Roanoke College Magazine | 2025 | Issue One by Roanoke College

Scoring Position

Roanoke College alumnae are racking up career points in the highest levels of American sports.

DOGWOOD

CORNERING THE MARKET

A grocery opened in an underserved Roanoke community last year thanks in part to Professor Liz Ackley and the Center for Community Health Innovation.

By Alicia Petska

Hundreds of people turned out to celebrate the Market on Melrose opening, but few were prouder than Health and Human Performance Professor Liz Ackley.

“This means the literal world to me,” Ackley told the crowd. “This is not only about making healthy and affordable food more accessible. It’s about creating access to a basic resource that every thriving community deserves.”

For nearly 10 years, Ackley and the college’s Center for Community Health Innovation, along with 22 student researchers, advocated for a market in what had long been considered a food desert. She took their research to Goodwill Industries of the Valleys, which agreed to steward the development.

Emma Duff ’19 said the undergraduate experience was invaluable to her. “Liz is a wonderful teacher and showed us through example what it means to be a community changemaker. Her passion and tenacity were inspiring.”

Read more about this project at roanoke.edu/news/market_on_melrose.

10 A New Vision

Roanoke’s four new schools will promote intentional interdisciplinary collaboration and greater educational breadth for our students.

By Lindsey Nair ’98

18 Scoring Position

Roanoke alumnae like Lauren Byrnes ’12 (above) are thriving in the world of sports thanks in part to the opportunities and encouragement they found as Maroons.

By Ralph Berrier Jr.

26 Imagine Roanoke

The college’s new strategic plan includes six imperatives designed to guide the school’s focus on student success and community collaboration. By

Teresa Gereaux

’87

MAROONS

Boston-based illustrator Dana Smith created our cover collage from photographs submitted by the Roanoke College alumnae featured in our cover story, “Scoring Position.”

Maroons react to football and more

ON THE MAROONS’ RETURN TO THE GRIDIRON:

“The whole thing ... the team, coaches, students, band, cheerleaders, fans, Salem Stadium, the win, weather — it was all just simply in a word — spectacular! So proud to be a part of the Maroon family!”

Tom Raub, parent of Mackenzie Raub ’28

“It was a phenomenal experience. I want to thank everyone that put their hard work into making it all happen ... It makes me a happy mom having a player on the team and knowing all the love and support everyone has for these players, coaches and staff.

I want to also say the cheerleaders and band were awesome. I loved seeing all the different outﬁts the cheerleaders wore. Keep up the good work and cannot wait for the next game.

One more thing. I want to thank the community for all the support. They are a big part of all of this too.”

Michelle Talbot Cyr, parent of kicker Ethan Cyr ’27

ON KIM HALTERMAN ’00 AND HER AWARD FOR REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR:

“This is fantastic! But I can’t say I’m all that surprised. Kim Halterman, I could tell back in college that you were going to do great things.”

Lyndsey (Baker) Holmes ’02

“So many wonderful contributions to your community, Kim! Thank you for all you give and do.”

Leslie Murrill, professor of education

ON OUR FALL 2024 ISSUE:

“You guys hit a Grand Slam with your fall edition! The cover is a perfect portrayal of the Roanoke Valley and Roanoke College looking north towards Catawba Mountain. Well done and thank you.”

Bob Birdsall ’72

Editor Lindsey Nair ’98

Contributors Teresa Gereaux ’87, Alicia Petska, Margo Boone ’26, Ralph Berrier Jr., Mike Carpenter and Jordan Haack

Archives Jesse Bucher

Photography James France, Grifﬁn Pivarunas ’16, Kaylen Ayres ’25, Ryan Hunt ’18, Riley Tetreault ’25, Carissa Szuch Divant and Maple Landis-Brown ’27

Illustration Dana Smith

Design & Production Mikula-Harris

Printing Bison

Printing

Vice President, Marketing and Communications

Rita Farlow

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 Marketing and Communications for alumni, students, parents, staff and friends of Roanoke College. Editorial rights are reserved.

Questions, comments and corrections may be sent to:

Magazine Editor

Roanoke College Ofﬁce of Marketing and Communications 221 College Lane Salem, VA 24153-3794 rcmagazine@roanoke.edu

Mr. Malon W. Courts ’92, Chair

Mr. Kenneth J. Belton Sr. ’81, Vice Chair

Mr. James S. Frantz Jr., Secretary

Mr. David B. Mowen, Ex-ofﬁcio, Treasurer

Dr. Frank Shushok Jr., Ex-ofﬁcio, President of the College

Mr. Kirk Howard Betts

Dr. Paris D. Butler, MPH ’00

Ms. Pamela L. Cabalka ’76

Dr. M. Paul Capp ’52

Mr. Joseph H. Carpenter IV ’99

Ms. Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo ’78

Mr. W. Morgan Churchman ’65

Ms. Kimberly Davis-Riffe

Mr. Robert P. Fralin

The Rev. Harry W. Grifﬁth

Ms. Judith B. Hall ’69

Ms. Kathryn S. Harkness ’73

Ms. Peggy Fintel Horn ’78

Mr. Patrick R. Leardo

Mr. Christopher N. Merrill ’93

The Rev. Dr. Phyllis Milton, Bishop

Ms. Nancy B. Mulheren ’72

Mr. Roger A. Petersen ’81

Mr. J. Tyler Pugh ’70

The Rev. Dr. Theodore F. Schneider ’56

Mr. C. Micah Spruill ’11

Mr. Daniel E. Strelka ’89

Mr. Andrew K. Teeter ’71

Mrs. Nicole B. Terrill ’95

Dr. Garnett B. Whitehurst

Ms. Helen Twohy Whittemore ’80

Mr. Michael Cherry and Mrs. Anne Cherry (Ex-ofﬁcio, Co-chairs of the Parent Leadership Council)

Mrs. Cara (Bayersdorfer) Kenney ’98 (Ex-ofﬁcio, Chair of the Alumni Executive Council)

Mr. Alexander “Sandy” Mulheren ’02 (Ex-ofﬁcio, Chair of the President’s Advisory Board)

| Salem, VA 24153-3794 | roanoke.edu

Behind the finance curtain

As we shift our philanthropic priorities to raise endowed student ﬁnancial aid, we hope alumni will consider stepping up to lift our students and our mission.

I didn’t grow up in a family that was transparent about our household finances. I remember sensing instability as a child and just hoping that things would be fine.

Those who love Roanoke College are probably like me growing up: You hear a lot of noise about small college closings, deficits, the proverbial “demographic cliff,” rising student debt and Americans’ growing lack of confidence in higher education. Sensing instability, you just hope that things will be fine for Roanoke College.

As president, I favor transparency about “the family finances” at Roanoke. To be candid, our fiscal position is strained for all the reasons you hear in the news. It’s impossible to explain the associated complexities in a short note, but I hope to offer a compelling case for sacrificial generosity as the most reliable hope for our college.

Our philanthropic emphasis has long been focused on the Cregger and Science Center projects. We should be humbly astonished by what we’ve accomplished, but our focus must now shift. Starting today, our fundraising efforts will be bold and resoundingly focused on student financial aid, because our future depends

“Starting today, our fundraising efforts will be bold and resoundingly focused on student financial aid.”

on providing an affordable and sustainable education.

Each year, the college awards more than $36 million in institutional financial aid to students, but only $3.6 million of that is funded through endowment proceeds. The remaining $32.4 million is a reduction in what the college charges a student, and therefore also a reduction in revenue per student. Even with this assistance, in

President Shushok helps new students move in during Move-In

2024, our students graduated with an average of $36,000 in student loans, a growing number that is becoming harder for families to justify. This puts us in the justifiable position of needing to charge more while families justifiably need to pay less. This is one reason the college currently runs a deficit and can’t increase financial aid.

Flip through the pages of this magazine and you’ll see that inspiring things happen every day at Roanoke. We’re building new community partnerships, creating initiatives like Roanoke College-Roanoke Valley, growing programs, expanding access to non-traditional students, and striving for excellence everywhere. But we must work diligently as a community to reduce the costs of attendance, especially for middle- and lower-income students.

That’s why my greatest philanthropic priority is raising endowed student financial aid. As you reflect on your own family resources, I hope you’ll consider investing in our remarkable students. This is one of the best returns on investment that any of us can make.

About 15 percent of alumni make an annual contribution to the college. We’ll need more people in the “family” to step up, no matter what gift size, to serve our students and deploy the historic mission of Roanoke College. Will you be one of the first to model the way?

With hope,

Frank Shushok Jr.

Day in August 2024.

AT RIGHT: Students practice their line-dancing moves on the Maroon Athletic Quad during the second annual Shushok Shindig.

AT LEFT: At President’s Evening, President Shushok and Katey Jenkins ’96 celebrated the naming of Life Science Hall after her late father, Biology Professor Emeritus Bob Jenkins ’61.

AT RIGHT: Students learned about Hanji papermaking and Korean tea ceremonies during a unique cultural exchange hosted by Roanoke. Here, Hanji master Jang Eung-yul leads students in a papermaking workshop.

AT RIGHT: The cycling team enjoys a training ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

ABOVE: The Roanoke College football team takes a moment to pray in the locker room before their ﬁrst home game at Salem Stadium.

Percussionists in the Maroon Regiment Marching Band get the crowd ﬁred up at Roanoke’s ﬁrst football game since 1942.

BELOW: No kidding! Students love it when little critters show up as special guests at Friday on the Quad.

Students chat beneath fall’s ﬁery foliage along Maxey Way.

AT RIGHT: The Roanoke College football team presents members of the board of trustees with signed footballs as a thanks for their support leading up to the ﬁrst season.

AT LEFT: President Shushok (left) and His Excellency Hyundong Cho (right), ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the U.S., tap the Kicking Post for good luck during Cho’s visit to Roanoke College in November. Cho visited along with Minister and Consul General Kijoung Cho, marking the ﬁrst ofﬁcial visit by a sitting ambassador in more than 100 years and celebrating Roanoke’s unique connection with Korea.

ABOVE:

ON THE QUAD

COLLEGE NEWS & CAMPUS HAPPENINGS

Gridiron gains

After an undefeated run as a club team in 2024, Roanoke’s new football team is preparing for its ﬁrst full ODAC season in 2025.

By Lindsey Nair ’98

Salem has always been home to intense football fervor, but it was carried to new heights on Sept. 8, 2024, when Roanoke’s newly revived team hit the field for the first time against Hampden-Sydney’s JV team.

In the space of nine months, the program went from having five players to more than 60 — and advanced from its first practice in August to its first win just three weeks later. The team ended its club season at 4-0 and will join the ODAC this year for a full season.

As Head Coach Bryan Stinespring said, “The thing that continues to excite me is there’s a pretty high ceiling here, and we’re not close to it. Every year, we get a chance to chase after the best version of ourselves that we can be.”

Introducing schools

As part of an expanded educational vision, Roanoke is organizing academic disciplines into four new schools that will promote interdisciplinary collaboration and holistically prepare students for life in a rapidly changing world.

By Lindsey Nair ’98

Roanoke College’s legacy has been to provide its students with the kind of wellrounded, interdisciplinary education that is a hallmark of the liberal arts experience. But as today’s students prepare to enter a 21st century world burdened by audacious problems and complicated by rapidly changing technology, the college’s educational vision is expanding to ensure that it isn’t just another liberal arts college, but a destination for students who desire the capacity to question the status quo, lead innovation and spark change within their communities.

To that end, Roanoke announced late last year that it will launch a new academic structure, effective in fall 2025, organizing 100+ areas of study in 16 sep-

arate departments into four schools designed – with extensive community input – to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among departments, promote greater educational breadth for our students, and facilitate increased cooperation with external partners.

Those four new schools and the experienced educators who have been appointed to lead them as deans are:

The School of Business, Economics, and Analytics will be led by Dr. Alice Kassens, John S. Shannon Professor of Economics and director of the college’s Center for Economic Freedom.

The School of Communication, Culture, and the Arts will be helmed by Dr. Wendy Larson-Harris, who is currently a professor and chair of the Department of English and Communication Studies.

“Our exciting educational vision is deeply connected to what learners will need to thrive in the 21st century.”

— President Frank Shushok Jr.

Dr. Marit Berntson will be dean of the School of Education, Government, and Society. Berntson is a professor and chair of the Department of Sociology and Public Health.

The School of Health, Science, and Sustainability will be led by Dr. Karin Saoub, the M. Paul Capp & Constance Whitehead Professor of Math and chair of the Math, Computer Science and Physics Department.

“Our exciting educational vision is deeply connected to what learners will need to thrive in the 21st century,” said President Frank Shushok Jr. “This isn’t just a new academic structure; it comes out of a conviction that learners of today and tomorrow must be exposed to multiple forms of knowledge, the skill to work with individuals from many different backgrounds, and the capacity to pivot and adapt as the world changes rapidly around them.”

Read more about the new educational vision for Roanoke at roanoke.edu/news/schools.

A ﬁlm crew from Amazon Prime Video’s “The College Tour” ﬁlmed and interviewed students on campus during a weeklong shoot in March 2024. The Roanoke episode is available online for free at roanoke.edu/thecollegetour or on Amazon Prime.

Key ﬁgures in the “Triumph of Hope” project gathered for a photo at a reception preceding the ﬁlm screening. Top row, L-R: Steve Mason ’91, owner of Red Velocity video production company, and creative director Jim Dudley. Bottom row, L-R: Roanoke College Trustee Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo ’78, who helped fund the project; Holocaust survivors Regine Archer and Helga Morrow; and executive producer Lori Strauss.

A happening place

Roanoke’s campus was a hive of activity last year, and these events represent a few cells in the sweet honeycomb of life as a Maroon in 2024.

Life on campus is rarely dull, but 2024 was particularly exciting — we even hosted a week-long shoot for an Amazon Prime series!

One of fall’s most touching events was the screening of “Triumph of Hope,” a local ﬁlm directed by Steve Mason ’91 that told the story of three Southwest Virginia residents who survived the Holocaust as hidden children: Arye Ephrath, Regine Archer and Helga Morrow.

History Professor Rob Willingham, who interviewed the survivors with students, said, “Working with those three people is one of the highlights of my professional life.”

President Frank Shushok Jr. fastens a Pride sticker to his lapel during the Pride Poster Party in the Colket Center atrium, which was organized in November to show support for LGBTQ+ community members and allies.

In August, the 19th annual R House was moved to its permanent location and ﬁnished in time for the December dedication ceremony.

Fond farewell to Massengill

The building erected in 1970 has come down to make way for a new science center.

As the sun set on January, cranes and crushing machines got busy with the work of demolishing Massengill Auditorium. The more than 50-year-old structure is expected to be completely dismantled and removed by the time this magazine lands in mailboxes, making way for the new Shaun McConnon Discovery Center.

Massengill was built in 1970 and named in memory of Samuel Massengill, founder of the Massengill Pharmaceutical Company and an 1892 graduate of Roanoke. Massengill’s grandson, Frank DeFriece ’46, earned a chemistry degree at Roanoke and served as president of the family company from 1960-71. He also served on Roanoke’s Board of Trustees.

Over the years, Massengill was home to a variety of science classes, lectures and special events. Many alumni probably remember the popular Chemistry Magic Shows that were held there. It even served as a screening venue for student-run movies during the 1980s.

A large mosaic of the college seal that festooned Massengill’s west side was knocked down with the wall, but its pieces were collected and saved. The future of those remaining shards remains undecided.

The central structure of the McConnon Center will rise from the ashes of Massengill, connecting Trexler and Life Science halls. The new structure is expected to be completed by fall 2026.

INNOVATION

Roanoke wins federal grant

The funding will help the college build partnerships with STEM-H innovators and strengthen the skilled workforce pipeline.

By Alicia Petska

A $1.55 million federal grant that Roanoke procured last fall, as part of a consortium with three other schools, will build partnerships with the region’s STEM-H (science, technology, engineering, math and health) innovators and strengthen the skilled workforce pipeline.

Roanoke was one of three schools in Virginia that received the three-year grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation’s EPIIC program in 2024. It will fund a project called “Connect Four” in which Roanoke and three other schools in the cohort –Albion College, Canisius University and Northwest Arkansas Community College – will work to develop programs tailored to each of their region’s needs. They will also share insights, learning from expert consultants and collaborating on a universal toolkit that could help guide other small institutions.

“Our toolkit will be a free resource that can be adapted to the needs of different departments and institutions,” said Professor Shannon Anderson, Roanoke’s EPIIC liaison. “By demystifying the process, we can make this type of work more accessible to faculty and staff who have phenomenal ideas but need support to bring them to life.”

Roanoke’s participation is one way the school is working to fulfill the imperatives of its new strategic plan, “Imagine Roanoke,” including Imperative No. 1, which aims to make it the Roanoke Valley’s most sought-after educational partner by industry, entrepreneurs and community leaders.

For more information about the new strategic plan, see Pp. 26-27.

Associate Professor Steve Powers (right) looks on while students dissect a frog in his biology class. One goal of a new federal grant project at Roanoke is to support more STEM-H partnerships that fuel opportunities to redeﬁne teaching and service.

Excavation on the plaza side of Massengill led up to the structure’s demolition in late January and February.

Memorial concept revealed

A bronze sculpture by Richmond-based artist Sandy Williams IV will honor enslaved people involved in the history of Roanoke College.

In September, University of Richmond professor and artist Sandy Williams IV visited Roanoke College to unveil their concept for a memorial dedicated to recognizing and honoring the role of enslaved people in the college’s history.

“Authors and Architects” will be a bronze sculpture in the form of 1,000 stacked books, many of which will be engraved with the names of formerly enslaved Black people with ties to school history. The books will be cast from 3D scanned replicas of original college library and record books. The sculpture, which is the culmination of extensive work by the college’s Center for Studying Structures of Race, will be installed in the grass near Bittle Hall this year.

“My hope is that this experience at the memorial will help humanize the legacy of people who were enslaved in ways that are currently absent from official records and histories,” Williams said.

Roanoke establishes ROTC program

The program will combine military science courses with an academic major and military training through the New River Valley Battalion of cadets.

A new Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program will launch at Roanoke in the 2025-26 academic year. The program will be part of the New River Valley Battalion of cadets, and participants will take part in weekly joint military training exercises with Radford University cadets.

Roanoke has earned the Military Friendly School designation from G.I. Jobs magazine and Viqtory publishing for several years running and is committed to welcoming veterans, their dependents and future military leaders.

Roanoke launches M.Ed. Program

Roanoke’s second graduate degree program launched in fall 2024.

Roanoke College’s Education Department is building on its strong relationships with regional schools by offering a Master of Education to give educators a high-quality opportunity to transform the education landscape. It is Roanoke’s second graduate offering behind the MBA program.

The inventive offering, Master of Education: Educational Inquiry, combines theory, empirical research, innovative pedagogies and a capstone research project to empower educators to be leaders and change-makers. It is open to students holding a bachelor’s degree in any major.

Damon Daniels ’24, an Army veteran who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, is Roanoke’s new military support and recruitment coordinator, and he will serve as the contact point for those interested in ROTC at Roanoke. Reach out to him at daniels@roanoke.edu.

Ten credits are required, and the program can be completed in one or two years. Courses can also provide recertification points for Virginia teachers.

Some of the books in “Authors and Architects” will bear the names of people uncovered by student research while others will be left blank to hold space for future discoveries.

A bouquet of poppies laid by the Student Veterans Association in observance of Veterans Day.

Lifting all sports

As Roanoke’s new strength and conditioning coaches make a difference in athletic performance, the college is raising funds for a new Athletic Performance Center that would beneﬁt hundreds of student-athletes on campus.

By Lindsey Nair ’98

Patrick Clevenger ’26 has been a member of the Roanoke College men’s basketball team since he was a first-year student, but something happened between his sophomore and junior seasons that helped him crush his goals in the weight room and on the court.

That something is actually someone: Scott Bennett, the Maroons’ first full-time coach dedicated solely to strength and conditioning, joined Roanoke’s Athletic Department in fall 2023. Bennett and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Isabelle O’Connell, who arrived in July 2024, make up a dynamic duo determined to make a difference in athletes’ performance, whether that’s in the pool or on the field, court, diamond, track, course or mat.

“The students deserve to have every supporting cast member around them to give them a chance to be successful,” Bennett said, “and this was the next step at Roanoke College for our athletes.”

Roanoke’s 1,800-student body includes a huge percentage of varsity athletes –about one-third, or more than 600. To put that in perspective, Virginia Tech also has about 600 athletes, but they make up just 2% of the 32,000+ student body. Every one of those 600+ Maroon athletes make their way to Alumni Gym at least once a week for training with Bennett and/or O’Connell, who also join practices and are on the sidelines for games. Their goal is to determine the athletes’ physical voids and enhance their capacity to perform well in their sport – all while keeping them safe and preventing or limiting injuries.

Bennett has more than 35 years of experience in the field, working at schools including Marshall University, the universities of Southern Mississippi and Wyoming, James Madison University, Virginia Tech and Radford. He came to Roanoke from the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association, where he served as chief executive officer.

But his passion for training goes all the way back to age 10 or 11, when a high school coach named Johnny Parker became a boarder at Bennett’s grandmother’s house in Tunica, Miss. Parker taught Bennett about exercise and weightlifting, fueling a passion that drove Bennett to earn degrees in sport management and sports medicine from Ole Miss.

Parker, that friendly high school coach who first taught Bennett the ropes, went on to help the New York Giants win two Super Bowls. He also coached in Super Bowls for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, finishing his career with the San Francisco 49ers.

O’Connell was a standout member of the women’s lacrosse team at Old Dominion University, where she earned a B.A. in health and physical education. She followed that up with an M.S. in applied kinesiology and physiology from University of Florida, then put her degrees to work at Ursinus College before joining the coaching staff at Roanoke.

O’Connell has her own interesting connection: Her stepfather, Patrick “Pat” Muldowney ’89, played basketball for Roanoke College and helped the team win the ODAC championship in 1986 and

’87. She first heard about the opening for an assistant coach from Muldowney’s former coach and longtime friend, Page Moir, who now works as a major gift officer in the Advancement Office.

Bennett and O’Connell have divided up Roanoke’s 26 varsity teams, with each dedicated to a particular list of sports. Because training needs are unique to each team – and also vary within a sport, depending on the position played – the strength coaches have their work cut out for them. Alumni Gym echoes with banging weights, music and chatter every

weekday, with lift sessions beginning as early as 6 a.m. and ending as late as 8 p.m.

“My whole goal this off season in the weight room was to gain a lot of weight, put on a lot of muscle,” said Clavenger, “and I have been able to increase everything under Coach Bennett. Each week, he’s programming something different for us based on what our body needs and based on what sports teams he’s working with. He’s really made a meaningful impact on me because of the time and effort he puts into creating the best athlete he can.”

Both Bennett and O’Connell said they’ve never worked with a more appreciative bunch.

“I have been thanked more times in the last two weeks by student-athletes than I have been collectively in 36 years,” Bennett said. “I think they realize the value of what we do. They’ve seen how it’s helped them improve, and they appreciate the fact that we’re here to help them. They don’t feel any entitlement.”

Just as strength and conditioning requires steadily building a better athlete, Roanoke College’s new strength and con-

Isabelle O'Connell and Scott Bennett are Roanoke's ﬁrst full-time coaches dedicated solely to the strength and conditioning of all student-athletes.

ditioning program will require building a better facility in which to train those athletes. The college has launched a fundraising initiative for a new Athletic Performance Center that will lift all sports at Roanoke.

The Athletic Performance Center will complement the rest of that cast of characters and resources Bennett mentioned that is so important to student-athletes. The coaches are making the most of Alumni Gym, but it is an aging location with limited equipment for Roanoke’s 600+ student-athletes.

“It cannot come soon enough,” O’Connell said. “Scott and I can get creative with the equipment we have, and it gets the job done, but we could be so much better. These kids work incredibly hard, and they should be training in a facility they feel proud to train in.”

While a modest amount of equipment, such as medicine balls and foam rollers, has been purchased to complement training needs, the coaches have a wish list for the facility that includes double the number of lifting racks, a turf area for speed agility and plyometric drills, an area for active stretching, and technology to help track workouts.

“Strength and conditioning is an important component of competitive sports,” said Athletic Director Curtis Campbell.

“The Athletic Performance Center is going to be a game changer for RC athletics, because it will benefit every sport. Our student-athletes are very fortunate to have two coaches the caliber of Scott and Izzy. Now we need to provide them with a facility that will enable them to train our students to be the very best they can be.”

To learn more or donate to our fundraising initiative for an Athletic Performance Center, please contact Page Moir at moir@roanoke.edu or visit roanoke.edu/give.

Now cheer this

Roanoke’s new competition cheer team got a jump on its ﬁrst season by qualifying for national competition and boosting school spirit at football and basketball games – all within a few weeks of their ﬁrst practice.

By Lindsey Nair ’98

When thousands of fans packed Salem Stadium for Roanoke’s first football game in September, they were introduced to a group of student-athletes who had built a team on just a couple weeks of practice time – and already qualified for nationals. That team is Roanoke’s first competition cheer team, which made an impressive debut on the stadium sidelines and is now preparing for the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) College Nationals in Daytona Beach, Florida, in early April. The team of mostly first-year Maroons earned the bronze bid to nationals less than two weeks after they arrived on cam-

pus and met each other.

“I am so proud of this team,” said Competitive Cheer Coach Katelyn Kaminski. “They’re setting a very high bar and creating an amazing legacy for this new program.”

Kaminski came to Roanoke from Ferrum College, having previously been the head cheer coach at Radford, Tiffin, Webber International and SUNY Oswego. She started cheering when she was just three years old and was recruited in high school to cheer for Elmira College. There, she helped the team achieve a national ranking for four seasons and was a threetime All-American.

Roanoke’s new team, which includes a few members of the club team that preceded it, will cheer at football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball games, as well as compete in competitions. As varsity athletes, they work with Roanoke’s Athletic Training Center and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Isabelle O’Connell.

“They’re lifting adult women over each other’s heads,” Kaminski said, “so they have to be strong and take care of their bodies.”

Kaminski also stresses the importance of balancing academics with a rigorous practice and training schedule, requiring at least six study hall hours per week. As she works to fill a roster of 25 next year, she’ll be looking for women who practice good time management and have a positive attitude. In return, she strives to build their confidence as capable women and skilled athletes.

As spring arrives, Kaminski continues to see improvement in the young team, which is her favorite aspect of coaching.

“When you start the season, it can be easy to get discouraged because you want to hit the stunts,” she said. “At the end, when you are finally nailing that routine, you forget about all the 6 a.m. practices and the hard times. It’s the absolute best feeling in the world.”

Roanoke’s ﬁrst football win in September was also a victory for the competition cheer team, which made its debut appearance and wowed the crowd.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Rebecca Carr ’27 earned ﬁrst-team All-ODAC honors and defender Emily Mofﬁtt ’26 was named third-team allconference.

Ashlyn Berry ’26, Lauren Fisher ’26, Bree Fulkerson ’27, Brooke Nicholson ’25, Irene Orndorff ’27 and Lauren Rubino ’26 earned spots on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.

MEN’S SOCCER

The men’s soccer squad went 83-6 overall, and were undefeated at home. They also went 2-0 against ranked opponents, defeating #20 Emory 1-0 and #15 Virginia Wesleyan 3-2.

Michael Ramsey ’25 and Ryan Pidgeon ’25 both earned fourthteam All-Region honors. Ramsey also took home ﬁrst-team AllODAC accolades, while Pidgeon made the second team. Carter

Laatsch ’26 and Will Fatzinger ’26 received third-team allconference nods.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

The team ﬁnished the 2024 season 17-12 overall with a 7-2 record at home.

Peyton Kirchner ’25 and Rylee Mayer ’25 earned All-ODAC women’s volleyball honors. Kirchner was named to the All-

ODAC ﬁrst-team while Mayer nabbed second-team All-ODAC accolades.

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

Matt Garis ’25 earned all-region honors as the Maroons put together their best showing at the regional championship in 21 years. Roanoke finished eighth in the 22-team field in the South Region championships, which were hosted by Belhaven University. Garis led the way with a lifetimebest time in the 8K race, finishing in 26:17.9 to place 31st.

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

The women’s team finished 17th overall at the regional championship. Sarah Kochanski ’26 led Roanoke with a time of 25:18.7 in the 6K race, placing 82nd overall with 76 points. Savannah Reid ’25 finished in 25:36.2, placing 96th, and was the Maroons’ top individual finisher at the ODAC Championships.

FIELD HOCKEY

Grace Vernarelli ’25 tallied 13 goals and ﬁve assists for 31 points, putting her in the top 5 in the conference in goals and points. She earned second-team All-Region and ﬁrst-team AllODAC accolades. Defender Katherine Seal ’26 took home third-team All-ODAC honors.

MAROON ADVANTAGE

By Lindsey Nair ’98

Lots of alumni credit Roanoke College with educating them and launching them into life, but as a fourth-generation Maroon, soccer midfielder Irene Orndorff ’27 can say she may never have existed without Roanoke.

In the 1920s, Orndorff’s great-grandfather, Jacob M. Orndorff Sr. ’24, met his future wife while jogging with college friends down High Street (now Maxey Way). Their son, Jacob M. Orndorff Jr. ’51, enrolled at Roanoke in 1942, got drafted to World War II, then returned to the college to complete his degree.

The tradition continued with Irene’s dad, Chris Orndorff ’79, who studied political science and helped launch a men’s and women’s swim club at Roanoke. Now an attorney in northern Virginia, Orndorff was pleased to hear that his daughter was thinking about playing soccer and studying at his alma mater – but he was careful not to pressure her.

Irene made her choice based on the soccer program, school size, and a sense of community she first experienced during a visit with her father, who reconnected with fraternity brothers and lunched with a favorite professor from the Politics Department, Bill Hill.

“It gave me a lot of hope that in college, I’d be able to find these connections like my dad,” she said. “I think as a legacy student, you get a greater appreciation for the history of Roanoke and what it has built. At the same time, Roanoke has developed so much since my relatives came here that it’s a new place full of new opportunities. I feel like I’ve been able to follow my own path.”

roanokemaroons.com

Read more about the Orndorff family on P. 41.

SCORING POSITION

BY RALPH BERRIER JR.

The experience and encouragement these women found as Maroons, including campus jobs, internships and alumni connections, helped propel them into fulﬁlling careers in the world of sport management.

Brigitte Rec ’17 had big-league dreams as a kid.

“I wanted to be the first female manager of the Boston Red Sox,” said Rec, who grew up a huge baseball fan in Long Valley, New Jersey.

Rec’s hope of running a ball club from the dugout faded as she grew up, but she never fully gave up on the idea of someday working for the Red Sox.

Today, Rec is director of design for creative services with Fenway Sports Management, the marketing arm of Fenway Sports Group. That’s the Boston-based company that owns the Red

“I started in September 2018 at Fenway Park, and a few weeks later, we’re holding a trophy.”

Sox and other sports properties, including the National Hockey League’s Pittsburgh Penguins, English professional soccer team Liverpool Football Club of the Premier League, a NASCAR team and the global marketing rights of basketball superstar LeBron James. In her job, Rec leads a team of artists that develops marketing and promotional designs for companies that partner with Fenwayowned entities.

She is one of a significant number of Roanoke alumnae now working in the highest levels of American sports, includ-

ing World Series winners, NBA champions, National Football League teams and Olympics broadcasters. These women lead off-the-field teams that are responsible for a host of accomplishments, which include bringing in millions of dollars in revenues, running the business side of franchises and handling legal matters.

When you watch a Red Sox game, look for the small patch on a player’s sleeve that bears a simple logo for Massachusetts Mutual, a life insurance company that paid to advertise on uniforms. Rec’s team designed the small “MassMutual” patch —

as well as splashier, high-tech advertisements around venerable Fenway Park.

Her career highlight happened not long after she arrived in Boston in 2018, when the Red Sox won the World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I started in September 2018 at Fenway Park, and a few weeks later, we’re holding a trophy,” said Rec, who graduated from Roanoke with a communications degree and a minor in art. She was a photographer and the sports editor for the Brackety-Ack, Roanoke’s college newspaper.

Roanoke’s big-league talent also includes

Brigitte Rec ’17 was sports editor for the Brackety-Ack. She is now director of design with Fenway Sports Management.

“I don't think anyone is going to repeat the path I took. It's a winding road, but it's really important to be open to anything.”

Lisa Meyer ’00 interned for several minor league baseball teams as a Maroon, and today she is director of business & legal affairs and risk management for the Golden State Warriors.

Lisa Meyer ’00, director of business & legal affairs and risk management for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors; Stacey Nicely ’05, senior director of new ticket initiatives for Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves; Lauren Byrnes ’12, director of strategic planning, sports & Olympics for NBC Universal Media; and Kaity Diskerud ’16, director of business solutions in the corporate partnerships department for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. Other Roanoke alumni working in the front offices of minor-league teams and in sports media include Alexandra Crutchfield ’16, a vice president for the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs of the Southern Professional Hockey League, and Randi Burrell ’05, a vice president for the Iowa Wolves of the NBA’s G League. Jamella “Mel”

Foster ’17, social media editor and Tik Tok creator for Yahoo Sports, also hosts her own popular Tik Tok channel, “Hoopin’ With Mel,” that attracts nearly 40,000 followers.

Some of the women majored in sportsspecific studies, such as sport management, while at Roanoke. But they all said the people at Roanoke supported them and helped them on their career journeys, even if they took a nontraditional path into sports.

GOAL SETTING

Growing up in Alleghany County, Virginia, Nicely watched Braves games on TBS with her parents and grandmother. This was back in the 1990s when Chipper Jones, Ryan Klesko, Andruw Jones, John Smoltz and Greg Maddux were the stars of teams that made five World Series trips.

“I always wanted to work for the Braves,” said Nicely, who earned a psychology degree at Roanoke.

“I never had any roadblocks,” said Burrell, a Montgomery County, Virginia, native who majored in health and human performance. “Nobody ever said, ‘Hey, I wouldn’t go that route,’ or ‘That’s gonna be hard.’ It was always, ‘Let’s figure it out.’ And that’s Roanoke College.”

Soon after, she landed a job in the Braves ticket office and began working her way up the ladder. As senior director for new ticket initiatives, she helps the club find ways to reach potential fans and get them into the Braves’ Stadium, Truist Park.

She leads a team that comes up with specialty ticket promotions for game-day events that include Education Day (geared toward elementary-aged children), Barbie Night, Star Wars Night, Harry Potter Night, a Latino-themed Los Bravos game and a Girls Night Out package.

“I like doing things that reach different audiences and tie it to a baseball game,” she said.

Nicely said her psychology professors and advisors worked with her to develop a sports background that would help her pursue her career. She worked in Roanoke’s Public Relations Office (now Marketing and Communications) all four years of college, with a focus on sports writing, and she undertook an internship with the old Roanoke Express minorleague hockey team.

“My professors never geared me toward

something else,” she said.

Meyer, too, was committed to working in sports. Roanoke didn’t add a sports analytics concentration until 2020, but as a math major in the late 1990s, she was attuned to the growing interest in advanced sports statistics, especially in baseball. Meyer, a New Jersey native and a fan of the Yankees and the Giants, interned for several minor league baseball teams while a student at Roanoke and took a winding path to the NBA.

Following graduation, she worked briefly at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, in basketball operations for the Miami Heat, and for the former Miami Sol of the WNBA before taking a hiatus to work in different fields and earn a law degree. Then she jumped back into the ring by spending eight years in legal affairs, finance and public relations for New

Jersey-based boxing promoter Main Events. She moved on to Legends, a sports and entertainment company co-founded by the Yankees and Dallas Cowboys, but lost that job in pandemic-related layoffs in 2021. That’s when she joined the Warriors, a team led by superstar Stephen Curry that has won four titles since 2015. Her job is to alleviate risks for fans who attend games or concerts at Chase Center in San Francisco, manage the organization’s insurance program, and support the arena’s legal needs.

“Everything from sponsorships to concerts, games and private events, to litigation and everything in between,” she said.

She also handles risk management for the new Golden State Valkyries WNBA team. A self-described “concert freak,” she has seen shows by Adele, Elton John and –naturally, for a Jersey girl – Bruce Spring-

“I have my hand in everything that’s not the power play.”

Alexandra Crutchﬁeld ’16 is a vice president for the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs. She worked for the sports information ofﬁce and the Athletics Department at Roanoke, where she played tennis and volleyball.

“ I have to remind myself that this is not normal. This landscape of the NFL is top tier, and that brings top-tier personalities and brands and partners.”

steen. And those are just the shows when she isn’t on the clock.

Diskerud, the director of business solutions for the Titans, sees many celebrities at football games in Music City USA, so she’s almost desensitized to it. Just this fall, as she watched the game from a suite with corporate partners, an acquaintance pointed out that country music singer and rapper Jelly Roll was in the suite next door.

“One of our guests is like, ‘Oh my god, is that Jelly Roll?’ I have to remind myself that this is not normal,” she said. “This landscape of the NFL is top tier, and that brings top-tier personalities and brands and partners.”

Diskerud, a native of Hershey, Pennsylvania, was captain of Roanoke’s

women’s tennis team and, after a sojourn into exercise science, majored in sport management. She’s been with the Titans since 2017 and, up until recently, she worked on what marketing folks call the activation side — where all the promotions, advertisements and sponsorships are put into action in the stadium. A company doesn’t just want its name emblazoned on a billboard hanging from a stadium deck; it wants interactive videos, games and other multimedia promotions to connect with fans and possible customers.

“The classic static sign is not something that a lot of these big brands deem valuable,” Diskerud said. “They want to feel like we’re doing something completely integrated, matching our two

missions together.”

That’s why 69,000 fans in Nashville’s Nissan Stadium get to see the Dance Cam sponsored by Little Caesars during a timeout, or find themselves seated in the Lucky Row, which wins them a free CocaCola. Product tie-ins are ubiquitous at a sporting event. Now that Diskerud works on the solutions side of partnerships, she develops packages to entice companies to spend lots of money on the Titans.

When the Titans open their new $2.1 billion stadium in 2027, even more hightech sponsorships and placements will be possible, Diskerud said.

Sports revenues are enormous across the board. NBC saw a record $1.2 billion in ad spending during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, according to Yahoo

Kaity Diskerud ’16 earned a degree in sport management at Roanoke; now she works in the corporate partnerships department for the Tennessee Titans.

Finance, and Roanoke alumna Byrnes played a role in securing that money for NBC Universal.

As strategic planning director for NBC’s sports and Olympics division, New Yorkbased Byrnes leads a team that packages advertising space, which includes digital platforms and television, and sells it to clients. If you were part of the 30 million viewers on average who watched the Paris games, you probably saw commercials that Byrnes and her team shepherded onto your screens.

“Our team is responsible for managing the value of commercial space and collaborating with the Ad Sales team to negotiate terms and finalize pricing with various clients,” she said. “It’s especially rewarding to see ads you’ve touched air in the Olympics, knowing that your contributions played a part in something on such

a large scale.”

Byrnes didn’t aim for Olympic gold while studying sociology and human resource management at Roanoke. Her television career began at Bravo TV, a network she hated to leave because “I like my ‘Housewives.’” But NBC was starting an all-Olympics channel, and the chance to work in sports was enticing. The network also carries the NFL and, in 2026, will add NBA broadcasts.

“Sports generate not only a ton of revenue, but are just really a fun opportunity,” Byrnes said. “It’s great to be a partner of the NFL, the Olympics, and the NBA upcoming. It continues to grow.”

Working the Olympics, though, is her favorite.

“When you work on the games, you’re working all 17 days that it’s airing, and you work with a really close-knit team …

and it’s a different kind of fun, especially with the number of viewers that are coming in to watch it.”

Foster, who was a shooting guard for the Maroons basketball team from 2013 to 2017, knew she wanted to work in sports even though she was “not good enough to make the WNBA,” she said. She majored in communications and was comfortable behind a microphone, as evidenced by the “Hot Topics With Mel” show she hosted on WRKE-FM. A Raleigh, North Carolina native, Foster interned at Roanoke’s NBC affiliate WSLS-TV, a job suggested by assistant professor Debra Melican.

After graduation, Foster worked as a production assistant for ESPN, handling graphics for “NFL Live” and “SportsCenter,” and shooting video for social media platforms.

She joined Yahoo Sports in July 2024 as

“The thing I love about my platform is that I get to show a little love, a little shine for women’s hoops.”

As a student, Jamella Foster ’17 hosted a show on WRKE and interned with Roanoke’s NBC afﬁliate. She’s now a social media editor and creator for Yahoo Sports.

“Nobody ever said, ‘Hey, I wouldn’t go that route,’ or ‘That’s gonna be hard.’ It was always, ‘Let’s ﬁgure it out.’ And that’s Roanoke College.”

For Randi Burrell ’05, working with the Athletics Department at Roanoke and interning with minor league teams helped solidify a desire to build a career in sports.

a senior social media editor, which put her in front of the camera to cover the Connecticut Sun during the WNBA playoffs, as well as the Boston Celtics media day, when she interviewed NBA superstars Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Her “Hoopin’ With Mel” Tik Tok channel allows her to offer opinions and news about women’s basketball at the college and pro levels. “The thing I love about my platform is that I get to show a little love, a little shine” for women’s hoops, she said.

GAME ON

The road to a sports career doesn’t start at the Olympic or NFL level. Sometimes it starts on the sidelines of an Old Dominion Athletic Conference basketball game

in the old Bast Center.

That’s where Crutchfield and Diskerud could be found a decade ago, working at the scorer’s table, choosing songs for the public-address system and handling other menial tasks during men’s and women’s basketball games. Crutchfield, a Roanoke native, had an on-court view of sports by playing varsity volleyball and tennis at Roanoke, but it was while working for the sports information office and the college’s Athletic Department that she got a peek at all the off-court work that happens before, during and after games.

“We did things like organizing photos and updating the website, and even a little bit of writing,” Crutchfield said. She also learned that working in sports means you can’t always be emotionally connected to

wins and losses.

She remembered her boss at the time, former director of athletic communication Chris Kilcoyne, and his resolute reaction to a heartbreaking basketball loss.

“Kaity and I saw Chris afterward, and he’s acting like nothing had happened. And I was like, ‘Are you bummed out that they lost?’ And he said, ‘Just part of the gig.’”

That attitude has served Crutchfield well in her role as a vice president for Roanoke’s minor-league hockey team. She oversees almost all the Rail Yard Dawgs’ off-the-ice aspects, which include advertising, sales, media and game-night management at the Berglund Center.

“I have my hand in everything that’s not the power play,” she said.

Both Crutchfield and Rec said the internships they scored as Roanoke students played a role in landing jobs. Rec, who was a hurdler for Roanoke’s track and field team, reignited her passion for baseball by interning as a photographer for the Cape Cod Baseball League for college players.

“I was like, ‘Man, I don’t want this summer to end,’” she said. “I’m having so much fun, just sitting on the sidelines and watching these games.”

Officials in Roanoke’s Alumni Office put Rec in contact with other alumni who worked in baseball, which opened the door to a full-time job with the Red Sox two years after graduation.

The minor leagues provided early experience for others, too. Meyer interned for the former Salem Avalanche and New Jersey Cardinals minor league baseball teams, handling chores such as running

on-field promotions between innings, selling tickets and merchandise, or pulling tarp over the diamond during rain delays. Burrell also interned for the Avalanche, hawking programs, pouring beers and working in the press box, and she interned for Salem’s Parks and Recreation Department.

A stint with the former Roanoke Dazzle was Burrell’s entry into minor league basketball, a realm where she has worked ever since. She worked for legendary Roanoke basketball coaches Page Moir and Susan Dunagan, and she knew she wanted to work in sports as a career. As a high-ranking official in the Iowa Wolves front office, she is now a mainstay on the sidelines, helping manage most facets of game night operations.

“The minors is a great place to have your hand in a lot of things,” she said.

You can also win a championship in your hometown, as Crutchfield did when the Rail Yard Dawgs claimed the SPHL title in 2023. She even planned the championship processional through downtown Roanoke. “People were lined up to see us,” she said.

Nicely, who used to watch Braves games with her grandmother, took her parents to a couple games when the Braves played the Houston Astros in the 2021 World Series. When the Braves won the title, Nicely got to ride in the World Series parade through the streets of Atlanta.

And as an employee of the Braves, she even received a World Series ring.

“When I started working for the Braves,” she said, “I would go by myself to watch a game. I couldn’t believe I was there, and this was my job. It’s all very surreal.”

“My professors never geared me toward something else.”

Stacey Nicely ’05 worked in Roanoke’s Public Relations Ofﬁce and interned with the old Roanoke Express hockey team. She earned a World Series ring as senior director of new ticket initiatives for the Braves.

Imagine Roanoke

ROANOKE UNVEILED A BOLD SIX-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN IN AUGUST. “IMAGINE ROANOKE: A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ROANOKE COLLEGE AND THE 21ST CENTURY LEARNER” OFFERS A ROADMAP WITH SIX IMPERATIVES TO GUIDE THE COLLEGE’S FOCUS ON STUDENT SUCCESS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM.

BY TERESA GEREAUX ’87

ROANOKE’S NEW STRATEGIC PLAN, shared here with examples, will drive the work we do to prepare students for success. To read more, visit roanoke.edu/imagineroanoke.

IMPERATIVE 1

To become the Roanoke Valley’s most sought-after educational partner by industry, entrepreneurs and community leaders.

IN PRACTICE:

Community has always been a vital partner for Roanoke College, and the college is renewing that commitment by creating RC-RV (Roanoke College – Roanoke Valley). Through RC-RV, Roanoke will partner with business and industry to meet their educational workforce needs, providing training through flexible modalities such as online classes, hybrid options, graduate programs, continuing education

and accelerated bachelor’s degrees. Closer to home, the college is working to re-envision its Main Street connection, which could mean making the old post office an RC-RV hub. Read more about RC-RV on P. 44.

IMPERATIVE 2

To develop an on-campus residential experience that is an exemplar of a 21st century learning laboratory – beautiful, integrated, practical and inspiring.

IN PRACTICE:

Roanoke’s growing academic programs are being reorganized into four transdisciplinary schools, and new majors, minors and concentrations are being developed. Read more about the schools and their new deans on P. 10. In addition, the college is investing in the physical environment on

Students chat on their ﬂoor of the Chesapeake residence hall.

Students gather in the Ofﬁce of Multicultural Affairs lounge for games and fellowship before the winter holiday break.

campus, including refurbishing several residence halls. There’s also an effort to better present the Maroon experience with consistent, spirited branding, storytelling and art. Next time you’re on campus, check out the Sutton Commons makeover!

IMPERATIVE 3

To make the exploration of purpose, the pursuit of character and the graduation of leaders a distinction of a Roanoke College education.

IN PRACTICE:

Roanoke’s smaller size has always enabled students to have close relationships with faculty and staff, but now Roanoke will double down on hiring employees who model character and leadership, and integrating that development into our programs, including athletics. An interdisciplinary leadership minor is also in development.

IMPERATIVE 4

To be a learner-centric college that orients all aspects of the institution to prioritize the learning and development of learners.

IN PRACTICE:

This imperative is about recruiting students who represent all forms of diversity and supporting them throughout their Roanoke education. It also encourages and supports civil discourse and celebrates free speech and the ELCA’s “Rooted and Open” philosophy. Haven’t read “Rooted and Open”? Google it!

IMPERATIVE 5

To cultivate a campus environment that fosters professional growth and supports

and empowers every member of the Roanoke College community.

IN PRACTICE:

Financial challenges are a part of the higher education landscape. Roanoke is creating a sustainable business model to generate the necessary resources to invest in the college’s physical spaces and to provide fair compensation to employees, along with flexibility, wellness programs and family-friendly policies to help employees balance their personal and professional commitments.

IMPERATIVE 6

To create and maintain a culture of philanthropy and responsible financial stewardship.

IN PRACTICE:

Roanoke has a bold goal to triple the endowment with special emphasis on scholarships, unrestricted funds and endowed professorships. Such efforts need to be successful to continue Roanoke’s residential educational model in the manner our alumni have received. Alumni engagement is particularly critical, in the form of both financial support and involvement. Alumni can be powerful mentors, internship providers and employers of graduates. Roanoke is also committed to accountability with regular, data-informed assessments of programs and initiatives to measure effectiveness in supporting the goals of the college. Learn more about how you can be an involved alumnus at roanoke.edu/stayconnected.

Sparkling lights mark the stretch of College Avenue where Roanoke's campus meets the streets of Salem.

Jose Banuelos Montes, an associate professor and chair of the Modern Languages Department, teaches a Spanish class.

Former Roanoke College ballers take part in a halftime event during the Men's Alumni Basketball Weekend.

FOREVER MAROONS

ALUMNI NEWS & UPDATES

Spreading good views

Chief Ranger Ethan Howes ’11 inspired the Virginia State Park system to install viewﬁnders for colorblind visitors at each of Virginia’s 43 parks.

By Lindsey Nair ’98

Ethan Howes ’11 was a little kid playing Punch Buggy with his sister when his folks realized there was something different about how he perceived color. Tests conﬁrmed colorblindness, a condition that affects 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women.

As a chief ranger at Natural Tunnel State Park in Duffield, Va., Howes decided to advocate for viewfinders that would allow colorblind guests to enjoy the breathtaking scenery, especially during colorful spring and fall seasons. His park became the first in the state to offer a viewfinder with EnChroma technology. Thanks to supportive leadership and the Round-Up for Parks Program, which allows visitors to round up the amount of their purchases, the other 42 Virginia state parks soon followed suit.

Now colorblind visitors get a more inclusive – and more vivid – experience, whether they’re enjoying the rainbow swamp at First Landing State Park, the magenta rhododendrons at Grayson Highlands, the kaleidoscope of autumn leaves at Natural Tunnel, or another scenic view. One Natural Tunnel visitor described it as “life-changing.”

“In my mind, it was just a small thing to do, but then I realized it has a bigger impact,” Howes said. “It allows our park guests to experience nature in a way they might not have been able to before.”

| Photo by Grifﬁn Pivarunas ’16

Roanoke Magazine wants to hear from you!

Ofﬁce of Alumni Relations

Roanoke College, 221 College Lane Salem, VA 24153-3794

1-866-RCALUMS

alumni@roanoke.edu

roanoke.edu/alumni

Due to space constraints and time between issues, submissions might appear in an upcoming issue. 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. We cannot guarantee return of contributed materials.

1970s

Bob Thompson ’71 has moved back to New Zealand, where he has permanent residency, with his Kiwi partner, Anna Petley. Thompson retired in 2000 from a

career in aircraft lease financing for the airlines. He holds a BBA from Roanoke and served on the President’s Advisory Board.

Tom Coyle ’76 was named the 2024 Distinguished Alumnus of

Greenwich Country Day School (GDCS) in Greenwich, Conn., and was honored during the school’s Alumni Weekend in October 2024. Coyle graduated from GCDS before earning a B.A. in political science at Roanoke. He went on to have a distinguished career in national security and counterintelligence, serving with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service for 20 years. He has also worked as a senior principal for CACI International Inc. and a security/counterintelligence expert for Leidos. He has been a national security consultant for the Secretary of Defense and Director of National Intelligence, with oversight of U.S. Navy offensive counterintelligence operations. He also served as a senior instructor at the Department of Defense Joint Counterintelligence Training Academy. He is currently the president and CEO of Talon Security Solutions, and he teaches as an adjunct at U.Va.’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. Coyle started Roanoke College’s Hampton Roads Alumni Chapter and served as chair of both that chapter and the Washington,

D.C., chapter. He is a member of the Society of 1842 and the President’s Advisory Board.

Renee (Ferris) Turk ’77 was reelected to Salem City Council in November 2024. She was first elected to council in 2020 and became Salem’s first woman mayor. She studied business administration, economics and education at Roanoke, where she was in Chi Omega.

1980s

Maroons basketball legend Michael Baker ’81 retired from his job as athletic director of Fairmont High School in Robeson County, North Carolina. Baker spent 43 years as a teacher, coach and AD. He holds a degree in biology from Roanoke, where he helped secure the first ODAC Championship and NCAA Division III Tournament bid in 1981. He is known as one of the “Four Horsemen” who played in both the Div. II and Div. III National Tournaments.

Mark Fleshman ’80 recently retired from Philips Respironics, a

Shirley Smith ’78 (right) had a small-world experience this summer when she ran into Betsy Garrison Krut ’72 and her daughter Zoe Krut ’20 in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. The women didn’t know each other before the encounter, but it was Smith’s license plate –“NOKE-LAX” – that caught the Kruts’ eyes. Smith, who is from Pennsylvania, and the Kruts, who hail from California, were both vacationing in Long Beach Island and were staying in houses next door to each other when they struck up a conversation.

Several Class of 1964 members of Delta Gamma returned to Roanoke College in April 2024 for their 60th reunion, where they caught up and reminisced about old times.

Pictured with President Frank Shushok are (L-R): Gale (McNomee) Magann, Carol (Wyatt) Dotson, Sue (Sommers) Moffatt, Ruth (Fischer) Meyer and Vicki (Blechta) Hosmer.

leader in the sleep and respiratory markets. He earned a B.S. in biology at Roanoke, where he was in Pi Kappa Phi.

John E. Saunders ’83 was elected to Salem City Council. He holds a BBA from Roanoke and is a 33-year employee of the Salem Civic Center. He previously served on city council.

J.P. Pennix ’88 received the Whitney M. Young Award from the Boy Scouts of America Blue Ridge Mountain Council for his long career as an educator, administrator and consultant. Pennix, who has a math degree from Roanoke and a Master of Social Work from Radford, is senior associate director for recruitment at Virginia Tech.

1990s

Terri Fox ’90 was nominated for a STEM-H Educator Award in the higher education category at the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council’s TechNite celebration. Fox, the chief information officer for Roanoke College, created the IT Student Assistant work training program, which employs more than 40 students each year. She holds a degree in computer science and statistics from Roanoke, where she has worked for 41 years.

Stephen Martin ’92 started a new role as vice president of education for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Previously, he was managing director of member education and learning for the American Institute of Architects. He holds a degree in international relations from Roanoke and is pursuing an Executive MBA at the Quantic School of Business and Technology.

“There are such untapped resources in our students that are first-generation, low-income or have a documented disability.”

— Cheryl Hilton ’81

A dream becomes a theme

Offering students the kind of support she received as a student has been the through line of Cheryl Hilton’s career.

By Lindsey Nair ’98

When Cheryl Hilton ’81 was named director of TRIO Student Support Services at Virginia Western Community College, it was a full-circle moment that began at Roanoke College.

As a high school student, Hilton lived on the Roanoke College campus during summers and took classes as part of Upward Bound, one of the programs beneath the TRIO umbrella. She then enrolled at Roanoke, graduating with a degree in business administration. Being a Black female student at a predominantly white institution in the late 70s brought its share of challenges, Hilton said, but she now views those experiences as part of her character.

“In spite of the good and the bad, all of that poured into me being who I am today, and it was all part of my journey,” she said. “If it was all a bed of roses, who knows where I would be right now?”

Following graduation, Hilton spent six

more years at Roanoke as the college’s Upward Bound school community contact counselor. In 1987, she became an assistant director in the Admissions Office at Hollins, where she would spend 16 years and serve in a variety of roles, including director of community partnerships. While at Hollins, she also earned a MALS.

Following three more years with the Upward Bound program at Roanoke, Hilton landed at Virginia Western Community College (VWCC) in Roanoke, where she now serves 250 students per year who are eligible for instructional support, advising and counseling through the federal TRIO program. Working with students is the thread that has connected every dot in Hilton’s career, and she is particularly proud of her work with underresourced students who might otherwise miss out on college opportunities.

“There are such untapped human resources in our students that are firstgeneration, low-income or have a documented disability,” she said, “and the success of our program is the way in which those students can shine, experience new things and give back to their communities.”

ALUMNI AT WORK

Joseph Carpenter IV ’99 was appointed vice president of law at Norfolk Southern Corp., where he leads the company’s law department. Carpenter has been with NS since 2002, most recently as senior general counsel of complex litigation and information governance. He holds a B.A. in economics and political science from Roanoke, where he participated in Kappa Alpha, and a law degree from Washington and Lee University. He was president of Roanoke College’s Alumni Association and Alumni Executive Council for six years and has served on the board of trustees since 2022.

2000s

Dr. Michael Zeger ’00 has joined Prime Medical Evaluators

as a chiropractic and medicallegal specialist. The company specializes in delivering detailed medical-legal assessments for personal injury, workers’ compensation and other cases. Zeger earned a degree in physics at Roanoke, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Phi, and a Doctor of Chiropractic from Cleveland Chiropractic College of Los Angeles. He is CEO and Doctor of Chiropractic at IMED Downtown LA and, since 2011, he has served as a State of California Licensed Qualified Medical Examiner, specializing in settling medical disputes in workers’ compensation cases.

Tiffany Rawling ’02 was named chief operations officer for Valley Wealth Group (VWG). Rawling has been with VWG

since the firm was founded in 2015. She earned a degree in business administration at Roanoke, where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority.

Michael “Mikey” Knipp ’03 was a finalist for the Ultimate Explorer competition, which was fitting because Knipp pressed pause on his media company in 2020 to hit the road for a life of adventure. He takes summer seasonal jobs, works odd jobs during winters in Palm Springs, California, and spends the rest of his time traveling the nation in his custom van. He has also been to Japan, Thailand, South Africa, Brazil and Colombia. Read more at roa.ke/alumni8_2024.

Nathan “Nate” Stewart ’03 was appointed vice president for advancement at Roanoke College. He returned to Roanoke from Centre College, where he was associate vice president and chief operating officer for development and alumni engagement. He holds a B.S. in health and human performance from Roanoke and a M.S. in health and physical education from Marshall University. At Roanoke, he played basketball and was in Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.

Alumni address physical, spiritual health

“Sleep and Sport: Physical Performance, Mental Performance, Injury Prevention, and Competitive Advantage for Athletes, Coaches, and Trainers”

By Amy Athey ’97 and Michael Gardner

Roanoke College Athletic Hall of Fame

alumna Amy Athey ’97 received a B.A. in business administration and was a decorated member of the women’s basketball team. She went on to earn an M.S. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Loyola University. Athey served as director of sports pyschology and wellness for many Division 1 athletic programs. She is currently a licensed clinical and performance psychologist. Publisher: Elsevier Academic Press

Overview: “Sleep and Sport” aims to further the understanding of sleep and its relation to physical and mental sports per-

Ryan Hutchison ’05 was nominated for a STEM-H Educator Award in the K-12 category at the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council’s TechNite celebration, and he was a finalist for the Roanoke County Green Apple Award. He holds a degree in history from Roanoke and an MBA from Syracuse University. He teaches

formance. Although this is not a self-help guide to sleep, the book hopes to grow the understanding of how sleep science affects everyday athletes. The book covers topics such as sleep health, disorders and possible treatments.

“99 Days Given”

By Majorie A.

Bozek ’83

Marjorie (Franks) Bozek ’83 earned a B.A. in psychology from Roanoke. She worked for many years as a preschool teacher. Publisher: Independently Published Overview: “99 Days Given” is a daily devotional that invites readers to choose joy no matter what troubles arise. The book features insights into Bozek’s life and provides guidance on how to honor each day that we are given.

ALUMNI BOOKS

technology and education at William Byrd Middle School and coaches JV football at Northside High School.

Jamiel Allen ’07 was named director of admission at North Cross, a private school in Roanoke, Va. He also oversees the school’s basketball program and coaches the boys’ varsity basketball team. Allen holds a B.S. in health and human performance from Roanoke, where he was on the men’s basketball team.

Dessa Gypalo ’07 is now the head of data, analytics and automation for Save the Children US. She was previously chief data officer for Illinois.

Alex Knight ’07 has launched a new business, AssetAlign, that is a matchmaking service for financial advisors and prospective clients. Clients need only fill out a questionnaire, which was created by a researcher in MIT’s Laboratory of Financial Engineering, to be paired with one of nearly 200 approved advisors. Knight holds a degree in business administration from Roanoke, where he was a member of the soccer team and Pi Lambda Phi. Read more about Knight at roa.ke/ANSept24.

Sam Huff IV ’08 was appointed city attorney for Davenport, Iowa. He was previously an attorney with Deere & Co., and he has also served as a felony prosecutor in the Scott and Wapello County Attorney’s Office. Huff earned a B.A. in criminal justice at Roanoke and a J.D. from Drake University Law School.

Melissa “Mel” Puppa-Lasher ’08 won gold in her age group at the World Triathlon Championships in Torremolinos-Andalucia, Spain in October 2024. She com-

Leading the way

As president of Power Component Systems, Kate Licameli ’92 sets the example for other women interested in the construction industry.

By Lindsey Nair ’98

During Women in Construction Week, which comes around every March, the women who work at Power Component Systems (PCS) are treated to lunch, t-shirts, flowers and massages.

This may sound like a magnanimous gesture from a man in the C-suite, but it’s really an act of solidarity and appreciation from the top boss – who happens to be a woman in construction herself.

When she graduated from Roanoke with a degree in criminal justice, Kate (Leach) Licameli ’92 didn’t picture herself working for her father’s company, much less becoming its president. She planned to enter the FBI, but a federal hiring freeze landed her in a receptionist position at PCS. As she worked her way through the company, proving she was more than a nepotism hire with stints including office manager, human resources director and vice president of administration, something unexpected happened: She fell in love with construction.

“Construction is such an interesting

Kate Licameli ’92 (hugging her pup, Sammy) celebrates Women in Construction Week with employees of the company she runs, Power Component Systems.

business, and it’s different every day,” she said. “It takes so much ingenuity and thinking outside the box to run this business.”

Licameli’s brother, Toby Leach ’95, is PCS’s vice president of business development. Licameli credits the liberal arts education they received at Roanoke with giving them the breadth and adaptability to keep learning and innovating every day. “I had such a wide variety of classes at Roanoke, and having a well-rounded education gave me the confidence and wherewithal to keep learning, trying and doing the best I can,” she said.

That has included helping to transform PCS from a company that primarily did asbestos abatement to one that has diversified into demolition and environmental remediation services. A business that began with 25 employees in its Maryland office has expanded into a $40 million company with more than 300 employees and divisions in Pennsylvania and Virginia, as well.

With nearly 30 years in the industry, Licameli says it’s “still a man’s world,” but she has a deep appreciation for the talent and work ethic that tradesmen bring to the job. She’s also seen PCS benefit from the women she enjoys celebrating every March.

“Women are very organized and have great attention to detail,” she said, “so having them at the top of our company helps us so much.”

2010s

Christine (Bealer) Land ’13 was elevated to counsel in corporate development at Fox Rothschild, a Philadelphia-based law firm with locations around the U.S. Land, who is based in the firm’s Exton, Pennsylvania, office, holds a degree in political science and international relations from Roanoke and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

Caitlin Mitchell ’13 received the Civilian Service Achievement Medal, the top prize for civilian attorneys who work in the Army. She also received the 2024 ICE (Interactive Customer Evaluation) Award, which recognizes the three attorneys who receive the most positive feedback from clients. Mitchell is stationed at Fort Liberty in North Carolina.

Alexander Burke ’16 is a financial analyst in Carilion Clinic Fi-

nancial Services. Prior to that, he was assistant director of the Salem Museum & Historical Society, where he had worked fulltime since graduation from Roanoke. Burke holds a B.A. in history from Roanoke, where he joined Pi Kappa Phi, and an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University.

2020s

Hannah Koepfinger ’21 has joined the athletics staff at Hollins University as the head cross country/track and field coach. Koepfinger earned a degree in health and physical education at Roanoke, then went on to study education at Southwest Minnesota State University, where she was a graduate assistant and senior resident assistant. Koepfinger was a decorated track and field athlete at Roanoke and set school records at Southwest Minnesota State.

Mason Wheeler ’21 was awarded a three-year, $127,000 Ruth Kirschstein Predoctoral Fellowship by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Wheeler, who earned a degree in psychology with a minor in biology at Roanoke, is a doctoral candidate in Virginia Tech’s Translational Biology, Medicine,

and Health Graduate Program. The fellowship will support Wheeler’s study of the molecular mechanisms of diabetic heart disease in the Pfleger Lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech-Carilion.

Kasey Draper ’23 has signed to play professionally for the EPG

Guardians Koblenz in Koblenz, Germany. A standout member of the Roanoke College men’s basketball program, Draper holds a degree in business administration from Roanoke and an MBA from Assumption University.

Warren Payne ’23 has been promoted to group sales manager

Kracht-Doriss wedding

Robertson-Vecchia wedding Vandegrift-Burke wedding

for the Rail Yard Dawgs, Roanoke’s professional ice hockey team. He interned with the team as a student, then was hired as an account executive in the Ticketing Department. He holds a degree in psychology with a minor in health and exercise science.

Ashley Roop ’23 is teaching ESL in sixth through eighth grades at William Byrd Middle School in Roanoke County, Va. Roop earned degrees in education studies, Spanish education and art education at Roanoke.

Jackson Timothy Ulmer ’23 graduated with the 141st class of Virginia State Police troopers and was assigned to Bedford County, Va. He earned a B.S. in data science at Roanoke.

Colin Burns BBA ’23, MBA ’24 has joined the wealth team at

BACK IN THE DAY

In this 1980 photo from the Tim Ribar collection, women’s basketball coach Lynne Agee (in black blazer) watches the on-court action intently. The ﬁrst uniformed student to her left is Ann Harwood ’83, sitting beside Lisa Oliphant ’83. Do you have a Roanoke College photo we should consider for this space? Email us at rcmagazine@roanoke.edu.

Greenwood Capital in Greenville, S.C., as an associate advisor. In addition to earning a BBA at Roanoke and being in the college’s inaugural MBA class, he was a graduate assistant on the men’s basketball team.

Nora Terrill ’24 started a position as a naturalist for St. Christopher’s Barrier Island Environmental Education Program in South Carolina. She earned a degree in environmental studies at Roanoke.

WEDDINGS

Taylor Robertson ’15 married Ryan Vecchia in November 2022. Their wedding was attended by several of Robertson’s Roanoke College friends. Robertson holds a B.A. in history with a minor in secondary education from Roanoke, and a M.Ed. from James

Madison University. She teaches in the Henry County Public School system.

Grace Vandegrift ’16 and Alex Burke ’16 were married June 14, 2024, at Explore Park in Roanoke County, Va. Vandegrift obtained a degree in psychology at Roanoke, where she was involved in Delta Gamma, and is now an 8th grade teacher in Roanoke County Public Schools. Burke holds a B.A. in history from Roanoke and an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a financial analyst for Carilion Clinic.

Taylor Kracht ’18 married Jack Doriss ’20 on June 8, 2024, in Newland, N.C. The wedding party included Maroons Kellie Engelmann ’19, Freddie Leath-

erbury ’20, Hunter Adams ’22 and Hannah Richardson ’19

The couple lives in Lancaster, S.C.

FAMILIES

Garrett H. Cosenza ’06 and his wife, Corey Utsurogi-Cosenza, welcomed a son, Giacomo Hajime “Jack” Cosenza, on Aug. 24, 2023. Jack has a big sister, Miya, who is now 3. The Cosenza family lives in Napa, Cali. Patricia (Kiser) Cosenza ’73 is the proud grandma to Jack and Miya.

Gabrielle (Gery) Decker ’17 and her husband, Ty Decker, welcomed their daughter, Eliza Carter, on July 14, 2024. Eliza joins big sister Lillie. The family resides in Greenville, N.C., where Ty is completing medical school.

Giacomo Hajime “Jack” Cosenza Eliza Carter Decker

IN MEMORIAM

Amelia (Apostolou) Tames ’51, of Roanoke, died May 23, 2024, at 95. After Roanoke, Tames taught elementary school and volunteered with pediatric oncology at Roanoke Memorial Hospital. She was a member of Roanoke College’s Cornerstone Society. Survivors include her son, Louis J. Tames ’82

Oscar R. “Bob” Schuck ’53, of Brookline, Mo., died June 6, 2024, at 92. Schuck held a B.A. in business administration at Roanoke, where he joined Pi Kappa Phi. After graduation, he served as an Air Force navigator, achieving the rank of captain. He then had a long career in the private sector. He was an avid woodworker and angler.

Carolyn (Rakes) Mitchell ’60, of Richmond, Va., died July 15, 2024, at 86. She studied English, joined Delta Gamma and played both basketball and field hockey at Roanoke. She worked for decades as a teacher, tutor and librarian, and she was active in community organizations.

Jeanne du Nord ’61, of Mullins, S.C., died March 12, 2024, at 84. After Roanoke, she was a teacher, author, playwright and artist. She also founded the Chesapeake Celtic Festival in Princess Anne and Furnace Town, Maryland.

Franklin L. Gilmore ’61, of Midlothian, Va., died Friday, June 21, 2024, at 84. He studied philosophy and history at Roanoke and became a newspaper reporter before joining the communications/public relations industry. In

Dr. Munsey S. Wheby ’51, of Sanford, N.C., died July 20, 2024, at age 93. Wheby was a noted authority on blood diseases and nutrition. He earned a biology degree at Roanoke, where he played soccer and was a member of both Kappa Alpha and the Blue Key honor fraternity, then went on to graduate from the U.Va. School of Medicine. He served for six years in the U.S. Army, including stints at Walter Reed Medical Center and San Juan, Puerto Rico. He achieved the rank of major and later became a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves. Wheby returned to U.Va. in 1966, where he enjoyed a long tenure as a professor of medicine, then chair of the Department of Medicine and senior associate dean. He received the Class of 1973 Teaching Award, the Andrew D. Hart Endowed Professorship, and the Alumni Association Distinguished Professor Award. He also received the Walter Reed Distinguished Achievement Award. Whelby was active in the American College of Physicians, which in 2010 awarded him the Alfred Stengel Memorial Award for Outstanding Service. He was honored with the Roanoke College Medal in 2000. Outside of work, he enjoyed playing squash, tennis and poker; cheering the Wahoos; preserving food from his garden; and spending time with family. Survivors include his niece, Jennifer (Barger) Slater ’89

Dr. Richard E. Smith ’57, of Troutville, Va., died March 25, 2024, at 89. After Roanoke, where he participated in Kappa Alpha, Smith graduated from Medical College of Virginia Dental School. He had dental practices in both Hot Springs and Troutville, and he served as a professor of dental hygiene and assisting at Virginia Western Community College. In retirement, he volunteered countless hours at free dental clinics in Roanoke and Fincastle, as well as dental mission trips in Jamaica, El Salvador and Honduras. Smith was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia (Rader) Smith ’57, and survivors include his son, Kevin A. Smith ’94

retirement, he was an avid volunteer in his community. Gilmore was a member of Roanoke’s Society of 1842 and Cornerstone Society.

Richard D. Martin ’64, of Richmond, Va., died June 28, 2024, at 81. After Roanoke, he graduated from the Medical College of Virginia’s School of Pharmacy. In addition to a career in pharmacy, he was president of several PTAs, president of the Virginia PTA, and on the National PTA Board. He also served on the Henrico County Planning Commission and Henrico Schools Health Advisory Council. He was active in church and went on mission trips.

Lawrence W. “Larry” Lenz ’69, of Warsaw, Va., died May 7, 2024, at 77. After Roanoke, where he was in Pi Lambda Phi, Lenz obtained master’s degrees from the University of Richmond and the University of Virginia. Lenz spent his career as a schoolteacher and administrator. After he retired, he served on the Essex County School Board and volunteered at Riverside Tappahannock Hospital. In his free time, he loved fishing, gardening, cook-

ing, and feeding the birds and squirrels.

John J. E. Markham II ’69, of Friendship, Ore., died July 12, 2024, at 77. He graduated with a B.A. in French literature from Roanoke, where he was a member of Kappa Alpha, captain of the varsity tennis team, and played varsity soccer. At Roanoke, he also defended other students charged with honor and conduct violations. Markham went on to earn a law degree from Washington and Lee University. After working in private practice, he served as a federal prosecutor in San Diego, San Francisco and Boston. He also taught legal courses at Harvard Law School, Santa Clara Law and the Attorney General’s Advocacy Institute. In 1990, he and his wife founded the law practice of Markham and Read, through which he defended many clients and practiced law up until his final days.

Sue Ellen (Hansen) Bates ’70, of Fredonia, NY, died June 12, 2024, at 76. After Roanoke, Bates went on to work as a lab technician at Brooks Memorial Hospital

continued on page 38

Railroad icons remembered

John Turbyﬁll ’53 and Jack Shannon ’52, part of a long legacy of Maroons who became railroad executives, provided transformative leadership for both Norfolk Southern Corp. and their alma mater.

By Lindsey Nair ’98

John Turbyfill ’53 and Jack Shannon ’52, two giants of the Norfolk Southern Corporation who had a profound influence on Roanoke College, died in May 2024 at ages 92 and 93, respectively.

As students at Roanoke College, Shannon participated in Omicron Delta Kappa, Phi Delta Phi and Sigma Chi, and Turbyfill was vice president of the junior class, president of Blue Key Honor Society, a member of Sigma Delta Pi and Kappa Alpha, and a track letterman and member of the Monogram Club. Shannon graduated as valedictorian with an economics degree while Turbyfill earned a degree in history and was salutatorian of his class. Following Roanoke, both attended the University of Virginia School of Law.

After briefly working at different law firms, Shannon joined the legal depart-

ment at what was then Norfolk & Western Railway (N&W) in 1956, and Turbyfill joined the railway four years later as an assistant general attorney. Each rose steadily through the ranks to reach the top of their respective divisions, with Shannon

“John Turbyfill and Jack Shannon had a profound influence on the story of Roanoke College. They have shown us all, in so many beautiful ways, what it means to live a life of purpose.”

— President Frank Shushok Jr.

ultimately retiring in 1996 as executive vice president-law and Turbyfill retiring (the same year) as vice chairman of the company.

David Goode, retired chairman, president and CEO of Norfolk Southern, said their contributions to the railroad were immense, particularly the 1982 merger of

N&W and Southern Railway to form the Norfolk Southern Corporation.

“In an era when the transportation system was being revolutionized, it was being revolutionized by people with Roanoke College roots,” Goode said, “and Shannon and Turbyfill were right there in the heart of that great period when mergers were occurring and the whole transportation network was being changed.”

Shannon and Turbyfill joined a line of Maroons who had been executives at the railroad. Stuart T. Saunders ’30 was N&W president (and founding chairman of Penn Central Railroad), and he was followed as president by John P. Fishwick ’37 William T. Ross ’29 was assistant vice president of N&W. While Goode was not a Maroon, his father and sister were. Shannon kept the line going when he hired Roger Petersen ’81 in 1984. Petersen, also a U.Va. law graduate, retired as Norfolk Southern’s general counsel in 2019 and is a member of the Roanoke College Board of Trustees. Current board member Joseph Carpenter ’99 is vice president-law at Norfolk Southern.

Shannon and Turbyfill also served on Roanoke’s board of trustees, where Shannon was chair of the executive committee and Turbyfill was board chairman. During Turbyfill’s tenure, the school completed a highly successful fundraising campaign, far surpassing its goal for funding endowed scholarships, additional faculty positions, and new buildings and renovation projects. For their tireless service, both men received the college’s highest honor, the Roanoke College Medal — Turbyfill in 1983 and Shannon in 1985.

“They just don’t make leaders like those guys anymore,” Petersen said. “Both of these icons were among the most ethical, kind, smart and generous men I have ever known.”

SPECIAL DEDICATIONS

Kevin M. Worcester ’93, of Vero Beach, Cal., died July 29, 2024, at 53. He graduated with a degree in psychology from Roanoke, where he was in Sigma Chi. He worked in construction and food services, and he found joy in skiing, golfing and cooking.

Ida (Peterson) Hardon ’ 13, of Oxford, Md., died May 13, 2024, at 33. Hardon earned a degree in business administration at Roanoke, where she was active in Habitat for Humanity. After college, she started her career at Ernst and Young and was a Maroon Mentor. She was also a passionate fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She had a keen sense of style and was dedicated to loving life and giving herself to her family and friends. Survivors include her husband, Michael Hardon ’13

In July 2024, Roanoke County, Va., honored the late James P. “Jimmy” Buriak ’12 by dedicating a bridge in his name. The James P. Buriak Memorial Bridge honors Buriak, a U.S. Navy Air Crewman 2nd Class who died in a helicopter crash off the coast of Southern California in 2021.

“The naming of this bridge is a wonderful thing for our family, and may his memory be eternal,” said his father, James Buriak.

STAFF

Dreama (Akers) Poore, of Elliston, Va., died May 17, 2024, at 71. Poore worked at Roanoke College for 23 years, spending most of that time as an administrative coordinator in the Business and Economics Department. Colleagues say Poore, who had a “zest for life,” was the face of the department and made everyone feel welcome there. “She and I ran The Management Institute for a while, and she was so good at that job that I always thought of her as a co-director rather than an assistant,” said retired professor Ali Nazemi. Despite life’s challenges, he said, “Dreama always maintained her sense of humor and there was never a dull moment when she was around.”

Elizabeth Lee Dameron ’24, of Salem, died Aug. 19, 2024, at 22. She earned a degree in business administration and was working on completing her student

teaching. Dameron was active in the Education Department, Center for Civic Engagement, Student Garden and College Choir at Roanoke.

The Roanoke College community gathered in late October to honor Cynthia Overton’s spirit and years of service to Roanoke students.

A bench was dedicated in memory of Overton, who worked in Student Affairs for 26 years and died of cancer late in 2023. Overton and her husband, Jerry, who also worked at the college, retired in 2002.

Jimmy Buriak’s family helps unveil a sign for the James P. Buriak Memorial Bridge during the bridge dedication on July 8, 2024. From left to right are his father, James; his mother, Carol; his widow, Megan; and his son, Caulder.

(L-R) Rob Crowley ’00; Rita Hobson ’03; Mac Johnson ’70, retired vice president of Student Affairs; and Scott Segerstrom ’02 on the bench dedicated in memory of their mentor and friend.

IN MEMORIAM

A lifetime of service

Harry “Tuck” Haskins Jr. ’81 spent his entire career in law enforcement, including 20 years as chief of the Salem Police Department.

By Lindsey Nair ’98

Harry T. “Tuck” Haskins Jr. ’81 was already chief of the Salem Police Department when he enrolled at Roanoke College to complete a degree in criminal justice. According to longtime colleague James Bryant, who succeeded Haskins as chief, that decision did not go unnoticed.

“It inspired other police officers within the department to begin their education,” Bryant said, “so it was leadership by example.”

Haskins, who dedicated decades of his life to that kind of service, died Sept. 1, 2024, at 87. He served in the Army National Guard from 1954-63 and joined the Virginia State Police in 1958, rising to the level of Investigator First Sergeant by 1974. He then worked for a year as a special agent with the U.S. Forest

“He was the type of leader that you just liked following, and he brought the standards of the department to a professional level. He was what I would classify as a real Southern gentleman.” — James Bryant

Service before becoming Salem’s police chief, a role he held from 1975-1995.

Haskins led innovations in the Salem Police Department that brought it statewide recognition, including an enhanced 911 dispatch center, Vice and Narcotics Units, crime scene processing and an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) terminal. He initiated a Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) position for Salem City Schools and, along with school administrator Forest Jones ’95, created Salem Camp DARE for children of Andrew Lewis Middle School. He’s also credited with establishing the Salem Police Color Guard and designing the city flag, and he founded Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy and served on its Governing Council for 10 years.

“He was the type of leader that you just liked following, and he brought the standards of the department to a professional level,” Bryant said. “He was what I would classify as a real Southern gentleman.”

Later, Haskins was elected to Salem City Council and served the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police (VACP) in various roles, including president. He represented the group to the Criminal Justices Services Commission and sat on the Criminal Justice Services Board. As the first chairman of the training committee, Haskins regulated training for Virginia law enforcement officers, and he was on the Emergency Preparedness Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He was also a graduate of the 104th FBI National Academy.

Outside work, Haskins was a drum major with the Virginia Highland Pipes and Drums, and he was active in the Boy Scouts of America, Rotary and Free Masonry. He was honored with the Roanoke College Medal in 1996 and received the Charles Brown Award in 2021.

Survivors include his daughter, Melanie (Haskins) Leweke ’82 and his son-in-law, Kevin C. Glasgow ’84.

Harry “Tuck” Haskins Jr. ’81

MAROONS AT HEART

In our last issue of the magazine, we enumerated 24 ways for Roanoke College alumni to stay connected to their alma mater, from engaging with the college on social media to including Roanoke in estate plans –and lots of options in between!

This time, we’re following up that feature with the stories of four Maroons who have participated in some of the activities we mentioned. In their own words, they shared the reasons they chose to stay involved and the return on their investment.

By Lindsey Nair ’98

#3: COME BACK TO CAMPUS FOR ALUMNI WEEKEND

Rich Montoni ’09

After graduating in 2009, I returned to campus to attend my first alumni weekend as an actual alumnus in 2010. I’d be lying if I said I got involved in school events and caught up with professors in those first few years. In fact, I think I spent most of those days on Elizabeth Campus before bouncing around to Mac and Bobs, Macado’s, and various offcampus houses, then finding my way back to the Day’s Inn for a few hours of sleep.

However, over the years, my experience on Alumni Weekend has evolved to finding new ways to engage with the campus, the community and meeting others who

are just as passionate about Roanoke College and its future. Some of my closest friends these days are other alumni that I didn’t even cross paths with as an undergraduate. Making connections and new friends has been what has brought me back every year for so long.

I’ve also enjoyed seeing improvements to the campus over the years and enjoying the beauty of the landscape. You never know what to expect in early April at Roanoke College. I remember weekends when it was 75 degrees and sunny, and I also remember playing volleyball on EC in the snow.

I encourage fellow alumni to attend FOTQ for dinner and music, Bloodies and Bagels on Saturday morning before getting a campus tour and attending a sporting event. Recharge with some food and drinks at a local restaurant before

heading over to the Block Party and Casino Night that has been hosted on campus the past number of years.

If you can’t attend, I would encourage you to get involved in your local alumni chapter and look for events that are happening locally to connect with fellow alumni and friends.

#8: JOIN OR CREATE AN ALUMNI AFFINITY CHAPTER

Cathy Bonilla ’14 and Chico Bonilla ’19, founders, Multicultural Affinity Chapter

My brother Chico and I were heavily involved in the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the student affinity groups under its umbrella. Many of the students who are part of the office’s programming form tight bonds and community within that

Rich Montoni ’09 (back, in white hoodie) with fellow Pi Kappa Alpha brothers during Alumni Weekend.

Cathy Bonilla ’14 and her brother, Chico Bonilla ’19

space. We realized there was no mechanism to keep that community together and growing past graduation. We also wanted to create an avenue for alumni to voice their opinions and support their interests in the college.

Along with fellow alumni Yeri Jimenez ’16, Darlene Harris ’14, Tyler Coles ’14, Mya Virdi ’20, Kayla Capehart ’20, and Emily Leimbach ’14, we put forth a proposal to Roanoke College senior leadership for the creation of an affinity alumni chapter. At the time, the only alumni groups were location-based chapters. Since its creation, the chapter has been supportive of student success programs and an advocate for the continued funding for and donations to the Office of Multicultural Affairs and its programs. We also host and cohost events and programs during Alumni Weekend. More information regarding this year’s programming will come soon. We hope to continue to grow in the coming years and become a steady support and advocate for our on-campus partners.

#12: SEND YOUR KID TO ROANOKE

Chris Orndorff ’79

My father, Jacob Orndorff Jr. ’51, attended Roanoke, and so did his father, Jacob Orndorff Sr. ’24, who met his wife in Salem. When I was a student, I formed a swim club with a pretty cool group of men and women, and I was involved in the campus radio station and Pi Kappa Phi. The close-knit community of Roanoke College gave me the opportunity to form some close friendships. Some 40 years later, even though our lives have diverged, we can pick up conversations with no problem. I wanted my daughter, Irene Orndorff ’27, to find her own activities of interest. I didn’t push Roanoke on her, but I thought it would be a good choice because of my experiences. I think it’s an honor to her grandfather, her great-grandfather and me for her to be able to attend. I’m really proud of her.

Read more about the Orndorff family on P. 17.

#13: GET THE ROANOKE COLLEGE LICENSE PLATE

Steve Esworthy ’91

When the opportunity to get a Roanoke College vanity plate was first presented, it was an easy decision for me. Roanoke College made a difference for me as a student, and I wanted people to know about my alma mater.

As a fairly recent graduate at that time, the memories of yelling “Go Noke” from the bleachers in Bast Center and on Alumni Field were fresh in my mind, so that’s what I chose for my plate. Fifteen years later, it was time for me to get a new set of license tags and a new Roanoke College vanity plate was available. I continue to wear my passion for Roanoke College on my sleeve (actually, on my bumper), and I continue to cheer “Go Noke” whenever I can.

Let us know how you’ve decided to nurture your Maroon roots at rcmagazine@roanoke.edu. Want to see the full list of ways to stay in touch? Visit roanoke.edu/stayconnected.

Irene Orndorff ’27, a fourth-generation Maroon, on the soccer pitch.

Esworthy with the latest version of his “Go Noke” license plate.

INSPIRING IMPACT

GIVING NEWS

SCHOLARSHIPS

Transforming futures

Roanoke is launching P25, a new campaign for student scholarships with a challenge grant that will double the impact of every gift given.

By Alicia Petska

When Maureen (Ferris) McAllister ’82 and Mike McAllister ’83 connect with Roanoke College students — which they do often as Maroon Mentors — they’re always bowled over by the energy, drive and creativity they see in them.

“They amaze me,” said Maureen McAllister, a business administration graduate who now works in merchandising. “They know so much more than I did at their age and are so passionate about what’s happening in the world. It inspires me.”

That’s why the McAllisters knew immediately that they wanted to support the

President’s 25 campaign (P25) to raise money for student scholarships. They were among the inaugural supporters of the project.

The P25 endowment fund is designed to provide more opportunities for talented students to pursue their passions without ﬁnancial barriers.

P25 asks supporters to commit to giving $5,000 or more per year for five years to grow a scholarship endowment fund. The initiative is launching with a major challenge grant that will double the impact of gifts received. The result will be more opportunities for talented students to pursue their passions and engage in life-changing learning without financial barriers constraining their potential.

“I like that the college wants to enhance accessibility and affordability. I think that’s critical,” said Mike McAllister, a business administration graduate who became an IT executive. “We both got so much out of our time at Roanoke. Now that we can turn around and pay that forward, we wanted to do it.”

Thanks to an anonymous benefactor, all donations to P25 will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $1 million. That amplifies the reach of each donor’s pledge and allows the project to move faster. New scholarships can be launched rapidly to begin helping students.

“We are on the threshold of something truly transformative — an opportunity to change the lives of deserving students,” said President Frank Shushok Jr. “By investing in their futures, you’re doing more than just enabling them to get a first-rate education. You’re telling them that their potential is real, their dreams are worth pursuing, and they deserve the space to learn, grow and succeed.”

Roanoke’s commitment to access and affordability is one of its core values. It in-

Mike and Maureen (Ferris) McAllister

vests in both need-based and merit-based aid for students ($36 million was earmarked last year alone). But creating an endowment fund establishes a sustainable, permanent source of support capable of funding new scholarships year after year. Currently, only 10% of the college’s scholarship aid is backed by endowments.

Nationwide, cost is the single greatest barrier to entry for ambitious students seeking post-secondary education, according to a 2024 Gallup/Lumina Foundation report. Financial uncertainty is the leading cause of dropouts, according to another poll by Ellucian, and almost half of students reported that a $5,000 difference in financial aid would have changed the choices they were able to make about college.

That’s why scholarships have such a profound impact on student opportunities. Helen (Twohy) Whittemore ’80 has seen that in action firsthand through her work with countless students as a longtime member of the college’s board of trustees.

“It really opens up a new world of possi-

“I can’t think of a better investment than to help them get an education. It’s truly a game-changer for them and for the communities that they’ll go on to serve.”

— Helen (Twohy) Whittemore ’80

bilities for them,” said Whittemore, also a founding supporter of P25. “When you see what these kids can do, whew, it’s in-

credible. They’re something else. I can’t think of a better investment than to help them get an education. It’s truly a gamechanger for them and for the communities that they’ll go on to serve.”

Shushok made expanding scholarship opportunities one of the top priorities of his administration, leading to the P25 initiative. Early donors have included alumni, college leaders and Maroon parents — a diverse cross-section of people coming together to make a difference for the next generation of leaders and innovators.

Cheryl and Andrew Masterman, whose son Ryan is a freshman on campus, were moved to give after seeing what the Roanoke experience is doing for him. The first year of college brought with it new challenges that encouraged him to stretch himself. But he was able to turn to professors, peer mentors and more for guidance on how to succeed.

“He just fell in love with the people at Roanoke,” said Cheryl Masterman, who along with her husband joined the Parent Leadership Council to get involved on campus. “He really tackled the subject matter in his classes and took advantage of the support systems in place, especially the Writing Center. He transformed the way he studies. I think that was a highlight of his first semester for him. Being able to see what he could do.”

Every student deserves that same opportunity to grow, discover and build a strong foundation for their life, she added. That’s why the P25 goals spoke to them.

“The quality of education you get at a small liberal arts school is so valuable,” Andrew Masterman said. “We want to support that and make sure it continues for future students.”

Cheryl and Andrew Masterman

Gift fuels new college initiative, RC-RV

Peter Treiber ’79 and his wife, Irene, have made a generous commitment to Roanoke College that will support RCRV, a new initiative that aims to make Roanoke the region’s most sought-after educational partner for industry, entrepreneurs and community leaders.

By Lindsey Nair ’98

When Peter Treiber ’79 was a high school student, he didn’t see himself attending college – much less being so successful that he would one day make a generous gift to his alma mater.

Now retired and living the dream on a 60-acre farm on Long Island, Treiber knows his time at Roanoke – and the continuing education classes he took later –made a big difference in his life. That’s why he and his wife Irene chose to commit $1 million to Roanoke College to create the Treiber Center for Curricular Innovation, which will be an essential

component of the college’s new initiative, RC-RV (Roanoke College-Roanoke Valley).

“My family and I are very proud to be associated with this project,” said Treiber. “Everybody needs continuing education, and becoming a resource for the valley is a positive thing for Roanoke. It raises the college’s profile, making it a hub.”

RC-RV, which is a direct outgrowth of the first imperative in the college’s new strategic plan, “Imagine Roanoke,” will offer workplace development, continuing education and flexible learning opportuni-

RC-RV creates a bridge between Roanoke College and the wider community, allowing the college to adapt quickly to the educational needs of employees in Roanoke Valley industries.

ties for people across the valley, coordinating with business, industry and nonprofit partners on programs customized to their needs. Early possibilities include online and hybrid programs, weekend and evening courses, professional certificates, dual enrollment or even an accelerated three-year bachelor’s degree option.

The college is working to establish a board of advisors for RC-RV, and later phases of the endeavor may include transforming the historic Main Street Post Office into the future home of RC-RV and re-envisioning Salem’s Main Street corridor as a live/learn/work/play hub.

These plans have been on Treiber’s mind for years. He underwrote a $25,000 project that had Roanoke College business administration students conduct research on the viability of the RC-RV initiative. The students presented their research to college leaders in spring 2024.

In September, the college announced that Lisa Stoneman, who was most recently chair of the college’s Education Department, will be RC-RV’s first staff member, serving as executive director for Curricular Innovation and Digital Learning. Treiber said he hopes to see other benefactors match his enthusiasm and support RC-RV in any way they can.

“This is not just a Roanoke College initiative; this is a valley initiative,” he said. “Down the road, I hope RC-RV and the Treiber Center will be a vibrant, community-supported resource.” Read more about

Peter Treiber

Expanding access to the Roanoke experience

Nelson and Ruth (Stubbs) Denlinger ’59 chose to support future Roanoke College students through an estate gift that will beneﬁt the unrestricted endowment.

By Lindsey Nair ’98

Roanoke College has received a generous gift to its unrestricted endowment from the estate of Ruth (Stubbs) Denlinger ’59 and her husband, Nelson C. Denlinger. Nelson Denlinger died in September 2020 at age 82 and Ruth Denlinger died in February 2024 at age 86.

The Denlingers’ gift to Roanoke will support the college’s academic programs, scholarships and instructional support, an area of great importance to a couple that valued the power of education.

At Roanoke, Ruth Denlinger was a member of the women’s field hockey team and Delta Gamma sorority. She earned a degree in English and went on to teach elementary school. Her husband earned a

B.A. at Franklin and Marshall University and a master’s degree at Pennsylvania State University. After joining the Army Reserve, he began his career as a history teacher at the Choate School in Connecticut. He went on to work on Hubert Humphrey’s staff and served as staff director of the Senate Agriculture Committee before joining U.S. Wheat Associates, a role he held until his retirement.

Outside of work, the Denlingers found joy in traveling (especially to England),

playing tennis and gardening. For several years, Ruth Denlinger tended flower beds on the National Cathedral ground as a volunteer. She was dedicated to her Quaker heritage and values, and she enjoyed volunteering for various causes and supporting children of all ages.

In 2019, the Denlingers established a scholarship in honor of Ruth’s longtime friend, Bettie Sue (Siler) Masters ’59

The pair met as Delta Gamma sisters and fellow student-athletes at Roanoke and remained friends for the rest of their lives.

After Roanoke, Masters went on to have a distinguished career in biochemistry research. The Bettie Sue Siler Masters ’59 Endowed Science Scholarship was created to support an outstanding science student at Roanoke.

“We want to honor Bettie Sue,” said Ruth Denlinger at the time, “but we also hope this scholarship can help attract more outstanding science students to Roanoke College, seeing what is possible to achieve through the Roanoke experience.”

Masters said she was deeply honored by the scholarship and not surprised that the Denlingers chose to further support Roanoke in their estate plans.

“They had such good principles, and they always wanted to support youth development,” Masters said. “I hope that Ruth and Nelson’s gift to Roanoke will encourage more people to support these activities at academic institutions.”

The Denlinger’s gift will support academic programs and scholarships for future Roanoke students.

Ruth (Stubbs) Denlinger ’59

A sprinkle of time

Thanks to a free, searchable archive of television news segments, those connected to Roanoke College can take a trip down memory lane with footage shot from the 1950s – 1970s.

By Jesse Bucher

Roanoke College’s Fintel Library houses the college archives, but some of the best sources of information about Roanoke are housed in collections elsewhere in Virginia.

Those who are interested in visual news accounts are in luck. In 2009, WSLS (Channel 10) in Roanoke donated a vast archive of local news footage shot on 16mm film to the University of Virginia (UVA) library. The collection spans from the 1950s through the 1970s. With support from the National Endowment for

the Humanities, UVA digitized the collection and made it available for free open access on their library website. The searchable database is a treasure trove for residents of the Roanoke Valley, but also for anyone connected to Roanoke College.

WSLS offered frequent stories about college athletics, guest speakers, campus fundraising, building construction and student events. Although the features are short – most last less than two minutes –they provide wonderful glimpses of campus life. You can step back in time while listening to interviews with past campus leaders, professors and students.

“Roanoke College defeats Lynchburg College in basketball game, December 14, 1967,” shows a freshman Frankie Allen ’71 (#44) taking the court against Lynchburg and drawing attention from three different Lynchburg defenders.

President H. Sherman Oberly (right), who served the college from 1949-1963, inspects the Fintel Library cornerstone during the construction project. Channel 10 ran a news story about the project in 1961 that is now part of a free, searchable archive of segments connected to Roanoke College.

“Registration at Roanoke College,” an undated story, shows students registering for fall classes in Alumni Gym. Signs listing the names of departments, including Sociology, Physics, and Philosophy and Religion, drew students, registration form in hand, to their new courses. As the newscaster’s script described, “Apparently Roanoke College’s 150-dollar increase in tuition this term will not adversely affect enrollment. Today, the first day of registration, 337 students enrolled for courses. Officials expect a total enrollment of 805 students this year which would be a record for the college.”

Multiple news stories document building projects. The new library, later renamed after President Fintel, drew coverage for early stages of construction and the dedication ceremonies. A November 4, 1961, segment includes an active construction site, the freshly placed cornerstone and a series of remarks from Board Chairman Stuart Saunders ’30 who, the newscaster related, “called for increased dedication to the end that Roanoke College can assume her role as what he termed ‘one of the nation’s small, outstanding Liberal Arts colleges.’” President H. Sherman Oberly helped place a time capsule containing college publications and mementos in the cornerstone.

It’s far too soon to crack open that cornerstone, but with the help of free archives like the WSLS offering, we can all enjoy early access to other Roanoke College time capsules.

Jesse Bucher is the Roanoke College historian and director of the Center for Studying Structures of Race. He is also an associate professor in the History Department.

In his element

Seedless Analytical, a California-based company owned by chemist Ross Dove ’16, specializes in analytical, technical and other chemistry-related services to the cannabis and hemp industry.

Photo by Christine Arnold

How did you end up in the cannabis industry?

I started reading about the commercialization of cannabis extracts, which was gaining traction on the West Coast. Extracts were always around, even on the East Coast, but I never put much thought into how essential chemistry is to the extract industry. Within 12 months of that realization, I was [legally] unloading 2,000 pounds of cannabis from U-Hauls to make cannabis oil for an extraction company.

Do you think Roanoke’s new Cannabis Science major will prepare students for the industry better than a standard science degree?

Roanoke did an exceptional job training me as a chemist, and I’ve certainly felt ahead of the curve regarding chemistry fundamentals and laboratory skills. But when I started my career in cannabis, I knew next to nothing about cannabis science. It took me years to learn everything I know now, and truthfully, a lot of that knowledge came from failure. With proper cannabis training, I believe the next batch of cannabis scientists will be able to hit the ground running.

What do you like most about working in this industry?

I love to hear people tell me how much cannabis has improved their quality of life and made them more comfortable when all other pharmaceuticals have failed. Many are reluctant to give cannabis a chance due to the stigma, so watching them pull the wool off their eyes gives me a sense of enduring satisfaction.

What advice would you give a student interested in your field?

Do not go into cannabis extraction thinking it will be easy. There’s nothing about cannabis chemistry that’s any less complicated than other ﬁelds. Working in cannabis extraction is dangerous, high-stakes work, but if you love it like I do, it won’t feel like a job.

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Adventure awaits

Embark on an unforgettable journey with our new resource, Maroon Passport: Alumni & Friends Travel. Join fellow Maroons for customized expeditions led by expert faculty members. Each takes you beyond typical tourist stops for deeper insights into history and culture. Join a community of lifelong explorers, enjoy the savings of small group travel, and support current students — each booking with Maroon Passport raises money for student travel scholarships!

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