Alumna Alexis Hatcher ’18.
Ferrum College alumna Alexis Hatcher ’18 has received a full tuition scholarship to the competitive Master of Divinity program at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. Originally hailing from Richmond, VA, she was Ferrum College’s 2018 homecoming queen and earned her Bachelor of Arts and Humanities as a religion major and psychology minor from the College this past December. As a current student at Wesley Theological Seminary, she plans to pursue pastoral ministry by earning her Master in Divinity with a focus in the missional ministry program, which helps to advance those serving in leadership positions in entrepreneurship and mission ministry.
“I plan to continue to honor God with my life and spread his legacy wherever I go,” said Hatcher. “My prayers and well wishes will always be with Ferrum. I’m a proud alumna.”
Visit here to learn more about Ferrum College’s religious studies program.
Senior Oliver Flood, a financial management major, assists a VITA client.
Twenty-seven Ferrum College accounting students have received training to assist with STEP’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which will be available on campus through April 11. Tax Day is April 15.
VITA, an IRS-sponsored program, provides free tax preparation assistance to those whose annual income is $55,000 or less. Sessions will be available on the Ferrum College campus in Beckham Hall, rooms 201 and 204, on Wednesdays from 4 to 9 p.m. and Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m., with the exception of March 6 and 7 when the students are away for spring break. To schedule an appointment, call STEP at 540-483-5142.
“Our students have put in a tremendous amount of effort to learn the new tax laws and regulations to properly prepare tax returns for our clients,” explained Sadie Wallace, assistant professor of accounting and VITA program director at Ferrum College. “As a whole, the group has prepared around 200 tax returns this tax season so far, with that number to increase substantially by the time April 15th arrives. This program would not be successful without the countless hours of commitment and dedication the students put in to help serve the Ferrum College community and the surrounding areas.”
Those taking advantage of this volunteer program should bring all tax-related documents, including W-2’s, photo identification, last year’s tax return, and social security cards for themselves and dependents.
Check out this Franklin News-Post article to learn more about the VITA program offered in Franklin County. Read more about STEP here.
Jacob Wilson ’21 photograph.
The past two weekends were filled with celebrations at Ferrum College—the 45th annual Folklife Festival, Homecoming, and the inauguration of a new president. These events recognized the rich culture of the region, the College’s history, and the new directions Ferrum will be taking in the coming months.
Ferrum College has been a vital part of this region since its founding in 1913, and although the College is changing and growing, one thing is clear: it plans to continue being part of the revitalization of this area. In his inaugural address, President David Johns said, “Service to community is our heart and soul; we have always been grounded in Appalachia and committed to southwest Virginia, even as we extend our reach far beyond this corner of the world.”
While students from across the U.S. and from several countries attend Ferrum College, about three quarter come from Virginia and the surrounding areas. Because of this, President Johns said, “We have a responsibility to pay attention to needs in this region, and give students the tools they need to succeed.”
He said that graduates need to be entrepreneurs, no matter their major. “Students must do more than seize opportunity for themselves, they need to create opportunity for others.” This is a practical application, Johns explained, of the College’s motto, Not Self, But Others.
To better serve its students and prepare them for meaningful and productive lives, Johns said, “We are reallocating our resources to invest in programs and services that help our students succeed, in college and through the rest of their lives.” For perspective, Johns added, “A student who begins college this year will retire around 2065. Obviously, we need to change in order to compete and be relevant in a world that will change considerably during the lifetime of our students.”
And Ferrum College is making strides in serving its students. During the spring, students met with the president in three Town Hall meetings to offer their comments and suggestions. “We asked our students how we could improve,” Johns said, “and they told us!” Over the summer and during this semester, College staff and faculty have made a number of changes, from building renovations and food venue changes, to upgrading internet capacity and modifying the College’s first year student program.
In July, Ferrum College joined the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, one of the nation’s largest NCAA Division III conferences. “This is an incredible opportunity for our many student-athletes,” Johns pointed out. “The level of competition in our match-ups with ODAC-member schools brings a new level of excitement for all Panther fans. In addition, the close proximity to Ferrum of the other ODAC schools means our students will not need to spend as much time traveling, and it is far easier for family members to attend games.”
But it all comes back to service.
There is a great need for professional development in our area to enhance the existing workforce. “Talking with community leaders is helping as we plan our next steps and focus our efforts,” said Johns. To meet the growing demand in the region, Ferrum College is strengthening its offerings in high demand areas such as health care and recreation leadership, and will soon begin offering graduate programs in forensic investigation and teacher education.
“The kind of education that has the power to transform,” Johns stated in his inaugural address, “is the kind that gets its hands dirty, the kind that digs into the challenges of our world.”
Ferrum College has been a vital part of this region for over a century, changing lives and improving communities, and it is making the changes necessary for the next 100 years. “I am enthusiastic about the future of Ferrum College,” Johns remarked. “With passion, imagination, hard work, and the grace of God, anything is possible.”
In the wake of Hurricane Florence in September and Hurricane Michael in October, which dumped rain and wind on the east coast and caused thousands of dollars of damage, Ferrum College’s Spiritual Life sponsored a clean-up mission during Fall Break, from October 10 – 15. The relief effort, headed by Dean of Chapel and Religious Life Jan Nicholson Angle, included fourteen students and two staff members who provided local clean-up in Rocky Mount, VA on October 10 and 11, in conjunction with the Franklin County Perinatal Education Center. From October 12 – 15, the students and staff members traveled to Fayetteville, NC where they removed debris and damaged drywall from homes, and replaced the roof of a military veteran who, unable to be on the roof, still worked beside the team doing what he could to repair his home. “Something about this experience seems to give me life and hope,” said Ferrum College senior Mark Kellam, who was a member of the relief effort. “I can’t get enough of it.”
“Our students are humble when you ask them about their experience, often stating, ‘It was good,’” said Rev. Dr. Nicholson Angle. “If you engage them further, you will see their faces glow as they begin to share their stories of heartache in seeing the devastation, joy in the physical labor they were able to provide to help families rebuild their homes, and hope they experience as they witness the resilience of these survivors.”
“I went on this trip to give back to the community and to connect with others other than my friends at home,” explained Ferrum College junior Serena Johnson. “It’s a good practice to give back.”
Ferrum College’s generosity was highlighted during the first football game of the season against Emory & Henry College. The game, which was scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on September 1, was delayed until 7 that evening due to lightning in the area. Mike Ferguson, director of dining services at the College, called his team into action and whipped up a meal of spaghetti, grilled chicken and chocolate cake for 80+ hungry Emory & Henry football players and their coaches. Although the Panthers succumbed to Emory & Henry that evening with a score of 45-29, Ferrum players can hold their heads high as the College continued to exemplify their motto of “Not Self, But Others.”
Dr. Delia Heck with Deacon Couloute Schneyder in Haiti.
Delia Heck, associate professor of environmental science, spent her sabbatical working with Haitian and American partners on solar energy projects in rural villages of Haiti. She was featured recently in Leigh Prom’s article in The Franklin News-Post. Read the article here.
Ferrum College students have been working hard this semester to get ready for this year’s Empty Bowls event. Atenoya Morris photographs.
The Ferrum College campus community and the public are invited to enjoy camaraderie, good food, and the opportunity to help children in need during the popular Empty Bowls event on Sunday, March 11, 2018, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Blue Ridge Mountain Room in the College’s Franklin Hall. For $15 (or $10 with a valid student ID), attendees enjoy a hot meal of soup and bread served in a handcrafted bowl of their choice, and then can take their “empty bowl” home. Proceeds support the Panther Packs program, which provides food for hungry children of Ferrum Elementary School.
Students, faculty, Blue Ridge Potters Guild members, and other area volunteers made hundreds of unique bowls for this year’s event. In addition, there will be a silent auction featuring original works of art, including paintings and pottery, generously donated by members of the Blue Ridge Potters Guild and other local artists.
Panther Packs is a program at Ferrum Elementary School that sends qualifying children home for the weekend with backpacks stocked with nutritious, non-perishable food. The Empty Bowls project is designed to educate Ferrum students about how they can make a positive difference in their communities through service.
Last week, 260 Ferrum Elementary students joined Ferrum College students, faculty and staff to plant the Giving Garden at the Ag Center. Working in two shifts, the students helped plant beans, tomatoes, peppers, squash, corn, eggplant and other vegetables. Among the students helping were (left to right) Dr. Glen Steven’s daughters, Ursula and Flora; Coach Ryan Brittle’s daughter, Cooper; Dr. Angie Dahl’s daughter, Finley; and Dr. Allison Harl’s son, Eli.
PSY 298 Pre-Professional Placement E-term students helped coordinate the event with Enactus Club member Ricardo Pierre. Teaching the elementary students about gardening and nutrition was one of the goals set by Pierre and his fellow Enactus Club team members as part of a broader Giving Garden project. Their work is supported by a $1,500 Unilever Bright Future Project Accelerator grant they received earlier this year. Many of the seedlings that were planted were grown this spring by Plant Propagation students.
Last month, Ferrum College Delta Chi fraternity members helped package and deliver 256 pairs of new shoes and new socks to each student at Ferrum Elementary School in Ferrum, Va. The gift of shoes and socks was made possible through the partnership of Convoy of Hope Rural Compassion, Endicott Assembly of God Church, Endicott Assembly of God Women’s Ministries, and Tri Area Community Health Office Manager Martha Puckett. Delta Chi members bagged each pair of shoes matching the correct name with the correct size, grouped them by teacher, and then helped deliver the shoes and socks to the students.
“Delta Chi seemed to have such a great time living up to the Ferrum College motto, ‘Not Self, But Others,'” said Ferrum College Assistant Director of Financial Aid and Blue Ridge District School Board Member Julie Nix.
In the photograph, left to right, are Brenda Shively, Endicott Assembly of God member; Rev. Calvin Hickson Endicott Assembly of God pastor; Linda Hickson, Endicott Assembly of God member and wife of Rev. Calvin Hickson; Sherrie Hickson, Endicott Assembly of God member and daughter of Rev. Calvin Hickson; Max Harper, Delta Chi member; Zach Anderson, Delta Chi member; Chasity Berry, Tri Area Community Health clinical manager; Martha Puckett, Tri Area Community Health office manager; Julie Nix, Blue Ridge District School Board member and Ferrum College assistant director of financial aid; and Larry Meadors, Tri Area Community Health Board member.
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Ferrum College partnered with Harvester Performance Center in Rocky Mount to present Michael Ray in a benefit concert on Wednesday, April 5. More than 650 attended the concert, which raised $4,810 for the Panther Packs program, which provides food for hungry Ferrum Elementary School children.
“What a night of excitement and entertainment. This was a great event with an even greater cause to support,” said Ferrum College Director of Student Leadership & Engagement Justin Muse after the concert. “Using the concert proceeds to benefit the Panther Packs program is a great way to continue to live out the College motto of ‘Not Self, But Others.'”
Panther Packs is a program at Ferrum Elementary School that sends qualifying children home for the weekend with backpacks stocked with nutritious, non-perishable food.
About the photograph: (L-R) Harvester Performance Center Assistant General Manager Sheila Silverstein, Ferrum College Director of Student Leadership & Engagement Justin Muse, Michael Ray, and Tri Area Community Health Office Manager Martha Puckett.
Five students and two staff from Ferrum College took an Alternative Spring Break trip last month to Virginia Beach where they assisted two families who are recovering from the effects of Hurricane Matthew, which struck the Virginia coast in October 2016. The team included Stephanie Gibbs, a senior majoring in Health Sciences; Alexis Hatcher, a junior majoring in Religion; Mark Kellam, a sophomore majoring in Environmental Science; Lukas McWhorter, a junior majoring in Environmental Science; Ricky Phillips, a sophomore majoring in Computer Science; Daniel Kyle, assistant director of student leadership and engagement; and Jan Nicholson Angle, dean of the chapel.
The disaster relief work team spent the first two days assisting one family in moving salvageable belongings to storage. “More importantly, our team truly set aside ‘self ‘ and embraced ‘other’ as we listened to this beautiful couple reminisce their favorite family memories, and shed silent tears as they came to terms in parting with family heirlooms that were too water damaged to be saved,” said Dean of the Chapel Jan Nicholson Angle.
The Ferrum College team next assisted a second family by installing wood laminate flooring in both their living and dining rooms. “While the work we did and the skills we attained individually and as team were amazing, NOTHING could take the place of watching Ms. Eleanor at 70+ years of age do her happy dance on her new living room floor,” said Nicholson Angle.
Ferrum College continues to be the only Virginia based United Methodist affiliated college team to volunteer with The Virginia Conference United Methodist Volunteers in Mission Disaster Recovery working to assist families along the Virginia coast who are recovering from both the September 2016 tornado and October 2016 hurricane.
“The survivors consistently showed their gratitude and appreciation not only towards the team, but also towards the materials they still have. They found value in the little things and their faith in God showed us that even when the storm is over, we can still put our trust and faith in God to restore any brokenness we may have,” said Assistant Director of Student Leadership and Engagement Daniel Kyle.
Life of Service by Daniel Kyle
