Spire Spring 2017

college news

The BC Board of Trustees gathered, April 21, for its annual spring meetings, and during the two-day session the group discussed the feasibility of a new capital campaign, named Gordon Grimes (‘94) chair of the Board, elected new trustee David Kirk (‘90), re-elected trustees Mike Harris (‘97) and Chris Lawson (‘01), approved faculty promotions for Charles Reese and Dr. Irene Rieger, and approved a preliminary budget for 2017-’18, which included new funds for cyber security faculty, wrestling and lacrosse coaches, and campus upgrades. During a fall 2016 session, the Board elected new trustee Terri Cole (’85) and recognized the longtime service of outgoing trustees Dr. David Bailey (‘60) and Becky Beckett (both pictured).

It’s a tradition like none other. It’s Bluefield College’s Mug Pig Day, and for the 39th year in a row, BC students took time out from classes and books to unwind and relax as they celebrated the culmination of another academic year, April 27, with the time-honored activities of Mud Pig Day. This year’s event featured the ever-popular mud pit, the greasy waterslide (pictured), inflatable games, a mechanical bull, corn hole, a barbecue picnic, a lip sync competition, a bonfire, and another year of unforgettable memories for students. View dozens of photos from Mud Pig Day at bluefield.edu/mudpigday17 .

During a press conference on campus in January, the college welcomed Dewey Lusk as its new head football coach, the school’s 10th coach overall and third since reviving the football program in 2012. Lusk comes to Bluefield from Webber International University in Florida where he served as offensive coordinator. From 2011 to 2015, he was head coach at the University of Virginia at Wise after serving the Cavaliers for five years as offensive coordinator. He also served as an offensive coordinator for 14 years at Emory and Henry College. Learn more about Coach Lusk at bluefield.edu/coachlusk .

For several weeks in March and April, 17 current Bluefield College students telephoned more than 3,000 former BC students soliciting gifts for the BC Fund for Scholarships, and as a result of their efforts nearly 350 alumni gave nearly $36,000 in gifts and pledges to the school’s 2017 Phonathon, a vital source of financial aid for BC students. If you missed the opportunity to give to this year’s Phonathon, you can still contribute to help the college not only grow the BC Fund for Scholarships, but also increase its alumni giving rate from a year ago. Give now at bluefield.edu/phonathon17 .

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