The Carter Center for Academic Success and the Panther Academic Den (PAD) recently awarded the inaugural Bob Davis Academic Grit Award to Jaylyn Gray-Palmore, a rising senior majoring in Health and Human Performance, from Charlotte, NC.
Gray-Palmore is an outside linebacker for the Ferrum College football team and has been selected as a 2022 team captain. He earned 2021-22 ODAC All-Academic Team honors and has earned Dean’s List recognition. Gray-Palmore is also a member of Ferrum’s Brother4Brother peer mentor program.
Gray-Palmore is a 20-year cancer survivor. His positive and effervescent personality has led to teammates referring to him as a “hype guy”. He shared that he has fully enjoyed his Ferrum experience. “Jaylan wants to be remembered as ‘a good, smiling person who shows love to everybody’. This young man is the embodiment of the true meaning of student-athlete,” said Director of the PAD Tom Steele.
The award, named in memory of Coach Bob Davis, was made possible through a memorial gift from the Davis family following Coach Davis’ passing in May of 2021. The father-in-law of former head football coach Rob Grande, Coach Davis was an assistant defensive coach for the Panthers. He also served student-athletes as an academic tutor in the PAD. Coach Davis was loved and appreciated by all students with whom he interacted.
Steele shared, “Bob was one-of-a-kind, just a really fine individual. He was one of the most intelligent individuals I’ve known and possessed a gift of helping students process information. He was a dear friend and is sorely missed by his students and by all of us in the PAD.”
The Bob Davis Academic Grit award is given to the Ferrum football player who made the most improvement in GPA. Gray-Palmore was selected for the award due to his consistent work with Coach Davis in the PAD, which led to improving his semester GPA from 2.15 to 3.60. Coach Davis always referred to Gray-Palmore as “Dean’s List Gray-Palmore” and was extremely proud of this young man.
Ferrum College congratulates Jaylyn Gray-Palmore and extends sincere appreciation to the family of Bob Davis for keeping Coach’s legacy alive.
The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) announced its 2021-22 All-Academic Team on Monday, July 25 and Ferrum College continued its multi-year streak of 100-plus honorees with 143 student-athletes making the list.
Any student-athlete, regardless of academic class, who competes in a conference-sponsored sport and achieves at least a 3.25 grade point average for the academic year is eligible for consideration for ODAC All-Academic Team recognition.
This year marked the third straight season the ODAC All-Academic Team topped 2,500 honorees, with 2,505 honorees across the ODAC included in the 2021-2022 list. The 2021-2022 All-Academic Team also surpassed 1,000 for the 16th straight year, and surpassed 2,000 for the fifth time in six years.
Click here for a sortable list of Ferrum College student-athletes earning All-Academic Team honors.
The campus community celebrated Ferrum College students during its annual Academic Awards Ceremony on Friday, April 8, 2022 in Vaughn Chapel.
President David Johns and Athletic Director John Sutyak presented the 2022 President’s Cup award to senior Arielle Eure from Summerfield, NC. A member of the Boone Honors Program, Eure received the President’s Cup for exhibiting excellence in athletics, campus and community leadership, character, and academics, all while maintaining a GPA of at least 3.2. Eure will receive her Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Performance later this month during the College’s April 23 commencement ceremony.
Academic awards were then presented to students by the dean of their school and their professors.
A list of award recipients and honor society members follows.
See photos from the event here.
President’s Cup
Arielle Eure
The Iron Blade Editor Commendation
Lindsey Foster
The Chrysalis Editor Commendation
Abigail McGovern
Ferrum Radio Commendation
Kayla Anderson
Excellence in Nursing Award
Christine K. Aigner
Jennifer Pittmon
Jane Addams Social Work Achievement Award
Roy Garcia
Jennie West Outstanding Social Work Student Award
Grace Howell
Dr. Betty N. Bailey Silver Weaver Award
Natalie Hughes
Delta Kappa Gamma Outstanding Woman in Education Award
Victoria Scott
Charles A. and Marion C. Skinner Award for Excellence in Education
Brandon Mullins
Jacob Glass
Hamblin Accounting Award
Janelle Langan
Outstanding Student in Finance Award
David Miller
Outstanding Student in Management Award
Mikayla Floyd
Outstanding Student in Marketing Award
Caitlyn Wiles
Outstanding Student in Sports Management Award
Micaela HarveyKen McCreedy Outstanding Criminal Justice Award
Brady C. Hentz
Health and Fitness Management Award
Kristin Hibdon
Exercise Science Award
Arielle Eure
Exercise Sports Studies Award
Jacob Gladstone
Frank Benjamin Hurt Award
Leondria Davis
Outstanding Student in Recreation Leadership Award
Emma Loughrey
Excellence in Ecotourism Award
Jazmin Scarberry
Eric Lee Baker Award
Abigail McGovern
Jasse Scholarship in History Award
Ashleigh Baker
Shaylise Jones
Shelby Waltrip
Outstanding Undergraduate Scholar in History Award
Demontay Wimbush
Richard L. Smith Academic Enrichment Scholarship
Jessica M. Bollinger
Outstanding Student in Spanish Award
Alan Quijada Abrego
Outstanding Student in Music Award
David Dungee
Academic Achievement in Music Award
Ashley Patrick
Theatre Arts Achievement Award
Sarah Laliberte
Erica Leed
Dance Achievement Award
TJ Baker
Outstanding Student in Agricultural Sciences Award
Madison Cogle
Shawn HavensOutstanding Student in Biology Award
Chance Dillon
Savannah Farris
Makayla Hubbard
Brooke Turner
Applied Mathematics Award
Kajuan Ahseem Madden-Mcafee
Art Department Award
Katrina Anderson
Chemistry Award
Chelsea Zizzi
Forensic Science Award
Madison Wright
Outstanding Student in Environmental Science Award
Laura Dymond
Lauren Jutras
Pre-Professional Health Sciences Pre-Med Award
Sebastian Dexter
Pre-Professional Health Sciences Award
Cassidy Burke
Pre-Professional Health Sciences Pre-Vet Award
Amber Osborne
Computer Technology and Information Systems Award
Nicholas JohnsChristine K. Aigner
Katrina Anderson
Kayla Anderson
Ashleigh Baker
TJ Baker
Jessica M. Bollinger
Cassidy Burke
Madison Cogle
Leondria Davis
Sebastian Dexter
Chance Dillon
David Dungee
Laura Dymond
Arielle Eure
Savannah Farris
Mikayla Floyd
Lindsey Foster
Roy Garcia
Jacob Gladstone
Jacob Glass
Micaela Harvey
Shawn Havens
Brady C. Hentz
Kriston Hibdon
Grace Howell
Makayla Hubbard
Natalie Hughes
Nicholas Johns
Shaylise Jones
Lauren Jutras
Sarah Laliberte
Janelle Langan
Erica Leed
Emma Loughrey
Kajuan Ahseem Madden-Mcafee
Abigail McGovern
David Miller
Brandon Mullins
Amber Osborne
Ashley Patrick
Jennifer Pittmon
Alan Quijada Abrego
Jazmin Scarberry
Victoria Scott
Brooke Turner
Shelby Waltrip
Demontay Wimbush
Madison Wright
Chelsea ZizziEmma Burrows
Daja Foxx
Elspeth Pearce
Hayley SmithMichaela Bentley
Airiana Beverley
Aubrey Billings
Austin Brown
Ellis Carson
Catherine Coffee
Madison Cogle
Kristina Cossa
Sarah Crawford
Joyce Creel
Greyson Crouch
Jaci Culler
Taylar Drumheller
David Dungee, Jr.
Mery Estrella
Hailey Ferguson
Daja Foxx
Amber Gillen
Jacob Gladstone
Tayvon Harris
McKenzie Haynes
Matthew Henniger
Joshua Hite
Jackson Horton
Emmanuel Hughes
Morgan Hundley
Darin James
Ainsley Kelley
Sydney Kincaid
Camryn King
Janelle Langan
Shaniya Marable
Macey Moore
Kristian Negron
Alberto Pineiro
Deontae Reed
Hafashimana Restina
LaShawna Scott
Taylor Seal
Allison Setlak
Faith Settle
Kiana Somerville
Stephanie Staats
Josie Stanbery
Clayton Stanford
Morgan Taylor
Benjamin Thomas
Ryann Tyree
Benjamin VanDerHyde
Jacob VanRemortel
Savanna Walker
Jada Waller
Magen Weaver
Abigail White
Demontay Wimbush
Adam Woody
Andrew WringDaniel Aguirre
Briana Anderson
Ali Austin
Jerrick Ayers
Elina Baltins
James Banks
Cayla Berry
Faith Bibbo
David Bishop
Jacob Blaukovitch
Blake Boggs
Jessica Bollinger
Ametria Booker
Dustin Boothe
Kai Bowers
Simon Bradford
Justin Brady
Bryan Breeden
Arin Bunker
Cassidy Burke
Camryn Burke
Jacob Carroll
Khari Carson
Joshua Chartier
Kobe Clifton
Brianna Coerper
Emily Cook
Nicolas Cook
Luke Costley
Sarah Crawford
Dakota Creasy
Bayley Cunningham
Sebastian Dexter
Darin Douglas
Brogan Dudley
Joshua Ellerbe
Jordan Ellis
Tyler English
Cole Epperley
Sarah Estes
Arielle Eure
Emilie Fairman
Makayla Fincanon
Lacey Flanagan
Jeromy Fletcher
Morganne Flinkstrom
Pedro Fonseca
Olivia Fox
Madison Friel
Kayren Gaither
Leo Galpin
Catelyn Gamble
Alvaro Garaizar Gonzalez
Roy Garcia
Nathaniel Girardi
Jacob Glass
Daniel Golden
Tysen Gotschi
Jaelyn Gray-Palmore
Tyler Greaver
Joshua Greenway
Enzo Guercio
Laurynn Hackett
Bryce Hall
Jarrett Hamby
Keri Hamlet
Dustin Hardbower
Anne Carter Harding
Daisy Harris
Dazon Harrison
Micaela Harvey
Cameron Hawkins
Abbey Hayes
Nick Helton
Matthew Henninger
Brady Hentz
Andrew Hill
Joshua Hite
Bailey Hodges
Mia Holmes
Haleigh Horne
Jackson Horton
Grace Howell
Natalie Hughes
Morgan Hundley
Daphne James
Jenna Janicki
Darrian Johnson
Christian Johnson
Nicholas Johnson
Davon Jones
Titus Jones
CheMaiya Jordan
Riley Keating
Tanner Kennedy
Todd Kennedy
Gabby Kermon
Sydney Kincaid
Camryn Kiing
Lindsay Koogler
Ty Lam
Joseph Lama
Ashton Lambeth
Xavier Lewis
Cole Lipinski
Michael Lopez
Emma Loughrey
Kajuan Madden-Mcafee
Jenelle Manni
Camden Mariotti
Alex Mattson
Morgan McCoy
Abigail McGovern
Tyson Measamer
David Miller
Daniel Mitchell
Matthew Montgomery
Liza Montgomery
Brayden Moore
David Morgan
Justin Motley
Jonathon Munsey
Carly Nelson
Erin Nelson
Jessy Nichols
Roman O’Brienhalla
Woojin Oh
Raekwon Parker
Rah’quan Payne
Chrissy Paz
Kat Pendergrass
Brett Pennington
Zachary Phipps
Jordan Pickard
Genesis Pineiro
Casey Raggett
Molly Rgaland
Carlton Redd
Jamon Reed
Hattie Rieck
Everette Rivers
Ashley Roberts
Christopher Rodriguez
Camilo Rojas
Nicholas Roth
Cade Rouse
Zachary Saalweachter
Brianna Sawyer
Jazmin Scarberry
Tori Scott
Taylor Seal
Lyndsey Sears
Allison Setlak
Seth Shaffer
Collen Shaw
John Sheehan
Grey Sherfey
Katie Shoaf
Hannah Smith
Andres Solares
Good Somkidlert
Time Somkidlert
Quvadus Spratley
Clayton Stanford
Harley Steger
Kyle Stevens
Skyla Strohm
Skyler Swaney
Hunter Tharpe
Benjamin Thomas
Mikayla Thorpe
Jacob Tomlin
Arielle Tritt
Jeremiah Valentine
Jose Villacis
Yanni Virgin
Tori Wagner
Jada Waller
Zachery Walsh
Brittany Warren
Breanna Weaver
Kassie Widner
Caitlyn Wiles
Eric Workman
Madison Wright
Matthew Yarbrough
Isaac Yeaman
Carrington Young
Chelsea Zizzi
Martin ZuluagaLaShawna Scott
Morgan TaylorJessica BollingerJessica Bollinger
Sean Cohen
Leondria Davis
Emilie Fairman
Andrew Hill
Reagan Lawson
Conner Sides
Charles TisbyMikayla Floyd
Kayren Gaither
Abigail McGovern
Brandon Mullins
Kacey Whorley
Director of Athletics John Sutyak has written the following letter to the Ferrum College community announcing Ferrum Athletics’ updated plans for fall 2020:
Dear Ferrum Community,
In conjunction with the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) announcement this afternoon, Ferrum College will not compete in any external athletic competition before January 1, 2021, due to the ongoing health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although we will not bring students back for pre-season early in August, Ferrum College intends to move forward with on-campus training, conditioning and practices within our athletic programs to the full extent that will be allowed under NCAA rules and regulations throughout the fall semester. We intend for our fall sport programs to compete in regular season competition in the spring of 2021, alongside our traditional winter and spring sports.
Since last spring, the entire athletics staff has been preparing for the safe return of our student-athletes. We had worked to ensure best practices using a combination of resources, notably the NCAA Core Principles of Resocialization of College Sport. However, with the growing public health threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the new NCAA best practices of how to safely provide a full intercollegiate experience, it became clear that we could no longer adequately deliver the full experience that our student-athletes deserve this semester.
It is important to note that Ferrum is not canceling sports this fall. In working to provide proper training, conditioning and practice opportunities we will continue to utilize best practices that are laid out by the NCAA, CDC and other health agencies. The Ferrum College administration has every intention of having our student-athletes return to competition after the new year as allowed within NCAA and ODAC rules and assuming local, state and national regulations allow us to do so. We will continue to work with our colleagues in the ODAC, and all of Division III, to explore all of the opportunities that will be possible for our student-athletes.
This has been an unprecedented, and challenging year. Like all of you, we here at Ferrum yearn for the return of collegiate athletics, especially here on Ferrum Mountain Road. Although this is a setback that we had hoped would be avoidable, the Ferrum athletics staff will now shift its focus into providing the best student-athlete experience we can this fall, with our eyes on returning to outside competition in the spring.
The greatest joy I have as an athletic director is watching our student-athletes compete and work toward achieving their goals. It hurts that for the second time in the past five months I am delivering the news that we won’t be competing as we had intended. It can be tough to find the silver lining in this news, however I continue to be bolstered and encouraged by the passion and energy of the coaching, athletic training and administrative staff within Ferrum College athletics, as well as all around campus. Despite what seems like the longest “off-season” in the history of collegiate athletics, it is that energy and enthusiasm that encompasses who we are and why we will continue to remain Ferrum Strong!
Stay healthy, stay safe and Go Panthers!
Sincerely,
John Sutyak
Director of Athletics
Ferrum College has accepted an offer to join the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The Panthers will become the newest member of one of the nation’s largest NCAA Division III conferences.
Ferrum has been a member of the USA South Athletic Conference since the fall of 1988. The Panthers will leave the USA South at the end of the 2017-18 academic year, their 30th overall and final year, and will begin competition in the ODAC in Fall 2018. Ferrum has competed as an ODAC associate member in men’s and women’s swimming the past two years.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Ferrum and our student-athletes,” said Interim President Dr. Jennifer L. Braaten. “We have aspired to be a part of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference for years and feel our commitment to academics and athletics make us a perfect fit for the league.”
Beginning in the fall of 2018, Ferrum will become the 15th full-time member in the ODAC. Ferrum sponsors 21 varsity sports, 15 of which compete in the USA South, and one club level program. The field hockey team has competed in the Southern Athletic Association, the men’s lacrosse team has competed in the Southeast Intercollegiate Lacrosse Championship, and the men’s wrestling team has competed in the Southeast Wrestling Conference. Ferrum’s women’s wrestling program is the lone varsity program with no league affiliation.
Ferrum has been highly competitive in a number of athletic programs, sending teams or individuals in four sports to NCAA postseason competition in recent years. The women’s basketball program participated in three straight NCAA Tournaments from 2012 through 2014, hosting first- and second-round games in 2014. The softball team earned NCAA playoff berths in 2012 and 2016. Ferrum sent a wrestler to the NCAA Tournament in 2014, two in 2016 and three in 2017. The Panther mat men won the NCAA Div. III Wrestling East Regional in 2017, had one All-American in each of the past two years and had a wrestler close out the year as national runner-up. Ferrum also sent a golfer to the NCAA Tournament in 2017. Ferrum’s baseball team shared USA South regular season crowns in 2014 and 2016.
Ferrum has been well-represented on the USA South Academic All-Conference team, posting its highest number last summer with 121 honorees. A number of student-athletes have earned Academic All-District honors in recent years, three of which have been named Academic All-America in 2012, 2015 and 2016.
“Membership in the ODAC has been at the forefront for years,” said Director of Athletics Abe Naff. “We are pleased to be offered this great opportunity and look forward to this partnership with the other 14 institutions.”
Founded in 1913 and related to the United Methodist Church, Ferrum is a four-year, private, co-educational, Liberal Arts College related to the United Methodist Church. The College offers nationally recognized bachelor’s degree programs ranging from business and environmental science to teacher education and criminal justice.
