Spire Spring 2018

alumni

(Viewers’ Choice Award), and Emily Carlisle (Best of Show Award). Day two of Homecoming concluded with Rams football as nearly 3,000 fans watched BC win its fourth game in a row and improve its conference record to 3-0 and its overall record to 5-3 with a 22-10 Homecoming win over Mid-South Conference foe University of the Cumberlands. The Rams went on to finish the year with a 6-5 win-loss record – more wins than the total number of collective wins for the program since reviving football in 2012 and the most wins in a season since 1935, just six years before the school quit playing football after its 1941 season. “It feels awesome! It almost feels surreal to get consecutive wins like this,” said BC junior quarterback Cason Whitt, who had been a part of two straight 1-10 seasons. “Coach (Dewey Lusk) is putting us in the position to succeed, and we are just doing our job.” Fans began the football festivities with tailgating prior to the game. Those serious about their tailgating took part in the Fifth Annual Tailgate Challenge. The winner of this year’s coveted Tailgate Champion banner and a $50 Walmart gift card: Hinkley’s Ram Famatics, spearheaded by the family of Ram football player Michael Hinkley. The 2017 Homecoming Court was recognized at halftime of the game, and fans enjoyed a fireworks show after the game. The overall three-day Homecoming weekend concluded with a Campus/Community Worship Service, led by Highlands Fellowship and followed with a special Sunday lunch. The Homecoming festivities also included a Scholarship Challenge and a Scholarship Auction. The silent auction, which ran throughout the weekend, generated nearly $6,000 in scholarship funds for BC students, thanks to a host of valuable items donated by BC grads and the generosity of alumni and friends who bid on the goods. The Scholarship Challenge, which was part of a Homecoming Convocation earlier in the week, pitted students against one another in a football throwing accuracy contest for scholarship dollars. Sharon Cobbler won the $1,000 first place scholarship, and Tanaka Rushwaya won the $500 second place award, all as a result of alumni and friends who gave generously to the 2017 Homecoming Scholarship Challenge to provide the gifts. Alumnus Howard Mayo (’88) and student Marcus Espinal shared convocation messages. “This is a special place,” said 1954 alumnus Farley Wolford, the oldest BC grad attending Homecoming who traveled all the way from Morganton, Georgia. “I grew up here (in Bluefield, Virginia), went to Graham High School, and met the young lady that became my wife here (at Bluefield College). This place has a lot of meaning to me.”

Erin Johnson DeHart (‘03), Young Alumna of the Year

Alumni Director Josh Grubb (right) presents a $1,000 check to BC student Sharon Cobbler, winner of the 2017 Homecoming Scholarship Challenge.

Jeremy Hardy (’08), Primitivio Delgado Christian Service Award

One of the marquee events of day two was the Alumni Awards Luncheon where five distinguished Bluefield College grads were recognized for their success, service and support of the BC vision and mission, including Erin Johnson DeHart (‘03), a judge for Virginia’s 27th Judicial District Court, who was named Young Alumna of the Year; Jeremy Hardy (’08), executive director of the outreach ministry Vigilant Hope, who received the Primitivio Delgado Christian Service Award; Rev. Roger Roller (’81), founder and director of the Roger Roller Evangelistic Association, who was named Alumnus of the Year; and David Kessler (’85), founder and head coach of the Atlanta Show, a minor league professional basketball team, and Omar “Juice” Reed (’10), a professional basketball player in the Dominican Republic, who were inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame. “This is a real honor,” said Roller about his award. “I feel like I stand on the shoulders of a lot of good people. Bluefield was good to me. I’m grateful for what the school has done for me.” During a separate alumni awards ceremony, the BC School of Education presented its first ever Goodness and Light Alumni Award, named in honor of former School of Education dean Dr. Donna Watson (’80), who always challenged her students to “spread goodness and light” in their roles as teachers, and designed to recognize teacher education graduates who are “doing great things in our schools and classrooms.” The winner of the inaugural Goodness and Light Award was Hannah Spicer Owens (’13), an English teacher at Narrows High School in Virginia. Later in day two, students were recognized for their creativity in a #new2BC Photo Contest Gala. New BC students transitioning to campus this past August were invited to capture their experiences with photos. Those photos were on display during Homecoming, and the most outstanding pics and their photographers were recognized during the gala: Lindsey Brown, Ashley Young, Christopher Short

Rev. Roger Roller (’81), Alumnus of the Year

David Kessler (’85), Sports Hall of Fame

Omar “Juice” Reed (’10), Sports Hall of Fame

Hannah Spicer Owens (’13), Goodness and Light Alumni Award

Homecoming 2018 has been set for November 2-4.

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