4/14/2021

Ferrum College is pleased to announce that Anthony Swann, Virginia’s 2021 Teacher of the Year, will be the keynote speaker for the class of 2020’s in-person commencement ceremony planned for Friday, April 30 at 6 p.m. During the ceremony, the class of 2020 graduates will don regalia and cross the commencement stage set up in Adams Stadium to take a photo with Ferrum College President David Johns.

Swann, who was recently appointed to a four-year term to the Board of Education by Governor Ralph Northam, was named 2021 Teacher of the Year during a virtual ceremony in October of 2020. “I plan to utilize this opportunity to give hope to those students who feel that their current trauma or economic hardship is the end of their world,” Swann said.

Swann has taught for 14 years at various elementary schools in Virginia and North Carolina. In 2017, he began his current position as a fifth grade teacher at Rocky Mount Elementary in Franklin County. At the school, he created “Guys with Ties,” a program that encourages Rocky Mount students to “dress to impress” twice a month and practice integrity, honesty, and respect. He also helped develop the school’s Cooperative Culture Initiative, which rewards students for achievements and positive behavior.

After earning a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Averett University in 2007, Swann went on to receive a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Regent University in 2014. He currently resides in Vinton, VA.

Read more about Swann here.

Visit here to learn more about Ferrum College’s commencement plans for the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021.

4/8/2021

When Ferrum College alumna Star Norton ’11 began her doctoral candidacy at Virginia Tech three years ago, she knew she wanted to research the inequities experienced by African-American students within the education system. She narrowed her research field to include the experiences of 14 former students of Lee M. Waid Elementary School during the desegregation process which began in May 1965 in Franklin County, VA. Out of her research was born Lee M. Waid: An Oral Historical Case Study of Students from an All-Black Rural Virginian School between 1963 and 1970.

“This dissertation serves as the culmination of my research over three years and was a requirement in order to fulfill the graduation requirements to obtain my Doctorate of Education from Virginia Tech in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies EdD,” said Norton. She received her EdD in December of 2020.

The case study is a deep dive into Black education in Southwest Virginia when integration was happening nationwide, and includes accounts of commonalities and differences in students’ experiences. Among the interviewees was Ferrum College Associate Dean of Admissions Edwina Prunty.

“As an educational leader and qualitative researcher, I take seriously the importance of examining the inequities and tribulations faced by African-Americans before and after the desegregation of public schools,” Norton explained. “One way social justice researchers can make a positive impact is by talking with community stakeholders who lived through historic events, such as the desegregation of Franklin County Public Schools.”

Norton graduated from Ferrum College in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts with a double-minor in teacher education and psychology. At Ferrum, she served as class president for three years and vice president for one year. She also served as a resident advisor, member of Alpha Phi Omega, Student Leadership and Engagement worker, and in a variety of other clubs and organizations. In 2014, Norton earned a Master of Education in Administration and Supervision from Liberty University. She is the first in her family to graduate from high school and college.

Originally from the Tidewater area, Norton has remained in Franklin County since attending Ferrum College. She has served in various education roles, including as a teacher, instructional coach, and school administrator. She hopes that her research will continue to shed light on the history of desegregation of schools and the students who lived through it. She believes those past experiences can impact present educational policy and practice. “I hope that this study adds to the literature of the history, legacy, and influence of Black education,” she said. 

Read Norton’s case study here.

Dr. Richard Smith

On February 24, 2021, the Ferrum College community bid a last farewell to Professor of History and Williams Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Humanities Richard Lee Smith. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and brother; a teacher and storyteller; an internationally recognized top scholar; an author; and a warm-hearted and generous member of the community. Smith was 75 years old.

Smith rides atop a camel in the Taklamakan Desert.

Born on August 26, 1945 in Montgomery, WV, Smith spent his childhood in Cranford, NJ playing football and getting into things with his friends. He later moved to Moravia, NY where he worked on his family’s dairy farm during summers and attended college courses at SUNY-Cortland. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history in 1967 and then enrolled at Rutgers University where he received his master’s degree in 1969 and his Ph.D. in 1972, both in history.

After teaching for four years at LaGrange College in LaGrange, GA, Smith arrived at Ferrum College in 1976, where he would spend the next 42 years teaching history. As a college professor, Smith taught more than 8,000 students, over 7,000 of them at Ferrum College.

“Richard never waited until some other time to live life to its fullness. As was evident in the display of photographs at his retirement celebration in 2018, Richard leaned into life always,” wrote Ferrum College President David Johns in a recent email announcing Smith’s passing to the campus community.

“That his first students at Ferrum grew to be among his best friends is a testament to the impact he had on generations of Ferrum students,” said Professor of History Timothy Daniels, who was a colleague and personal friend of Smith’s.

He enjoyed teaching ancient Asian and African courses, including Chinese, Indian, Southeast Asian, North African, and sub-Saharan history, along with traditional Western European and American subjects. He was known to be a great storyteller who enthralled listeners with tales of his travels to the Sahara Desert, Timbuktu, Kenya, Egypt, Peru, and more. Some of these trips included his students who arrived home with hilarious stories and fond memories, including a rafting trip down the Tambopata River that ended in a crash and fire ant attack at their rainforest camp.

Smith performs in the Ferrum College drama production, “Too Free for Me” in 1998.

Smith authored three books, which earned him international recognition as a top scholar in ancient and medieval trade and commerce. At the time of his death, he was tirelessly working on a fourth book, a thematic study of trade and commerce in the ancient and medieval worlds.

“When Richard went into the hospital for some issues not directly related to his final medical problems, I told [his wife] Kathleen to relay to him that he’d better hurry up and get out of the hospital if he wanted to make progress on his book (which was four out of seven massive chapters done by the time of his death),” remembered Daniels. “She sent me a picture of him grinning in his hospital gown, in his hospital bed, with books and yellow legal pads splayed across his lap. Only death – not any illness – was going to get in the way of his scholarship.”

He appeared on Blue Ridge Public Television’s “Public Eye” program in the 1970s and 1980s, two PBS documentaries, and the television show “Digging for the Truth” with Josh Bernstein on the Discovery Channel. He also served as consultant for several History Channel shows.

Smith enjoyed performing for Ferrum College’s drama department and appeared in numerous plays including “Too Free For Me,” “Lil Abner,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” and more.

During a 2015 trip to Egypt.

He and his wife made their retirement home at Smith Mountain Lake in Wirtz, VA. There, he thoroughly enjoyed the water, captaining the boat that pulled his grandchildren across the lake during countless hours of tubing. He was a beer connoisseur and loved to grill, sharing his famous ribs and pulled pork platters with family and friends. Along with his limitless quest for knowledge, he loved music, organic gardening, and storytelling.

Once asked what he loved about Ferrum College, Smith responded, “Ferrum is special because it is a place where, as a teacher, I could help students maximize their potential if they were willing to work hard and dedicate themselves to achieving academic success. I am especially proud to see that so many of my former students have gone on to enjoy success in their chosen careers in business, public service, education, and a variety of other fields.”

“Some lives are so large, rich, and full, they spill over into the lives of others,” wrote Johns. “And not just an experience or a memory, but part of the energy and essence of that person becomes lodged inside those in his or her orbit. This was Richard, and there are many who carry within them part of the overflow of his extraordinary life.”

Smith is survived by his wife and soulmate Kathleen; sons Erik and Howard; step-children Kevin and Beth; and their families. Please share online condolences with the family here.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Richard L. Smith Academic Enrichment Scholarship in History at Ferrum College.

Aundrea Burton Smiley ’07. Photo by Lauren Thaxton of Lauren Carter Photography.

As the grey cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic descended during the spring of 2020, Ferrum College alumna Aundrea Burton Smiley ’07 found a silver lining. 

In March 2020, Smiley began offering virtual tutoring to elementary school students in response to schools’ shutdown to curb the spread of COVID-19. When it became clear that schools would remain closed, Smiley added consulting services for parents who were trying to navigate the new virtual learning climate. Then she gave her business a name: Valor and Grace Literacy Cove.

Now, Smiley works with seven students two to three times a week. She focuses on reading and math, along with language arts.

“In addition to learning sessions, I communicate weekly with the parents and teacher of the students I work with to ensure we are all on the same page when it comes to the student’s academic success,” explained Smiley. “I also serve as an advocate for parents and students when they need it.”

Smiley has recently been able to start meeting students for one-on-one sessions. She has seen so much success in her work that she is planning to open a brick and mortar facility for her education consulting business in March of 2021. 

“The service will remain the same but will also include facility use for kids in grades K-8 to come in and have access to WiFi, as well as games, crafts, and other special programming,” said Smiley. “We are also expanding our team to provide more virtual learning opportunities.”

In addition to Valor and Grace Literacy Cove, Smiley is a doctoral candidate at Liberty University and is preparing to defend her proposal at the end of February. She is a writer at Yoshika Green Consulting, LLC and an executive brand partner for Young Living Essential Oils. On February 23, 2021 at 7 p.m., she will serve as a panelist for Ferrum College’s “Support for Parents of School-Age Children” virtual town hall meeting. (Find more information about the town hall meeting here.) 

Smiley lives in Clarksville, VA with her husband Matt, their three-year-old son, and two dogs.

Ferrum Family:

A new semester is here and, like the last two, it will be different from others we have known. So, I want to take a moment to think about our work these next few months.

We are all getting very good at adjusting to this COVID world–HyFlex instruction, remote service and interaction, Zoom meetings, and holding things together, even while not having a map for this territory. I am proud of how we have risen to the challenges that have become part of our daily lives.

This semester begins, however, with our country on edge.

Pandemic fatigue has been washing over us for months and it can be overwhelming. And, as happens so often, a public health crisis is laying bare the social and economic disparities that have existed in our country for generations.

As we know too well, the fabric of society is not woven tightly, and a tug on loose threads is all that is needed to unravel the whole. Strains are coming from many corners, and the din is growing harsh, louder, and more dangerous.

In this time of diversivolent rhetoric, questionable loyalties, and sharply drawn battle lines, there is a temptation to rally our kin, raise our voices, and flood the world with vitriol that rivals that of the ones with whom we disagree.

But this will destroy us all, because when the anger and insults subside, and the violence falls away, how will we determine who was right and who was wrong?

At Ferrum College, we often do things differently than what happens in the public square. We try to model intelligent, contextualized, and socially principled conversation, the kind sorely lacking right now. We make the bold claim of encouraging critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills. We announce that we challenge students to strive for excellence and to be global citizens in a welcoming and supportive community. And, we undergird all of this with a moral vision that places the concerns of others before our own, Not Self, but Others.

To state it plainly: our work in the weeks ahead is to excel at what we do, and to become an even better version of ourselves. As Martin Luther King, Jr. remarked, “Whatever your life’s work is, do it well.” Thus, those things we encourage in our students, we practice ourselves; what we wish for in society, we embody in our life together. We are fortunate to be in a position to add to the country’s store of goodness and clarity and generosity and truth.

Who we are as a community is itself a witness to a better way. That is a tall order, I realize, but I believe we are up to the task because it is what we do each and every day. I look forward to walking together this new year in ways that bring a little more understanding and peace to our nation.

David L. Johns, Ph.D.
Ferrum College President

Ferrum, VA, January 24, 2021 — The Roanoker magazine has announced its “40 Under 40” Class of 2021, a group nominated by the magazine’s readers for their outstanding leadership, career achievements, and community involvement in the Roanoke Valley. Two Ferrum College graduates, Tim Pohlad-Thomas and Beth Simms, are on this year’s list. 

RIDE Solutions Outreach and Communications Specialist Tim Pohlad-Thomas is a 2008 graduate of Ferrum College. The Roanoker article describes him as a “tireless advocate for our region” with a passion to help residents find alternate travel options, which save money and enhance physical fitness. He is a 2018 graduate of Leadership Roanoke Valley and currently serves as vice president of the Clean Valley Council board, as a board member of 5 Points Music Foundation, as the Experience Outside Program chair with Get2KnowNoke, and as the FloydFest Outdoor Adventure director.

“When I learned that I had been chosen for the ‘40 Under 40’ Class of 2021, I was honored and surprised,” said Pohlad-Thomas. “I felt honored because on the list I accompany many other incredible people doing great work for the region, including Ferrum graduate Beth Simms. I was surprised because I didn’t know I had been nominated, and I do what I do because of my passions and my love of helping others and not to receive accolades. Growing up around Ferrum College and going to school there certainly helped me understand why the motto ‘Not Self, But Others’ is important no matter where you end up in life or what you end up doing.” 

The Town of Rocky Mount’s Cultural and Economic Development Director Beth Simms, a 2009 Ferrum College graduate, was also named to The Roanoker’s list. Simms was nominated because of her work in establishing a $5,000 grant from the Reset Rocky Mount Small Business Grant Town’s allocation of the CARES Act, which aided local businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In The Roanoker article, Simms is praised for “her ability to focus on the big and small picture at the same time.” She is a 2017 graduate of the E. A. Morris Fellowship for Emerging Leaders program and currently serves on Ferrum College’s Alumni Board of Directors.

“I am honored to be named to The Roanoker Magazine’s ‘40 Under 40’ list,” said Simms. “There are three of us from the Ferrum community and two who graduated from Ferrum College. I believe this proves that Ferrum students carry Ferrum’s motto of ‘Not Self, But Others’ with them throughout their lives. I am grateful for the positive attention this article has brought to Ferrum, Rocky Mount, and Franklin County!”

Read more about Pohlad-Thomas and Simms in The Roanoker Magazine’s “40 Under 40” article.

President David Johns

The assault on the United States Capitol was a wake up call, a reminder that democracy is precious, democracy is fragile, and that democracy requires us all.

A longing for freedom, a longing to be heard above the crowd and to build a society with enough room for those we love, runs deep in the American spirit. Yet, how quickly these can become the very things that separate us and make us enemies to each other.

G.K. Chesterton once remarked that the line that divides good and evil is not a line between two people, but a line that passes through each individual heart. Each of us possess all that is necessary to do extraordinary good. Some, with very few resources, have transformed the world because they fed the better angels of their nature.

On the other hand, each one of us possess all that is necessary to destroy the world, and ourselves with it.

What erupted into chaos, destruction, and death at the Capitol was the cumulative effect of years of failing at the small things that build civil society. Listening, fairness, self-discipline, openness to the Other, and telling the truth. When we ignore these simple gestures, the greater things we desire are beyond our grasp.

It is tempting to rationalize and justify violence, destruction, and incivility when it erupts in support of something for which we care deeply. Self-righteous myopia is not a flaw of the right or of the left, it is a human shortcoming we must all avoid.

Here at Ferrum College, everything we do is preparing us to be generous, free, and responsible citizens. How we disagree with each other, the way we embrace our diversity, and our abiding commitment to ‘Not Self, but Others,’ give us the tools we need to build a society stronger and better than what we saw last week.

I am eager for our Panther family to begin a new semester. We will support each other through the challenges of this pandemic, encouraging each other to excel in the classroom, the court and field, in the residence halls, and in our neighboring communities. With determination and a renewed sense of purpose, we will continue to practice those things that make for a better tomorrow.

David L. Johns, Ph.D.
President

(December 8, 2020) I relived the pandemic while packing to move.

Each plate, bowl and glass got its own section of newspaper as I wrapped them and tucked them carefully inside boxes. Coffee mugs wrapped in January’s news — hints of a virus likely to spread widely. Ceramic pitchers padded in February’s announcements of infections and the first U.S. death. Next came bottles of spices and olive oil wrapped in the WHO’s proclamation that the virus had reached pandemic scale. Then came lockdowns, layoffs, business implosions and, finally, some promise of light at the end of the tunnel.

We went into the new year as we usually do, full of hope, ready for challenges and opportunities. And, we found both.

Like everyone else, I am ready to say good riddance to 2020. However, when we step back for a moment and reflect, it’s remarkable what we have learned and what we have accomplished.

First, we have learned that we are stronger than we thought we were, and that we are even stronger when we work together.

Each of us has strength we didn’t know we had. We didn’t need it, quite frankly, until this year, but when circumstances pinned us into a corner, we found determination and creativity sufficient to move forward. We discovered, in the midst of enormous challenge, what Thomas Edison meant when he said: “When you’ve exhausted all possibilities, remember: you haven’t.”

Second, we learned that we need very little to survive.

Throughout the pandemic, we have pared back many of the activities that filled our lives last year. We have spent less money on some of the odds and ends we generally give away or throw away. While we might miss some of these things and some of these activities, and while we may be eager for their return, we are fine. We have survived, and we are not diminished.

Third, we have learned we can work, learn and play at a distance.

Not all work, I realize, nor all learning, nor all play. But with imagination and willingness, we have been able to do more than we thought we could back in March. Fears that technology would isolate us from each other are unfounded. Had this pandemic occurred 30 years ago, we would have been isolated from each other for days on end. However, in 2020, we were able to quarantine and at the same time keep many aspects of life moving along.

And finally, we have learned that friends and family really are what matter most.

As the pandemic chiseled away at our social calendars, our work schedules and our weekend plans, many of us found ourselves reconnecting with a core circle of friends. We realized that the people who know us best and love us most were the ones who could help us stay balanced and keep our lives in perspective during these unusual times. Travel restrictions and limited crowd mandates did not prevent us from finding ways to stay close.

Wrapping dishes in back issues of newspapers gave me a whirlwind review of how far we have come in just a few months. It was strange to read articles from February and March having already lived through September and October. We know now what we did not know then, but we do not know today what lies ahead in February 2021, or April, or ….

We live our lives forward, as Soren Kierkegaard said, but only understand them in reverse. So, we need to be content to know very little. Yet, we can all hold on to what we have learned, those things that have carried us up to this point and that can, I believe, carry us farther still. We are stronger than we could ever have imagined, and even stronger together; we need very little to survive; we can work, learn and play at a distance; and friends and family are really what matter most.

One day, the COVID-19 pandemic will be the stuff of documentaries and history books, and our children will tell stories about it to their children. And soon, someone will wrap dishes in the yellowed pages of newspaper articles that report about vaccines, antibodies, of rebuilding society, and about a world made better because it struggled together.

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.

Davon “D” Robinson ’21

Senior Davon “D” Robinson ’21 is inviting students, faculty, staff, and community members to participate in his next uplifting video project. He envisions collecting photos of people enjoying their happiest moments with friends, family, or just doing something they love, pre- or post-COVID. He will then compile those photos with videos he has already obtained that showcase interviewees talking about how their lives have been affected by the pandemic. 

“The point is to have all kinds of pictures that show people being happy. I want to show how much has changed, but that we can all press forward to a brighter future,” explained Robinson. “It will create an opportunity for people to express what they are feeling. They will also know they are not alone in this and they’ll see there is hope for a better future all around.”

Please consider sending your happy moment photos through email to D Robinson at dhrobinson@ferrum.edu.

Images received are subject to review and may not be used in the final project.

More about Robinson:

D Robinson will graduate in May 2021 with a degree in social work. He is president of Ferrum College’s chapter of Help Save The Next Girl. He is also an admissions ambassador and the student coordinator of the Disaster Recovery Team at Ferrum. 

Before COVID-19, Robinson spent much of his time volunteering at local elementary schools where he played games and spent time with children to become a positive influence in their lives. After graduation, he plans to begin his own non-profit after-school program for kids. 

Additionally, Robinson creates positive and uplifting videos to help bolster spirits, especially during difficult times. Follow Robinson on Instagram at dhr._. 

Read more about Robinson’s volunteer work on the Ferrum Blog here.

View one of Robinson’s positive videos 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

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.