MilliganMagazine

A Program of Note n Never Too Late n A Higher Goal

SPRING 2013

Spring 2013 | Volume 15, Number 1

MilliganPReSIdeNt

Bill Greer (’85) bgreer@milligan.edu

VIce PReSIdeNt foR

INStItutIoNal adVaNcemeNt

Jack Simpson (’92) jasimpson @milligan.edu

VIce PReSIdeNt foR eNRollmeNt

maNaGemeNt aNd maRketINGA. Lee Fierbaugh (’94) lfierbaugh@milligan.edu

dIRectoR of alumNI RelatIoNS

EDITOR

Theresa Garbe (’91) tmgarbe@milligan.edu

dIRectoR of PuBlIc RelatIoNS

aNd maRketING

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Chandrea Shell (’00) chshell@milligan.edu

cReatIVe SeRVIceS cooRdINatoR

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Art Brown atbrown@milligan.edu

commuNIcatIoNS cooRdINatoR

FEATuRE WRITER Stories on 12, 14Melissa Nipper (’96) mhnipper@milligan.edu

SPoRtS INfoRmatIoN dIRectoR

FEATuRE WRITER Stories on 18, 20Matt Laws sportsinfo@milligan.edu

coVeR Photo © Peter Nelson (’13)

coNtRIButoRS:Photo on 2, © Mark PeacockPhotos on 3, © Danny Davis, © Nelson, contributed Photos on 4-6, © Nelson, archivesPhotos on 7, © PeacockPhotos on 8-11, © Kara Crotts (’08), © Nelson,

© Peacock, © Nathan Rodda (’13), contributed, staff

Photo on 13, contributedPhotos on 14-15, © Nelson, archivesPhotos on 16-17, © Chuck Rector, © NelsonPhotos on 18-19 , contributedPhotos on 20-21, © Davis, contributedPhotos on 22-25, archives, contributedPhoto on 27, © PeacockPhotos on 28, © Nelson, © Peacock

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 where JesusChrist 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 is distributedfree of charge. The Magazine highlights the college’svision to change lives and shape culture through acommitment to servant-leadership. Copyright © 2013 Milligan College.

800.447.5922 | www.milligan.eduAlumniOffice@milligan.edu

POSTMASTeR: Send address corrections to Advancement, P.O. Box 9, Milligan College, Tennessee 37682.

As I write this, spring break is almost here. Are people ready!?! We’ve had our fair share of

cold, gray, blustery days in East Tennessee, and there is nothing like a change of scenery—along

with a little extra sleep and the prospect of warmer, sunnier days—to give you a fresh perspective.

In recent months, the Milligan community has lost several people who were dear to us. Amidst

our sorrow, though, there has been joy: in lives celebrated, in the reconvening of friends and family,

and in the start of a new year. Already this semester, we have enjoyed art exhibits, national

tournaments, concerts, educational trips, a lecture series, an opera and new residence halls being

bricked. Of course, all of this while taking classes, attending chapels and convocations, student

teaching, and participating in internships, clinicals and fieldwork. Those who have gone on, their

indelible marks on this place, surely would be pleased to see the many ways the college carries on.

In this issue, you can read about how our students are involved in the lives of others, whether

it’s preparing income tax returns, helping underprivileged children with homework, or engaging in

global issues. Enclosed are examples of how our faculty share their talents outside of the

classroom, working with the next generation of college students and preparing the next generation

of leaders, whether on the international stage or the music stage. And, through the feature on June

Leonard, you will be reminded of our devoted staff who bear witness to the mission and ministry

of Milligan.

Scholarship, community and faith are distinguishing qualities within this institution, yesterday,

today and tomorrow. We are grateful for those who came before us to set the college on this path.

Their influence is warmly remembered. We are grateful for those who are here now, achieving the

college’s vision in big and small ways. And we look forward to meeting those who have not yet

joined us, those who see a consistency in our past and present and who desire to take part in

shaping Milligan’s future.

The days ahead look bright in so many ways!

Blessings,

Theresa (Brown ’91) GarbeDirector of Alumni Relations

Letter from theEditor

2 | SPRING 2013

SPRING 2013 | 3

T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s

FEATURES

12 Major Achievements

14 Milligan’s Treasure in the Stacks

16 Never Too Late

18 A Higher Goal

20 Serving: On the Court

and in the Classroom22

DEPARTMENTS

2 editor’s letter

7 faculty News

8 campus close-up

21 athletic News

22 class Notes

27 letter from the President

4 12 188

16

Since Milligan’s earliest days, students have studied, played and sung

music together. According to the 1949 yearbook, Milligan’s choir

was first organized in the fall of 1946 by Mr. and Mrs. E. Gordon

Warner. Before that, dating back at least as far as the 1930s, there was a

Glee Club, and prior to that there is archival evidence of various vocal

and instrumental trios and quartets.

For instance, Josephus Hopwood, the college’s founder and the

Prohibition Party’s candidate for governor of Tennessee in 1896, was

accompanied by a quartet of Milligan men whose repertoire consisted

of temperance songs.

Today, Milligan’s students are exposed to a wide variety of musical

ensembles and styles, whether they are patrons or performers. The

college boasts an orchestra, a string quartet, a jazz ensemble, a concert

choir, a women’s chorale, two a cappella ensembles, and this year, for the

first time in decades, Milligan added an opera workshop to its course

offerings.

On March 1 and 2, the music area presented Engelbert

Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel. Fully-staged and employing the

vocal talent of Milligan students, the cast of 13 was joined by

the Milligan Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Kellie Brown, associate professor

of music. Dr. Charlotte Anderson, assistant professor of the practice of

music, provided stage direction, and Noah DeLong, assistant professor of

music, provided vocal coaching.

Hansel and Gretel served as both entertainment and education. The

singers and musicians began rehearsals last fall.

“The reward is that it came together as a cohesive whole and everyone

learned a lot during the process,” Anderson said. “Music education majors

learned the nuts and bolts of putting together a production like this for their

teaching experience. Performance majors honed their skills as performers,

and everyone was enriched by the experience.”

Opera was not the only musical offering in March, however. As part of

Music in Our Schools Month (MIOSM), Milligan students and faculty, in

collaboration with the East Tennessee Regional Symphony (ETRS) and

partially funded by the East Tennessee Foundation, partnered with Carnegie

Hall’s Link Up program—the only Link Up participant in the state of

Tennessee.

With Milligan’s Brown serving as concertmaster and DeLong serving as

narrator, 1,100 elementary students from the region joined Milligan’s

4 | SPRING 2013

orchestra and the ETRS on March 27 to perform a concert in Seeger

Memorial Chapel’s Mary B. Martin Auditorium. Students, who had been

practicing on soprano recorders or violins since early fall 2012, were both

audience and musician, playing their instruments along with the combined

orchestra and enjoying the excitement of being part of the live

performance.

Link Up is an educationally-rich, grant-funded program whose

purpose is to introduce elementary-age students to the instruments and

music of the orchestra—through local orchestras. The program’s

curriculum teaches students about rhythm, melody and moving melodic

motifs. Provided to participating music classes at no cost are curriculum

guides for each music teacher; workbooks for each student;

and a development webinar for lead teachers and orchestra

administrators. Additionally, Link Up partners are given a

concert repertoire list, concert script, and accompanying

concert visuals; and other resources related to curriculum

and professional development.

In addition to hosting the Carnegie Hall Link Up

program, Milligan is serving as a test site for the Carnegie

Hall/Royal Conservatory Achievement Program, whose

purpose is to implement set standards in music education

and performance across the United States. Such graded

national standards have long been in place in Europe, Canada

and elsewhere.

“Milligan is honored to participate in this prestigious

The Temperance Quartet, 1896

String Trio, 1899

Music class, Derthick Auditorium, 1931

SOUNDS of the PAST

SPRING 2013 | 5

6 | SPRING 2013

Faculty are actively engaged in the music community

beyond Milligan’s campus, serving as guest artists

and conductors for other ensembles.

Rick Simerly, associate professor of music and a

nationally-renowned trombonist, conducts all-state

jazz bands in Tennessee, North Carolina, South

Carolina and Ohio; holds residencies at summer jazz

camps on various college campuses; and regularly

serves as a soloist and/or clinician at high schools

throughout the United States.

Charlotte Anderson, a certified teacher of the

Alexander Technique, conducts both vocal and

Alexander Technique workshops for area schools and

youth choirs.

Kellie Brown serves as assistant conductor of the

Johnson City Symphony Orchestra (TN) and assistant

concertmaster for the Symphony of the Mountains.

Additionally, she is a frequent clinician and performer

throughout the country, her most recent performance

as a guest artist with Mannheim Steamroller.

Anne Elliott, assistant professor of the practice of

music, conducts music workshops for area music

teachers, has been actively involved in Milligan’s

Summer Arts Academy, and directs a vocal ensemble

at Central Baptist (Johnson City, TN).

David Runner, professor of music, serves local

churches as a professional organist and is a frequent

guest artist at the annual Spoleto Festival in

Charleston, South Carolina.

Noah DeLong, the newest member of Milligan’s

music faculty, serves the local community and

beyond as a guest conductor, tenor soloist,

collaborative pianist and church musician. He

will conduct an all-state choral workshop for

high school students in late summer.

program that will bring highly motivated and accomplished music students from

surrounding states to our campus for testing,” Brown said. “Our involvement not only

promotes the high musical standards espoused in this program but also serves as a

recruiting tool for the music area and college.”

National programs, like the Carnegie programs, and faculty involvement in their

churches, in local schools, and in regional and national workshops and festivals attract

students to Milligan’s music program. Many local music undergraduates began their

Milligan music career as secondary students, taking private lessons from faculty and, in

some cases, participating in college ensembles. Such opportunities provide gifted high

school students a venue in which to perform more advanced music and give them a

glimpse of what it means to study music at the college level.

The life of a music major is demanding. In addition to regular coursework and music

lessons, students must practice a minimum of 12 hours per week on their primary

instrument and 4 hours per week on their secondary instrument. They also are required to

participate in or attend weekly recitals, student performances, and the various concerts

hosted by Milligan.

Amanda Eversole (’15), a music performance major from Illinois, says she came to

Milligan with the intention of studying piano.

“I didn’t think it would be much of a challenge, since I’d been playing piano for so

long. I was wrong,” she says with a laugh.

“Being a music major is a lot of responsibility, but I’ve come to appreciate music so

much more since I’ve been here. I have gained a new knowledge and have been exposed to

so many kinds of music—music I’ve played and heard.”

Though the schedule is rigorous, students benefit greatly from being regularly

immersed in the study of diverse musical genres and styles. They leave Milligan

well-prepared for graduate programs or for work in the field—as private

teachers, band directors, elementary and secondary music teachers, music

ministers and professional performers.n

Digital mediaMUsictheatRe

Spend a week at one of America’s premier Christian

liberal arts colleges and explore the world of digital

media, music or theatre. Learn directly from Milligan

faculty. The programs include hands-on workshops

and lessons, evening activities, devotion times,

food and fun outings to local sights.

www.milligan.edu/artsacademy

FAcUlTyin the FIElD

ages 14-18June 16-21, 2013

SPRING 2013 | 7

admINIStRatIoN & Staff

Gary f. daught, director of library services, authors a blogcalled Omega Alpha | Open Access (http://oaopenaccess.wordpress.com), which advocates for open accessacademic publishing (primarily journals) in religion andtheology. Gary’s blog celebrated its first anniversary inNovember, logging 12,000 views (now close to 15,000)from 127 countries worldwide.

mary Jackson, research andinstruction librarian, presented attwo professional developmentwebinars for Appalachian CollegeAssociation librarians: “GettingInvolved with the Community” inDecember 2012 and “CampusOrientations” in January 2013.

BIBlIcal leaRNING

Phil kenneson, professor of theology and philosophy,attended The Society of Christian ethics annual conference(Chicago, IL) in January and the winter board meeting ofThe ekklesia Project (eugene, OR) in February.

Jeff miller, associate professor of Bible, is serving asinterim worship minister at Harrison Christian Church(Johnson City, TN). He also preached at Harrison inFebruary.

educatIoN

angela hilton-Prillhart, assistant professor of education,co-presented a workshop for Valley Forge elementarySchool teachers (elizabethton, TN) titled “UsingInformational Texts to Meet Common Core Standards inReading and Writing” in January. In February, she co-presented a paper titled “Teacher ProfessionalDevelopment and Student Achievement: Opportunities forSchool Psychologists” to the National Association of SchoolPsychologists (Seattle, WA).

humaNe leaRNING

lee Blackburn, assistant professor of history andhumanities, attended the Annual Conference of the Societyof Biblical Literature (Chicago, IL) in November.

mandy Nydegger, adjunct instructor of composition,presented a paper titled “A Fight for the PsychologicalUpper Hand: Man Versus Beast in Charles Reade’s Jack of

All Trades” at the annual Midwest Modern LanguageAssociation conference (Cincinnati, OH) in November.

occuPatIoNal theRaPY

christy Isbell, professor of occupational therapy,presented a session titled “Incorporating SensoryIntegration and Developmentally Appropriate Practice withYoung Children” at the National Association for theeducation of Young Children 2012 Conference (Atlanta, GA)in November. She also published an article titled“Developmentally Appropriate Fine Motor Practices forearly Childhood Settings” in The American OccupationalTherapy Association, Inc.’s December 2012 Early

Intervention & School Special Interest Section Quarterly.

Jennifer Susong crowder, adjunct instructor ofoccupational therapy, completed a doctor of science inrehabilitation sciences degree at the University ofOklahoma in December 2012. She is the co-author of“How did the television get in the child’s bedroom? Analysisof Family Interviews,” which appeared in the December2012 issue of Preventive Medicine.

PeRfoRmING, VISual & commuNIcatIVe aRtS

alice anthony, associate professor of art, attended theCouncil on Undergraduate Research (CUR) meeting inNovember with charlene thomas, adjunct instructor ofhumanities, and Jeff miller.

Noah delong, assistant professor of music, was the tenorsoloist for the Marion (IN) Philharmonic Orchestra’sperformance of Franz Joseph Haydn’s The Creation inNovember, and he conducted the annual east TennesseeChristian Convention’s Combined Choir.

Richard major, professor oftheatre, was recognized at theannual Arts in educationConference in November for hisartistic contribution to the regionthrough the Milligan Theatre forYoung Audiences touring theatricaltroupe. The company, founded byMr. Major in 1987, celebrated its25th anniversary last year. To datethe company has performed fornearly 190,000 students in Appalachia. Major alsoreceived an honorable mention in the January 2013 issueof News Digest International in its listing of “Who’s Who inAcademia.”

SocIal leaRNING

John-Paul abner, associate professor of occupationaltherapy, psychology and counseling, was named executivedirector of the board of Parent Child Interaction Therapy,International. In December, he co-presented “WithinProgram Trainer Training,” an eight-hour continuingeducation workshop presented simultaneously at Milliganand in Memphis, TN. In February, he presented a 10-hourworkshop, “Society of Clinical Child and AdolescentPsychology evidence Based Approaches in Child andAdolescent Mental Health Speaker Series” that was filmedin Miami, FL, for mass distribution on the Internet as partof Division 53’s effort to promote evidenced-basedtreatment.

Faculty News

Runner receives Fide et Amore award

Milligan awarded 101 degrees at the

December commencement ceremony. The

graduates included four Bachelor of Arts (BA),

31 Bachelor of Science (BS), 16 Master of

Business Administration (MBA), 20 Master of

Education (M.Ed.), and 30 Master of Science in

Occupational Therapy (MSOT) students. Dr.

Lori Mills, director of Milligan’s new Master of

Science in Counseling program, was the keynote speaker.

In addition, the college presented the Fide et Amore award to Dr. David

Runner for his loving and faithful service to the college. Runner joined the

Milligan faculty in 1972. He serves as professor of music, teaching organ, piano,

voice and music theory.n

Professors receive ACA fellowships

Professors Simon J. Dahlman and Noah

DeLong are among the recipients of the 2013-

2014 Appalachian College Association Faculty

Fellowship.

Milligan is a member of the Appalachian

College Association (ACA), a non-profit

consortium of 36 private four-year liberal arts

institutions spread across the central

Appalachian mountains in Kentucky, North

Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

The Faculty Fellowship Program is the longest-

running program of the ACA.

Dahlman and DeLong will use the

fellowship money to pursue professional

development opportunities that will help them

complete their terminal degrees.n

Dahlman

DeLong

8 | SPRING 2013

c a m p u s c l o s e - u p

Residence hall to honorDon and Clarinda Jeanes

Milligan College President Dr. Bill Greer announced that a

residence hall in the college’s new housing village will be named in

honor of Milligan’s 14th president and first lady, Don and Clarinda

Jeanes.

“Dr. Bill Greene, a Milligan trustee and chairman of BancTenn

Corporation, has made a generous financial gift to the college. He has not

asked us to acknowledge his gift by placing his own name on one of the

residence halls. Instead, he has asked that we honor the life and work of

Don and Clarinda Jeanes by naming one of the buildings ‘Don and

Clarinda Jeanes Hall’,” Greer said.

Don served as Milligan’s president for 14 years until his retirement in

2011. He passed away unexpectedly on August 27, 2012. Clarinda remains

active in her role as founding president of Associated Ladies for Milligan.

“I appreciate the opportunity to do something for Milligan that

honors the commitment to energy, vision and soul that Don and Clarinda

gave to this wonderful school in East Tennessee,” Greene said.

Greene’s gift is the second major gift to help fund the $12.5 million

first phase of the housing village. In 2012, Richard and Leslie Gilliam of

Charlottesville, Virginia, donated money for the site preparation and

construction of the housing village.

The college broke ground on the housing village in the summer of

2012, and the campus has watched with anticipation as retaining walls and

excavation turned into bricks and mortar—and now five new buildings are

nearing completion.

Jeanes Hall is one of five residence halls in the first phase of the

housing village, which will be ready for occupancy in fall 2013.

These halls are designed to combine the privacy of a suite with the

college’s vibrant community life. Each suite, which will house up to five

students, revolves around a centralized living room, and the village itself

includes a large commons area, which could be used for student activities

such as intramural sports.

Greer is pleased with the progress of the housing village.

“By this fall, we’ll see students moving into the new Milligan Village,”

Greer said. “We are happy that ‘Jeanes Hall’ will be the first name to go up

in the village. Jeanes Hall will contain student housing as well as a large

community room that will serve as a gathering place for students. It will be

a centerpiece of the new village.”

Additional naming opportunities are available for the Milligan housing

village. For more information, contact the Milligan advancement office at

800.447.5922 or 423.461.8955.n

SPRING 2013 | 9

Milligan students earn six ADDY awards

Milligan students earned six ADDY® awards this year, including the

student “Best of Show” honor, at the annual American Advertising

Federation Northeast Tennessee awards banquet held on Saturday,

February 23.

ADDY awards honor the best and most creative advertising work from

students and professionals in the industry. The awards are given in three

levels: local, district and national. Winners in each level are qualified to

compete in higher levels.

A photograph by senior Mickey Brown of Kingsport, TN, earned a

gold ADDY and was named student “Best of Show.” Brown is majoring in

fine arts with an emphasis in photography. His winning photograph will be

entered into the district competition and will compete against entries from

Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Brown also earned a silver ADDY for his publication cover design.

In addition, senior Peter Nelson of Gray, TN, won a silver ADDY for

his photography. Nelson is a business major with an emphasis in marketing

and minors in photography and digital media.

Junior Elise King of Midlothian, VA, earned silver for her public

service announcement television spot. King is majoring in communications

with an emphasis in public relations.

Also earning a silver ADDY for their television spot featuring the

Milligan dance team video campaign were senior Gretchen Allie of

Charlotte, NC, and junior Joe Camarata of St. Clair Shores, MI. Allie is a

communications major with emphases in digital media and public relations.

Camarata is a communications major with a digital media emphasis and a

minor in graphic design.n

Family Weekend, hosted February

15-17, included a variety of activities for

students, parents and siblings. In addition

to open dorms and a dean’s list ceremony

followed by brunch, families were treated

to “A Valentine’s Cabaret.” The concert,

performed in Sub-7, located in McMahan

Sudent Center, featured solos, duets and

several Milligan vocal ensembles. Musical

selections, appropriate for the season,

included fun pieces like Stephen Foster’s

“If You’ve Only Got a Moustache,” Kristin Chenoweth’s “Taylor the Latte

Boy,” and “Adelaide’s Lament” from Guys and Dolls.n

Campus welcomes guests for annual FamilyWeekend

Milligan’s Student Government

Association (SGA) hosted a 27-hour Stand

for Freedom event, on March 5-6, to raise

money and awareness for efforts to end

slavery throughout the world.

During that 27-hour period, participants

raised money, shared stories of rescue, signed pledges to stop slavery, and

learned other ways to get involved.

Stand for Freedom events were part of an outreach of International

Justice Mission (IJM), a human rights agency that brings rescue to victims of

slavery, sexual exploitation, and other forms of violent oppression.

According to statistics from IJM, 27 million people are enslaved

throughout the world today, which is the largest amount in history.

Participants in Milligan’s Stand for Freedom raised awareness of slavery and

took a stand to help end it.

“SGA wanted to inform our campus that slavery still exists and that we

can stand up for the individuals who do not have a voice and cannot stand

on their own,” said SGA President Danica Collins. “The Stand for Freedom

is a way to be become more engaged with the community and help other

people.”

IJM’s justice professionals work in their communities in 16 field offices

in Asia, Africa and Latin America to secure tangible and sustainable

protection of national laws through local court systems. IJM lawyers,

investigators and aftercare professionals work with local officials to secure

immediate victim rescue and aftercare, to prosecute perpetrators, and to

ensure that public justice systems—police, courts and laws—effectively

protect the poor.n

Students take astand for freedom

Mickey Brown (’13), Elise King (’14), Joe Camarata (’14),

Gretchen Allie (’13), and Peter Nelson (’13)

c a m p u s c l o s e - u p

In December, Milligan received reaffirmation of its accreditation for

the next 10 years from its accrediting body, the Southern Association of

Colleges and Schools-Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC).

Milligan has been accredited by SACS-COC since 1960. Its next

reaffirmation will take place in 2022.

“It was very gratifying to receive the official word of our reaffirmation,

and I am extremely proud of the individuals who make up such a dynamic

and growing community of Christian scholars at Milligan,” said Milligan

President Dr. Bill Greer.

To gain or maintain accreditation with the COC, an institution must

comply with the standards contained in the “Principles of Accreditation:

Foundations for Quality Enhancement” and with the policies and

procedures of the COC.

Another key step in the reaffirmation process is the concept of quality

enhancement. Each institution seeking reaffirmation of accreditation is

required to develop a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). The QEP

describes a carefully designed and focused course of action that addresses a

well-defined topic or issue(s) related to enhancing student learning.

Milligan’s QEP is titled

“RISE Above,” which stands

for Research Increases

Student Engagement. The

focus of RISE Above, which began in fall 2012, is on faculty-mentored

student research.

Through RISE Above, Milligan’s undergraduate students will learn

more about research in the Introduction to College, Calling and Career, as

well as composition courses. Among other initiatives, the program includes

special events and seminars for students to hear about research from others

or to present their own research. Students who want to do a research project

related to their major can enroll in a special course and work one-on-one

with a faculty mentor.

This spring, 23 students representing 11 disciplines are completing

faculty-mentored research. These students will present their research at

various conferences including the National Conference on Undergraduate

Research, the Stone-Campbell Journal Conference, and the East Tennessee

State University Research Forum.n

SACS reaffirms Milligan’s accreditation

Students offer free incometax preparation

The Nelson Fine Art Center in downtown Johnson City featured “Art

from the Buffalo School,” an exclusive exhibition of art and photography

work by Milligan fine arts students throughout the month of February.

Students presented their photography, paintings, drawings, mixed

media and graphic design in the exhibit. This is the 11th year Milligan has

participated in “Art from the Buffalo School.”

“Student work can be fresh and emotional, and as a result, it

challenges our viewers,” said Dick Nelson, owner of The Nelson Fine Art

Center. “Students also really benefit from an outside exhibit; they learn

about the process of showing their work to the public.”n

Art from the Buffalo School Lisa Harper, popular Bible teacher and

author, spoke at the Eleanore L. Campbell

Ladies Conference hosted by the Associated

Ladies for Milligan on February 23.

The conference, titled “Stumbling into

Grace,” was a day for women of all ages to be spiritually fed and

recharged through biblical teaching, uplifting music and fellowship with

other women from throughout the region.

Harper’s writing and speaking overflow with colorful pop culture

references that connect the dots between the Bible era and modern life.

Her style combines sound scriptural exposition with easy-to-relate-to

anecdotes and comedic wit. She is the author of 10 books and has

appeared on numerous syndicated radio and television programs.n

ALM conferencefeatures Lisa Harper

uResearch Increases Student Engagement

RISE aBOVEMilligan College

Milligan’s IRS VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program

entered its fifth year of serving area residents with a free alternative that

provides the same fast refunds as paid preparers do. In 2012, volunteers

completed nearly 450 returns, saving clients more than $100,000

compared to if they had used fee-based services. This year kicked off

with additional locations, a new website and the usual host of well-

trained, IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers.

“Milligan’s VITA site has become one of the strongest in the

Southeast, more than quadrupling in returns prepared the last two years,”

said Dr. Harold Branstrator, director of the VITA program. “We see this

as a ministry of justice to low and moderate-income taxpayers. Our

volunteers (mostly Milligan students) are competent, courteous and

respectful, and we have a near-zero error rate, much lower than the

average for paid preparers.”n

10 | SPRING 2013

SPRING 2013 | 11

MBA executive certificatesnow available

Milligan College is now offering an opportunity for individuals who

already possess a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or

equivalent degree to earn an executive certificate in one of three

specialized tracks—leadership, healthcare management or operations

management. Executive certificate courses in the specialized tracks are

set to begin in September 2013.n

Milligan College is one of six institutions in

Tennessee to be named to the 2013 President’s Higher

Education Community Service Honor Roll with

Distinction. One of only 100 institutions selected

nationwide, this designation is the highest honor a

college or university can receive for its

commitment to volunteering, service-learning and

civic engagement.

“For nearly 150 years, servant-leadership has

been an essential part of Milligan’s mission, so it is an

honor to be recognized among a prestigious group of

institutions that are committed to service,” said Milligan

President Bill Greer. “We encourage our students—through their

scholarship, community and faith—to reflect on what it means to

be called to lives of service in all professions.”

Out of more than 1,025 applicants, 690 were recognized

across four honor roll categories. The other five Tennessee

institutions included in the President’s Higher Education

Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction include Belmont

University, Lee University, Rhodes College, the University of

Tennessee at Chattanooga, and Vanderbilt University.

Honorees were selected for projects deemed meaningful,

relevant and exemplary. Milligan was chosen for the Honor Roll

with Distinction for its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program

(VITA), Theatre for Young Audiences “Health Heroes to the

Rescue!” and Service Saturdays.n

Milligan continues to expand its Master of Science in counseling (MSC)

program to include more options for students.

The program now offers an option for students who want to become

licensed school counselors. Applications are now being accepted for the

program, which is set to begin in fall 2013. Most of the classes for the

school counseling program will be offered two evenings per week to

accommodate the schedules of working adults. Some online courses also

will be available.

In addition, Milligan and Emmanuel Christian Seminary have a

cooperative agreement to offer a certificate of graduate study in counseling

ministry. This collaborative agreement is part of the schools’ ongoing

efforts to work more closely together.

The 18-hour curriculum introduces students to basic knowledge about

both secular and Christian

perspectives on counseling

and how these may be

applied in a church-based

setting. The certificate

program combines existing

courses in Milligan’s MSC

program with courses in

Emmanuel’s Christian care

and counseling emphasis within its existing Master of Divinity program.

To learn more, visit www.milligan.edu/counseling.n

More options added to counseling program

Milligan received a $54,000 grant that will provide free training and

three hours of free graduate school credit for 24 local math teachers this

summer.

The Improving Teacher Quality (ITQ) Grant Program is a federally

funded program that provides grants to public and private higher

education institutions. It is administered in Tennessee by the Tennessee

Higher Education Commission. Milligan is one of

only nine projects selected statewide.

Milligan’s “Teaching Math Matters” grant is

focused on helping secondary (grades 9-12) math

teachers better integrate the Common Core

mathematical content into their instruction.

The program will provide teachers with

hands-on opportunities to practice and refine their

mathematical teaching skills and equip them with

effective strategies for instruction.n

Grant provides training andgraduate credit for local teachers

Milligan earns national recognition

12 | SPRING 2013

As foreign and domestic politics dominated headlines during the 2012

presidential election, the timing could not have been better for Milligan

College’s new political science major, which began last fall.

Now less than a year old, the new major already has provided fresh and

exciting opportunities for students. From national competitions to statewide

recognitions, students have embraced the possibilities in political science.

The major offers two emphases—the general track and the international

politics track. The general track is designed for students who desire a broad

foundation in all areas of politics within the United States, while the

international politics track prepares students to engage political realities

within the context of global studies.

“Political science is about understanding the big discourse, from local

politics all the way to a global perspective. It goes hand in hand with a

liberal arts education and with our call as Christians to be salt and light in

the world,” said Amy Edmonds, assistant professor of political science.

Edmonds taught at Milligan for two years as an adjunct instructor and

joined the faculty full time last fall to help get the political science major

under way. She has a Ph.D. in political science and a master’s degree in

international relations from Baylor University (Waco, Texas). Her primary

concentration is comparative and international politics. Her other areas of

expertise include American government and religion and politics.

Edmonds developed an interest in international politics at a young age,

as the daughter of missionaries in Venezuela. Her experience taught her that

an understanding of political science is not reserved for aspiring lawmakers

and attorneys. It transcends “politics,” as many Americans understand it, and

prepares students for the “big picture” in many fields, she explained.

“Political science is helpful for students who want to become

missionaries because they need to know how governments work,” Edmonds

said. “Students in other majors, such as nursing, also can benefit from

political science courses. I teach a course on public policy, and health care is

a large part of that course. And of course, political science is useful for

students who want to go into business, law and diplomacy, and conflict

resolution.”

During the election, the political science major sponsored its first

campuswide event, “The Choice 2012.” This panel discussion of the

presidential election’s issues featured members of Milligan’s faculty and staff.

The discussion took place in front of a packed crowd.

“There were so many people at the panel discussion that we ran out

of chairs and many could only watch while standing in the back,”

Edmonds said.

In November, Edmonds accompanied seven students who represented

Milligan during the Southern Regional Model United Nations Conference

(SRMUN) in Atlanta. The team negotiated and debated important

international issues with more than 650 students representing more than 50

colleges and universities. Two Milligan students—sophomore Jeff Preptit

and junior Elise King—were recognized as Outstanding Delegates at the

General Assembly. The other Milligan delegates included Colin Blowers, Ian

Burt, Stephen Joiner, Carlton Tugman and Kendall Wash.

MAJORACHIEVEMENTSStudents embrace possibilities in political science

SPRING 2013 | 13

“Attending SRMUN allowed Milligan students to experience what it

would be like to serve as an international diplomat and learn about important

issues like peace and security, nuclear energy and access to food,” Edmonds

said. “I am extremely proud of our students, all of whom were new to

Model UN, for putting in many hours of researching and preparing to

represent Milligan College as a delegation from Lebanon.”

Just a few weeks after SRMUN, Milligan freshman Caleb McNeese was

sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice as part of the Tennessee Intercollegiate

Supreme Court (TISC). The TISC is the judicial branch of the Tennessee

Intercollegiate State Legislature, where the top echelon of the state’s campus

leaders meet to exchange ideas, express their opinions, and learn how

government works. The main job of the court is to preside over the annual

intercollegiate appellate moot court competition.

“There are only five justices chosen from the various colleges and

universities in Tennessee, so this is really a big honor for Caleb—and a great

opportunity for him to learn about state governance and our judicial system,”

said Mark Peacock, associate professor of legal studies at Milligan.

“After listening to Caleb tell of his experience in high school moot court

competition and his passion for the law, I was convinced he would be an

outstanding Supreme Court Justice and representative of Milligan.”

Peacock, who has taught at Milligan for 15 years, sees a growing interest

in political science among students.

“With our existing legal studies program and our newly implemented

political science major, Milligan seeks to expand our involvement with these

organizations in the

future to give our

students opportunities

to apply what they are

learning in the

classroom,” Peacock

said.

Exciting things are happening this spring, as well.

Two political science students, Ian Burt and Stephen Joiner, were invited

to present their mentored research projects to a national audience at the 27th

National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), April 11-13. This

is the first time a Milligan student has presented research at NCUR. Joiner’s

paper is titled “The Politics of Apartheid and Religion: Ideological

Divergence in South African Churches.” Burt’s paper is titled “The Peaceful

Emissary: The Political and Religious Activism of Oscar Romero.”

The culmination of the major’s first academic year will be the May

commencement, when Milligan’s first political science major, Colin Blowers,

will be awarded his degree. Blowers, formerly a humanities major and

political science minor, was one of the students who petitioned Milligan’s

administration to consider adding political science as a major.

“Even if Milligan hadn’t produced a political science major, I still

would’ve been well prepared,” Blowers said. “But to find out they were

adding this major was the cherry on top of my experience here.”n

“Political science is aboutunderstanding the bigdiscourse, from local

politics all the way to aglobal perspective. It goeshand in hand with a liberalarts education and with ourcall as Christians to be salt

and light in the world.”Students participating in the Southern Regional Model United Nations Conference

(left to right) Ian Burt, Jeff Preptit, Kendall Wash, Elise King, Colin Blowers,

Stephen Joiner and Carlton Tugman; front: Dr. Amy Edmonds

4

— DR. AMY EDMONDS

14 | SPRING 2013

Staff SPotlIGht:

June LeonardEditor’s note: This is the second in a series of stories highlighting

some of Milligan’s longtime employees and their contributions to the

college. Their work often is done behind the scenes, but their names

and faces are familiar to the countless students and alumni whose lives

they have touched through their service and commitment to Milligan.

Milligan’s P.H. Welshimer Memorial Library houses the college

archives with its stacks of articles, books and memorabilia. But

just a few steps from the archives sits an individual who is in her own

right a treasure trove of Milligan memories.

June Leonard, library technical services manager, has worked at

Milligan since 1963. She is the only current employee to have served

under the leadership of five Milligan presidents—Dr. Dean E.

Walker, Dr. Jess W. Johnson, Dr. Marshall J. Leggett, Dr. Donald R.

Jeanes and Dr. William B. Greer.

“I’ve appreciated each president and all of the people I’ve

worked with over the years,” Leonard said. “Milligan has been my

second family.”

Just as family dynamics evolve, so has Leonard’s role at

Milligan. Although she’s spent most of her years working in the

library, she has served in several areas of the college including

the business and development offices. After decades of full-time

employment, she now enjoys her part-time position.

During her Milligan tenure, Leonard has witnessed the

construction of more than 15 new buildings and the

removal of two major campus landmarks (Cheek and

Pardee halls). But the transformation that had the

greatest impact on her job is the introduction of

something current Milligan students have never lived

without—computers.

Leonard remembers Milligan’s first computer, a

mammoth machine that was housed in the development

MILLIGAN’Streasure

SPRING 2013 | 15

office. Each department was allotted two hours of

use per day on the computer. That was the

beginning of a new era at Milligan. Gradually, the

typewriter, transcription machine, carbon papers

and card catalog that were once indispensable tools

gave way to a digital age.

“I took a computer course to learn Word and

Excel, and now everything we do is on the

computer,” Leonard said. “This has been the

biggest change for me, but it’s been a good

change.”

A SERvANT’S hEARTTechnology has changed, but Leonard’s focus

has not.

Those who have worked with her say

Leonard’s knowledge of Milligan history and her

commitment to its mission make her contributions

invaluable to the college.

Dr. Gene Wigginton, retired president of

Standard Publishing, recalls the first time he heard

Leonard’s name. It was shortly before he came to

work as Milligan’s director of development in 1971.

“I received a call from LeRoy Lawson (then

Milligan’s vice president) just before I joined the

administration at Milligan,” Wigginton said.

“LeRoy indicated that June Leonard worked for

him. Knowing that I would benefit from her

experience and professionalism, he was going to

sacrifice and let her became a part of my staff. He

said, ‘I’m calling to make this commitment before I

change my mind.’ I soon understood what he

meant by ‘sacrifice.’ June was invaluable in making our efforts on

behalf of Milligan a success.”

Lawson recalls this conversation, as well.

“It was one of my best moments, but it was a sacrifice,” Lawson

said. “Even then, June was one of our most treasured employees.

“We have the privilege in life of working with people who seem to

be a remarkable combination of humility and competence,” he added.

“These words always come to mind when I think of June. She has a

servant’s heart and an expert’s hands.”

ChRISTIAN FAITh AND ChARACTER

Milligan has recognized Leonard on several occasions for her

service. Former President Jeanes presented her with the Fide et Amore

award, Milligan’s highest acknowledgement of service, in 2000.

While Leonard is grateful for the recognition, she points out that the

service goes both ways—Milligan has richly blessed her life, too.

“Throughout a lot of turmoil in my life, Milligan has sustained

me,” she said. “In fact, I don’t know how I would have made it without

Milligan.”

One of Leonard’s most difficult days

occurred in 1968 when a gas leak caused an

explosion at her home while she and her husband

were at work and their two sons were at school. No

one was injured, but everything her family owned

was destroyed.

Lawson still remembers how Leonard

handled this devastating situation.

“One of the most impressive things I saw

June do had nothing to do with her work at Milligan,

but everything to do with exhibiting the strength of

her Christian faith and character,” Lawson said.

“Rather than bemoaning her fate or questioning the

providence of God, June simply went to work to

clean up the damage, to make certain that her family

was okay and that her work at the college was

uninterrupted.

“I already knew she was an outstanding Milligan

employee. That episode gave me insight into the

exemplary person she was—and is.”

When Leonard tells the story, she explains how

the Milligan community wrapped its arms around her

family by donating clothing and money, as well as

offering encouragement and prayers.

In 1976, Leonard continued to cherish Milligan’s

support when one day at work she suffered a brain

hemorrhage that temporarily paralyzed the left side

of her body. She leaned on the strength of her

Milligan friends again when her husband, James,

suffered his second brain aneurysm in 1995. He

passed away in 1997.

“Through it all, my Milligan family has always been there for me

in the good and bad times,” she said. “And there have been so many

good times.

“One of my favorite memories is when I was asked to participate in

one of Milligan’s One-Act Plays, ‘The queens of France,’” she said. “I’d

never done theater before, but the student assured me I just had to sit

there and be ‘queen for a day.’ I got to be on stage, and it was the first

year that the theater department used the new Gregory Center.”

Her reign as queen lasted only a day, but Leonard’s impact on

Milligan continues.

“Perhaps in the future I will take time to write down some personal

experiences,” she said. “Milligan has always been part of my personal

family, and I think they will cherish having a written record of those who

helped our family during these many years and the chance to learn how

Milligan was sustained through the hard work and dedication of many,

many people.”n

“Milligan has been my second family.”

16 | SPRING 2013

By Amerrica Duggan (’14)

Most Milligan graduates can remember the hours and hours of hard

work and effort they put into obtaining their bachelor’s degree. Few,

however, know the determination and strength of finishing that degree

more than 30 years after starting.

Jay Armel (’12) does, though.

In 1978, Armel, a native of Stephens City, Virginia, enrolled at Milligan

as a freshman baseball player. A church friend recommended Milligan to

Armel, who immediately fell in love with the school. Not long into his first

semester as a college student, Armel suffered an ankle injury.

“My injury caused me to lose my aspirations,” said Armel. “I left after

my first semester of college. After that, life just happened.”

Life did happen. He married, had two daughters, and spent 20 years in

the advertising industry before becoming a full-time Realtor®. Though

life was good, Armel always had the intention of attending Milligan once

again.

In July 2009, Armel took his family on a vacation to Roan Mountain

State Park. When he decided to make a detour and show his family

Milligan’s campus, he realized what he missed from so many

years ago.

“From that point on, I decided to finish what I started. Both my wife

and daughters had already graduated from college. It was my turn.”

He enrolled in Milligan’s Adult Degree Completion Program (ADCP).

Milligan offers several convenient programs for working adults, including

Bachelor of Science degrees in business administration, child and youth

development (early childhood education), and computer information

systems. Classes meet one night a week for 16 months in order to help

adults who have busy lives full of job responsibilities and family

commitments.

“I did have other opportunities to pursue my degree closer to home,

but no place had the same allure as finishing something you started,” Armel

said.

For 16 months, Armel commuted from Hickory, North Carolina, in

order to complete his Bachelor of Science in business administration

degree. Once or twice a week, he made the two-hour, 89-mile trek across

the mountain.

As if commuting such a long distance did not cause enough stress,

Armel was diagnosed with Type B cell, bulky, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

after only three weeks of class. This cancer, prevalent in men, requires

active treatment. He underwent several rounds of chemotherapy before

receiving four months of radiation treatment. Instead of getting

discouraged and quitting, he used his night classes to distract himself from

his diagnosis.

“Classes got me through not feeling sorry for myself,” he said. “I could

focus on my studies instead of the negative effects of chemotherapy and

radiation.”

Throughout the program, Armel had support from his peers in his

classes. The 16 adults in his cohort became a close-knit group who

supported each other throughout their studies.

“Milligan is such a ‘we’ community that goes above and beyond the call

to serve others,” Armel said.

Not only did he receive support from his cohort group, but his

professors also helped him during a stressful time in his life. They taught

him important information and valuable skills, and they encouraged him

throughout the entirety of his lymphoma treatment. Drs. Vikki Sitter,

Carolyn Carter, Phil Kenneson and Mark Matson made a huge impact on

his life that he will never forget.

Because of their influence, Armel plans to eventually become a

professor. He is now enrolled at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh,

Pennsylvania, in the online Master of Science in leadership and business

Never

Too

Late

“People may call me

a procrastinator,,

but they can never

call me a quitter.”,,

Jay Armel (top left with yellow hat)

with Dr. Gary Wallace’s Flora and

Fauna of Southern Appalachia class

at Roan Mountain State Park.

ethics program.

“I want to have a positive effect on people’s lives, just like my

professors had such a positive impact on mine,” he said. “God is using

Milligan not only as an instrument of education, but one of healing.”

At the end of February, Armel learned that he is now in full

remission from his lymphoma.

“God is such a good healer!” he said.

Through his time at Milligan, both past and present, Armel has

recognized God’s work in his life. Even though he may have finished his

degree more than 30 years after he intended to, he realizes that it is never

too late to finish what you start.

After all he has been through, he can laughingly say, “People may call

me a procrastinator, but they can never call me a quitter.”n

SPRING 2013 | 17

18 | SPRING 2013

The Milligan College soccer programs are not only making their mark on

the field, but also in the lives of local children.

The Buffaloes partner with the urban ministry One7 to minister to local

youth and their families. One7 was started in Charlotte, North Carolina. After

interning with her hometown ministry for a year and a half, Milligan women’s

soccer player Gretchen Allie was the driving force in starting a One7 ministry

in Johnson City, Tennessee.

“When I came to Milligan in August 2010, a group of college students—

comprised of Milligan men and women soccer players and other Milligan and

East Tennessee State University students—and I decided to start the One7

ministry plant in Johnson City,” said Allie, a senior communications major.

“We started knocking on doors in a local community and meeting

parents, kids and teenagers.”

The results have far exceeded the group’s expectations.

“Since then, God has exploded this ministry into an eclectic family of

over 60 college students, local families, teenagers and children,” Allie said.

“We believe that our teenagers are not defined by their age or mistakes,

but that throughout the Bible, God uses the least likely people to change the

world. “We are encouraging our kids to be leaders now in their communities

and families.”

During the year, the Milligan students hold numerous activities for the

One7 ministry including weekly Bible studies and homework help nights.

Many team members volunteer with an afterschool program. The ministry

also reaches out with community events such as block parties and

Thanksgiving dinner.

“It gives us a chance to meet new families and teenagers,” Allie said. “We

also get the opportunity to encourage a positive community.”

By participating as a team, the Buffaloes have been able to accomplish

just that.

“Every Christmas, One7 gets sponsors to help buy presents for families

who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford Christmas,” Allie said. “As a team,

a h i g h e r g o a lSoccer playerS team up for one7 miniStry

Ryann Williams (’13)

(left) and Gretchen

Allie (’13) (center)

with children from

the One7 ministry.

SPRING 2013 | 19

we were able to sponsor five families to help them have a great Christmas.”

In addition to the activities and outreach projects, the team members go

above and beyond to spend time with the kids of One7.

“I love just spending time with the kids in day-to-day life,” Allie said.

“One of my favorite things to do is to pick them up and take them to

Starbucks or even bring them back to Milligan just to hang out.”

It is rewarding for women’s soccer head coach Lisa Buckley to see her

team participate in such a worthy cause.

“It’s great to see players getting actively involved in this community, and

serving through One7 is a perfect opportunity to do this,” Buckley said. “I

couldn’t be prouder of these women and how they actively display the love

of Jesus through One7 ministries.”

The work Allie and her teammates do with One7 is an example of the

servant leadership that is part of Milligan’s mission.

“The One7 leaders, my teammates and I aren’t perfect servant leaders

like Jesus, and we never will be,” Allie said. “Being a servant leader is a

process. But it’s my hope that if we as college students can learn to serve

others now, when our lives are so busy with class, work, practices and games,

then throughout our lives we will continue to serve and daily learn to be

servant leaders.”

Working with One7 also has enhanced Allie’s Milligan experience.

“My experience with One7 has made my time at Milligan better because

it’s allowed me to get involved in the community, outside my bubble, with my

teammates and fellow students,” Allie said. “When I do ministry alongside

my teammates or classmates, it makes our relationship so much stronger.

God has definitely used the One7 kids and other college leaders to change

and bless my life over these past three years. I feel like they have blessed me

more than I have blessed them.”

Allie is quick to point out that the experience is not just about her or her

teammates.

“Being a servant leader at One7 isn’t about what you can do for

someone else as much as it’s about living life together, being open to listen,

learning from those around you, and telling others what God’s shown you,”

she said.n

t’S my hope that if we aS college StudentS can learn to Serve otherS now, when

our liveS are So buSy with claSS, work, practiceS and gameS, then throughout

our liveS we will continue to Serve and daily learn to be Servant leaderS.“I”

20 | SPRING 2013

Alison Slagle (’08) can barely remember a time when she wasn’t aware

she wanted to be a teacher.

“Teaching is a passion I have always had,” Slagle said. “As a child, my

teachers gave me old teaching manuals, and I took them home over the

summer. I had a playhouse converted into a school room, complete with a

picnic table for lunch outside and a swing-set for recess. My neighborhood

friends were my students.”

That passion became a calling for Slagle, and her work in the classroom

is quickly being recognized. Slagle was one of 29 teachers to receive a grant

through Eastman Chemical Company’s Putting Children First program.

“I am very grateful to have been selected for this grant,” Slagle said.

“This is the first grant I have submitted. I had a great deal of help from my

curriculum specialist, and I couldn’t have done it on my own.”

Putting Children First (PCF) is a business/education partnership

between Eastman Chemical Company and eight school systems within

Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia serving more than 104 schools.

The grant is intended to promote innovative classroom programs that

improve student learning and performance in math and science.

Slagle was selected for her work at Anderson Elementary in the Bristol,

Tennessee, school system, where she has taught since she earned a bachelor’s

degree in early childhood development.

Her PCF grant will assist first and second grade teachers as they

implement highly effective math stations. Students will use the stations in

whole group instruction, small group instruction, and eventually,

independently in math work stations. The stations will help the students gain

an in-depth conceptual understanding of the Common Core Math

Standards.

In addition to teaching, the former Buffalo volleyball standout serves as

the head volleyball coach at Vance Middle School in Bristol.

Slagle’s experience as a student-athlete at Milligan has helped her in the

classroom.

“More than anything, being an athlete provided me with a strong work

ethic and determination,” Slagle said. “In the real world, we are all dealt

issues that make us want to throw in the towel. However, being an athlete

truly gave me a very strong, mature mindset even in my first year of

teaching.”

Not only does her time as a student-athlete help her in the classroom, it

also allows her to pass on the lessons she learned at Milligan to her players

to prepare them for high school athletics and beyond.

“I have been able to take this same mindset and coach it to my first-

year volleyball players,” Slagle said. “While some come to me well-seasoned

in the volleyball world, others are not. They come to me in all shapes and

forms, and it is my job to mold them with the fundamentals for not only

high school, but for life itself.

“Milligan volleyball is much more than a sport,” Slagle added. “It

taught me how to treat others, keep my friends close, and how to live my

SPRING 2013 | 21

life for other people.”

As an educator, Slagle

translates the life lessons she

learned at Milligan into her

teaching—from eating lunch

with her students to

providing snacks and

moments of silence.

“Milligan prepared me

for a life of giving,” Slagle

said. “The lessons learned

at Milligan innately pour

out of me in the classroom

environment toward the

ones who need my love the

most.”

Slagle’s success in the

classroom and on the

court is a blessing to her.

“I am extremely humbled to have

succeeded in the education world,” Slagle said. “The high demands of

teacher evaluations and new state testing standards make the stakes high. I

am competitive and give my all to teaching and coaching these kids.”

In the classroom, Slagle is keeping alive a tradition of Milligan alumni

making an impact in the education field.

“I am thankful to be in this position at this point in my life,” she said.

“I truly feel Milligan’s professors, coaches and administrators play an

integral role in ensuring each student and student-athlete a lifetime of

success.

“I would not take back the lessons learned, the people met, or the

love that was shared among my teammates and friends at Milligan,” Slagle

said. “There are some wonderful memories there that will never be

forgotten.”n

Coach Harold Stout’s vision fora fan-friendly Anglin FieldCoach Harold Stout led the Milligan baseball team in the 1970s and

1980s. During this time the Buffaloes saw many baseball champions

and championships come their way. Although Coach Stout no longer

coaches at Milligan, his heart has remained with the Buffaloes. He

has followed the team over the years, frequently

attending games at Anglin Field.

Coach Stout recently contacted Milligan’s

administration, expressing his concern that many fans

have difficulty getting into the stands, especially those

who are older. His vision for a more “fan friendly

experience” at Anglin Field even led him to ask a local

architect for help in visualizing his dream.

This project, estimated to cost $2.5 million, will likely

become part of Milligan’s next comprehensive

fundraising effort. In the meantime, the college is

moving ahead with the raising of funds to make this

project a reality.n

athletIc NewSMen’s BasketballFollowing a close conference race, the men’s basketball team finished the season 9-7 in the AAC and 18-13 overall after a 2-point loss to nationally ranked TennesseeWesleyan in the AAC semifinals. Cartree Pettis (Oviedo, FL) was named the AAC Co-Freshman of the Year, while Torian Sitton (hendersonville, NC) was named to theAAC All-Conference second team. The Buffaloes lose Tyler Devault (Kingsport, TN),who surpassed a 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds, and Rob Larsen(Philadelphia, PA) to graduation.

Women’s Basketball

The women’s basketball team captured the regular season conference title and

secured a berth to the 2013 NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball National

Championships, where they lost in overtime during the opening round to the College

of Ozarks, ending the season 16-2 in the AAC and 23-10 overall. The Buffaloes were

led by seniors Johneshia Good (Johnson City, TN), Jamiee hill (Johnson City, TN)

and Dorian Freeman (Augusta, GA). Good was named the Co-Player of the Year as

well as the Defensive Player of the Year for the AAC.

Cross Country

The women’s cross country team ran to a 19th place finish at the 2012 NAIA Cross

Country National Championships at the Fort Vancouver (WA) National Site in

Vancouver. It was the team’s 10th straight top 25 finish at the NAIA Cross Country

National Championships and their seventh finish inside the top 20 after capturing

their 10th straight AAC title. The Buffaloes were paced by sophomore Mackenzie

Patten (Kingsport, TN) as she ran to a personal best time of 19:13 to finish 53rd.

Freshman Meagan Wright (Florence, SC) capped off a stellar freshman campaign,

finishing 88th with a time of 19:42, and senior Danielle Mitchell (Johnson City, TN)

covered the 5K course in a time of 19:44 to finish 95th.

Men’s Golf

The Milligan College men’s golf team finished the fall conference tournament in

second at the Clear Creek Country Club in Bristol, VA. As a team, the Buffaloes

finished six strokes behind winner Tennessee Wesleyan. Milligan was paced by

hunter O’Neal (Bluefield, vA) as he finished in a tie for sixth with a two-day total of

150, while freshman Nick Kyte (Elizabethton, TN) finished in eighth as he fired a

two-day total of 151.

Women’s Golf

The Milligan College women’s golf team used a second day rally to finish in fourth in

the fall conference tournament at the Springbrook Country Club in Niota, TN. The

Buffaloes were led by Brittany Branker (Trabuco Canyon, CA) as she finished in

third with a two-day total of 161. Madison Smith (Draper, vA) finished the

tournament with a score of 173 to finish in a tie for 15th.

Men’s volleyball

In January, Milligan announced the addition of men’s volleyball as a club sport to

allow more student-athletes the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level. An

emerging sport on all levels nationally, the team will begin competing next year as

members of the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation (NCVF) and will play a full

schedule, January through April, that consists of club teams and collegiate programs.

For more athletic news, visit www.milliganbuffs.com

24 | SPRING 2013

W. Dennis helsabeck

celebrated his 100th birthday

on December 17, 2012, and

passed away on January 11,

2013. In addition to his

parents, he was preceded in

death by his first and second

wives, Nellie Mae Cox

Helsabeck and Eleanor

hughes hobson helsabeck

(’68); and three sons, Dosier

Helsabeck, Earl hobson (’62)

and P.G. Hobson.

He earned his Bachelor of

Arts degree at Johnson Bible

College, his Bachelor of

Divinity at Butler University

School of Religion, his Master of Arts degree at the University of Michigan

and his doctorate degree at the University of Wisconsin.

Dr. Helsabeck was a pastor in the Christian churches for 27 years,

including First Church of Christ, High Point, NC; Arcadia Christian Church,

Arcadia, IN; First Christian Church, Madison, WI; Hokitika Church of Christ,

New Zealand; and minister of counseling for First Christian Church,

Phoenix, AZ. He served on various committees of the North American

Christian Convention and the British American Fellowship.

He spent the remainder of his career, from 1963-1978, as a professor at

Milligan College and emmanuel Christian Seminary in Johnson City,

Tennessee.

Dr. Helsabeck leaves one son, William Dennis helsabeck, Jr., Milligan

College associate professor emeritus of history. Other surviving family

include daughter-in-law Mary Alice (Randle ’62) hobson; Eric hobson

(’86); Scott (’86) and Elaine (Stoker ’89) hobson; and Seth hobson (’97).

Jack Willard Bible (’50) died October 1, 2012. He

was 85. Jack served in Saipan during the Second

World War and was stationed with the Reserves at

Great Lakes Naval Base during the Korean War. He

attended Milligan, where he played football and

met and married Jean (harris ’50) in 1950; they

had two children and five grand-children. Jack

worked at GM’s Fleetwood plant in Detroit for 30

years before retiring, and Jean taught school for 32

years.

Laken “Red” Warnock (’57), 83, passed away on

February 8, 2013, from complications related to

kidney disease. He was preceded in death by his

beloved wife, Nelta (hyder ’51) Warnock. He is

survived by a son, Tim (Maryglenn), a daughter,

JoAnna (Jerry), and a granddaughter, Mary Nelta.

Following Milligan, Red received his Ph.D. in

biochemistry from Vanderbilt University in 1962.

He taught biochemistry at Oklahoma State

University and Vanderbilt University Medical

School, and he worked for the Veterans

Administration Hospital. He was a member of the

University Club of Nashville and Woodmont

Christian Church, where he served as Scoutmaster

for BSA Troop 92 and also served as an elder, a

deacon and a member of the board. The family

asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to

Milligan College, P.O. Box 750, Milligan College TN

37682.

Richard Lyle Williamson (’68) passed away June

17, 2012, in Hoopeston, IL. He taught for 35 years

at Wellington Grade School and Hoopeston Middle

School in Illinois. Survivors include his wife, Sue;

daughter Andrea (Williamson) Bailey (’97); sons,

Josh Williamson (’98) and Ben Williamson; and

sister, Sue Williamson (’70).

Melissa (Roy ’81) Dahlman, died November 23,

2012, from complications resulting from

Huntington’s Disease. She was 53. Melissa

graduated with honors from Milligan College,

earning a degree in human relations and

elementary education. She and her husband,

associate professor of communications Simon

(Jim) Dahlman (’80), served the Platt Bridge

Church of Christ in Wigan, england, from 1982-

1987. After the family returned to the U.S., they

lived in Cincinnati and Colorado Springs before

moving to Johnson City in 1999. She was an active

member of Hopwood Christian Church. In addition

to her husband, Melissa is survived by daughters

Sarah Dahlman (’06) and Rachael (Corey)

Dahlman Warf.

In memoriam

Roy hampton (’49) died peacefully on

January, 15, 2013. He was 85. After

serving two years in the U.S. Navy during

World War II, Roy chose to pursue a

career in academia. Following the

completion of an undergraduate degree

at Milligan, he went on to earn a master’s

degree in mathematics at the University

of Pittsburgh. He taught for one year at

Bluffton High School in Indiana, before

being invited to teach at the U.S. Naval

Academy in Annapolis, MD. For 10 years

he taught future naval officers

mathematics and engineering. In his

“spare time” he wrote a textbook on basic

mechanisms, founded and pastored Glen

Burnie Christian Church (MD), and reared

five children.

During his academic career, Roy also taught on the faculty at Johns Hopkins

University, the University of Pittsburgh, Virginia Intermont and Milligan

College, and he taught courses and tutored at prisons in Pittsburgh and

Brushy Mountain, TN. Throughout and beyond his academic career, Ray

pastored at additional churches: Hales Chapel Christian Church (Gray, TN),

Central Christian Church (Pittsburgh, PA), and Gap Creek Christian Church

(elizabethton, TN).

Roy leaves behind four surviving children, L. Paul Hampton (Jayne), R. David

Hampton (Mary Ann), Mary Fern (hampton ’74) Phillippe and Rebecca

Anne (hampton ’78) Plumer. Among his grandchildren are Milligan alumni

Crystal Phillippe (’99), Jonathan Phillippe (’02), Chris Phillippe (’09) and

Amber Plumer (’15).

Memorials gifts may be given to the Roy and Wanda Lee Hampton

scholarship at Milligan College, P.O. Box 750, Milligan College, TN 37682 or

emmanuel Christian Seminary, 1 Walker Dr., Johnson City, TN 37601.

SPRING 2013 | 25

Glen M. Williams, a federal judge whose wit and selfless generosity

gently guided hundreds of young lawyers through the courts and whose

legal brilliance helped mold one of the country’s most controversial

coal-mining environmental laws, died November 4, 2012. He was 92.

The Lee County, Virginia, native, son of a grocery owner, interrupted

his college education to join the Navy the day after Pearl Harbor; he fought

in the Atlantic, Pacific and Mediterranean theaters, as well as in the Allied

invasion of southern France.

Mr. Williams, at the vanguard of a resurgent Republican Party in the

1950s, won election as Lee County commonwealth’s attorney before he

finished law school.

“He was a treasure whose brilliance and understanding of everyday

people’s lives really is beyond words to describe,” said H. Ronnie

Montgomery, a lifelong friend and lawyer in Mr. Williams’ hometown of

Jonesville.

A youth spent at his father’s side in the store listening to the stories of

miners and farmers created a bedrock of understanding and storytelling that

Mr. Williams never lost, Montgomery said.

A U.S. district judge in Virginia’s western district for 34 years, Mr.

Williams was named to the bench in 1976 by President Gerald R. Ford.

A craggy voice and a mind full of stories, the telling of which seemed

to work in harmony with his legal mind, beguiled listeners whether they

grew up in the coalfields or ventured into the Southwest mountains from

top-dollar New York law firms.

“They would come down to Lee County and Big Stone Gap from New

York and places like that and just leave shaking their heads with respect,”

said David Harless, a Lee County native now with the Christian & Barton

law firm in Richmond.

Mr. Williams swore in George Allen, a former clerk of his, as governor.

Allen described Mr. Williams as “a principled man of character with truly

unmatched, insightful decision-making and unsurpassed storytelling.”

Also among Mr. Williams’ clerks is Virginia Supreme Court Chief

Justice Cynthia D. Kinser, who said that Mr. Williams cherished

evenhandedness and worked to show that the law is just.

“He taught us how to work toward fairness but to do that within the

bounds of the law,” she said.

Kinser’s son, Adam, also clerked for Mr. Williams and, as Mr. Williams’

sight lapsed, drove him to court from Jonesville to Abingdon, a trip of

nearly two hours.

“We’d always stop at Hardee’s (in Duffield) for a country ham and

cheese biscuit on the way and he’d be telling his stories,” said Adam Kinser,

who practices with Montgomery.

“We’d get to court and he’d stop, but then we’d start the drive back

home. ‘Now where was I?,’ he said the judge would ask, ready to resume the

tale he’d begun hours earlier.

Mr. Williams was the force behind the establishment of a federal

courthouse in Big Stone Gap in

Wise County, and he presided

there shortly after taking the

bench in one of the country’s

most significant environmental

cases.

Mr. Williams ruled that

some provisions of the 1977

Surface Mining Control and

Reclamation Act were

unconstitutional, a victory for the coal industry. Years later, in 2008, Mr.

Williams issued an opinion that stopped a clear-cutting operation at the site

of a proposed mountaintop-removal coal operation in Wise.

In his decision, Mr. Williams cited the death of a 3-year-old boy killed

in his bed by falling boulders from another strip mine. “The judge told Big

Coal today that they are not above the law and cannot start bulldozing

without a permit,” a spokesman for Southern Appalachian Mountain

Stewards said after Mr. Williams issued an injunction.

Mr. Williams served a term in the state Senate but was upset when late

write-in ballots were counted from the remote mining-camp town of St.

Charles. “The results didn’t come in until Friday,” Montgomery recalled,

suggesting that the ballots may not have been entirely genuine.

Gov. Bob McDonnell praised Mr. Williams as one of the state’s most

respected jurists and “brightest legal minds.” He applied a common-sense

approach to justice, combined with a keen intellect and respect for all who

came before his court.”

In addition to mentoring Allen and Kinser toward achievements that

took them far beyond Virginia’s most distant county, Mr. Williams also

helped guide his own daughter. Judith Williams Jagdmann served as state

attorney general in 2005-06 and now sits on the Virginia State Corporation

Commission.

Big Stone Gap lawyer Henry Kueling-Stout recalled presenting the last

legal arguments Mr. Williams heard in his court, on Jan. 28, 2010. The

opposing lawyer was Adam Kinser, the chief justice’s son. The judge ruled

in favor of both parties.

“He raised up, nurtured and encouraged 30-plus years of often-

homegrown attorneys to proudly represent far Southwest Virginia,”

Kueling-Stout said. The judge’s country wit and storytelling were so

compelling, he said, “it grabbed your soul and maybe your heart before

your mind.”

Mr. Williams is survived by his wife, Jane, and four daughters, including

Jagdmann.

Contributions in Judge Williams’ memory may be made to First

Christian Church, 428 W. Morgan Ave., Pennington Gap, VA 24277 or

The Glen M. Williams Scholarship Fund at Milligan College, P.O. Box 750,

Milligan College, TN 37682.n

JUDgE glEN M. WIllIAMS

Appeared in the November 6 edition

of the Richmond Times-Dispatch

by Bill McKelway

1920–2012

(’40)

Judge Williams received the Distinguished

Alumnus Award in 1980, and he served on the

college’s Board of Trustees from 1992-2011.

In 2011, he became a Trustee Emeritus.

26 | SPRING 2013

For more information please contact Jack Simpson,

Vice President for InstitutionalAdvancement at 800.447.5922,

423.461.8955 orjasimpson@milligan.edu.

Christianliberal arts

TO sUppOrT A

EDUCATION.

There are numerous ways you can make provision

for Milligan College in your estate plans.

SPRING 2013 | 27

Dear friends,

Baseball legend Yogi Berra once said, “If you don’t know

where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else.”

That’s why Milligan periodically engages in a thorough

process of long range and strategic planning, a process that

begins with our trustees, whose leadership ensures that the

college keeps moving toward and achieving its mission

to honor God by educating men and women to be

servant-leaders.

Our most recent process of planning emphasizes those

things that have become hallmarks of Milligan College: the

core values of scholarship, community, and faith, which

provide the foundation upon which we will chart our course

for the coming years.

• Scholarship - We will offer high quality, regionally and

nationally respected academic programs that support

the college’s mission and are relevant to the marketplace.

• Community - We will be a strong, vibrant, and diverse

Christian collegiate community of 2,000 students.

• Faith - We will have increasing global impact by developing

servant leaders with a Christian worldview.

These long range goals guide the administration, staff,

and faculty as we work together to establish strategic plans

that will help ensure that we end up where we’re trying to go.

Milligan has been remarkably successful in fulfilling its mission

over the years, educating thousands of men and women who

have gone on to successful careers and fulfilling lives of

service.

But the world today is far different from the world in

which Milligan was founded, or the world in which Milligan

students graduated only a few years ago. Today, there is

increasing economic pressure. Jobs are more difficult to come

by, which causes families to be concerned about student debt

despite overwhelming evidence that a college degree continues

to be a good and even vital investment. Because of these

growing concerns, colleges are now subject to increased

government scrutiny to demonstrate that the investment is

worth the cost. I am pleased to tell you that Milligan exceeds

national averages on every key federal performance metric

and is also well ahead of every college in our region, public

or private.

We can’t, however, rest on our past successes. In the

coming months, you’ll hear much more about how we will be

seeking to fulfill our mission in a rapidly changing world.

There will be continued improvements to the good things we

are already doing. New and exciting programs will be added to

our robust curriculum, and important fundraising initiatives

will be launched so that we can continue to improve and

expand our campus and ensure that adequate financial

resources are in place.

But no matter how much we plan, we recognize that God

is in control of what takes place at Milligan College. I thank

God every day for the provision he has granted Milligan. I am

grateful for the community of trustees, administrators, faculty,

staff, and students who are committed to excellence in

scholarship. I am grateful for the community of alumni and

friends who make it possible for students to be prepared for

lives of impact. I am grateful for the churches that support

our work. And I am grateful that God has provided us with a

vision to be the very best residential, Christian liberal arts

college we can be. Our students deserve nothing less.

Thank you for being such a valued part of the Milligan

community, and thank you for your continued prayers and

support.

With deepest gratitude,

Bill Greer (’85) Ph.D.

President

From the President

SPRING 2013 | 28

Office of Institutional AdvancementPO Box 9 | Milligan College, Tennessee | 37682

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