The 2018 Ferrum College Alumni Awards Celebration was held Saturday, September 22, 2018 in the Blue Ridge Mountain Room in Franklin Hall on campus. Pictured left to right are J. Glenn Shelton ’57, Lalita Brim-Poindexter ’04, Samantha Smith-Herndon ’12, Jerry Venable ’68, Kevin Keatts ’95, Stacy Porter ’06, Jessica Luther ’06, and Kameron Wilds ’11.
Glenn Shelton ’57 was recognized as Ferrum College’s Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient in a ceremony in the Blue Ridge Mountain Room. Those that receive the Distinguished Alumni Award exemplified a record of exceptional career achievement and service to their community, church or other organizations; were active in college life; and remain involved and supportive of Ferrum College as alumni. Outstanding Young Alumni were also recognized from the College’s three schools: Jessica Luther ’06 of the School of Social Sciences and Professional Studies; Samantha Smith-Herndon ’12 of Natural Science and Mathematics; and Kameron Wilds ’11 of Arts and Humanities. These recipients are honored for their accomplishments and achievements to Ferrum College within the last fifteen years.
Additionally, five alumni were inducted to the Ed George Ferrum College Sports Hall of Fame: football player Bruce Gossett ’63, who went on to play with the San Francisco 49ers for five years; basketball player Jerry Venable ’68, who also played for the Harlem Globetrotters for 13 years; basketball player Kevin Keatts ’95, current basketball Head Coach at North Carolina State University; cross-country runner Lalita Brim-Poindexter ’04, one of only five former Ferrum College student-athletes named to USA South All-Conference first team four consecutive years; and softball player Stacy Porter ’06, who still holds the College’s record for season strikeout, career strikeouts and season innings pitched.
See more photographs here. Glenn Shelton ’57
J. Glenn Shelton of Chatham, Virginia, graduated from Ferrum Junior College in 1957 with an associate degree and eventually obtained a Master of Art in Teaching from the University of North Carolina. Shelton returned to Ferrum College in 1963 to teach math and has continued educational instruction for 58 years. He and his wife, Alice, are active members of the Ferrum College Golden Panthers. Shelton is also a member of the Watson Memorial United Methodist Church, the Chatham Lions Club, and Chatham First, a non-profit group that raises funds for projects within the town.OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNI INDUCTEE – SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND PROFESSIONAL SCIENCES
Jessica Luther ’06
Jessica Luther, a native of Henry County, Virginia, graduated from Ferrum College in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. She began her career at Ferrum College in June 2009 and currently serves as Director of Budgets. Luther obtained her MBA from Texas A&M University-Commerce in 2013 and taught a business finance course at Ferrum College in 2016.
OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNI INDUCTEE – SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS
Samantha Smith-Herndon ’12
Samantha Smith-Herndon received her Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture from Ferrum College in 2012 and is currently working on her master’s degree through Virginia Tech. She is employed by The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research as a research associate and operates remote pilot-section 107 licensed agriculture drones to support analysis of agricultural production.
OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNI INDUCTEE – SCHOOL OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES
Kameron Wilds ’11
Kameron Wilds is a 2011 Ferrum College graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion and Christian Ministries. Wilds obtained a Master of Divinity from Duke University in 2015 and is currently a senior pastor at Smith Memorial United Methodist Church in Collinsville, Virginia. He took part in the creation of Helping Hands Thrift Store, participates in Kairos Prison Ministry, serves as a board member of the Institute for Biblical Exploration, and coaches middle school and junior varsity baseball.Bruce Gossett ’63
Bruce Gossett of Rancho Murieta, California, was a placekicker and quarterback for Ferrum College in 1962. He has played with the Los Angeles Rams and the 49ers, and was named to the 1964 NFL All-Rookie Team. Gossett was a 1966 and 1969 NFL Pro Bowl Selection and led the NFL in scoring in 1966. He served as an NFL Player Rep from 1973-74, retired in 1974 and began managing advertisement for a Bay Area television station.
Jerry Venable ’68
Jerry Venable of Staunton, Virginia, played basketball for the Ferrum Junior College from 1966-68, where he earned All-Conference and All-America in 1968. He was eventually selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1970 NBA Draft and went on to play for the Harlem Globetrotters for 13 years. Additionally, Venable launched Learning Opportunities Through Sports (LOTS), a non-profit which promotes sports and educational activities for young people in the Greater Augusta area. He is a member of the Booker T. Washington Hall of Fame and the Virginia Interscholastic Heritage Association Hall of Fame.
Kevin Keatts ’95
Kevin Keatts of Cary, North Carolina, was a member of the Ferrum College men’s basketball team from 1992-95. He helped the Panthers win three Dixie regular season titles in 1992, 1993 and 1995. Keatts coached at Ferrum College from 1995-96 and went on to advance records as an assistant coach at Southwestern Michigan College, Marshall University and University of Louisville. He also served as a head coach at Hargrave Military Academy and University of North Carolina at Wilmington. In March 2017, Keatts was named Head Coach at North Carolina State University and led his first Wolfpack team to the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
Lalita Brim-Poindexter ’04
Lalita Brim-Poindexter of Salem, Virginia, was a member of the Ferrum College women’s cross country team from 2000-04. She is one of only five former Ferrum College athletes to be named to USA South All-Conference First Team for four consecutive years. Brim-Poindexter won individual titles in 2001 and led Ferrum College to USA South Team runner-up finishes from 2000-03. She earned her law degree in 2007 and currently owns and operates Poindexter Law, LLC in Salem.
Stacy Porter ’06
Stacy Porter of Radford, Virginia, was a member of the Ferrum College softball team from 2002-05. She was named USA South All-Conference First Team Selection, USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Year, and USA South Softball Tournament Most Valuable Player in 2002. Porter still holds the College’s record for season strikeouts (242 in 2002), career strikeouts (504 from 2002-05) and season innings pitched (217.2 in 2002). She is employed as a sales administrator at Thomson Linear in Radford.
Irma Smart
President David Johns recently announced a generous gift from Ms. Irma Smart of Axton, VA to initiate a Ferrum College Women’s Golf program. The gift provides start-up funds for the program, training, and other opportunities for student-athletes.
A member of the Ferrum College Board of Trustees since 2015, an avid golfer and member of Forest Park Country Club as well as Chatmoss Country Club in Martinsville, VA, Smart says, “Our golfers travel to tournaments around the country and are ambassadors for the College and the sport. Golf’s unique in that it’s scored individually and as a team, so it builds a sense of personal integrity and responsibility. It’s my pleasure to be able to extend that opportunity and experience to a whole new set of student athletes. And – since golf isn’t a spectator sport, there are fewer opportunities to raise funds for the program. I’m hoping that the publicity surrounding the gift will inspire others to support Ferrum College programs – both athletic and academic.”
Ferrum College currently fields 22 NCAA Division III teams and will move from the USA South to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) for the 2018-2019 school year. The Panthers have sponsored a men’s golf team for almost 50 years into the late 1960s, and had club competition back as far as 1954.
“I’m very proud of the Ferrum College golf program,” says eighth-year head men’s golf coach Adam Crawford, who will also coach the women’s team. “We’ve built a remarkably successful program so I’m excited about adding the women’s team to continue that tradition. Ms. Smart’s donation will allow us to enhance the total experience for students and help us compete for championships. I think the timing is fantastic especially as we transition into the ODAC. I’m deeply appreciative of her willingness to make a difference in the lives of our students and I’m very optimistic about the interest I’ve already received from potential students regarding the program.”
This commitment to student athletes has allowed the College to launch seven new varsity sports in recent years – with women’s golf as the eighth. According to President Johns, “Athletics has always been an important part of a Ferrum College education. Offering successful varsity and club programs brings motivated students to Ferrum from all over the country – and that benefits all of us. Team sports, when combined with a lively academic program, cultivate lasting values of cooperation, respect, and excellence. Adam Crawford and all of our coaches, are teachers and mentors who work tirelessly to help our students succeed, not only for a season, but for a lifetime.”
Ferrum College has accepted an offer to join the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The Panthers will become the newest member of one of the nation’s largest NCAA Division III conferences.
Ferrum has been a member of the USA South Athletic Conference since the fall of 1988. The Panthers will leave the USA South at the end of the 2017-18 academic year, their 30th overall and final year, and will begin competition in the ODAC in Fall 2018. Ferrum has competed as an ODAC associate member in men’s and women’s swimming the past two years.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Ferrum and our student-athletes,” said Interim President Dr. Jennifer L. Braaten. “We have aspired to be a part of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference for years and feel our commitment to academics and athletics make us a perfect fit for the league.”
Beginning in the fall of 2018, Ferrum will become the 15th full-time member in the ODAC. Ferrum sponsors 21 varsity sports, 15 of which compete in the USA South, and one club level program. The field hockey team has competed in the Southern Athletic Association, the men’s lacrosse team has competed in the Southeast Intercollegiate Lacrosse Championship, and the men’s wrestling team has competed in the Southeast Wrestling Conference. Ferrum’s women’s wrestling program is the lone varsity program with no league affiliation.
Ferrum has been highly competitive in a number of athletic programs, sending teams or individuals in four sports to NCAA postseason competition in recent years. The women’s basketball program participated in three straight NCAA Tournaments from 2012 through 2014, hosting first- and second-round games in 2014. The softball team earned NCAA playoff berths in 2012 and 2016. Ferrum sent a wrestler to the NCAA Tournament in 2014, two in 2016 and three in 2017. The Panther mat men won the NCAA Div. III Wrestling East Regional in 2017, had one All-American in each of the past two years and had a wrestler close out the year as national runner-up. Ferrum also sent a golfer to the NCAA Tournament in 2017. Ferrum’s baseball team shared USA South regular season crowns in 2014 and 2016.
Ferrum has been well-represented on the USA South Academic All-Conference team, posting its highest number last summer with 121 honorees. A number of student-athletes have earned Academic All-District honors in recent years, three of which have been named Academic All-America in 2012, 2015 and 2016.
“Membership in the ODAC has been at the forefront for years,” said Director of Athletics Abe Naff. “We are pleased to be offered this great opportunity and look forward to this partnership with the other 14 institutions.”
Founded in 1913 and related to the United Methodist Church, Ferrum is a four-year, private, co-educational, Liberal Arts College related to the United Methodist Church. The College offers nationally recognized bachelor’s degree programs ranging from business and environmental science to teacher education and criminal justice.
