Dear Alumni and Friends of Ferrum College:
Welcome to "A Banner Year!" and the beginning of the 2008 fall semester. Best wishes to our new and returning students and especially our freshmen, the members of the Class of 2012!
Much has been accomplished since our July issue of Fe. As we prepare to greet 1350 students this year, including one of the largest entering classes in our history, we have finished upgrading several of our existing residence halls, including east Bassett Hall which is now fully air conditioned. We have made improvements to several classroom buildings, and our newest residence hall, Margaret M. Clark Hall, is ready for fall semester occupancy. Upgrades to our Fitness Center have been completed, and through a generous bequest from a former member of our Board of Trustees, we have installed new lights on our soccer field. Food service amenities have been enhanced with an even wider variety of healthy meal choices and environmentally friendly innovations in the main dining room. In addition to “Sunset Strips” in the Black & Gold Grille and the ever popular Subway Restaurant, there will be a "surprise" dining option in lower Franklin Hall at the beginning of the semester.
We hope you enjoy reading about the accomplishments of our amazing faculty and the fruits of their summer research labors. Our own "star" of the Discovery Channel, Professor of History Richard Smith, is also featured. Please join us in welcoming new faculty and staff in this issue, and in congratulating our Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Leslie Lambert, as she assumes this new title and an expanded role. And of course, we continue to "think green!" in as many areas of the campus as possible.
When you next visit the Ferrum campus you will see colorful banners everywhere, in recognition of our superior academic offerings, our outstanding athletic programs, our mission and vision, our vibrant student life, our cultural offerings, our commitment to student success, and our place in "historic Virginia" where we are embraced by azure skies and the red clay slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains. None of this would be possible without your enthusiastic and generous support. As devoted friends of Ferrum and successful alumni, through your giving you live out our motto, "Not Self, But Others." Along with all of our students, faculty and staff, I am profoundly grateful for your continued faith in our mission and vision.
Sincerely yours,
Jennifer L. Braaten
President
Jennifer L. Braaten
President
It's a Banner Year!
As students return to campus they will notice new banners now on display throughout campus. The new banners add a bold look, bright colors and a dash of inspiration for students walking through campus. We hope you enjoy this new look on campus.
These student posters are now proudly displayed inside area residence halls, & Franklin Hall. The Athletic Banners (below) will soon be displayed on the exterior of Swartz Gym to highlight our many NCAA sponsored menʼs and womenʼs sports.
Ferrum College Sees Largest Enrollment in 24 Years
Ferrum College will once again welcome a record number of students to campus this fall, the third consecutive year of significant enrollment increases. Ferrum expects close to 650 new students to begin classes on September 1, with total enrollment projected to be over 1,300 students for the first time in nearly a quarter century. "It is wonderful to have another year of record enrollment at Ferrum, in both the numbers of new students and returning students," says Gilda Woods, Director of Admissions. Woods commented that this year’s entering class will come from 18 states and 5 foreign countries. "So many new and exciting amenities have been added at Ferrum, and new projects are being planned all the time. Our alumni often comment that they wish they could come back to Ferrum as students now!" said Woods.Since Ferrum College President Jennifer Braaten implemented the College’s new marketing plan in 2004, applications at Ferrum have increased 89%, the number of new students has increased by 82%, and total enrollment has increased by 45%. Braaten says the campus is energized and enthusiastic about these numbers. "In the past several years we have not only made dramatic improvements to our campus facilities, but also in our academic, athletic and experiential learning programs. Directly communicating these new initiatives to prospective students is one of the main reasons for our success," she notes.
New Residence Hall, Margaret M. Clark Hall, Ready for Fall 2008 Occupancy
To accommodate the growth in enrollment, the College entered into an agreement last February with Mod‐U‐Kraf Homes of Rocky Mount to construct a new threestory residence hall on the west side of campus. Working in conjunction with several other local companies, Mod‐U‐Kraf Homes completed the brick‐faced, white columned structure in less than 6 months. The new building, to be known as Margaret M. Clark Hall, will accommodate 120 students, two to a room, and is expected to meet ENERGY STAR certifications. It is named in memory of the late Margaret Clark, Ferrum’s former registrar and longest serving staff member. This is actually the third consecutive year in which the College has opened a new residence hall to accommodate its growing student body. Two apartment‐style residence halls, Arthur Hall and Moore Hall, were constructed on the east side of campus in 2006 and 2007 respectively.
Ferrum College Students and Staff Help Move Furniture to Get Ready for Students this Fall
Students and staff pitched in to help the staff of Residence Life and Housing get ready for the influx of students this fall. Ferrum staff members Mike Ferguson and Justin Muse, along with Andrea Zuschin, Vice President for Student Affairs, arrived early and assisted in moving furniture in Bassett Hall, demonstrating again the work ethic and care for students needed in helping to manage a college! Special recognition goes out to the Resident Assistants, whose positive attitude made the furniture move‐in and room set‐up such a success. Whether moving bed frames, mattresses, desks, or dressers, or holding doors, directing traffic, or inspecting finished rooms, they all demonstrated their dedication to Ferrum College and desire to help make the experience of living on campus at Ferrum a positive one!
Ferrum College Introduces New Faculty and Staff
Faculty:
Mathew LaRose, Jason Sharp, Mohamed Zaro, Fabian Balmori, Allison Harl, Melvin Macklin, Katherine Jordan, Glen Stevens, Di Xue, Edward Groth, Justin Allen, Jobriath Kauffman, Heather Childs, Allison Deming, Mary Norman, Shannon Hardwicke, Edmond Hally
Staff:
Susan Cook, Gail Sumer, Gail Shad, Kate Hersey, Jenna Adams, Clint Hege, Zachary Wimmer, Jessica Haynes, Donna Jefferson, Hugh Haskins, Jenny Slaughter, Vernese Smith, Susan Yates, Ryan King, Frank Alderman, James Cuff, Ricky Dixon, Brian Ferguson, Johnny Prillaman, Richard Stout, Kirsten Hennard, Judy James, Sandra Clark, Sheila Diamond, Robert Dillon, Lorie Hubbard, Michael Padgett, Mark Sessor, Sharon Taylor, Kathren Kirik, Toni Davis, Demond Hairston, Katherine Potter, Randy Simpson, Robert Fuller
Dr. Leslie Lambert Named Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs
While we have seen quite of bit of construction and refurbishing on the Ferrum College campus this summer, there has also been a great deal of "academic" improvement and restructuring going on behind the scenes. With our enrollment growth, our enhancement of academic programs, and our increase in faculty and staff, it has become essential to create the appropriate organizational system that supports our institutional evolution. Because of this, Dr. Leslie Lambert has been named Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. In her expanded role, Dr. Lambert will be working on many facets of institutional effectiveness, accreditation and QEP planning, as well as many other projects.Read more »
Ferrum College Professors Use the Summer Break To Do Important Research
While many spend their summer months getting some much needed rest and relaxation, a number of our faculty members spent their time dedicated to some important research in their areas. Here’s a look at some of the projects they have been working on.
Katherine Grimes, Associate Professor of English, began work this summer on her Cheatham project. She was awarded a Cheatham Fellowship during the Commencement Ceremony in May. Grimes, who had focused her dissertation on motherless children in twentieth‐century Southern American literature, hopes to share her insights about that topic in an upcoming book. She says this Fellowship will help fund her research, revise the manuscript, and prepare it for publication in book form. Alumna Kristina Stump served as her research assistant and has found articles and books written since her 1993 doctoral dissertation. She spent much of her time this summer going through that research to rewrite the dissertation into a book she hopes will be published.
Dr. Richard Smith, Professor of History, went on an extended research trip to China and Central Asia in May‐June 2008. This relates to work he’s been doing on the Silk Road commercial system that was developed 2000 years ago. Portions of his research will appear in Chapters 11 and 12 of his forthcoming book.
Dr. Smith was also featured in an episode of the Discovery Channel's "Into the Unknown with Josh Bernstein," to debut at 10:00 p.m. September 8th. Read more about Dr. Smith's project with the Discovery Channel.
Cy Dillon, Executive Director of the Stanley Library and Academic Resource Center, spent time researching the Open Access scholarly publishing movement (OA) for presentations this fall to the Virginia Library Association Annual Conference and the ACA Summit. Along the way, he conducted an interview with OA experts Peter Suber and Jonathan Band, which has been published as "More Access, More Impact: Updates on the Open Access Movement" in the summer issue of Virginia Libraries.
Jason Powell, Assistant Professor of Chemistry & Physics, spent his E‐term with a small undergraduate student research group doing research in chemistry at Ferrum and in specialized labs at Virginia Tech and Roanoke College. Students spent their time synthesizing and characterizing compounds using specialized techniques in this Advanced Chemistry Laboratory (CHM 405‐E). In addition to this important hands‐on experience, students also received advanced instruction in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy with Dr. Vern Miller at Roanoke College and graduate level instruction in x‐ray crystallography with Dr. Carla Slebodnick at Virginia Tech.Read more about Dr. Powell's projects and research »
Tony Giesen, Professor of Mathematics and Statistics, attended the ACA's Quantitive Literacy Symposium (workshop) for the 21st Century at Emory and Henry college from May 26th to 28th. It involved the design of curriculum and courses to help the student in the challenge to learn how to do the necessary quantative reasoning demanded in today's world. At the present time, it is well documented that the typical student has not achieved the basic ability to do critical thinking (QR). Therefore, quantitive literacy is in order across the curriculum. Ferrum is aware of this need and in the future hopes to establish programs that embed quantative reasoning (critical thinking) in various disciplines.
Tina Hanlon, Associate Professor of English, spent her time writing a paper she presented at the Children's Literature Association Conference at Illinois State University, Normal, IL in June: "Reimagining Normal in Literary Depictions of Language Change and Dialect Diversity." She conducted research on Appalachian folktales for her sabbatical project, which focuses on Mutsmag and Other Heroines: Appalachian Folktales about Strong, Smart and Funny Female Characters. Her research this summer included work in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. She wrote an article on playwright Rex Stephenson for the journal Virginia Libraries, co-edited by Cy Dillon. This is for a special issue this fall on Virginia writers, called "For the Love of Reading."
Left: Rex Stephenson with the Jack Tale Players at the Farmers' Market in Rocky Mount, July 25, 2008.
Right: The cast of Rex's new adaptation produced in August: Little Women: A Musical, with music by Emily Rose Tucker.
Brian Whitaker, Assistant Professor of Agriculture, presented research at the American Society of Animal Scientists (ASAS) in Indianapolis entitled, the "Effect of Antioxidants on Oxidative Stress During Maturation and In Vitro culture of Pig Embryos." This research also resulted in a published abstract (Whitaker BD, Knight JW. Effect of antioxidants on oxidative stress during maturation and in vitro culture of pig embryos. Journal of Animal Science 2008; 86 (Suppl. 2); 567.) and a journal article (Whitaker, BD, Knight JW. Mechanisms of oxidative stress in porcine oocytes and the role of antioxidants. Reproduction, Fertility, and Development 2008; 20; 694-702.).
Brian also was a mentor for a Ledford Research scholar, Tiffany Garnett. Together, they conducted sustainable agriculture grazing systems throughout the summer. Funded by the Colonel D. Ledford Fellowship, (a grant offered through the Appalachian College Association,) they are trying to determine which way is best to graze sheep, comparing agroforestry to traditional pasture grazing. They have set up two plots roughly an acre each, one that is only pasture, and the other is part pasture and part forest, commonly referred to as silvopastoral. Lambs are weighed every other day to measure rate of weight gain and soil samples are taken on a weekly basis to measure organic matter, specifically carbon and nitrogen nitrate. Understory measurements are taken on a weekly basis to determine the use of the forest by the lambs, whether it is for shelter, nourishment, or both.
Dr. Marcia Horn, Professor of English, has been working with the Franklin County School Division, Community Supporters, and Ferrum College on a true grass-roots effort--to establish a continuing education course for public school teachers seeking recertification. Several members of the community who took Ferrum College's Holocaust course in the spring thought it was vital to get its message to public school teachers and urged that we establish a course in the fall for these teachers. These community members have been inspirational leaders, and have extended their generosity to ensure that the course would become a reality. The course will follow the general format of the spring Holocaust course at Ferrum, but it is open just to public school teachers. It will be taught at the Franklin Center in Rocky Mount, from Sept. 2-Dec. 9, on Tuesdays from 4:00-7:00 (two 1-hour-and-15 minute sessions each, with a half-hour break in the middle.) The course will be taught by the same Holocaust faculty who teach the Spring Holocaust course at Ferrum, with Dr. Marcia Horn as coordinator.
» Learn more about faculty achievements by downloading PROFESS 2008
Ferrum College Going "Trayless" in Dining Hall and Implementing Other Green Initiatives Throughout Campus!
Ferrum College has implemented several new green initiatives this summer to increase its efforts to become more environmentally conscious. One of the most visible of these, in line with a change now underway at many colleges and universities, is the absence of cafeteria-style food trays in the dining hall. Studies have shown that eliminating trays reduces food waste, energy consumption and water use. Trayless dining may have another added benefit: controlling weight gain. New students often complain about the "freshman 15," the pounds of weight many gain during the first year of college. Without trays on which to pile multiple dishes of food, students may make better choices about what they eat. Campuses that already have tested this concept, including New York University, the University of North Carolina, and the University of Florida, report food waste declines of up to 50%, and substantial energy savings because bulky trays don’t need washing.Read more »
HVAC heating/cooling units can be found in rooms in east Bassett and Clark Hall. The units are energy star rated and some are equipped with motion sensors.
Left: Carpeting manufactured from recycled fibers has been installed in East Bassett Hall.
Right: Incandescent light blubs have been replaced by energy efficient light bulbs in most buildings on campus.
The non-skid surface on the staircases inside the new Margaret M. Clark Hall is made of renewable or "green" materials
Insulation inside both Clark and Bassett Halls is made from recycled materials
New thermal, double-paned energy-efficient doors have been installed inside Bassett, Clark, Chapman, Riddick & Sue Wes Halls. What a beautiful view!
Left: Recycling Bins, like this one outside Roberts Hall, will be strategically located around the campus to encourage students, faculty and staff to do their part in this important effort.
Right: Even the pavement on Route 40 leading visitors to Ferrum College is made from recycled materials!
New Livestock Facility Under Construction!
It’s an exciting time for the Agriculture Program. During the 2007-2008 academic year, the program saw major advancements, including an unprecedented increase in resources and student involvement. When the students return on September 1st, they will see an entirely new look. The agriculture and horticulture programs are relocating their central facilities to the 80-acre site behind the Ferrum Elementary School. This is a multi- phase process that has included many planning meetings and the development of a master plan. The most noticeable, immediate change will be the construction of a new building to house the livestock and crop and horticulture equipment. Such progress will no doubt entice more agriculture majors to enroll in this rewarding program and increase retention!Ferrum College Scales Up its Computer Networking System to New Levels of Service, Security, and Reliability
Ferrum College has chosen Juniper Networks Inc, a high-performance network infrastructure, to rebuild its entire campus-wide network with Juniper switching, network access control (NAC) and firewall/VPN solutions. Ferrum selected Juniper to meet the demanding network requirements posed by exceptional growth in student enrollment, and to enable the college to extend 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) throughput across the network in support of advanced Voice over IP (VoIP) by fall 2009. Read more »New Lights Installed on Soccer Field
Through the generosity of a former Ferrum College Board of Trustees member and her extended family, new lights were installed this summer on the soccer field, which serves as the entrance to the athletic complex. The high impact lights will allow competition and practice to extend well into the evening hours, thereby allowing for optimal playing time on the field. The wonderful gift that enabled the purchase of the lights and enhancements to the field will have a major impact on the athletics program at Ferrum and allow even more students to take advantage of the athletic programs Ferrum offers. The field will be formally named in memory of the late benefactor and her family at a special ceremony in the fall.New Classroom Upgrades Now Complete in Britt & Grousbeck
Former storage space inside Grousbeck Hall has been converted to much needed classroom space.
