Dear Panther Family,
The very best of Ferrum College was on display this month as our community gathered for a special commencement ceremony honoring Jamarion Montford, a senior football student who received military deployment orders before he could participate in our scheduled commencement ceremony in November.
Through the extraordinary efforts of our faculty, staff, coaches, and many others across campus, Ferrum College ensured that Jamarion could complete this important milestone before deploying. Faculty worked together to fulfill his academic requirements, coaches stood beside their student-athlete, and staff coordinated the many details that made the ceremony possible. A community came together because one Panther mattered. Thank you!
This was more than a commencement ceremony. It was a powerful expression of our motto, Not Self, But Others, and a reminder of what makes Ferrum College so special. We do not simply speak about community; we live it. We do not simply prepare students for careers; we prepare them for lives of service and significance.
That same spirit of dedication and collaboration drives our broader progress. Ferrum Rising is ultimately about people – students who choose Ferrum College, families who entrust us with their children’s futures, faculty and staff who invest in student success, alumni who reconnect with their alma mater, and donors who believe in our mission.
Early in September, Ferrum College was honored to be named one of three finalists for Roanoke Region’s 2026 Business of the Year Award. While we did not receive the top distinction, being selected as a finalist was a significant honor and a strong affirmation of the important and transformative work taking place across the College. It was a meaningful recognition of the dedication, progress, and impact of YOU – our Ferrum College community. THANK YOU!
This is all possible through the collective efforts of our Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, coaches, students, alumni, donors, families, and friends, who continue to strengthen our foundation while advancing the mission of the College of Opportunity.
Come Home. Join Us. Be Part of the Panther Family.
Fall is a special time at Ferrum College, and we want YOU to be part of the excitement! Mark your calendars for these upcoming opportunities to celebrate our campus, our traditions, and the Ferrum College spirit.
October 17 | Home Football Game
Come cheer on our Panthers and experience the pride, energy, and excitement of Ferrum Athletics.
October 24 | Ferrum College Blue Ridge Folklife Festival & Arts and Crafts Show
Celebrate the traditions, creativity, and community that make Ferrum College such a special place.
October 31 | Homecoming
Come home to Ferrum College! Reconnect with friends, celebrate our students, and join the Panther Family for a day of memories and fellowship.
Whether you are a student, family member, alumnus, friend, faculty member, staff member, or neighbor, there is a place for you at Ferrum College.
Show up. Wear your black and gold. Bring your Panther pride. Join the Panther Family!
Academic Affairs
Ferrum College continues to expand academic opportunities that prepare students for meaningful careers while preserving the personal attention, mentorship, and hands-on learning that define a Ferrum College education.
Initiatives in engineering technology, nursing, education, and other professional pathways reflect our commitment to responding to workforce needs while maintaining a strong liberal arts foundation. These efforts require thoughtful collaboration among faculty, staff, and institutional leaders to ensure that innovation remains grounded in our mission and values while ensuring a Ferrum College education remains relevant.
Our responsibility extends beyond providing academic opportunities. We must ensure that students receive the support and encouragement they need to persist, graduate, and achieve their goals.
As you know, four new academic programs were approved by our Board: Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technologies (BSET), Accelerated RN to Masters in Nursing (MSN); Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT), and Masters in Athletic Training (MSAT). Thank you to everyone for carrying out this important work.
In addition, a $3 million Title III grant was submitted to DoE to support the launch of the BSET.
20% increase in returning students – The College achieved its strongest first-year retention results in recent history, representing the highest retention percentage believed to have been achieved since becoming a baccalaureate institution – (50 years ago!!!)
The STAR Program continues to demonstrate the impact of focused student support. During the past year, 134 students participated in full-semester STAR programming, and 89 experienced GPA improvement. These results reinforce the value of intentional intervention and individualized support.
Moving forward, student success will require continued collaboration across campus. Faculty, staff, coaches, advisors, and every member of the Panther Family have a role in helping our students reach graduation and prepare for lives of service and significance.
Financial Stewardship
The long-term success of Ferrum College depends upon responsible stewardship of the resources entrusted to us. Over the past year, we have continued strengthening our financial foundation through careful planning, disciplined decision-making, and a shared commitment to sustainability.
Ferrum College presented a balanced FY 2026–27 budget to the Board, contingent upon achieving certain milestones. Achieving the balanced budget depends upon meeting enrollment expectations, monitoring our financial position carefully, and maintaining appropriate cost-containment measures. We must remain disciplined in our spending and responsive to changing circumstances as we work to achieve the balanced budget we proposed.
To everyone who has contributed to this progress, thank you. A stronger financial foundation will allow us to sustain and strengthen the people, programs, and opportunities that make a Ferrum College education transformational.
Athletics
Ferrum College’s transition to NCAA Division II continues to expand opportunities for student-athletes while contributing to enrollment, campus engagement, and Panther pride.
During the current academic year, Ferrum College supports 21 NCAA athletic teams and 578 student-athletes. Approximately 255 new student-athletes joined the College this year, representing an important part of our enrollment momentum.
Our commitment extends beyond competition. Student-athletes achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.17, reflecting the importance of balancing academic responsibilities with athletic participation.
The Division II journey is about developing the whole person—academically, athletically, and personally. Continued progress will require careful planning, sound financial stewardship, and the collective commitment of our Panther Family.
Campus Operations
Physical Plant
The dedicated work of our Physical Plant team provides the foundation for a campus where students can live, learn, and thrive. Throughout the past year, the team has balanced daily operational needs with major repairs, infrastructure projects, campus improvements, and the preparation of residential spaces for students.
Among the most significant accomplishments was the repair and restoration of Adams Lake and the dam, returning the lake to normal water levels and preserving a beloved feature of the Ferrum College campus.
The team also completed critical infrastructure work and continued addressing residential and campus needs, including the reconstruction of Moore Hall following the sprinkler break and flooding. These efforts are essential to maintaining safe, functional facilities and a positive experience for students, employees, and visitors.
We recognize that maintaining an aging campus infrastructure requires ongoing attention and investment. The work of our Physical Plant team remains essential to the College’s daily operations and long-term sustainability.
Student Affairs
Student success begins with belonging, and Student Affairs plays a central role in creating an environment where students are known, supported, engaged, and encouraged to grow as individuals and leaders. This year, the division has continued developing initiatives to strengthen students’ connections to campus life, including more intentional opportunities for commuter students to participate and engage throughout the day. This opportunity was identified through the Campus Climate Survey that was conducted last fiscal year.
Through programming, support services, leadership opportunities, campus traditions, and student-centered initiatives, Student Affairs continues working to ensure that every student has opportunities to build meaningful relationships and feel connected to the Panther Family.
Enrollment Management
Ferrum College continues to build enrollment momentum as more students and families recognize the value of a Ferrum College education.
Enrollment has surpassed 1,000 students, reaching its highest level in six years and representing 57% growth since 2023. This progress reflects the dedication of our Admissions team, faculty, staff, coaches, alumni, and many others who share the Ferrum College story and welcome prospective students into our community.
While this growth is encouraging, enrollment remains challenging and a priority of the College. We must continue reaching prospective students, strengthening the recruitment process, and helping families understand the academic opportunities, personal attention, and value that distinguish Ferrum College.
Institutional Advancement
The generosity and commitment of the Ferrum College community continue to make a meaningful difference. During the past year, Advancement efforts generated more than $2 million in annual giving, including significant estate commitments. These gifts represent more than financial support. They reflect a belief in our students, our mission, and the generations of Panthers who will follow.
The Ferrum Rising vision provides a framework for engaging alumni, donors, and friends in advancing the priorities that will shape the future of the College. Every gift, conversation, introduction, and expression of support helps strengthen our ability to provide transformational educational opportunities.
We are deeply grateful to those who continue to invest in Ferrum College and believe in what our students can accomplish.
We also recognize the need to continue to identify and engage with our alumni. Efforts in this area have increased with regional alumni meetings and will need to increase further to help bring our alumni home.
Looking Ahead: Continuing the Journey Together
As we look toward the future, we do so with gratitude for the progress we have made and a clear understanding of the work that remains. Enrollment growth, student retention, academic innovation, financial sustainability, philanthropy, alumni engagement, and operational excellence must remain shared priorities. These efforts are interconnected, and success in one area strengthens our ability to advance the others.
We celebrate where Ferrum College is today, while recognizing we have not yet reached where we need or want to be. There is still important work ahead.
Enrollment and student success require all hands on deck. Every member of the Panther Family has a role in sharing the story of Ferrum College, welcoming prospective students and their families, supporting those already here, and helping our students persist through graduation.
The true measure of our progress is found not simply in numbers, budgets, or new programs, but in the lives we change: the student who discovers confidence because a faculty member believes in them, the graduate who enters a profession prepared to serve, and the family who knows Ferrum College is where their student belongs.
Ferrum College is stronger today because of the dedication of people who believe in this institution and in the students we serve. We have momentum, a clear sense of purpose, and a community committed to the work ahead. Every improvement creates another opportunity to transform a life through education.
Thank you for all you do for Ferrum College and for the students who entrust us with their futures. Together, we will continue building a College of Opportunity where students enter with promise, leave with purpose, and lead lives of service and significance.
Onward and Upward with gratitude!
M3
