Volume 44, Number 1 Spartanburg, South Carolina Fall 2011
Wofford Today www.wofford.edu
Phase V of The Village is now complete. Read about the college’s new face on Evins Street on page 6.
From the Archives
Kenneth Coates: professor and journalist
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ore than any oth- acknowledged that he was the er group, faculty “baby” of the faculty, as he wasn’t much older than his students. members are the Coates brought journalism keepers of an institution’s and creative writing to Wofford, culture. Students are here teaching the English Department’s first creative writing but a brief time, while pro- courses in the 1930s. Others on fessors may spend 30 or 40 campus considered his political views quite progressive for his years on the campus. day. He attracted a following At alumni gatherings, I often among students, and quickly became involved with student hear alums ask about their publications. He strongly former professors, or share defended student freedom of the memories of an instructor press and resisted any efforts at censorship, and he helped create who left an impression on an independent board of student them. Kenneth Coates was publications that still exists today. one of those memorable Encouraging students to submit stories and essays for the student characters, and his influ- publications also enhanced the ence extended across the quality of the Old Gold & Black campus and into the Spar- and the Journal. During World War II, with tanburg community. most Wofford students away A graduate of the University from campus, Coates became of North Carolina, Kenneth the editor of the Spartanburg Daniel Coates taught high school Journal, the daily afternoon in his native Smithfield, N.C., newspaper. He also edited the for two years before spending college’s alumni newsletter, which some time in law school. After helped alumni in the military, deciding he didn’t much care for many of whom were serving far the law, he took a position as an away from South Carolina, keep instructor in English at Wofford. in touch with each other and the That was in 1928. college. At the end of the war, he Later in life, Coates earned chose to return to teaching, but a reputation as something of a continued to write and be active curmudgeon, but in his early days in community affairs. on the faculty, he was a young Having been the junior face in a group of older men. He member of the faculty for so
long, he suddenly became one of its senior members when most of the older professors retired soon after World War II. He became part of the college’s institutional memory, defending traditions loudly and vociferously whenever he perceived that they were under threat. He loved students, and although some of his former students went on to become generals and college presidents, he said he was just as proud of “those with small talents who have gone out and have not made Wofford ashamed of them.” One of his former students, the late William E. Rone Jr. ’49, became the editorial page editor of The State newspaper in Columbia, and on Coates’ retirement, devoted a column to his old professor. Rone called Coates “a bundle of eccentricities clothed in a rumpled, tobacco-flecked suit… He loves to talk, and he’s not above listening. If there’s a subject that bores him, I don’t know what it is.” ‘‘Fesser Coates,” as he was known to generations of students, was a bundle of contradictions. Though a traditionalist, he opposed mandatory chapel and refused to attend as a faculty member, but according to Dr. Lewis Jones ’38, lamented its demise when it was abolished. He always was working on a proposal or policy for debate at faculty meetings, but got to the point
Kenneth Coates where he no longer attended. He always wanted to know what was going on around campus, so he’d sit outside the room where the faculty met and listen in. Students in his later years remembered he was quite the
storyteller, and most on campus remembered his particular affinity for scuppernongs. After his retirement in 1969, he continued to write editorials for WSPA radio and TV. Some of his editorials commented on judicial reform, local government spending priorities, and race relations. The college collected “final lectures” during the 1960s, and in his, Coates advised his students: Take time to be curious, but about small things that have a way of giving color and perspective and excitement to life. You will find your life filled with little serendipities if you take time to be curious. That sounds like good advice. by Phillip Stone ’94 college archivist
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In this issue...
Fall 2011
NEWS... Methodist Conference elects new trustees; Recent national recognitions; Honoring Roger Milliken............... 4 Wofford at Work: College earns recognition as “great place to work”............... 5 DEVELOPMENT... Update on campus renovations and building projects; Wofford Forever Challenge............... 6 Educators make major bequests to fund scholarships at Wofford............... 7 STUDENTS... Meet the Class of 2015 (the largest in college history)............... 8
Cam Newton under center during the Panthers Summer Training Camp at Wofford’s Gibbs Stadium.
A first look at the success of MMLA; scenes for summer on campus............... 9 ATHLETICS... Quick hits; Wofford to retire Richardson’s Jersey #51............. 10 The Wofford Bookshelf . ........... 11 A productive summer: students share global internship experiences........ 12-13 Orientation staff, resident advisors, student-athletes and college staff worked together to welcome and move in the Class of 2015. Read more about the college’s largest class on page 8.
For & About Alumni... including births, weddings, photos, notes and profiles of Wofford alumni........ 14-24 “Cherished relics from the past”............. 14 Remembering 9-11............. 15 Wofford Today interviews young alumni earning Ph.D.s............. 16 Alumni Awards announced............. 17 Terriers in the News............. 18 Vaughn and Stephenson create Cucuyo to bring art and culture to youth............. 19
Jenks wants to be a Terrier. His proud parents are Cowles ’05 and Josh Whitley ’05. Look for more photos of Wofford fans on page 21.
Wofford Today
Volume 44, Number 1 • Fall 2011 Visit Wofford Today online at www.wofford.edu/WoffordToday
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offord Today (USPS 691-140) is published four times each year by the Office of Communications and Marketing, Wofford College, 429 N. Church St., Spartanburg, S.C., 29303-3663, for alumni and friends of the college. Issued quarterly: fall, winter, spring and summer. Periodicals postage is paid at Spartanburg Main Post Office, Spartanburg, South Carolina, with an additional mailing entry at Greenville, S.C.
Doyle Boggs ’70, senior editor boggsdw@wofford.edu, 864-597-4182 Jo Ann Mitchell Brasington ’89 and Pat Smith, associate editors Laura H. Corbin, Anna Hurd ’10, Janella Lane and Phillip Stone ’94, contributors Brent Williamson, sports Photography by Mark Olencki ’75 Printed by Martin Printing Co. Inc., Easley, S.C. Mailing address changes to: Alumni Office, Wofford College 429 N. Church St. Spartanburg, S.C. 29303-3663 e-mail alumni@wofford.edu call 864-597-4200; fax 864-597-4219 It is the policy of Wofford College to provide equal opportunities and reasonable accommodation to all persons regardless of race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status in accordance with applicable federal and state laws.
Gold & Black gatherings; upcoming dates for alumni meetings and events............. 22 Fall 2011 • Wofford Today • 3
Wofford Today Four elected to Board of Trustees Six re-elected to new terms
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our new members of the Board of Trustees were elected at the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church of South Carolina held in Orangeburg, S.C., in June. Six others were reelected to four-year terms. Dr. Daniel B. Morrison Jr. ’75, president of the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, N.C., and the Rev. John W. Hipp ’75, a United Methodist minister serving as district superintendent for the Orangeburg (S.C.) District, were elected to fill the expired terms of Michael Brown and the Rev. Jeannette Cooper. Jimmy I. Gibbs, CEO of Gibbs International in Spartanburg, and J. Edwin Reeves Jr., president and treasurer of the Reeves Foundation in Summit, N.J., were elected to fill the terms of two trustees who chose to step down this year, Dr. Jan Love and Julian Osbon ’63. Re-elected to new fouryear terms on the board were Frederick D. Gibbs ’87 of Spartanburg; James M. Johnson ’71 of Birmingham, Ala.; C. Michael Smith ’75 of Greenville, S.C.; J. Patrick Prothro of Park City, Utah; Joe E. Taylor ’80 of Columbia, S.C.; and John B. White Jr. ’72 of Spartanburg. Morrison was named president of the Carolina Panthers in September 2009. He was the director of athletics at Wofford from 1985 to 1997 and was senior vice president at the college from 1997 to 2001, when he left to become commissioner of the Southern Conference. Following his stint as SoCon commissioner, Morrison was chosen as director of intercollegiate athletics at Texas Christian University (TCU). He and his wife, Peggy, have two children, Meg ’07 and Trey. Before being chosen as district superintendent, Hipp served churches in Aiken, Wagener, Saluda, Chapin, Conway and Charleston. Hipp is also a former trustee of Spartanburg Methodist College. He served as chaplain for the U.S. Army National Guard for 28 years.
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Following the events of Sept. 11, 2001, Hipp was mobilized for active duty serving as command chaplain of Task Force 218, Operation Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom. After completion of active duty, he was appointed command chaplain of the S.C. Joint Forces Command. He retired from military service in December 2008 at the rank of lieutenant colonel. He and his wife, Carol E. Hipp, have two children, Stephanie Anne H. King ’02 and Benjamin Wesley Hipp. Gibbs completed a 12year term on the Wofford Board of Trustees in 2010, and has been a key figure in the momentum that Wofford has enjoyed for the past two decades. Gibbs is a widely respected Spartanburg business leader, and he and his wife, Marsha, are among the community’s most generous philanthropists. The home for Wofford Terriers football, Gibbs Stadium, was made possible by their generosity, as is the award-winning Gibbs Cancer Center of Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System. Reeves has been a major benefactor for Wofford, providing funding for capital projects, endowed professorships and endowed scholarships. He joined Reeves Brothers Inc. in 1964, became president in 1975 and was elected to the additional post of chief executive officer in 1985. He has served as trustee of the Reeves Brothers Foundation Inc. since 1972 and now is president and treasurer. He has served on the board of the American Textile Manufacturers Institute, the South Carolina Textile Manufacturers Association and the Overlook Hospital Foundation. He is on the boards of the Boy Scouts of America-Greater New York Council and the Ronald McDonald House. He is a graduate of New York University and served in the U.S. Army. He has served two previous terms on the Wofford Board of Trustees.
College commissions Milliken sculpture; dedication held Sept. 28
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or decades, the late Roger Milliken was a familiar sight on the Wofford campus, a figure whose visage reflected energy, commitment and passion. Now a special sculpture, shown here just before it was crated and shipped to Spartanburg in August, will ensure that Milliken’s commanding presence remains a familiar sight on campus. This sculpture has been installed in the Great Oaks Hall of the Roger Milliken Science Center and was dedicated at a dinner on Wednesday, Sept. 28. The sculptor of the bronze Milliken statue is Todd Andrews, kneeling at right in his studio beside its plaster casting. Over the past 30 years, Andrews has become internationally renowned for his heroic art on display around the world. The walls of his studio are decorated with inspirational messages; one in particular stands out: “Art is the smile of the human soul.” In the Carolinas, Andrews is best known for the six large Panthers guarding the entrances to Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. “The panther is symbolic of power and virility and this work reflects that athletic, indomitable, and proud spirit,” Andrews says. “As you gaze into the eyes of the panther, you will momentarily be lost in the hypnotic trance of this sculpture. It exudes a feeling of power and passion.” To learn more about Todd Andrews, go to his website at www.toddandrewssculpture.com.
Gowdy wears Wofford uniform in Congressional baseball game
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outh Carolina Fourth District Congressman Trey Gowdy sported a Wofford Terrier uniform when he played second base in the “Roll Call” Congressional baseball game on July 14 at Nationals Park. The friendly-but-competitive contest is a fund-raiser for several District of Columbia charities and has existed in its present format since 1962. Democrats won this year’s game, but Republicans have dominated the series with 33 victories. Gowdy gave Wofford valuby Laura H. Corbin able visibility among his colleagues and Washington baseball fans.
Recent national recognitions for Wofford:
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orbes magazine (www.forbes.com) ranked Wofford 73rd on a list of 250 of “America’s Best Colleges” of all sizes and missions in August 2011. The criteria were evaluated by the Center for College Affordability and included educational quality, student experiences and achievements of graduates. In a 2010 feature, Forbes ranked Wofford 14th among all the nation’s colleges and universities for women desiring to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
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offord is #23 nationally and the only South Carolina entry on the U.S. News & World Report “Great Schools, Great Prices” list of 40 national liberal arts colleges for September 2011. Criteria include the college’s academic quality and the net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of need-based financial aid. In the overall U.S. News ratings this year, Wofford ranks #64 of 252 “national liberal arts colleges.” The top three institutions in this category are Williams, Amherst and Swarthmore.
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offord is featured in the 2012 edition of the Princeton Review’s “The Best 376 Colleges.” Specific rankings of interest included “Most Popular Study Abroad Program” (12th); “Professors Get High Marks” (16th); “Best Health Facilities” (16th); and “Major Fraternity and Sorority Scene” (17th).
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or four consecutive years, Wofford has been listed on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, published by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The college achieved “distinction” in 2009 and 2010.
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offord ranked ninth nationally in participation in studies abroad among the nation’s liberal arts colleges (2010 Open Doors report, Institute of International Education). Wofford has been rated in the top 10 in this report for many years. Six Wofford graduates in the past four years have won competitive Fulbright Teaching Assistantships, with five of them working in Germany or Austria.
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lmost a year before Wofford received recogniStudents in the class said the book wouldn’t be comtion in the Chronicle of Higher Education as one plete without an interview and photo of Ms. Rita, Acorn of America’s Best Colleges to Work For, Linda Café manager. In Ms. Rita’s profile, Wilson Douglas ’11 Powers and her Writing wrote: for the Mass Media class Ms. Rita’s affability and outgoing nature make decided to focus their her approachable for students who are in need class project on Wofford of her “pep talks.” After 10 years of working at at Work. Wofford, she knows what a distressed student “As the interviews looks like… Ms. Rita recounted one story of a came in, I suggested that first-year student who came to her for advice we subtitle the project: on how to approach his science teacher about ‘Why I do what I do and his record of absences. “He was so scared to why I love working at talk to the teacher that I held his hand and Wofford,’” says Powers. “We absolutely could have prewalked to that teacher’s office.” Everything dicted that Wofford would make a list of America’s Best turned out fine for the student. “We all just Colleges to Work For.” Results in the Chronicle’s fourth annual report on the academic workplace were based on surveys of about 44,000 employees at 310 colleges and universities. Wofford earned special recognition for teaching environment, facilities, workspaces and security, job satisfaction, and the tenure process. “There are few satisfactions to match that of contributing to a team that wins and keeps on winning for all the right reasons,” says President Benjamin B. Dunlap. “That’s what the work environment has been like at Wofford all during my 18 years as a professor and administrator. Recognition is sweet, but the reality of what we are and how we do things is even sweeter.” Claudia Albergotti ’11, a student leader of the Wofford at Work project, spent the past summer coordinating seminars for groups from around the world at the Aspen Institute in Colorado. The experience gave her new insight into the lessons she learned during the class. “As an English major I was interested in the interviewing, writing, editing and publication process,” she says. “Now I realize the project also gave me the opportunity to have a conversation about working with the housekeepers, maintenance workers, administrative staff and faculty that I saw every day during my four years at Wofford. I understand now how important it is that your goals align with the company’s goals. The environment, Olin Patterson cutting the lawns at the cultivation of community, and teamwork make a huge Village... Ms. Rita Rillman in the Acorn difference in any workplace.” Café... Linda Powers surrounded by her Inspired by Studs Terkel’s writing about work, the Writing for the Mass Media class. Wofford at Work project started with a study of Wofford’s organizational chart. “We tried to pull staff from all areas, then imposed a demographic representation,” says Powers. “Of course, students had favorite employees, so we added three or four of those. Also, faculty were included, but minimally represented. It was organized but flexible.” The class completed 20 profiles, including environmental photos, and compiled their finished work into book form. “I’m pleased that our students could learn about and honor the people who make Wofford what it is,” says Powers. For example, Wofford students met Olin Patterson, groundskeeper, who’s usually riding a mower maintaining the college’s pristine lawns:
need someone to hold our hand when we’re worried,” she says. Dr. Jim Keller, retired chair of the philosophy department, offered the students, through interviewer John White ’12, the perspective of his almost 40-year tenure at Wofford: Two things in particular Dr. Keller says he would never want to see changed at Wofford: the opportunities for faculty and staff to interact with students and the opportunities to interact with colleagues. “Maybe you can lump it all together and say the wonderful sense of community that exists here,” says Keller. “I don’t know if that’s part of my job, but that’s something I would really hate to see changed.” If the Wofford at Work student research and the recognition in the Chronicle of Higher Education offer any indication, Keller has no worries. For more information and to view all of the results of the survey, visit The Chronicle’s website at chronicle.com/ academicworkplace. by Jo Ann Mitchell Brasington ’89
“I was a golf professional at Green Valley Country Club in Greenville, and then I went and played on the mini-tours for about four or five years… when I would practice early in the mornings or late in the evenings, I’d see these guys out on mowers cutting grass… there was the smell of grass, and I told my parents that’s what I wanted to do....” (Interview by Mollie Boison ’11) Fall 2011 • Wofford Today • 5
Development Update
Village Phase V
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offord celebrated another milestone in its remarkable progress toward a beautiful and sustainable “new urban” campus on Friday evening, Sept. 30, when the $11 million crown jewel of The Village apartment-style housing was dedicated at a Family Weekend reception. The first four phases of The Village provided apartment-style housing for 350 seniors, and Phase V has added another 80 beds in a loft-style configuration that features balconies with a spectacular view of the Blue Ridge mountains. But there’s much more: Phase V, designed by the internationally respected Atlanta architect Keith Summerour, supports not only The Village but also the traditional residence halls along Evins Street. It provides key student services and academic centers. The signature space in the 55,000 square-foot project is a grand galleria. It’s
Dr. Chris Waidner ’87 and his students in the new organic chemistry lab an open-air dining and gathering spot with a deli and urban market. It features 21-foot ceilings and one of the largest ceiling fans imaginable. Two mezzanines overlook the galleria. The east and west wings provide offices, meeting areas, study spaces and classrooms. The Center for Professional Excellence is also housed in the new building. The cutting-edge learning environment features advanced technology
1,100 new donors now give to the Annual Fund because of the Wofford Forever Challenge presented by Mike Brown ’76. Who are they? Parents of current Wofford students who, although they pay tuition, believe enough in the importance of Wofford’s mission to give more. Alumni who have renewed their commitment to their alma mater, even during tough economic times. Recent graduates who want to give back and join the ranks of Wofford’s loyal contributors.
With the final $200,000 at stake, the college needs 217 new Annual Fund donors before December 31. Join the challenge... be the difference! Visit www.wofford.edu/gifts/woffordforever, mail in the enclosed envelope, or call 864-597-4191 to make a gift today. 6 • Wofford Today • Fall 2011
and 24-hour interactive amenities for some of chemistry still has a ‘wish list’ for some additional equipment. Anyone who would of the classes and activities related to the like to consider a donation may contact world of business. the Office of Development at 864-5974200.” Organic Chemistry Lab Wofford’s new million-dollar organic chemistry laboratory opened for business to rave reviews in September. Speaking for faculty, students and alumni, Dr. Charles Bass expressed gratitude to project designers and donors: “We could not be more pleased with the new organic chemistry laboratory. A former student came to visit today and when we proudly showed her the new facility, she told me ‘I am so jealous that our class did not get to work in a lab like this.’ This will truly make a huge difference for our department and the pre-med program at Wofford College. “ A class of 24 students can easily be accommodated in the single room, and the arrangement allows students to work either individually or in teams. The modern instrumentation that students need is right next door,” he said. The organic laboratory is located on the top floor of the east wing of the Roger Milliken Science Center. “We’re really delighted with the support we received from our donors for this project,” says Marion Peavey ’64, senior vice president. “The department
DuPre and Shipp Hall
Major renovations to DuPre and Shipp residence halls also were completed this summer. The project achieved some ambitious goals, including: • Improved indoor air quality through a complete replacement of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. • Safety enhancements, including a new fire alarm and sprinkler system. • Increased sustainability through an energy recovery wheel, more efficient windows and low wattage lighting. • Aesthetic improvements such as complete bathroom renovations with low-flow toilets and showerheads, plank flooring in residents’ rooms and new paint throughout the halls.
Montgomery Music Building
Work has begun on the new Montgomery Family Music Building, with completion of the renovations in the former Baptist Student Union building scheduled for February 2012. by Doyle Boggs ’70
Phase V Classroom
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hey committed their lives to education and learning; now Frances and Oliver Tucker ’39 and Russell Smith ’49 have funded endowed scholarships at Wofford for students interested in doing the same. Oliver Tucker served public schools in upstate South Carolina retiring as principal of Duncan Elementary School in the mid-1960s. His wife, Frances McElrath Tucker, did her teaching on Sundays as a Sunday school teacher at Memorial United Methodist Church. After retiring as principal, Mr. Tucker founded a real estate development firm in Greer. Mrs. Tucker continued to work for Peebles Kimbrell. Together they created a significant estate that after their deaths (Mr. Tucker on July 16, 2008; Mrs. Tucker on Sept. 9, 2010) now provides generous support for Wofford, the United Methodist Church, and their extended family. Wofford will use its significant portion to fund scholarships for Wofford students interested in pursuing careers in public education. “The college enjoys a long-standing tradition of preparing teachers who provide leadership within the school community and who model a commitment to lifelong learning,” says Dr. Cynthia Suarez, professor of education and chair of the department. “The Tuckers’ generous gift will ensure that financial considerations don’t stand in the way of sending our best and brightest into the classroom.” “Oliver was a World War II veteran, active in Kiwanis both locally and nationally, and very good to his church,” says nephew Ronnie Bruce ’68, an attorney in Greer, S.C., and a Wofford Annual Fund class chairman. “Having had a father (Beverly H. Tucker, Sr. ’26) and a brother (Beverly H. Tucker, Jr. ’35) who were also Wofford graduates, Oliver considered for many years how he and Frances could take care of his alma mater in a permanent way. The family encouraged them to do that… not that they needed any real encouragement... They were good people whose hearts were always in the right place.” Russell Smith (d. May 18, 2011) taught eighth-grade mathematics at Fairforest Middle School and advanced math for adults at Spartanburg Community College preparing to take the GED exam. A U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War,
Smith was a member of American Legion Post 28, past president of the Spartanburg Math Association, a member of the National Association of Mathematicians and the National Science Foundation. According to Mr. Smith’s sister, Emma Lou Smith Cardell, Mr. Smith “never aimed to be an administrator or to ‘move through the ranks career-wise…. He delighted in watching students become enthralled by the subject, especially for those students who previously had found mathematics so difficult or uninteresting.” Smith started an after-school “Rocket Club” to interest students in math and science and was known in the community as someone who had a brilliant mathematical mind and could fix anything. “Increasingly as he aged, Russell recognized how his own rewarding teaching career in mathematics was made possible by the financial assistance available to him while he was a student at Wofford,” says Cardell. Mr. Smith established the Russell David Smith Mathematics Scholarship at (Above) Oliver and Frances Tucker at the 50th Year Club Reunion during Wofford HomeWofford with a sizeable bequest as a way of coming. (Below) Russell Smith shared his love of mathematics with his students at Fairforest repaying Wofford for training in the field Middle School. he enjoyed teaching and made his lifetime career. “Our entire department is thrilled,” says Dr. Ted Monroe, professor of mathematics and chair of the department. “Considering the modest salary he made as a teacher, I think it’s amazing that Mr. Smith managed to make such an incredible gift to his alma mater. Our department will make sure that the student recipients share Mr. Smith’s passion for the discipline.” “The Tuckers and Mr. Smith — these are the hidden jewels of the college,” says Smith Patterson ’67, director of gift planning. “Over the past 20 years I have had the privilege of working with many generous Wofford supporters who have established scholarships through their estates, and I must say that Oliver, Frances and Russell exemplify the spirit of unselfish generosity, which is so prevalent amongst the Wofford faithful. As children of the Depression, they each had an unequaled appreciation for the benefits of a college education, and by establishing these scholarships, they will enable future generations of students to also realize those benefits.” by Jo Ann Mitchell Brasington ’89
Endowing a scholarship at Wofford The college requires a minimum of $50,000 to establish a named, permanently endowed scholarship. The greater the fund size, the greater the benefit to deserving students. Recently Wofford has awarded 4.5 percent of the market value of each endowed fund and each fund has grown by a similar percentage annually. The college’s endowment has a fair market value of $161.9 million (as of June 30, 2011). For more information about gift planning or establishing a named, endowed scholarship, please contact Director of Gift Planning Smith Patterson ’67, pattersonds@wofford.edu, 864-597-4196.
Smith (left in both photos) with close Wofford friend Bob Hallman ’49, as freshmen ROTC cadets in 1945 and later in 1995. Fall 2011 • Wofford Today • 7
Largest class considered “best prepared”
Features high school honor students, writers, inventors, adventurers, performers and other standout students
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he “best prepared first-year class” in Wofford history also is the largest. It includes high school honor students, recognized writers, inventors, adventurers, music and dance performers, and more. Students began classes Monday, Sept. 5. The Admission Office compiles a “profile” of the incoming class, including tidbits of interesting information about the class in general and about individuals who make up the class. “This is the largest freshman class in the 157-year history of Wofford,” says Brand Stille ’86, vice president for enrollment. “We have 446 first-year students and 19 transfer students. They come from 27 states and five countries, with some coming from as far away as Rwanda and China, and some from as close as only a few blocks from campus. In fact, some of our new students are in the United States for the first time while one reports that he drove farther to get to high school than to Wofford.”
More about the Class of 2015: 13 were student body presidents in high school 50 held student government offices 1 in 12 was valedictorian or salutatorian in high school 20 earned the rank of Gold Award or Eagle Scout 31 were editors of their high school newspaper, yearbook or literary magazine · 172 were captain of a sports team · 60 signed national letters of intent to participate in college athletics · 25 are the first in their families to attend college · 60 were Boys’/Girls’ State delegates · 2 are National Merit Scholars · 378 were involved in either National Honor Society or Beta Club
students
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Individual distinctions:
· One student served in the U.S. Army for the past six years and spent more than two years deployed in Iraq. He now is part of the Southern Guards ROTC Battalion. · One student “fist bumped” President Obama. · One invented a learning toy that his father patented and sold. · One started her own T-shirt design and printing business. · One has organized a worldwide fundraiser to benefit injured soldiers and their families. · Another was chair of her school’s Relay for Life team and spearheaded the drive that raised $50,000 – more than any other student-led Relay for Life team in the nation. · One helped design the winning entry for Habitat for Humanity’s Dallas Dream Home Competition. · The class has at least six black belts in various martial arts, and several new students are martial arts instructors. · One class member is the nation’s 10th best road biker, and one is a junior Olympics gymnast. · One student performed with the Royal Ballet of London, while one has written a 600-page novel and two are published poets; one won the North Carolina poet laureate’s student competition. · One student is attempting to have a bill passed in the S.C. General Assembly that would require students to have CPR certification before graduation from high school. · One student built a catapult that can hurl more than 2,100 pounds. · One student performed with the traveling Broadway production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” by Laura H. Corbin
More than 400 Wofford College first-year students spent their first Sunday on campus packaging more than 20,000 meals for children in earthquake-ravaged Haiti. According to Wofford Perkins-Prothro Chaplain Ron Robinson ’78 the college is putting an emphasis on service to Haiti this year. “We wanted to have an experience that’s both fun and addressed the need,” says Robinson. “Their first weekend here, they get involved in service, and they see that service can be fun.”
Wofford scholar, professors, speak at
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yler Swain ’12 and the c o l l e g e ’s 27th Presidential International Scholar; Oakley Coburn, dean of the library; Dr. Anne Catlla, assistant professor of mathematics; and Kerry Ferguson, an instructor in the theatre department, were among the speakers at TEDxSpartanburg held on Sept. 10 at The Showroom at Hub-Bub and live streamed on campus. In addition to the Wofford-related speakers, TEDxSpartanburg included a showing of President Benjamin B. Dunlap’s 2007 TED Talk in which he talks about the “passionate life” of the late Sandor Teszler, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor who became a beloved fixture at the college. (To view Dunlap’s TED Talk, go to www.ted.com/talks/ben_dunlap_talks_about_a_passionate_life.html.) TED began in 1984 as a gathering place for innovators and leaders in the fields of technology, entertainment and design. Now, 26 years later, TED has become a nexus for a global community of individuals who believe in the power of “ideas worth spreading.” What began as a four-day conference in California has grown exponentially to support world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The annual TED Conference invites the world’s leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes. Their talks are then made available, free, at www.TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Al Gore, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. In the spirit of “ideas worth spreading,” TED has created a program called TEDx, part of a revolution in global education made possible by local organizers wanting to engage their communities. Every week, in multiple cities, people are coming together to pursue ideas worth spreading. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The theme of TEDxSpartanburg was “Together: Creating a New Vision.” “Our lives move at a rapid pace and it’s easy to miss one another,” says TEDxSpartanburg’s website, www.tedxspartanburg.com. “We live in different neighborhoods, and we work in different fields. We lead different lives, yet we are all part of one community. It’s time to bring that community together to explore the lives we lead, the work we do, and the way we experience the world. Together, we can share our own personal visions and create new ones, for our community, our neighborhoods, our city, and maybe even the world.” by Laura H. Corbin
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MMLA held its summer commencement exercises in Main Building’s Leonard Auditorium.
Wofford brings MMLA to a Southern setting A
s Wofford faculty, staff and students ventured into the Burwell Building at mealtimes this summer, they often were greeted with “guten morgen” and “buenos dias” rather than “good morning.” This summer, Wofford gained the distinction of being the first, and currently only, MiddleburyMonterey Language Academy site in the South. Wofford was one of several options proposed for a Southern site, and was high on the radar in part because Roberto d’Erizans ’02 is a former director of MMLA. Wofford’s MMLA partners are Pomona College, Swarthmore College, Roger Williams University, Green Mountain College, and Oberlin College. MMLA is a four-week academic summer program for rising 8th through 12th graders to grow in their language abilities in a full immersion environment. Throughout their month at MMLA, 35 students adhered to the language pledge, a commitment to speak only their target language, either Spanish or German in 2011. The pledge, taken by students on the first day of the academy and renewed every week, emphasizes the dedication and motivation required for learning language and is taken extremely seriously by students and faculty. The goal of MMLA at Wofford is for students to have fun and stay safe while learning more about language than they ever thought possible. Most students gain at least a full year in language proficiency, making MMLA a great choice for students who want to advance to AP or IB classes, or are taking more than one foreign language.
One MMLA student, Riley Henry from Asheville, N.C., will be studying international business and Spanish as a member of Wofford’s Class of 2015. She explains why she was interested in MMLA: “I thought it would be a good way to learn Wofford’s campus before I came as a student as well as a great way to improve my Spanish skills.” Michael Brune, language director of the German academy at Wofford, states his experience with the immersion technique of teaching really proves its success and value. “It’s the most powerful tool for learning a language.” Tara Gilboa, a first-time MMLA residential advisor says, “I could not feel luckier to have been selected to work here at Wofford at MMLA. It is the perfect environment for the community that an immersion academy provides and really reflects the sense of community Wofford has itself.” Belinda Walters, Wofford’s MMLA site manager, explains why she is thrilled about the program being housed at the college: “After our first visit to Wofford, we knew that we had found a perfect fit for MMLA. The small campus with clearly defined boundaries make it easy for students to quickly move from classes to meals and activities, while staff can keep a close eye on everyone. Every classroom is technology-smart, so teachers always have access to rich resources to keep work interesting. And right here on campus, there are may recreational options from beach volleyball and bocce ball to pristine tennis courts and the disc golf course.
Shared Worlds
“Of course, once staff, students and parents see Wofford, they are struck by its beauty and the quality of the facilities. As important is the fact that Wofford has been an active and engaged partner in making MMLA a success. Whether it’s part of their job or not, everyone has gone out of their way to welcome us and offer to help. Wofford and Spartanburg have truly shown our staff and students what Southern hospitality means.” MMLA has taken advantage of the cultural opportunities in Spartanburg, in particular the sizable German community and German corporations, most notably BMW. The German academy took a field trip to the BMW manufacturing plant and later had a speaker from the company present about how the German language aided her in securing a job at BMW. During the July 4 holiday, both German and Spanish academies participated in Spartanburg’s celebration “Red, White and Boom” in Barnet Park. Easily recognizable in their vivid MMLA shirts, the emcee of the band asked “Who are those kids wearing yellow and orange T-shirts? Get up here!” and all 35 students climbed on stage to participate in the festivities. Interested in the program for your student? Wofford will continue to host MMLA and hopes to expand to more languages as the site grows in enrollment. You can find out more through MMLA’s website, and see the blogs from this year’s academies, at www.mmla.middlebury.edu.
Shared Worlds brought teen writers interested in today’s hottest fantasy fiction genres to campus this summer. The program is enrolling for summer 2012 with guest authors Julianna Baggott, Tobias Buckell, Will Hindmarch, Karin Lowachee, Naomi Novik and Jeff VanderMeer scheduled to attend. For more information visit www.wofford.edu/sharedworlds.
Institute for Professional Development
Students in the Institute for Professional Development pitch their ideas to executives from Forrest Acres, LLC. Powered by BB&T, the Institute for Professional Development is a five-week intensive summer residential program that prepares Wofford students to face the challenges of the professional workplace. The institute features an Executive Speakers Series as well as leadership development skills training.
Summer School
In addition to serving as the home of dozens of academic, leadership and
by Anna Hurd ’10 athletic camps, Wofford maintains a schedule of rigorous summer school
classes for students. Above are students in Dr. Caleb Arrington’s summer chemistry class. Fall 2011 • Wofford Today • 9
student-athletes
Quick Hits Football Watch Lists
Before the 2011 football season kicked off, fullback Eric Breitenstein ’13 and defensive end Ameet Pall ’12 racked up plenty of preseason accolades. Pall, a native of Montreal, Quebec, was named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List. The Buchanan Award is given each year to the top defensive player at the FCS level. He finished second in the voting last year, the highest ever for a Terrier. Breitenstein, from Valle Crucis, N.C., was named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List. Every season the Payton Award is presented to the top overall player in the FCS. In the Southern Conference, Breitenstein was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year by the coaches, and Pall was the Co-Defensive Player of the Year. It marked the first time in college history that two Wofford student-athletes were honored. Both Pall and Breitenstein also earned Preseason All-America honors from multiple organizations.
The Carolina Panthers Training Camp at Wofford College was the site of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s (left) first 2011 training camp visit Aug. 3. He participated in a fan forum prior to the Panthers’ practice. Goodell was hosted by Panthers owner Jerry Richardson ’59 (right). Wofford will officially retire the #51 jersey number worn by Richardson in a ceremony during the Oct. 29 football game against Elon. Richardson still holds Wofford’s single-game record with 241 receiving yards vs. Newberry in 1956 and is the record holder for touchdown receptions in a season (9 in 1958) and in a career (21).
2011 Hall of Fame Class
Former Wofford College studentathletes Katon Bethay ’06, Adrien Borders ’05 and Ellen Rogers ’06 have been selected by the Hall of Fame Committee of the Terrier Club Board of Directors as the 2011 inductees into the Athletic Hall of Fame. In addition, the Hall of Fame will honor Craig Phillips as the Distinguished Service Award winner and Rob Gregory ’64 as Honorary Letterman. The Hall of Fame will induct its newest class on Oct. 15 when the Terriers host UVa.-Wise in football. The Hall of Fame recognizes “those former athletes and coaches who, by outstanding athletic achievement and service, have made lasting and significant contributions to the cause of sports at Wofford College, the Spartanburg community, South Carolina and the nation.” Bethay is recognized for his performance in football and track and field, while Rogers was a four-time All-SoCon honoree in women’s tennis. Borders earned All-SoCon honors eight times in track and field.
Going Overseas
Following incredible careers on the Wofford basketball team that included back-to-back Southern Conference Championships and trips to the NCAA Tournament, Noah Dahlman ’11 and Cameron Rundles ’11 will play professionally this fall overseas. A three-time All-SoCon honoree, Dahlman signed a two-year professional contract with MZT Skopje in Macedonia. They currently play in the Macedonian First League, which is the top-tier league in Macedonia. Rundles signed a professional contract with the Leicester Riders of the British Basketball League. The Riders were founded in 1967 and are the oldest professional club in British Basketball. In addition, Tim Johnson ’11 has joined the University of Wyoming coaching staff as a graduate assistant with former Clemson head coach Larry Shyatt. 10 • Wofford Today • Fall 2011
The Wofford athletics department and Spartanburg County Public Libraries have teamed up for the sixth consecutive year to bring children around Spartanburg an incentive-based reading program. “Terrier Tales” kicked off this fall with a special poster-signing event where members of the football team met children from the community are participating in the program.
The Terrier Ball benefiting Wofford College student-athletes OCTober 29, 2011 Benjamin Johnson Arena, Wofford College Immediately following the football game, the doors will open to allow bidding on silent auction items. Buffet Tables and Bars open / 6:30 pm Live Auction at center stage / 8:30 pm Live Band and Dancing / 9:00 pm Entertainment provided by Vintage Soul Band
Preview auction items online at terrierclub.wofford.edu.
New releases The Wofford bookshelf
by Doyle Boggs ’70 and Jo Ann Mitchell Brasington ’89
Gordon S. Wood. “The Idea of America: Reflections on the Birth of the United States.” New York: The Penguin Press, 2011. Dr. Gordon S. Wood, Pulitzer Prize winning historian and professor emeritus at Brown University, spoke at the annual Constitution Day Observance at Wofford Sept. 13. He noted that America’s founders were intellectual products of the English enlightenment, but he pointed out several practical matters where their concepts were distinctive. They felt that it was important that a government should stand on a carefully conceived, written contract with its people, and the Constitution of the United States they signed on Sept. 17, 1787, has been a model for most of the world’s democracies since that time. They wanted a House of Representatives for actual, direct representation based on voting districts rather than “virtual” representation for different groups in society, such as clergy, guilds and nobility. Sovereignty was intentionally vested in “We the People of the United States,” rather than in any particular government or branch of government. This concept led naturally to a federal system based on separation of powers. Wood’s visit to Wofford led to discussions of his most recent book, which reinforces his conviction that the founders of the United States ought to be remembered on their own terms and in an authentic historical context. As both a lecturer and a writer, Wood makes his points in a clear and organized fashion that makes reading an enjoyable experience for all.
s
Wood speaking during Constitution Day.
Talmage B. Skinner ’56. “Sharing a Simple Meal: Messages from a Ministry of Presence.” Spartanburg, 2011. The Rev. Talmage Skinner, chaplain emeritus of Wofford College, composed the 27 essays in his new book near the close of his 17-year service as chaplain and during an additional seven years when he taught a course in Old Testament at the college. They originally were published on the religion page of the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, and although they follow no one theme, all carry the voice that so many Wofford folks came to know, love and expect during times of both celebration and sorrow. Some essays look nostalgically at the past while others focus on the future that awaits his grandchildren. All of the essays deal with the presence of grace in simple things. “These essays were written as my career/journey neared its destination, and they spring from a time when my theology and practice had finally reached a clear definition. Because of who I am — because of what I have become — my writing is clearly the product of a preacher and a teacher. In many ways the pieces are little sermons, and I offer them as a minister,” writes Skinner in the books’s introduction. “By spoken word or at table, I tried to present the cup of love and grace to all who would come, and I tried to
spike the communion wine with a strong dose of social gospel. I backed up this formal worship with a ministry of presence and availability.” The books will be available during Homecoming weekend, Dr. Sally Hitchmough’s first-year humanities class discussed “Memoirs of a Geisha” at Olive Oct. 29-31. Skinner will teach Garden in Spartanburg. a Classes Without Quizzes, and the books will be available to participants. He also will be signing books along with other faculty authors on the Main Building Yorke Portico (horseshoe side of the building) during the Homecoming luncheon. Proceeds from “A Simple Meal: Messages from a Ministry of Presence” will go to support the Talmage and Beverly Keadle Skinner Endowed Scholarship Fund at Wofford.
Ed Callison ’67 and Bill Rogerson. “Journeys Through Cancer and Faith.” Atlanta: United Writers Press Inc., 2011. In the summer of 2006, Ed Callison of Atlanta, Ga., learned that he had esophageal cancer (stage 2). As he started his personal journey through shock, anger, fear, resignation and the challenges of surgery,
chemotherapy and radiation, he found an online support group. He became close friends with Bill Roberson of Richmond, Va., one of the “miracle men” whose esophageal cancer (stage 4) has been in remission for five years. The result of their friendship is this book, a journal and an essay about facing one’s mortality. It is well written and authentic, and it shares faith, hope and inspiration for those battling difficult medical situations. Callison welcomes contacts from Wofford alumni and friends, particularly those who are facing cancer in their own families. He will be glad to send a copy of the book, at cost, to those who may be interested. A Kindle edition of the book also is available.
Arthur Golden. “Memoirs of a Geisha.” New York: Vintage Contemporaries Edition, 1999. One of the outstanding international novels of the 1990s, “Memoirs of a Geisha” was the first fictional work of a distinguished authority in art history and East Asian history, Arthur Golden. In 2005, “Memoirs of a Geisha” was made into a feature film starring Ziyi Zhang and Ken Watanabe and directed by Rob Marshall, g a r n e r i n g t h r e e Ac a d e m y Awards. This year, Golden’s book was selected as the book for Wofford’s first-year program, “The Novel Experience.” Students were challenged to write essays on
the topic: “How does the life of a geisha as depicted in the ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ correspond to the life of a contemporary woman?” They also attended discussions at Spartanburg restaurants with their humanities seminars, and Golden visited the campus for a reading and classes on Sept. 26-27. In a book review in the Old Gold & Black, contributing writer Jessi Fuller ’15 wrote: “Wisdom pervades the pages as Sayuri grows from an unknowing child to an adult willing to risk everything for the one she holds dearest. Filled with startlingly beautiful descriptions of 1930s Japan, ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ transports readers to another world, delicately crafted and infinitely more complex than mere experience.“
$15.00
Proceeds support the Talmage and Beverly Keadle Skinner Endowed Scholarship Fund at Wofford College.
Fall 2011 • Wofford Today • 11
Printed in the U.S.A. by Southeastern Printing, Inc., Spartanburg, S.C.
TB Skinner Book Cover.indd 1
8/6/11 4:24:50 PM
Andrew Strasburger ’12 NASA Palmetto Academy at The Citidel, Charleston, S.C. The South Carolina Space Grant Consortium funded the summer research internships of Andrew Strasburger (right) and Sharon Guffy ’12. Both worked for the NASA Palmetto Academy at The Citadel in Charleston. According to Strasburger, his team built a telescope for the ATSA Suborbital Observatory. “Specifically, I designed the navigational software and computer software for the telescope. One of the students working on the project will be chosen to fly aboard the suborbital space craft with the telescope,” says Strasburger. “Because of this opportunity, all four of us were sent to the NASTAR Center in Philadelphia for suborbital scientist/astronaut training.” The inset photo above shows Strasburger in the simulator.
Joseph McAbee ’12 University of Sydney Medical School’s Brain and Mind Research Institute After spending the summer before at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, Calif., as a Denzel and Paulette Washington Scholar, Joseph McAbee spent nine weeks this summer performing neuroscience research in Dr. Richard Banait's pharmacology, neurobiology, and psychiatry research laboratory. McAbee also spent time at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization, which houses Australia’s only nuclear reactor. “This internship would not have been possible were it not for the Papadopoulos Scholarship Program,” says McAbee, who is preparing his research for publication. “I was nominated by a biology professor for the scholarship, submitted a research proposal, and was awarded funds to cover my flight and apartment fees... I feel extremely blessed to attend a college like Wofford where alumni give so generously to support and encourage students like myself to pursue our passions and our dreams.” In addition to long days studying zebrafish, McAbee applied to medical schools, climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge, saw kangaroos and other Australian wildlife, went scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, and attended two shows at the Sydney Opera House. On Oct. 13, the board of trustees of the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) will present McAbee with the J. Lacy McLean Independent College Student of the Year award. The award recognizes McAbee's academic achievements, leadership skills and commitment to public affairs, traits characterized by the life of J. Lacy McLean, who served as president of SCICU for 34 years.
12 • Wofford Today • Fall 2011
Kayla Bethea ’13 U.S. Military Academy, West Point
Bethea’s five weeks at West Point were designed as a field training exerci enhance her land navigation and leadership skills. Bethea camped several ni and built both physical and mental stamina. “This tested my abilities to a I was not accustomed to as a civilian,” says Bethea. “Several nights we s attacks from enemy forces. I cannot fully explain my experience, but I c perspective on the military life as a whole... and I must say, I’m glad I a
ise that allowed her to ights, hiked mountains adapt to situations that simulated situations of can say it changed my am a Terrier.”
Students of Dr. Byron McCane Archeological dig in Huqoq, Israel Dr. Byron McCane, professor of religion and chair of the department, took a team of six Wofford students to participate in an archeological dig in Huqoq, Israel. Courtney Green ’12, Patrick Craig ’12, James Ballard ’12, ReAnne Hinton ’12, Brian McCracken ’13, and Adam Stovall ’13 are pictured along with McCane and Dr. Ellen Goldey, professor and chair of the biology department, in the excavated “mikveh” or ritual bath at Huqoq.
Chris Bourean ’12 DeBakey Summer Surgery Program, Baylor College of Medicine Chris Bourean (left) assisted with the implant of a Denver shunt and Avalon cannula at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, through his internship with the DeBakey Summer Surgery Program with Baylor College of Medicine. During the summer he also assisted with multiple heart and lung transplants as well as implanting LVAD heart assist devices for patients with end-stage heart failure. Bourean wrote an article for the Texas Heart Institute Journal that will be published this fall. “I learned that the lifestyle of a cardiothoracic surgeon can be high pressure at times but interacting with and treating patients makes it all worthwhile,” he says.
Rachel Woodlee ’12 Whipp Inc. advertising firm in Spartanburg Over the six weeks Rachel Woodlee interned with Whipp Inc., she experienced the breadth of work involved in advertising and public relations — writing copy, researching printing prices, updating websites, writing news releases, editing video, assisting with television commercials, pitching ideas, and even identifying new items for the gift shop at the BMW Performance Driving Center, “which allowed me to drive some cars,” says Woodlee. According to Woodlee, a member of the Wofford women's volleyball team, Scott Cochran ’89, dean of the Center for Professional Excellence, helped her secure an internship that would be compatible with her volleyball training schedule. “It was an amazing experience,” says Woodlee. “I absolutely loved everyone I worked with and all of the cool things I got to do while I was there.”
Amanda Saca ’12 and Caleb Jennings ’12 Primacy Industries, Mangalore, India For two months this summer, Amanda Saca and Caleb Jennings lived in Mangalore, India, working with Primacy Industries, a company that makes candles to be exported to the U.S. “Because candle making is an extremely cyclical business (almost all candles are sold in the winter months) they wanted to develop another product that could be sold in summer,” says Jennings. The Wofford students researched, developed and helped the company create a new product, coconut charcoal.
Fall 2011 • Wofford Today • 13
&
Keeping inTouch
About For Alumni
1948
Frank Lowe is retired and lives in Seneca, S.C., with his wife, Mary.
1949
The Rev. Jesse Bentley was honored on Aug. 21, 2011, at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Bolivia, N.C. Bentley retired from the ministry in 1990. He and his wife, Faye, live in Union, S.C., and recently celebrated 61 years of marriage.
1954
Dr. Fred Jones has retired from clinical medicine and health care consulting. He and his wife, Lynn, live in Sapphire, N.C. Bill Kinney Jr., editor-publisher of the Marlboro Herald-Advocate newspaper, has been appointed to the South Carolina Archives and History Commission by Governor Nikki Haley. This is the fifth time that Kinney has been appointed as a governor’s representative. Kinney and his daughter, Elisabeth McNiel, visited Inge and Charles Parks in Wilmington, Del., in June 2011. Parks is the renowned American sculptor who created the bronze sculpture “Light” at Wofford. Kinney and his wife, Peggy, live in Bennettsville, S.C.
“Cotton” Lawson 1956
The Rev. Ralph “Cotton” Lawson and his wife, Barbara, entertained Wofford Today senior editor Doyle Boggs ’70 at their home in Buffalo, S.C., on Monday, Aug. 22. Lawson shared fascinating and moving memories of his service as a Naval aviator during World War II as well as his decades of service as a United Methodist minister. Lawson recently published a biographical essay titled “Saved by Amazing Grace” through A. Borough Books, 3901 Silver Bell Drive, Charlotte, N.C. 28211. Living in Raleigh, N.C., James Lineberger and his wife, Mary, are enjoying the handicappedfriendly home that they built in 2005.
1957
At the June 2011 meeting of the senior men’s club of Aiken (S.C.), the Rev. Robert B. Clyburn was selected as the Man of the Year for 2010. Clyburn retired in 2007 after serving for more than 40 years as a United Methodist minister.
1960
Dr. William G. Sandifer retired from dental practice in July 2011. He lives in York, S.C., and is looking forward to golfing, pond fishing and spending time with his family.
1961
50th Reunion, Homecoming 2011 Class Chair, Richard L. Robinson Dr. Thom Bristow lives in Columbia, S.C. He teaches part-time at Limestone College and also is a professional storyteller. Donald C. Jones is executive director of Henderson County Educational Foundation Inc. Jones and his wife, Patsy, live in Hendersonville, S.C.
14 • Wofford Today • Fall 2011
Wofford Today / Wofford College / Volume 44, Number 1 / Spartanburg, South Carolina / Fall 2011
Cherished relics of the past
W
offord College has figured a way to make Commencement a “museum quality” event. The college invited cherished relics of the past, the graduating class of 1961, to celebrate its 50th reunion during graduation weekend. President Bernie Dunlap thought we would serve as an inspiration for the graduating Class of 2011. One glimpse terrified them into resolving not to turn out as we have. And that was after we had been dressed in caps and gowns to hide glowing bald heads and protruding pot bellies, but there was no shielding our wrinkles that would turn prunes green with envy. Most of my ancient classmates had aged so much they didn’t even recognize me. Those who had flat-top haircuts 50 years ago returned with chrome domes. I only had one chin in my graduation photo. Now I have three. Even discounting the ravages of time, the many young women in the Class of 2011 presented a much more pleasing appearance than an all male assembly. There were no females at Wofford when we were in school. We would tumble out of bed up each morning 10 minutes before class, throw on yesterday’s rumpled clothes and dash from the dorm without even brushing our teeth. The guys can’t do that today and impress cute blondes sitting across the aisle. Our class, testaments to the marvels of medical science, could have passed for a herd of penguins along the 100-yard processional that had us huffing and puffing as we neared the steps of Old Main, the 157-year-old icon that the college continually rebuilds. “You walked this same stage a half century ago,” intoned the commencement speaker. I wish he had not used the term “half century,” and simply said 1961. Maybe the audience would not have figured how far we are into antiquity. “When today’s graduates look at the 50-year class, they realize that they don’t have very much time to accomplish something in life,” the speaker rumbled on. “And we don’t have much time left period,” I thought. After the formalities, we posed for a class photo that could make us famous as poster children for Depends. And some lucky class member could hit the silver screen since a Hollywood movie producer had flown in from the West coast to give screen tests for the part of Yoda in a remake of Star Wars. Back in the Sixties, none of us even considered the possibility of being around 50 years later, so we spent our college days having a blast. Although we can’t remember what we ate for breakfast, we vividly recalled everything that happened 50 years ago. Buddy Garrett recounted the night his car got stuck in the snow on Dean Frank Logan’s front yard and having to ask him to help dig it out the next day. That got Garrett on probation for a semester. The first streaker we ever saw was Lester Holley who ran naked from Black Hall to Old Main on a bet for a pack of cigarettes. He went on to become a college professor. Go figure.
Leland Burch (left) with President Benjamin B. Dunlap at the Class of 1961’s 50th reunion. The late Don Hudson slept with the world history textbook tucked under his pillow in hopes the facts would seep into his brain during the night. That didn’t happen. Hudson took the required course four times before finally getting a passing grade. Rembert Owens was our only classmate who went to bed at 9 p.m. on the dot. One night in the dead of winter, we reset all of the clocks seven hours ahead, woke Owens up at midnight to inform him that he had overslept and hustled him off to breakfast. Jim Purcell spotted his future bride during our freshman Rat Race over to Converse College. Or maybe it was during a panty raid. I went along on that one too, and we got chased away by the Converse campus police. Nobody came back with a single pair of panties. I put a little more effort into my thesis, titled “Do Illiterate People Get the Full Effect of Alphabet Soup?” After which, the late professor Dr. L. P. (long play) Jones questioned me, “What’s your problem? Is it ignorance or is it apathy?” I replied, “I don’t know, and I don’t care.” Wofford sent us charging out to change the world in 1961, but the world changed us instead. Should we expect the Class of 2011 to succeed where we did not? Thought for the week: The older you get, the tougher it is to find a famous figure who didn’t amount to much when he was your age. by Leland Burch ’61 Editor emeritus of the Greer Citizen, Burch still writes a column for the newspaper, where this article first appeared.
William Jerial Lawing and his wife, 1970 Janette, live in Hickory, N.C. Lawing is presi- Class Chair, Arthur W. Rich dent and partner of Lawing, Matthews & Co. Tim Beeton is a trial lawyer with the firm law firm. of Simpson Beeton Finegan & Jaworski. He lives in Galveston, Texas. 1963 Living in Covington, La., Muldrow EthClass Chair, Andrew C. English redge is an attorney. His wife, Gina, and their Dr. Pat Zimmerman lives in Chicago, Ill., 16-year-old son, Muldrow, climbed to the summit where he is serving as the curator for the cultural of Mount Kilimanjaro in June 2011. film channel for Current.TV. Wayne Munch and his wife, Jackie, live in Springfield, Ga. Munch is a teacher and coach at Effingham County High School. 1964 Class Chair, Charles W. Saunders Jr. James Neal was honored at the 2011 South 1971 Carolina annual conference of the United Meth- 40th Reunion, Homecoming 2011 odist Church with the Herbert Hucks Award. The Class Chair, Kenneth E. Smith award recognizes outstanding service in historical It was nice to hear from James A. Brannock, preservation and interpretation. Neal lives with who lives with his wife, Patty, in Columbia, S.C. his wife, Barbara, in Columbia, S.C. In September 2010, James and his son, Caulder, walked the 200+ mile coast-to-coast trail across England from St. Bees on the Irish Sea to Robin 1965 It was nice to hear from Dr. William Hood’s Bay on the North Sea. Jack Dennison and his wife, Shannon, Wimberly Jr. A family physician, he lives in live in Ijamsville, Md. Dennison is senior prinSummerville, S.C. Charles Young, an attorney with Young, cipal analyst at General Dynamics Information Morphis, Bach and Taylor LLP., recently was Technology. Dr. Gaines Foster is dean of the Louisiana sworn in to the bar of the United States Supreme Court. He also is certified as a mediator by the State University College of Humanities and North Carolina Supreme Court. Young and his Social Sciences. He and his wife, Mary, live in Baton Rouge, La. wife, Elaine, live in Hickory, N.C. Butler Mullins is a principal of InnoVenture LLC, a firm that manages business conferences 1966 and forums. Mullins and his wife, Grier, live in 45th Reunion, Homecoming 2011 Greenville, S.C. Class Chair, J. Hayne Culler Sr. Living in Tarboro, N.C., Edward L. RobHoward Hughes has been inducted into Seneca High School’s Athletics Hall of Fame. erson III is an independent insurance agent. Hughes attended Wofford on an athletics scholar- Roberson was especially close to his Wofford roommate, the late Richard Kincaid, who died ship. He lives in Lilburn, Ga. in 2010. Roberson and Kincaid married sisters and enjoyed a 36-year friendship. 1967 Class Chair, Hubbard W. McDonald Jr. John Adams is a career counselor at Central 1972 Piedmont Community College. He and his wife, Class Chair, Allen S. Guignard Randall Bringman has moved from ChatRose, live in Huntersville, N.C. Dr. Marshall Anderson is professor emeri- tanooga, Tenn., to Spartanburg. Bringman retired tus at Indiana University School of Medicine. He in October 2010 from ASC Industries, where he was national accounts manager. lives in Crown Point, Ind. Dr. John Herbert is associate professor of Dr. Bill Lancaster has been retired since the fall of 2009. He says, “Life revolves around golf and obstetrics and gynecology at the University of other activities. I preach occasionally and have a South Carolina Medical School. He lives with few other ongoing responsibilities.” Lancaster and his wife, Kim, in Blythewood, S.C. Ernest B. Segars lives with his wife, Jeanette, his wife, Marty, live in Greenville, S.C. St. Andrews Presbyterian College honored in Laurens, S.C. Segars is county administrator for Donnie McDonald with The Highlander Laurens County. The couple’s daughter, Patricia Award in the spring of 2011. The award is Brooks Segars Gaylord ’05, is an attorney. She given to outstanding Scots with ancestral ties lives with her husband in Asheville, N.C. Bucky Sprouse is co-owner of A.T. Sprouse to the Highland Settlement of the Carolinas. McDonald also has been vice president of the Advertising. He also is a part-time magistrate for North Carolina Scottish Heritage Society. He Union County, S.C. Sprouse lives with his wife, Donna, in Pauline, S.C. lives in Clio, S.C. Living in Stokesdale, N.C., Dr. James Frank Satterfield and his wife, Denise, traveled on their motorcycles through 24 states and Lewis Wilmer is chief science officer at Market more than 12,000 miles during July and August of America Inc. He was named Employee of the Year for 2010. 2011. The couple lives in Houston, Texas.
1968
Class Chair, Ronald G. Bruce It was nice to hear from Ronnie Clayton, a retired accounts manager, who lives in Summerville, S.C. Clayton wishes to say hello to his former classmates and asks that they give him a call sometime to catch up. On May 20, 2011, Centra Health of Virginia named a new facility in honor of president and CEO George Dawson, and his wife, Rosemary. Dawson has been a health care administrator at Centra for 30 years. The Pickens County Museum hosted Dr. Rodger Stroup on May 19, 2011, when he presented a free program on South Carolina Railroads. Stroup is retired executive director of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Bishop William Willimon presented the commencement address on May 14, 2011, at Hood Theological Seminary and was honored with the honorary degree, doctor of humane letters. A bishop of the United Methodist Church since 2004, Willimon leads 157,000 Methodists and 792 pastors in North Alabama.
1969
Class Chair, Richard L. Myers Maj. Gene Cantrell is a telecommunications supervisor for the United States Army Signal Center at Fort Gordon, Ga. Cantrell and his wife, Marsha, live in Grovetown, Ga. Rick Johnson is retired and lives with his wife, Marybeth, in Palm Harbor, Fla. Johnson’s father, the late Louis P. Johnson ’31, and his grandfather, the late Herbert Hicks ’37, also were Wofford alumni.
1973
Dr. Joe Greer is a physician at the Greenwood Genetic Center’s office in Greenville, S.C. Greer and his wife, Patricia, live in Anderson, S.C. Jack Griffeth, shareholder with the law firm Collins & Lacy, has been named president-elect of the South Carolina Bar Foundation. He currently is serving as president of the Greenville Bar Association, secretary/treasurer for the South Carolina Bar Foundation Board of Directors and is a member of the House of Delegates for the 13th Judicial Circuit. Griffeth lives with his family in Greenville, S.C. Living in North Myrtle Beach, S.C., Michael J. Harrell is marketing/advertising director for Century 21 Thomas. Dr. Don Williamson, endowed professor of psychology, retired on July 1, 2011, from Louisiana State University. He had worked at the university for more than 33 years. Williamson and his wife, Stephanie, live in Landrum, S.C.
1974
Class Chair, Jerry L. Calvert The Rev. Dr. Alan Baroody and his wife, Suzanne, live in Midway, Ga. Baroody is chief executive officer for the Mary Lou Fraser Foundation for Families and executive director of the Fraser Counseling Center. He is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a pastoral counselor. Col. (Retired) Phil Maughan and his wife, Verna, live in Fayetteville, N.C. Maughan retired from active duty in 2009, whereupon he joined the civil service and returned to work within the same Army organization.
1975
Class Chair, John O. Moore Bob Keesler and his wife, Carol, live in Hallandale, Fla. Keesler is general manager of Pelican Grand Beach Resort. The Hon. William P. Keesley has been named by the governor’s office as Volunteer of the Year for 2010 in the area of governmental service. Keesley is a South Carolina circuit court judge. He lives in Edgefield, S.C. Living in Virginia Beach, Va., Dr. Joseph “Bo” Killen is president and managing partner of First Colonial Family Practice and Urgent Care Center, the largest independent family practice group in Virginia Beach. Danny McDowell and his wife, Nancy, live in Campobello, S.C. McDowell is coordinator of assessment and accreditation for Spartanburg District One Schools. Billy Mitchell lives in Spartanburg, S.C., and is an area developer for Firehouse Subs. The Rev. Al Tisdale is rector of Calvary Episcopal Church. He and his wife, Nora, live in North Haven, Conn.
1976
35th Reunion, Homecoming 2011 Class Chair, John W. Gandy Mike Cunningham is vice president of Triumph Motorcycles North America. He and his wife, Brenda, live in Las Vegas, Nev.
1977
Class Chair, C. Stan Sewell Jr. Keith Ridley is the owner of Environmental Management Specialist Inc. The company specializes in universal waste recycling, bio medical hazardous and non-hazardous waste disposal. He lives in Spartanburg. Steven Rowe lives in Hartsville, S.C. Rowe retired as a mental health counselor but says he is busier than when he was working. He also was charged with the programming of the 2011 Universalist Convocation held at Murray Grove in Lanoka Harbor, N.J.
1978
Class Chair, Richard W. Krapfel Living in Spartanburg, Candy Neely Arrington is self-employed as a writer and editor. Mike Black is an agent with the real estate firm Core Commercial. He and his wife, Nadia, live in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Hank Salley is emergency department registered nurse coordinator at Baptist Easley Hospital. He also is a volunteer firefighter, and he recently completed initial training for medical services disaster relief with the American Red Cross. Salley lives with his wife, Leslie, in Easley, S.C.
1979
Class Chair, Wade E. Ballard Carl Floyd teaches Spanish at Wheatmore High School in Trinity, N.C. He also serves as coach of the boy’s tennis team. Floyd and his wife, Nancy, live in Asheboro, N.C. Frank McFarland III is funeral director of McFarland Funeral Chapel in Tryon, N.C. The business is celebrating 100 years of service during 2011. McFarland’s wife, Darlene, and their son, Keen, also work for the family business.
1980
Class Chair, Paul D. Kountz Jr. Living in Columbia, S.C., Rick Best is an account manager for the commercial furniture sales firm Alfred Williams and Co. Weyland Burns has been named director of adult education for the Kershaw County School District. He has more than 26 years of experience in the educational field. Burns and his wife, Traci, live in Lexington, S.C. Dr. Milt Chavez is a physician in private practice in Chicago, Ill. He and his wife, Marcie, have two children. The family lives in Oak Park, Ill. The Rev. Dr. Charles J. Hammet is senior pastor of Northminster Presbyterian Church. He recently had the opportunity to travel to Versailles, France, to visit with the “Baptist Nuns” of the Community of Deaconesses of Reuilly. Hammet and his wife, April, live in Macon, Ga. Jack Jackson is a professor at both Strayer University in Huntersville, N.C., and Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, N.C. In addition, Jackson is an editor for Scribendi and Papercheck. He and his wife, Nancy, live in Huntersville, N.C. Living in Davidson, N.C., with his wife, Catherine, Tom Maddux is vice president of the management firm Convergys.
The Rev. Lyndon Harris in front of the Courage banner at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in New York.
Fitting and Proper – September 11, 2011 A
ll those many years ago in elementary school, I was expected to learn certain poems and speeches by heart. When I saw the news releases about the public ceremonies commemorating the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, my thoughts flashed back to some lines from the Gettysburg address: “It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this,” Abraham Lincoln said on Nov. 19, 1863, “but in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far beyond our poor power to add or detract.” So, I decided to try to focus my personal thoughts and prayers on some stories about Wofford graduates: On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Jim Trentini ’59 and his wife, Mary, boarded a flight from Boston to southern California to visit one of their four daughters. They were beloved teachers who had retired in 1998 after careers in the Burlington, Mass., school district. As head of the health education department, Jim always will be remembered for his achievements in funding and implementing drug awareness programs. The terrorists crashed their plane into the World Trade Center. Later, workers were able to identify Jim’s remains from the Wofford ring he always wore. Whitney Howard ’98 was living in New York’s East Village on Sept. 11, 2001, working as an investment banker. As she left her apartment, she paused on the street to wish good morning to a neighbor, Joyce Carpeneto, and commented on the nice autumn weather. Then they went their separate ways, Joyce reporting to work at General Telecom on the 81st floor of Tower Number One. She died just a few minutes later. The flier with the word MISSING printed below Joyce’s picture and the flowers by her door haunt Whitney’s memories of 9-11. The Rev. Lyndon Harris ’83 was the priest-in-charge at St. Paul’s Chapel, literally across the street from the World Trade Center. When he heard the first plane crash on the morning of 9-11, he got up from the desk in his study and ran from his endangered building (built in 1766) to see what he could do to help. The following September days changed his life. He worked around the clock as his church was used as a place of rest and refuge for rescue and relief workers. Since then, he has devoted much of his time to traveling the world, speaking to churches, civic groups and academic institutions (including Wofford) about the power of forgiveness. Recently, he shared his memories with people in the Upstate through an exhibit called “Eyewitness to 9/11: Tragedy to Transformation” at the History and Arts Museum in Gaffney, S.C. He is the executive director and co-chair of the Garden of Forgiveness initiative. Its poignant and inspirational Facebook page is well worth a visit. For this generation of Americans, there are only a few dates in the history of our country that stand alone, needing no particular elaboration. July 4, 1776 is one of those. December 7, 1941 is another. Now, September 11, 2001 certainly qualifies as well. by Doyle Boggs ’70 Senior Editor
For more commentary by Doyle Boggs, visit “Doyle Blogs” under Sights and Sounds on the Wofford website, www.wofford.edu.
Fall 2011 • Wofford Today • 15
Quantifying quality in liberal arts education is not always easy. Probably the best single indicator is the depth of student engagement in the learning progress, indicated so well by the National Survery of Student Engagement (NSSE). Another is the college’s graduation rate, which at Wofford exceeds 80 percent of each entering class. A yardstick that figures prominently in the rating scheme developed for Washington Monthly magazine is the number of alumni going on to earn a Ph.D., which usually combines research and scholarly publications with teaching in a college or university setting.
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hen Dr. Alison Caviness Gibson ’03 arrived at the University of Virginia in 2003, she had an interesting experience. “I was quickly labeled as a ‘Southern belle;’ maybe it was the Wofford style in which I dressed for class,” she says with a smile. “This experience challenged me to consider how regional gender has different meanings in different contexts.” She overcame the stereotypes, and in fact, she was honored by the Lantern Society for “being an exceptional role model for women at U.Va.” As her research progressed, Alison won the Zora Neale Hurston Award This summer, Wofford Today talked to some young alumni for the best graduate student essay focused on women and gender. On June 9, 2011, she successfully defended her Ph.D. dissertation, “Beyond who have either completed Ph.D.s or who are candidates the Belle’s Borders: White Southern Femininity in American Literature, 1925-1947.” Her major professor was Dr. Rita Felski, a Kenan Professor for the degree. interviews by Doyle W. Boggs ’70 and one of the nation’s leading scholars. After she married Dr. Richard Gibson, who also has completed his doctorate in English at U.Va., the couple relocated to Wheaton College in Illinois, where Alison is a full-time visiting assistant professor of English. r. Lucas McMillan ’02 “I think we’ve both learned that the joy of teaching is what we want to is assistant professor of experience in our professional lives,” she says. political science at Lander University. He already has passed the r. Kyle G. Gipson ’95 majored early milestones associated with in physics at Wofford and then an academic career, defending his went on to work as a technical mandissertation with distinction at ager at Milliken & Co. He decided the University of South Carolina to resume his studies at Clemson in 2008 and receiving Lander’s University thinking advanced deYoung Faculty Scholar Award grees might lead to a directorship in for 2011. Palgrave Macmillan of a development laboratory. New York will release Lucas’ first While researching polymer book, titled “The Involvement nanocomposites for optical applicaof State Governments in U.S. tions, Kyle developed a compelling Foreign Relations,” in February interest in increasing diversity within 2012, and he’s serving this year as STEM (science, technology, engipresident of the South Carolina Political Science Association. He and his neering and mathematics) disciplines wife, Lisa Cameron McMillan ’02, have started a family and enjoy living through the university’s Emerging in Greenwood, S.C. Scholars Program. He now is com“I’m excited about what’s happening at Lander,” Lucas says. “The bining these interests as an assistant professor in the School of Engineering younger professors here have raised expectations about what can be acat James Madison University. complished even with their heavy teaching loads. After my book comes out “At the end of my professional career, I hope to leave behind a legacy and our children are a little older, I hope to lead more students in studies of good, diverse scientists who worked with me during their student days,” abroad. I am impressed with how valuable such experiences can be when he says. a college emphasizes doing them the right way, as Wofford does.”
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fter earning a master’s degree in history at the College of Charleston, Ivy Farr McIntyre ’08 investigated a number of possibilities for continuing on to her Ph.D. In the end, she chose St. Louis University and became a student of Dr. Lorri Glover. (Ivy and her husband, Trevor McIntyre, were married in May 2010, and he works for Anheuser-Busch.) “I just started my second year of Ph.D. coursework,” she says. “While my doctorate will be in American history, my minor field is in women’s and gender studies, and I’ll finish with a women’s studies certificate as well. I am working as a research assistant for Dr. Glover and will probably start as a teaching assistant in the fall of 2012.” Ivy adds that “I have started some research on my dissertation. I want to look at 19th century women in extremis, that is, dealing with death, financial panic and solitude.”
16 • Wofford Today • Fall 2011
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atherine England ’05 was not really on the job market this past spring when she applied for the position of visiting instructor at Wofford, but she saw teaching at her alma mater as an important personal and professional opportunity. This fall, in addition to two survey classes in modern British literature, she’s teaching a humanities seminar where students read, discuss and write about how authors use humor to make a point. “The day of my interview for the position was one of the most successful and positive experiences of my life,” Catherine says. “I went back to the room in the library where I used to study, and I thought about how so much that I anticipated as a student had been realized. I came to Wofford with some interest in an academic career, but it was here where I gained the maturity and confidence to pursue a doctorate in English, which is a complex, crowded and demanding field.” Having completed her comprehensive exams, Catherine now is officially a Ph.D. candidate at the University of South Carolina. Her major field is Victorian literature, and she is deeply committed to finishing her dissertation, which looks at how British novelists portrayed the social status of single women. To some extent, she says, society viewed a woman’s reputation as her capital, and some interesting characters took great pleasure in risking that capital. In May, Catherine married Paul Plisiewicz, a fellow graduate student at USC. Her name is legally hyphenated, but she’ll be Catherine England for Wofford purposes.
s a Richardson Scholar, Katie Sobczyk Player ’06 prepared at Wofford for a career as an investment banker, and she began working in that field, but she soon found herself writing an informal financial newsletter for friends and family. “That year really helped me set some goals about what I wanted to do,” she says, “and they required graduate school at Clemson.” “Studying economics is very different on the graduate level,” she says. “Econometrics can be the breaking point for some students, and I was the only person in my class who had not taken a specific undergraduate course in the subject. But, after clearing that hurdle, I passed my comprehensive exams in macro and micro economics at the end of the year.” That earned her a master’s degree and made her a candidate for the Ph.D., which she should complete in 2012. “My fields are financial economics and public economics. I also have enjoyed teaching introductory classes regularly, and I have presentations scheduled this year at the National Tax Association, the Southern Economics Association and the American Economic Association conferences. “In 10 to 15 years, I would like to be teaching and doing research in the field of public finance,” Katie says. “Perhaps on the side, there will be opportunities for consulting and tax planning. “
Richard Gladstone Simpson is a client advisor for Deutsche Bank Alex. Brown. Simpson and his wife, Drusilla, live in Winston-Salem, N.C. Dr. Jay Seay is assistant medical director for Athens-Limestone Hospital. He also provides emergency medical services. Seay and his family live in Harvest, Ala. Dr. Franklin Smith and his wife, Dr. Phyllis Dyches Smith ’82, live in Cincinnati, Ohio. The couple works at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Frank is a physician, and Phyllis is a pharmacist and consultant. The couple has two children. Living in Newark, Del., Nancy Hoskins Turner teaches the preparation of traditional American cuisine to international students attending the University of Delaware English Language Institute.
1981
30th Reunion, Homecoming 2011 Class Chair, G. Patrick Watson Dr. Debora Johnson-Ross, associate dean of academic affairs and associate professor at McDaniel College, has been selected as a COIL Institute Fellow. She will be working in association with Fellows from Africa University, Mutare, Zimbabwe. She also has been reappointed as a Fulbright Ambassador. Johnson-Ross lives in Baltimore, Md.
1982
Class Chair, J. Madison Dye Jr. Jeff Boggan is director of development at North Georgia College and State University. He also is president-elect of the Georgia Education Advancement Council, a position that he will assume in November 2011. Boggan lives in Dahlonega, Ga. Denise James Bottoms is a math remediation specialist at Waynesville Middle School. She lives in Clyde, N.C. Living in Charleston, S.C., Dr. Ann Jenkins is a licensed chiropractor. Teresa Ray Schiltz and her husband, Gene, live in Moore, S.C. Schiltz teaches biology at Byrnes High School and was named the 2011 Teacher of the Year at the school. She also is sponsor of Leadership Byrnes. Living in Mount Pleasant, S.C., Charnette E. Singleton is dean of learning resources at Trident Technical College. Teresa Mabry Torrence is a teacher in Spartanburg’s School District Seven. She and her husband, William, live in Spartanburg. Beth Wallace and her husband, Tim Wallace ’83, live in Chesnee, S.C. Beth is associate vice president of student affairs at Wofford. Tim, a baseball coach at Spartanburg Methodist College for 20 years, also has been named the college’s director of athletics. He will continue to coach the baseball team in addition to his new responsibilities.
1983
Class Chair, W. Scott Gantt Barnes Boyle and his wife, Donna, live in Sumter, S.C. Boyle is president of Boyle Automotive Group. The Continuous Learning Group Inc. announced on June 13, 2011, the appointment of Charles Carnes as senior partner. He has been with the firm since 1995. Carnes and his wife, Ellen, live in Charlotte, N.C. Russell D. Cook is managing director of 4eVentures LLC. The firm offers strategic advisory services for corporate start-ups and knowledgebased economic development. Cook and his wife, Gloria, live in Chapin, S.C. Ardrina Scott-Elliott is director of advancement services for the University of the Virgin Islands. She lives with her family in St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands. Living in Orange Park, Fla., Kevin Gainey is eastern regional sales manager for the United States for PGI International. The firm is a leading producer of flow control products for the oil, gas, process, and agricultural industries. The Rev. David Kendrick and his wife, Laura, live in Albertville, Ala. Kendrick is pastor of Christ Episcopal Church. Eve Price lives in Greenville, S.C. She is national account executive for Italian Shoemakers Inc.
1984
Class Chair, Kenneth Kirkpatrick Dr. Jack C. Borders is chair of surgery at Tawam Hospital and professor and chair of otolaryngology at the University of the United Arab Emirates School of Medicine. Tony Cameron and his wife, Molly, live in Brentwood, Tenn. Cameron is commercial sales manager for Ed’s Supply Co., a HVAC wholesale distributor. Living in Appomattox, Va., Stephen Edwards is director of business and operations for Appomattox County Public Schools. In addition to budget planning and administration Edwards is also is responsible for district food service, maintenance and transportation. Brothers Tom Keim Jr. and Clay Keim ’87, attorneys in the Spartanburg firm of Ford & Harrison, were named to Law & Politics’ 2011 list of South Carolina Super Lawyers. Joy Wilder Morgan lives in Duluth, Ga., and is senior vice president and head of financial services group for Equifax. Allyson Smith is senior product manager at Interactive Data. She lives in Marblehead, Mass. Living in Columbia, S.C., West Summers is senior vice president, trust and fiduciary for Wells Fargo.
1985
Class Chair, Timothy E. Madden Living in Conway, S.C., the Rev. Tim Lijewski is pastor at St. James Catholic Church and serves as the Catholic chaplain and campus minister at Coastal Carolina University. The Rev. Ken Owens and his wife, Kathy, live in Lexington, S.C. Owens is senior pastor at Lexington United Methodist Church. Lee Sessoms and his wife, Brooke Sharpe Sessoms ’89, live in Lawrenceville, Ga. Lee is the owner of a dive shop, appropriately named Dive.Dive..Dive… The couple has two children, Maggie and Chris.
1986
25th Reunion, Homecoming 2011 Class Chair, Brand R. Stille Mark Hoover and his wife, Mary, live in Charleston, S.C. Hoover is president of Hoover Motor Co. The couple has three children. Living in Asheville, N.C., Dr. Watson Jordan is executive director of Sprinkle Caldwell. Jordan leads sponsorship programs for educational non-profits. Jay Neal Jr. is a financial advisor for HF Financial. He and his wife, Charlotte, live in Davidson, N.C., with their three children. Rodney Payne is a water treatment consultant for Chem-Aqua. He lives in Savannah, Ga. Todd A Putney and Stuart Williams Putney ’87 are proud to announce that their daughter, Grace Ellen Putney, is a member of the class of 2015. A fourth-generation terrier, she follows in the footsteps of her very proud grandfather, John C. Williams Jr. ’60; her great-grandfather, the late John C. Williams Sr. ’27; and her great-great uncles, the late Marion Miller Dowling ’42 and the late Joel Frampton Dowling ’37.
1987
Living in Belleair, Fla., James McArthur is managing director of Southern Capital Strategies LLC. He and his wife, Connolly, have two children. Ken Roddey is vice president of manufacturing for Henry Co., a leading innovator of Building Envelope Systems and one of the largest North American manufacturers of roof coating and cements. He lives with his family in Chester, S.C. Dr. Vicki Young lives in Columbia, S.C. Young is department head for clinical quality improvement for the South Carolina Primary Health Care Association.
1988
Class Chair, C. Lane Glaze Dr. David Fitzpatrick and his wife, Kelly, live in Goose Creek, S.C. Fitzpatrick is a family physician at St. George Family Practice. In 2007, he completed a fellowship in wilderness medicine and he has plans to increase activity as an educator and expedition medical officer.
Alumni Association announces awards Three selected for honors on Oct. 29 as part of Homecoming Weekend
Kelly
Collins
McPhail
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South Carolina in 1956. After an internship, service in the Navy Medical Corps, and completing a master’s degree and residency in surgery, Kelly arrived in Spartanburg in the late 1960s with a vision of making the local general hospital a regional center for thoracic medicine. He worked for more than a decade to secure the necessary state and professional association approvals as well as organizing and equipping a surgical suite and Intensive Care Unit. Finally in 1981, Kelly performed the first open heart surgical procedure in Spartanburg. In recent years, an average of 250 pacemakers have been installed, surgeons have performed 500 cardiac op-
erations, and 4,000 people have received heart catheterizations.
he Wofford National Alumni Association will honor two alumni and a distinguished South Carolina attorney during Homecoming Weekend 2011 activities, Oct. 28-30. The awards will be presented at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, in Leonard Auditorium in Main Building. The program is free and open to the public. Recipients of the awards are chosen by the Wofford Alumni Executive Council, whose president is Molly Hughes Cherry ’93 of Charleston, S.C. Dr. Henry G. Kelly ’52 Distinguished Service Award A native of Greenville, S.C., Henry Kelly ’52 earned his M.D. degree at the Medical College of
Joel W. Collins Jr. Distinguished Citizen Award Joel W. Collins Jr. grew up in Chester, S.C. where he took as a role model the Honorable Edward K. Hardin ’32, a respected jurist, United Methodist lay leader and Wofford trustee. After graduating from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1968, he served in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, receiving the Bronze Star Medal in Vietnam. He also was an assistant professor of law at West Point. As an assistant United States attorney, he prosecuted criminal cases in South Carolina before joining private practice. On April 1, 1984, he and Stan Lacy formed the firm of Collins & Lacy. For many years, Collins has been a passionate advocate for South Carolina higher education. Wofford is particularly grateful for his leadership in the establishment of the Edward K. Hardin Pre-Law Society in 2010. Curt McPhail ’96 Young Alumnus of the Year Curt McPhail ’96, program officer at the Mary Black Foundation in Spartanburg, has earned a reputation as being one of the Upstate’s most knowledgeable and sensitive experts about a range of community health issues. In 2006, McPhail and a group of friends founded globalbike with less than $1,000 and a vision to use the transformative power of bicycles to create positive social change in the developing world, providing those in need with access to health care services. The organization has grown rapidly into a major international success story. Its latest ventures included the Kilimanjaro Initiative, which began with a giveaway of 78 bicycles to youth and youth mentors in Nairobi. It included a 400 km bike ride from Kenya to Tanzania, and ended with an ascent to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. by Laura H. Corbin
Fall 2011 • Wofford Today • 17
TERRIERS
in the News
Chandler appointed Milliken & Co. chairman of the board On Sept. 1, Harold Chandler ’70 accepted the gavel as chairman of the board of Milliken & Co. He has served on Milliken’s board for 10 years, most recently as chairman of the human resources and compensation committee. Chandler has more than 38 years of experience in the banking and insurance industries, rising to positions including president, CEO and chairman of the board in that sector.
Hipp honored by Salvation Army and National Rural Health Association Van D. Hipp Jr. ’82 recently was honored with awards from two well-respected non-profit organizations, The Salvation Army and the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), for his years of service and volunteer work. On May 4, the NRHA presented Hipp with the President’s Special Achievement Award. He received the special recognition for his ongoing efforts to improve rural health and for his support of the association. Hipp’s firm, American Defense International Inc., specializes in developing and assisting in the implementation of a civilian application for innovations developed through the armed forces. He applies his expertise in telecommunications to improve application in telehealth for rural communities and works to improve and develop infrastructure, education and health services in those communities. Three days later on May 7, the Washington, D.C., area Salvation Army honored Hipp with the “Reflecting God” Award.
1989
Cherry wins first triathlon Molly Hughes Cherry ’93, chair of the Wofford Alumni Executive Council, won her first triathlon this summer at Lake Lure, N.C. As overall female winner, she stood on the top of the podium and was awarded a gift certificate for a bed and breakfast vacation in Lake Lure. Cherry is an attorney in Charleston, S.C.
Merklinger promoted within Association of Corporate Counsel The Association of Corporate Counsel, the world’s largest association of in-house counsel, announced that James A. Merklinger ’88, a long-time executive at ACC, has been named the new general counsel of the organization. In his new role as ACC vice president and general counsel, Merklinger will represent the organization on legal issues and advise the association on meeting the needs of the in-house counsel profession. Most recently, Merklinger served as ACC deputy general counsel and vice president for legal resources. Merklinger has been active in volunteering his legal services to the community. He currently provides pro bono immigration representation for clients in Washington, D.C. As a volunteer, Merklinger serves on the board of directors of the Tourette Syndrome Association of Greater Washington, D.C., and he has served as an advocate before the U.S. Congress for a variety of childhood disability organizations. He continues to practice law in D.C. and Virginia.
Schultz named to Greenville First’s Best & Brightest Melvin joins MSNBC Craig Melvin ’01 continues to climb the broadcast journalism ranks. He recently joined MSNBC and will contribute to various hours of the network’s live daytime news coverage. He also will be an NBC News correspondent reporting from all network platforms. Most recently Melvin anchored the weekend edition of the “Today Show” and filled in on MSNBC.
Caroline Schultz ’05, assistant vice president, retail checking and strategy at TD Bank, has been named to the 2011 class of Greenville First’s Best & Brightest 35 and Under. Now in its 18th year, the Greenville Business Magazine program was created to honor Greenville’s young leaders for their professional and community contributions, a mission it still upholds. Schultz is one of eight founding members of the Red Shoe Society, an organization that helps engage, empower and inspire young professionals to develop as community leaders. She also serves on the board of the Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Ware earns scholarship and other alcolades in Pharmacy School at USC Dodson appointed senior Finishing his third year of pharmacy school at minister at Peachtree UMC
the University of South Carolina, Nikko Ware ’11 serves as president of the university’s Student Pharmacy Association, a chapter that recently earned recognition from the Student National Pharmaceutical Association. Individually, Ware Johnston selected for 2012 won a Walgreens scholarship and the Rite Aid Community Leader of the Year Award. During Leadership Columbia the summer Ware completed an internship Willoughby & Hoefer, P.A., announce that at Cardinal Health, a nuclear pharmacy in attorney Chad N. Johnston ’03 has been Charlotte, N.C. He continues to tutor weekly selected for the 2012 Leadership Columbia at a local elementary school. Class, a Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce Program. Johnston joined the Gardner takes teacher education firm in 2010 and his practice areas include civil litigation and appeals, public utilities, and to Belfast and Abu Dhabi environmental and land use law. Pat Gardner ’84 , director of the Center for Teacher Education and Research at Westfield State University, continues to travel the globe providing professional development to K-12 educatiors. She visited Belfast, Northern Ireland, in May, and will be in Abu Dhabi in October to present the keynote address, “Teacher as Leader.”
18 • Wofford Today • Fall 2011
Living in Marietta, Ga., Peter Graser is president of International Expansion & Co. Inc. Harold McLeod and his wife, Rebecca, live in Richmond, Va. McLeod is senior vice president and Richmond region president of Citizen & Farmers Bank. Dr. Pearl Gizelle Myers is associate professor of pathology at William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Myers lives in Hattiesburg, Miss. Timothy Ormand is a financial representative for Northwestern Mutual Financial Network. He and his wife, Nancy, live in Simpsonville, S.C. The couple has two children. Living in Spartanburg, Dr. Ashish Gajanan Shanbhag is medical director of Palmetto Spine & Pain Physicians. His practice focuses on minimally invasive spinal medicine. Shanbhag and his wife, Dr. Meenu Potdar, have a daughter, Anika (3).
The Rev. Dr. Stephen M. Dodson ’84 was appointed as senior minister at Peachtree City United Methodist Church by Bishop B. Michael Watson at the denomination’s North Georgia Annual Conference, meeting in Athens, Ga., June 14-17. The appointment is the fifth for Dodson, a Georgia native and fourth generation Methodist preacher. His father, Dr. Malone Dodson, was the longtime senior pastor of the Roswell United Methodist Church, one of the state’s largest Methodist congregations, until his retirement in 2001. During his more than 25 years in ministry, Stephen Dodson has developed a reputation as an engaging preacher and a visionary church leader. Most recently, Dodson preached at White Oak Camp Meeting’s spring revival in Columbia County. Last spring, he was one of the evangelists at Indian Springs Holiness Camp Meeting near Jackson, where his ministry has been requested again in 2013. In July 2012, Dodson is scheduled to share the pulpit with his father at Mt. Zion Camp Meeting near Griffin.
Class Chair, Michael R. Sullivan Classmates John Bauknight and Brian Overcarsh participated in a mission trip with their church, the Episcopal Church of the Advent, in the fall of 2010. The two live in Spartanburg, where they remain good friends and neighbors. Kevin Bringewatt and his wife, Dr. Tamara Woods Bringewatt, live in Davidson, N.C. Kevin is a managing partner of the Bringewatt & Snover law firm, and Tamara is a physician at Carolinas Medical Center. The couple has five children. Living in Fort Lawn, S.C., Cheryl Robbins Burnett is manager of clinical practice at Gentiva Home Health. Dr. William Green is an orthodontist in Columbia, S.C. He and his wife, Amy, have two daughters. Melissa Kuhnell Haynes is subcontracts manager for Scientific Research Corp. She lives with her family in Hanahan, S.C. Dr. Angela Lea Hinds lives with her husband, H. Glenn Garner, in Mesa, Ariz. Hinds is a family physician. The couple has three children. John Kirkley Jr. lives with his wife, Laura, and two children in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Kirkley is associate director of area business for Watson Pharmaceuticals. Living in Durham, N.C., Laura Martin is director of sales for the retirement community Alta Walk.
1990
Class Chair, Scott W. Cashion Dr. Shawna Satterfield Collins and her husband, the Rev. Jason Nathaniel Collins ’93, live in Conway, S.C. Shawna is a dentist at Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Conway. Jason was ordained an Episcopal Deacon on June 4, 2011, and serves as associate rector at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Conway. The couple has two children. Dr. James Engelhardt is acquisitions editor for the University of Alaska Press. He and his wife, Dana, live in Fairbanks, Ala., with their daughter, Wendelynne. The Rev. Russell Freeman is pastor at Red Bank United Methodist Church. He lives with his wife, Lia, in Loris, S.C. The couple has three children. Living in Camden, S.C., Michael Sean Garity is the principal at Leslie M. Stover Middle School. He had been assistant principal at Lugoff-Elgin High School. Garity and his wife, Kelly, have a son, Michael (12). Tim Holck and his wife, Alex Thomas Holck ’92, live in Atlanta, Ga. Tim is west region sales director for Lupin Pharmaceuticals. The couple’s triplets, Thomas, Michael and Hannah, turned 4 years old in May 2011. Ladson Howell, a partner in the law firm of Howell and Christmas LLC, has been appointed secretary of the Charleston County Bar Association. Howell and his wife, Galen, live in Mount Pleasant, S.C. Lisa Deavenport Ireland and her husband, Eric Ireland ’92, live in Simpsonville, S.C. Lisa is organizational development director for ScanSource Inc., a point-of-sale technology distributor, and Eric is marketing and technology director for Momentive Specialty Chemicals. They have two children. Fatima Peres Keeley is a senior financial analyst with ITT Corp. She and her husband, Jason, live in Shortsville, N.Y., with their son, Jacob.
Living in Greenville, S.C., Stephen Middleton is human resources manager for Baldor Electric. Austin Neal is director of the project management office for the Texas Department of Public Safety. Neal and his partner, Pedro Navarro, live in Austin, Texas. Marc Rogers is inventory control manager for the refrigeration and logistics services firm Millard. He lives in Lakewood, Wash.
1991
20th Reunion, Homecoming 2011 Class Chair, Leslee Houck Page Living in Blythewood, S.C., Tres Cox is a sales person for Nichols Store, an outdoors/ sportsman retail store. Mickey Gray and his wife, Taletha, live in Hendersonville, N.C. Gray is a senior territory sales representative for Dean Foods. The couple has two children. Dr. Benjamin Griffeth and his wife, Amanda Picklesimer Griffeth, live in Simpsonville, S.C. Benjamin works for the Greenville Hospital System as assistant head of mental health, with specific duties in education for the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Greenville. The couple has two children. Nelson Lindsay and his wife, Heather Welch Lindsay ’92, live in Camden, S.C. Nelson has been selected as the first economic development director for Richland County. He served as economic development director for Kershaw County for 14 years. The couple has three children. Living in Charlotte, N.C., Frances Sanford is a registered nurse working for Carolinas Hematology Oncology Associates.
1992
Class Chair, Nicholle Palmieri Chunn Margaret Bartel and her husband, Jeffrey Ziolkowski, live in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. Bartel is a registered addictions specialist in the state of California. Jennifer Lewis Browning and her husband, Mark Browning ’89, live in Greenville, S.C. Jennifer is president and owner Browning Geriatric Consulting. The couple has two children. Davie Burgdorf and his wife, Beverly, live in Williamsburg, Va, with their two boys, Michael and Maybank. The couple owns Colonial Art, which specializes in modern folk ware and antiquated books, maps and prints. Davie also is vice president for business development for Verus Government Solutions, and he is an instructor with the United States Army Transportation Center and School at Fort Lee, Va. Matt Grayson is vice president of BlackRobe Capital Partners LLC., a merchant banking firm offering services and financial solutions in commercial claim finance and management. He lives in Mount Pleasant, S.C. Amy Wood Kelly is a freelance researcher and editor. She and her husband, Bryan, live in Englewood, Colo., with their daughter, Morgan. Living in Stockbridge, Ga., Monique McDowell recently joined the legal department of Southern Co. in Atlanta, Ga., as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) attorney. She will be responsible for employee benefits compliance. Attorney Gary Pickren has joined the law firm of Rogers Townsend & Thomas. His practice areas include residential and commercial real estate, mortgage lending, real estate litigation and business counseling. Pickren and his wife, Emily, live in Columbia, S.C, with their two children.
1993
Class Chair, Sarah Copeland Sawicki Dr. Noel Brownlee is a pathologist at Upstate Pathology PA in Greenville, S.C. He and his wife, Carolina, live in Piedmont, S.C., with their two sons. Geoffrey Gillespie is regional real estate manager (Midwest) for Check Into Cash Inc. He and his wife, Jeri, live in Spartanburg. Living in Raleigh, N.C., David King is a staffing consultant for Sensus, a communications and advanced metering technologies company. Keely Sheffield Mabry and her husband, Sgt. Billy Mabry, live in Spartanburg. Keely is a Montessori teacher for upper elementary students at E.P. Todd School. Chadwick Stamper and his wife, Tara Horejsi Stamper, live in Kernersville, N.C. Chadwick is a real estate broker with Allen
Tate Realtors, and Tara is a genetic counselor 1997 at Wake Forest School of Medicine. The couple Class Chair, Beth Mangham Guerrero has two children. Taiwanna Billups is an executive advisor for Wellpoint Inc. She also is a USA Vol1994 leyball coach and assistant varsity volleyball Class Chair, Alicia N. Truesdail coach for Westminster schools. Billups lives Living in Washington, D.C., David L. Har- in Atlanta, Ga. rell is an associate director at Studley Inc. Harrell Mary Brede-Hayden lives with her famrepresents business clients in the leasing and ily in Weston, Fla. Mary is chief accountant acquisition of commercial office properties. for the City of Miramar, Fla. Mark Jason Loomis is co-founder of Resort Lee Chumney is a physical therapist Property Group and a Realtor with EXIT Realty for Amedisys Home Health. He lives in Elite. Loomis lives with his family in Myrtle Charleston, S.C. Beach, S.C. Living in Greenville, S.C., Ransome Kristie Wierks McMahan and her hus- Hayward Helmly is an attorney with the band, Scott McMahan ’95, live in Clermont, law firm of Pillsbury & Read P.A. He and his Ga. Kristie is vice president/portfolio specialist wife, Prentice, have two children. at Chattahoochee Bank of Georgia, and Scott is Krista Herron lives in Clarkston, Ga., owner of McMahan’s Nursery. The couple has where she serves as assistant principal at Shiloh two children, Lily and Olivia. High School. Dr. Dana Ray is a physician at Cypress Fred Jayet is an associate with the comInternal Medicine with the Greenville Hospital mercial real estate firm Stark & Associates. System University Medical Center. He lives with He received his MBA from the University his family in Greer, S.C. of Nevada-Reno in 2010. Jayet and his wife, Congratulations to Melford Wilson III, Sandra, live in Reno, Nev., with their daughwho earned a master’s degree in business admin- ter, Emma. istration with an emphasis on accounting from Dr. Rutha Camlin LaRue and her Winthrop University. husband, James, live in Summerville, S.C. LaRue is an associate professor and research 1995 heath scientist at the Medical University of Class Chair, Brandie Yancey Lorenz South Carolina and the Ralph H. Johnson Lennie Austin and his wife, Holly Daven- VA Medical Center. port Austin ’97, live in Raleigh, N.C. On July Stephen Lynn and his wife, Lauren 1, 2011, Lennie was named partner at Pricewater- Bates Lynn ’98, live in Charleston, S.C. houseCoopers. Holly works as a pharmaceutical Stephen is a senior associate with the audit, sales representative for Eli Lilly. The couple has tax and advisory services firm of KPMG. two children, Walker (9) and Mills (7). Lauren is arts coordinator for the city of North Wells Fargo Advisors has for the fourth con- Charleston. secutive year designated senior vice president Jule Living in Falls Church, Va., Evans Rice Eldridge III as a member of the firm’s Premier is an attorney with the law firm of Hogan Advisors Program. Eldridge has been a financial Lovells US LLLP. He and his wife, Libby, advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors for 12 years. have four children. He lives in Florence, S.C Shannon Willis Scruggs, the executive Krystal Pritchett Grant lives with her fam- director of the South Carolina Bar Foundaily in Simpsonville, S.C. Grant is self-employed tion, recently was named vice president of as a wedding and portrait photographer. the National Association of IOLTA Programs Dr. Dwain Pruitt has returned to Mor- (NAIP). NAIP was established in 1986 to gan State University in Baltimore, Md., enhance legal services for the poor. where he has been named associate dean Julie Mitchell Smoak is a biolfor administration. Pruitt holds a Ph.D. in ogy instructor at the University of South early modern European history from Emory Carolina Upstate. She lives with her family University. He is currently at work on three in Spartanburg. book chapters, including a historiographical Living in Hartsville, S.C., Jon Zeigler essay titled “Slavery and the French Revo- is mortgage loan manager for SPC Credit lution,” for the Oxford Handbook of the Union. He and his wife, Natalie, have two French Revolution. He is also working on daughters. two projects related to comic book history. Rachel Hannah McCoy and her husband, 1998 Jermal, live in Smyrna, Ga. McCoy is guidance Class Chair, Casey B. Moore department chair at Roswell High School. Erin Loray Holt Trypuc and her husband, Steven, live in Norfolk, Va. Trypuc 1996 is national account coordinator for Del 15th Reunion, Homecoming 2011 Monte Foods. Class Chair, Curt L. Nichols Jr. Travis Yelton is an account manager for Blakely Copeland Cahoon opened Sucampo Pharmaceuticals. He and his wife, Cahoon Law Firm LLC in Irmo, S.C., in 2011. Erica, live in Greenville, S.C., with their She has been practicing law in South Carolina for daughter, Avery Kate. more than 11 years. Cahoon and her husband, Living in Dulles, Va., Catherine HastFrank, have one son. ings Zilber is an HIV prevention specialist Pearce Fleming is executive director of the at USAID. She manages the HIV prevention consulting firm The Advisory Board Co. Fleming program in Jamaica and The Bahamas. and his wife, Nicole, live in Daniel Island, S.C. The couple has three children. 1999 Living in Columbia, S.C., Patrick Kelley is Class Chair, Zack O. Atkinson a service engineer for Duck Creek Technologic, a Oakbrook Preparatory School has ansoftware solutions firm. Kelley and his wife, Darby nounced the hiring of Travis Casey as head Sexton Kelley, have four children. baseball coach. Casey also will be the middle Dr. Mary Beth Knight lives in Arlington, and upper school math teacher at Oakbrook. Va., where she is senior associate, higher education He and his wife, Michelle, live in Enoree, S.C. program and practice, for The Education Trust. The couple has three children. David Lopez and his wife, Anabel, live in Charles Clementson and his wife, Boise, Idaho. Lopez is a software engineer for Dr. Blair Wetmore Clementson ’02, Hewlett Packard. live in Spartanburg. Blair is a dermatologist Doris Bryant Mobley is president of Sas- at Spartanburg Dermatology & Skin Surgery safras Plantation and a personal trainer and fitness Clinic. instructor for YMCA of Coastal Georgia. Mobley Living in Frisco, Texas, Bryan M. Davis lives with her husband, Carter, in Savannah, Ga. is an associate vice president at Nationwide The couple has one child. Insurance. He and his wife, Skye, have two Tanisha Cook Suber and her husband, children. Kevin, live in Simpsonville, S.C. Suber is associate Mary McFadden Craft Lawson vice president of corporate compliance-mortgage recently was honored as one of the Triangle lending at BB&T. Business Journal’s “Forty under 40” leadership In Charleston, S.C., Matt Whisnant is own- awards. She is vice president of philanthropy er of the medical sales firm MedWorks LLC. for the North Carolina Symphony. Lawson Andy Young lives with his family in Char- and her husband, Kevin, live in Raleigh, N.C., lotte, N.C. Young is a senior vice president at with their two children. Morgan Stanley. It was nice to hear from Dr. Ben McIntyre. He completed training as a plastic surgeon at the University of Virginia and has been living in New Zealand with his wife, Sherry, and
Cucuyo Creative Explorations offers cross-cultural arts education for youth
L
aura Vaughn ’06 left a big chunk of her soul in the Dominican Republic after spending a semester there as a Wofford student. Now, through Cucuyo Creative Explorations, she’s revisiting that part of her soul while providing opportunities for arts education and cultural understanding to American and Dominican youth. The two and a half-week experience brings high school students from both countries together each summer in Bonao, a city about two hours north of Santo Domingo. “Cucuyo means firefly in Dominican folk language,” says Vaughn. “We wanted something particular to the Dominican Republic and easy to pronounce by both the American and Dominican youth. We started from the premise that all of us… all of these kids… have light on the inside. Our task is to incite it — make it glow.” Vaughn never considered herself an artist, but a few years after graduation from Wofford she decided to experiment with theater. “It helped me explore myself, other people and my way of thinking,” she says. “I realized that the arts could provide a powerful tool for getting to know another culture.” While researching crosscultural arts programs, Vaughn received a call from Lauren Stephenson ’06 who was interested in traveling to Latin America. Stephenson wanted traveling advice and knew that Vaughn had studied and spent time in Latin America. Vaughn offered to accompany Stephenson to Nicaragua, a country neither had ever visited. While in Nicaragua, Vaughn investigated arts education opportunities in Latin America, and Stephenson found herself hooked. “I started contributing to Cucuyo in small ways… Then, in 2010, I participated in our first summer program as a creative writing instructor. It was an overwhelming and hectic and beautiful experience,” says Stephenson. “I fell in love with our students and their families, and I wanted to give more to Cucuyo.” Vaughn, a web editor at New York University, now directs Cucuyo, acting as an interpreter, logistics planner and troubleshooter. Stephenson, a writer and English as a Second Language (ESL) textbook editor who now calls Buenos Aires home, raises money for the program and serves as the youth coordinator and
The inaugural staff in Bonao. Left to right are Lauren Stephenson ’06, Laura Vaughn ’06, Morgan Ward, Jose Luis, Kyle Waites and Amanda Lovelee.
touch point for the parents of American youth. The two run Cucuyo without pay, donating their own funds and vacation time to ensure the program’s success. “The Dominican Republic is a heart-opening environment to live in,” says Vaughn, “oddly enough Dominican youth don’t have a lot of access to formalized art education. Certain historical, social and economic factors have coalesced into a shortage of arts education programming.” Vaughn and Stephenson just finished their second summer program with Cucuyo. During the past summer, three artists led workshops in group puppetry (made with sustainable materials), the study of place using mixed mediums (including painting, sketching, interviewing and photography) and cross-cultural dance. More than 30 Dominican and American youth participated. “None of the artists have to be bilingual, and the kids don’t have to be fluent or proficient, just enthusiastic with a desire to learn,” says Vaughn. “The premise is that participants will communicate through the art they’re creating, but I didn’t know if it would really work out that way.” That first year as Vaughn observed a class, she realized that reality exceeded concept. “Watching the artist teach, I kept thinking, ‘this is the best teaching they’ve ever done and will probably do for a long time,’” says Vaughn. “The language barrier demanded that the artist be more active, engaging and wholly communicative than ever before. It was super exciting to watch.” Still, the program isn’t without challenges, but even those are part of the learning experience.
“The value of Cucuyo is that these are very different populations that have very different ways of living and thinking…. Understanding the expectations of the two groups and meeting those is a challenge. Funding is also a challenge,” says Vaughn. According to Vaughn and Stephenson, however, the rewards outweigh the stresses. For example following the pilot year, many of the Dominican youth expressed interest in continuing their theatre work and formed a year-round theatre troupe. Led by one of the Cucuyo Dominican coordinators, the troupe staged several productions during the year… one a surprise for Vaughn and the Cucuyo staff. “They built a beautiful set. It was a loud, slapstick-y comedy — very Dominican — and they pulled it off themselves,” says Vaughn. “Orlando, the Cucuyo coordinator and leader of the theatre troupe, in a hear-warming moment of disclosure, said that the troupe would not have formed without the precedent set by Cucuyo.” Visit cucuyo.org for more information. Cucuyo is a 501(c)3 non-profit that welcomes donations. In addition to securing program funds, the organization hopes to raise enough money to provide a program scholarship for an American participant and a college scholarship fund for one of the continuing Dominican participants. Visit Cucuyo.org to make a secure online donation or mail checks to Cucuyo at: 1051 Meriweather Drive, Bogart, GA, 30622. (Donors who give $25 or more receive a thank you American Apparel Cucuyo shirt.) by Jo Ann Mitchell Brasington ’89
Fall 2011 • Wofford Today • 19
Wofford Weddings 1979
2004
Perry Moses Weinberg married Denise Barton, July 28, 2011. The couple lives in Greenville, S.C. He is a biology instructor at Greenville Technical College. Mark Reagan Calhoun married Rebecca Cornock, May 8, 2011. The couple resides in Charleston, S.C. He is an attorney with the Law Office of Mark R. Calhoun Inc. in Lexington.
Lauren Rae Dempsey married Joseph Russell West, July 9, 2011. The couple lives in Dallas, Ga. She is an elementary school teacher for Cobb County Schools. He is an engineer for the Cobb County Fire Department. Jeffrey Eric Owen married Ashley Elizabeth Mamele ’06, June 4, 2011. The couple resides in Cornelius, N.C. He is a CPA with Cherry, Bekaert & Holland L.L.P. She is a program advisor of student activities and orientation for Davidson College.
1995
2005
1986
Julius Ernest Eldridge III married Mary Glenn Everett, July 9, 2011. They live in Florence, S.C. He is a financial advisor and senior vice president at Wells Fargo Advisors. She is a teacher for Florence School District 1.
Robert Campbell “Cam” Barnett III married Sally Milton Noblitt, June 4, 2011. The couple resides in Belmont, N.C. He is associated with Keller Williams in South Park. She is associated with AGM Imports in Charlotte. Blake Fitzpatrick Ellis married Amanda Caroline Ellis, April 16, 2011. They live in Raleigh, N.C. He is associated with Kelly Scientific Resources. Dr. Paul Shane Morrow married Amarylis Fernanders, April 30, 2011.The couple lives in Hillsboro, Ore. He is a process engineer with Intel in Portland.
Dr. Edward Granderson Crosswell married Anne Marie Atkinson ’07, Aug. 27, 2011. They live in Mount Pleasant, S.C. She earned a juris doctorate degree from the Charleston School of Law and has completed a judicial law clerkship with The Hon. Amy W. McCulloch. He earned a doctor of medicine degree from the Medical University of South Carolina and is currently a resident in ophthalmology at the Medical University of South Carolina. Patrick Carter Pearson married Molly Elizabeth France ’07, Aug. 6, 2011. The couple resides in Mount Pleasant, S.C. Catherine Clair England married Paul Andrew Plisiewicz, May 21, 2011. They live in Spartanburg. They are both doctoral candidates in English at the University of South Carolina. She will be a visiting instructor at Wofford this fall. Lucas Keith Kinard married Anna Ross Sheely, July 30, 2011. The couple resides in Savannah, Ga. He is a division account manager for South Carolina Electric and Gas. She is a high school representative for South University in Savannah. Lauren Simpson Mason married Ryan Anthony Moulton, May 14, 2011. They livesin Charleston, S.C. They are both associated with the Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Emily Christine Sheiry married Michael Paul Rapetti, April 30 2011. The couple resides in Washington, D.C. They both work for the federal government.
2003
2006
2000 Bradley Gibson McCrary married Lauren Elizabeth Martin, June 18, 2011. The couple resides in Greenville, S.C. He is a sales representative for William Barnet & Son L.L.C. She is a sales representative for Victory Pharma.
2001 Nathan Coke Reid married Anne McLeod Smith, June 18, 2011. The couple lives in Charleston, S.C. He is associated with Roper St. Frances Physicians Partners. She is an attorney with the Hood Law Firm.
2002
Owen Fitzsimons Brice Jr. married Katherine Leighton Ward, June 18, 2011. They reside in Charlotte, N.C. He is a senior asset analyst at Grandbridge Real Estate Capital. She is a patient services coordinator at the Meridian Medical Group. Jeb Stuart Carlisle married Jennifer Ann Reynolds, June 25, 2011. They live in Rock Hill, S.C. He is a business development manager with Carlisle and Gallagher Consulting Group in Charlotte. She is a project manager for Wells Fargo in Charlotte.
William Bradley Birrenkott married Rebecca Ruth Sasso, Dec. 31, 2010. They live in Tampa, Fla. She received a master’s in special education from the University of South Florida and is a learning resource specialist at the Academy of the Holy Names. He received a master in business administration from the University of Tampa and is a territory manager for Florida Lift, an industrial material handling equipment company.
Carlyle Richardson Cromer married Leah DeLeslie Montgomery, Aug. 6, 2011. The couple resides in Columbia, S.C. He is a 2011 graduate and she is a student at the University of South Carolina School of Law. Mary Catherine Norman married James Bryan McAlinden, July 16, 2011. They live in Greenville, S.C. She is a third grade teacher at Shannon Forrest Christian School. He is a sales representative with Globus Medical in Greenville. Christine Savvakis married Brandon Barker, May 14, 2011. The couple lives in Greenville, S.C. She is a systems programmer for QS/1 Data Systems. John Marshall Swails Jr. married Margaret Elizabeth Heinz ’08, July 23, 2011. The couple resides in Wilmington, N.C. She received a M.A. in English from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington where she is an English instructor. He earned a juris doctorate from the Charleston School of Law and is an attorney with the Bacon Law Firm in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
2007 Stacy Ann Barnell married Mitch Doolittle, June 24, 2011. They live in Savannah, Ga. She is a consultant with Accenture. Dr. John Conrad Brandt married Casey Galvin, June 4, 2011. The couple lives in Gainesville, Fla. He is an internal medicine resident at the University of Florida. Anthony Tyler Colpini married Lilla Wyman Theus, Aug. 13, 2011. The couple resides in Cambridge, Mass. He is associated with Harvard Management Co. She is pursing an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School. Bruce McCaw Hendricks married Thomas Jacob Smith, July 2, 2011. They live in Mount Pleasant, S.C. They both attend The Charleston School of Law. Loren Ashley Hyatt married Craig Moore, June 18, 2011. The couple resides in Baltimore, Md. She completed a master of science degree in foreign service in May 2011 and is associated with the office of foreign disaster assistance at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). He is the pastor at Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church. Laura LeAnn Lancaster married Eric Joel Lance, May 14, 2011. They live in Charlotte, N.C. She is associated with Lancaster and St. Louis, Attorneys. He is a CPA with PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP. Lara Danielle Simpson married Thaddeus J. Hrabota, April 30, 2011. The couple resides in Somerville, Mass. She is employed as a publicist for Da Capo Press.
2008 Ashley Laura Glasgow married Michael Dennis Langley, Aug. 20, 2011.The couple resides in Greenville, S.C. They are both associated with PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P.
Wofford Births 1988
1998
2002
Jim Merklinger and his wife, Tiffany, of Alexandria, Va., announce the birth of Max James Merklinger, May 27, 2011.
Colleen Cunningham Ammidown and her husband, Scott, of Westborough, Mass., announce the birth of Olivia Sharon Ammidown, Feb. 28, 2011 Mayleng Streett Watson and her husband, Alec, of Charlotte, N.C., announce the birth of Emily Streett Watson, April 14, 201.
Erin Pruitt Drennon and her husband, Cory, of Seneca, S.C., announce the birth of Jackson Briggs Drennon, March 25, 2011.
1994 Sara Pittman Balthazor and her husband, Richard, of Monument, Colo., announce the birth of Samuel Ellis Gray Balthazor, May 14, 2011.
1996 Trey Brown and his wife, Farrah, of Columbia, S.C., announce the birth of Woodrow Sullivan “Van” Brown, June 23, 2011. Paige Mulkey Cizon and her husband, Aaron, of Greenville, S.C., announce the birth of Adelaide Hunt Cizon, June 9, 2011.
1997 Mark Combs and his wife, Amanda, of Daniel Island, S.C., announce the birth of Emilia Ruth “Emmi Ruth” Combs, May 4, 2011. Craig Parks and his wife, Amy Jordan Parks, of Columbia, S.C., announce the birth of Addyson“Addy”Virginia Parks, June 13, 2011. Charles Reed and his wife, Karson, of Wilmington, N.C., announce the birth of Charles Berkley Reed V “Berk”, April 29, 2011. Julie Mitchell Smoak and her husband, Jonathan, of Spartanburg, announce the birth of Eden Quinn Smoak, April 22, 2011.
20 • Wofford Today • Fall 2011
1999 Dr. Michael O’Quinn and his wife, Nikole, of Charleston, S.C., announce the birth of Oliver Townes O’Quinn, May 21, 2011. Linnie Boteler Pawlek and her husband, Andrew, of Englewood, Colo., announce the birth of Reed Elliot Pawlek, Jan. 31, 2011
2000 David Hicks and his wife, Courtney Bartie Hicks ’03, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., announce the birth of Carter McGill Hicks, March 4, 2011. Anne Simpson Lambert and her husband, Chris, of Simpsonville, S.C., announce the birth of Campbell Grace Lambert, March 30, 2011. David Swank and his wife, Jennifer Jackson Swank ’03, of Spartanburg, S.C., announce the birth of Carter David Swank, July 24, 2011.
2001 Philip Shields and his wife, Leslie, of Boiling Springs, S.C., announce the birth of Leslie Allison Shields, Jan. 26, 2011.
2003 Jamison Link Harrington and her husband, Neal, of Charlotte, N.C., announce the birth of Mary Frances“Mamie” Harrington, June 21, 2011. Laura Fowler Watson and her husband, Trenton, of Ballwin, Mo., announce the birth of Simon Dean Watson, May 25, 2011.
2004 Mary Beth Forrest Batson and her husband, Jason, of Rock Hill, S.C., announce the birth of Elizabeth Anne Batson and Henry Jennings Batson, May 6, 2011. Tyson Tietz Del Priore and her husband, Anthony, of Irmo, S.C., announce the birth of Elizabeth Sullivan (Bess) Del Priore, July 19, 2011. John Hackney and hs wife, Tara, of Charlotte, N.C., announce the birth of Reese Evelyn Hackney, Sept. 3, 2011.
2006 Abbey Lytle Bedenbaugh and her husband, Jamey, of Chesnee, S.C., announce the birth of Alivia Lakelyn“Lakeland” Bedenbaugh, June 20, 2011
Brooksie Elizabeth Heath married David Pinckney Berry III, May 28, 2011. They live in Spartanburg. She has completed her master of arts in teaching at Converse College. He is associated with Johnson Development Associates. Mary Patton Parks married Jennings Anderson, June 11, 2011. The couple resides in Greenwood, S.C. She is a nurse a Self Regional Hospital. He is an attorney with Nicholson & Anderson. Saint Julien Lachicotte “Lash” Springs married Mary Loyal Laffitte ’09, May 28, 2011. They live in Charleston, S.C. She is associated with PURE Insurance of Charleston. He is a student at the Medical University of South Carolina pursuing a medical doctorate degree. Case McKinley Wood married Stephanie Caroline Garrison, July 16, 2011. The couple resides in Spartanburg. He is the sales and marketing director for RJ Rockers Brewing Co. She is a registered nurse at Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System.
2009 Hanna Brooks Nation married Nelson Edings Seabrook, July 16, 2011.The couple lives in Charleston, S.C. He completed a master in management studies at The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and is pursuing a medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina.
2010 Andrew Patrick Bellebaum married Anna Elizabeth Bolchoz, July 9, 2011. The couple lives in Charleston, S.C. He attends the Medical University of South Carolina School of Dental Medicine. She is a mathematics teacher at the Porter Gaud School.
2011 Amber Danielle Green married Phillip Benjamin Long, May 28, 2011. The couple resides in South Hamilton, Mass. She is a Spanish teacher at Marblehead High School. He attends Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Friends Davidson Robert Hobson married Caroline Elizabeth Kelley, July 30, 2011. They reside in Spartanburg. He is an admission counselor at Wofford. Prior to her marriage, she was a second grade teacher at St. Margaret Mary Catholic School in Winter Park, Fla.
their three children. The family plans to return to Columbia, S.C., after McIntyre serves as an invited scholar in microsurgery at Chang Gung Medical Center in Taipei, Taiwan. Congratulations to Dr. Michael O’Quinn, who graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina on May 20, 2011. Quinn lives in Charleston, S.C., with his wife, Nikole. The couple’s first child, Oliver, was born the day after O’Quinn received his medical degree. Jenny Weeks Purath lives in Fredericksburg, Va., with her husband, Kipp. A French teacher and curriculum developer, Purath, spent two years in West Africa with the International Mission Board.
2000
Class Chair, Anthony D. Hoefer Jr. Adam Brannon is senior director of product development for the business management company Brightree. Brannon and his wife, Kent, live in Lawrenceville, Ga., with their daughter Sarah. Living in Lexington, S.C., Jill Hagerman Davis is regional sales manager at Enterprise Holding Inc. In addition, Jill and her husband, Gil, have opened Snipits, a salon for children, offering haircuts, spa services and parties. The couple has a 3-year old daughter, Piper. Lakeitha “Kiki” Patterson Fullington and her husband, Kevin, live in Charlotte, N.C. Fullington is a psychotherapist at Carolinas HealthCare System. Living in San Francisco, Calif., Charlotte Jones is marketing and services coordinator for Health-Newton LLP. Scott Norris lives with his wife, Megan, in Sacramento, Calif. Norris is assistant athletic director and head varsity baseball coach at Sacramento High School Russell Swift and his wife, Dr. Catherine Baker Swift ’02, live in Winston-Salem, N.C., with their son, Grant. Russell is a commercial loan officer for First Community Bank, and Catherine practices internal medicine.
2001
10th Reunion, Homecoming 2010 Class Chair, Jenna Sheheen Bridgers Jenna Sheheen Bridgers has become the director of recruitment and selection for Northwestern Mutual Financial Network after 10 years with the Social Security Administration. Bridgers and her husband, Allen Bridgers, live in Columbia, S.C. Rachael Mahaffey Crews, an attorney with the law firm of Gray Robinson, has been included on the 2011 list of Florida Super Lawyers. Only 5 percent of Florida attorneys, in more than 70 practice areas, are selected each year. Crews lives with her husband, Chadwick, in Winter Park, Fla. Will Hodge and his wife, Anna, live in Greenville, S.C. Hodge recently joined Park Sterling Corp., the holding company for Charlotte-based Park Sterling Bank, to develop opportunities in the commercial lending market in the Upstate. Tony Hudson lives in Rocky Point, N.C., where he is head football coach at Pender High School. Living in Charlotte, N.C., Ayden Meyer is a foreign exchange specialist for Wells Fargo Bank. He lives with his wife, Brooke, and son, Graham. Katy Ritter lives in Sioux Falls, S.D. Ritter is in-house counsel for the aviation manufacturing group The Freeman Co. David L. Robinson is vice president for small business banking at Soverign/Santander. He lives in Charlestown, Mass. Stephanie Grover Rose and her husband, Ed, live in Greenville, S.C. Rose is an account executive at Charter Media. Living in Columbia, S.C., Dr. Andrew Taylor Smith is a dentist at The South Carolina Dental Center. Tabitha Scarborough Talley has been hired as the new instruction coordinator for the Union County School District. She had been the assistant principal at Fairforest Middle School in Spartanburg District 6. Talley and her husband, Matthew, live in Spartanburg.
2002
Class Chair, L. Yorke Gerrald Derrick Ledford is oncology sales director for Caris Life Sciences. Ledford lives in Iron Station, N.C., with his wife, Hillary. The couple has three children.
Liz Scarborough Rennie is owner of The Charleston Mattress. She lives with her family in North Charleston, S.C. Living in Bennettsville, S.C., Kristi Farmer Sparks is webmaster for the South Carolina Aquarium. Dr. Miranda Worster lives in Taylors, S.C. Worster is attending physician for children admitted to the Greenville Children’s Hospital as well as AnMed Women’s and Children’s in Anderson, S.C.
Charleston Young Alumni gathered on Sept. 8 at the Blind Tiger. Left to right are: Cameron Widman ’07, Patricia Jordan Fast ’08, Shanna Glenn Poe ’07, Meredith Smith ’07.
2003
Class Chair, Tracy A. Howard Mindy Adams lives in Tampa, Fla., with her husband, Jeffrey. Adams is a television and radio advertising writer at 22 squared. The couple has two children, Tucker and Case. Amanda Farris Brennan, a graduate student at the University of South Carolina, is a research assistant for the Carolinas Integrated Sciences and Assessments. She and her husband, Sean, live in Columbia, S.C. Owen Brice and his wife, Katherine, live in Charlotte, N.C. Brice is senior asset analyst for Grandbridge Real Estate Capital. Living in Cincinnati, Ohio, Joel O. Gomez works in the finance and administration, internal audit division of Proctor and Gamble. Dr. Amanda Nave Marvelle lives in Durham, N.C. Marvelle is education director and high school development project manager at Contemporary Science Center. Kristin McArthur lives in Columbia, S.C., and is an associate attorney with the law office of Daryl G. Hawkins LLC. Living in Atlanta, Ga., Meghan McGowan is a talent acquisition and development specialist for Novelis. Novelis is a world leader in rolled aluminum and beverage can recycling. Heather Malone Robertson is an English language arts teacher at Rainbow Lake Middle School. She and her husband, Brad, live in Boiling Springs, S.C., with their two children. Heather S. Rogers is a rating specialist for the Department of Veterans Affairs. She lives in Columbia, S.C. Janna Webb White and her husband, Torrence, live in Arlington, Va. White is associated with the United States Department of Justice. Living in Greer, S.C., Dr. Nick White is a surgery resident at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center. Jennifer Stasie Williams is vice president/ regional leasing director for the real estate firm of Jones Lang LaSalle. She and her husband, Joshua, live in Hendersonville, Tenn. The couple has two children.
2004
Class Chair, Fred A. Byers II Dr. William F. Adair Jr. has opened a new family and general dentistry practice in Spartanburg. Adair and his wife, Samantha Sarratt Adair ’03, live in Spartanburg with their daughter, Anne Caroline. Ned Cannon and his wife, Sarah McLean Cannon ’05, live in Atlanta, Ga. Sarah is the southeast region communications manager for Coca-Cola Refreshments. Ned is an attorney with the law firm Orr Brown Johnson LLP. Living in Atlanta, Ga., Steve Casey is regional manager for the consulting firm True Benefit. Dr. Matthew Ferguson and his wife, Lisa Marie Ackerman Ferguson, live in Columbia, S.C. Matthew is a clinical instructor and attending physician at the University of South Carolina Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and the Palmetto Health Family Medicine Residency Program. Living in Brentwood, Tenn., Gabe Garcia manages the clinical data staff for oncology clinical trials at Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center. John Hackney lives in Charlotte, N.C., with his wife, Tara. Hackney is vice president of energy and power investment banking for Wells Fargo Securities. Kelly Turner Harvey and her husband, Jay Harvey ’07, live in Spartanburg. Kelly is a commercial loan specialist for BankMeredian, and Jay is finance manager for Dave Edwards Toyota. The couple’s son, Hudson, is 2-years old. Jerry Kiehl lives in Inman, S.C., with his wife, Linda. Kiehl is a veterans affairs officer for Spartanburg County. Mary N. Morrow teaches English at Pagoda Junior Academy. She lives in Busan, South Korea.
Moneefa Jones-Taylor ’95, Jarius Jones ’04 and family enjoyed the Pickin’ and Crackin’ Spartanburgarea alumni kick-off event in August on Wofford’s campus.
This group was tight-knit during their first year at Wofford and decided to have an improptu 26-year reunion before the Wofford/Clemson football game. Left to right are: Danny Merck ’89 (assistant superintendant of Pickens County Schools), Bobby Couch ’89 (assistant athletics director and campaign manager for Clemson University Athletics/IPTAY), Roger Rainey ’89 (teacher and athletics director for North Murray High School), Brian Michel (vice president for consumer lending at Tidelands Bank in Mount Pleasant, S.C.), and Chuck Turner (attorney and partner with the Turner/Padgett law firm in Greenville, Capt. Bennett Gore ’02 at Camp Victory, Iraq, in June with Capt. Brooke S.C.). According to Couch, “We’re all happily married to our first wife and have 16 children Johnson ’06. Gore was at Camp Victory teaching a JAG Corps course. between the five of us! Wofford truly is a family.... The Terriers made us all proud!” Johnson flew in from Kuwait to attend the class. According to Gore, she excelled and impressed the instructors so much that she won the award for the most outstanding advocate in the class. Gore and Johnson are standing in front of Gilmore Courtroom, where the course was held. It is the same courthouse where Saddam Hussein was arraigned.
2012 Trips with Wofford
Armando Llorente ’78 (left) met William McGirt ’01 at the PGA Tournament in Norton, Mass. “What a great guy!’’ writes Llorente. “He took ample time to speak with me and my neighbor after his round.” Llorente, principal consultant for HR e-sources, and his wife, Lauren, live in Atkinson, N.H.
Wonders of the Galapagos Islands................... Feb. 24 - March 3 European Coastal Civilizations..................................April 15 - 23 Provence & the Rhone River Boat Cruise...........May 26 - June 3 Ireland: Ennis, Killarney, Mallow & Dublin.................... July 2012 Questions? Please contact Charlie Gray, Director of Continuing Education, at 864-597-4186 or graych@wofford.edu.
Upcoming Events October 13.................................................. Greenville Young Alumni Event October 24......................Revolutionary War Roundtable, Wofford Campus October 28 - 30.......................................... Homecoming & Alumni Awards Reunions for classes ending in "1s" and "6s" November 3..................................................Charlotte Young Alumni Event November 17.................................Civil War Roundtable, Wofford Campus December 1-3.......................................... Ben Wofford Books Holiday Sale Fall 2011 • Wofford Today • 21
Jeff Owen and his wife, Ashley Mamele Owen ’06, live in Cornelius, N.C. Jeff is a staff accountant with Cherry Bekaert and Holland LLP and Ashley is Alvarez College Union program advisor at Davidson College. Attorney Robert Scott is a principal of Scott and Wallace Law firm. Scott had been an assistant state attorney for Tallahassee’s Second Judicial Circuit. He and his wife, Darby, live in Tallahassee, Fla. Ralph Settle lives in Greenville, S.C., with his wife, Jennifer. Settle is a real estate associate for JHM Hotels and is responsible for the acquisition and disposition of hotel assets. Rachel Sheridan, director of client services for AllCare Living Services Inc., was selected as the Forty Under 40 2011 winner by the Charleston Regional Business Journal. She also is advisory board chairman for Kappa Alpha Theta’s local chapter at the College of Charleston. Sheridan lives in Summerville, S.C. Dr. Nicholas Wallace has joined the practice of McLeod Medical Center Dillon and Dillon Internal Medicine. Wallace and his wife, Nicole, live in Charleston, S.C., with their son, Mills.
2005
Class Chair, Ryan M. Waller Living in Houston, Texas, Chris Findley is a business analyst for TransCanada, a gas transmission and power services company. Chuck Lewis and his wife, Maggie Sanders Lewis ’06, live in Summerville, S.C. Chuck is a social studies teacher at Cane Bay High School. Erin Luetkemeier lives in Durham, N.C., and is a chaplain resident in the pastoral care department of the University of North Carolina Hospitals. Living in Chicago, Ill., Kelly Moxley manages the research lab for the Tumor Immunology Core at Loyola Medical Center. Marshall Coleman Newton is a lawyer with the law firm of Robinson McFadden & Moore. She and her husband, Clarke, live in Columbia, S.C. Jeff Sullivan and his wife, Roxana Opris Sullivan, live in Chicago, Ill. Jeff is a private wealth management banker for J.P. Morgan Securities, and Roxana is an attorney. Living in Carnesville, Ga., the Rev. Jordan Sims Thrasher is lead pastor of Bold Spring United Methodist Church. Thrasher and his wife, Meredith, have two children.
2006
5th Reunion, Homecoming 2011 Class Chair, Hadley E. Green Dr. Ashley Adamson lives in Chapin, S.C., and is co-owner of HealthSource Chiropractic and Progressive Rehab. Brad Birrenkott and his wife, Becky Sasso Birrenkott, live in Tampa, Fla. Becky is a learning resource specialist at the Academy of the Holy Names, and Brad is a territory manager for Florida Lift. Joel Bowers is president and owner of Jackie’s Uniform Center. He lives in Columbia, S.C. Living in Piedmont, S.C., Buck Bradshaw is DEC project manager for World Vision International. Bradshaw manages a single year disaster assistance program working with families who were affected by the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Jonathan Hyslop and his wife, Sarah, live in Virginia Beach, Va. Hyslop is an associate attorney with the law firm of Furniss, Davis, Rashkind and Saunders P.C. Living in Columbia, S.C., Meredith Jones is director of membership marketing for the University of South Carolina. Julius Roy Richardson II lives in Charlotte, N.C., and is studying for his master’s degree in architecture at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. Kelsey Rogers lives in Boca Raton, Fla., where she is a registered nurse at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. Living in Irmo, S.C., Allen Taylor is athletic coordinator for the Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission.
2007
Class Chair, Hunter L. Miller Kelly Barr lives in Florence, S.C., and is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors.
22 • Wofford Today • Fall 2011
Living in Houston, Texas, Bryan Blair is athletics compliance coordinator for Rice University Athletics. Blair earned his law degree in 2010 from the University of South Carolina. Keisha L. Dyer is financial auditor in charge for the Office of Economic Opportunity for the South Carolina governor’s office. She lives in Columbia, S.C. Living in Spartanburg, Phillip King is a sales agent for EnternetHomes.com. Patrick Miller lives in Greenville, S.C., and is an operations management associate at BMW Manufacturing Co. Banie Parrish is a teacher in Richland County School District Two. He lives in Lexington, S.C. Jennifer Russell lives in Moore, S.C. She teaches sixth-grade math and social studies for Spartanburg School District Three. Dr. Cady Free Williams and her husband, Thomas Keith Williams ’08, live in Greenville, S.C. Cady is a resident physician in pediatrics with the Greenville Hospital System.
2008
Class Chair, Nathan Madigan Kelly Broderick is a sales consultant for Wirtz Beverage Illinois. She lives in Algonquin, Ill. Living in Charleston, S.C., Perry Buckner is an associate attorney at the law firm of Young, Clement, & Rivers LLP. Andre Fields lives in Spartanburg. He works for Campus Outreach Greenville as campus director at Wofford. Living in Rock Hill, S.C., Creighton Hayes is a law clerk for Judge Lee S. Alford of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit. Michael D. Hobbs is a relationship banker for RBC Bank. He lives with his wife, Heather, in Pace, Fla. Zachary Grey earned his law degree from Penn State University, Dickinson School of Law in 2011 and was inducted into the Woolsack Honor Society. He lives in Oklahoma City, Okla., where he works for Chesapeake Energy. Living in Columbia, S.C., Andrew Kuhn teaches social studies and is the social studies department chair at Cardinal Newman School. Jason Leventis and his wife, Elizabeth Sheets Leventis ’09, live in Simpsonville, S.C. Jason works in the sales for Eastern Industrial Supplies Inc. and Elizabeth is marketing director for Mediasation Inc. Caren Wilmot Livingston is a wealth division sales and service analyst for BB&T. She and her husband, Kyle Livingston ’10, live in Spartanburg. Andrew McWilliams is a civil engineer at Kimley-Horn and Assoc. Inc. He lives in Charlotte, N.C. Tanya Frantz Renn and her husband, Christopher, live in Louisville, Ky. Renn is studying for her Ph.D. in social work at the University of Louisville. Living in Chapel Hill, N.C., Elizabeth Reynolds is a graduate research assistant at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Jimbo Robinson Jr. is regional director for Duck Unlimited Inc. Robinson and his wife, Mary, live in Memphis, Tenn. Mollie Malinda Roper is a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal, West Africa. Roper gives business lessons and helps the community establish sustainable projects in the area. Jordan Smith lives in Florence, S.C., and is a medical sales representative for Biomet Orthopedics. Andrew Stubbs has been named the men’s head tennis coach at Winthrop University. Stubbs lives with his wife, Laura Williams Stubbs, in Rock Hill, S.C. Living in Arlington, Va., Claudia Winkler is studying for her Ph.D. in German at Georgetown University.
2009
Class Chair, T. Peyton Hray Living in Columbia, S.C., John Robert Barth is associated with Wachovia Bank. Congratulations to the following Wofford alumni on earning their master’s degrees from Converse College: Mary Boyle, master of arts in teaching; Bethany Jolly, master of arts in teaching; Katherine Slayton, master of arts in teaching; Christopher Rollins ’08, master of liberal arts; Leland Wood ’08, master of arts in teaching; and Kate Evette Landsverk ’06, master of marriage and family therapy.
Alex Corby lives in Washington, D.C., and is a government affairs representative for The Shaw Group Inc. Liz Dilworth lives in Charlotte, N.C., and is an elementary school teacher with Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. Megan Foster lives in Greenville, S.C. and is a nursing student at the Medical University of South Carolina. Living in Charleston, S.C., Hollis Johnston is a real estate agent for The Peninsula Co. Jessie Davis Modlin and her husband, Hayes Modlin ’10, live in Smyrna, Ga. Jessie is volunteer and engagement coordinator for Buckhead Christian Ministry. Congratulations to Summer Nichols, who earned a master’s degree in business administration from Winthrop University. Colleen Rice lives in Spartanburg. She is an administrator at Executive Management Consultants. Living in Houston, Texas, Rachel Senterfeit is a franchise support analyst for Keller Williams Realty International. Katherine Slayton is a sixth-grade English language arts and literature teacher at the League Academy of Communication Arts. She lives in Greenville, S.C. Wes Strawn received his master’s degree in automotive engineering and is a suspension engineer for Detroit Speed located in Mooresville, N.C. Living in Oakton, Va., Marshall Washburn is an IT consultant at CGI.
2010
Class Chair, Kari Harris Matt Abee is enrolled in law school at the University of South Carolina and is a law clerk with the Senate Judiciary Committee. He lives in Columbia, S.C. Living in Spartanburg, Kaley Almond is a financial analyst at American Credit Acceptance. Katie Brown is a law student at the University of South Carolina School of Law. Aldina Dautovic lives in Greenwood, S.C., and is an intern for jewelry designer Rachel Dooley, the owner of Gemma Redux. Former Wofford baseball player Michael Gilmartin, an infielder for the Stockton (Calif.) Ports, has been named to the California League all-star game. Corey Godzinski lives in Spartanburg and is a management trainee at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Brittni Jenkins lives in Charlotte, N.C., and is an audit associate for PricewaterhouseCoopers. Living in New York City, Elly Poston works for the interior design firm Meg Braff Interiors. Chelsea C. Smith received master’s degree in nonprofit management in 2011 from the University of Georgia. Smith lives in Spartanburg, where she works for Geneologie. Vivian Sox lives in Mount Pleasant, S.C., and is enrolled at the Charleston School of Law. Paul M. Vecchione is a program analyst for the United States General Services Administration. He lives in Arlington, Va.
2011
Class Chair, Nam H. Pham Landon Bennett lives in Duluth, Ga., and is a sales intern for Softchoice Corp. Nathaniel Harceg is international sales development associate for Field Fastener Supply Co. He lives in Spring Grove, Ill. Laney Hass live in Charlotte, N.C. and is project coordinator for the printing and design firm Phase 3 Media. Velma M. Oliver lives in Greenville, S.C. She is an agent for Amerilife and Health Services. Living in Charlotte, N.C., Johnson Richardson is a football graduate assistant at Wingate University. Johnathon Roof was commissioned in the United States Army on May 20, 2011. He is assigned to the Ordinance Corps. Roof is from Edgemoore, S.C. Alex Smith lives in Hilton Head Island, S.C., and is an English teacher for GATE English Institute. Living in Peachtree City, Ga., Josh Wynn is FRL project coordinator for Chick-fil-A Inc.
Russell C. King Jr. ’56, Aug. 13, 2011
R
ussell C. King Jr. ’56, former chairman of the Wofford Board of Trustees, died in Atlanta. Ga., on Aug. 13, 2011, after several years of declining health. Mr. King faithfully dedicated his time and talents to his alma mater, serving as a trustee for a total of 16 years. He was chairman from 1986-1988 and from 1998-2002, playing a significant role in crafting the 1987 Masterplan for the college and overseeing the process that led to the appointment of Dr. Benjamin B. Dunlap as the 10th president of the college. He was a generous benefactor to the college throughout his life. As a student at Wofford, Mr. King was a versatile baseball player with a .350+ batting average, and was pursued by five major league teams. The college named its new campus baseball field in his honor, and Mr. King threw out the first pitch on March 10, 2004. In 2003, Wofford honored Mr. King with the Alumni Distinguished Service Award and in 2006, the college conferred an honorary doctoral degree. He also served on the Board of South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities Inc. Before his retirement in May 1994, Mr. King enjoyed an outstanding career as a prominent South Carolina business and civic leader. In his 38 years with Sonoco in Hartsville, he was promoted through 19 positions of increasing responsibility for the multi-billion Fortune 500 diversified packaging company, ultimately being appointed to serve as president and chief operating officer in July 1990. He also served in community action roles for the various United Methodist churches of which he was a member, Rotary Club (president), Little League Baseball (president), Boy Scout District Commissioner, County Board of Education, and many others. Mr. King is survived by his wife, Kathryn R. King, three children, six grandchildren and one great grandchild. The family suggested memorials to Wofford College.
James L. Blair ’84, July 1, 2011
J
ames L. Blair ’83 died suddenly while jogging near his home in San Antonio, Texas, on July 1, 2011. He received the Alumni Distinguished Service Award in 2004 in recognition of his work with at-risk children in both Alabama and Texas. A member of the Wofford Athletics Hall of Fame, his men’s basketball jersey, number 44, was retired and is displayed in the Benjamin Johnson Arena. After graduation and a professional basketball season in the Philippines, Mr. Blair returned to his hometown of Birmingham, Ala., where he headed Caring Helps Another Make Progress (CHAMP), a non-profit organization helping at-risk youth. This program received many national recognitions, including the Points of Light Award. After relocating to San Antonio, Blair was executive director of the exceptional Miller Child Development Center and also worked as manager of a family-owned rental property business, the Bratcher-Freeman-Blair Partnership. Mr. Blair was a Baptist deacon and lay leader in several churches. He was an officer in Omega Psi Phi fraternity, the Links, and Jack and Jill of America. He won a number of civic leadership awards in both Birmingham and San Antonio. Mr. Blair is survived by his wife, Shawana Freeman Blair, five children and four grandchildren.
DEATHS 1937
J. B. Denny, July 30, 2011, Roswell, Ga. A U.S. Army veteran of the European and Pacific Theaters in World War II, Mr. Denny was a broker with Northside Realty, Sandy Springs office until his retirement at age 77.
1938
Russell David Smith, May 18, 2011, Spartanburg, S.C. A U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War, Mr. Smith was a retired teacher from Spartanburg County School District Six and also taught advanced mathematics at Spartanburg Community College. He was past president of the Spartanburg Math Association, a member of American Legion Post 28, and a member of Fairforest Baptist Church. Rowland Farr Thomas Jr., Aug. 27, 2010, Breaux Bridge, La. A U.S. Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War, Mr. Thomas retired as a corporate training director for Georgia Pacific.
Claude A. “Bill” Houck Jr., July 15, 2011, Chapel Hill, N.C. Mr. Houck began his career with Blue Cross and Blue Shield in 1938 and retired as the director of underwriting in 1978. He was a charter and active member of Aldersgate Methodist Church. In 1967, Mr. Houck received the Murdock 1950 Award for volunteer work for his service in mental health. The Rev. James Samuel Gibbs Jr., Aug. 8, 2011, Rock Mack Andrew Pace Jr., June 10, 2011, Dallas, Texas. Mr. Pace served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II and Hill, S.C. A veteran of World War II, Mr. Gibbs was a minister retired from Borden Foods Co. with 25 years of service. He in the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church until his retirement in 1989. was a member of First Baptist Church in Saluda, N.C. William Douglas Lockman, July 20, 2011, Chesnee, S.C. A Navy veteran of World War II, Mr. Lockman was 1941 William Prentiss Walker Jr., June 7, 2011, Spartan- associated with Honeywell for 23 years in Greensboro and burg, S.C. a U.S. Navy World War II veteran, Mr. Walker Charlotte, N.C. retired from a career in the textile industry as a chemical development engineer. After retiring, he became a Spartanburg 1951 Clyde Cecil Harrill, Aug. 16, 2011, Spindale, N.C. Realtor. Mr. Walker was a lifetime member of The Episcopal A Marine veteran of World War II, Mr. Harrill was a retired Church of the Advent. educator and served as principal of Spindale Elementary School for 17 years. 1942 John Jefferson Crawford Sr., June 23, 2011, Mount Pleasant, S.C. Mr. Crawford served in the Army Air Corps 1953 James David “Dave” Gulledge Jr., July 10, 2011, during World War II. He was the president of Crawford Motor Ringgold, Texas. After running his own CPA firm for more Co. and Crawford Finance Co prior to his retirement. than 16 years, Mr. Gulledge joined International Minerals and Chemical Corp. (IMC) in 1972. He relocated to Texas 1945 Robert Miller Cecil, June 14, 2011, State College, Pa. City, Texas in 1984 and became general manager of Applied Mr. Cecil served in the Army Air Corps during World War Industrial Material Corp. (AIMCOR), where he built and II. He pursued a musical career and taught at Yale School of operated the Texas City Marine Terminal. Mr. Gulledge Music for four years and also at Hope College in Holland, received the Texas City Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Mich. Mr. Cecil was one of five brothers who attended Wofford Citizen Award in 1991. Vernon Stough Harwell Jr., July 22, 2011, Greenwood, and in 1987 they established the Cecil Family Endowed S.C. A U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War, Mr. Harwell Scholarship Fund. began his career with the Ford Motor Co. in Charlotte, N.C. In the 1960s, he was a successful golf professional. After 22 1946 Maxwell Earle Rizer, Sept. 4, 2011, Denmark, S.C. years as a security broker with JC Bradford Co., he retired in Mr. Rizer was a World War II Marine veteran of the 1996. He was a member of the Church of the Resurrection, Pacific Theater. He was president of Bamberg Motor Episcopal. Dr. John Michael Sowell, July 3, 2011, San Antonio, Co., and an insurance agent. Mr. Rizer served as mayor of Olar, S.C. and was a member of Bethel Park United Texas. Dr. Sowell served in the U.S. Army for 27 years as a flight surgeon at various posts around the world. He commanded Methodist Church. Rule Cannon Trout, July 22, 2011, Inman S.C. A Navy the 20th Preventive Medical Unit, followed by several staff veteran of World War II, Mr. Trout was the retired co-owner office positions in major command headquarters to include of Wilkins-McMillin Lumber Co.,. He was a member of the 44th Medical Brigade, Vietnam, 4th Army HQ., and U.S. Inman First Baptist Church, the Inman Masonic Lodge and Army Health Services Command, Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. He also served as the hospital commander for U.S. Allied Forces American Legion Post #45. in Bremerthaven, Germany. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Legion of Merit. After retiring from the Army, Dr. 1948 Dr. Dewey Hobson Bell Jr., Aug. 20, 2011, Newport Sowell began a second career as a doctor at the State Hospital News, Va. Dr. Bell served in the U.S. Air Force and was awarded in San Antonio. He was a member of Alamo Heights United the Air Medal and three battle stars. He taught in the School Methodist Church. James Cochran Suber, June 15, 2011, Kinards, S.C. of Dentistry at Virginia Commonwealth University for 35 years. He retired from teaching in 1987 and entered into A lieutenant in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, Mr. Suber retired as director of licensing and certification services private practice for removable prosthodontics. Dr. William Esley Jones Jr., May 20, 2011, Greenville, for the Piedmont region of the Department of Disabilities and S.C. Dr. Jones served in the U.S. Navy from 1945-1946. He Special Needs. He was the former director of vocation services practiced family medicine for 35 years and was one of the at Whitten Center. He raised Hereford cattle on his farm and original partners of Riverside Family Practice. Dr. Jones was a was a member of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. life member of The American Academy of Family Physicians. 1956 He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church. Norris Timothy Lee, Aug. 5, 2011, Florence, S.C. Mr. Lee was the office manager for Commercial Credit Co. 1949 Bill Gravely Durham, Aug. 18, 2011, Pickens, S.C. for 31 years. He was a member of Salem United Methodist Mr. Durham taught at Furman University and Clemson Church. Thomas Kirkland McIntyre, June 7, 2011, Weaverville, University where he retired as professor emeritus of Spanish after 22 years. He served in the U.S. Air Force in the early N.C. After graduation from Wofford, Mr. McIntyre signed a 50s where he sang with the “The Barons of Harmony,” and professional baseball contract to play in the New York Giants’ afterwards with the Greenville Chorale for 42 years. Mr. organization. He also served in the U.S. Army. He then began Durham was a member of Pickens First Baptist Church and a very successful career as a high school coach and athletics administrator, at Boiling Springs, S.C., Dalzell, S.C. (Hillcrest the Hejaz Shrine Temple in Greenville. Murphy Roper Mahaffey Jr., Aug. 29, 2011, Duncan, High); and in Weaverville (North Buncombe High). The South S.C. A U.S. Naval Reserve veteran, Mr. Mahaffey was a retired Carolina high school football coach of the year in 1985, he postmaster and volunteer fireman for the city of Duncan. twice served as head coach of South Carolina Shrine Bowl He was a member of Duncan United Methodist Church for teams. He was inducted into the Wofford Athletics Hall of Fame in 1990 and received the South Carolina Order of the more than 80 years. George Brown McMillan Sr., June 9, 2011, Spartan- Silver Crescent in 2000. burg, S.C. A veteran of the U.S. Army in World War II, Mr. McMillan continued his service in the Army Reserve and then 1957 Dr. George Summers Duffie Jr., June 18, 2011, the National Guard, retiring as a lieutenant colonel after 30 years of service. He was the principal of Boiling Springs High Oriental, N.C. Dr. Duffie was retired from the South Carolina School from 1960 – 1985 and a former Cherokee County Conference of the United Methodist Church. administrator, teacher and coach. Mr. McMillan was a member of Boiling Springs First Baptist Church, where was a deacon 1960 Judge Marion Dunbar Myers, Aug. 27, 2011, Myrtle and taught Sunday school. Beach, S.C. Judge Myers began is law career with the firm of Lee & Moise. In 1984, he was elected as a family court judge for the Third Judicial Circuit, a position he held until he retired in 2004. At the time of his death, Judge Myers was a member of the South Carolina Commission on indigent defense. In 2004, he received the Order of the Palmetto.
1963
William Henry Easterby, July 4, 2011, Charleston, S.C. Mr. Easterby retired from Timberlake Studios in New York as a costume maker. He was also a member of the Footlight Players and Bethel United Methodist Church. He served in the Army National Guard.
1996
Brady Davis “Tripp” Weed III, Sept. 13, 2011, Lexington, S.C. Mr. Weed was killed in an automobile accident in Lexington, S.C. He was a former Wofford football player. Mr. Weed worked in the financial services industry for 15 years, and began his career with Federated Investors, most recently working as a partner and financial advisor with James M. Dye & Associates. He was a member of Saxe Gotha 1968 David Mayfield Bates, June 28, 2011, Greenville, Presbyterian Church. Weed was a member of several profesS.C. Mr. Bates was the former city administrator of the sional organizations, and volunteered as an assistant coach in City of Mauldin, S.C. After his retirement, he was active in the Lexington Youth Football League conservation.
1999
1969
Donald Ray Davis Jr., July 8, 2011, Dacula, Ga. Mr. William Cobb Thibadeau Jr., July 12, 2011, July Davis was an insurance sales manager in Dacula, Ga. 12, 2011, Atlanta, Ga. Mr. Thibadeau was a residential builder in the Atlanta area and later joined the family real 2014 estate business. Randall George Heffron Jr., Sept. 10, 2011, Charleston, S.C. Mr. Heffron graduated from Bishop England High School and was a intercollegiate tennis player who died after 1978 William “Buddy-Will” Ervan Barrett Jr., July 26, choking on food that obstructed his airway. His brother, 2011, Greenville, S.C. Mr. Barrett was a certified public Walker is a member of the Class of 2015 at Wofford. After accountant and a member of Buncombe Street United the funeral services in Charleston, the college held a memorial service on campus. Memorials may be made to the Randall Methodist Church. Heffron Endowed Scholarship Fund at Wofford.
1979
Col. Gene Ralph Riley, June 6, 2011, Florence, S.C. After 32 years in the Army National Guard, Col. Riley retired as the Adjutant General’s Chief of Staff. He also was a graduate of the U.S. Army War College.
1982
Ronald Edward Foster, June 30, 2011, Spartanburg, S.C. Mr. Foster was associated with Ecopac in Cedar Springs. Venessa Kay Henderson Lobban, Dec. 13, 2010, Columbia, S.C. After serving in the U.S. Army, Mrs. Lobban was associated with Palmetto Richland Hospital and Moncrief Army Hospital before she retired. She was a member of New St. Thomas Reformed Episcopal Church.
1984
Willis Josey Woodham Jr., June 25, 2011, Bishopville, S.C. Mr. Woodham was a certified public accountant and a partner in the firm, Moore Beauston and Woodham, where he served as manager of the Hartsville office. He received the 2010 Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce’s Business Person of the Year Award. Mr. Woodham was a member of Bethlehem United Methodist Church.
1990
Richard Long Robinson Jr., Sept. 8, 2011, Roebuck, S.C. Mr. Robinson was a Realtor with Century 21 Blackwell & Co. in Boiling Springs. He was a member of Central United Methodist Church. Mr. Robinson was the son of Wofford Professor Emeritus Richard Robinson ’61 and his wife, Bertice. Joseph Scott Stowe, Aug. 29, 2011, Beaufort, S.C. Mr. Stowe was the market president for Wachovia Bank in the Beaufort area. He was the chairman of the board for the United Way of the Lowcountry and also served on the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation Board serving as chairman from 2006-2010. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Beaufort where he served as a deacon and elder.
Heffron Friends
Eaddy Williams Hayes, May 16, 2011, Spartanburg, S.C. Mrs. Hayes was active community volunteer whose main focus was nature conservancy. Memorials may be made to The John Wiley and Rowena Eaddy Williams Endowed Scholarship Fund at Wofford College. Miriam Garvey Jones, Aug. 24, 2011, Belmont, N.C. Mrs. Jones was a teacher who received master’s degree from Wofford in 1941. Gretchen Kimmell Price, July 10. 2011, Spartanburg, S.C. Mrs. Price was the widow of Dr. George W. Price Jr. ’38 and the mother of George W. Price III and W. James Price ’68. Memorials may be made to the Dr. and Mrs. George W. Price Jr. Endowed Scholarship Fund at Wofford.
Making memorial gifts
F
amily members, classmates, fellow alumni and friends may wish to make a memorial by means of a gift to Wofford College. Alumni
memorials are placed in the class endowed scholarship fund. Gifts for non-alumni are placed in the Wofford Memorial Endowed Scholarship Funds. The name of the memorialized person is printed yearly in the Honor Roll of Donors. Next-of-kin receive notification of memorial gifts. Checks payable to Wofford indicating the name of the person memorialized should be sent to: Wofford College, Office of Development, 429 N. Church St., Spartanburg, S.C. 29303-3663. Named endowed opportunities also are available. For further information, contact Smith Patterson ’67 at pattersonds@wofford.edu or 864-597-4200. Fall 2011 • Wofford Today • 23
Postmaster: Send PS 3579 to Wofford College 429 N. Church Street Spartanburg, SC 29303-3663
Wofford Today
For more information, contact the Alumni Office at alumni@wofford.edu or 864-597-4185.