Ferrum, Va. (Oct. 10, 2016) – Ferrum College Criminal Justice Program faculty and an alumna presented research during the Virginia Association of Criminal Justice Educators (VACJE) Annual Meeting held September 29-30, 2016, in Roanoke, Va. The presenters included Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice David Nicholson and Deputy Megan Patterson ’11, Medical Officer, Office of the Sheriff, Franklin County.
The VACJE meeting also included a panel discussion of police and community relations with a group from the Roanoke Chapter of the NAACP and the newly elected Roanoke City Mayor, the Honorable Sherman Lea.
“The VACJE conference in Roanoke exceeded all of my expectations. I was particularly impressed with the discussion that we had with Ms. Brenda Hale and the Roanoke Chapter of the NAACP on the issue of race relations between law enforcement and the minority community. It was evident from our discussion that each side was listening to and hearing the other,” said Professor of Criminal Justice and Program Coordinator William Osborne, who is also president of the VACJE.
About the photograph: Ferrum College alumna Megan Patterson ’11 presented her research “How the Franklin County, VA Sheriff’s Office Implemented Naloxone As A Strategy to Combat Opioid Overdoses” at the VACJE annual meeting held at the end of September.
Ferrum, Va. (Oct. 7, 2016) – Every academic year, Ferrum College environmental science program faculty and students partner with Western Virginia Water Authority, Blue Ridge Soil & Water Conservation District, and Benjamin Franklin Middle School educators to teach Franklin Co. 6th graders about human and environmental impacts to watersheds and water quality. This is accomplished with a week of classroom programming followed by Creek Week, during which students spend their class period at Powder Mill Creek on the middle school property collecting and analyzing the benthic macroinvertebrate population, using probeware and conducting chemical tests to measure pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, temperature, etc. The students draw conclusions about the creek’s water quality and relate their observations of the immediate watershed to their data. Working alongside the College’s Environmental Science program students and faculty, the middle school students also have the opportunity to learn about ways they can further their science education.
Creek Week details and photographs courtesy of Sarah Baumgardner of the Western Virginia Water Authority.
Ferrum, Va. (Oct. 6, 2016) – Japanese Outreach Initiative Coordinator Taiki Sawabe, who is hosted by Ferrum College, recently helped Franklin County Public Schools secure a Japan Foundation Grant to support their “Japanese Language Advocacy Project in Southwestern Virginia” project. The grant will cover the costs for flash cards kits, Hiragana flashcards, Hiragana posters, Kamishibai kits, Origami papers, Japanese folktales picture books, Japanese learning books for beginners, GENKI textbooks and teacher’s manual, calligraphy sets, and kendama toys.
Sawabe is at Ferrum College for two years to share Japanese language and culture with the local community. According to Vice President of Academic Affairs Gail Summer, Sawabe’s work at the College and in surrounding public schools should help discourage stereotypes, provide perspectives on Japan and Japanese culture and thinking, and celebrate US and Japanese similarities over differences in order to encourage effective communication. Sawabe will also deepen his understanding of the US and its citizens, which he will share when he returns to Japan.
Ferrum, Va. (Oct. 4, 2016) – Ferrum College Police sponsored an ABC Business Education Forum on Tues., Oct. 4, 2016. 30 community members representing 10 area businesses and restaurants learned about ABC laws; tactics for identifying false IDs; how to address questionable alcohol sales; and the consequences of illegal alcohol sales. Forum speakers included Virginia ABC Special Agent Mike Scott and DMV Special Agent in Charge Kelley Powell.
Additional community forums will be held in the future. For more information, contact Ferrum Chief of Police Jim Owens at (540) 365-4255 or jfowens@ferrum.edu.
Ferrum, Va. (Sept. 16, 2016) – Basil I. Gooden, who was appointed secretary of agriculture and forestry for the Commonwealth of Virginia in July, will be the next executive in residence at Ferrum College on Wed., Sept. 21, 2016. During his time at the College, Gooden will share his career experiences with students in a number of classes and give a public keynote address at 11:15 a.m. in the Blue Ridge Mountain Room in Franklin Hall on campus.
Prior to his appointment as Virginia secretary of agriculture and forestry by Governor Terry McAuliffe, Gooden was selected by President Obama for the role of state director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Gooden previously served as the chief deputy director of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and the state director of USDA Rural Development for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Before joining USDA, he served as the chief deputy director of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, as the coordinator of outreach and community relations at Virginia Tech, and with the Virginia Cooperative Extension as an extension specialist where he designed and implemented a statewide research project to assess community issues impacting localities across Virginia. Some of his previous professional experiences include working as a legislative assistant to a former U.S congressman from the Fifth Congressional District of Virginia and a legislative aide to a former U.S. senator from Virginia. He is an active board member of several statewide organizations such as the Council for Rural Virginia, Housing Virginia, EarthCraft Virginia, Preservation Virginia, and the Virginia Cooperative Extension State Extension Leadership Council. He previously served as an advisor on the Buckingham/Cumberland County FSA County Committee.
Gooden is a native of Buckingham County, Va., where he and his family still own and operate a cattle farm.
The Executive in Residence initiative at Ferrum College brings the real world business experience of current and retired business professionals to campus. Guest executives tour the College, audit classes, interact with students and faculty, and are asked to deliver a lecture sharing their personal experiences and philosophies. Speakers offer insight on the knowledge, skills and leadership qualities necessary for a successful business career.
FERRUM, VA. (August 10, 2016) – Dr. Tim Durham, assistant professor of agronomy and agricultural science and agriculture program coordinator at Ferrum College, recently graduated from Virginia Agriculture Leaders Obtaining Results (VALOR), the state’s premier agricultural leadership training program, which celebrated the graduation of its second class of leadership fellows at the Hotel Roanoke on July 16, 2016, according to a Virginia Tech press release.
The two-year VALOR program included course-based learning; hands-on agriculture production experience throughout the state; understanding of agricultural policy and communication through visits to the state and nation’s capitals; and a trip to Vietnam to gain a global perspective on agriculture.
“As a newcomer to Ferrum College, it was critical to get immersed in statewide ag circles as soon as possible. VALOR provided that outlet, helping me build a Rolodex of contacts to leverage in and out of the classroom. At the same time, I was afforded the opportunity to evaluate and hone my leadership style (as ag program coordinator), and received valuable media and governmental relations training,” said Durham.
In addition to Durham, who lives in Callaway, Va., graduating fellows include Marilyn Adams, a Farm Credit branch manager from Purcellville, Va.; Lauren Arbogast, a digital learning designer and poultry producer from Harrisonburg, Va.; Shelley Barlow, a cotton and row crop farmer from Chuckatuck, Va.; Basil Gooden, state director of Rural Development (USDA) and Virginia’s incoming secretary of agriculture and forestry from Buckingham, Va.; M. James Faison, president, Milton’s Local from Hopewell, Va.; Jennifer Leech, a dairy herdsperson from Lexington, Va.; Albert Reid, a Virginia State University 4-H specialist from Ettrick, Va.; Adam Shiflett, Farm Credit lending team leader from Staunton, Va.; Josh Stephens, a petroleum sales manager from Quicksburg, Va.; Joe Wilkerson, landscaping business owner from South Boston, Va.; and Cliff Williamson, regulatory affairs with the American Horse Council from Culpeper, Va.
“This class brought a new level of diverse backgrounds and ideas to VALOR,” said Director Megan Seibel. “As a collective voice, representing individual strengths and interests, they join the alumni in gaining recognition for the profound potential of our program and its fellows.”
According to the release, VALOR is one program of about 40 active agricultural leadership programs in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia that promotes culturally appropriate agricultural leadership training that uses a research-based experiential learning approach to build professional leadership skills. The program is housed in Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in the Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education. Support for VALOR comes from the Farm Credit of the Virginias and the Virginia Farm Bureau, small businesses, foundations, and generous individuals.
About the photograph: Front row from left: Marilyn Adams, of Purcellville, Virginia; Shelley Barlow, of Chuckatuck, Virginia; Director Megan Seibel; Jennifer Leech, of Lexington, Virginia; and Lauren Arbogast, of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Back row from left: Cliff Williamson, of Culpeper, Virginia; M. James Faison, of Hopewell, Virginia; Adam Shiflett, of Staunton, Virginia; Josh Stephens, of Quicksburg, Virginia; Timothy Durham, of Callaway, Virginia; Basil Gooden, of Buckingham, Virginia; and Joe Wilkerson, of South Boston, Virginia. Not pictured: Albert Reid, of Ettrick, Virginia. Photo courtesy of Amber Stephens.
