Spire Spring 2017

dozens of donated items. Under the direction of local auctioneer Eric Crawford of Twin City Auctions, alumni and friends offered up live bids and purchased vacations, arts and crafts, retail gifts, restaurant giveaways, sports memorabilia, tickets to performing arts and sporting events, passes to outdoor excursions, and other quality merchandise to the tune of $8,300 – all for the BC Fund for Scholarships. After the auction, alumni took part in campus tours, some seeing for the first time BC’s new Bluestone Commons apartment complex and a recently renovated Harman Chapel, among other facilities. Later in the day, alumni made their way to Mitchell Stadium for tailgating and Rams football, a new mainstay event for Homecoming. The tailgating fun included music, cornhole, food and, of course, the Fourth Annual Homecoming Tailgate Challenge, sponsored by Walmart of Bluefield. The winner of this year’s coveted championship banner as the best Homecoming tailgate: BC’s Christian Studies Department. After tailgating, alumni and friends watched the Rams football team secure a Homecoming victory, 21-7, over Cincinnati Christian University. During the game, current BC students crowned the 2016 Homecoming Court. Seniors Whitney Browning of Bluefield, West Virginia, and Gabe Spencer of Riner, Virginia, were selected by BC students as Homecoming Queen and King, respectively. Students also chose Jacquelyn Chick as Junior Princess, Kyle Findlay as Junior Prince, Ally Carter as Sophomore Princess, Dagoberto De Jesus Acevedo as Sophomore Prince, Sarah Westfall as Freshman Princess, and Andre Cardamone as Freshman Prince. During the evening of day two, alumni and friends took part in the annual Alumni Awards Dinner where five of BC’s most distinguished graduates were honored with alumni awards, including Rev. Rodney Hale (’60) of Richmond, Virginia, who received the Primitivo Delgado Christian Service Award; Sheriff Brian Hieatt (’99) of Tazewell, Virginia, who was named Alumnus of the Year; Justin

Rev. Rodney Hale (’60):

Primitivo Delgado Christian Service Award.

Sheriff Brian Hieatt (’99): Alumnus of the Year.

Justin Hamm (’01): Young Alumnus of the Year.

Fred Phillips (’88): Athletic Hall of Fame.

Rev. Jack Marcom (’62): Hall of Distinguished Graduates.

Top: Members of the Bluefield College Christian Studies Department, winners of the Homecoming Tailgate Challenge. Bottom: Homecoming Queen Whitney Browning (left) and Homecoming King Gabe Spencer.

Hamm (’01) of Bluefield, West Virginia, who was named Young Alumnus of the Year; Fred Phillips (’88) of Richlands, Virginia, who was inducted into the BC Athletic Hall of Fame; and Rev. Jack Marcom (’62) of Fredericksburg, Virginia, who was inducted into the BC Hall of Distinguished Graduates. Day two finished with a fireworks show and the traditional Homecoming Dance where winners of the Homecoming Court were recognized again. The overall three- day Homecoming weekend concluded with a Campus/Community Worship Service, featuring music and worship provided by the newly planted campus

church, Highlands Fellowship. A special Sunday lunch followed worship in the BC dining hall. Homecoming 2017 has been set for the weekend of October 21 (see pages 26-27).

For more detailed coverage of Homecoming 2016, including dozens of photos, visit bluefield.edu/homecoming.

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