Dear Ferrum Friends,

What a spectacular fall this has been! The rains of summer (for which we were very grateful even while complaining) have given way to crisp, cool mornings and clear blue skies. The night luster of the Hunter’s Moon and the brilliant reds, golds and oranges of the foliage on the oak, maple and sourwood trees are truly a celebration of God’s glory and a reminder of how blessed we are to be in this beautiful place. You can find out more about the natural wonders of our area by clicking on this link for the Ferrum Nature Society. I hope that as many of you as possible will be able to return to campus for Folklife Festival on October 25 and enjoy firsthand the grandeur of the season, as well as the artisanal crafts, Brunswick stew, bluegrass music, funnel cakes and coon dog races! For an immediate glimpse of the latest addition to our Blue Ridge Institute & Museum family, click on the link to see the picture of our newborn donkey, Klara, and her doting mother, Daisy!

Click for photos of Fall @ Ferrum

We have had many exciting events on campus since our last newsletter, including the dedication of the Stanley Library Annex/Classroom Technology Center, the dedication of the Earl G. Skeens, Jr. Tennis Complex and Burrows Courts during our Homecoming celebration, and a ceremony where grants from the Virginia Tobacco Commission were presented to the Blue Ridge Foundation and the Ferrum Water and Sewerage Authority. Congratulations also to our three alumnae who are recipients of the 2003 Distinguished Alumni Award.

It was a thrill for me to see so many of you at Homecoming. Your love of Ferrum is so evident and I thoroughly enjoyed greeting you and many of your family members and friends (and of course, we won the football game too!). I look forward to seeing all of you on campus for the many and varied activities in the coming months, including our Family Weekend on November 1-2, which will feature our first Harry Potter Experience, an event that should be great fun for everyone!

I hope you all enjoy the many links and articles following, including a profile of our new Director of Continuing and Professional Studies. Ferrum College is a dynamic institution – as our enrollment grows, we continue to meet and exceed the challenges we face in providing our students with the finest educational experience possible in today’s fast-changing environment. And October is Annual Fund month – if you have not yet pledged, please click on the link for information on how to do so. We remain ever grateful for your continued generosity and caring.

Homecoming 2003
During the weekend of October 3rd, Ferrum welcomed back its alumni family for the 12th Annual Corron Classic and Homecoming. On Homecoming day, alumni gathered for a pre-game picnic on Upper Adams field and then cheered the Panthers on to victory against the Averett Cougars. After the game, almost 100 alums gathered for the reunion social held at Ippy’s in Rocky Mount. See photos...

Please join us for a gathering at Ippy’s after the Folklife Festival on October 25th from 5:30-7:30pm. For more information, please contact the Alumni Office at 540-365-4216. We hope to see you there! (Read more on Folklife below.)

M. Dana Hunt '49 Speaks to Alumni
"I want you to know that I am indeed honored to be the president of the Alumni Board of Directors. As part of the Ferrum Family, we have so many reasons to be proud of Ferrum and the wonderful education it provides...We hope, as our support increases, to form more alumni chapters throughout the region. With help from you, we can become an even stronger force in the life of our school!" Read the full letter here...

Career Services & Alumni
With the uncertain job market, Ferrum College wants Alumni to know that the Career Services Office has several ways that we can assist you. First we would suggest our web site (www.ferrum.edu/career) for information about the employment search process and many links, depending on the needs of the job searcher. The Career Services Office staff, Rol Walters, director, and Leslie Holden, career advisor, will be glad to talk with you personally if you can visit the office in 101 Bassett Hall. To arrange a visit, contact Joyce Scott at 540-365-4259. If you would like to contact us by e-mail to review an attached resume or discuss a job search strategy, contact Rol Walters at rwalters@ferrum.edu or Leslie Holden at lholden@ferrum.edu. We look forward to assisting you with your career planning needs. More info...

Folklife Festival Celebrates 30 Years
Travelers from around the country join an annual event to celebrate the heritage and traditions of the Blue Ridge: the Blue Ridge Folk Life Festival. This year the event turns 30 years old, and it will celebrate with some of the most authentic tastes, smells, sounds, and sights of Blue Ridge folkways. The Festival will take place on Saturday, October 25, 2003, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on the Ferrum College campus. Special packages for Alumni are available here. Read more about the Festival...

College Launches Adult & Prof. Degree Programs
As the first step in the launch of its new Continuing and Professional Studies/Adult Education Program, Ferrum College has hired a director of the program to conceptualize and implement a plan that may ultimately offer community classes, bachelor’s completion opportunities, and a master’s program both on campus and in satellite locations. Mrs. Jackie R. Scruggs, of Roanoke, has been named the director of the Continuing and Professional Studies/Adult Education Program. Read more...

Letter from SGA President Joanna Bosik
The Student Government Association has kicked off the 2003-2004 school year with a BANG! We are a new cabinet and have spent many hours preparing and training for our new positions... Read the full letter here...

$1.5 Million in Aid for Region
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development division has awarded a $344,000 grant to the Ferrum (Va) Water and Sewerage Authority for enhanced community water services. Rural Development will also make a loan to the Authority in the amount of $908,340. Total grant and loan allocations from the USDA total $1,252,340. The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission will augment the monies with an additional grant of $250,000 for the same purpose. An event on October 6th included distinguished guests such as Virginia Senator John W. Warner; Delegate Alan Dudley '67, and Represetative Virgil H. Goode, Jr. Read more...

Conference Brings Harry Potter's Hogwarts to Ferrum
Harry Potter fans wondering what it is like to attend Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will soon have their chance to find out. “Magic for Muggles: A Harry Potter Experience” will be held on the Ferrum College campus on November 1, 2003 organized by Dr. Lana Whited, Associate Professor of English and Journalism. The event will include discussions, crafts, classes, and a screening of the movie Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone. Read more...

Ferrum Athletic News
The Athletics website features several new stories including: Panthers earn USA South Awards; Photos from the Men's & Women's Alumni Basketball games; Men's Tennis wins Fall Invitational; A new Intramurals website is available... Read more...

African American Literature Conference in November
On November 7-8, 2003, the Office of Multicultural Education and the African-American Student Association of Ferrum College will host an African-American Literary Conference. Sessions will include academic papers by students and faculty from the region and a poster presentation. The keynote speaker for Friday evening is Randall Kenan, who will be reading and signing his books throughout the conference. Read more...

Three Women Named Ferrum's 2003 Distinguished Alumni
Three women have received Ferrum College’s 2003 Distinguished Alumni Award. The recipients are Julia Southard Campbell '28, of Florida; Annie Reynolds Looney ’53, of Roanoke; and Susan Shiflette Weisgerber ’82, of Waynesboro. Read more...

Faculty Accomplishments
The latest edition of Profess 2003 is available for download here!

Campus Progress: Dedications
Alumni, distinguished guests and the Ferrum College administration gathered for two major dedication ceremonies over Homecoming Weekend, October 3-4. On Friday, October 3 the Classroom Technology Center at Stanley Library Annex was dedicated, followed by a dedication on Saturday, October 4 for the Earl G. Skeens, Jr. Tennis Complex & Burrows Courts.

Events In October:

21 Roanoke Alumni Chapter Meeting Details...

25 Folklife Festival 2003 Details...

31 Family Weekend 2003 Details...

Events In November:

1 Family Weekend 2003 Details...

1 Magic for Muggles: A Harry Potter Experience (Conference) Details...

4 Luncheon for Ferrum College Alumni of Richmond and the Greater Hampton Roads; Tues. Nov. 4, 11am-1pm. Details...

7-8 African American Literature Conference Details...

14 Fall Open House at Admissions. Details...

15 Sports Hall of Fame 2003 Details...

18 Roanoke Chapter Gathering; Location; TBA, 6pm.Details...

Events In December:

8 Tentative date for the Ferrum Christmas Concert Details...

31 Nominations Due for Distinguished Alumni Award Details...

Recent Events:

• Ferrum Nature Society debuts a new website

• September 11th Remembered on campus...photos

• Senior Art Majors at Ferrum have won awards recently and explored careers

• Student Leadership elected at Ferrum; Read more...

• Fall Open House photos

• Despite Lashings From Hurricane Isabel, Ferrum Serves Up International Fare, Disney; Photos

Refer A Student:

...And His or Her Fee Is Waived! Download the form for Alumni Referral, give it to a prospective student and they can use it to defer the application fee! It's a small Word document file that could make a big impact! Download here! Also suggest that they attend a Fall Open House on the Saturdays of Oct. 4 & Nov. 15. They can register online at this link...

Exclusive: For Fe Readers Only! Our Fall @ Ferrum photos include a special treat just for the readers of Fe: a Ferrum desktop background wallpaper for your computer with a beautiful view of Adam's Lake, Schoolfield & the newly dedicated Stanley Library Annex. Click to download...