Gospel Fest 2019 will take place on Saturday, February 9 at 5 p.m. in Vaughn Chapel on the Ferrum College campus. This concert is open to the community and admission is free.
The event is headlined with fresh gospel music from Grammy Award contemporary gospel and R&B recording artist Rudy Currence, and emcee Chris “Minster P” Pritchett, featuring the talents of Ferrum College’s very own Fresh Wind Gospel Choir (pictured); the United Voices of God and East New Hope Church dance team, both of Danville, VA; and Longwood University’s Brothers and Sisters in Christ (B.A.S.I.C.) Gospel Choir.
Read more about Ferrum College’s Office of Spiritual Life here.
Curator Angela Jennings with “Sankofa African American Museum on Wheels” collections
In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Ferrum College will host the “Sankofa African American Museum on Wheels” on January 21 at 11 a.m. in the Panther’s Den on campus. An open forum discussion will begin at 12:15 p.m. with museum curator Angela Jennings. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
Sankofa is a Ghanaian term, which means to “use the wisdom of the past to build the future.” Jennings set out to do just that in 1995 with the creation of the “Sankofa African American Museum on Wheels,” which strives to educate viewers about African Americans’ heritage, pain, and pride. Jennings takes viewers on a journey through African American history by using a collection of art and historical artifacts gathered from the United States, Virgin Islands, West Africa, and Europe. The collections span from 1860 to present day and include authentic whips, chains, and receipts of purchase during the slavery era. Viewers will travel through slavery; emancipation; the creation of the Negro Baseball League; African Americans’ inventions, literary works, and social movements; and the lives of Dr. King and Barack Obama, among others.
Jennings explained the museum’s mission: “Those are the very same shackles used during slavery. Teach them the struggle. Show them the struggle. Learn the contributions that blacks have made to this society.”
Read more about the “Sankofa African American Museum on Wheels” here.
Darrian Marshall, a junior majoring in musical theatre, will display his own production, The Empowerment Concert, on January 19 in Schoolfield Hall’s Sale Theatre, on the Ferrum College campus. The event will begin at 8 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Tickets are not necessary. Please note that this performance contains content that is not suitable for children.
Darrian Marshall ’20
Hailing from Gloucester, VA, Marshall’s passion for theatre arts began when he performed in The Wiz, an African American remake of The Wizard of Oz, at the tender age of 13. Since his freshman year at Ferrum College, Marshall has participated in every theatre arts production on campus. His inspiration for The Empowerment Concert originated from the Black Power Movement along with pop culture influences.
Marshall wishes to express sincere appreciation to the Concert’s production team and dancers, to include: dance captains Mia Brower; Autumn Murray-Burns; and Tamiah Palmer; dancers Laura Aylor; Jenise Venible; Ellie Eckrote; and Jay Moy; executive producer Precious Leonard; director of sound Marie Mance; concert host Jasmine Williams; and vocalists Lacey Matthews and Lechelle Smith.
While at Ferrum College, Marshall intends to audition for professional theatre companies in hope of landing a career in theatre after graduation in May 2020. Marshall also plans to perform for Universal Orlando Entertainment in Florida. “No matter where I’m at or where I’m going, I will always perform at 100 percent from my heart, while inspiring and empowering the hearts all around me,” said Marshall.
Find more details about Marshall’s upcoming performance here.
The Blue Ridge Institute and Museum of Ferrum College is hosting “Christmas in the Blue Ridge: Open House” on Thursday, December 13, from 4 to 6 p.m. The open house will be held at the Institute on Ferrum College’s campus at 20 Museum Drive, Ferrum, and will include refreshments, vendors selling Christmas gifts, caroling, plus a huge live tree decorated with traditional ornaments. This holiday event is free and open to the community, so please bring the family!
Fall 2018 Chrysalis contributors. Marissa Ruiz of Wake Forest, NC, holds her artwork, “Fall’s Lake.”
On December 4, Ferrum College Chrysalis Literary and Arts Magazine staff revealed the Fall 2018 edition of the magazine in the Blue Ridge Mountain Room on campus. Submissions to the magazine were canvassed from across campus with winners in four categories: visual art, prose, photography, and poetry.
Freshman M’bambi Mbungu, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, received first place in visual art for “Nothing Beats a Mother’s Love.” First place for prose was awarded to senior Taylor Kent, of Hilton Head Island, SC, for “On the Train.” First place award for photography was given to junior Autumn Potkay, of Mayodan, NC, for “Puddle Leaf.” Junior AnnGardner Eubank from Corolla, NC, received the first place award for poetry for “Father and Son.”
Judges included: Ferrum College alumnus Joe Stanley ’93, artist and owner of Upcycled Gifts in Roanoke, VA, who evaluated the visual art category; Ferrum College alumna Emily DeLoach ’96, currently a Montessori teacher in the Hampton Roads area who reviewed the prose category; Cynthia Herrick, a National Geographic travel and wildlife photographer, who judged the photography category; and Sandra Ballard, professor of English at Appalachian State University and editor of Appalachian Journal, who evaluated the poetry category.
This semester’s Chrysalis edition was “a rebuilding one” as both prior student editors graduated last spring, per Ferrum College’s Professor of English and Chrysalis advisor Dr. Katherine Grimes. Grimes edited this semester’s edition.
“[Ferrum College Provost] Dr. Aimé Sposato said of the Reveal, ‘It was inspiring to hear students read their work,’” Grimes reflected. “As I pondered her comment, I thought about how much many students are willing to expose themselves in writing creatively. They write about their families, their experiences, their joys and pain, even their heartaches. A Chrysalis reveal is like almost nothing else on campus, for in plays and concerts, students speak and sing the words of others, and in athletic contests, little about individual players is revealed. But students’ reading from their own works shows a sort of willing vulnerability. To get up and speak before an audience is brave; to let other people judge one’s work is brave, too. But to open oneself to others by reading one’s personal writing takes a special courage.”
Read this semester’s edition of Chrysalis Literary and Arts Magazine here: https://issuu.com/ferrumcollege/docs/fall_2018_chrysalis?e=2565008/66334638.
VAS Conference Presentations
Ferrum College hosted the Virginia Academy of Science Fall undergraduate research meeting on campus on November 3, during which 35 undergraduate students from 13 different Virginia colleges and universities competed for research funding. Among the competitors were three Ferrum College students: Caitlin Hodges, a junior from Moneta, VA; Kyle Haley, a senior from Troutville, VA; and Jared Williamson, a senior from Hardy, VA. Dr. Carolyn Thomas, professor of environmental science and biology at Ferrum College, gave the keynote address.
For the competition, students presented posters which outlined their research projects and judges selected the top nine presenters, who each received $750 to assist in their research and a 2019 VAS student membership. Williamson received an honorable mention for his presentation.
The Virginia Academy of Science (VAS), first established at the College of William and Mary in 1923, promotes the advancement of science in the Commonwealth of Virginia by providing financial support for research projects and by providing a platform for dissemination of research results. Exemplary programs have included Flora of Richmond and Vicinity (published in 1930), the first comprehensive multidisciplinary studies of the James River Basin and the Great Dismal Swamp, volunteer research assistance to Virginia in the instance of the kepone pollution disaster, and leadership in establishing the Science Museum of Virginia. VAS research grants, awards, scholarships, and assistantships are made possible by corporate and individual donors. Read more about VAS grants here: http://vacadsci.org/about-vas/.
Former White House press secretary Mike McCurry, currently distinguished professor of public theology at the Wesley Theological Seminary, will give a talk at Ferrum College at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 14, in the Blue Ridge Mountain Room in Franklin Hall on campus. Instead of a formal lecture, the format of the presentation will be more conversational with Dr. David Howell, dean of the School of Arts & Humanities and professor of religion, serving as McCurry’s partner asking him a number of questions. Sponsored by Spiritual Life and the Religion Department, the event is free and open to the public.
McCurry, a veteran political strategist and spokesperson with nearly four decades of experience in the nation’s capital, is a partner at Public Strategies Washington, Inc., where he provides counsel on communications strategies and management to corporate and non-profit clients. He also serves on numerous boards and advisory councils, and is a member and former co-chairman of the Commission on Presidential Debates, which sponsors the general election debates between presidential and vice presidential candidates.
Read more about McCurry on Wesley Theological Seminary’s website.
© Kate L Photography | www.kateLphotography.com
Flutist Sarah Shin will perform in Vaughn Chapel at Ferrum College on Monday, November 5 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Pianist Kelly Lin will accompany Shin. The recital is open to the public. From 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., Shin will also offer a masterclass open to Ferrum College and local high school students. Registration is required for the masterclass here. Both events are free.
During the recital, Shin will give renditions from various artists, to include Bach, Charles Griffes, Michael Colquhoun, Georges Enesco, Eldin Burton, and Frank Martin. Her resume includes performances in Symphony Hall in Boston, Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall in New York City, John F. Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Gewandhaus Theatre in Leipzig Germany, and in concert venues throughout Seoul, South Korea. Shin has also participated in music festivals such as Round Top Festival Institute (TX), Brevard Music Center (NC), Colorado College Music Festival (CO), and Opera in the Ozarks (AR) as principal flute.
For additional information about the event, please contact Dr. Sixto Montesinos, director of bands and assistant professor of music at Ferrum College, at (832) 574-8162 or smontesinos@ferrum.edu.
More about Sarah Shin: Shin received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in flute performance from Carnegie Mellon University School of Music, and her master’s in flute performance from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, as a Barbara and David Jacobs Scholar. She is currently finishing her Doctorate of Musical Arts at Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts. Read more on Shin’s website.
In recognition and honor of our nation’s veterans, Ferrum College will host a screening of Keith Lee’s documentary, “Spirit of the Fallen,” from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, November 1. The film will be shown in the Panthers Den in lower Franklin Hall on the College’s campus, with a dessert reception and discussion with Lee to follow. The event is free and open to the public.
Lee premiered his ballet, “The Fallen,” at the Academy of Fine Arts in December 2013. He wanted to honor those who had sacrificed their lives for their country. In 2017, Lee premiered his documentary, “Spirit of the Fallen,” featuring historical clips and original footage of the United States’ five military branches, veterans’ interviews, and a portion of “The Fallen” ballet. “We’re not there to greet the plane,” Lee said. “Not all of us see the number of caskets being unloaded with the American flag on it. We hear about things that are happening in the news…someone has to say something for them. That is the spirit of the fallen.”
“It’s easy to take for granted the freedoms we enjoy in this country and the men and women and families who have sacrificed on our behalf,” said Dr. Lynise Anderson, dean of campus diversity, wellness and student leadership at Ferrum College. “A film like this helps us perhaps not to understand, but to be more understanding. Honoring our veterans and their families in this way is a small but meaningful gesture to say, ‘Thank you for all you’ve done.’ It’s appropriate. It’s necessary. It’s the very least we can do.”
For additional information about the event, please contact the Ferrum College Office of Campus Engagement at 540-365-4451 or email joakes@ferrum.edu.
To learn more about Lee’s film, “Spirit of the Fallen,” please visit here.
Ferrum College will celebrate the inauguration of its twelfth president, David L. Johns, Ph.D., on Friday, October 19 at 10 a.m. The ceremony will be held in Vaughn Chapel located on the College’s campus. Phyllis Karavatakis ’76, chair of the Ferrum College Board of Trustees, will install Johns. Beth Rushing, president of the Appalachian College Association, will bring the keynote address. The ceremony may be watched streaming live online here.
Johns became president of Ferrum College on January 1, 2018. Prior to arriving at the College, he served as vice president for academic affairs and dean of college at Union College in Kentucky.
To celebrate this historic moment, Ferrum College invites members of the College, community and Ferrum alumni to join in the festivities surrounding the inauguration. These events begin on Thursday evening, October 18, when the College hosts Rev. Anna Woofenden, visiting pastor of peace and spirituality at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Mount Vernon, Ohio, as part of the Rev. Dr. Wasena F. Wright, Jr. ’60 and Mrs. Patricia G. Wright Endowed Lecture Series. She will speak about “Food and Faith: Conversations from the Soil and Around the Table” at 7 p.m. in the Panther’s Den located in lower Franklin Hall on campus. This event is free and open to the public.
Following the inauguration on Friday, October 19, the community is invited to participate in a family-friendly bike tour hosted by Ferrum Outdoors at 1 p.m. Also at 1 p.m., the 27th Annual Corron Classic Panther Open Golf Tournament will commence at Great Oaks Country Club in Floyd. Registration at www.ferrum.edu/homecoming is required for both events.
Community members are also invited to bring a lawn chair and enjoy the following outside events that are free and do not require registration: The Homecoming parade will process down Wiley Drive on campus beginning at 4 p.m., followed by food trucks and children’s activities, plus live music by Twin Creeks Stringband at 5:15 p.m. and The Blue Crawdads at 7 p.m. Fireworks over Adams Lake at 9 p.m. will conclude the evening’s events with s’mores immediately following outside Stanley Library.
Homecoming and Family Weekend festivities will continue on Saturday, October 20, with reunions, tailgating, and a 4 p.m. football game showcasing the Ferrum College Panthers versus the Washington and Lee Generals at W.B. Adams Stadium. Football game tickets are available at the gate for $10 cash only. The weekend festivities will conclude with a 9:30 a.m. worship service at Saint James United Methodist Church in Ferrum on Sunday, October 21.
For more information regarding Dr. Johns’ inauguration, Rev. Woofenden’s presentation, Homecoming events, and to register for events, please visit www.ferrum.edu/homecoming or call the Alumni Office at 540-365-4216.
For more information regarding Dr. Johns’ inauguration, Rev. Woofenden’s presentation, Homecoming events, and to register for events, please click here or call the Alumni Office at 540-365-4216.
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More information about Dr. Johns: Johns graduated from Malone University in Canton, Ohio in 1985, then earned an M.A. in Theology from the Earlham School of Religion, an M.L.S. from Kent State University, and a Ph.D. in Theology from Duquesne University in 1999. He taught at Wilmington College and the Earlham School of Religion; worked as a college chaplain and an academic librarian; lectured at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Puebla, Mexico, the Instituto de Jorge Fox in Ocotepeque, Honduras; and was a scholar-in-residence at the Centro de Estudios Ecuménicos in Mexico City.
On Monday, October 1, the Blue Ridge Mountain Room at Ferrum College filled with over 200 students, faculty, staff and community members, eager to participate in “Saving Ourselves: A Symposium on the Opioid Crisis,” which featured New York Times Best-Selling author, Beth Macy.
The program, hosted by Martha Haley-Bowling, assistant professor of social work, and Lana Whited, professor of English and director of the Boone Honors Program, began in the afternoon with a continuing education event for regional social workers. The education event featured two parts: “Ethical Lapse and Relapse” and “Virginia’s Behavioral Health System and Opioid Crisis.” Later in the evening, Macy gave insight to the research she completed while writing her newest book, Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America. Following a reading of excerpts from her book, Macy and a diverse panel from the community answered questions and discussed the opioid crisis and its effect.
“We’re estimating that about 270 people attended the event, and the momentum for change was palpable. I’ve seldom seen a larger gathering of our community’s human resources marshaled in one place: the president of Piedmont Community Services, the principal at Benjamin Franklin Middle School, a juvenile court judge, an assistant commissioner from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health, our sheriff, the commonwealth’s attorney, the college president and vice president for academic affairs, representatives from Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital, parents who have lost children to opioid addiction, recovering addicts, mental and behavioral health professionals working every day with addicts in various stages of recovery, and a New York Times Best-Selling author, Beth Macy. Beth is fond of quoting the author James Baldwin: ‘Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed that is not faced.’ The purpose of this event was to confront, full-face, the opioid crisis, to ‘be woke’ to our capacity to initiate change,” said Dr. Whited, following the event.
Dr. Haley-Bowling stated, “It was amazing to see and hear the energy in the room last night as people talked about how the opioid epidemic has affected them personally and professionally. One of the keys for me is where do we go from here? We had an amazing dialogue but we can’t let it stop there. I know I will be looking for avenues to keep this conversation going.”
To see more photos of the event, visit here.
To read more about the event, click here.
Rocky Mount native Michael Chitwood will read from his latest book of poetry, Search and Rescue, at Ferrum College Monday, April 16, at 7 p.m. in the Panther’s Den.
Michael Chitwood’s poetry and fiction have appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, Poetry, The New Republic, Threepenny Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, and numerous other journals. His books of poetry include, in addition to Search and Rescue, Salt Works, Whet, The Weave Room, From Whence, Poor-Mouth Jubilee, Spill, and Gospel Road Going, a collection of poems about his native Appalachia, Both Spill and Gospel Road Going were awarded the Roanoke-Chowan Prize for Poetry. He has also published a collection of essays, Hitting Below the Bible Belt, and a collection of essays and short stories called Finishing Touches. In addition, he recently co-edited Best Creative Nonfiction of the South, Volume II: North Carolina.
Son of Elaine Chitwood and the late T. W. Chitwood, the writer is a graduate of Franklin County High School and Emory & Henry College. Michael Chitwood currently lives in Chapel Hill, where he teaches at the University of North Carolina.
Chitwood’s reading is part of Ferrum College’s Earth Week celebration. A reception and book-signing will follow his presentation.
