Student Success

Meet Our Alumni

• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1745-becky-pretzel"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.jpg" alt="Becky Edmondson Pretzel" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1292" data-max-h="1291" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1745-becky-pretzel"><p> Rebecca Edmondson Pretzel (E&H ’82) is the Associate Director of the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD) at UNC Chapel Hill. </p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Rebecca Edmondson Pretzel (E&H ’82) is the Associate Director of the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD) at UNC Chapel Hill. </p><p> The CIDD is a comprehensive program for services, research, and training relevant to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. The CIDD provides for clinical services that range from complex interdisciplinary evaluations on-site to more limited and selected clinical services. They also provide training in all 100 counties in North Carolina. (<a href="http://www.cidd.unc.edu/">CIDD website</a>)</p><p> According to a press release, Becky is a “psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at UNC. At the CIDD, she serves as the Associate Director of our federally-funded University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) program, Director of Clinical Services, and Psychology Section Head. In addition, she is an investigator on a variety of research and training grants and supervises numerous graduate students and junior faculty.</p><p> Through her longstanding experience working with many N.C. service agencies (e.g., the Department of Public Instruction, Early Intervention Branch and Division of MH/DD/SAS), Dr. Pretzel has played an important role in raising the level of care for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in the state. Dr. Pretzel is currently serving as Act Early Ambassador in North Carolina, a program directed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designed to improve early identification of young children with or at risk for developmental delays.”</p><div id="social-sharing-links" class="right clearfix"><div class="muted"></div></div></div><a href="/live/profiles/1745-becky-pretzel" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/670-micah-morris"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,250,250/6034_Micah_Morris.rev.1551713188.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,250,250/6034_Micah_Morris.rev.1551713188.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,250,250/6034_Micah_Morris.rev.1551713188.jpg" alt="E&H's Micah Morris, Class of 2009" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="250" data-max-h="250" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/670-micah-morris"><p> Micah Morris (’09) Fighting Apathy</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Micah Morris is a political and nonprofit professional with over 10 years experience raising money, coaching teams, and running programs to create a tangible difference in people’s lives.</p><p> A native of the Chattanooga, Tennessee, region Micah focused on social change work and community organizing while attending college at Emory & Henry.</p><p> After three transformational years at Planned Parenthood Federation of America on their Political & Advocacy teams, Micah struck out on the campaign trail and has worked in fundraising, operations, and field under Democratic standard bearers such as Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, Hillary for America campaign manager Robby Mook, and California US Senator Kamala Harris.</p><p> Micah was recently selected to be in the 2019 Virginia Cohort chosen by the <a href="https://www.newleaderscouncil.org/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New Leaders  Council (NLC)</a>. She is one of only 20 chosen for the honor in the Commonwealth.</p><p> Micah currently works remotely in Richmond, Virginia as an Account Executive for NGP VAN / EveryAction, a software platform for progressive nonprofits and Democratic campaigns. When not working, you can find her drinking IPAs, boxing, or hiking in the Shenandoahs with her husband and dog.</p><p> Micah says one of the best lessons she has learned in life is that “Everyone can get together and make a difference – you don’t have to be an elected official.”</p><p> She says at Emory & Henry she learned the value of social capital. “Everyone has the right AND the responsibility to make our communities better. You don’t have to be mayor; everyone can do this.”</p><p> Her career started at the Bristol Crisis Center, where she quickly began to see that progress was dependent upon finding civic leaders and elected representatives who share your values for the community. So she reluctantly dipped her toe into the waters of politics by joining a phone bank for Creigh Deeds. </p><p> Micah’s success as a sales executive is anchored in a belief of a stronger world through good leadership. “When it comes to politics, so much is about how we see the world. I learned early on that it doesn’t work to try to tell people their point of view is wrong – or that other people needed to convert to my way of thinking. The best way to move forward is to talk about the kind of world we all wish to live in. Once we start talking about values, we’ll find common ground.”</p><p> Interestingly, one of Micah’s first glimpses of the power of a strong community came through the campus health center at Emory & Henry. “When I was growing up in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee, my family didn’t have consistent access to health care – and we used to joke, ‘Don’t get sick this month!’ At Emory & Henry I had the opportunity for preventative health care and that was a new experience. Once I saw that I could take control of my health, I understood that I could control other parts of my life, as well.” This became part of her motivation for helping get leaders elected who could shepherd good legislation and block laws that didn’t promote a strong community.</p><p> Micah was a first generation college student and says her family was thrilled to see her get a college education. Micah has taken her opportunity for an education and created opportunities for others through stronger communities. She likes to tell people that if they’re not happy with how things are in government to get busy. “I find that the hardest thing to fight is apathy. If you’re unhappy with things, don’t mourn: organize!”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/670-micah-morris" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/677-doug-dalton"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,640,640/272_11140356_10154000682162786_5533273719072550783_n.rev.1497276685.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,640,640/272_11140356_10154000682162786_5533273719072550783_n.rev.1497276685.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,640,640/272_11140356_10154000682162786_5533273719072550783_n.rev.1497276685.jpg" alt="" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="640" data-max-h="640" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/677-doug-dalton"><p> Doug Dalton (’94) is More Than Meets The Eye</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Ask anyone who follows Doug Dalton on social media and they’ll tell you that this guy knows how to have a good time. The Fairfax, Va., native is now a dyed-in-the-wool Californian, and photos of him wearing a cheetah suit and going to Burning Man, cocktail parties, and rock concerts might lead you to think he is just a playboy.</p><p> Think again!</p><p> He is also the owner of 9 very successful, very popular, very trendy bars in San Francisco, as well as 3 stores.</p><p> How — and why – does a former “dot com guy” end up as a bar entrepreneur? “I was working at Estee Lauder as the Chief Technology Officer living in San Francisco and New York City. New Yorkers would often speak poorly about San Francisco saying there was nothing interesting to do there. I wanted to contribute to San Francisco because I felt it was a wonderful town. San Francisco at the time was full of incredible restaurants and dive bars but nothing in between, so I ventured to make an elusive but not exclusive high-end bar experience on par with the New York nightlife scene.”</p><p> Doug and his partners venture into areas that some businesses are reluctant to consider (like the Tenderloin District) and his successes are reinvigorating long-ignored areas. “Our bars are bringing new life and other businesses to the area, helping to better them and make them more inviting.”</p><p> If you know a student who is interested in identifying a problem…and working for a solution…encourage him or her to look at Emory & Henry’s Ampersand project. Maybe they’ll grow up and be like Doug Dalton: an answer to community challenge.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/677-doug-dalton" 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/701-"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,411,441/351_22190fabaa5cf5891f3c9f97021a2c3b_f7834.rev.1500384865.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,411,441/351_22190fabaa5cf5891f3c9f97021a2c3b_f7834.rev.1500384865.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,411,441/351_22190fabaa5cf5891f3c9f97021a2c3b_f7834.rev.1500384865.jpg" alt="" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="411" data-max-h="441" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/701-"><p> Salad Days </p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Will Wadlington (’08) recently shared a little tidbit:</p><p> “You may like to know I just accepted a new position as Lettuce Breeder, fyi.”</p><p> How could we not have follow up questions??</p><p> He recently defended his Ph. D. work in Plant Biology at the University of Illinois, and his current research is on spinach sex chromosomes. Working at Everglades Research & Education Center, Dr. Wadlington says they are doing research to determine how plants control whether they are male or female. “We don’t really know how plants do that, so I’m researching how spinach (my specialty) and also papaya use sex chromosomes to have male or female plants.  It’s basic research to figure out how botany works.”</p><p> Turns out there’s an advantage to being able to change the sex of spinach: “I developed a variety of spinach that makes YY spinach (not XX not XY but with two Y’s).  Breeders use those for seed production to make the most pollen.”</p><p> His next post-doc job will be working with lettuce. In particular, he’s looking at making lettuce more disease-resistant.  “Lettuce in the field gets pathogens sometimes and it can ruin a crop or make them ugly.  We are finding varieties that are resistant to common diseases so we can then breed naturally occurring resistance genes into major lines.”</p><p> The hope is for less food waste and higher quality produce – which is great for growers, but also for the environment. “Disease-resistant lettuce requires fewer chemical sprays when cultivated, so it’s cheaper to produce, better for the environment, and great for the people that work in the fields and eat salads.”</p><p> Let-us all hope for Will’s success.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/701-" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2494-cortney-halsey"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/43,37,595,589/5791_IMG_1051_1.rev.1546634866.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/43,37,595,589/5791_IMG_1051_1.rev.1546634866.JPG 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/43,37,595,589/5791_IMG_1051_1.rev.1546634866.JPG" alt="Cortney Halsey ('15) and Jeremiah Jessee ('15) in full academic regalia." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="552" data-max-h="552" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2494-cortney-halsey"><p> Dr. Cortney Halsey is an occupational therapist who is serving her alma mater as a devoted career mentor.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Cortney Halsey finished at E&H with a B.S. in Biology in 2014. In 2017 she completed a doctorate of Occupational Therapy in the charter class of Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences (MDCHS) at Mary Baldwin University.</p><p> She is currently working full time as an occupational therapist embedded into the Pre-employment Readiness and Education Program (PREP) at Wilson Workforce and Rehabilitation Center (WWRC). The position is the first of its kind. Cortney feels blessed to be in this recently created position. “ In collaboration with the OT department, we submitted a position proposal to the Department of Aging and Rehabilitation Services (DRS). The position was approved soon after I completed my doctoral experience at the center.”</p><p> Her responsibilities in the position include serving young adults with disabilities as they pursue independent living and vocational opportunities. Her special interests include sensory integration, assistive technology, and community integration. Cortney also represents WWRC in the DRS sponsored Autism Project and is a core member of the Autism Advocacy Partnership at the center. She supports academic institutions, as a project mentor for MDCHS’s Community Practicum course and precepts Level I OT Students from MDCHS and James Madison University.</p><p> She also works per diem at UVA-Encompass Health, an inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Charlottesville, as an occupational therapist for adults with acute neurological and orthopedic impairments.</p><p> Cortney doesn’t let being busy get in the way of supporting her alma mater. She was the Lyceum Keynote Speaker at E&H’s cognitive community team’s annual Autism event last year. In the summer of 2018, she collaborated with a current E&H student on a summer internship project at WWRC. Cortney says she loved getting to know Sarah Ingram, and the experience was also important for her as a new professional. “It is evident that servant leadership remains an Emory & Henry core value. Sarah, like most E&H students I can imagine, provide tangible and contextual resources through the understanding of place, thus she was able to provide current and future clients with tangible resources and education. Accessibility to resources, experiences, and opportunities will support potential and resiliency for all abilities. Sarah’s presence at our center and E&H’s commitment to service will provide this access to so many.”</p><p> Cortney used her E&H undergrad years to the fullest extent, not only excelling as an accomplished academic student, but also as a well-rounded athlete (she played softball) and campus leader (student director of orientation, member Delta Omicron Pi, Hope Award winner 2014, Homecoming Queen 2012). She says her E&H experience prepared her for the world of work she finds herself in now by “instilling a love for innovation, desire for life-long learning and  joy in trials or barriers. Emory & Henry challenged me to be a spark and not someone’s flame. The greatest reward may be the moments someone chose to change their life with one of your tools and their unique self, rather than your gifts alone attributing to that change. I am humbled by this principle every moment as an Occupational Therapist,” says Cortney.</p><p> In 2018, Cortney married college sweetheart Dr. Jeremiah Jessee (E&H re’15, ETSU Pharmacy School ’18). Jeremiah is a pharmacy resident at Sentara Rockingham Memorial Hospital in Harrisonburg, VA and will be taking a second year Oncology residency later this year.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2494-cortney-halsey" 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/16-"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/25_3352ba2f2869555aca164cdd562e5444_f47341.rev.1490710878.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/25_3352ba2f2869555aca164cdd562e5444_f47341.rev.1490710878.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/25_3352ba2f2869555aca164cdd562e5444_f47341.rev.1490710878.jpg" alt="" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/25_3352ba2f2869555aca164cdd562e5444_f47341.rev.1490710878.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/16-"><p> Hannah Taylor (’15) Exploring Gender Stereotypes</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Hannah Taylor, a member of the E&H Class of 2015 from Atkins, Va. majors in psychology. Using her pet rabbit in an animal therapy program she seeks to help mentally challenged individuals and residents of nursing homes.</p><p> “They love getting to see him (the rabbit), and it warms my heart to see their reactions and how much they enjoy visiting with him. This is one of my passions, because it amazes me how people can connect with animals, and he is always able to put a smile on their face, even if they are having a bad day.”</p><p> Hannah Taylor, a member of the E&H Class of 2015 from Atkins, Va. majors in psychology. Using her pet rabbit in an animal therapy program she seeks to help mentally challenged individuals and residents of nursing homes. “They love getting to see him (the rabbit), and it warms my heart to see their reactions and how much they enjoy visiting with him. This is one of my passions, because it amazes me how people can connect with animals, and he is always able to put a smile on their face, even if they are having a bad day.”</p><p> Taylor says about Emory & Henry: “Emory & Henry is known for its quality education, which is ranked nationally, and when you attend Emory, you know you are getting a great education that you will always take with you. The professors at Emory are also ranked nationally; they do not hand you anything, you really have to earn it. With that being said, even though the professors are tough, they are always there for you and to help you in anyway they can. When you graduate from Emory & Henry College, it is something you can be proud of because you know you have worked very hard for your degree and your achievements. “</p><p> As a student at Emory & Henry, Taylor is currently completing her second internship through Abingdon Health and Rehabilitation in occupational therapy. Her first internship was completed last fall with Highlands Community Services at the Stepping Stones location where she worked primarily with bipolar and schizophrenic individuals. Last spring, Taylor and fellow classmate, Amy Wilson, completed a research project involving gender stereotypes and careers. Although the research did not bear significant findings, Taylor plans to expand her sample group and explore a wider range of demographics.</p><blockquote> Emory & Henry inspired me to become a psychology major, and I am very thankful for that. I love it, and couldn’t imagine majoring in anything else. Emory & Henry also has helped me gain professional contacts through internships. Being able to go out and intern at a future place of work is amazing; you are able to gain valuable experience while getting class credit. It has been an amazing experience for me, and I will always be thankful for it.</blockquote></div><a href="/live/profiles/16-" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2647-jessica-richardson"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg" alt="Jessica Richardson, E&H Class of 2017, at the Olympic Training Center." width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1638" data-max-h="1638" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2647-jessica-richardson"><p> Jessica Richardson is a data analyst for the U.S. Olympic Committee.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> It’s a match made in heaven.</p><p> Outstanding E&H athlete and mathematics major Jessica Richardson is a data analyst for the United States Olympic Committee. It’s like the job was made for her interests, talents, and academic expertise.</p><p> Part of the E&H honors academic program, Jessica also excelled as a student athlete at Emory & Henry. She was a four time All-ODAC First Team honoree, winning the 100 yard freestyle her sophomore year. She currently holds two individual E&H records as well as being a part of four relay records and was the league’s Bonnie Kestner Sportsmanship Award recipient her sophomore year. </p><p> The Florida native is adjusting well to life in Colorado. “The new community of Colorado has been very welcoming. I absolutely love being back in the mountains, it reminds me a lot of my time at Emory. The culture and lifestyle of Colorado Springs is very active and I love that there is no end to the outdoor activities one can participate in (Pro tip: don’t underestimate the Manitou Incline - if you haven’t heard of it you should look it up!).”</p><p> She is grateful for the education she got at E&H and looks back now at the experiences and opportunities provided with gratitude for the preparation.  </p><p> “I will forever be thankful for my time at E&H. From the caring and passionate teachers whose guidance and lessons both in and out of the classroom helped me discover my passions, to the athletic department who not only supported me in the pool but provided me with opportunities to work in a sports environment, to the honors program that pushed me past my comfort zone as well as provided me with great opportunities including my first internship. I also am very appreciative of my friends and teammates who always supported and believed in me, helping me become the person I am today. ”</p><p> Her favorite thing about the new job is having a hand in helping Team USA and all of its athletes. “The projects I am working on everyday are challenging but rewarding in every way. My entire team is so welcoming and collaborative as we are all working to the same common goal, to support our athletes in pursuit of their dreams.”</p><p> When asked what she hopes to one day be doing, she replies: “Exactly this. This is way more than I ever imagined I would be able to achieve and right now I am living my dream.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2647-jessica-richardson" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2582-abby-hathorn"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,185,1326,1510/6069_53294665_1229786347177427_5300967083331289088_n.rev.1553045627.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,185,1326,1510/6069_53294665_1229786347177427_5300967083331289088_n.rev.1553045627.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,185,1326,1510/6069_53294665_1229786347177427_5300967083331289088_n.rev.1553045627.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,185,1326,1510/6069_53294665_1229786347177427_5300967083331289088_n.rev.1553045627.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,185,1326,1510/6069_53294665_1229786347177427_5300967083331289088_n.rev.1553045627.jpg" alt="Abby Hathorn, E&H Class of 2018" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,185,1326,1510/6069_53294665_1229786347177427_5300967083331289088_n.rev.1553045627.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,185,1326,1510/6069_53294665_1229786347177427_5300967083331289088_n.rev.1553045627.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1326" data-max-h="1325" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2582-abby-hathorn"><p> Abby Hathorn is a Social Media Influencer Specialist.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Spend five minutes with Abby Hathorn and you will find yourself completely captivated by the world of sunscreen. “There’s a lot more to sunscreen than people realize…and more than even I realized before I took this job!”</p><p> Abby is the Social Media Influencer Specialist for Crown Laboratories, and works primarily with Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen and PanOxyl. “I work hands-on with influencers on social media and bloggers to create campaigns focused around a specific brand or product. I build and manage these campaigns by strategically recruiting professional bloggers and content writers with traits and engagement statistics that match brand standards and consumer profiles. The goal of these campaigns is to enhance Internet and social-media chatter about a specific product (or products) while also generating revenue growth–often from new demographics.”</p><p> She also gets to  create the graphic design and content-work associated with influencer campaigns – items like the fliers, personalized coupon templates, package inserts, and informational “E-Packets.” “E-Packets are my unique way of ensuring that  partners and ambassadors have the information and checklists needed to properly execute clearly written content and sharp photos that the consumer brands can promote and re-use in social media posts and inbound marketing promotions.”</p><p> Abby isn’t only about marketing and social media: she is intensely well-versed about the product line she’s been hired to promote – and can weave a great description of Blue Lizard’s Australian roots and their commitment to ingredients that won’t do damage to humans or the coral reef.</p><p> The Mass Communications graduate is grateful to former profs like Dr. Teresa Keller, Dr. Mark Finney, and Brent Treash and says her breadth of experience in college has given her flexibility for the work she’s doing now. “Because the Mass Communications program isn’t focused on just one skill set, I was able to learn about marketing before I realized that was the world I would be entering. I was very broadcasting/television focused at E&H as a student; however, I was able to change and adapt after college because I had had classes in social media, marketing and graphic design on top of participating in EHCTV, WEHC 90.7, and electronic media courses.”</p><p> Now she’s learning literally every facet of the work done by her employer and the elements needed to make their products successful. She is writing, blogging, photographing, emailing, and doing a lot of communicating….talking to customers, talking with other marketing partners, talking to people all over the United States. “Being a Mass Communications graduate, it’s obvious I love, love love to communicate!”</p><p> “Overall, this job is teaching me to appreciate every step and every person involved in a company–big or small. From marketing to the lab to the warehouse, every job is important. The marketing staffers recently got recruited to to add neck-tie labels to about 6,000 tubes of sunscreen! Sometimes duty calls: we are a small and growing team, so there has to be willingness to adapt to what’s needed to be done.”</p><p>  </p><p> Abby is another E&H grad who has completed her college days with self-confidence and a unique set of skills. “Emory & Henry College prepared me in so many ways. I was able to soar outside of the walls of Emory & Henry–which I think is every senior’s deathly fear after being involved in such a close-knit community for years.”</p><p>  </p><p><a href="https://www.ehc.edu/live/image/gid/68/width/1000/6070_53817009_2293269727602631_4509757811609042944_n.jpg" class="lw_preview_image"><picture class="lw_image lw_image6070 lw_align_left lw_column_width_full"><source media="(max-width: 500px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/500/height/185/6070_53817009_2293269727602631_4509757811609042944_n.rev.1553045902.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 500px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/500/height/185/6070_53817009_2293269727602631_4509757811609042944_n.rev.1553045902.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 800px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/800/height/296/6070_53817009_2293269727602631_4509757811609042944_n.rev.1553045902.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 800px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/800/height/296/6070_53817009_2293269727602631_4509757811609042944_n.rev.1553045902.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(min-width: 801px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/1000/height/370/6070_53817009_2293269727602631_4509757811609042944_n.rev.1553045902.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(min-width: 801px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/1000/height/370/6070_53817009_2293269727602631_4509757811609042944_n.rev.1553045902.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img width="1000" height="370" alt="Abby Hathorn and a coworker doing photography for Blue Lizard Sunscreen promotions." src="/live/image/gid/68/width/1000/height/370/6070_53817009_2293269727602631_4509757811609042944_n.rev.1553045902.jpg" data-max-w="851" data-max-h="315" data-optimized="true"/></picture><span class="lw_image_caption lw_column_width_full lw_align_left" style="width: 1000px">Abby Hathorn and a coworker doing photography for Blue Lizard Sunscreen promotions.</span></a></p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2582-abby-hathorn" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1228-auburn-barrett"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,7,265,272/1709_auburn_barrett.rev.1513720110.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,7,265,272/1709_auburn_barrett.rev.1513720110.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,7,265,272/1709_auburn_barrett.rev.1513720110.jpg" alt="Auburn Barrett from Emory & Henry College." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="265" data-max-h="265" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1228-auburn-barrett"></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><div> Auburn was an Athletic Training student at Emory & Henry, and is currently serving as an athletic trainer hired by a hospital. She is also contracted out to work sporting events at a local middle school. She worked as a Physical Therapy Tech during the summer after she graduated from college.</div><div></div><div></div></div><a href="/live/profiles/1228-auburn-barrett" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/793-joe-shortt"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/213,0,1089,877/563_Joe_Shortt.rev.1505400886.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/213,0,1089,877/563_Joe_Shortt.rev.1505400886.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/213,0,1089,877/563_Joe_Shortt.rev.1505400886.jpg" alt="Joe Shortt at the American Saddlebred Horse Association of Virginia's Hall of Fame" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/213,0,1089,877/563_Joe_Shortt.rev.1505400886.jpg 2x" data-max-w="876" data-max-h="877" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/793-joe-shortt"><p> Joe Shortt has been inducted into the American Saddlebred Horse Association of Virginia’s Hall of Fame.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><blockquote><p> Joe Shortt is a 2017 inductee into the Hall of Fame of the American Saddlebred Horse Association. </p></blockquote><p> Joe Shortt was a STEM guy before STEM was cool. He graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in chemistry with minors in math and physics. And while his career utilized his science background, it was his sideline that has recently garnered him recognition.</p><p> A well-known horse-trainer, Joe was inducted into the American Saddlebred Horse Association of Virginia’s Hall of Fame in 2017.</p><p> Through the 1970s he trained a host of champion horses with names like Prince Magic, Drum Chant, Bourbon’s Curiosity, Katy Vanguard and Boomerang. He told the Smyth County News and Messenger that his love of horses took shape while he was still in high school. “As a sophomore in high school I began working during the summer at Nancy Brown’s training stable in Seven Mile Ford. This is what encouraged me to begin a professional training career.”</p><p> But he started riding much earlier. “I began riding at about eight years old on my Shetland pony named Nubbins, and showed him for the first time at the Rich Valley Fair the following year.”</p><p> Joe worked with horses in Virginia until he moved to Sevierville, Tennessee, with his company, Blue Circle Cement.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/793-joe-shortt" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1914-erin-griffin"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/46,207,430,591/3448_Erin_Griffin.rev.1520282800.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/46,207,430,591/3448_Erin_Griffin.rev.1520282800.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/46,207,430,591/3448_Erin_Griffin.rev.1520282800.jpg" alt="Veterinary medical student, Erin Griffin, E&H '13, with a puppy in a dinosaur costume." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="384" data-max-h="384" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1914-erin-griffin"><p> Erin Griffin, E&H ’13, is completing her veterinary medicine degree. </p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Erin Griffin, a native of Saltville, Virginia, is in her last year of veterinary school at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. This is one of only 28 veterinary medicine colleges in the United States and is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Education and the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International. The school is considered a constituent college of both Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland<a title="University of Maryland, College Park" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Maryland,_College_Park">,</a> with a main campus located on Virginia Tech’s campus in Blacksburg, and a branch on the University of Maryland’s campus in College Park. </p><p> She has passed the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination and looks forward to graduating in May of 2018. She hopes to eventually establish her own practice in Southwest Virginia.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1914-erin-griffin" 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/690-"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,450,299/340_195154692a4a9ca21aec2fe00c319ccd_f7172.rev.1500309442.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,450,299/340_195154692a4a9ca21aec2fe00c319ccd_f7172.rev.1500309442.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,450,299/340_195154692a4a9ca21aec2fe00c319ccd_f7172.rev.1500309442.jpg" alt="" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="450" data-max-h="299" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/690-"><p> It’s all Emory & Henry’s Fault</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> “While I was a student, I participated in a teaching abroad program in Brazil that was offered by the college, and I fell in love with the Brazilian culture and people. So I decided to make it my home.” So for 7 years he ran a school that taught English as a second language, and in 2008 he opened his very own such business in Londrina, Brazil, called High School Language Center.  Solving more than one need for the community, his school gives families a chance for constructive child care. “My school offers an alternative to a babysitter for families who think learning another language is important. The kids from ages 2 1/2 and up study 3 hours per day at my school. They have a lot of fun learning.” Look for his school online and you’ll find projects like mystery movies his students produce to practice their English.</p><p> Chris is just one of many alumni who are using their E&H degrees to solve problems. If you know a student who might like to use education to make the world a better place, check out the <a href="https://www.ehc.edu/ampersand/">Ampersand</a> project at Emory & Henry!</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/690-" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>