Dear Ferrum Friends,

Fall! Football! Folklife Festival! FerrumPLUS! And now, Ferrum Fudge! This is a wonderful time to be at Ferrum College and just about everyone says that this is their favorite season of the year! The beauty of the changing leaves is spectacular, and the campus abounds with activity. We have new and returning students from 24 states and eight countries. We celebrated Homecoming and Family Weekend, had a fantastic time at Ferrum College Appreciation Night in Rocky Mount, enjoyed a beautiful day of golf at the Corron Classic, and on October 21 we’ll welcome the new Bishop of the Virginia Conference, Charlene Kammerer, to campus! Bishop Kammerer will be here to present Trustee Emerita Ethel Born with a prestigious award.

And fall is synonymous with our fabulous Folklife Festival, which takes place on October 23. Bring your families and friends and spend the day enjoying the music, food and crafts that make our region unique. From sheepherding demonstrations to Coon dog races to displays of exquisite antique quilts, there is no better way to rejoice in the glory of a crisp fall Saturday in Southwest Virginia!

The rest of the semester will be over before we know it – Fall Break has already come and gone, our Board of Trustees will be meeting on campus on November 5, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and then finally, finals! When our freshmen first arrive on campus to begin their Ferrum journey, their graduation date seems impossibly far away, but almost every senior will agree that the time actually flies by!

And what about that Ferrum Fudge? Well, it seems there are a great many chocolate lovers on this campus, and my assistant, Felicia Woods, remarked one day that “we ought to have ‘Ferrum Fudge.’” And as if she had summoned a genie from a bottle, her wish has been granted! Our executive chef, Bo Bernard (whose specialty just happens to be amazing desserts) came up with a fantastic recipe. Dean Browell, Director of PR, and Jeff Gring, Director of Food and Auxiliary Services, designed a great black and gold collectible candy tin featuring the Ferrum Panther logo. And voila! Chef Bo’s Ferrum Fudge! The fudge will debut at the Folklife Festival on October 23 - you’ll be able to buy it at the Bookstore that day. We also hope to make it available on a limited basis for mail orders through the holidays. What a sweet gift to send to all your favorite Ferrum friends and alums!

I hope you all continue to enjoy the brief but breathtaking beauty of the autumn landscape. We wish everyone a blessed Thanksgiving in the company of family and friends, and give particular thanks to all of you for your devotion to Ferrum College and your continuing support and generosity.

Folklife Festival this Weekend!
Travelers from around the country flock to an annual event to celebrate the heritage and traditions of the Blue Ridge: the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival. This year it continues to bring some of the most authentic tastes, smells, sounds, and sights of Blue Ridge folkways. The Festival will take place on Saturday, October 23, 2004, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on the Ferrum College campus in Ferrum, VA. Photos & more...

Homecoming & Sports Hall of Fame 2004 a Success!
A flurry of activities and celebrations surrounded this year's Homecoming, with the theme "Spirit of '74" in the air. We beat Guilford 21-16 on the Football field to a great crowd and the Ferrum College Sports Hall of Fame inducted five outstanding alumni: Mr. Joseph Philpott, Jr., ’64, Mr. Philip Elmassian, ’71, Mr. Albert Latimer, ‘78, Mr. James Sood, ‘89, and Mrs. Sarah Quesenberry Wagner, ‘94. Photos & more...

The Ferrum Express Rides to Roanoke & Rocky Mount!
On October 29th Ferrum College and Valley Metro will begin regular bus service to the Rocky Mount and Roanoke areas for Ferrum College students, faculty and staff as well as any interested public riders. The bus service will run on Fridays from 5:00pm to 1:00am and on Saturdays from 1:00pm to 1:00am. Children under the age of 12 may not ride unaccompanied. This service is offered free to the public due to the contributions of Ferrum College, the Franklin County Board of Supervisors, and the Rocky Mount Town Council. News & photos...

Rescheduled Family Day Draws a Crowd
Due to thr remenants of Hurricane Ivan moving through our area, Ferrum College’s Family Weekend was postponed until September 24 and 25th. The rescheduled event included the same features and activities (including a home football game against Shenandoah, a bevy of other athletic games, art exhibits and more) with adjusted schedules. Family Weekend also included additional features including a racer’s reunion at the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum held in conjunction with the Car Crazy: Racing and Rodding in Southwest Virginia exhibit, celebrating 100 years of Virginia racing history. See photos & more...

Rocky Mount Throws a Bash at Ferrum College Appreciation Night
Using the final "1st Thursdays" night of the Community Partnership for Revitalization as a backdrop, Rocky Mount and the local Chamber of Commerce celebrated Ferrum College with a rousing night of food, fellowship and fun- hosted by Ferrum's own "Bald Brothers" and featuring the talents of our students. Photos...

Get the Southwest Virginia ‘Sizzle’
Read recent features in national publications about our region...

Also... Bass Master competition comes to Smith Mountain Lake!

Ferrum Bonner Program Presents Check to St. James Center
The St. James Community Center of Ferrum, VA, has received a $5,000 Crisis Ministry Grant from the Bonner Foundation to sustain the work of the Center. This meaningful financial contribution was presented to the Center by Bonner Scholar Director George Loveland and several Ferrum College Bonner Scholar students to continue and deepen the St. James Community Center’s partnership with the Ferrum Bonner Scholarship Program. Read more...

Coming Soon: FERRUM FUDGE!
Look for this gormet treat at this year's Folklife Festival! Available at the College Bookstore.

Ferrum Athletic News
The Athletics website features several new stories including:
Five members of the Ferrum College men's soccer team participated in the 2004 Annual Marine 5K Mud Run held Saturday, September 25th, at Green Hill Park in Salem, Virginia. Read more...

All Sports Schedules Online!
Catch all the games you can, home and away, of your Ferrum Panthers! Every fall athletic schedule has been added to our new online calendar available right on the front page of the Ferrum website! Browse the calendar...

On-line giving
The development office is pleased to announce that you can now make your gift to Ferrum on-line using our secure server and your credit card. It is safe, secure, and an easy way to support the Ferrum Fund or any of the other exciting activities happening at Ferrum. From the Ferrum College homepage, follow the SUPPORT FERRUM link to our on-line giving site. Ferrum uses gifts from alumni and friends to enhance the educational opportunities given to our students. Please support the College and make your gift on-line.

Young Alumni Working to Recruit New Students
The Admissions and Alumni Offices invited back a group of young alumni to our Spring Open House to discuss ways in which alumni can assist the college in attracting new students. This brainstorming session served as the foundation to launch an alumni initiative of letter writing, phone calling, and spreading the word about Ferrum. Reaching new students can be as simple as wearing your favorite Ferrum clothing! If you are interesting in getting involved, please contact alumni@ferrum.edu or call 540-365-4216.  

Remember Ferrum in your Will
As you complete your estate planning, please remember a bequest to Ferrum College in your Will. Estate gifts help to strengthen the endowment, fund student scholarships and make a lasting impact on the College. If you have already included Ferrum in your estate plans, please consider letting us know so that we can thank you appropriately and make sure that you are included as a member of the Beckham Society. For more information on how to include Ferrum in your estate plans, please contact Lee King at 540-365-4211.

Alumni Calendar

Events In October:

Saturday, October 23rd
Blue Ridge Folklife Festival, On Campus

Saturday, October 30th
Admissions Open House

Events In November:

Tuesday, November 9th
Greater Hampton Roads/Richmond Events- The Italian Kitchen 12:00 pm.
Capital Ale House in Innsbrook, 6:00 pm

Wednesday, November 10th
Tidewater Chapter Event- Location and Time TBA

Tuesday, November 16th
Roanoke Chapter, Szechuan at Towne Square Blvd, 6:00 pm
Guest Speaker: Mr. Dean Browell, Director of Public Relations

Thursday, November 18th
Franklin County, Ippy's, 6:00 pm

Events In December:

Wednesday, December 1st
Charlotte, NC Event, Location and Time TBA

Saturday, December 4th
Atlanta, GA event, Ted Turner's Montana Grill, 1:00 pm

Saturday, December 4th
Admissions Open House

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

The President's Speaking Engagements :

Sunday, October 24
Guest speaker at Walker Chapel, Arlington

Sunday, October 31
Guest speaker at church in Stony Creek

Sunday, November 14
Guest speaker at Cave Spring UMC, Roanoke

Sunday, November 21
Guest speaker at McGaheysville UMC, McGaheysville

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 February 7 & April 3. They can register online at this link...

On the Web:

Check our the redesign of the Ferrum College front page, courtesy of Webmaster Suzie Kelly and Public Relations. New features include a sleek new design and an interactive calendar for all campus events! View your new homepage at: Ferrum.edu...

Ferrum Outdoors
New website

Adult Education
New website
Find downloads here

Admissions Materials
Download publications here

The Strategic Plan
Download the Brochure PDF

Read Past Newsletters
A new archive is available for readers of Fe to browse past issues from our launch in March of 2003 to the present! Click to visit...