Ferrum, VA, July 24, 2026 — Ferrum College is pleased to announce the appointment of Matthew C. E. Hubbard, Regional President for Southwest Virginia at C&F Bank, to its Board of Trustees, bringing to the College an accomplished banking executive, respected community leader, and passionate advocate for economic and community development.

With more than seventeen years of commercial banking leadership, Hubbard has established a distinguished career serving businesses and communities throughout Virginia. As Regional President for C&F Bank’s Southwest Virginia markets, he provides strategic leadership across the region, drawing upon extensive expertise in commercial and industrial lending, commercial real estate, relationship management, and financial strategy. Prior to joining C&F Bank, he served in senior leadership positions with Atlantic Union Bank and American National Bank & Trust.

Hubbard earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics from Radford University and a Master of Business Administration from the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at College of William & Mary. He is also a graduate of the Virginia Bankers School of Bank Management at the University of Virginia and the prestigious Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Pennsylvania.

A native of Franklin County, Virginia, Hubbard has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to community service throughout his career. He has served on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations, including United Way of Virginia’s Blue Ridge, the Science Museum of Western Virginia, the Blue Ridge Mountains Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and the Grandin Theatre Foundation. In recognition of his professional achievements and community leadership, he was named to The Roanoker magazine’s “40 Under 40” Class of 2023.

“We are honored and excited to welcome Matthew Hubbard to the Ferrum College Board of Trustees and grateful for his leadership and partnership with our institution,” said Dr. Mirta M. Martin, president of Ferrum College. “Strong relationships with community leaders who believe in our mission are essential to advancing opportunities for our students and strengthening the future of the College. Mr. Hubbard’s commitment to service, leadership, and the communities we serve reflects the very values that define Ferrum College. We look forward to the wisdom, perspective, and passion he will bring as we continue preparing students to lead, serve, and make a difference.”

As a member of the Board of Trustees, Hubbard will help provide strategic leadership as Ferrum College continues to strengthen its academic programs, expand opportunities for students, and build meaningful partnerships that support the institution’s long-term success.

Hubbard’s appointment reflects Ferrum College’s commitment to engaging visionary leaders whose professional expertise, community engagement, and dedication to service will help shape the College’s future while advancing its mission of educating graduates who make meaningful contributions to their communities and professions.

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Held on the Ferrum College campus July 6–17, the academy provided high school students ages 14 to 19 from across Southwest Virginia with immersive, hands-on training in the construction trades at no cost. By combining the strengths of higher education, workforce development, local government, and private industry, the program removed financial barriers and exposed students to high-demand, high-paying career opportunities.

The academy featured two specialized weeks of instruction to introduce students to different areas of the construction industry.

Concrete Week (July 6–10), sponsored by Procon, Inc., Ferrum College, and Franklin County, introduced students to commercial concrete construction. Under the guidance of Build Smart Institute instructors and Procon professionals, participants learned about jobsite safety, poured and finished concrete for a permanent structure at Ferrum College, and gained firsthand experience with commercial and industrial construction techniques.

Carpentry Week (July 13–17), sponsored by Virginia Housing, Ferrum College, and Franklin County, focused on woodworking and residential construction skills. Under the guidance of Build Smart Institute instructors, students learned safe tool operation, practiced basic carpentry techniques, and continued building a permanent picnic shelter at Ferrum College’s softball field.

To ensure the program was accessible to all interested students, tuition was fully covered, daily transportation was provided between The Franklin Center in Rocky Mount and Ferrum College, and participants received lunch daily.

“Our partnerships with Build Smart Institute, Franklin County Economic Development, Procon, Inc., and Virginia Housing reflect Ferrum College’s commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for young people to discover their strengths, explore rewarding career paths, and envision bright futures for themselves and our region,” said Dr. Mirta M. Martin, president of Ferrum College. “Experiences like Future Builders Academy help students gain practical skills, build confidence, and see firsthand what’s possible when education and industry work together. We are proud to welcome these students to our campus, introduce them to the Ferrum College community, and help them see the many educational pathways available to support their goals.”

Build Smart Institute President Michelle Ramaker said the academy gives students an authentic introduction to the skilled trades while helping meet the region’s growing workforce needs.

“The enthusiasm and craftsmanship these students have shown over the past two weeks prove that the passion for building is alive and well in Southwest Virginia,” said Ramaker. “By providing high school students with real-world, industry-standard training guided by experienced instructors, we aren’t just teaching trade skills, we’re opening doors to rewarding career pathways. Our collaboration with Ferrum College, Franklin County Economic Development, Procon, Inc., and Virginia Housing helps prepare these students to enter the modern construction workforce with confidence.”

For Procon, Inc., participating in the academy was an opportunity to invest directly in the future of the construction industry by sharing expertise with the next generation.

“At Procon, we believe one of the best ways to strengthen the construction industry is to invest in the next generation,” said Aaron Long, president of Procon, Inc. “By providing students with hands-on experience in concrete construction, we introduce them to career paths they might not otherwise consider. Whether they pursue the skilled trades or construction management, or simply gain a greater appreciation for the craft, we’re honored to help open those doors.”

Franklin County Economic Development Director Danielle Poe said the academy exemplifies the impact that can be achieved through strong regional partnerships focused on workforce development. “Economic development is about building a sustainable future, and that starts with our youth,” said Poe. “The Future Builders Academy demonstrates what is possible when education, industry, and local government work together. We’re grateful to our partners and sponsors for bringing this opportunity to Franklin County and to the students who embraced the experience. We hope many of them will continue pursuing careers that will one day bring their talents back to our community.”

The Future Builders Academy’s impact extends beyond the two-week experience by connecting students with educational and career pathways that can lead directly into the regional workforce. The Academy also serves as a gateway to continued education and workforce training. Students seeking to expand their skills can pursue Ferrum College’s Technical Studies and Construction Project Management programs, developed in partnership with Build Smart Institute. These programs offer opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials, such as NCCER and OSHA-10 certifications, while working toward a college degree.

For more information on workforce training opportunities at Ferrum College, visit the College’s Technical Studies program or Build Smart Institute.

Click here for more photographs.

About the Partners

Ferrum College is a private liberal arts institution located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Through personalized, hands-on learning and strong regional partnerships, the College prepares students for meaningful careers and lifelong success, including in high-demand workforce fields through its Technical Studies programs.

Build Smart Institute, based in Roanoke, Virginia, is a leading trade school dedicated to providing accessible, career-focused training in construction and the skilled trades. Its industry-recognized programs prepare students for successful careers in carpentry, electrical, plumbing, construction management, and related fields.

The Franklin County Office of Economic Development promotes sustainable economic growth by supporting business development, strengthening the local workforce, and fostering partnerships that enhance opportunities for residents and employers throughout the region.

Procon, Inc., headquartered in Rocky Mount, Virginia, is a leading commercial and industrial concrete contractor serving Virginia, North Carolina, and surrounding states. Guided by its commitment to integrity, determination, and safety, Procon delivers high-quality turnkey concrete construction services.

Virginia Housing works in partnership with communities across the Commonwealth to help Virginians attain quality, affordable housing while supporting initiatives that strengthen neighborhoods, expand workforce opportunities, and invest in the future of Virginia’s communities.

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Dr. Crow’s storytelling often focused on his folksy and wise alter ego Old Joe Grady. He appeared in two public radio series, one on these original stories in 1996-2000 and one on Appalachia in 2000, then published a group of the tales on a college website. The book grew out of these Old Joe Grady tales and, as his family describes it, “a lifetime of stories, hiking trips, and family adventures.”

At the time of his death in July 2025, Dr. Crow had completed a draft and signed a contract with Black Rose Writing, an independent publisher in Texas. After Dr. Crow was hospitalized in July and Black Rose owner Reagan Rothe gave the go-ahead for the project to continue, son Rob Crow said he turned to Ferrum College Professor of English Lana Whited “because I knew she had written a book and was an experienced editor as well. When the publisher informed me that he believed I was ‘more than capable of finishing the book,’ my first thought was that I still needed Lana and her expertise to produce a book to Dad’s standards and give it the quality it rightly deserves.” 

Dr. Whited has worked extensively through the past year editing, proofreading, checking copy, consulting with the family and publisher, and helping to publicize the book. Professor of English Katherine Grimes helped with proofreading and Professor Emerita of English Marcia Horn contributed a blurb to help promote the book as well.

Dr. Whited wrote, “‘Staying Alive in Bear Country’ is the magnum opus of Pete Crow’s heart, his lifelong project, and a synthesis of many of his life’s passions and experiences.”

The book, which Dr. Crow considered a novel, follows the adventures of the central character over about sixty years as he navigates varied jobs, travels, and locations, including not only his native North Carolina but also New York City, Wyoming, the New River Valley region, Honduras, South Africa, and even William Faulkner’s imagined Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi. The publisher describes how he maintains “wonder, curiosity, and authentic engagement with every day he’s given.” Sometimes autobiographical and often fictional, the adventures are episodes in the protagonist’s ongoing quest “to stay alive until you die . . . to feel excited about each new day. Like a kid, you know. But over a lifetime” (p. 2). The publisher says that with “humor, heart, and unflinching honesty” he “examines friendship, love, mortality, and the courage required to stay truly alive in an often challenging world.”

The effort to see the book in print became a family project for the Crows. Beth Crow, the author’s spouse of more than forty-five years and 1979 Ferrum graduate, created the watercolor illustration for the cover, featuring a young bear perching at the top of a tree. Rob Crow has worked closely with Dr. Whited and Black Rose on editorial and publishing work, and daughter Amy Crow has helped with publicity and collecting photos for an author website. 

Beth Crow recalls that her husband’s writing preferences reflected many of his favorites: he often wrote outdoors, in the company of his dog Maggie, and within view of neighbors out for a walk or collecting their mail. “He liked chatting with the neighbors,” Beth Crow says, “especially about his work.” Crow says her husband saved a section of an old family picnic table from their Ferrum home to use as a lap desk during his work sessions. He especially enjoyed his “outdoor office” during the pandemic, when it was easy to feel isolated from others. After his hospitalization and death, Beth Crow says, neighbors sometimes inquired about Pete because they hadn’t seen him writing outside for a while. Like his fictional protagonist, she notes, he “never met a stranger.” 

Dr. Crow served on the Ferrum College English faculty for thirty-five years, from 1973 to 2008. As a young faculty member in the 1970s, he helped develop the curriculum for the college’s two-year to four-year transformation. He later worked with faculty in history, sociology, and environmental science to create the college’s Appalachian Cluster, a multidisciplinary program focusing on modernization in Appalachian, including the region’s challenges. Along the way, Dr. Crow directed three National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institutes focused on regional learning, won a national teaching award from the United Methodist Church, and served a term at Ferrum as Forrest S. and Jean B. Williams Distinguished Professor in the Humanities. 

Retired professor Pete Crow listening to Appalachian Cluster students at Grace House in St. Paul, Virginia when he met the group there in 2017.

Dr. Crow earned degrees at Davidson College (B.A.), Florida State University (M.A.), and Duke University (Ph.D.). He is the author of a nonfiction book, Do, Die, or Get Along: A Tale of Two Appalachian Towns, a collection of oral histories from St. Paul and Dante, Virginia, all focused on challenges facing small Appalachian coal towns in the modern era. That book began when Dr. Crow guided students taking English composition in the Appalachian Cluster in conducting interviews at the towns they visited on field trips.

The first book launch will be held at the Phoebe Needles Center (732 Turners Creek Rd., Callaway, VA 24067) on August 8, 4-6 p.m. Copies of the book will be available for sale and guests are asked to bring an appetizer to share. Those near the Crows’ North Carolina home can attend a book launch at Church of the Nativity on August 9, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. (8849 Ray Rd., Raleigh, NC 27613).

A publisher discount for preordering the book is available from Black Rose here.

Read more about Dr. Peter Crow’s career at Ferrum College here.

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The NEH participants are now concluding two weeks of meeting virtually, and they gathered at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. during their middle week, where the NEH, in collaboration with the City University of New York, arranged for access to the largest collections of documents on the New Deal project that resulted in extensive archives of folklore and writings developed between 1935 and the mid-1940s. At the end of their in-person meetings, participants gathered all afternoon on July 10, concluding with short talks by four scholars and then a rousing Jack Tale show.

Silas Blankenship-Tucker (10), the youngest Jack Tale Player, traveled by train with Emily and Rachel Blankenship-Tucker, and Professor of English Tina Hanlon, for the week of research and exploring before the performance. They ended up spending all day Saturday on a train that left Roanoke two hours late and had to travel at 25 mph because of the extreme heat, so they had plenty of time to compare notes and plan the program that had just been arranged the day before they left Ferrum. 

During the unexpected delay, Hanlon wrote in Facebook that “Runwell could run circles around this train without breaking a sweat (even when it’s 100 degrees out).” In one of their popular Jack Tales, “Hardy Hard Head,” Runwell is one of the helpers with magic powers and he can run circles around the magic land ship that Jack acquires after sharing his food with an old beggar man. The helpers join him one by one on an adventure to rescue the king’s girl. Jack’s magic words “Sail ship sail” probably wouldn’t have helped this train, but small packs of snacks and bottles of water were provided to the travelers as the ones from Ferrum counted their crackers in anticipation of meager rations later in the evening. 

Hanlon said she was amused to see instrument cases on the train platform with a washboard attached by zip-tie to the banjo case. The washboard and other old-time instruments for sound effects and songs are hallmarks of Jack Tale shows. They were sure they had packed everything, but on Friday morning Silas’ indispensable suspenders could not be found, so they used the not-so-old-time method of getting a Door Dash delivery of red suspenders from a store. 

The Jack Tale Players had performed in many libraries over the past fifty years and traveled all across the country in decades past, but never before in the world’s largest libraries. Rachel Blankenship-Tucker wrote on Friday, “Gingham and suspenders have entered the Library of Congress! I repeat: gingham and suspenders have entered the Library of Congress!” On the Facebook page called The Jack Tales, generations of Jack Tale Players and their followers would grasp the significance of that image. 

To start this program, Emily explained the early history of the Jack Tale Players and the adventures and tricks that typically occur in Jack Tales. Hanlon, who discussed a few more of their methods, experiences, grant-funded projects, and their logo, displayed a few picture books based on Appalachian tales, scripts by Rex Stephenson, copies of archived tales from the James Taylor Adams Collection at Ferrum’s Blue Ridge Institute and Museum (BRIM), and pictures drawn by children who saw Jack Tale shows over the past fifty years.

The performance began with the folk song “Wild Hog in the Woods,” with banjo and fiddle. After the story theatre dramatization of a Jack Tale, it ended with a lively fiddle tune while Silas demonstrated the flatfoot dancing style common in Franklin County, Virginia. A short video of the dancing is in the Ferrum College Flickr album at the link below. 

Although the Library of Congress has the world’s largest collections, the NEH group met in a dining room in the Madison Building with a quite small performance space and a podium but no stage. The Jack Tale Players have extensive experience performing in all kinds of spaces and conditions, to audiences huge and small. Hanlon reported, from watching them up close this time, that it was the first time she saw Silas play Jack and the acting of all three was as good as she’s ever seen. They are always well-prepared for playing different roles on short notice. She said, “I’ve seen the same tales dozens of times but there is always something new to evoke surprise and laughter–such as seeing Rachel play all of the animals in ‘Jack and the Robbers’ because the cast was so small.” Rachel’s first Jack Tale role had been an old cat in this tale in 2010, and Emily had joined in 2001. 

Throughout the week Emily Blankenship-Tucker worked diligently in the archives of the American Folklife Center while the others from Ferrum explored museums around the National Mall. She even found folklore and music history from Ferrum there, including documents about a Ferrum String Band in the 1930s, as well as Jack Tales she had never heard of before.

Hanlon worked in the archive one day, continuing her research seeking Appalachian folktales with strong female characters. They both found references that they can view digitally or with library resources they can access from home. Hanlon listened to an archive recording that included famous folklorist Bascomb Lamar Lunsford of North Carolina singing “Wreck of the Old 97” in 1935 for Columbia University, a ballad set in southside Virginia that she has heard the Jack Tale Players sing many times.

As Emily Blankenship-Tucker thinks historically and creatively about next steps for the Jack Tale Players after their fiftieth anniversary last fall, this trip to the Library of Congress brought them full circle, because it was one of Rex Stephenson’s first stops when he began archive research. Assisted by Director Emeritus of the BRIM Roddy Moore, he collected tales with a grant from the Virginia Commission of the Arts and began dramatizing them in Ferrum and Callaway with his college students in 1975, soon taking them across Virginia and then to a youth festival in New York’s Central Park, and across the country to perform for the USO in veterans’ hospitals. 

Mike Ferguson ‘81, one of the “early years” Jack Tale Players and a longtime Ferrum College staff member, wrote “such an amazing honor” when he saw photos from the Library of Congress show. Rachel Blankenship-Tucker wrote after the show, “That’s one for the history books. Today & Always!”

Photographs at Library of Congress Madison Building courtesy of Lee Tucker.

Click here for more photographs.

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A proud Ferrum College alumna, Luther has dedicated her professional career to serving the institution that helped shape her. Throughout her tenure, she has earned the respect of colleagues across campus through her integrity, collaborative leadership, sound financial judgment, and steadfast commitment to ensuring the long-term fiscal health of Ferrum College.

As Chief Financial Officer, Luther has played a pivotal role in strengthening the College’s financial operations, overseeing budgeting, financial planning, audits, investments, regulatory compliance, cash management, and strategic resource allocation. Her leadership has been instrumental in improving institutional financial reporting, strengthening internal controls, enhancing operational efficiencies, and supporting the College’s long-term strategic priorities.

Working closely with the president, the Board of Trustees, and members of the Senior Leadership Team, Luther has helped guide Ferrum College through a period of significant transformation while maintaining a disciplined approach to financial stewardship and accountability. Her thoughtful leadership and commitment to transparency have positioned the College to continue building financial strength while investing strategically in its students, faculty, staff, and programs.

“The promotion of Jessica Luther ’06 to Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer is a wonderful reflection of the Ferrum College story—our students grow, succeed, and return to serve the institution that helped shape them,” said Dr. Mirta M. Martin, president of Ferrum College. “As a proud alumna, Jessica understands deeply the transformative power of a Ferrum College education and embodies our mission of ‘Not Self, But Others’ through her leadership, integrity, and commitment to our College. We are fortunate to have a leader who not only understands the College’s past but is helping build its future.”

As Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer, Luther will continue to provide strategic leadership for the College’s financial operations, including budgeting, accounting, treasury management, investments, financial reporting, compliance, risk management, and long-range financial planning. She will also continue serving as a member of the President’s Senior Leadership Team, helping advance Ferrum College’s strategic vision and ensuring the responsible stewardship of institutional resources.

Luther said, “I am honored to serve my alma mater in this new role and deeply grateful for the opportunity to give back to an institution that has had such a lasting impact on my life. I look forward to continuing to work alongside our campus community to advance the College’s mission and help ensure a strong and sustainable future for our students.”

Luther’s promotion reflects Ferrum College’s continued commitment to developing leaders from within its own community and investing in talented alumni whose professional accomplishments exemplify the transformative impact of a Ferrum College education.

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Ferrum, VA, July 15, 2026 — Ferrum College is proud to announce the appointment of distinguished alumnus George “Bryan” Slater ’82 to its Board of Trustees, welcoming one of the College’s most accomplished graduates back to help guide its future.

A 1982 graduate of Ferrum College, Slater has built an exceptional career spanning more than three decades of leadership across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Following his service as Virginia Secretary of Labor, he now serves in a senior leadership role with Dominion Energy, where he continues to advance workforce, organizational, and strategic initiatives. His career has been defined by a steadfast commitment to public service, organizational excellence, and principled leadership.

Slater’s distinguished record includes service as Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management at the U.S. Department of Labor, Assistant Secretary for Administration at the U.S. Department of Transportation, White House Liaison at the U.S. Department of Labor, and Congressional Relations Officer for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He also served as Virginia Secretary of Administration under Governor James Gilmore and has held executive leadership positions with several nationally recognized nonprofit organizations. In recognition of his leadership, Slater received the Virginia Commonwealth University Wilder School’s Innovation in Government Award and previously served on the Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors.

Three years ago, Slater returned to his alma mater as the keynote speaker for Ferrum College’s commencement ceremony, where he challenged graduates to lead lives of integrity, purpose, and service. His appointment to the Board of Trustees reflects his enduring commitment to Ferrum College and to preparing future generations of leaders.

“Ferrum College is proud to welcome Bryan Slater ’82 back to the Panther family as a Trustee,” said Dr. Mirta M. Martin, president of Ferrum College. “Through this appointment, we celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates and the lasting impact they make in the world. Mr. Slater’s distinguished career in public service, including his leadership as Virginia Secretary of Labor and his current leadership role with Dominion Energy, reflects the very best of our mission—preparing graduates who lead with integrity, serve others, and make a meaningful difference in their communities. His continued commitment to the College is a testament to the enduring strength of the Panther experience and the lifelong connection shared by our alumni.”

As a member of the Ferrum College Board of Trustees, Slater will help provide strategic guidance as the College continues to strengthen its academic programs, expand opportunities for students, and advance its mission of educating leaders who embody the College’s motto, Not Self, But Others.

Slater’s appointment reflects Ferrum College’s long-standing tradition of alumni leadership and the profound impact its graduates continue to make across Virginia and the nation. His return to serve his alma mater is a powerful example of the lifelong connection shared by members of the Panther family.

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A proud Ferrum College alumnus, former student-athlete, and football coach, Adams has dedicated his career to advancing the mission of his alma mater. Since returning to Ferrum College, he has provided visionary leadership during one of the most significant periods in the history of the athletics program, guiding the institution through its successful transition from NCAA Division III to NCAA Division II membership and Conference Carolinas competition.

Under Adams’ leadership, Ferrum College has strengthened its commitment to academic excellence, competitive success, student development, and compliance while positioning Panther Athletics for continued growth at the national level. His leadership has also expanded opportunities for student-athletes, enhanced the student-athlete experience, strengthened external partnerships and fundraising efforts, and fostered a culture built upon integrity, accountability, and service.

Throughout his tenure, Adams has championed the philosophy that athletics serves as an extension of the educational mission of Ferrum College, preparing students not only for competition, but for lives of leadership, service, and success beyond graduation. His leadership has reinforced the College’s commitment to developing the whole student while advancing the visibility and reputation of Panther Athletics.

“Coach Cleive Adams’ appointment as Vice President for Athletics is a powerful reflection of the Ferrum College story—a proud alumnus returning to serve and lead the institution that helped shape him,” said Dr. Mirta M. Martin, president of Ferrum College. “Since returning to the College, Coach Adams has provided outstanding leadership and vision, guiding Panther Athletics through the historic transition to NCAA Division II while building a culture centered on excellence, integrity, academic achievement, and student development. His journey from Ferrum College student-athlete to Vice President for Athletics exemplifies our mission in action—preparing individuals to lead, serve, and make a difference.”

“I am deeply honored to continue serving my alma mater and the campus community in the role of Vice President for Athletics, ” said Adams. “I recognize the importance of this appointment as we continue the work of redefining and shaping the Ferrum College of the future. I am excited to continue working closely with President Martin, the Senior Leadership Team, and colleagues across campus in a collaborative effort to stay ahead of the curve as we confront the challenges facing small colleges nationally, while remaining firmly committed to the mission and values that make Ferrum special.”

As Vice President for Athletics, Adams will continue to provide strategic leadership for the College’s NCAA Division II athletics program, overseeing intercollegiate athletics, student-athlete success, compliance, facilities, fundraising, strategic planning, and community engagement. As a member of the President’s Senior Leadership Team, he will continue helping advance the College’s strategic priorities and institutional mission.

Adams added, “Athletics is an integral part of the Ferrum College experience and has a tremendous responsibility to positively impact our student-athletes, strengthen our campus culture, support institutional enrollment and retention efforts, and serve as a source of pride and connection for our alumni and surrounding community. I remain deeply committed to leading our athletic department through this important journey and ensuring that athletics continues to serve as a collaborative and impactful partner in advancing the broader mission and future of the College. At the heart of that mission is our responsibility to provide an environment where students can enter with promise, leave with purpose, and carry the torch of Ferrum into their professional and personal lives. I look forward to continuing this journey alongside our campus community as we prepare the next generation of Ferrum graduates to lead, serve, and live out our enduring motto: ‘Not Self, But Others.’”

Adams’ promotion reflects Ferrum College’s continued commitment to developing leaders from within its own community and investing in individuals whose lives and careers embody the transformative power of a Ferrum College education.

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To be considered for the expedited process, institutions must apply by Oct. 1 of the preceding academic year and secure an invitation from an active Division II conference. The application requires extensive documentation demonstrating institutional readiness, including sports sponsorship, financial aid plans, athletics strategic plans, and department policies.

Once accepted into the process, institutions enter a two-year provisional period during which they must meet annual benchmarks in areas such as NCAA compliance, financial aid commitments, and institutional leadership engagement. The process includes on-campus evaluations, conference membership participation, and attendance at key NCAA events, including the NCAA Convention and Regional Rules Seminar. Institutions that successfully complete the requirements within the two-year period will be recommended for full NCAA Division II membership. If additional development is needed, a third year may be required.

Ferrum officials received word in February 2025 that the NCAA had approved the College’s request to enter the expedited provisional process. Ferrum completed year one during the 2025-26 academic year and soon enters the second and final year of the provisional period as the NCAA evaluates the College’s readiness for full Division II membership.

Ferrum first joined the NCAA as a Division III institution in 1985. The College became a member of the Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 1988 and remained with the league, which was later renamed the USA South Athletic Conference, through the 2017-18 academic year.

After 30 years in the USA South, Ferrum accepted an invitation to join the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) in the summer of 2018. The Panthers completed seven full seasons in ODAC before beginning the reclassification process to NCAA Division II. Ferrum spent a total of 37 years competing in NCAA Division III, the largest of the NCAA’s three divisions with more than 420 member institutions. Division I includes more than 360 schools, while Division II has more than 290 members.

When the College announced its intention to pursue NCAA Division II membership in the spring of 2024, Ferrum was invited to join Conference Carolinas. Founded in 1930 as the North State Intercollegiate Conference and informally known as the Old North State Conference, Conference Carolinas now consists of 16 member institutions across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, along with Ferrum in Virginia.

Ferrum competes in Conference Carolinas championship play in football, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track & field, men’s wrestling, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s golf, women’s flag football, and men’s and women’s lacrosse. The conference also sponsors championships in women’s triathlon and acrobatics & tumbling, partners with the South Atlantic Conference to conduct championships in field hockey, women’s beach volleyball, and women’s wrestling, and partners with the Great Midwest Athletic Conference for men’s and women’s bowling championships.

Read more about Panther Athletics here.

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Ferrum, VA, July 14, 2026  — Ferrum College is pleased to announce the appointment of Penny Jackson as Senior Director of Human Resources. Jackson brings more than three decades of progressive human resources leadership and a distinguished record of building strong workplace cultures, developing talent, and supporting organizational excellence.

Jackson joins Ferrum College following her service as Director of Human Resources for Tri-County Community Action Agency, where she established and led the organization’s human resources function, overseeing employee relations, talent acquisition, benefits administration, payroll, compliance, policy development, and organizational effectiveness. Throughout her career, she has held increasingly responsible human resources leadership positions with organizations including The Results Companies, Aramark at High Point University, Infinity Global, ICF International, and CIT Group.

A Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP), Jackson is recognized for her expertise in strategic human resources leadership, employee relations, organizational development, compliance, and talent management. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from Averett University and has built a career distinguished by collaborative leadership, sound judgment, exceptional integrity, and a genuine commitment to supporting employees while helping organizations achieve their strategic goals.

“We are pleased to welcome Penny Jackson to Ferrum College as our new Senior Director of Human Resources,” said Dr. Mirta M. Martin, president of Ferrum College. “Penny brings extensive experience, a deep commitment to supporting people, and a passion for building a culture where individuals can thrive. At Ferrum College, our greatest strength is our people, and Human Resources plays a vital role in cultivating a community where faculty and staff are empowered to serve our students and advance our mission. We are excited to welcome Ms. Jackson to the Panther family as we continue creating an environment where our people—and our students—learn, serve, and flourish.”

As Senior Director of Human Resources, Jackson will provide strategic leadership for all human resources functions, including talent acquisition, employee engagement, performance management, benefits administration, policy development, compliance, and professional development initiatives. She will work closely with College leadership to foster an inclusive, supportive workplace that reflects Ferrum College’s mission and values while positioning the institution to attract, develop, and retain exceptional faculty and staff.

Jackson said, “I am excited to begin this new chapter at Ferrum College and grateful for the opportunity to serve as Director of Human Resources. After more than thirty years in human resources across a variety of industries, I am eager to bring my experience to higher education and support the talented faculty and staff who make the College’s mission possible. I believe that strong organizations are built by investing in people, cultivating trust, and creating opportunities for growth. I look forward to working alongside the Ferrum College community to strengthen an inclusive, supportive, and engaging workplace where employees can thrive.”

Jackson’s appointment reflects Ferrum College’s continued investment in strengthening its people, enhancing organizational effectiveness, and supporting the success of every member of the Panther Nation.

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From June 29 to July 18, participants are meeting virtually for two weeks, and gathering at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. during the middle week, where the NEH, in collaboration with the City University of New York, has arranged for their access to the largest collections of documents on this topic (photo taken in Great Hall of the Jefferson Building during week in D.C.). Between 1935 and 1939 during the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration created many kinds of jobs for Americans out of work. According to NEH, “the Federal Writers’ Project (FWP) sent nearly 7,000 unemployed workers out to document America.” They produced slave narratives, guidebooks of America, folklore collections, and other oral histories, archives, and writings. Some prominent writers, such as Richard Wright, Zora Neale Hurston, and Richard Chase, developed their careers by using their fieldwork in their books.

As founding director of the Appalachian Music program and Orchestra Appalachia, and also director of the Jack Tale Players at Ferrum College, Blankenship-Tucker has a strong interest in the Appalachian music and folklore found in the archives from Virginia and nearby states. The FWP and this institute are linked to her career and more than half a century of Ferrum College history because the James Taylor Adams Collection of folklore from Wise County, housed at the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum (BRIM), contains thousands of typed pages of folklore from the Virginia Writers’ Project that Adams directed from 1938 to 1943. Blankenship-Tucker has worked with some of these materials during her twenty-five years with the Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre (BRDT) and Jack Tale Players.

Chase’s well-known books of Appalachian folktales grew out of his work collecting folklore with James Taylor Adams in Wise County (as well as learning folktales from the Hicks-Harmon-Ward family in the North Carolina mountains). Reading Chase’s The Jack Tales (1943) gave the late Professor Emeritus Rex Stephenson the idea to start dramatizing some of the folktales in 1975, to strengthen the program the College had begun before he came to Ferrum (in 1973) to offer plays for local children. Working with Director Emeritus of the BRIM Roddy Moore and eleven students, they searched for archive copies of folktales and interviewed local residents about folklore of the region. 

Stephenson found the Adams Collection stored in boxes at Clinch Valley College in Wise County. Later Moore and BRIM Director Bethany Worley were involved in acquiring the Ferrum copy and cataloging it. Stephenson and his students developed their first folktale scripts improvisationally and began performing in local schools. For at least three decades he selected more tales from the collection to dramatize, traveling across the country and in England with Jack Tale shows. Blankenship-Tucker and the Jack Tale Players celebrated their fiftieth anniversary during a Homecoming reunion in October 2025 and at Callaway Elementary School in December. She views participation in the NEH Summer Institute as an opportunity to continue work begun by Rex Stephenson while also exploring creative ideas for new projects. 

As music director for the BRDT since her early years in Ferrum, Blankenship-Tucker also arranged traditional music and performed in plays and musical revues that she and Stephenson developed about events in the history of country music and British folklorist Cecil Sharp’s trips to Ferrum and Callaway to collect ballads during World War I. In the 2012 photograph she depicts Mother Maybelle Carter playing guitar in The Night Loretta, Mother Maybelle, and Jeannie C. Spent in Jail. (Loretta Lynn is played by Rachel Blankenship-Tucker in back right).

In February of this year Emily Blankenship-Tucker directed Grandma Gatewood Took A Walk at the BRDT, performed by Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts Rebecca Crocker ‘02 and visiting performer Becky Prophet portraying Emma Gatewood, the first woman to complete a solo through-hike of the Appalachian Trail. Prophet, who was Blankenship-Tucker’s undergraduate mentor, called her “a distinguished graduate” of Alfred University, and said she was the best student she ever had in more than fifty years of teaching. 

Blankenship-Tucker completed an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts in 2023 with a Performance Creation Concentration from Goddard College. She explained that her thesis, Oral Culture and Wildness: The Performance of Place, “explored the connections between living traditions of Appalachia, including music, story, and social dance, place-based practices related to landscape and seasonal cycles, and cooperation in community, which are deepened by shared experience in place over time.” She bases her work in theatre around this inquiry. 

With the Jack Tale Players, she often leads workshops in storytelling and creative drama at schools, camps, and libraries, or lecture/demonstrations on Jack Tales or ballads for community programs, scholarly groups, or Professor of English Tina Hanlon’s classes in Folktales and Literature. In 2022, she participated as a storyteller in a Council of Independent Colleges Humanities for the Public Good project led by Hanlon, which included storytelling workshops conducted by Stephenson at the Franklin County public libraries.

Hanlon participated in a shorter summer seminar in 2011 at West Virginia University on American Magic: The Fates of Folk & Fairy Tales in the Appalachians, led by folklorist Carl Lindahl. She will travel to D. C. and research Appalachian folktales at the Library of Congress while Blankenship-Tucker attends the NEH seminars. They both collaborated closely with Stephenson for decades but in different capacities, with some overlap in teaching and scholarship, since Blankenship-Tucker performs, composes, designs lighting, and directs, while Hanlon researches, archives, writes publicity and scholarship, and helps with other theatre jobs. 

Hanlon said, “I am proud that Emily’s beautifully written proposal was chosen for this NEH Institute, and Rex Stephenson would be so proud of the way she carries on his legacy. I know she will contribute much to the seminar discussions as well as bringing new insights and ideas back to Ferrum. She taught ballads and folktales to my English classes many times, sometimes at our farm museum. Once long ago a student said it was the worst field trip of her life because she was afraid to go near any species except humans. The next morning, when we were all frazzled at the end of the course, that student was sitting in the front row before class started, singing ballads she had learned from Emily in the barn.”

Between 2002 and 2008, Blankenship-Tucker, Hanlon, and other Ferrum faculty and performers contributed to sessions of several month-long NEH Summer Institutes hosted at Ferrum College, led by the late Professor Emeritus of English Pete Crow. Focusing on “Appalachia Up Close” as an exemplar for regional study and the liberal arts, they included travel for the visiting educators to coal fields and cultural sites in this region, as well as meetings on campus with visiting and local experts involved with Appalachian studies and arts. 

Senior Nick Gore (a new Jack Tale Player at the 50th anniversary Inquiring Minds program in the 2025 photo) said, “Emily-Blankenship Tucker hasn’t really been a teacher to me; she has become more of a role model about not just theatre but about learning the history of folktales and storytelling. She has made me understand how to tell a folktale to an audience by making them feel different emotions throughout the whole story and making them feel like they are in the story itself. If it wasn’t for Emily B-T, theatre wouldn’t be a choice to do for my career.”

According to the NEH, this 2026 Institute aims to build an educational “framework for bringing FWP materials and resources to college students across disciplines and local libraries, community centers, and other public venues. The institute will offer participants the unprecedented opportunity to collaborate on archival research, curricula, and public humanities programs that critically engage this extraordinary New Deal program.”

“I am excited to have access to the tunnels, vaults, and archives at the Library of Congress,” said Blankenship-Tucker while in D.C. At the American Folklife Center in the Library of Congress (where she is working with boxes of documents in the photo), she is even finding documents and recordings related to folklore collected in and around Ferrum and a Ferrum String Band from the 1930s, as well as copies of Jack Tales she had never before known about.

Just before leaving home, she learned that she will have the opportunity to perform at a gathering of NEH Institute participants before the week in D.C. ends. Silas and Rachel Blankenship-Tucker will join her in performing “Jack and the Robbers” and a song or two, while Hanlon will help with offering background on the Ferrum traditions of moving from archive materials to performance to workshops and classroom activities.

Blankenship-Tucker believes her participation will directly impact students at Ferrum College through the evolution of courses such as Introduction to Music in Appalachia and Storytelling in the Oral Tradition, which guide students to interact with collections of field recordings, stories, and songs through the BRIM, the Digital Library of Appalachia, and the Library of Congress. At the same time, she expects that what she learns will have an influence on community-centered cultural activities, where, as she observed, “stories, songs, and shared histories take on a life of their own once they belong to the community.”

Gage Shelton ‘25, a financial aid counselor at the College, is in the center back in the 2024 Jack Tale Players group photo, next to Blankenship-Tucker. Crocker is on the left next to Stephenson. Shelton said, “Working with Emily, whether it be with Jack Tales, Band, Choir, or any ensemble, has been life-changing. Emily has a knack for inspiring you to do things you didn’t think you could ever do. You can tell how incredibly passionate she is about telling these stories and continuing the legacy of the Jack Tale Players. I would not be as resilient, nor as confident as I am today, without the time I spent with Emily in rehearsals and on-stage. If there was only one person in the whole of Appalachia who could tell a folktale in a way that makes a child’s eyes sparkle or perform an old song that tugs at your heartstrings–it would be Emily Blankenship-Tucker.”

Orchestra Appalachia, in addition to travel and networking around the region, hosts a weekly Monday Night Jam in conjunction with the BRIM and The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. Blankenship-Tucker started these weekly jam sessions to, as she explained, “connect college and community in a stream of musical culture, as tunes are shared ‘knee to knee,’ including familiar favorites as well as ‘new’ tunes that are continually learned and introduced into community repertoire.” In early April, the Appalachian Music program organized a flatfoot dance contest in the Rex Stephenson Theatre in Schoolfield Hall that drew in a packed house of enthusiastic dancers.

The number of visitors attending the Monday music jams from near and far has grown since that time as well, demonstrating the popularity of traditional music here and now, not just the historic value of preserving folk traditions of the past. On May 4, Blankenship-Tucker’s colleagues surprised her at the music jam with photos, food, and friends gathered to show appreciation and celebrate the 25th anniversary of her first arrival in Ferrum (May 13, 2001) as a student theatre intern. 

Emily and Rachel Blankenship-Tucker, along with former band member Mary Allison, created the trio After Jack in 2011, named in honor of their first meeting in the Jack Tale Players and their foundation in folk traditions. They and some of their family members perform at the Old Fiddler’s Convention in Galax almost every year, where Emily has won several prizes. For example, she placed second in 2024 and third in the folk song competition at the 2023 convention with solo singing, while the Jack Tale Players also performed in the new Stories and Strings festival in 2023 at Galax. She has also taken Orchestra Appalachia to perform in the International Bluegrass Music Association Convention in Raleigh, North Carolina and the renowned Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion festival. She is on the right in the photo at the top of this page, in Bristol in 2023.

In summer 2025 Emily and Rachel Blankenship-Tucker performed in two prestigious and innovative concerts. In the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival’s Leipzig Service, they blended gospel music into a program with the festival chamber ensemble and chorus. They taught the congregation to sing one of their songs and performed “Mountain Railroad” with piano and fiddle, as they had done many times with the Jack Tale Players. Former Ferrum College Instructor of English Cara Modisett, now an Episcopal priest, happened to be a reader of scripture and speaker after they performed. (All three are in video screenshot.) Watch the beautiful service at this link. 

Later at a Gala Concert at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg with Django Burgess, a former Ferrum student, they performed with a distinguished lineup of world-class musicians representing several international traditions. They presented the premiere of “Our Story,” a powerful new collaborative, eclectic work created by Emily Blankenship-Tucker with EMU music professors Dr. David Berry and Dr. Benjamin Bergey. On that trip these Ferrum representatives of After Jack also performed for over 1000 K-8th-grade students in the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County school system in association with the Any Given Child–Shenandoah Valley program.

Blankenship-Tucker’s scholarly knowledge of regional music history was shared with the Floyd County Historical Society on September 20, 2024, when she gave a public lecture it hosted in Floyd titled “What We Carried: Tracing Appalachia’s Musical Roots.” She wrote in her NEH proposal, “I believe that my work is part of the cultural inheritance that was intended by the architects and participants of the Federal Writers’ Project. I am looking forward to the opportunity to deepen my understanding of that legacy as the work continues.” 

President Mirta Martin said, “Emily Blankenship-Tucker is a remarkable educator, artist, and cultural leader whose work embodies the very heart of Ferrum College’s mission to connect learning, place, and purpose. Her selection for this highly competitive NEH Summer Institute is a testament to her standing in the field of Appalachian music, storytelling, and performance studies. Emily’s scholarship and creative practice are deeply rooted in lived tradition and community engagement, and she brings that richness directly into the classroom and onto our stages. She has a rare ability to bridge archival research, performance, and teaching in ways that make Appalachian culture both accessible and deeply meaningful for students. This recognition is richly deserved and reflects the extraordinary impact she continues to make at Ferrum College.”

Photographs in D.C. courtesy of Rachel Blankenship-Tucker.

Click here to watch Emily Blankenship-Tucker sing “Wild Hog in the Woods” at home while her two pigs munch away at her feet, for the 2021 Southwest Virginia Traditional Music Contest.

Click here to watch “The Ballad of Henry Lee,” After Jack’s compelling 2014 music video filmed at Peaks of Otter, featuring an original ballad by their friend David Mantz, who died very recently. Ferrum College students contributed to the video. The song is on After Jack’s 2014 album Echo.

Read more about Ferrum College’s B.F.A. program in Music and Theatre: Professional Stage Performance.

The post Ferrum College’s Director of Appalachian Music Emily Blankenship-Tucker Selected for NEH Institute on Federal Writers’ Project appeared first on Ferrum College.