MILLIGANMAGAZINE

‘A Voice to the Voice less ’ n A Program of Dis t inc t ion n A Coaching Legacy

SPRING 2010

2 | SPRING 2010

Spring 2010 | Volume 12, Number 1

MILLIGANPRESIDENTDonald R. Jeanes (’68) drjeanes@milligan.edu

VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT AND MARKETINGA. Lee Fierbaugh (’94) lfierbaugh@milligan.edu

VICE PRESIDENT FORINSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENTBill Greer (’85) bgreer@milligan.edu

DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONSEDITORTheresa Garbe (’91) tmgarbe@milligan.edu

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONSASSISTANT EDITORChandrea Shell (’00) chshell@milligan.edu

CREATIVE SERVICES COORDINATORGRAPHIC DESIGNERJessica M. Stout (’06) jmstout@milligan.edu

PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSISTANTMelissa Nipper (’96) mhnipper@milligan.edu

SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTORJay Bernhardt (’09) sportsinfo@milligan.edu

COVER PHOTO by Aaron & Becky Johnston

CONTRIBUTORS OF PHOTOS:Photos on 2, 14, 17 & 27 © Mark PeacockPhotos on 4-6 © Aaron & Becky Johnston (’02)Photos on 10 & 19 © Stephanie Wilson (’11)Photo on 10 © Don JeanesPhoto on 10 © Chuck Rector (’09)Photo on 12 © Price HarperPhotos on 15 © David GracePhoto on 16 & 21 © Ryan Harris (’08)Photo on 23 © Danny Davis

OUR MISSIONAs a Christian liberal arts college, Milligan College seeks to honor God by educating men and women to be servant-leaders.

OUR VISIONAs a premier Christian liberal arts college whereJesus Christ is exalted and excellence is the standard,Milligan will change lives and shape culture through acommitment to Christian leadership.

GENERAL INFORMATIONThe Milligan Magazine is published regularly by theMilligan College Office of Institutional Advancement for alumni and friends of the College and isdistributed free of charge. The Magazine highlightsthe college’s vision to change lives and shape culturethrough a commitment to servant-leadership. Copyright © 2009 Milligan College.

800.447.5922 |www.milligan.eduAlumniOffice@milligan.edu

POSTMASTER: Send addresscorrections to Advancement, P.O. Box 9, Milligan College,Tennessee 37682.

For the past few weeks, as I have scurried out of the cold and into my office, Ihave been greeted by stubborn crocus and daffodil pushing through the frozenground surrounding Hyder House. These shoots have served as a welcome reminderthat spring will soon arrive and that growth at Milligan continues. The economic downturnof the past eighteen months has not deterred our donors, as evidenced by the much-anticipated opening of our new Gilliam Wellness Center in mid-March. We continue to beoverwhelmed and abundantly grateful for God’s provision through individuals andorganizations who value our mission and who have confidence in our ability to carry outthat mission.

One of the ways our mission is carried out is through our outstanding faculty. Theirexpertise and commitment to excellence is not only instilled in students but also has gainednational and international recognition. Currently in the spotlight are our occupationaltherapy faculty; we are proud of their groundbreaking work and the many ways graduatesof the MSOT program are impacting individuals’ lives.

Our graduates continue to find their Milligan experience a launching pad for vocation andservice, sometimes in unexpected ways. In this issue we remember Francis Gary Powers(’50) whose U2 spy plane was shot down over the former Soviet Union fifty years ago, andwe hear from an alumni couple whose post-Milligan years have included working as humanrights accompaniers.

This is an exciting time to be connected to Milligan. There is an energy in the air that ispalpable and motivating. We hope that the Spring 2010 Milligan Magazine gives you a glimpseinto what inspires all of us to participate in the good work that is being done through thisinstitution.

Regards,

Theresa (Brown ’91) GarbeDirector of Alumni Relations

Letter from the Editor

T A B L E o f C o n t e n t s

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Daughter of Heritage foundernow sings with group

FEATURES

4‘A Voice to the Voiceless’

14A Program of Distinction

20A Coaching Legacy

Milligan alumni serve as humanrights accompaniers in Guatemala

Milligan’s occupational therapy faculty,students gain national spotlight

Milligan not a short stop for Wes Holly

18A Heritage of Song

DEPARTMENTS

2 Editor’s Letter

7 Faculty News

10 Campus Close-up

23 Athletic News

24 Class Notes

27 Letter from the President

9 16 2212

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‘A VOICE TO THE VOICELESS’Milligan alumni serve as human

rights accompaniers in Guatemala

6 | SPRING 2010

A L U M N I f e a t u r e

Aaron and Becky Johnston chose the path many newlyweds takeafter they finish college–they both got full-time jobs and started toput down roots in their community.

The couple settled in Salisbury, Maryland, after graduating fromMilligan in 2002. Aaron, who majored in business administration andminored in photography, was hired as a photographer for the localnewspaper. Becky, a human performance and exercise science major, workedfor the city’s parks and recreation department.

But the couple felt unsettled and experienced a void in their lives thattheir jobs weren’t filling.

“What we were doing wasn’t quite what we were looking for,” Aaronsaid. “There are so many things going on in the world, and we wanted abetter understanding of it.”

The Johnstons decided to leave their jobs, get rid of their possessionsand explore God’s call for them to serve and learn more about the LatinAmerican culture.

Their journey began with the Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS), aprogram that gives individuals a chance to advocate for justice, work forpeace, serve human needs and care for creation in a variety of settings in theUnited States and other countries.

The Johnstons completed the BVS application and orientation processand moved to Chicago in November of 2005. They were based at Su CasaCatholic Worker House, a hospitality house for Latino families on the southside of Chicago.

The year the Johnstons spent at Su Casa reaffirmed their decision towork with the Latino population.

“We felt this was something we really needed to dedicate ourselves to,and it built up our desire to serve,” Aaron said.

BVS had several project sites around the world, and the Johnstonschose to serve as human rights accompaniers in Unión Victoria, Guatemala.This resettlement community consists of indigenous Mayans who lived inhiding or on the run from military and paramilitary forces duringGuatemala’s civil war, which lasted from 1960 to 1996. The role of humanrights accompaniers began during this armed conflict, as thousands ofGuatemalans were killed or disappeared.

“During this time, there was a lot of persecution of the indigenouspeople. Some fled to the mountains to escape,” Becky said. “Soorganizations started sending people, mainly Westerners to witness what washappening on the ground since it wasn’t being reported in the press.”

The role of human rights accompaniers has evolved to meet today’sneeds in Guatemala.

“Our role was an exchange of culture, understanding, solidarity,” Beckysaid. “We experienced the effects of war, displacement and disruption.”

After they arrived in Guatemala in January of 2007, the Johnstons spentthe first year getting to know the families there and learning the language.During their first month in Unión Victoria, they ate every meal at the homeof a different family.

After they became more fluent in the language and gained a betterunderstanding of the social structures, the couple had a clearer picture ofthe work they could do alongside the indigenous population. They spent thesecond year developing a tree nursery at a local school and assisting inseveral sustainable community development projects in an effort to rebuildboth lives and infrastructure.

“For me, the most exciting part was not having that typical lifestyle of aNorth American college graduate,” Becky said. “We got to experience life ina different way.”

During their time in Guatemala, Aaron used his photography skills todocument the lives of the people he met there. Since returning to the

United States in February of 2009, those photographs have been exhibitedat several venues, including Milligan.

“Our whole mindset has been to share our experiences and what welearned,” Aaron said. “The people we met can’t travel here to tell theirstories, but they’ve told those stories to us and we can give a voice to thevoiceless.”

The Johnstons currently live in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where Beckyworks as a substance abuse prevention specialist and Aaron works for NewCommunity Project (www.newcommunityproject.org), a faith-based non-profit organization whose mission is to follow Christ toward a newcommunity of justice, peace and respect for God’s earth. Through his workwith New Community Project (NCP), Aaron is helping develop urbansustainability initiatives in Harrisonburg.

Aaron’s work with NCP also brought the couple back to Guatemala inJanuary. They led a small delegation of individuals from Harrisonburg toUnión Victoria.

“Our trip back to Guatemala was a powerful experience,” Aaron said.“Families in the community welcomed us into their homes where we heardstories of the war, displacement and the community’s continued struggles asthey rebuild. We uncovered some of our own connections to the injusticeand oppression in Guatemala. And we examined how our own communitiescan become healthier and more sustainable through solidarity with thepeople on the margins in society.”

This summer, the Johnstons will speak at the Church of the BrethrenAnnual Conference in Pittsburgh. Aaron is also planning a photographyexhibit next year at Bridgewater College in Virginia.

Although the Johnstons aren’t sure where God will lead them next, theyare grateful for the path they have chosen. Looking back, they see Milliganas an important step in their journey.

“Milligan really started the ball rolling for me,” Becky said. “It helpedme determine where I fit in and helped me discover where my faith comesfrom.”

Aaron also appreciates the perspective he gained at Milligan.“The broadness of education I got at Milligan, from my art classes to

the business classes, helped open up the world for me,” Aaron said. “Inparticular, I remember doing photo essays for Alice Anthony’s photographyclass. That forced me to spend time with people, teaching me to learnpatience and to stick around and understand a situation.

“That seed was planted at Milligan.” n

To view more of Aaron’s photography, visit his website atwww.aaronhjohnston.com.

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F A C U L T Y n e w s

Faculty NewsEducation

Patrick N. Kariuki, professor of teacher education, presented research at the annual conference of the Mid-South Educational Research Association (MSERA) in November 2009. The research, titled “The Relationship Between Mathematics and Reading/Language Arts TCAP Scores Among Third Grade Males,” is published in ERIC.

Humane Learning

Phil Kenneson, professor of theology and philosophy, recently led weekend retreats for Redeemer Community Church (San Francisco, CA) and for Pepperdine University juniors and seniors. His review of Emmanuel Katongole and Chris Rice’s Reconciling All Things: A Christian Vision for Justice, Peace and Healing was published in Reviews in Religion and Theology.

Jeff Miller, associate professor of Bible, has been appointed as a consulting editor for Stone-Campbell Journal.

Ted N. Thomas, associate professor of humanities, history and German, and his wife Jane-Anne Thomas presented a one-hour lecture titled “Hermann Maas: An Under-reported Holocaust Hero” at Milligan College in January 2010 before an audience of 200.

Occupational Therapy

Christy Fellers, assistant professor and academic fieldwork coordinator of occupational therapy, was invited to work with the Academy for Academic Leadership in their Institute for Allied Health Educators. The institute is a professional development program designed to prepare allied health faculty for successful academic careers. In January 2010, Dr. Fellers led a presentation/session titled “Using Case-based/Problem-based Learning to Enrich the Curriculum.” The session also included a discussion on the benefits of collaborative learning.

Jeff Snodgrass, program director and associate professor of occupational therapy, published an original research article in the American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTA) Work and Industry Special Interest Section Quarterly titled “Preventing Work-related Low Back Injuries: An Evidence-based Approach,” co-authored with 2009 MSOT alumnae Brittany Hall, Amanda Robinette, Bridget Smith and Sarah Price. He recently served as an expert reviewer for the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) practice guidelines for low-back and hip disorders. In October 2009, he delivered a guest lecture via videoconference titled “Evidence based Practice” for the department of occupational therapy at The University of Texas-Pan American.

Performing, Visual and Communicative Arts

Kellie Brown, associate professor of music, conducted the musical Oklahoma!at Sullivan South High School (Kingsport, TN) and performed in a lecture recital at East Tennessee State University with composer Philip Rhodes. She published an article titled “Remembering Alma Rose and the Women’s Orchestra at Auschwitz” in the November 2009 issue of American String Teacher and published a book review of David Nicholls’s John Cage in the December 2009 issue of Music Educators Journal.

Simon J. Dahlman, associate professor of communications, wrote his final “Face to Faith” weekly religious column for the Johnson City Press (Johnson City, TN) on January 16, 2010. The six-and-a-half-year old column was cancelled due to budget cuts at the paper. Dahlman is serving as a judge for the Evangelical Press Association’s “Higher Goals” award. In January 2010, he spoke to the Hands of Faith Cancer Ministry, First Christian Church (Johnson City, TN).

Bruce Montgomery, professor of communications and business, led a “Relationships and Evangelism” workshop for Milligan’s Youth in Ministry program at the National Missionary Convention in November 2009. He spoke at a men’s retreat for First Christian Church (Greeneville, TN), and spoke at the Washington County (TN) Christian Men’s Fellowship. He led workshops on interviewing skills and successful public speaking for the Bristol (TN) Youth Leadership group (Chamber of Commerce) and spoke for an area minister’s meeting on preaching. He preached for Love Chapel Christian Church (Erwin, TN) and Union Church of Christ (Jonesborough, TN), where he also led a workshop on church leadership.

Scientific Learning

Aaron A. Allen, assistant professor of mathematics, co-authored “Analyticity of a Multilayer Mead-Markus Plate” with Scott W. Hansen in the December 2009 issue of Journal of Nonlinear Analysis. In November 2009, he attended the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference (Nashville, TN).

Social Learning

John-Paul Abner, associate professor of psychology and occupational therapy, has been named chairman of the Parent-Child Interaction Therapy International Training Committee. In January 2010, he served on the panel of experts for PCIT in the Carolinas, a learning collaborative hosted by Duke University. In October 2009, he presented a lecture titled “Breaking Down the Dad Barrier: Engaging Fathers in PCIT” for the ninth annual PCIT International Conference (Traverse City, MI).

Lori Mills, professor of psychology, gave a presentation titled “Positive Psychology: Personal and Professional Applications” at the October 2009 meeting of IMPA (the Intermountain Psychological Association).

Administrative Faculty and Staff

Gary F. Daught, director of library services, presented in October at the Appalachian College Association’s 2009 summit on college libraries and open access journals.

Jan E. Loveday, admissions coordinator for graduate & professional studies in teacher education, presented a paper titled “Keeping Einstein and Michelangelo Off the Streets: Creative Activities in the Classroom” for a Sullivan County (TN) teacher in-service.

Mark Matson, vice president for academic affairs and dean, presented a workshop titled “Budget Fundamentals for the CAO” for the Council of Independent College’s 2009 Institute for Chief Academic Officers (Santa Fe, NM). In November 2009, he presented two sessions on “John’s Rhetorical Use of Narrative Time” and presided over a session titled “Reading Gospels for Character Formation” at the Society for Biblical Literature’s 2009 annual meeting (New Orleans, LA). Matson also taught at a leadership retreat for Boone’s Creek Christian Church (Johnson City, TN).

Dr. John-Paul Abner is making a difference notonly in the lives of his students at Milligan butalso in the lives of many children in NortheastTennessee who have behavioral issues or whoare in or at risk for state custody.

An associate professor of psychology andoccupational therapy at Milligan, Abner is an expert inParent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), an evidence-

based therapy that improves the relationship between parents and theirchildren. PCIT is one of the most effective treatments known for childrenwith behavior problems between the ages of 3 and 7.

“When you have a child with behavior problems, parents often don’tknow what to do,” said Abner, a licensed psychologist. “But with PCIT,things are very well defined. This is a teaching form of therapy, and it’s veryempowering and comforting for parents. We have worked with kids whohave been really traumatized and who have struggled, and then we have seena remarkable turnaround.”

Abner received his PCIT training from the therapy’s developer, Dr.Sheila Eyberg. He trained under Eyberg while completing his doctorate atthe University of Florida.

Now Abner is providing hands-on PCIT training for communityproviders in Northeast Tennessee through the East Tennessee StateUniversity Center of Excellence for Children in State Custody (COE). TheCenter of Excellence for Children in State Custody is funded by the state ofTennessee and is part of a statewide network of five regional Centers ofExcellence dedicated to improving behavioral and physical health services tochildren in or at risk of state custody.

Through a partnership with Frontier Health (TN), Abner goes directlyinto mental health facilities to train therapists. He has trained five therapists

in Frontier Health offices in Johnson City, Kingsport, Greeneville andMountain City. He continues to provide supervision to those therapists andhas begun training additional providers throughout the region.

“This project is the only collaborative project of its kind in Tennesseein which the trainer is directly working in the mental health center to traintherapists on this highly effective intervention for young children,” said Dr.Michele R. Moser, director of the ETSU Center of Excellence for Childrenin State Custody.

Moser is pleased with the success of the program so far. ThroughAbner’s efforts, not only is PCIT available to children in state custody, butonce therapists are trained, they are able to offer PCIT to any children andfamilies with children ages 3 to 7 with externalizing behavior problems.

“Dr. Abner is a gifted teacher and trainer who is not only involved inour local training project but is also part of the international trainingproject,” Moser said.

Abner is currently chairman of a committee that is developinginternational PCIT training guidelines for PCIT International.

“I believe in PCIT because it works,” Abner said. “We had one childwho was in danger of losing his foster placement because of aggressiveaction. Within 12 weeks of PCIT training he had significant bonding withhis foster parents, his aggressive behaviors were eliminated and now hisfoster parents are planning on adopting him.”

Stories like this make Abner passionate about teaching others PCIT.“Taking it from a Christian perspective, I think of it as an opportunity

to provide for the least of these,” Abner said. “Being able to work for theCOE and provide this treatment for kids in state custody is really a gift forme, since it allows me to work with kids in need whom I would havedifficulty impacting from a private practice.” n

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Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Expert Milligan professor trains therapists

SPRING 2010 | 9

A L U M N I s p o t l i g h t

Francis Gary Powers, Jr., son of the renowned U2pilot shot down over the former Soviet Union 50years ago, recently shared his father’sremarkable story at Milligan College in SeegerMemorial Chapel.

Powers’ visit to Milligan was one of severalinternational programs planned in 2010 to recognize

the 50th anniversary of the U2 plane incident, recognized by historians asone of the most significant events of the Cold War.

A native of Southwest Virginia, Francis Gary Powers, Sr., graduatedfrom Milligan in 1950. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was recruitedfor the U2 program by the CIA in 1956. He achieved internationalrecognition when his U2 spy plane was shot down on May 1, 1960, whileconducting a reconnaissance mission over the former Soviet Union duringthe height of the Cold War.

Powers was held prisoner by the Soviets for 21 months before beingexchanged on February 10, 1962, for Soviet spy Col. Rudolf Abel, who wasin U.S. captivity.

During his military career, Powers received many awards including theAir Force Distinguished Flying Cross, the Department of Defense Prisonerof War Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the CIA’sIntelligence Star and Director’s Medal. He died in 1977 in a helicopter crashin Los Angeles and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Powers’ son, Gary, lectures internationally on the U2 incident, the needto preserve Cold War history and how the Cold War impacts us today.

In 1996, he founded the Cold War Museum (www.coldwar.org ) tohonor Cold War Veterans and preserve Cold War history. Currently, a mobileexhibit travels internationally, displaying historical artifacts associated withthe U2 incident. n

Downed U2 pilot Powers’ son spoke at Milligan, famous father’s alma mater

CRITICAL COLD WAR EVENT

Milligan, Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy announce agreementMilligan College and the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy at East TennesseeState University announced a dual degree and affiliation agreement that shortensthe time students can earn both their bachelor’s and their pharmacy degrees.

“Milligan students can complete three years of the allied health science coursework and then, if accepted, begin pharmacy school,” said Milligan AcademicDean Mark Matson. “Successful completion of one year of the pharmacyprogram would in turn satisfy the requirements for a bachelor of science degreefrom Milligan, allowing students to complete a bachelor’s degree at Milligan and a doctorate (Pharm.D.) from ETSU in as few as seven years.”

The affiliation agreement, signed December 15, 2009, allows Milligan studentswho meet specific criteria to receive a guaranteed interview at the Bill GattonCollege of Pharmacy.

For more information about Milligan’s allied health science degree, contact theOffice of Admissions Office at 423.461.8730, or email admissions@milligan.edu.For more information about the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy at ETSU, visitwww.etsu.edu/pharmacy. n

10 | SPRING 2010

Justice Week features Holocaust survivor, InvisibleChildren tourMilligan welcomed several special speakers during Justice Week (February 22-26),sponsored by the college’s Cross Cultural Missions Committee.

Holocaust survivor Alfred (Freddie) Traum shared his experiences during WorldWar II in the Gregory Center for the Liberal Arts.

Student advocates for Invisible Children Inc., a non-profit organization thatdocuments the raging war in northern Uganda, shared their gripping stories andhosted a screening of GO: The Schools for Schools Film. Invisible Children’s visit toMilligan was part of their 2010 Legacy Tour. n

Little Women,the musicalThe Milligan theater and musicdepartments brought the musicalversion of the beloved classicLittle Women to the stageFebruary 18-21, in the GregoryCenter for the Liberal Arts.

The timeless story of Jo Marchand her sisters as they become adults during the American CivilWar was set to music in this 2005 Broadway musical adapted forthe stage by Allan Knee with music and lyrics by Jason Howlandand Mindi Dickstein. n

Troccoli, Lofaroheadline ALM LadiesConferenceAward-winning singer, songwriter,speaker and author Kathy Troccolijoined nationally-known speaker EllieLofaro to provide a day of renewal, studyand worship at the annual Eleanore L.Campbell Ladies Conference at Milliganin February.

Hosted by Associated Ladies for Milligan (ALM), in partnershipwith 88.3 FM WCQR and the women’s ministry at First ChristianChurch (Johnson City, TN), the conference for women, titled“Spaghetti for the Soul,” was held in Seeger Memorial Chapel.The 350 women who attended the conference collectivelydonated $3,000 to benefit student scholarships at Milligan. n

Winter of 2010The winter of 2010 will not soon be forgotten. The regionsurrounding Milligan received more than double its averagesnowfall. While this made for picturesque scenes on campus, italso caused some problems. In addition to delayed classes, snowremoval expenses far surpassed what is normally budgeted, anda particularly heavy snow downed multiple trees and a utility pole,which led to power outages and damage to Seeger Chapel, theP.H. Welshimer Library and a campus residence. The damageestimate for the winter of 2010 is over $100,000. n

Roe speaks at commencementU.S. Rep. Phil Roe was the keynote speaker atMilligan’s commencement ceremony on December11, 2009.

Milligan awarded 118 degrees at the ceremony. Aspart of the ceremony, Milligan also honored CarolynWoolard, associate professor of French, with thedistinguished Fide et Amore award in recognition ofher 37 years of service to the college. The award is

the college’s highest honor and is presented to individuals to recognize lovingand faithful service to the college. n

C A M P U S c l o s e - u p

Lilly Endowment awardsgrant to benefit Youth inMinistryLilly Endowment Inc., an Indianapolis-

based foundation, recently awarded a $440,000 grant to EmmanuelSchool of Religion in partnership with Milligan College to helpcontinue the work of Youth in Ministry (YiM). YiM is a ministry basedat Milligan that encourages high school students to explore God’s callfor their lives through workshops, retreats, conventions and the annualYiM Student Leadership Conference.

Since 2001, YiM has encouraged nearly 22,000 students through itsmission. With the endowment funding, the organization is poised togrow and expand its programs. YiM will launch several initiatives in2010 to help students remain connected through encouraging podcasts,mini-workshops offered via Livestream and YouTube and otherleadership opportunities.

For more information about YiM, visit www.youthinministry.org. Tolearn more about Lilly Endowment, visit www.lillyendowment.org. n

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C A M P U S c l o s e - u p

Milligan announcespartnership withWalters StateCommunity CollegeMilligan College and WaltersState Community College(Morristown, TN) announced a new agreement in whichMilligan will offer its master of business administration(MBA) program at Walters State.

Beginning this fall, Milligan’s MBA program will be availableat WSCC. The 18-month program is designed for workingprofessionals and will meet one weekend a month,beginning on a Friday evening and concluding Saturdayafternoon. The monthly sessions are complemented byongoing Internet instruction.

For more information, visit www.milligan.edu/MBA. n

For more campus news, visit www.milligan.edu/news.

A new state-of-the-art computer lab at Milligan College providesstudents with hands-on training that makes them more competitive inthe computer information systems job market.

The lab began as the brainchild of Tom Barkes, who officially retiredfrom Milligan in 2005 and has been teaching adjunct ever since.Barkes opened the original lab in 1992 and is impressed with what ithas become today.

Located in Milligan’s Derthick Hall, the lab teaches students toconfigure and maintain a complete computer system—on site andremotely. Students have the opportunity to experience the daily worksituations of professionals such as Information Technology (IT)architects, database managers, network administrators and ITtechnicians.

“The Barkes Technology Development Lab is a cutting-edge facility,”said Teresa Carter, assistant professor of computer informationsystems (CIS) at Milligan. “The technology used in the lab is the latestoffered, and plans have already been put into play to move forward inthe near future to the next operating systems available.”

Paul Rufenacht, a junior CIS major at Milligan, appreciates the “realworld” environment the lab presents.

“The hands-on experience I get in the lab has provided me with boththe confidence and ability I need to be more competitive in my field,”Rufenacht said. “It’s one thing to read about concepts in a textbook,but it’s something entirely different to put those principles in actionevery day as part of my class work.”

Students have used the lab for the last two years, but the facilityreached its goal this year when it supported the new computerinformation systems-mobile (CIS-M) major at Milligan. Now the lab isused at its full capacity by both traditional and online CIS students.

The CIS-M major is a flexible, online degree program for workingprofessionals who are not able to complete their degrees or add asecond major in a traditional college setting. The degree allowsstudents to complete their work from the comfort of their own homesor offices. Courses are delivered to CIS-M students via Milligan’sInternet course management system.

Milligan graduates are already reaping the benefits of the hands-ontraining offered by the college’s CIS program and the new technologydevelopment lab.

“Our CIS graduates are enjoying the prestige of jobs in the ITdepartments of places like Nuclear Fuel Services, BAE Systems andLockheed Martin, which require high-security clearance, and in thefinancial sector as IT support personnel,” Carter said.

Barkes is proud of the lab and proud of Milligan’s students.

“The faculty and students have done a fantastic job getting this all tocome about,” Barkes said. “It’s a wonderful facility and I am proud of their work.” n

NEW lab gives students an edge

12 | SPRING 2010

Disney College Program

Price Harper (’09)

by Chelsea Farnam (’10)

SPRING 2010 | 13

A C A D E M I C f e a t u r e

Most people think that graduation means it’s time to grow up—timeto get a job, make a living and build a home. But the Disney CollegeProgram, which now has employed nearly a dozen Milligan graduates, allowsrecent grads to earn valuable, real-world skills while helping to perpetuate aland of whimsy and magic.

This past summer, 2009 Milligan grads Baker DeCamp, Scott Glissonand Price Harper traveled to Florida and joined the three to five thousandstudents worldwide taking part in the Disney College Program. Programparticipants are hired as paid interns for aminimum of six months, working various entry-level jobs at the world’s largest touristdestinations; the Walt Disney World in Orlando,Florida, and Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

“I found out about it through BethAnderson (director of the Institute for ServantLeadership),” said DeCamp. “I just walked intoher office to talk, and she ran it by me. I thoughtI might as well fill out the application.”

In addition to reviewing resumes, givinginterview advice and running the Buffs2Workprogram, Anderson also visits recruitingopportunities like Disney’s in an effort to findjob opportunities suitable for Milligan’s skilledgraduates.

DeCamp, who worked in transportation atDisney World, ferried guests to the MagicKingdom’s island resorts.

“The job wasn’t that hard, but it’s good justto learn how a Fortune 100 company works. Youhave to do it right,” said DeCamp. The Miaminative grew up driving the family boat with hisbrother and was pleased with his job placement.

“I liked driving the boats; it was fun,” saidDeCamp. “I really think it’s one of the bestjobs.”

But the internship offered far more than afun summer job. It supplied DeCamp, whomajored in business administration with anemphasis in sports management, with manyopportunities to interact with Disney’s high-profile guests. In fact, during Disney’s annualcharity golf tournament, DeCamp ferried 12-time PGA Tour winner Justin Leonard to his destination.

As Disney College Program Recruiter Wayne Hampton commented,“The internship is a great benefit, especially to students from small collegesand small communities who may not have had that experience available tothem.”

Glisson thought this was a perfect fit for Milligan students. He is nowhalfway through his second six-month stint with Disney.

During two years of Buffs sporting events, Glisson suited up asMilligan’s fun and fearless mascot, Brutus—an activity that proved usefulwhen he tried out to become a Disney entertainer. Aided by his vibrant,animated personality, Glisson got the internship. In January, he began

entertaining hundreds of thousands of Disney guests at the park, in showsand in parades.

“It’s Disney World, so it’s awesome,” Glisson remarked. “BethAnderson sent out an e-mail about the program last year right before Easter.I had applied to a couple of other places but hadn’t heard back fromanyone. I was getting pretty frustrated, then I found out within two weeksthat I was accepted into the Disney program.”

Although Glisson has yet to decide what direction he wants to take withhis career, he is thankful for the opportunities theinternship provides, not the least of which is apaycheck.

Hampton, who recruits in North and SouthCarolina, Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee, saidstudents facing graduation have been even moreinterested in the program than usual.

“Particularly with the economy the way it is,when we come on campus offering jobs, studentsare very excited,” said Hampton.

However, Disney interns come from all overthe world. Currently, 76 countries are represented,including Italy, Germany, Botswana, Vietnam,Romania, China, South Africa and Japan.

Disney interns are provided housing in nearbyapartments with rent subsidized by the company.During Glisson’s first six months on the program,he lived with five other Americans, remarkablyincluding a student from nearby Milligan neighbor,ETSU. This time around, Glisson is living withstudents from China, France and Mexico.According to Hampton, one of the program’sgreatest assets is its multicultural atmosphere. Mostinterns live with at least one student from anothercountry.

Another asset, according to Harper, is thevariety of courses offered to interns. Harper, whointerned as a lifeguard at Blizzard Beach and theAll-Star Resort, also took a class titled “ExploringManagement in Disney.”

The classes are offered for college credit, andMilligan students can receive up to 12 hours ofclass credit during the internship. AlthoughMilligan has only sent graduates to the program,

current students are welcome and encouraged to participate for credit.Harper—who had already graduated—took the class for his ownenrichment.

“They brought in people from the corporate office to explain whatmakes Disney run so well,” Harper said. “I learned a lot from that class, andI would recommend anyone doing this program to take one of thoseclasses.”

Harper graduated with a degree in business administration and used theinternship to improve his communication skills with the public. n

Milligan grads take part in the Disney College Program

“Woody” from Toy Story

14 | SPRING 2010

a program of

DISTINCTION

The master of science in occupational therapy (MSOT) program atMilligan College has gained national attention for the work of itsfaculty and students, poising Milligan’s program at the pinnacle ofa field that has been named one of the top secure professions ofthe next decade.

“Since the inception of Milligan’s MSOT program 11 years ago, we havequickly become a program of distinction, with recognition for our outstandingfaculty and staff, and superior student outcomes compared to national

benchmarks,” said Dr. Jeff Snodgrass, director of Milligan’s MSOT programand associate professor of occupational therapy.

Occupational therapy is a science-driven, evidence-based profession thatenables people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promotehealth and prevent–or live better with–illness, injury or disability. As Milligan’sMSOT program moves into its second decade of training students for thisgrowing field, it continues to increase its number of graduates and its nationalreputation as a respected program that produces well-prepared professionals.

Milligan’s occupational therapy faculty,students gain national spotlight

Dr. Snodgrass working with students

SPRING 2010 | 15

A C A D E M I C f e a t u r e

GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCHResearch has recently propelled the MSOT program into the spotlight.

Since 2005, Snodgrass has collaborated with the American OccupationalTherapy Association (AOTA) as a research consultant on a projectexamining the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions in therehabilitation of individuals with work-related injuries.

“This project culminated in a publication of occupational therapypractice guidelines,” Snodgrass said.

The work of Snodgrass and several of Milligan’s MSOT students fromthe class of 2007 will also be featured in a special issue of the AmericanJournal of Occupational Therapy, the profession’s flagship journal. Snodgrasswill serve as guest editor of this special issue of the journal, tentativelyscheduled to publish in January/February 2011.

As guest editor, Snodgrass will write an editorial, publish one of hisresearch manuscripts, and oversee, edit and approve all manuscripts for theissue.

The former Milligan MSOT students who contributed to the projectinclude Lynne Attaway, MS, OTR/L; Stephanie Jones, MS, OTR/L;Courteney McCray, MS, OTR/L; Misty (Smith) Seehorn, MS, OTR/L; andNicolas Tudor, MS, OTR/L.

“This issue of the Journal will give Milligan’s OT program significantvisibility on the national and international stage,” Snodgrass said. “Thiscollaboration between AOTA and Milligan’s MSOT program was a newapproach that AOTA has since implemented with other academicprograms.”

Snodgrass, along with class of 2009 Milligan MSOT students BrittanyHall, Sara Price, Amanda Robinette and Bridget Smith, recently publishedanother article on preventing low back injuries in Work and Industry SpecialInterest Section Quarterly.

In addition, he has also authored a book chapter in a new edition of apopular occupational therapy leadership/management textbook. The book,The Occupational Therapy Manager, published by AOTA Press, will be availablein 2011.

BEST-SELLING BOOKSWith an award-winning book, several national speaking engagements

and two new books on the horizon, Dr. Christy Isbell, associate professor ofoccupational therapy at Milligan, is also gaining national attention as one ofthe leading experts in her field.

Isbell, a pediatric occupational therapist, was recently awarded the EarlyChildhood News Director’s Choice Award for her book Sensory Integration: AGuide for Preschool Teachers. She co-wrote the book with her mother, Dr.Rebecca Isbell, director of the Center of Excellence in Early ChildhoodLearning and Development at East Tennessee State University.

Sensory Integration was also the best-selling book of 2009 for GryphonHouse, the nation’s top publisher of early childhood resources. The bookhelps teachers identify children who have difficulties with sensory processingand offers simple, easy-to-use solutions to support the sensory needs ofyoung children in the preschool classroom.

As a follow-up to the book’s success, Isbell was invited to be a featuredpresenter at the National Association of the Education of Young Children’s(NAEYC) conference last November, where she received a warm responsefrom more than 2,000 participants in the main exhibit hall.

“The success of Sensory Integration has been very exciting for me,” Isbellsaid. “And now I have two new books coming out that pull together my twoloves, typical childhood development and children with special needs.”

Her new books, which are tentatively scheduled to publish in May 2010,will be the first solo book projects for Isbell. In addition to Sensory Integration,she has also co-written The Inclusive Learning Center Book for Preschool Childrenwith Special Needs and The Complete Learning Spaces Book for Infants and Toddlerswith her mother.

“The two books coming out this spring really grew out of one book Ibegan writing when I was on sabbatical from Milligan in the fall of 2008,”Isbell said. “Being an occupational therapist, fine motor development isreally important to me. When I submitted a book for teachers on this topic,the publisher requested that I also write a parent version.”

The book geared toward teachers is titled Mighty Fine Motor Fun: FineMotor Activities for Young Children. The parent version is called Everyday Play:Fun Games to Develop the Fine Motor Skills Your Child Needs for School.

“My goal with the parent book was to provide a tool for parents ofchildren ages 3 to 5 years,” Isbell said. “It has activities that will help themdevelop their fine motor skills to get them ready for school, with activities tohelp them hold a pencil correctly, use scissors and other skills that aredevelopmentally appropriate for their children.”

Isbell has several speaking engagements planned this spring, includingconferences in New Jersey and Florida, and is already working on her nextbook. She is also focusing on publishing research, including a paper shewrote with Dr. John Paul Abner, associate professor of occupational therapyand psychology at Milligan, and Milligan alumna Kelli Scott (’01), a pediatricoccupational therapist at Quillen Rehabilitation Hospital in Johnson City,Tennessee.

“No matter where I go and speak, I will have people who come up tome when they see I am from Milligan and say they knew someone who wentto Milligan,” Isbell said. “I am always meeting people at conferences whoknow the college.”

“We are very proud of the accomplishments of our occupationaltherapy faculty and students,” said Dr. Mark Matson, vice president foracademic affairs and dean at Milligan. “A master’s degree in occupationaltherapy from Milligan is widely respected in the industry, and that can be attributed to our faculty, who are among the finest in their field.” n

To learn more about the master of science in occupational therapyprogram at Milligan, visit www.milligan.edu/MSOT.

Dr. Isbell lecturing

16 | SPRING 2010

For nearly five decades, the P.H. Welshimer Memorial Library hasremained a central and important structure on the Milligan campus.The 1961 dedication program says of the new center of learning:“Such buildings are for the ages.”

In many ways, the P. H. Welshimer Library embodies the educationalphilosophy of the college, which espouses that all knowledge is one. Itcontinues to serve the campus well. However, many of the primaryfunctions of the library have changed. As part of the current comprehensivefundraising campaign, Forward Ever, the college is seeking to secure thenecessary funds to preserve the architectural beauty of this well-builtstructure while updating the library to meet the needs of today’s students.

Some of these changes relate to energy efficiency. The heating andcooling system installed in the early 1960s needs to be replaced with a moreefficient, environmentally friendly system. Plans also call for the replacementof the original windows with ones that will reduce the building’s energyconsumption. The college hopes to improve accessibility throughout thelibrary with the addition of a new elevator. These changes will result in alibrary that will be more comfortable and inviting for our students and muchkinder to our environment.

There are also other changes that need to be made to accommodate 21st

century students. No longer is a college library simply a quiet repository forbooks and academic journals. Now, a vibrant college library must providethoughtfully designed areas for individual and group study and space for acafé, where students and faculty can enjoy fellowship and intellectualdiscourse over a cup of coffee or tea. It must also provide users with state-of-the-art technology and easy, ample access to online databases and otherdigital resources. While the college has made some progress in meeting theseneeds, particularly in areas requiring smaller monetary investment, more willbe done once funding is secured.

21ST CENTURY LIBRARYOf course, Milligan continues to subscribe to print periodicals, but

subscriptions to digital media have given students and faculty immediate

access to materials the college could not begin to house physically. Robustdatabases, like JSTOR, ATLA and Project Muse, allow patrons to search forarticles in a matter of seconds with just a few clicks of the mouse. Withnearly 17,000 journals and serials at their fingertips, the information cansometimes overwhelm users.

However, library staff are well-equipped to help mediate theinformation that comes to them. “We are here to help students understandhow they can make the best use of the information they can get,” said GaryDaught, director of library services since 2005.

Though enrolled students and college personnel can access many ofthese digital resources remotely, with the appropriate username andpassword, people are still inclined to visit the library itself. In fact, they arecoming in increasing numbers.

“Counter to intuition, as we’re getting more access to resources, we’reseeing a marked increase in building usage,” Daught said. Since the spring of2008, the number of visits to the Welshimer Library has increased by morethan 50 percent each semester.

Daught is excited about the revival of the Welshimer Library. “TheInternet is not making our library irrelevant. Increased electronicinformation resource use is not undermining physical library use. Ifanything, we are seeing these uses growing together in complementaryfashion,” Daught said.

“Still, the library’s role is changing. The library collection that is mostreadily accessed and utilized is increasingly moving from physical shelves tovirtual space, while library physical space is opening-up for diverseopportunities in teaching and learning,” said Daught.

The P.H. Welshimer Library is enjoying its renaissance. Thanks totalented staff and its draw as a sort of campus think-tank, it has become acommon meeting place for students and faculty. Though growth in thestudent body and fifty years of use demand that interior renovations bemade, such changes will only strengthen the library’s role as Milligan’s iconiccenter of knowledge. n

Such Buildings Are for the Ages

THESE STONES SPEAKFrom the 1961 program of dedication: a description of the

symbols that adorn the façade of the P.H. Welshimer Library

Symbols above each window proclaim in carvedlanguage the treasures housed within the Library. Insynthesis they constitute the learning which makes“Christian Education–The Hope of the World.” Asuccession of stones, each cut to portray one necessaryarea of truth, sets forth the disciplines essential to thiseducation.

REVELATIONHere is the Dove and the Book, the symbolic decorationof God’s self Revelation, descending through the HolySpirit, recorded in words delivered to man, and written inthe Holy Bible. The Christian religion is our humanresponse to God’s initiative in making Himself known tous. Through our obedient faith in Jesus Christ we arereconciled to our Heavenly Father and restored to Hisfellowship. So speaks the first symbol.

CREATIVITYThe figure showing violin and palette stands for theCreativity with which man is endowed by his Creator, thathe may make things beautiful. The artist speaks to usthrough selected media of sound and sight, to sharpenour sensitivity to the reality of God’s presence. Humanculture and religion are intertwined as man createsharmony and beauty. So speaks the second symbol.

GOVERNMENTGovernment represented in the scales, is the balancetension between human liberty and humanresponsibility. Laws mark the pathways of freedom.Courts define justice. Rulers exercise and requireresponsible conduct. While man is free to devise hissocial order, he and his devising are under judgment ofthe God of order. So speaks the third symbol.

LETTERS AND PHILOSOPHYMan may achieve wisdom, the expression of which maybe found most adequately in his Letters and Philosophy.Through Revelation man may know God. Through sciencehe may know the world. Through study of himself he mayknow man. To fuse this knowledge in his thinking and inhis writing is to attain wisdom. In its blend of thoughtand feeling, of work and worship, of receiving and giving,wisdom raises human culture to a status of enlightenedfellowship in the kingdom of God. So speaks the fourthsymbol.

SCIENCEGod committed to us an enormous work and graveresponsibility when He gave man the earth, “to dress itand to keep it.” This is Science. To learn the laws ofnature, to unravel the mysteries of being, to loose theresources of the universe, these are the goals of thescientist. This pure science is only an intellectual gameuntil it is adapted to man’s use. To systematize the lawsof the universe, to make them known to his fellow men,to devise means of controlling them in the interest ofhuman need–these are the joys and the responsibilitiesof the man who works with nature. So speaks the fifthsymbol.

Set in beautiful harmony with the surrounding stone andbrick, blended into the graceful lines and delicate colorsof the P.H. Welshimer Memorial Library, these symbolsdeclare to all the magnitude of treasure, human anddivine, waiting to be learned and used.

He is wise who knows the

sources of KNOWLEDGE –

where it is WRITTEN and

where it is to be FOUND.– A.A. Hodge

18 | SPRING 2010

Daughter of Heritage founder now sings with group

A Heritage of Song

A L U M N I f e a t u r e

Front (L-R): Hank Bolton (’83), Jonathan Hull (’86)

Back (L-R): JoEllen (Young ’85) Maurer,

Laura (Thompson ’84) Golightly,

John Barto (’85), Julie (Alexander ’78) Black

SPRING 2010 | 19

Every family has a heritage,but Julie (Alexander ’78) Blackand her daughter, MilliganCollege senior Haylie Black,share a musical pursuit thatspans almost 30 years ofMilligan tradition.

Julie was a founding memberand the first director of Heritage,Milligan’s traveling a cappellaensemble. Since its inception in1982, Heritage has shared theMilligan spirit at college functionsand in churches and area civicorganizations throughout theregion. It is also Milligan’s premiertraveling ensemble, regularlyrepresenting Milligan at churchesthroughout the country.

Heritage’s signature songs andmemorable vocal flavor have beena part of senior Haylie Black’s lifeas long as she can remember. Sowhen she came to Milligan fouryears ago to study fine arts,becoming a member of Heritagewas one of her goals. She auditionedand accomplished that goal as a sophomore.

“I grew up listening to old Heritage music,” said Haylie, who singssoprano and second soprano. “I knew all of the words to several of thesongs we do now. I love hearing my mom’s voice on the old Heritagerecordings and I always hoped I would sound like her when I grew up. Ilove hearing our friends who have heard us both sing say we sound alikenow.”

LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTERNo one understands Haylie’s passion to sing with Heritage better than

her mom Julie, who is the worship and arts director at Clayton ChristianChurch near Indianapolis, Indiana.

Julie majored in humanities and minored in music and Bible aftertransferring to Milligan from Ozark Christian College in 1975. Shegraduated in 1978 and began traveling in a musical group called “Sunday,”which sang in churches. She also performed in a show at Six Flags overGeorgia. In 1981, Julie returned to Milligan to work as an admissionscounselor.

“My boss and friend, Gary Richardson (’78), had an idea to puttogether a premier vocal group that would be able to travel, sing andrepresent the school in an excellent and creative way,” Julie said. “We bothliked the idea of an a cappella group, so I put together a prototype.”

The Heritage “prototype” consisted of Julie, John Barto and NancyStoughton Brookshire (’81). The trio learned a couple of songs andauditioned for Dr. Marshall Leggett, Milligan’s president at that time. Leggettliked what he saw and gave the group the go-ahead, offering scholarshipmoney for its members.

To get the ensemble off the ground, Julie sang with Heritage the firsttwo years. She was also the director and scheduler for the group, whichstarted with six members its first year.

“We traveled several weekends a month, then all summer, mostly tochurch camps,” Julie said.

While the faces and voices ofHeritage have changed throughout thelast three decades, Heritage hascreated several signature songs overthe years that alumni and friends stillassociate with the group. Songs like“Be Ye Glad” and Heritage’s a cappellaversion of the “Hallelujah Chorus”have become Milligan favorites overthe years, and dozens of Heritagevoices have put their stamp on thosepieces throughout the group’s history.

“We got the idea to do the‘Hallelujah Chorus’ a cappella, whichsounded great with all those beautiful,strong voices,” Julie said. “One of myfavorite memories is singing with thegroup the second year, when we sangat the National Youth MinistersConvention. The group was so vocallystrong, and we sang the ‘HallelujahChorus’ for all those ministers. Thewhole place stood up, as is thetradition of that piece of music. Itwas very moving.”

A PLACE TO GROWWatching Haylie sing some of the same songs she performed is also a

moving experience for Julie, who always hoped her daughter would chooseMilligan. Julie and her husband, Gary, have four adult children. Haylie’s oldersister, Bethany (’01), also attended Milligan.

“I encouraged Haylie to find a place where she could grow as a person,and also in her music, theater and art,” Julie said. “And I knew that Milliganhad helped me in so many ways. I didn’t push her to attend Milligan, butencouraged her in that direction.”

Haylie has found her own niche since coming to Milligan. She has takenvoice and piano lessons at Milligan and performed in the Concert Choir forthree years. She is preparing for an upcoming voice recital on April 30 inSeeger Memorial Chapel and is also recording a CD of her original music asher senior fine arts project.

Theater is also in Haylie’s repertoire. She has performed in severalMilligan productions, including her most recent part as Amy March inMilligan’s production of the musical version of Little Women. Aftergraduation, she plans to marry fiancé Ryan Allcott and attend graduateschool to study storybook illustration.

Julie is proud that Milligan and Heritage are now a Black familytradition–a special heritage mother and daughter can always share.

“I have a lot of proud moments as Haylie’s mom,” Julie said. “And weare proud she is at Milligan. n

Heritage is directed by Mike Imboden, minister of music/worship atFirst Christian Church (Johnson City, TN). To schedule a visit fromHeritage, contact Brent Nipper, associate director of church relations,at 423.461.8708 or wbnipper@milligan.edu.

A L U M N I f e a t u r e

Left to Right: Haylie Black (’10), and Kylie Gaulding (’11) in Little Women

20 | SPRING 2010

a coaching

LEGACYby Matthew Laws (ETSU Intern)

SPRING 2010 | 21

When Lady Buff Softball Head Coach Wes Holly came to Milligan tostart the Lady Buffs fast pitch softball program in 1989, he didn’tthink he would be at the school longer than a couple of years.

“Coach (Tony) Wallingford contacted me to start Milligan’s softballprogram,” Holly said. “I really intended to come down, start the programand stay two or three years because I was actually planning to move toFlorida. I guess that isn’t what the Lord wanted me to do because we juststarted our 22nd year here.”

Instead of going to Florida, Holly fell in love with the college and theprogram. He recently coached in his 1000th game at Milligan. Holly and theLady Buffs softball program have amassed more than 600 career wins,including the first-ever national tournament appearance in the history ofMilligan athletics in 1992, the fourth year of the program. Holly has alsoearned eight conference titles and six “Coach of the Year” awards. However, Holly doesn’t think the wins are what make a program successful.

“It depends on how you look at success,” Holly said. “We have a lot ofwins, and of course we have had some losses along the way. Winning isimportant, and I stress that to my girls. However, when we feel like we gettheir best effort and they go out and compete, then graduate and becomesuccessful in life, to me, that’s winning. The true reward in coaching isbuilding a future for those kids and getting them prepared for theirvocation.”

Some program successes do stand out for Holly. Milligan’s 200th victoryis memorable because it came against Holly’s former school, TusculumCollege. Holly came to Milligan after helping start the fast pitch program atTusculum as an assistant coach.

Holly spent eight years playing ASA fast pitch out of Greeneville, andnoted that his family has several ties to Tusculum. His daughter, Kim,pitched for the Lady Pioneers from 1983-87, while Holly was an assistant.His son, Wes Jr. (’04), spent two seasons as the head coach there. Ironically,Holly’s 1,000th game was scheduled to be against the Lady Pioneers to openthe season.

“I was sort of looking forward to that, to see if we could make anothermilestone against Tusculum,” Holly said. “Unfortunately, the weather didn’tcooperate with us.”

Another milestone for Holly was when the Lady Buffs softball teamhad the opportunity to play the U.S. Olympic Softball team in Johnson Cityin 2008.

“We had a sell-out crowd of 3,457 people, and we were the only NAIAteam they have ever played,” Holly said. “It was very gratifying to go overthere and play them and let our girls see the elite level of professionalsoftball.”

The experience was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Lady Buffssoftball team.

“Those were the best girls in the world, and to say we got theopportunity to compete against them and then after the game to socialize,talk and have photos with them, it is just a great memory for Milligansoftball and the girls who played in it,” Holly said.

During his coaching career at Milligan, Holly has watched an excellentgroup of players pass through the program. Of those, Milligan pitchingleaders Tonya (Bailey ’94) Jenkins, Kathy Martinelli (’94), Angie (Gentry ’92)Bratton, Kelly (McGinnis ’92) McCartney and Lady Buffs home run recordholder Megan Aldridge (’07) created special memories for the coach.

Current Lady Buff Sidney Burns,who is on pace to break Bailey’srecords, also drew praise from Holly.Burns was also quick to praise Holly.

“Coach Holly has helped megrow in various areas of my life, bothas a player and as an adult,” Burnssaid. “He has helped refine myindividual skills, both mentally andphysically. I’ve learned to be moreaggressive, go after what I want, andnever doubt my abilities. Coach hasalso fostered my personaldevelopment. He often takes time outof team meetings to discuss how thelessons we’re learning in softball andschool help prepare one for life.”

Burns also noted that Holly haslived up to the promises he madewhen he recruited her to Milligan.

“My fondest memories of CoachHolly are when he brought memedicine in chapel because I was notfeeling well and when he showed up atmy broken-down car ready to help,”Burns said.

Over the years, Milligan hasbecome a special place for Holly.

“Milligan means a lot to me,”Holly said. “I am a local guy, and Ihave always known about Milliganbefore I even came here to work. Ireally love what Milligan stands for. Itis a great academic institution, but weput the Christian emphasis on it, andwe try to do that with our softballteam.”

From that, Holly hopes hisplayers can take something meaningfulfrom their time spent as a Lady Buff.

“Well, we just hope they havefond memories, and we want them tofeel like we had an impact or didsomething to contribute and givethem a direction in life, so they can goout and do what the Lord wants themto do.”

Holly knows there will be a time when he must relinquish the reins ofthe Lady Buff softball program; however, he isn’t ready for that yet.

“I am willing to stay as long as the Lord wants me to stay,” Holly said.“Several people ask me when you think about retiring and I really don’tthink about retiring. It’s just a matter of can we still do our job and can we do it efficiently and enjoy the relationship with the girls.” n

Milligan not a short stop for Wes Holly

22 | SPRING 2010

Three years ago Milligan freshman Yolanda Migoyo came to theUnited States from Cuba and could not speak a word of English.Now, Migoyo is a four-time national qualifier in indoor track and fieldand has etched her name in the history books of Milligan Collegeathletics.

Migoyo, a member of the women’s cross country and track teams, madethe trip to America on February 13, 2007, from her native land of Cuba afterher father, Pedro Migoyo, won a visa lottery.

Pedro made application for the visa lottery in 1989, but it was not until1999 that he was awarded the visa. Due to high volumes of applications, ittook an additional eight years until the family was notified that he had won.

After they found out they were allowed to come to the United States, itwas roughly seven months before Yolanda’s family actually stepped foot onAmerican soil. During the limbo period, the family had to go through acouple of interviews until they were granted their citizenship.

Yolanda and her family moved to Kissimmee, Florida, where theyalready had relatives living. While in Kissimmee, Yolanda attended OsceolaHigh School, where several of her current teammates also attended.

“Our relationship with Yolanda was a direct result of one student-athleteand his parents being pleased with the environment at Milligan College,” saidChris Layne, head coach of cross country and track and field at Milligan. “Ithink that says a great deal about our institution, as we currently have fiveathletes on our roster from Osceola.”

For Yolanda, Milligan was an easy choice to continue her academic andathletic careers.

“When I came to Milligan for my visit, I loved it. I didn’t even apply toany other schools because I was so sure I was going to come here,” saidYolanda, who is majoring in business administration.

In just a short tenure as a Lady Buff, Migoyo has made quite animpression on the track and field scene at the national level and at Milligan.In just five indoor track and field competitions this season, Migoyo hasshattered four school records and had four national qualifying marks.

At the 2010 Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raider Invitational,Migoyo crushed the 200-meter and 400-meter school records with her timesof 26:16 and 58:44, respectively. A week later at the 2010 Appalachian StateUniversity Mountaineer Invitational, her 600-meter mark of 1:38.83 was aMilligan best, while at the same meet she was a part of the national qualifyingand Milligan record 4 x 4 Relay, running the 400-meter leg.

“I think that is what she brings to the table is just an intensity, a focus, adrive and a love,” Layne said. “You can tell she really loves what she is doingright now. She is one of the primary reasons our relays and sprint groupshave improved. She brings her ‘A’ game every day in practice.”

Milligan has not only helped Yolanda mature as an athlete, but also as aperson.

“In just the few months since I’ve been at Milligan, I’ve really grown upa lot,” Yolanda said. “Being here by myself has been a good experiencebecause I have had to make my decisions on my own, which has been reallygood.”

Currently, Yolanda’s father resides in Nebraska where he is working forone of the nation’s leading shipping companies, FedEx. Her biological mother, Margarita Duran, still lives in Cuba. n

In fall 2009, the Milligan College women’s cross country team won theirseventh straight Appalachian Athletic Conference and finished 11th at the2009 NAIA Cross Country National Championships. Individually, sophomoreGillian Giffen (Knoxville, TN) successfully defended her title as AAC Runnerof the Year, finishing first with a time of 19:01 in the 5K. She went on toearn All-American honors with her performance at the NAIA Cross CountryNational Championships.

On the men’s side, sophomore Austin Ellis (Charlottesville, VA) earned hissecond All-American honors at the NAIA National Championships. Ellis, theAAC runner of the year, finished the 8K in a time of 25:44 en-route to his23rd place finish. The Milligan men were named runner-ups in the AAC.

A T H L E T I C f e a t u r e

Long journey is worth the wait for track and field freshman

A newBEGINNING

SPRING 2010 | 23

ATHLETIC NEWSMen’s Basketball

The 2009-10 season was a rebuilding year for the Buffs basketball program under new HeadCoach Bill Robinson. Robinson, after a successful tenure at Montreat College, led the Buffs to10-20 overall record and a 5-11 AAC record. Milligan will lose Kyle Donahue (Greeneville, TN),Emmanuel Colon (Salinas, Puerto Rico) and Rex Carpenter (Gray, TN) to graduation. Women’s Basketball

The Lady Buffs had an outstanding season as they won a share of the AAC Conference title inCoach Rich Aubrey’s 17th season. Milligan finished the season 19-11 overall and 11-5 in theAAC. Entering the AAC tournament, the Lady Buffs were the number one seed, which gave themhome court advantage throughout the tournament. The Lady Buffs lose two graduating seniorsin Brit White (Chuckey, TN) and Brittany Kilgore (Kingsport, TN).

Women’s Dance

Milligan College’s athletics program will receive a boost next season in their spirit divisionwith the addition of dance as the college’s 23rd intercollegiate sport. Scholarships will beavailable for new students beginning fall 2010. Current Cheerleading Head Coach RondaPaulson will head up the dance program along with choreographer Macy Garland, a nativeof Johnson City, TN, and current nursing student at Milligan.

Swimming

The Milligan Aqua Buffs shattered 13 team records at the 2010 NAIA Swimming and DivingNational Championships. In only their third year of competition as an official intercollegiatesport, the Aqua Buffs qualified in 12 individual competitions and 10 team competitions.

On the women’s side, juniors Rachel Landry (Boone, NC) and Darcee Kubisiak (Johnson City,TN), along with sophomore Gretchen Grant (Blountville, TN) and freshman Megan Lorencen(Johnson City, TN), set a new team mark in the 200-yard free relay. In the 400-yard medleyrelay, the team of Grant, Kubisiak, Lorencen and sophomore Victoria Licari (Atascadero, CA)had a time of 4:28.84, which was enough for another team record. The team of Kubisiak,Grant, Landry and Lorencen also set a new team record In the women’s 800-yard free relay.Individually, Grant set a new team record in the 100-yard backstroke.

On the men’s side, sophomores Aaron Pigford (Johnson City, TN) and Eron Cavanaugh(Plainfield, IN), along with freshman Evan Alfano (Chattanooga, TN) and junior Chris Fry(Greenwood, IN), secured a 10th place finish and a new team record in the men’s 200-yardfree relay. The same four Aqua Buffs recorded an 11th place finish and new team record inthe 400-yard medley relay. The team of Fry, Cavanaugh, freshman Adam Lewis (JohnsonCity, TN) and junior Taylor Duran (Johnson City, TN) broke a team record and finished 11th

overall in the men’s 800-yard free relay. Individually, Pigford set a new team mark with his13th place finish in the 100-yard back stroke and recorded another team record in the 50-yard freestyle. Alfano set new team records in the 100-yard breast stroke and 200-yardmedley relay.

Indoor Track & Field (men’s and women’s)

At the 2010 NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships, hosted by Milligan for the10th consecutive year inside ETSU’s MSHA/Athletic Center, freshman France Makabu (Paris,France) earned the 34th All-American honor in the history of Milligan track and field with a 4th

place finish in the triple jump. Her jump of 39-05.00 set a new school record and was also anew personal best for Makabu. Sophomore Austin Ellis (Charlottesville, VA) narrowly missedthe All-American mark in the 5000-meter run as his time of 15:00.63 placed him eighth inthe final.

Overall, Milligan had 12 athletes compete at nationals. Competing on the women’s sidealong with Makabu were senior Shanna Raines (Johnson City, TN), juniors Chelsea Leavell(Springfield, TN) and Lili Zaldaňa (Bristol, TN), and freshmen Catie McMahon (LanokaHarbor, NJ), Yolando Migoyo (Kissimmee, FL), Suzanne Johnson (Atlanta, GA), LaurenHubbard (Kingsport, TN), Heather Exline (Glouster, OH) and Leah Nelson (Johnson City, TN).In addition to Ellis, sophomore Tanner Payne (Georgetown, TN) also represented the men’steam at nationals.

For more athletic news, visit www.milliganbuffs.com/news

The more things change, the more they stay the same. If you have been following the progress of Milligan College

over the past several years, you’re well aware of the manychanges that have come about. This progress continues.Enrollment remains strong, program and campusimprovements are ongoing, and we’re only weeks away fromthe opening of the new Gilliam Wellness Center, which you’llhear more about in the next Milligan Magazine. It seems as ifchange has become the norm for Milligan College–and what ablessing this is!

But even as the college changes, there are many aspects ofMilligan College that, thankfully, remain the same. I’m proud ofour faculty, who continue to be recognized as leaders in theirvarious fields. They continue to have the same remarkableimpact upon the lives of our students that has been thehallmark of Milligan for nearly 150 years. They inspire ourstudents, not only to learn about the world, but also to go outand touch it, making it better and influencing countlesslives–just as Aaron (’02) and Becky (Ruby ’02) Johnston havedone in Guatemala.

In a fitting symbol of continuity, the iconic center oflearning at Milligan, the P.H. Welshimer Memorial Library, alsoremains virtually unchanged and is still central to the college’smission. Even in this digital age, the library has seen increasedusage, thanks to a dedicated staff who motivate students totake full advantage of the wealth of print and electronicresources the library has to offer. After nearly fifty years of use,

however, the building itself needs to be improved, so we haveincluded it as a funding priority within our ongoingcomprehensive campaign, Forward Ever. We hope to improve itsinterior aesthetics and accessibility, make the building moreenvironmentally sustainable and provide more areas for groupstudy and fellowship.

Above all, throughout all the changes of the past severalyears, we have never wavered from our commitment to providethe very best Christian, liberal arts education we possibly can.This is not a small undertaking. It is one that requires thecombined efforts of our students, faculty, staff, administration,trustees, alumni, supporting churches and other friends of thecollege who embrace our mission as something that is bothrelevant and vital.

Because of your continued prayers and support, Milligan’simpact on the lives of our students is made possible and, inturn, their impact on the world is made real.

With deepest gratitude,

Donald R. JeanesPresident

From the President

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