5/12/2021

On May 1, 2021, eight graduate degree students were honored during Ferrum College’s 105th commencement ceremony. These students are the first graduate degree recipients in the institution’s history.

“It was such a joy and honor to be able to call the names and watch our first graduate students be hooded on stage at this year’s commencement ceremony,” said Dean of the School of Online Graduate and Education Studies and Associate Professor of Political Science Sandra Via ’04. “I am so proud of these students for their hard work and dedication in these graduate programs and to Ferrum.”

The Master of Science in psychology and the Education Specialist Degree (EdS) in Teacher Leadership and Coaching programs are completely online and offer graduate students the chance to complete the curriculum in just one year. Each program prepares students for career advancement or to enter a doctoral program.

Leya Deickman, who received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Ferrum in 2019, is a proud member of the first graduate degree class. True to its promise, the program took Deickman a year to earn a Master of Science in psychology. Because of her organized and energetic nature, she was also able to work full-time at the College as an area coordinator for the Office of Student Life and Engagement, compete for the women’s wrestling team, and remain a dedicated mother to her young son Kendall. 

“Being a full-time graduate student, staff member, student-athlete, and still managing my home life was extremely demanding,” said Deickman. “There were many days where Kendall would have to come to practice and there were days where I went to my office an hour early to just get some quiet time to do homework. But the beauty in online courses is that you can shape your schedule however you would like. Having the freedom to do that enabled me to be all those different things at once.”

Deickman enjoyed the curriculum of Ferrum’s graduate program. “I have been in other online programs before and they were very much regurgitation of information. While I still learned things, I was not as excited to learn. Ferrum’s program has been the opposite. I am always challenged and learning new things. The structure of each class is unique but is clearly laid out from the first day of class. I am learning about my own interest while being able to learn about psychology branches and research,” she said.

Ferrum College’s Senior Enrollment Officer Eric Grundman agrees with Deickman’s assessment. While working full-time for the College, Grundman enrolled last summer as a full-time graduate student, and also earned a Master of Science in psychology two weeks ago. 

“Speaking from the perspective of the senior enrollment officer at Ferrum College, being a member of the first cohort and graduating class in Ferrum College history with an M.S. in psychology has been an incredibly positive experience,” said Grundman. “The past year has been truly enriching and fulfilling in every way. I’ve been able to gain knowledge as well as expand my professional network while working together with classmates who will be friends for a lifetime.

Grundman will always feel grateful for his graduate school experience at Ferrum. “The faculty and staff have worked with me and my fellow classmates to guide us through this intensive online program with a level of compassion and a personal touch that might not otherwise be offered at larger institutions,” he said. “One of the greatest honors of my life is that I am able to say I am now a proud Ferrum College alumnus.” 

Learn more about Ferrum College’s online graduate degree programs here.

Alumna AnnGardner Eubank ’20, pictured here in her Ferrum College volleyball uniform, is the youngest member to serve on her local town council.

The day after returning home to White Stone, VA, when Ferrum College’s spring semester classes transitioned to virtual learning due to COVID-19, AnnGardner Eubank ’20 received her absentee ballot in the mail for her local elections. The ballot listed only three names for four available town council positions. 

“I realized if I spread the word enough, the last seat that was up for grabs could very well be mine,” said Eubank. “I called and messaged everyone I knew,  asking them to write me in. I used social media to get my name out there, as well.”

On May 20, 2020, just 11 days after graduating from Ferrum College, Eubank received word that she would officially serve a two-year term as the youngest person on White Stone’s town council.

“A big part of what I’d like to achieve during my term is to simply provide a new perspective and to represent the younger demographic,” said Eubank. 

White Stone is located near the Rappahannock River and the Chesapeake Bay, and Eubank wants to utilize and protect those waterways. 

“My town is extremely small business oriented, and I’d like to continue to strengthen those small businesses within my community while promoting sustainable practices and standards,” she explained.

At Ferrum College, Eubank majored in political science and minored in international studies. She was also a member of the women’s volleyball team and secretary of the Lambda Sigma National Honor Society. She served on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and was a sport’s editor for the College’s newspaper, The Iron Blade.

“The political science curriculum at Ferrum not only educated me on the functions and structures of government and politics, but also aided me in seeing myself as a global citizen. I can truly and empathetically see policies and issues from multiple different stances,” Eubank said. “Dr. [Sandra] Via [director of Graduate and Online Studies and associate professor of political science] and Dr. [Ed] Hally [associate professor of political science and assistant professor of public administration] not only taught me everything I know systemically and fundamentally, but they inspired me and ignited a passion for change and the overall betterment of society.”

“We’re really proud that AnnGardner found a way to apply the lessons learned in her political science classes to serving her community so soon after graduation.  She is proof that a Ferrum education and a political science background gives students the ability to change the world,” said Hally.

Eubank’s election to her local town council is just the beginning. She plans to continue serving her community through politics and will ultimately work her way into diplomacy. 

Learn more about Ferrum College’s political science program here.

To join us for the open house, please register here.

After more than a century of educating students as a training school, junior college, and four-year institution, Ferrum College will now offer graduate degree programs, which will begin in fall 2020 and will be administered as online courses.

The Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges has approved Ferrum College as a level four school, allowing the addition of two graduate programs: a Specialist in Education (EdS) in teacher leadership and coaching, and a Master of Science in psychology.

“This is an important and historic moment for Ferrum College,” said President David Johns. “We have been listening to our students and to our region, and as we have in the past, we grow and change when there is need. We are part of this community, and we are committed to helping the community thrive.”

“Ferrum College is excited about offering graduate-level programs which will provide access to advanced education in the areas of psychology and teacher education. In the coming weeks and months, the faculty will be creating additional programs and certificates to meet the needs within our community,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Aimé Sposato.

Alumna Sandra Via has been named director of the School of Graduate and Online Studies. Via is a 2004 graduate of Ferrum College and has served the College for ten years as an adjunct professor, an associate professor of political science, and as the program coordinator of international studies. She will direct the implementation and logistical coordination of the graduate programs.

Via earned her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Ferrum College. She holds a Master of Arts in political science from Virginia Tech and a doctorate in planning, governance, and globalization, also from Virginia Tech.

“I am honored and excited to be able to implement Ferrum College’s first graduate programs,” said Via. “Our new graduate degree programs embody our mission by promoting the intellectual, ethical, and civic growth of students into leaders that serve their community and the world. Like our undergraduate programs, these graduate programs incorporate a personalized learning experience, specialized and caring attention from faculty, and an experiential learning experience for which Ferrum College is known.”

The Master of Science in psychology will attract graduate students who wish to prepare for research and teaching careers that require an advanced degree, such as working at non-profit organizations, for-profit companies, governmental agencies, social services agencies, educational institutions, and community outreach organizations.

The Education Specialist degree is geared toward students who already hold a master’s degree and wish to advance their professional knowledge in either teacher leadership or coaching.

Both programs could also serve as a stepping stone to a doctoral program in either discipline.

Ferrum College will begin accepting applications for enrollment in its graduate programs in January. The College plans to launch additional graduate degree programs within the next two years.

Learn more about the graduate programs here.

Read the article that appeared in The Roanoke Times here.

More about Ferrum College’s history:

Ferrum Training School was founded in 1913 as many young people in the Blue Ridge area had no access to public education. The training school’s first classes began in September 1914 under the leadership of its first principal, Dr. Benjamin Beckham. In 1939, the Virginia Department of Education accredited Ferrum Junior College and its name officially reflected this level change in 1948. Ferrum Junior College was then accredited by the Southern Association of College and Secondary Schools in 1960 and instituted a two-plus-two four-year academic structure in 1974. The first four-year degree was awarded in 1976.