Volume X 219 Rock Street, Bluefield, WV 24701 Number 2

October 2004

Fall Sports Schedule In Full Swing(see page 4 for details)

A Message from the President

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During my two-plus years as President of BluefieldState College, I have enjoyed the opportunity to share withnumerous organizations and groups my vision for thiswonderful institution of higher education.

The Vision

Bluefield State College will continue to be an outstand-ing institution of higher education, offering quality bac-calaureate and associate degree opportunities at an afford-able cost to the citizens of southeast West Virginia and sur-rounding areas. The College will maintain outstanding lib-eral arts programs enhanced with technology that will pre-pare students for lifelong learning and prepare them tocompete in a diverse and global economy. Bluefield StateCollege will also offer nationally recognized curricula(graduate programs, etc.) that will evolve to meet regional

and societal needs.“The Vision” is, at the same time, both challenging and

energizing. In recent weeks, the student housing initiativemoved rapidly toward becoming a reality. The College isworking with a regional entrepreneur/developer who hasacquired the former Ramada Inn in Bluefield. He has atrack record of success in converting onetime motels intooutstanding student residential centers and his goal is tohave this facility ready to welcome students for the begin-ning of the Fall 2006 Semester. Concurrently, the Collegeretains its commitment to redevelop Mahood Hall into on-campus student housing.

As you will read in the pages of this Blue and Gold,the Bluefield State College Research and DevelopmentCorporation has purchased the former American ElectricPower (AEP) Company building in downtown Bluefield,WV. The stately six-story facility will provide conferencerooms, a small business development center, businessincubator opportunities, and a computer lab among itsmany services. It is a wonderful example of a “town-gown” initiative that benefits the College and the commu-nity.

Bluefield State is a College on the move, committed togrowth and service. We are intensely proud of BSC’s richheritage of educational excellence and we are encouragedby your support as we embrace the opportunities of thefuture.

Albert L. WalkerPresident

From the Bluefield State College Board of GovernorsJohn Barnes, Chairperson

As chairman of the Bluefield StateCollege Board of Governors and onbehalf of the Board, I wish to expressmy appreciation for your support,advice, encouragement, and interest inBSC. The College has served thisregion with distinction, producinggraduates who have strengthenedbusiness, industry, and education.Certainly, there have been and willcontinue to be challenges along theway. Your Board of Governors willcontinue to lead Bluefield StateCollege with a commitment to meetneeds, recognize and respond toopportunity, and operate in a fiscallyresponsible fashion.

This year, we have worked with

the state’s executive and legislativeleaders to produce agreements andrelationships that enhance the poten-tial for success at both Bluefield StateCollege and New River Communityand Technical College. This summer,a landmark agreement was signed,whereby BSC received much neededstate funding to underwrite its aca-demic and service mission, and NewRiver Community and TechnicalCollege expanded its academic offer-ings to provide even more careeroptions for its students.

And, while the current academicyear and approaching state legislativesession will certainly bring changeand challenge, we are confident that

the resilience of this College, theresourcefulness of the BSC family,and the leadership of your Board willproduce a “game plan” for career-focused academic programs, sustainedenrollment growth, and increasinginvolvement in the economic develop-ment of the region and all of WestVirginia.

During each year’s commence-ment exercises as I greet and congrat-ulate the College’s new graduates, Iam reminded that Bluefield StateCollege IS making a positive differ-ence in the lives of those we serve.Your Board encourages your supportand input in the months and years tocome.

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West Virginia Governor Bob Wisevisited Bluefield State College onAugust 2 to deliver featured remarksduring signing ceremonies involvingBSC, New River Community andTechnical College and the WestVirginia Community and TechnicalCollege Council.

The ceremony spotlighted aMemorandum of Agreement betweenBSC and the Community andTechnical College Council, anda contractual agreement betweenthe BSC Board of Governorsand New River CTC. TheMemorandum of Agreementdealt with the “Delivery ofAssociate Degree Programs.”As provided for in House Bill2224, passed during the 2003legislative session, the WVCommunity and TechnicalCollege Council and the BSCBoard of Governors haveentered into an agreement bywhich BSC would continue todeliver the associate degree levelprograms in ArchitecturalEngineering Technology, CivilEngineering Technology, ElectricalEngineering Technology, MechanicalEngineering Technology, andRadiologic Technology. Senate Bill448, passed during the 2004 legisla-

tive session, provided for BSC to con-tinue delivering the associate of sci-ence degree program in Nursing.

The contractual agreementbetween BSC and NRCTC providedfor the transfer of the associate degreeprograms in General Education andGeneral Business to New River CTC,along with a reallocation of stateappropriations that adjusts and

increases the amount of state fundingBSC receives.

Governor Wise noted, when hesigned SB448 into law, that a meetingconcerning the working relationshipbetween the institutions would be held

in Bluefield during the summer. In hiscomments at BSC, Governor Wisenoted, “Today’s event is a testamentto the differences between two-yearand four-year institutions and the needfor discussion and compromise toensure that both types of institutionscan fulfill their missions and serve ourcitizens. During my term as Governor,our efforts in higher education policy

have focused on three things:accessibility, affordability, andaccountability. These three ‘A’sshould continue to form thefoundation of our efforts toreform and restructure highereducation so we can stimulateeconomic development, enhanceworkforce training and createprosperity for all of our citi-zens.”

BSC Board of Governorschairman John Barnes, NRCTCBoard of Advisors chairmanEdward Knight, BSC PresidentDr. Albert Walker, NRCTCPresident Dr. David Perkins, andWV Community and Technical

College Council chairman NelsonRobinson took part in the signing cer-emony, which was attended by severalstate legislators, civic officials,College employees, and members ofthe community.

Governor Wise Attends Signing Ceremony Involving BSC,New River Community and Technical College, and the WVCommunity and Technical College Council

Dr. Albert Walker Governor Bob Wise Dr. David Perkins

BSC President Dr. Albert Walker and NRCTCPresident Dr. David Perkins sign the Memorandum

of Agreement during an August 2 ceremony.

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The former AmericanElectric Power Companydivision headquarters inBluefield now has a newowner with a futuristicfocus upon technologytransfer and communitydevelopment. The BluefieldState College Research andDevelopment Corporationrecently purchased fromAEP the six-story facility onBland Street in Bluefield,West Virginia Third districtU.S. Congressman Nick J.Rahall, II took part in theSeptember 20 ribbon-cut-ting ceremony to celebratethe opening of the“Bluefield TechnologyTransfer and CommunityDevelopment Center.”

“This is a great day forBluefield,” Rahall noted. “It marks arebirth, a revitalization, a technologi-

cal renaissance, and it celebrates agrassroots effort led by local visionar-ies who understand that opportunity isonly a click away.”

Dr. Felica Wooten Blanks,

President, co-founder, andCEO of the BSC Researchand DevelopmentCorporation, extendedspecial thanks to JayDivers (AEP Real EstateAgent/Land Management)for the utility's willingnessto work with the R&DCorporation in the sale ofthe facility. “We plannumerous projects for eco-nomic development andjob creation in the area,”she stated. She also pro-vided a floor-by-floor pre-view of how the buildingwill be used, citing activities includinga business service center,small business incubator,

conference rooms, computer laborato-ry, training rooms, a testing center,and publishing house to be located inthe facility.

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Marks Opening of BSC Research and Development Corporation’s New Center

With the addition of volleyball, Bluefield State College now features tenintercollegiate athletic programs. As members of the NCAA Division II andthe West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the Big Blues’ sportsportfolio includes men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s crosscountry, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s volleyball and softball, andmen’s baseball and golf.

The Big Blues’ basketball team is scheduled to open its home season onNovember 26-27, hosting the four-team Currence Classic. After starting theirseason by entertaining the University of Charleston on November 15, the LadyBlues embark on a four-game road trip, returning to the Ned Shott Gym onDecember 4 to face Livingstone College.

(Cover Photo)--Bluefield State College student-athletes (seated, left-to-right)Meagan Repass (basketball), Shamatee Mitchell (cross country), Nikke Resta(softball), (standing, left-to-right) Terry Blount (basketball), Brad Ball (crosscountry) and Adam Armstrong (baseball/golf) help BSC launch an active fallsports season.

Fall Sports Schedule In Full SwingLast Day to Apply for

Admission for theA.S. Nursing and

Radiologic Technologyfor the 2005 Programs

isDecember 15, 2004

For additional information, contact

the Admissions Officeat (304) 327-4065.

Dr. Albert Walker, US Congressman Nick Rahall, Dr. Felica Wooten Blanks, and Jay Divers “cut the ribbon,” marking the official opening of the Bluefield State College

Research & Development Corporation’s new center indowntown Bluefield, West Virginia.

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BSC Civil Engineering Technology Student TeamPerforms Well in National Championships

A team of civil engineering tech-nology students from Bluefield StateCollege finished in the top one-sev-enth of all colleges and universities inthe nation eligible to compete in anational student steel bridge competi-tion. The BSC team, composed ofmembers in the American Society ofCivil Engineers’ (ASCE) student club,earned a berth in the national eventduring a previous regional competi-tion.

During the National Student SteelBridge Competition (NSSBC) at theColorado School of Mines, the BSCentry ranked 24th overall out of 44national qualifying schools, whoadvanced from a field of 180 schoolseligible to compete in the event. Theteam’s 26-foot bridge was judged incategories that included economy,efficiency, construction speed, light-ness, and aesthetics.

North Dakota State Universityoutpointed the University of Michiganto win the overall championship.BSC, at 24th overall, ranked ahead ofstudent teams from institutions ofhigher education that includedVirginia Tech, Rutgers University,Texas A&M, the University of NewMexico, Clemson University, OhioState University, Penn StateUniversity, and the host institution,the Colorado School of Mines.

“The BSC student steel bridgeteam of Gregg Inman (Captain), MikeSibold, Jason Thompson, AngeliaHarman, Jason Robertson, and SteveBrant improved upon last year’s stu-dent team’s 31st place finish. “Onceagain, our civil engineering technolo-gy students have confirmed that theyare competitive with teams frommajor colleges and universities,”noted Kerry Stauffer, BSC ASCE

Student Club faculty advisor and BSCcivil engineering technology facultymember. “We are especially gratefulto the organizations and individualswho have supported our efforts.”

“By participating in competitionssuch as these, our students develop agreater depth of understanding andthey get first-hand experience withsome of the factors that are encoun-tered on real world projects, fromdesign to construction. I am verypleased with how they performed andare confident about the quality of edu-cation with which our graduates arecurrently entering into the job market.With success like this and like thoseof the electrical engineering technolo-gy’s robotics, it’s very easy to see thecontribution that Bluefield StateCollege is making to our area andbeyond,” he said.

For the past three years, BluefieldState College has been the fastestgrowing public college or universityin West Virginia. As BSC seeks tocontinue to grow and serve, theCollege’s alumni will play a centralrole in achieving this goal.

Throughout the past two years,initiatives designed to provide hous-ing for BSC students have been dis-cussed and considered. It is gratifyingto report that, within the next twoyears, student housing facilities couldbe ready to welcome BSC students.This will significantly increase thesize of the region from which theCollege can recruit students.

Our alumni are invited to jointheir alma mater in attracting studentsto this wonderful, tradition rich insti-tution. By encouraging high schoolstudents and others who have an inter-est in continuing their academic pur-suits to consider BSC, you become aninvaluable ambassador for theCollege. When you contact theEnrollment Management staff, we will

follow up by contacting those studentsyou refer. They will receive a varietyof information designed to encouragethem to attend BSC.

We are a College small enough tocare about each student, and we arecommitted to helping each studentacquire the knowledge and cultivatethe skills that will lead to a fulfillingand productive career.

Please consider this invitation tojoin us in becoming key players in thefuture success of Bluefield StateCollege. My staff and I look forwardto the opportunity of working withyou in this endeavor. Please contactme at:

(304) 327-4567or

jcardwell@bluefieldstate.edu

Alumni Involvement Essential for Enrollment Growth

John CardwellExecutive Director of

Enrollment Management

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BSC Students More Satisfied With Their College than Peers atOther Institutions throughout the United States

Bluefield State College studentsare more satisfied with their College’sperformance than the national aver-age, according to results from anationally-recognized enrollmentmanagement consulting firm. TheNoel-Levitz Student SatisfactionInventory, administered to 317 BSCstudents earlier this year, measuredthe importance of campus issues tostudents while concurrently measuringthe students satisfaction with the col-lege’s performance in those areas.

BSCs strengths, according to the

survey, included the quality of instruc-tion and academic advising studentsreceive, computer lab accessibility,affordability of tuition, intellectualgrowth, and faculty/staff concern forstudents welfare. “We are encouragedby the results of this research,” notedDr. Albert Walker, BSC President.“As an institution of higher education,we are committed to helping our stu-dents succeed in the classroom and,after graduation, in business, industry,and their subsequent educational pur-suits.”

Noel-Levitz is a consulting firmfor enrollment management profes-sionals, providing help with studentrecruitment, financial aid, studentretention, market research, and more.Since 1973, Noel-Levitz has workedwith more than 1600 institutions ofhigher education.

Entering the 2004-2005 academicyear, Bluefield State College is thefastest-growing public college in WestVirginia for the past three year period.

Team CART enters the 2005Defense Advanced Research ProjectsAgency (DARPA) Grand Challengewith a proven track record of successin recent international IntelligentGround Robotic VehicleCompetitions. TheCenter for AppliedResearch andTechnology (CART) atBluefield State Collegewill work with PreferredChassis Fabrication, Inc.in Tucson, Arizona andothers to build the entrythey call the SCORPION-fox.

Created in response to aCongressional and Department ofDefense mandate, DARPA GrandChallenge is a field test intended toaccelerate research and developmentin autonomous ground vehicles thatwill help save American lives on thebattlefield. The Grand Challengebrings together individuals and organ-izations from industry, the R&D com-

munity, government, the armed serv-ices, academia, students, backyardinventors, and automotive enthusiastsin the pursuit of a technological chal-lenge.

“The DARPA Grand Challenge2005 is a tremendous opportunity anda formidable challenge for ourUnmanned Vehicle Systems programfaculty, students, and industrial part-ners,” noted Bruce Mutter, Director ofthe Center for Applied Research andTechnology at Bluefield StateCollege. “Our participation in thisevent will raise the bar for the organi-zation and stretch our capability for

resourcefulness and ingenuity. At thesame time, it will enable us toobserve, interact, and compete withbest unmanned vehicle systemsbuilders in the world. Given this

challenge, where elsewould we rather be?”

Mutter added that heis particularly enthusiasticabout the “synergy ofideas” that developedbetween Dwaine Jungenof Preferred ChassisFabrication and Dr.Robert N. Riggins,

Professor and Lead Robotics Engineerfor CART, Inc. during Mr. Jungen’srecent visit.

The DARPA Grand Challengewill take place on October 8, 2005 inthe southwestern U.S. desert. Theteam that develops an autonomousground vehicle that finishes the desig-nated route most quickly within 10hours will receive $2 million.

Center for Applied Research and Technology at BSC To Be Represented at Defense Agency’s World Famous DARPA Competition

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The Office of Multicultural Affairs is charged to address discrimination, prejudice,stereotypes, harassment, and any other form of inequality that create an undesirable campusenvironment. This will be achieved via multicultural awareness activities and training thatwill provide a wide variety of cultural perspectives, empowering all persons. The ultimategoal is for the College to move from fostering diversity awareness to embracing diversityeducation. By embracing diversity education, the College will make diversity an integralpart of routine activities.

The demographic makeup of the students, faculty, and staff at Bluefield State Collegerepresents persons who are diverse based upon physical differences, ethnicity, religiousaffiliation, gender, sexual orientation, among others. Students, faculty, administrators, staff,stakeholders, and the West Virginia community-at-large share the responsibility of empow-ering all of its members from these diverse groups. It is imperative for all persons toembrace diversity, considering that all of us could become categorized as being a part of an underrepresented group. Ido not know if one of my children will become disabled in the future; I do not know if one of my children will fall inlove with someone of different race or orientation. These are not uncommon events, so it is not out of the realm ofpossibility that one of these situations may happened to you. If something like this does happen to you, will you beprepared to handle to it? Join with the Office of Multicultural Affairs to create an inclusive environment where weproudly recognize, accept, understand, and respect differences regardless of race, gender, people with disabilities, reli-gion, age, veteran status.

Multicultural Affairs Initiatives and Updates

Dr. Ralphael HeaggansDirector of

Multicultural Affairs

Thousands of students across thenation are afforded educational oppor-tunities through scholarship awards onan annual basis. Here at BluefieldState College, 500 students per semes-ter depend on those scholarships tofurther their education.

On November 20, at the BluefieldElks Lodge banquet room, theBluefield State College Foundationwill hold its first ScholarshipFundraising Dinner. All proceedsfrom the dinner will be used to sup-port the scholarship program at BSC.Through ticket sales, a silent and pub-lic auction, and donations, BSCFoundation plans to raise approxi-mately $40,000. Dinner is includedwith a choice of menu provided.

The cost of attendance is $100 perperson, or $800 per table. The eventwill begin with Hospitality Hour at 6pm. During this hour, guests will beserved hors d’ oeuvres with a cash baravailable as well. Our first hour of

socializing will afford guests theopportunity to renew acquaintances,establish new ones, and preview itemsup for auction. Dinner will followHospitality Hour.

Dinner will be served at 6:45 pm.Guests have a choice of New YorkStrip, cooked to preference, or stuffedPortobello mushroom caps. Theguest’s choice will be accompanied bya stuffed potato and salad along with avegetable medley and bread. Thisscrumptious meal will be followed bytasty dessert selections of either applepie or chocolate layer cake. Iced teaand coffee will be available for guestsas well. Our program will begin fol-lowing dinner.

This year’s keynote speaker willbe Dr. William Bernard Robertson, aBSC alumnus, and the former U. S.Deputy Assistant Secretary of Statefor African Affairs. The program willconclude at 8 pm and be followed bythe auction.

We have many valuable itemsdonated for our auction, so come pre-pared to bid. Some items will beavailable by public auction, and someby silent auction. Keep in mind thatall donations are tax deductible (abid-ing state and federal tax laws) and arean investment in education.

Mark your calendars forNovember 20, and plan to attend theBluefield State College ScholarshipFundraising Dinner. We look forwardto seeing you there. Remember, aninvestment in education is an invest-ment in the future. For more informa-tion regarding this event, contact:

Mark Oblinger at moblinger@bluefieldstate.edu

or call (304) 327-4503Again, we look forward to seeing youand thank you for your support.

--Cindy CartyCommunity Development Specialist

Scholarship Fund Raising Dinner, November 20

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Bluefield State College now has“Web Self Service” access thatincreases the ease and speed withwhich current BSC students can viewinformation about their records.Additionally, the service permitsprospective students to gain almostinstant access to information that’simportant as they consider BSC astheir college of choice.

Using Web Self Service, theCollege’s students can use theirassigned “User ID” and “Pin” to visitsecure areas and look at their tran-script records, mailing address, per-sonal information, financial aidawards, and both midterm and finalgrades. Students can also register for

classes, drop and/or add classes, viewtheir schedules, and access the cataloglisting of courses.

Prospective students can chooseto receive the BSC catalog and/oradditional information about financialaid, program brochures, and scholar-ship applications. They can alsoapply for admissions online. Theschedule of courses is also availablethrough Web Self Service, and itexpedites students’ requests for addi-tional information while also provid-ing online admissions applicationcapability.

The process for prospective stu-dents’ use of Web Self Serviceinvolves the following steps:

1) visit the BSC home page (www.bluefieldstate.edu);

2) click on the “Web SelfService” link;

3) click on the “ProspectiveStudents” link, and;

4) click on the “UndergraduateStudies” link.

In the future, the Degree Auditsystem will be activitated, permittingcurrent students to generate a reporton any degree program BSC offers tosee what additional courses a studentneeds to complete a degree in thatfield. Future enhancements includeon-line surveys and announcements.

Web Self Service Program Provides Convenient, PromptResponse Program for Current and Potential Students

For the fifth consecutive year, Bluefield State Collegehas been selected as one of“America’s Best Colleges” by USNews & World Report. The publi-cation bases its annual selection ofAmerica’s outstanding institutionsof higher education on a variety offactors, including academic pro-grams, faculty qualifications, stu-dents’ success, support, etc. BSCwas listed among the best col-leges/comprehensive in the nation.

Additionally, BSC continues to enjoy record enrollmentgrowth. The College has paced all West Virginia public insti-tutions of higher education in rate of enrollment growth overthe past three years. “We’re gratified by the enrollmentincreases,” noted BSC President Dr. Albert Walker. “Ourquality academic programs, (15 of which are nationallyaccredited) affordability, faculty qualifications, and a stu-dent-centered climate are some of the reasons we havegrown. We look forward to the future.”

BSC Named One of AmericasBest Colleges for Fifth Consecutive Year

BSC Radiologic TechnologyGrads, Class of 2004,Achieve 95% Passage Rateon Certification Exam

Bluefield State College’s 2004 RadiologicTechnology graduates achieved a 95% passage rate onthe certification examination by the American Registryof Radiologic Technologists.

BSC RadTech program director Melissa Haye hasconfirmed that 100% of the students who soughtemployment after graduation in May, 2004 wereemployed, as of August 1. “They are employed in areasincluding general radiography, MRI, RadiationTherapy, and Computerized Tomography,” she said.One student was selected to attend the University ofVirginia’s Magnetic Resonance Imaging Program tocontinue her education.

BSC Websitewww.bluefieldstate.edu

Admissions Email Addressbscadmit@bluefieldstate.edu

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On November14-17, 2004, a land-mark event in the lifeof New RiverCommunity andTechnical College(NRCTC) will takeplace. A team of con-sulting evaluators from the HigherLearning Commission (HLC) of theNorth Central Association of Collegesand Schools will conduct a site visitto NRCTC campuses in Beckley,Lewisburg, Summersville, andBluefield to confirm that the Collegehas met the criteria for institutionalaccreditation.

The site visit follows an effortthat spanned more than 18 months,involving the leadership, faculty, andstaffs of both New River Communityand Technical College and Bluefield

State College as well as NRCTC stu-dents, subsequent to the creation ofNRCTC by an act of the WestVirginia Legislature in 2003. Thisteamwork approach produced a Self-Study Report that was submitted tothe Higher Learning Commission sev-eral weeks prior the pending site visit.The Bluefield State College Board ofGovernors and the New RiverCommunity and Technical CollegeBoard of Advisors have prioritizedthis initiative and their supportthroughout the process has been most

timely and appreciated.According to Dr.

Felica Wooten Blankswho coordinated theaccreditation process,the Self-Study teamproduced a compre-hensive report within a

very tight timeline, investing atremendous amount of energy and tal-ent. She added, “As chairperson ofthe NRCTC Self-Study SteeringCommittee, I firmly believe theCollege meets the criteria for institu-tional accreditation and fulfills theobligations of membership in theHigher Learning Commission. Theentire NRCTC accreditation teamlooks forward to the visiting team’ssite visit.”

New River Community and Technical College Accreditation Site Visit, November 14 - 17

A most significant chapter in West Virginia history will come to life on November 30 when Bluefield StateCollege hosts an historic reenactment based upon the life and work of J.R. Clifford, Esq. A seminar and discussion onissues of “Race, Law, History, and Educational Policy” as seen through the life of Clifford, West Virginia’s firstAfrican-American lawyer and a Civil Rights pioneer, will precede the historical drama.

This “living history” presentation focuses in the 1898 courtroom proceeding during which Clifford won a landmarkcivil rights and education case before the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, on behalf of a Tucker County(WV) African-American school teacher, Mrs. Carrie Williams. In that case the State Supreme Court declared that“discrimination . . . .because of color alone, as to privileges, immunities, and equal legal protection, is contrary to pub-lic policy and the law of the land.”

J.R. Clifford will be played by Bluefield actor and historic reenactor Joseph Bundy. State Supreme Court JusticeLarry V. Starcher will portray Justice Marmaduke Dent, who wrote the Court’s opinion in the Williams case. Dr.Brucella Jordan of Ansted will play Carrie Williams.

The seminar begins at 3 p.m., November 30 in the Hebert Gallery/Harris-Jefferson Student Center, with the historicreenactment program to take place at 7:30 that evening in the Basic Science Auditorium. There is no admissioncharge to either program, and the public is encouraged to attend.

Sponsors include the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, Bluefield State College, the Martin Luther King,Jr. Holiday Commission, the West Virginia NAACP, and the Minority Lawyers Section of the West Virginia BarAssociation.

BSC to Host Historical Drama About 19th Century West Virginia Civil Rights Pioneer J.R. Clifford, Esq.

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Faculty and Staff AccomplishmentsDr. Alma Bennett, Assistant

Professor of Speech at Bluefield StateCollege, has presented a paper at thePopular Culture Association/American Culture Association region-al conference in New Orleans,September 24-25.

Dr. Felica Wooten Blanks,Executive Director of the BluefieldState College Office of InstitutionalDevelopment and Advancement andas President of the Bluefield StateCollege Research and DevelopmentCorporation, received an“Outstanding Achievement SilverAward Bowl” during the 2004International Society of PoetsSummer Convention and Symposiumin Philadelphia.

Dr. Tom Blevins (Class of 1971)has been appointed Director ofInstruction Technology Policy andCoordination with the West VirginiaHigher Education Policy Commission(HEPC). The appointment becameeffective on July 1, 2004. Blevins willalso continue his duties at BluefieldState College, where he is Dean ofTechnology and the Virtual Collegeand Professor of Education andEnglish. He also manages ComputerServices, Instructional Technology,Extended Learning, and LibraryServices at BSC. Blevins chaired aprevisit for NCATE to Gardner WebbUniversity in September and willchair an upcoming visit thereNovember 6-10.

A scholarly paper written by Dr.Steve Bourne, Class of 1974, hasbeen accepted for publication in theInternational Academy of Manage-ment and Business Conference in LasVegas, November 7-11. His paper,“The Ethics Hexagon: A Multi-dimensional Approach to CorporateEthics Training” considers the valuesets beyond corporate values thatimpact the success of these training

programs, and it examines the interac-tive effects of these value sets andvariables upon corporate ethics train-ing.

Jane Richardson BookstoreManager at Bluefield State College,is the President of the West VirginiaAssociation of College Stores 2004-2005. She also received a RegentsBachelor of Arts degree fromBluefield State College on July 30,2004.

Susan Aliff Shrader, (Class of1990) is the Administrative Secretaryto the School of ProfessionalStudies/Nursing and RadiologyTechnology Department.

Dr. Michael W. Smith’s mostrecently published book, Fishing theShenandoah Valley: An Angler’sGuide, is the third in a series of booksby the Bluefield State CollegeAssociate Professor of English, detail-ing fishing opportunities and chal-lenges in the region. Smith has alsowritten Fishing the Roanoke Valley,and Fishing the New River Valley.

Brian Testerman, CISCOInformation Technology TrainingSpecialist at the New RiverCommunity and Technical College ofBluefield State College, has receivedCISCO Certified NetworkProfessional (CCNP) certification.

Dr. Bob Vicars, Bluefield StateCollege Professor of Business(Management), has been notified bythe Institute of Certified ProfessionalManagers (ICPM) that he has com-pleted all requirements for recertifica-tion as a Certified Manager (CM).The Board of Regents of the interna-tional ICPM confers certification oncandidates who meet educational andmanagement experience requirementsand pass three rigid examinationsadministered in district segments.ICPM is a world leader in manage-ment certification.

Superintendents from aroundWest Virginia honored one of theirown by naming Monroe CountySuperintendent Dr. Lyn Guy as theirSuperintendent of the Year. She hasled Monroe County Schools since1991.

A magna cum laude graduate ofConcord College, Dr. Guy alsoreceived a master’s degree in educa-tion from Duke University and adoctorate in education leadershipfrom West Virginia University.

“Dr. Guy is a wonderful exam-ple of leadership for a county schoolsystem,” said State SchoolsSuperintendent David Stewart. “Thestudents and faculty of MonroeCounty schools are fortunate tohave someone such as her in a lead-ership position.”

Dr. Guy’s professional member-ships have enhanced her job per-formance. She is a member of theBluefield State College Board ofGovernors. She has been a memberof the West Virginia Association ofSchool Administrators, where she iscurrently serving as its president.She also serves on the GoverningBoard for the American Associationof School Administrators, and she isa member of the Board of Directorsfor the Monroe County Coalition forFamilies and Children, theGreenbrier Community CollegeFoundation and the LightstoneFoundation.

Dr. Lyn Guy

Dr. Lyn Guy, BOGMember, Honored

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Ten years’ living and working as anurse in countries ravaged by war anddisaster taught Mary Lightfine manylife lessons. She shared the mostimportant of those lessons recently,telling a capacity audience atBluefield State College, “One personcan make a difference.” The NobelPeace Prize recipient delivered a nar-rative and Powerpoint tour of herhumanitarian effort, mixing culturalinsights, stark photographs of humansuffering, and anecdotes detailing howfulfilling it is to help those in greatneed.

After working as a registerednurse in emergency room settings inthe United States, Lightfine joined thehumanitarian movement by affiliatingwith “Doctors Without Borders andInternational Medical Corps.” Duringthe past decade, she been ambushedand shot at in Somalia, deliveredbabies in Sri Lanka, and traversedperilous mountains to help isolatedinhabitants in Afghanistan. She toldthe Hebert Gallery audience of herexperiences in stepping around bodiesto feed the living in southern Sudanand of helping children who had beenforced to watch their mothers mutilat-ed by rebels in Uganda. She was oneof the first American nurses to pro-vide medical aid to Kosovar refugees.

She encouraged her BSC audienceto appreciate the benefits of diversity.“You have many students from differ-ent countries in attendance today.Learn as much as you can fromthem,” she advised.

She described Sudanese personaland cultural values. “I learned somany things beyond American bor-

ders,” she continued. “The Sudanesehave values we are losing in theUnited States. Everyone in a familyhas responsibilities. No one dies in anursing home because everyone takescare of everyone else.”

Lightfine’s speaking tour isdesigned to raise funds to assist inunderwriting her next humanitarianeffort, bringing aide and volunteers toMexico. She has started a companionorganization, “Volunteers WithoutBoundaries,” to assist in this and otherinitiatives.

“One person truly can make a dif-ference to those who are suffering.You don’t have to be a nurse or a doc-tor to make that difference,” sheadvised. “The experience is incredi-bly challenging, and at the same time,incredibly fulfilling.” Additionalinformation can be obtained on thewebsites:

nursewithoutborders.comand

volunteerswithoutboundaries.com

Capacity Audience at BSC Hears "Nurse Without Boundaries" Speaker

Mary Lightfine told BSC studentsabout her humanitarian program.

BSC Homecoming 2004 -- “Viva Las Vegas”Students placed “monopoly money” bets and

enjoyed an all-campus picnic during the “VivaLas Vegas” theme-styled Homecoming 2004. Ahomecoming parade, school spirit day, homecom-ing coronation and dance, and Founder’s Dayspeech were spotlighted during the weeklong celebration.

The Bluefield City Board of Directors issuedan official proclamation, designating the week ofOctober 11-16, 2004 as “Bluefield State CollegeHomecoming Week,” and College President Dr.Albert Walker read a proclamation, designatingOctober 14 at “BSC Alumni Day,” with students,faculty, staff, and alumni encouraged to wear theBSC colors, blue and gold, on that date.

Bluefield State College student Ernie Lovern deals the cards at a mock blackjack table during BSC’s campus

carnival and casino, a featured activity during “Homecoming 2004.”

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A Message from Doris J. PayneChairperson, BSC Alumni House Advisory CouncilBluefield State College Alumni Association, Inc.

“WE HAVE CAUSE TO CELEBRATE”

THE SPOTLIGHT IS NOW ON THE“IF CHART”

128 PERSONS CONTRIBUTED $85,160OUR GOAL WAS REACHED IN THE $1,000 CATEGORY

40 Persons contributed $45,425

OR

IF 200 PERSONS WOULD PURCHASE A REPLICA OF HATTER HALLAT THE COST OF $100, WE WOULD HAVE $20,000

IF THE AMOUNT IN EACH CATEGORY IN THE NEW “IF CHART” IS REACHEDWE WILL HAVE FUNDS ENOUGH TO:

Complete our loan obligationPlace pictures of our presidents who sacrificed for us in the Alumni House:Hatter, Sims, Dickason, Wright and AllenPurchase a bronze plaque in recognition of our appointment as a national historic siteFurnish a lounge/library room for visiting alumni

IN ANY CASE, A SPECIAL SURPRISE WILL BE GIVEN FOR THOSE WHO PARTICIPATES IN THE PROJECT . . . YOUWILL BE HAPPY WITH IT. ALL DONATIONS OF ANY AMOUNT ARE ACCEPTED AND APPRECIATED. THANKS INADVANCE FOR CONTRIBUTING.

PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO BSC ALUMNI HOUSE/BSC FOUNDATION AND FILL IN THE MEMOWITH “IF CHART-HHATTER HALL.” CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

IN THE BEGINNING . . . WE SAID:IF 40 Persons contributed $1,000 = $40,000

60 Persons contributed 500 = 30,00080 Persons contributed 250 = 20,000100 Persons contributed 100 = 10,000

Results if accomplished = $100,000

AND NOW . . . WE PRESENT A NEW “IF CHART”

IF 5 Persons will contribute $1,000 = $5,00010 Persons will contribute 500 = 5,00020 Persons will contribute 250 = 4,00040 Persons will contribute 100 = 4,000100 Persons will contribute 50 = 5,000

Results, if accomplished = $23,000

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UPDATE: Replicas of Hatter Hall/Alumni HouseAn architectural miniature

Designed by - Hatter Hall Advisory CouncilBluefield State College Alumni Association, Inc.

Produced by - Shelia’s, Inc.Charleston, South Carolina

Project Director - Ruth Payne Brown

CALLING ALL ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF BSC

Fund-Raising Project Goal - 100 by April 15, 2005Add your name to the OWNERS SCROLL

Hatter HallPresident’s House

Bluefield State College

Bluefield Colored Institute was established in 1895 as a facility for higher education for Black students. Under theleadership of Hamilton Hatter, who was the school’s first principal, the school grew from a modest class of 40 pupils toan established institution - Bluefield State College.

Hatter Hall has been recognized for its significant contribution to the history of West Virginia and was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in December 1999. The President’s House is listed under Criteria A for SocialHistory connected with the development of Bluefield State College and its efforts toward higher education for Blacksin southern West Virginia.

The conversion of Hatter Hall to an Alumni House has been the goal of the Alumni Association since 1995. The houserepresents the PAST that we are a part of and serves as a beacon to the FUTURE. The goal was realized on October 5,2002 at an Open House celebration.

The inscription above is found on the back of the replica. Alumni and friends add this memorabilia to your collection.

The Committee

!!!CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Mr. John Barnes - Lewisburg, West Virginia Dr. Brenda B. Johnson - Baltimore, MarylandDr. Raphael Heaggans, Bluefield State College Mr. Mark Oblinger - Bluefield State College

Ms. Pauline Ray - Washington, D.C.

To purchase a replica of Hatter Hall, please remit your $100 contribution.Make checks payable to “BSC Foundation/Alumni House” and “Replica of Hatter Hall”

should be written in the memo section. Your cancelled check will be your receipt.

Mail to:Ray Guy, Fiscal Manager

Bluefield State College FoundationBluefield State College

219 Rock StreetBluefield, WV 24701

Reverence for the Past Ensures the Future

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Alumni Updates

1960sJames M. Ratcliffe, Jr. (1966)

retired April 30, 2004 from StaffordConsultants, Inc., an engineeringfirm in Princeton, West Virginia. Heis a former member of theArchitectural EngineeringTechnology Advisory Committee atBluefield State College and was anadjunct instructor for two years.

1970sAnthony C.

Perry (1970) waspromoted toDirector ofPurchasing for AKSteel.

John P.Russell, Jr. (1970)was namedExecutive Directorof Counseling andTesting at Walter’sState Community

College, Morristown, Tennessee. Heis a member and former ProvincePolemarch, of Kappa Alpha PsiFraternity.

1990sKim Moore Alderman (1999)

and her husband, Scott Alderman(1999) announce the birth of a son,Brett Andrew, on June 26, 2004.

Deidra Atwood (1996) complet-ed the RN-BSN program at RadfordUniversity in August 2004. She alsoreceived the Mildred A. HopkinsExcellence in Nursing Award in May2004. She is a District 2 officer in theVirginia Nurses Association and isattending Mountain State University,pursuing a master’s degree in nursingwith a dual concentration in FamilyNurse Practitioner and Administra-tion/Education.

Crystal Hedrick Collins (1999)and her husband, Michael Collins,announce the birth of a son,Raymond Kerry Rogers Collins onMarch 17, 2004. She is employed byECPI College of Technology inCharlotte, North Carolina.

Earl Farmer (1999) is employedfor Pinnoak Resources and Mining inPineville, West Virginia as an electri-cal engineer.

Dr. Nasser Isleem (1991) is aProfessor at Duke University. Hereceived a Ph.D. in Education fromfrom Hawai.Best in 2003.

Donald A.Jones, Jr. (1990) isthe men’s basket-ball coach atBluefield StateCollege.

Darrell P. Malamisura (1993) isa marketing visiting instructor for theSchool of Business at Bluefield StateCollege.

Cortina Hartwell Mickles(1997) and husband, Charles

Mickles, announce the birth of a son,Charles Bradley, on June 23, 2004.

Tom N. Murphy (1991) waspromoted to Program Director/Instructor of Computer Programmingand Applications at DurhamTechnical Community College inDurham, North Carolina.

Shawn A.Papa (1999) is theTelecommunica-tions NetworkSpecialist II atBluefield StateCollege.

Jeff Russell (1999) performed asa comedian at the Brick Over atHart’s Run in White Sulphur Springs,West Virginia. He has written over100 songs, produced and recordedfour CD’s and performs at variousevents.

2000sJenenna L. Boothe (2004) and

James “Ritchie” Baker (2001) weremarried on July 17, 2004.

Steve Butterworth (2003) waspromoted from Claims Representa-tive to Accidents Benefits ClaimsSpecialist for Liberty/TD Insurance.

Myra Doss(2000) is anInformationSystems Technicianat Bluefield StateCollege.

Amanda Fragile Farmer (2001)and Earl Farmer (1999) celebratedtheir one year wedding anniversaryon July 12, 2004. She is employedas a teacher in McDowell CountySchools. She has earned aPrincipalship Certificate from WestVirginia University and is currentlyattending Marshall University, pursu-ing a master’s degree in reading.

Alumni UpdatesRequested

If you have received awards,promotions, accomplishments,recognition, have married orrecently welcomed an additionto your family, please let usknow.

Mail your news toKaren GordonCollege and Media RelationsBluefield State College219 Rock StreetBluefield, WV 24701

by FAX to 304-327-4581or bye-mail to kgordon@bluefieldstate.edu

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Mary Beth Brown McGlothlin(2001) and her husband, WilliamKeith McGlothlin, announce the birthof a son, Conner James, on July 18,2004. Mary Beth is employed byCNX Land Resources as a broker/draftsman.

Jennifer Rose Kennedy-Brown(2000) graduated from WebsterUniversity School of Business with amaster’s degree in business adminis-tration. She is a company trainer forfor Anthem Bluecross/BlueshieldBenefit Administrators.

Melissa D. Leedy (2004)received a master of science degree instrategic leadership from MountainState University. She is employed byWagner Forest Management as a com-puter office team leader and computerspecialist.

Jamie R. Palmer (2000) marriedAnthony W. Crews (2002) on June19, 2004. She is employed at theLewis Agency (Nationwide Insurance)in Princeton, West Virginia and he isemployed at Pinnoak Resources as a

maintenance foreman. Jimmy Wood (2000) is the

Surface Mine/Project Engineer forNicholas Energy Company inSummersville, West Virginia.

Jason R. Grubb (2000) graduat-ed from the University of TennesseeCollege of Law on May 9, 2003. Hepassed the Tennessee Bar Exam inJuly, 2003 and the West Virginia BarExam in February, 2004. He and hiswife, Stacy Miranda Johnston Grubb,announce the birth of a son, JasonElijah Cole Grubb, on September 7,2004.

Kalling allKappas!

Alpha Tau Chapter of KappaAlpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. willbe celebrating its 70thAnniversary in the spring of2005, on the campus ofBluefield State College.

If you are interested in partic-ipating or have suggestionsfor planning activities, con-tact:

Mychal Guyton at guyton85@hotmail.com

or

Deirdre Guyton atdguyton@bluefieldstate.edu

or

call (304) 327-4569

In Memoriam

Scott Allan BrooksElla M. Ellison CrawleyHazel V. Hughes DaltonJune C. Litton JacobsJeremy Allen Smith

Juston Tyler ThackerGeorge W. Yuill

Alumni Updates continued from page 14

From the Desk of Dr. Louis AikensPresident, Bluefield State College Alumni Association, Inc.

The BSC Alumni Reunion 2004 was held in the state’s capitol during early August.Over 100 former students, alumni and friends were treated to an exciting weekend,including a visits to a glass factory and to the Malden, West Virginia childhood home ofthe great Booker T. Washington. In addition, there was a banquet on Saturday eveningand a Memorial Service on Sunday morning. My only regret was that there were so manywho were not in attendance. I am suggesting that all interested persons begin to plan toattend the 2006 reunion. More on this later.

Our Fall meeting took place on October 15th-16th weekend. The ExecutiveCommittee met on Friday and the General Membership meeting was held on Saturday inDickason Hall following the Founders Day Luncheon. It was very encouraging to signthe official proclamation during homecoming activities, by which October 14 was offi-cially designated as “Bluefield State College Alumni Day.”

You must know by now that I cannot miss any opportunity to solicit memberships.Graduates from the late 1960’s to the present are woefully underrepresented in the

organization. Your membership is important to us and to the College. Please plan to join for the 2005 year. Yourmembership is very important to us.

Dr. Louis Aikens

219 Rock StreetBluefield, WV 24701

Address Service Requested

STD MAIL ANon-Profit Organization

U.S. Postage PaidPermit #139

Bluefield, WV 24701

www.bluefieldstate.edu

Bluefield State College’s “Honors College” Students Develop Leadership, Community Service, and Academic Skills

Students in the “Honors College” at BluefieldState College have undertaken a variety of initiativesdesigned to provide leadership opportunities, rigor-ous academic experiences, and community service.They maintain a minimum grade point average of3.75 and are among the top three percent academi-cally of all students at the College. Students interest-ed in receiving additional information about the BSCHonors College are encouraged to contact:

Dr. Patrick Muldoon pmuldoon@bluefieldstate.edu

Dr. Carolyn Browningcbrowning@bluefieldstate.edu

or BSC Registrar Ray Mullrmull@bluefieldstate.edu

The BSC Honors College class of 2004-05 includes (front row l-to-r)-Jesse Farmer, Katie King, Danielle Hawes,Freddie Adkins, O'Neil Carty, (back row, l-to-r) advisor Dr. Patrick Muldoon, Abdul Nasiru, William Van Stavern,Tabatha Pack, Zeshan Qayyum, and advisor Dr. Carolyn Browning. (Other Honors College members not pictured areJessica Barnett and Courtney Garansuay.)