Student Success

Meet Our Alumni

• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1815-christina-druen"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/233,0,1593,1361/3301_IMG_2692.rev.1518713658.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/233,0,1593,1361/3301_IMG_2692.rev.1518713658.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/233,0,1593,1361/3301_IMG_2692.rev.1518713658.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/233,0,1593,1361/3301_IMG_2692.rev.1518713658.JPG 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/233,0,1593,1361/3301_IMG_2692.rev.1518713658.JPG" alt="Christina Druen, E&H Class of 2016" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/233,0,1593,1361/3301_IMG_2692.rev.1518713658.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/233,0,1593,1361/3301_IMG_2692.rev.1518713658.JPG 3x" data-max-w="1360" data-max-h="1361" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1815-christina-druen"><p> And on top of all this….she can really sing!</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><div> Christina Druen currently works as a graphic designer for K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc. In this role, she creates various print materials, social media graphics, videos and other materials for the Food City stores and events they sponsor including the Food City Family Race Night, Food City 500/300, and their Annual Golf Tournament. Before coming to K-VA-T, Christina worked as a Marketing & Design Coordinator for Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems (SVCHS) where she aided in the re-branding of the organization, designed print materials and helped manage their website and social media. Right before graduation, she landed a job working for a NASCAR K&N team, Martin-McClure Racing as their Public Relations Representative. In this role, she managed the team’s social media accounts, escorted drivers to all appearances and helped manage the “Racing for 90.7 and Emory & Henry” project. Simultaneously, she worked for Dogwood Marketing located in Abingdon, Virginia, as a graphic designer and sales representative before coming to SVCHS. </div><div><br/> In her spare time, Christina works as a Marketing & Design Consultant to help smaller local businesses and non-profits with their marketing needs. She has completed work for Family Promise of Bristol, Garic Stephens and Lavelle Manufacturing, Borderline Billiards, Apple Ridge Photography, First Bank & Trust, Emory & Henry College, Clinch Valley Printing, and more. </div><div><br/> Christina also serves as a board member for the American Advertising Federation of Southwest Virginia. As the Communications Team Leader, her responsibilities include getting information out about their events, managing and updating their website, creating graphics and content for their social media platforms, writing press releases, creating email campaigns and aiding in planning events. </div><div><br/> During her time at Emory & Henry, Christina worked as an Events and Operations Intern for the Academy of Country Music in Los Angeles, California, and a Volunteer Captain for the Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Los Vegas. She also interned for a popular local band, Annabelle’s Curse, as well as Family Promise of Bristol as their Communications Intern. On campus, she was the Director of EHC-TV, President of Alpha Psi Omega, President of the E&H Choral Department, Treasurer and Founding Member of the AAF Student Chapter, Business Manager of the Whitetopper, Manager of The Sphinx, House Manager and Volunteer Coordinator for the McGlothlin Center for the Arts, Graphic Design Intern for the Admissions Office, and Writer for The Odyssey Online. </div><div><br/> Christina resides in Abingdon, VA. When she’s not working, you can catch her at Borderline Billiards bar-tending and shooting pool. </div></div><a href="/live/profiles/1815-christina-druen" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2707-meg-retinger"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,320,320/6405_meg_retinger.rev.1558721713.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,320,320/6405_meg_retinger.rev.1558721713.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,320,320/6405_meg_retinger.rev.1558721713.jpg" alt="E&H alumni John and Meg Hathaway Retinger at the beach." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="320" data-max-h="320" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2707-meg-retinger"><p> She’s number 1 in the number 2 business: Meg Retinger is COO of Bio Pet Laboratories in Knoxville.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Meg Hathaway Retinger graduated from Emory & Henry in 1976 with a plan to teach elementary school. But when she was faced with a crowded field of educators, and too few job openings, she headed in a different direction.</p><p> She began by doing computer work in an industry that created “bug zappers” and electric cattle fencing. Eventually she segued into a company that did testing to see if cattle had been properly inseminated for breeding. And now….well…now she finds herself elbow deep in dog poop.</p><p> Meg is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for <a href="http://www.biopetlabs.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bio Pet Laboratories</a> in Knoxville. The main component of their business is a program called PooPrints®; evaluating DNA in dog poop so that apartment complexes know which tenants are not picking up after their pets. Dog owners swab the cheeks of their dogs, and the apartment landlords send the swabs to Bio Pet to be registered in a database –DNA World Pet Registry. If a pile of poop is found where it shouldn’t be, it can be collected and sent to Bio Pet to be matched up with the dog owner – or, as Meg calls that person, “The Poopetrator.”</p><p> Bio Pet is now serving clients all over the U.S., Canada, and Europe. They receive as many as 2000 swabs a day, and receive 200 poop samples a day.</p><p> Meg says the two biggest issues apartment complexes deal with are parking and dog waste. And in addition to being unsightly, it is also a huge environmental issue as it affects the water runoff and eventually the regional watersheds. “People think that dog poop is just fertilizer, but because of what dogs eat, their poop has more bacteria than human waste.”</p><p> She says her E&H education taught her how to learn – and instilled a desire to learn. So when her initial career plans got sidetracked, she was flexible and found a new way to apply her degree.</p><p> In short, Meg knows her poop.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2707-meg-retinger" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2381-william-allen"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/png" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,21,240,261/4965_William_Allen.rev.1540587584.png 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,21,240,261/4965_William_Allen.rev.1540587584.png" alt="William Allen, E&H Class of 1980." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="240" data-max-h="240" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2381-william-allen"><p> William Allen turned an education in science into a career in law.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> William Allen (E&H ’80) is a partner with the Thompson Hine law firm in Cincinnati. His work is in the firm’s Intellectual Property practice, and he counsels clients on an array of patent and trademark issues, helping them manage, protect, and capitalize on their IP assets. He prepares and prosecutes domestic and international patent and trademark applications, conducts due diligence, prepares legal opinions, and represents clients’ interests in post-grant review proceedings.<br/><br/> Prior to practicing law, William spent over a decade as a laboratory physicist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He also served as an adjunct professor in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at the University of Tennessee.<br/><br/> William holds a Ph.D. in physics and a B.S. in physics and mathematics. He has wide-ranging experience in electrical, mechanical, and materials technologies including semiconductor device fabrication and integrated circuits, travel industry software, cosmetic surgery instruments and procedures, medical devices, metalworking tools and processes, automated pharmacy systems, pharmaceutical packaging, wind turbines, e-commerce and business methods, tires and tire-making equipment, integrated circuit processing tools, X-ray and optical inspection equipment, and flat panel displays and signage. While a physics professional, he co-authored several articles published in scientific journals.<br/><br/> William received his J.D. degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law and his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.<br/> He was selected in 2018 and 2019 for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Northern Kentucky University Research Foundation. William is married to Kathryn Allen, owner of the luxury handbag and accessory business Kathryn Allen Couture.<br/><br/> William says his E&H years prepared him for the work he’s doing now by “educating me in physics, chemistry, and mathematics to furnish a sound and comprehensive foundation for professional careers in both science and law.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2381-william-allen" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2543-dr-clarissa-tatum"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,5,127,132/6005_EASTMAN_u772853_LThumb.rev.1551199284.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,5,127,132/6005_EASTMAN_u772853_LThumb.rev.1551199284.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,5,127,132/6005_EASTMAN_u772853_LThumb.rev.1551199284.jpg" alt="Dr. Clarissa Tatum, E&H Class of 2005." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="127" data-max-h="127" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2543-dr-clarissa-tatum"></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Clarissa Tatum was a chemistry major at Emory & Henry, and played tennis on the varsity team.</p><p> These days she is a research chemist at Eastman Chemical Company focusing on a polymeric fiber product used in a number of applications.  Aside from developing and optimizing product applications, she also oversees the product’s analytical testing lab and provides technical assistance to customers.</p><p> She serves as a representative on the E&H Alumni Board of Directors and is a volunteer for an alumni event called “E&H in the City” where alumni are invited to a happy hour event in order to meet other grads in their neighborhood. In 2018, more than 600 alumni participated in this all-volunteer-led event. </p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2543-dr-clarissa-tatum" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2955-kyle-sensabaugh"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,601,601/6892_Kyle_Sensabaugh_Photo.rev.1568396666.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/png" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,601,601/6892_Kyle_Sensabaugh_Photo.rev.1568396666.png 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,601,601/6892_Kyle_Sensabaugh_Photo.rev.1568396666.png" alt="Kyle Sensabaugh, E&H Class of 2014" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="601" data-max-h="601" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2955-kyle-sensabaugh"><p> Kyle Sensabaugh is a Director for People, Inc. – and says he’s forever grateful to Emory & HEnry.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Kyle is a native of Columbus, Ohio and now resides in Glade Spring, Virginia. He came to E&H in 2009 as a first-year student and athlete, and eventually made Southwest Virginia his home.</p><p> Upon graduation, he accepted his first job as the Head Assistant Basketball Coach at Emory & Henry. He was then offered a position as an Assistant Store Manager at Lowe’s (home improvement) – a job he held for four years.</p><p> He is currently employed with People Incorporated of Virginia as the Director of Housing Services. He started this job in 2017, and says he owes much of his success to his E&H degree, and he loves that his career allows him to make a difference for people. “My position consists of finding affordable homes for clients, giving aid to current homeless individuals, helping to prevent individuals from becoming homeless, weatherization services for under income individuals, under income home ownership programs, and voucher programs for section 8.”</p><p>                 Kyle is proud of the fact that he was a Bonner Scholar at Emory & Henry. “Bonner gave me a true appreciation and respect for community service. I enjoyed all the sites I worked with and loved the rewarding feeling of helping others. That same experience drove me towards my passion for my job now. I had great relationships with several of my professors and peers, that allowed me to network within this community. Those networking opportunities, took me down numerous paths from finding employment, building stronger community relationships, and finding a place that I call home. I was never a strong student before coming to Emory & Henry College, and the atmosphere and resources there changed that for me. I never had an issue getting the help I needed, the encouragement, or someone to take the time to see my situation through. Without E&H and the Bonner Scholars program, I can honestly say I would not be working with People, Inc. today.  I am forever grateful and forever an advocate for the college.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2955-kyle-sensabaugh" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/3035-noah-hayden"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,118,1372,1490/7202_Noah__Stephanie_1.rev.1575494231.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,118,1372,1490/7202_Noah__Stephanie_1.rev.1575494231.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,118,1372,1490/7202_Noah__Stephanie_1.rev.1575494231.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,118,1372,1490/7202_Noah__Stephanie_1.rev.1575494231.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,118,1372,1490/7202_Noah__Stephanie_1.rev.1575494231.jpg" alt="Noah Hayden, E&H Class of 2011" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,118,1372,1490/7202_Noah__Stephanie_1.rev.1575494231.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,118,1372,1490/7202_Noah__Stephanie_1.rev.1575494231.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1372" data-max-h="1372" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/3035-noah-hayden"><p> Noah is serving in the U.S. Army.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Noah Hayden’s accomplishments since graduation make it seem like he’s been out of school for a very long time. But, he only graduated in 2011.<br/><br/> He quickly earned an MS in communication from North Carolina State University and then joined the Army. “I joined the Army because I wanted to make a tangible difference in the world in a complex and demanding environment.”<br/><br/> He describes himself as “an adrenaline junkie” who enjoyed the grueling workouts required by the E&H basketball program. In addition to playing sports, he also completed multiple internships while a student. “Dr. Teresa Keller set me up with awesome internships at Johnston Memorial Hospital and The Corporate Image while at Emory & Henry. I got to experience working in the public relations world. I loved it but wanted something more physically demanding. Before the Army I had traveled across the world, spending a summer in Italy, rebuilding houses in Haiti, teaching English in China, and playing semi-professional basketball in the Middle East.”<br/><br/> Noah commissioned as an Infantry Officer in 2013, and had his choice of jobs to pursue in the Army. “I chose the infantry because it was the most difficult.”<br/><br/> As a rifle platoon leader, he was directly responsible for the training, development and combat readiness of a 42-man infantry platoon. He was responsible for the accountability of $5.5 million of military equipment, and was ultimately responsible to prepare his team to deploy anywhere in the world.<br/><br/> As a heavy weapons platoon leader, he was responsible for the training, development and combat readiness of a 19-man specialty platoon with 5 vehicles (HMMWVs) and $8 million of military equipment. Again, he was ultimately responsible to prepare them to deploy anywhere in the world.<br/><br/> After his third platoon, he became a rifle company executive officer and worked directly for a Captain (Company Commander) and reported to the battalion executive officer (major). He resourced, planned and facilitated operational readiness while managing the logistics and supply chain of a 130 Soldier rifle company, and was accountable for $15 million of military equipment.<br/><br/> “My mass communication experience has been incredibly useful. As a rifle platoon leader, we walked everywhere, relying on hand-held radios. As a heavy weapons platoon leader, we operated out of vehicles, utilizing additional communication platforms. Public speaking is a dying skill and I easily out-performed many of my peers. Hosting a radio show and television show at Emory directly translated to my everyday job. The hands-on experience and ability to troubleshoot any communication platform prepared me for the Army’s equipment. It is imperative that I am able to speak clearly and concisely. Emory & Henry helped prepare me for that.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/3035-noah-hayden" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2769-andrea-pasillas"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.jpg" alt="Andrea Pasillas" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1348" data-max-h="1348" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2769-andrea-pasillas"><p> Andrea Pasillas is a Spanish teacher at Powell High School in the Knox County (Tennessee) school system.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Andrea is passionate about her teaching. She is dedicated to making the Spanish-speaking world accessible to every student by using comprehensible language acquisition theory and authentic cultural resources while emphasizing interculturality and celebrating multiculturalism.</p><p> The 2019-20 school year marks her sixth year teaching and she has spent all six years at Powell High School. “Over the last few years, I have learned that teaching is not for the faint of heart. Every day has a different struggle; however, every day presents itself with new opportunity: a new opportunity to interact with so many young minds and to play even the smallest role in shaping their view of the world. That interaction is one of the most rewarding aspects of this profession to me.”</p><p> In addition to facilitating language acquisition, she also sponsors the Spanish Club, Junior Class Fundraising, the Annual Winter Semi-Formal Dance, and trips abroad with students. She says she is most proud of the work that her students do in Spanish Club. “With the service-learning mindset that I experienced while at E&H, my students and I volunteer with Knoxville’s Hora Latina to help with the annual Hola Festival, have sponsored the Pulsera Project at Powell, we volunteer for Work Days at the Beardsley Community Farm, and host cultural events at Powell to bring Hispanic culture to our community.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2769-andrea-pasillas" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2314-tammy-parks"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/6,0,157,150/4597_Tammy_Parks.rev.1536941020.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/6,0,157,150/4597_Tammy_Parks.rev.1536941020.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/6,0,157,150/4597_Tammy_Parks.rev.1536941020.jpg" alt="Tammy McMillan Parks (E&H '95) is an art professor at New River Community College." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="151" data-max-h="150" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2314-tammy-parks"><p> Tammy McMillan Parks is making sure her students see art all over the world: paying forward a gift bestowed by an E&H faculty mentor.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Tammy McMillan Parks (E&H ’95) is taking a page out of the Royce Morris handbook.</p><p> Tammy was an art major at Emory & Henry, and loved classes with E&H’s classics and art history professor, Dr. Royce Morris (deceased). She went with him on his semi-annual trip to Rome, and found the experience to be life-changing. Now that she is an art professor herself, she is carrying on his legacy of sharing the world’s most amazing art with young people.</p><p> She is a professor of art at New River Community College (Dublin, Virginia), and she is committed to offering her students opportunities to see, try, and experience art in every possible fashion.  Study abroad is a huge part of her teaching method. “Travel accomplishes two wonderful things: it makes them appreciate things at home they never really paid attention to before and it makes them consider how their home could benefit from doing things in some of the ways they encountered abroad.”</p><p> Her last trip with students was to the Balkan region of Europe – Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece. She said the experience was great. “This past summer is no different from my many years of taking students abroad…our plane flight back home was filled with their new memories, laughter, plans for future travel and all their ideas for new art projects and trips.”</p><p> She is known as a professor who goes beyond the classroom to serve her students. Right now she is involved in expanding the clubs at NRCC to create opportunities for students to travel more – not only to see the world but also to experience the history and culture of the area. “I want them to see places like Biltmore and museums and festivals that are accessible within our own region and surrounding states.  We don’t have to go to Rome to appreciate other cultural experiences! These experiences can have a strong influence on their understanding of the arts in and around place they study and live.”</p><p> Tammy earned her bachelor’s degree in art from Emory & Henry, she earned a master’s in Spanish from the University of Southern Mississippi, and an M.F. A. in public art from Goddard College in Vermont. She is currently working on a Ph.D. at the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts, Portland, Maine.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2314-tammy-parks" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1893-bobbie-larkins"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,33,512,545/3399_771885.rev.1519915305.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,33,512,545/3399_771885.rev.1519915305.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,33,512,545/3399_771885.rev.1519915305.jpg" alt="Bobbie Frentz Larkins, E&H Class of 2003" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="512" data-max-h="512" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1893-bobbie-larkins"><p> Bobbie Frentz Larkins is a great advocate for connecting E&H students to career possibilities at Eastman Chemical Company.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Bobbie Frentz Larkins received her Bachelors of Science degrees in Chemistry and Biology from Emory & Henry college in May, 2003.  Bobbie taught high school Chemistry and Biology in Washington County, Virginia, from 2003 to 2007.  In 2007, Bobbie joined Eastman Chemical Company as a part of the Specialty Plastics organization.  Currently, Bobbie is a Portfolio Specialist focused on managing the growth portfolio for the Plastics business.<br/><br/> Bobbie joined the E&H Alumni board in 2012 with a passion to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to benefit from an Emory & Henry education.  Bobbie has worked to develop an E&H Alumni network within Eastman Chemical Company as well as provide opportunities for E&H’s science students to interact with Eastman (networking opportunities, plant visits/tours, career mentoring, etc.).<br/><br/> Bobbie also has a focus on service within her community – a value instilled by E&H.  Bobbie was a member of the Kingsport Junior League from 2011 to 2016, a member of the Tri-Cities ALS Association Board of Directors from 2012 to 2015 and is currently an active member of the Tennessee Doberman Rescue and Calvary Church in Johnson City, TN.  Bobbie and her husband, David, are passionate about supporting animal rescues and providing for school-aged children in need.<br/><br/> In her spare time, Bobbie enjoys organic gardening and cooking as well as spending time with her husband, David, their two children, Katie (17) and Andrew (14), and their three dogs Matilda, Brodie and Shadow.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1893-bobbie-larkins" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2553-dana-hutton"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/13,72,400,458/6046_Dana_Hutton.rev.1552059001.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/13,72,400,458/6046_Dana_Hutton.rev.1552059001.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/13,72,400,458/6046_Dana_Hutton.rev.1552059001.jpg" alt="Dana Broyles Hutton E&H Class of 2007" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="387" data-max-h="386" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2553-dana-hutton"><p> Dana Broyles Hutton is president of Southeastern College West Palm Beach.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Dana Broyles Hutton is president of Southeastern College West Palm Beach.</p><p> Hutton’s career in education began in admissions in at National College in Bristol, Tenn. She was named the school’s rookie of the year for 2008. Hutton received numerous promotions before joining Southeastern College as the regional director of admissions in 2014.</p><p> Two years later, Hutton was tapped for her current role as president. She was instrumental in leading the campus through a reaccreditation visit and introducing two new programs – Cloud and Information Technology and Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Under her leadership, SEC West Palm Beach was named a finalist for the Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges (FAPSC) School of the Year in 2018; and Hutton was nominated for FAPSC Administrator of the Year.</p><p> Dana graciously gives a nod to her alma mater for preparing her for this important leadership role.“Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of going to Emory & Henry College and it was the best decision of my life. E&H not only provided me the education but also instilled a student first culture in which has become a core value of mine as an Administrator in higher education.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2553-dana-hutton" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/841-pat-huber"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,500,700/743_huber.rev.1507060606.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,500,700/743_huber.rev.1507060606.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,500,700/743_huber.rev.1507060606.jpg" alt="Pat Bear Huber E&H '76" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="500" data-max-h="700" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/841-pat-huber"><p> Pat Bear Huber is the first female president of New River Community College.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Dr. Pat Huber is the president of New River Community College, in Dublin, Virginia, as of July 1, 2017.</p><p> Huber becomes the sixth person, and first woman, to serve as the college’s permanent president. Her hiring ended a process that began with a national search, which attracted more than 90 candidates.</p><p> “I’ve known Pat for a long time and have always been impressed with her remarkable passion and dedication for the people community colleges serve,” said DuBois. “Pat has dedicated her entire career to community college education, and I know that she is going to do a terrific job as New River’s president.”</p><p> Huber has worked in education for 41 years, and has worked at New River Community College since 1988 where she began as an adjunct English instructor. She began working at NRCC full time in 1992 as an assistant professor. From there, she rose through the ranks becoming an assistant division chair in 1999, a dean in 2005, and vice president for instruction and student services in 2007 – the position she holds today. Huber also served as the interim vice president for academic and student services at Wytheville Community College during the spring and summer of 2003.</p><p> Huber earned a doctorate in community college leadership from Old Dominion University; a master’s degree from West Virginia University in Morgantown; a bachelor’s degree from Emory & Henry College in Emory, VA; and an associate degree from Wytheville Community College.</p><p> “The quality of the candidates this process produced made this decision a tough one,” said Steve Harvey, chair of the New River Community College local board. “That said, Dr. Huber has demonstrated outstanding leadership at NRCC in the past. She is focused on curriculum, certifications and credentialing, student success, and intentional engagement in the education of students. She is committed to outreach to the local businesses, school systems, and higher education facilities within the five localities serviced by NRCC. Under Dr. Huber’s guidance, NRCC will continue to be an affordable educational option to help provide the local economy an educated workforce. The board will work closely with her during her transition, and I encourage the local stakeholders to be engaged in the process.”</p><p> Huber succeeded Dr. Jack Lewis, who retired last year after serving NRCC for 42 years, including 17 as college president. Longtime Virginia community college leader, Dr. Charlie White, is currently serving at the college’s interim president.</p><p> New River Community College, which opened in 1969, is a comprehensive community college located in Virginia’s New River Valley, serving an estimated 4,500 students in the counties of Montgomery, Floyd, Pulaski and Giles and the city of Radford.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/841-pat-huber" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1946-brooklyn-belk"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,28,347,376/3466_BrooklynSawyersBelk.rev.1520453426.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,28,347,376/3466_BrooklynSawyersBelk.rev.1520453426.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,28,347,376/3466_BrooklynSawyersBelk.rev.1520453426.jpg" alt="Brooklyn Sawyers Belk E&H 2002." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="347" data-max-h="348" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1946-brooklyn-belk"><p> Brooklyn Sawyers Belk is an Assistant United States Attorney for the Department of Justice, United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Brooklyn Sawyers Belk is an attorney with Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn and Dial in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a Partner of Counsel, & Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer.</p><p> She was formerly an Assistant United States Attorney for the Department of Justice, United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee.  Sawyers Belk was admitted to the United States Supreme Court bar in November 2015. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee (UT) College of Law, where she teaches trial practice and interviewing and counseling. Additionally, she teaches a host of undergraduate history and pre-law courses. </p><p><br/> Sawyers Belk graduated from Emory & Henry College in 2002 and serves on the College’s Board of Trustees. She obtained a Master of Arts degree in history in 2004 from East Tennessee State University and is a 2006 graduate of the UT College of Law. </p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1946-brooklyn-belk" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/3028-dr-adam-pugh"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,32,1947,1977/7197_Head_Shot.rev.1575315387.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,32,1947,1977/7197_Head_Shot.rev.1575315387.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,32,1947,1977/7197_Head_Shot.rev.1575315387.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,32,1947,1977/7197_Head_Shot.rev.1575315387.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,32,1947,1977/7197_Head_Shot.rev.1575315387.jpg" alt="Dr. Adam Pugh is a 2014 graduate of Emory & Henry, and a 2018 graduate of the E&H School of Health Sciences." width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,32,1947,1977/7197_Head_Shot.rev.1575315387.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,32,1947,1977/7197_Head_Shot.rev.1575315387.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1947" data-max-h="1945" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/3028-dr-adam-pugh"><p> Dr. Adam Pugh is a Physical Therapist at BenchMark Physical Therapy.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Dr. Adam Pugh is a 2014 graduate of Emory & Henry College. In May of 2018 he graduated from the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Emory & Henry School of Health Sciences. He was part of the inaugural class.  <br/><br/> He and his wife, Amber, welcomed their first baby (a son) into their family in March of 2019.<br/><br/> Adam is currently the clinic director and physical therapist at BenchMark Physical Therapy in Marion, Virginia, and he says the part of the job he most enjoys is “getting to work with a variety of people from a variety of backgrounds to help them achieve their best in life.”<br/><br/> Because Adam completed his Physical Therapy degree as part of the E&H School of Health Sciences’ inaugural class, he had to enter the program with a lot of faith because the program’s accreditation didn’t officially occur until the first cohort completed their course work and they were just about to graduate from the program. When asked if that ever concerned him, Adam says, “I never once doubted that Emory & Henry wouldn’t become accredited. This school excels in everything that it does academically and I knew this wouldn’t be any different. It’s no wonder why E&H has been known to be one of the top 100 colleges that changes lives.”<br/><br/> These days Adam is busy seeing 10-18 clients a day. He says the best part of his job is “getting to interact with the people of the community, build lasting relationships, and become a part of their healing story.”    </p></div><a href="/live/profiles/3028-dr-adam-pugh" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/13-"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/22_fbd04c901271156159e4e275a5bf845f_f50561.rev.1490707796.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/22_fbd04c901271156159e4e275a5bf845f_f50561.rev.1490707796.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/22_fbd04c901271156159e4e275a5bf845f_f50561.rev.1490707796.jpg" alt="" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/22_fbd04c901271156159e4e275a5bf845f_f50561.rev.1490707796.jpg 2x" data-max-w="1000" data-max-h="666" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/13-"><p> Sydney England (’14) Receives Prestigious Fellowship Opportunity </p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> She received the Armbrister Memorial Scholarship for freshmen honors and the Outstanding Senior Award from the Sociology Department. She was on the dean’s list all eight semesters while a student at Emory & Henry, and she graduated summa cum laude with college honors. She also was inducted into several national honor societies.</p><p> Is it any wonder that Sydney England is one of only two students throughout the country selected to receive the Jessie Ball duPont Fund Fellowship, providing a two-year period of work and study in philanthropy and charitable work?</p><p> England, a 2014 graduate of Emory & Henry College, was nominated by the college, which is among many liberal arts colleges and universities eligible for support from the Jessie DuPont Fund. England was selected from a large field of applicants.</p><blockquote> Dr. Joe Lane brought the fellowship opportunity to my attention. I don’t know if I ever fully set my sights on the fellowship because it always seemed like a long shot.Sydney EnglandClass of 2014</blockquote><p> The Jessie Ball duPont Fund Fellowship program, headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., is designed to provide practical experience for students interested in careers with nonprofit, faith-based, or philanthropic organizations. As a fellow, England is exposed to foundation governance, grant making, governmental oversight, and industry events.</p><p> “Responsibilities shift daily, but primarily it’s a lot of research and grant management. The fellows are really there to support senior staffers with some of their project management and report preparation,” explained England.</p><p> “This fellowship will afford me an acute insight into the full life-cycle of a grant, from initial proposal to grant management and re-evaluation. It’s very rare to have the opportunity to see this grant maturation within a wide array of nonprofit organizations at my age and experience level,” she said.</p><p> “I’m really just hoping to develop a strong grant writing and nonprofit management portfolio and to engage in meaningful personal research during my two years at the Fund.”</p><p> England is among the fifth class of fellows at the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. Some of their predecessors work with the Peace Corps, religious organizations, and community-based nonprofits.</p><p> Her accomplishments at Emory & Henry are equally impressive.</p><p> The alumna doubled majored in sociology and history with a minor in women’s studies. “When I entered Emory & Henry, I was the conventional high-performing student who was primarily concerned with grades. If nothing else, E&H taught me that if you aren’t imagining beyond your goals, you aren’t giving yourself enough latitude to grow.”</p><p> While a student at Emory & Henry, England was a research assistant, and she also gained experience working for Terry McAuliffe’s campaign for governor in Virginia.</p><p> Her honors thesis was entitled “Check Here: A Critique of Normative Discursive Categorization within Survey Construction.” The premise of her research was to address some of the General Social Survey’s methodological limitations.</p><p> “I found that nominal and mutually-exclusive language, as it pertains to the General Social Survey categorization of sex, creates a false sense of normativeness within American society and harshly limits the accuracy of data when causal inferences link these two categories to various other demographic features within the data set. Ultimately, I created an alternative survey proposal that I hope will be adopted more frequently on campus.”</p><p> England said her experiences at Emory & Henry have enabled her to be a successful person, employee, and citizen.</p><p> “I feel the impact of my liberal arts education daily and in several dimensions. First, I often find myself willing to engage in critical, solutions-oriented dialogue, and I think that’s a direct result of the type of Socratic courses that you regularly find at Emory.</p><p> “Second, I’m acutely aware of the impact that place has on people, and this is really imperative when you’re in a workspace. I’m really aware of workplace dynamics and organizational core values. Those are really important to understand when you’re trying to figure out how you, the individual, fit into the structure. At Emory, we were constantly reminded of how people and place are inextricably connected.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/13-" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1432-josh-myers"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,427,427/1596_Josh_Myers.rev.1513028145.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,427,427/1596_Josh_Myers.rev.1513028145.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,427,427/1596_Josh_Myers.rev.1513028145.jpg" alt="Josh Myers and wife" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="427" data-max-h="427" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1432-josh-myers"><p> Myers is president of EMM Financial Services.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Josh Myers, is president of EMM Financial Services, Inc. in Greensboro, North Carolina.<br/></p><p> His post-college experience has varied widely.  He spent a bit of time in the nation’s capitol working for a large national lobby based in Northern Virginia. He attended the University of South Carolina for graduate studies in public administration. And he ran a statewide political campaign in South Carolina. He says that all his experiences and especially his education at Emory & Henry have given him the confidence, as well as the financial and analytical tools that prepared him for his leadership position with EMM.<br/></p><p> A management major at Emory & Henry, Josh says working collaboratively within groups and having real-world experiences through internships were the most helpful tools he acquired as an undergrad. He credits the compassionate community-based mantra of E&H as being an underlying guide to how he lives his life and serves his clients. He is reminded daily to always put people first and the rest will follow.<br/></p><p> He also says he has one very simple and helpful word of advice to anyone planning for the future: Save early and save often. No one ever got to the end of the road and said they wish they’d saved less.<br/></p><p> Josh is married to Catherine “Katie” Reynolds Myers (E&H ’08) who is a speech pathologist in the Guilford County, North Carolina, school system and the couple have two children, Carter and Emily. </p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1432-josh-myers" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>