Vol. 11 No. 2, Spring 2012

Longwood

FLYING LESSONS

A Magazine for the Alumniand Friends of Longwood University

INSIDE

Inaugurating a PresidentOn the Reserve ListHonoring Longwood’s Best

7,000 miles alone in the air, one incredible geography project

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LongwoodPublisher Longwood University Foundation Inc.

R. Kenneth Marcus, Ph.D. ’82, President

Editor Sabrina Brown

Creative Director David Whaley

Associate Editors Kent Booty, Gina Caldwell

Graphic Designer Rachael Davis

Contributors Mack Cales; Taylor Dabney; Andrea Dailey;

Diane Easter; Stephen Hudson ’13;

Deneese Jones, Ph.D.; David Keran ’12;

Jennifer Lucado; Greg Prouty;

Richmond Times-Dispatch; Gary Robertson;

Red Rocket Photos; Brian Ritchie;

Stuart Smith; Casey Templeton;

Linda Wagner

Editorial Advisory Board Gina Caldwell; Kent Booty; Sabrina Brown;

David Hooper ’00; Greg Prouty, Paula Prouty ’85,

Bryan K. Rowland, Ph.D.; Nancy Shelton ’68;

David Whaley

Board of Visitors Marjorie M. Connelly, Rector, Keswick

M. Jane Brooke ’63, Richmond

John W. Daniel II, Richmond

Edward I. Gordon, M.D., Farmville

Rita B. Hughes ’74, Vice Rector, Virginia Beach

Thomas A. Johnson, Lynchburg

Ripon W. LaRoche II, M.D., Farmville

Judi M. Lynch, Ph.D. ’87, Richmond

Jane S. Maddux, Charlottesville

Stephen Mobley ’93, McLean

Marianne M. Radcliff ’92, Richmond

Susan E. Soza ’62, McLean

Ronald Olswyn White, Midlothian

As I approach the end of the second year of my presidency, I can onlythink, “What a year this has been!” From the presidential inauguration inOctober to the Big South announcement in January, from progress on theAcademic Strategic Plan to welcoming the largest class in our history, Long-wood University is certainly an institution on the move, and I am sopleased to be able to witness its success.

The theme of my inauguration was “Scholarship. Service. Standards.,”and that theme has been carried throughout the year. We are here for, andbecause of, the students, and they guide every decision that we make.I see evidence every day that we are making the right decisions.

Scholarship. NCATE officials recently re-accredited our teacher educa-tion program, which has been continuously accredited since 1954.The accreditation success is the epitome of collaboration, communicationand innovation among faculty, staff and administrators across all colleges.

The Academic Strategic Plan process will review our current academicofferings and goals and determine the best future for Longwood to answerthe needs of today’s students. The teamwork and creativity demonstratedcampuswide while developing this plan shows a collective desire to be cur-rent while still maintaining the quality that has come to be expected froma Longwood education.

Service. The idea of citizen leadership is carried out every day at Long-wood and is an integral part of a well-rounded educational experience here.During my inauguration, students, faculty and staff joined together in a dayof service on our campus and in the community. This semester, the Long-wood community, led by one of our fraternities, stepped in to help studentsat Hampden-Sydney College who suffered great loss from a devastating fire.All of our fraternities and sororities value service as a key part of the mis-sions of their organizations. Students regularly volunteer around Farmvilleat the food bank, Meals on Wheels and churches. Faculty and staff serve ascoaches for local sports teams, board members for nonprofit organizationsand volunteers for programs such as Special Olympics.

Standards. Honesty, integrity, respect—these guiding principles areembedded in the Longwood culture. This year, the university celebrated the101st anniversary of the Honor Code, a driving force for not only our stu-dents but also our faculty and staff. There is no department that demon-strates these ideals better than our Longwood Police Department, which,for the third consecutive year, has been ranked among the top 500 securityprograms in the nation, according to Security Magazine. Longwood isranked 17th out of the 31 schools in the education/university category andis the only university police department from Virginia that is recognized.Our officers set a wonderful example and keep our campus safe.

As we look toward the final weeks of the semester, I am excited about whatlies ahead. I appreciate the support I have received from alumni, parents,donors, friends and the campus community. By working together to focus onscholarship, service and standards, we will ensure Longwood’s success.

Patrick FinneganPresident

From the President

Editorial offices for Longwood magazine are maintained

at the Office of Public Relations, Longwood University,

201 High Street, Farmville, VA 23909.

Telephone: 434-395-2020; email: pr@longwood.edu.

Comments, letters and contributions are encouraged.

Printed on recycled stocks.

No state funds were used to print this publication.

To request this magazine in alternate format (large

print, braille, audio, etc.), please contact the Longwood

Learning Center, 434-395-2391; TRS: 711.

Vol. 11 No. 2, Published March 2012

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CONTENTS

Cover StoryFlight of the TweetybirdStudying geography from 10,000 feet10

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In Good CompanyAlumni Awards honorLongwood’s best

On the Reserve ListLongwood alumni at theFederal Reserve Bankin RichmondPlus … ‘Inside connection’ netsrich experience for students

A Lancer ForeverLongwood embraces its newleader with pomp, circumstanceand excitementPlus … New mace’s symbolismis more than skin deep

Departments2 On Campus31 In Print32 Calendar34 Lancer Update38 Alumni News44 End Paper

On the cover: The effects of irrigation areeasy to see from the air. Photo by David Keran ’12

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Wearing their Lancer gear and “Go-ing BIG in 2012” buttons, hundreds of Longwood students, coaches, staff, faculty and community mem-bers packed Blackwell Hall Ballroom on Jan. 23 to await the announce-ment that had been more than four years in the making. Big South Conference President Penny Kyle, also president of Big South member Radford University, got right to the point. “It is my pleasure to announce that the Big South Conference has extended an invitation to your president and to Longwood Univer-sity to join the Big South Confer-ence—as soon as possible,” she said. “When we discussed adding schools to our conference, it isn’t just an

athletic decision that we make—it’s an athletic and an academic deci-sion. Nothing could have pleased me more than to be at this podium and to make this announcement to Longwood University.” Kyle ended her remarks with a hug for Longwood President Patrick Finnegan, who then stepped to the podium, placed a Big South pin on his lapel and announced that Longwood accepted the invitation. Longwood becomes the 12th mem-ber of the conference on July 1. “This is a big step forward for us. We’ve believed for some time that the Big South is the best conference for us,” said Finnegan, adding the belief is founded on Longwood’s similarities with the other confer-

ence members—not just geographic similarity but also “the emphasis on both student and athlete.” Longwood has competed as an independent on the Division I level since 2007. With the addi-tion of Longwood, the Big South Conference will now have four members based in Virginia (Liberty, Longwood, Radford, VMI), as well as four each in North Carolina (Campbell, Gardner-Webb, High Point, UNC Asheville) and South Carolina (Charleston Southern, Coastal Carolina, Presbyterian Col-lege, Winthrop).

on campus

Big NewsLancers to join the Big South Conference as of July 1

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Director of Athletics Troy Austin: ‘Now the games truly begin.’

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On display in the Steinway & Sons showroom in New York City is a book listing those who have pur-chased one of the company’s legend-ary concert grand pianos. The name of Longwood University recently was added to that impressive list. Longwood’s new “model D” Steinway concert grand arrived on campus in December, and its rich sounds can now be heard in Jarman Auditorium. The piano measures 8 feet 11.75 inches long and has an ebony finish with the gold “Steinway & Sons” insignia. Each handcrafted Steinway piano requires up to one full year to build. “This piano invites you to play it,” said Dr. Lisa Kinzer, professor of music, who traveled to the Steinway factory in New York City with Wil-liam Lynn, multimedia supervisor, to select the instrument. Kinzer and her former music student Allison Allgood ’10, assistant director of conference services at Longwood, were the first to play the new piano after it was set up on the Jarman stage. The Steinway was purchased through the building renova-tion fund for Jarman Hall, which

reopened in October

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Longwood athletic training majors Hanna Sacks ’15 (left) and Matt Rawlins ’12 assist Gracie McGurn of Richmond at the Richmond Marathon.

athletic training students gain medical experience supporting marathon runners

More than 17,000 SunTrust Richmond Marathon, McDonald’s Half Marathon and HCA Virginia 8K runners crossed the downtown finish line on Nov. 12. After their moment of triumph, they were greeted by a supporting medical team of 17 Longwood athletic training students practicing alongside CJW Sports Medicine nurses and physicians. Several of the physicians also work as instructors in Longwood’s Athletic Training Education Program. Dr. Doug Cutter, director of CJW Sports Medicine in Richmond, has been involved with the Richmond Marathon through Longwood since 2004, when he began teaching at the university. Cutter serves as medical director of Longwood’s Athletic Training Education Program and each year works with program director Sharon Menegoni to bring 15 to 20 students to serve as the primary medical care providers at the races’ finish line. At 3 a.m. on race day, students and program staff members departed Longwood’s campus for Richmond to begin prepping the first aid area. From 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., the team was ready and waiting to provide runners with support as needed. Cutter and Menegoni advised students to walk with the event participants, hold them up and stay with them after they had completed the race. Students closely observed the runners, look-ing for any indications of medical need. “This is an incredible opportunity for students to not only work with trained medical staff but work in a clinical setting as well, undergoing real triage cases in a mass participation event,” said Cutter. “I don’t know of any other program that provides this level of exposure.” Students in the program work toward certification as medi-cal professionals in the prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries to athletes and others who are engaged in everyday physical activities.

Jarman Auditorium’s new Steinway

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Paving the WayFirst African-American graduate shares her life journey

When N.H. “Cookie” Scott ’72 participated in orientation as a Longwood freshman in 1968, she was told she would not be wel-come on Sunday morning at the downtown church where she was attending a required candlelight service. The day she moved onto campus, her mother was refused service when she tried to eat at the lunch counter at a department store on Main Street. Scott, however, was not deterred by the racism of that era—in fact, she was motivated by it to become a stronger person. She went on to become Longwood’s first African-American graduate and is now deputy director of administration for the Virginia Department of Cor-rections. She returned to campus in January to share her story and to commemorate the life and legacy of the civil rights leader who paved the way for her and others. “It’s good to be back here with a good feeling,” said Scott, the speaker for Longwood’s Martin Lu-ther King Jr. Symposium. “I’m not bitter about anything that happened

[in Farmville], but I would say the church experience changed me—it didn’t make me angry, just sad.” Scott’s primary message for the day was that good people—and not so good people—come in all colors. “My life is filled with great peo-ple—black and white—who were caring, compassionate and support-ive. And, while I did not have the opportunity to personally meet Dr. King, the folks in my life reflected

Dr. King’s spirit and values. “While I can’t lay claim to no prejudices, because we all have some whether we acknowledge them or not, I know my journey has convinced me if they surface, I will beat them down.” Scott’s journey began in a small town in southern Albemarle Coun-ty. She attended segregated schools until her senior year of high school. Scott attended Longwood at the urging of Virginia Dofflemyer, a 1941 Longwood graduate who was

her high-school guidance counselor. “Ms. Dofflemyer put me in her own personal vehicle and drove me to Longwood for a visit,” she said. “That was taking a personal risk, but she took it for me.” After graduating from Longwood with a degree in sociology, Scott joined the Department of Cor-rections and became its first black female deputy director in 2002.

N.H. ‘Cookie’ Scott ’72 spoke at Martin Luther King Jr. Symposium

Tumor immunologist works to develop better cancer treatments

Dr. Amorette Barber, assistant pro-fessor of biology, tries to meld im-munology with treatment for cancer. Her mission? Understanding what’s happening inside immune cells—which ultimately will help scientists develop better treatments. “Most of the cancer therapies out there right now have negative side effects,” said Barber. “Chemotherapy and radiology don’t discriminate be-tween cancerous and healthy tissue. It would be better to get the immune system to target the cancer cells while leaving healthy tissue alone.” One of Longwood’s newest faculty members, Barber brings her inter-est in cancer treatment with her from Dartmouth College, where she studied receptors—proteins on the surface of an immune cell that actu-ally interact with cancer cells. When the immune cell comes in contact with a cancer cell, the receptors send messages to the immune cell to tell it what to do. Ideally, the receptors should tell the immune cell to kill the cancer cell—and Barber and her team found one that did just that. Barber and her team took a receptor from one cell and put it on another to create an immune cell that can recognize and kill cancer cells. Even better, it’s able to recognize more than 80 percent of cancer types, including lymphoma and ovarian, pancreatic, lung, breast and colon cancers. Therapy using this receptor will go into clinical trials soon. At Longwood, Barber continues to pursue this area, focusing her research on different receptors and their benefits. This semester she is bringing students into the lab to assist with her research. She reports that they are eager to begin studying and making their own receptors.

‘ My life is filled with great people—black and white—who were caring, compassionate and supportive.’

—N.H. ‘Cookie’ Scott

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Elementary school doesn’t usually include a weekly swimming excursion, but some special students are finding their time at Longwood’s pool to be a unique learning experience. Each week, students from two special education classes at Cumberland Elementary School spend an hour in the Willett Hall pool on the Longwood campus. The therapeutic aquatic program was launched in September 2011 by Dr. Susan Lynch and Dr. Matt Lucas, faculty members in the Department of Health, Athletic Training, Recreation and Kinesiology. It is an outgrowth of ongoing efforts by both professors to provide services in therapeutic recreation (Lynch’s field) and adapted physical education (Lucas’ specialty) to Cumber-land County students. The program, which involves Longwood students, may eventually be expanded to middle-school and high-school students. Freshmen from Lynch’s Intro to Therapeutic Recreation (TR) class and juniors from her Facilitation Techniques class helped with the program in the fall, and students in TR and Adapted P.E. classes are helping this spring. The program is getting high marks from teachers at Cumberland Elemen-tary whose students are participating. The aquatics activities are especially good for students who have autism, said teacher Yvette Rodriguez-Diaz. “These students have sensory issues. The sounds, the pressure from the water, and the feel of the water help them.”

N.H. ‘Cookie’ Scott ’72 spoke at Martin Luther King Jr. Symposium

Fixer-upper

Different strokesspecial education students benefit from aquatics program at Longwood pool

Hailey Ricker (left) works out in Willett pool with assistance from Amy Lewis ’13.

Longwood Cabin’s renovation was led by Gary McQueen, construction manager in Capital Planning and Construction.

The Longwood Cabin, for decades the site of student parties and cook-outs, has been fixed up and modern-ized—but in a way that retains its rustic nature. “We have tried to bring it back to a more useful condition while preserv-ing its beauty. It still has rustic lighting inside, open rafters and a stone fire-place,” said J.W. Wood, director of Capital Planning and Construction.

The 720-square-foot one-room cabin is believed to have been built shortly after the university acquired Longwood Estate in 1928. It is located in the woods a short distance from Longwood House. Renovations, which began in spring 2011 and were completed in February, included repairing log chinking, leveling the floor, replacing the roof, and installing a

heating and air conditioning system. In addition, the inside restroom was relocated outside and made handi-cap-accessible, and the front porch was extended to make the entrance handicap-accessible, Wood said. Bob Wertz ’85, commissioner of the revenue for Loudoun County, remembers taking full advantage of the cabin during his student days. “I attended parties out there with my fraternity, Alpha Chi Rho, with several sororities, and with the rugby team,” said Wertz. “It had every-thing that students needed—lights and a bathroom!” Dr. Rená Koesler, professor of therapeutic recreation, got the ball rolling on the renovations. Her outdoor education and ropes course students use the cabin when it rains or is cold. She contacted President Patrick Finnegan in the fall of 2010 and urged that the cabin be restored.

Renovated cabin retains rustic nature

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Hula hooping may seem like kid’s stuff to a lot of people but—combined with physics, biology, creativity and passion—it has turned into something much more serious for one Longwood senior. Ashley Russell, a biology major from Amelia (with concentrations in pre-health and molecular science), picked up a hula hoop for the first time since childhood about two years ago. She was inspired by a performance that had enchanted her with its graceful display of dance involving the spinning plastic rings. “I just had this feeling, watching this girl do these amazing tricks with the

hula hoop. I knew I wanted to make people smile like she made me smile,” said Russell.

Her life hasn’t been the same since. She immediately bought a hoop and immersed herself in online dance tutorials, practicing for several hours each week and finding her groove. Her efforts culminated last fall in

“Untamed Elements,” a show in the style of Cirque du Soleil that was held at Longwood’s Jarman Hall.

Russell organized and headlined the show, which benefited the Southside SPCA and featured other talented student performers,

including belly dancers, a gospel choir and other musical acts. “Untamed Elements” generated $1,000 for the SPCA and launched a career for Russell. Her weekends are booked with performances in other cities and universities around the region, and she credits Longwood with her success.

“I can’t think of a single element of the show that wasn’t influenced by what I’ve learned at Longwood,” Russell said. “My biology classes taught me about the body and its capabilities. Physics and architecture helped me build and design an aerial rig that could support 1,000 pounds of torque. Art classes helped me tap into my creativity.”

She’s found support from Longwood faculty and staff every step of the way, too.

“Ashley is a remarkable young woman,” said Dr. Rodney Dunning, associate professor of physics and a key collaborator in Russell’s con-struction of the show’s aerial rig. “She’s discovered a true passion and is

intensely motivated to not only bring it to life but to use it enthusiasti-cally for the benefit of others.”

$1,000 for the local SPCA today. $1 million for national cancer re-search tomorrow? As long as the hoops keep spinning, Russell is dreaming big.

Hula Hoop DreamsTalent uncovered at Longwood fuels student’s career ambitions and supports the local community

‘ I can’t think of a single element of the show that wasn’t influenced by what I’ve learned at Longwood.’

—Ashley Russell ’12

Student Ashley Russell raised $1,000 for the SPCA with her Cirque du Soleil-style show held on campus.

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Keeping It SimpleDeveloping streamlined analysis process could save money for pharmaceutical companies—and consumers

Dr. Sarah Porter, assistant professor of chemistry, and Scott Hull, a senior chemistry major, are conducting research that may one day lead to changes in the drug manufacturing process that will save pharmaceutical compa-nies—and hopefully consumers—money. Specifically, the team is looking at ways to simplify the process companies use to analyze the amount of active ingredients in drugs. Active ingredi-ents—such as aspirin or ibuprofen—make drugs work, and pharmaceutical companies must be able to verify that each drug they manufacture contains the amount of active ingredients they claim. The current process to do this is costly and time-consuming, and involves using different methods to separate the active ingredients from flavorings, dyes and other inactive ingredients. Working with cough syrup, Porter and Hull are developing a method that would streamline this process, ultimately resulting in a single analysis method that could create a cost and time savings for pharmaceutical companies. “If we are successful, we will have a useful method that can be widely ap-plied in the field,” Porter said, adding that she plans to apply her findings to similar research on gasoline and other fuels.

Suzy Szasz Palmer is working to help Longwood’s library embrace the ‘digital revolution.’

Change is brewing at the Greenwood Library with the appointment of Dean Suzy Szasz Palmer. Among her goals for the library is that it “become a more flexible and nimble organiza-tion that can adapt to change.” “I think there will have to be a re-thinking and a re-shifting of how we do our jobs to meet the needs of our clients,” Palmer said. Palmer, who assumed her new position at Longwood in June 2011, most recently was deputy librarian at the Library of Virginia, where she had worked since 2007. Previously she worked in the library systems at

Cornell University and the Univer-sity of Louisville. “The future of libraries is unques-tionably digital,” Palmer said. “That doesn’t mean the book is going away. Libraries have embraced tech-nology as a tool, but we have not completely understood the digital revolution. The e-book market is soaring, but the publishing indus-try still sees individuals rather than libraries as their target market for content. Libraries will need to play a more active role in the digital pub-lishing world lest we get left behind, as many bookstores have been.”

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New dean takes a fresh look at Greenwood Library

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New office serves underrepresented student groups

Dr. Jamie R. Riley, whose back-ground in student affairs includes teaching, research and counseling, is Longwood’s new director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, formerly known as the Office of Multicultural Affairs. The programs and services offered by the office are available to all students but specifi-cally support those whose ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity, age, reli-gion, ability status, and/or sexuality are underrepresented.

Riley, who began his duties in July 2011, said he is currently focused on assessing student needs and creating new programs that focus on social justice, intercultural competency, and academic and social integration for first-year and transfer students.

Helping students adjust to campus is particularly important, Riley said. “This may be the first time many of them have not only been away from home but have also been expected to thrive in an environment where they are often reminded of their minority status.”

“We hope Longwood can become a premier example of a university that infuses diversity into every fab-ric of the institution,” he said

Riley earned his Ph.D. in counsel-ing and student personnel services from the University of Georgia.

The Fun Is in the Detailsstudent plans super-size events during uso internship

Organizing a picnic for 1,000 people may sound overwhelming to some, but for Emily Flint, a senior communication studies major from Chesa-peake, it was just another day as an intern with the USO. Flint spent last summer assisting the director of special events at the United Services Organizations Inc. (USO) Regional Office in Virginia Beach. The USO is a private, nonprofit organization that provides morale-boosting programs and services to U.S. troops and their families. There are more than 160 USO locations worldwide. For her internship, Flint was instrumental in the organization of three major events for the USO. Her work was so impressive that she was offered a full-time job by the USO following her graduation this coming May. “I am excited that my required internship experience has landed me a ‘real-world’ job,” said Flint. “My communication studies classes prepared me to work within an organization like the USO. I believe it is important to pursue an internship in a field that might interest you as a career. An internship is a great opportunity to meet new people and gain real world experience.” Flint’s first major event was a Fourth of July picnic in Boston. More than 1,000 service members and their families attended the event, which was held on a U.S. Coast Guard base. Prior to the picnic, one of Flint’s major responsibilities was to visit local businesses and ask for donations of goods such as utensils, paper products and drinks. She also assisted with coordinating the rental and setup of tents, tables and chairs. “I learned that when the military is involved, people are very willing to help,” said Flint. “I also learned the importance of marketing the USO brand and making it visible in multiple locations.” “Working with the USO gave me a new appreciation for the military on a whole new level,” said Flint, whose father served in Navy. “While the USO is doing these things for the military to show appreciation, military members are telling us how much they appreciate all that we do. It’s a very rewarding experience.”

Emily Flint ’12 landed a USO job after interning there.

Dr. Jamie R. Riley

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Longwood physicist Tim Holm-strom and his students are con-ducting research at the same facility that draws leading scientists from around the country and the world.

The Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News is the only one of its kind in the world. One of 17 national laboratories funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the lab’s primary mission is research on the atom’s nucleus. Hall A, where Hol-mstrom works, has collaborators from more than 70 institutions and 18 countries.

Holmstrom, assistant profes-sor of physics, has collaborated on eight experiments over the last eight years at the facility. Six cur-rent or former Longwood students also have participated in the re-search since Holmstrom joined the Longwood faculty in 2008.

“Jefferson Lab is unique; no other lab does exactly what we do,” said Holmstrom, whose field is experimental nuclear physics. “Nobody has an electron beam at our intensity and energy. Our ad-

vantage is this intensity, the num-ber of

electrons per second, which enables us to carry out experiments with high statistical precision.

“What we’re looking at in these experiments is the structure of the neutron and the structure of the proton. The lab has an accelera-tor that accelerates electrons up to near the speed of light. We produce massive amounts of energy and use the electron as a probe, essentially as a giant microscope, to examine the neutrons and protons.”

The accelerator, which is shaped like a racetrack and is seventh-eights of a mile long, directs an electron beam into one of three experimental halls, each located in a different part of the lab. Holm-strom collaborates on experiments in Hall A, the largest of the three staging areas. As the electron beam makes up to five successive orbits, its energy is increased up to a maxi-mum of six billion electron volts.

Holmstrom has worked on two types of experiments: four experiments related to Helium-3 and four involving what is called parity. “The Helium-3 experiments are trying to understand the ‘strong force,’ which holds the nucleus together and is one of the main focuses of the Jefferson Lab. All of

these experiments are finished col-

lecting data, and a number have published

results. I am currently doing

analysis on two of the experiments” he said.

Dr. Jeannine Rajewski Perry

Learning at the Speed of LightPhysicist involves students in research at national lab

Dr. Jeannine Rajewski Perry was once a nontraditional student, so she can relate to what these students go through when they attend college. That understanding is important in Perry’s new position as dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. CGPS serves a wide range of students, but the majority are nontradi-tional graduate students who work full time and attend school part time. About 700 Longwood students each semester are studying at the gradu-ate level in areas including business, communication sciences and disorders, creative writing and education; the university also has a small but growing number of undergraduate students at its off-campus sites in Martinsville and Emporia. CGPS oversees these students as well as online courses offerings, distance learning, credit and noncredit workshops, and courses offered that are not part of a degree program, Perry said. “One of my goals is that CGPS not be seen as a separate entity but as a unit that supports the institution and that is part of the Longwood family,” she added. A member of the College of Educa-tion and Human Services faculty since 2003, Perry assumed her new responsi-bilities in August 2011.

Under New ManagementDean named for Graduate and Professional Studies

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Flightof the

Tweetybird

Winchester, Va.

Spartanburg, S.C.Montgomery, Ala.

Shenandoah Valley in Virginia

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Waco, Texas

Odessa, Texas

Shreveport, La.

Pecos River in Texas

South of Odessa, Texas

Flying solo across the U.S.

and back in a small plane? No big deal.

Studying geography from 10,000 feet?

Now that’s exciting.

David Keran ’12 and Tweetybird

Rivers snake through arid countryside, creatinga winding oasis of green. Clouds paint shadowy pictureson the earth below.

Aerial photos by David Keran ’12

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Tucson, Ariz.Banning, Calif.

San Jose, Calif.

Just about anyone who’sbeen in an airplane has been capti-vated by sights like these. But forDavid Keran, a Longwood honorsstudent who flew solo across thecountry—and back—for an inde-pendent study project, the view

from 10,000 feet was much morethan beautiful. It was an opportu-nity to study geography not justfrom a textbook but from actualexperience.

“The Cormier Honors Collegeuses the concept of ‘place as text’—using a location as opposed to atextbook,” said Keran, a seniorcriminal justice major from RoundHill and a Cormier Citizen Schol-ar. “In other words, insteadof reading about the geographyof a place, go there, walk around,see it, experience it. That’s reallythe essence of how this projectcame to be. Your classroom is theenvironment you’re studying.”

Putting his self-reliance andpiloting skills to the test was theicing” on the adventure. Keranhad been in possession of his pilot’slicense only two years when hetook off from Winchester last Julyin Tweetybird, a Cessna 172 on

loan from an anonymous donor.The 7,000-mile trip took Keranfrom the East Coast to the WestCoast and over 22 states inbetween. (He took a southern routeout and a northern route back toWinchester.)

The seed for the project wassown during Keran’s first week oncampus. As part of orientation forthe Honors College, he participatedin a project engaging students inhow geography influences culture—and vice versa—in Farmville.He took that idea to the next levelthe following year with his pro-posal for the independent studyproject: traveling across the Unit-ed States to observe and analyzeour nation’s diverse physical andcultural landforms.

Crop patterns beside the Alabama River in Alabama

Desert Mountains in Arizona

Cajon Pass in California

And man leaves his mark not only with skyscraperedcities but also in compositions of circles, squares andtriangles resulting from various irrigation methods.

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Battle Mountain, Nev.Driggs, Idaho

Sacramento, Calif.

Grand Tetons in Wyoming Sioux Falls, S.D.

Initially, Keran proposed drivingRoute 50, a less famous counter-part of Route 66. After an anony-mous sponsor offered him the useof Tweetybird, he elevated hisroute about 10,000 feet and adjust-ed his emphasis to studying physi-cal landforms he could observefrom the air.

For Keran, flying is a familyaffair; his mother and both of hisgrandfathers were pilots, and hisfather flies as well. Keran himselfalready has 10 years of flying expe-rience and was formally licensed in2009, making him well-equippedto take his journey to the skies.

The trip took 23 days, including66 hours in the air and a two-weekstint (on the ground) with the CivilAir Patrol in Alabama. Among thesights he saw from the cockpit:rural Mississippi, salt flats, the cityof Los Angeles, a gold mine carvedout of a Nevada mountainside, Yel-lowstone National Park, MountRushmore and Virginia’s Shenan-doah Valley.

Keran was undaunted by theprospect of flying such a distancealone. “None of the weather reallyworried me. I knew I’d done itbefore,” he said. And he was equal-ly confident about finding a placeto sleep when he stopped for thenight: He hauled along his camp-ing equipment and slept out underthe stars when possible.

The Cormier Honors Collegeprovided funding for the project

and Longwood faculty membersDr. Ed Kinman, Dr. Alix Fink andDr. Geoffrey Orth provided sup-port and encouragement.

“David gets a spark in his eyewhen he makes observations aboutthe world around him,” said Kin-man, associate professor of geogra-phy and Keran’s independent studyadvisor. “He has a great love forlearning. Combine that with hispassion for flying, and you have thisremarkable project.

“When you get above and startlooking down at the world, you’reable to make connections and iden-tify patterns you wouldn’t otherwisesee. David developed an under-standing not only of the varyingphysical landscape—mountains,

Gold mine in Nevada

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The View from 10,000 FeetThree geographic observations that helped Keran synthesizehis classroom and real-life experiences

WindmillsThese were especially prevalent in the Southwest, as well as southern Idaho, eastern Ohio and West Virginia.Windmills mark an area of steady wind—either from flat areas with nothing to stop wind currents (such as inthe desert) or mountain thermals and currents (Idaho, West Virginia, Ohio). They also may indicate the politicalgeography of the area, in terms of green energy and anti-pollution laws.

Systems of IrrigationIn the Southwest, circular agricultural fields stood out clearly in the desert, formed by “pivot irrigation.”On the other hand, irrigated fields in California’s San Joaquin Valley were rectangular, with aqueducts alongthe edges. The prevalence of irrigation systems emphasized the importance of utilizing water to its maximumpotential in these areas.

Plant SuccessionIn this phenomenon, aquatic vegetation slowly overtakes a lake or pond, solidifies into peat and eventuallyreplaces the pond. Several examples were found in central South Dakota. Keran was particularly impressed to seesuch clear demonstrations of plant succession, as he had read about it in a textbook before starting out.

West Yellowstone, Mont.

Sheridan, Wyo.

Pierre, S.D.David Keran’s journaldetails his daily observationsand experiences.

Plant succession in South Dakota

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Oshkosh, Wis.

Muncie, Ind.

Winchester, Va.

valleys, plains—but also the cultur-al landscape, or the things thathumans have altered.”

At the end of each day, Keranrecorded his observations in thetrip journal and downloaded pho-tos and video footage. He identi-fied and documented examples ofthe physical and cultural landformshe had studied in class and anyinsights he had.

At the conclusion of his trip,Keran produced a 34-minutevideo, a photo book and a 120-page journal with written narrativesand souvenirs to share his findings.He has made presentations to hisfellow students at Longwood, andthis semester he is working to turnhis journal into a book.

“What really makes me happyfrom an educator’s perspective isthe breadth of academic disciplinesthis project crossed,” Kinman said.

David brought in skills from somany different areas of study: geog-raphy, history, physics, English.This type of experience truly bringsto life the value of a liberal artseducation.”

The experience not only comple-ments and reinforces Keran’s cur-rent studies but also his plannedcareer path. “In the near future,

I’d like to get involved with theNational Park Service as parklaw enforcement. I’ve always beeninterested in the spaces thathave been carved out as the high-lights of our country. It wouldcombine a little of everything—law enforcement, aviation, ournational parks. For me, it’s thebest of all worlds.”

Keran camped out along the way, sometimes pitching his tent next to Tweetybird.

Air show in Wisconsin

Sunset over TexasRocky Mountains in Wyoming

“

lation.” She became a docent at theChrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk andthen enrolled as a student at Old Do-minion University, where she earneda Master of Arts in humanities.

That degree proved helpful whenshe became a trustee of the ChryslerMuseum and eventually the first fe-male board chair in the museum’s

history.Brock said she and

her husband, MaconBrock, have alwaysbeen thankful for theireducations and whatlife has given them.They also have alwaysbelieved that givingback is an expressionof that gratitude.(Macon Brock, agraduate of Randolph-Macon College, hasgenerously supportedhis alma mater,as well.)

“I have had a richand blessed life, a sup-portive family, a goodeducation, a wonder-ful marriage and suc-cess in business. I feelit is my obligation tohelp others whohaven’t been as equallyblessed,” she said.

Places have the power to shape lives.Just ask Tom DeWitt ’80.“You find that one place in your

life that really makes a difference,and, for me, that place was Long-wood,” he said.DeWitt found his wife here, he

found mentors and lifelong friendshere, and here he began developing theskill sets that helped him craft a suc-cessful military career and later start asuccessful company in civilian life.DeWitt is founder, president and

CEO of SNVC, a rapidly growing

Joan Brock ’64Jabez Lamar Monroe CurryHumanitarian Alumni Award

Joan Brock takes seriously the re-sponsibility that she believes comeswith success: the duty to give backto society and share the blessings shehas received in her life.

It is for the fulfill-ment of that responsi-bility that she receivedthe Jabez Lamar Mon-roe Curry Humanitar-ian Alumni Award.“Joan definitely is

very deserving of theaward,” said Pat Wool-lum ’64, who intro-duced her at theawards dinner.

Brock’s philan-thropy has involvedboth her time and hertreasure, and she fo-cuses those resourceson institutions and is-sues that ignite her in-terest. “That’s whereyour passion comesfrom,” Brock said.She has a lasting pas-

sion for Longwood andtries to make gifts thatanswer crucial needs.One such gift createdBrock Commons, aspace the length ofthree city blocks that transformedthe campus when it opened in 2004.

When Dr. Patricia Cormier, thenpresident of Longwood, approachedBrock with the vision she had forthe Longwood campus, Brock sawthe opportunity to make a meaning-ful difference for her alma mater.Brock Commons closed a publicroad and made Longwood a pedes-trian-friendly campus and morehandicap-accessible.

Brock’s interest in education alsohas extended to the Access CollegeFoundation, which since its foundingin 1988 has helped 35,000 deservingstudents in South Hampton Roadssecure financial aid and scholarshipswhile navigating the college process.

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In 2010, the Longwood Alumni Associationestablished four awards to recognize alumni

and others for their outstanding achievementsand service. The first recipients were announced

in 2011. This year’s awards were presented ata March 2 dinner on campus.

Gary Robertson is a freelance writer from Richmond.

InGoodCompany

Alumni Association honors3 outstanding individuals

by Gary Robertson

As a believer in lifelong learning,Brock wanted to explore the worldof art. A predominantly left-brainedmath major trained in the theories oflogic, Brock said jokingly that “theother side of my brain needed stimu-

She is the former chair of the Vir-ginia Wesleyan College Board ofTrustees, and she currently is a boardmember of Sentara Healthcare Sys-tems. On the Sentara board, shechairs the Foundation committee,whose mission includes providinghealth care for those who could nototherwise afford it.

Tom DeWitt ’80Thomas Jefferson Profes-sional Achievement Award

Joan Brock ’64

Northern Virginia information tech-nology firm with 115 employeesthat serves both the federal govern-ment and commercial customers.For his many accomplishments, De-Witt was chosen to receive theThomas Jefferson ProfessionalAchievement Award.DeWitt said he is proud of what

he and his employees have accom-plished, noting that Virginia Businessmagazine named SNVC the bestplace to work in Virginia in its sizeclass for 2012. This is the second yearin a row his company was selected toreceive this award.“To really understand Tom De-

Witt, one only needs to examine theculture of leadership values that per-vades Tom’s firm,” said Paul Barrett,dean of the College of Business andEconomics at Longwood, who in-troduced DeWitt at the awards din-ner. “The firm is an extension ofTom, and Tom is a pay-it-forwardcitizen leader focused on changingthe world for the better.”When DeWitt entered Longwood,

he began a journey that would enablehim to become the first member ofhis family to earn a college degree.DeWitt helped bring a fraternity tocampus, and he worked closely withadministrators to bring ROTCto Longwood.The ROTC program was

crucial in DeWitt’s life,helping him to hone hisleadership skills and pro-viding him with the mo-tivation to completehis degree. He spent16 years in themilitary, rising tothe rank of majorin the U.S. Army

before retiring under a special pro-gram offered in 1996.His biology major introduced him

to the scientific method, which hasbecome a foundation for his decisionmaking. It taught him to observe,measure, experiment and, when nec-essary, modify a hypothesis.DeWitt’s advice for anyone think-

ing of trying to emulate his successfulcareer path: “Don’t expect everythingto happen overnight. Take the firststep, assess your progress and makethe next decision.”

Bill Todd ’83William Henry RuffnerAlumni Award

If today’s students are wondering ex-actly what Longwood has in mindwhen urging them to become citizenleaders, all they have to do is take aclose look atWilliamE. (Bill)Todd ’83.Todd recently completed a one-year

tour in Afghanistan for the Depart-ment of State, where he coordinatedassistance and economic affairs, in-cluding a $4 billion developmentprogram.In December 2011, President

Barack Obama nominated Todd to bethe next ambassador to the Kingdomof Cambodia. If confirmed by the Sen-ate—an action expected inMarch—it will be Todd’s second ambassador-ship in four years. The first, from2008-10, was to Brunei, a rapidly in-dustrializing and strategically situatednation on the island of Borneo.Todd also has served as acting

inspector general and deputyinspector general of the Depart-ment of State.

In recognition of his accomplish-ments, Todd received the university’sWilliam Henry Ruffner AlumniAward, the highest honor bestowed bythe Alumni Association. The awardrecognizes those who have achievedsuccess and national distinction intheir personal and professional life.“I can tell each of you that given

his success in his professional endeav-ors, he is still the humble, caring indi-vidual we all got to know during hisattendance at Longwood College,”said Tom Cole ’81, who introducedTodd at the awards dinner.Todd’s road to a life of public serv-

ice at the national level began inclose-knit classes at Longwood.“I had a sociology class that had a

requirement to do community serviceat a center for people with access andfunctional needs, and learning dis-abilities. It turned out to be one ofthe best experiences I had at Long-wood,” he said. “One of the lessonsthe people there taught me was tocount my blessings for what I have vs.focusing on what I don’t have.”When Todd graduated with a de-

gree in business administration, hetook with him some of the favoritesayings of his finance professor, Dr.Anthony Cristo, and then added tothem. Here are a few examples of thesayings, which have developed intosort of a creed for life and career.• Understand risk but do not letfear motivate you.• When you can, give people thebenefit of the doubt.• When you (or someone else) makea mistake, learn from it, but don’t

dwell on it. Move on.• When the timecomes to be tough,always be fair.

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Tom DeWitt ’80

Bill Todd ’83 withU.S. Secretary of StateHillary Rodham Clinton

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Longwood’s 25th president, Patrick Finnegan, shares a light moment with the audience during his inaugural address.

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a lancer forever

Longwood embraces its new leader with pomp, circumstance and excitement

b y G i n a C a l d w e l l

with the peals of the longwood bell in the air and a blue autumn sky overhead, the campus

buzzed with energy and excitement as the longwood community prepared to inaugurate Patrick Finnegan as the university’s 25th president.

a festive parade of students, faculty,

staff, alumni, members of the Board of Visitors and academic delegates marched along the sidewalks of High Street toward Jarman Hall for the long-awaited Oct. 21 installation ceremony. Dr. Jim Jordan, chief faculty marshal, led the procession carrying Long-wood’s new mace (see related story on Page 22). Meanwhile, staff selected to ring the Longwood Bell anxiously awaited their turns. Moved temporarily from Greenwood Library to the front of Jarman, the bell was

rung 25 times to signify Longwood’s 25th presi-dent. The first 24 bell ringers were Longwood’s longest-serving employ-ees (the senior employee, at 45 years, was Eva Philbeck in the Office of Academic Affairs); the last was the university’s newest employee, Kevin Bryant ’05, who works in web communications.

More than 65 alumni from the classes of 1943 through 2011 were among those participating in the ceremony as class representa-tives. Elsie Stossel Upchurch ’43 represented the earliest Longwood class, and Ben Brittain ’11 represented the

U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) presents the keynote address for the installation ceremony of his longtime friend, Patrick Finnegan.

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Pearl Agee, secretary for the Department of History, Political Science and Philosophy, rings the Longwood Bell prior to the instal-lation ceremony. She was among 25 staff members selected for the honor.

‘i reaffirm the promise i made 15 months ago to

uphold the high standards of the university, to promote excellence in scholarship,

to choose the harder right over the easier wrong, and to forge new ties of friendship and new opportunities of service.’

—President Patrick Finnegan

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Continued on Page 24

1. Longwood staff members Jennifer Paulett ’06, Debbie Epperson, Sheri McGuire, Ken Copeland and Kelly Martin ’07 welcome El-wood to the campus picnic that was held following ‘Longwood Gives Back: A Day of Service.’ 2. Members of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity perform during the picnic. 3. President Finnegan shows off his ‘serious bling.’

most recent Longwood class. In addition to the alumni, 34 students representing a variety of Longwood’s clubs, athletic groups and Greek organizations were involved in the ceremony. Finnegan had chosen three elements essential to a good education as the theme for his inauguration: scholarship, service and standards. “These elements will be the hallmark of my presidency,” he said. A retired Army brigadier general and former chief academic officer at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Finnegan has a long history of upholding these ideals. “Today marks the coming together of a great leader and a great institution of higher education at a moment in our history when we need more of both,” said U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) in his keynote address at the installation ceremony. When it comes to Finnegan’s character, Reed knows what he’s talking about. The two men have covered a lot of ground together, starting with their days at West Point and continuing through their graduate studies at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Gov-ernment, infantry officer training and airborne school, where Reed was a young Lt. Finnegan’s platoon leader. Their friendship continues today. “Patrick Finnegan is a preeminent citizen leader,” Reed said. “For more than three decades, he devoted himself to selfless service to the nation as an Army

officer. As dean of the Academic Board at West Point, he was a superb educational leader. His vision, his col-laboration and his commitment reshaped West Point, expanding its international curriculum, enhancing its approach to chemical and nuclear engineering pro-grams, and constantly adapting to changes in informa-tion technology, both as an academic subject and as a managerial tool. His work completed the Jefferson library, honoring a great Virginian who, in 1802, signed the legislation creating West Point. “But more important than these remarkable achieve-ments is the fact that Patrick Finnegan understands, through his experience, that talent, technology and technique can never ultimately succeed if character and commitment fail. Like Longwood University, Pat Finnegan is about character and commitment. He is a man of decency and integrity who is committed to using his talents to help others develop their talents so that they can be the leaders of the future.” Finnegan was joined at the ceremony by his wife, Joan; his daughters, Katie and Jenna, and their hus-bands; two of his four grandchildren; his brother, Dan-ny, recently named editor of the Richmond Times-Dis-patch; and his sister, Rosaleen (Rosi) Finnegan Shinsato ’76, who represented her class. Also in attendance were Longwood’s last two presidents, Dr. Patricia P. Cormier (1996-2010) and Dr. William F. Dorrill (1988-96). “I reaffirm the promise I made 15 months ago to

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Fluted shaFtThe 28.5-inch-tall fluted shaft recalls Ruffner Hall’s columns and the pillars of knowledge.

Cube

A cube on which the Rotunda rests bears the seals of the uni-versity and the com-monwealth, as well as Joan of Arc’s coat of arms, represent-ing the university’s mission to inspire leadership in service of common good.

Rotunda dome

Serving as the traditional orb at the top of the mace is a miniature Ro-tunda dome, which symbolizes Long-wood as a sanctuary for learning.

Longwood’s new mace tips the scales at more than 9 pounds, but the symbolism of this metal-and-wood

staff is even weightier than its physical heft. “The mace is the symbolic authority of the president,”

said Dr. James Jordan (pictured below with the mace), chief faculty marshal and professor of anthropology who had the honor of carrying the metal and wood staff at President Patrick Finnegan’s installation ceremony. (The chief faculty marshal, a senior faculty member chosen by the president, carries the mace at all official academic ceremonies.) “It is used only when the president appears,

such as in ceremonies and other formal events. It precedes him in a processional and leads him out in a recessional.”

Appropriate to this function, Longwood’s new mace is also symbolic in its design. What’s hidden from view, however, is perhaps even more symbolic.

“Part of the concept to make Longwood’s mace symbolically and historically tied to the institution, in particular, was the inclusion of objects held within the mace,” said Kathy Johnson Bowles, director of the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts and a member of the committee charged with creating the mace. “It was

new mace’s symbolism is moRe than skin deeP

hidden inside

• A silver coin dated 1877, found by workers behind a wall in West Ruffner, symbolizes ongoing prosperity.

• A piece of wood from the rubble of the Great Fire of 2001 symbolizes dedication and perseverance.

• The head of a porcelain figure symbolizes the life of the mind and academic pursuits.

• A sewing thimble symbolizes labor and good works.

• A marble symbolizes recreation and rest.

• A shard of Blue Willow china symbolizes beauty and community.

• A minié ball, which likely struck Ruffner Hall during the final days of the Civil War, commemorates Longwood’s long history.

• A federal infantryman’s brass button repre-sents duty and service.

• A silver napkin ring labeled “State Normal School of Farmville, Virginia,” a gold “State Teachers College” class ring, and a gold-and-onyx “Longwood College” class ring are reminders of Longwood’s evolution.

• A vial of ashes is from a “burning” ritual conducted by Chi, Longwood’s oldest continuous student organization, which was founded in 1900.

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my role to conceptualize, select, gather and interpret these objects.”

The result of Bowles’ efforts is a treasure trove of items inside the mace that relate to the university’s history and values.

“In a sense, Longwood’s mace is its symbol, much as the flag is the symbol of our country,” said Dr. Jordan. “I believe this new mace will represent a new chap-ter in the life our university.”

In fact, Longwood’s impressive new mace is not the first to serve Longwood at formal occasions. In 1974, Zeta Tau Alpha presented the institution with the Longwood College mace in com-memoration of the 75th anniversary of the sorority’s founding at Longwood in 1898.

With the designation of Longwood as a university in 2002, it was clear a new mace was needed. In spring 2011, Presi-dent Finnegan appointed a committee to study and design the new mace. Members included Dr. Jordan; Bowles; Dr. Geoff Orth, former director of the Cormier Honors College; Nancy Shelton, director of alumni relations; David Whaley, direc-tor of publications and visual arts; Dr. Craig Challender, professor of English; and Brandon Fry, president of the Stu-dent Government Association.

After the committee discussed the significant historical attributes of ceremo-nial maces and objectives for Longwood’s mace, Bowles and Whaley led the design process. Once the design was approved, the new mace was handmade by North-west Territorial Mint and Medallic Art Company, a full-service mint and pre-cious metals dealer located in Nevada. The company, which also created the chain of office used in Finnegan’s inau-guration, completed both pieces in about three months.

The new Longwood University mace is housed in a sealed case located in the President’s Office. The Longwood Col-lege mace is on permanent display in the first floor atrium of Greenwood Library. —Gina Caldwell

1. The Camerata Singers perform during the Inaugu-ral Silver Notes Celebration Concert, which featured several student groups. 2. President and Mrs. Finnegan paint a nursery at Farmville United Methodist Church for ‘Longwood Gives Back: A Day of Service.’

‘we believe in serving others as part of our mission to develop

citizen leaders who contribute to the

good of society.’

—President Patrick Finnegan

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uphold the high standards of the university, to promote excellence in scholarship, to choose the harder right over the easier wrong, and to forge new ties of friendship and new opportunities of service,” Finnegan said in his remarks. He also cited the Academic Strategic Plan that Long-wood is currently devising, the need to prepare students to “participate in a global economy and society,” and his desire to “expand international opportunities” and “push the boundaries of our internship requirement.” He illustrated Longwood’s heritage as a teacher’s college with a personal anecdote. “We still prepare and educate teachers who are routinely recognized as the best in the Commonwealth. Our daughter Katie’s kindergarten teacher was a Long-wood graduate. She was so good that Katie was disap-pointed when Saturdays rolled around and she couldn’t go to school. Now that’s the way to get a child started on the right foot.” Among the examples of service by students, faculty and staff that Finnegan mentioned are the Longwood Center for Communication, Literacy and Learning and the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts. “These are just two examples of how we here at Longwood com-bine scholarship and service to meet the needs of and to enhance the life of our community,” he said. “After 12 years at West Point and now 15 months at Longwood, I believe more than ever that educating our young people is the only way to ensure our freedom and our success as a nation. I believe that the wisest invest-ment we can make is in education—the rate of return is world peace.” Longwood Board of Visitors Rector Marge Con-nelly administered the oath of office. Dr. Ken Perkins, interim vice president for academic affairs, and Dr. Jor-dan then placed the chain of office around Finnegan’s neck. Made of brushed enamel silver, the chain of office weighs about 3 pounds and is anchored by the Longwood medallion. Individual links of the chain are engraved with the names of Longwood’s four colleges, “Scholarship. Service. Standards” and “Lancers For-ever.” Finnegan later jokingly referred to the chain of office as “some serious bling.” “Pat Finnegan has won over this campus with his warmth, his good humor and his vision about the next big step this great university must take,” said Connelly, who also spoke at the ceremony.

Longwood gives BackEarlier in the week, Longwood students, faculty and staff put on work gloves and rolled up their sleeves for “Longwood Gives Back,” a day of volunteer service in

1. Jay Coward ’13 (keyboard) and Chris Kjorness, adjunct instructor of music, (upright bass) entertain guests during a reception held prior to the benefit dinner for the proposed University Student Center. 2. In recognition of the Silver Celebration for Longwood’s 25th president, the tables for the benefit dinner were decorated in silver, blue and white. A card tucked into each napkin described the proposed University Student Center.

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the Farmville community that kicked off the inaugural celebration. As a result of their work, numerous com-munity agencies and nonprofit organizations had their to-do lists completed in just a few short hours. Projects included cleaning at a local food pantry; preparing for an open house at the SPCA; helping dis-mantle an abandoned house for Habitat for Humanity; painting a church nursery; donating and assisting with a blood drive; landscaping for a church; and assisting with a benefit event for the Pregnancy Support Center. Do-nations of goods also were collected for the SPCA, the Pregnancy Support Center and Farmville’s food pantry, FACES. “When we were planning the inauguration, I wanted to make sure we included a service component because one of the things that has impressed me most since coming to Longwood is the idea that service is in our DNA,” said Finnegan. “We believe in serving others as part of our mission to develop citizen leaders who contribute to the good of society.” As part of “Longwood Gives Back,” a campuswide picnic was held to thank the volunteers and to provide an opportunity for the campus community to celebrate Finnegan’s inauguration. A variety of student perform-ers took the stage during the picnic to share their musi-cal talents and honor Finnegan.

More ceLeBrationStudents also had a chance to shine during inauguration week at the Silver Notes Celebration Concert, which showcased the Camerata Singers, Jazz Ensemble A and the Wind Symphony. Irish folk songs and military tunes, recognizing the president’s Irish ancestry and

Army background, were also part of the program. Wrapping up the festivities on the evening of the in-stallation ceremony was a benefit dinner for Longwood’s proposed University Student Center. Before dinner, guests were entertained by Longwood theatre students who performed “Apotheosis, or How Not to Ascend to a Presidency.” Dr. Gene Muto, professor of theatre, directed Christa Brown ’12, Kyle Butler ’12, Justin Heavner ’12 and Adrienne Johnson ’13 in the original play. Following dinner, a videotape of greetings to Presi-dent Finnegan titled “The Future is Bright” was shown. Those delivering formal greetings included Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell; U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D- Virginia); Helen Warriner-Burke ’56, chair of the Inaugural Steering Committee and former rector of Longwood’s Board of Visitors; Barry Case, head of the presidential search committee and former rector of the BOV; and Longwood faculty, staff and students. At the conclusion of the dinner, Longwood’s all-female a cap-pella group, Pitch Perfect, performed the Alma Mater.

a sacred trustTaken together, these few days in October constituted a seminal moment in the history of Longwood University. The university put its future in the hands of Patrick Finnegan, and, judging by the words he chose to con-clude his inaugural speech, he is worthy of that trust. “I will do the very best I can for Longwood because, as of today, not only you, but I, am a Lancer forever.”

Gina Caldwell is a media relations specialist in Public Relations and associate editor of Longwood magazine.

Elsie Stossel Upchurch ’43 (fifth from right) was one of 65 alumni to represent their graduation classes in the inaugural procession. Following the ceremony she gathered with members of her sorority, Sigma Sigma Sigma, and President and Mrs. Finnegan in front of the Longwood Bell.

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OntheReserveList

Photo by Casey Templeton Photography

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Among the Longwood alumni working at the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond are (starting fromleft on opposite page) Marilyn Hosea Bishop ’76, currency technology; Gareth Flanagan ’99, StephanieRoddenberry ’11 and Stacy Pingel Cox ’91, all in supervision, regulation and credit; Claudia MacSwain ’77,chief financial officer; Barbara (B.J.) Moss ’75 and Carlyle Powell ’08, both in supervision, regulation andcredit; Tracy Prowse ’99, audit; and Greg Dodt ’11 and Susan Gardner Maxey ’06, both in supervision,regulation and credit.

The financial health of the nation rests, in part, on theexpertise of a cadre of Longwood alumni who workat the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond.

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On that site stands the FederalReserve Bank of Richmond, estab-lished in 1914 as one of 12 districtbanks in the Federal Reserve Sys-tem. Anyone who has a bankaccount, a paycheck that arrives likeclockwork in that account or a low-interest mortgage owes at least asmall debt of gratitude to theseLongwood alums and the manyother people who work at what iscommonly known as “the Fed.”The Longwood “Reserve list”

includes more than a dozen menand women in departments rangingfrom currency technology to super-vision, regulation and credit. OneLongwood alumna is the Rich-mond bank’s chief financial officer;another graduated in December2011 and began her job in Januaryas an assistant examiner in con-sumer affairs. Other Longwoodgraduates work as bank examiners,auditors and financial analysts.At the simplest level, the Federal

Reserve has a three-fold mission:setting monetary policy to keepprices stable, regulating memberbanks to ensure they are safe placesfor depositors to keep their moneyand facilitating the rapid move-ment of funds from bank to bank.The Richmond bank serves asheadquarters for the Fed’s FifthDistrict, which comprises Virginia,Maryland, Washington, D.C.,North Carolina, South Carolinaand most of West Virginia.Claudia MacSwain ’77 is a top-

ranking officer for the Fifth Dis-trict. Named chief financial officer(CFO) in 2004, she is one of 11

senior vice presidents and super-vises about 100 people. She wasthe second woman to be named asenior vice president at the Rich-mond Fed.MacSwain’s responsibilities

include the Fifth District’s corpo-rate accounting function, the Feder-al Reserve System’s NationalProcurement Office, statistics andreserve accounts, and corporateplanning—an interesting twist toa career that started with teachinghigh school.“The accounting classes I took at

Longwood were a catalyst for me,”said MacSwain. “I took as manyaccounting courses as wereoffered—four, I think—whichI really liked. Teaching accountingconcepts to high-school studentswas also a lot of fun, but after mysecond year of teaching I knewI wanted to enter the businessworld, where I could utilizemy accounting skills in a differ-ent way.”She began working at the Fed in

1981 as an auditor, then signed onwith the financial accounting/planningarea in 1984. Along the way sheearned an MBA and a post-bac-calaureate certificate in accountingfrom Virginia Commonwealth Uni-versity, as well as her CPA license.MacSwain credits some of her

success at the Fed to her decision in2000 to volunteer for a particularlydifficult assignment. An accountingarea that was not under her supervi-sion at that time received a low rat-ing in a review by the Fed’sgoverning body, and MacSwain was

asked to get the area “back ontrack.” It took three years for hermanagement team to accomplishthat task, and shortly thereafter shewas named to her current position.It is clear to anyone who speaks

to MacSwain that she is very happywith the path her career has taken.I am so lucky—I have a great job,and I like everything about my job.No two days are the same, which iswhat keeps me engaged. I’m reallydedicated to my work. One of myprinciples is to do the right thing inall situations. I’m just a person whocomes here every day to do the verybest job that I can do.”In the Supervision, Regulation

and Credit Department, AssistantVice President Barbara (B.J.) Moss75 also is dedicated to her work atthe Fed.“Our job is ensuring that banks

and other financial institutions aredoing the right job from a safetyand soundness perspective,” saidMoss, a former field examiner whohas worked full time in Richmondsince 1978. “We make sure they’rein compliance with laws andregulations.“In the Fifth District, there are

97 state member banks and 247bank holding companies and finan-cial holding companies that we reg-ulate,” Moss said, adding that thelargest bank holding companies reg-ulated by the Richmond Fed areBank of America, Capital One andBB&T. “We are the sole regulatorof bank holding companies, whichown banks, and we recently accept-ed responsibility for thrift holding

There’s more than a little truth to the saying thatmoney makes the world go around. Ensuring that it goesaround in the right way — at least in the United States —is a group of Longwood alums working at 701 E. Byrd St.in downtown Richmond.

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Longwood’s ‘inside connection’at Richmond Federal Reservenets rich experience for students

How the economy really works

Students in a Longwood economics course last semestergot a close-up look at how the economy really works.Five of the seven students in Dr. Ray Brastow’s

Honors Economics 217: Principles of Micro Econom-ics visited the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond aweek before Thanksgiving. Brastow works at the bankpart time as a financial economist in the Supervision,Regulation and Credit Department, and arranged thein-depth visit. Students met for an hour with fiveLongwood alumni who work in supervision, regula-tion and credit, then had lunch in the executive diningroom. Later they met with the Human ResourcesDepartment and toured “The Fed Experience,” aninteractive, multimedia exhibit in which visitorsexplore their personal connections to the economyand the Fed’s role.“The Longwood graduates who work there were

really excited to meet and talk with the students,” saidBrastow, professor of economics, who organized thetrip. “Each employee spoke about his or her careerpath, what they do at the Fed and how Longwood pre-pared them.”The Longwood students also enjoyed the visit.“It was a fantastic experience and a great opportuni-

ty to see how things work there and how the Fed con-trols things,” said Kristyn D’Angiolillo, a sophomorehistory/secondary education major from Smithfield.None of us who went are economics majors, and,being a history major, we usually don’t get into howthings work now.”Katerina Wiley, a freshman business management

major and Spanish minor from Goochland, said she

received some “good advice from the alumni on how tohandle our future, and they talked about internships.I didn’t really realize how important internships are.”Stephanie Roddenberry, who graduated from Long-

wood in December 2011 and interned at the Fed inthe summers of 2010 and 2011, knows from personalexperience just what an internship can do for you.She started her new job as an assistant examiner at theRichmond Fed in January.“Stephanie is an exceptional student,” said Brastow.

She came to me in fall 2009, and I encouraged her toapply for an internship at the Fed, but I didn’t get herthe internship. … Her abilities got her the internship.”Students like Roddenberry and those who recently vis-ited the Fed benefit from Brastow’s work there inmany ways. He not only provides them with aninside connection” but also brings what he learns atthe Fed into the classroom.“In my work at the Fed, I provide data and analysis

for bank examiners,” said Brastow. “We try veryhard to get ahead of any emerging risks, changes inbank regulations, et cetera, that might affect banks.In August [2011] I wrote an eight-page report on possi-ble risks to banks of the debt-ceiling debate and subse-quent ratings downgrade. With the economic downturn,I did a lot of crisis data analysis, trying to get a handleon what was going on with banks and financial markets.“I’ve learned an enormous amount about the real-

world economy, which has enabled me to bring to theclassroom a much deeper appreciation for how theeconomy works. It’s been a great boost to my career toget off campus and into the real world.”— Kent Booty

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Dr. Ray Brastow (left photo) took five of his students for an in-depth visitat the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond, where he works part time.

companies, which own savingsbanks.”Moss started at the Fed in 1973

as a part-time employee in theCash Department—a job that sup-plemented her pay as a substituteteacher—and started working herway up, eventually becoming a sen-ior examiner in 1988.

“I was a bank examiner out inthe field for 18 years, and typicallyI would leave home on a Mondaymorning and come back on Friday,”said Moss, who graduated from theStonier Graduate School of Bank-ing and the Virginia BankersSchool of Bank Management in the1980s. “At the height of my exam-iner career, during the savings andloan crisis of 1985, I spent 186nights away from home, includinga four-month stretch at the Fedoffice in Baltimore, where I was incharge of logistics.”In 2000, Moss was promoted to

assistant vice president, one of 15in supervision, regulation and cred-it. Longwood alumni working withher in that department are SusanGardner Maxey ’06, a quantitativeresearch analyst; Carlyle Powell ’08,a portfolio research analyst; BrianThompson ’03, a large bank exam-iner; Greg Dodt ’11, an assistantexaminer; Stacy Pingel Cox ’91, aquality management senior examin-er; Aaron Thompson ’99, a senior

examiner in consumer affairs; andStephanie Roddenberry ’11, assis-tant examiner in consumer affairs.Roddenberry, who majored in busi-ness at Longwood, was offered herposition after interning at the Rich-mond Fed in the summers of 2010and 2011.Carlyle Powell analyzes a portfolio

of 24 banks. “What I most enjoy isthe opportunity to provide outreachto bankers. Periodically, I have theopportunity to visit with the banksin my portfolio to discuss strengths,struggles, market area trends andstrategic plans,” she said.Much of Brian Thompson’s work

is devoted to bank holding compa-nies for E*Trade, based in Arling-ton, and the T. Rowe Price Groupin Baltimore. “In this job, you getto learn a great deal about howbanks operate and to see the impactof monetary policy decisions onbanks,” said Thompson, whopitched on the baseball team hisfirst two years at Longwood.Susan Maxey, who works in the

Risk and Policy Unit, is involved inthe Comprehensive Capital Analysisand Review, a project that wasprompted by the financial crisis of2008. A collaborative effort of sev-eral of the Federal Reserve banks,the project stress tests the capitallevels of the largest financial institu-tions to ensure that their balance

sheets could withstand a loss underadverse economic conditions.Maxey completed a master’s degreein applied economics from JohnsHopkins University in December.Stacy Cox, whose job is to identi-

fy best practices, ensure consistencyand recommend improvementstrategies in her department, says

Longwood paved the way for hercareer at the Fed.“I give a lot of credit to Mikie

Flanigan [Longwood professor ofaccounting], who is my mentor, myfriend, my role model,” said Cox.She made me fall in love withaccounting. The accounting back-ground really helped me at firsthere, especially in my role as anexaminer. I can thank Mikie Flani-gan for that.”And she can thank the Fed for a

job that is challenging and enjoy-able—a feeling shared by all theLongwood alums interviewed forthis story.“I like the diversity of my job,”

Cox said. “I’m constantly learningand looking at new things. Also,there is tremendous camaraderie,and, when you work hard, theyreward you.”

Kent Booty is a media specialistin Public Relations and associateeditor of Longwood magazine.

Our job is ensuring that banks and other financialinstitutions are doing the right job from a safetyand soundness perspective.’

Barbara (B.J.) Moss ’75, Assistant Vice PresidentSupervision, Regulation and Credit Department

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In PrintMany Septembers: My Autobiographyby Dr. John Randall Cook ’56, M.S. ’60, Longwood alumnusThis autobiography has been described as “the story of a very active, successful anddiversified life that began humbly in rural Virginia.” Cook, a Crewe native, is one ofLongwood’s first male graduates. He is a nationally recognized leader in guidance andcounseling who served as supervisor of guidance for the Virginia Department of Education.Currently a resident of Richmond, Cook co-authored the first elementary guidance billintroduced in the U.S. Congress and has been named the Outstanding Counselor inAmerica. Cook is a generous Longwood benefactor who has established scholarships atLongwood, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the College of William & Mary.The Cook-Cole College of Arts and Sciences is named for him and his longtime partnerand fellow philanthropist, the late Dr. Waverly M. Cole. Published by Gardner Press,hardcover, 146 pages.

Come Closer: Critical Perspectiveson Theatre of the Oppressedco-edited by Dr. Toby Emert ’86, Longwood alumnusIn this book, community activists, scholars and theatre artists describe their work relatedto Theatre of the Oppressed (TO), an interactive theatrical methodology developed byBrazilian artist/activist Augusto Boal. Emert, associate professor of education and depart-ment chair at Agnes Scott College near Atlanta, served for six years on the boardof the international organization Pedagogy & Theatre of the Oppressed and was its presi-dent in 2008-09. “Much of my research work and teaching draws on arts- and especiallytheatre-based strategies,” said Emert, who, in addition to his work at Agnes Scott, teachesdrama-based education courses through a graduate program at Lesley University inCambridge, Mass. He and the book’s co-editor, Dr. Ellie Friedland of Wheelock Collegein Boston, have presented at national conferences and conducted TO-based workshopstogether. Published by Peter Lang Publishing, hardcover, 198 pages.

Teaching the Nuts and Boltsof Physical Education: Ages 5-12by Dr. Allison (Vonnie) Colvin, Professor of Physical Education;Nancy Egner Markos; and Pamela Walker ’75, Longwood alumnaThis textbook is the second edition of Teaching the Nuts and Bolts of Physical Education,also co-authored by Colvin, who coordinates the Physical and Health Education-TeacherEducation program at Longwood. It comes with a CD-ROM that contains a 335-pagecopy of a revised and expanded version of the first edition. Markos was the 2002National Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year, and Walker was the1995 Virginia Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year. Both taught inAlbemarle County before retiring. Published by Human Kinetics, softcover, 58 pages.

Body, Mind & Spirit: The Awakeningby James Hackley ’88, Longwood alumnusThis first book by Hackley, who lost 50 pounds in four months, “explores the root causesof why we overeat, refuse to exercise, live chaotic lives and fail to accomplish the goals thatGod has intended for our life,” the publisher says of the 21-day guide. “This is not justanother diet or ‘weight loss’ book. Diets simply don’t work, and James emphasizes how weneed to be more concerned about ‘fat loss.’” Hackley, who has a physics degree fromLongwood and a master’s in civil engineering from the University of Virginia, is founderand CEO of Omega Consulting Services, based in Sterling, where he lives. Published byOmega Consulting Services, softcover, 333 pages.

books by alumni, faculty, staff and friends

NOTE: Any Longwood alumna/alumnus or faculty or staff member or university friend who has published a bookor released a music CD is encouraged to contact Kent Booty in the Office of Public Relations at bootykl@longwood.edu

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calendar

DecaDe of the ’80s alumni Reunion

april 20-21

All events are free and open to the public except where noted. Visit www.longwood.edu for updated information.

MARCH

29-31, April 1 Longwood Theatre: Zero to Sixty, Long-

wood’s Fifth Annual Ten-Minute Playwriting Competition. Thursday-Saturday, 7 p.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m., Center for Communication Studies and Theatre, LAB Theatre. Tickets: $5. Information: 434-395-2474 or boxoffice@longwood.edu.

30 Author Reading and Book Signing: Friends of the Li-

brary presents author Kelly Cherry. Reception, 6 p.m.; lecture, 7 p.m., Greenwood Library, atrium. Infor-mation and RSVP: 434-395-2431.

30 Chamber Music Series: The Claremont Trio. 7:30

p.m., Wygal Hall, Molnar Recital Hall. Information: 434-395-2504.

APRIL

2 Longwood Authors Series: Featuring Andy Duncan. 8 p.m.,

Wygal Hall, Molnar Recital Hall. Information: 434-395-2159.

3 Men’s Tennis: vs. Lib-erty. 1:30 p.m., Lancer

Courts. Full Schedule: longwoodlancers.com.

3Softball: vs. University of

Virginia. 3:30 p.m., Lancer Field. Full

schedule: longwood lancers.com.

6 Women’s Tennis: vs. George Washington.

2 p.m., Lancer Courts. Full schedule: longwoodlancers.com.

7 Women’s Tennis: vs. North Carolina A&T. 2:30 p.m.,

Lancer Courts. Full schedule: longwoodlancers.com.

11 Softball: vs. Virginia Tech. 4 p.m., Lancer Field. Full

schedule: longwoodlancers.com.

11 General Education Film Series: Exit Through the Gift

Shop. 7 p.m., Longwood Center for the Visual Arts. Information: 434-395-2206.

11 Lacrosse: vs. Virginia Tech. 7 p.m., Athletics Complex. Full

schedule: longwoodlancers.com.

12-15, 19-22 Longwood Theatre: Steel Magnolias.

Thursday-Saturday, 7 p.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m., Mainstage Theatre, Cen-ter for Communication Studies and Theatre, Mainstage Theatre. Tickets: $5 Longwood students; $6 LU faculty/staff, senior citizens and students from other schools/colleg-es; $8 general admission. Informa-tion: 434-395-2474 or boxoffice@longwood.edu.

13 Lacrosse: vs. Presbyterian. 4 p.m., Athletics Complex. Full

schedule: longwoodlancers.com.

13-14 Men’s Golf: Longwood/Manor Intercollegiate. The

Manor Golf Club. Full schedule: longwoodlancers.com.

14 through May 12 Exhibit and Receptions:

Art Department Senior Exhibition. Opening reception, 5-7 p.m. April 14; closing reception, 2-3 p.m. May 12. Longwood Center for the Visual Arts. Information: 434-395-2206.

15 Concert: Percussion En-semble. 2 p.m., Wygal Hall,

Molnar Recital Hall. Information: 434-395-2504.

17 Baseball: vs. VCU. 7 p.m., Charles Buddy Bolding

Stadium. Full schedule: longwood lancers.com.

17 Concert: Wind Symphony and Jazz Ensembles. 7:30

p.m., Jarman Hall, auditorium. Information: 434-395-2504.

20-21 Alumni Reunion: Decade of the ’80s Reunion

for the Classes of 1980-89. Longwood campus. RSVP at www.longwood link.com. Infor-mation: 434-395-2044.

22 Concert: Men’s and Women’s Choir. 3 p.m.,

Wygal Hall, Molnar Recital Hall. Information: 434-395-2504.

22 Earth Day Event: “Surf-ing for Change,” presented

by environmental activist Kyle Thiermann. 5 p.m., Blackwell Hall. Information: 434-395-2103.

24 Concert: Camerata Singers. 7:30 p.m., Farmville United

Methodist Church. Information: 434-395-2504.

WelcomeAlumni

& Friends!

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25 Softball: vs. Elon. 4 p.m., Lancer Field. Full schedule:

longwoodlancers.com.

27 Community Achieve-ment in the Arts: Awards

ceremony and reception. 5-7 p.m., Longwood Center for the Visual Arts. Information: 434-395-2206.

27 Baseball: vs. UMES. 6 p.m., Charles Buddy

Bolding Stadium. Full schedule: longwoodlancers.com.

27 Lacrosse: vs. Liberty. 7 p.m., Athletics Complex. Full

schedule: longwoodlancers.com.

28 Earth Day Event: Clean

Virginia Waterways conducts make-a-rain-barrel workshops and a variety of other fun and informa-tive events. 1-5

p.m., Longwood campus. $50 for

rain barrel construc-tion. Information:

434-395-2602.

MAY

11 Graduation Garden Recep-tion: With President and

Mrs. Finnegan for the Class of 2012 and their families. Longwood House. RSVP: alumni@longwood.edu.

12 Commencement: Featur-ing retired Virginia Supreme

Court Justice John Charles Thomas. 9:30 a.m., Wheeler Mall. Informa-tion: 434-395-2003.

15 Baseball: vs. James Madi-son. 6 p.m., Charles Buddy

Bolding Stadium. Full schedule: longwoodlancers.com.

17 Tea Time at Longwood: Luncheon featuring a

presentation by Longwood English professor Dr. Kimberly Stern on the Victorians. Noon, Blackwell Hall. Tickets: $20 (sold in advance). Organized by the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts. Information: 434-395-2206.

JUNE

8 through Aug. 25 Exhibits and Reception: A Picturesque

Campus and A Tradition of Excel-lence: The Longwood University Alumni Exhibition. Opening recep-tion, 5-7 p.m. June 8. Longwood Center for the Visual Arts. Informa-tion: 434-395-2206.

20 Alumni Event: Norfolk Tides baseball game. Pre-

game picnic, 5:45 p.m.; game, 7:15 p.m., Harbor Park. Cost TBA. Information: 434-395-2044 or longwood.link.com.

JULY

18 Alumni Event: Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball

game. Pre-game picnic, 5:45 p.m.; game, 7:15 p.m., The Diamond. Cost TBA. Information: 434-395-2044 or longwood.link.com.

AUGUST

10 Alumni Event: Friday Night on the Patio at James River

Cellars Winery. 6:30-9:30 p.m., Glen Allen. Information: 434-395-2044 or longwood.link.com.

20 Alumni Event: Washington Nationals baseball game.

Pre-game picnic, 5:35 p.m.; game, 7:05 p.m., Nationals Park. Cost TBA. Information: 434-395-2044 or longwood.link.com.

22 Alumni Event: Lynchburg Hillcats baseball game. Pre-

game picnic, 5:30 p.m.; game, 7:05 p.m., Calvin Falwell Field. Cost TBA. Information: 434-395-2044 or longwood.link.com.

aRt DepaRtment senioR exhibition

april 14 through May 12

Tayl

or D

abne

y

Meredith Williams Dobyns ’12, Lancaster Hall, 2009, watercolor, 10.25 x 15.25 inches, Collection of the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts.

Athletics Hall of Fame inducts new membersThe Class of 2011 was one of the biggest ever inducted into Longwood’s Athletics Hall

of Fame. In addition to soccer player Darryl Case ’84 and field hockey player Claire Reyes

Williams ’01, every member of the 1991 baseball team—which advanced to the Final Four

of the Division II World Series—as well as the team’s two coaches joined this elite group.

Hall of Fame members gather with President Patrick Finnegan.

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Darryl Case ’84 is the universi-ty’s only four-time All-American inmen’s soccer. He was a first teamNational Soccer Coaches Associa-tion of America (NSCAA) All-American as a senior in 1984,following second team All-Americaselections from 1981-83 for formerhead coach Rich Posipanko.

A four-year starter, Case totaled15 goals, seven assists and 37points while leading the Lancersto a record of 50-15-12 and twoVirginia State Championships1982, 1984).

“Individual honors cannot beobtained without being part of agreat team,” said Case. “So, I haveto thank Rich for coming here andtaking on a 0-14 team and turningit into a winning program.”

Case earned a Bachelor of Artsdegree in business administrationat Longwood. He and his wife,Laurie, live in San Diego, Calif.

Claire Reyes Williams ’01was a two-time All-American infield hockey at Longwood. Sheearned 2001 Virginia NCAAWoman of the Year honors whileshe was one of 10 finalists for theNCAA Woman of the Year that

same year. She was a first team All-American as a junior (1999) andsenior (2000), while a three-timeNational Field Hockey CoachesAssociation (NFHCA) NationalAcademic Team selection from1998-2000 for former head coachNancy Joel.

A four-year starter, ReyesWilliams totaled two goals, fourassists, eight points and six defensivesaves while leading the Lancers to arecord of 49-27 and three-straightappearances in the Eastern CollegeAthletic Conference (ECAC) Divi-sion II Championships, includingthe 2000 ECAC Title.

“I just want to also dedicate theaward itself to the 2000 teambecause, without them, I actuallywouldn’t be up here,” she said.

Reyes Williams earned a Bache-lor of Science degree in exercise sci-ence at Longwood. She and herhusband, Michael J. Williams, livein Virginia Beach.

The 1991 Baseball Teamfinished a school-record 41-8while advancing to the Final Fourof the 1991 Division II WorldSeries. Coached by veteran headcoach Buddy Bolding, Longwood

went 3-2 at the World Series andwas within one victory of thechampionship game, defeatingAmerican International, FloridaSouthern and Missouri SouthernState, while also falling twice toMissouri Southern State.

The Lancers had advanced to theNational Championships aftersweeping the South AtlanticRegional completing the regularseason with a record of 35-6.

The Lancers’ roster totaled 19team members: Dennis Hale ’91(team head captain), Scott Abell92 (team captain), Eric Hutzler91 (team captain), Michael Adams93, Todd Bowman ’93, MattCarlisle ’91, Nealan Chandler ’91,Eric Hill ’94, John Hutzler ’93,Shawn Jones ’93, Bill Martz ’93,Chris Mullins ’92, Chris Peebles93, Chris Porter ’93, Bill Reeves95, Terry Taylor ’93, MichaelTucker ’93, Kyle Weaver ’93 andWayne Weaver ’95. Robert Jackson89 assisted Coach Bolding thatmemorable season.

“It was not one pitch,” said EricHutzler, on behalf of the team.It was not one inning. It was notone player. It was all of us; it wasthe team.”

LANCER SPORTSBrian

Ritchie

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Finally. Longwood University Ath-letics is gaining affiliation with theBig South Conference, becomingthe 12th member of the conferencein 2012-13. What does this meanfor the coaching staffs of Long-wood’s 14 sports and the university’s200-plus student-athletes?

The No. 1 impact will be onrecruiting.

Coaches can immediately beginoffering prospective student-athletesthe opportunity to compete forconference championships and inpost-season NCAA Tournaments.Over the past several years, coacheshave lost one outstanding recruitafter another because other schoolscould offer these and other benefitsof conference affiliation and Long-wood could not.

“Recently, we have had a numberof instances where a prospect hasgotten to the point of making thedecision to come to Longwood, onlyto succumb to external influencesthat convinced them otherwise,”said ninth-year men’s basketball headcoach Mike Gillian. “The main fac-tor in all of that was our lack ofleague affiliation. Now we’re movingforward as a proud member of theBig South Conference, and the mainobstacle in the decision-making

process for recruits, parents, coachesand others is gone.”

The impact of Big South mem-bership will also be felt in schedul-ing. No longer will the men’sbasketball team have to play fivegames in five states in two weeks orembark on a 17-day trip for roadgames. No longer will the women’ssoccer team have to play eightmatches in 24 days. No longer willthe softball team be forced to play18 games in 19 days, includingback-to-back double-headers within24 hours in two different locationsseparated by 300-plus miles. Nolonger will baseball play nearly two-thirds of its schedule during thefirst six weeks of a 13-week season.

“It’s very difficult to put intowords how happy I am to now onlyhave to schedule eight to 10 non-conference games a year as opposedto putting 31 games together for usto play each year,” said Gillian.The schedule will certainly take ona new look now as it will becomemore ‘normal’ through January andFebruary.”

Longwood will now benefit froma “built-in” league schedule eachyear that will decrease the need foropponents and result in less traveland, consequently, less time out of

the classroom for student-athletes.“Conference affiliation will pro-

vide the full intercollegiate experi-ence for our student-athletes, fansand coaches alike,” said baseballhead coach Charles Buddy Bolding,now in his 34th year.

A bonus for the Longwood andFarmville communities will be thebuilding of rivalries within the con-ference. While the biggest rivalrieswill undoubtedly be with thoseschools closest to Longwood—Liber-ty is just 50 miles away, VMI, 92,and Radford, 146—sport-specificrivalries will probably develop as well.

“There’s something more at stakefor our teams in terms of leaguestandings, conference tournamentsand NCAA championship bids, soyou can count on the magnitudeand ‘buzz’ of these Big South gamesto be amped up several notches,”said 18th-year women’s soccer headcoach Todd Dyer ’93. “As a DIIndependent, I thought the campusand community support of our ath-letic teams was tremendous. Now,with Big South play looming on thehorizon, I’m convinced Longwoodschool spirit will reach new heightsand facilitate a great deal of energyand support locally and throughoutthe region.” — Greg Prouty

A Whole New BallgameJoining the Big South Conference begins new era in Longwood Athletics

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Goalkeeper is firstLongwood playerdrafted by MajorLeague Soccer teamFour years of hard work paid off forsenior goalkeeper Joel Helmick ofSpringfield when he became thefirst Longwood soccer player ever tobe selected in the Major LeagueSoccer (MLS) Supplemental Draft.

Helmick was selected by the Col-orado Rapids as the 14th pick inthe fourth round of the draft. Overhis four-year career, he started 71 of74 matches and played 6637:22 ingoal. He made 273 saves for a .728save percentage and posted a 25-31-13 record. Helmick had his bestseason as a senior with a career-best0.92 save percentage, 11-6-3 recordand six shutouts.

He stopped 72 shots for a .791save percentage and played 1864:29in goal, missing just 23:05 theentire season. Helmick trained withthe Kansas City Wizards/SportingKC during the summers of 2010and 2011.

“To have Joel get drafted by aMLS team, it says a lot about thedirection of the program and thegrowth over the years,” said headcoach Jon Atkinson. “Joel is a bea-con for future aspiring athletesat Longwood, and a testimony thathard work and dedication, alongwith talent, can get you closer toyour dream.”

GOING PRO

A Championship SeasonMen’s soccer earns Atlantic Soccer Conference title

The men’s soccer team capped aremarkable 2011 season witha seven-match unbeaten streak andcaptured its second Atlantic SoccerConference (ASC) title in four years.

The Lancers, under the guidanceof seventh-year head coach JonAtkinson, posted an 11-6-3 overallrecord, the most wins by the men’ssoccer team since it finished the2002 season with a 12-6-1 mark.The Lancers entered the 2011 ASCTournament as the No. 2 seed.Longwood advanced to the cham-pionship match after playing toa draw with third-seeded HoustonBaptist and advancing 4-2 in apenalty-kick shootout.

In the title match, Longwoodand host Adelphi University playedto a scoreless tie, and the champi-onship came down to a shootout.Senior Joel Helmick of Springfieldstopped a pair of attempts in theshootout after making nine saves in110 minutes. Junior Vinnie Llanaof Raleigh, N.C., buried his shotin the net in the seventh round ofpenalty kicks to give the Lancersthe crown.

Helmick was named the ASCTournament Most Valuable Player.

The ASC Championship cappedwhat was an already impressive sea-son by any standard.

The Lancers won the final fivematches of the regular season,including a pair of 2-0 victories atSouthern Conference members

Davidson College and UNCGreensboro and a 2-1 victory atBig South Conference memberHigh Point University. The Lancersalso won a pair of conference homematches against Howard (5-0) andHouston Baptist (2-1) during the run.

Longwood went 3-2-1 against in-state competition, with wins at BigSouth members Virginia MilitaryInstitute (4-0) and Radford Univer-sity (1-0, 2OT) and Atlantic 10Conference member University ofRichmond (3-1). The Lancers tiedJames Madison University of theColonial Athletic Association 3-3,a team that advanced to the thirdround of the NCAA Tournament.

“This season was a step in theright direction,” said Atkinson.It gives us confidence going intonext year, especially joining the BigSouth Conference. We played somestrong programs and not only com-peted, but won some of them.JMU had a great season, and UNCGreensboro is a perennial power.”

In addition to the team acco-lades, several individuals earnedconference, state and regionalrecognition.

Six lancers were named to theAll-ASC First Team, and two teammembers were recognized for theirwork in the classroom with selec-tions to the NSCAA UniversityDivision Scholar All-East RegionSecond Team and the ASC All-Academic Team. — Stuart Smith

Josh Helmick ’12

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Antwan Carter ’12

Lacrosse has a 16-game schedule.

Nothing but NetBasketball teams wrap up season

Longwood entered the final month of the college basketball seasonwith both the men’s and women’s programs looking to carry forwardthe momentum of recent victories.

The Lancer men earned three wins during a difficult month ofJanuary that featured six road games, including five-straight over 14days in five different states. Senior Antwan Carter of St. Petersburg,Fla., was poised to become the school’s all-time leading scorer as heentered the final two weeks of the campaign with 1,768 career points,trailing only Kevin Jefferson ’90 (1,806) and just ahead of JeromeKersey ’84 (1,756). Carter will also finish second in rebounding atLongwood, while ranking among the top five in several other categories.

The women’s team played nine games in January, including sixroad games in five states, collecting three wins.

Springing into ActionTeams gear up for 2012 play

Winning the Right WayAs a Longwood Lancers fan, your support is crucial to the successof our programs and student-athletes. The NCAA prohibits specificactivities between individuals who are representatives of our athleticprograms and our prospective and current student athletes.Visit www.longwoodlancers.com and click on “NCAA Compliance”to learn how you can be involved in the right way.We thank you for your continued supportof Longwood Athletics.

For more information please contact:Nick SchroederDirector of Complianceschroederng@longwood.edu434-395-2417

BaseballThe Longwood baseball team has a 56-gameschedule that features 33 home games highlight-ed by visits to Farmville from Virginia schoolsGeorge Mason, James Madison, Norfolk State,Old Dominion, VCU, VMI and William &Mary. Longwood will compete with a roster of21, including 13 returning lettermen from a2011 team that finished 28-18, including 17-9at home. Longtime head coach Charles BuddyBolding (900-495-4, .645), entering his 34thyear at Longwood, returns three seniors, threejuniors and seven sophomores, while addingeight freshmen to the team.

SoftballComing off a 37-13 season last year, Longwoodsoftball faces a 58-game schedule that includesseven tournaments: three at home as well asevents at Alabama, Charleston Southern, GeorgiaState and the Citrus Classic in Orlando, Fla. Vet-eran head coach Kathy Riley (434-230-1) is inher 15th year with the Lancers and returns 10letter winners, including four seniors, three jun-iors and three sophomores, while adding sevenfreshmen to her squad.

LacrosseWomen’s lacrosse is playing its final season asmembers of the National Lacrosse Conferencewith a 16-game schedule plus the conferencetournament.

GolfFifteenth-year head coach Kevin Fillman and hismen’s golf team are scheduled for five tourna-ments, including the season-ending Longwood/Manor Intercollegiate April 13-14 at The ManorResort in Farmville. The women’s golf programhas four tournaments on the spring schedule.

TennisThe women’s tennis team has a 22-match sched-ule this spring, while the men’s tennis team isscheduled for 18 matches.

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alumni news

where everybody knows your name

If you’re a member of the Classes of 1980-89, make plans to attend the Decade of the ’80s Reunion on April 20-21.

The activities begin Friday night with a reception in Blackwell Ballroom, which alums will remember as Black-well Dining Hall. For lunch Saturday, participants are invited to experience what meals are like for today’s students as they go through the line in Dor-rill Dining Hall. If all goes as planned, Tina will be there to greet everyone with her familiar “Hey, Baby.”

On Saturday night, a barbecue pic-nic will be held at the Longwood Golf Course, with music provided by the band Super Hold.

Other campus activities during the reunion are a baseball double-header on Saturday, April 21, vs. North Car-olina A&T and a production of Steel Magnolias.

“Longwood has some great memo-ries for me, which is why I help plan these reunions,” said David Lydiard ’84 of Richmond, who also helped organize the previous two Decade of the ’80s reunions. “Like other people, I always go back hoping to see some-one I haven’t seen in a long time.”

Additional information, the com-plete schedule of events, and the reg-istration form can be found online at www.longwoodlink.com. Alumni can register and pay online through long-woodlink.com, our alumni online community. The recent improvements to LongwoodLink require a new reg-istration to use LongwoodLink. If you have not received your new user name and password for Longwood-Link, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@longwood.edu or 434-395-2044.

The reunion Facebook page can be found at www.facebook.com. Just search for “Longwood Decade of the 80s.” Please post your favorite memo-ries on this page and read those submit-ted by other classmates and friends.

On PointThe January men’s basketball matchup between Longwood and Army provided the perfect opportunity for Longwood alumni to gather with President Patrick Finnegan and his wife, Joan, on the U.S. Military Academy campus in New York. On hand for the game were (bottom row, from left) Marjorie Cannetti Mendola ’85, Colleen Margiloff ’97 (vice president of the Alumni Board), Joan Brock ’64 and Jacqueline Andrews Carey ’66; and (top row, from left) Ricky Otey ’89, President Finnegan, Rita Berryman Hughes ’74 (a member of the Board of Visitors), Joan O’Connor Brocker ’76 and Marita Repole ’72.

Don’t keep it unDer your hatKnow any alumni, faculty, staff or students with an interest-ing story? If so, please tell us. The Office of Public Relations shares the accomplishments of members of the Longwood family with many different audiences and in numerous ways, including this magazine, the website, news releases, email newsletters, class notes and admissions materials. To tell us about potential new stories, visit www.longwood.edu/ suggestastory.htm, then click on the “Story Submission Form.”

We will look into each tip and and determine where it might fit. We’re always looking for more stories—especially yours—so please help us identify the great work happening in the Longwood community. Thank you.

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Lessons from HomeExperience with her own daughters informs alumna’s efforts to improve the lives of special needs children in the U.S. and Ukraine

At a university celebrated for the strength of its teacher preparation, you don’t have to look far to find faculty, students, staff and alumni dedicated to the art of education. Alumna Karen Feathers goes above and beyond in her drive to learn, teach and use her experiences to bet-ter the lives of children near and far. And it all begins at home.

As the parents of three sons, Feath-ers and her husband knew they were in for different experiences when they celebrated the birth of Erin, their first daughter. They could not have anticipated that Erin’s arrival would set in motion an entirely new direction for their family—and help Feathers discover a passion that spans her personal and professional lives.

Erin was born with Down syn-drome, a condition associated with the damage of cognitive ability and stunting of physical growth. Feathers knew immediately that she wanted to understand the condition better and equip herself to connect with her daughter in a more meaning-ful way. With significant experience as a middle-school educator as her foundation, she made a major com-mitment: earning a Master of Science in education, with a concentration in special education/curriculum and instruction. She entrusted Longwood University with her education and preparation.

As Feathers engaged in her stud-ies at Longwood, the family made a life-changing decision. She and her husband traveled to Ukraine in 2001 to adopt Diana, a young girl with Down syndrome. The master’s degree would have to wait as Feathers focused on her expanded family.

“We felt as a family that we had something to give another child with

Down syndrome,” said Feathers. “We learned so much through early intervention and my course work at Longwood—and just from having Erin in our lives. We wanted her to have someone ‘who saw the world as she did,’ as Daniel, my oldest son, described at the time.”

Feathers made good use of the time away from her graduate studies. During the adoption process, she saw firsthand how much Ukrainian societies struggle with educational opportunities and inclusion for children with special needs. Feathers decided to take a stand for children like Diana and Erin, founding the Ukraine Special Needs Orphanages Fund (USNOF) in 2002.

USNOF’s mission is to encour-age opportunities for the children of Ukraine—including orphans and children with special needs—to grow, learn and be loved. It provides educa-tion and literature to early interven-tion centers and staffs an education team that works with the Ukraine Birth Defects Prevention Program. USNOF also holds annual educa-tion conferences to help parents and professionals working with children of varying disabilities and function-ing levels.

“My children provided me with the inspiration, and Longwood pro-vided me with the tools to do some-thing for these kids,” said Feathers.

As her daughters grew older and USNOF flourished, Feathers returned to Longwood. This time, it was a Feathers family affair, especially in the 2009-10 academic year. She and Dylan, her middle son and a senior at Longwood, were finishing up their studies. Kyle, her youngest son, was enjoying his freshman year. “We’d have dinner together and then

all go to class,” Feathers laughed. She and Dylan graduated on the same day in May 2010. In addition to earning her master’s degree, she completed an autism certification course—in part to assist a local family who adopted an autistic child from Ukraine. Never content to rest on her laurels, Feathers began pursu-ing her Ph.D. from Capella Univer-sity in September 2011.

Longwood continues to benefit from Feathers’ passion for special education. In the last three semesters, she has taught an undergraduate survey course providing a general overview of teaching diverse learners. “I really think that Longwood is on the cutting edge” in teacher prepara-tion, she said. —Jennifer Lucado

Karen and Rob Feathers and their daughters, Erin (left) and Diana

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About 70 alumni from as far away as Houston, Texas, made their way back to the Longwood campus in No-vember for the second annual Black Alumni Weekend. Joining them were 35 current Longwood students, some of whom had helped plan the event.

“Events like this help to build a bridge between alum-ni and students so that we can be a resource for [them],” said Jeris Hill Johnson ’88 of Raleigh, N.C., who has attended both reunions. “Someone on the panel at the forum this year talked about finding internships for students, and I have helped students write their résumés. Plus, we have a great time at the reunion. It’s just good to see everybody.”

Cameron Patterson ’10, a member of the event coordinating committee, said that, for both reunions, students “have played a significant role in the planning process and with the weekend’s activities, which will continue.”

“This gives students an opportunity to connect with alumni,” added Patterson, program coordinator in Longwood’s Office of Disability Resources.

The reunion also gives alumni the chance to connect with faculty. This year, Dr. Edna Allen Dean, associate professor emerita of social work, and Dr. Theresa Clark, associate professor and chair of the Department of So-cial Work and Communication Sciences and Disorders, were honored for their contributions to supporting the needs of African-American students.

Johnson, who is a team leader at LabCorp’s Center for Molecular Biology and Pathology at Research Triangle

Park in North Carolina, was impressed by Longwood’s appearance and the quality of new facilities, particularly the Health and Fitness Center. Clearly, she was happy to have the opportunity to be back on the campus she had reluctantly left years earlier.

“I had a wonderful experience at Longwood. I loved it there!” she said. “A lot of people say they couldn’t wait to graduate from college, but my Longwood friends and I didn’t want to leave.”

The third annual Black Alumni Reunion is less than a year away. Mark your calendars for Oct. 19-21, 2012.

second Time’s a Charm70 attend university’s annual Black alumni weekend

More than 70 alumni attended the Black Alumni Reunion in November 2011. Participants enjoyed interacting with current students.

Longwood President Patrick Finnegan threw out the first pitch at a Lynchburg Hillcats game last season, where he also posed with the team mascot “Southpaw.” A Longwood contingent of about 50 alumni and family members attended the game. The invitation to Finnegan to throw out the first pitch came about through Scott Bacon, Longwood’s director of development for intercollegiate athletics and voice of the Lancers, who is a former director of broadcasting for the Hillcats, a minor-league team. Photos by Gina Caldwell

throwing smoke

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From Jarman Hall to the White HouseExperience at Longwood prepares alum to record sights and sounds of Obama administration

When President Obama announced in May 2011 that Osama bin Laden had been killed by U.S. forces, the person running the teleprompter in the East Room of the White House was Luke Emory ’10. When the pres-ident walks into a room and a voice announces, “Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States,” that voice may belong to Emory, and when you watch a video on the White House website (whitehouse.gov), Emory was most likely involved in its production.

Emory is a multimedia technician specialist for White House Event Productions, which handles what he calls the “audiovisual components” for the Obama administration.

“Essentially we’re glorified roadies for the president,” Emory said, even though all his traveling takes place in the halls of the White House. (An-other crew follows President Obama on the road.) “Any time there’s a statement or a taping at the White

House that involves the president, first lady or vice president, we’re involved with it.”

How often is Emory in the White House? “Every day. About 90 per-cent of our events take place in the White House.” The rest take place in the Executive Office Building—“about 30 yards away from the West Wing entrance,” he said—which is where the 12-member White House Event Productions staff has its of-fices. Emory is one of the youngest members of the staff and one of two under age 30.

“I love this job,” said Emory, who lives in Arlington. “This is a unique opportunity, and I’m grateful for it. Audiovisual work was always a hobby, a passion, of mine, and now I’m paid to do it for the president.”

After speaking with Emory for a short time, it becomes clear that ev-ery day is different. For example, on the day he was interviewed for this article, he had a press briefing with

the president’s press secretary, Jay Carney, then filmed a “Let’s Move” segment for the Disney Channel that featured first lady Michelle Obama. “That night we had a reception in the East Room with President Obama honoring wounded soldiers of the Iraq War,” he added.

Emory was offered the job the same day he interviewed for it in October 2009 but had to wait for his security clearance, which came through in December 2010. He trained for about a month before of-ficially starting on Jan. 3, 2011.

At Longwood, Emory worked as a production assistant for Conferences and Scheduling in the summers of 2008 and 2009. “I worked in Jar-man. I ran the audio mix and light board as well as setting up podiums and the stage for numerous events held by the conferences. It was great working there because it prepared me for this job,” he said. —Kent Booty

Luke Emory ’10 is a multimedia technician specialist for White House Event Productions.

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At the request of some alumni, a new fall reunion weekend is being planned for the 40th and 45th reunion classes. The first reunion is scheduled for Sat-urday, Sept. 15, for the Classes of 1967 and 1972. Anyone who is a member of one of these classes and would like to help with the reunion is encouraged to contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 434-395-2044 or alumni@ longwood.edu. And it’s not too early help with the planning for the reunion of Classes of 1968 and 1973, which will take place in fall 2013. Anyone from those classes who wishes to volun-teer should also contact the Office of Alumni Relations.

40th, 45th reunions to get started in September 2012

Support GroupNearly 20 members of Longwood’s chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority and five other Longwood alumni gathered in December for a concert by sorority sister Elaine Dempsey ’80 (seated, far right) with her group BiG WiDE GriN at Ashland Coffee & Tea. Dempsey, a professional singer/songwriter who lives in Mill Valley, Calif., near San Francisco, plays guitar and sings with BiG WiDE GRiN, a self-described “bi-coastal” trio (fellow members Lawrence Lambert and Karl Werne live in the Tidewater area of Virginia) that writes and per-forms contemporary acoustic music. “This is a tight-knit group of alums who have remained close over the last 30 or so years, and we make a point of staying in touch and meeting periodically during the year,” said Mitzi Mason Lee ’82 of the alums who came out to support Dempsey.

The Buddy SystemEight Longwood classmates from the Classes of 1974 and ’75 who have been gathering regularly since graduating got together most recently for lunch at the Waverly home of Charlene Wheeler Pope ’74 (front row, center). Also present were Sally Carson Beale ’75 of Blackstone (front row, left), Helen Meredith Raetz ’74 of Richmond (front row, right), and (back row, from left) Jan Poole Iacopinelli ’75 of Disputanta, Rita Berryman Hughes ’74 of Virginia Beach, Linda Ware Moorefield ’74 of Lynchburg, Pat Watson ’75 of Wilmington, N.C., and Billy Sue Taylor ’74 of Portsmouth. “We had large celebrations as each of us turned 50 and are planning celebrations as we each jump into our 60s,” said Hughes, a member of the Longwood Board of Visitors.

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Where in the World?Got any photos of yourself wearing or holding Longwood gear—a shirt, hat or scarf—from anywhere around the country or the world? We’d love to publish it in the magazine, alumni newsletter or other publications. Please email such photos to alumni@longwood.edu. Displaying their Lancer scarf at the Bran-denburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, are Longwood students (from bottom) Chris Caudill ’13, Olga Knop ’11, Kaye Goulding ’13 and Ben Miethke ’13.

The Longwood University Alumni Awards program recognizes alumni for their outstanding achievement and service to others. Nominations are ac-cepted at any time of the year. If you want to nominate one or more alumni, visit www.longwood.edu/alumni/awards.htm and click on “Nomination Form.”

The alumni awards—the William Henry Ruffner Alumni Award, Thomas Jefferson Professional Achievement Alumni Award, Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry Humanitarian Alumni Award and Horace Mann Honorary Alumni Award—are presented at a dinner in March. Nominees for the Ruffner Award must hold a Longwood degree, and nominees for the Jefferson and Curry awards must have earned 48 credit hours from Longwood. The Horace Mann Award honors someone who is not a Longwood graduate but has given extraordinary service to the university.

Nominations must be received by September for consideration for the following year. For more information, call 800-281-4677 (extension 3) or 434-395-2044.

credit where credit’s due

Now taking nominations for Alumni Awards

Class Notes ComiNg sooNLongwood magazine is planning to start a Class Notes section with personal and professional news about our alums. If you have recently gotten a promotion or a new job, celebrated the birth or adoption of a child, gotten married or received an award, please tell us about it so we can share it with your class-mates. Please provide the following information:

full Name • year Graduated • deGree received • coNtact iNformatioN

WeddiNGs: Date of ceremony, spouse’s name, spouse’s degree and class year if Longwood alum

Births: Full name of child (including last name), date of birth, parents’ names, parents’ degrees and class years (if Longwood alumni; both parents do not have to be alums)

aWards: title of award, name of sponsoring organization, when you received it and why

ProfessioNal NeWs: current job title, company, location of company, when promotion received or new job started

Please email your submissions to: alumni@longwood.edu. We hope to hear from you soon!

END PAPER

I am a seasoned traveler. I have vis-ited European countries, WestAfrica and the continent of SouthAmerica. And yet I found myselfapprehensive about an upcomingtrip to Saudi Arabia as part of anaccreditation visit to King SaudUniversity in Riyadh.

At that time, my knowledge ofSaudi Arabia came from what I hadread and been told by others. I wasaware that the current government,which is considered reformist, hadopened the country’s first co-educa-tional university and given womenthe right to vote.

Despite that awareness, the otherthings I had assessed seemed tocarry more weight. I knew that thecountry operated under Islamic lawthat separated men and women.I knew that some radical activistscompared the condition of Saudiwomen to slavery. And I knew thatthe thought of wearing the hijab(head covering) and a full blackcloak called an abaya made meuncomfortable.

Now, as I look back on thosedays of preparation, I am chagrinedthat even the extensive research

I have done on issues of equity rela-tive to gender, race and culture inthe United States did not betterprepare me to embrace the Saudipeople on their own terms.

What an eye-opening but de-lightful experience my trip turnedout to be.

I landed in Saudi Arabia on Dec.7, 2011, along with the four othermembers of the team whose taskwas to evaluate King Saud Univer-sity’s College of Education.

In the customs area, we weregreeted by a representative of theuniversity, whisked out of the longlines and led right past the window.The women in our group wereescorted to benches—to rest—while our passports were checked.The men in our group were finger-printed, and their eyes were scanned.As women, we were exempt fromthose procedures. Instead, we weretaken to waiting luxury cars. To myamazement, I never picked up apiece of luggage nor opened a door(except to my hotel room) duringmy entire trip. I was treated like aqueen by every man I encountered.

“What?” I thought to myself.

I don’t feel oppressed or second-class; I feel special, protected and safe!”

My experiences at King SaudUniversity continued to turn my as-sumptions upside down. The uni-versity’s vision is to be a world-classinstitution, which includes provid-ing a quality education to its 38,000students—both men and women.

The College of Education com-prises two campuses: one forwomen and one for men. Surpris-ingly, it was on the women’s campuswhere I found my perspectivechanging most.

This type of segregated environ-ment initially offended me, but,once inside the barricades of theguarded female facility, I felt pleas-antly relaxed as I was greeted bySaudi women who encouraged meto shed my hijab and abaya whileI was there. I stared in admiration atthe fashionable dress of these pro-fessionals who shared my own darkcomplexion.

As I had more opportunitiesthroughout the visit to interact withthis brilliant group of scholars, I be-came acutely aware that many womenin Saudi Arabia do not want radicalchange. I was awakened to a sharpsense of their opposition to unwantedWestern cultural influence and in-tense pride in their Arab customs.I realized that I had criticized andfeared what I did not understand.I was guilty of perpetuating stereotypes.

My time in Saudi Arabia taughtme the absurdity of “spray painting”others with a limited lens of culturalvalues. But the most important lessonI brought back is the value of travelabroad as an educational experience.Those who are open to it will gain aglobal outlook that emphasizes theties among nations and cultures, theuniversality of human values and thenecessity of working together.

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Shattering StereotypesA Western woman’s new perspective on Saudi Arabiaby Dr. Deneese Jones Dean of the College of Education and Human Services

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Let’s Make a DealLongwood President Patrick Finnegan and Big South Conference President Penny Kylemake Longwood’s invitation to the Big South official. See stories on Page 2 and Page 35.