Alumni Awards

Meet Our Alumni

• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2896-andy-zimmerman"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,720,960/6757_zim.rev.1566937340.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,720,960/6757_zim.rev.1566937340.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,720,960/6757_zim.rev.1566937340.jpg" alt="Andy Zimmerman, E&H Class of 1990, with his dog, Walter." width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,720,960/6757_zim.rev.1566937340.jpg 2x" data-max-w="720" data-max-h="960" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2896-andy-zimmerman"><p> Andy Zimmerman is a medical technologist in the hematology department at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Andy Zimmerman is a 1990 graduate of Emory & Henry College.</p><p> He grew up in the suburbs of Washington D.C. and after he finished high school he decided he wanted a change of scenery. “So I went to college 360 miles away, at a pretty little school in Southwest Virginia.”</p><p> After four memorable years at E&H, he moved to Knoxville for graduate school, and then stayed because he loved hiking in the Smokey Mountains.  He has worked as a medical technologist in the hematology department of the core lab at the University of Tennessee Medical Center since 2001.  In his spare time he loves travel, reading, hiking the Smokies and the Appalachian Trail, working on his house, and anything he else he can do with his loyal dog Walter.</p><p> Andy is serving as president of the E&H Alumni Board of Directors.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2896-andy-zimmerman" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2546-bailey-williams"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,718,721/6008_bailey.rev.1551226795.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,718,721/6008_bailey.rev.1551226795.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,718,721/6008_bailey.rev.1551226795.jpg" alt="Bailey Williams, E&H Class of 2018, talking with Lamarr Alexander at Bristol's Rhythm & Roots in 2017." width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,718,721/6008_bailey.rev.1551226795.jpg 2x" data-max-w="718" data-max-h="721" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2546-bailey-williams"><p> Bailey Williams: Class of ’18, and already landed her dream job.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><div> Bailey Williams is a staff assistant for Virginia Senator Tim Kaine. She started the work in 2019 after a short-term stint as an intern for Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey.</div><div><br/> Her responsibilities in the Washington D.C. office will include answering calls from Virginians across the state, running the front office, and training new interns. Bailey says she’s especially looking forward to “working for a state she loves, a public servant she admires, and an institution that she has dreamed of being a part of for years.”<br/><br/> A Political and International Studies major at Emory & Henry, Bailey’s role in research for a class project in her Women and Gender Studies Class led to a sea of change on the E&H campus. She and classmates identify an alarming lack of attention to women and women’s stories on campus, and their studies and interviews led to a report that led to a new building on campus being named for Gov. Patrick Henry’s famous sister, Elizabeth Henry Campbell Russell (she was a champion for Methodism in this region).<br/><br/> Now she’s ready to take her lessons learned on campus to a bigger stage. “This job is a dream come true. Emory & Henry College is where I discovered my passion for public service and learned the skills I needed to make it a reality. I can’t wait to be answering your calls and I hope to represent the Political Science Department and the College well.”</div></div><a href="/live/profiles/2546-bailey-williams" 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/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/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/811-karen-todd"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/573_Karen_Griffey_Todd_EH_84.rev.1505494592.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/573_Karen_Griffey_Todd_EH_84.rev.1505494592.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/573_Karen_Griffey_Todd_EH_84.rev.1505494592.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/573_Karen_Griffey_Todd_EH_84.rev.1505494592.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/573_Karen_Griffey_Todd_EH_84.rev.1505494592.jpg" alt="Karen Griffey Todd poses with Rothschild, the carousel giraffe she adopted." width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/573_Karen_Griffey_Todd_EH_84.rev.1505494592.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/573_Karen_Griffey_Todd_EH_84.rev.1505494592.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2400" data-max-h="3200" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/811-karen-todd"><p> A tall tale of giraffes and philanthropy.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><blockquote><p><strong>It’s a tall tale.</strong></p></blockquote><p> When the City of Kingsport was building a carousel, they needed sponsors for the array animals that would soon be running in circles to the delight of young and old. When Karen Griffey Todd (’84) heard there was a giraffe that needed a sponsor, she was ready to step up.<br/><br/> On a trip to Africa in 2001 she fell in love with the long-necked creatures, and now she feels passionate about the real ones and the wooden one that delights children on Kingsport’s now-famous Carousel.<br/><br/><picture class="lw_image lw_image574 lw_align_left lw_column_width_half"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/500/height/750/574_Kingsport_Carousel_Giraffe.rev.1505494593.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/500/height/750/574_Kingsport_Carousel_Giraffe.rev.1505494593.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img width="500" height="750" alt="Rothschild the Giraffe stands tall on the Kingsport Carousel" data-caption="Rothschild the Giraffe stands tall on the Kingsport Carousel" src="/live/image/gid/68/width/500/height/750/574_Kingsport_Carousel_Giraffe.rev.1505494593.jpg" title="Kingsport Carousel Giraffe" data-max-w="683" data-max-h="1024" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture><span class="lw_image_caption lw_column_width_half lw_align_left" style="width: 500px">Rothschild the Giraffe stands tall on the Kingsport Carousel</span>“I will never forget the very first time I saw one in the wild in Tanzania. Then I started reading & learning about them & found that no one had really studied them that much. I was lucky enough to go back to Africa in 2014 to see them in Botswana, Zambia & Zimbabwe. They are already extinct in several African countries. The giraffe is now considered a “vulnerable” species for wildlife conservation with a few of the subspecies being endangered, including the Rothschild giraffe found in Kenya.”<br/><br/> In fact, Rothschild is the name Karen gave to her Carousel giraffe.  Hopefully, folks will give a second thought to the serious plight of Rothschild’s real ancestors as they take a turn for fun.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/811-karen-todd" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1433-toni-atkins"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,56,800,857/2267_Toni_Atkins.rev.1516131104.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,56,800,857/2267_Toni_Atkins.rev.1516131104.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,56,800,857/2267_Toni_Atkins.rev.1516131104.jpg" alt="Toni Atkins, E&H '84" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,56,800,857/2267_Toni_Atkins.rev.1516131104.jpg 2x" data-max-w="800" data-max-h="801" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1433-toni-atkins"><p> Toni Atkins is the leader of the California Senate – and is the first woman to hold this position.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Toni Atkins, E&H ’84, recently made history by becoming the first woman to serve as president pro Tempore of the California Senate.  She has served as interim Mayor of San Diego, and was Governor of California for nine hours in 2014 – making her California’s first openly gay governor, and it also landed her a spot on the Jimmy Kimmel talk show.</p><p>  </p><p> Below is an article by Lisa Renner written for Capitol Weekly in 2017:</p><p> State Sen. Toni Atkins has come a long way since she was a girl growing up poor without running water in rural Virginia.</p><p> This month, the San Diego lawmaker is set to replace Kevin de León as leader of the California Senate. She will be the first woman and first open lesbian to hold the position. She also will be the first person since the 19^th century to hold both of the Legislature’s top jobs – Assembly speaker and Senate leader.</p><blockquote><p> “She came with a sense of wanting to make a difference but didn’t think she could make a difference because of her background.” — Stephen Fisher </p></blockquote><p> Atkins, 55, is a real coal miner’s daughter who grew up in a house without indoor plumbing or running water, and her mother cooked on a wood stove, according to her college professor and close friend Stephen Fisher. When Atkins and her family moved to the city of Roanoke, she was teased for her hillbilly accent.</p><div id="div-gpt-ad-1395717372217-22_container" class="idm_ad_unit"></div><p>  </p><p> Only two others have served as both Assembly speaker and Senate leader — Ransom Burnell (Assembly Speaker in 1861 and Senate pro Tem in 1864) and James T. Farley (Assembly speaker in 1856 and Senate pro Tem in 1871-1872), said Alex Vassar, author of <em>California Lawmaker: The Men and Women of the California State Legislature.</em></p><p> Fisher recalls that when she arrived at Emory & Henry College, where she ultimately majored in political science, she had a lot of “anger and shame” about her upbringing. “She came with a sense of wanting to make a difference but didn’t think she could make a difference because of her background,” he said.</p><p> But as she grew more comfortable, she became more confident in her skin. She was part of a group of students who asked Fisher to teach a course on feminism. He agreed if the students would help him create the course, including decided what texts do use and how the class would be structured. “It was a transformative experience for all of us,” he said, adding that Atkins wasn’t the only participant who went on to have great success in professional life.</p><p> Atkins also showed courage by helping arrange for a visit to campus by lesbian folk singer Holly Near in the early 1980s when the college “was not a safe place to come out in,” Fisher said.</p><blockquote><p> Atkins was elected to the state Assembly in 2010. becoming Speaker of the Assembly in 2014. </p></blockquote><p> But Fisher said he had no idea back then that Atkins would end up where she is now. “I knew that she was going to do well but I had no notion that she was going into public work.”</p><p> Atkins ended up continuing her education at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University before relocating to San Diego in 1985.</p><p> She initially served as director of clinic services of Womancare Health Center but soon began working for then San Diego City Councilmember Christine Kehoe, the city’s first openly gay elected official. Atkins’ first jump into elected office came on the San Diego City Council in 2000, when she replaced Kehoe after Kehoe moved on to the state Legislature.</p><p> Atkins was herself elected to the state Assembly in 2010. becoming Speaker of the Assembly in 2014.  She set her priorities as access to health care, affordable housing and educational opportunities.</p><p> Among her achievements was getting the bipartisan support for a $7.5 billion water bond approved by voters in 2014. “That was a clear example of her leadership because folks believed it could not be done,” said Assemblymember Shirley Weber of San Diego.</p><blockquote><p> “She has that coal miner’s daughter perspective that comes out of that environment.” — Shirley Weber </p></blockquote><p> Weber also credits Atkins with getting her to run for office. Weber was recently retired after a long career as a professor of Africana studies at San Diego State University when Atkins asked her to consider running for the Assembly.</p><p> When Weber won the election and joined the Assembly in 2012, it was Atkins who opened doors for her and helped her make the transition. “She said I will help you do this and she did,” Weber said. “Other people say I’ll help you and you can’t find them. They don’t do anything for you.”</p><p> Weber said she is impressed that Atkins has been able to rise so far while keeping her dignity and maintaining her integrity.</p><p> “She has that coal miner’s daughter perspective that comes out of that environment,” she said. “You don’t get out of that environment if you don’t take what you have, make it better, learn from strengths and minimize your weaknesses.”</p><p> Atkins was elected to the state Senate in 2016 and was able to get all 12 bills she sent to the governor, signed and approved. In her December newsletter, she said she is especially proud of Senate Bill 2, which creates a permanent funding source for affordable housing and Senate Bill 179, which requires the state to legally recognize “nonbinary” as a gender for people who do not identify as male or female.</p><p> Rick Zbur, executive director for Equality California, said Atkins is one of the best advocates for the state’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. He applauded her upcoming advance to leadership of the senate.</p><p> “It’s important that she has shattered yet another glass ceiling,” he said. “These kinds of achievements are important for LBGTQ people because we have been historically underrepresented in government.”</p><p> Through it all, she remembers her Virginia roots. She invited Cameron Chase, a 20-year-old Emory & Henry student, to Sacramento for a three-week internship with her earlier this year. “Sen. Atkins is literally so down to earth and so kind and generous,” he said.</p><p> In a 2014 statement to the Washington Post, Atkins reflected on her rise from poverty to high office in California. “What that says about our opportunities as Americans and our democracy is profound.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1433-toni-atkins" 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/705-"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/355_cb05c7c2dda509f77c32d255409bb14f_f3246.rev.1500387149.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/355_cb05c7c2dda509f77c32d255409bb14f_f3246.rev.1500387149.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/355_cb05c7c2dda509f77c32d255409bb14f_f3246.rev.1500387149.jpg" alt="" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/355_cb05c7c2dda509f77c32d255409bb14f_f3246.rev.1500387149.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/705-"><p> John Honeycutt: Successful Attorney </p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> John Honeycutt said his experiences as a student at Emory & Henry reached far beyond the four walls and whiteboard, making a positive impact in his life a decade later.</p><p> As an attorney in Abingdon, Va., Honeycutt believes his college experience opened the door for his eventual profession.</p><p> “Becoming an attorney was not a driving force for me during college, but I enjoyed the legal classes I took through the political science department and eventually decided the study of law was more than a passing interest for me,” he said.</p><p> Honeycutt credits many members of the College community, including political science professor <a class="soft-link" title="View Dr. Joe Lane's profile page" href="http://www.ehc.edu/profile/view/822/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Joe Lane</a>, for building his confidence.</p><blockquote><a class="soft-link" title="View Dr. Joe Lane's profile page" href="http://www.ehc.edu/profile/view/822/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Lane</a> helped me become a big fish in a small pond, but at the same time, he made sure I knew there were lakes and oceans out there. When I got to the ‘lakes’ and ‘oceans,’ I wasn’t shocked by the fact that smart, capable people are everywhere. Instead, I knew I was one of them and found my own place.<a title="Learn more about this outstanding Emory and Henry College alum" href="http://www.pennstuart.com/attorneys/jhoneycutt.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">John Honeycutt</a><br/> Attorney</blockquote><h2> A Successful Struggle</h2><p> As is typical for many college students, Honeycutt struggled early on to find the right academic path. “I come from a family of ministers, and I initially took a lot of religion courses with <a class="soft-link" title="View Dr. Joseph Reiff's profile page" href="http://www.ehc.edu/profile/view/888/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Reiff</a> and Dr. Kellogg,” he said. “I was close to going down the path of religion for my major and profession, but I was never quite as comfortable and confident with religion as I am with the law.  It’s funny how things work out.  I really appreciate what Joe Reiff and Fred Kellogg taught me. What I learned from them was a vital part of my E&H experience.”</p><p> Following graduation from E&H, Honeycutt earned a Masters of Public Administration at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before attending the College of Law at University of Tennessee. For the past four years, he has practiced employment law at Penn, Stuart & Eskridge in Abingdon, primarily representing employers in workers’ compensation claims filed by their employees. He also represents employers in federal employment discrimination law suits.</p><p> “E&H challenged and grew my capacity to work hard,” said Honeycutt. “When I was in graduate school and law school, I drew on the experience of classes I took from Dr. Lane, Dr. Kathleen Chamberlain, and Dr. Joe Reiff to get me through. The papers, tests, and presentations for these classes made me realize I had to be better to be successful. Those challenges pushed my limits, and when I got to graduate school and law school, I was able to handle the difficulty when other students from less strenuous undergraduate institutions could not.”</p><p> Honeycutt said E&H helped him learn about work ethic and self-awareness. “Most any institution of higher education can teach students facts and figures, but E&H does better than most,” he said. “What sets E&H apart, however, is the unique environment in which it teaches students those facts and figures. To those students who engage the entire college community, E&H provides context better than any other institution of higher education I’ve seen.”</p><p> He added, “I also appreciate my experience at the College because it’s where I met some wonderful friends with whom I’m still close more than 10 years later. I also met my wife, Jenna, while we were students at E&H.  We have a precious little girl, Anna Claire.  We love her, and we’re so proud of her.”</p><div id="social-sharing-links" class="right clearfix"></div></div><a href="/live/profiles/705-" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2453-callee-blankenbeckler"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1356,2048/5646_image1_1.rev.1541713890.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1356,2048/5646_image1_1.rev.1541713890.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1356,2048/5646_image1_1.rev.1541713890.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1356,2048/5646_image1_1.rev.1541713890.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1356,2048/5646_image1_1.rev.1541713890.jpg" alt="Dr. Callee Blankenbeckler, E&H Class of 2014." width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1356,2048/5646_image1_1.rev.1541713890.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1356,2048/5646_image1_1.rev.1541713890.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1356" data-max-h="2048" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2453-callee-blankenbeckler"><p> Callee Blankenbeckler is a pharmacist who has a special talent for interacting with people.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p><strong>Dr. Callee Danielle Blankenbeckler</strong> is a 2014 Emory & Henry graduate who majored in biology. In May, 2018, she graduated summa cum laude with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy at ETSU. She is a pharmacist licensed in Virginia and Tennessee and is currently working for Food City pharmacy.</p><p> Callee finds the most rewarding part of her career being able to help patients better their health. “I find that pharmacists are among the most trusted professionals, and I like that I can be available for them to talk to.  I’ve had so many conversations where a patient just needs someone to listen, and I’m so happy for any chance to brighten someone’s day a little.”</p><p> Callee says she had planned to go into pharmacy since she was a middle school student! And she is grateful for the preparation Emory & Henry gave her for her post undergraduate education. “I was definitely ahead of the game when I started pharmacy school. The education I received at Emory & Henry was far more than sufficient, including background knowledge of biology and chemistry and managing the course load.”</p><p> She enthusiastically encourages other young people to consider this field, and suggests they find a pharmacist who would allow them to shadow them at work or hints that they might get a pharmacy technician certification that will allow them to get experience in the field. “It’s an amazing career with a lot of different avenues you can take.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2453-callee-blankenbeckler" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1444-fred-parker"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2125,3199/2358_Political_People_004.rev.1516296690.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2125,3199/2358_Political_People_004.rev.1516296690.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2125,3199/2358_Political_People_004.rev.1516296690.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2125,3199/2358_Political_People_004.rev.1516296690.JPG 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2125,3199/2358_Political_People_004.rev.1516296690.JPG" alt="Fred Parker, E&H '73" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2125,3199/2358_Political_People_004.rev.1516296690.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2125,3199/2358_Political_People_004.rev.1516296690.JPG 3x" data-max-w="2125" data-max-h="3199" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1444-fred-parker"><p> Fred Parker serves as the Treasurer of Washington County, Virginia.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p>  In addition to his E&H degree, he also holds studied at Lincoln Memorial University, East Tennessee State University, and the University of Virginia.</p><p> He has served on a variety of professional boards including the Governor’s Advisory Commission on the Dillon Rule and Local Government, the Virginia Association of Locally Elected Constitutional Officers (serving as president in 2004), Served as president of the Treasurers Association of Virginia, is on the Southwest Virginia Association of Treasurer’s and Clerks, the  Treasurer’s Association of VA, Virginia State SNAP Non-Arbitrage Program Advisory Board Since Inception, Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority, VA Government Finance Officers Association, VACo Investment Pool, and Washington County Industrial Development Authority.</p><p> He is a member of the Abingdon Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow. He is a former chair of the Washington County Democratic Committee and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1996.</p><p><br/> His list of awards and involvements is long, as is his passion for serving the community.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1444-fred-parker" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1748-brian-wolfe"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,600,771/3168_brian_wolfe.rev.1518208834.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,600,771/3168_brian_wolfe.rev.1518208834.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,600,771/3168_brian_wolfe.rev.1518208834.jpg" alt="Dr. Brian Wolfe" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="600" data-max-h="771" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1748-brian-wolfe"><p> “I wholeheartedly believe in approaching a patient’s care as a partnership.”</p><p> –Dr. Brian Wolfe, ’97</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-xs-8 col-sm-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-sm-5" id="clinicalLocinfo"><p> Brian Wolfe graduated from E&H in 1997. He received his medical degree from  Johns Hopkins University in 2001. He has been on the teaching faculty for Temple University Hospital and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He is now affiliated with the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, Colorado. He interned at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Program, and was Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, in 2005. </p><p> Dr. Wolfe has received the AANP Advocate State Award for Excellence, awarded for promoting the role of the nurse practitioner. He has received the Excellence in Clinical Innovation from the University Colorado Hospital Medical Staff for development of a post-graduate training program for physician assistants and nurse practitioners in hospital-based medicine. He received the Temple University Junior Faculty Residency Teaching Award. And in 2007, he received the award for Best Patient Advocate to the Vanderbilt University Emergency Department.<br/><br/> Brian’s philosophy about medicine is a personal one: “I wholeheartedly believe in approaching a patient’s care as a partnership. When a person is admitted to the hospital, this can be a stressful and disorienting experience. My role in the physician-patient partnership is to 1) understand a patient’s concerns and who he is she is as a person, 2) bring state-of-the-art care to the bedside, 3) communicate with the patient, the family, and the patient’s other physicians in a high level and meaningful manner.” </p></div></div></div></div></div></div><a href="/live/profiles/1748-brian-wolfe" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2726-henri-fitzgerald"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,288,288/6519_Henri_Fitzgerald.rev.1562185295.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,288,288/6519_Henri_Fitzgerald.rev.1562185295.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,288,288/6519_Henri_Fitzgerald.rev.1562185295.jpg" alt="Henri Fitzgerald, E&H Class of 2000." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="288" data-max-h="288" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2726-henri-fitzgerald"><p> Henri Fitzgerald is the Director of Non-profit Solutions (Endowment and Foundation National Practice Group) at PNC bank.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Henri Fitzgerald was a Bonner Scholars student at Emory & Henry and graduated in 2000.</p><p> He is currently the Director of Non-profit Solutions (Endowment and Foundation National Practice Group) at PNC bank in the Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina Area.</p><p> Previously, he was Vice President for Philanthropic Planning and also Senior Trust and Fiduciary Specialist at Wells Fargo. And he was Vice President and Senior Planned Giving Advisor for Wachovia Wealth Management, Inc.</p><p> Henri has remained committed to the community service habits he established in college. He has served on the YMCA Board of Winston-Salem and is president of the South Fork Panthers Youth Football and Cheer Association. He serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Emory & Henry College.</p><p> He earned his Juris Doctor degree in Corporate Law and Planning from Wake Forest University School of Law. And he garnered a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) designation from The American College.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2726-henri-fitzgerald" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/770-ashley-anderson"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/16/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,51,640,691/541_14429489_10104176658464845_379036427_n.rev.1505248978.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/16/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,51,640,691/541_14429489_10104176658464845_379036427_n.rev.1505248978.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/16/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,51,640,691/541_14429489_10104176658464845_379036427_n.rev.1505248978.jpg" alt="Ashley Anderson" 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/770-ashley-anderson"><p> Ashley Anderson, ’05: Higher Education Professional and Diversity Advocate</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Ashley Anderson - Regional Admissions Representative, University of Alabama</p><p> Graduate Degree:  Master of Arts in Teaching, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; Graduate Certificate in Higher Education and Student Affairs, Indiana University</p><p> “I learned how to make a difference in the world because of my time spent at Emory & Henry College…I carry the teachings of E&H with me everyday, especially in the workplace where I pride myself on being a change-maker. In my current position, I work with entering college students, and I have a strong passion for working with undocumented and LGBTQ+ students and helping them find the right college fit. I was able to cultivate this passion during my time E&H where I learned to be an advocate for justice and equality.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/770-ashley-anderson" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2963-homecoming-contest"></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p><a href="https://www.ehc.edu/live/image/gid/68/width/650/4903_IMG-1479.JPG" class="lw_preview_image"><picture class="lw_image lw_image4903 lw_align_left lw_column_width_half"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/500/height/376/4903_IMG-1479.rev.1540254881.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/500/height/376/4903_IMG-1479.rev.1540254881.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/500/height/376/4903_IMG-1479.rev.1540254881.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/500/height/376/4903_IMG-1479.rev.1540254881.JPG 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img width="500" height="376" alt="Friends reconnecting on Homecoming Day, 2018." src="/live/image/gid/68/width/500/height/376/4903_IMG-1479.rev.1540254881.JPG" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/500/height/376/4903_IMG-1479.rev.1540254881.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/500/height/376/4903_IMG-1479.rev.1540254881.JPG 3x" data-max-w="3088" data-max-h="2320" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a>Homecoming is about alumni coming back to visit friends and see their old college. They want to hear what’s going on at Emory & Henry! They want to see what’s new on campus! They want to know about current students and what they’re doing!</p><p><strong>But how much do you know about alumni?</strong></p><p><strong><a href="/live/blurbs/1269-more-emory-henry-alumni-stories" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CLICK HERE</a> to find a bunch of stories about former students.</strong></p><p> If you will share your favorite E&H alumni story on social media, you’ll be in the running for great prizes: an E&H blanket and more!!</p><p> So read a cool story…share that story with your friends…and screen shot it to share with the alumni office: 276-944-3516 or <a href="mailto:alumni@ehc.edu">alumni@ehc.edu</a>.</p><p> And let’s get to know our E&H alumni this Homecoming!</p><p>  </p><p> Please note: This contest is only for current students…not alumni. Sorry! :)<br/> Please include your name and current class year when you submit your entry. </p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2963-homecoming-contest" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>