7/8/2021
Ferrum alumni enjoyed a Washington Nationals game (2018).
After more than a year of solitude due to COVID-19, Ferrum College alumni are now able to safely gather and reconnect per updated CDC guidance for fully vaccinated individuals.
“Ferrum alums are ready to get back together,” said Director of Alumni and Family Programs Tracy Holley. “We’ve all missed each other and are excited to put into action the plans we’ve been making over the last year.”
A list of upcoming alumni events follows. Some details are not finalized yet. Holley reminds everyone to continue watching the Alumni and Alumni Association Facebook pages for updates.
Additionally, the College is pleased to introduce a Build Your Own Event (B.Y.O.E.) option, in which alums are invited to create their own events, and Alumni and Family Programs will help spread the word. “We want to get reconnected with each other and our community,” explained Holley. Interested participants should email Holley at alumni@ferrum.edu to get started.
Upcoming Alumni Events:
July 15, noon: Alumni Lunch at Mac & Bob’s, Salem
July 15, 7:00 PM: Salem Red Sox Game
July 27, noon: Alumni Lunch at Golden Leaf Bistro, Danville
July 27, 6:30 PM: Greensboro Grasshoppers Game
July 21 – 25, all day: FloydFest21~Odyssey
July 30 – 31, all day: Float Trip down James River
August 12, 7:00 PM: Alumni Virtual Wine Tasting with Beliveau
August 19, noon: Alumni Lunch at P.F. Chang’s, 9212 Stony Point Pkwy, in Richmond
August 19, 6:00 PM: Alumni Event at Topgolf, Richmond
September 17: Alumni Event in Hampton (more details to come)
September 18, 4:00 PM: CNU Tailgate & Game
October 8: Alumni Event in Bridgewater Area (more details to come)
October 15, 5:00 – 8:00 PM: Alumni Kick-Off at 202 Social House, Roanoke
October 16, 8:30 AM: Homecoming & ABOD Meeting
October 16, 11:00 AM: Golden Panthers Induction
October 23, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Blue Ridge Folklife Festival
October 30, 11:00 AM: Alumni Awards and Sports Hall of Fame
6/9/2021
Two years ago, alumna Crystal Wilkins ’04 embarked on a new journey as a sexual assault victim’s advocate at Lynchburg General Hospital’s Sexual Assault Response Program through the local YWCA.
Wilkins earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Ferrum College in 2004 and went on to receive a Master of English from UNC-Greensboro. Now, she works as a lead claims representative at Genworth Financial Services in long-term care claims, which she described as “a really wordy way to say I handle escalations.”
But her real passion was ignited during a conversation with her cousin, who is a lawyer in the district attorney’s office in Chesterfield, VA. Her cousin said she would make a good victim’s advocate, so Wilkins began looking into volunteer programs. During a Get Downtown festival hosted by her hometown of Lynchburg, she explored a victim’s advocacy program through the YWCA and Lynchburg General Hospital, and discovered a true need that she knew she could fill. Now, Wilkins receives calls from the hospital to support sexual assault victims through the forensic nurse process. “[I] offer a distraction or a hand to hold, whatever it is they might need,” she said. “I love it so much.”
4/13/2021
Last year, Ferrum College introduced the first ever virtual Panther Toast to maintain connections in the Ferrum family during isolation and social distancing. The College is continuing the tradition this Saturday, April 17, by inviting members of campus, alumni, and friends to join in on the second annual virtual Panther Toast. All day long, participants are invited to toast each other by pouring any beverage and posting a photo of their toast to social media, tagging #FerrumCollege, #PantherToast, and fellow Panthers, former professors, and athletic coaches.
See last year’s Panther Toast photos on the Ferrum College Flickr album here.
4/8/2021
When Ferrum College alumna Star Norton ’11 began her doctoral candidacy at Virginia Tech three years ago, she knew she wanted to research the inequities experienced by African-American students within the education system. She narrowed her research field to include the experiences of 14 former students of Lee M. Waid Elementary School during the desegregation process which began in May 1965 in Franklin County, VA. Out of her research was born Lee M. Waid: An Oral Historical Case Study of Students from an All-Black Rural Virginian School between 1963 and 1970.
“This dissertation serves as the culmination of my research over three years and was a requirement in order to fulfill the graduation requirements to obtain my Doctorate of Education from Virginia Tech in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies EdD,” said Norton. She received her EdD in December of 2020.
The case study is a deep dive into Black education in Southwest Virginia when integration was happening nationwide, and includes accounts of commonalities and differences in students’ experiences. Among the interviewees was Ferrum College Associate Dean of Admissions Edwina Prunty.
“As an educational leader and qualitative researcher, I take seriously the importance of examining the inequities and tribulations faced by African-Americans before and after the desegregation of public schools,” Norton explained. “One way social justice researchers can make a positive impact is by talking with community stakeholders who lived through historic events, such as the desegregation of Franklin County Public Schools.”
Norton graduated from Ferrum College in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts with a double-minor in teacher education and psychology. At Ferrum, she served as class president for three years and vice president for one year. She also served as a resident advisor, member of Alpha Phi Omega, Student Leadership and Engagement worker, and in a variety of other clubs and organizations. In 2014, Norton earned a Master of Education in Administration and Supervision from Liberty University. She is the first in her family to graduate from high school and college.
Originally from the Tidewater area, Norton has remained in Franklin County since attending Ferrum College. She has served in various education roles, including as a teacher, instructional coach, and school administrator. She hopes that her research will continue to shed light on the history of desegregation of schools and the students who lived through it. She believes those past experiences can impact present educational policy and practice. “I hope that this study adds to the literature of the history, legacy, and influence of Black education,” she said.
Read Norton’s case study here.
3/30/2021
Ferrum College is excited to host two in-person commencement ceremonies this year. The Class of 2020 will be celebrated at Adams Stadium on Friday, April 30 at 6 p.m. Following that ceremony, the Class of 2021’s commencement exercises will take place on Saturday, May 1 at 10 a.m., also at Adams Stadium. Both ceremonies will follow the guidelines set forth in Governor Ralph Northam’s March 17 order that allows for a limited number of guests to attend outdoor graduations.
To find up-to-date commencement information for the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021, visit www.ferrum.edu/commencement.
Ferrum College announced today that it will invite members of the Class of 2020 to return to campus for an in-person commencement celebration on Friday, April 30, 2021 at 6 p.m. This event will precede the College’s commencement for the Class of 2021, scheduled for Saturday, May 1. The Class of 2020 made history last year when their commencement ceremony was held virtually to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Class of 2020 graduates who participate in this year’s outdoor commencement exercise will be able to invite four guests to attend as they cross the commencement stage at Adams Stadium. Graduates will be asked to wear their regalia and will have the opportunity to take a photo with Ferrum College President David Johns. The keynote speaker will be 2021 Virginia Teacher of the Year Anthony Swann who teaches fifth grade at Rocky Mount Elementary in Franklin County. The ceremony will follow the guidelines set forth in Governor Ralph Northam’s March 17 order that allows for a limited number of guests to attend outdoor graduations.
In order to participate, Class of 2020 graduates must register themselves and their guests for the event by April 28 using this link.
Ferrum College will hold its 105th commencement ceremony in-person at Adams Stadium on Saturday, May 1, 2021. The College’s plans follow Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s March 17 announcement that allows for a limited number of guests to attend outdoor graduations.
“We are looking forward to celebrating our 2021 graduates during an in-person commencement ceremony this May,” said President David Johns. “These students have made Ferrum College history by overcoming enormous challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is their time to shine.”
The College expects 165 graduates to walk across the commencement stage at Adams Stadium, which includes current seniors and the first graduates of Ferrum’s psychology masters degree and EdS programs. Each graduate may invite four guests, as per the governor’s order to keep outdoor events at 30 percent of the venue capacity. The event will be live-streamed for friends and family who are not able to attend.
The keynote speaker will be New York Times bestselling author Jeff Selingo, who has written about higher education for more than two decades. His latest book, Who Gets In & Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, was published in September 2020 and was named among the “100 Notable Books” of the year by the New York Times. Selingo is a special advisor for innovation and professor of practice at Arizona State University. He also co-hosts the podcast “FutureU” and is a regular contributor to The Atlantic.
Prior to the May 1 ceremony, graduates will have their class photo taken in Adams Stadium on April 24. Following the class photo, graduates will be invited to take individual photos with Ferrum College President David Johns.
The College will not host a baccalaureate and candlelight ceremony this year; however, an academic awards ceremony will be held on Friday, April 16, 2021.
Class of 2021 graduates may register and receive tickets for their guests here.
3/8/2021
Ferrum College alumna Erin Stanley ’06 has accepted a position as the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce’s member relations and events manager.
Her new role, which she began on March 1, 2021, will require her to implement member-relations initiatives, recruit members, and execute a membership engagement plan. She will also actively plan and manage SMLRCC events like the SML Business Expo and the Wine Festival.
Stanley has professional experience in advertising, marketing, and sales. She began her career at The Roanoke Times immediately after earning her bachelor’s degree from Ferrum in December 2006.
“That’s really where I discovered my passion for helping small businesses,” said Stanley. “There was an advertiser I was working with [at The Roanoke Times] who saw such an amazing return on the advertising investment I had suggested that he was able to open a second location. It felt good to see them succeed and I’ve been excited to help other businesses find success ever since.”
Stanley has continued to help build small businesses with subsequent positions at Laker Media and WSLS, while expanding her professional knowledge about print, digital, and broadcast capabilities.
Thanks to her knowledge about SMLRCC and her prior work experience, she says she’s been able to hit the ground running in her new position. “My ultimate goal is to be a resource for all local businesses in our region to help them any way I can, whether it is lending advice on their marketing strategies, sharing ideas on ways to help raise awareness of their business, connecting them with other business professionals whose services can help them in their goals, and even volunteering at their individual business events,” she said.
Stanley lives in Glade Hill, VA with her husband John and six-year-old daughter Emma. She is enjoying her new role at SMLRCC. “I am having the best time,” she said. “And I have to say, the view from my office is amazing!”
Read more about Stanley in this Laker Weekly article.
Aundrea Burton Smiley ’07. Photo by Lauren Thaxton of Lauren Carter Photography.
As the grey cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic descended during the spring of 2020, Ferrum College alumna Aundrea Burton Smiley ’07 found a silver lining.
In March 2020, Smiley began offering virtual tutoring to elementary school students in response to schools’ shutdown to curb the spread of COVID-19. When it became clear that schools would remain closed, Smiley added consulting services for parents who were trying to navigate the new virtual learning climate. Then she gave her business a name: Valor and Grace Literacy Cove.
Now, Smiley works with seven students two to three times a week. She focuses on reading and math, along with language arts.
“In addition to learning sessions, I communicate weekly with the parents and teacher of the students I work with to ensure we are all on the same page when it comes to the student’s academic success,” explained Smiley. “I also serve as an advocate for parents and students when they need it.”
Smiley has recently been able to start meeting students for one-on-one sessions. She has seen so much success in her work that she is planning to open a brick and mortar facility for her education consulting business in March of 2021.
“The service will remain the same but will also include facility use for kids in grades K-8 to come in and have access to WiFi, as well as games, crafts, and other special programming,” said Smiley. “We are also expanding our team to provide more virtual learning opportunities.”
In addition to Valor and Grace Literacy Cove, Smiley is a doctoral candidate at Liberty University and is preparing to defend her proposal at the end of February. She is a writer at Yoshika Green Consulting, LLC and an executive brand partner for Young Living Essential Oils. On February 23, 2021 at 7 p.m., she will serve as a panelist for Ferrum College’s “Support for Parents of School-Age Children” virtual town hall meeting. (Find more information about the town hall meeting here.)
Smiley lives in Clarksville, VA with her husband Matt, their three-year-old son, and two dogs.
Ferrum, VA, January 24, 2021 — The Roanoker magazine has announced its “40 Under 40” Class of 2021, a group nominated by the magazine’s readers for their outstanding leadership, career achievements, and community involvement in the Roanoke Valley. Two Ferrum College graduates, Tim Pohlad-Thomas and Beth Simms, are on this year’s list.
RIDE Solutions Outreach and Communications Specialist Tim Pohlad-Thomas is a 2008 graduate of Ferrum College. The Roanoker article describes him as a “tireless advocate for our region” with a passion to help residents find alternate travel options, which save money and enhance physical fitness. He is a 2018 graduate of Leadership Roanoke Valley and currently serves as vice president of the Clean Valley Council board, as a board member of 5 Points Music Foundation, as the Experience Outside Program chair with Get2KnowNoke, and as the FloydFest Outdoor Adventure director.
“When I learned that I had been chosen for the ‘40 Under 40’ Class of 2021, I was honored and surprised,” said Pohlad-Thomas. “I felt honored because on the list I accompany many other incredible people doing great work for the region, including Ferrum graduate Beth Simms. I was surprised because I didn’t know I had been nominated, and I do what I do because of my passions and my love of helping others and not to receive accolades. Growing up around Ferrum College and going to school there certainly helped me understand why the motto ‘Not Self, But Others’ is important no matter where you end up in life or what you end up doing.”
The Town of Rocky Mount’s Cultural and Economic Development Director Beth Simms, a 2009 Ferrum College graduate, was also named to The Roanoker’s list. Simms was nominated because of her work in establishing a $5,000 grant from the Reset Rocky Mount Small Business Grant Town’s allocation of the CARES Act, which aided local businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In The Roanoker article, Simms is praised for “her ability to focus on the big and small picture at the same time.” She is a 2017 graduate of the E. A. Morris Fellowship for Emerging Leaders program and currently serves on Ferrum College’s Alumni Board of Directors.
“I am honored to be named to The Roanoker Magazine’s ‘40 Under 40’ list,” said Simms. “There are three of us from the Ferrum community and two who graduated from Ferrum College. I believe this proves that Ferrum students carry Ferrum’s motto of ‘Not Self, But Others’ with them throughout their lives. I am grateful for the positive attention this article has brought to Ferrum, Rocky Mount, and Franklin County!”
Read more about Pohlad-Thomas and Simms in The Roanoker Magazine’s “40 Under 40” article.
Dr. Bernice Cobbs ’98
Ferrum College alumna Dr. Bernice Cobbs ’98 was named superintendent of Franklin County Public Schools (FCPS) during a school board meeting on November 10, 2020. This appointment came after a nationwide search with 15 other candidates.
“I consider it a true privilege to have been appointed as the superintendent for Franklin County Public Schools,” Cobbs wrote in a letter to the community. “In taking this oath of office, I pledge my commitment to always do what is in the best interest of our students and the community.”
Cobbs took office on December 1, 2020, after most recently serving as assistant principal of Franklin County High School. She feels prepared to lead FCPS during this critical time thanks to her 22 years of service in the school system. Cobbs initially held positions as a teacher, then as principal of Snow Creek Elementary, principal of Boones Mill Elementary, director of the K-5 Curriculum and Instruction, and assistant principal and principal of Benjamin Franklin Middle School.
“I do believe there has been a loss of learning for some of our students since the onset of COVID-19 in March,” she explained about the current hybrid teaching model which consists of half virtual and half in-person instruction. This model was put in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. “Many of our students, families, and staff are not accustomed to the online learning platform but are doing the best they can. If I looked into my crystal ball, I would contend, for the most part, that most students and families desire the daily face-to-face interactions with their teachers. However, I will admit that there has been a positive outcome, which is why some students have found their niche in the virtual learning world. This pandemic has undoubtedly given us some opportunities to reimagine teaching and learning.”
As superintendent, her first initiatives include a safe return to school in some fashion and a plan to regain learning losses. She intends to work closely with staff, students, and families to continue building reading, math, and writing skills along with the skills students eventually need, coined the “5 C’s”: communication, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and citizenship.
In her letter to the community, she wrote, “My goal as superintendent is to continue the works in progress to provide all of our students with instructional initiatives that emphasize preparation beyond high school. These initiatives will also develop the essential knowledge and skills to foster college and workforce readiness for the 21st century.”
Cobbs was named the Virginia Middle School Principal of the Year in 2019. In 2004, she was named FCPS Teacher of the Year and Virginia’s Region VI Teacher of the Year. She also received the 2005 Virginia Lottery Excellence in Education Award and was named a Ferrum College Distinguished Alumna in 2008.
Cobbs graduated from Ferrum College in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in liberal arts and a teaching endorsement. She went on to receive a Master of Curriculum and Instruction from University of Virginia (2002), a Master of Education in educational leadership from Radford University (2007), and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Virginia Tech (2014).
Read more about Cobbs in this Franklin News-Post article.
The newly renovated Carter Center for Academic Success includes a space for the PRIDE program, which focuses on academic & personal excellence for student-athletes. Donna Winge photo.
In the summer of 2020, the Carter Center for Academic Success, formerly known as the Academic Resources Center, received a facelift thanks to alumnus Maury Carter ’53 and his family.
“Seven siblings from my generation were Ferrum scholars,” said Carter. “Ferrum College provided more than a college textbook education. Taught there was an outstanding education, but equally important: compassion.”
“It is an exciting time for those of us who work in the Carter Center for Academic Success,” said Dean of Student Success and Assistant Professor David Wiggins. “Now the Carter Center is even more beautiful and functional. The students are thankful for a place where they can study individually or collectively, get peer-assisted tutoring, and learn new skills to help them with their academic success. We are very grateful to the Carter family for their gift.”
Located on the lower level of Ferrum College’s library, the newly renovated Carter Center is open 24 hours a day and boasts all new furniture, paint, carpeting, and ceiling tiles, plus a new camera and monitoring system. It provides resources and services to help students achieve their greatest academic potential, including one-on-one tutoring support, individual advising sessions, study groups for first-year students and military veterans, and support for students with learning differences.
Carter’s family was not financially secure during the College’s early days. “A family of ten. Mom and Dad and eight siblings,” remembered Carter. “A poor family a bit different from the students from more populated areas. Our parents could not have afforded to send any of us to college. Ferrum College made the dream of attending college possible for our family. The professors understood us and taught us well.”
After graduating from Ferrum, Carter went on to enjoy a successful career in real estate investment, primarily in Virginia and central Florida. Based in Orlando, Maury L. Carter & Associates has closed approximately $1,500,000,000 in real estate transactions on over 200,000 acres of land since the 1990s.
“The Carter family moved to Ferrum in 1914, one year after the College opened, and have been part of the Ferrum story ever since,” explained Vice President for Institutional Advancement Wilson Paine ’07. “This gift represents over one hundred years of support from the Carter family, and is a testament to their commitment to our students, the College, and the region.”
“I love the people there,” said Carter. “I love the town and Ferrum College. When I am on the College’s campus, I have a special feeling: a feeling of being at home.”
Learn more about the Carter Center for Academic Success by visiting here.
Read 1953 alumnus Maury Carter’s full thoughts below:
“‘Not Self, But Others.’ Ferrum College provided more than a college textbook education. Taught there was an outstanding education, but equally important: compassion. ‘Not Self, But Others.’
“There in them hills was a family called Carter. A family of ten. Mom and Dad and eight siblings. Seven siblings from my generation were Ferrum scholars. A poor family a bit different from the students from more populated areas. Our parents could not have afforded to send any of us to college. Ferrum College made the dream of attending college possible for our family. The professors understood us and taught us well.
“I believe my brother began attending Ferrum around 1920. Many of our family members have attended during our 100 year relationship with Ferrum College.
“On a personal note, I say that Ferrum College kept me out of tanks in Korea. I graduated in 1953 and entered the U.S. Army. After the rigorous basic training, we were being assigned locations, most to Korea. Out of a group of several hundred, I was selected to serve as a personnel specialist. This assignment taught me how to perform in an office environment and it prepared me for a position in aerospace.
“I love the people there. I love the mountains. I love the town and Ferrum College. When I am on the college campus, I have a special feeling: a feeling of being at home.”
For an in-depth account of Carter’s early life and achievements, please visit the Maury L. Carter & Associates, Inc. website.
Kyle Sturgis ’11
It’s no secret that farmers are used to a certain level of stress: crops are affected by too much heat, too much rain, insects, markets, and more. But Shore Breeze Farms in Northampton County, VA, which supplies hydroponic lettuce and other produce to local restaurants and schools, encountered a different kind of stress when COVID-19 closed area businesses.
Ferrum College alumnus Kyle Sturgis ’11 serves as the manager of Shore Breeze Farms, which was opened in 2019 by his father Steve, who has been professionally farming since 1979. At the time of the farm’s start-up, Sturgis was a location agronomist for a company that sold crop inputs (like fertilizer, seed, and chemicals) to local farmers.
“I was blessed to have that job since graduating from Ferrum in 2011. After eight years with that company, I decided I wanted to do something else with my life,” explained Sturgis. “I always had an interest in hydroponics and my father shared that same interest, so I came back to the family farm.”
Though mostly family-owned and operated, Shore Breeze does maintain a few employees and is offering a new intern program this season. Sturgis, who has a degree in horticulture and environmental science, oversees the hydroponic greenhouse facility, field crop operation, and the farm market.
“One of the challenges of my job is selling and marketing our products through social media, online, and through conventional sales techniques,” said Sturgis.
But when COVID-19 hit in spring 2020, the farm had to adopt some unconventional sales methods.
‘When COVID first started spreading in early spring, it was like someone put a brick wall up,” said Sturgis. “There were more questions than there were answers.”
When COVID-19 prevented local restaurants, schools, and farm markets from opening, Shore Breeze’s sales dramatically dropped off. So the farm got creative.
“We had to come up with another avenue to sell our lettuce, so we started online sales and curbside pickup. That sparked the idea of offering salad kits,” said Sturgis. “Now we offer a kit that has everything to make a delicious and fresh salad, including the croutons!”
This summer, Shore Breeze Farms received a $15,000 grant to continue expanding its hydroponic facility which will increase the farm’s production of leafy greens by thirty percent. This grant was Governor Ralph Northam’s first Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund grant awarded to Northampton County.
“It is exciting to see homegrown companies like Shore Breeze Farms harnessing new agriculture technologies to bring fresh, local vegetables to their communities,” Northam said. “Shore Breeze Farms has long been known for innovative product offerings, and I am especially proud to see how they are branching into new markets during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis to offer pre-packaged salad kits to Virginians on the Eastern Shore.”
“I believe that it is so important to advocate for agriculture, as the average person is four generations removed from the family farm,” explained Sturgis. He stays active on several local and state boards and committees, serving as the chairman of the Virginia Farm Bureau’s State Young Farmers Committee which allows him to sit on the State Board of Directors for Virginia Farm Bureau; and as a director for the Virginia Soybean Association. He also won a seat as a director of the Eastern Shore Soil and Water Conservation District in 2019.
“The year 2020 has been a challenging year for everyone in the agricultural industry but farmers are resilient and will get through this,” he said. “But we’re looking forward to 2021!”
Sturgis and his wife Emily reside in Cape Charles, VA.
Read more about Shore Breeze Farms at their website here.
Learn more about the grant received by Shore Breeze Farms in this July 2020 Shore Daily News article.
As a Sam Houston State University graduate student earning a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in emergency management and coordination, alumna Victoria Miller ’18 is also beginning a new journey as an intern in NASA’s Pathways Program.
The Pathways Program provides an opportunity for current students to work, explore a career, and further NASA’s goals and mission, all while continuing their education. Learn more about the program here.
On August 17, 2020, Miller began working in the Office of Procurement for Operations Support at NASA-Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX. Her duties include covering contracts, task orders, and proposals, and analyzing orders for several different departments including flight operations, safety missions, SpaceX, and Boeing.
“My first week at NASA has been unique for sure,” said Miller. “The whole agency is facing new obstacles with everyone being virtual. It’s been fun, busy, challenging, exciting, and eye opening for me. I am constantly learning new material and getting to build new relationships, and I’m very excited to see what the future holds for me at NASA.”
Miller is a 2018 Ferrum College magna cum laude graduate. She received her undergraduate degree in political science with a minor in business administration. During her time at Ferrum, she was a member of the women’s wrestling team, the women’s tennis team, and the Boone Honors Program.
Miller said her experiences at Ferrum College had a lasting impact on her. “I went on an E-term to Mexico City,” she said. “The greatest memory I have from that trip was when we visited an orphanage and we taught the children there how to do different play dough art projects with our cameras. The children were so sweet, kind, and happy to have us there. They danced and sang for us. I remember how happy they were even though they have a difficult life. It was the best experience I have ever had.”
“There are so many things to love about Ferrum,” Miller continued. “Being 1,200 miles away from home, I could always count on my Ferrum friends and family to be there for me. Ferrum gave me experiences I never dreamed of, and the family and friends I’ve always wished for.”
Now, Miller is back in her hometown of League City, TX, just a few minutes from her Pathways internship in Houston. She lives there with her husband Hunter, and their boxer terrier mix Noel. In her free time, Miller enjoys weight lifting, painting, reading books, planting succulents, and playing board games and corn hole with her family and friends.
