PROFILE Winter 2014

The Magazine of Lenoir-Rhyne University Winter 2014

TAKING CHARGEBears Breaking 50 year Hiatus New Majors, Mindsets & Culture : Bringing the Entreprenurial Spirit to Campus

Winter 2014 Volume 64 Number 1

The Magazine of Lenoir-Rhyne UniversityPROFILE

Editor Maggie Greene

Contributing Writers Andrew Boozer, Richard Gould, Maggie Greene, Sara Landry

Contributing Photographers Andrew Boozer, Maggie Greene, William Greene, Erin Sweet, Phil Robinson/SportsFotos

Layout and Design Erin Sweet

Website www.lr.edu

President Dr. Wayne Powell 828-328-7334, [email protected]

Provost of the University Dr. Larry Hall 828-328-7112, [email protected]

Provost of the School of Theology The Rev. Dr. Clay Schmit 803-461-3211, [email protected]

Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance Peter Kendall 828-328-7100, [email protected]

Vice President for Institutional Advancement Dr. Drew Van Horn 828-328-7360, [email protected]

Vice President for Enrollment Management Rachel Nichols ’90 828-328-7306, [email protected]

Class Notes or Change of Address Dana Ochs Hamilton ’88 828-328-7351, [email protected]

To suggest a story idea, contact Allie Bentley at 828-328-7979, [email protected].

©Copyright 2013 by Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, NC. Lenoir-Rhyne, founded in 1891, is a private liberal arts institution affiliated with the North Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Profile is a publication of Lenoir-Rhyne University.

Lutheridge, Lenoir-Rhyne and Southern: A special connection

Spending a Summer in God’s Country

Lenoir-Rhyne newest member, Dr. Ralph Griffith is bringing an entrepreneurial spirit to campus

New Majors, Mindset, & Culture

Strong Ties with Lenoir-Rhyne

Most innovative program of its type in the region

Atlanta Alumns

LR’s MAT program

18 Bear Tracks 23 Scoreboard 24 National Championship 26 Chapel Update 32 Homecoming 2013 34 Class Notes

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PROFILE / Winter ’14 / Page 5Page 4 / Winter ’14 / PROFILE

From the PresidentBack in 2002, Lenoir-Rhyne completed a strategic plan and simultaneously adopted a new vision to articulate the expectations and goals of the institution. The Vision Statement began with the proclamation:

“Our goal is to be a nationally recognized liberal arts college of choice…”

Not a few scoffed at the ambitiousness of achieving “national recognition.” Undaunted, we moved forward and recited our vision at every opportunity. Some still snickered and shook their heads. However, we wanted to set the stage for the high expectations we placed on ourselves and the confidence we had in the strengths of the institution. Six years later, the Vision Statement was revised by changing one word: “college” became “university.” Then in 2013, with the unveiling of the latest strategic plan, the vision was left completely intact. We at Lenoir-Rhyne remain confident of our ability to succeed on a national level.

Let’s take a look at where we have come; let’s evaluate ourselves on our lofty goal of being nationally recognized. A few things are easily quantified.

Today we are the only college or university in the Carolinas with three main campuses in two states. We have not expanded in the manner of others but instead are operating full campuses with specific missions. Institutions nationally are looking at Lenoir-Rhyne, watching to see how successful we are with this bold experiment and realizing that it is a new model for higher education.

We became the first Lutheran institution in the country with a seminary after the merger with Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (LTSS). This was a partnership that many doubted could ever occur, much less succeed. Today, in the second year of the merger, LTSS

is setting the standards nationally for Lutheran theological education with creative new programs and initiatives. The rest of the country is trying to catch up.

This academic year our enrollment topped 2,000 for the first time with 500 graduate students. Yet our special brand of education has not changed. We will always focus on close personal attention to students and the development of the whole person. Students obviously appreciate this commitment because they are choosing LR in greater numbers.

Many people and agencies use a university’s endowment as the primary measure of the strength of the institution. They compare and contrast institutions by this simple number, which is in fact a strong indicator of both stability and support from alumni and friends. North Carolina has 36 private colleges and universities, and the “Big 5” in endowments are looked on to provide leadership in higher education. Lenoir-Rhyne is now one of those five. Our endowment in 2013 booked at $93.5 million, trailing only Duke, Wake Forest, Davidson, and Elon. Not bad company. For them.

Our academic programs are setting the bar for innovation and contemporary relevancy. We are developing undergraduate options to provide articulation with our new graduate programs so that students who choose Lenoir-Rhyne can complete work all the way through a master’s degree in a shorter amount of time. Our new graduate programs are designed in coordination with the communities we serve so that they provide the best opportunities for future employment. New undergraduate programs in disciplines like Entrepreneurship are at the cutting edge of contemporary educational directions.

Cultural programs like the Visiting Writers Series and the A Cappella Choir continue to grow in their national recognition. Service programs through the Reese Institute for the Conservation of Natural Resources and the Solmaz Institute to address obesity are creating examples for others to follow. They provide wonderful outreach to our communities, and they further enhance the educational experiences of everyone at LR.

And, given the success of football this year, we can’t ignore the impact of finishing 2nd in the country and being one of only two universities in the South (at any level) to produce a 13 game winning streak. We were on national television (ESPN2) and we appeared in newspapers all over the country. Eight front page stories were carried in the Hickory Daily Record. With all the media attention given to our football program this year, and it has been a really fun year, I am most proud of HOW we did this. At Lenoir-Rhyne our student-athletes are just that; they have higher SAT scores and higher graduation rates than the general student population. That fact in itself tells the story of LR.

The proclamation in our Vision Statement was a bold one, but we have taken great strides to bring it to reality, and the best is yet to come.

Sincerely,

VISION STATEMENT

Our goal is to be a nationally recognized liberal arts college of

choice – known for our excellence in building leaders for tomorrow, developing patterns of lifelong

learning, positioning our graduates for success in their professional, personal and spiritual lives and

providing an unparalleled quality of caring within our college

community.


For generations of Americans, summers mean canoes, cabins, s’mores and Bible studies in the North Carolina mountains. For many, summer camp means just one thing: Lutheridge.

The small cabins were built with rough-cut siding and painted battleship gray. There’s no air conditioning. Cell phones and video games are not allowed. The windows along the tops of the cabin walls are screened to let the mountain breezes pass through the buildings. They double as an escape hatch. A sign above the windows reads, “Emergency Exit: Kick Out Screen and Exit Through Window.”

“I like that we’re not allowed to have any technology – it makes me feel closer to God,” said Robert Keck, 13, of Hickory. This was his fifth summer at Lutheridge. “Our counselor keeps us focused. The food’s better than it is at home, too.”

Bunk beds are covered with blankets, sleeping bags and cartoon character pillowcases. There are bags overflowing with clothing and an acoustic guitar lies on the camp counselor’s bed just inside the cabin’s door. There are campfire spots where vespers are held just down from Hammock Village and the Batcave where the canoes and other outdoor gear are stored.

Groups of children stay close to their counselors like chicks to a hen as they make their way from the cabins to the day’s next activity – having made it through FOB (Flat on Bunk) time after lunch. The counselors are clever—they have their wards sleep wearing their bathing suits to minimize the time between rest and fun.

For the Rev. Rhodes Woolly ’88 LR / ’96 LTSS, summers at Lutheridge were a way of life. His earliest memories are of camp. He’d go with his mom and spend a week right next door to the pool every summer until he was in third grade. That was

when he was finally old enough to be a full-fledged camper and leave his parents’ side.

“It was my first taste of independence,” Woolly, 47, said. “It was a treat to go through the whole day and not be forced to take a shower.”

From his glory days as the near-winner of the World Tetherball Championships, a tournament he and his fellow campers dreamed up, to the nights spent in songs and worship around the campfire, Woolly made the most of camp. He’s still in touch with several camp counselors he had as a kid. These days he and his wife still spend every summer working with the youth at Lutheridge as Bible study and/or confirmation leaders.

None of that would come as a surprise to those who knew him along the way and saw his passion for summer camp ministry. He served a summer as a counselor then a summer as an area director while attending Lenoir-Rhyne College, as it was known at the time.

“I just knew I was going to become a counselor at Lutheridge. There was no question about it, Woolly said. “What the experience taught me was far more than I anticipated. I learned the value of being an example of Christ. I learned that college-age counselors have an incredible opportunity to show kids what Jesus looks like—and that’s what kids are looking for when they come here.”

The Lutheridge experience also teaches kids a thing or two about life. Throughout the summer campers would gather at what seemed like insurmountable obstacles and come away with life lessons.

During the past summer one group of teens learned strategy and teamwork as they stood face to face with a 12-foot wall.

SPENDINg A SUMMER IN gOD’S COUNTRyLutheridge, Lenoir-Rhyne and Southern: A special connection


They had one directive: “Each one of you needs to get over this wall.” There were some restrictions.

Only two people at a time can lift a climber.

You’re only allowed to lift two climbers.

Only two people at a time are allowed to help pull a climber over the wall.

You’re only allowed to pull two climbers over the wall.

As the group of 15 middle school boys looked at the looming wall built of weather-worn timbers they struggled to come up with a solid plan. Who’s the lightest, strongest, heaviest? Who’s a good jumper? Climber? They worked collectively as the area leader emphasized safety.

“When is your buddy going to be in the biggest danger?” he asked. “That’s right – at the top of the wall when he’s almost over – that’s why you spotters are going to keep your arms raised and stay alert for his whole way up.”

The boys struggled, shoved and pulled each other over the obstacle one by one. As the last sweaty, nervous boy hauled himself over the top he thrust his fists into the air in triumph. He was transformed in that instant from a frightened boy into a courageous champion with a little help from his friends.

Once the challenge was finished the area leader spoke to the boys about the lessons they’d just learned that they can apply in their day-to-day lives.

“When you face challenges in life just remember that you’ve got a team right there with you. Your friends, your teachers and your parents are not going to let you fail,” he said. “When you’ve got doubts you’ve got to trust God just like you trusted your buddies today.”

The camp’s administrators know that they’ve got two audiences: the kids and the counselors. It’s a powerful ministry to the kids and even more so for counselors—especially those who may be questioning the church’s relevance, Woolly said.

Woolly majored in political science and German at LR then went on to earn his master’s degree in International Studies from the University of South Carolina. Upon graduation he went to Washington D.C. where he took a job with a non-profit group to lobby on behalf of people with physical disabilities.

It took a while for Woolly to accept his call to full-time ministry. In 1992, he submitted.

“I was helping kids who were doing mission work on the Hill and was asked to talk to them about vocations. That’s when I came to a realization, ‘What am I doing here?” He went on to say, “For years I’d been afraid to pray for God’s direction. I came home during the Martin Luther King weekend and called the seminary (LTSS) and was surprised when a lady from my home congregation answered the phone. She laughed and said, I’ve been wondering when you’d call.”

Southern was a natural choice for Woolly. Some say there’s a kind of pipeline that runs from Lutheridge to LR and on to Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary.

“There’s a strong connection at all outdoor ministries. The student workers feel a calling to the ministry and decide to attend seminary when they’re done with college,” said Andrew Boozer, former Director of LTSS Enrollment Services. “It’s certainly true with Southern and it’s gone on for generations.”

Woolly graduated from Southern in 1996 and his first call was to a small church in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. The services averaged about 50 people per week.

“I’d always lived in a city – this church was different,” he said. “It was a great training ground. I stayed there for 13 years.”

Four and a half years ago Woolly was called to lead St. John’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury, N.C.

“We have a congregation retreat here at Lutheridge each fall and we fill up the camp,” he said

Camp ministry is still close to Woolly’s heart. He advises college students that they have three summers to be creative and see the world – an opportunity he wants them to take seriously. But he urges them to take one summer and commit to a place like Lutheridge, where they can serve the church while enjoying God’s creation.

“We are called to make disciples who make disciples who make disciples,” Woolly said. “We take seriously that Lutheridge is a great place for building disciples within the church – I don’t know of a better place quite honestly.”


Small business is the engine of the economy. Risk takers, gamblers and visionaries are the ones who step out into thin air to bet on themselves. Dreamers, mavericks and entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of this nation.

It’s true that not everyone has what it takes to start from the ground up, but without those who do, society would cease to function.

Traditionally, college business programs have taught students how to operate within pre-existing enterprises. They teach students how to balance the books and manage the day-to-day operations at companies that others have already founded. LR wants its graduates to have the chance to do more.

Enter Dr. Ralph Griffith.

Griffith, 32, of Midland, Mich., is the newest member of Lenoir-Rhyne University’s faculty. He earned his doctorate in Business Administration with a focus on Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations this year. Now he has come to Hickory to head LR’s Center for Commercial and Social Entrepreneurship (CCSE) while serving as the Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Charles M. Snipes School of Business.

The CCSE is located on the first floor of LR’s Mauney Hall. It consists of three offices, a conference room and a work space with tables. It will also create a small business reference

library. It’s spacious enough to hold breakout sessions and workshops as well as one-on-one consultations. Getting good ideas off the ground is key to the center’s mission. Acting as a business incubator for as many as four students’ businesses and supporting them with center personnel and resources is key to realizing the CCSE’s mission.

Griffith wants to serve as a resource for the area’s budding entrepreneurs. The people who are passionate about a product or industry, but don’t have the technical business background to go from a concept to a fiscally-sound business plan are the CCSE’s target demographic. He also hopes to market to entrepreneurial-minded professionals working in corporate. Griffith plans to offer business consulting to people in our community who want to get started in business by extending LR’s reach into the community and build key relationships that will last for decades.

“We can be a place for people to come in and help them find a path to business,” he said. “We’re going to create new LR-friendly businesses by helping people get started.”

Griffith’s goal is to connect with the local Chamber of Commerce to encourage the region’s budding entrepreneurs to pursue their interests by earning their undergraduate and graduate degrees at Lenoir-Rhyne.

“We don’t want to cannibalize services that are already being offered,” Griffith said.

By combining advice and guidance along with a college degree Griffith wants to offer people a backup plan in the event that their first entrepreneurial venture doesn’t work out the way they’d hoped.

“Because LR is a private university, we will have the opportunity to establish key relationships in the community and keep our offerings clear and simple. Hickory’s existing Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC). being state and federally funded, does not have the same freedom to choose.”

Griffith’s plan is to cultivate an entrepreneurial disposition across LR’s campus—even into areas that may not seem business-oriented at first blush, like the natural sciences.

Many high school students have heard of the 19th Century Augustinian monk Gregor Mendel. Mendel is known as the “founder of modern genetics” for his experiments with the humble pea plant. He studied seven traits of the pea plants over a span of seven years. From seed shape and flower color to unripe pod color and plant height, Mendel tested and genetically manipulated almost 30,000 plants. His experimentations led to Mendel’s Laws of Inheritance.

One way for a Lenoir-Rhyne biology professor to bring entrepreneurial thought to the study of early genetic history would be to invite a local farmer to speak to the biology class. The farmer could discuss various hybrid strains of peas, how they impact his crop yield and how his farm’s production impacts the local, regional and national economies. He could also list characteristics that local farmers would like to have included in the plant varieties they’re currently growing.

“I want us to give our students the edge—more opportunities than they would have had otherwise,” he said. “I am going to reach out to our staff, students and community and find out

what they want and what they need.”

In the fall of 2014 Griffith will debut two new majors—one in entrepreneurship and one in social entrepreneurship—designed to appeal to those interested in creating new businesses as well as those whose interest is in the non-profit sector. The MBA program will have an Organizational Change / Intrepreneurship track available as well.

“It’s important to be able to think like an entrepreneur within a large company,” Griffith said. “If more businesses had seen the writing on the wall and taken decisive steps earlier, the ‘Great Recession’ may not have been as severe.”

Griffith’s aim is to add an entrepreneurial flavor to LR’s culture.

“Everything Lenoir-Rhyne has ever done has gotten us to where we are, now it’s time to take the next step,” he said. “Ultimately, the marketplace will tell us if we’re doing well.”

Source: Evolution.berkeley.edu

NEw MAjoRs, MINdsET, & CULTURE

Dr. Ralph Griffith

Age: 32

Hometown: Midland, Mich.

Moved to Hickory in: December

Education: Doctorate of Business

Administration in Entrepreneurial

and Small Business Operations:

Baker College Center for Graduate

Studies, Flint, Mich.

Master of Business Administration in

Integrated Management: Northwood

University, Midland, Mich.

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

and Government:Alma College,

Alma Mich


Carolyn Alexander’s life has been centered on music. She studied music education and voice at Lenoir-Rhyne College where she was also a member of the a cappella choir. When she thinks back on her days at LR it’s her time in the choir that she remembers fondest.

She travelled with the choir on its first European tour and sang her way through nine nations. When she graduated in 1970 she taught music classes in Catawba County’s elementary schools for a year before leaving for graduate school at Northwestern University where she earned her master’s degree in music education.

She came back for another year to continue teaching in Catawba County.

“I came back because I wanted to be near Jim,” she said.

The couple married in 1975 and moved to Memphis where Alexander continued to teach children music.

“When I teach elementary school children I want them to have fun and to learn to use their voices in different ways and with different types of songs,” she said. “When I teach middle schoolers I’m getting them ready for high school. We work on various types of songs, chorus concerts and spiritual music. Then we end the school year with a pop concert.”

Whether it’s in Catawba County, Memphis, Tenn. or Atlanta, Alexander has dedicated herself to teaching children the joy of song.

David Westcott ’76, thought he’d have a teaching career when he graduated from LR. He went right out and landed a job as a history teacher and assistant basketball coach in the DeKalb County school system. The next year he was promoted from assistant to head basketball coach for the boy’s team.

It makes sense that Westcott would gravitate toward basketball. During his time at LR he was the school’s 6-foot 7-inch 180-pound center and his fondest memories of his college days are all about basketball.

“It was just a great time,” he said. “It was like SNL (Saturday Night Live) in the locker room every day with those guys. I still keep up with a lot of the guys I played with.”

After three years in the DeKalb school system Westcott went to work with his neighbor and took a job with EMCA Urban Development. Beginning in 1981, he bought apartments, renovated them, rented them out and managed the properties. In 1988 he decided to stay in construction, but to go it alone by starting his own company, Pierre Construction Group.

“I’ve always enjoyed what I do,” Westcott said. “I’ve made it through two big recessions. Both times I stayed busy and I never had to lay anyone off.”

In the beginning he focused on residential construction, but over time Westcott’s company has become a leader in commercial construction and architectural metals. Business is good in the Atlanta area and Westcott’s company does about $8 to $10 million worth of business annually.

Last year he built a 100-foot by 85-foot canopy at the entrance to the World of Coca-Cola museum. It is a signature entryway that enhances the visitor’s experience at the museum.

Westcott has two children, a son and a daughter, who are Georgia Tech graduates. His son works for the family business and his daughter works in Home Depot corporate operations.

Westcott met his wife Leigh Brahams ’75, when they were both students at LR. She went on to become an elementary school teacher and principal.

Dr. Jason Rich, ’98, of Atlanta, is living out his LR professor’s vision as a political science professor at Georgia College in Milledgeville.

“Dr. Lowell Ashman told me throughout my entire undergrad career that I needed to get my Ph.D. and become a professor,” Rich said. “He was my mentor. He saw something in me and even let me teach a few of his classes during my senior year at LR. He knew me far better than I knew myself at that time—he knew that I was born to teach.”

It took a while for Ashman’s advice to sink in. Rich, a political science major at LR, felt like he should follow the traditional path for so many in his major and go to law school. It took him less than a semester to see the error in his ways.

“I went to the University of Nebraska for one semester of law school and I hated it,” Rich said. “I ended up going to the University of Connecticut and getting my Ph.D. like Dr. Ashman always said I should have.”

Ashman knew that Rich was doing well in school but died unexpectedly of a heart attack just before Rich defended his dissertation and he earned his Ph.D.

“When I think about my career I know that if I have half the influence on my students that Dr. Ashman had on us I will have had a pretty good career,” Rich said. “When my friends from LR and I get together we always end up talking about the transformative effect Dr. Ashman had on each of us.”

Rich gets back to LR when he can. He was here last year and spent his time walking around campus admiring the new additions that have come since his departure and reminiscing in the spaces that look just like they did during his student days.

Although it’s less than five hours south on Interstate 85, Atlanta can seem a world away from Hickory, N.C. Driving down the bumper-to-bumper 12-lane highway searching for the right Peachtree exit is a lot different than cruising down North Center Street for a chili dog at the Windy City Grill. But there’s just something about the bright lights and big city of Atlanta that suits LR grads just fine.

Jim Alexander ’73, never planned to launch himself into the business world. At Lenoir-Rhyne his pursuits were decidedly musical. Alexander was a tenor in the school’s a cappella choir and played both the clarinet and the French horn. He even toured the southeastern United States with the choir.

“My professor told me I had more fun in college than most people,” he said.

He met his wife, Carolyn Herman ’70, when he was a freshman and she was a senior.

“She is by far my fondest memory of college,” Alexander said.

Alexander’s first post-college job was at a private elementary school called Presbyterian Day School in Memphis, Tenn., were he served as the school’s assistant headmaster and football coach from 1975 until 1984.

Looking for a more lucrative profession to support his family, he found real estate.

“Throughout music school I never wanted to be a band director,” Alexander said. “I majored in elementary education and my LR degree in music education actually prepared me really well for the career I’ve had in real estate. It was an easy transition—I’d gotten used to working with lots of different personalities.”

Alexander said some of the best real estate agents he’s seen are former nurses, teachers and coaches – professionals who learn patience and compassion on the job.

He’s in his 30th year in the real estate industry.

Alexander worked with Harry Norman Realtor for about 10 years before joining Jenny Pruitt & Associates where he stayed for another decade. When Warren Buffett bought both companies, Alexander decided to go his own way and joined Keller Williams Realty—the largest real estate company in North America.

Alexander is the CEO of his franchise office and leads a team of about 120 people. He and his wife live in Smyrna just outside Atlanta.

ATLANTA ALUMSKEEP STRONg TIES WITH LENOIR-RHyNE


The reports that Lenoir-Rhyne has done away with its Master of Arts in Teaching program were greatly exaggerated, to paraphrase a famous quote by Mark Twain.

LR’s MAT program is actually alive and well, and it’s still one of the most innovative programs of its type in the region.

The rumors may have popped up because, until recently North Carolina schools had the option of offering teachers with master’s degrees a 10-percent pay increase. That’s no longer the case following the passage of this summer’s budget bill.

But the school’s superintendents still want elite teachers and LR is still providing masters-level instruction for those looking to join the ranks of North Carolina’s top educators.

Lenoir-Rhyne University wants its secondary education teachers to be experts in their field. One way to make that happen is to have them major in their chosen subject area then pursue licensure with a master’s degree in education.

What we offer is really a fifth-year program. They begin in the summer following graduation then after one full year they graduate in the following summer with their MAT.

“This is not for current teachers,” said Dr. Hank Weddington, the Dean of LR’s Department of Education and Human Services. “This is an initial licensure program.”

Weddington and his colleagues designed the MAT to be practice-based, user-based and practical.

“We have a very different one-year model,” Weddington said. “It was designed with input from teachers, school administrators and experts. It’s a real-world curriculum designed for current schools.”

And the MAT also serves another need: flexibility.

When recruiting students to the program Weddington heard the same excuse repeatedly: “I can’t do a full-time program—I can’t give up a year of my life right now.”

That’s why the faculty came up with a part-time program. It’s based in Asheville. All the coursework is done online with real-time video streaming of the Asheville classroom where students are able to be in the room with their professor if they choose.

The part-time version takes as little as one-and-a half years. The students spend three hours in the classroom per week. Then it’s time for student teaching, which takes 600 hours over a 15-week span in accordance with state licensing requirements.

LR grads get a 25-percent discount on tuition, which makes LR’s MAT one of the best bargains in the state.

The program targets teachers who got into the field from another profession through lateral entry. They are required by the state to obtain their teaching license within three years of graduation.

There are programs that help them complete the coursework they need to do. But if they choose LR they’ll be able to convert their provisional teaching license to a full license and earn a master’s degree at the same time. And their current teaching job will count as their student teaching.

“This is better preparation and it’s a better degree,” Weddington said.

LR’S MAT PROgRAMMost innovative program of its type in the region.


Lenoir-Rhyne University Sponsors Leadership Asheville Annual Luncheon

On September 26 Asheville was introduced to Lenoir-Rhyne University in a big way at the Leadership Asheville Annual Luncheon. The nearly 300 attendees were greeted with a wave of Red and Black and mingled with LR students, faculty, and staff.

“Our mission at the Center is to develop innovative leaders,” says Dr. Paul Knott, director of the LR Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville. “So it just made sense for us to sponsor this event. It was an excellent opportunity for LR to share our Asheville programs with a wide cross sector of leaders from area businesses, nonprofits, education, and government.”

During his speech, Dr. Wayne Powell introduced attendees to the history of Lenoir-Rhyne and painted a picture of the University’s future in the Asheville area. He also had the honor of introducing keynote speaker and hometown hero, Heath Schuler, former U.S. Congressman and senior vice president of federal affairs for Duke Energy Progress. Dr. Powell presented Schuler with a football signed by the 2012 South Atlantic Conference Championship Lenoir-Rhyne University football team – Go Bears!

“All in all the event was a great success for us,” says Dr. Knott. “We have genuine commitment to the communities in the Asheville Area. Sponsoring events such as the Leadership Asheville Luncheon is just one way we can demonstrate that commitment. Expect to see the LR flag at many other events around Western North Carolina in the coming years.”

Lenoir-Rhyne University Brings A Taste of Bioneers to Asheville for a Second Year

Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Sustainability Studies program hosted the second annual Taste of Bioneers Conference in October. The conference, which attracted nearly 200 people,

is part of the Beaming Bioneers Network of community gatherings connected to the National Bioneers Conference in California. Bioneers is a nonprofit organization that highlights breakthrough solutions for restoring people and planet based in New Mexico.

The theme of the conference was Resilient Communities and featured panel discussions with local sustainability leaders from more than 15 organizations on topics including;

• Green building • Food and agriculture resilience (and permaculture) • Forests, plants, and ecological resilience • Resilient energy systems, with a focus on solar energy • Resilient and collaborative communities

The Conference also featured several speakers projected from the National Bioneers Conference and shown in the LR Asheville Center’s state-of-the-art classrooms including:

• Danny Glover on Reimagining Citizenship, Democracy, and Nature • Janine Benyus on The Biomimicry Network Effect • Darren Doherty on Regrarianism and Permaculture • Billy Parish on Clean Energy • Jason McClennan on Living Buildings and a Regenerative World

“To make our community more resilient, we are going to need a multitude of perspectives and approaches,” says Dr. Keith McDade, Assistant Professor of Sustainability Studies at the Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville. “Social justice, healthy buildings, green technology, agriculture, new energy realities, economics, policy, ecosystems, business, community, relationships, human behavior…it’s all part of the conversation. One aim of this conference is to bring everyone into the discussion and find ways to help each other to make Western North Carolina more resilient.”

Seminary’s Academy of Faith and Leadership Brings New Opportunities

LTSS announces the formation of a new initiative for the school, the Academy of Faith and Leadership. The Academy will offer numerous continuing education opportunities to equip both lay and clergy for their lifelong work as ministers of the gospel.

“The Academy of Faith and Leadership fills a need for the communities we serve, here in Columbia, in the Eau Claire neighborhood, and in churches around the region and beyond,” said the Rev. Dr. Clayton Schmit, provost of the seminary. “The church is in need of educated and enthusiastic proclaimers of the faith from a variety of perspectives. So whether you are a pastor, Sunday school teacher, nurse, accountant, soldier, parent, retiree—or anything in between—we want to provide you with the confidence to lead Christ’s church boldly into the future.”

Founded on the premise that all Christians are called to the vocation of ministry in the world, the Academy of Faith and Leadership seeks to provide resources that will empower and equip women and men to be faithful leaders in the 21st century church. These resources will include various lectures, retreats, seminars, scripture study series, and other events. The resources will include non-credit courses focused for the lay audience as well as continuing education programs for clergy and church leaders.

“In discussions with our neighbors and constituents, we heard a need for opportunities to deepen knowledge and understanding of scripture, theology, and the everyday challenges in the church,” said Emily Silvola, coordinator of the Academy. “This new initiative will enrich and enliven participants’ faith and ministry skills through engaging and relevant topics and events.”

Already the AFL has hosted a five-part bible study on the final book in the Bible, Revelation. The Rev. Dr. Charles Sigel, emeritus professor at the seminary, led participants on Tuesday evenings beginning in September. Lay people and clergy studied the book and discussed how the book related to the 1st century audience when it was first written and also what it means to us in the 21st century world.

Other events are in the planning stages and Silvola is encouraging feedback from the community to help build topics and courses of interest. “We want feedback from the public and our constituents about what topics and formats would mean the most to them. As a theological seminary of not just the Lutheran church but of many denominations and traditions, we have a unique ability to bring together a wide variety of professors, leaders, and guests to meet the ever-changing needs of the church.” The seminary is currently accepting feedback and requests on the school’s website, www.ltss.lr.edu/afl. Interested participants may also enroll for current programming and sign-up for email updates for future offerings.

Reprinted from Southern Bulletin

CAMPUs UPdATEs

ASHEVILLECOLUMBIA


Bear Tracks

Under Armour Sponsors DII Football TeamThe athletic gear giant Under Armour has earned a reputation for innovation and risk taking. Since bursting onto the scene in 1996 with a line of moisture-wicking clothing, the company has expanded its reach worldwide with specialty products for everything from hunting and tactical gear to traditional sports running the gamut from football to golf.

A quick look at the top tier of NCAA football teams reveals the UA logo on teams from the University of South Carolina Gamecocks to the Maryland Terrapins.

The Lenoir-Rhyne Bears recently became the newest member of a growing family of teams at the DII football level to wear Under Armour exclusively. UA outfitted the Bears with practice gear for the past seven years. Now, the Bears take the field in Under Armour gear on game day.

While UA has created football uniforms with cutting edge design and performance, the Bears have decided to stick with their traditional styling with a twist of Under Armour flavor.

Under Armour will provide five game day combinations of cardinal, white and black.

The uniforms look great, but they’re about function first. The gear is designed to enhance the players’ performance. From the shoes to the jerseys, the uniforms are lightweight, they wick away sweat and they’re crafted to move freely with the players’ natural range of motion.

“This is a new zenith for this university,” said LR’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Neill R. McGeachy Jr., and as Under Armour will attest, “You’ve still got to hit the other guy in the mouth.”

“Schools that have this relationship with Under Armour are top national schools. It’s a great honor for our program,” LR’s former Head Football Coach Mike Houston said. “Under Armour will help give our athletes the edge. We’re going to enhance our relationship with Under Armour by continued success and building our program.”

Lenoir-Rhyne University has more students enrolled today than at any time in the school’s 123-year history. For the first time LR’s enrollment has surpassed 2,000, reaching 2,005 this fall.

“In 2008, during the beginning of the economic downturn, we seized an opportunity by expanding our graduate school programs,” said LR’s Vice President for Enrollment Management Rachel Nichols. “That’s been key to growing our student population during a period of national decline in enrollments.”

Another key to the growth has been LR’s merger with Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, SC, and the opening of the Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville.

“We definitely have made considerable progress even in times of uncertainty for higher education,” said LR President Dr. Wayne Powell. “Given our current pattern of growth I expect our enrollment to reach 2,500 students within the next five years. Perhaps the most remarkable measure of our growth, however, has been with our endowment.”

The university has joined the elite ranks of North Carolina’s 36 private colleges and universities by the measure of its record endowment, which is often seen as the primary indicator of long-term stability.

Ten years ago LR’s endowment was $39 million. Today it is $93.5 million, placing LR fifth among the state’s private colleges and universities behind only Duke, Wake Forest, Davidson and Elon. The top five institutions are the leaders in state higher education, and LR is poised to accept that role.

“One of the chief measures of a university’s health is its endowment,” said LR Vice President Drew Van Horn. “LR is able to invest our endowment and draw on its return to fund various projects and initiatives without ever spending down

the original investment. This financial strength allows us to invest in new programs and expand services to our students.”

Proceeds from certain endowment funds can provide scholarships to students as well as be used to fund building improvements and faculty compensation. A strong endowment helps a university draw top-quality professors and it helps the school weather tough economic times. A university’s endowment is a key factor in determining its ranking in publications like “U.S. News & World Report’s” annual “Best Colleges” list.

“LR was fortunate to have a great run during a bad economy,” Powell said. “We intend to maintain our momentum and leverage our strengths to move to even greater heights.”

LR’s endowment has grown through donations, good market investments and acquisition of the assets of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary through its merger with LR.

“Our goal is to be prestigious but not elitist,” Powell said. “We specialize in helping our students transition from good to exceptional and we are going to always remain true to our mission.”

LR achieves pair of milestonesUniversity achieves record enrollment and endowment

Jumping in to Lend a HandWhen he heard that a small-town elementary school needed a playground, Prof. Clay James took action. The head of Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Visual Arts program grabbed his paints and brushes and got to work designing and crafting a one-of-a-kind piece of functional artwork.

The “Chair-ity” event drew more than 6o artists who created over 100 pieces from an assortment of old wooden chairs and desks. The goal: Auction the old made new to help the Longview Elementary School PTA raise the $50,000 needed to build a new playground.

James’ chair racked up several bids before Barbara Keck Pitts ’69, placed the final bid and took the Lenoir-Rhyne “Bear Chair” home.

James is here to teach students the academics while instilling in them the kind of moral character they’ll need for the rest of their lives. He models the habit of putting others first.

We would love to talk to them! Print this voucher out; have the student send it in with their application to receive an application waiver.

Alumna/Alumnus Name ______________________________________

Student Name ______________________________________________

Questions? go to lr.edu or call 828 328 7300

DO yOU KNOW A FUTURE BEAR?


Bear Tracks

When the economy is faltering businesses look for ways to cut costs. Sustainability efforts are frequent targets of these efforts. But is that the most prudent area for companies to cut?

That was the question addressed by a pair of Lenoir-Rhyne MBA students invited to present their findings at the Accreditation Council of Business Schools and Programs Annual Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Adam Coffey and Oliver Worth were honored to be the only student group chosen to present at the conference. Their findings, outlined in their report titled, “Intrinsic Values Gained When Participating in Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility,” were presented to almost 1,000 business school deans and faculty from across the country.

They brought home the Conference’s Student Showcase Presentation Award for their work. The award recognizes critical thinking skills and the presentation skills of the students in assessing a business situation. Coffey, of Hickory, and Worth, of England, developed strategies using a company called Intertek, a global provider of safety and quality products to global businesses, as a benchmark.

“I believe the one thing that the Charles M. Snipes School of Business MBA program develops, and these awards prove it, is critical thinking and strategic thinking abilities,” said A. Dale King, Ph.D., Jefferson-Pilot Professor of Business and faculty advisor to both groups. “Business is about being adaptive with strong business skill sets; and the Snipes MBA teams did a super job of demonstrating this.”

LR shines in Salt Lake conferencePair presents findings to business school heads

NFL legend returns toLR for HomecomingNFL Hall-of-Famer Ronnie Lott came to Lenoir-Rhyne in October to speak to LR’s football players as they geared up for their homecoming game against Brevard College.

The pep talk must have worked because the Bears beat the Tornadoes 41-0.

Lott has connected with Lenoir-Rhyne’s football team for more than a decade, and he’s known John Moretz since 1993.

Moretz Marketing, Inc. has partnerships with Ronnie Lott and several other well-known athletes and celebrities. Lott and Moretz have a lot in common. They both love football, their bond has spilled over into a bond between Lott and LR’s Bears.

Lott sponsors the Heavy Hitters Club that recognizes players who represent the kind of play that made Lott a ten-time Pro Bowl selection, an eight-time All Pro selection, a four-time Super Bowl champion, and arguably the best defensive back to have ever played the game of football. Lott’s connection with the team is so close that when the Bears won their second conference title in a row last year Lott was presented with an honorary championship ring.

He wore his LR ring and had his four Super Bowl rings in a box in his pocket. When he asked the Bears what they were playing for in every game they screamed in unison, “Another Ring!”

Lott made it clear why he was spending time in Hickory.

“I’m here on the behalf of John Moretz and his organization, but to be around young people and football—that’s the great thing,” he said. “I love being able to share my wisdom. I love seeing guys sacrificing, guys working hard, guys getting better.”

He stressed the importance of hard work and confidence on the football field and in life.

“Tthey’ve got a belief about what they stand for here. There’s that standard of believing that you’re a champion,” Lott said. “This team does a great job of fighting for inches. They don’t take anything for granted. All these little inches allow you to win. They understand that it’s the little things that make you great.”

Not every private Division 2 football team has a Hall of Famer in its corner, but Lott made it clear that he has a heart for LR.

“It’s great to be back in the locker room and on the field. It’s always great to be here at Lenoir-Rhyne” Lott said. “Go Bears!”

Lenoir-Rhyne is dedicated to serving the men and women of our armed forces. Now a national organization has taken notice.

Victory Media, the publisher of the “Guide to Military Friendly Schools” named LR a 2014 “Military Friendly

Lenoir-Rhyne named a top military friendly university

School.” The award recognizes that LR is among the top 15 percent of American colleges and universities when it comes to the school’s efforts to recruit and retain students with military backgrounds.

This semester about 50 of LR’s 2,005 students have a military background.

When M.Sgt. Larry Jump, 35, retired following 16 years in the U.S. Air Force he decided to change careers. He’s going to be a professor and LR has been with him every step of the way.

“I didn’t have to do a thing—they knew every step,” he said. “In less than one week everything was approved and I was ready to go.”

Alex Paige and her twin sister Alexus, 22, of Randleman, are attending LR on their mother’s GI bill. Their mother, Kim, is a retired Chief Warrant Officer II who spent a lot of her military career outside the country in places like Turkey and Korea.

Alex will graduate in December. She wants to set the standard in her family by being the first to attend graduate school. The plan is to get her master’s in counseling from LR. Her goal is to study counseling and work with soldiers who are struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.

PROFILE / Fall ’13 / Page 23PROFILE / Fall ’13 / Page 22

ScoreboardsCoREboARd dAvE MARKLANd EARNEd HIs 200TH wIN

Volleyball: Dave Markland earned his 200th win as Lenoir-Rhyne Head Volleyball Coach on Saturday, October 12, 2013, in a 3-2 victory at home over Lincoln Memorial. Markland, in his 11th season as Bear mentor, has guided Lenoir-Rhyne to two South Atlantic Conference Championships (2004 and 2006) and two NCAA Division II Playoff berths (2004 and 2012).

sPoRTs HALL of fAME CLAss of 2013:

From left: Marcus Midgett ’62 (Chairman Of The Hall Of Fame Committee), Mark LaMoreaux ’68*, Maya Grady ’03, Michelle Baity Bryant ’02, and Aubrey Cochran ’67. * = Mark’s LaMoreaux’s (posthumous) daughter, Beth LaMoreaux Herman, was one of Mark’s four children who represented Mark on the day. The Lenoir-Rhyne Sports Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony took place on Saturday, October 5, 2013, as part of Homecoming Weekend.

The Lenoir-Rhyne Women’s Soccer team won its fourth consecutive South Atlantic Conference Regular Season Championship in 2013. The Bears finished with a record of 14-4-2 overall including a 9-1-1 mark in league play. Lenoir-Rhyne also hosted the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Tournament for the second time in three seasons this fall.

Lenoir-Rhyne Athletics

FALL 2013 ACCOLADES

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRy Grace Turner, All-South Atlantic Conference Second Team

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRy Aaron Nelson, All-South Atlantic Conference Second Team

VOLLEyBALL Haley Rhyne, All-South Atlantic Conference First Team, All-Region

MEN’S SOCCER Ben Jones, All-South Atlantic Conference Second Team

WOMEN’S SOCCER Garcelle Alequine, All-South Atlantic Conference First Team Leah Mullins, All-South Atlantic Conference First Team Amber Madriaga, All-South Atlantic Conference First Team Hanna Kiebel, All-South Atlantic Conference Second Team Emmi Dunn, All-South Atlantic Conference Second Team Cally Morrill, South Atlantic Conference Coach Of The Year

FOOTBALL Jarrod Spears, All-South Atlantic Conference First Team Joe Ray, All-South Atlantic Conference First Team, Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner, All-Region, All-American Zack Bunn, All-South Atlantic Conference First Team, All-Region Zach Neumann, All-South Atlantic Conference First Team, All-Region Blake Baker, All-South Atlantic Conference First Team, Gene Upshaw Award Finalist, All-Region, All-American Tanner Botts, All-South Atlantic Conference First Team, All-Region, All-American Michael Green, All-South Atlantic Conference First Team, South Atlantic Conference Defensive Player Of The Year, All-Region, All-American Myer Nolan, All-South Atlantic Conference First Team Isaiah Whitaker, All-South Atlantic Conference Second Team, All-Region Jimmy Long, All-South Atlantic Conference Second Team, All-Region O’neil Blake, All-South Atlantic Conference Second Team Rodney Singleton, South Atlantic Conference Freshman Of The Year Joe Anderson, Academic All-American Mike Houston, South Atlantic Conference and Region Coach Of The Year

Lenoir-Rhyne University will host the 2014 NCAA Division II Women’s Golf National Championship at the Rock Barn Golf Club & Spa in Conover, N.C. The event takes place on May 14-17, 2014, and will be played on the Tom Jackson Course. The field will include the nation’s top 12 teams and 12 individuals for a total of 72 participants.

LR To HosT 2014 NCAA dII woMEN’s GoLf NATIoNAL CHAMPIoNsHIP:

Join the

bEARs CLUb!The Piedmont Educational Foundation, Inc., better known to its loyal following as the Bears Club, is the official fundraising arm of Lenoir-Rhyne University Athletics. The primary purpose is to support the scholarship and program costs for athletics at LR. This support helps to provide a quality education for a young man or woman who has chosen to attend and to compete at Lenoir-Rhyne University.

Choose your Level of Support Bear Booster $150-$299 (Includes Access to PEF Hospitality Areas) Bear $300-$599 (Includes 2 Football & Basketball Season Tickets) Big Bear $600-$999 (Includes Reserved PEF Football Parking Permit) Mountain Bear $1,000-$2,499 (Includes Invitation to President’s VIP Box) Piedmont Bear $2,500+ (Includes Tickets to All Home Tournament Events)

Questions? Contact David Jandrew at (828) 328-7130 or [email protected].


12/6 12/21

The Lenoir-Rhyne Football team put together one of its greatest seasons in school history in 2013. LR finished the year with a record of 13-2 overall including a perfect 7-0 mark in South Atlantic Conference play and advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship game in Florence, Ala. On Saturday, December 21, LR fell to undefeated Northwest Missouri State, 43-28, at Braly Municipal Stadium in the title game. Lenoir-Rhyne advanced to the national championship for the fourth time in school history. LR played in the NAIA finals in 1959, 1960 and 1962, and won the title in 1960. Lenoir-Rhyne set a school single-season record for wins this year and set the all-time NCAA record for rushing yards in a single season with 5,563. In addition, Lenoir-Rhyne finished the year ranked No. 2 in the nation.

The road to theCHAMPIoNsHIPs

Florence, Alabama

PROFILE / Fall ’13 / Page 27Page 26 / Fall ’13 / PROFILE

chapel update: By the numbers.The newest addition to Lenoir-Rhyne’s campus continues to rise from consecrated ground. The chapel is taking shape as construction moves steadily ahead.

It’s helpful to understand the building’s progress by taking a look at the numbers:

30,000 Approximate number of bricks laid to date.

10,000 Approximate number of custom cinderblocks, which will remain visible in the completed chapel, laid to date.

10,000 Approximate number of standard grey cinderblocks laid to date.

35 Types and shapes of block used on the chapel to date.

55 Percent of chapel masonry completed to date.

39 Total number of stained-glass windows to be housed in the finished chapel, including the rose window.

16 Number of pine-wood arches connected at knife joints along the length of the chapel.

6,200 Linear feet of pine 3x6 tongue and groove lumber installed in the chapel’s ceiling to date.

8 Length in inches of the spikes used to join the tongue and groove lumber in the ceiling.

6 length in inches of the spikes used to join the ceiling lumber to the roof beams.

50 Tons of steel erected to date.

5 Height in feet of the pre-cast stone cross that adorns the peak of the chapel’s roof.

40 Percent of total chapel construction completed to date.


Families pass the Lenoir-Rhyne tradition down through the generations

For many, attending Lenoir-Rhyne University is a family tradition. Whether it was passed down from one of the school’s four founders or maybe both of your grandfathers were LR professors, plenty of people on this campus are part of an LR lineage.

For Becky Sharpe ’80, the lines are pervasive. She’s been on LR’s staff for 25 years and currently serves as the Administrative Associate for Student Life. Sharpe graduated from LR. So did her brother, her parents, and all four of her grandparents.

And her great-grandfather, R. A. Yoder, was the institution’s first president and one of the four founders.

“I was a preacher’s daughter, so we moved whenever my father was called to a new church,” Sharpe said. “I never really had a hometown, but I have so many family connections here it feels like home to me.”

One of her relatives literally left his mark on LR. Her great uncle was a student here while his sister, Pearl Setzer Deal (who founded LR’s Playmakers in 1926) was teaching classes at LR. Her uncle fired his pistol in his dorm room and faced expulsion for his poor choice. It was only through the intervention of his sister that he was able to stay in school, graduate and go on to become a minister.

“It’s just neat for me to walk around this campus and know that my roots are here,” Sharpe said. “My grandfather donated the original dogwood trees that lined the sidewalk. He got them from his farm after blight killed the mimosa trees that were originally here.”

LR’S LONg LINE OF LEgACy

Sharpe eventually did what so many of her family members had done before her. She married a man she met at LR. Robert Sharpe was working for the maintenance department as a heating and air technician when she met him and staked her claim as his wife.

LR family legacies have been the norm for generations and it’s a phenomenon that shows no signs of trailing off anytime soon.

Sarah Mauney, a sophomore, is from a Lenoir-Rhyne legacy family.

The Mauney music building and Mauney-Schaffer building are both named after her family. Her late grandfather, Bill Mauney, and her maternal grandfather, Charles Cooke, both graduated from LR before returning years later as LR professors. Mauney, an economics professor, became the dean of LR’s School of

Professional and Mathematical Studies. Cooke is a physics professor.

Sarah Mauney made the trek from her home in Wisconsin to attend the school where her roots are.

“My family has always been dedicated towards education and my family has always instilled that value,” Mauney said. “Coming to the source of those values was a big part of my decision to attend LR.”

Those who come from LR families can be offered two types of scholarships. The Legacy Scholarship goes to students who have a parent or grandparent who came to the school. If a student had a sibling attend, then they can receive the Sibling Scholarship.


ALUMNI NEws

WE’RE PACKING THE CAR AND HITTING THE ROAD!The Alumni Association will do a lot of traveling over the next twelve months, and we

hope to see you soon. Check out the tour schedule and look for more information in

your mail (and e-mail) boxes soon!

alumni.lr.eduWANT MORE INFORMATION? GO TO

SEE YOU IN....VIRGINIA: Charlottesville, Roanoke, Richmond, NORTH CAROLINA: Charlotte, Raleigh / Durham,

Winston-Salem / Greensboro / High Point, Asheville, Wilmington, SOUTH CAROLINA: Charleston,

Greenville, Columbia, GEORGIA: Atlanta, FLORIDA: Tampa, Jacksonville, ALABAMA: Birmingham,

TENNESSEE: Knoxville, WASHINGTON D.C.

HERE IS A SNEAK PEAK OF SOME ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR THE WEEKEND:

Class of 1964 / 50 Year Class Reunion LR Spring Band Concert

Golden Bears’ Brunch Fraternity Alumni Reunions:

TKE, Theta Chi, Theta XI, Pi Kappa Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, Sigma Phi Epsilon.

WATCH yOUR MAIL AND EMAIL for your official invitation and more event

details for the weekend. We hope you can join us!

WANT TO HELP? If you would like to assist the Alumni Office

with contacting your classmates, please email [email protected] or

call 828.328.7351.

ALUMNI wEEKENd2014

Make plans to attend Alumni Weekend beginning Friday, May 2, and concluding Saturday, May 3, on the campus of Lenoir-Rhyne University.

Take a tour of the campus, reconnect with classmates and meet your new Alumni Board Members.

SCIENCE CAMPAIgN CONTINUES

Fall 2013 was an active period for the Science Sub-Campaign, including a Homecoming Reception in Minges for alumni of the Natural Sciences and Math/Computer Science. Over 80 alumni and their guests attended, and enjoyed sharing their collective stories about “life and times” spent in Minges, along with hearing about the urgent needs the new Science Complex will meet on campus. In addition to reaching $7.4 million in giving toward the $15 million Phase One goal, a Kickoff was held for the Science Sub-Campaign Committee: a volunteer group of alumni who will assist with engaging alumni and friends to raise funds for the new facilities. Members currently include Mr. Todd Burwell ’93, Mr. David Bethune, Jr. ’90, Dr. Ross Penland ‘04, Mrs. Paula Kadel ’68 and Mr. John Williams ’87. Advisors to the committee include Dr. John Bumgarner ’59, Mr. Fred Brown ’69, and Mr. Hank McCrorie ’60. Visit www.university.rising.lr.edu for additional campaign details and to give to the Minges Science Campaign.

CAREER NIgHT FOR SCIENCE MAjORS

At the Fall 2013 Career Exploration Night for the School of Natural Sciences, over 125 undergraduate Science students were able to meet with practitioners from a variety of medical and non-medical Science careers, as well as with students from graduate, medical and pharmacy school. The 22 guests, most of whom are LR alumni, represented positions including a Cancer Biologist, General Practice MD, Chemist, Food Scientist and a Public Health worker. The event, held in various forms for over 40 years, was planned this year by Professor Helen Caldwell (Physics), with assistance from Drs. Marsha Fanning and Karen McDougal (Biology).

Interested in participating in upcoming career-related events for the Sciences? Contact Dr. Karen McDougal at [email protected].

Isaac Smith, Class of 2010 and former SGA President, talked with students about entering the Medical field. Unique to his experience was a year studying abroad before transitioning back to graduate school. “Take the time to broaden your horizons and you’ll never regret it,” he shared.


HOMECOMINg 2013


Class Notes1949 Howard and Wadine Martin Smith celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on June 6.

1951 guy Cruse, LTSS ’51, and Cary Dowd Cruse celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with 70 family and friends Saturday, June 15, at Mount Olivet in Chapin. Many of the original wedding party were in attendance, including the presiding minister, former Bishop

james R. Crumley, LTSS ’51 and his wife Annette, who was the organist at the Cruse’s wedding. Former Bishop Crumley was also Cruse’s roommate at Seminary.

1964 Patricia Cauble White was elected President of Wake Technical Community College Retirees Association for 2014 and 2015 in Raleigh, NC. Patricia worked on the faculty for 18 years.

1968 jeanne Ulsh Conner has two sons and five grandchildren. She is serving as a Guardian ad Litem for Catawba County.

1972 Sandra Cline has taken the position of Director of Development for Agape Kure Beach Ministries in Fuquay-Varina, NC.

jane Tesh is pleased to announce the publication of her sixth mystery novel, the third in the Grace Street Series, Now You See It.

1981 The Rev. john D. Stirewalt, LTSS ’88, has accepted the call as Senior Pastor of St. John Lutheran Church, Oak Harbor, Ohio. He was installed as Senior Pastor by Bishop Marcus Lohrmann on Sunday, August 4. He and his family will reside in Oak Harbor, Ohio. Pastor Stirewalt

is married to Debbie. They have two daughters: Hannah, a senior and Cromer Scholarship recipient at Lenoir-Rhyne University, and Clara, a high school senior.

1983 Marcia Kosko gillispie, RN, LCSW, has recently assumed the position of Clinical Group Facilitator at Georgia Regional Hospital (psychiatric) in Savannah. The Gillispie family is excited to see the hand of God in their lives and in the lives of others with whom they feel privileged to work.

1984 Tony Worley was recently promoted to Director of Secondary Education for Lincoln County Schools.

1986 Lisa jenkins Suddreth Baumgardner graduated from the University of Florida with a Doctorate degree in Nursing Practice (DNP).

Eileen goddard was named Eastern North Carolina’s Teacher of the Week during the 2012-2013 school year by WITN-7.

1989 Married Kazuko “Coco” Lida and Kenny McMichael on December 27, 2010 in Hawaii.

1990 joyce Fender Hendry was promoted to Director of Financial Planning & Budgeting at Motorsports Authentic, Inc., the Official Trackside Apparel and the Official Trackside Vendor of NASCAR.

1994 Baby Bear To Danny and Darla King Stines, a daughter, Ellanor Grace, on August 5.

1995 Christine Kincheloe was honored as the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind “Teacher of the Year” in May. She is also working on her Master’s in Education Administration/Supervision at Converse College, hopefully graduating in 2015. She still lives in Union, SC with her two children.

1997 Dr. Kimberly Thomas graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in May 2013 with a Ph.D. in English, with major concentrations in Composition and TESOL. Dr. Thomas has taught in the United States and abroad for several years. Recently, she was a visiting lecturer in the Department of Second Language Studies at Indiana University Bloomington. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor of Writing and ESL at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1999 Married William “Ben” Payseur and Jennifer Duzan on June 8. Ben is a Senior Product Manager at Hanes Industries and Jennifer is a Senior Loss Prevention Analyst at Lowe’s Companies Inc. They reside in Conover.

2000 john R. Setzer was recently promoted to Claim Team Manager at State Farm. John has been with State Farm since 2001. His wife, Wendy Mease Setzer ’01, was also promoted to Auto Claim Representative at State Farm. Wendy has been with the company since 2011. John and Wendy live in Cumming, Ga. with their daughters, Riley 8 and Lyla 4.

2001 Misty Lester gibbs has been named Senior Vice President of Credit Administration at Valley Bank in Roanoke, VA.

2002 Suzanne Townsend jackson joined The Jackson Group, Inc. in July as Project Manager for Employee Satisfaction. Suzanne lives in Hickory with husband, Alan, sons, Alexander and Nicholas, and two black lab-mixes, Jenny and Harper. Her oldest son, Luke, lives in Havelock, NC.

Baby Bear To Lonnie and Lisa Kimball Blackmon, a daughter, Autumn Marie Blackmon on July 30. She joins big brother, Austin (7). The family resides in China Grove, NC.

To Ashley and Erica Clontz Lutz, a son, Skyla, on December 26, 2012.

To David and Jenna Sergeant, a son, Elijah John Sergeant, born on June 20. He joins big

sister, Kennedy (2). The family resides in Rochester, NY.

2003 Married (PHOTO) Leslie Doiron married Roger on April 27 in Williamsburg, VA.

2004 Baby Bear To Brian and Emily Neill, a daughter, Elle Katherine, on October 14, 2012. Elle is great-granddaughter of Jack ’50 and Ann Sink.

2006 Married

Emily Elaine Mabry and Patrick Westmoreland on May 18. The couple reside in Hickory.

Rachel jane Nicol and Donald “Donnie (D3)” Megahan III on June 1 in Huntersville, NC.

Matt Peterson and Logan Fisher ‘09 on April 6.

2007 Baby Bear

To jonathan and Maggie Womack Wester, a daughter, Kylie Susanna, born on August 15. She is their first child.

2010 Married Melissa Weaver and Kevin Canipe on October 8, 2011. Melissa is a graduate of the LRU nursing program with a BSN and is employed as an RN with Broughton Hospital. Kevin is a Paramedic with Burke County EMS and Hickory Rescue Squad.

Baby Bear To Lucas ’09 and Brittany Wietbrock Mitchell, a son, Connor Zane on May 29.

2013 (

Bradley “Shea” Berbaum was hired in September as the first, full-time Director of Youth & Family Ministries at Living Saviour Lutheran Church in Charlotte, NC. He has served as a youth minister at Agape Kure Beach Ministries in Fuquay-Varina, NC and most recently at Camp Metigoshe in North Dakota. He will be directing and coordinating youth programming and family ministry activities as part of the church’s mission to welcome people to Jesus Christ, equip them to grow in faith and send them to serve others.

Click the button above to submit class notes!

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Help us contact some of your classmates!

Betty Hilton Weaver ’45

M. Elizabeth Garrett Mercer Buckley ’48

Cade Lee Austin ’49

Sarah Betty Turner ’55

Deanne B. Elders ’59

Marie Hendley Johnson ’59

George Osborne Ross ’59

Bill R. Kelley ’60

Ruth Williams McCaskill ’60

Rick Ferrell Sherrill ’61

Julia Anne Foster ’63

Edward Ronald Frye ’65

Margaret Falls Dixon ’66

Alix Ann Freed Fickling ’66

Betty Jean Jones Clarke ’68

Donnie Edwin Lewis ’68

Jo Alice Brock Crawford ’69

Shelia Dean Fox Davis ’71

Robert Edward Coleman ’72

Charles D. Richards ’72

Stephen Ward Musgrove ’73

Janet Lynn Turner Robison ’76

Betty Anne Davis ’77

Cynthia Turner Hoffman ’77

Maxine Morrow Goodwin ’78

Susan Anne Eilenberg ’78

Margaret A. Gibson ’79

Ernest Keith Kinsey ’81

Robert William Edsell ’82

Karen Denise Thompson ’84

Pei Ling Williams ’85

James R. Short ’86

Joy Suzanna Setzer ’88

L. Beth Eslinger Copley ’89

Donna Cybele Cox ’91

Tyrone Davis McDaniel ’93

Brett Alan Wilson ’95

Julie Dawn Dagenhart ’97

Holly Ann Viegut McDaniel ’98

Charles Malachi Cox ’01

Anne N. Githae ’01

Adina Procop ’01

Paige Allison Stubbs Boles ’02

Phillip Anthony Yelverton ’05

Nicolle Elizabeth Larson Johnson ’08

Marcus Lee Springs ’08

Darrell DeWayne Rivers ’08

Catherine Lynn Covert ’09

Martin Ronald Graham ’11

In Memoriam Dorothy Ritchie Adams ’30 of Falls Church, VA on 2/20/2012

Mary Hartley ’30 of Lexington on 11/19/2012

Ella Raby Cilley ’34 of Hickory on 8/17/2013

Margaret Rudisill Borland ’36 of Salisbury on 9/4/2013

Mary Epley Suther ’36 of Charlotte on 2/27/2012

Helen George Hollingsworth ’37 of Burlington on 6/23/2013

John W. Mauney ’38 of Salisbury on 3/4/2012

Mattalene McRee Chadwick ’39 of Louisburg on 9/22/2013

LTC Charles Lee Bowman ’40 of Leesburg, GA on 1/10/2012

Dr. James Richard Garrett ’40 of Indialantic, FL on 1/23/2012

Lois Bowman Moose ’40 of Hickory on 5/7/2012

Pauline Hewitt Warren ’40 of Taylorsville on 8/5/2013

E. Suzanne Vander Linden Hall ’41 of Salisbury on 6/13/2013

Thelma Wilkinson Jones ’41 of Catawba on 3/29/2012

Christine Browning Lafferty ’41 of Concord on 4/26/2013

George Dubois ’42 of South Yarmouth, MA on 4/25/2013

W. Rickard Rodgers ’42 of Kannapolis on 7/19/2013

Mary Lloyd Schwalbe ’42 of Greensboro on 8/14/2012

Regina Black Wofford ’42 of Cherryville on 8/10/2013

Leland Kirk Glenn ’43 of Terra Ceia, FL on 8/21/2013

E. Isabel Hardin ’44 of Hickory on 7/28/2013

Charles Query Lemmond ’44 of Scotia, NY on 6/21/2013

Lucy May Walters ’44 of Hudson on 4/2/2013

Rev. Dr. Harold Gerhardt Deal LR ’45 LTSS ’47 of Silver Spring, MD on 10/28/2013 Helen Bivins Russell ’45 of Raleigh on 6/4/2013

Larry Howard Penley ’46 of Hickory on 10/11/2013

Mary Rhodes Ritchie ’46 of Concord on 7/12/2013

W. Sue Black Bollinger ’47 of Hickory on 8/11/2013

Gladys Craven Pierce ’47 of Mooresville on 8/25/2013

Mary Hull Stewart ’47 of Lexington on 7/18/2012

Betty Hoffman Dellinger ’48 of Durham on 8/31/2012

H. Alvin Kuhn ’48 of Dayton, OH on 6/9/2013

Elizabeth Bremer Behrends ’49 of Raleigh on 9/13/2013

H. Lewis Crocker ’49 of Gilbert, SC on 10/9/2013

Harry Jordan King ’49 of Hickory on 6/1/2013

Nancy Isenhour Moser ’49 of Conover on 6/14/2013

Meta Black Power ’49 of Hickory on 9/22/2013

Edwin Lee Rogers ’49 of Hickory on 8/6/2013

Mary Yount Kluttz ’50 of Mt. Pleasant on 12/14/2012

Charles Edwin Ostwalt ’50 of Greensboro on 7/7/ 2012 and Mae Long Ostwalt ’51, Charles’ wife, on 2/8/2013

Bruce K. Chester ’51 of Raleigh on 3/10/2012

Robert Leslie Parleir ’51 of Lincolnton on 3/23/2013

Bobby John Rhyne ’51 of Mount Holly on 5/28/2013

Willie Lyon Bolick ’52 of Hickory on 7/25/2012

M. Wayne Munday ’52 of Asheville on 10/1/2013

Daniel D. Sain ’52 of South Daytona, FL on 8/1/2013

Garland Leslie Seagle ’52 of Raleigh on 10/8/2012

Joseph S. Ramsey ’53 of Connelly Springs on 10/1/2013

Willie Price Shook ’53 of Hickory on 7/5/2013

Robert Maurice Burns ’54 of Greenwood, SC on 5/31/2012

Charles Gilley ’54 of Rocky Mount on 8/30/2013

Richard Thomas Sain ’54 of Hudson on 3/3/2013

Carl Stanley King ’55 of Raleigh on 6/13/2013

Paul Eugene Lutz ’56 of Greensboro on 3/11/2012

Richard K. McMackin ’56 of Matthews on 7/30/2013

Patsy Poplin Perry ’56 of Charlottesville, VA on 11/24/2012

Henry R. Sink ’56 of Burlington on 8/13/2013

Charles Delano Cline ’57 of Washington on 5/19/2013

Frances Huss Martin ’57 of Norfolk, VA on 9/12/2013

Charles Thomas Price ’57 of Carolina Shores on 3/16/2012

Arden F. Ray ’57 of Charlotte on 8/11/2013

Do you have contact information for any of these LR Bears that we’ve lost touch with? If so, please forward to the director of alumni relations at [email protected].


Ruth LaVerne Kanupp Burrus ’58 of Hickory on 1/5/2012

Elisabeth Hamrick ’58 of Hickory on 5/11/2013

Earl Johnson ’58 of Newton on 6/22/2013

Glenn W. Penley ’58 of Conover on 5/8/2012

William H. Tallant ’58 of Hickory on 9/8/2013

Beverly Andrews Guarino ’59 of Hickory on 6/25/2013

Margaret Huffman Pennell ’59 of Taylorsville on 12/14/2012

Henry Dale Sigmon ’59 of Denver on 10/13/2013

Larry Gray Teague ’61 of Catawba on 9/27/2013

Elaine Temple Adair ’62 of Newton on 6/24/2013

Virginia Whalen ’62 of Icard on 10/21/2012

Cornelia Deal Williams ’63 of Guntersville, AL on 7/21/2013

Jerry Hendrix Wells ’63 of Charlotte on 6/2/2013

Shelba Flowers Barrett ’64 of Clemmons on 9/8/2013

Thomas Vincent McCurdy ’64 of Greensboro on 5/18/2012

Jane Horne Riley ’65 of Statesville on 11/24/2012

Jack Walton Sides ’65 of Hickory on 7/20/2012

Thomas James White ’65 of Statesville on 3/19/2012

Lottie Huffman Swink ’66 of Morganton on 8/30/2013

Kendall Shealy Riley ’67 of Stephens City, VA on 5/29/2013

Salonge Anderson Christopher ’68 of Hickory on 6/30/2013

Kenneth Robert Goodfellow ’68 of Myrtle Beach on 1/13/2013

Sara Alexander Matherly ’68 of Woodstock, GA on 8/5/2013

Elsie Combs ’69 of Taylorsville on 5/25/2013

Bobby Poarch ’69 of Valdese on 11/26/2012

Kelly Lamar Rudisill ’69 of Statesville on 6/15/2013

Jacqueline Pope Scott ’71 of Hickory on 9/8/2013

Michael Patrick Neal ’72 of Charlotte on 8/14/2013

Sybil Shuford Buff ’73 of Woodland Hills, CA on 6/28/2013

Bobby Lee Hall ’73 of Morganton on 7/20/2013

John Dodd Brock ’74 of Hickory on 8/5/2013

Lisa G. Roberts ’78 of Charlotte on 9/9/2013

ErnestC. Kirby ’80 of Conover on 6/23/2013

Deborah Harrell Saville ’81 of Brookeville, MD on 2/7/2013

John David Reavis ’82 of Boone on 5/22/2012

Rachel Moses Meyer ’90 of Newton on 6/7/2013

Stephen Mark Ryckman ’92 of Palm Bay, FL on 9/12/2013

Miranda Kelly Adams ’93 of Claremont on 10/10/2013

RIsE UP ANd GIvE bACK!When you were a student at Lenir-Rhyne, you were asked many questions that sparked thought and conversation. Today, we ask “Will you Rise Up and give to the students of LR the way alumni gave to you?”

Lenoir-Rhyne needs your support to keep offering scholarships to hard-working students, building the most advanced facilities, and backing faculty and leadership who are tirelessly dedicated to raising the standards of education in Western North Carolina.

Please make your gift today so that even more students can receive the kinds of advantages you enjoyed. For more information on The Fund for Lenoir-Rhyne, contact Kent Farmer, Director of Annual Giving at [email protected] or 828-328-7345.

Gifts can be sent to The Fund for Lenoir-Rhyne, LR Box 7150, Hickory, NC 28603 or made online at giving.lr.edu.

HUMANITIES FORUMBlowing Rock, North Carolina

May 30-June 1, 2014Schedule and registration information will be emailed in March.

(New location for the 33rd annual event.)

s av e t h e d at e

CALE

NDARSpring schedule of events

FEBRUARy13 Institute for Faith and Learning hosts Scott

Bader-Saye

19-22 Playmakers present, “Ragtime (Version 2)”

20 Visiting Writers Series presents Isabel Wilkerson

22-24 LTSS Discernment Retreat

28 US Navy Band

MARCH4 Blister Beatle Story Hour Celebrating National

Peace Corps Week (AVL)

6 Visiting Writers Series presents Joseph Bathanti, NC Poet Laureate

13 Institute for Faith and Learning presents Guy Nave

13-21 A Cappella Choir Spring Tour (check website for specific locations)

27 Visiting Writers Series presents Sherman Alexie

27 A Cappella Choir concert in Asheville

30 A Cappella Choir Home Concert

APRIL5 The Little Read with author Mary Pope Osborne

5 A Cappella Choir concert in Boone, NC

6-7 LTSS Open House

8 LR Living Room Series presents Religion and Climate Change (AVL)

9-12 Playmakers present “Little Read Production”

12 LR Choral Festival Concert

24 Concert Series presents Adam Holzman, classical guitarist

24 “A Taste of LTSS”

24 Institute for Faith and Learning hosts Telford Work

MAy2 Concert band Spring Concert

2-3 Alumni Weekend

5 Academic Awards Ceremony

6 LR Jazz Ensemble

7 Honors Convocation

15 Graduate Hooding and Commencement

16 Baccalaureate

30-6/1 LR Humanities Forum in Blowing Rock, NC

Check out these websites for additional details on these events and more:

general calendar - marketing.lr.edu/event-calendar

Athletics – lrbears.com

graduate Program events - lr.edu/graduate/events

LTSS - ltss.lr.edu

Music events - mus.lr.edu

Playmakers - theatre.lr.edu

Visiting Writers Series - visitingwriters.lr.edu

PROFILE Winter 2014

Documents

Transcript of PROFILE Winter 2014