Dr. Bernice Cobbs ’98

Ferrum College alumna Bernice Cobbs ’98 has been named the 2019 Outstanding Middle School Principal of Virginia. She receives this recognition through the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals for her work at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Rocky Mount, VA, where she served as campus principal from July 2015 to July 2019.

“VASSP is honored to recognize the outstanding work of Dr. Cobbs,” said Randy Barrack, VASSP executive director. “Effective schools are vital to the success of students, and the high expectations demanded by principals and their belief in the capacity of all students to perform is critical in school leadership. The stories of such leadership that we capture in the annual award program continues to impress and inspire all of us.”

“The leadership abilities Dr. Cobbs has demonstrated in Franklin County and throughout the state account for the numerous awards and recognitions she has received all while remaining very humble,” said Franklin County School Division superintendent Mark Church.

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 Doctor of Education in educational leadership and policy studies from Virginia Tech (2014).

Cobbs’ career with Franklin County Public Schools is extensive and includes roles in teaching, curriculum and instruction direction, and administration. In 2003 and 2004, she was named Boones Mill Elementary’s Teacher of the Year, an award she was given again the next year for the entire Franklin County Public School System. In 2004, she was also named Virginia’s Region VI Teacher of the Year. Cobbs received the 2005 Virginia Lottery Excellence in Education Award and was named a Ferrum College Distinguished Alumna in 2008.

In July 2019, Cobbs accepted a position as assistant principal at Franklin County High School, where she is responsible for supporting the daily operations, management, and instructional leadership for high school students. “First and foremost,” said Cobbs, “I am here for the students and staff, and to work closely with the high school administrators for the overall success of the school.”

True to her humble nature, Cobbs placed the recognition for her most recent award on those she has worked with over the years: “I was really honored to be named 2019 Virginia Middle School Principal of the Year. We all know that anything that is noteworthy is not something that is done in isolation. I experienced how empowered a school can be when everyone works together for the good of the students and the extended community. Even though I was a recipient of the award, honestly the award belongs to all the teachers, staff, students, and families who support the everyday work of Benjamin Franklin Middle School and the Gereau Center.”

Cobbs will be honored at a VASSP dinner ceremony in December 2019, where she will receive the state principal’s ring from Herff Jones.

Cobbs is married to Hildred, who retired from Norfolk Southern Railway. Together they have two grown children: Kimberly of Richmond, VA; and Bradley and his wife Jennifer, of Atlanta, GA.

Read more in this WDBJ7 news article.

Classes ended for summer break in May, but Ferrum College’s faculty continued to learn and educate throughout the summer months with trips to Italy, Spain, Sweden, Austria, and Brazil.

Dr. Eric Vanden Eykel

Assistant Professor of Religion Eric Vanden Eykel spent nearly a week in Rome from June 29 through July 5. During his self-described “incredibly short and fast-paced trip,” he attended the Society of Biblical Literature’s annual international meeting, which gives scholars around the world a chance to connect with one another to learn about current trends in biblical studies. Vanden Eykel was also able to visit other landmarks including Ostia Antica, the port city of ancient Rome, and Pompeii, one of the cities buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 B.C.

Vanden Eykel described his time in Italy as “like stepping in and out of time capsules. One minute you’re walking down a crowded street, and the next, you’re standing in a building nearly 2,000 years old. It is a city of layers, and a fantastic opportunity to experience the past.” See photos from Vanden Eykel’s trip here.

Dr. Patty Suppes

Associate Professor of Spanish Patty Suppes received a faculty development grant to present her papers at two July conferences in Valencia, Spain: “Leyenda, tradición, y violencia en El león dormido de Marian Izaguirre” at the Congresos Internacionales de Literatura Hispánica, and “Rosario Ferré y su ‘Cocina de la escritura’: Una alternativa al canon como modelo de composición” at the Asociación de Estudios de Género y Sexualidades. Between conferences, Suppes was also able to visit family and friends with her son who accompanied her on her trip. She was also excited to run into Taiki Sawabe and his wife Mizuho at the Barcelona airport; the couple previously spent two years at Ferrum College with the Japanese Outreach Initiative program.

“I’m so grateful for the faculty development grant that allowed me to participate in two conferences in Valencia, Spain, and I’m glad that I was able to do some site visits in between the conferences,” said Suppes. “The opportunities for students to study and intern abroad are tremendous, and I can’t wait to meet with faculty in various majors to talk about how to help students participate.” See photos from Suppes’ trip here.

Gregory Rock (second from left)

Gregory Rock, Ferrum College’s Iron Mountain Brass director and adjunct music faculty member, traveled to Salzburg, Austria in late July 2019 to take part in the Salzburg Music Festival. Rock played the sackbut or Baroque Posaune – a trombone from the Renaissance and Baroque eras – in a collaborative project with players from UNC Chapel Hill; University of the Arts of Bremen, Germany; Schola Cantorum of Basel, Switzerland; and Mozarteum University of Salzburg, Austria. The group provided music for Catholic Mass at the Salzburg Cathedral on Sunday morning, July 28.

Although most of the musicians had not played together before, Rock was struck by music’s common language: “There were many languages spoken among the musicians from German to Austrian, to even Russian and French as well as English. The language of music prevailed and we were able to put together a substantial music project in just a very short time.” See photos from Rock’s trip here.

Read more about the Salzburg Music Festival here.

Dr. Tina Hanlon

Professor of English Tina Hanlon spent 24 days in four Nordic countries: Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Estonia. During the biennial Congress of the International Research Society for Children’s Literature held in Stockholm, Sweden in August, Hanlon presented her paper, “Female Voice, Power, and Agency in the Appalachian Folktale ‘Whitebear Whittington’ and its International Antecedents.” Four other speakers from different countries presented along with Hanlon; “We had no contact in advance but our papers fit together very well and all dealt with images of women in different fairy tale traditions,” she explained.

Hanlon also participated in additional conference activities including receptions, tours, a mentoring lunch spent with a young Hungarian woman, and a big buffet in the Golden Hall of Stockholm City Hall where the Nobel Prize banquet is held annually in December. “[I was] excited to learn more about the folklore and literature of Scandinavia and share new insights in my E-Term course on World Folktales and Literature. I feel very lucky to have [had] this opportunity to meet with colleagues from all over the world at the IRSCL Congress,” she said. See photos from Hanlon’s trip here.

Rio de Janeiro. Photo by Dr. Chris Mayer.

Chris Mayer, associate professor of recreation leadership, traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May, to give four presentations at the International Conference on Interpretation on his book, You Can Do It! Your guide for developing non-personal interpretive products in Brazilian protected areas. Mayer’s book, co-authored with Ryan Finchum and Lorena Brewster, was written to help protected area managers plan and create interpretive products that contribute to public support for the conservation of biodiversity in conjunction with the Partnership to Conserve Biodiversity in the Amazon.  He explained the conference’s theme of “Acting Locally, Connecting Globally,” gave attendees the opportunity to link their efforts across professional boundaries, international borders, and cultural differences.

“The International Conference welcomed interpreters from around the world to share ideas and inspiration and discuss the latest global trends in this important field,” said Mayer. “It was the most impressive conference I ever attended because of the open exchange of ideas and experiences among the multi-national attendees.” See photos from Mayer’s trip here.

Learn more about the International Conference on Interpretation here.

Billy Wagner

Former Ferrum College and Major League Baseball standout Billy Wagner has been selected for induction into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. The seven-time MLB All-Star had a record-setting baseball career at Ferrum from 1991-93 before being drafted into the pros.

Wagner is one of eight individuals that comprise the 2019 National College Baseball Hall of Fame induction class, including the winningest coach in college baseball history and the player of the decade in the 1990s.

Wagner closed his three-year Ferrum College career with a 17-3 record and 1.63 earned run average, and still to this day holds the NCAA Division III single-season record for strikeouts per nine innings at 19.1 with 109 strikeouts in 51.1 innings in 1992. He was a 1993 first-team NCAA Division III All-American for the Panthers. Wagner was selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball 1993 June Draft by the Houston Astros, as the #12 pick overall.

Wagner’s 18-year professional baseball career, 16 in the majors, includes: Auburn Astros (A) 1993, Quad City River Bandits (A) 1994, Jackson Generals (AA) 1995, Tucson Toros (AAA) 1995, Houston Astros 1995-2003, Philadelphia Phillies 2003-05, New York Mets 2005-2009, Boston Red Sox 2009, Atlanta Braves 2010. Wagner made his Major League Baseball debut September 13, 1995 with the Astros. He is a seven-time MLB All-Star (1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010), and was the 1999 MLB National League Rolaids Relief Award Winner.

The 2019 National College Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held in conjunction with the College Baseball Night of Champions celebration, November 1-2 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Read the full press release on Ferrum College’s athletics website.

Tickets for the 2019 induction will be available on the Night of Champions website at www.cbfnightofchampions.org. For more information, contact Mike Gustafson, National College Baseball Hall of Fame president and CEO, at gus@collegebaseballfoundation.org.

Nicol Martins ’17 stands in front of the United Nations building in Geneva, Switzerland. She is working toward her master’s degree in international affairs and diplomacy through UNITAR.

“Courage above fear.” This is how Ferrum College alumna Nicol Martins ’17, from Fairfax, VA, views her future. In March 2019, Martins was accepted into the International Affairs and Diplomacy master’s program affiliated with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). She will emerge from the program with a master’s degree in international affairs and diplomacy.

In conjunction with the master’s program, UNITAR invited Martins and other program members to visit Geneva, Switzerland in July 2019. While there, Martins met with United Nations members and learned more about the various UN agencies.

Martins’ passion has always been for human rights. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in international studies from Ferrum College in May 2017, Martins worked for a due diligence company in Washington, D.C. that researched specific individuals and entities from all over the world. “If you had asked me a few years ago what I wanted to do after college, I would have responded: ‘to work with human rights, specifically children [and] refugee rights,’” Martins wrote in a social media post announcing her trip to Switzerland. “The United Nations was always a dream.”

“Nicol has always had a passion for helping people and international affairs,” said Director of Graduate and Online Studies and Martins’ advisor at Ferrum College, Sandra Via. “While at Ferrum, she melded those passions in almost everything she did.  She would come to my office to discuss international issues and the impact they were having on the world. Nicol used her class research papers and projects to further hone her interests and understandings, which culminated into her international studies capstone project on the Syrian refugee crisis.”

Martins (front row, third from left) stands with other UNITAR continuing education program members.

Martins remains extremely passionate for refugee rights. “My future goal is to work directly with the United Nations and the UNHCR [United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees] agency, which deals with refugee rights all over the world,” explained Martins. “I would like to one day create my own non-governmental organization that also works with refugee rights to spread more awareness to children around the world, to tell them what is going on and how we can make a difference.”

Via expressed her pride in Martins for her continued work to support human rights. “She knew that she wanted to change the world and pursued that dream. Now she is taking the Ferrum College motto global: ‘Not Self, But Others!’”

Learn more about UNITAR.

Learn more about UNHCR.

Learn more about Ferrum College’s international studies major.

Ferrum College’s own head lacrosse coach Michael Baggetta was one of four U.S. coaches chosen to mentor the 2019 Beyond Sports USA College Men’s Lacrosse Tour Team, which represented the USA in Australia on a 12-day tour from June 10 – 21.

Coach Michael Baggetta (right) stands with Australian host and tour guide Adam “Squizzy” Taylor.

The USA team, which encompassed 21 student-athletes from 12 different Division II and Division III higher education institutions across the States, competed in three exhibition games against local and national Australian teams. Their tour in Australia was undefeated, 3-0.

When they weren’t playing lacrosse games, the team toured various destinations including Sydney Opera House, Darlington Harbor, Melbourne, Queen Victoria Market, and the Botanical Gardens of Cairns. They snorkeled around the Great Barrier Reef, enjoyed some time with kangaroos and koalas, and even played a bit of Australian football, called “footy” or “Aussie rules football.”

“This was truly an unbelievable experience,” said Baggetta. “Lacrosse is such an amazing sport. Through the game the guys were able to compete against good clubs, develop great friendships, and experience a world unfamiliar to them. They represented themselves, their schools, and the United States with such class, making the entire trip unforgettable!”

Read more about the experience in Coach Baggetta’s post on the Ferrum College blog.

Learn more about Beyond Sports Tours here.

Learn more about Ferrum College men’s lacrosse here and more about all Panther athletics here.

Ferrum College rising sophomore Savannah Farris ’22, of Callaway, VA, lives every day honoring the College’s motto, “Not Self, But Others.”  She recently organized a large fundraising event to provide school supplies for Franklin County students.

Savannah Farris ’22

The fundraiser was held Saturday, July 27, 2019 at the Callaway Volunteer Fire Department from 12 – 5 p.m. Attendees were invited to purchase food, drinks, and raffle tickets, and give money or school supplies destined for Franklin County students’ backpacks. All proceeds were used to purchase school supplies for Franklin County students in need. “We raised about $1,200 worth of supplies between donated supplies and those purchased from the money we received,” explained Farris. “We even had folks come from as far as Bassett to donate!”

Associate Professor of Environmental Science Delia Heck said she and her husband John, the executive director of the Phoebe Needles Center, discussed planning the fundraiser with Farris when she initially hatched the idea. “Savannah then worked through the logistics with other members of the staff and the community, asking questions and seeking support from me and others whenever she came up against a barrier,” said Heck. “She has the uncommon combination of perseverance, determination, and steadfastness that allows her to see projects through to completion. There is no quit in her.”

Farris has been involved in helping the local community for as long as she can remember. Her mom was involved with the “Pack the Bus” program for years, which sparked Farris’ passion for community service. “I have always been a firm believer in helping others; one day you may need it, too,” said Farris. “As a college student, I know you must have the necessary supplies for each school year. I believe that every child has the ability to succeed when given the tools to learn.”

Members of the community donated money and items to be raffled at the school supply fundraiser on July 27.

Farris is also a Ferrum College Boone Honors Society member and is double majoring in pre-professional health science and biology. This summer, she worked as a camp counselor at Phoebe Needles summer camp where she helped prepare and cook meals for 50 campers and staffers each day. She plans to eventually enter the medical field to continue making a difference in others’ lives.

“Savannah is a very driven individual with a clear vision of how she wants to be a caring, committed member of her community, nation, and the world – one of the hallmarks of a Ferrum College graduate,” said Heck.

For Farris, her central goal is just to give to humanity; she cited Jim Rohn, famed author and motivational speaker: “Only by giving are you able to receive more than you already have.”

Learn more about the “Pack the Bus” program in this Franklin News-Post article. 

Mountain biking was offered as an E-Term course at Ferrum College in May 2019.

With 700 acres ripe for exploration, the Ferrum College campus is an ideal location to get outdoors. The campus boasts a variety of scenic trails perfect for mountain biking and hiking and a rural landscape to connect back to nature in a technology-based world. Ferrum College is also nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a location close to not only our hearts but also to the representatives at Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge, an award-winning tourism information company based in Roanoke, VA. In tandem with common interests, Ferrum College partnered with the Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge “BE A #TRAILSETTER” campaign to promote our region as a premier destination for outdoor recreation and as the mountain biking capital of the east coast.

Check out the video below and learn more about Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge here.

Franklin County Schools’ administrators and faculty held some of the “Amazing Race” activities at the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum at Ferrum College in June and July.

Ferrum College’s Blue Ridge Institute and Museum hosted teachers and administrators from Franklin County Public Schools for a team-building exercise: a local version of “The Amazing Race.”

The Blue Ridge Institute Coordinator of Educational Outreach and Interpretation Rebecca Austin, along with several farm museum historical interpreters, spent hours in preparation for the school teams which arrived in groups of three on select days throughout June and July. The BRI&M group’s first step was to determine what 1800-style team building activities were going to be available. They settled on tomahawk throwing, two-person log sawing, and ox driving.

“We did spend some time in preparation,” explained Austin. “We had to make a target stand for the tomahawk throwing and find a log to use as the target.”

On days when “The Amazing Race” activities took place, FCPS teams arrived unannounced at the Farm Museum as there was no specific schedule to follow; activities commenced as teams arrived.

Eighth-grade administrator at Benjamin Franklin Middle School Matt Dunbar said the teachers and administrators “genuinely like working together toward a common goal” and expressed pride in all of the Franklin County Schools.

“Any time we are able to participate in the enrichment of our educators, it is a good thing as ultimately, the children of Franklin County are who benefit,” said Austin.

“It was great to use the BRI as the place to build teamwork,” said non-traditional Ferrum College student and historical interpreter at the Farm Museum Jason Campbell, who helped coordinate the BRI&M’s race activities. “The beginning, middle, and end of education was working together.”

The Farm Museum is open to non-reserved walk-in visitors Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays 1 to 5 p.m., mid-May through Labor Day Weekend. The BRI is open all year on Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more about the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum here.

Read more about the Franklin County Public School System’s “The Amazing Race” in this Franklin News-Post article.

World Class Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps rehearsed at Ferrum College’s W.B. Adams Stadium for Salem’s July 30 Summer Music Games.

Ferrum College hosted world class Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps on campus on July 29 and 30 so the group could prepare for the Summer Music Games in Salem, VA, on Tuesday, July 30. The Drum and Bugle Corps used the College’s W.B. Adams Stadium to rehearse their show.

Crossmen, part of Drum Corps International, is a nonprofit youth development organization from San Antonio, TX, that uses music and performing arts to further their mission to help young people become outstanding individuals, per their website.

The group arrived on campus early on Monday morning and spent the day rehearsing before performing their entire show at W.B. Adams Stadium for a limited audience on Monday evening. Northside and Franklin County High School students and band directors also attended Monday evening’s show.

“We are beyond thrilled that the Crossmen stayed with us at Ferrum College for two days, and shared their talents with our community,” said Montesinos. “We hope this becomes a yearly tradition for us, particularly with our new Bachelor of Arts in music and our growing marching and concert band programs. It is great to have them on campus!”

Read more about Ferrum College’s three new majors, to include music management, here and here.

Learn more about Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps here.  For posts about their rehearsals and performance schedules, follow @Crossmendci on Instagram.

More about Drum Corps International here.

More about the July 30 Summer Music Games event in Salem here.

Ferrum College announces the Department of Education’s approval of the addition of three new majors to the College’s baccalaureate degree granting programs: elementary education, music, and ecotourism. Coursework for these new majors will become available this fall 2019.

The new Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education comes with the state education board’s approval of 53 new teaching preparation programs. With this new major, Ferrum College students interested in teaching in an elementary school setting will be able to earn a degree focused in elementary education. Previously, the College was bound by Virginia state regulations to require students interested in teaching at an elementary school level to major in liberal arts and minor in teacher education.

“The mission of the Ferrum College Teacher Education Program is to develop caring, lifelong reflective learners who are committed to teaching,” explained Assistant Professor of Teacher Education and Teacher Education Program Director Christine Christianson. “We provide a rigorous program of study that includes an internship experience in Franklin County Public Schools for each semester that education courses are taken, and we are proud to produce educational leaders who personify the Ferrum College motto, ‘Not Self, But Others.’”

Also beginning in fall 2019, Ferrum College will offer a Bachelor of Arts in music, with two focus tracks: music business and music performance. This degree will incorporate woodwinds, brass, percussion, piano, voice, and Appalachian folk instruments.  While earning their degree, students will be able to intern for artist management agencies around the country, public relations agencies, concert venues, and record labels.

“I am very excited to get this program off the ground,” said Assistant Professor of Music and Music Department Chair Sixto Montesinos. “Ferrum College is in a region where music thrives, especially Appalachian folk music, and we are excited to bring this opportunity to our students.”

For years, Ferrum College offered ecotourism as a minor only. Beginning in fall 2019, Ferrum College students may now earn a Bachelor of Science in ecotourism. “Graduates of the ecotourism program will be able to find careers as ecotourism entrepreneurs, guides and as interpretive rangers with land management agencies like the National Park Service,” said Assistant Professor of Recreation Leadership and coordinator of the ecotourism degree program Chris Mayer.

Ferrum College is once again offering FloydFest 19~Voyage Home attendees comfortable lodging on campus through the Learn & Lodge Program during festival days, July 24–28, 2019. Room packages at $80 per night for a single room, or $135 per night for a double room, include breakfast and daily shuttle service to and from the FloydFest site. Visitors also have the opportunity to learn about the folk heritage of the Blue Ridge region and the Crooked Road Music Trail at the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum while staying on campus.

During the festival, festival-goers can stop by the College’s sponsor tent and the popular Ferrum College Workshop Porch Stage, which offers an intimate listening environment as well as opportunity to engage with musicians as they share songs, stories, and techniques in a hosted, workshop-style environment. They can also visit the Outdoor Adventure Tent to sign up for the Ferrum College 5K Trail Running Race to be held on Sunday, July 28 at 9:30 a.m. Top runners will receive prizes in several categories. The race incorporates parts of the FloydFest site and two laps on the Moonstomper Trail. In addition, there will be College-sponsored opportunities to learn fly-tying, fly-casting, and screen printing scheduled throughout the festival.

Reserve a room for FloydFest here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/floydfestplus-learn-lodge-july-24-28-2019-registration-53736892492.

Read more about FloydFest 19~Voyage Home, order festival tickets, see the Ferrum College Workshop Porch schedule, and find information about the FREE Ferrum College 5K Trail Running Race here: https://floydfest.com/.

Learn more about Ferrum College’s partnership with FloydFest here:  https://dev.ferrum.edu/calendar/floydfest/.

Learn more about the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum here:www.blueridgeinstitute.org.

Rising senior Raven Martin ’20 served as camp counselor for Ferrum College’s 30th annual Summer Enrichment Camp.

Ferrum College rising senior Raven Martin ’20 served as camp counselor for the College’s 30th annual Summer Enrichment Camp from June 23 – 29, 2019.

Martin, a social work major from Rustburg, VA, learned about an open position as camp counselor for 13-year-olds at Ferrum College’s Summer Enrichment Camp through an internship with New Day Center in Roanoke. The co-educational, residential Summer Enrichment Camp began in 1989 and focuses on activities and challenging projects designed for students ages 8 – 14. “I thought it would be a great experience to work with this age group,” explained Martin.

“Summer Enrichment Camp started small back in 1989,” said Director of Housing and Residence Life Chip Phillips, who has supervised the camp for the past 30 years. “But now we routinely have over 80 campers from five different states on campus.” Campers come from Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.

The camp boasts a variety of classes, including crime scene investigation, Harry Potter exploration, living 1800-style at the Blue Ridge Farm Museum, music, theatre, and more. “I spent the days making sure all my kids were present and I knew where they were at all times,” Martin explained. “We all ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. We had pool, gym, and board game times.” She also assisted camp instructors, who are college professors and professional educators, with crafting, mythology, and cooking classes.

After her May 2020 graduation, Martin wants to attend graduate school to earn her Masters of Social Work. She also plans to apply for an international traveling job through her sorority, Delta Phi Epsilon.

But for now, she’s enjoying the experiences she receives as a Ferrum College student. “Summer Enrichment Camp provided me with opportunities to work with a new age group,” said Martin. “I had fun watching the kids interact with each other during the activities. Sometimes it was harder than I expected but I enjoyed it. I learned a lot about 13-year-olds and what my future endeavors may consist of!”

Learn more about Summer Enrichment Camp here and here, and see photos here.