Ferrum College

Faith of Our Fathers - [Postponed] TBA
2025-04-26 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-04-27 14:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | The Sale Theatre – Schoolfield Hall, 215 Ferrum Mountain Rd, Ferrum, Virginia, 24088-2611
Unfortunately, we need to postpone the auditions originally scheduled for April 10th, as well as the production of Faith of Our Fathers originally scheduled for April 26th and 27th. Stay tuned for updates!
Contact theatre@ferrum.edu or call the box office at (540) 365-4355
A celebration of a century in Schoolfield Hall, written by R. Rex Stephenson. Look back on the rich history of one of the most iconic buildings on the Ferrum College campus. Dinner will be served in the Blue Ridge Mountain room before the show, in the tradition of the Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre.
About Us:
An optional dinner or lunch is served before the show in Franklin Hall next door, and is served by the actors in the tradition of The Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre. Both Franklin Hall and Schoolfield Hall, where our performances are held, are handicapped accessible. We offer alternative meals for those with food allergies when given advanced notice: please note dietary and mobility restrictions in the comments at checkout.
Meal ticket sales often end before the show dates, and may not be available at the door. Unless sold out, most shows will have show-only tickets available at the door.
Email us at theatre@ferrum.edu or call the box office at- (540)365-4355. Please leave a message at the box office phone number, and we will make every effort to respond as quickly as possible.

"You Caught Me Dancing" by Bernard Sabath August 22, 23 and 24, 2025
2025-08-22 19:00 - 2025-08-24 14:00 | The Rex Stephenson Theatre – Schoolfield Hall, 215 Ferrum Mountain Rd, Ferrum, VA, 24088-2611, United States

Sports Hall of Fame 2025
2025-09-13 | VA

Homecoming 2025
2025-10-10 - 2025-10-12 | VA
Click here for complete Homecoming Weekend schedule and registration link.
If you have been a Jack Tale Player, click here to register for special 50th anniversary activities.

Jack Tale Players 50th Anniversary Celebration! Fri. Oct. 10, Sat. Oct. 11, Sun. Oct. 12
2025-10-10 19:00 - 2025-10-12 14:00 | The Sale Theatre – Schoolfield Hall, 215 Ferrum Mountain Rd, Ferrum, Virginia, 24088-2611
Beloved by generations of audiences, The Jack Tale Players are a treat for the whole family. In this very special anniversary celebration, the current company of The Jack Tale Players is joined onstage by veteran performers spanning five decades of the troupe’s history to perform Rex Stephenson’s dramatized Appalachian folktales and foot-stomping music.
There will be an optional meal served before the show on Saturday and Sunday. Join us! Visit www.ferrum.edu/theatre-tickets for your tickets!

October 10 at 7 PM
October 11, meal at 5:30, show at 7 PM
October 12, meal at 12:30, show at 2 PM

Are you a Jack Tale Player who wants to join us as a performer? Click here to register for Jack Tale reunion activities.
About Us:
An optional dinner or lunch is served by the actors in Franklin Hall next door before the show in the tradition of The Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre. Franklin Hall and Schoolfield Hall, where our performances are held, are handicapped accessible. We offer alternative meals for those with food allergies when given advance notice: please note dietary and mobility restrictions in the comments at checkout.
Meal ticket sales often end before the show dates, and may not be available at the door. Unless sold out, most shows will have show-only tickets available at the door.
Tours of Schoolfield Hall and its archival displays will also be offered during Homecoming Weekend, on Saturday, October 11 between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., and Sunday, October 12 between 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. Visitors will be able to peek behind the scenes at the Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre, learn a bit of Ferrum College trivia, and perhaps hear a ghost story or two. Homecoming Weekend schedule and registration at https://www.ferrum.edu/homecoming-weekend.
“Faith of Our Father” is a free performance on Sunday from 11 a.m. to noon, telling the story of the first hundred years of Schoolfield Hall through narration, music, and historical dramatization.
Email us at theatre@ferrum.edu or call the box office at (540) 365-4355. Please leave a message at the box office phone number, and we will make every effort to respond as quickly as possible.

Faith of Our Fathers - by R. Rex Stephenson
2025-10-12 11:00 - 12:00 | The Sale Theatre – Schoolfield Hall, 215 Ferrum Mountain Rd, Ferrum, Virginia, 24088-2611
A musical celebration of a century in Schoolfield Hall, written by R. Rex Stephenson. Look back on the rich history of one of the most iconic buildings on the Ferrum College campus.
Tickets are free, but we suggest reserving your ticket on our website https://www.ferrum.edu/theatre-tickets
About Us:
Schoolfield Hall, where our performances are held, is handicapped accessible. Please note mobility restrictions in the comments at checkout for this free event.
Email us at theatre@ferrum.edu or call the box office at- (540)365-4355. Please leave a message at the box office phone number, and we will make every effort to respond as quickly as possible.

Inquiring Minds: "Don't Be So Past Tense"
2025-10-22 11:30 - 12:30 | Ferrum College
All are welcome at Scout Lynch’s Inquiring Minds presentation, “Don’t Be So Past Tense,” which will address some myths about the English Language. Her linguistics professor, Dr. Tina Hanlon, will participate in the discussion. As an English major, Scout finds it important to not punish people for using problematically labeled “substandard” forms of English. The English language functions through mutual understanding, so there is no need to shame anyone for using slang or features of their own dialects. Scout will discuss prejudices about language that are so imprinted on us, such as the need to use “proper” English. Scout is passionate about encouraging accessible language for speakers of English. Senior English Major Scout Lynch has been editor-in-chief of “Chrysalis Literary and Arts Magazine” for over two years.
Come to Inquiring Minds on Oct. 22, in the LEaP Studio on the main floor of Stanley Library, to learn some of the real story of the English language and how it works, discuss some of your favorite expressions, and get some tips about using standard English in your work while having fun with informal varieties of language when you aren’t at work. No admission charge. Read more about it at https://www.ferrum.edu/news/ferrum-college-senior-scout-lynch-to-present-inquiring-minds-talk-on-language-varieties-dont-be-so-past-tense.

Inquiring Minds: “Worlds Gone Wrong—What Is Dystopian Literature and Why Should You Know About It?”
2025-10-29 11:30 - 12:30 | Stanley Library, 150 Wiley Drive, Ferrum, 24088, United States
On Wednesday, October 29, Ferrum College’s Inquiring Minds series will feature “Worlds Gone Wrong: What Is Dystopian Literature and Why Should You Know About It?” Professor of English Lana A. Whited will lead a discussion of the increasing popularity of literature about terrible fictional places and her new English course on The Dystopian Tradition. The program is free and open to the public.
Inquiring Minds offers lively, informal presentations and activities on various interesting topics for the entire community. Stanley Library at Ferrum College presents the series on most Wednesdays during the academic year, in the LEaP Studio on the library’s main floor during the campus’s community hour from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Whited’s presentation will ask the audience to consider what they would do if the world seemed to be falling apart. “For over 100 years, writers and filmmakers have imagined catastrophes of various types (political, medical, etc.) and how to survive them,” wrote Whited. Imaginative works created by these artists are labelled dystopian, and “dystopia” literally means “bad place” because a dystopian world is no place you’d want to live.
Read more about it at https://www.ferrum.edu/news/ferrum-college-inquiring-minds-series-presents-worlds-gone-wrong-what-is-dystopian-literature-on-october-29.

"Chrysalis" to Host Halloween Coffee House at Ferrum College on October 30
2025-10-30 20:00 - 22:00 | Panthers Den
A Halloween coffee house for the campus and community will be held on Thursday, October 30 in the Panthers Den at Ferrum College, beginning at 8 p.m. “Chrysalis Literary and Arts Magazine” invites students, faculty, and staff to read original poems and short stories, sing, or present other talents.
“Chrysalis” and other student groups host open-mic coffee houses held several times throughout the academic year. Anyone is welcome to attend and participate without signing up in advance. Free cookies and coffee will be served.
If you wear a Halloween costume, you could win a prize. Senior Scout Lynch has been seen working with a massive ball of yarn to crochet her costume called Lord of the Strings. Suspense is building as her friends and professors are eager to see her newest original creation. English professors who attended last year’s Halloween coffee house are shown in the photograph.

The editor of “Chrysalis” is Scout Lynch and the faculty advisor is Professor of English Katherine Grimes. Past issues of “Chrysalis” can be read online and the Fall 2025 issue will be revealed on November 20 at 7 p.m. in the Blue Ridge Mountain Room in Franklin Hall.
The Panthers Den is located on the ground floor of Franklin Hall. For additional information, contact Dr. Katherine Grimes at kgrimes@ferrum.edu.

Veterans Day Program
2025-11-11 11:30 - 12:30 | Vaughn Chapel, Ferrum College, Rt. 40, Ferrum, VA, 24088, United States
The Veterans Day Program on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at 11:30 AM in Vaughn Chapel, will feature Professor Emeritus Melvin Macklin speaking about the importance of veterans in today’s uncertain world. Dr. Macklin served as an Army Sergeant and Radio Communications Specialist from 1965 to 1969, in Germany and in Vietnam during the TET Offensive.
Dr. Macklin’s teaching and research over the past fifty years have focused on Holocaust studies and American literature, especially African American literature and slave narratives. He has taught in the English Department at Ferrum College since 2008.
This program is a special opportunity to recognize and show our gratitude to the men and women who have served in our armed forces. All members of the local and college community are encouraged to join the college in this meaningful event.

5K Color Walk/Run Benefiting Stepping Stone Mission
2025-11-15 08:15 - 11:00 | Main campus near Schoolfield Hall, 150 Wiley Drive, Ferrum, VA, 24088, United States
Ferrum College’s Nursing, Social Work, and Teacher Education programs are teaming up to host a 5K Color Walk/Run on Saturday, November 15, 2025, raising awareness of hunger in the community while bringing students, faculty, staff, and neighbors together for a fun and meaningful cause. Check-in and registration will take place from 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. in front of Schoolfield Hall on campus. The link to register in advance is below.
The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a welcome from Ferrum College President Mirta Martin, followed by remarks at 8:40 a.m. from Staci Moles of Stepping Stone Mission of Franklin County. A pre-race group photo will be taken on the steps of Schoolfield at 8:45 a.m., and the race will officially begin at 9:00 a.m. A post-race group photo and celebration will conclude the event.
For more information, see the following articles
“Color for a Cause” by student editor Grace Weaver.
Ferrum College website article

Grand Ole Ferrum Opry
2025-11-21 19:00 - 20:30 | Vaughn Chapel, Ferrum College, Rt. 40, Ferrum, VA, 24088, United States
The Grand Ole Ferrum Opry returns in a pre-Christmas edition that will honor Bobby Radford. Performers will include Orchestra Appalachia, the Panther Singers, guests Remington and Christian Davis, and more.
Free and open to the public in Vaughn Chapel on the Ferrum College campus.
For more information, contact Emily Blankenship-Tucker, program coordinator for Music & Theatre at Ferrum College, ebtucker@ferrum.edu.

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas Dec 5-14, 2025
2025-12-05 19:00 - 2025-12-14 14:00 | VA
It’s three days before Christmas, and Mayor Fox has just announced a Christmas talent contest with a grand prize of fifty dollars! Meanwhile, times are tough for Ma and Emmet Otter since Pa passed away, and winning that prize money would allow them to buy each other a secret Christmas gift. Emmet considers forming a jug-band with his friends, but in order to do that he’ll have to put a hole in Ma’s washtub. The problem is, Ma earns money by doing other folks’ laundry in the washtub. Ma thinks about hocking Pa’s old toolbox so she can make a costume for the contest, but Emmet uses those tools to do odd jobs. As Christmas Eve and the talent contest quickly approach, will Ma and Emmet sacrifice what little they have, or will their Christmas wishes come true?
Coming back to Ferrum College for our third year, this family favorite is sure to please with new surprises!
About Us:
An optional dinner or lunch is served before the show in Franklin Hall next door, and is served by the actors in the tradition of The Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre. Both Franklin Hall and Schoolfield Hall, where our performances are held, are handicapped accessible. We offer alternative meals for those with food allergies when given advance notice: please note dietary and mobility restrictions in the comments at checkout.
Meal ticket sales often end before the show dates, and may not be available at the door. Purchase tickets at www.ferrum.edu/theatre-tickets.
Email us at theatre@ferrum.edu or call the box office at (540) 365-4355. Please leave a message at the box office phone number, and we will make every effort to respond as quickly as possible.
Read more about the 2023 production and the creation of many puppet characters here: https://cardinalnews.org/2023/12/07/ferrum-brings-a-much-loved-puppet-christmas-to-the-stage

Christmas at the Farm
2025-12-19 16:00 - 19:00 | Blue Ridge Institute and Museum, 20 Museum Dr., Ferrum, VA, 24088
UPDATE: On December 19, the decision was made to move the event indoors at the museum, because of high winds outdoors. Other plans remain the same. Join us around the Christmas tree inside the museum at the address below!
Join us at the 1800 farm museum for our annual traditional Christmas in the Blue Ridge. The 1800 farm at the BRIM will be lit with lanterns and we will have cookies, cider, and a variety of vendors selling their unique items. This annual event is FREE and open to the public and we hope you will share this special time with us.
Photo by Dr. Bob Pohlad

Honoring a Legacy: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2026
2026-01-19 11:15 - 12:00 | Vaughn Chapel, 80 Wiley Dr., Ferrum, United States
On Monday, January 19, 2026 from 11:15 am to noon in Vaughn Chapel, the Ferrum College campus and community will come together to observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The keynote speaker for this event, Dr. Melvin Macklin, will talk about “The Making of a Dream.”
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a National Day of Service and a powerful call to action to reflect on Dr. King’s enduring legacy of justice, equality, and nonviolent service, and to commit ourselves to his vision of the Beloved Community.
Dr. Macklin served in the United States Army as a Sergeant and Radio Communications Specialist from 1965 to 1969, including service in Germany and Vietnam during the Tet Offensive. He later earned his Ph.D. in Literary Studies from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2008, becoming the first recipient of the university’s Certificate in Holocaust Studies. He has taught in Ferrum College’s English Department since 2008 and was named professor emeritus in 2021; he continues to teach part-time.
His teaching and scholarship focus on Holocaust studies, African American literature, and slave narratives, and he has authored several works on African American history and culture. Throughout more than fifty years in education, Dr. Macklin has remained dedicated to continual self-improvement and to affirming, in the spirit of Dr. King, the dream and vision of a more just world.
Dr. Macklin will share firsthand experience, educate, and empower every member of our community. Please plan to join us for this insightful program and time of reflection.
Photo of Vaughn Chapel by Dr. Bob Pohlad.

Spring Career and Internship Fair
2026-02-12 11:00 - 13:00 | Blue Ridge Mountain Room, 215 Ferrum Mountain Road, Ferrum, VA, 24088, United States
Explore career and internship opportunities and connect with employers at Ferrum College’s Spring 2026 Career and Internship Fair. This event is free to attend.
Location: Blue Ridge Mountain Room, Franklin Hall
Information on academic programs at Ferrum College
Questions: Leslie Holden, Director of Career Development | lholden@ferrum.edu | 540.365.4460

Alumni Sweetheart Society Valentine's Event — Open to All!
2026-02-14 18:00 - 21:00 | Blue Ridge Mountain Room, 215 Ferrum Mountain Road, Ferrum, VA, 24088, United States
Dear Panther Family,
Some relationships begin in the classroom, others at the student union, on the field, or during a late-night study session in the library. No matter where your spark first ignited, your story is part of our shared Panther history.
You’re invited to the Alumni Sweetheart Society Valentine’s Event—a festive evening celebrating love, connection, and community at Ferrum College. While the Sweetheart Society honors alumni couples who met on campus, this event is open to everyone who would like to attend. Students are welcome to attend and may use Metz dining dollars.
Whether you’re married, dating, longtime partners, single, alumni, or simply looking for a fun and elegant Valentine’s celebration, we welcome you to join us for a memorable night back on campus.
Event Details
Saturday, February 14, 2026 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Blue Ridge Mountain Room, Franklin Hall
Formal/semi-formal (optional black tie for those who want to go all out!)
Black, gold, red, and white color theme
Registration Rates
Early-bird (expires January 31, 2026)
• $50/couple
• $25/single
Advance Registration (expires February 10, 2026)
• $60/couple
• $30/single
At the Door
• $70/couple
• $35/single
Enjoy an evening of great food, music, selfie photo opportunities, and more as we celebrate love in all its forms. Space is limited, so we encourage you to reserve your spot early.
Click here to register today.

Have a special story to share? Click here to tell us your sweetheart story.
We can’t wait to welcome you back to Ferrum for this signature Alumni Engagement event. Let’s celebrate love, laughter, and lasting connections—right where so many memories were made

Grandma Gatewood Took a Walk, Feb. 20-22
2026-02-20 19:00 - 2026-02-22 14:00 | The Rex Stephenson Theatre – Schoolfield Hall, 215 Ferrum Mountain Rd, Ferrum, VA, 24088-2611, United States
In 1955, Emma “Grandma” Gatewood, a 67-year-old Ohio woman in Keds, carrying her things in a homemade sack, walked the entire Appalachian Trail. She hiked nearly 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine. She was the first woman to complete a solo thru-hike and later did it again twice.
Her story is about grit, stubborn hope, and that deep Appalachian knowing that if you keep putting one foot in front of the other, you’ll get where you’re meant to go. Grandma Gatewood Took a Walk by Catherine Bush brings this true story to the stage. It offers a reminder that it’s never too late to start over, chase freedom, or answer the call of the trail. If these mountains mean something to you, come walk a while with Grandma Gatewood.
Performances February 20 and 21 at 7 p.m., February 22 at 2 p.m. An optional pre-show dinner is served on Saturday at 5:30 and Sunday at 12:30.
Directed by Emily Blankenship-Tucker, with visiting performer Becky Prophet as Grandma Gatewood and Rebecca Crocker performing thirteen supporting roles.
Produced with permission of the playwright.
The play has adult themes and is not intended for children. It is based on a true story, as told in the nonfiction book Grandma Gatewood’s Walk by Ben Montgomery (2014), and in Gatewood’s diaries and interviews.
www.ferrum.edu/theatre-tickets
Click here to read more about it.

Open Mike Night
2026-03-11 19:00 - 21:00 | Panthers Den
An Open Mike Night for the campus and community will be held on Wednesday, March 11 in Franklin Hall at Ferrum College, beginning at 7 p.m. “Chrysalis Literary and Arts Magazine“ invites students, faculty, and staff to read original poems and short stories, sing, or present other talents.
“Chrysalis“ and other student groups host open mike coffee houses several times throughout the academic year. Anyone is welcome to attend and participate without signing up in advance. Free refreshments will be served.
The editor of “Chrysalis” is senior Mattie Green (shown reading from her work in the photo) and the faculty advisor is Professor of English Katherine Grimes. The Fall 2025 issue and other past issues of “Chrysalis” can be read online and the Spring 2026 issue will be revealed at the end of the semester. A limited number of free printed copies of the magazine are also available each semester.
“Chrysalis” is both a club and a practicum course for students who submit their own work and earn course credit for compiling, editing, and laying out the magazine each semester. They encourage students, faculty, and staff to submit original work early in each semester and to read from their work and discuss visual artwork at the coffee houses and end-of-semester reveal.
For the Open Mike event, go to the Panthers Den on the ground floor of Franklin Hall. Contact Dr. Katherine Grimes for additional information, at kgrimes@ferrum.edu.

Empty Bowls 2026
2026-03-15 11:00 - 14:00 | Blue Ridge Mountain Room, 215 Ferrum Mountain Road, Ferrum, VA, 24088, United States
The 16th annual Empty Bowls event at Ferrum College will be on March 15, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
This event funds Panther Packs food for Ferrum Elementary School children to take home throughout the school year. Any family with food insecurity can sign their children up to receive food every week. Throughout the winter, college students, Blue Ridge Potters Guild members, and other volunteers make hundreds of clay bowls. At the event, the college dining service provides soup to eat in the unique bowl you purchase.
The silent auction offers a variety of items made by potters and other artisans–a great place to buy gifts. Throughout the school year, community and college volunteers purchase nonperishable food and pack it in bags that are delivered to the school.
In 2025, Empty Bowls at Ferrum College had record attendance and proceeds, raising over $13,000. Participating in a national network of Empty Bowls fundraisers to provide food where needed in any locality, this is the sole fundraiser for the Panther Packs program at Ferrum Elementary. With the price of food rising in recent times, every bowl donated and sold is important.
For more information, contact Nell Fredericksen, adjunct professor of art, nfredericksen2@ferrum.edu.
Check the Ferrum College Empty Bowls Facebook page for more photos and previews.

The Music Man – March 19-22, 2026
2026-03-19 19:00 - 2026-03-22 14:00 | VA
By turns wicked, funny, warm, romantic and touching, The Music Man is family entertainment at its best. Meredith Willson’s six-time, Tony Award-winning musical comedy has been entertaining audiences since 1957 and is a family-friendly story to be shared with every generation.
This production is directed by Emily Blankenship-Tucker, with a multigenerational cast of Ferrum College students, faculty, staff, alumni, local children, and other community volunteers.
The Music Man follows fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys’ band that he vows to organize – despite the fact that he doesn’t know a trombone from a treble clef. His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian, the librarian, who transforms him into a respectable citizen by curtain’s fall.
Click here to read more about the show.
About Us:
No preshow meal will be served on Thursday or Friday, March 19 & 20 – Join us for the Fish Fry Friday in Franklin Hall (sold separately at the dining hall) on Friday March 20.
An optional dinner or lunch is served before the show (on Saturday and Sunday only) in Franklin Hall next door, and is served by the actors in the tradition of The Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre. Both Franklin Hall and Schoolfield Hall, where our performances are held, are handicapped accessible. We offer alternative meals for those with food allergies when given advance notice: please note dietary and mobility restrictions in the comments at checkout.
Meal ticket sales often end before the show dates, and may not be available at the door. Tickets are available at www.ferrum.edu/theatre-tickets.
Thursday is Student Night. Area high school students will be admitted for $1 cash, and younger children are free.
Email us at theatre@ferrum.edu or call the box office at (540) 365-4355. Please leave a message at the box office phone number, and we will make every effort to respond as quickly as possible.
Follow Ferrum College Theatre Arts in Facebook and ferrumtheatrearts in Instagram for cast announcements and other previews.

Agripalooza: Where Innovation Meets Tradition
2026-03-24 08:00 | VA
Ferrum College will host Agripalooza: Where Technology Meets Tradition on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in celebration of National Agriculture Day. Presented in partnership with the Virginia Small Business Development Center, Greater Roanoke & NRV, and Franklin County, Virginia, the in-person conference will bring together farmers, entrepreneurs, and community partners to explore innovation and opportunity in today’s agricultural economy. The Commonwealth’s Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, Katie Frazier, will headline the program as the keynote speaker.
Registration for Agripalooza is $50 per person and includes access to all conference sessions, networking opportunities, light refreshments, and lunch. Additional event details and registration information are available at the Virginia SBDC website at roanokesmallbusiness.org/agripalooza.

Blood Drive at Ferrum College March 25
2026-03-25 10:00 - 15:00 | Vaughn Chapel, Ferrum College, Rt. 40, Ferrum, VA, 24088, United States
Ferrum College Nursing and the American Red Cross are hosting a blood drive at Ferrum College.
Please join our lifesaving mission and schedule an appointment today!
Site: Lower Level of Vaughn Chapel
Address: Vaughn Chapel, 80 Wiley Dr, Ferrum, VA, 24088
Date: Wed Mar 25, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 03:00 PM
Blood Program Leader Name: Tammy Hodges, thodges@ferrum.edu
Blood Program Leader Phone Number: 540 365-5558
Download the Red Cross Blood Donor App on the App Store or Google Play or text BLOODAPP to 90999. Schedule appointments, view your blood type and results of your mini-physical, and track your donations.
The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community. Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and most of us will need blood in our lifetime.
Thank you for supporting the American Red Cross blood program!
More information about nursing and allied health programs at this link.

Don’t Wait! Now Is The Best Time To Write That Book!
2026-03-25 11:30 - 12:30 | Stanley Library, 150 Wiley Drive, Ferrum, 24088, United States
Many college students dream of writing a book someday—but most believe they need more experience, more confidence, or permission before they can begin. In this engaging and practical talk, bestselling author Jane Fenton challenges that assumption and reveals why now is the best time to start writing and sharing your work. Drawing from her real-world experience publishing multiple books and building an audience from the ground up, Fenton breaks down the core principles behind writing a book people actually want to read. Students will learn why it’s important to know your audience, how social media can be used to connect with your readers, and why imperfect, authentic content consistently outperforms polished perfection. This presentation reframes writing a book not as a distant dream, but as a powerful tool for confidence and career momentum—whether students plan to become authors, entrepreneurs, or professionals in any field. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how to begin, practical steps they can take immediately, and the realization that waiting is often the biggest obstacle of all.
Inquiring Minds offers lively, informal presentations and activities on various interesting topics for the entire community. Stanley Library at Ferrum College presents the series on most Wednesdays during the academic year, in the LEaP Studio on the library’s main floor during the campus’s community hour from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Jane Fenton is author of the Repo Girl series of novels about a young woman who repossesses cars for a living and keeps running across dead bodies. They have been called “fast-paced mysteries with lots of laughs and a little romance.” Jane is an avid reader of books that combine romance, mystery, and laughter because they’re as satisfying as a triple fudge sundae—without the calories. Although she shares her heroine’s love of Roanoke City, good friends, junk food, stray dogs, and Jeep Wranglers, she’s quite happy to create these fun misadventures from the comfort of her quiet farmhouse in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia where she lives with her family.
Jane Fenton website

Janine Latus: We Need to Talk (about Relationship Abuse)
2026-03-30 11:30 - 12:30 | Panthers Den
Janine Latus, author of the nonfiction book If I Am Missing or Dead, will return to the Ferrum College campus on March 30 to lead a discussion about relationship abuse. The event will take place in the Panthers Den in Franklin Hall at 11:30 a.m. All are welcome for free.
Latus is a journalist, author and advocate who describes herself as a “fierce warrior against sexual assault and domestic violence.”
She travels the world telling her own stories about domestic violence and educating clients who have included the U.S. Navy, Major League Baseball, and many other companies, nonprofits, and schools. Her work has inspired thousands of people to recognize relationship abuse, break free, and heal. One previous host called her “the most compelling speaker on sexual assault and relationship violence that I have ever heard.”
In addition to being a widely sought-after speaker, Latus is also a writing teacher and her New York Times best-selling book, If I Am Missing or Dead, was published in 2007. She earned a bachelor’s degree in horticulture and a master’s degree in journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia. One Amazon reviewer wrote about her book, “I give this story . . . my highest recommendation. I would like to track down the journalism professor who once gave Janine Latus a ‘C’ and buy her a copy of the book.”
After one of Latus’ previous three visits to Ferrum College, Professor of English Lana Whited wrote, “I have seldom heard the undergraduate students on our campus quieter than when Janine Latus was speaking to them. At the end of my class, students filed out, shaking her hand and offering their thanks. Over the course of the three days she spent on our campus, she spoke in five classes, at a campus-wide program, and with clients at our local women’s shelter. On campus, I frequently saw students talking with her privately, sometimes with tears in their eyes. Janine helps victims of abuse understand that they neither deserved nor provoked it, and she encourages them on their own healing journeys. She is generous with her time and talents and unwavering in her crusade to spare others what she and her sister Amy endured. Her message resonates long after she has gone.”
You can watch a TED talk by Latus on YouTube, and you can read her feature stories at janinelatus.com.
Copies of her book will be available for purchase, and a reception will follow the program. It is sponsored by the Ferrum chapter of Help Save the Next Girl, as well as the Quality Enhancement Program and the Office of Student Leadership and Engagement.
Help Save the Next Girl is a national nonprofit organization formed in honor of Morgan Dana Harrington, a 20-year-old Virginia Tech student who was abducted and murdered in 2009. It seeks to sensitize young women and girls to predatory danger. The foundation fosters mutual respect and camaraderie with young men, and is committed to be an active, imaginative presence on campuses and in clubs and violence prevention forums across the country. Help Save the Next Girl continually develops vital relationships with media and law enforcement. Its connections enhance its ability to quickly disseminate urgent information, such as about a missing person. Help Save the Next Girl also provides outreach support to victims’ families. Its media presence also promotes its mission to keep young women and campus communities alert to predatory danger. It participates actively in endorsing legislation that augments safety practices in communities. Through diligent activism in education, victim support, and legislation, it creates a strong foundation against violence as it strives to help save the next girl.

More background:
“If I am missing or dead, this has obviously not protected me,” wrote Janine Latus’s youngest sister, Amy, in a note she taped to the underside of her desk in 2002. The note was found after Amy disappeared during the same spring when Janine left her own marriage–escaped, she would say–due to feelings of being “afraid, controlled, inadequate, and trapped.” A journalist by training, Janine turned her skills in investigation and analysis to the question of how she and her sister, “two seemingly well-adjusted, successful women,” ended up in relationships with men who regularly assaulted and denigrated them physically, emotionally, and psychologically. The result was If I Am Missing or Dead: A Sister’s Story of Love, Murder, and LIberation, published by Simon & Schuster in 2007. On the momentum of the book’s success, Latus launched a crusade to take her insights wherever they might be useful–to college campuses, civic and advocacy organizations, and training sessions with organizations such as the U.S. Department of Defense and Major League Baseball.
Information provided by Dr. Lana Whited and Ms. Janine Latus.

Global Conflict and Human Consequence: A Talk with Kenneth R. Rosen
2026-04-07 11:30 - 12:30 | Panthers Den
Join us at Ferrum College on Tuesday, April 7, for a thought-provoking and timely talk by award-winning journalist and author Kenneth R. Rosen, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Panthers Den at Franklin Hall. This engaging event will cover key issues in political science, journalism, geopolitics, and Arctic affairs, and is free and open to everyone. Rosen’s talk will also be live-streamed on the Ferrum College Facebook page.
Rosen is an internationally recognized narrative journalist whose work focuses on the human impact of global conflict and geopolitical changes. A recipient of the Kurt Schork Award and the Bayeux-Calvados Award for War
Correspondents—and a two-time finalist for the Livingston Award—his reporting has taken him across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Rosen’s work has appeared in major publications such as “The New Yorker,” “The New York Times,” “The Atlantic,” and “WIRED.” He is the author of three books, including his latest, “Polar War: Submarines, Spies, and the Struggle for Power in a Melting Arctic,” which examines rising tensions and global power struggles in the Arctic.
Rosen divides his time between Western Massachusetts and Northern Italy with his wife and their three children.

Pixels and Pages: Senior Art Exhibit by Mattie Green
2026-04-16 16:30 - 18:00 | Stanley Library, 150 Wiley Drive, Ferrum, 24088, United States
Pixels and Pages is multimedia storytelling exhibition that examines both the magic and the macabre found in the forests of Appalachia. Through a blend of photography, poetry, memoir, and digital design, Mattie Green explores the fragility and determination of life nestled in the mountains. The exhibition will be opened with a reception in the E. Taylor Greer Art Gallery, in Stanley Library at Ferrum College, on April 16, 2026, 4:30-6:00 p.m. All are welcome to attend for free.
In her art, Green is drawn to the way nature coexists with the often unnoticed and abandoned traces of humanity. She enjoys searching for the unseen and highlighting that in her work. Rain, rust, insects, and forests are commonly showcased, and an undercurrent of transformation and renewal frequently makes an appearance.

Mattie Green is an Appalachian artist and multi-disciplinary creative currently living in Rocky Mount, Virginia. As a self-proclaimed “Jill of All Skills,” she thrives on learning new tools and approaches to solve complex problems from every angle. You can find samples of her work @GreenfinchMedia on Facebook and Instagram.
Mattie will graduate on May 2 with her B.S. in Marketing and her B.A. in Graphic Design at Ferrum College. On campus, she serves as editor-in-chief for Chrysalis Literary and Arts Magazine, and president of the Art & Media Club. Additionally, she is a member of Sigma Tau Delta (International English Honor Society) and the National Society of Leadership and Success.
After the opening reception on April 16, the exhibit can be viewed until May 1 during the following hours:
Monday – Thursday: 7:45 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Friday: 7:45 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday: 3 – 11 p.m.

Academic Awards Ceremony
2026-04-17 16:00 | Vaughn Chapel, 80 Wiley Dr., Ferrum, United States
The Ferrum College community will gather to celebrate academic excellence and achievement during the annual Academic Awards Ceremony beginning at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 17, in Vaughn Chapel.
This special event recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of Ferrum College students, faculty, and staff across a range of areas, including academic achievement, leadership, service, and campus engagement. The ceremony reflects the spirit of Ferrum’s guiding motto, “Not Self, But Others,” and highlights the dedication, scholarship, and contributions that strengthen the College community.
Students, faculty, staff, and guests are invited to attend as the College honors those who exemplify excellence both in and beyond the classroom.

Chrysalis Reveal
2026-04-23 19:00 - 20:30 | Blue Ridge Mountain Room, 215 Ferrum Mountain Road, Ferrum, VA, 24088, United States
The magazine staff will reveal the Spring 2026 issue of Chrysalis Literary and Arts Magazine, and contributors will read from their works and discuss their submissions. Contest winners will be announced, and refreshments will be served! Everyone is welcome.
The editor-in-chief is senior Mattie Green.
The advisor is Dr. Katherine Grimes.
Click here to read past issues of Chrysalis.

Photo of contributors from fall 2025 Chrysalis reveal
Photo below by Mattie Green from a past issue.
