Founded as Randolph-Macon Woman`s College in 1891

Transcription

Randolph
Founded as Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in 1891
The Randolph college Magazine
February 2010 Vol. 1 No. 1
Randolph
Vol. 1 No. 1
A Publication of
Randolph College
Founded as Randolph-Macon
Woman’s College in 1891
John E. Klein
President
Editorial
Michael Quinn
Brenda Edson
Photography
Brenda Edson
David Duncan
Justin DeSmith ’12
Woody Greenberg
Louise Searle ’12
Graphic Design
Barbara Harbison
Special thanks to
Dixie Sakolosky ’68
Jean Stewart ’72
Linda Hoffman
Carol White ’69
COVER:
Marian van Noppen ’12
and Assistant Alumnae
Director for Programming
Lorraine Potter ’75
From the President
Here Let Wisdom Rise
Maier Museum Features Faculty Art
Four-Star Treatment
Pay It Forward
Field of Dreams
Living Sociology
Game On!
Not Your Mother’s English Class
Meet Randolph’s Newest Trustees
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3
7
10
17
18
26
28
29
30
contents
Features
Cover: Finding Marian
Reaching Great Heights
Real World Experiences
Best of Both Worlds
14
4
8
The (Future) Doctor Is In
Tomorrow’s Teachers
Uncut. Uncensored.
How Does Your Garden Grow?
From Garden to Table
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20
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faculty.
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Randolph College Community
and Friends,
There is no shortage of theories attempting
to explain the depth and rapidity of the
global economic downturn. Whether based
on economic models, monetary policies,
or socio-political analysis, theories are
retrospective in nature and, as such, do
little to provide a solution. At this moment,
steps toward recovery are far more
important.
In his monograph, Good to Great and
the Social Sectors, author Jim Collins
concludes that the key to success for social
sectors—within which Randolph College
is included—is to be deliberate and
purposeful about defining and attaining
excellence. “Greatness is not a function of
circumstance,” Collins writes. “Greatness,
it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious
choice and discipline.”
John and Susan Klein roast s’mores with
Carl Coffey ’11 during the fall “S’mores
with the President” event for students,
staff, and faculty.
Collins’ premise is reflective of the path on
which the College now finds itself. We must
move forward confidently with purpose,
or the “conscious choice” to which Collins
refers, and with passion, which often fuels
the discipline necessary to be great.
Our sense of purpose enables us to
continue to gain momentum, and
Randolph College has undertaken a new
commitment to share our community
with more prospective students, alumnae
and supporters through the strategic use
of social media, videos, and branding
efforts. The decision to hire four new
faculty members for next year indicates our
commitment to the academic program.
A new initiative, the RISE program, will
provide every Randolph College student
continued on page 2
1
“Passion is a quality in plentiful supply at Randolph College and is evidenced everyday as these
interests are shared in the classroom, in the laboratory, on the playing field, and with the broader
Lynchburg community. ”
John E. Klein
President
President
continued from page 1
with the opportunity to propose, and receive funding for,
independent research in the student’s junior or senior year. The new
field and track complex is enriching the experience of all members
of the campus community. We are energized by student activities,
such as the student-run organic garden, WWRM, the newly
revitalized online student radio station, and by the research and
publishing accomplishments of our faculty and students.
However, strategies and plans founder without the passion to
achieve and complete them. Passion is a quality in plentiful supply
at Randolph College and is evidenced everyday as these interests are
shared in the classroom, in the laboratory, on the playing field, and
with the broader Lynchburg community. Faculty and staff members
support our students in every way, often returning to campus after
hours to participate in campus events or student activities. We are
fortunate to be a part of a family here at Randolph College, and
that mutual appreciation of ideas, interests, and opinions fosters an
environment of discovery for everyone.
Students enjoy “S’mores with the President.”
With the College’s transition to coeducation nearly complete,
we see wonderful things happening on campus. We are moving
forward with purpose, leveraging our passion to be great in
everything we do and celebrating our accomplishments together.
John E. Klein
President
RANDOLPH
THE RANDOLPH COLLEGE MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 2010 VOL. 1 NO. 1
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On the Move! is now
2009
The Randolph College Magazine!
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Randolph College is proud to announce its new College magazine. We hope
you’ll enjoy the changes you will see over the upcoming months as we share the
many accomplishments of the WildCat community! We want to hear from you,
so please send us story ideas, comments, and suggestions!
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Email us at bedson@randolphcollege.edu.
Here Let Wisdom Rise
Randolph College launches exciting
new student research opportunity
of colleges and universities offer competitive grant programs that fund a handful of
Pselectlentyprojects.
But Randolph College is not your ordinary college. Thanks to a new program
announced this fall, every Randolph College student will have the opportunity to dream big.
Randolph’s Innovative Student Experience (RISE) is designed to encourage—and fund—
scholarship, research, and creative pursuits.
“Every college says it cares about its students,” said Dennis Stevens, vice president for
academic affairs and dean of the college. “This award is just one of the many ways that we
show students we really mean it.”
Beginning this fall, every Randolph College student will be eligible to earn a RISE award during his or her junior or senior year. The application process for the RISE award will require
students to submit a proposal to faculty members from their major. This experience will
provide students with tangible evidence of grant writing and budget management. “The
application process prepares students for the many times in their lives when they will have to
write proposals and defend their ideas,” Stevens said.
The possibilities for the award are almost endless and stretch across every discipline on campus. Students may choose to purchase a high speed oscilloscope for pulse laser experiments;
take a trip to study in the Darwin Archives in England; purchase easels, paints, or other
materials for an art project; or travel to New York to learn about the New York City Ballet.
When Stevens and his staff announced the program at a fall Student Government meeting,
students broke into applause. “RISE connects students with faculty and with the academic
program to a greater extent by providing important resources,” said Kim Sheldon, director of student success. “Through RISE, the College seeks to build deeper connections with
students as they progress from their first year to their senior year.”
For Stevens, the ability to make students’ dreams and ideas realities is the biggest bonus. “I
find it exciting to be involved with a college that is always looking for new ways to educate,”
he said. “Randolph College has always been a leader in education, and RISE keeps the institution on the leading edge of experiential learning and research.”
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“We want to provide as many opportunities as we can to promote critical thinking and
enhance the development of our students’ creative potential,” Stevens said. “Scholarship,
broadly defined, is one of the best ways to accomplish these things.”
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“Every college says it cares
about its students. This award
is just one of the many ways
that we show students we really
mean it.”
Dennis Stevens
Vice President for Academic Affairs
and Dean of the College
For more information on the RISE award, please see: www.randolphcollege.edu/rise.
3
reaching great
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’63 alumna finds stren
gth, dee
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4
Carol White near Lake Placid on Hopkins Mountain.
atio
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conqu
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r life while
Heights
ountaineering captures the imagination like few other sports. From the simple Zen
M
belief that no man scales the same mountain twice to the chilling account of the ascent of
Everest in “Into Thin Air,” the uncertainty and sense of accomplishment that accompanies
gaining a summit—whatever its elevation—stirs a passion to achieve in devotees and
observers alike.
Adirondack’s high peaks
Carol White ’63, philosophy major, community volunteer, political activist, policy expert,
advocate for economically-disadvantaged craftspeople, author, and Susan B. Anthony
Legacy Award winner, has pursued her mountaineering passion with uncommon zeal—even
in the rarified air of true climbing enthusiasts. Along with husband, author, and fellow winter
climbing expert David S. White, she has added to the history and lore of mountaineering in
the Adirondack Mountains, White Mountains, and high peaks of Colorado.
She and Dave have spent many days in the mountains: 46 high peaks of the Adirondacks
twice, including winter; 35 peaks of 3,500 feet or more in the Catskill Mountains of New
York State; 111 peaks of 4,000 feet or more in New York and New England; 48 winter peaks
of 4,000 feet or more in New Hampshire’s White Mountains; and eight of the 14,000-footplus peaks in Colorado, including 14,450-foot Mount Elbert, the state’s highest peak and
the second-highest summit in the Lower 48.
White’s exploits are remarkable. She earned the official Adirondack Mountains “Winter
46er” designation at age 56, becoming only the 20th woman and 157th climber to earn that
honor (as of November 2009, the roster stands at 445), and completed her conquest of the
winter White Mountain peaks at age 65, earning her place on the rolls of the “4000 Footer
Club.”
White is not alone in pursuing the sport later in life; in fact, many of her mountaineering
friends are in their seventies and eighties. Perhaps it is the restorative effect climbing has on
body and soul. “I climb because this keeps me in strong shape—I notice it when I slack off,”
she said. “And this is what Dave and I love to do together, spend days in the mountains—we
call it re-creation.”
White’s avocation and subsequent career as an authority on winter mountaineering began
in July 1989. After hiking for years with their children in the Finger Lakes region of New York,
Carol and Dave decided to tackle the challenge of climbing a mountain. “Our first serious
mountain climb was Mount Marcy, New York’s highest peak at 5,344 feet,” White said,
adding, “It was a life-changing experience. You are over seven miles from any road; and you
can see 44 other peaks, hundreds of miles of unbroken forest, and Lake Tear of the Clouds,
the source of the Hudson River.”
continued on page 6
5
Reaching Great Heights
White felt an overwhelming desire to climb some of those other
fascinating-looking peaks, as did her husband. “We abandoned
our previous weekend pursuits and began studying the mountains,
trails, maps and compass route-finding, gear, tents, everything
one needs to know and have to explore the Adirondack High Peak
wilderness,” she said.
Later, White found her mountaineering Muse among those bitterlycold slopes as she completed the winter ascents of the Adirondacks.
“Each day out there, many in sub-zero wind chill conditions above
the tree line, merited a story,” she recalled. “I submitted a story to
Eastern Mountain Sports, and they sent me a $100 gift certificate.
The mountaineering pants I purchased really helped on the more
exposed New Hampshire high peaks.” As she continued to chronicle
her climbs, White carried on a tradition started decades earlier by
the first president of the Adirondack 46ers, Grace Hudowalski, who
urged hikers to write about their experiences because “if you do not,
you will not remember.”
In 1997, when a roster of Winter 46ers arrived in the mail, a seed
was planted for White. After noting that only 19 women had
completed the 46 climbs before her, she assumed that they, too,
had inspirational experiences while climbing and had heeded
Hudowalski’s advice. Four trips to the New York State Library
archives and 19 enthusiastic replies to her letter of inquiry later, she
began to write “Women with Altitude: Challenging the Adirondack
High Peaks in Winter” (North Country Books, 2005).
“In the stories are surprising answers to the question of ‘why
climb?’” she said. “Many say it is the most spiritual of their pursuits,
while others expressed support for causes such as climbing
Antarctica’s Mt. Vinson to support the well-being of breast cancer
survivors or hiking the Appalachian Trail to raise $16,000 for trail
maintenance.” As she conducted the research for the book and
listened to the stories of her fellow mountaineers, the focus became less about “peak bagging” (the term used to describe the goal of
summiting peaks above a certain elevation within a region) and
more about the unknown and its inherent challenges.
In the foreword to “Women with Altitude,” White writes, “Climbing
3,300 feet to elusive Hough Mt. through six miles of unmarked
forest on the shortest day of the year, we joked: ‘Why do we do
this?’ Descending miles in fading light will be arduous and possibly
dangerous because we ascended the wrong way; we will have
no tracks to go back in, one of the distinct advantages of winter
climbing. We won’t know what adventures the new terrain has in
store for us. We’ll do what is required—sometimes profanely but
continued on page 32
6
Winter Mountaineering
Advice from an Expert:
Preparation, Attitude
Key to Success
“Climbing mountains in winter is a very serious endeavor that
teaches us humility in the face of inexorable forces of nature,”
Carol White ’63 said. “Stories about winter mountaineering
describe breaking through icy brooks, frostbite, falls, forced
bivouacs, uncontrolled descents, whiteouts, scaling icy cliffs,
being trapped in seemingly bottomless spruce holes, or in
slushy trail up to your thighs in a remote pass.”
However, White believes that proper preparation and training
can yield the kind of exhilarating experience that keeps her
returning to the mountains winter after winter. A few basics:
1. Learn about winter mountaineering before venturing onto
a mountain. Study maps, develop compass skills, acquire
essential gear and clothing, and learn everything you can to
venture safely into the wilderness. This activity is unforgiving
for the unprepared.
2. Climb in groups of four or more when possible. When
starting out, join group hikes during which experienced
climbers will share their knowledge.
3. Details and preparations that keep you safe on the trail
matter. Build up your strength to whatever level of rigor you
choose, practice with your gear before climbing, and keep an
eye on the weather.
Regional organizations, such as the Adirondack Mountain Club
and the Appalachian Mountain Club, are excellent sources for
publications, trail guides and maps, and expertise about hiking
and mountaineering in all seasons.
To learn more about Carol S. White, please visit her website at:
www.carolwhite.org/
White at the Guyot Summit in New Hampshire.
Maier
Museum
Features Faculty Work
“Teaching to Unlearn: Paradox in Studio Art Pedagogy,” an essay written for
“Teaching Begins Here”
the Randolph College faculty art exhibition catalogue this fall, offered readers a
glimpse of the significance of the faculty art exhibition, “Teaching Begins Here.”
Paul Ryan, a professor of art in the Department of Art and Art History at Mary
Baldwin College, wrote, “Here is the artist’s studio—a significant space, perhaps
even a sacred one for some artists—where creativity occurs through cycles of
intense work and critique, offset with crucial time for reflection and reverie.”
For the four artists and Randolph College faculty members participating in the
exhibition—Professor of Art Jim Muehlemann, Professor of Art Kathy Muehlemann, Adjunct Instructor in Art Chris Cohen, and Adjunct Instructor of Art and
in Communications Studies David Kjeseth Johnson—the line between studio
and classroom, creating and teaching, is often blurred. “Teaching informed by
a committed studio practice possesses not only passion and authority, but also
a genuine feel for the difficulty of making art—an understanding of the creative
process, infused with irony and contradictions,” Ryan continued.
In her introduction to the exhibition’s catalogue, Martha Kjeseth Johnson,
curator of education and interim director of Randolph College’s Maier Museum,
captured the breadth of the artists’ work and their passion to create, citing Cohen’s “intimate domestic scenes,” Johnson’s “complex and visionary” narratives,
Jim Muehlemann’s “sense of pathos and foreboding,” and Kathy Muehlemann’s
“subtle, quietly spiritual, and emotionally generous” offerings.
One of the faculty artists, Jim Muehlemann shared a perspective that aligned
with Ryan’s notion of passion and authority. For Muehlemann, the art of teaching art is as much about sharing oral history as it is about technique. “I love telling stories to the students about my different experiences—and it’s not because
I want to wax nostalgic,” he said, recalling his days in New York City when he
listened to and absorbed the oral histories shared by many different Abstract
Expressionists or perhaps older artists. “The stories fill out the gaps in art history
for students.”
Ryan wrote that teaching studio art must guide the work and progress of individual students and encourage them to take risks. This fall’s exhibition enabled
Muehlemann and his colleagues to demonstrate their own progress and risks. “I
think it’s important for students to see that their professors are actively working,” Muehlemann said. “The students were excited to see the things a professor
speaks about year after year.”
“Hydra”
David Kjeseth Johnson
Adjunct Instructor in Art/Communications Studies
2010
January 23–April 18
99th Annual
Exhibition of
Contemporary Art
Four American Landscapes:
Sang-ah Choi
Jeffrey Jones
Andrew Lenaghan
Joel Ross
7
Real World
Best of
Both Worlds
Kathy Schaefer’s research opens
doors for students
small laboratory in Martin Science Building, Puspa Thapa
I’10n thecarefully
adjusts the new digital imaging system attached to the
microscope. “See that?” her biology professor Kathy Schaefer asks
as she points to the cells that are now clear on the screen. “Those
are the spermatogonial cells you are trying to isolate.”
Thapa heads off to redo the procedure, knowing that trial and
error are as much a part of the scientific process as the end result.
An honors student, Thapa is gaining experience normally reserved
for graduate students—and working side-by-side with Schaefer
on research studying stem cells and vasculature formation. “Here,
we give students real laboratory research experience,” Schaefer
said. “They have close interactions with their professors, and they
develop good laboratory skills that will serve them well in graduate
school. That’s how I wanted to interact with students when I
became a professor.”
Schaefer will have even more to offer her students next year. Selected
to serve as a visiting scholar in the College of Veterinary Medicine
at the University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana, Schaefer will
spend the spring semester working in a top research laboratory—an
experience she knows will help her as she mentors future scientists
at Randolph College.
In addition to the opportunity to use state-of-the-art equipment,
Schaefer’s appointment will allow her to further her own research
8
“Dr. Schaefer is very passionate about
teaching and helping students understand the
value of research. That one-on-one interaction
I have had with her is one of the most valuable
experiences I will take from this College.”
Puspa Thapa ’10
Experiences
Alexandra Knoppel ’10 to be published in prominent neurobiology journal
lexandra Knoppel ’10 has not graduated yet, but her resume
Aalready
reads like a graduate student’s. A psychology major pursing a pre-med degree, Knoppel learned in the fall that a major psychology journal would be publishing an article she co-authored
with Gretchen Gotthard, a former Randolph College professor.
“This is something that is unheard of in the undergraduate world,”
said Knoppel, who hopes the accomplishment will help her get
into medical school.
Beth Schwartz, a Randolph psychology professor who has
also worked with Knoppel, said the College’s research program
provides students with unique opportunities for authorship and
experience. “As an undergraduate, this will clearly set Alex apart
from her peers when she is applying for graduate programs and
jobs,” Schwartz said.
Knoppel’s and Gotthard’s article is featured in the January issue
of Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. The journal is a prominent
academic publication in the field of neurobiology. The paper,
“Cycloheximide produces amnesia for extinction and reconsolidation in an appetitive odor discrimination task in rats,” focuses on a
new aspect of Gotthard’s previous research studying memory.
Knoppel began working in the laboratory with Gotthard as a firstyear student. As the research progressed and her skills improved,
“You can help people in so many ways. But as a doctor, you don’t just treat people. You also have
an impact on their family and friends. Having the ability to touch so many people’s lives would
truly be an honor.” Alexandra Knoppel ’10
9
Four-Star Treatment
Randolph College Nursery School among 31 best in Virginia
Guest reader Susan Klein at the Randolph College Nursery School.
Two small children carefully stack wooden blocks to create
“This was an intense, year-long process, but
the commitment was worth the time. We were
proud to learn we had received stars because
the rating validates that we are providing a
high quality early childhood experience for
our children.”
Holly Layne
Director of Randolph College’s Nursery School
skyscrapers in their city as another child bounces around showing
off her favorite floppy hat and purse ensemble. In another area, a
teacher praises a preschooler for his use of color on a drawing while
his classmates dig in the indoor sandbox.
It is just another day of “work” in the Randolph College Nursery
School, where teachers, staff, and students take play-based learning
seriously. Long known in the community for its excellent childcentered curriculum, Randolph College’s preschool program has
now been recognized by the Commonwealth as one of the best
preschools in Virginia.
Randolph College’s Nursery School was one of just 31 childcare
providers to receive a four-star rating this fall from the Virginia Star
10
Lynchburg City Police Chief Parks H. Snead III makes a special visit to the Randolph College Nursery School.
Quality Initiative, a new voluntary quality rating and improvement
system for early learning programs. The four-star rating is the highest given to date.
“This was an intense, year-long process, but the commitment was
worth the time,” said Holly Layne, director of Randolph College’s
preschool program. “We were proud to learn we had received four
stars because the rating validates that we are providing a high-quality early childhood experience for our children. Quality childcare is
vital to ensuring that all children enter school prepared to succeed,
not just academically, but in life.”
The Virginia Star Quality Initiative is a system designed to assess,
improve, and communicate the level of quality in early child care
and education settings that families consider for their children.
Smart Beginnings Central Virginia is coordinating the effort regionally with early childhood educators. Randolph College was one of
just two local early childcare providers to receive four stars.
“The Virginia Star Quality Initiative is much more than a rating; it
recognizes provider achievements and improvements in quality.”
said Phylis Benner, special projects manager for the Virginia Early
Childhood Foundation. “A program with a star rating has exceeded
required standards and is on a quality improvement path, assures parents of its focus on providing high quality experiences for all children
and reflects a culture of commitment to excellence among staff.”
Randolph College’s Nursery School first opened in 1943 to serve the
needs of College faculty and staff members and others in the Lynchburg community. Today, the preschool program is known as one of
the best in Lynchburg and provides a child-centered education to 3-,
4-, and 5-year-olds.
Jen Brestel ’93 knows firsthand about the quality of the preschool.
Both of her sons have attended the school. “I always say this is
the happiest place on earth,” said Brestel, who works in Institutional Advancement. “I’ve seen how the top-notch curriculum, the
outstanding music program, and the amazing teachers and ‘College
friends’ have had a positive impact on my two sons’ lives.”
She credits the individualized attention and the focus on exploration and play for creating a unique environment for the “juniors”
and “seniors” enrolled.
“It is this work that lays the foundation for their future schooling,”
Brestel said. “Academically speaking, the children who attend Randolph College’s Nursery School enter kindergarten well-prepared.
More importantly, though, the children learn what it means to be
a good citizen: conflict resolution skills, kindness for all people, respect for diversity and individualism, and self-confidence to achieve
great things. I credit much of this to the love and respect the child
feels from his teachers, peers and College friends.”
11
Tomorrow’s Teachers
Classroom experiences give Randolph College
education majors an edge
“It’s amazing to be in a
classroom so early. Part of
the reason I chose Randolph
College is because the teacher
education program is so
rigorous and professional
and really prepares teachers
for the classroom. I’m excited
to get to the job-searching
point of my career because
I know that I will be wellprepared and confident.”
Susie Lukens ’12
Susie Lukens ’12 sits beside the young children, encouraging them
as they create masterpieces with markers and crayons. She is right
at home in the classroom—even though she will not begin her
career for two years.
Thanks to a unique element of Randolph College’s teacher licensing program, students like Lukens start gaining experience in the
classroom during their first year of college. By the time they graduate, most education majors are well-prepared to teach and have the
resumes to prove it.
Lukens is participating in her first practicum in a second grade classroom this year. The elementary school placement includes some
whole class instruction, small group work, and one-on-one tutorials
with students to improve reading skills and strategies. She also has a
part-time job in a preschool.
12
“It’s amazing to be in a classroom so early,” Lukens said. “Part of
the reason I chose Randolph College is because the teacher education program is so rigorous and professional and really prepares
teachers for the classroom. I’m excited to get to the job-searching
point of my career because I know that I will be well-prepared and
confident.”
Randolph College offers elementary and secondary teacher licensing programs at the undergraduate level as well as master’s degree
programs in curriculum and instruction and special education.
Teacher candidates who begin their undergraduate program at Randolph College have the opportunity to earn 17 credits in practical
experiences in the classroom—more than 700 hours of experience.
Beginning coursework adds even more opportunities for direct
observation in the classroom.
2
“This extensive preparation for ‘real world’ teaching is invaluable to
new teachers as they enter the profession,” said Gail Brown, one of
Randolph College’s education professors.
Many colleges and universities place their education majors in the
classroom during their junior or senior year. “We want them to get
in there early so they understand the complexities of the profession,” added Peggy Schimmoeller, another education professor.
“The profession of teaching is a very complex career choice. The
earlier students get experience in the classroom, the better off they
will be. These experiences will help them decide if this is something
they want to do.”
nd
March 26–27, 2010
Join us for
Randolph College’s
Second Annual
Science Festival
Randolph College’s program transitions students over their college
career from observing to full classroom instruction. By the time
education majors begin their intern teaching (sometimes called student teaching) requirements during their senior year, they are more
prepared. “They’ve already had a lot of teaching opportunities,”
Schimmoeller said. “They can jump right into the role of teaching,
and they get more out of the experience.”
“The profession of teaching is a very complex
career choice. The earlier students get
experience in the classroom, the better off they
will be. These experiences will help them decide
if this is something they want to do.”
Peggy Schimmoeller
Professor of Education
Sponsored by the Randolph College
Society of Physics Students, Lynchburg’s
only science festival is designed to offer
something for everyone!
Education majors are also encouraged to pursue some type of
international study opportunity. Lukens hopes to attend Randolph
College’s World in Britain program in Reading, England. Schimmoeller said the College works with students like Lukens to get them
enrolled in education classes while at the University of Reading. “It
makes them better teachers,” she said. “They teach in very diverse
classrooms and, when they have an experience in another country,
it makes them understand what it is like for students who speak
English as a second language or who have other cultural differences.
It makes them more understanding of how a child will feel in their
classroom and that helps them design their lessons more appropriately to meet diverse needs.”
Randolph College’s education majors often have jobs lined up
before they graduate. “The experiences our students graduate with
make our program unique,” Schimmoeller said. “They are very
marketable because of that.”
Just a few of the events planned include:
• A Scientist Goes to the Movies
• Open observatory
• The Amazing Demo Show
• Women in Science Panel
It’s free and open to the public!
No registration is required.
For more information, please see:
physics.randolphcollege.edu/sps/scifest/
13
Finding
“I didn’t come here because my
mom went here. I came here for
me. But by coming here, I found
her. And when I found her,
I found myself.”
A yearbook photo of Kathy Davison ’77
W
hen she began the process of transferring from the College of
Charleston to Randolph College, Marian van Noppen ’12 was more
interested in Randolph College’s academics and affordability than
the fact that her mother had attended the College.
“That wasn’t the reason I came here,” Marian said. “But once I
was here, it was like a void was being filled in my life that had been
empty for a long time,” she said. “I didn’t know I’d find a home. I
didn’t know I’d find a part of my mother that I didn’t know existed.”
Marian’s mother, Kathy Davison ’77, died unexpectedly when Marian was just 6 years old. Marian had heard about the College from
her mother, and later from her mother’s friends. When she wanted
to transfer to another school, her family encouraged her to visit
Randolph College. During their visit, Marian and her father Hays
asked the Admissions Office if there might be someone around who
knew Kathy. In the Casey Alumnae House, Lorraine Potter ’75, assistant alumnae director for programming, picked up the phone.
Fate stepped in.
“I couldn’t believe it when she said that my mother was her firstyear,” Marian said. “My mother lived across the hall from her and
14
gave Lorraine her ring. It was just bizarre but also wonderful having
that connection.”
Marian spent hours with Lorraine poring over old yearbooks and
hearing new stories about her mother. Today, she works in the
Alumnae House and treasures the moments when she feels her
mother is with her. In her room, Marian keeps a black and white
picture of her mother as a senior. “I didn’t come here because my
mom went here,” Marian said. “I came here for me. But by coming
here, I found her. And when I found her, I found myself.”
During the first weeks of school, Marian was overwhelmed with
reminders of her mother. In old yearbooks, she saw photos of her
mother walking in front of buildings she passed herself everyday.
She even found a picture of her mother smiling while perched on the
Odd Tree. “After feeling disconnected all these years from someone
who was supposed to be a major force in my life, it felt really good
to come here and finally find that connection,” she said.
“My mom has always been a big part of my life through memories
and through the memories other people have of her,” Marian
Marian
discovers connection to past, path to future
15
Finding Marian
added. “Now I feel as connected with her
as I ever will. I feel like I’ve found another
home. And it’s not just her place. It’s my
place, too.”
“I think it’s good for Marian to make her
own place and to connect with her mom,”
Potter added. “The things she will treasure
about this place will be the same things
her mom treasured, and that will bring her
Marian’s father and other family members
have seen her change since arriving at
Randolph College. “I see her more settled
into her life at this point than she has been
in the past,” Hays van Noppen said. “I think
it’s good for her to get in touch with herself.
From the time her mother died, Marian
hasn’t really been truly at home in the
world. Until recently. I think that gravitation to that home is all about her finding
herself and accepting herself for who she is.
Marian is already making her mark at
Randolph College. She plans to pursue
a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and study
theatre. “It’s amazing that I can get a
degree like this from a small college instead
of having to go to a conservatory.”
Marian dreams of going into film, whether
that turns out to be acting or producing or
both. She had one of the leads in the College’s fall musical, “Rocky Horror Show.”
She has also been nominated to compete
for the Irene Ryan Scholarship at the Kennedy Center.
Marian also plans to follow her mother’s
footsteps to Reading, England, to study
next year in the College’s “World in
Britain” program. Her desire is to study
theatre in England, and she cannot wait
to share what she knows was a pivotal
experience in her mother’s life. She has already had tea and scones with Paul Irwin,
director of the Reading program, math
professor, and yet another connection.
Irwin taught Marian’s mother calculus. “I
heard so many stories about this school
from my mom and her friends,” Marian
remembered. “She went to Reading, and
my granddad made her save up all her
money for her travels. I can’t wait to be in
the same house she lived in. I can’t wait to
see what she saw.”
Potter sees glimpses of Kathy in Marian.
“Kathy was a fun, enthusiastic, caring
person, and I see that in Marian,” she said.
“I see that same intensity. She seems to
have found a home here very quickly—just
like her mom. I think Kathy would have
loved that she is here because Kathy loved
being here.
16
taught me so much already. You talk to
everyone. You smile and wave. They told
me when I first came here that you won’t
be a number, and everyone is their own individual person. And they were right. Here,
you accept people for who they are. It’s a
family, and that’s one of the best things.”
“Connecting with her mother, and being
where her mother was, has to be significant and helpful to her,” he added. “I can’t
imagine what that is like. I think the whole
experience has been like going back in time
for her. A mystique if you will. It’s something you only experience once or twice in
your life.”
Thirty-five years ago, Kathy
gave me my ring. Now I feel
it is as if she has given me a
daughter.”
Lorraine Potter ’75
closer to knowing her mom. When you lose
someone at such a young age, you don’t
know what is story and what is memory.
She’ll have a better feeling of both now.”
Just a semester into her journey at Randolph College, Marian is learning why her
mom was so proud of the College. But she
is also intent on making her own memories
of Randolph College.
“I’ve met some of the best friends I’ve ever
had,” Marian said. “This school has really
Potter is grateful to have her own connection to Kathy through Marian.
“I think of our campus as this unbroken
circle,” Potter said. “Getting to know Marian is a reminder of that circle. We carry
on, we move on, but there are so many
things at this College that remain the same.
Marian is walking the brick walkways just
as her mom did, but she is finding her own
path here.
“As my freshman, Kathy put me through
the paces on Ring Night,” she added,
remembering the longstanding tradition of
scavenger hunts and other antics between
first-year students and their juniors during
Ring Week. “But as I mopped Main Hall
after proposing to all the Pinkerton guards,
I was the happiest junior on campus.
Thirty-five years ago, Kathy gave me my
ring. Now I feel it is as if she has given me a
daughter.”
Pay It Forward
Mary Virginia Whiteside ’44
$2.68 Million Alumna
Bequest Creates
Scholarship Fund
I
n December, Randolph College announced a major gift that will create a
scholarship fund named for Mary Virginia Whiteside ’44.
Whiteside, who passed away in 2007 at age 84, worked with the College
shortly before her death to create a bequest that would make a difference to
students who might not be able to afford college. The gift was worth $2.68
million. The scholarship fund will give preference to deserving women based
on their academic record, personal qualities, and financial need.
“Through careful planning, Ms. Whiteside
was able to create a legacy here that will
have an impact on students far into the
future, and we are very grateful to her.”
John E. Klein
President
Whiteside, a resident of Redlands, California, graduated
from the College, then named Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, as a
Latin major. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and went on to teach Latin
to high school and college students at All Saints Episcopal College in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
“This is an extremely generous gift at a crucial time,” said John E. Klein,
president of the College. “Gifts like these are always valued, but especially so
in a time of an uncertain economy. This gift will allow Randolph College to
continue to help students and families afford a quality education. Through
careful planning, Ms. Whiteside was able to create a legacy here that will have
an impact on students far into the future, and we are very grateful to her.”
Whiteside was initially hesitant about the College’s shift to coeducation but,
after much thought and consideration during her estate planning process,
decided to leave the bulk of her estate to her alma mater.
“Ms. Whiteside told her attorney that her college was still the most important thing to her,” said Jan Meriwether, vice president of institutional
advancement. “Through her generosity, we will be able to offer more opportunities to future students.”
17
Field of Dreams
New field and track facility adds to overall
college experience, brings community together
hen you attend an evening athletic contest at Randolph ColW
lege, it is hard not to admire the brilliant green Field Turf™, lines
“Teamwork and competition bond
us in the classroom, on the playing
field, and in life. The lessons we
learn as teammates serve us well as
colleagues.”
Tina Hill
Athletic Director
wildcats.randolphcollege.edu
crisp under bright lights, framed by the brick red track. The WildCats, whether actively engaged in the pitched contest on the field or
voicing support from the stands, give the event an almost mystical
feel, as though one were witnessing history being made. The air is
cool, the sightlines are perfect, and the spirit of NCAA Division III
athletics is palpable.
The field and track facility provides more than what some have
called one of the best facilities of its kind in the Old Dominion
Athletic Conference (ODAC). “The facility supports the first-rate
education students receive here, whether they are athletes or fans,”
said Tina Hill, Randolph College’s athletic director. “It is one more
component of the College about which we feel proud, and it sets a
tone for excellence campus-wide.”
The facility, which was constructed with multi-purpose use in mind,
benefits all WildCats, as Hill refers to the campus community.
“Certainly, our highly-skilled athletes who compete in soccer and
lacrosse benefit from a state-of-the-art field,” she said, “but far
more students, faculty, and staff use the field and track for flag football, Ultimate Frisbee, walking, running, and more.” Hill notes that
athletics and sports have a unique way of bonding a community and
instilling pride that is hard to find in other pursuits. “Teamwork and
competition bond us in the classroom, on the playing field, and in
life. The lessons we learn as teammates serve us well as colleagues.”
As time passes, the facility will become part of the Lynchburg community in the same way the College has shared its other resources
with neighbors. Hill envisions community members attending
WildCat contests to enjoy Randolph College’s best and brightest
engaged in intercollegiate athletics. “Our scholar-athletes compete for the pure love of the sport,” Hill says. “When our younger
18
neighbors come to watch the ’Cats compete, we hope they will be
inspired to blend academics and athletics in their own lives and, like
our students, excel in both venues.”
The field and track complex will provide more opportunities for
these community youth to learn about their sport, sportsmanship,
and the importance of academics when they participate in summer
camps, tournaments, and larger community events, such as the
American Cancer Society Relay for Life, the Special Olympics, and
high school conference championships. WildCat scholar-athletes
will have additional ways to lead by example and guide the next
generation of young competitors to Randolph College.
Viewed this way, under the lights and in perfect and cool air, the
field and track facility becomes a focal point for Randolph College’s
commitment to academic excellence, strong athletics, and a life
more abundant.
2010
March 1
Join us for the
Thayer Lecture
Wimberley Recital Hall
8 P.M.
Bryan Doerries
The Theater of War:
Greek Tragedies for
Combat Veterans
Bryan Doerries is a New York-based writer,
translator, director, and educator. He is the
founder of Theater of War, a project that
presents readings of ancient Greek plays
to service members, veterans, caregivers
and families as a catalyst for town hall
discussions about the challenges faced by
combat veterans today.
During the past year, Doerries has directed
film and stage actors such as Paul
Giamatti, David Strathairn, Lili Taylor,
Michael Ealy, and Jesse Eisenberg in
readings of his translations of Sophocles’
“Ajax and Philoctetes” for the U.S. Marine
Corps, West Point cadets, homeless
veterans, the Department of Defense, and
many other military communities.
His other recent theatrical projects
include “Prometheus in Prison,” which
presents Aeschylus’ “Prometheus Bound”
to corrections professionals to engage
them in conversations about custody
and reentry, and “End of Life,” which
presents Sophocles’ “Women of Trachis”
to palliative care and hospice workers
to engage them in dialogue with other
medical professionals about medical ethics
and pain management.
In addition to his work in the theater,
Doerries serves as program adviser for the
nonprofit Alliance for Young Artists &
Writers and lectures on his work.
19
Uncut.
Uncensored.
20
WWRM streaming Randolph College to world
thanks to surge of student interest
S
arah Kreiger ’10 vividly remembers her first time on the air as a
deejay for Randolph College’s radio station, WWRM. “I had zero experience,” she recalled with a smile, “And I made plenty of mistakes
in the beginning. But I loved it. I thought it was so cool that there
was a little radio station here, and it’s a really cool creative outlet
and a great resource to have on campus.”
A studio art major, Kreiger has been a driving force in rejuvenating
WWRM. The radio station, affectionately known as “The Worm,”
broadcasts out of a booth in the Student Center and has been
student-run since the 1960s. It originally broadcast over FM radio and
then switched to cable. Two years ago, several students began transitioning WWRM to the Internet. Now, listeners can tune into WWRM
from all over the world from their computers—for free thanks to
online streaming.
Peterson. Parents call in to student shows, and some deejays have
had callers from as far away as China and England.
Carl Coffey ’11 and Alisha Dingus ’11 are known for their crazy
conversations and self-described “raucous senses of humor.” So it
was no surprise when they decided to take their “act” on the air.
“Cold Sweating in a Burning Room” was born as a play-off of the
John Mayer song.
“We decided that we loved to argue and wanted to have an outlet
where we could argue about issues, whether they are in the media,
in politics, or on campus,” Coffey said.
With just 20 minutes of training, student deejays learn by doing.
“WWRM is awesome because it is yet another great opportunity we
have at Randolph College,” Coffey said. “Students can easily get a
“These people are having a good time just being themselves.
It’s Randolph College streaming over the Internet.”
When Kreiger took over as manager this year, her goal was to make
the radio station as accessible to students as possible. “I set a goal
over the summer to have a show every day of the week,” she said. “I
had no idea it would grow this big. Some days we have as many as
six shows.”
“Sarah’s leadership has been phenomenal,” said David Schwartz,
philosophy professor, longtime WWRM host, and advisor to the
group. “It is very satisfying to see WWRM vibrant again.”
WWRM features 44 deejays hosting 26 shows, and the station
broadcasts taped programming during non-scheduled times. The
crew consists of students, faculty, and staff members who showcase
everything from pop music to game shows to heavy metal.
“These people are having a good time just being themselves,”
Kreiger said. “It’s Randolph College streaming over the Internet.”
WWRM already has evidence that people are listening from beyond
the Red Brick Wall. An alumna from Missouri called in during
Schwartz’s show with fellow Associate Professor of English Jim
Sarah Kreiger ’10
WWRM manager
show, share it with friends, and feel free to broadcast their thoughts
and musical inclinations with others.”
The best part for Coffey? “Having the creative license to say what I
think and not fear the worst,” he said. “It’s great to be able to exercise a constitutional right, and it’s fun to be able to interact with my
friends close and far away.”
Melissa Gilbert ’10 created a show for the theatre society. “I felt it
would be a great way to keep us out there and have some fun,” she
said. “It gives us the chance to showcase theatrical music and also
promote theatre events on campus and in the community.”
Her show features musical soundtracks from stage and movie
productions. “Like most of the organizations on campus, it’s really
awesome,” Gilbert said.
She particularly likes learning the station’s history. The WWRM
office and booth are filled with items from the station’s
21
Uncut. UnCensored.
long past, including hundreds of records purchased by students since the
station began. “Seeing some of the actual history, the records, the magazine
covers, and knowing that this is part of a legacy of sorts is very gratifying.”
“This is becoming more ‘student owned’,” Gilbert said. “More students
have shows than I have ever seen in my four years here, and we’re really taking ownership of it once again.”
Almost anything goes on WWRM, and students pride themselves on the
censorship-free policy. However, student leaders are strict about one rule:
slanderous material against anyone in the Randolph College community is
not tolerated.
Jessica Accorso ’10, WWRM Programming Director
Want to listen? It’s easy!
Go to www.wwrm.org and click on “Listen to the WWRM.” This
will automatically open your media player and start streaming
WWRM on your computer!
“The potential of WWRM for campus life is tremendous,” Schwartz said.
“Not only can students have fun, but they can gain experience with radio
broadcasting. All of this potential is magnified by the fact that WWRM can
now be heard around the world 24/7. That means the deejays can reach
not only their peers on campus, but students studying abroad as well as
people who may never have heard about Randolph College.”
Thanks to the purchase of a portable sound system, WWRM deejays are
also fast becoming a popular feature at campus events, and they are able to
funnel the money they raise for their services back into the station.
“Being a part of this Randolph-Macon Woman’s College tradition and
making it a part of Randolph College life has been wonderful,” Kreiger said.
“One of my goals was to showcase the talent of our diverse community
because diversity is one of our school’s most valuable assets. We are able to
celebrate that with the radio station.”
The Science of Speed
Physics students hold workshop for area Cub Scouts
Members of Randolph College’s Society of Physics Students
joined Professor Peter Sheldon to conduct a workshop explaining
the scientific principles behind Pinewood Derby Car racing to Cub
Scouts from Timberlake United Methodist Church in November.
“This country has a crisis in education and a lack of children
interested in science, which leads to a lack of scientists,” Sheldon
said. “It is important to show the children that science is relevant,
that it is interesting, and that it is something they can pursue. It is
great for the children to learn that there is a scientific basis behind
what they already love to do. It was also a wonderful opportunity
for Randolph College students to give back to the community.”
22
Wenjun Xu ’11 uses a hand saw to shape a Pinewood Derby car with Cub Scouts from Pack 48.
Randolph College’s
organic garden is
thriving, thanks to
students
T
ucked on a small plot of land in the
woods behind campus, Randolph College’s
organic garden is a testament to perseverance—and to passion. Just a few years ago,
the area resembled an overgrown dump
site. Today, it serves as a learning laboratory and showcase for what a community
with a shared drive can create.
How does your
The peaceful area teems with life—of both
the animal and human variety—although
the centerpiece is clearly the student-built
chicken coop that is home to more than
50 hens and roosters. During the spring,
summer, and fall months, the organic
garden produces a variety of crops including vegetables, herbs, and fruits. Students
often make their way to the garden, which
is located on a woody hillside near the
Maier Museum, to work in the garden or sit
and relax in the quiet.
garden
grow?
“The organic garden is an important part
of Randolph College because it is a real life
application of many of the principles of
economics, sustainable development, social
science, philosophy, and politics we learn
in class,” said Ludovic Lemaitre ’11, one of
the student leaders.
For Louise Searle ’12, the organic garden
is a sanctuary and a respite from everyday
stress. “For me, it’s a place to get away
from the built environment on campus,”
she said. “It’s very relaxing to sit in silence
(R) Danielle Robinson ’10 prepares soil for planting.
23
Organic Garden
or lie in the grass and watch the chickens, or to just put my hands in
the dirt. It’s a different kind of classroom.”
The idea for the organic garden began in 1998, but it was not until
2003 that work slowly began to provide tangible results. During
the past few years, student interest has created a surge in activity
at the garden. During the summer, students participating in a summer internship with the organic garden built a chicken coop, dug a
pond, and created several gardening projects testing new cultivation techniques. On a daily basis, students feed the chickens (using
leftovers from the Dining Hall) and collect eggs.
The students, who are members of the Food and Justice Club, work
regularly with staff and faculty members as well as Lynchburg community members to learn permaculture and indigenous principles
and practices. They have also begun holding workshops to teach
these organic gardening methods to the public. “The organic
garden aims to demonstrate a possible example of a communitybased, sustainable future,” said Shahriar Abbassi, staff advisor to
the student club.
Students have great plans for the organic garden and have already
begun construction on a new greenhouse. Katherine Turner ’13 is
an active member of the club and often spends her free time at the
garden. “I am so impressed by everything students have done over
the past few years,” she said. “It is truly amazing.”
The garden has also created a community center for students, who
gravitate to the space for cook-outs, discussions, and just to be with
one another. In a world where many are constantly connected to
computers and technology, a break to enjoy and appreciate nature
is important. “This is a great way for students to emotionally and
physically refresh themselves while feeling highly productive,” Abbassi said. “Gardening by its very nature is creative, and students
who play a role in the miraculous cycle of seed to fruit to seed partake of an experience that has a positive, lasting effect on the rest of
their lives and long after they have left the College.”
For students, watching the transformation of the organic garden
has been more rewarding than anything else. “It is not just a place
to work,” said Karl Sakas ’10, one of the student leaders who has
helped bring the garden back to life. “It is a place to gather and get
together.”
24
“For me, it’s a place to
get away from the built
environment on campus. It’s
very relaxing to sit in silence
or lie in the grass and watch
the chickens, or to just put
my hands in the dirt. It’s a
different kind of classroom.”
Louise Searle ’12
From Garden to Table
Students turn harvest into business endeavor
“Bringing the garden produce to the Market for
the benefit of the rest of community shows social
consciousness on the part of the students and the
importance of being useful to one’s community
today.”
Shahriar Abbassi
Staff Advisor for the Organic Garden
noon on a Friday, eager staff and faculty members
Alinetupjustatbefore
the long table in the Student Center as the scent of freshly
baked bread wafts gently through the air.
Homemade bread, granola, apple butter, and giant sweet potatoes
are the highlights during this week’s Organic Garden Market, a new
endeavor run by students involved in Randolph College’s Food and
Justice Club. Each week, they use fresh items from the College’s organic garden and other local sources and bake or make homemade
items—sometimes staying up almost all night to ensure the items
are as fresh as possible.
“We can’t bake enough bread,” says Danielle Robinson ’10, an environmental studies major and member of the Food and Justice Club.
“Everything sells out every week within 40 minutes.”
The project began as a way to introduce the community to the
beauty and taste of food made naturally and without preservatives.
The Organic Garden Market has quickly become a staple on Friday
afternoons for staff, faculty, and students.
Paula Wallace, associate dean of the college, is a regular. Her
favorites are the herbed and other artisan breads. “They are chewy,
fragrant, and substantive—and very difficult to make,” she said.
“It’s always good, and it reminds me of the village open markets in
France. It brings back many a good memory.”
is evident in persistent hard work, indeed backbreaking work,” Wallace said. “When I get a piece of blueberry cake, a loaf of bread, or
an heirloom tomato, I know they are getting to see the literal fruits
of their labor. They are rewarded, and I enjoy great food!”
Preparing for the Market takes a big commitment. Students begin
preparations on Thursday evenings and often do not finish cooking
until 3 a.m. They use one of the kitchens in Main Hall to prepare
and cook the goods. They bake the bread on stone, and they use
ingredients such as local honey instead of sugar. They have also
had to learn basic business skills as they have watched the endeavor
grow in popularity.
“Bringing the garden produce to the Market for the benefit of the
rest of community shows social consciousness on the part of the
students and the importance of being useful to one’s community
today,” said Shahriar Abbassi, staff advisor to the students. “These
are admirable values lived and precious experiences gained by our
students.”
For the students, sharing a passion for the simple beauty of organic
food is well worth the effort. “I’ve seen the strong reaction people
have not only to the product, but to the process,” said Louise Searle
’12. “We have students dropping in all the time to see what’s going
on and how we do it. Cooking and really connecting to our food is
something that just doesn’t happen like it used to. You can see that
people crave it.”
For Wallace and other community members, supporting the
students is a great way to recognize their hard work. “Their passion
25
Living
Sociology
Professor Brad Bullock’s research leads to service
learning trip to St. Lucia, national publication
26
rad Bullock, like most Randolph College professors, practices what he teaches. “I tell my
B
students the best way to understand the value of our liberal arts education is to live it,” he
said. “Leave the classroom.”
A sociology professor, Bullock conducts research centered on the Caribbean, and he shares
that passion with his students. Inspired by an interest in international economic and social
development, Bullock finds the Caribbean’s people, history, and culture fascinating and has
spent years engaged in research on the area.
Sustainable
Living
Randolph
College
@
Most recently, he completed a case study of sex trafficking in the Dominican Republic that
emphasized social impacts traceable to global inequalities. He will be published on the
topic in the spring. His work on the ongoing effects of colonialism in the Caribbean will appear in a new book, “Eternal Colonialism” (University Press of America), and he has begun
work on his own book emphasizing social research about the Caribbean from a regional
perspective.
Ray Anderson
Second Speaker
in Year-long
Sustainability Series
One of Bullock’s missions is to bring the world to his students. He most recently led a
service learning trip to St. Lucia that placed Randolph College students side-by-side with St.
Lucians working on projects to improve their community, such as tutoring children, cleaning up the beaches, building a playground and garden, and restoring a community center.
Bullock believes it is important for students to see firsthand how another culture lives.
The issues facing the Caribbean people “are also our issues,” he said. “Unjust inequalities,
environmental problems, cultural misunderstandings, peace—these are undoubtedly
global in scale now, and the whole world is at stake. Meeting and working with people in
another culture really drives this home.”
Foluke Beveridge ’11 is a communications major from Newport News, VA who participated in the St. Lucia international study seminar. “The experiences that I had in St. Lucia
are not likely to be had in a classroom,” she said. “I believe it is important, especially for
young people born into the American culture, to explore other cultures and other ways of
thinking, so that we can keep more open-minded views of the world.”
Industrialist Ray Anderson, author of
“Confessions of a Radical Industrialist,”
spoke at Smith Hall Theatre
on the Randolph College
campus February 1. He is
founder and chairman of
Interface Inc., the world’s
largest manufacturer of
modular carpet for commercial and residential applications and a leading producer
of commercial broadloom
and commercial fabrics. He
is known in environmental
circles for his advanced and
progressive stance on industrial ecology
and sustainability. Since 1995, he has
reduced Interface’s waste by a third, and
plans to make the company sustainable
by 2020. Anderson is also one of Time
magazine’s “Heroes of the Environment.”
He is a sought after speaker for most large
environmental forums and conferences. He
has also helped put together a 100-Day Action Plan for the Environment for President
Obama. Anderson is featured in documentaries such as “The Corporation” and “The
11th Hour” and wrote “Mid-Course Correction: Toward a Sustainable Enterprise:
The Interface Model.”
Sharing his research and love of Caribbean culture with students makes Bullock’s professional life more meaningful. “When you convey that passion to your students, they can’t
help but become more motivated to explore,” he said. “I’ve been studying and travelling in
the Caribbean for many years now. So when I teach about it, I offer personal experiences of
social habits and cultural practices, with all their nuances and beautiful complexities.
“Our classrooms at Randolph College already emphasize making broader connections
between all we are learning and the wider world,” Bullock added. “Traveling to places you
study is an indispensible advantage for teaching and is particularly appropriate for students
of sociology.”
Many of the students who traveled to St. Lucia had learned about the issues in class. “It’s
real life, and it makes the idea of their education more real to them,” Bullock said. “They see
how what they study really does help them understand what they see.”
27
Main Leads in Hall of Champions Contest
Game On!
Fun Intramural Program a Winner with Students
N
othing alleviates stress like eating copious amounts of pizza, scoring an Xbox victory against your
residence hall rival, or talking smack during water balloon dodge ball. Thanks to Randolph College’s fall
intramural program, students had plenty of opportunity to test their physical, mental, and well, even eating
skills.
The Hall of Champions competition featured weeks of contests between residence halls, with individuals
and teams earning points. “We tried to have something for everyone,” said Scott Ketcham, head lacrosse
coach and head of the Social Sports Network (Randolph’s intramural program). Ketcham worked with staff
members from the Dean of Students Office to create events that provided a social environment and stress
relieving opportunities for students.
“Participating in something outside of the rigors of the academic day is important,” Ketcham said. “The
events didn’t last a long time, and they gave students a chance to take a break from studying and get out
with their friends to laugh and enjoy themselves.”
The contests ranged from pizza eating to billiards to a quiz bowl. The crazier, the better, said Amanda
Denny, director of student activities. “This type of fun competition attracts more students because it’s different,” she said. “It’s definitely a stress reliever and connects people who may not normally interact with one
another.”
Students earned points for their residence halls through individual and team events. The competition culminated with a chariot race on the new field and track. In the end, Main Hall dominated—this time.
There’s always the next semester, which organizers believe will be even better and bring more faculty and
staff into the competition.
“An activity that allows you to laugh and enjoy yourself and your friends creates student bonding and community bonding,” Denny said. “It enhances the already close family-like atmosphere on campus.”
Check out
Randolph College and
the City of Lynchburg in
U.S. Airway’s November
magazine!
See the stories online at:
www.usairwaysmag.com/
city_profiles/city/lynchburg/
28
The Biggest Randolph Fan
in Afghanistan
Bill Carney sports a Randolph College T-shirt and cap while working out in the
mountains of Afghanistan. Carney is the father of sophomore basketball player
Megan Carney and a staunch WildCat supporter. “I couldn’t be happier that
Megan is playing for such a terrific coach as Melissa Wiggins,” Carney said.
“Randolph is a great school where she can strike a balance between her studies
and the team. Go WildCats!”
Randolph Around the World
Do you have a photo of yourself sporting Randolph College gear in exotic locales
around the world? Share it with us.
Please send pictures to: bedson@randolphcollege.edu
“Green Punks, Eco-Warriors, Bio-Ninjas, and Nature Nerds”
Not
Your Mother’s English Class
t first glance, the class description
Asounds
more like a video game than an
introductory English course. But for
Laura-Gray Street and her students,
“Green Punks, Eco-Warriors, BioNinjas, and Nature Nerds” is a unique
twist on what has traditionally been
one of the most dreaded courses for
college students across the nation—
first-year composition and grammar.
“We try to liven things up by having
each professor shape the class around
a theme of his or her own choosing,”
said Street, assistant professor of English. “Doing so allows for an element of
creativity and provides a topic for the
writing assignments.”
Street’s course is one example of how
Randolph College often takes a unique
approach to instruction. Street has used
an environmental theme—her personal
passion—for many years now. While the
main purpose is to introduce first-year
students to the expectations and demands
of writing at the college level and beyond,
incorporating a theme allows professors to
give the course new relevance to students.
The environmental science aspect also
allows Street to integrate her curriculum
with courses taught by science faculty.
In previous years, Street’s students have
worked with geographic information
system technology, participated in local
stream monitoring projects, and visited
local nature centers.
“I really enjoy the opportunity to improve
my writing through a topic,” said Sarah
Maki ’13. “A plain writing class based only
on grammar does not appeal to me at all. I
am concerned about the environment, and
Students in Laura-Gray Street’s class and officials from the James River Association discuss a project to improve the Blackwater
Creek watershed.
this seemed like the most interesting and
beneficial class to me.”
The current course uses diverse thinkers
such as Henry David Thoreau, Rachel
Carson, Edward Abbey, Mahatma Gandhi,
and David Suzuki to help students explore
questions and issues related to environmental issues—and to hone their writing skills
in the process.
“When students are interested and engaged
in their writing, their writing improves and
tends to be stronger to begin with,” Street
said.
This year, Street incorporated a local
stream restoration project into her class.
She and the students went to a nearby
park to learn about a community effort to
improve the Blackwater Creek watershed.
During the trip, students met with the
director of the James River Association, a
non-profit organization that has been dedicated to being the “voice of the James” for
more than 30 years. They learned about the
Extreme Stream Makeover (ESM), a special, week-long initiative to reduce runoff
and improve water quality through a series
of low-impact design projects. This year’s
ESM brought hundreds of people together
in several locations around Lynchburg and
the surrounding area to plant rain gardens
and streamside buffers along Ivy and Blackwater creeks.
Lisa Heinzerling
Associate Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation
March 26, 2010 • 7:30 p.m.
Smith Hall Theatre
Check out all of the Sustainable Living events
for Randolph College at:
www.randolphcollege.edu/sustainableliving
29
Meet Randolph’s Newest Trustees
Alison Keller Townsend ’75, a resident of Rhode Island,
has a long history of service and
volunteering. An art history major,
Townsend is a board member of
School One in Providence, RI, and
has co-chaired the special events and
fundraising committees. She was also
a member of the Junior League in New
York City and Denver, CO and is a
board member of the Junior League in
Providence. She has also been a board
member of the Agawam Hunt Club
and the Barrington Garden Club. Townsend is married to Charles
Coe Townsend III, and has three children, Peter, Claire, and Charles.
Mary G. Shockey ’69, of Millwood, VA, is a writer and owner
of Callander Farm, an equine operation in Northern Virginia. A
history major, Shockey is a member of
the boards of Shenandoah University,
Grafton School, Clarke County
Humane Foundation, BlueRidge
Wildlife Foundation, and Bethel
Church. She is married to J. Donald
Shockey Jr. and has six children—
Asheley, Catherine, Hilary, Joseph,
Grey, and JD—and six grandchildren.
Barbara Niedland McCarthy ’73, lives in Richmond, VA,
where she is director of the Library and
Resource Center for the Commonwealth’s
Department for the Blind and Vision
Impaired. A psychology major, McCarthy
holds an M.Ed. from the University of
Virginia and has been active with the
College for years. Among other duties,
she has served the Alumnae Association
as chair of the finance committee,
Richmond Chapter President, and District
Director. She is an active volunteer and
has been Board President of the Association for Education and
Rehabilitation of the Blind and Vision Impaired. A long-time board
member and trustee emeritus for the American Foundation for the
Blind, McCarthy has been active with the American Printing House
for the Blind and Big Brothers and Big Sisters. She is married to Jim
McCarthy and has two sons, a daughter, and two granddaughters.
Marian Phillips Mancini ’81, of Ross, CA, graduated with
a history degree from R-MWC and went on
to earn law degrees from the University of
Alabama and the University of Florida. She
practiced law in Washington, D.C., and San
Francisco, CA, until the births of her sons,
Martin and John David. She is married to
Jay C. Mancini and is an active community
volunteer.
www.explorerandolph.com
30
5HDO:RUOG BEST OF BOTH
Best of
Both Worlds
Kathy Schaefer’s research opens
doors for students
small laboratory in Martin Science Building, Puspa Thapa
I’10n thecarefully
adjusts the new digital imaging system attached to the
microscope. “See that?” her biology professor Kathy Schaefer asks
as she points to the cells that are now clear on the screen. “Those
are the spermatogonial cells you are trying to isolate.”
and pursue opportunities for publication. Since
graduate school, Schaefer has studied what
makes stem cells turn into blood vessel cells.
While at Randolph College, she and her students
have studied stem cells from quail embryos to determine what
makes them go from a non-differentiated cell to a blood vessel cell.
This year, she is mentoring honors students who are using both
quail and mice stem cells to continue the same line of research. “If
we can learn how cells in our animal models turn into blood vessel
cells, we could do the same with human cells,” Schaefer said.
Thapa heads off to redo the procedure, knowing that trial and
error are as much a part of the scientiﬁc process as the end result.
An honors student, Thapa is gaining experience normally reserved
for graduate students—and working side-by-side with Schaefer
on research studying stem cells and vasculature formation. “Here,
we give students real laboratory research experience,” Schaefer
said. “They have close interactions with their professors, and they
develop good laboratory skills that will serve them well in graduate
school. That’s how I wanted to interact with students when I
became a professor.”
help me share more knowledge with students that will prepare them
for when they enter grad school and eventually conduct their own
research.”
“Dr. Schaefer is very passionate about
teaching and helping students understand the
value of research. That one-on-one interaction
I have had with her is one of the most valuable
experiences I will take from this College.”
Schaefer will have even more to offer her students next year. Selected
to serve as a visiting scholar in the College of Veterinary Medicine
at the University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana, Schaefer will
spend the spring semester working in a top research laboratory—an
experience she knows will help her as she mentors future scientists
at Randolph College.
In addition to the opportunity to use state-of-the-art equipment,
Schaefer’s appointment will allow her to further her own research
“I feel like I have the best of both worlds. You
never get lost in the crowd here, and I have
the opportunity to be involved in extremely
interesting cutting-edge research, too.”
Priyanka Uprety ’10
Schaefer will assist in similar research that is currently being
conducted at the University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana—
research that Schaefer knows could have significant impact on the
fight against heart disease. When she returns to Randolph College,
Schaefer will be able to use the data generated during her visiting
professorship in the experiments she and her students conduct
here. “This experience will aid in my own research, but it will also
Priyanka Uprety ’10 is another Randolph College student who
credits Schaefer for providing a solid foundation in research. She
plans to purse a doctorate degree in biomedical research. “Dr.
Schaefer has so much passion and dedication for what she does,”
Uprety said. “This has helped me discover my own passion for
research.”
Randolph College offers students the opportunity for high tech
research and the benefits of a small college. “I feel like I have
the best of both worlds,” Uprety said. “You never get lost in the
crowd here, and I have the opportunity to be involved in extremely
interesting cutting-edge research, too.”
In Thapa’s case, her work with Schaefer has changed her life path.
The opportunity to do so much laboratory work at Randolph
College caused her to decide to pursue a career as a scientist rather
than a medical doctor. “It’s just so amazing how important science
is to us,” she said. “I have realized that the knowledge one can get
from research is infinite. There is so much to learn and so many
ways we can make our contribution to help improve the lives of
people.
“Dr. Schaefer is very passionate about teaching and helping
students understand the value of research,” Thapa added. “That
one-on-one interaction I have had with her is one of the most
valuable experiences I will take from this College.”
Randolph College
has a new interactive
“micro-website”
for recruiting!
In addition to our regular website,
we have developed a brand new site
filled with videos, profiles, and information
in a fun, new format.
Check us out!
31
([SHULHQFHV
Alexandra Knoppel ’10 to be published in prominent neurobiology journal
lexandra Knoppel ’10 has not graduated yet, but her resume
Aalready
reads like a graduate student’s. A psychology major pursing a pre-med degree, Knoppel learned in the fall that a major psychology journal would be publishing an article she co-authored
with Gretchen Gotthard, a former Randolph College professor.
“This is something that is unheard of in the undergraduate world,”
said Knoppel, who hopes the accomplishment will help her get
into medical school.
Beth Schwartz, a Randolph psychology professor who has
also worked with Knoppel, said the College’s research program
provides students with unique opportunities for authorship and
experience. “As an undergraduate, this will clearly set Alex apart
from her peers when she is applying for graduate programs and
jobs,” Schwartz said.
THE (FUTURE)
DOCTOR
’63 alumna finds strength,
Knoppel’s and Gotthard’s article is featured in the January issue
of Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. The journal is a prominent
academic journal in the field of neurobiology. The paper, “Cycloheximide produces amnesia for extinction and reconsolidation in
an appetitive odor discrimination task in rats,” focuses on a new
aspect of Gotthard’s previous research studying memory.
she took on more
responsibility. For the
research, Gotthard
and Knoppel trained rats to find hidden
cereal in scented sand and to discriminate
between two odors, cocoa and cinnamon.
They then blocked protein synthesis and
extinguished the digging behavior to determine whether proteins were necessary for
the extinction of memories.
Knoppel began working in the laboratory with Gotthard as a firstyear student. As the research progressed and her skills improved,
““You
You ca
can
an hhelp
elp ppeople
eople iin
n ssoo manyy w
ways. But as a doctor, you don’t just treat people. You also have
an
n iimpact
mpacct oon
n ttheir
heir famil
ly andd ffriends.
rien Having the ability to touch so many people’s lives would
family
truly be aan
n hhonor.”
onor.”
Most current research uses fear-based testing and looks at the acquisition of memories rather than the extinction of memories.
“We really filled in a gap in the literature,”
Knoppel said. “This research is important
because if we can understand how memory
works and the different kinds of memory,
we may be able to understand and treat
memory disorders.”
For Knoppel, the research has added to a
growing list of real world experiences she
has accumulated while at Randolph College. In addition to numerous presentations
of this research at conferences and symposiums, she has also interned in the neonatal
intensive care unit of Lynchburg’s Virginia
Baptist Hospital. Once a month, she also
returns home to Northern Virginia to work
as a medical scribe in the emergency room
of her local hospital.
After graduation, she wants to work in
France for a year before pursuing her
dream of becoming a doctor and specializing in emergency medicine. “You can help
people in so many ways,” she said. “But as
a doctor, you don’t just treat people. You
also have an impact on their family and
friends. Having the ability to touch so many
people’s lives would truly be an honor.”
REACHING GREAT HEIGHTS
��
4
e
deeper appreci
ation
for
th
ring
conque
life while
often cheerfully—for the mountain teaches patience, acceptance
of what is at any given moment on the mountain or in our psyche,
pleasant or not. In return the mountain transports us to states beyond
the usual in its lavish beauty.”
White is just as willing to take on a societal challenge as a 14,000-foot mountain. As a
volunteer for local schools, Literacy Volunteers, and the League of Women Voters, White
has spent a lifetime making an impact in the central New York region. She is also working
to market products made by artisans in developing countries. In recognition of her work in
the community and in schools, White received the 2007 Susan B. Anthony Legacy Award at
the University of Rochester. She shared the stage with Polar explorer Ann Bancroft and longdistance cold-water swimmer Lynne Cox.
Those three accomplished women, each known for a pursuit that demanded unimaginable
physical exertion, shared a stage and a conversation on the theme “Daring the Impossible:
Strong Women Take on the World.” Their discussion, the 12th in a series designed to honor
the extraordinary dialogue Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony shared as they
wrote, spoke, and debated critical issues to women of their time, touched upon how they
draw attention to causes larger than their own ambitions. White attributes her ability to
think about a wider world, in part, to the liberal arts education she received at RandolphMacon Woman’s College. “It opened up vast realms of human endeavor to me and prepared
me to be successful in whatever I attempted,” she shared. “Something in that education
also opened my heart, so that I became someone who wanted to contribute to life and help
alleviate human suffering and injustice.”
Today, nearly 21 years after her first major ascent, Carol White is still climbing. Asked about
her approach to mountaineering as she grows older, White shared the kind of thoughtful
response you would expect from a person who relishes the absence of a marked trail on a
mountain: “I like this sport because you can keep doing it indefinitely—it gets slower as
time passes and that’s fine. You take time to smell the flowers and it becomes more about
the process and enjoying our beautiful world rather than being goal-oriented.”
Editor’s Note: Carol White has edited “Adirondack Peak Experiences: Mountaineering
Adventures, Misadventures, and the Pursuit of The 46” (2009) and “Catskill Peak
Experiences: Mountaineering Tales of Endurance, Survival, Exploration and Adventure from
the Catskill 3500 Club” (2008), both published by Black Dome Press; and “Women with
Altitude: Challenging the Adirondack High Peaks in Winter,” published by North Country
Books in 2005. White co-authored, with husband David S. White, “Catskill Day Hikes for All
Seasons,” published by the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) in 2002, and co-edited ADK’s
comprehensive guidebook, “Catskill Trails, Volume 8” of the Forest Preserve Series, for
which they measured 345 miles of trails by surveying wheel.
RANDOLPH
THE RANDOLPH COLLEGE MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 2010 VOL. 1 NO. 1
Want to read the Randolph College Magazine or share with friends or prospective
students online? Check us out at www.randolphcollege.edu/magazine.
32
Ninth Annual International
Photo Contest
Randolph College community shares
travels, photography skills
The annual photo contest sponsored by the International Student Services Office and
Experiential Learning Center offered strong competition this year. The contest is open to all
faculty, staff, and students and is part of the College’s International Education Celebration.
Entrants submit photographs highlighting “things international” in two categories: People
and Places.
(Top Left) FIRST PLACE: PEOPLE
Old Lady at a Temple by Myanmar by Yanpaing Oo ’11
(Bottom Left) FIRST PLACE: PLACES
Pisa Canal, Pisa Italy by Melissa Gilbert ’10
(Right from Top to Bottom)
SECOND PLACE: PLACES
River Cam, Cambridge,England by Reena Singh ’10
SECOND PLACE: PEOPLE: Ayers Rock, Australia by Emily Wong,
assistant director of admissions
THIRD PLACE: PEOPLE: People Unity in Diversity by Tashi
Dhondup ’12
THIRD PLACE: PLACES: Madrid Street Solarized by Maura Duffy ’13
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
LYNCHBURG, VA
PERMIT NO.6
Office of College Relations
2500 Rivermont Avenue
Lynchburg, Virginia 24503-1555
Inside this issue
4
Carol White ’63 gives new meaning to ‘trailblazer.’ At 69, White
isn’t content to let life pass her
by—she’d rather embrace it from
the top of a 14,450 foot mountain
in the middle of winter.
Alexandra Knoppel ’10 has yet to
graduate, but her resume already
reads like that of a grad student.
9
10
Randolph College’s Nursery
School rated one of the
Commonwealth’s best.
Susie Lukens ’12 is right at
home in the classroom thanks
to Randolph College’s unique
education program.
12
14
COVER: Marian van Noppen ’12
transferred to Randolph College
looking for a new start. What she
found was a family.
17
Alumna leaves College $2.68
million bequest for student
scholarships.
Student-run radio station, the
WWRM, streams global.
20
23
26
Randolph College’s organic
garden is thriving thanks to
student involvement.
Sociology professor’s work to
appear in new book.
www.randolphcollege.edu/magazine

Founded as Randolph-Macon Woman`s College in 1891

Transcription

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