Photo by Brad Holley Photography
10/5/2021
The Ferrum College community will celebrate its Giving Day on Tuesday, October 12, 2021. The theme of this day is “The Tie That Binds,” which pays tribute to the relationships shaped at Ferrum College.
Vice President for Institutional Advancement and External Relations Wilson Paine, who is also a 2007 alumnus of the College, spoke about his own experience: “Ferrum College has played an intricate role in our lives beyond just the classroom. As a student at Ferrum, I met friends whom I’m even closer to now, nearly two decades later. They have been by my side through some of life’s most important milestones – my first job interview, my wedding, the birth of my children. Through it all, I’m reminded that Ferrum College has been the tie that binds us all together.”
On or before October 12, the College invites donors to honor the relationships forged at Ferrum by signing up to make a monthly recurring gift to the Ferrum Fund at www.ferrum.edu/give.
The Ferrum Fund provides current and future students with:
Grace Howell ’22. Photo by Ferrum College student Ryann Tyree.
10/5/2021
On Thursday, October 7, Ferrum College senior Grace Howell presented during the 2021 virtual session of Virginia Social Work Education Consortium’s (VSWEC) Student Rally in the Valley conference. Howell’s presentation focused on the intersecting barriers that women of various sexual orientations face in terms of sexual abuse and violence.
“The conference shed a lot of light on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of social work,” said Howell. “I think my research contributed well to the theme of the day. I am glad I had this opportunity!”
Held each fall, Rally in the Valley brings together students within Virginia’s accredited college and university social work programs to focus on current issues. Students choose the theme of the conference, its speakers, and activities. This fall’s partnership is between Ferrum College, George Mason University, and Radford University.
“Grace is an exceptional student and well-respected by her peers,” said Professor of Social Work Martha Haley-Bowling. “She is an excellent presentation choice for Rally in the Valley.”
Howell is from Keysville, VA. She is majoring in social work and currently interns with Child Trust in Roanoke, VA. She also serves as captain of Ferrum’s equestrian team and is the vice president of programming for Delta Phi Epsilon.
Learn more about Ferrum College’s social work program here.
Learn more about the Virginia chapter of the National Association for Social Workers here.
10/4/2021
Janine Latus, a New York Times best-selling author and survivor of domestic violence, will speak at Ferrum College on Wed., Oct. 13. Latus is well-known relationship violence prevention educator whose clients have included the U.S. Department of Defense and Major League Baseball.
Latus is author of If I Am Missing or Dead, the story of her own escape from an abusive relationship and her sister Amy’s murder. In April 2002, Amy Latus taped this note to the inside of a drawer: “Today Ron Ball and I are romantically involved, but I fear I have placed myself at risk in a variety of ways. Based on his criminal past, writing this out just seems like the smart thing to do. If I am missing or dead this obviously has not protected me.” Three months later, Amy Latus was dead.
Janine Latus, who is returning to Ferrum’s campus for her third visit, has been called a “heart-stopping” speaker by Jaye Kennedy, a previous sponsor. Kennedy says, “You could have heard a pin drop during her presentation as she had us all on the edge of our seats. Although her story is chilling, it is also very real and a powerful reminder that domestic violence lives among so many of us. Janine is an amazing speaker and one (an) audience won’t soon forget.”
According to the National Coalition to Abolish Domestic Violence, one in four women and one in nine men experience physical violence, sexual violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner. October is National Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.
Janine Latus earned a B.S. in horticulture and an M.A. in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She has taught writing at her alma mater as well as East Carolina University and the Duke University Center for Documentary Studies. She has also conducted writing workshops in several states.
The Ferrum program will take place at 7 p.m. in the Blue Ridge Mountain Room of Franklin Hall. It is sponsored by the Ferrum College chapter of Help Save the Next Girl, the Integrated Programing Board, and the Quality Enhancement Plan. A reception sponsored by the Boone Honors Program will follow the talk, and copies of Latus’s book will be available.
Dr. Durham worked on his family’s Brookhaven, NY farm this summer. Photo by Durham’s cousin, Sam Nolan.
9/22/2021
Associate Professor of Crop Science Tim Durham has been named a Global Farmer Network (GFN) Roundtable fellow. In this role, Durham will virtually coordinate with about 30 other farmers from six other continents to develop innovative strategies to meet the food, clothing, and fuel needs of our growing global population.
“The GFN provides premier training that leverages trust through shared practice – an international community of farmer ‘agvocates,’” explained Durham.
According to the GFN Roundtable’s website, Durham will be part of a prestigious group of global farmers who will “discover commonalities, share their challenges, discuss tools, technologies and strategies that can be adopted to meet these challenges, and are empowered to meet the demands of feeding, clothing and fueling the world in a manner that is sustainable through shared work, message and mission.”
Durham’s first virtual meeting will occur next month, in October. His training will also include an in-person meeting in Brussels, Belgium to discuss trade and other contemporary agricultural issues.
“I look forward to meeting my peers to discuss technology, trade, and messaging,” Durham said. “Common ground is the only way we can address ‘wicked’ problems – those that seem to defy solutions – and secure a sustainable future.”
Read more in this Franklin News-Post article by Leigh Prom.
9/16/2021
“I am pleased to be offered the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs,” he said. “I am excited to work with the finest faculty and staff anywhere.”
Reilly earned his Bachelor of Science in psychology in 1991 and his Master of Arts in industrial/organizational psychology in 1994, from Bridgewater State College. After receiving his Ph.D. in social cognition/personality from Lehigh University in 2002, Reilly arrived at Ferrum College as a faculty member in the psychology department. He also served as a school dean for eight years before being named Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs in 2019.
Reilly played a substantial role in preparing Ferrum for its fall 2020 Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accreditation review, which received a glowing report and offered no additional recommendations. He also helped Ferrum to earn Level IV institution approval, which authorized the College to offer a variety of masters and specialist degree programs.
As Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs, Reilly has guided the faculty through the summer and the fourth semester of teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic. He has been instrumental in welcoming new students to campus for the fall 2021 semester. Reilly spearheaded a “Morning of Service” in late August, when students partnered with leaders from the Village of Ferrum to undertake a number of community service projects, including grounds keeping, painting, and packing food for local elementary school children.
“My vision,” said Reilly, “is to work collaboratively and build upon our strengths: delivering outstanding opportunities for students through existing programs, while developing exciting new programs, both graduate and undergraduate. We plan to provide career-oriented experiences throughout the College that prepare students for life after college.”
“Kevin is an obvious choice for Vice President for Academic Affairs,” said President David Johns. “He has been involved in many of our most important academic initiatives in recent years, and has provided smart and consistent leadership. Kevin is deeply committed to our students and his work is filled with creativity, grace, and good humor. We would be hard pressed to find someone who knows us better or loves us more.”
9/15/2021
Ferrum College Counseling Services is now offering “Mandala Mondays” in the mindfulness suite in Bassett Hall.
Mandala Mondays. Journaling Wednesdays. Yoga, meditation, and more. All of these mindfulness activities are now being folded into campus life at Ferrum College.
Ferrum College Counseling Center Director Jessica Stallard and Outreach & Programming Coordinator Lee-Ann O’Dell have spent the better part of 2021 developing a program to allow the campus community to explore contemplative practices. They’ve designed a mindfulness suite on the second floor of Bassett Hall where students, faculty, and staff are invited to practice mindfulness during the week.
“By offering additional services through the Counseling Center, we are hoping to reach those who may need some help with stress reduction but may not need or want individual counseling. Our mindfulness services can also be a great supplement to individual counseling,” said Stallard.
Mandala Mondays were created with a focus on meditative arts, and are offered in Bassett 216 (next to the mindfulness suite) on Mondays from 12 – 1 p.m. Campus members are invited to select a mandala and spend time creating various color patterns. According to O’Dell, “it activates the medial prefrontal cortex, or reward center of the brain,” and has been shown to lower cortisol, a stress hormone. See How Art Helps the Brain for more information.
O’Dell also noted that while mandala is closely associated with the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, it also has roots in both eastern and western religions. “In Christianity, we see the circle in the halo over Jesus’ head, in the Celtic cross, and the dome. In Native American culture, Shamans believe the center of the circle holds sacred healing power,” she said.
Journaling Wednesdays occurs from 12 – 1 PM in Bassett 216, and offers students a writing space outside of their dorm rooms or other busy areas on campus. The suite is stocked with prompts to encourage journaling, and free writing is also encouraged. “Either way,” said O’Dell, “this is another way to draw focus to the present – a mindful moment.”
Additionally, Stallard and O’Dell will use these services to supplement therapy for those who are already using the 1:1 counseling model at Ferrum. They also want to create an academic curriculum that will incorporate mindfulness disciplines.
“From our perspective, in the social emotional learning lens, it is all about resilience. Building resilience while at Ferrum to deal with the demands of college life, but also adding some tools in the tool box to deal with life beyond Ferrum,” said O’Dell.
The mindfulness suite is open to students from 10 – 12 a.m. and 2 – 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Faculty and staff may visit the space from 12 – 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Campus members who are interested in counseling options should visit here. In-person and telehealth options are available.
Learn more about mindfulness at Ferrum.
On Monday, September 13, 2021, the U.S. News & World Report released the 2022 Best Colleges Rankings. Ferrum College was ranked number eight in the category of Undergraduate Teaching – Regional Colleges South.
The number eight ranking was bestowed upon Ferrum College after top college administrators completed a survey in spring and summer 2021, which ranked institutions across the nation according to a set of performance measures indicating excellence. Ferrum’s counterparts that ranked in the Undergraduate Teaching category received the most votes from the college administrators for focusing particularly on undergraduate teaching.
Read more about the Best Undergraduate Teaching Programs here.
9/10/2021
Demontay Wimbush ’21 at Schoolfield Hall.
Ferrum College senior and National Guard Member Demontay Wimbush ’21 is spending the final semester of his college career preparing to mobilize stateside in November. From there, in January 2022, he will deploy to Africa where he’ll be stationed for nine months.
“Luckily, all of my wonderful professors are working with me to finish early, before I deploy,” said Wimbush. He doesn’t yet know what his job duties will be in Africa.
On August 21, 2021, Wimbush married his high school sweetheart Kyra, who recently graduated from Averett University. The couple resides in Bassett, VA. As expected, Kyra isn’t looking forward to Wimbush’s deployment, but is supportive of his endeavors.
This isn’t Wimbush’s first experience with deployment. After the events at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, he was deployed to Washington, D.C. to help with security. “I stood in front of the Capitol building for twelve hours a day for a month,” explained Wimbush. He completed the beginning of the spring 2021 semester remotely while also fulfilling his guard duties.
As history major, Wimbush also worked as a McBroom Scholar at the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum (BRIM) over the summer. His job included giving tours of the farm museum while wearing wool interpreter’s clothing and working over a blacksmith’s fire in the summer heat.
“From the very first day, he fit right in with the staff and was incredibly enthusiastic about having this opportunity,” said BRIM Director Bethany Worley. “He was always looking for something new to learn, either in the museum or at the 1800’s farm.”
Associate Professor of History Tim Daniels, who is also Wimbush’s advisor, remembered taking a group of PAWS students to the farm museum in July, where he found Wimbush weeding the garden. “He hopped up and gave us an impromptu tour, immediately engaging the students by drawing them into what life would have been like at a farm inhabited by immigrants to his area,” explained Daniels. See Wimbush in action in these Flickr album photos submitted by Daniels.
As a McBroom Scholar, Wimbush learned blacksmithing techniques from local Franklin County resident Bill “Spook” Parcell, along with gardening and farming. He said that his experience at the BRIM’s farm allowed him to appreciate the preservation of Blue Ridge history.
Wimbush is also the first Ferrum College intern at the Booker T. Washington National Monument in Bedford County, VA. Daniels explained Wimbush’s duties: “There, he builds on what he honed at the BRIM, doing interpretation, manning the store, helping out in the garden and with animals, and developing educational materials that compliment the exhibitions and site.”
Researching and learning through history has always been Wimbush’s passion. “I enjoyed history during grade school,” he said. “My desire to seek the truth has allowed me to fall even more in love with my history major at Ferrum.”
Worley knows Wimbush is destined for great things, and said, “Demontay is just an extraordinary young man. His life experiences, combined with his education and his wonderful personality, set him apart from many people. I have no doubt that Demontay will make an impact in this world.”
This morning, Ferrum College faculty, staff, and students gathered at Hart International Plaza to acknowledge the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Tomorrow marks the twentieth anniversary of those events.
As the American and Ferrum College flags fluttered in a gentle breeze above the crowd, Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs Kevin Reilly brought remarks from President David Johns, who was unable to attend the service due to a death in his family.
“What I can say with certainty is that September 11th exposed human cruelty and hatred, but September 12th displayed human resolve and solidarity,” wrote Johns. “Being lumped together as one by the terrorists actually made us act together as one – mostly, and for a time. It seemed to matter less who was who or what group we represented.”
Following Johns’ remarks, Campus Minister Laura Robinson led a prayer and a moment of silence, saying, “When we pray together today, I know many of us will be praying for protection, for safety, for understanding, for peace, for relief. But I also ask all of us here to make room in our hearts for freedom from fear.”
Robinson concluded the service with a wish: “May we never live through another day like 9/11, but may we rise to the occasion if we do.”
See photos from the service here.
Read President Johns’ full comments in his commentary published in The Franklin News-Post.
9/1/2021
Senior Daniel Lamb applies painter’s tape prior to painting at Hillcrest Apartments. Photo by Coach Cleive Adams ’02.
Over the summer, the Ferrum College campus community continued to live out its motto, Not Self, But Others.
Just in time for students to arrive back on campus, two Ferrum College housekeepers voluntarily refreshed the Chapman Residence Hall parking lines. Also, under the direction of Head Football Coach Cleive Adams ’02, a group of students painted Hillcrest Apartments on campus after the units had been renovated.
Housekeepers Dot Crook and Cindy Hudson, who are responsible for cleaning Chapman Hall each day, wanted to make their building look as good as possible. They noticed that the parking lot lines needed repainting, so the pair used the change they had found while cleaning Chapman to purchase paint and supplies. Then they set to work hand painting lines and making sure the lot was as fresh as their building.
“They also trim bushes, weed plant beds, and more,” said Director of Physical Plant Brad Bishop. “Even though the Housekeeping staff is quite busy, they perform these jobs as they find a few minutes here and there throughout the year.”
Coach Adams’ group of students painted Hillcrest Apartments after contractors completed updates to the HVAC system, with lighting updates, new metal doors, and upgrades to bathrooms and the exterior buildings.
“My vision is to have 30 young men stay on campus each summer, working to help take care of our campus. Retention is the most important ingredient to sustain a program over time and the momentum of having young men excited about staying all summer can be contagious,” explained Adams. Regarding the work his players did, Adams said, “Once we finished a few units, we developed a game plan and took advantage of what certain guys did well, utilizing their strengths as we moved through each unit. We put a lot of paint on the walls up there!”
Bishop is also proud of his team. He said, “There are a lot of Physical Plant staff, as well as many across this campus, that go above and beyond the responsibilities that are defined in their job descriptions. In my opinion, they are the embodiment of Not Self, But Others.”
8/26/2021
Students and community volunteers work on Ferrum College’s campus. Photo courtesy of Dr. Bob Pohlad.
On the morning of Saturday, August 21, the Ferrum College campus quad held over 180 first-year students, employee volunteers, and members of Ferrum Forward, a local organization whose mission is to enhance the quality of life and the sense of community throughout the village of Ferrum. The crowd was ready to launch a “Morning of Service.”
“This was the first of what we hope will become an annual tradition for new students,” said Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor of Psychology Kevin Reilly, who designed and orchestrated the event.
College employees volunteered to work with Ferrum Forward members to lead service projects aimed at beautifying the campus and benefiting local businesses. Students packaged two weeks of meals for Ferrum Elementary children in need. They began two murals in Ferrum, one at Hidden Treasures and one at Sun Kist Tanning and Salon. They sorted donated clothes at the St. James Center and cleaned grounds at the local elementary school. Students worked on the College’s Titmus Agricultural Farm; cleared the disc golf course, hiking trails, and Arboretum; and even painted panther paw prints on campus sidewalks.
Ferrum Forward chairman Don Vineyard shared that their organization was pleased to be involved – and that our Ferrum community can be proud of the event. He went on to say, “Saturday’s ‘Morning of Service’ was exactly the kind of event Ferrum Forward was created for. I think the involvement of so many of the folks who took part on Saturday shows just the beginning of what could be a great partnership.”
“This was a wonderful collaboration between Ferrum College volunteers, first year students, and Ferrum Forward,” said Reilly. “This project would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of the members of Ferrum Forward.”
See photos from the “Morning of Service.”
Learn more about Ferrum Forward.
8/19/2021
Dr. Ed Hally
Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Administration Ed Hally has been appointed to the position of Boone Honors Program (BHP) assistant director. He will serve alongside Professor of English Lana Whited, who has directed the program for the past 13 years.
“With a keen intellect and a heart for service, Ed Hally is an ideal candidate for honors education,” said Whited. “I am delighted about his appointment and grateful for his willingness to take on this new role.”
“I have a soft spot for honors programs, in general,” said Hally. “They were an important part of my own college career and development as a scholar.”
The BHP, an interdisciplinary program committed to challenging students, and the college campus as a whole, to strive for excellence, has continued to grow since its 2001 inception under the leadership of now-retired Dean of Arts and Humanities and Religion Professor David Howell. In May 2021, the program graduated 14 honors medallion recipients, its largest-ever group. This fall, BHP will welcome its largest entering class of 25 honors students. (An SAT score of at least 1200 and a GPA of at least 3.5 are required to join BHP as a Ferrum College freshman.)
Hally has worked closely with BHP for more than a decade, and has taught the introductory honors seminar (Honors 100) eight times. His role as BHP assistant director will evolve over time as the program’s needs are determined, but will mostly involve program assessment, mentorship, service on the BHP steering committee, and continuing to teach the Honors 100 seminar.
In 2020, Hally began directing the College’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), which seeks to engage the student body in ways that will lead to even more student success. He will continue directing the QEP as he navigates his new role as BHP assistant director.
“The students are the main reason to work so closely with the BHP,” said Hally. “The classes are always rewarding to teach because the students always surprise and impress me with their creativity, their talent, and their ability to work as a team.”
