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.
Director of Athletics John Sutyak has announced the promotion of Carrie Austin to an assistant athletic director effective December 1. Austin will join Sports Information Director and Assistant Athletic Director Gary Holden in her new responsibilities.
Austin arrived at Ferrum in January 2014 as head field hockey coach after serving as the associate head field hockey coach at Appalachian State University (NC) from 2007 through 2013. She has since added senior woman administrator and compliance director responsibilities to her resume. Austin also became a member of Ferrum’s senior athletic administration team.
“I’m very excited to announce Carrie as an assistant athletic director,” said Sutyak. “Since my arrival at Ferrum, Carrie has been a valued team member, a trusted colleague and someone who has been a respected member of the community in representing the department on campus. The work she has done alongside Gary Holden in advancing our operations in the area of athletic compliance was critical to our internal procedures prior to my arrival. I am looking forward to her sharing her expertise in all aspects of the department as we continue to evolve and move forward as an athletic department.”
Austin’s management experience also includes serving as game supervisor for the 2020 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament first round game in 2020, and as hospitality coordinator for the 2019 NCAA Division III Men’s Wrestling National Championships and the 2018 NCAA Division III Men’s Wrestling Southeast Regional, both of which were hosted by Ferrum College.
Read more on the Ferrum College Athletics website here.
12/3/2020
Ferrum College celebrated #GivingTuesday on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 with an invitation for donors to be “Ferrum Bold” by making a gift of any size to any program. The College ended the day with gifts totaling a record-breaking $56,786 from over 260 donors.
As part of this year’s #GivingTuesday, Ferrum participated in a two-part challenge issued by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund: if the College raised at least $25,000, the duPont Fund would match it with another $25,000. Additionally, if at least 200 people made donations through the College’s website on Giving Tuesday, the duPont Fund would kick in another $25,000, bringing the total to an extra $50,000 for Ferrum College.
Ferrum met both requirements to receive the combined $50,000 in challenge gifts, bringing the total amount raised to $106,786.
“This Giving Tuesday was another reminder of the generosity and overwhelming support Ferrum receives from its alumni, faculty, staff, and friends,” said President David Johns. “The impact of Tuesday’s gifts will be felt for years to come.”
The theme for this year’s Giving Tuesday was “Ferrum Bold” and focused on stories of students and alumni who embody the toughness and resiliency that Ferrum has adopted this year through the slogan: Ferrum Means Iron.
“At a time when we are all being pulled in multiple directions, I am truly in awe of our supporters’ generosity,” said Vice President for Institutional Advancement & External Relations Wilson Paine. “I am so proud of the Ferrum family and the Institutional Advancement team for their commitment to our students and programs.”
Per their website, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund “is committed to creating communities of belonging for the people, organizations and places that [philanthropist, businesswoman, and community steward] Jessie Ball duPont knew and loved.” Visit here to learn more.
The Admissions Office is located in the Spillman-Daniel House on Ferrum College’s campus.
Ferrum College announced today that it will not increase full-time undergraduate tuition rates for the 2021-22 academic year. The College also guarantees that tuition will not increase cumulatively more than five percent from Fall 2021 to Spring 2025, and notes the average four-year scholarship and grant package will be over $100,000.
“This is just one of the ways in which we are responding to the financial toll this year has had on our students and their families because of COVID-19,” said President David Johns. “Ferrum College is committed to remaining one of the most affordable colleges in Virginia, and now we’re making it official.”
Annual tuition for the current 2020-21 academic year is $36,480 before any institutional aid. The College awards over $20 million in institutional aid each year, and 99 percent of its students receive some kind of financial aid through scholarships and grants, loan programs, and work study opportunities.
“We recognize the importance of continuing to provide a quality, well-rounded, affordable education in a safe environment,” said Senior Enrollment Officer Eric Grundman. “By freezing our full-time undergraduate tuition for the 2021-22 academic year and capping future full-time undergraduate tuition increases to no more than five percent cumulatively through the spring semester of 2025, Ferrum College will remain one of the most affordable private colleges in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This will allow families to plan and budget for the future because it relieves the stress and uncertainty of not knowing future tuition rates.”
Applying to Ferrum College is easy and free. Visit here to learn more and apply.
Director of Athletics John Sutyak
On November 14, 1970, a chartered plan carrying the Marshall University football team crashed in Kenova, West Virginia. Aboard the plane were seven former Ferrum College football players and Rick Tolley, Marshall’s head football coach and former assistant football coach at Ferrum. None of the passengers survived.
In the following letter, Ferrum College Athletic Director John Sutyak pays tribute to the lives lost 50 years ago.
Dear Ferrum Community,
Today, November 14, marks the 50th anniversary of the Marshall University football tragedy, where 75 members of the Marshall football program perished on a charter flight returning from a game against East Carolina University. Among those who perished were seven former Ferrum football players and Marshall head football coach, Rick Tolley, who previously served as an assistant coach under Ferrum head football coach, Hank Norton. All eight of these men were members of the 1968 national champion Ferrum football team, claiming the second national title in program history.
Outside of the Marshall University community, no school suffered more than Ferrum. These young men left behind their respective families and the friendships they cultivated here on our beloved campus. Fifty years later, they continue to be honored on our campus in multiple ways:
Ferrum College planned to honor the Ferrum-Marshall 8 during our final home game of the season against Emory & Henry College this afternoon. Unfortunately, in response to COVID-19, the College had to cancel all on-campus events, including postponing its football season, for the entire fall semester.
Today in Huntington, W.V., Marshall University will conduct its annual tradition of honoring all members of the crash. I hope you will join me in a moment of silence this weekend to remember the lives lost, and to reflect on the legacy they left behind. Their impact on Ferrum athletics is felt every time a student walks into the Big Green weight room; every time a student-leader receives the Big Green Award for acts of courage and leadership; and every time a player or coach is greeted by Coach Tolley in the football locker room.
Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the families, friends and teammates of the eight men. We wish continued eternal peace to Tommy Brown, David Griffith, Pat Norrell, Bob Patterson, Art Shannon, Jerry Stainback, Tom Zborill and Rick Tolley. Your legacies will never be forgotten.
With Panther Pride,
John Sutyak
Director of Athletics
On November 12, 2020, Ferrum College received full approval to become a Level IV institution that will allow the College to offer a variety of masters and specialist level programs. This approval came after a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) review team determined that Ferrum is 100 percent in compliance with every standard and made no additional recommendations.
“We have all worked very hard over the last few years to reshape the College, to encourage leadership, to build positivity, and to dream big. The excitement we feel today is a direct result of a daily commitment to our students, of putting our motto, Not Self, But Others, into practice, and of working together, side by side, for the good of Ferrum College and for a better tomorrow,” wrote President David Johns in a campus-wide email announcing the College’s accomplishment.
In January 2020, SACSCOC approved Ferrum to begin offering two graduate programs in the fall of 2020: a Master of Science in psychology and an Education Specialist Degree (EdS) in teacher leadership and coaching. Prior to then, Ferrum had educated students first as a training school, then as a junior college, and finally as a four-year institution.
This is the second time that a SACSCOC review team has evaluated Ferrum College in less than two months. The first evaluation occurred in September 2020 and assessed the institution’s programs and operations in order to approve reaccreditation, a process that is completed every 10 years. SACSCOC’s initial visit also resulted in a glowing report and gave no additional recommendations.
In his email, Johns noted how rare it is for an institution to receive final SACSCOC reports that find a college to be 100 percent in compliance and make no additional recommendations: “…We have accomplished it not once, but twice…and during a global pandemic,” he wrote.
Learn more about Ferrum College’s graduate programs here.
SGM (Ret) Dianne Ellwein
Ferrum College celebrated the nation’s veterans during a virtual Veterans Day Ceremony on November 11, 2020 at 10 a.m., which featured SGM (Ret.) Dianne Ellwein as the keynote speaker.
Viewers may watch the video of the ceremony on this page or on the College’s main Facebook page.
More about SGM (Ret) Ellwein:
Currently residing in Rapid City, SD, Ellwein is a highly decorated retired Title 10 AGR Soldier with the SD Army National Guard. She enlisted on May 2, 1981, and most recently served as the Reserve Component Command Career Counselor in US Army Europe where she oversaw the RC Retention program for 10 different army installations throughout Germany and Italy. She also served in the same capacity with the 1st ID at Ft. Riley, Kansas, prior to accepting the assignment at USAREUR.
She was the former Senior Enlisted Advisor for Reserve Affairs to the US Army Chief of Chaplains and the National Guard Chaplain Assistant Career Field Manager and Proponency SGM at National Guard Bureau. In 2013, she was DA Select to the rank of CSM. Prior to her Title 10 assignments, she served as a Title 32 Production Recruiter for the South Dakota Army National Guard where she earned top national awards.
Ellwein earned a Bachelor of Science in secondary education from Northern State College in Aberdeen, SD. She went on to earn a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in guidance, counseling, and personnel services. She graduated with honors from South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and has taken graduate level courses from the University of South Dakota and Duke University School of Medicine.JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZwbGF5ZXIudmltZW8uY29tJTJGdmlkZW8lMkY0Nzc0NzM1NzMlMjIlMjB3aWR0aCUzRCUyMjY0MCUyMiUyMGhlaWdodCUzRCUyMjM2MCUyMiUyMGZyYW1lYm9yZGVyJTNEJTIyMCUyMiUyMGFsbG93JTNEJTIyYXV0b3BsYXklM0IlMjBmdWxsc2NyZWVuJTIyJTIwYWxsb3dmdWxsc2NyZWVuJTNFJTNDJTJGaWZyYW1lJTNF
In its 107 year history, Ferrum College has faced adversity over and over again, and each time has responded with bold determination, strength, and grit.
This year, the College will celebrate its history of boldness and perseverance on Giving Tuesday, December 1, 2020, by inviting donors to also show their “Ferrum Boldness” with a gift to the College’s Ferrum Fund.
The Ferrum Fund provides current and future students with:
#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide.
Visit www.ferrum.edu/givingday to make a gift to the Ferrum Fund.
Virginians for Veterans (V4V) has given a generous gift to establish an endowed scholarship to benefit Ferrum College students.
The scholarship will be awarded to a Ferrum student who has demonstrated a financial need and is also a veteran, active or reserve military personnel, or the dependent of a military service member or veteran. Preference will be given to those who reside in Virginia.
“Our board unanimously voted in favor of the Ferrum scholarship, and we hope it is the first of many that we are able to provide throughout the Virginia higher education system,” said V4V Director and President Roddy Davoud.
“We are honored that Virginians for Veterans has partnered with Ferrum College to help advance their mission of supporting our veterans and their families,” said Vice President for Institutional Advancement and External Relations Wilson Paine ’07. “This scholarship is the latest iteration showcasing Ferrum’s commitment to our military service members and complements our efforts to expand access to more students through scholarships and financial aid.”
The V4V scholarship comes just over a year after the unveiling of the Craddock Veterans Lounge in the upper level of Ferrum’s library. The lounge is specifically designated as a space for veterans on campus, and was made possible by Army veteran and 1994 Ferrum College alumnus Greg Craddock and his family.
Ferrum College is a Yellow Ribbon partner school, meaning the College works with the Department of Veterans Affairs to match education benefits, ensuring the tuition and fees of a veteran or their dependent is paid in full. This program is commonly referred to as the “GI Bill.”
“As V4V has matured, our board has turned to different means to do good things for veterans and their families. Establishing an endowed scholarship is a wonderful way to assist veterans and their family members as they obtain an education that will help them fulfill the American dream,” said Davoud.
Per their website, V4V is a “charity formed by a group of Richmond business leaders to raise funds for specific local and regional veteran support groups.” To date, the charity has raised nearly $1,000,000 to support veterans. Learn more about V4V here.
Ferrum College will host a virtual Veterans Day celebration on Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, 2020, at 10 a.m. Viewers may watch the ceremony on Ferrum College’s main Facebook page, here.
If you would like to contribute to the V4V Endowed Scholarship at Ferrum College, please visit here.
Ferrum College’s Minds-N-Medicine and human anatomy and physiology students will sponsor this year’s American Red Cross blood drive.
From 12 – 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 12, 2020, Ferrum College will host “A Human-Kind Blood Drive” in the Fitness Center on campus, at 333 Wiley Drive, Ferrum.
This year presents an urgent need for blood donors. Walk-ins are always welcome!
To learn more about the American Red Cross, please visit here.
Learn more about Ferrum’s pre-professional health sciences program, which includes the Minds-N-Medicine club, here.
From November 2019: Ferrum College students and staff worked with Habitat for Humanity to renovate a local woman’s home. Pictured: staff member Leya Deickman ’19 (in purple), student Katrina Anderson (in grey), and Morgan Flinkstrom (in blue).
On October 17, 2020, homeowner Elaine Childress was welcomed into her newly renovated home in Rocky Mount, VA by board members from Habitat for Humanity Franklin County, which includes Ferrum College Dean of Students Nicole Lenez.
From November 2019, the Ferrum College women’s wrestling team (from top, L to R): Leya Deickman ’19; Morgan Flinkstrom; Andreia Langley; Katrina Anderson; homeowner Elaine Childress; Destiny Benjamin; Bailey Gilmore; Autumn Potkay ’20; coach Breonnah Neal; Caitlynn Richardson; Alisha Elizalde; & Gabriella Torres.
“It has been a privilege to serve with the members of the local Habitat for Humanity board as our community worked to give Elaine a gorgeous renovated home,” said Ferrum College Dean of Students Nicole Lenez. “Our students worked tirelessly for Elaine, truly living out our motto, ‘Not Self, But Others.'”
On every available Saturday over the last year, Ferrum College staff members and students, mainly the women’s wrestling team, worked with the local Habitat for Humanity chapter to ready Childress’s home after a renovation process that took two years in total. The house was gutted and then updated with siding, windows, decks, drywall, cabinets, and plumbing. Childress’s home also received a new electrical and ventilation system, and all new appliances.
“While volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, I understood that I was helping the community and Elaine,” said Ferrum College Residence Life Area Coordinator Leya Deickman ’19, who worked on Childress’s home as a College staff member (and is a former member of the Ferrum women’s wrestling team). “At that moment, the atmosphere felt cheerful and light, making our manual labor feel effortless. Although the laughs and memories were enough to instill this experience in my mind, the thank you note I received this past month reminded me of how impactful a simple volunteering experience could be for someone in need.”
Read more about this act of community service in this Franklin News-Post article.
Learn more about Ferrum College’s women’s wrestling team here.
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.
