SPIRE Summer 2019

S P R E a ma g a z i n e f o r b l u e f i e l d c o l l e g e a l u m n i a n d f r i e n d s

SUMMER 2019

ALUMNUS ANTONIO DAWKINS From Homeless to College Grad and Beyond | 8

HASTINGS EMBODIES SERVANT LEADERSHIP: 6 | MYERS SETS THE BAR HIGH: 14 | ALUMNI CELEBRATE HOMECOMING: 28

Spire is the official magazine for alumni and friends of Bluefield College, 3000 College Avenue, Bluefield, Virginia 24605. The magazine is published annually by the Office of Marketing and Public Relations. Available online at bluefield.edu/spire. S P R E a magazine for bluefield college alumni and friends

contents A Word from the President | 3

SPRING 2018

EDITORS Lindsey Akers (executive editor), Joshua Cline, Josh Grubb, Nicole Kaklis, Hal Keene, and Vanessa Scruggs

President Olive Talks About the Notable Achievements and Growth at Bluefield College

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS Mr. Zachary Smith (’08) – President Mr. Brandon Caldwell (’02) – Past-President Mrs. Sara English Rutherford (’96) – Vice President Mr. Joshua Grubb (’07) – Secretary

Vision-Mission | 4 There’s Nothing Like BC Missions BC Mission Team Travels to Ecuador Hastings Embodies Servant Leadership

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Mrs. Valerie Burrell (’09) Ms. Allie Campbell (’18) Ms. Hallie Elder (’13)

Ms. Courtney Ellis (’97) Mr. Morgan Lloyd (’13) Mrs. Fran Webb Louthan (’60) Mr. Tim Mann (’88) Mr. Matthew Moore (’13) Mr. Wayne Pate (’73) Ms. Sarah Pauley (’19) Mr. Denny Peters (’61) Mr. Sammy Poindexter (’86)

Features | 8 Antonio Dawkins: From Homeless to College Grad and Beyond Hall Leaves Lasting Mark on Campus Through Donation in Memory of Rebecca Bentley Hall Bluefield College’s Very Own is Recognized as WVVA’s Hometown Hero

Mr. Scott Polhamus (’11) Mr. Robert Ratcliffe (’09) Ms. Alexis Thompson (’17) Mrs. Courtney Robertson Tucker (’10) Mr. Steve Underwood (’17) ADVISORY COUNCIL Dr. Randall Belt (’94) Mrs. Kathy Fogg Berry (’75) Mrs. Peggy Emert Bickford (’71) Mr. Steve Bickford (’71) Dr. Jeff Bloomer (’71) Mr. Brandon Caldwell (’02) Dr. Glenda Farrar Camp (’63) Ms. Cindy Carter (’75) Dr. Donald W. Caudill (’75) Mr. Jim Dill (ex-officio) (’75) Mr. Bill Gilmer (’75) Mr. Bobby Griffin (’75) Mr. Dennis Harper (’71) Dr. Garry Jones (’74) Ms. Jennifer Mitchell (’08) Mrs. LeAnn Montgomery (’05) Ms. Rebecca Peterson (’08) Mr. Eddie Rader (’03) Mr. Robert Ramey (’98) Mr. Neel Rich (’52) Mrs. Cindy Whittaker Sheets (’91) Mr. Peter Taylor Rev. Bill Tuck (’55) Mrs. Jennifer Ramey Turley (’96) Mrs. Lisa Robinson Yost (’07)

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Outcomes | 14 Myers Sets the Bar High From BC Grad to Officer

News | 17 Bluefield College Pre-Law Students Visit Appalachian School of Law Bluefield College Alumna Thriving in Criminal Justice BC Professor Appointed to Commissioner’s Special Advisory Council on Health Disparity & Health Equity BC Students Help Out Blessings in a Backpack BC Thanks Shott for Almost 20 Years of Service Bluefield College Holds Inaugural Master of Arts in Biomedical Science Commencement Blue Mountain Performing Arts Sponsors Concert at Bluefield College Bluefield College Cheer Team Attends UCA College Nationals Bluefield College Holds 97th Spring Commencement Bluefield College’s Baseball Coach, Mike White, Receives 400 Coaching Wins Caudill School of Business Hosts Launch Recovery Event Deel Commits to Teacher Education at Bluefield College Current Students Solicit Almost $24,000 from Former Students for BC Fund College Honors Employees at Faculty & Staff Breakfast Dr. Lewis Brogdon Releases Book Entitled “The Unknown King” Tonia Walker Named New Athletic Director Nathalia Lima Awarded Shott Excellence in Media Student Award Two Local Pastors Awarded BC Community Service & Justice Award Students Celebrate 41st Mud Pig Day Farmer Teachers More Than Criminal Justice in China

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES Mr. Gordon W. Grimes, II (’94) – Chair Mr. C. Todd Asbury (’93) – Vice Chair Dr. Christopher E. Lawson (’01) – Secretary Mr. William B. “Bud” Acken Dr. David L. Bailey, Jr. (’60) – Emeritus Mr. John P. Beckett, Jr. Mrs. Terri Nash Cole (’85) Mrs. Martha Dodd-Slippy (’05) Dr. Janelle B. Duremdes – Emeritus Dr. T. Keith Edwards – Emeritus Dr. Daniel E. Grabeel, Sr. (’55) – Emeritus Rev. Rodney J. Hale (’60) Dr. Michael P. Harris (’97) Mr. Douglas B. Hawks, Sr. (’57) – Emeritus Mrs. Julie Hull Johnson (‘88) Mr. David Kirk (’90) Mr. David T. Larimer, II (’92) Mrs. Margaret Newcomb Leonard (’55) – Emeritus Rev. Jack A. Marcom (’62) * Dr. Charles Nunn, Jr. – Emeritus

Alumni | 22 BC Grad Achieves Dream of Writing for Major League Team Payne Receives 2018 Alumni “Volunteer of the Year “Award Remembering Ralph A. “Pete” Petrone Dr. Spencer Wood Continues Partnership with Bluefield College BC Graduate Becomes Millionaire Serial Entrepreneur Don’t Miss Homecoming and Family Weekend 2019 2019 Alumni Award Recipients Alumni Celebrate Homecoming 2018 Bluefield College Announces New Heritage Society Members Class Notes | 32 Alumni Share Their Latest Professional and Personal Transitions

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Mr. Jackson E. Reasor, Jr. Mrs. Sarah Jolly Reid (’68) Mr. Thomas R. Scott, Jr. Mr. David A. Skidmore – Emeritus Rev. Craig F. Stout Dr. Jerry Turley

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Mr. Michael A. Wade Mr. William S. Winfrey, II

Cover photo by Mily Lusk

* Deceased

from the president

Our Core Values: We are Christian in outlook, Baptist in tradition, and welcoming to each person. We are committed to academic excellence and life-long inquiry embracing the liberal arts tradition through the study of humanities, sciences, professional studies, and graduate programs. We are a diverse community characterized by integrity, mutual respect, support, and encouragement. We are passionate in helping students understand their life calling and become compassionate, globally- minded servant leaders. Bluefield College is an amazing place. We have been blessed in immeasurable ways. Yet, as reminded by Benjamin Franklin, “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” Bluefield College is growing and taking great strides forward as an institution. For all who are investing in our students’ lives and the mission of the College through the gifts of time, talent, treasure, or other, we give you thanks! Your involvement with, and investment in, our students and our collective mission is transforming lives!

Dear Bluefield College Alumni & Friends:

It is amazing to reflect back on all the many ways God has blessed our campus community this past academic year. We certainly continue to face a challenging, changing landscape within higher education, but this year brought many notable achievements and growth. Here are just a few of our significant accomplishments:

• Record-breaking 278 new traditional students who made up our largest incoming class;

• 406 residents – the most in school history;

• Historic number of graduate students – 203;

• Record-setting total head count of 1,143 students;

• $2.7 million expansion to the Science Center;

• Creation of the Center for Worship Arts; and

• Launch of the Master’s in Biomedical Sciences in partnership with the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Additionally, we spent the entire year dreaming and designing our next five-year strategic plan. As part of that process, we refined our mission statement and core values. I am particularly proud of the strong, defining statements in both that speak to who Bluefield College is and how we go about serving one another. Our Mission: Bluefield College is a Christ-centered learning community developing servant leaders to transform the world.

Partnering with you in faithful service, 1

David W. Olive President

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vision mission

There’s Nothing Like BC Missions

When we were leaving Ecuador after our eight-day trip, we were warned of a few things: we would have reverse cultural-shock, realizing everything we take for granted; we would miss the kids and that would make it hard to readjust to our normal lives; and, most people we talked to about the trip wouldn’t understand the full capacity of all that we experienced. I can’t fully explain the blessing of the trip, but I can do my absolute best to give you the perspective we came away with. There’s nothing like kissing a one-year- old on the forehead, seeing him smile from ear to ear, and him putting his forehead against yours as he kisses you back on the forehead. There’s nothing like holding the hands of a boy who is almost entirely blind and jumps on a trampoline only on his knees trusting you enough to take his hands and guide him, seeing how he trusts you fully. There’s nothing like feeling complete joy when falling asleep, knowing that every ounce of your exhaustion created some of the best memories those kids have had. There’s nothing like holding a little girl with autism, not being able to speak her language well, but feeling an overwhelming assurance from the Lord that He is sowing more and more love into her heart day by day. There’s nothing like seeing the sleepy blinks of a toddler, watching him fall asleep in your arms, feeling his little arms lovingly wrap around you, and hearing the last sigh before he starts dreaming.

There’s nothing like seeing love and vulnerability and interdependence in another culture and realizing you’re there to learn as much as you are there to serve. There’s nothing like the sweetest glimpse into the love parents have for their children and the absolute blessing it is to be in relation with them. There’s nothing like knowing hundreds of people in the community came together to make this trip possible and knowing even more covered you in prayer the entire week. There’s nothing like sitting around a campfire and seeing a tiny bit of the greater understanding of why God redirected your paths to bring you to Bluefield College, realizing the genuine and humble hearts of those around you are molding you into a better version of love and that was God’s plan for you all along. There’s nothing like seeing sweet moments shared between the caretakers and the children and feeling overwhelmed at just how blessed you are to have wonderful parents who prayed over you, gave you the best childhood they could, loved you unconditionally every second of every day, and molded you into the person that has a heart to give that to other children who will experience the amazing love of God through different blessings.

There’s nothing like feeling complete joy when falling asleep, knowing that every ounce of your exhaustion created

some of the best memories those kids have had.

—Emily Carlisle

There’s simply nothing like BC Missions.

Story submitted by BC student marketing associate Emily Carlisle.

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vision mission

BC Mission Team Travels to Ecuador

the world just for us. We sang songs like Father Abraham (in Spanish, of course) and provided the kids with coloring sheets and crafts for each lesson. With the added hands, the team helped the FHC staff take the kids on a few field trips. The first field trip was to Iglesia Siloe, a local church who was hosting a special event at the church’s retreat center. The team was there over Carnival, an Ecuadorian national holiday similar to

love and His plan are just as great there as it is back home,” said Mullins. The day before the group left, they went to “Middle Earth,” the spot in Quito where the Prime Meridian passes through the Equator. They then went to Mindo, a cloud forest, where they toured a small chocolate factory, seeing how cocoa is harvested and turned into dark chocolate. They then drove up the mountainside to go zip lining through the mountains and tubing down class 3 rapids in the Mindo River before returning back to FHC. “This trip changed my life. The Lord allowed me to see through His eyes. I got to see how much he loves these kids that everyone else classifies as unloved and unwanted. I got to feel his love for them. I cried every day. It’s unimaginable how deep the Father’s love for us is, but to feel just one ounce of that can shift everything. I fell in love with the people of Ecuador and even more in love with the Father. I want to love how He does. These kiddos have mighty calls on their lives and I am believing and praying for God to equip them and place them in divine homes and families where they can spread the same love that God gave them in their time at the orphanage to the world,” said Gasperson. The BC mission team would like to thank Student Development office manager, Micayla Sharkey, for her leadership, training, and preparation before the trip and Nicole Kaklis, assistant director of development and alumni affairs, for her help with fundraising and communication to our BC alumni and friends. Story by BC marketing associate Emily Carlisle.

Through the generosity of the community, Professor of Christian Studies, Henry Clary, a former missionary to Uruguay, accompanied nine students including freshmen: Noel Saunders and Mason West; sophomores: Kaylyn Bridges, Madison Brewster, Emily Carlisle, Cameron Gasperson, and Carlee King; junior: Christalyn Doig; and senior: Cade Mullins to Quito Ecuador. The BC Mission Team went to work with For His Children (FHC) at a children’s home serving 24 children aged newborn to eight, March 1-9, 2019. The BC Mission Team first heard of FHC through Rachel Kennon, class of 2011, who is the development and finance coordinator at FHC-Ecuador. She contacted Clary to organize a mission between her alma mater and the children in Ecuador. After three years of planning, Bluefield College’s Mission Team flew to Ecuador for a week filled with joy, laughter, love, and tears. “Being at the orphanage with these kiddos made me realize how much our Heavenly Father really loves and cares for us. Not only in Ecuador, but here in the US, kids like these need our help. It was very eye-opening and amazing to have had this experience,” said Bridges. Throughout the week, the BC Mission Team taught VBS-style lessons with the overall theme of “God made you and me.” We taught lessons about the creation story, Abraham, Saul and his change to Paul, the birth and life of Jesus, and how God loves each one of us around the world and sent Jesus to

The Lord allowed me to see through His eyes. I got to see how much He loves these kids

that everyone else classifies as unloved and unwanted.

— Cameron Gasperson

Mardi Gras. One of the traditions of Carnival is to play with squirt foam and splash water on each other, and the kids had a blast introducing the team to those traditions. The team took the kids on walks around the neighborhood and to get ice cream, on one occasion even getting a police escort! Students took them to an indoor park at a mall to climb up ropes, run over bridges, play in a balloon pit, jump on a water trampoline, and ride smaller versions of little-kid amusement park rides. “Through this trip, God showed me that He is God even in a foreign place. His

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vision mission

Hastings Embodies Servant Leadership

a priority in their lives, even when times may have been tough.”

in for gift cards. “I just kept saving my points,” Hastings said.

It was not uncommon for Vaughn’s mom to leave him with a babysitter in the middle of the night to help women who were in abusive situations involving domestic violence, or to help children who were in potentially life-threatening situations. She would also go out of her way to help children in need of food or clothing. Jane did not know how much she was shaping the life of her young son at that point but her charitable heart, compassion for others, and servant leadership left a lasting impression on her son. As Vaughn got older, he started his own giving traditions in the early ‘90s. As a young bachelor, he would host an annual Halloween party. In order to gain admission to the party, every guest was asked to bring a new toy. At first, the parties were held in Vaughn’s home but soon the number of guests started to overflow the space and Vaughn had to move the annual event to a public venue. Every toy from each of these parties was donated to Toys for Tots – with his best event collecting over 200 toys for kids in need. Vaughn aged out of Halloween parties in 2015, but his commitment to helping children in need continues. He regularly donates to coat and toy drives. In 2018, he donated $800 in gift cards to the Baptist Children’s Home to help families fostering children seeking adoption. To obtain the $800 in gift cards, Hastings earned points at the location where he donated blood platelets and turned all of his points

Vaughn also started running regular volleyball tournaments called “Spike for a Cause” in the early ‘00s. He started the tournaments because he saw the painful effects of cancer on so many of his friends. The “Spike for a Cause” annual charity event was created to benefit a charity or family in the local volleyball community that was in need, with the focus on the fight against cancer. Early on, the grassroots event raised between $3,500-$7,000, each year, benefitting breast cancer research and other forms of cancer. However, with time, the word soon got out about the annual “Spike for a Cause” event and in 2009, the event raised over $15,000 which was donated to the Colon Cancer Coalition. In 2013, Vaughn worked with the city council in Raleigh, North Carolina. to have the local sand volleyball courts at Raleigh Jaycee Park dedicated to his friend and volleyball mentor, E. Russell “Rusty” Lurwick, whom the local volleyball community lost due to colon cancer earlier that year at the age of 55. Rusty was one of the first people Vaughn met when he moved to Raleigh, and was one of the founders of the outdoor beach volleyball movement in Raleigh. “Rusty was a larger than life character and an awesome volleyball player,” said Hastings. The park dedication plaque placed at the court says, “Rusty was a champion and enthusiast for the sport of volleyball.

V aughn Hastings learned, at a young age, the importance of giving back. He was raised in a very generous and loving household by his mother, Jane, who adopted him when he was a baby. Jane took on many roles throughout her career. She was a pediatric nurse, worked in the field of social work in a drug and alcohol rehab facility, and, at one point, also worked in a psychiatric facility. Throughout her life, she always worked in roles that helped lend a hand. “She was in the business of helping people. Anytime my mom knew someone needed something they didn’t have to ask. She would leave in the middle of the night to help children and people in need. I knew what she was doing was making a difference,” said Hastings. Vaughn’s wife Kathryn added, “Jane was a single mom that always made charity

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He had the ability to play hard but still treat players of all skill levels as worthy opponents.” In 2005, cancer once again struck close to home for Vaughn. This time it was right across the street. Vaughn’s neighbor was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She lost her fight after only two short years. During this time, Vaughn always made time to visit with her and her family every day, even if it was just to sit and watch Survivor with them on television. Seeing firsthand how awful this disease is spurred Vaughn to want to do more to fight back against cancer. Two years later, Vaughn began participating in an annual St. Baldrick’s Foundation fundraiser getting his

Vaughn Hastings worked with the city council in Raleigh, North Carolina to have the Raleigh Jaycee Park dedicated to his friend and mentor, E. Russell “Rusty” Lurwick.

head shaved with kids fighting childhood cancer, and raising money to benefit childhood cancer research. He has raised more than $45,000 over the past thirteen years and raised $5,630 just this year. To add to the fun, Vaughn has dyed his hair an assortment of colors including green, pink, and blue as it grows out before shaving it off for the fundraising event. Each year Vaughn challenges himself to raise over $2,000 for St. Baldrick’s during the fundraiser. “There will be another St. Baldrick’s effort next February or March and I’ll be looking for support on my Facebook page,” said Hastings.

blood donation event at work and noticed a note posted about platelet donations being more useful for cancer patients and burn victims. He also learned platelet donations can be made 24 times per year – which is much more frequently than regular blood donations. Vaughn donates platelets every two weeks to help cancer patients in their battle. He is up to 62 gallons and counting. In 2016, Vaughn lost his mother, Jane, to aggressive ovarian cancer. He continues to look for meaningful ways to help fight against cancer to continue his mother’s legacy of generosity and giving back.

Vaughn Hastings with his mother, Jane, who lost her battle to cancer in 2016.

In 2008, Vaughn missed a regular

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ANTONIO DAWKINS: From Homeless to College Grad and Beyond

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A ntonio Dawkins had his “procedure” down to a science. He always made sure to shower after football practice. He’d walk outside with teammates before doubling back, saying he forgot something in the boys’ PE locker room. On his way out, he’d prop the door open. Then he’d wait outside, fending off occasional questions by saying he was waiting for his ride home. There was no ride. Most of the time, there was no home. When everyone left, Dawkins would walk to the outdoor entrance of the locker room. He’d enter, close the door behind him, and settle in for the night.

Dawkins hid the fact he was homeless from coaches and teammates at Fort Mill (S.C.) High School - that he had been, on and off, since he was a freshman. He felt comfortable enough around, but not enough to reveal the struggles he faced once the school day ended. “It’s easy to say that I could have gotten help,” Dawkins told Sporting News. “Sixteen, 17, 18, years old, that’s one of the most embarrassing things, to come to somebody and say, ‘Hey, me and my family are homeless, can you take me in?’” When Dawkins first arrived as a junior at Fort Mill in December 2012, his mother, Brandy Freeman, worked a contract job that allowed herself, Dawkins and his young sister to stay in a hotel near the school. When she lost work, she stayed with family in North Carolina - too far away for Dawkins to find reliable transportation. So, he’d stay with friends, if possible. It wasn’t always. For a weeklong stretch, he sneaked into the locker room at night so he’d have a place to sleep. “If I can, I’m going to try to go to one of my friend’s houses,” Dawkins recounted. “If not, then I have got to do my normal procedure.” Dawkins no longer has to hide the circumstances of his home life: He’s living in Atlanta, training in hopes of playing professional football. That’s after leaving Bluefield College (VA), where he played football and in December graduated with degrees in interdisciplinary studies and mass communications.

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Antonio Dawkins sitting where he would sometimes sleep in the Fort Mill boys locker room (Karisa Maxwell/ Sporting News).

“ There were a lot of times I thought about what was going to happen once I got out of practice, where I was going to go... ” –Antonio Dawkins

ANTONIO DAWKINS: From Homeless to College Grad and Beyond (cont’d)

Dawkins acknowledges he wouldn’t be where he is today if he hadn’t opened up to his Fort Mill coaches and teammates. And, he said, he wouldn’t be here without football. Off the field, Dawkins kept quiet, at least about his home life. On it, there was no one louder. He loved the feeling of belonging that Fort Mill’s football team provided him. He loved lining up at cornerback, jawing with the receivers against whom he faced off every day in practice. Those few hours after school were a precious distraction. During the day, Dawkins worried about how he’d get home after school, or where he’d stay for the night. He worried about finding something to eat, or maintaining secrecy about his homelessness. Those problems disappeared on the practice field. But not always, and never entirely. “There were a lot of times I thought about what was going to happen once I got out of practice, where I was going to go and stuff like that,” Dawkins said. “The moments that I started thinking about that during practice, I would have a bad practice.” It was in one such moment that former Fort Mill defensive coordinator Bill Geiler pulled Dawkins to the side. “Coach Geiler told me, ‘Sink or swim,’ and it’s stuck with me since,” Dawkins said. “He just told me, ‘It’s either you sink or swim.’ You be successful or you become like everybody else that you have

seen. I don’t have too many options. It’s either I be different, I go to college, I do my thing, or I become a failure.

proud,” said Susi, now offensive coordinator at Lancaster (S.C.) High School. “That’s a very tough thing for any high school kid to do - to say, ‘Hey coach, I haven’t eaten, I haven’t taken a shower, I haven’t done this or that.’” Coaches made sure to load Dawkins down with protein bars during breakfast and lunch. Before Freeman lost her job, he’d get rides from coaches, or they’d give gas money to teammates so they could drive him home. In the spring semester of Dawkins’ senior year at Fort Mill, Freeman was able to find work again. That allowed her to rent a house just across the street from the school. They sometimes went without power, or water, or heat. It didn’t matter: Together, they called it home.

“I told him, ‘I want to swim.’”

It was one day after practice that coaches finally got the sense of Dawkins’ struggle. They asked players whether any leaders wanted to address the team. Dawkins stood up in front of teammates to speak, but found he couldn’t. His body was seizing up, betraying the secret he’d tried to keep. Not long after, Dawkins sat down with Geiler and Fort Mill coach Ed Susi to explain his situation. “We were like, ‘What do we got to do to help this kid,’ because he was very

Antonio Dawkins outside the home his mother used to rent when he was in high school (Karisa Maxwell/Sporting News).

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“I was like, ‘Antonio, we got a house,’” Freeman told SN. “He was like, ‘I don’t care what it looks like, yes, yes, we got a house, and it’s right across the street.’ “’I won’t be late for school no more.’” The house was an immediate relief for Freeman and her family, she said, but she can’t discount the role Fort Mill High School played in helping support her son. “I believe his coaches were able to see that we were trying to make it work and they were willing to assist him in every possible way they could. Fort Mill was so great,” Freeman said. “They were a great school. I think that was part of the journey that was supposed to be. It didn’t happen by chance. It was ordained for us to be there.” With that support, Dawkins was able to perform better in the classroom. His stops at previous schools (Fort Mill was the sixth high school he attended) still affected his overall GPA, but by all accounts, he became an excellent student. When Dawkins first arrived at Fort Mill, he was mistaken for a sophomore because of his size - “He was a little guy,” Susi said - but one-and-a-half years and 30 pounds of muscle later, he’d become one of Fort Mill’s best playmakers. Three times he earned defensive player of the week honors as a senior, putting up four interceptions and eight passes defensed. Those efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Dawkins remembers how, at first, he refused to get his hopes up he could attend college. He also remembers the moment that fantasy became tangible. He came home one day, well after he’d played his final snap at Fort Mill, to see a large package from Chowan University on his doorstep. He and best friend Tee Muhammad took it inside and saw for themselves: A scholarship offer. They cried tears of joy. And when Freeman found out, she cried too. “It was as if we had won the lottery,” Freeman said. The offers started rolling in: from Limestone College, Ave Maria University, Newberry College, Mercer and Campbell, among others. Football, which was once a distraction for Dawkins, was now a means of escape. But he had another milestone to accomplish first. “For me, graduating high school, for my family I was happy,” Dawkins said. “As far as And football player.

for me, what was going through my head was, ‘I was supposed to do that. This is a part of the journey.’” The next step saw Dawkins attend Division III Bethany College, a small liberal arts school in West Virginia, to start his collegiate football career in 2014. Two years later, feeling he’d accomplished all he could there, he transferred to Division I N.C. Central. But the setting in Durham, North Carolina, was too familiar and offered too many distractions and chances to get in trouble. Through a coach’s recommendation, he transferred to play for NAIA school Bluefield College. In the rural setting of Bluefield, Virginia, Dawkins was able to maintain focus on school. While there, he lived in an on-campus, three-bedroom apartment - a far cry from the locker room where he once laid his head. He made the Dean’s List every semester (something he’d accomplished at Bethany and N.C. Central, too). Dawkins, who at one point wondered where his next meal might come from, could choose when and what he wanted to eat (because he hopes to play professionally, it was and still is usually a medley of salmon, sweet potatoes, brown rice and spinach). On the football field, the same tenacity Dawkins showed at Fort Mill helped him become a standout for the Rams, who boasted one of the NAIA’s best pass defenses in 2017 with him in the secondary. In two seasons, he compiled 55 tackles, 17 passes defensed, two interceptions (one returned for touchdown), three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. His magnetic personality, competitive nature and hard work drew people to him. But, much like at Fort Mill, he kept the circumstances of his upbringing a secret. “I did not know about his upbringing until an article came out this past summer on him and I could not believe what he had been through because you would not have known that now,” Bluefield coach Dewey Lusk told SN. “Not that he doesn’t want you to know, but he’s not going around wearing that on his sleeve either.” With Dawkins’ story now out in the open, he hopes to serve as an inspiration for kids going through similarly difficult circumstances, to show “you don’t have to become what you’re seeing or your environment.” That’s the decision Dawkins faced back at Fort Mill: “Sink or swim.” He now openly admits he

nearly made the wrong choice.

“I really didn’t see a future in too much of nothing,” Dawkins said. “I felt like everything was failing. “Six-plus years later, Dawkins is no longer homeless. He’s engaged. He’s a college graduate. He eventually wants use his education to start a marketing firm,

Antonio Dawkins on the field for Bluefield (Christian Simpson/ Sporting News).

appropriately enough, to create exposure for small businesses. Regardless of what his future holds, those who know him best have nothing but confidence in him. How could they not, after seeing what he has overcome? “He is going to do well. No matter what he gets into, he is going to be fine,” Susi said. “I hate to say having all that adversity made him what he is today, but he made the right decisions. You can’t say that about a lot of guys that would be in his situation.”Said Freeman: “He has such a drive, such a desire to succeed, that I don’t see him failing. ... He is going to be great either way.” Dawkins has options going forward. He aspires to play football professionally - it’s gotten him this far - and he knows the inherent difficulty in attempting that feat. But then, he has faced tougher obstacles. This is merely the next one. “I know I’m going to have to work 10 times harder than anybody,” Dawkins said. “That’s all I have ever had to do in my life.” Written by: Zac Al-Khateeb Reprinted with permission from Sporting News.

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Hall Leaves Lasting Mark on Campus Through Donation in Memory of Rebecca Bentley Hall

Tim Hall donated $25,000 to the Science Center expansion project in memory of his late wife, alumna Rebecca Bentley Hall. Rebecca Bentley Hall was an education major before graduating in 1986. She was involved in theatre and choir while at Bluefield and remained active in the BC community by serving on the Alumni Board from 2015 to 2018. “We had been thinking, for a number of years, about making a significant contribution to Bluefield. She and her friends always got together at least once a year. Those were relationships that lasted a number of years,” said Hall. Hall continued, “The College has been a source of good friends and good fellowship. I met so many people my wife went to school with at all the events there we attended together, from football games to commencement events, the plays, and homecoming weekend.” She and Tim met through mutual friends in the Baptist community in Alexandria, Virginia. The two served in the church together as Sunday school teachers and pursued ministry together. Rebecca was passionate about volunteering, serving in the children’s department of First Baptist Church in Alexandria, hosting a bible study, and playing piano for Sunset Hills Baptist Church for more than ten years.

She was a Minister for Missions and Children at Ridge Road Baptist Church, the interim Music Director for Knightdale Baptist Church, and a Ministry Assistant at the Raleigh Baptist Association. She also volunteered with the Christian Women’s Job Corps, Wake Christian Academy, and Spiritual Twist Productions. “The education she received during her time at Bluefield College was instrumental in her life,” said Hall. “I’m hoping they [students] apply themselves and not only excel in their careers but also excel in volunteering within the community.” Story by BC student marketing associate Emily Carlisle.

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Bluefield College’s Very Own is Recognized as Hometown HERO WVVA’s

Bluefield College’s very own Clayton Wagner was named a WVVA “Hometown Hero” back in April this year. Wagner is a groundskeeper at BC and has worked for the maintenance department for 38 years. “Clayton Wagner works long hours in all kinds of weather to take care of BC’s outside work, without complaint, with unfailing good cheer, and with the very model of a conscientious work ethic,” said Werner Lind, co-director of library services. “He’s the person who pretty much single- handedly digs the campus out from snowstorms so that we stay open on schedule and resident students keep access to the outside world,” added Lind. His kindness and willingness to serve the BC community is what made him standout. Before arriving to Bluefield College’s campus, Wagner served the country he loves. All of the men in Wagner’s family served in the Army, Navy, and the Marine Corps. He decided he would go a separate route and serve in the U.S. Air Force. After serving, Wagner returned to his home, Bluefield, and made Bluefield College his second home.

Wagner enjoys his job because he “loves to be outside.” Wagner serves the campus community by making sure it looks pristine and feels like home to all the students. Wagner keeps the College’s campus clean and beautiful by grounds keeping, collecting garbage, plowing the parking lot when needed, and much more. Bluefield’s area receives harsh weather during the winter season so Bluefield College’s campus parking lot tends to get very icy. Samantha Bales, BC Central advocate in student accounts, recalls almost falling behind Shott Hall one winter. Before she could fully fall, Wagner assisted Bales right away. “I had no clue where he came from as I did not see anyone in the parking lot. It was like almost magic how he appeared at the right time,” said Bales. Faculty, staff, and members of the student body have nothing but kind words to say about their hometown hero. Bluefield College is very blessed to have such a kind-hearted servant leader on campus. Here are some remarks from the Bluefield College community about Clayton Wagner: “In addition to meticulous care of the grounds at Bluefield College, Clayton values students as well as facutly and staff and often greets them with kind and pleasant words.” -Phyllis Owens, adjunct faculty, School of Education and Social Science. “He often comes in on his days off to finish up a project or to help someone out. He is the glue that holds the campus together.” -Caroline Dixon, HR specialist/accounts payable manager. “From the moment I met Clayton Wagner, I knew that there was something special about him. He always has a smile and a kind word for me each time he sees me.” -Jennifer Thorn, coordinator of teacher education data & reports. Clayton is described by the BC Community as hardworking, compassionate, and willing to help everyone.

Story submitted by BC student marketing associate Kaleigh Compton.

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outcomes

Myers sets the BAR High

S hasta Myers did not know exactly how she was going to reach her goals, but she knew if she pushed hard enough, she would find a way. Myers was a single mom of five when she returned to Virginia in 2014. She had been out of work for 15 years at that point, and was living with her parents. That is when she decided to called Attorney Joe Wolfe to ask if she could work for him again. Shasta had worked for his law office once before in the ‘90’s doing data entry when she was going to school for nursing. This time, instead of doing data entry, she handled depositions for about six months. However, childcare became an issue for her, and she, once again, had to leave the law office. In January of 2016, Shasta found herself back in his law office seeking employment. This time she was hired as a paralegal. Wolfe told her, “Go back to school!” Myers responded by saying, “I am all in!” Shasta began attending Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. There she took two paralegal

courses, one in real estate and the other in family law. She also took a tour of the Appalachian School of Law in Grundy, Virginia. She remembers telling herself, “I do not know how to get there, but I am going to make it happen.” After touring the Appalachian School of Law, she was unsure of what to do next. All her general studies were completed at Mountain Empire Community College, but she did not have a degree because she took courses in several different programs. “My advisor said my closest degree would be an associate degree in general studies. I left Joe Wolfe in June 2016 to go to school full-time at Mountain Empire Community College.” In December 2016, Shasta moved her family to Big Stone Gap, Virginia. At this point, she knew that she wanted to practice family law and specialize in it. She just had to finish her undergraduate degree. She earned her associate degree in arts and sciences in August 2017, and gained admission to Bluefield College in October 2017. The following year she started looking

into law school and realized the logistics of traveling to Grundy, Virginia, and the Monday-Friday classes the Appalachian School of Law requires of their first-year students. “With classes from 8 a.m. until 3 or 4 p.m. who would pick up my kids and bring them home from school?” Myers started researching the Law Reader Program and the Virginia Board Bar Examination as well as online schools. There were several online legal programs, but none were accredited by the American Bar Association. “I have learned there is a way for everything,” said Myers. “You just have to find it.” Virginia is one of only a few states that allow you to work under a practicing attorney and obtain a law degree without going to law school through a program called the Law Reader Program. She recalled Attorney Roger Rutherford went through the Law Reader Program, so she started searching for a supervisory attorney. “I found an attorney in Big Stone Gap,

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Virginia, named Greg Callen. His website said he supervised another attorney, Julie Hensley, who was now his partner. They also have an office in Gate City called Callen and Hensley.” “Melanie Salyer also completed the Law Reader Program under Ron Elkins, a former Commonwealth of Virginia attorney, who is now a judge. She now has her own office,” Myers said. For the next four to five months, Shasta approached Callen in his office to see if he would supervise her if she were accepted into the Law Reader Program. “He did not say no. He just said, ‘I will consider it.’ I kept following up and handing him my Bluefield College transcripts and finally got the no.” She received the “no” from Callen in October 2018. “I had a 4.0 that semester with a cumulative grade point average of 3.7. I was also inducted into the Alpha Chi Honor Society that semester,” recalled Myers. Determined to find a way to find a supervising attorney for the Law Reader Program, Shasta set out making her own “Law Reader packets” to approach attorneys.

“The Virginia Bar Association has rules for the Law Reader program, so I based my packets off of those. I put papers I wrote, my resume, and a cover letter in each one and attempted to make appointments with attorneys.” However, per the rules of the Law Reader program, Shasta had to find an attorney with ten years of practice. “I had received what felt like a million rejections, and I prayed, please direct me, God. I was very discouraged, so I began to look at the course progression at Bluefield College to see if I could find a fallback plan after completing my bachelor’s degree in Human Services. I was four courses away from a psychology degree.” “My inner voice thought there is no way you can let this go right now. I felt empty thinking I might not to be able to do the Law Reader Program.” In late October 2018, she walked her packet into the office of Attorney Adrian Collins in Wise, Virginia, after calling to make an appointment. “His office was 10-15 minutes from my house, and he was very interested. We made a second appointment, and he agreed to do it. It was God’s timing. So here we are…,” said Myers.

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Now that Collins had agreed to serve as Shasta’s supervising attorney there was more work to be completed. The Virginia Law Reader Rules and Regulations require that every applicant furnishes satisfactory proof that they are a person of honest demeanor and good moral character. This is to ensure applicants are fit to practice law. To meet another requirement of the program, Myers had to successfully complete her undergraduate degree. She checked that off of the list on May 4, 2019, when she walked across the stage at Bluefield College earning a bachelor’s degree in Human Services. After hearing many people tell her no, a letter came in the mail for Shasta Myers on June 2, 2019, from the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners. The letter began with “You have been ACCEPTED...” Myers is now officially a Virginia Law Reader. Myers will practice under Attorney Collins for three calendar years for a minimum of 25 hours a week. Eighteen of those hours must be within the confines of the law office. Collins will provide her with examinations and give her personal supervision for at least three hours a week. It will be his responsibility to supervise and guide her education. Her next stop will be the Virginia Bar exam in three years. “It’s going to be super hard, but I’m so ready to give it my all,” Myers said.

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outcomes

always there for me. My favorite classes at Bluefield College were criminal justice classes by far,” said Martin. When asked about juggling academics and athletics during college Martin said, “It seems overwhelming but if you look at the big picture it’s worth it. You have to look past the small stuff and the stress of the day-to-day stuff of college and look 5 years down the road.” With the help of his professors, Alex enrolled in the Southwest Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy during his senior year at Bluefield College. “My first day was January 14, 2019. I had a few buddies that went to the academy and that’s how I learned about it. My advisors also told me about it. I’m the only one there this year from our program at Bluefield College. There are 35 in our class and only three (including me) are pre-employment,” said Martin. Alex graduated from Bluefield College’s criminal justice program with academic honors and an overall grade point average of 3.4 on May 4, 2019. On May 30, 2019, he graduated from the Southwest Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy after completing 20 weeks of training. “I’d like to work in local law enforcement for a while and then move myself up to the federal level. I’d like to eventually get my master’s degree in homeland security,” said Martin. Right away Alex Martin was offered multiple job offers. He is currently a full- time employee at Salem Police Department in Salem, Virginia. From BC Grad to OFFICER

A lex Tristan Martin, of Dobson, North Carolina, was recruited to play football at Bluefield College. “I was coached by Coach Walker and Coach Mingo and then by Coach Kaklis and Coach Lusk. I made special teams my first year at Bluefield College and also rushed for 250 yards as a freshman and took a starting spot.” Martin wants people to know that athletes at Bluefield College work hard both on and off the field. “A whole lot of people might think that football players here get special treatment but at Bluefield, we don’t get that at all. We have 5 a.m. workouts and 8 a.m. classes and the coaches are always looking at our grades.” It is evident that Alex worked hard on the football field. He received several NAIA Mid-South Conference awards. For the 2018-2019 and 2017-2018 academic years, he received Academic All Mid-South Conference. He received an NAIA Mid-South Conference Award during the 2016-2017 school year for All Mid- South Conference East Division, 1st team. In 2016, he received an NCCAA Award for Second Team Offense. He tied the touchdown record at Bluefield College during his senior year. When it came to finding love, Martin also found that at Bluefield College. “I met my girlfriend, Paige Fisher, at Bluefield College. She was a freshman and I was a sophomore. We met at a camp for football and volleyball.” Alex decided on the criminal justice program. “I always wanted to help people. I was told that Bluefield College had a great criminal justice program. Dr. Farmer and Dr. Walls do a great job and were

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college news

Bluefield College Pre-Law Students Visit Appalachian School of Law

Bluefield College Alumna Thriving in Criminal Justice Not only has Tatiana Dronsick graduated from Bluefield College, but she has also graduated from New River Criminal Justice Training Academy and has since been working as an officer at Radford University Police Station. Dronsick graduated from Bluefield in May 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. She continued her studies at New River Criminal Justice Training Academy in Dublin, Virginia, where she later graduated on December 10, 2018. Dr. Kim Farmer, professor and chair of the department of criminal justice, and Dr. Kelly Walls, associate professor of criminal justice, both attended Dronsick’s graduation last December.

On Thursday, March 14, 2019, four Bluefield College pre-law students and Dr. Kim Farmer, professor and chair of the department of criminal justice, visited the Appalachian School of Law (ASL) in Grundy, Virginia. These students were Adrina Brown Duncan, Autumn Williby, Khadijah Law, and Ryan Franceschina. They spent their day touring the school while visiting current law students. They were even able to sit in on a first-year law school class in Contract Law. “Some of our pre-law students are thinking about attending ASL. We are so blessed to have a law school so close that partners with us,” said Dr. Kim Farmer. An agreement between Bluefield College and the ASL allows students to finish their senior year at ASL and have one year of law school completed when they graduate from Bluefield College.

BC Professor Appointed to Commissioner’s Special Advisory Council on Health Disparity & Health Equity Bluefield College Professor of Psychology, Chair of Human Services, and Director of Early Childhood Education, Bonny Dillon, is serving the state of Virginia on the Commissioner’s Advisory Council on Health Disparity and Health Equity (ACHDHE).

“I learn about their programs and resources and how they can connect with their students and then I bring that back to Bluefield College. Then our students can share that information in their communities for their benefit.” Dillion brings several areas of expertise to the board - clergy, academic training, and mental health background. Out of 19 individuals, Dillion is the only member from Southwest Virginia serving on the board. This is a four-year appointment and Dillon’s first year. Dillon discussed her role on the committee saying, “The purpose is to be a resource for the community and learn from the community. I learn about programs across the state as well as health issues the state is facing.” Dillion is joined by other health professionals from Norfolk State University, Eastern Virginia Medical School, the College of William and Mary, Virginia Commonwealth University, and directors of various departments, including the Office of Health Equity in the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities. “Bluefield College is an emerging source for health and wellbeing, and I’m delighted to serve the College in this capacity,” said Dillion.

BC Students Help Out Blessings in a Backpack Bluefield College’s third core education class, Civic & Global Response, encourages students to find a role in serving their community. On January 15, four Bluefield students joined with their professor and did just that. Students Nicky Dronsick, Melissa Denson, Jordyn O’ Saben, Gabrielle Reed, and professor Dr. Cindy Bascom volunteered at Trinity United Methodist Church in Bluefield, West Virginia, packing food for Blessings in a Backpack. The Blessings in a Backpack organization has fed over 87,300 children in 1,092 schools in 45 states. Denson, O’ Saben, Reed, and Bascom packed 700 bags of food, contributing to the overall group’s 2,800 bags in under two hours. “When my students and I walked into the church basement to help pack food, we were astonished! There were at least 50 volunteers passionately packing up food that was piled two to three feet high on row after row of tables. It looked chaotic, but we quickly realized it was a highly organized assembly. I’m so thankful my students and I had the chance to help. It does a heart good to volunteer, play a part in a community effort, and have some fun,” said Bascom.

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