Dear Ferrum Friends,

Happy FOURTH of July! This not only a day to enjoy FLAGS, FUN and FIREWORKS, but also a time to celebrate FREEDOM, FAITH, FRIENDS, FAMILIES and this FANTASTIC place we call FERRUM COLLEGE!

Faculty & Staff Appreciation Dinner Opens Skeens Conference Center
A packed house of faculty and staff were the first to experience the "Blue Ridge Mountain Room," a breathtaking new space inside the FerrumPLUS! component Skeens Alumni Conference Center. On hand to celebrate the work of Ferrum College faculty and staff as well as honor the Bud Skeens namesake of the center were college administrators, Roanoke Vice Mayor Bev Fitzpatrick, former Ferrum President Hart and Colonel Burt Thompson. Col. Thompson, the keynote speaker, gave a touching speech of his own personal development as a Ferrum student as his mentor Dr. Amos, who introduced Thompson to Ferrum, slooked on. Col. Thompson is profiled in Part One of our feature on Ferrum Alumni in public service, now appearing in the Spring/Summer issue of the Ferrum Magazine. If you didn't get your copy, be sure to update your address with the Alumni office here...

Ferrum College Attracts Community Health Center
Ferrum College is pleased to announce a partnership with the non-profit community health care provider Tri-Area who will operate a new center located in Ferrum, VA. The initial site for the Ferrum Community Health Clinic will be in the lower level of Vaughn Chapel, including Fellowship Hall. Renovation of the space will begin as early as next week, in hopes of being in readiness for fall occupancy.

The Ferrum Community Health Clinic will also provide a tremendous educational opportunity through Tri-Area’s expressed interest in exploring the involvement of Ferrum College students in internships and field-based learning at the Center.

“A health care facility has been a major part of our community and economic development discussions for the past 18 months,” said President Jennifer Braaten. “We have conducted surveys and community meetings that have indicated that this is a #1 priority.” Read more...

BRI Opens White Liquor, Blue Ridge Style Exhibit
White lightnin’. Mountain dew. The words call up images of reclusive backwards mountain men tending stills in hollows dark with laurel. White Liquor, Blue Ridge Style, a new exhibition at Ferrum College’s Blue Ridge Institute (BRI) and Museum, showcases the real nature of illegal distilling in the southern Virginia mountains—a folk tradition that went far beyond the mountains thanks to industrialization, traditional know-how, hard work, and lots of illegal activities. White Liquor, Blue Ridge Style is now open at the State Center for Blue Ridge Folklore on the Ferrum campus. Admission is free.

National Geographic was in town on June 28th (pictured above) to interview BRI Director Roddy Moore and film the exhibit. White Liquor, Blue Ridge Style is already garnering national attention, and has regionally been the focus of much attention, including TV coverage before it was even open. Read more...

Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre Presents Another Wonderful Season!
The BRDT continues to wow audiences with an expanded summer season in 2006. The work of Rex Stephenson, Jody Brown, and Emily Rose Tucker, along with an amazing cast has brought one of the strongest seasons ever. Recently the BRDT was featured in The Roanoke Times with an audio clip from this summer's production of Jeff! Call now (540-365-4335) or reserve tickets online to reserve your spot for the remaining shows of Jonah and the Big Fish, Smoke on the Mountain, and Kids Say the Darndest Things. It all wraps up Saturday, August 5th so get your tickets now!

View the schedule for the remainder of the summer here!

Radio IQ
Now in its third year, Radio IQ is a public radio service of Virginia Tech and Ferrum College offering BBC news and NPR talk programs to listeners in the New River Valley. In 2003, National Public Radio station WVTF in Roanoke and Ferrum College reached a deal to move Ferrum's radio station to internet broadcasting in exchange for support for the call sign WFFC. WVTF continues to assist the FerrumRadio.com with vital technical support and internship opportunities and the popular Radio IQ channel carries Ferrum's name to listeners across the state. This arrangement has allowed Ferrum's student radio station to blossom into a full-featured internet radio station, with new studio space and podcasts!

Ferrum Faculty & Staff Join in Pigg River Ramble
Produced by the Community Partnership for Revitalization and Franklin County Parks and Recreation (both frequent partners of Ferrum College), the Pigg River Ramble canoe float through the middle of the county was another big success this year. It featured hundreds of volunteer hours by Ferrum College faculty and staff. This special event's main feature is one of the many blueways our beautiful surroundings provide and is a great example of the recreational possibilities of our area. Visit the Community Partnership for Revitalization Website here...

Bookstore Offers Ways to Design Your Own Ferrum College Garb!
Ferrum College Bookstore has a new link called My Garb for clothing. You can design your own clothing and have it shipped directly to your home. Just click: http://www.mygarb.com/FerrumCollege/

Alumni Calendar

In the Greer Gallery:

Read about and listen to our podcast here!

For more events on the Ferrum Campus, check out our online, interactive calendar!