He brings more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare education and learning
management system space. Will started his career in sales for the healthcare publishing company Williams & Wilkins and quickly moved into leadership roles at SCP Communications, Ascend Media Healthcare and NetLearning. Will holds a master’s degree in business from Columbia University.
1980s Margaret Adams Lindsey ’84 relocated to the Township of Moon, just west of Pittsburgh, Pa., in June 2014 to work as chief financial officer/chief operating officer for the Moon Area School District. “I am very much enjoying learning a new area (beautiful!) and finding all the best places to eat pizza,” Margaret says.
1990s Denise Vurnakes Stewart ’90, a Certified Internal Auditor and member of the Institute of Internal Auditors, has been named audit manager in the Department of Internal Audit at Virginia Tech. She is responsible for planning, conducting
36 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
and overseeing various types of projects within the department and will also provide leadership to audit staff. Denise has more than 18 years of internal audit experience and a strong background in corporate, government and non-profit auditing. Most recently, she was an internal audit manager with Advance Auto Parts. Ted Havelka ’93 was named campus operating officer for Berkeley College, White Plains, N.Y. His duties include managing day-to-day operations, space management, and staff and student retention. He also will oversee the White Plains Adult and High School Admissions teams and work closely with Residence Life. Ted began his career with Berkeley College, went on to lead Gibbs College in Norwalk, Conn., then became vice president of marketing and admissions with Cortiva Institute. Before returning to Berkeley College, he was named vice president of marketing and admissions with Prism Education Group in Cherry Hill, N.J., and Philadelphia, Pa. He has conducted workshops on admissions and marketing at industry conferences nationwide. Hunter Burrow Routt ’93 was appointed assistant principal at Salem High School. Hunter has served a number of roles with the Salem school division since 1994. She has been a teacher, summer school principal, gifted coordinator and International Baccalaureate coordinator. She received a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Scranton. Hunter says, “I’m humbled by the opportunity to be a part of a wonderful team that has such a strong commitment to Salem’s children.” Tommy East ’94 has been appointed to the Virginia Board of Health by Gov. Terry McAuliffe. Tommy is president and chief executive officer of American HealthCare, LLC in Roanoke, American HealthCare is a management company for 17 Heritage Hall Healthcare and Rehabilitation centers throughout Virginia. Tommy is a 30-year veteran of eldercare and has served on the board of directors and the executive board for the Virginia Health Care Association. He and his wife, Lori, have a son Karlyn East ’17, and two daughters. Shawn Craig ’96, a U.S. Marine and Iraq War veteran, was a candidate in
the Republican primary for state representative of Ninth Worcester District in Massachusetts. He and his wife, Debra, are residents of Upton, where he was recently reappointed to a three-year term on the Upton Finance Committee. Shawn also is the liaison to the Mendon Upton Regional School District and is vice-chairman of the Mendon-Upton Multi-Board Task Force. Previously, he worked for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority before starting a consulting business focused on helping small broker-dealers. Shawn is an active member of the local VFW post and Upton Men’s Club. He earned a Master of Science degree in finance from Suffolk University in Boston, Mass. Shawn ran against fellow Republican David K. Muradian, Jr., who won the Sept. 9 election by a vote of 1,296 to 958. This was the first attempt at seeking a state office for both candidates. Katherine Wood Coggin ’97 is a stylist with Stella & Dot, a San Francisco-based social selling company. John Hooven ’97 has been invited on the Pro Fly Angling Tour. His profile can be seen at www.pfatour.org/anglers. Leah E. Daigle ’98, associate professor of criminal justice and criminology at Georgia State University, was awarded the 2014 Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Excellence in Teaching Award. She holds a Ph.D. in criminal justice from the University of Cincinnati. James Guthrie ’98 was selected Air Combat Command’s 2013 Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Award winner (Company Grade Maintenance Manager). For several months, he was the maintenance operations officer in charge for the 4th Maintenance Group and then became the officer in charge of the 335th Aircraft Maintenance Unit. He also was selected to be a military exchange officer with the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force beginning in late 2015. Nathan Hungate ’98 has opened the Soaring Ridge Craft Brewers in downtown Roanoke, Va. Hungate, a real estate agent who is one of three partners in the microbrewery, is a former basketball standout at Roanoke College.
2000s Joseph Ball ’00 earned a Master of Divinity degree from Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond, Va. He is operations director of the Nuber and Sweeney YMCAs in Memphis, Tenn.
alumninews ALUMNI CHAPTER NEWS
Q&A with Danae Psilopoulos Foley ’92 New president of the Boston Alumni Chapter What plans and goals do you envision for the Boston alumni chapter? What do you most want the chapter to accomplish? As with other alumni chapters, I hope to reignite the spirit of and connection to Roanoke College. It is a spirit that spans across decades of graduates, bringing younger and older alums together. I plan to assemble a group of talented individuals that can serve as a steering committee for our expanding chapter. We plan to gather at least semi-annually for some networking forums and perhaps even try a family-oriented event.
“I am proud to see the College continue to thrive, move forward and enrich the lives it touches.”
Peter Morgan, left, after winning the Sole Challenge 24 Hour Run.
How do you plan to establish and promote goals and chapter projects that will strengthen ties between the chapter members, the community and the College? I would very much like to rekindle the spirit we felt as students and continue that as we view Roanoke through the lens of alumni. Keeping fellow alums interested and informed of all College happenings can help re-establish contact that tends to get lost over time.
As chapter president, how will you work to unite alumni in efforts to support and strengthen the College? The College recognizes, as do I, the need for new graduates to have the support and guidance of fellow alums through a mentoring program as they transition from the academic
Peter Morgan ’00 won the Sole Challenge 24 Hour Run in Fayetteville, Pa. on May 24 and 25, 2014. Peter won the race by running 125.6 miles in a 24-hour period. In his spare time, Peter runs marathons and ultra-marathons, including the Boston Marathon and the JFK Fifth Miler. A ceramic sculptor, he maintains a ceramics studio at the Clay Studio in Philadelphia. He and his wife Amy live in Fairfield, Pa. Christine Dimitry Louie ’01 and her husband, David, are living in Christine’s hometown of New Orleans, La. They have three children, Brianna, 6, Patrick, 4 and Cameron, 1. S. Graham Simmons ’01, a member of Norris McLaughlin & Marcus law firm, recently co-presented a seminar
world to real world. We hope to further develop that type of supportive program in the Boston chapter. Such a program could be utilized by those looking to switch careers and those who need advice from someone already working in their field.
Why is maintaining ties to Roanoke important to you? Why should it be important to other alumni? While everyone’s Roanoke experience is unique, I think we can agree it has served us well — whether it be academically, socially, or by providing networking, support and connections to the business world. I am proud to see the College continue to thrive, move forward and enrich the lives it touches. Like so many others, I feel lucky that Hal Johnston looked kindly upon my application to Roanoke!
Tell us a bit about you. I was born and raised in “The Ocean State” of Rhode Island. After a dozen or so years in the workforce post-graduation, I married and moved to Wellesley, Mass., where I live with my husband, John, and our two boys, Charlie, age 10, and Teddy, age 8. Staying active and being with my family are what make me tick!
Connect with RC alumni chapters. Visit roanoke.edu/Alumni/Alumni_Chapters.htm for more information.
on protecting businesses from cyber liability claims. Graham practices law primarily in the areas of business law, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, banking and financial services, and health care law. He has been recognized in Philadelphia Magazine as a Rising Star, a distinction for lawyers age 40 and under who have been practicing for less than 10 years. He also was honored in 2013 as one of Lehigh Valley Business’s Top 40 Under 40. Graham is assistant solicitor to the City of Easton Parking Authority and the Northampton County Gaming Revenue
and Economic Redevelopment Authority. In addition, he serves on community boards and is an active member of College Hill Presbyterian Church. Chris Pohlad-Thomas ’02 is working in Richmond, Va. He and his family live in nearby Midlothian, Va. Scott Segerstrom ’02 is associate director of the Colorado Youth Corps Association, a statewide non-profit based in Denver, Colo. He represents youth corps performing conservation projects and youth development across the state. J. Andy Ingram ’03, wealth and capital management advisor, has opened a financial planning firm in Roanoke, with the support of Capital Investment Companies.
ROANOKE.EDU 37
alumninews
MILESTONE REUNIONS Space constraints prohibited us from sharing all of the great class reunion photos that photographers Brendan Bush and Natalee Waters took at Alumni Weekend 2014. Here are photos of all classes that celebrated milestone years — including the Class of 1964’s fantastic 50th!
Class of 1994
Class of 1964 Class of 1999
Class of 1974 Class of 2004
Class of 1989
38 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
Class of 2009
alumninews
Klein-Craney wedding
Melissa J. Carr ’05 was recognized with the Blue Ridge Chapter of the American Chemical Society’s Outstanding Chemistry Teacher Award at an April 2014 dinner at Radford University. In 2013, she won the top honor of Golden Apple Teaching Award from Roanoke County Schools. Melissa teaches at William Byrd High School in Vinton. Allyson Ridgway Lynch ’07 was awarded a Master of Arts degree in political science from Virginia Tech in May 2014. David Myer ’07 and his wife, Sarah, live in Charleston, S.C., where David teaches high school math at Porter-Gaud School, an independent Episcopal school. Sophia Griffiths ’10 was appointed media and communication coordinator at the Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST), headquartered in London. Sophia’s responsibilities include increasing the profile and exposure of IFST, as well as food science and technology in general, and to provide support through communications, both to internal and external audiences. She was formerly the digital content editor of IFST and holds a Master of Arts degree in science communications from the University of Leeds. Cara M. Cooper ’12 graduated from Northwestern University with a Master of Science degree in journalism. She resides in Vinton. Phillip Gereaux ’12 is a utility analyst with the Virginia State Corporation Commission and is living near Richmond. Brian W. Allen ’13 is a graduate student at Washington and Lee University School of Law. Nicole Thomas ’13 is a client service associate with Morgan Stanley, in Manhattan, N.Y. She resides in Fairfield, Conn. Connor Toomey ’13 is serving the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic. Peter W. Weisel ’13 is assistant golf professional with the Roanoke Country Club.
Ultsch-Nellis wedding
marriages Rebecca E. Wynne ’03 was married to Travis Gathright on July 27, 2013, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Petersburg, Va. Kiersten M. Klein ’04 was married Dec. 8, 2012, to Michael Craney. Included among the bridal party and guests were Daniel Tucker ’04, Emilie Van Dyke Phillips ’04, Matthew Benson ’04, Lindsey Wolter Ratliff ’04, Kendall Pearson ’04, Sarah Gillespie Levine ’04, Sarah Morrow Brogden ’04, Brandy Collier Jemczura ’04 and Tomasz Jemczura ’06 . Kiersten is a neuroscience nurse at Tampa General Hospital and Michael is in health care software sales. They reside in Tampa, Fla. Lauren L. Wynne ’05 and Scott Booker were joined in marriage at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Petersburg, Va. The ceremony took place Nov. 9, 2013. Craig Ultsch ’07 and Heather Nellis ’07 joined hands in marriage Aug. 3, 2013, at Muddy Creek Baptist Church in Powhatan, Va. Craig is a math remediation specialist with Flat Rock Elementary School and Heather teaches sixth-grade U.S. history at Pocahontas Middle School. They have a daughter, Clementine Mahlon. Courtney R. Thompson ’10 and
Michael John Merrill IV
Thompson-Lindeman wedding
Joseph J. Lindeman celebrated their wedding day in Roanoke on Nov. 2, 2013. Several Chi Omegas were in attendance, including Jess DelBuono ’10, Jennifer Treadway ’10, Carrie Rice Hurd ’10, Margot McDonald ’11, Maggie Malpass ’08, Branden Patrick ’09, Caitlin Ott Perry ’08, Jessica Powell ’09, Victoria Ellmore ’11, Tiffany Schlotthober Chocklett ’11, Rachel Collie Brock ’10, Megan Semmelman ’11 and Stephanie Rigos Browning ’10.
families Derek Demmler ’99 and his wife welcomed their son, William John, into their family in October 2012. Derek teaches AP U.S. history and American literature. He also sponsors the Interact Club and coaches the boys soccer team and the school’s envirothon team. Sarah Harlow Merrill ’04 and her husband, Mike, welcomed their first child, Michael John IV, in April 2013. The Merrills live in Charlotte, N.C. Justin and Amy Fuller Thomas ’06 ’07, are excited to announce the October 2013 birth of their daughter, Penny Ruth. Emmie Ann White VanFleet ’10 and her husband, Steven, are proud first-time parents of Nicole Joyce, who arrived March 23, 2014.
Penny Ruth Thomas
in memoriam Gerald F. Dederick Jr., M.D. ’38, of Gulf Stream, Fla., passed away June 17, 2014, at age 97. After receiving an M.D. from the Medical College of Virginia, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps. Following his discharge, he entered the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., for a four-year surgical fellowship. In 1950, he opened a private practice of general surgery in Hackensack, N.J. Dr. Dederick was an attending surgeon at Hackensack Medical Center and also served as director of surgery at Pascack Valley Hospital in Westwood, N.J. He excelled in several sports and was inducted into both his high school and Roanoke’s Athletic Hall of Fame. His true passion was golf and he won numerous championships. He also won a spot on the U.S. Senior International Team. Ruth Ohl Kersey ’38 passed away June 17, 2013, at age 95. She was employed with VEPCO (Dominion) for 35 years and was very active in the Historic Richmond, Va., community. Athletic by nature, she enjoyed swimming and won a gold medal in the Senior Olympics. She also took pleasure
Nicole Joyce VanFleet
ROANOKE.EDU 39
alumninews in travel and international dance. She is survived by her daughter, Phyllis Kersey ’59. Thomas W. Anderson ’40, a nonagenarian from Huntsville, Ala., died Feb. 18, 2014. While serving in Alaska with the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II, he worked as an airplane mechanic. As a civilian, he worked with the Norfolk & Western Railway and IBM. Virginia Irby Davis ’40, of Lynchburg, Va., died Jan. 20, 2014. She started her career as a chemist with Seagrams in Louisville, Ky., and later worked at Johns Hopkins Hospital and also New York University. She was proficient enough in German to read and edit scientific papers on amino acids. After the death of her husband, Davis earned a second degree in art and taught at Lynchburg College for many years. At the age of 71, she published a book, “Crafts: A Basic Survey”, which was used regularly as a college textbook. She also was instrumental in getting an art gallery constructed at Lynchburg College and was director of the gallery for many years. Davis enjoyed playing sports, travel, and gourmet cooking. She was an accomplished artist and pianist. Edward L. Meadows Sr. ’40, a 95year-old resident of Roanoke, passed away on Feb. 19, 2014. He served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II and also 13 years with the Army Reserves, attaining the rank of Major. He received a law degree from Duke University Law School in 1948 and retired as chief claim agent from Norfolk & Western Railway Co. after 34 years of dedicated service. Meadows’ passions were
gardening and collecting books. He was a teacher and elder in the Presbyterian Church. James T. Bagby ’41, U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II, died June 9, 2014. The lifelong Roanoke resident was 95 and was a member of Raleigh Court United Methodist Church. L. Evelyn Firebaugh Carlson ’41, a longtime resident of Elma, N.Y., died Jan. 10, 2014, at age 94. She started working as a chemist with General Chemical and Children’s Hospital. After marrying and starting a family, she returned to the workforce as a teacher. She was a devotee of New York State history and became involved with the Elma Historical Society. During retirement, she and her husband were volunteers with Meals on Wheels. Carlson was active in the Elma United Methodist Church and enjoyed playing bridge and spending time with her family. Worth L. Cox ’41 passed away Feb. 17, 2014, in Hillsville, Va. He was 93. Earl G. French ’41 died July 7, 2013, at age 95. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and retired after a long career with Consolidation Coal Co. He was inducted into Roanoke College’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985. Hetty Wray Hurd Dandridge ’42 passed away July 18, 2014, in Charlottesville, Va. She was the office manager of her husband’s medical office until her husband retired. She then joined the Department of Utilization Review at the University of Virginia Medical Center, where she worked for 17 years until she retired at age 73. Dandridge volunteered at the Charlottesville Free Clinic and was an active
Robert L.A. Keeley, M.D. ’42, of Roanoke, died March 16, 2014. Born and raised in Roanoke, he attended Roanoke College for two years, transferring to the University of Virginia then proceeding to the UVa Medical School, graduating in 1944. He did his internship at the U.S. Naval Hospital, Va. During World War II, he served as a captain in the Navy from 1945-1946. Upon his return, he continued his education with a residency in general and thoracic surgery at Duke University. After a few years of private practice, Dr. Keeley founded Jefferson Surgical Clinic with Dr. Hugh Trout, Sr. and Dr. Bill Butler. He remained an active partner until 2012 and continued to work as a disability determination physician at the Social Security Administration until his death. His numerous appointments included chief of surgery and chief of staff at Roanoke Memorial and Community hospitals; clinical professor of surgery with the UVa School of Medicine; and president of the Virginia Tuberculosis and Respiratory Disease Foundation. He helped found Bradley Free Clinic and was instrumental in creating Project Access of Roanoke Valley, providing medical services to the uninsured. His many awards included the Pro Ecclesia Et Pontifice Award by Pope Benedict XVI in 2013. It is the highest papal honor for a lay person for community service in the Catholic Church. Dr. Keeley is survived by his wife of 65 years, Nina Braddock; 15 children, including son Daniel Keeley ’83 and daughter-in-law Mitzi Ferguson Keeley ’92; other family; and friends.
40 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
member of the Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church. Frank B. Layman Jr. ’42, retired dairy farmer, chemistry teacher and ordained Church of the Brethren pastor, died Jan. 7, 2014, in Rocky Mount, Va., at age 93. He was a lifetime member of the Antioch Church of the Brethren. His pastorates included churches in Roanoke County, Franklin County, Shenandoah District, Ninevah Church of the Brethren and Monte Vista Church of the Brethren. He was one of three generations of Laymans who served the Ferrum Church of the Brethren. The Rev. Layman held a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina. He and his family traveled the United States and other countries transporting relief supplies and serving in disaster areas. William J. Thrasher ’42, a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during World War II, died Jan. 27, 2014, in Roanoke. He was 92. During his career as a manufacturing representative, he was employed with various furniture companies. Thrasher was an accomplished amateur golfer and won many local championships and tournaments. William R. Doughman ’43, a 93year-old U. S. Navy veteran of World War II, died April 19, 2014, in Darien, Conn. He was a chemist with American Cyanamid Co., in Stamford, Conn., until his retirement in 1986. He also worked at Ring’s End Lumber Co. in Darien for more than 30 years. Doughman was a longtime member of the Darien Senior Men’s Association, the Piedmont Club, YMCA and was a volunteer with Meals on Wheels and the American Red Cross. Leonard V. Hale Jr. ’43, a 95-yearold resident of Vinton, Va., died March 28, 2014. He was a three-sport letterman during his college career and was inducted into the Roanoke College Athletics Hall of Fame in 1976. An avid sportsman, he played semi-pro baseball and later became a skilled golfer, scoring 10 holes-in-one during his lifetime. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing. During World War II, Hale was a naval officer and part of the Allied force invasion at Utah Beach in Normandy on D-Day. He also was involved in the Pacific at the Battle of Okinawa. After the war, he started a long career as an educator, first as a teacher and coach at William Byrd High School. He then became an assistant principal, and in 1965, was named principal at Cave Spring High School. He was predeceased by his wife, Helen Mason Hale ’43. Florence D. Hannabass ’43 passed away in Falls Church, Va., on Dec. 31, 2013. She was 91. She held a master’s degree in Colonial American history
from the University of Michigan and taught history for several years at Wilson College, Chambersburg, Pa., and at what is now Rockford University, in Rockford, Ill. Hannabass served the National Security Agency in Fort Meade, Md., in a variety of positions and retired as head of the agency’s map library. After her retirement, she worked part-time as a public relations specialist and cable television program assistant with the Arlington Central Library. A former museum director and treasurer of the Arlington Historical Society, she also served two terms as chairperson of the D.C. chapter of the Special Libraries Association’s Geography and Map Division and was the associate editor of the group’s bulletin. Ruth Hawkins Webb ’43 died June 11, 2014, in Lynchburg, Va., at age 92. She taught in Roanoke County and Appomattox County schools for over 20 years and was the first female member of the Appomattox County School Board. She also served on the Central Virginia Community College Board. Webb was president of the Appomattox Woman’s Club, Appomattox Garden Club and the American Legion Auxiliary. She also was a member of the Appomattox County Historical Society and Retired Teachers Association of Appomattox County. As a devoted congregant of the Memorial United Methodist Church, she served in many capacities. Her survivors include a son, Douglas M. Webb ’77. William N. Shearer Jr. ’44, age 93, passed away in Charleston, W.Va., on May 14, 2014. During World War II, he served in England with the 8th Air Force, 401st Bomb Group. He was MIA and a POW. A graduate of Washington and Lee University School of Law and Stonier School of Banking, Rutgers University, he was a member of Phi Delta Phi Honorary Legal Fraternity and the Virginia State Bar. He was the former director of United Bankshares, Clay Communications, Jefferds Corporation and Edgewood Country Club. Shearer was chairman, president and director of Kanawha Banking & Trust Co., International Bankshares and Teays Valley National Bank, which he founded in 1972. He also served on the board of the University of Charleston and was Board of Directors chair of United Way of Central West Virginia in the 1970s. Shearer was a member of St. Matthews Episcopal Church. He was predeceased by his wife, Ruth Jewell Preston ’45. Thelma E. Caldwell ’45, a resident of Salem, Va., passed away May 4, 2014. She was a veteran of World War II in the United States Army Nursing Corps serving at Vanderbilt University. In her civilian career, she was employed with
alumninews IN MEMORIAM
Stokes had great passion for arts education
Stokes in her studio. Her colorful canvases can be found in public venues and private homes throughout the Roanoke Valley.
H
ARRIETT M. STOKES ’35, a lifetime resident of Salem and a noted artist, died on May 18, 2014. She was 99. Stokes, one of the first women to graduate from Roanoke College, also earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Richmond Professional Institute (now Virginia Commonwealth University), received a diploma from the Chicago School of Design and studied at the National Art School in Washington, D.C.
LewisGale Medical Center from which she retired after many years of service as the head RN in the labor and delivery department. She was a devoted member of College Lutheran Church, where she served on many committees. Virginia Lambert Houchens Vest ’45 died Jan. 23, 2014. A resident of Salem, she spent her career as an English and social studies teacher in the Roanoke County and Salem City school systems. She was an avid bridge player and lifelong member of Salem Presbyterian Church, where she served as a
During World War II, Stokes served as a teacher of all subjects at an elementary school. She also served as an art instructor in the Roanoke City and Alleghany County school systems. A mentor to many, she was known for sharing her time, talent and tireless energy to inspire and encourage budding artists of all ages. Stokes was a lifelong member of St Paul’s Episcopal Church, where she served in many capacities. A proud native of Salem,
deacon. She enjoyed her community, neighbors, friends and family. Rebecca Sager Ralph ’46 passed away Dec. 2, 2013, in Dayton, Ohio. She married the Rev. Harry W. Ralph ’48 (now deceased) shortly after graduation and together they served churches in Delaware and Ohio. Joseph L. Stephens ’47 Sr., of Oxford Ga., died March 3, 2014. He received his wings and commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1944 and retired from the U.S. Air Force after 37 years active and
Stokes was inducted into the Salem Alumni Hall of Fame in 1997. Other recognitions include the Walter Biggs Award for Cultural Achievement and the Roanoke College Distinguished Alumni Award. She received the Perry Kendig Award twice, most recently in October 2013. Stokes’ love and civic pride of the Salem community is evidenced in many of her paintings that are on display in Roanoke Valley homes and in Roanoke Valley businesses, including General Electric, Carilion Health System, North Cross School and Roanoke College. Perhaps one of her greatest legacies was being one of the original members of the Roanoke Valley Sidewalk Art Show, where she shared space with many esteemed colleagues. Another of her passions was for Art in the Alley, a grassroots, one-of-a kind Salem art show. For 40 years, on the last Sunday in September, the alley off Lewis Avenue was a perennial favorite among art collectors. A collaborative effort of Stokes, Kate Woods and Peyton Klein, Art in the Alley included many local artists, both wellestablished and emerging. Stokes was preceded in death by parents Robert and Harriett Martin, four siblings, and husband, Henry Stokes. She is survived by three sons. According to her obituary, Stokes, who was born on June 21, 1914, “would have been 100 on the longest day of the year, the first day of summer.”
reserve service. Stephens taught flying for six years at Southern Airways School in Bainbridge, Ga., and became an air traffic controller with the FAA in the Atlanta Center. He retired after 28 years. Stephens was a deacon and elder of the Presbyterian Church. William L. Butt ’49, a World War II veteran, died March 1, 2014. His professional career spanned 37 years with many different responsibilities at Norfolk Southern Railway. The Honorable Warren H. Deering ’49, decorated Army Air Corps veteran
of combat missions in the Pacific and retired Los Angeles Superior Court judge, passed away in La Jolla, Calif., on Feb. 21, 2013. He was an authority on administrative law and procedure and authored Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) books for the University of California. He served as assistant in charge of the Los Angeles office of the Attorney General and later as Chief Assistant Attorney General. In 1972, he was appointed Judge of the Los Angeles Judicial District. He was elected to the Superior Court in 1980, where he
ROANOKE.EDU 41
alumninews served as supervising judge and presided over major civil trials. Deering wrote legislation improving Administrative Agency procedures, including California’s first Administrative Discovery Act. He held a J.D. degree from Northwestern University and LL.M. (Master of Laws) degree from the University of Southern California Law School. Sam McGee Jr. ’49 died April 7, 2014, in Roanoke, Va. A veteran of World War II serving in the Pacific Theater, he retired from service as a master sergeant in the 24 Corps Medical Headquarters. His civilian career was focused in the banking business and he retired as assistant vice president and manager of a SunTrust Bank branch. McGee served as president of the Roanoke Chapter of the American Institute of Banking and was associate councilman for Southwest Virginia. He was a member of Raleigh Court United Methodist Church, where he also was a board member and financial secretary. Anna Rae Rudacille White ’49 passed away March 11, 2014, in Strasburg, Va. White, who held a graduate degree in education from the University of Virginia, was a dedicated teacher who taught fourth and seventh grades in Fairfax County and retired in 1984 from Robinson High School, where she was a guidance counselor. White attended the First Baptist Church in Front Royal, Va., and was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a steward of her ancestral farm and also enjoyed interviewing and writing about Browntown Community residents, which were published in a community newsletter now housed at
the Warren County Heritage Society in Front Royal. Throughout the years, she maintained longtime friendships with five Chi Delta Delta sorority sisters from Roanoke College. Among her survivors are her husband, Dr. Alpheus L. White ’49 and a son, Mark M. White ’77. Lucille Hoffman Edwards ’50, of Tuxedo Park, N.Y., passed away Jan. 11, 2014. William S. Board ’51, a World War II veteran of the Army Airborne Infantry, died April 9, 2014. He later became a member of the Air Force Reserves. During his professional life, he was executive vice president of the SalemRoanoke County Chamber of Commerce. He was a trustee of many professional organizations. He also served as president of the Salem Kiwanis and received their Humanitarian of the Year Award in 2002. For his accomplishments in economic development, he was honored by the Virginia General Assembly. He also was the recipient of Salem’s Citizen of the Year award in 1984. Board was a faithful member of Salem Baptist Church and initiated a jail ministry where he served as a religious counselor and coordinator of religious volunteers. Raymond J. Decosta ’51 died in Melbourne, Fla., on June 4, 2014. William A. Demarest ’51, of Monroeville, Pa., died Jan. 13, 2014. He was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and was retired from U.S. Steel. A. Jeanette Dillon ’51 passed away Jan. 1, 2014, in Roanoke. She retired as laboratory manager from Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where she had worked many years. A longtime member
of Belmont Baptist Church, she taught an adult Sunday school class and served on several committees. Dillon had a variety of interests, including reading, woodworking, gardening, traveling and outdoor activities. Friends remember her generous spirit. Sara Beth S. Thacker ’51 passed away Dec. 10, 2013 in Rock Hill, S.C. Born in Charlottesville, she taught school in Henrico County, Va. for 28 years. She was active in Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Richmond and Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church in Rock Hill, where she served as deacon, elder and in several other capacities. Predeceased by her husband, William, she is survived by her three children, several grandchildren and other family members. Reginald K. Hutcherson ’52, a Roanoke resident, died June 2, 2014. Alma Loftness Newitt ’52 passed away Feb. 1, 2014, in Berryville, Va. Her husband, William R. Newitt ’48, survives her. Aldon E. Purdham Sr. ’52, a resident of Salisbury, Va., passed away July 1, 2014. He received a Master of Divinity degree from the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C. After his ordination, the Rev. Purdham developed mission churches in Portsmouth, Va., and San Diego, Calif. He then joined the U.S. Navy Chaplains Corps and served on bases around the world for 26 years. At the culmination of his military career, he was the Chief of Chaplains for Camp Pendleton, Calif., where he oversaw 12 chapels. The Navy awarded him the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with Combat “V,” Navy
Commendation Medal and two gold stars as well as other unit commendations. During active duty, Capt. Purdham received a Master of Education degree and Education Specialty from the University of Virginia. After retiring from the Navy, he returned to his roots as a Lutheran pastor and helped start two more churches in Virginia and North Carolina. Alvin H. Smith ’52, U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, died Feb. 7, 2014, at age 92. During his college career at Roanoke, he was selected the Monogram Club’s Athlete of the Year. He held the state title for the mile run and set college records in the mile, 880 and two-mile events. In 1950-51, he assisted as a coach for both cross country and track and field, helping rebuild those programs at Roanoke College. In 1971, he was inducted in the College’s Hall of Fame. Smith, a Roanoke resident, remained an avid runner well into his early 80s and was a founding organizing member of the Bank of Fincastle’s Fall Run. A retiree of General Electric, he enjoyed collecting model trains. Suzanne Woolston Ford ’53 passed away Jan. 8, 2014, in Baltimore, Md. After working in New York City for the editorial department of a magazine, she joined the Johns Hopkins University Press where she eventually retired. She was a voracious reader, bridge player and philanthropist. Robert L. Wilson ’53 passed away Feb. 26, 2014, in Martinsville, Va. He served in the U.S. Army at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, where he taught the mechanics of tanks at the Ordinance School. He was presi-
IN MEMORIAM
Tex Ritter dies at age 94 T
HE REV. GUY A. “TEX” RITTER JR. ’48, a retired Roanoke College professor of religion and an alumnus of the College, died Nov. 19, 2013. Ritter, 94, was an instructor, assistant professor and associate professor of religion at Roanoke from 1957 to 1984. Before graduating from Roanoke College, Ritter, a native of Princeton, W.Va., served in the U.S. Army for four years, including part of the European Theatre of Operations during World War II. He earned a Bronze Star as an Army chaplain in Korea and served in the Army Reserve from 1945 to 1984, retiring as lieutenant colonel. Ritter designed the Roanoke College seal and completed a number of paintings. In the mid-1990s, Ritter, his wife, Doris Chambers Ritter ’48 and classmates, family and friends established an endowed scholarship at Roanoke College, awarded annually to a full-time student who is from Southwest Virginia. Ritter lived in Salem for many years and is survived by his wife, two sons, Ivan C. Ritter ’80 and Paul Ritter, and other family members. 42 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
alumninews IN MEMORIAM
Turk remembered for fairness and compassion J
AMES C. TURK ’49, who served for more than 40 years as a U.S. District Court judge for the Western District of Virginia, died July 6, 2014 at his home in Radford, Va. He was 91. Turk was appointed to the federal bench by President Richard M. Nixon in 1972, serving as chief judge from 1973 to 1993 and assuming senior status in 2002. Even then, he continued to hear cases frequently. Before his appointment to the federal bench, Turk practiced law with the Radford firm of Dalton, Poff & Turk, and served as a state senator and Senate minority leader. In 2010, Roanoke College’s pre-law program was named in honor of Turk and his brother, S. Maynard Turk ’49, retired vice president and general counsel of Hercules, Inc. In naming the program – which offers law-related courses and pre-law advising in addition to courses in the academic major — after the brothers, the College honored two of its most distinguished graduates. Both men served in the U.S. Army before attending Roanoke, where they were members of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. They majored in economics and went on to attend Washington and Lee University School of Law. Dr. Todd C. Peppers, Turk Pre-Law Program coordinator, described Judge Turk as one of the most successful lawyers and jurists to graduate from Roanoke College. “His judicial reputation for justice, compassion, and fairness was legendary and it was because of that reputation that we decided to name the Roanoke College pre-law program in honor of the Judge and
dent and co-owner of Wilson Quarries, Concrete and Asphalt; Martinsville Finance & Investment Corporation; and Indian Heritage R.V. Park. A devoted Christian and family man, Wilson eagerly shared his talents with others. His father, Alec C. Wilson ’26, predeceased him. The Rev. Ralph J. Wimmer Sr. ’54, U.S. Army veteran of World War II, died March 25, 2014. As an educator, he taught in the Roanoke City school system, then was a professor of American history at Ferrum College for 35 years. He enjoyed membership in several
Judge James C. Turk, second from the right, with Dr. Todd Peppers, far left, brother Maynard Turk, second from left, and Morgan Scott, far right, at the Turk Pre-Law Program ceremony in 2010.
his brother, Maynard Turk,” Peppers said. “Once we created the Turk Pre-Law Program, the judge enthusiastically supported the program in a variety of ways — from taking undergraduate students as interns to attending our speaker series.” Turk highly regarded people who worked in the court system as family and cared about people who came before him in court, said Morgan Scott, a former assistant U.S. attorney and U.S. District Court clerk in Roanoke who worked with Turk as both
fraternal organizations including the Boones Mill Lions Club, Isaacs Lodge of Boones Mill, Roanoke Valley Shrine Club and Kazim Shrine. As a United Methodist minister, he served several local churches. A man of varied interests, he enjoyed taking photographs, beekeeping and driving for Abbott Bus Lines. Zeanious L. Newcomb ’55, retired captain of the U.S. Navy and resident of Stafford County, Va., passed away June 21, 2014. Newcomb was a former member of the Commonwealth Transportation Board and Christ Lutheran Church.
an attorney and as someone who managed the business of the court. Turk made a practice of coming down from the bench to shake hands with defendants after their cases concluded, said Scott, now a teaching associate in the Department of Public Affairs at Roanoke. “He was a good model of grace and decorum,” Scott said. “It didn’t mean he didn’t have opinion or that things didn’t disturb him. But he always seemed to reach the calm.” — LESLIE TAYLOR
Frances Arnold Palmer ’55 died Dec. 1, 2013, in Lynchburg, Va. She was a retired cashier with Lynchburg City Schools and a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. John G. Strickler Sr. ’56 passed away in Roanoke on April 28, 2014. He was a graduate of Washington and Lee University School of Law and started practicing law in 1952. From 1984 to 2000, he served as the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee for the Western District of Virginia. A lifelong member of Greene Memorial United Methodist Church, he was involved in the lay
speaker ministry and a prison ministry at the Roanoke City Jail. He also volunteered with the Roanoke City Rescue Mission. Strickler was scoutmaster of a Boy Scout Troop and was a member of the Kiwanis and Sons of the American Revolution. His interests included mathematical and scientific studies and the ham radio. Leonard C. Eppard, M.D. ’57 died March 26, 2014. While a student at Roanoke, he was the recipient of the Balfour Province Award, which is bestowed upon Sigma Chi Fraternity’s most outstanding senior. He attended ROANOKE.EDU 43
alumninews the University of Virginia Medical School and received a fellowship to the Institute of Experimental Surgery in Copenhagen, Denmark. After graduating from medical school, he interned before serving his county in the U.S. Navy as a medical corps officer. He then took an assignment at the U.S. Naval Academy. Dr. Eppard completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at George Washington University and practiced medicine at Fairfax Hospital for 33 years. He enjoyed boating, his family and lively conversation. Robert B. Armstrong ’59 passed away March 31, 2014, in Roanoke. He was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Jag Corps and was stationed primarily in Great Lakes, Ill., and Jacksonville, Fla. Armstrong earned his J.D. from Wash-
ington and Lee University School of Law and practiced law in a variety of partnerships and also as a sole practitioner. He was a sports enthusiast and an accomplished musician. The Rev. James A. Dillon ’59 passed away March 23, 2014. Howel Mole ’60, a resident of Bowie, Md., died Feb. 23, 2013. Before matriculating at Roanoke, he served in the U.S. Army. He was the owner of Add-A-Room Construction, and Additions and Kitchens in Bowie, and most recently was owner/appraiser with ABC Appraisal Inc. He achieved Senior Resident Appraiser (SRA) certification and was active in the residential real estate appraisal industry for more than 30 years. Mole was a member of the Church of the Redeemer and also the
Country Club at Woodmore. He enjoyed golf, dancing and fishing. Sallie Standbridge Owens ’60, of Roanoke, died March 16, 2014. She started out in New York to pursue an interest in painting and later moved to Washington, D.C., where she was an editor of the Federal Register. Ann Schmidt Karo ’61, a resident of Port Washington, N.Y., passed away April 15, 2013. Lucy Lees Draves ’62, of Fairfield, Conn., died Feb. 12, 2014. Tracy Johnston Morford ’62 passed away June 2, 2014, in Greensburg, Pa. She taught fifth grade in Richmond, Va., and Hempfield Area Schools, Pa. She was involved with the Westmoreland Museum, served on the library board in Greensburg and organ-
ized the library at the 20th Century Club. She was the director of the Greensburg Cultural Council and volunteered at Westmoreland Manor and Westmoreland Hospital. Morford enjoyed a variety of hobbies, including hiking, rafting, golf, tennis, bridge, gardening, sewing and reading history. Winston L. Plymale Sr. ’62, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, died in Salem on Jan. 24, 2014. He started working in his father’s business, Virginia Brokerage Co., then worked in the material handling field. He later opened his own business, Apex Industrial Equipment. Plymale was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church in Salem, where he was involved in many areas. He also was a member of the Salem Kiwanis Club, serving a term as president. He
IN MEMORIAM
Promise kept Friends, colleagues bring book project of alumnus Don Kinzer to fruition.
P
ETER DAWYOT HAD A LOT in common with Donald M. Kinzer ’74, his good friend of 30 years. Both men worked in the investment and banking industry. In fact, they met at Dominion Bankshares in Roanoke, where Kinzer was chief financial officer and Dawyot was head of trust investments. The two also shared a love of tennis, playing every Saturday and Sunday for more than 20 years. Kinzer was a part-time senior lecturer in Roanoke College’s Business Administration & Economics Department, teaching courses in bank management and investments. From time to time, he would bring in friends to lecture on their areas of expertise. Dawyot was one of those friends. “I would dare say he taught for 70 percent of the classes, then guest lecturers for 30 percent of the classes,” Dawyot said. Dr. Robert Stauffer, retired associate professor of economics at Roanoke, was a friend and colleague of Kinzer’s. Kinzer “was extremely knowledgeable,” said Stauffer, who audited Kinzer’s commercial banking class. “He was an example of what adjunct should be all about. He was a working professional, very knowledgeable in his field.” Kinzer, too, was extremely helpful in placing Roanoke students in internships at Dominion Bankshares, Stauffer said. In 2012, shortly after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Kinzer started writing a book, a collection of his thoughts on the economy, politics and the financial markets. Early on, he wrote down his
thoughts on paper. Later, as the disease progressed, he started using a Dictaphone, sending tapes to Judi Pinckney, secretary in the College’s Public Affairs, Religion & Philosophy Department, for transcribing. Stauffer said Pinckney often did transcription, editing and proofing work for faculty members who were writing books. “By the time the book was finished, the Parkinson’s had really become severe,” Dawyot said. “But [Kinzer] dictated every word of it.” His health rapidly failing, Kinzer asked his friend to publish the book. And as a good friend, “I promised him I would,” Dawyot said. On Dec. 21, 2013, Kinzer died. As promised, Dawyot found a book publisher, AuthorHouse. He and Kinzer’s wife, Bonnie, wanted the book published before the June 28, 2014 wedding of the Kinzers’ daughter, Katie. Dawyot said he, Bonnie Kinzer and Pinckney “worked really quickly to turn it around.” On June 24, 2014, “Politics, Economics and Investments, Don’s Thoughts” was published. And on June 28, at the wedding of Kinzer’s daughter on the outskirts of Staunton, Va., copies of the book were given to friends and family. “It meant a lot for family and friends to be able to leave the wedding with a piece of Don,” Dawyot said. “Everybody took a copy.” “To My Beloved Katie Girl, From Dad,” the book’s dedication reads. — LESLIE TAYLOR
“To My Beloved Katie Girl, From Dad.”
44 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
alumninews Carl D. Cooper ’78 died in Roanoke on April 3, 2014. During the past 20 years, he held several positions with the Roanoke branch of the NAACP, and served as chairman of the Roanoke Neighborhood Partnership Steering Committee and Roanoke Neighborhood Advocates. He served on the board of the Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council and on numerous community task forces and committees. Community advocates said that he worked tirelessly to be bipartisan and to bring people of all races together. Shortly before his death, Cooper was honored by his church, Jesus is Lord Assembly. John W. Pence ’78, of Largo, Fla., passed away May 31, 2014. He was a nationally respected, innovative leader in the mail order marketing field, having started his career as manager of advertising for Neiman Marcus Mail Order. He continued his career in marketing and merchandising with various companies, and eventually became an entrepreneur. His love of building things led him to found Built Rite USA in Clearwater, Fla., where he remained president until a year before his death. Elizabeth F. Handley ’80 passed away March 21, 2014, in Roanoke. A summa cum laude graduate of Roanoke, she worked at Alexander’s restaurant and First Union National Bank before joining The Roanoke Times as a copy editor. She won numerous awards and held membership in several prestigious editorial societies. She also singlehandedly revamped the Roanoke Times stylebook. Grover W. Ayers ’81 died April 9, 2014. He earned a variety of medals, including a Bronze Star while serving as Army staff sergeant in the Vietnam War. During his professional career, he was an engineer at Elizabeth Arden for 34 years. Ayers was a member of the Vinton Baptist Church, the Roanoke Camera Club, Big Lick Good Sams RV Club and the Blue Ridge Winnies RV Club. Linda Webb McClearn ’87 died May 7, 2014. A resident of Fincastle, she was retired from Blue Ridge Community Services. Her professional roles included emergency outreach services clinician and in-home services clinician. She also was a member of the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers and conducted training for the City of Roanoke Sheriff’s Department and Cardinal Academy. McClearn was a volunteer with the League of Animal Protection and loved nature and gardening. She has been described as generous, feisty, humble, frugal and witty. RC
FRIEND OF THE COLLEGE
TRUSTEE EMERITUS SALLY CROCKETT LEAVES LEGACY OF SERVICE
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ROANOKE WOMEN’S FOUNDATION
enjoyed riding his motorcycle and water skiing. Dee Abernathy Light ’65 a lifelong resident of Salem, died May 30, 2014. She was retired from the Salem City School District, after a 30-year career. A lifelong member of Salem Baptist Church, she was active in the Women’s Church Circle and enjoyed quilting and playing canasta. Dorothy Noffsinger Etzler ’66, a 95-year-old resident of Troutville, Va., died April 16, 2014. Etzler taught in the Botetourt County school system for 27 years and was proficient in teaching students how to read phonetically. Upon her retirement, she became a realtor for a number of years. She was devoted to her family and enjoyed quilting and watercolor painting. She was the oldest member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church and was honored with the title of deacon emeritus. Philip B. Howson ’69, of Philadelphia, Pa., passed away April 19, 2014. He was a commercial real estate consultant in the United States and internationally. Selina “Toni” Ehrlein ’70 died April 17, 2014, in Valley Stream, N.Y. With degrees from Roanoke, Adelphi University and Fordham University, she became a tenured professor of economics at Nassau Community College. Outside of the classroom, her interests included woodworking, home improvement, golf, boating and family. She also had a passion for history and was involved with Phillips House Museum of Rockville Centre, N.Y. After extensive genealogical investigation of her family lineage, she discovered that her ancestors came to America on the Mayflower, and she became a member of the Mayflower Society. Ehrlein was a member of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church. She was predeceased by her husband, Armand S. Ehrlein ’72, her high school sweetheart. Judith Louv Trent ’72 passed away May 18, 2014, in Salem. She was retired from Roanoke County Schools where, most recently, she was a guidance counselor with Bent Mountain Elementary School. She described it as her favorite position. Trent held a master’s degree from Hollins University. She is survived by her husband, Harold F. Trent ’71, her son, Harold F. Trent ’02, daughter, Ann Marie Trent ’06 and son, John Trent. James P. Skarbek ’77, IT manager, died July 12, 2014. He resided in Bedford, Va., and enjoyed drag racing, hockey and softball. He was a hockey official for more than 30 years. Along with his wife, he also was a dance instructor.
Sally Fishburn Crockett, second from the right, with founding board members of the Roanoke Women’s Foundation. From left: Jan Garrett, Kandy Elliott, Sally Rugaber, Ginny Jarrett, Katherine Walker, Crockett, Charlotte Porterfield.
ally Fishburn Crockett, a former member of the Roanoke College Board of Trustees, died on April 13, 2014 after a month-long illness. She was 84. The daughter of Junius P. Fishburn, Roanoke Times & WorldNews publisher, and Katherine N. Fishburn, Crockett is remembered for her decades of community service, leadership and philanthropy. She was president of Planned Parenthood of the Blue Ridge, the Junior League of Roanoke and the Roanoke Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross. In addition to her service on the Roanoke College Board of Trustees, she served on the boards of Sweet Briar College, North Cross School, the Foundation for Roanoke Valley and the Virginia Center for Creative Arts, an artists’ community in Amherst, Va. She was a founding member of the Roanoke Women’s Foundation, a philanthropic organization. Crockett was a woman of “firsts” – first woman to lead a United Way of Roanoke Valley annual campaign; first woman to break the gender barrier at Roanoke’s then all-male Shenandoah Club; first woman named to the board of Dominion Bank (now part of Wells Fargo). In 1994, Roanoke College awarded Crockett an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. Following her 13 years of service on the Board of Trustees, Crockett was named Trustee Emeritus. She was a Roanoke College Associate. Crockett was pre-deceased by her husband, Charles L. Crockett. She is survived by daughters, Katherine Fulton of Sonoma, Calif., and Sally Cardamone, of Hilton Head Island, S.C.; a daughter-inlaw, son-in-law and sister-in-law; stepchildren, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends.
S
ROANOKE.EDU 45
maroonmusings BY D R. PAU L H A NST E DT English professor, Roanoke College
PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE MASON ’91
What I Want
about why you weren’t there. Please note: A lot of grandparents tend to die around midterms. I’ve noticed this trend. Just saying. • I want you to accept responsibility for any work you’ve missed. Whatever you do, I don’t want you to ask me if you “missed anything important.” I want you to understand how insulting that question is. • I want you to do the reading. • What’s more, I want you to think about the reading. How does it relate to everything else we’ve read and discussed in class? What do you find intriguing? Why? What startles you? Why? What challenges you? Why?
I want you to push yourself. I want you to push the world.
Dr. Paul Hanstedt at the recording of his essay at WVTF Public Radio.
C
lasses are starting, which means that I’m likely only weeks away from that moment — as inevitable as first-week crushes and pasta-bar hangovers — when a student walks into my office, paper in hand, and says, “I don’t know what you want. Just tell me what you want.” Usually, at moments like this — it often happens the day before a paper is due — I resist giving students a pat answer, pushing them to take some initiative and figure things out for themselves. But after 25 years as a professor, I’m thinking maybe it’s time to come clean. You want to know what I want? Here’s what I want: • I want you to come to class. • I want you to come to class on time. • When you don’t come to class, I want you to be honest with me
46 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2014
• I want you to ask why. I want you to ask this of yourself, of your classmates, and yes, of me. • I want you to be gracious as you do this. Because being gracious is rare these days, and I want you to be a rare person. • I want you to have some fun. I really do. I want you to go to parties and fall in love and indulge in some of the things that college students have indulged in since the beginning of time — or at least since the late 1960s. • And I want you to come to class on time, have I mentioned that? Even when class is at, say, 8:30 on a Friday morning. • I want you to take some risks. Raise your hand even if you’re not entirely sure you’re right. Ask the questions that get us all thinking. • I want you to fail.
• I want you to not give up when you fail. I want you to step back, reconsider, think about what happened. • Then I want you to try again, more thoughtfully this time. • I want you to study abroad. I want you to wake up in a foreign country and be confused and have to learn your way. I want you to learn that you are capable of doing this. • I want you to push yourself. • I want you to push the world. • I want you to look at what’s not right and change it. • I want you to push me to do the same. Years ago, I was at a workshop when someone said, “Well, obviously we don’t want our students to be line workers; we want them to be line managers.” I didn’t say anything at the time, but what I thought was, “No: I want my students to walk into the room, look at the line workers and the line managers and say, ‘There’s got to be a better way.’ And I want them to have the courage to act.” • I want to see you walk across the stage at graduation. I want to barely recognize you, because there’s a light in your eyes that changes the way you look, a light that tells me that you’ve found something — a poem, a social issue, a question in the sciences — that keeps you awake at night, that tells you who you are, what you value, what really matters in life. I want to see that light, and I want to see your face, and I want to shake your hand. That’s what I want. But in the meantime, I want you to write that damn paper and turn it in. Preferably on time. RC
Editor’s note: Paul Hanstedt’s reading of this essay was broadcast Aug. 28, 2014 on “Open Mic” on WVTF Public Radio.
collegearchives BY L IN DA A NG LE M I L L E R , CO L L EG E A R CH I V I ST
Happy 100th Anniversary, Student Government!
The first student governmental group at Roanoke College, as shown in photo from the 1914 yearbook.
I
t is difficult to imagine a time when colleges did not have student governments. Today, children begin serving on their student councils as early as the third grade. But early college presidents, faculty and students never imagined such a thing. It took time to develop one’s college to the point when this seemed not only feasible, but an appropriate thing to do. When Roanoke College students formed their own governmental body in 1914, they certainly were not the first to do so. There were colleges and universities that began allowing students a say in their college experience as early as the late 19th century. That was when Roanoke
engaged in its first experiment in student government. In today’s society, replete with cellphones, email, texts, tweets, Skype and more, we are inclined to view our 19th-century forebears as isolated and ignorant of the world outside their own communities. Au contraire! These people wrote letters voluminously. And each college that had a publication like Roanoke’s “Collegian” shared it with others. The Collegian staff subscribed to like publications from across the nation, from Harvard and Johns Hopkins to nearby Washington and Lee and Emory & Henry. Students shared a variety of information about their own school, from demographic statistics and numbers of books in their libraries to endowment figures, and, yes, their efforts to organize their student bodies. In June of 1885, the Collegian announced a change for the upcoming year — an experiment in “cooperative government” that had been undertaken in “several leading Northern Colleges.” Students would be permitted to share in the duties as well as the responsibilities of college government. This announcement, when made in Chapel, was met with enthusiastic applause. The College Council comprised President Julius Dreher, three faculty members, and students from each class: four seniors, three juniors, two sophomores, one freshman and even one “preparatorian.” After that first meeting in September, everyone seemed quite pleased. Students suggested a few schedule changes and the “removal of existing abuses” (meaning disciplinary actions), and seemed pleased that the president and faculty listened and responded. All seemed well for the next few meetings. What happened to the College Council is unclear. After two monthly meetings, there was nothing more mentioned in the “Collegian.” By fall, 1886, the Council had disappeared. It wasn’t until the 1910s that stu-
dents again pressed for some sort of student input into their college experience. By this time, many other colleges already had embraced student government. At Roanoke, the building of the first dormitories, the Commons and the gym brought with it the notion of the “residential college” with more focus on college life. Athletics became more deliberate, especially with the hiring of Coach Guy “Pinky” Spruhan. Students created college yells and songs to encourage school spirit. Even the Glee Club played an important part in this regard. Amidst this culture, pressure for some sort of student government mounted. Students argued that student government would help introduce freshmen to Roanoke College life — including proper behavior — as well as eliminate hazing, which had reached high levels in the fall of 1910. The 1911 yearbook — “Roentgen Rays” — included photos showing “Before Student Government,” where students were publicly paddled, and “After Student Government,” when student behavior would be vastly improved. It still took several years to formalize. In 1914, the Roentgen Rays introduced the “Board of Regents,” a group of young men who took their duties and responsibilities very seriously. However, Board of Regents usually meant the governing body of a college. So, in 1921, the name became “Student Council.” Over the years, additional changes and improvements have occurred. Now, in the Student Government Association, there is a wide campus representation of classes, fraternities, organizations and independents to reflect the diversity of the college. The SGA president is part of Student Life Committee and attends Board of Trustees meetings. SGA has benefited student life at Roanoke for 100 years. May it have continued success for the next 100! RC
ROANOKE.EDU 47
182,103 Total number of books in Fintel Library (218,131 when government documents and bound periodicals are included. Add to that 4,061 music scores, 187,776 electronic book titles and 4,400 DVDs!)
roanotes Earlier this year, Roanoke College’s Resource Development staff held a weeklong campus campaign to educate students about the importance of philanthropy and to encourage them to support Roanoke College through the Roanoke Fund. Here are some of the fun facts that were shared with students about what the Roanoke Fund supports.
6,000 Annual flowers purchased and planted each year.
18,000
2,136 miles
Number of preacher or “chaplain” cookies made in the Commons each year. (Dining Services also reports that the College used 7,722 gallons of milk during the 2013-14 year.)
9,900 Number of pizzas made in the Commons each year.
Amount of toilet paper the campus goes through in a year’s time. (That’s the distance from Salem, Va. to Phoenix, Ariz.!)
3,000
Estimated number of light bulbs the College purchases each year.
3,484,800
Square feet of the College’s main campus property.
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE
PAID SALEM, VA PERMIT NO. 11
Office of Public Relations 221 College Lane | Salem, Virginia 24153-3794
NOTE TO PARENTS: If this issue of Roanoke College Magazine is addressed to your son or daughter who no longer lives at your address, please provide a change of address to the College. Contact the Alumni Office by mail, e-mail or phone.