Dave Newcombe, Director of Student Leadership & Engagement

Dave Newcombe arrived at Ferrum College in 1986 as the director of Residence Life. In June 1989, he was asked to serve as the dean of Student Affairs. “This was my ‘dream job’ when I was in college and grad school,” said Dave. “I wanted to be a dean of students at a small college.” In 2007, Dave became director of Student Leadership and Engagement, a position he held until his retirement in August 2015 after 29 years of service.

“At Ferrum, we had faculty and staff teams in softball and basketball. We played in the student intramural program until we were too old to compete. What a great way to get to know students, and they really enjoyed our participation and the bond that the games created,” remembered Dave. “I also became a great fan of Panther athletics, theatrical plays, musical events, and the fun programs provided for students, the College, and the local community. I tried to attend as many of these events as possible. It was fun for me, but more importantly, I supported our students.”

“My ‘dream job’ was a joy. The relationships I made with students, alumni, staff, and faculty are truly a blessing and continue into my retirement,” said Dave. He and his wife Patricia remain in the Ferrum area. “We love Ferrum College so much we decided to pay off our home here and stay!”

Ferrum College is a special place, made even more special because of people like Dave.

A group of Ferrum College alumni and friends will travel to Rome, Italy this July 24 – 31, 2020.

The group, consisting of about eight to twelve people led by Ferrum College’s Assistant Professor of Religion Eric Vanden Eykel, will arrive in Rome on July 23. Their exploration of the Eternal City will begin on July 24, with authentic cuisine and visits to museums, archaeological sites, and churches.

Vanden Eykel has visited Rome before and will serve as the group’s tour guide. At Ferrum College, he teaches courses in biblical studies, archaeology, the historical Jesus, and world religions. He received his Ph.D. in Judaism and Christianity from Antiquity from Marquette University in Milwaukee in 2014. He also holds a Master of Art in biblical studies from Marquette and a Master of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta.

Priority registration for alumni began on January 31, 2020. Registration to all interested parties will open on March 1, 2020.

To register, visit here.

Learn more about the trip here.

See photos from Vanden Eykel’s May 2019 trip to Rome here.

Ferrum College’s annual President’s and Dean’s List Dinner was held in the Blue Ridge Mountain Room on January 31, 2020. During the dinner, College officials recognized 258 Dean’s List recipients and 97 President’s List recipients for spring 2019. For fall 2019, 290 students were named to Dean’s List and 103 to President’s List.

To qualify for Dean’s List, a student must be full-time with a grade point average of at least 3.4 out of a possible 4.0. Students named to President’s List are full-time with a grade point average of 4.0 at the end of the spring and fall semesters.

See photos from the evening here.

Find students named to the President’s List here.

Dean’s List students are named here.

Rising Ferrum College junior Jared Worley, of Chesterfield, VA, has been accepted into an eight-week Arabic language immersion program at Vermont’s prestigious Middlebury Language Schools. Worley plans to attend the program that runs this summer, from June through August 2020; however, if he doesn’t get the amount of government funding he needs, he will postpone until summer 2021. “Either way, I’m going,” he said.

The application process for Middlebury’s language immersion programs was competitive. “I wrote a letter saying why I would like to take part in this program,” said Worley. “It’s pretty uncommon for an underclassman to get an opportunity like this.”

Worley is a history major at Ferrum College and chose to study Arabic, in part, because of the material he learned from his academic advisor, Assistant Professor of History Michael Hancock-Parmer. “Dr. Hancock-Parmer helped clear my mind of all the misconceptions between our two cultures. Our cultures are actually pretty similar,” explained Worley. “As a future historian, I feel if I can speak it and read it, then it will one day help me break down this divide.”

Worley is also autistic but doesn’t view the autism as a barrier. “I think it’s actually helped me,” he said. “Around age four I started experiencing communication deficits that continued until I was eight or nine. That time helped me learn to take a backseat and listen sometimes. I know when to observe and listen, and when to speak.”

Middlebury’s language immersion programs, which count for twelve semester hours, instruct students to commit to the Language Pledge, which requires them to use only their target language.  Worley will pledge to read, write, speak and consume only Arabic-language media for the full eight-week program period; speaking in English is a violation of this commitment. But Worley says he is okay with taking the Language Pledge. He said the hardest part for him will be the separation from his family.

Worley is also a member of the Ferrum College wrestling team. Finding extra time to train for the upcoming season may be difficult, but he has the full support of his wrestling coaches. “I’m so excited and proud for Jared,” said head wrestling coach Nathan Yetzer. “We always encourage our guys to get outside of their comfort zones in order to grow as people. I believe Jared will definitely grow as a result of this program. He is going to do great things and is a testament to hard work and being an ‘all-in’ type guy.”

Hancock-Parmer and the rest of the history department are proud of Worley’s acceptance into the program. “Jared’s attendance at Middlebury for Arabic this summer is a wonderful achievement for himself, and also for Ferrum College and the history program,” said Hancock-Parmer. “He’s special to me because he was on fire from the first day of class we had together. He did the work, of course, but more importantly, he had his eyes open and asked great questions, the kind for which I did not always have an immediate, easy answer. I only hope we can continue to challenge and push him toward his full potential.”

Learn more about Middlebury Language Schools and the Arabic Immersion Program here.

Students enjoyed the first F.L.I.P. session in October 2019.

Three Ferrum College staff members are trying a different approach to a topic considered foreign to many college students: financial literacy.

Armed with a grant funded by Bank of America, Controller Vicky Robertson, along with Director of Financial Aid and Ferrum College alumnae Heather Hollandsworth ’01 and Grants and Prospect Research Coordinator Laurie Adams ’12, have created a pilot program to foster informed and responsible financial choices.

The program, called Financial Literacy Information Project, or F.L.I.P, is aimed at incoming freshman but is open to all ages and campus constituencies. The goal is to empower attendees, particularly students, to make informed and responsible choices as they begin to build their credit history.

“Financial literacy is very important because it equips individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to manage money effectively,” explained Robertson. “Our Financial Literacy Program team is very excited to be able to provide our students with the tools needed to make informed financial decisions.”

The program consists of two general F.L.I.P. sessions, followed by one-on-one coaching sessions, spread throughout the 2019-2020 academic year. The program culminates in a third and final F.L.I.P. session in April 2020. Those who attended all sessions and at least one coaching session are eligible to win one of two $1,000 scholarships at the final session in April. Those who were unable to attend all sessions are still eligible to win additional prizes and enjoy giveaways and snacks.

The first F.L.I.P. session was held in October 2019 and included presentations from Skyline National Bank representatives, a question and answer session, giveaways and prizes, snacks, and games. Following the session, a one-on-one coaching session was held in November 2019, allowing students to meet with a banking representative to personalize their financial plans.

The next F.L.I.P. session is set for Tuesday, February 4, 2020 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in the Founders Room in upper Stanley Library, with a one-on-one coaching session on March 10, 2020. Those interested in attending a one-on-one coaching session should complete this form.

On Thursday, January 16, 2020, Ferrum College announced a new option to order spirit gear and other merchandise online through the virtual Campus Store. This announcement came after the Campus Store overhauled the existing spirit wear to fresher styles and choices.

“We hope to continue the expansion and variety of products offered to better serve both the on campus and online communities,” said Conferences, Events, and Campus Store manager Michael Vaughn. “New products are arriving weekly.”

The updated Campus Store boasts a variety of gear, including hats, t-shirts, sweatshirts, bowties, infant clothing, pet accessories, decals, garden flags, and umbrellas. Customers may also purchase school supplies in the store, along with health and beauty products and of course, Starbucks coffee creations, smoothies, and snacks. The online Campus Store offers in-store pick-up or shipping options.

The physical location for the store remains in the Panther Grounds coffee shop on campus. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Check out new merchandise here.

Follow the official Ferrum College campus store on Instagram @fccampusstore.

(January 29, 2020) Not long ago, I asked a group of prospective students visiting our campus: “Who knows what the word ‘Ferrum’ means?” Many folks who studied the Periodic Table of the Elements in school may remember the answer to what is labeled Fe on the table. One of the gathered students, not too far removed from his high school chemistry class, raised his hand and said with confidence: “Iron. Ferrum means iron.”

And so it does.

Born from the atoms of exploding stars and thrown to the far reaches of the galaxy, iron ore emerges from our planet one of the strongest substances known to us. Iron, and the steel produced from it, has been used to lift cathedral ceilings to the heavens, support our symbol of liberty on Ellis Island, and span the Golden Gate. It is also as common and close at hand as a paperclip or a bicycle.

Iron is tough, strong and resilient.

In our area, the Fe–Ferrum–many of us know well, has for over a century helped build lives that are strong and resilient, tough and ready for whatever lies ahead. And this is more important than we might realize.

Eager to see their student do well, some parents ask me what signs indicate whether they will be successful in college and in life. That question is actually easy to answer. After 30 years of working in higher education, I can say that success is not determined by the school someone attended or how they score on a standardized test. It’s not guaranteed by one’s family of origin or economic privilege.

One of the most important indicators of whether someone will be successful in college and in life is resilience, fierce determination or what we might call ‘grit.’ There are no gimmicks and there are no shortcuts, just a willingness to be 110% in, no matter the cost.

I am convinced that anyone can learn, if she is determined; anyone can succeed, if he picks himself up from failure and tries again; anyone can make a difference, as long as they never give up.

Ferrum means iron, and iron is tough, strong, resilient, and what I noticed as soon as I moved here in 2018, is that this quality is in the DNA of Ferrum College and in the students who study here. This gives me hope, because as I look at the challenges we face in our communities in southwest Virginia and beyond, and as I think about the changes that are part of our future, it is clear to me that we need leaders — and a lot of them — who have this grit, this determination to work hard, to be creative and to seek out solutions to benefit us all. We need women and men who are Ferrum strong.

This column by President David Johns appeared in The Roanoke Times and The Franklin News-Post. President Johns may be reached at president@ferrum.edu.

Ferrum, VA, January 15, 2020 — On Tuesday, January 14, 2020, after a 20-month battle with ovarian cancer, Ferrum College’s beloved retired Professor of Environmental Science Carolyn Lee Thomas passed away. She was four days shy of her seventy-second birthday, and had just enjoyed a long weekend with her family.

“We are heartbroken over the death of Carolyn Thomas, who was for so many of us a model of fierce intellect, creative imagination, and personal courage. She had a way of exciting curiosity in her students and of inviting us all to be better people. Her fingerprints are on all of our lives—thousands of us—and we will miss her dearly,” said President David L. Johns.

Born on January 18, 1948 in Orlando, Florida, Thomas knew from an early age that she was happiest in nature. She received her Bachelor of Science in biology from Florida Southern College and went on to earn a Master of Science in zoology from the University of Georgia. After moving to Virginia, Thomas earned her Ph.D. in environmental engineering from Virginia Tech.

In 1974, she met her soulmate Bob Pohlad when she enrolled at the University of Central Florida to begin work on her master’s degree. Pohlad was working as the teaching assistant in Thomas’s cytogenetics class while completing graduate work at the University. He helped Thomas with her microscope projects and labs. “We just hit it off,” Pohlad explained. “She was someone who loved to travel as I did, was a little bit hippie in her sandals and long hair, and was a free spirit that I loved talking to. We spent hours talking about everything including our common upbringing.” The pair found many similarities in their lives, including losing their fathers as young teenagers, loving sports, and filling leadership roles–Thomas as president of her ZTA sorority and Pohlad as president of his youth group and biology club.

Thomas and Pohlad were forced to begin a long-distance relationship after Pohlad was accepted into the University of Georgia’s doctorate program. The couple wrote to each other daily and traveled back and forth from Florida to Georgia as often as possible. They couldn’t stand being apart any longer and held a surprise wedding in March 1975 at Thomas’s homeplace on Lake Howell in Maitland, Florida (in photo at their wedding). Many of the guests were unaware they were coming to a wedding ceremony until the minister arrived. “We were married outside under the trees on the lake,” recalled Pohlad. “After the wedding ceremony, we played flag football and they threw us in the lake. I remember we left town that evening to head to the beach for our honeymoon one-night stay and couldn’t find a place, and ended up at a motel back in town.”

In 1978, the Pohlad-Thomas couple found themselves at Ferrum College when Pohlad was hired as a professor of biology and horticulture. Thomas taught middle school science for a year but quickly accepted a position teaching environmental science at Ferrum College in 1979, where she and Pohlad remained as professors for the next 41 years. They both retired in May 2019 (after the 2019 commencement shown in the photo). Once asked in a 2018 interview how she and Pohlad were able to work for so long at not only the same college but in the same department with offices next door to each other, she answered, “It works because we communicate. We have to understand each other staying up late, working with students. We have to keep talking, although we don’t always agree. The advantage is that we both have these responsibilities together, so we understand them.”

In addition to their budding careers at Ferrum College and Thomas’s continued pursuit of graduate work, the couple became parents when their son Chris was born in November 1979. In December 1984, their second son Tim was born. Thomas’s legacy now lives on in her two sons, their wives, and her four grandchildren.

At Ferrum College, Thomas served as Science Camp director for many years. She was also a founding member of the Smith Mountain Lake Water Quality Project, which she directed for 32 years, leading a team of Ferrum College faculty and students in conjunction with the Smith Mountain Lake Association to analyze the lake’s water quality during the summer months.

“She was as passionate about water quality, environmental science, the natural world, and women in science on the day she retired as her first day 41 years ago when she began teaching,” wrote Ferrum College’s Associate Professor of Environmental Science Delia Heck. Heck taught alongside Thomas and worked with her on the Water Quality Project.

Thomas was diagnosed with ovarian cancer stage IV in May 2018. During treatment, she remained positive and active, continuing as often as possible with her 50-year habit of walking multiple miles a day. “I just pushed through the pain,” Thomas said in the same 2018 interview. “I derive my spirit from friends and family. I heal better through them. But I’m also a scientist, so I believe in medication and treatment.”

Thomas’s work will not be soon forgotten. In addition to the thousands of lives she touched, Thomas and Pohlad jointly received the Ecological Society of America’s Eugene P. Odum Award for Excellence in Ecological Education in 2016. Thomas also received the Melvin Johnston Award from the Smith Mountain Lake Association for her work on the Water Quality Project.

Thomas and Pohlad were married for nearly 45 years. They spent their lives teaching and traveling, visiting all 50 states and touring the Galapagos Islands in 2017. In 2003, the professors traveled with three Ferrum College students to Malawi, Africa to set up water quality equipment and teach Malawian scientists how to use it. Recent adventures led Thomas, Pohlad, and Ferrum College E-Term (Experiential Term) students to distant locations such as the Virgin Islands and Ireland. This past summer, the couple road-tripped out west in an RV and dubbed the trip “Bob and Carolyn’s Excellent Adventure.”

“She was most happy in the lab, in the field or forest, or in the water, helping students discover and learn about the amazing planet Earth,” wrote Heck. “It was an honor and privilege to work with her, be mentored and taught by her, and to serve by her side in pursuit of truth, knowledge, and inspiration.”

***

The celebration of life for Dr. Carolyn Thomas, a member of St. Peters In the Mountains Episcopal Church, Callaway, VA, was held on Sunday, January 26, 2020, in Ferrum College’s Vaughn Chapel, and drew hundreds in attendance. Please see this Spotify slide show, set to some of her favorite songs, honoring her memory.  

In lieu of flowers, the Thomas and Pohlad families request that individuals make a gift to the Carolyn Thomas Memorial Fund at Ferrum College, at https://dev.ferrum.edu/ferrum-giving. Donations will support students in the College’s Division of Natural Sciences.

Gospel Fest 2020: “The 20/20 Vision” will be held on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at 5 p.m. in Ferrum College’s Vaughn Chapel, 40 Wiley Drive, Ferrum. This event is free and open to the public.

Sponsored by Ferrum College’s Office of Spiritual Life, the concert will feature the Ferrum College Fresh Wind Gospel Choir and Band; Bishop M.L. Hardy and the Sons of Thunder; United Voices of God; 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.

Ferrum College junior Davon “D” Robinson ’21 will be the keynote speaker at the College’s MLK Day program.

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Ferrum College Black Student Union (BSU) has prepared a program which will be held in Vaughn Chapel on campus from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. The keynote speaker will be Ferrum College junior Davon “D” Robinson ’21 who will talk about “Learning to Live.” The program is free and open to the public.

The program will also feature short civil rights films, a video of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech, and poetry from the College’s BSU.

Ferrum College’s BSU is open to all students and seeks to serve the community by promoting unity and cultural awareness among students, faculty, and staff.  Read more about Ferrum College’s clubs and activities here. 

Left to right: LFCC Provost Chris Coutts; Ferrum College Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Aimé Sposato; Ferrum College President David Johns; and LFCC Vice President of Academic Affairs Karen Kellison.

On Tuesday, January 14, 2020, Ferrum College and Lord Fairfax Community College (LFCC) officials entered into an agreement guaranteeing admission into Ferrum College’s recreation leadership program to LFCC students who have received an Associate of Science degree in recreation and outdoor leadership. Within the College’s recreation leadership program, LFCC students may choose to focus on recreation management or ecotourism. The agreement was signed on the College’s campus by Ferrum College President David Johns and Provost Aimé Sposato, and LFCC Vice President of Academic Affairs Karen Kellison and Provost Chris Coutts. LFCC President Kim Blosser was unable to attend.

Also present at the signing were Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs Kevin Reilly; Dean of the School of Health Professions and Social Sciences Angie Dahl; Associate Professor of Recreation Leadership Dan Caston; Associate Professor of Ecotourism Chris Mayer; Director of Ferrum Outdoors Aaron Conover, all of Ferrum College; and Dean of Science, Engineering, Math and Health Ia Gomez; and Associate Professor of Health, Physical Education and Recreation Stacey Ellis, both of LFCC.

“More and more people are discovering the beauty of Virginia and they are spending time in our lakes and trails, and at our many parks and cultural sites. Tourism and outdoor recreation brings hundreds of millions of dollars into the Commonwealth,” said Johns. “Because of this, we need professionals ready to support this growing area of tourism, and we need them to be business savvy educators who are advocates for Virginia’s natural environment. Ferrum College is delighted to partner with Lord Fairfax Community College to prepare such women and men.”

“As people and communities continue to realize the impacts recreation and being outdoors have on overall wellbeing and health, there will be a growing need for professionals trained in the recreation and outdoor wellness fields,” said Blosser. “We at LFCC are grateful for the hard work put in by Professor Stacey Ellis and her counterparts at Ferrum College to ensure that LFCC students can seamlessly transfer into their bachelor’s degree programs at Ferrum.”

This agreement follows Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s July 2019 announcement of the creation of the Office of Outdoor Recreation, which seeks to recruit new outdoor businesses to Virginia as well as promote the outdoor recreation industry. The governor’s website indicates that Virginia’s outdoor recreation industry contributes approximately $22 billion per year in the state’s revenue, and provides nearly 200,000 jobs.

The memorandum of agreement states that acceptance into the College’s recreation leadership program with require the following: LFCC students must have earned a grade of “C” or higher in required courses applicable to the recreation leadership program; have earned a minimum of 60 transferable credits; and hold an overall cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher prior to enrollment at Ferrum College. Additionally, the agreement allows LFCC students to transfer to the College with junior status if they have successfully completed 56 hours of curriculum with a grade of “C” or above, thereby providing a pathway to complete a Bachelor of Science in recreation leadership within two years of transfer.

“The Lord Fairfax Community College program aligns perfectly with both our recreation leadership and ecotourism degrees, and we are delighted to provide these students with a smooth pathway to the completion of a four-year degree through the Ferrum Promise,” said Sposato.

The College announced the Ferrum Promise initiative this past November, which guarantees that students who transfer from a Virginia community college with an appropriate associate’s degree will be able to graduate within two years of transfer, or they will receive free tuition for the remaining coursework.

“This is a great opportunity to create a streamlined admission process between LFCC’s recreation and outdoor leadership graduates and Ferrum College’s recreation leadership bachelor’s degree candidates,” said Dahl. “It’s the first step in facilitating a long-term partnership which will produce individuals equipped for careers that both utilize and preserve the uniqueness of where we live.”

“These agreements represent the commitment that both of our institutions of higher learning have toward educating citizens who care about the integrity of the environment and the quality of life in our communities,” said Mayer.

Caston agrees: “We are very excited by this opportunity to formally connect with LFCC. Our programs are synergistic so it just makes sense to work together for the benefit of our students.”

Read more about Ferrum College’s recreation leadership major here.

Learn more about the Ferrum Promise here.

Read more about Virginia’s outdoor recreation economy here and the Office of Outdoor Recreation here.

Mark White will serve as Ferrum College’s track and field coach.

Ferrum College has announced the addition of men’s and women’s track and field programs, slated to being in the fall 2020 semester.

Mark White, who is in his second year as head coach of the Ferrum men’s and women’s cross country teams, has been appointed to serve as head coach for all four track and field teams. White previously served as assistant track and field coach for nine years at Radford University, from 2007-2015.

“Track and field is such a great fit for Ferrum College for a number of reasons,” said President David Johns. “We appreciate the leadership and innovation of Coach Mark White for helping make this happen, and are excited to see how the program grows over the coming years.”

“It is extremely exciting that we announce the addition of men’s and women’s track and field as a varsity sport at Ferrum,” said Director of Athletics John Sutyak. “Track and field consistently has been one of the largest growing high school sports in the country, so adding the sport will allow us to not only complement our cross country program, but also take advantage of the large pool of prospective college students that already participate in the sport.”

“To say I’m excited for Ferrum to begin a track and field program is an understatement,” said White. “It is a great day for Panther Nation, and I am honored to begin this new chapter. I look forward to building this program brick by brick, and we will no doubt add quality student-athletes to Ferrum and our athletics community.”

Read more on the Ferrum College athletics webpage, here.