Tag: alumni
Blurbs
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There are a wide range of events where you can keep your mind sharp and keep your E&H connections keen.
Lifelong Learning Events: Our summer alumni was so well-received, we’re going to continue to have online speakers all throughout the year! We’ll also be doing regional events that coincide with our online topics. Increase Your Excellence and join us!
Recordings of Events: You can still find recordings of many of our recent events!
More Than A Vacation: our summer alumni college did its 28th year online, and it was great! Videos are still available!
College for Older Adults: On occasion, E&H is partnered with SWVAHEC to offer a light-hearted set of classes for the College for Online Adults.
Visiting the RVA: Every winter we visit a museum in Richmond. Stay tuned for details about plans for this year’s event.
E&H Alumni Travel: Check out upcoming opportunities!
Duck Pond Wall: Catch interviews with E&H alumni LIVE on WEHC-FM 90.7 or stream it live from the web. Interviews are now available through a podcast wherever you listen to podcasts!
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Alumni have recently traveled together to Greece and to Italy…and we are getting ready to head to Cuba (May 2023), Normandy and France (December 2023), and Spain and Portugal (April 2024).
Cuba (Registration is closed)
Normandy and France (information link coming soon!)
Spain and Portugal
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“Increase in Excellence” is, of course, borrowed from our college motto, Macte Virtute. And we are excited about extending our learning opportunities together through the college that taught us to never stop learning. Watch for regular events.
Coming up….
Apr. 6, 7 pm: Dr. Kathleen Chamberlain leads us in a book discussion on Ancillary Justice by Anne Leckie. This event is full.
Apr. 13, 7 pm: Katie Cordle highlights the top ten waterfowl we’re likely to see in the well fields of Saltville. Read more and register!
Apr. 27, 7 pm: Tony Iwane from iNaturalist will share a presentation on citizen science and the phenomenon of this sharing platform. Read more and register!
May 5, 7 pm: Meet Dr. Doug Tallamy, Professor of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. His book Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants has been described as something of a game-changer for anyone looking to have a positive impact on the environment. Read more and register…
Available on your own…
(recorded Mar. 10, 2021) Jeremy Stout shares the natural history of Saltville, Virginia. Known for his expertise on all things prehistoric, Jeremy shares fascinating facts, and Museum of the Middle Appalachians museum volunteers helped answer questions! Read more and register! Here’s the video…
(recorded Feb. 9, 2021) Susan O’Dell Underwood discusses her poetry and the wonders of nature that inspire her to write. Here’s the video…
(recorded Dec. 29, 2020) Tommy Britt (E&H Class of ’02) discusses the history of death in the movies and his recently published work on this topic. Here’s the video.
(recorded Dec. 17, 2020) Dr. Jim Warden (E&H Physics Faculty, retired) discussed the planetary conjunction occurring on Dec. 21, 2020.Here is a link to NASA’s picture of the day, and Here’s the video of Dr. Warden’s lecture!
(recorded Nov. 18, 2020) A Conversation with Author Ron Peterson, Jr. about his books on unsolved crimes in the New River Valley. Ron is the author of Under the Trestle and Chasing the Squirrel. If you missed the conversation, here’s a link to the video.
(recorded Dec. 8, 2020) A Conversation with Dr. Lana Whited about true crime novels. Lana has just published a book entitled Murder, In Fact – a book about true crime novels and how some of those books make it into the category of “classics.” The first half of this one-hour conversation will air on WEHC-FM in spring of 2021, but you can enjoy the whole conversation now. Here’s a link to the video…
(Adding new interviews routinely) “Duck Pond Wall” Interviews
Enjoy archived WEHC interviews with alumni about their lives, projects, and careers. The Duck Pond Wall airs weekly on Thursdays at 6:30 pm. You can stream it live, or listen to recordings in the archives. https://archive.org/details/OntheDuckPondWallCorona Virus Video Class.
Take in this video course on Covid-19 our E&H students took part in this summer. (Expect patches of “blurring” and editing as we tried to eliminate privacy issues for participating students.)
PART ONE: – Dr. Brian Wolfe, E&H 1997, discusses being a hospitalist in Denver during the pandemic.(Here’s a quick news story on Dr. Wolfe.)
– Jenny Wang, E&H 2017, has a background in social service administration and is at NYU in Shanghai and has served at the United Nations. Here’s the video…PART TWO:
– Dr. Rebecca Buchanan, E&H Health and Human Performances division, and Todd Stanley, E&H Powell Resource Center, discuss good mental health practices for the pandemic. Here’s the Video…PART THREE:
– Dr. Jack Wells (E&H History department) discusses other pandemics in history.
– Jeoff Bodenhorst (E&H Class of 1975) discusses his company’s switch to producing PPE at the beginning of the pandemic. (Here’s a story about Jeoff and LA Corp.) Here’s the video…June-July, 2020: More Than A Vacation Many event videos are available!
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WEHC-FM can be heard on FM radio at 90.7 for anyone living within a couple hours of campus, or you can listen through a number of radio apps on your phone.
You can also stream the station live to catch a variety of interview and music shows – including shows by Dr. Steven Fisher, Dr. David St. Clair, and Bill Mckee.
“The Duck Pond Wall” is an interview show where we talk to a variety of alumni about their work, their passions, their hobbies, or their big news. It is currently available on Thursdays at 6:30 pm, but if you miss an episode, you can catch up through this link to the archives.
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Rev. Bill Mooney, Class of ’58, Franklin, TN, died Nov. 26, 2020. Obituary…
Paul David Spangler, Class of ’68, Bristol, VA, died Nov. 1, 2020. Obituary…
Ron William Davidson, Class of ’74, Johnson City, TN, died Nov. 30, 2020. Obituary…
Phillip B. Reynolds III, Class of ’81, Charlotte, NC, died Nov. 15, 2020. Obituary…
Eric Scott, Class of ’88, Westminster, MD, died Nov. 15, 2020. Obituary…
Rhonda Colley, Class of 2006, died Nov. 9, 2020. Obituary…
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Dr. Charlie Bartlett, former E&H geology professor, died Sept. 12, 2021. Obituary…
Dr. V. Ray Hancock, former E&H math faculty member, died June 19, 2021. Obituary…
Paul Hutchens, former member of E&H Facilities staff, died May 5, 2021. Obituary…
Sammy Eastridge, former member of E&H Facilities staff, died Apr. 26, 2021. Obituary…
Jimmy Hughes, E&H Class of ’63 and former E&H coach, died Feb. 22, 2020.
Richard Jollie, former member of the E&H Facilities staff, died Feb. 12, 2020.
Barbara-lyn Belcher, former “first volunteer,” died July 24, 2020. Obituary…
Bob Mann, former Mass Comm faculty, died Nov. 30, 2020. News story…
Dr. Samir Saliba died Nov. 25, 2020. Obituary… Feature story…
Dr. Maurice Luker died March 27, 2019. Obituary…
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Harlan Pafford, Class of 1950, died Dec. 17, 2020. Obituary…
Lacie Lester Hart, Class of 1951, died Dec. 26, 2020. Obituary…
Nancy Hillman Sokol, Class of 1951, died Dec. 9, 2020. Obituary…
Rev. Sullins Lamb, Class of 1952, died Dec. 5, 2020. Obituary…
Gerald Sierchio, Class of 1952, died Dec. 1, 2020. Obituary…
Paul Tuell, reunion Class of 1952, died Dec. 22, 2020. Obituary…
Peggy Lee Jones Hina, reunion Class of 1958, died Dec. 3, 2020. Obituary…
Alma Dutton LeNoir, Class of 1960, died Dec. 5, 2020. Obituary…
Brenda Graves Goslee, Class of 1963, died Dec. 16, 2020. Obituary…
Dr. Trina Lane Austin Simpson, Class of 1964, died Dec. 29, 2020.
Judith Huffman, Class of 1967, died Dec. 14, 2020. Obituary…
Bob Buchanan, Class of 1969, died Dec. 26, 2020. Obituary…
Sarah Butt Tester, Class of 1971, died Dec. 5, 2020. Obituary…
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Gil Cofer, Class of 1943, died Jan. 4, 2021. He was 99 years,11 months old. Obit…
David Trayer, Class of 1954, died Jan. 10, 2021. Obituary…
Sam Bratton, Class of 1955, died Jan. 3, 2021. Obituary…
Doris Mullins Southerlin, Class of 1956, died Jan. 13, 2021. Obituary…
Wilda J. Campbell, Class of 1958, died Jan. 1, 2021. Obituary…
Dr. George Vaughan, Class of 1959, died, Jan. 7, 2021. Profile… Obituary…
Robert Cleveland Duncan, reunion Class of 1960, died Jan. 20, 2021. Obituary…
George Crump, Class of 1969, died Jan. 14, 2021.
Linda Utz Koranek, Class of 1979, died Jan. 4, 2021. Obituary…
Lisa Mellor Birzer, Class of 1993, died Mar. 10, 2019. Obituary…
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This series offers a range of short discussions about careers, internships, and job-search skills. For follow-up information, contact Amanda Gardner (van Vlissingen Career Center) or Monica Hoel (E&H Alumni Office).
Career Center Webinar
Amanda Gardner walks us through the process of building up a great resume. Do you know how much time you have to grab the attention of an employer?
What A Fortune 500 Company Employer is Looking for in an Applicant:
One of our E&H grads, Vanessa Capalad Burrell (E&H ’92), is a recruiter for a Fortune 500 company and she shares her insights in this article.
Alumni Career Interviews
Internships during COVID: Dr. Tracy Lauder discusses internships and job hunting in this time of COVID-19 regulations. VIDEO of interview
Sports: Harold Craw, Class of 1999, General Manager of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, discusses his work and talks about how to make good use of this time during this unusual moment in history. Read about one of the Jumbo Shrimp’s promos. VIDEO of interview with Harold.
Communications: Mollie Rorrer Gore, E&H ’84, talks about her work as manager of corporate communications for Santee Cooper. Here’s the video of our conversation!
Library Science: Margaret Turman Kidd, E&H ’98, discusses her role as an archivist at VCU. Here’s the video of Margaret answering the age old question: What does one do with a history major??
Chiropractor: Dr. Mike Williams, E&H ’87, discusses his work as a chiropractor. Check out the video of our conversation: he’s open to shadowships!
Data Science: Dustin Hux , E&H ’93, discusses his work as a Research Scientist for Elder Research, Inc. Watch the video. His company offers internships!
Great Internship: Christina Mitchell, E&H ’19, tells you how she landed a great internship at NASA. She encourages other young people to look into these exciting internships at this link: intern.nasa.gov. Here’s a video of our conversation.
Communications/Military: Zach Hupp, E&H ’12, discusses his role as a Public Affairs Specialist for the U.S. Coast Guard. Here’s the video of our conversation.
Data Science: Scott Sutton, E&H ’05, discusses his career as a business analytics architect for PPD. Check out the video or our conversation.
Sales and Marketing: Moises Martinez, E&H Class of 2019, talks about his work as a business development specialist at NFI. Check out the video of our conversation (we had some video challenges but the audio is perfect!)
Sports Medicine: Dr. P.J. Henson, E&H ’12, is a family physician specializing in Sports Medicine. Check out the video of our conversation!
Communications and PR: Ashton Morrow Kang, E&H ’11, is a public relations manager for Delta Airlines. Here’s a recording of our conversation!
Communications and Media: Byron Breedlove, E&H ’75, is the managing editor for a CDC publication called Emerging Infectious Diseases. Check out the conversation!
Human Resources: Vanessa Capalad Burrell, E&H ’92, is a senior recruiter for Spectrum – one of the largest communications companies in the world. Here’s the video! And yes, she’s hiring.
Policy Analyst: Martin Stiles, E&H ’13, is a public policy analyst in Phoenix. It’s interesting to hear him discuss water issues for desert-living. Here’s the video!
Dentistry: Dr. Zaneta Tutuh Hamlin, E&H ’08, is a dentist who recently completed work to be a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry. Here’s the Video!
Ministry: Rev. Susannah Davis, E&H ’92, is the pastor at Kirkwood United Church of Christ in Atlanta. Here’s the video!
Environmental Studies: Dr. Richard Groover, E&H ’71, has taught environmental science for years and he has also been part of very interesting studies on the wild – like dragonfly research and coyote observations. Here’s the video!
Great Internship: Jack Randalow, E&H Senior, landed a great internship – even during these crazy times! How did he do it? Here’s the video!
Communications: Patrick Smith, E&H ’12, is a public communications specialist at NC State. We’ll ask him how a shy guy got to be in charge of communicating with the world! Here’s the video!
Finance: Let’s catch up with Chris Burnett, E&H ’08, to find out how he landed in New York City and got to be a private consultant on retirement plans. Here’s the video!
Writing: Patsi Barnes Trollinger, E&H ’72, has done writing for public relations offices, as a free-lancer, and for several published books. She’ll discuss a bit of the highs and lows. Here’s the video!
Education: Mary Lampkins, E&H ’88, has just retired from teaching, and she shares what made it worthwhile to stay in the profession for 32 years. Here’s the video.
Education: Dr. Meredith Fellows Parker, E&H ’00, is the human resources director for Powhatan County Schools in Virginia. And, she’s hiring! Here’s the video.
Entrepreneurship: Mike De Los Santos, E&H re’06, has started a BBQ sauce business that is growing – and even just landed him on Discover Channel reality television show! Here’s the video!
Tourism: Matt Whitenack, E&H ’96, is a travel consultant for his own New York City travel company, Gotham Guru, and he’s staying creative during Covid restrictions! Here’s the video!
Science Education, Museum: Nicole Powell, E&H ’16, works at the Greensboro Science Center and she has also worked at zoos and she, basically, has a lot of great experience that is turning into a great career. Here’s the video!
Conservation: Lowrie Tucker, E&H ’01, owns and operates Conservation Services, Inc., and as you’ll see, he and his team are leading the way in natural restoration. Here’s the video!
Health Care Efficiency: Megan Hash Jordan, E&H ’01, is the Director of Revenue Cycle Transformation at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. And she has additional exciting news you might enjoy! Here’s the video…
Railroad Engineer and Conductor: Stephen Gunter, E&H ’04, is employed by Norfolk and Southern, and he enjoys getting to blow that train whistle as he drives by Hillman Hall. Here’s the video…
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Every year, on the first Saturday of December, we visit a museum or historic site in Richmond. Past events have featured the Virginia Historical Society, the Virginia Women’s Monument, The Science Museum of Virginia, and more! Follow this link as we make a plan for December 5, 2020.
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Sure…we love being on campus for More Than A Vacation (MTAV) – our summer alumni college that has taken place on campus for 26 years. But, now that we’re all getting more comfortable with online events, why couldn’t we enjoy some of our MTAV events all throughout the year?
Beginning in April 2020, we’ll have a series of events that are just like the ones we enjoy during More Than A Vacation – only, you can enjoy them at your home!
We’ll list a time for the live event where you can enjoy the speaker and ask questions. Later, we’ll post a link to the recorded event.
Watch this space as we continue to add more events!
Road Sides:
Emily Wallace, E&H ’04, will discuss her book Road Sides and take questions about this interesting A to Z book that highlights some of our most iconic road side stands. Prepare to talk about Dip Dogs and South of the Border and more! (Confirmed! Time TBA)Roadside History:
Jennifer Loux, Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Highway Marker Program Manager, will give us the run down on just how those ubiquitous historic markers are chosen and installed. A little drive in the country might shake your blues – so lets find some markers together and get a little history!Growing on the Roadside
Darryl Wilson, from Carolina Kudzu Crazy, knows all about the most ubiquitous roadside plant: kudzu. And he makes the most delicious kudzu jam that this typist has ever had! Let’s get ready to ask him how he makes our most noxious weed the most delicious jam! -
These are brief interviews with our talented Emory & Henry faculty members that are guaranteed to keep you sharp while we’re limited in our social activity. We’ll post times for the LIVE event, and then we’ll post a recorded version to be enjoyed and shared later.
March 20, 5 pm: Happiness – In a time of social distancing
Dr. Celeste Gaia, E&H Psychology Department and director of E&H Study Abroad Program, will talk a little about the psychology of happiness and offer tips on keeping our spirits up during such an unusual time. We’ll talk with her on March 20, designated the International Day of Happiness. Click here to watch the video of our discussion with Dr. Gaia!Additional reading links:
The Pursuit of Happiness: Bringing the Science of Happiness to Life
International Happiness Day
American Psychological Association – General Resources – Pandemics
Psychology TodayMarch 24, 5 pm: Fit to Print
With so many updates coming our way, it’s hard to know what we can trust. Dr. Mark Finney, E&H Mass Communications Department, will talk about how to know if you can trust your source of news and information.Watch the video of our conversation!
Check out Dr. Finney’s “side gig” – he’s part of Tumbling Creek Cider!
March 26, 5 pm: Reading Matters
We’ve all got a little extra time on our hands – so reading seems like a great option! Scott Sikes, Appalachian Center and blogger about reading, will share some great suggestions and talk a bit about why reading is a great option during downtime.And here are some links from Scott to follow up on the talk:
Here’s the video of our conversation
Friday, March 27, 7 pm: What About the Economy?
Dr. Deborah Spencer, E&H Economics professor, will talk a little about how this current situation is likely to affect the world and US economy.Here is a link to the video of this fascinating conversation.
Wednesday, April 1, 7 pm: Keep Moving!
Joy Scruggs, E&H physical education department (almost retired!),will give us some basic tips on wellness in a time when we’re asked to keep a little distance from other folks.Here’s the video of our conversation!
Friday, April 3, 3:30 pm: You Don’t Have to Stay Inside!
Dr. Steve Hopp, E&H Environmental Studies faculty, will talk about some of the cool things we can do in nature during these days of social isolation. Check out the video of our conversation!Tuesday, Apr. 7: What Exactly IS a Virus?
Tuesday, April 7, 6 pm: Dr. Jamie Ferguson, E&H Chemistry Dept., will talk to us about what a Virus IS exactly…and about what is so unique about COVID-19.
Here’s our really fascinating conversation with Dr. Ferguson about viruses.Monday, Apr. 27: Interesting Data: what does it mean?
Monday, April 27, 4 pm: Dr. Shelley Koch will help us make sense of some disturbing and though-provoking data we’re learning about those who have died from COVID-19.Watch the video of this interesting discussion!
Wednesday, Apr. 29, 1 pm: Jobs and internships in a time of COVID-19
Join us for a thoughtful discussion with Dr. Tracy Lauder!
Check out this interesting conversation about a new way of thinking about internships!
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Where we gathered on March 29, 2019
For additional info about any of these locations, email the E&H Alumni Office: alumni@ehc.edu
Abingdon: Wolf Hills Brewery. 5:30-7:30 pm Speedy McClure (’95), Allison Mays (’95).
Amherst, VA: Loose Shoe Brewery. 5:30-7 pm. Lori Saunders Gowdy (’91), Todd Gowdy (’92), Craig Maddox (’86), Brandon Maddox (’93)
Arkansas — Conway: Mike’s Place 6 pm. Jonathan Ledger (’04), Margaret Lowry Brock (’91).
Asheville, NC: The Salvage Station. 6 pm. Gentry Hamrick (’14) and Kaitlyn Parks Smith (’14).
Atlanta: Apres Diem (on Monroe). 5:30-7:30 pm. Susannah Davis (’92)
Auburn-Opelika: Jefferson’s. 5:30 pm. Carrie Holeski (’00)
Boston: The Bell In Hand Tavern. 5-7 pm Zach Hupp (’12)
Bristol, VA/TN: Bristol Station Brewery. 5:30-8 pm (Discounts for E&H grads! Stick around after for SINGO!) Danielle Starnes (’07)
Charleston, SC: Holy City Brewing. 7 pm. Amanda Hiner (’15)
Charleston, WV: Black Sheep Burrito in Charleston. 6 pm Matt and Ashley Ebersole Mellert (’13, ’13).
Charlotte/Matthews, NC: Steady Eddy’s Pumphouse (2216 E John St, Matthews). 5:30 pm til Whenever! Jane Woolwine Rutledge (’73), Bettylyn Owens Krafft (’86), Debbie Moody Hammond (’82), Lisa Neeley (’83).
Charlottesville: Three Notch’d. 5:30-7:30 pm. Eve Solomon (’80), Nancy Johnson (’80), Pat Houghton (’89).
Chattanooga: Universal Joint. 5:30-7:30 pm Bambi Osborne Watson (’03), Scott Seagle (’88), Donna Love Seagle (’89), Courtney Brooks Painter (’01).
Chicago: Ali Pollard (’20)
Columbia, MD: Victoria Gastro Pub. 6:30 pm. Paula Webber (’90), Hope Treese Doherty (’89).
Danville/Martinsville: Mountain Valley Brewery in Axton. 5:30 pm Brian Stanley (’13)
Durham/Chapel Hill: Ponysaurus. 5:30-7:30 pm. Emily Wallace (’04), Daron Vaught (’12).
Franklin County, VA: B-Sides. Beginning at 5:30 pm. Haley Crutchfield Byrd (’15), Derwin Hall (’88), Jon Crutchfield (’91). Find us on Facebook!
Gainesville, FL: Mi Apa Cafe. Laken Brooks (’17).
Galax/Grayson County/Carroll County: Creek Bottom Brewing Co. Restaurant (103 Country Club Lane, Galax): 5:30-7:30 pm Janet Mullins (’91), Rose Houk (’81), Charles (’66) and Patsy Sturgill, Brian (’87) and Susan (’86) Spencer.
Germany: Jerry York ’84
Greensboro, NC: World of Beer, 6 pm. Amy Latimer Hodge (’98).
Greenville, NC: Rickhouse. 5:30-7 pm Suzanne Conner Tammaro (’86).
Greenville, SC: Smoke on the Water, 6 pm. Jake Rea (’10).
Harrisonburg, VA: Capital Ale House. 6-8 pm. Olivia Frazier Haimani (’98), Phoebe Wood Conway (’80), Emily Wicht (’08).
Idaho: Patti Sufficool Money (’99)
Jacksonville, FL: Kickbacks. 5:30-7:30 pm Todd Hull (’89)
Johnson City: Johnson City Brewing Company. 5:30-7:30 pm. Dr. Clarissa Tatum (’05), Dr. Chase Edwards (’12, ’18), B.G. Loper (’18)
Kingsport: Bays Mountain Brewery. Bob Feagins (’91), Lindsay Powers (’16), Nora Davis (’16).
Knoxville: at Barley’s Taproom. Starting at 5 pm. Meredith Yeary (’16), Elizabeth Stone (’10), Carletan Bell (’10).
Los Angeles, CA: Michael Mitchell (’01).
Marion: Macado’s, top floor! 5:45 pm-8pm — come and go!! Brittany Stevenson Krackow (’14).
Melbourne, FL: Squid Lips, 6:30 pm. Heather Horne ’92.
Nashville: Stoney River Steakhouse (West End Ave.) 6-8 pm. Michael Moore (’81), Kristi Webb (’93), Khette Cox (’88), Henry Puckett (’86).
New River Valley: The Farmhouse 5:30 pm. Cindy Barker Blevins ’84, Amanda Gallimore Morgan ’03.
Paris: Ana-Belen Gomez-Hinojosa ’17
Pulaski: Al’s on First. Beginning at 5:30 pm. Dan Grubb (’74)
Roanoke/Salem: Mac and Bob’s. 5:30-7:30 pm. Andrea Martin (’03), Cyndi Jennings (’91), Emily Findley Hawkins (’12).
Richmond: Bar Louie 5-8 pm. (11788 W Broad St, Richmond) Tony Davis ’81, Taylor Fisher ’17, Margaret Onken (’17), Caleb Simpson (’18), Pam (’82) and Mike (’79) Blackburn.
Sarasota, FL: 6:30 pm. The Reserve Terri Chambers (’94), Laurel Polly (’89).
Seattle, WA: 7:30 pm at Bad Bishop (on Pioneer Square). Libby Hurley (’12) and Anna Dye (’15).
Taiwan: Blaine Elliott (’98).
Washington DC/Arlington: Courthaus Social (Clarendon Blvd, Arlington). 5:30 pm. Jack Morgan (’10), Pam Buchanan (’90).
Wilmington, NC: Satellite Bar. 6 pm. Elizabeth Wassum.
Williamsburg, VA: Billsburg Brewery, 6:30 pm. Cheri Burruss Grantz (’98).
Winston-Salem, NC: Joymongers Barrel Hall (West End Ave.). 5:30-7:30 pm Anna Dutton Shaver (’93).
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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!
But how much do you know about alumni?
CLICK HERE to find a bunch of stories about former students.
If you will share your favorite E&H alumni story on social media, you’ll be in the running for a great prize: an E&H blanket!
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 alumni@ehc.edu.
And let’s get to know our E&H alumni this Homecoming!
Please note: This contest is only for current students…not alumni. Sorry! :)
Please include your name and current cass year when you submit your entry. -
- See the latest E&H Alumni News stories of what alumni are doing every day! Updates added weekly.
- Get to know alumni who have won Distinguished Alumni Awards.
- Jarrell Christian (Class of 2009) is an assistant basketball coach for Maine Celtics.
- Zack Edwards (Class of 2012) and Tim Kilborne (Class of 2008) are two of the members of the band Annabelle’s Curse.
- Mike Young (Class of 1986) is the head men’s basketball coach at Virginia Tech.
- Eloise Leonard (Class of 1955) was the first E&H grad to be recruited to work at NASA during the space race. More than 20 E&H alums worked there during that period: read a story about E&H’s role in the Space Race.
- Stephen Gunter (2004) is an engineer with Norfolk and Southern Railway. If you listen, sometimes he blows a special little whistle as he’s guiding the train through Emory! Read more…
- Joshua Ross (1860), was a member of the Cherokee Nation and a nephew of John Ross. Here is an old historic sketch: http://sites.rootsweb.com/~itchertp/history/obeirne/joshua_ross.htm
- E.C. Huffaker (Class of 1880) worked with the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk.
- Toni Atkins (Class of 1984), is President Pro-Tempore of the California State Senate. She has also served as the mayor of San Diego and was briefly governor of California.
- Morgan Griffith (Class of 1983), is in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Brooklyn Sawyers Belk (Class of 2002) is a partner of counsel and chief diversity and inclusion officer for Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial.
- Eloise Johnson (Class of 1949) was the first of more than 20 E&H alums hired by NASA during the space race.
- Louisa Littleton (Class of 1939) was the first woman to intern at Charlotte Memorial Hospital and in 1951 opened an integrated private pediatric practice in Statesville, North Carolina. An annual award at the hospital is named for her.
- The book Hidden Figures, by Margot Lee Shetterly, mentions alumnus John Young (Class of 1955) who worked for NASA and on development of the Space Shuttle. The book’s main character, Katherine Johnson, had a nephew who graduated from Emory & Henry: Scrapper Broady is a member of the E&H Sports Hall of Fame who graduated in 1970.
- Mary Blakemore Johnston (Class of 1946) was a code-breaker and medical officer in WWII.
- Chris Burnett (Class of 2008) owns his own business consulting firm in New York.
- Rev. Wil Cantrell’s (’01) book Unafraid and Unashamed, has been considered the “go to” resource for the United Methodist Church in the midst of controversial church decisions.
- E&H Alumni have won Emmy Award, include Joel Hilton (1998), Bonnie Widener Wood (1990), Eric Scott (1988), Jeff Tewksbury (1982), Jay Webb (1999), Tyrone Bachman (1998), and Sheila Evans (1988).
- E&H boasts of two governors of Virginia, Henry Carter Stuart (Class of 1874) and George C. Peery (Class of 1894). George Peery was governor when the Virginia State Park System opened in 1936.
- Dorothy Buck Boucher (Class of 1944) was the first female E&H graduate to become an attorney.
- Rev. Paul Seay (’01) is the co-author of a book on Christmas entitled, From Heaven to Earth: Christmas for old believers, new believers, and non-believers. He was an alternate delegate for the 2019 United Methodist General Conference.
- Dr. Beverly Clark III is Dean of Instruction at Central Community College in Grand Island, Nebraska.
- R.J. Reynolds attended Emory & Henry.
- Robby Thomas (Class of 2001), U.S. State Department, is the former manager in the Secretary of State’s 24/7 Operations Center.
- Luke Grooms (Class of 2001), is an opera and musical theatre performer.
- Mike Austin (Class of 1975) is a world-renown tenor singing with the Stuttgart Opera House in Germany.
- Doug Dalton (Class of 1994), dot com wiz, now more than 8 very trendy bars in San Francisco.
- Monica Gonzalez (Class of 1998) is an attorney in private practice at Faletti And Gonzalez, PLLC.
- Dr. Emily Sturgill (’09) is the founder of PurSolutions,a company that promotes the impact of cytoskeletal research by commercializing research and educational-grade tubulin and actin reagents.
- The movie Big Stone Gap (based on the best-selling novel by the same name authored by Adriana Trigiani) features a host of E&H alumni who served as extras in the film. Ms. Trigiani was the Emory & Henry commencement speaker in 2018 and received a rare standing ovation.
- J.A. Morrow (Class of 1916) wrote the E&H alma mater as well as UVa’s official alma mater, “Virginia, Hail, All Hail.”
- Michael de los Santos (reunion Class of 2006) is the owner of Mike D’s BBQ, and was featured on a reality television show on the Discovery Channel.
- Glenn Roberts (Class of 1935) is credited as one of the inventors of the jump shot. According to the Naismith Hall of Fame, the 3-second rule came about to slow down Glenn’s scoring.
- Lindsey Hurd Layman (’08) is an environmental engineer for Virginia’s only cement company. Since her hire, the company has consistently met environmental standards every year.
- Gary Reedy (Class of 1978) is the CEO of the American Cancer Society.
- Many government leaders at the state and local levels are E&H graduates. Joe P. Johnson (Class of 1954) served as a Virginia State Representative from 1992-2014.
- Dr. Bob Buchanan (Class of 1958) is a microbiologist retired from the University of California, Berkely who has authored a textbook on microbiology and has won the Charles Reid Barnes Life Membership Award from the American Society of Plant Biologists.
- Henri Fitzgerald (Class of 2000) is director of non-profit solutions at PNC Bank in Winston-Salem.
- The Hon. Teresa Chafin (Class of 1978) is a member of the Virginia Supreme Court.
- Dr. Zaneta Tutuh Hamlin (Class of 2008) is a graduate of Howard University’s dental school and is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD).
- Dr. Ed Ripley (Class of 1987) is a Nuclear Metallurgist at Y-12 National Security Complex and a magician of world-renown. He holds more than 20 patents.
- Martha Spencer (E&H alumna, Whitetop Mountain Band) was featured in a 2018 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine as an “artist you need to know.”
- Dr. Patricia Bear Huber (Class of 1976) was elected in 2017 to serve as the first female president of New River Community College in Dublin, Virginia.
- Arthur “Scrapper” Broady (Class of 1970) was among Emory & Henry’s first African American students. He is a member of the E&H Sports Hall of Fame.
- Gerald Anderson (Class of 1976, deceased) was a master luthier who trained under the famous Wayne Henderson. Gerald made guitars for Dolly Parton and Marcus Mumford of Mumford and Sons).
Emory & Henry is proud that many of our graduates are published authors. In 2019, we hosted our first Homecoming Book Signing, and here are the alumni who participated:
- Rev. Paul Seay (E&H ’01) and Rev. Wil Cantrell (E&H ’01): From Heaven to Earth: Christmas for New Believers, Old Believers, and Non-Believers
- James Ballard (E&H ’74): William Edmondson “Grumble” Jones: The Life of a Cantankerous Confederate
- Chrissie Anderson Peters (E&H ’93): Blue Ridge Christmas- Dale McGlothlin (E&H ’87): Great Big Small Things: The Extraordinary Life of Fred Selfe
- Joe Cundiff (E&H ’90): Broken Chain: The Echo of Lone Howls
- Josh Stamper (E&H ’07): Ugly Me
- Emily Wallace (E&H ’04): Road Sides: An Illustrated Companion to Dining and Driving in the American SouthOther Fun E&H Trivia:
- When the University of Florida Gators won the SEC football championship in 1994 they beat Alabama by one point using a tricky formation called the Emory & Henry Play. Coach Steve Spurrier (who grew up in East Tennessee) had seen this unusual play used when he came to Emory & Henry games when he was a kid – so when he used it with his teams, he named it for Emory & Henry.
- The first game the Vols played in UT’s Neyland stadium was against E&H. That’s also the first time the Vols wore orange. Because E&H held the Vols scoreless for two quarters newspapers said we gave them “quite a stinging;” this may have been the genesis of our mascot nickname Wasps. (We are the only college in the country with a Wasp for its mascot. Could be worse: UC-Santa Cruz gets to cheer for the Banana Slugs.)
- The last person to coach the Lady Vols before Pat Summit was Dr. Margaret Hutson who coached and taught at Emory & Henry and started the E&H Athletic Training program. Dr. Hutson was responsible for the UT women wearing very orange uniforms. While she is now deceased, her Scottish Terrier (Bonny) can still be seen walking around the campus.
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Emory & Henry taught us a lot about how to learn. And our professors instilled a lot of enthusiasm for continuing our curiosity for a lifetime. Let’s find ways to stay sharp together!
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E&H-Holston Cemetery Board has launched a meaningful new project. Read more about how the cemetery is helping the environment.
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Haven’t you always wondered about that little concrete donkey? Read about the Pony in the Cemetery
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One of the gravestones marks the spot where Elizabeth Wiley is buried. The marker tells much of the story of the woman who founded Holston Home for Children.
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There are several presidents buried in the cemetery, but you may have noticed a particularly beautiful Celtic cross inscribed with the name Gibson. President Foye Gibson had a memorable presidency that included overseeing the establishment of our campus duck pond! He’s also in the E&H Sports Hall of Fame…
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One of our college founders is buried in this cemetery. Creed Fulton’s tombstone can be found in the older section of the cemetery.
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2022: Dr. Eric Coley
Dr. Eric Coley is a member of the E&H Class of 2004, finishing with a bachelor of science degree in athletic training. He earned a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Duke University, and completed his Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University of Florida. Dr. Coley returned to Emory & Henry in 2012 as a founding faculty member of the Emory & Henry’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, and currently serves as the chair of that program.
2021: Dr. James Duchamp
Trained as a chemist, Dr. Duchamp is known for spending time with students and helping them more deeply understand the coursework and think about ways to apply it to a meaningful career path. He is also a sponsor for the Emory & Henry College Chapter of the Student Affiliate of American Chemistry Society. His research has been published in several peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of the American Chemistry Society and Nature. He is a member of the American Chemical Society and a Fellow of the Virginia Academy of Sciences. In 2009, Professor Duchamp was awarded the Outstanding Faculty Award by the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia. In 2011, Professor Duchamp was named the Virginia Professor of the Year, Council for Advancement and Support of Education/Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
2020: Dr. Lou Fincher
Dr. Fincher is the vice-president of the Emory & Henry School of Health Sciences, and was critically important in developing the Marion campus into a successful, influential school of health sciences. She has over 30 years of teaching and health care experience and over 20 years of administrative and leadership experience. Her previous administrative positions have included Chair of the Department of Kinesiology at The University of Texas at Arlington, Founding Program Director for UT Arlington’s CAATE accredited Athletic Training Education Program, and President and CEO of the Joe W. King Orthopedic Institute at the Texas Orthopedic Hospital in Houston, Texas.The Business Journal of Tri-Cities recently named Dr. Lou Fincher as a Healthcare Hero.
2019: Dr. Douglas E. Arnold
Dr. Arnold has been a visiting associate professor in education at Emory & Henry College since 2008. He received his bachelor of science degree in Spanish and English at East Tennessee State University. He earned a master’s degree in English education, a certificate of advanced graduate study in educational leadership, and a doctor of education in educational leadership from Virginia Tech. He has been an instructor and administrator in public schools since 1972. Among many positions is included a term as superintendent of Bristol Va. Public Schools, principal at Galax High School, and member of the Washington County, Va. School Board.
2018: Dr. Celeste Gaia
Dr. A. Celeste Gaia is a professor and chair of the psychology department at Emory & Henry College. She completed a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and French at Christian Brothers University, finished her master’s degree and Ph.D. degree at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She also serves Emory & Henry as the Director of the Office of International Education and the College’s Principal Designated School Official for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. In 2015, E&H’s study abroad program was listed by Best College Reviews among the top 50 study abroad programs nationwide. While an average of only 2% of U.S. college students study abroad, 37% of E&H students do so; this reflects a 93% increase in study abroad under Dr. Gaia’s leadership. She has overseen the development of 15 faculty-led courses, and has supervised 721 students visiting 48 countries since 2007.
2017: Dr. Matthew Frederick attended West Chester University in West Chester, Penn., where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Education. He began graduate school at Auburn University where he earned his Master’s in Music and then completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in trumpet performance education at The University of Texas. He serves Emory & Henry as the associate professor of trumpet, director of bands, and director of the Emory & Henry College Marching Band. He has built a trumpet ensemble that has twice earned semi-finalist honors at the National Trumpet Competition and has been selected three times to perform at the International Trumpet Guild Conference. His brass ensembles have toured Germany, Austria and China. He is also music director at Pleasant View United Methodist Church, has served as co-principal trumpet with the Symphony of the Mountains, principal trumpet for the Johnson City Symphony and first trumpet for Barter Theatre. He is an active school band clinician as well as a lecturer on his current research topic, Civil War Brass Bands. His arrangements of band music from the civil war have been recorded by the American Brass Quintet on their CD entitled Cheer, Boys Cheer. In addition he has published a book entitled Trumpet Notes. He and his wife Sandy live in Abingdon with their two sons, Hyder and Jackson
2016: Dr. Laura Hainsworth is an associate professor of Chemistry and Environmental Studies at Emory & Henry College. She serves the College as Director of the Bartlett-Crowe Field Station and as the College’s Director of the Environmental Studies Program. She has held the Hull Chair in the Natural Sciences, and served as Chair of the Chemistry Department. She has a bachelor of arts degree from SUNY Potsdam College and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland’s Analytical, Nuclear and Environmental Chemistry Division. In 2012 she won the United Methodist Church Exemplary Teaching Award. She and her husband, Mark, have two children, Ellie and Joe.
2015: Dr. Rebecca Buchanan is an assistant professor in Emory & Henry’s Health and Human Performance department. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in sociology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where she attended on a full scholarship in track and field. She has a master’s degree in sports management and a Ph.D. in education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In 1994, she served on the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games. Rebecca was a member of the U.S. World Championship Track and Field Team in 1997 in Athens, Greece, and finalist for the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, and was an NCAA All-American from 1988-1992 while at UNC. She is a coach for Glade Spring Little League, a member of the Busy Little Bees Child Development Center Board, a judge for the McGlothlin Excellence in Teaching Awards, a member of the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, and a deacon at Glade Spring Presbyterian Church.
2014: Dr. Linda Dobkins is Associate Professor of Economics at Emory & Henry College. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Missouri Southern State College in Joplin, Missouri, a master’s in science from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, and a master of arts and Ph.D. degrees from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Among her many honors are the McConnell Scholarship for Teaching Award, the Exemplary Teaching Award from the Board of Education of the United Methodist Church, the Earnest E. and Elizabeth C. Maiden Award, and the William Carrington Find Award for Faculty Excellence. She is chair of the Economics Department, former Social Science Division Chair, and was Core Curriculum Director during the approval and implementation of the new Core Curriculum. She served as interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty.
2013: Dr. Felicia Mitchell has been a member of the Emory & Henry English department since 1987, earning the position of full professor in 1999. She has served as director of the CORE Writing Proficiency Program, coordinator of the campus Writing Center, and served as chair of the English Department for seven years. She has chaired committees including the Committee on the Revision of Sexual Harassment and Assault Policies, the Academic Dean Search Committee, and the Honors Program Development Task Force. Among her many publications is an edited collection of poetry entitled Words and Quilts.
2012: Dr. Denise Stanley joined the Emory & Henry faculty in 1992. She earned her Ph.D. from Regent University, her Master’s in Accounting from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), and her undergraduate degree from Clinch Valley College (UVA-Wise). She is currently an associate professor of business at Emory & Henry. She is a prior recipient of the Ernest E. and Elizabeth C. Maiden Merit Award, the Exemplary Teaching at a United Methodist-related Institution of Higher Education Award, and the Emory & Henry Excellence in Teaching Award.
2011: Dr. Edward Hamilton Davis joined the Emory & Henry faculty in 1991. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois, his M.A. degree in at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, and his Bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina. He is currently the associate professor of environmental studies and geography at Emory & Henry. He has earned the United Methodist Church Excellence in Teaching Award, and was a recipient of the Hope Award presented by the Appalachian Center for Community Service. He is an active member of the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable, helps organize the annual C.R.O.P. Hunger Walk, and does educational programs for area school children on conservation issues.
2010: Dr. James A. Warden joined the Emory & Henry faculty in 1991, serving as an associate professor of Physics and Physics Department Chair. He served as Chair of the Natural Sciences Division from 1994-2006. Prior to E&H, Dr. Warden taught at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, and Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana. He received a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Rhodes College in Memphis, a Master’s degree in Physics from the University of South Carolina, and his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of South Carolina.
2009: Dr. Teresa D. Keller joined the Emory & Henry faculty in 1985 after serving as a producer and noon anchor for WCYB-TV in Bristol, Virginia. Dr. Keller received her master’s degree in communications from the University of Chapel Hill, Greensboro, and her Ph.D. in communications from the University of Tennessee. In 2003 she won the Virginia Professor of the Year Award from the Carnegie Foundation, and in 1989 she received the Excellence in Teaching Award from Emory & Henry College. She is the co-author of Television News: A Handbook for Writing, Reporting, Shooting and Editing (now in its third printing), and is currently overseeing an expansion of the WEHC radio station from 500 watts to 10,000 watts.
2008: Kathleen Chamberlain has been a member of the Emory & Henry English Department since 1989. From 1998 to 2002, she served as associate dean of academic affairs and has been the chair of the Humanities Division since 2002. Dr. Chamberlain received her master’s degree and doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1993, the E&H senior class chose her for the Excellence in Teaching Award, and she has received the William Carrington Finch Award for Faculty Excellence and the Virginia Professor of the Year Award from CASE/Carnegie Foundation.
2007: Robert J. Johnson received a B.A. degree in history in 1968 from Dickinson College and a M.Ed. from Springfield College in 1976. He is a combat veteran of Vietnam, serving as a Ranger platoon leader with the 101st Airborne Division. He has served E&H as head basketball coach since 1980, taking his teams to the NCAA Division III Tournament five times and twice to the Sweet Sixteen. He is a three-time winner of ODAC Coach of the Year honors and has been named NCAA South Region Coach of the Year three times. The National Association of Basketball Coaches has named him the 2007 recipient of the Division III Outstanding Service Award, to be presented at the NCAA Division I Final Four in Atlanta.
2006: Dr. George E. Treadwell, Jr. has served as a professor of biology at Emory & Henry since 1970. He received his M.S. degree in biochemistry from Iowa State University, and his Ph.D. in plant physiology and biochemistry from Iowa State. Dr. Treadwell has received the Exemplary Teaching Award from the United Methodist Church, the Burroughs Wellcome Fellowship, the McConnell Faculty Grant from Emory & Henry, the Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Maiden Award for Leadership from Emory & Henry.
2005: Dr. John T. Morgan joined the faculty of Emory & Henry College in 1986. He is professor of geography and chair of the social sciences division. Dr. Morgan received a B.A. in Spanish from East Carolina University in 1972, and an M.A. in geography from East Carolina, Greenville, North Carolina, in 1976. In 1986, he received a Ph.D. in geography from the University of Tennessee with a dissertation on “The Decline of Log House Construction in Blount County, Tennessee.” Dr. Morgan is the author of The Log House in East Tennessee.
2004: Dr. John D. Lang graduated summa cum laude from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, in 1969. He received his Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1975. He has served in the Emory & Henry English Department since 1983 and currently serves as a full professor, director of the College’s Great Book Program, and editor of Emory & Henry’s Iron Mountain Review. In 1999 he received the Outstanding Faculty Award from the Virginia Council of Higher Education.
2003: Dr. Frederic R. Kellogg graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in science education from Louisiana Tech University in 1962. He received his Th.M. with honors from Southern Methodist University and his Ph.D. in religious studies from Yale University. Dr. Kellogg is a member of the American Academy of Religion, the Middle East Studies Association, the Society of Biblical Literature, the Holston Conference Board of Ordained Ministries, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Phi Kappa Phi. He has received the Earnest E. and Elizabeth C. Maiden Merit Award from the College, the Emory & Henry College Excellence in Teaching Award, and the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of The United Methodist Church Award for Exemplary Teaching. Dr. Kellogg has served at Emory & Henry College since 1969 and currently serves as the Shelton Professor of Religion.
2002: J. Allen Neal, E&H ’54, taught history at Emory & Henry from 1958 to 1977. After receiving a B.A. from Emory & Henry, he earned an M.A. at Ohio State University. Professor Neal was a United States Air Force historian and served in the 402nd Field Artillery Battalion as well as the 42nd Rainbow Infantry Division. He is the author of the Bicentennial History of Washington County. Mr. Neal has written several publications for the Air Force concerning the development of the pressure suit, the history of the Navaho Missile, and the history of methods of escape from high speed aircraft.
2001: Alan Pickrell, associate professor of speech and theatre, has taught at Emory & Henry since 1964. During his career at the College, Mr. Pickrell has directed more than 175 plays. He has been a member and participant in the Southeastern Theatre Conference, the Library of Congress Symposium and the Popular Culture Conference. Known for his expertise on serial books, pulp fiction, and The Wizard of Oz, Mr. Pickrell has been published in various journals of juvenile literature. He has worked extensively with Bristol Children’s Theatre, Theatre Bristol and the Bristol children’s Theatre Academy.
2000: Dr. Terry Griffin holds degrees from West Virginia University and the University of Tennessee. He joined the Emory & Henry faculty in 1964 and is currently a professor of modern languages. In his community he has served as a leader for the district commission of Boy Scouts of America and as an active member of Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity.
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2022: Cyndi Jennings
Cyndi is a member of the E&H Class of 1991. She has served as a member of the E&H Alumni Board of Directors, has volunteered as a leader for E&H in the City, has assisted with a large on-campus reception for E&H faculty and staff, attends sporting events, and always responds affirmatively when asked to serve her alma mater.
2021: E&H in the City Volunteers
Normally the award is given to a single individual, the awards selection committee elected this year to recognize a group of volunteers. Annually for more than 10 years now, more than 50 (and as many as 70) alumni volunteer to make our E&H in the City event a success. The event is a worldwide happy hour event that encourages alumni to gather for a cocktail at a local watering hole and meet other alumni in the region. The event has grown from just over 100 participants the first year to more than 600 participants who gather with friends, or post a solo photo when no other alumni live nearby. A recent survey of alumni indicated that E&H in the City has become the second most popular event with alumni (coming in behind Homecoming, of course). And the event has very quickly become an Emory & Henry tradition.
2020: Bobbie Frentz Larkins
Bobbie Frentz Larkins (Class of 2003) serves as Business Process Improvement Lead at Eastman Chemical in Kingsport. She has gone above and beyond to make real world work connections for E&H students by attending on-campus career networking events and by organizing events at Eastman for Emory & Henry students.
2019: Jay Rosser
Aubrey J. “Jay” Rosser III (’03) received his master’s degree in economics from New York University in 2006. He is a Certified Financial Planner and financial advisor for Northwestern Mutual, and is the managing director of their Tysons, Va. office. He is a member of the board of directors for Graffiti Community Ministries in Manhattan, New York, and serves on the board for the Chamber Dance Project in Washington, D.C. He is a four-year winner of the Pathfinder and Summit Award for financial advisors from Northwestern Mutual in New York City and Washington D.C.
2018: Virginia “Ginny” Rowland Barker
Ginny Barker is a 1959 graduate of Emory & Henry College. As a student, she was a member of the Alethian Literary Society, Cardinal Key, Kappa Phi Alpha, the cheerleading squad and the women’s basketball team. She has served the College in innumerable volunteer roles including service on the Holston Conference Colleges Board of Trustees, the E&H Parents Council, the J. Stewart French Alumni House Committee, various capital campaign committees, ad hoc alumni committees, and the Emory & Henry Board of Visitors. She has served on College selection committees, was a presenter at and has assisted with the summer alumni college, More Than A Vacation, and has assisted with the annual alumni-sponsored faculty/staff social. She was named for lifetime membership in the Abingdon Garden Club for outstanding service and dedication, and is chair of their annual Historic Abingdon Garden Tour. She is on the Antiques and Patrons Committees of the Virginia Highlands Festival, is a volunteer for the William King Museum of Arts, is a past president for Abingdon Random Arts, and is in leadership roles at Abingdon United Methodist Church.
2017: Rose Neese Houk
Rose graduated from Emory & Henry in 1981 with a degree in physical education. She has served as a physical education teacher in Galax City Schools in Virginia for 36 years, teaching at the high school, middle school, and elementary school levels. She has taught at Galax Elementary School for 26 years while simultaneously coaching the Galax High School volleyball team for 31 years. During her coaching tenure she amassed 364 wins, led the team to a district championship 12 times, made 18 regional appearances, two state appearances, won the Mountain Empire District Tournament 10 times, won the Fort Chiswell Invitational Tournament 13 times, and coached 6 undefeated seasons. She was named Virginia High School Coaches Association State Coach of the Year in 2009, was Mountain Empire District Coach of the Year ten times, was named Outstanding Virginia Female Coach of the Year in 2009, and Southern District Sport Professional of the Year in 2013. She and her husband, Donald, have a son Tyler Houk (E&H ’13).
2016: Jon Crutchfield graduated from Emory & Henry in 1991. He serves as an administrator for Franklin County High School in Rocky Mount, Virginia. He has served the Franklin County system as associate principal, director of operations, teacher, coach, and athletics coordinator. He has also served as an adjunct professor for James Madison University. He has served on the Staff/Parish Committee of Redwood United Methodist Church in Rocky Mount, is a member of the Franklin County Recreation Advisory Board, and is a past member of the Emory & Henry Alumni Board of Directors. He and his wife, Anne Wright Crutchfield (E&H ’89) have three daughters, Haley (E&H ’15), Emily and Maggie.
2015: Dean Newman graduated from Emory & Henry in 1962 with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology. He has served on the Emory & Henry Alumni Association Board of Directors as a representative for the 1960s decade. He is currently the Owner Operator of Newman Sales, a dealer network for several major heating and barbecue manufacturers in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania, and he owns several patents for heating products. He and his wife, Judy, live in Harrisonburg, Virginia and have two children, including Paige who is a 1991 Emory & Henry graduate.
2014: Arthur B. Scott, ’07, earned his bachelor’s degree in geography at Emory & Henry, with a minor in business management. Before taking his career to Washington D.C., the Scott County native learned the business workings of southwest Virginia by studying the Virginia wine industry and by working with the regional planning district commission in Lenowisco. He managed the grassroots outreach programs for the campaigns of former Congressman Rick Boucher and also Senator Tim Kaine, and he helped design and execute field programs to address the diverse geographic and demographic landscapes of Virginia. He was Assistant to the Chief of Staff for Senator Jim Webb, handling all federal appointment processes including judicial nominations. He also coordinated most of Senator Webb’s political and civic outreach initiatives. He is Chair of the Campaign for Renewed Rural Development (CRRD) and serves on the Southern Rural Development Center’s Technical and Operational Assistance Committee (TOAC).
2013: Ellis Sasser graduated from E&H in 1968. She received a master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, and is now retired after 32 years as a teacher of the gifted for the Henrico County Schools. She is published in Teaching Exceptional Children, is a member of Who’s Who in American Education, a recipient of an R.E.B. Award for Teaching Excellence, and a PTA Distinguished Teacher Award. She is a past Chapter President of Delta Kappa Gamma International Society and a Museum District Association member and volunteer.
Betsy Farris Hulcher graduated from E&H in 1968 and earned a master’s in education degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. She was a decorated educator, and served as a middle school and elementary teacher in Henrico County Schools for 26 years. She was employed by the Miller and Rhoads Co. as a Seasonal Trainer, and has worked for Weight Watchers International for 17 years. She is a past officer in the VFWC Sycamore Women’s Club and is a volunteer for the American Heart Society.
Ruth Anne Farley Davis graduated from E&H in 1968, and served as a mathematics teacher in the Henrico County School System for 30 years. She was the math department chair person for 12 years, and an administrative aid and teacher for 14 years. She has taught a mathematics education course at Cape Breton University in Sydney Nova Scotia. In 1987 she received the Gilman Teacher of the Year Award from the Henrico County Public Schools. She has been a member of Heartstrings Choral Group in Richmond, served for 7 years on the Board of Impromptu Classical Concerts of Key West, and was on the board of the Key West Woman’s Club.
2012: J.D. and Patsy Fitts Reed, E&H 1968 and E&H 1970, are staunch volunteers for Emory & Henry College. The pair has served on the E&H Parents Council, they have been active admissions volunteers, and they attend every home and away football game to show their pride in E&H sports. Additionally, Patsy served on the alumni board of directors from 2006-2011. J.D. is retired from the Tennessee Social Security and Disability Determination office, and Patsy is retired from various roles in office management.
2011: Todd Woodall, E&H 1994, is an Executive Customer Representative for Merck Pharmaceuticals. He is a member of Merck’s Hall of Fame, Diamond Club, and President’s Club. He has been Merck’s Sales Representative of the Year seven times. He is a member of the E&H Prelude to Performance Campaign Committee and was named 12th Man for the E&H Football Team. He is a Little League coach and supports Diabetic Education in Southwest Virginia through Merck’s “Journey for Control” program.
2010: Donna Proffit Vaughn, Class of 1968, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Latin from Emory & Henry. She received a Master’s degree in Liberal Studies from Hollins University in 1991. She taught in the Roanoke County Schools, Botetourt County Schools, and Alleghany Count Schools. Upon her retirement she was serving as director of guidance for Alleghany County. She is a current member of the Emory & Henry Board of Trustees, a former member of the E&H Board of Visitors, and a former member of the E&H Alumni Association Board of Directors.
2009: Paul Hubble, Class of 1968, is retired from Roadway Express, Inc., where he served as facility manager for the Harrisonburg/Charlottesville division. Mr. Hubble served as president of the Emory & Henry Alumni Board of Directors during 2005 and 2006 and was the first alumnus to serve on the College’s Strategic Planning Committee.
2008: Craig Baker, Class of 1968, is the manager and owner of GCB Executive Search, a firm that specializes in finding highly-skilled employees for many of the largest banks and investment firms in the world. At Emory & Henry, Mr. Baker double majored in political science and German, was a member of Sigma Iota, and played varsity baseball.
2007: Betsy Harkleroad is a 1969 graduate of Emory & Henry College. She has been an active member of the Virginia Federation of Women’s Clubs at the local, district and state levels. She served as the Lynchburg Area President of the Virginia Counselors Association and in 1996 chaired their state convention. She is a member of Chi Sigma Iota and was Campbell County (Va.) Schools Teacher of the Year in 1996. She has served E&H in many capacities including chapter coordinator, alumni college coordinator, and president of the E&H Alumni Association Board of Directors. She serves as the coordinator of volunteers for Timberlake United Methodist Church.
2006: Mr. G. Thomas Rudisill is a 1967 E&H graduate. He is a teacher and assistant director at Lord Botetourt High School in Daleville, Virginia. Mr. Rudisill is a member of the Virginia and national associations of Teachers of English, the Virginia High School Coaches Association, and the Virginia Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association. He currently serves as chair of the E&H I-HEY Leadership Board.
2005: Henry C. Dawson, Jr., Class of 1962, serves as secretary for the board of directors of the United Way of Washington County, having formerly served as president and campaign chair. He is past president of the Depot Artists Association board of directors and still serves as an active member. Mr. Dawson is a former member of the Bristol Concert Choir. During his 31 years of service to Emory & Henry, he served as Director of Alumni Affairs, and Executive Assistant to the President.
2004: Shirley H. Wagner, Class of 1952, has been on the security staff at Emory & Henry College for 23 years. In 1998, her hard work and exemplary duty were recognized by assigning her a badge number that would be retired from use. As a student, she was a member of Alpha Beta Chi social sorority and the women’s basketball team.
2003: Lynda Jones Hawkins graduated from Emory & Henry in 1966. In 1988, she retired after 30 years in Virginia education serving as a classroom teacher and counselor for Smyth, Dinwiddie, and Hanover counties. Mrs. Hawkins is a member of the Hanover Rotary Club, Hanover Woman’s Club, Hanover Chapter of the American Cancer Society, Virginia Retired Teachers Association, and Lebanon United Methodist Church in Dinwiddie. She is a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow, serves on the planning committee for her local Relay For Life event, and is project coordinator for Hanover Student Career Resource, Inc. Mrs. Hawkins has served on the E&H Parents Council, has been a class agent for the E&H Development Office, and has been an event planner for Richmond-area alumni. She served as president of the E&H Alumni Board of Directors from 1999 to 2001.
2002: Ann Grim Sparger, E&H ’68, is a member of Emory & Henry Board of Visitors. Ms. Sparger was a member of the Emory & Henry Alumni Board of Directors for ten years, serving as president from 1997 to 1999. She is responsible for the creation of the Alumni Association’s “E&H Worldwide Service Day” and has dedicated countless hours to further the mission of the Alumni Association. In her community, Ms. Sparger has been an active leader in Salem United Methodist Church for 29 years and is a member of the Red Hat Society.
2001: Barbara Creasy Polly, E&H ’56, is well known in her home community of Big Stone Gap, Va., for her work with the outdoor drama, “Trail of the Lonesome Pine” her leadership of the John Fox, Jr. Museum; her service through Trinity United Methodist Church; and her success as owner of Lonesome Pine Realty. At Emory & Henry she was elected the first female Alumni Association president. Mrs. Polly’s leadership of the J. Stewart French Alumni House Committee transformed an old home into a bright, well-utilized guest house and alumni reception hall for the campus.
2000: Dr. Robert McClellan (posthumous award), E&H Class of 1945, was a revered professional in the field of urology. He was inducted into the E&H Sports Hall of Fame in 1979 in recognition of his accomplishments in basketball. He served as a member of the E&H Board of Trustees and as a volunteer for the Nashville Chapter of the E&H Alumni Association. Throughout his life, Dr. McClellan was a generous supporter of E&H academics and student programming.
Mr. F. Winton Lackey, Class of 1955, is president of Mid-Ohio Packaging in Marion, Ohio. He serves on many volunteer boards in his community, including the Red Cross and MARCA Industries (a workshop for persons with disabilities). He is a member of the Rotary Club of Marion and is active in Epworth United Methodist Church. He is a member of the E&H Board of Trustees.
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2022: Stephen and Jessica Curtis Callahan
Stephen and Jessica are both 2011 graduates of Emory & Henry. With degrees in Biology and Chemistry the two started their careers in a lab setting, but soon realized they wanted to indulge their entrepreneurial spirits. In 2016, they opened Tennessee Hills Distillery in Jonesborough, Tennessee, and the business has since grown into a much larger franchise including a new “brewstillery” in Johnson City.
2021: Kishanna Caesar Heyward
Kishanna, E&H Class of 2008, is a realtor in Fayetteville, North Carolina, owning her own company, ASAP Home Investments. The Young Alumna Award has been granted for a recent project. She created a coloring book that teaches children about how credit works. She says she got the idea when her 4-year-old daughter started asking questions about how to buy houses and cars and she found that there were not good resources for teaching children about the joys of good credit and the perils of bad credit. There are two versions of the coloring book, one with a shero and one with a hero: “Credit is Queen, Charlene” and “Credit is King, Kareem.”
2020: Josh Stamper
Josh Stamper (Class of 2007) is currently serving as assistant principal at Virginia Middle School in Bristol. He is the author of Ugly Me, a fictional book that highlights the real impacts of childhood trauma on a student’s ability to learn.
2019: Meghann Cotter
Meghann C. Cotter (’04) majored in mass communications and public policy and community service. She is the executive servant leader of Micah Ecumenical Ministries in Fredericksburg, Va., an umbrella organization for a collaboration of churches that cultivate community and care for neighbors who find themselves homeless. Cotter was named by the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star as a 2018 “Difference Maker.”
2018: Andrew Winz
Andy Winz (’03) is the GIS manager for the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, and is the youngest municipal GIS Manager in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, serving as Division Chief of the International Affairs Directorate, and as the Public Affairs Officer for Sector Hampton Roads, 5th Southern District. He is assistant cub master for Boy Scouts of America Pack 57. He is a certified Geographic Information Systems Professional and has received awards including the Auxiliary Achievement Medal, the Coast Guard Unit Commendation, and has twice won the Auxiliary Commandant’s Letter of Commendation. He is a geomentor for the Association of American Geographers, and has served as an adjunct professor of GIS at Tidewater Community College (TCC) and guest lecturer for TCC and Portsmouth Public Schools.
2017: Te-Kai Shu
Te-Kai graduated from Emory & Henry in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. For the past 10 years he has held a variety of positions at the Strongwell corporate headquarters in Bristol, Virginia. He currently serves as the Social Media and Business Development Manager. He is a strong community volunteer working with LEAD Bristol, Bristol Regional Speech and Hearing, Imagination Library, and Family Promise. In 2013 he was named United Way of Bristol Volunteer of the Year, in 2014 he was awarded the Bristol Chamber of Commerce Leadership Service Award, and in 2016 he was named to the Tri-Cities 40 Under 40 list in the Tri-Cities Business Journal. He and his wife Ashleigh Norris-Shu have a daughter Grace Ann Shu.
2016: William Reisinger graduated magna cum laude from Emory & Henry in 2005 and earned his law degree at Ohio Northern University’s Claude W. Pettit College of Law in 2008. He works for the Richmond law firm GreeneHurlocker, PLC, with a practice focused on energy law, utilities regulation, and commercial litigation. Before joining GreeneHurlocker, Will served for over four years as an Assistant Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the governing board of the Virginia State Bar’s Administrative Law Section and serves as a Distinguished Visitor in Natural Resources Law at the Appalachian School of Law in Grundy, Virginia. In 2015, he was appointed by Governor McAuliffe to serve on Virginia’s first Executive Committee on Energy Efficiency. Will regularly offers pro bono work at legal aid offices in Richmond.
2015: Eric McClure (’00) graduated from Emory & Henry with a bachelor of arts degree in mass communications in the year 2000. Immediately after graduation, he accepted a position at Morgan-McClure Racing, a company founded by his family in 1983, and bought his first race car. In 2003, he made his NASCAR Xfinity debut at Rockingham. In 2004 he competed in his first NASCAR Sprint Cup race driving a second entry for Morgan-McClure Motorsports, where he qualified at 35th, led a lap, and finished in the 26th position. In 2006, he secured Hefty brand as a sponsorship partner and began a full-time presence in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. In 2011, he added Reynolds Wrap as a sponsorship partner. In 2014 he finished 19th in driver standings and completed his ninth consecutive season in the #24 Hefty/Reynolds Wrap – the longest active streak in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
2014: Emily E. Wallace, (’04) was a double major in creative writing and art at Emory & Henry, and then earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She earned a master of arts degree in folklore from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She currently serves as the Director of Communications for the Center for the Study of the American South, and is the Deputy Editor for their academic journal, Southern Cultures. She is a chief contributor to IndyWeek and has written and illustrated for the Oxford American, the Washington Post, GOOD, Culture, Gravy, and Our State. In 2013 she was a judge for the Book Awards Committee of the James Beard Foundation. In that same year she was the illustrator for the Southern Foodways Alliance symposium.
2013: Jay Webb graduated in 1999 with a major in Mass Communications. He trained in meteorology at Mississippi State University. His first job was producing the morning show at WCYB-TV 5 in Bristol, Virginia. He also served at WHSV in Harrisonburg before attaining his current position of weekend meteorologist for WDBJ7 in Roanoke, Virginia. In 2008, he won an Emmy award for outstanding program achievement.
2012: Tarah Taylor, E&H 2003, is the morning and noon anchor for WCYB TV-5 in Bristol, Virginia. She is a volunteer for the March of Dimes, Girls, Inc., United Way, the American Cancer Society, and the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. Tarah has also volunteered for Emory & Henry, through the 175th Anniversary Public Relations Committee, the alumni/student Speed Networking event, the Benefactor’s Luncheon, and the Mass Communications Department.
2011: Robert Thomas, E&H 2001, is a manager in the U.S. Secretary of State’s 24/7 Operations Center. He has served with the U.S. Department of State since 2001, serving in locations that include Nouakchott, Mauritania, and Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. Robert is a member of the American Foreign Service Association of Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies, and he has been published in the American Foreign Service Journal, a publication of the American Foreign Service Association.
2010: Dr. Jeff Bary, Class of 1995, is currently an assistant professor of Physics and Astronomy at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and Mathematics from Emory & Henry, and received his Ph.D. in Physics from Vanderbilt University in 2003. He received the National Science Foundation Graduate Teaching Fellowship for in 2002 and 2003, and the National Science Foundation Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral fellowship from 2005-2008. He was the American Association of Physics Teachers teaching assistant for the year in 2002.
2009: Chris Kolakowski, Class of 1999, received a bachelor of arts degree with a double major in history and mass communications. He finished his master’s in public history at the State University of New York at Albany in 2004. Mr. Kolakowski’s career has included work at the Civil War Preservation Trust in Washington, D.C., and the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association, Perryville, Kentucky, where he served as executive director from 2005 to 2008. He is currently the chief curator for the National Museum of the Army Reserve in Fort McPherson, Georgia.
2008: Luke Grooms, Class of 2001, was a music major at Emory & Henry with a minor in theatre. He also played football as an undergraduate and sang in the E&H Concert Choir. Mr. Grooms received a master’s degree in music from the University of Cincinnati. He resides in New York, New York.
2007: Dr. Phillip Hustad received a B.S. degree from Emory & Henry College in 1997 with a major in chemistry and a minor in mathematics. He later earned a master’s degree in chemistry and a Ph.D. in chemistry and chemical biology from Cornell University. His research experience includes work at Cornell, Brown, and Columbia universities, as well as Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the IBM Research Center in San Jose, California. He is currently Senior Research Scientist at The Dow Chemical Company in Houston, Texas.
2006: Israel O’Quinn is a 2002 E&H graduate. He is the political director for the Republican Party of Virginia and coordinates senatorial and congressional campaigns in the Commonwealth. Mr. O’Quinn is also the point of contact for nomination issues, conventions and the Republican political plan. He served in Attorney General Jerry Kilgore’s office as community outreach coordinator and worked as field director for Senator John Warner’s campaign for re-election.
2005: Paula Webber, Class of 1990, serves as program director for the Commonweal Foundation’s Pathways to Success Boarding and Day School Program. She formerly has served as project manager for the 21st Century Community Learning Center Program (funded by the U.S. Department of Education); Science, Engineering and Mathematics Student Support Manager for the Model Institutions for Excellence Program (funded by NASA); and Student Programs Coordinator for the Goddard Visiting Scientist Program. As a volunteer, Ms. Webber is involved with the National independent Living Association, Montgomery County Maryland Homeless Coalition, the House of Ruth Women’s Shelter, and the Orphan Foundation of America.
2004: Bonnie Widener Wood is a 1990 Emory & Henry graduate with a bachelor of arts degree in Mass Communications. Her impressive resume which includes work for the Richmond Times Dispatch, WTVR-6 in Richmond, and WJLA-7 in Washington, D.C. She is currently Promotions Producer for WJLA, and in 2003, she won two Emmy Awards for her creative work.
2003: Dr. Michael W. Lane graduated from Emory & Henry in 1995. He received his M.S. degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University in 1997 and his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering in 1999. While in graduate school, he served as lab director for the Atomic Force Microscope and as a graduate research assistant studying interface fracture involving subcritical debond growth (failure), reliability and life prediction of multi-layer interconnect structures for applications in current and developing technologies in the microelectronics industry. Currently, Dr. Lane operates his own lab as a research staff member for IBM TJ Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York.
2002: Matt Hankins, E&H ’94, is a decorated former editor of the Clinch Valley News and the Richlands News Press. He served on the Richlands Downtown Revitalization Project Management Team and designed the group’s logo and coined their motto, “Back to Front,” a reference to the town’s main thoroughfare, Front Street. Currently, Mr. Hankins serves as the Public Information Officer for the City of Martinsville, Virginia. He is a certified Firefighter One volunteer and continues to serve as vice president and grant-writer for the Baptist Valley Volunteer Fire Department. Mr. Hankins is a graduate of the Republican Party of Virginia’s intensive campaign management academy, Campaign ACES.
2001: Doug Dalton, E&H ’94, has turned talent and good choices into an impressive career in a short amount of time. He worked for the George Mason International Institute and Global One before starting his own company, Inext, which was quickly purchased by Troy Systems. Mr. Dalton worked for Netscape Communications before becoming chief engineer and eventually vice president for Knowledge Universe. He left to join Gloss.com, which was recently purchased by Estee Lauder Companies. Mr. Dalton is now the chief technical officer for Estee Lauder Online, a Fortune 500 company.
2000: Rev. Stephen A. Rhodes, Class of 1983, currently serves as pastor of River Road United Methodist Church in Richmond, Va. In addition to his bachelor of arts degree from Emory & Henry, Mr. Rhodes holds a master of divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University where he studied as a Woodruff Scholar. He is the author of Where the Nations Meet: The Church in a Multicultural World.
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2022: Michael Young
A member of the E&H Class of 1986, Mike Young was named head men’s basketball coach at Virginia Tech in 2019. This appointment followed a successful stint as head coach at Wofford College, where he took the program to new levels of success, including a memorable 2017 win over North Carolina.
2021: Dr. Lisa Jordan
Dr. Jordan, E&H Class of 1984, is the Director of Education for the United Steelworkers. She has a Ph.D. in Labor Economics from Notre Dame University, and in 2016 she was elected to the National Board of Economic Research (NBER) Board of Directors. NBER is an American private nonprofit research organization that aims to conduct unbiased research among public policymakers, business professionals, and the academic community.
2020: Harold Craw
Harold Craw, E&H Class of 1999, has been in sports management for more than 19 years, and is currently the Executive Vice-President and General Manager of the Miami Marlins affiliate, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. In 2017 he became the first African-American to win Executive of the Year for any league in Minor League Baseball. He was named the Southern League Jimmy Bragan Executive of the Year by the general managers of the league member clubs. Under Harold’s leadership, the newly rebranded Jumbo Shrimp experienced a 23 percent increase in attendance during their inaugural season in 2017— the largest increase for any Double-A club. Harold and his team are careful to create a service component to every promotion sponsored by the team.
2019: Rev. Myron Wingfield
The Rev. Myron D. Wingfield (’83) received his master of divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in 1989. He is an elder in the California-Pacific Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and is serving as executive director of connectional ministries for that conference. From 2013 to 2017, he served as associate general secretary for the division of ordained ministry with the United Methodist Church’s General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM). Prior to that, he served as the assistant general secretary for clergy life at GBHEM. Wingfield also served seven years as superintendent of the San Diego District (now the South District) of the California-Pacific Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.
2018: Judge Jerry Beck
The Honorable R. Jerry Beck is a 1965 graduate of Emory & Henry College. He received his law degree from George Taylor School of Law of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and post-graduate course work in Criminology and Criminal Justice at East Tennessee State University. He served as Assistant District Attorney in Sullivan County, Tennessee, for 20 years, and was appointed to the bench in 1993 by Tennessee Governor Ned McWherter. He was later elected to the position by Sullivan County voters where he served until his retirement in 2017. Judge Beck’s position was the only judgeship in Sullivan County that required work in criminal, chancery, and law courts. He was a member of the Kingsport Bar Association, the Tennessee Judicial Conference, and served on the Tennessee Pattern Jury Instruction-Criminal Committee for 24 years. His fellow judges elected him as presiding judge for Sullivan County. He is a former member of the E&H Alumni Board of Directors, a member of the Kingsport Rotary Club, Kingsport Free Masons, and is a Shriner. In 2017 he was inducted into the Dobyns-Bennett High School Alumni Hall of Fame.2017: Thomas J. Bondurant, Jr. ’76
Thomas J. Bondurant, Jr., graduated from Emory & Henry in 1976 and earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond in 1979. He served as a Federal Prosecutor for 30 years, trying more than 200 criminal and jury trials ranging in matters from white collar fraud, tax issues, public corruption, healthcare fraud, regulatory matters and racketeering. He is admitted to practice in Virginia and the District of Columbia, and he is a Fellow with the American College of Trial Lawyers and the Virginia Law Foundation. He is consistently noted among the Best Lawyers in America for Corporate Compliance Law and White Collar Criminal Defense, and he is regularly recognized as a Virginia Super Lawyer in the areas of Criminal Defense and White Collar Crime. He is currently a partner with Gentry Locke in Roanoke, Virginia, where he represents corporations and individuals in all phases of the criminal process including healthcare fraud, government fraud, tax evasion, public corruption, espionage and capital murder and conducts corporate internal investigations. He and his wife, Roberta Motherway Bondurant, have three children, Kate, Jack, and Nick.
2016: Pam Kestner, ’83
Pam Kestner graduated from Emory & Henry in 1983. She received a Master of Social Work degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1988. She served the Council for Community Services in Roanoke as Director of Community Resources for 14 years, and then as President and CEO of that organization for 12 years. She served on the Board of Directors for the Roanoke Valley Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), the National Association of Planning Councils and the Virginia Alliance of Information & Referral Systems (on which she continues to serve). Previously, she was a Juvenile Probation Officer for the 29th District Court Services Unit in Lebanon, Virginia. In 2011, she was honored by Emory & Henry College with a Charter Day Citation. In 2012, she was tapped by the governor’s administration of the Commonwealth of Virginia to serve as Virginia’s Homeless Outcomes Coordinator. She continues to serve the Commonwealth in that capacity, while also serving as Special Advisor on Families, Children and Poverty. Pam has one daughter, Olivia (E&H ’15).
2015: Dr. James McNeer, ’61
Jim graduated from Emory & Henry with a double-major in History and Political Science, and while a student served as student body president and co-captain of the basketball team. He received a master’s degree in History from West Virginia University, and a Doctor of Education at the College of William and Mary. He served as president of Richard Bland College in Petersburg, Virginia, for 16 years. He was Mayor of Colonial Heights, Virginia, for 12 years, and also served as chairman of the city’s school board and library board. He was previously named the City’s Outstanding Young Man, and was once voted the City’s Hero by Lakeview Elementary School. He was recently named a lifetime member of the Colonial Heights Chamber of Commerce and was awarded the Presidential Award for Leadership and Courage in the Cause for Human Rights by the Virginia State Unit of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He received the Department of the Army Commander’s Award for Public Service and the Gatlin Award from the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce for work done to save Fort Lee. He currently serves as a director for Virginia Commonwealth Bank and a trustee for Southside Regional Medical Center. He is married to Nancy Wilkinson McNeer, E&H Class of 1962.
2014: Erick H. Long, ’91
Erick H. Long, ’91, joined the Academy of Country Music staff in 2009 and manages the operations of both the Academy of Country Music Awards and the Academy’s office in Encino, California. He oversees components of the awards show that include the All-Star Jam Official After Party, ACM Party for a Cause Festival, security, red carpet, transportation, credentials, and catering. Erick spent over six years coordinating special events for Universal Studios Hollywood organizing up to 300 events a year, including huge corporate events for companies like Coca Cola and Toyota. He worked in event production and operations with the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games where he was special projects manager in charge of the “Look of the Games.” His other event experience includes the Grammys, Latin Grammys and the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.
2013: Ben Jennings, ’68
Ben Jennings is a 1968 graduate of Emory & Henry. He has served on the Virginia Highlands Festival board since the 1970s, and was a founding member of the A! Magazine for the Arts editorial committee. He serves as program chair for the Friends of the Washington County Public Library, is a former Board of Trustees member for William King Museum, and is credited for starting the Arts Array series in Abingdon which is now sponsored by all SWVA colleges. He has been a faculty member at Virginia Highlands Community College for 45 years, serving as Associate Professor of English and Film.
2012: Ken Sorenson, ’79
Ken Sorenson, E&H ’79, is an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii. He is a 25-year veteran in the office, and recently achieved a conviction in the United States v. Noshir Gowadia case which has been described as one of the nation’s largest and most significant espionage prosecutions of the past 20 years. Following this conviction, Mr. Sorenson received the National Association of Former United States Attorneys (NAFUSA) Most Outstanding AUSA Award, also known as the J. Michael Bradford Award. The Bradford Award is given annually to the NAFUSA’s choice of the most outstanding AUSA in the country.
2011: Dr. Karen Westerfield Tucker, ’76
Dr. Karen Westerfield Tucker, E&H ’76, is Professor of Worship for the School of Theology at Boston University. She received Ph.D. and M.A. degrees from the University of Notre Dame, and a Master’s of Divinity from the Divinity School of Duke University. She is an ordained Elder with Full Connection in the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of the United Methodist Church. She is currently serving as president of Societas Liturgica, and is Editor-in-Chief of Studia Liturgica, an international ecumenical review for liturgical research and renewal.
2010: Richard “Dick” Kemper, ’64
Richard “Dick” Kemper, Class of 1964, retired after 42 years of service at St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Virginia. Founded in 1911, St. Christopher’s is a college preparatory school for boys Kindergarten through 12th grade. He served as Assistant Director of Athletics, Head of the Physical Education Department, Head Football Coach, and Head Basketball Coach. He is currently the Executive Director of the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association. He is also CEO of a full service consulting firm, EQ MGR Inc., that offers training and education on all aspects of athletic equipment safety. In 2006, The General of Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia passed a resolution commending him for outstanding service.
2009: Beth Perkinson McCoy, ’69
Beth Perkinson McCoy, Class of 1969, received a master of music education degree from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. In 1991 she was consecrated a diaconal minister in the United Methodist Church, and has served the past 16 years as music director for the East Tennessee Children’s Choir. Ms. McCoy has received the Annual Conductor’s Award from the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra, the Composer of the Year Award from the Appalachian Music Teacher’s Association, and the Tribute to Women Award in the arts category from the Bristol YMCA. She and husband, Dr. Joseph McCoy, retired E&H chemistry professor, reside in Abingdon.
2008: Paul Harrison, ’82
Paul Harrison, Class of 1982, was an economics and business major at Emory & Henry. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Virginia. A Certified Public Accountant, Mr. Harrison began his career in accounting and until recently was vice president of Krispy Kreme Donuts, Inc. Mr. Harrison then became owner of two Ben and Jerry’s ice cream franchises in the Triad area of North Carolina where he used his business success to serve the greater community through Habitat for Humanity.
2007: Helen Williams Barbrow, ’63 & Sally Ranck Weaver, ’69
Helen Williams Barbrow (posthumous award) graduated from Emory & Henry College in 1963. She began her teaching career at Clifton Forge Elementary School, but spent most of her professional life at Saltville Elementary School where she retired in 2002. She was a founding member of the Museum of the Middle Appalachians where she volunteered faithfully until her death in December 2006. In 2001 she was named by the Virginia Education Media Association as clinch Region Library Media Specialist of the Year.
Sally Ranck Weaver is a 1969 graduate of Emory & Henry College. In 1981 she graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Law. She has served as vice president and general counsel of Goody’s Family Clothing and as an associate professor of law at the University of Montana School of Law. She also has served as chief professional development officer at the law firm of Powell Goldstein where she also practiced law as an associate partner. She recently retired from the position of CEO of the Atlanta Women’s Foundation.
2006: Toni Atkins, ’84
Toni Atkins, E&H ’84, is a member of the City Council of San Diego, California, and in August 2005 was elected by that council to serve as the city’s interim mayor until December 2005. Ms. Atkins is chair of the City Council’s newly formed Committee on Budget and Finance, and is vice chair of both the Land Use and Housing and the Natural Resources and Culture committees. [Find updated info, including her role as interim Governor of California, and becoming the first woman to serve as California Senate President Pro Tem in 2018.]
2005: Dr. P.W. Keaton, ’57
Dr. P.W. Keaton, Class of 1957, is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and received a Ph.D. in physics from John Hopkins University. In 1965, he accepted a position with Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and served there as researcher and division leader until his retirement in 1993. Dr. Keaton was recently an adjunct faculty member at the Colorado School of Mines and he continues to serve as chief scientist for John Frassanito & Associates in Houston, Texas. He received a certificate of appreciation for his work with President Reagan’s National Commission on Space and the Distinguished Performance Project Team Award for his leadership of a strategic defense initiative project.
2004: Dr. A. Ray Merchant, ’52
Dr. A. Ray Merchant, Class of 1952 (posthumous award), served as Executive Vice President of Mary Washington College until his retirement in 1993. Over the course of his career, he served in a variety of positions, including Registrar, Chairman of the Department of Education, Director of Admissions and Vice President. His committee and board involvement supported numerous community organizations including the American Red Cross, the Mary Washington College Community Symphony Orchestra, and the Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve and taught high school in Smyth County for a short time.
2003: Bill Nickle, ’61
Bill Nickle is a 1961 graduate of Emory & Henry and received his master of divinity degree from Duke University in 1964. From 1980-89, he was the director of and manager of Wesley Woods summer camp in Townsend, Tennessee, during which time he expanded the summer programs to include year-round environmental education for children and adults of all ages and backgrounds. In 1990, Mr. Nickle founded Narrow Ridge, a center for sustainable living and earth literacy in Grainger County, Tennessee. In 2000, he spearheaded the establishment of The Earth Lab at Gray Center in Canton, Mississippi, and he currently serves as director. The Earth Lab is a hands-on earth education program in a 700-acre outdoor classroom. Mr. Nickle has been a tireless teacher and has fostered and developed Earth Knows Publishing. He is a charter member of the National Advisory Board of the Environmental Ethics Institute.
2002: Leslie I. “Ike” Prillaman, ’65
Leslie I. “Ike” Prillaman, E&H ’65, is the Executive Vice President-Marketing of Norfolk Southern Corporation. Over a 32-year career, he has served Norfolk Southern in many leadership positions, including Assistant Vice President, Vice President and Controller, and Vice President-Properties. He recently was selected to serve as the chair of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) Board of Directors. Mr. Prillaman was a member of the Emory & Henry Board of Trustees from 1993 to 2001. As a trustee, he served as treasurer of the board and chair of the Budget/Audit Committee.
2001: Sue Sisk Walker, ’57
Sue Sisk Walker, E&H ’57, has devoted her life to her family and her community. She has given active service to numerous committees, boards and organizations, including the Dogwood Arts Festival Board, The Association of Federated Women’s Clubs, Knoxville Symphony League, Knoxville Bicentennial Coordinator Council and the American Cancer Society. Mrs. Walker served as president of the Alliance of the American Dental Association, the YWCA and the Tennessee Federation of Women’s Clubs. She has been named Tennessee Mother of the Year and First Lady of Knoxville. Mrs. Walker currently serves as executive director of the James White Fort historic site.
2000: Dr. Bob Buchanan, ’58
Dr. Bob Buchanan graduated cum laude from Emory & Henry in 1958 with a bachelor of arts degree in biology. He joined the faculty at the University of California at Berkeley in 1963, and is currently a professor in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology. His work with redox regulation and seed germination has led to the development of many new technologies and has earned him the Charles F. Kettering Award for Excellence.
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2022: Charlie Phillips
A member of the E&H Class of 1960, Charlie retired from his own law firm, Phillips & Phillips, in Salem, Virginia, and immediately went to work. He volunteers pro bono on an almost full-time basis at Blue Ridge Legal Services. Since 2018, he has closed more than 900 cases – all pro bono. He was only the second person to ever receive the Richard Lee Lawrence Lifetime Service Award, and he was was awarded the 2021 Lewis F. Powell Jr. Pro Bono Award by the Virginia State Bar Association.
2021: Rob Goldsmith
Rob Goldsmith, E&H Class of 1971, is President and CEO of People Incorporated of Virginia. People Incorporated is “one of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s largest and most successful Community Action Agencies. Now serving Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell, Washington, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Frederick, Culpeper, Fauquier, Rappahannock, and Prince William Counties and the cities of Bristol, Manassas, and Manassas Park, People Incorporated offers almost 30 programs designed to, ‘give people a hand up, not a hand out.’” (People Incorporated website.)
2020: Kris Sheets
Kris Sheets is a 2002 graduate who currently serves as branch supervisor for the Saltville Public Library. She is a graduate of the Library Science program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She is widely known throughout her community as a public servant who goes above and beyond to help children, older neighbors, and anyone in need of assistance. She does routine programming for children and has given away thousands of free books to children in the Saltville community.
2019: Mwenda Kazadi
Mwenda B. Albert Kazadi is a 2009 E&H graduate and Bonner Scholar. He is a Co-Founder and Director of Finance and Operations for Joy Givers International, an organization that seeks to establish after school programs for vulnerable youth in West Africa and Haiti. His career has focused on creating economic development opportunities in his home country of Liberia, and he has served as an investment consultant and advisor in the agribusiness & financial services spaces. He is currently the Cocoa Sector Manager for IDH, The Sustainable Trade Initiative, where he leads their investments and development activities in Liberia’s Cocoa Sector. IDH partners with companies, civil society organizations, and governments to support new economically viable approaches to realize green and inclusive business growth.
2018: Dr. Patricia Bear Huber
Dr. Pat Bear Huber is a 1976 graduate of Emory & Henry College. She is serving as president of New River Community College (NRCC), and is the first woman to hold that position. She earned a master’s degree in education from West Virginia University and a Ph.D. in Community College Leadership from Old Dominion University. She began her career in the public school system, teaching in Smyth, Wythe, and Pulaski Counties, and served as an instructor and assistant professor at NRCC. She was Interim Vice-President for Academic and Student Services at Wytheville Community College, and has served NRCC in the role of Dean of Arts and Sciences, Vice-President for Instruction and Student Services, and Assistant Division Chair for Division of Arts and Sciences. She has received numerous teaching excellence awards, was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and was presented the Old Dominion University Distinguished Alumnae Award in 2017. She is a member of the Pulaski Rotary Club, serves on the Board of Directors for the New River Valley Community Foundation, and serves in leadership roles at Pulaski First United Methodist Church.
2017: Dr. Carolyn Widner Ward
Dr. Carolyn June Widner Ward graduated magna cum laude from Emory & Henry in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in geography. She began her career as a park interpreter at Hungry Mother State Park and worked as an interpretive consultant for the U.S. Forest Service before earning her Master of Science degree and Ph.D. from the Department of Forestry Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She served as a college professor at West Virginia University and Humboldt State University, where she won Outstanding professor honors. In 2008 she was hired by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation as Project Director to implement the Kids in Parks program. She was named a Champion of Change by the White House in 2012. She has served as CEO of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation since 2011. She lives in Fairview, North Carolina, with her husband Alan and daughter Virginia.2016: Dr. Greg McMorrow ’68
Dr. Greg McMorrow graduated from Emory & Henry in 1968. He received a medical degree from West Virginia University School of Medicine in 1972, and is now a retired physician from Nephrology Associates in Lexington, Kentucky. He is a member of Broadway Christian Church in Lexington Kentucky and has been a medical volunteer for Christian Flights International missions teams for over 30 years. He and his wife, Linda, have two grown children, Brian and Meredith, and three grandchildren.
2015: Dr. Mark Handy ’86
Mark finished at Emory & Henry with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, and graduated from East Carolina School of Medicine and the ETSU Family Residency Program. He is a family medicine practitioner in Abingdon, Virginia. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, the ISHN Board of Quality Assurance, is Medical Director of Hometown Hospice, and is Medical Director for Intrepid Home Health. He received the Board of Governors for East Carolina University School of Medicine. He is President and CEO of Abingdon Medical Arts, President and CEO of Triple H Farms of Alleghany, President and CEO of William M. Handy, MD, PC, and Associate Professor of Medicine at University of Virginia. He is a past winner of the Teacher of the Year Award at UVA, the Resident Teacher Award, and was named Medical Director of the Year for Emergency Medical Services. He is an accomplished banjo player and champion clogger, and is a member of Mountain Park Old Time Band and Tune Town Band, which won Vocal Group of the Year at Blue Ridge Acoustic Uprising in 2014.
2014: Gary Reedy, ’78
Gary M. Reedy, ’78, earned a bachelor of science degree in Biology from Emory & Henry and presently serves as Vice President, Government Affairs and Policy for Johnson & Johnson. Gary is the immediate past chair of the American Cancer Society National Board of Directors and a board member of The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. He is a past member of the American Cancer Society Foundation Board of Trustees, and has served as Chair of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. He previously served on the Boards of BioNJ and C-Change. Gary is a charter member of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer and is Founding Chairman of the CEO Cancer Gold Standard Task
2013: Becky Kurtz, ’84
Becky Kurtz graduated from Emory & Henry in 1984, was the winner of the E&H Snavely Prize, the 1984 Outstanding Senior, and was a summa cum laude graduate in Sociology and Political Science. She finished at Columbia University School of Law in 1988, and her first professional position was Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of New York Law Department in New York City. From 1994 until 2010 she was the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman for the State of Georgia. She currently serves as the Director of the Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs housed within the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington D.C.
2012: Lt. Col. Lewis “Bucky” Burruss, ’65
Lt. Col. Lewis “Bucky” Burruss, E&H ’65, is retired from the U.S. Army. He worked with the late Colonel Charles Beckwith to help form and train the first Special Forces Operational Detachment (known as Delta Force). He completed the British Special Air Service Selection Course, volunteered for the Special Forces, and was assigned to Special Forces’ Mobile Strike Force. He was awarded the Silver Star, four Bronze Stars, the Air Medal, and three Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry. He retired from military service in 1987 to pursue a career in writing and is the author of several novels and works of history. He is an active supporter of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation which serves to support surviving children of fallen soldiers. The organization had its beginnings when Mr. Burruss served as a participating member of Operation Eagle Claw (the attempted rescue of Iranian hostages in 1980).
2011: David G. Foster, ’81
David G. Foster, E&H ’81, is Executive Director of the American Cave Conservation Association (ACCA) located in Horse Cave, Kentucky. At Emory & Henry he received a B.A. degree in Music Theory with a minor in Geology. He earned a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree in Geology at Mary Washington College, and studied at Western Kentucky University. He has received the Cave Conservancy of the Virginia’s Award for Volunteer Achievement in Cave Conservation and Management, and under his leadership the ACCA was named the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education’s Organization. He also won first, second and third place honors in the National Cave Ballad contest in 1979. He is a member of the National Speleological Society, the National Caves Association, and is a past Commissioner for the Hart County Tourism Commission.
2010: Gina Horton Fimbel, ’98
Gina Horton Fimbel earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Emory & Henry in 1998. She has served as a social worker at a homeless shelter for women and children in Fairfax, Virginia. She also worked for Child Protective Services in that same city. She is currently serving as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is the founder of Andrew’s Toybox; an organization that provides toys for children with life-threatening or chronic illness.
2009: Jennifer Murphy, ’00
Jennifer Murphy, E&H ’00, earned her bachelor’s degree in biology at E&H and a Ph.D. in environmental microbiology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She is conducting her post-doctoral research, focusing on methods for identifying and purifying contaminated drinking water, through the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at UNC Chapel Hill’s School of Global Public Health. Ms. Murphy has recently made presentations to the NATO Working Group on Field Water Standards in Ottawa, Canada, and the United States Department of Defense Joint Medical Field Water Subgroup Meeting, Hampton, Virginia. Jennifer’s time in Cambodia was spent researching means of providing clean drinking water to residents of developing countries.
2008: Elizabeth Crowgey Young, ’34
Elizabeth Crowgey Young, E&H ’34, was a history major at Emory & Henry, a debater in the Thalian Literary Society, and a member of the women’s basketball team. She was a public school librarian in Bristol, Virginia, and in Dade County, Florida, until her retirement. Mrs. Young holds a master’s degree in education from East Carolina University. She and husband, Jack (Class of 1936, deceased), have two daughters. Elizabeth, although well into her 90s, continued to volunteer several times a week with Alzheimer’s patients at the local Veteran’s Hospital.
2007: Dr. Tal Stanley, ’83
Dr. Tal Stanley graduated summa cum laude from Emory & Henry College in 1983 with a B.A. degree in history. He received a M.Div. degree in 1986 from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. In 1996 he received a Ph.D. in American studies from Emory University. He is the director of E&H’s Appalachian Center for Community Service and chair of the Department of Public Policy and Community Service. Tal showed remarkable dedication to community enhancement that resulted in a new medical facility in downtown Meadowview.
2006: Dr. Paul Brown, Jr. ’64 & The Rev. James Dougherty, ’62
Dr. Paul Brown, Jr., is a 1964 E&H graduate. He earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia with a medical residency at Tuft’s University St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Boston. Dr. Brown is a clinical professor of medicine at the James H. Quillen School of Medicine and is a staff member at several hospitals in the Tri-Cities (Tennessee) region.
The Rev. James Dougherty is a 1962 E&H graduate. He received his master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary and a doctor of ministry degree from Emory University. An ordained United Methodist minister, Rev. Dougherty served the New York and the Holston Conference for 40 years.
The two received the award jointly for their years of devotion to a medical mission to Mexico.
2005: Mark R. Graham, ’85
Mark R. Graham, E&H ’85, is shareholder and director at Boucher, Hutton, Kelly & Graham, P.C., Attorneys at Law in Abingdon, Virginia. He received a J.D. from T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond in 1989. Mr. Graham is a member of the Virginia State Board for Community Colleges and a former board member at Virginia Highlands Community College. He is assistant governor for District 7570 of Rotary International and was named a Paul Harris Fellow in 2000. Mr. Graham was chair of the Washington County Democratic Committee and was recognized as a “40 Under Forty” business leader by the Tri-Cities Business Journal in 2002. An active Rotarian, Mark made a personal commitment to secure a college education for a Bolivian Rotary exchange student who successfully graduated from Emory & Henry College.
2004: Rev. Marcus F. West, ’56
Rev. Marcus F. West, E&H ’56, is in private practice as a marriage and family therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is also the adjunct minister of counseling at Providence United Methodist Church. He received his B.D. in 1959 from Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, and pursued a Ph.D. degree from Florida State University. His hobby of pen and ink sketching also has become a ministry and cottage business.
2003: Elizabeth McKee, ’63
Elizabeth McKee graduated from Emory & Henry in 1963 and served the Washington County school system for 25 years as a teacher and librarian. She is active with Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, the Washington County and Town of Damascus Tourism Committee, Adopt-A-Highway, People, Inc., Washington County Habitat for Humanity, Virginia Clean Washington County Committee, and the Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc. Mrs. McKee has been a leader and participant in the Washington County 4-H program, the Rock School auditorium renovation, school and town beautification projects, and the District 3 RSVP Board. She is a lifetime member of the Damascus Rescue Squad, was given the Local Hero Award from the Damascus Little League, and has received countless certificates of appreciation from area community organizations. Mrs. McKee served as the Mayor of Damascus for many years.
2002: Brian K. Spencer, ’87
Brian K. Spencer, E&H ’87, is an area supervisor for Shoney’s Inc., and is responsible for restaurants in Hillsville, Galax, and Dublin, Virginia. In 1998, he established the Etoile Berry Children’s Art Foundation. The mission of the foundation is to generate funds for the purchase of art supplies for local elementary schools and to provide scholarship assistance for college students pursuing art degrees. Nearly $23,000 has been raised for the foundation through a collaboration between the Hillsville restaurant and local artists.
2001: Dr. David T. St. Clair, ’73
Dr. David T. St. Clair, E&H ’73, is a United Methodist minister who has served Holston Conference churches in Knoxville, Morristown, Maryville and Chattanooga, Tenn., and Smyth County, Va. He served as chaplain of Emory & Henry College from 1991 to 2000, strengthening the campus religious life program and serving as counselor and pastor to the E&H community. Dr. St. Clair was the College’s first Bonner Scholars coordinator. He currently serves as pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Bristol, Tenn.
2000: Rick & Sarah Gruver Poland, ’81 & ’80
Rick and Sarah Gruver Poland graduated from Emory & Henry in 1981 and 1980, respectively. Mr. Poland received his master of divinity degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Mrs. Poland holds a bachelor of arts degree from Emory & Henry and a bachelor of science degree from Old Dominion University. She is a home educator for the six Poland children, four of whom are adopted. The Polands currently operate a family farm that welcomes persons in transition from prison to mainstream society.
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Biology major, Erin Kirk ’17, worked to demonstrate the effectiveness of a non-invasive DNA sampling technique and its utility in conservation genetic studies. This technique allowed for endangered species of salamanders, that she found at Whitetop, Elk Garden, and Mt. Rogers, to not be harmed during sampling.
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Musical Theatre major, Alissa Jones ’17, wrote and starred in an original musical told from the perspective of an individual suffering from depression. The production worked to educate, and provide an opening to discuss, mental illness.
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Athletic Training student Lauren Blakey ’17, looked at manual therapy to see if it is an effective method of treatment for musculoskeletal injuries.
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Spanish and Civic Innovation major, Max Palmer ’17, conducted a project that’s field research was conducted outside of the college, some of it was even conducted in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. He explored the mysterious prejudices between Dominicans and Haitians, working to define racism on an island where white european descent has for a long time been the minority.
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Alumni Plaza sits midway between Wiley Hall and Memorial Chapel, structures that symbolize the College’s namesakes Bishop John Emory and Gov. Patrick Henry. The Plaza thus symbolizes the ampersand that links the two great sacred and secular traditions of E&H.
Galleries
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These are the items, and stories, that were entered in the 2020 Stay HomeComing Oldest Swag Competition. Winners will be announced Friday, October 9. -
It was not business as usual in 2020.
So E&H in the City had to try something new to follow COVID-19 social distancing guidelines. We asked alumni to post photos from their homes and to encourage others to STAY HOME to prevent the spread of the virus. We also had a giant Zoom call that engaged around 50 folks. The call was complete chaos with dogs barking, babies crying, and people muttering about which button to push: AND IT WAS GREAT! We are grateful for our E&H Family every day…and perhaps just a little bit more during these days where we are forced to stay apart for awhile. -
t’s an annual tradition to gather in Richmond on the first weekend in December – there’s always some new museum experience to try out! This year, Richard Groover (E&H ’71) met us at the Science Museum of Virginia to discuss Dragonflies. Afterwards, we watched rat basketball, then headed out for some of Richmond’s most interesting sweet shops.
It was a great time in downtown Richmond – and we shall never again make fun of rat basketball. It. Was. Amazing. -
E&H fans like to show their support in every season! Basketball season presents new opportunities for gathering with friends. -
Friends gathered virtually on Facebook for some tailgate fun – and in reality in the kitchen of the alumni director! It was our First Ever Online Tailgate. -
It was our 25th annual summer alumni college, More Than A Vacation – and the events were unforgettable! -
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Our Foreign Languages Department participated at the Lyceum event “Translate Your Career,” a FL initiative to explore new venues for students. Two alumni (Hillary Snodgrass and Sarah Agron) and different faculty from Ampersand Center, Diversity and Inclusion Center, English Department, and Politics, Law & international relations department participated too. -
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Various photos of folks having fun and the campus -
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Established in 1836 Emory & Henry College has a long history in Southwest Virginia. Take a look back in time to see where we have been.
Images
News
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December 1From Knoxville to Baltimore, alumni and friends gathered to celebrate and fascinate over all things avian. Brenda Carroll ’71 declared seeing her first red-winged blackbird while at Seven Islands State Birding Park. -
October 1In 2014, Chelsey Cardwell was working on her biology degree at Emory & Henry and had plans of going to a Physician Assistant school. But she needed an internship. “I needed experience in the medical field, and the local hospitals didn’t have any programs like that unless you directly knew someone.” -
July 5Nationwide with Locations from Maryland to California
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December 13An online program on the science of gambling led to a real-life tour of the new casino in Bristol.
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July 5Go to www.ehc.edu/alumni and click the “News” tab to find hundreds of fascinating alumni stories.
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December 1Threats of hurricane weather didn’t stop E&H friends from attending Homecoming and folks even bought commemorative t-shirts to remember the unusual weekend! -
April 1Arthur “Scrapper” Broady, E&H ’70, did a presentation on his 6th-great grandfather, John Broddy, and his role in the Battle of King’s Mountain. Look for links to recorded events at ehc.edu/alumni/events.
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November 12The E&H Alumni Association, Smyth County Public Libraries, and the Holston Rivers Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalist (HRVMN) joined forces to offer a three-part series to celebrate citizen science – the act of community persons collecting data that can be used for scientific research. -
July 650th Anniversary Reunion for the Class of 1973 | Lacrosse Reunion Football Team of 1973 Reunion | Class of 1978 Reunion & More!
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December 1Emory & Henry alumni and friends learned to stay sharp with E&H Lifelong Learning events – in person and online. Recorded online events are still available for your enjoyment and topics cover history, science, music, gambling, the fascinating wasp and more. -
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October 1But then…when have you ever seen one? -
April 2You made this event a success! Nearly 90 participants joined in our annual E&H in the City event this year – proving once again that E&H folks know how to be flexible in the midst of change.
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July 6On March 23, 2023, Emory & Henry celebrated the 186th anniversary of the founding of the college and awards were presented by the Emory & Henry Alumni Association to recognize outstanding alumni and faculty members.
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December 1Proving that tailgates aren’t just for football season, Emory & Henry alumni and friends trotted out an equestrian horse-tail-gate— emphasis on the horsetail. Plans are underway to do another in the spring of 2023.
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April 1Don’t miss the news tab at ehc.edu/alumni : you’ll find stories of what E&H alumni are doing. -
October 1We can’t be together right now, but we can get to know each other by reading profiles and listening to interviews with fellow alumni. -
July 6More than 100 alumni and friends gathered in December 2022 for a Virginia Tech basketball game in Blacksburg. It wasn’t all about sports. Most fans in the crowd were old friends and classmates of VT head men’s basketball coach and Emory & Henry alumnus Mike Young, ’86.
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December 1College Mourns Passing of Steve Hunt, Esteemed Alumnus, Board Member
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December 1
College Mourns Passing of Steve Hunt, Esteemed Alumnus, Board Member
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April 1E&H alumni and friends have enjoyed outdoor events as a way to gather in a setting that feels healthier. Birding events have been scheduled in a variety of locations such as this one in Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond, Va.
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February 15Clay Rolston has joined the Emory & Henry College Office of Advancement to lead corporate and foundation giving efforts as the College continues to grow and invest in its campuses and students. The College recently announced development plans for apartments, a new Equine Center and Multi-sport Complex located on College property just off 1-81 at Exit 26. -
February 8Life is full of surprises, and Victory Ime is finding a way to succeed not in spite of the curve balls – but because of them. -
November 12When the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center put their “College for Older Adults” (COA) online, they quickly changed the name to “College for Online Adults,” changed the age limits, and invited anyone who wished to participate. They also invited Emory & Henry to be a presenter, offering events in the style of our summer alumni college, More Than A Vacation. -
July 3Tim Fields is part of an organization seeking out the early French influences of the City of New Orleans. -
September 19Adam remembers the day when he realized his high school classmates looked healthier than he did.
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September 8Cornelius thought an internship in the E&H Alumni Office would be a great way to get experience and meet alumni. He was right.
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August 10Ten years of experiences, and 10 years of friendship.
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August 9Yes...you read that right.
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August 6A performance by renowned international opera star Michael Austin highlights the fall season of the McGlothlin Center for the Arts at Emory & Henry College.
Profiles
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Travis W. Proffitt
Dean of Student Success and Instructor, Peace & Social Justice StudiesOffice: Wiley Hall - Room 227276-944-6670 Email -
Fred George
Dean of StudentsOffice: McPherson Center276-944-6168Cell: 276-285-0036Email -
Dennis Cobler
Associate ProfessorProgram Director & Chair of Exercise ScienceOffice: Emory Campus- Hickory B04276-944-6589 Email -
Eric Coley
Clinical Associate Professor, Chair of Physical TherapyProgram DirectorOffice: Health Sciences A235276-944-6146 Email -
William James Bodfish
Clinical Assistant ProfessorOffice: Health Sciences A207276-944-7274 Email -
Beth A Funkhouser
Pre-Health Director & AdvisorClinical Associate ProfessorOffice: Emory Campus- Hickory B03276-944-6590 Email -
William M Handy, MD
Medical DirectorProgram FacultyEmail -
Mark Graham
Vice President for Administration & General Counsel276-944-6104 Email -
Jody Hanshew
Systems and Electronic Resources Librarian276-944-6213 Email
Associate Professor of Library Science -
Sharon Wright
College ChaplainCo-Pastor of Emory United Methodist Church & Adjunct Religion Professor276-944-6836 Email -
Adam Alley
Public Services Librarian276-944-6808 Email
Assistant Professor of Library Science -
Thursday, October 12
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Toni Atkins
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Brooklyn Sawyers Belk
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Beau Blevins
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Cathy Bottrell
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Morgan Cahill
Technical Services Specialist276-944-6246 Email -
Dr. Beverly Clark III
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Linda Coutant
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Richard Groover
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Pat Bear Huber
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Michael Lane
Billie Sue Hurst Professor of ChemistryNatural Sciences Division Chair276-944-6190 Email -
Ben Letson
Associate Professor of PhilosophyHumanities Division ChairOffice: Wiley Hall, Room 007276-944-6153 Email -
Nicole Osborne
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Israel O’Quinn
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Jelani Patterson
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Gary Reedy
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Tal Stanley
Professor of Civic InnovationResident Scholar for the Citizenship of Place276-944-6900 Email -
Emily Wallace
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Major Warner
