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.
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.
On Monday, November 11, 2019, Ferrum College unveiled its new Craddock Veterans Lounge in Stanley Library on campus. The lounge is specifically designated as a space for veterans on campus, and was made possible by Army veteran and Ferrum College alumnus Greg Craddock ’92 and members of the Craddock family.
“It was a pleasure to unveil the Craddock Veterans Lounge today. My hope is that this lounge provides a place of peace for Ferrum’s veterans on campus to study, relax, and spend time together,” said Greg Craddock.
“We are grateful to the Craddock family for their generosity which has made this veterans lounge possible,” said Ferrum College President David Johns. “As we all know, courage, sacrifice, and selflessness are the qualities of a veteran, and we owe a great deal to those who give so much in defense of freedom. The Craddock Veterans Lounge is one way will be able to honor the heroes who are part of our Ferrum College community.”
A veteran of the U.S. Army, Craddock has over 20 years of experience in special operations, intelligence, and security operations. He was among the first boots on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq. He graduated from Ferrum College in 1992 and holds a master’s degree in business administration from Liberty University. Craddock now serves as the chief executive officer of Patriot Group International (PGI), Inc. Under Craddock’s leadership, PGI earned over $10 million in revenue within two years of operation and was named to Inc. Magazine’s “Fast 500” in 2014. In 2017, PGI was selected as the Government Contractor of the Year in the $25-75 million category.
The Craddock Lounge unveiling followed a special Veterans Day ceremony honoring veterans, soldiers, and reservists, held in Vaughn Chapel on campus. Craddock was the keynote speaker.
See photos from the Craddock Veterans Lounge unveiling and special Veterans Day Program here.
Ferrum College invites the community to a special 10 a.m. Veterans Day Program to be held on Veterans Day, November 11, 2019, in the College’s Vaughn Chapel, 40 Wiley Drive, Ferrum. The program, which is free and open to the public, will honor veterans and reserve soldiers.
Ferrum College alumnus and U.S. Army veteran Greg Craddock will be the keynote speaker. Craddock has over 20 years of special operations, intelligence, and security operations experience. He was a member of the Ferrum College football team and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1992. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from Liberty University.
Craddock now serves as chief executive officer of Patriot Group International (PGI), Inc. PGI was founded in 2005 by former special operations and intelligence professionals to offer services to select clients within the intelligence, defense, and private sectors. In 2009, Craddock led a group of private investors to acquire PGI. Under his leadership, PGI earned over $10 million in revenue within two years of operation. In 2014, PGI was named to Inc. Magazine’s “Fast 500” which recognizes the 500 fastest growing privately owned companies in the United States.
During his Army service, Craddock served as a ranger and Special Forces soldier, and was among the first boots on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq. Prior to joining PGI, he served as an Anti-Terrorism Force Protection (ATFP) consultant to the United States government.
Following the Veterans Day Program in Vaughn Chapel, the community is also invited to attend the Craddock Veterans Lounge unveiling in Stanley Library, made possible by the generosity of Greg Craddock and his family. Light refreshments will be served.
Read more about Patriot Group International, Inc. here.
Talum Smith ’20 (center) stands with President David Johns and Head Women’s Wrestling Coach Breonnah Neal at the October 30 Wrestle Like A Girl Gala.
Ferrum College senior and member of the women’s wrestling team Talum Smith was honored Wednesday, October 30, 2019, during the Wrestle Like A Girl Fourth Annual Gala. The gala was held in Washington, D.C. at the National Museum for Women in the Arts.
Out of 427 nominated student wrestlers, Smith was chosen to receive the Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston Courage Award presented by Tiffany and Co. The award was created in 2016 by the Wrestle Like A Girl Foundation to honor Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston, who moved from Iran to the U.S. and became the first woman in America’s history to win a wrestling medal for the U.S. at the 1989 World Championships. The Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston Courage Award honors athletes who have to use immense personal courage to participate or compete in sports, even when participating could put them at great risk.
“I feel deeply humbled and honored to receive this award. It feels amazing to know that I can inspire other people, especially young girls, and be a great role model to them,” said Smith. “I want to thank Wrestle Like A Girl for hosting this event and everything that they are doing to empower and invest in women.”
“Her award is fitting,” explained Ferrum College President David Johns. “Talum is one of the most courageous young women I know, in all aspects of life.”
“She is hardworking, dedicated, and a great leader who always has a smile on her face and produces positive energy,” said Ferrum College head women’s wrestling coach Breonnah Neal. “Talum is well-deserving of this award because of all of the obstacles she has faced.”
A criminal justice major hailing from Washington, D.C., Smith did not initially plan on pursuing higher education due to the expense and having to move away from her siblings. In spite of the odds, she made her way to Ferrum College and began working a full-time job to pay for school.
In her sophomore year at the College, she came out for the women’s wrestling team, showing up at every practice that didn’t interfere with her full-time job. Also in her sophomore year, at age 19, Smith was diagnosed with leukemia.
“I was blindsided by the news,” said then head women’s wrestling coach Jessica Medina. “As she told me this, she had a smile on her face. She didn’t want anyone to pity her or worry.”
Throughout treatment, Smith continued to work and go to class with an oxygen tank in tow. She took summer classes to raise her GPA. She was determined to wrestle for Ferrum College. In fall 2018, Smith received the happy news that the disease was in remission.
In January 2019, with her doctor’s permission, Smith competed in the Tornado Open. “She wrestled her heart out that day, inspiring our entire team,” said Medina. “Because she wanted to compete on her college team, she pushed herself in the classroom to have the opportunity.”
“Talum embodies the spirit of Ferrum College–determined, focused, and courageous,” said Johns, with pride. “She is an inspiration to us all.”
Read more about Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston here, and about the Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston Courage Award here.
Learn more about Wrestle Like A Girl here.
Learn more about Ferrum College’s women’s wrestling here.
The Blue Ridge Institute and Museum announces the 46th annual Blue Ridge Folklife Festival on Saturday, October 26, 2019 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., rain or shine, at the Institute on Ferrum College’s campus, 20 Museum Drive, Ferrum. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children (ages 6 – 14), and $5 for senior citizens (55 and over). Children 5 years old and younger are admitted free.
Always the fourth Saturday in October, the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival features authentic regional folk music, craftspeople, draft horse and dog handlers, car builders, tractor restorers, country cooks, moonshine tale tellers and much more! Called “thoroughly authentic” by The New York Times, the festival is coordinated by the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum at Ferrum College and is a major venue on the Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail.
Order advance tickets by calling (540) 365-4412. Visit here to learn more, view a schedule of events and ticket packages, or register a car for the car show.
Learn more about the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum here.
Author, speaker, and domestic violence educator Janine Latus will visit Ferrum College’s campus on Monday, October 28, 2019, at 7 p.m. in the Panthers Den of Franklin Hall. She will present “You Know What’s Really Scary? Relationship Violence.” A reception will follow the presentation. This event is free and open to the public.
Janine Latus had recently left an abusive marriage and was attending a conference when she learned that her youngest sister, Amy, was missing. In April 2002, Amy had taped a note to the inside of her desk drawer. “Today Ron Ball and I are romantically involved,” it read, “but I fear I have placed myself at risk in a variety of ways. Based on his criminal past, writing this out just seems like the smart thing to do. If I am missing or dead this obviously has not protected me…”. Two years later, Amy’s former boyfriend Ron Ball was sentenced for her murder.
These experiences led Latus to launch a campaign against relationship violence, and today she is a widely sought-after teacher, author, and speaker who regularly conducts workshops for clients in the corporate, educational, and military sectors, as well as professional athletics. Her talks have inspired thousands of people to recognize relationship abuse, break free, and heal.
Dr. Lana Whited, professor of English and director of the Boone Honors Program at Ferrum College, describes Latus’s previous visit to the Ferrum campus: “I have seldom heard the undergraduate students on our campus quieter than when Janine Latus was speaking to them. Janine is generous with her time and talents and unwavering in her crusade to spare others what she and her sister Amy endured. Her message resonates long after she has gone.”
Visit Latus’s website to read the first chapter of “If I Am Missing or Dead” or to listen to Latus’s 2017 Tedx talk.
Latus’s appearance at Ferrum College is sponsored by the Office of Student Life, the Boone Honors Program, Stanley Library, and the campus chapter of Help Save the Next Girl.
Event details submitted by Dr. Lana Whited.
Members of the Ferrum College Chorale pose for a photo in Vaughn Chapel on campus.
The Ferrum College Chorale will perform at Carnegie Hall’s Isaac Stern Auditorium in New York City on April 25, 2020.
The invitation to perform came to Ferrum College’s Adjunct Instructor of Theatre Arts Adam McAllister, from Josh O’Dell. O’Dell is the choir director at Thrasher United Methodist Church; a part-time music professor at Radford University; and the creator of Voices of Appalachia, a select 50-person chamber choir of which McAllister is a member.
O’Dell was recruited by Mid-Atlantic Productions, a resource for film and television production professionals, to form his own choir to conduct at Carnegie Hall. The choir will be made up of approximately 125 singers mostly from the Roanoke and New River Valley areas.
“This will mark the first time in history that a musical ensemble from Ferrum College performs at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall,” said McAllister.
The invitation came at an appropriate time, as the College began offering a new Bachelor of Arts in music this fall. “It’s an exciting opportunity for our students and a wonderful way to celebrate the availability of our new Bachelor of Arts degree in music,” McAllister added.
“We are thrilled that Ferrum College and its music department will be represented in New York City at the most prestigious concert stage in the country and perhaps the world,” said Ferrum College’s Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music Sixto Montesinos. “We are excited to announce that our music majors will have opportunities to perform at places like Carnegie Hall in the future.”
Ferrum College Chorale members have been working hard to fund the cost of the trip by hosting 50/50 raffles and accepting “love offerings” from churches at which they sing. “I love the moment when everyone’s voices fit together perfect,” said sophomore Chorale member and computer science major, Eric Mathews. “It’s hard work, but it pays off when we see the audiences’ faces.”
“I toured Carnegie Hall in high school when we went to New York for a choir competition,” explained Ferrum College senior and member of the Chorale Jamie Gilbert. “I never dreamed I would have the opportunity to sing there. As a musical theatre major, my dream is to perform on Broadway in New York. But if that doesn’t work out, at least I will have been able to sing at Carnegie Hall!” Gilbert will graduate from Ferrum College in May 2020.
Learn more about Ferrum College’s music department here.
The total cost per Ferrum College Chorale student (including transportation and lodging) is $1,049.00. If you would like to make a tax-deductible gift to help fund a Chorale student’s trip to Carnegie Hall, please visit here, click on “program support” and then type “Ferrum College Chorale” in the “program to support” field.
With Homecoming 2019 festivities occurring this upcoming weekend, Ferrum College is also anticipating the return of four of its notable alumni.
On Thursday, October 10 at 6 p.m. in the Panthers Den in lower Franklin Hall on campus, alumna Melanie Rooks ’15 will share how her Ferrum College experience prepared her for working at a nonprofit focused on educational programming in South Africa.
On Friday, October 11 from 3 – 4 p.m. in the Founders Room on campus, alumni Bernice Cobbs ’98, Lloyd Parker ’79, and Mika Smith ’16 will participate in an alumni panel detailing how their Ferrum College education prepared them to launch successful careers.
Read more about Rooks, Cobbs, Parker, and Smith, below.
For those who can’t join us on campus, the Alumni Panel may be watched online here: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/ferrumadmin
Click here to see the Homecoming 2019 schedule of events. Register for events here. Most events are free but registration using the “Tickets” link is required.
Melanie Rooks ’15Melanie Rooks graduated from Ferrum College in 2015 with a degree in psychology. While at the College, she served two years as president of the Student Government Association. After graduation, Rooks began working for Lift Every Voice, a non-profit organization focused on educational programming in South Africa. Rooks spent time in Capetown, South Africa in conjunction with Lift Every Voice and now periodically visits Ferrum College’s classes to share information about leadership and transformative change. She was named Ferrum College’s first Citizens Engaging in Service alumni recipient for her work.
Bernice Cobbs ’98Bernice Cobbs graduated from Ferrum College in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in liberal arts and a teaching endorsement. She went on to receive a Master of Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Virginia (2002), a Master of Education in educational leadership from Radford University (2007), and a Doctor of Education in educational leadership and policy studies from Virginia Tech (2014). In June 2019, Cobbs was named the 2019 Outstanding Middle School Principal of Virginia, an honor received for her work at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Rocky Mount, VA, where she served as campus principal from July 2015 to July 2019. She was named Boones Mill Elementary’s Teacher of the Year in 2003 and 2004. Also in 2004, Cobbs was honored as Franklin County Public School System’s Teacher of the Year and Virginia’s Region VI Teacher of the Year. She received the 2005 Virginia Lottery Excellence in Education Award and was named a Ferrum College Distinguished Alumna in 2008.
Lloyd Parker ’79Lloyd Parker is a 1979 graduate of Ferrum College where he earned his Bachelor of Science in public affairs and administration. He served as Student Government Association president, chaired the Judicial Council, played on the tennis team, and sang in the choir. He has 35 years of experience as a paramedic and served in emergency medical services (EMS) leadership roles in both VA and FL for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for eleven type I incidents, including the earthquake in Haiti; the 1998 Florida wildfires; the Florida Groundhog Day tornadoes; and hurricanes Andrew, George, Charlie, Frances, Jeanne, Katrina, Rita, and Gustav. He also performed leadership roles for four national security special events: the Barack Obama presidential inauguration; the Fourth of July event held at the US Mall; and two State of the Union addresses). He also served on the incident management team at two NFL Super Bowls. Today he works for the George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates as EMS chief for US Army bases in Kuwait.
Mika Smith ’16Mika Smith graduated from Ferrum College in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. She went on to earn a Master of Science in forensic science with a concentration in drug analysis and toxicology from Virginia Commonwealth University. Upon graduating in May 2018, Smith began working with the toxicology section as a forensic laboratory specialist at the Virginia Department of Forensic Science western laboratory located in Roanoke, VA. She currently is employed as a forensic scientist in the toxicology section at the western laboratory.
Mary Hammock ’15
Ferrum College’s first Natural Sciences Friday Seminar of the 2019-2020 academic year will be held in Garber Hall #106 on Friday, September 6, from 1:25-2:45 p.m.
Alumna Mary Hammock will present “The Business of Agriculture.” Mary is a commercial agriculture loan officer with Farm Credit of the Virginias, ACA, working out of the Chatham and Rocky Mount branch offices and covering Franklin, Henry, Patrick, and Pittsylvania Counties. She spends her days managing relationships with full-time farmers and landowners in those areas and provides financial assistance for their operations. Mary, who graduated in December 2015 from Ferrum College with Summa Cum Laude honors, has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Science with a double emphasis in Agronomy and Agribusiness and a Business Minor.
World Class Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps rehearsed at Ferrum College’s W.B. Adams Stadium for Salem’s July 30 Summer Music Games.
Ferrum College hosted world class Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps on campus on July 29 and 30 so the group could prepare for the Summer Music Games in Salem, VA, on Tuesday, July 30. The Drum and Bugle Corps used the College’s W.B. Adams Stadium to rehearse their show.
Crossmen, part of Drum Corps International, is a nonprofit youth development organization from San Antonio, TX, that uses music and performing arts to further their mission to help young people become outstanding individuals, per their website.
The group arrived on campus early on Monday morning and spent the day rehearsing before performing their entire show at W.B. Adams Stadium for a limited audience on Monday evening. Northside and Franklin County High School students and band directors also attended Monday evening’s show.
“We are beyond thrilled that the Crossmen stayed with us at Ferrum College for two days, and shared their talents with our community,” said Montesinos. “We hope this becomes a yearly tradition for us, particularly with our new Bachelor of Arts in music and our growing marching and concert band programs. It is great to have them on campus!”
Read more about Ferrum College’s three new majors, to include music management, here and here.
Learn more about Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps here. For posts about their rehearsals and performance schedules, follow @Crossmendci on Instagram.
More about Drum Corps International here.
More about the July 30 Summer Music Games event in Salem here.
