The 34th B. G. Raines Education Forum was held in March at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, Va. The forum is an annual event held to bring together individuals from Emory & Henry, surrounding schools, businesses, and industry to establish an ongoing dialogue regarding educational needs and opportunities in our region. The speakers included keynote speaker Valerie Ellery (right), an international educational consultant and best-selling author, and Fabiana Parker, 2023 Virginia Teacher of the Year. “For thirty-four years the B. G. Raines Education Forum has brought exemplary educators and leaders from all regions of our nation to Southwest Virginia,” said Dr. Sandra Frederick, Education Department chair. “These guests provide our local educators and community partners with insights into student learning, current educational research, and sound teaching pedagogy that can immediately be taken back into our regional schools to benefit the children of Southwest Virginia.”
Beth Macy, a best-selling author who has drawn worldwide attention to the opioid crisis in Appalachia, spoke on campus about her books, Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America and Raising Lazarus: Hope, Justice, and the Future of America’s Overdose Crisis. Macy also was presented with a service citation from the College.
Since the community-wide kickoff on September 30, the Office of Advancement’s major gifts team has been raising funds to support the campaign’s three pillars: the MultiSport Complex, the Equestrian Center and student success.