Service Director Mike Ferguson ’81 (right) marches with students in the Centennial Parade.

The Dining Services Auxiliary Fund was created in 2004 by dining services staff and Jeff Gring, then associate vice president for operations, to directly assist students with the cost of textbooks. In the inaugural year, 100 percent of the staff in Gring’s department contributed to the fund, and to this day it maintains a strong giving percentage with gifts from faculty as well as staff. Currently, Mike Ferguson ’81, service director, is responsible for the administration of the Fund. Ferguson’s story is one that is familiar to many Ferrum College graduates: it is a story that led him to both work at his alma mater and participate in a program that supports students who may be struggling in their pursuit of education.

Ferguson grew up in the small town of Ferrum, in a family of 10 children. He never planned to go to college due to the expense. Instead, he secured a job in a furniture factory, but he dreamed of obtaining a college degree. After three years in the furniture factory, Ferguson applied for admission to Ferrum College. As it was already late summer, he was told he would not be eligible for admission until the spring semester. “I was so upset that I just didn’t know which way to turn,” he recalls. “So, I went back to the furniture factory and worked harder than ever, in an attempt to drown my sorrows.”

But the staff at Ferrum College wanted to make Ferguson’s dream of higher education a reality. Three weeks after applying, Ferguson received an acceptance letter from the College. “This is what drew me to the place that I am now proud to be a part of today,” Ferguson says. He notes the compassion of the staff who work with students and families to provide access to a Ferrum College education in spite difficult circumstances. He believes that the College’s motto, “Not Self, But Others,” was and still is the foundation of the institution.

The Dining Services Auxiliary Fund is further proof of this living motto. Contributors of the Fund recognize the importance of accomplishing educational goals. These goals cannot be met without the required textbooks—often an expense for which a student in need is not equipped. Ferguson believes the Ferrum College’s motto is the basis for the continued success of this Fund. “There is no amount too small to contribute,” he says. “Every penny adds up.”

Ferguson says that folks who work in dining services and contribute to the Auxiliary Fund are extremely gratified to see they are making a difference in students’ lives. That gratification is magnified when the Fund participants witness those student graduates at commencement each year. Ferguson adds: “The joy that you feel when you get to meet the parents and receive a big hug for the little things that you may have done to help their son or daughter – it makes your eyes water just to talk about it.”

C. Henry Jones with his daughter, Susan Jones Childers ’81 at Ferrum College graduation in 1981 (right), and now (left).

Although he may not be a graduate of Ferrum College, C. Henry Jones is a prominent and valuable part of the Ferrum family. Jones first became associated with Ferrum College through a fellow Virginia Methodist Home Board of Directors member, who suggested that his business experience could be of great service to the College. She went so far as to talk to then-President Dr. Joseph Hart on his behalf. Jones grew up in Norfolk, had several friends and acquaintances that attended Ferrum College, and was aware of the College through his work with the Methodist Church. Appointed by the Board of Global Ministries, Jones began the first of many terms on the Ferrum College Board of Trustees in 1979. When his daughter, Susan Jones Childers ’81, began her freshman year at the institution, Jones and his wife, Ruby, were asked to be a part of the Parents’ Council, later serving as chairs. From 1979 to 1987, he served two consecutive terms as the chair of the Business Affairs Committee. Following a short absence, Jones returned to serve another four-year term from 1990 to 1994; he was named trustee emeritus in 1999 in recognition of his years of service and dedication to the College.

What the timeline of Jones’ service to Ferrum College doesn’t tell though, is the depth of his fondness for the institution. Upon the passing of Jones’ wife in 1983, a friend on the Board of Trustees discussed with him a gift in memory of his wife. Jones decided to fund a scholarship in her honor: The Ruby Lawson Jones Memorial Scholarship.

“I’m so proud of my daughter and grandson as Ferrum scholars and the relationship we have with Ferrum,” says Jones. This statement is echoed in his continued support of the College’s projects over the years, including campus improvements, the library upgrades, and faculty support.

“Ferrum is just where I wanted to be,” remarks Childers. The fact that her professors knew students by their names and were genuinely interested in students’ well-being, Childers believes, is a defining quality of Ferrum College. Her father’s continued involvement and the quality education she received have kept Childers involved in the College as well. But her connections run deeper than even this – she met her husband, Clark Childers ’80, while at the institution.  The pair were introduced by mutual friends after Clark enrolled at Ferrum to play tennis for Coach Bud Skeens. Following in the family footsteps, their son, Josh Childers ’09, also attended Ferrum College. His path was slightly different; he tried a larger university setting before realizing a smaller, more intimate setting was what he needed. While at Ferrum College, Josh met his wife, Amanda Hardnack Childers ’09, and the Ferrum family connections multiplied.

Josh ’09 and Amanda Hardnack Childers ’09

C. Henry Jones, his grandson, Josh Childers ’09, and President Jennifer Braaten at Commencement in 2009.

Currently, Childers and her husband reside in Georgia, where she is putting her degree in social work to good use as a social worker in a skilled nursing facility. Her husband earned a degree in recreation and leisure and is a senior buyer for Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Company. Their son, Josh, earned a history degree and is currently as assistant director at non-profit shelter in Gettysburg, PA. “What a coincidence it was to realize that one of my son’s professors was Dr. Richard Smith, who was also one of my professors when I was at Ferrum!” says Childers. Amanda Childers, Josh’s wife, is employed as a phlebotomist in Hanover, PA. “No matter whether you are working in your college field of study or not, it is so important to achieve the goal of attaining a college education,” notes Childers.

Childers remains close with her college roommate, Mary Lynn Yengst ’81. The two worked as aides to Ferrum College President Joseph Hart while they were students. Childers fondly remembers her days as an aide; in one particular instance, the aides had a surprise 50th birthday party for Dr. Hart. Another aide at the time, Sam Oakey ’82, presented Dr. Hart with gifts of Geritol and dentures. “What a fun group we had!” she says. In more recent years, Childers had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Hart at the Beckham Society Luncheon, noting, “He hasn’t changed a bit!”

She believes the same is true of Ferrum College’s basic principles. “I hope Ferrum continues to grow, but keeps its sense of purpose, offering quality education to students who choose to pursue a degree at Ferrum,” she says. The bond between the Childers family and Ferrum College is strong, rooted in what she believes the College has done for her family and its role in their lives today.

“None of this would have been possible without my father,” she stresses. She proudly states that she feels he is the true example of the Ferrum College motto, “Not Self, But Others.” She recalls his service to his church, where he was at one time the longest active member, and to numerous organization boards, many of which were part of the Methodist church. “He has been such a wonderful role model, teaching me so much about life and providing for me a quality education so that I could be successful in my life.” Childers believes in Ferrum College and sees a lasting relationship in the future: “My family will continue the legacy my father began in honor of my mother.”

Melanie Rooks (Class of 2015) visited campus to launch the FACES (Ferrum Alumni Citizens Exploring Service) Program. The program, conceptualized and organized by Dr. Susan Mead, will celebrate Ferrum College alumni who serve their communities in a variety of ways.

Ms. Rooks has been working with retired Ferrum professor Dr. Pete Crow and his wife, Beth Crow, through the the “Lift Ev’ry Voice: Freedom Ride” program sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. This program brought youth from the United States, South Africa, and Botswana together to to study the civil rights movement, and discover ways to address racism by lifting the voices of the young people in their quest for justice and reconciliation in their home communities. Ms. Rooks has worked with this program in the U.S. and in South Africa as an adult leader, and is getting ready for a seven-week program in South Africa. She will participate in the R.I.S.E. conference and then spend the next weeks working with the Born Free SA Youth Development Programme, whose work focuses on education and programs on social injustice and the arts. This organization was an outgrowth of the South African delegation’s participation in the Lift Ev’ry Voice program.

To keep up with Ms. Rook’s work in South Africa during March and April, you can follow her videos and photos on the Ferrum College International Program’s Instagram (ferrumcollegeintl), and look for her posts as a Panther Blogger. She’ll be ready to answer questions and respond to comments.

In February we had a week of Peace-Corps focused events to celebrate Peace Corps Week.

On Monday, alumna and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) Kasey Ingram, Ferrum College Class of 2014, visited several classes and had a presentation in the LEAP Studio of the library. She talked about her experiences as a volunteer in South Africa, and the ways that she has incorporated those experiences in her current career.

On Tuesday, four RPCV professors had displays in the newly renovated lobby of Grousbeck. Dr. Todd Fredericksen (Costa Rica), Dr. Chris Mayer (Honduras), Dr. Michael Hancock-Parmer (Kazakhstan), and Dr. Patricia Sagasti Suppes (Morocco) answered questions and told stories about their Peace Corps service.

If you’re interested in opportunities with the Peace Corps, Dr. Sagasti Suppes would love to talk to you about how to prepare and answer your questions. psuppes@ferrum.edu

(psuppes@ferrum.edu).

Miranda Dougherty, originally of Waretown, NJ, was five when she began her soccer career. Now she is a junior defender on Ferrum College’s women’s soccer team, is double-majoring in criminal justice and psychology, and carries a 3.97 grade point average.

Dougherty’s future has always been steeped in success. Her mother was her “academic coach” and inspired her success in the classroom. Her father, who played soccer at Villanova, was her “field coach,” and encouraged her best athletic performance. She was recruited by Coach James Lofton to play soccer at Ferrum College and was immediately impressed by the comradery within the women’s soccer team. With U.S. women’s national soccer star Mia Hamm as her idol, Dougherty’s athletic career blazed.

Unfortunately, during her freshman season at the College, Dougherty tore her ACL and required two surgeries. She felt as if her soccer days were over; however, with the support of her parents and teammates, she rebounded to the field with a win over Emory & Henry College.

“Overcoming the injury setback required me to remain positive and move beyond the feeling that my soccer career was over,” explained Dougherty. “That experience helped me develop a deeper level of mental toughness.”

Thanks to the influence of Dougherty’s role models and life experiences, she is taking steps to make her dream a reality: a career with the FBI, beginning with current efforts to secure an internship with the agency following her graduation in May 2020.

Read more about Dougherty on the Ferrum College Blog.

Sophomore Spanish and International Studies major Suzie Maines has been accepted to Spanish Studies Abroad‘s summer program in Havana, Cuba and fall program in Seville, Spain. Suzie will be taking courses to advance toward completion of both of her major programs, and will have plenty of amazing adventures to share with our Ferrum College family. You can follow some of her adventures in the @FerrumCollegeIntl Instagram page as she travels.

Congratulations to Tamiah Palmer, who has been accepted to be a Peace Corps volunteer. Tamiah will be heading to Guyana after graduation, where she will spend three months training for her job before beginning her two years of service working on environmental conservation in this ecologically diverse nation.

Living Out “Not Self, But Others”: Why YOUR Gift Matters

When you support Ferrum College, you empower our students to discover their potential, make a difference in their communities, and achieve their dreams. Your gift also provides our students with opportunities to provide care and support to those in need in our community and beyond. The following stories are just a few examples of how our students were Living Out “Not Self, But Others” during the Fall 2019 semester.

Please make your gift today here.

Softball Players Collect Over 3,500 Canned Food Items for St. James Center

For Halloween 2019, Ferrum College softball players went house to house in local neighbors to give out flyers requesting donations of canned goods for the St. James Center in Ferrum. The next week, the players returned to the neighbors to pick up food donations. In total, over 3,500 items were collected and donated to the St. James Center. Learn more about Ferrum College softball here: https://www.ferrumpanthers.com/sports/sball/index.

Ferrum College Delta Chi Members Support Panther Packs Program

Every few weeks, our Delta Chi fraternity gets together to pack Panther Packs full of food for local elementary school children in need. These packs are sent home on Friday afternoons to ensure students are fed over the weekend and when school is not in session. The local backpack meal program is coordinated by TriArea Community Health Clinic’s Martha Puckett. Learn more about Ferrum College’s Delta Chi here.

Ferrum College Disaster Relief Team Spends Alternative Fall Break in Wilmington, NC

Ferrum College’s disaster recovery team used their fall break from October 17-20, 2019 to travel to Wilmington, NC to rebuild homes that were damaged by hurricanes. One home is owned by a woman in her 80s who rode out Hurricane Florence (September 2018) in her home. The other home belongs to a military veteran who recently received word he has won his battle against cancer. The relief effort, headed by Dean of Chapel and Religious Life Jan Nicholson Angle, and student-coordinated by junior Davon “D” Robinson, included 10 students and 2 staff members.

“The Wilmington Disaster Recovery Team consisted of a fantastic group of students and staff,” said Nicholson Angle. “While restoring homes and impacting and being impacted by the lives of those in the Wilmington community, our team spent time reflecting on how we become the presence of God in the lives of others.” Learn more about Ferrum College’s Spiritual Life here.

Ferrum College Spanish Students Volunteer as Interpreters During Health Fair

Ferrum College Spanish students Olivia Webster, a new December 2019 graduate, and junior Alex Mattson volunteered as Spanish interpreters during the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Refugee and Immigrant Health Fair in November 2019. Refugees and immigrants were invited to learn about health care and available services. “Our job was to guide small groups of Spanish speakers through the fair, translating information to them,” recalled Webster. “It was truly an eye-opening experience because I wasn’t just practicing my skills to help translate. I was learning about a family and some of their struggles while moving to the US. It touched my heart to be able to help them in their journey and provide a service that allowed them to gain knowledge, information, and care.”

Learn more about Ferrum College’s Spanish program here.

Delta Phi Epsilon Holds Pumpkin Carving Contest Fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis

This Halloween 2019, Delta Phi Epsilon sorority held a pumpkin carving contest. The pumpkins were judged and three winners chosen (pictured). The contest raised money for cystic fibrosis research. Learn more about Ferrum College’s Delta Phi Epsilon here.

Living Out “Not Self, But Others”: Junior D Robinson Volunteers at Local Elementary School

Ferrum College junior Davon “D” Robinson ’21 of Richmond, VA, spends two days per week at a nearby elementary school to make kids feel loved and appreciated. He visits students during lunch and gym class to hang out, chat, play games, and sing songs. He’s so impactful that “time with Deeeeee” even made one first-grader’s Christmas wish list. “I enjoy spending time with the students,” said D. “I strive to be a positive role model for them. I want them to know they can make it in life no matter what they go through. They can make a positive impact on the world.” Read more about D here.

Ferrum College Students Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity Project

From September through December 2019, Ferrum College’s women’s wrestling (pictured), soccer, and volleyball teams, along with other members of the student body, volunteered their weekends to help renovate a Franklin County home with the goal of getting the homeowner “home for the holidays.” The volunteers worked through the county’s Habitat for Humanity. The company posted on social media its gratitude “for so much cheerful hard work” from the College’s volunteers.  The homeowner plans to move back into her house in time for the New Year.

Ferrum College HHP Club Hosts “Milk and Cookies With Santa” Event

On December 11, 2019, Ferrum College’s Health and Human Performance club hosted the twelfth annual “Cookies and Milk with Santa” event in the Panthers Den. Ferrum College students, along with faculty, staff, and the community were invited for crafts, milk, cookies, and time with Santa.  HHP Club students also collected toys or monetary donations to benefit the Southern Virginia Child Advocacy Center. Learn more about Ferrum College HHP here.

Ferrum College Women’s Soccer Players Donate Toys to Local Children

This holiday season, Ferrum College Women’s Soccer players each brought in a toy to give to local children in need. They also began a new tradition: each player gave $5 and wrote down a charity of their choice. One charity was drawn and the money collected from the players will go to benefit that charity. Best Friends Animal Society will receive this year’s $150 donation. Learn more about Ferrum College Women’s Soccer here.

Ferrum College Campus Community Groups Hosts Trunk or Treat Event

The Ferrum College Office of Student Life, Tri Area Community Health Center, Student Activities, and Campus Police joined together to host the annual Trunk or Treat event, which was held November on campus. The event featured games, candy, costumes, and a special treat for the first 100 children in attendance. Canned food donations were accepted for the St. James Center.

Gateway Class Donates to Southern Virginia Child Advocacy Center

In October 2019, the freshman Gateway classes of Associate Professors of Recreation and Leadership Drs. Dan Caston and Chris Mayer presented over $230 to the Southern Virginia Child Advocacy Center as a result of their community service project. This gift served child survivors of abuse and neglect in our region. Learn more about Ferrum College’s recreation leadership program here.

Ferrum College Students Volunteer for Blood Drive

In early December, Human Anatomy and Physiology students signed up volunteers for the American Red Cross blood drive that was held on December 5, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The blood drive was a great success with many donors giving the gift of life. Read more about Ferrum College’s School of Health Professions and Social Sciences here.

Recreation Student Fundraiser Supports Child Advocacy Center and to Help Save the Next Girl

On December 5, 2019, Ferrum College recreational students provided cookies, hot chocolate, and Christmas note deliveries on campus for $1. Proceeds went to the Child Advocacy Center and to Help Save the Next Girl as Angel Tree sponsors. Learn more about Ferrum College recreation studies here.

When Senior Lawrence Baranski (also known as “LB”) was asked to reflect on his time as a student-athlete at Ferrum College, his response was: “No regrets.”

Looking at LB’s accomplishments, it’s easy to see why he feels this way. He is a stalwart football player, a solid student, and is involved in numerous campus organizations, to include Enactus (Business) Club, Student Athlete Academic Advisory Committee, National Residence Hall Honor Society, and Clay Target Club. LB was the 2017-18 Mentor of the Year for Brother4Brother, and currently serves as president of the Student Government Association and vice president of legislation.

With all of LB’s success off the field, it is the success he and his Panther teammates are finding on the field of which LB is most proud. “Coming from a losing team to a winning program, this is what I am most proud of,” he explained. “We have great coaches and have developed strong team unity. We compete at everything, from bowling to the inter-squad draft. We push each other. You have to be a ‘team’ to win.”

According to LB, the biggest challenges college athletes face are managing time, maintaining balance, and prioritizing. “You have to use a planner, there is too much going on in an athlete’s life,” he said. Prioritizing and balancing sports and academics is critical to success. “You have to put as much effort into the classroom as you do your sport. Even when it’s difficult,” he explained. “My most difficult class at Ferrum was statistics. I had to get additional help with the homework from the tutoring center. Sometimes that meant being late to football practice. I didn’t like it, but that was what I had to do.”

LB sees a bright career future. He wants to build on his business degree by working as a financial manager or possibly a stock trader; however, it is a deeper, more personal goal that drives LB. “I want to be a first-generation college student who becomes a millionaire,” he said.

During the last four years, Lawrence Baranski has embodied the spirit of the student-athlete. He has found success on the field, in the classroom, and within the Ferrum College campus community. When asked again if there were no regrets, he replied, “None. Although I would like to have the chance to play Emory and Henry again this year!”

Always the competitor.