The Rampage Dec 2019

ISSUE No. 3 | December 2019

Bluefield College Student Newspaper

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Featured Stories

What Faith Pike’s All About

Student Art Gallery

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The Rampage

Table of Contents

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Opinions

Student Spotlights

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Stories

Artwork

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Sports

Faculty Features

The Rampage Student Newspaper © Bluefield College. Magazine design by Ben Ayers. Sponsor ads by Clara Blevins. Front cover, back cover, sectional, and supplemental illustrations © Ben Ayers. Magazine printed by Wordsprint. Special thanks to Professor Chris Shoemaker and Dr. Cynthia Bascom for their incredible help to make our student newspaper possible and giving us students the freedom to have a voice.

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ClaraBlevins asks...

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After the recent reveal of the new Student Activities Center (SAC), we asked students, “ What do you think of the SAC renovations, and what is your favorite change? ”

The Truthabout BC’s Boys’ Dorms

I love the new SAC! My favorite thing that they did was adding the swings for seats at one of the tables. I would give it 4.5 (of 5) stars. I love everything. The only thing I would add are some big area rugs in front of the couch areas and pillows on the couches and chairs.

by Aynae Simmons Communication • 2021

Bluefield College junior Aynae Simmons shares her thoughts about the condition of BC’s men’s residence halls. Editor’s Note

Nicky Dronsick , Art

It looks really nice. It’s like a nice cafe. It isn’t much of an activity center, but it does look cool.

There’s a lot of false advertisement going on between prospective students and this campus, especially with males. When they come on Bluefield’s campus, the future students are given a tour that takes them throughout Bluefield College. The problem with this tour is that students are only shown the highlights of this campus: Bluestone Commons, third floor Science Center, and parts of Lansdell Hall. Oh, but don’t worry because the SAC will be at the top of the touring list. But, the one that probably sells them the most is East River. Boys are shown a girl’s dorm that they may never set foot in unless it’s for visitation, and there’s a showroom that all prospective students are shown. Now, I get showing it to girls because that’s where they’re going to live. But boys? That’s misleading. Boys need to be shown where they’re going to live. So, that means to show them Rish, Cruise, and Alumni. If it’s too embarrassing to show, then that should tell you something about the buildings. The boys’ dorms (Cruise, Rish, and Alumni) are prob- ably the worst of the buildings on campus. A friend of mine said it’s, “a cleaner version of a jail cell.” So there’s that. You have Alumni, which looks like (and probably was) an abandoned motel. From what I know, there’s no A/C—just (over) heating. So, is it possi- ble for residence life to start by putting A/C units in the dorms so boys can at least be comfortable all school year? Now, take a look at their bathrooms, and there is so much mold and mildew. They think that the tiles should be black, yet with all of this uncleanliness, that’s going untouched. So, what happens in the summer while traditional students are away? I don’t think anyone cleans it because if they did, these wouldn’t be the problems we would be having. There’s so much to unpack about the boys’ dorms that it would take up at least three pages. There needs to be some real in-depth conversation and money management about renovating their dorms. Maybe instead of renovating the SAC, they could’ve put some money toward A/C units or professionally cleaning Cruise, Rish, and Alumni.

Carleek Owens , Theatre

Emily Carlisle Communication and Graphic Communication I like how there is more seating with tables. It feels like a space I could do homework in. One thing I don’t like is the stark contrast between the black and white on the walls. I would like to see some warmer colors, like a beige. It feels empty. There needs to be more personality on the walls, maybe some student artwork. I like the changes, but it feels like the renovations are more for looks than for function; one example being the sofas having no coffee tables.

Kaitlin Rife , Art Education I like the swings. I am not a fan of the industrial feel of the chairs, tables, and the space of the room. Needs more food. When you walk in, I want to fill my stomach up instead of being hungry.

The SAC is a beautiful new addition to campus life. I hope the students respect it and treat it for what it is worth. There are a few bumps to iron out as I saw some leaks or drips from where they removed the drop ceiling, but overall, it took what was a 90s rundown rec. room and turned it into a sophisticated young adult lounge. However, one would hope the same attention to detail would be used when handling student accounts or even living areas, AKA dorms.

Randy Rombow , Christian Studies

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Tragedy Builds Self-esteem for BC’s

Ch arnice White

by Jakobi Montgomery Graphic Communication • 2021

“ C harnice White, a sports medicine and biology major at Bluefield College, has overcome many challenges throughout the course of her life. But one in particular changed her life. “At the age of four I had a tragic accident,” said White, “that led me to being in a wheelchair for a year.” The experience, she said, developed in her a desire to become a doctor so that she could help others like she had been helped. From that point on she approached life in a different way. When she was in high school White worked as an emergency medical technician (EMT). “It was an exciting experience!” said White about the opportunity to serve as an EMT. “The accident changed my life because it led me on the path of wanting to become a doctor.” White said she chose Bluefield College to begin her education to become a doctor because BC seemed like “a good fit.” “The one thing I enjoy the most about Bluefield College is the fact that how small it is,” White said. “It doesn’t make me feel overwhelmed.” White said she also enjoys being involved in Charnice White I want to be a doctor to help others in a way that doctors don’t normally do. My whole life I took joy in helping people.

extracurricular activities on campus. She works for the Student Development Office, where she helps with activities and events for Bluefield College. She is also a tele-counselor for the BC Admissions Office, where she contacts prospective students to give them helpful information about the college. Although White isn’t quite where she wants to be someday, she says that life is “funny” when it comes to timing. She doesn’t know what medical school she wants to attend, but says she will attend one for sure. She said she also believes that when the time is right, God will lead her to the right school so she can fulfill her dreams to inspire other young people who want to be doctors.

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Kaitlin Rife

Katie Kendrick

CharniceWhite

hat The Rampage Student Spotlights 8

by Kaleigh Compton

Communication • 2020

B luefield College senior Faith Pike is taking her God-given gifts to help better those around her. Pike commutes to BC from Tazewell, Virginia, where she was born and raised. After complet- ing two years at Southwest Virginia Community College, she transferred to BC beginning her jour- ney here in the fall of 2018. Coming to BC was a “pretty easy decision” for Pike considering she was already familiar with the campus due to her sister being an alumna and her friends already attending. But she said the campus community and family atmosphere is what really drew her to Bluefield. Pike double-majors in graphic communication and art and design. She originally just started with art, but her passion for graphic design heightened after taking a few classes at the college. “My passion for art and design itself started at a super young age and kind of just grew from there,” said Pike. “Art was always my thing in school, and it was what I gravitated toward.” She mentioned how design is way more than just a hobby for her. She loves being able to help others find their vision and their brand identity, especially within their small business. “Being able to use my skills and talents to further other people is a really big ‘why’ for me,” she said.

@laurenfaithdesign

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ll About

Every Friday at 10 a.m. in East River Hall’s lobby, Pike leads a Bluefield College women’s Bible study titled “Flourish.” She wrote and designed “Flourish” because she wanted to “create a resource for girls that could better help them get a grasp on their identity in Christ, to flourish in their relationships, and most importantly in their relationship with God.” Her hope for the study overall is that every- one would grow and learn together as a whole. Pike has also created her own small business called Lauren Faith Design. Lauren Faith Design is a small business where she gets commissioned to create designs and art in order to help others with their specific wants and needs. “I have the desire to have a space where I have tools and resources for other people whether it be branding, logo design, or just my artwork in gen- eral,” said Pike. “I know I’m just starting out with it and it’s really small, but I have learned not to despise the day of small beginnings.” Pike said she also really enjoys helping others with their weddings. In fact, over the summer she did a big commission for a wedding where she used her talents to make someone else’s big day even more special. She mentioned how she has designed invi- tations for three different weddings. She uses soft- ware like Adobe Illustrator for branding and logo designs, but uses hand lettering for invitations. Some of Pike’s graphic designs have also been fea- tured on the Bluefield College clocktower near the Dome Gymnasium. “I have a current internship working in the Advancement (Office),” said Pike. “(I’m) basically doing stuff for the college as far as different proj- ects, promoting different things on social media, making announcements for the clock tower, flyers, etc. I really enjoy working with them.”

Even though Pike admits her nature is to be a “per- fectionist,” she said she is learning to lean into the process because life comes in stages. “I’ve been learning through this past year and right now just to take it one step at a time.” She added that she is especially leaning into the process with her relationship with God. “My relationship with God has grown in so many new ways over the past year and a half,” she said, “and it has been really beautiful to cultivate deeper trust with Him and my college experience. It has been a sweet season.” Before graduating in May 2020, Pike hopes to take a missions trip with the college to Ecuador. “I have always had a desire to go on a missions trip,” she said. “Whenever the school said they were taking the trip again (to Ecuador and now Spain also as an option) my heart was just tug- ging toward Ecuador because I also love kids. Just being able to go and spend time with them, pour into them, and see what Jesus is doing there would be really awesome.” Walter Shroyer, professor and chair of the BC Art Department, said “Faith is an excellent student who not only works hard but is a very talented artist. She has a unique sensitivity when painting landscape.” Pike recently presented her Senior Art Show, titled “Reminiscent,” at the Bea Paine Gallery in the Bluefield (WV) Arts and Crafts Center. Pike’s advice to her fellow classmates and to the campus community is to “learn more about your- self and about God.” “Just discovering those things,” she said, “and investing time in yourself and others is a biggie.”

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Pedde Shares Vision for Campus Worship by Faith Pike Graphic Communication • 2020

Dave Pedde, Director of BC’s Center for theWorship Arts

Dave Pedde, director of Bluefield College’s Center for the Worship Arts, came to BC with a vision and passion for cultivating worship on campus. Along with this passion, Pedde brought many skills andwisdomfromyears of experience and personal growth for the program and the college community. Prior to coming to the college, Pedde served as a worship director at North Central University. He also developed a two-year worship and discipleship training program called Sanctus School for Worshipers , and he also composed and produced music. Yet, worship-leading for Pedde is more than just a vocation. It is a way of life. “Worship is relationship with Christ,” he said. “It’s relationship with the Trinity, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It’s beingwith Himand responding appropriately. It’s being in Christ, not just singing songs or playing music, but a life lived out with Him 168 hours a week.”

“Worship,” Pedde explained, “is getting together and remembering who God is and who we are. That’s the family of God. We get together and remind ourselves and each other how valuable we are because Christ died for us.” When discussing chapel worship, Pedde voiced that his focus is each individual encountering God and His presence, united together in love. He desires that each person would deeply know they are loved and sought after by God. “The main goal is for every single person to have a meeting with God,” Pedde said. “Everything we do, we are trying to intentionally do so that can happen — that every person will encounter God. And the best way we will is if each of us will love the other.” Several worship team members, including Mason West and Amaya Brooks, expressed their agreement with this vision and discussed their own hearts toward worship. “To me, there is something powerful about chapel services where we can lift His name up together and make the central focus of our lives and college experience about Jesus,” West said. “My desire is to see a community of focused worship (and worshipers) on this campus, continually, in which a constant dialogue with God is happening in everything we do, acknowledging His presence from the classroom to the chapel itself, seeing how He can move in our everyday lives and situations when we turn our hearts toward Him.”

Starting in 2018, Pedde developed the worship arts program with that in mind. He has built a team whose focus is glorifying God and serving the student body. For Pedde, building the worship team is more than just developing their musical skills. He doesn’t just focus on growing their talents but focuses on the nurturing of their faith, health, and overall personal well-being. Pedde meets weekly with them to mentor and pour into their hearts and lives. Pedde not only hopes that the team would grow together in worship, but desires the same for the whole student body, faculty, and staff. He views worship as a family gathering, meeting together with God and each other.

Brooks said she strives to share God’s lovewith others through daily acts of obedience. She said her heart is “simply just to love on Jesus through (her) lifestyle.” Worship, she added, is just one way she can do that and one way she can show who God is to others.

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••• “My hope for campus worship is to simply get people introduced to who [God] is,” she said. “We just want to introduce and re-introduce a loving God to people. So many of us are hurting and desperately trying to find a way out of our hopelessness, and we want to tell everyone that this is it.” As the team progresses and grows, Pedde hopes that the worship arts program can serve as a resource to surrounding communities, serving local churches and youth groups. Pedde’s main vision moving forward in cultivating campus worship is rooted in love.

“My main hope moving forward is that every person recognize so much that they are loved by God,” said Pedde, “and that our worship then would be a celebration of that fact. Imagine this campus full of people responding to the fact that they are loved by God. That’s heaven.”

Continue the Conversation Pedde welcomes conversation with anyone who would want to discuss worship. He encourages those who have questions to reach out to him.

dave.pedde@bluefield.edu

BC Approves Armed Campus Safety Officers by Carly Bailey Communication • 2020

Bluefield College has approved a new policy that will soon allow its campus safety officers to carry firearms to better ensure safety on the BC campus. In response to the increasing number of school shootings in recent years and out of a desire to better protect Bluefield College students in the event of an active shooter incident on campus, the BC Board of Trustees recently passed a resolution that will allow its full-time campus safety officers to be armed while on duty. The new policy stipulates that armed officers must first be certified as a Special Conservator of the Peace. Under Virginia Code 19-2-13, Special Conservators of the Peace have the same powers and authority, including being armed within a specific geographic limitation, as any other conservator of the peace or law enforcement officer. BC’s Gary Ruth, director of campus safety, has spent a total of 32 years in law enforcement, including four years at BC, 22 years as a police officer for the City of Bluefield (WV), two years as a corrections officer for Mercer County (WV), and four years in the United States Marine Corps. He said he has spent his life in law enforcement because it has always been his calling. The job at Bluefield College, he said, opened not long after he had retired. He said he believes it was God’s plan for him. He also said he believes having armed campus safety officers on campus can save lives.

“Trained armed security is a must today, where active shooter tragedies take place almost every week,” Ruth said. “It has been proven that seconds save lives in an active shooter response. Having someone armed on campus so they could respond faster than the local police can save lives.” Ruth’s goal as a security officer is to maintain the safety of all property and persons on the BC campus. He said that he takes his job seriously. The safety of the entire BC campus and the people on it are his top priority. “I believe that it is better to be prepared and not have the training than to have an active shooter incident take place and not be prepared,” he said. “Having the proper weapons will provide a more secure campus for everyone in the case of anyone wanting to gravely injure another person on campus.” The new policy is a Use of Force Policy. Full time officers will become certified armed security officers once they complete the required training. No specific date has been set as to when officers will be armed; although, training has been set for late November. Bluefield College student Haley Davis says she thinks the new policy for armed campus safety officers is a good idea. “I think it would be great to have armed officers on campus as long as they are trained to do so,” Davis said. “Having armed officers would make it feel like a (safer) environment for the staff and students.”

Gary Ruth

BC student Jordan Gonzalez agreed, saying he believes there is a need as long as the campus safety officers are trained to use the weapons. “I feel that it would be okay for them to be armed,” he said. “Hopefully they won’t have to use the firearms, but in case something does happen, they need to be prepared. The perfect example is the crazy guy who killed a cop last year. What if he would have been on campus? Then no one would be able to protect us (the people on campus).”

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BC Theatre to Present

Cast

by Clara Blevins

Graphic Communication • 2021

Bluefield Youth Theatre and the Bluefield College Theatre Department will present The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical in Harman Auditorium on December 13-14 at 7:30 p.m., as well as Sunday, December 15 at 3 p.m. “[It] is a wonderful, family Christmas event that tells not only the story of six juvenile delinquents being changed by the story of Christmas, (but) also the story of a relatively straight-laced, stuffy church being changed by learning to love six juvenile delinquents,” said Charles Reese, co-director of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical . “It’s funny, sweet, and moving.” In 2007, Bluefield Youth Theatre presented its debut performance with The Best Christmas Pageant Ever . Now, 12 years later, Bluefield Youth Theatre and BC’s Theatre Department present a new musical version of this Christmas family favorite. “Four of the college students participating in this year’s production of the musical script were involved in that (original) production and have grown up participating with the Youth Theatre company,” Reese added. “The story of the Herdmans might be nearly 50 years old this year,” Reese said, “but this new musical adaptation breathes new life into the story.” The new musical version of the story, created by the husband-and-wife team of Jahnna Beacham and Malcolm Hillgartener, features 15 delightful new songs and all the hijinks of Barbara Robinson’s play. Public performance tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior adults. For more information about production dates and times, contact the Bluefield College Theatre Department at 276.326.4244 or creese@bluefield.edu .

Isabela Deel as Imogene Herdman Connor Miller as Ralph Herdman Calvin Dowell as Leroy Herdman Cannon Smith as Claude Herdman Finn Smith as Ollie Herdman Joselyn Pruitt as Gladys Herdman Ashley Burton as Grace Bradley Mary Jones as Helen Armstrong Luke Saferight as Bob Bradley Rachel White as Beth Bradley Elias Stout as Charlie Bradley Brian Fisher as Reverend Hopkins Alexis Leedy as Alice Wendelken Chloe Bowers as Pageant Narrator Ivy

Other Actors Blair Anderson Gavin Bolton Caleb Cumbow Olivia Deel Hayleigh Fitzpatrick Alan Rieger Margaret Rieger

Parker Sheets Callie Wilkerson Nina Hairston Sarah Minnix Trinity Sims Alexandra Stout Kimberly Turner

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State Looks at Improving

College Avenue

by Axel Johansson

Graphic Communication • 2022

T he Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is looking to increase the safety and mobility of College Avenue. To do this, VDOT is seeking input from people who use the road daily. For example, VDOT recently hosted a public forum allowing residents to provide feedback. They hope the comments will help them determine what the community thinks the road needs, what issues the road has, and what opportunities there are to improve the road. Another way local residents can provide feedback is through a survey posted on the VDOT website that allows citizens to share their thoughts about the project. The survey asks how often residents use the road, why they use it, and other questions that will help VDOT understand what the biggest problem areas may be. Michelle Earl, VDOTs communication manager for the 12-county Bristol District, said they can’t know what changes are going to be made at this point since they are still waiting for survey results. “At the public meeting we held last month, we showed the issues we see in this area based on the data we have,” Earl said, “but we wanted feedback from those who travel in the area regularly/daily.” Two Bluefield College students talked about the project and what they thought would be good improvements. Bluefield College student Gabriel Blakman shared his thoughts about the project and what he thinks would be good improvements. Blakman said that the traffic flow is high during lunch and dinner, which means that it becomes dangerous to walk on College Avenue since the sidewalk doesn’t extend to all the restaurants and stores on the road. “They need to connect that small sidewalk and at least make it go all the way to the bottom of the hill,” Blakman said. Elias Garcia said that the traffic gets way too high during certain times of the day, which makes it hard to enter College Avenue, especially at the intersection of Stadium Drive and College Avenue near the Dome Gymnasium. Garcia said he thinks that maybe some sort of roundabout would make it easier to enter the road there. Students, faculty and staff interested in completing the survey should visit the VDOT website or contact Ruth Blankenship, BC’s vice president for administration, by email at rblankenship@bluefield.edu .

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FromMissions to Admissions by Faith Pike Graphic Communication • 2020

N ewly hired Bluefield College admissions counselor Ian Monaghan, along with his wife, Faith, recently spent 10 months on the mission field prior to coming to Bluefield. Monaghan was raised in Baltimore, Ohio, graduating from Liberty Union High School. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from Ohio Christian University where he majored in Christian Ministry. The desire to do mission work, Monaghan said, was inspired by his youth pastor, Joel Guinen, who served as his mentor after the passing of his father. “When I lost my dad in the 11th grade Joel was there to step up and fulfill the role of a mentor,” Monaghan said. “(He was) someone whom I could look up to and emulate.” Monaghan also said that both he and his wife always felt that there was more they could be doing, both seeking to serve others for the greater good. “The time to invest in individuals has always been something that we prioritize in our lives,” he said. In total, Monaghan has been on four mission trips: three short-term in the United States and one long-term overseas. The stateside missions

involved disaster cleanup, rebuilding, working with soup kitchens, and doing local evangelism. On the long-term trip, both Monaghan and his wife spent 10 months serving with a missions organization called “Rising Sun Missions” in the Dominican Republic. While they were there, they built mission property, developed rapport with surrounding communities, grew relationships with the children they served, created curriculum, and overall further established “Rising Sun Missions.” Monaghan said the most impactful moment on the trip was witnessing the compassionate hearts of the people there. “To see the generosity of the Dominican and Haitian people of the Dominican Republic is breathtaking,” he said. “The people who have next to nothing do everything they can to ensure their neighbors don’t go without. The compassion of those people deserves to be praised.” Both Monaghan and his wife agreed that being able to invest into the lives of the children they serve is one of the most rewarding aspects of mission work. However, with rewards also come challenges. Monaghan stated that

spending 10 months away from home was difficult and “the homesick was real.” As one journey ended, a new one was about to begin. Initially discovering the Bluefield area through Alan and Jess Smith, both staff members at Bluefield College, Monaghan and his wife made the move to BC after he accepted the position as an admissions counselor. Monaghan said it was the heart of the staff and faculty and vision of the college that they fell in love with. And while his service may have changed frommissions to admissions, Monaghan encourages students to consider mission work. “There is a time to pray and make sure this is the direction that God wants you to go,” he said. “There is a time to seek wise counsel and talk about the implications of this decision. However, there is also a time to just say, ‘okay.’ You can be unsure; you probably won’t get a straight answer, but if not you then who? And remember, ‘you were born for such a time as this’ (Esther 4:14).” And while his mission field has shifted, Monaghan said he will always consider himself a missionary. His main goal remains unchanged: to know God and to make Him known.

Ian Monaghan

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Flip the Table,

••• While most students have access to streaming devices, affording subscriptions to services like Netflix and Hulu can be costly. Sophomore student Sarah LaPrade is one of many who says she has been negatively impacted by the decision. “I think it’s stupid that the college shut off our access to cable,” LaPrade said. “Now I can’t watch live shows like ‘Dancing with the Stars’ without using my own money to pay for a live TV subscription.” Not all students, such as commuters, have been directly impacted by the lack of cable service, and according to Arnold, the decision on whether to cut cable from campus dorms or not has been an ongoing discussion in recent years.

by Tanya Pinette Communication • 2021 We Don’t Have Cable

Bluefield College administrators decided prior to the spring 2019 semester to discontinue providing cable television service to its residential students. Administrators believed that students have recently shown more interest in viewing television programming through streaming devices rather than cable, so they dropped cable to help the college save money for other campus services. “As you may know, there has been a growing movement among consumers to ‘cut the cord’ on traditional telecom services in favor of streaming services, which tend to

be more flexible and less expensive,” said BC’s Josh Arnold, associate vice president for Student Development about the decision to eliminate cable services. “Traditional cable services are projected to be the next ‘Blockbuster Video’ and likely will not exist as we know them in the coming years.” Arnold said that Bluefield College paid in excess of $60,000 per year for cable services and that many students reportedly did not use the cable, preferring instead to stream television programming from their mobile devices using family accounts with services like Netflix, Hulu, and Sling. •••

Things One of the biggest questio during their free time. After with friends by doing some The first impression of Blue are several activities in whi what they enjoy doing aro Axel Johansson • 2022 •

MercerMall

Mo

Mercer Mall is a shopping mall serving Greater Bluefield. It is located just off Route 460 between Bluefield and Princeton. Opened in 1980, the mall features J.C. Penney, Belk, Roses, Rural King, and Hobby Lobby, plus 70 other stores. BC student Keegan Brade said he likes to go to the mall because it is a fun place to hang out with his friends, and he likes to shop there, as well.

Mount locate in Blue to its “a syn center scorin varied shop, BC stu she th fun ac She sa bowli it is a with fr Konst

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“Two years ago, we determined it was not in the college’s long-term best interest to continue paying for traditional cable services,” Arnold said. “Our contract with Comcast (Cable) was terminated before the start of the fall 2018 year, though it took them over a semester to officially ‘cut the cord’ and deactivate services to campus.” And while some students may be struggling to adjust to the change, Arnold said the funds saved from eliminating cable are already being put to good use. “The resources used for cable television were repurposed into a number of new student support services,” he said, “including the hiring of full-time, live-in professional resident directors for the

residence halls — a norm at nearly every college and university across the country, but new for Bluefield College. Arnold noted that live television streaming services through Hulu have been added to the Student Activities Center and plans for next year include rolling out streaming services to the first-floor lounges in Cruise, Rish, and East River residence halls. However, gaining private or individual room-by-room access to these services, he said, will take some time. Students are also encouraged to take advantage of streaming services that offer student discounts until the time comes for students to utilize the services on their own devices.

“It is my hope that streaming service giants will begin to offer corporate contracts that allow us to extend services to students’ personal devices,” Arnold said. “The industry isn’t quite there yet, but it is rapidly moving in that direction. In the meantime, students are eligible for substantial discounts on such services as Spotify Premium and Hulu Plus through (their) bluefield.edu email account.” Arnold added that local TV channels remain available for free through the over-the-air service nocable.org. He also said that over-the-air antennas with a minimum range of 50 miles provide an optimal signal and are similar in price to one month of a typical Netflix subscription.

oDo inBluefield raphic Communication

s in a Bluefield College student’s life is where to find things to do in Bluefield a long school week with tons of homework, all a student wants to do is relax hing they enjoy. eld might be that there is nothing to do here, but we’ve discovered there h students can participate. In fact, we asked students to share with us nd Bluefield in their spare time. Here are five of the most common answers.

ntaineer Bowling

AMCClassic Bluefield 8

Hiking

Walmart

ineer Bowling alley is on Cumberland Road field, WV. According ebsite, the facility is hetic 28-lane bowling equipped with automatic , a snack bar with a menu, billiard tables, pro ame room and Keno.” ent Stephanie Miller said nks bowling is the most ivity to do in Bluefield. id when they have laser g a lot of people go and ood place to hang out ends. BC student Jovani nty agreed.

AMC Theaters is a global movie chain that has a movie theater in Bluefield, West Virginia, called AMC Classic Bluefield 8. The theater is located near Mercer Lall. BC student Leo Garcia likes to go to the movies in Bluefield, because he said here the movies aren’t as crowded and he can make jokes with his friends. He also likes it because it is cheaper than the movies at his hometown in Dallastown, PA.

Because of its mountainous terrain, Bluefield is a great place to hike. One of the best hiking spots is Pinnacle Rock State park on Route 52 near Bramwell, WV. BC student Grecia Almandoz said she likes to go on hikes because she can explore Bluefield, appreciate the majestic mountains, and capture beautiful pictures.

Walmart in Bluefield, VA, students say is a fun spot to go and shop. In fact, Haylee Duffy thinks that the most enjoyable thing to do in Bluefield is to go to Walmart to drive around in the electric shopping cart. Jake Mendoza said he also likes to go to Walmart because he can “mess around with friends” while at the same time shopping for what he needs. For him, it’s a win-win situation. Being productive and having fun at the same time, Mendoza said.

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KathyWides , Painting II

Jordyn O’Saben , Painting II

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Jordyn O’Saben , Pain ting II

David Harris , Painting II

Jordyn O’Saben , Painting II

Jordyn O’Saben , Painting II

Student Art Gallery p. 18–21 Fall 2019

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Emily Carlisle , Printmaking I

Brandi Feher , Printmaking I

Jareth Dandridge , Drawing Fundamentals

Kaitlin Rife , Printmaking I

Jareth Dandridge , Printmaking I

Rachel Sefton , Drawing Fundamentals

Mark Clary , Drawing Fundamentals

Megan Brandl Drawing Fundamentals

Laura Kimzey , Illustrator

Austin Eatmon , Illust...

Christina Robinson , Illustrator

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Logan Hinnant , Photography

Grecia Almandoz , Photography

Faith Pike , Printmaking I

Tanya Pinette , Photography

Sarah LaPrade , Photography

Jordyn O’Saben , Printmaking II

Kaitlin Rife , Photography

Clara Blevins , Photography

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Artwork

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Kaitlin Rife

Says Art is Her Life

by Kaleigh Compton

Communication • 2020

“Don’t listen to people when they say you can’t just have an arts degree, because you ‘can’t do anything with it.’ They are wrong. You are free to choose the path that you want to take.” These are the words of Bluefield College art education major Kaitlin Rife, who shares how art has always been a part of her life and how important it is to her. “I can remember when I was a little girl going to the Dollar Store looking for the next amazing coloring book and a new box of Crayola crayons with my mother,” Rife recalls about the early days of her love for art. “She always colored with me when I was little. I have grown up loving art all my life, and I have always wanted to be a teacher. What better way to show students how to be creative than being their art teacher? I want to inspire students to be creative and see life as a different picture.” At the beginning of Rife’s college career, she recalls how hard it was for her. She felt like her life was not complete. After talking to her professors, she realized her true calling: art education. “I always loved art, and I decided out on a whim that I wanted to be an art teacher,” she said. “When I walked into the print studio, I felt like I finally belonged.”

When it comes to famous artists, Rife says Vincent Van Gogh has to be her favorite. She says he is her “inspiration.” “I love the textures, colors, and the feeling that you get when you look at his artwork,” Rife said. “He inspires me every day to be successful in my work, to just enjoy it, and to be free on the canvas.” As far as what type of artist she is, Rife would say “one-thousand percent” an abstract artist. “I can remember the first abstract painting I ever did,” she said. “It was called the ‘New York Cat.’ My style was inspired by that amazing painting.”

Kaitlin Rife

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Blue Man (below) was inspired by a dream that I had. The blue guy was chasing me in my sleep and was trying to kill me. I had to go through multiple doors, and [I was] having a hard time escaping from him. One thing that I do notice is my dreams are very colorful just like my artwork.

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New York Cat (above) was my first abstract painting of my college career and has been my inspiration to create more abstract paintings from that point on. I love the feeling of having a paint brush in my hand and the smell of paint and oils. I have a creative bond with my artwork.

When asked what some of her favorite pieces she has worked on are, Rife says she really likes her wedding piece. “I love the feeling that you get when you look at all the colors, textures, patterns, (and) themes that you get within that piece,” she said. Rife is currently a part of The Lost Pearl Art Gallery in Tazewell, Virginia, where she has some of her ceramic work on display. She says she loves Bluefield College and that being a part of an “amazing” Christian college has helped her not only be successful, but also be a better person. She encourages all aspiring artists to pursue their passion. “If I didn’t choose art, I wouldn’t have found the true gift God gave me,” Rife said. “I have the ability to be creative any day, hour, or minute of my life. Art can last billions of years after you leave this world behind with creativity.”

The Rampage

Sports

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Former NFL Player Inspires BC Students by Shaun Kolb Exercise and Sports Science • 2020 F ormer pro football player Steve Fitzhugh made a name for himself as an athlete, but now he’s making

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a difference in the lives of young people through his inspirational messages about his faith in God. Fitzhugh grew up in Akron, Ohio, where he excelled at both track and football. He was a top five hurdler in the nation in high school and went on to accept a scholarship to run track and play football at Miami University. After college, he played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) for the Denver Broncos. And while he’s proud of his athletic career, Fitzhugh is even more pleased with the work he does today. Now he travels to colleges around the country, speaking to students and inspiring them with his story. In fact, Fitzhugh spoke to Bluefield College students on October 31 about his struggles growing up in Akron and being around drugs, alcohol, and tobacco from a young age. He told the students he credits God for his ability to stay away from that environment his whole life.

Steve’s style is fresh and humorous as he tells about his life lessons from the NFL.

Josh Arnold

“I had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ,” said Fitzhugh. He also spoke about the work he did teaching civilians in Israel how to play football. He called this experience one of the most religious times of his life where he felt closer to God than ever before. Fitzhugh said that being able to see God in his life helped him find his path today. He also said that God is present in everybody’s life, and he encouraged the BC students to look for Him, pray, and talk to Him. “Steve’s style is fresh and humorous as he tells about his life lessons from the NFL,” said BC’s Josh Arnold, associate vice president for student development. As a certified NFL transition coach, Fitzhugh also mentors pro football rookies and retirees. He helps the rookies transition to the NFL and helps the veterans with life after football, including managing their money, looking for jobs, and adapting to their new life. BC students who attended Fitzhugh’s speech said the motivational speaker controlled the room with his voice and character. They said he kept things exciting as he engaged with the crowd. One student called his speech “electric,” and others agreed that they took something positive away from his speech. “I loved the way he brought energy and kept everybody on their toes and engaged,” said junior Mike Everett.

Former NFL Player, Steve Fitzhugh

The Rampage

Sports

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Kendrick Using Volleyball to Reach Life Goals by Carly Bailey Communication • 2020

B luefield College women’s volleyball player Katie Kendrick is enjoying success on the court for the Lady Rams, but volleyball success she says is not her main goal at BC. Kendrick grew up in Prestonsburg, KY, where she started playing volleyball when she was just 10 years old. She eventually became an All-American volleyball player at Allen Central High School in Kentucky and won her high school team’s Most Valuable Player award four years in a row. In addition, she won championships every year while a player at Allen Central High. All of that success drew the attention of Buddy Gallemore, head women’s volleyball coach at Bluefield College, who offered Kendrick a scholarship to play for the Lady Rams. A two-sport athlete who also excelled in softball, she said she chose volleyball because it was something new. She had always played softball until one day she signed up for volleyball just to get out of class.

“It’s just a whole different vibe,” Kendrick said. “I continue to play volleyball because I love the atmosphere of it all, the hype, the rush, and the fast pace. It’s such a relief to step onto the court after a long day.” Now a four-year student-athlete at BC, Kendrick said she loves playing the middle position for the Lady Rams. She said that if she could achieve anything in her sport it would be to get the point across to her teammates that it’s okay to be aggressive to win. “I’ve played volleyball for a very long time, and I can say that I have accomplished more than what I ever thought of accomplishing while being a part of this sport,” Kendrick said. “I’m so thankful and blessed to have been given the gift I have for volleyball. It has opened my eyes to many things — the good and the bad.”

Paige Fisher, one of Kendrick’s teammates who has been playing with her for the past four years at BC, said that she is a very selfless player. “I would say she is a very determined player who has a focused mindset,” Fisher said. “She plays for the team and not for herself and shows a passion for the sport.” Off the court, Kendrick is studying psychology, and her main goal is to become a behavior analyst and eventually move to New York where she’s always wanted to live. “I haven’t really accomplished what I’m working toward yet in life, but so far I have become a better person, focused on my grades more, and have had a great volleyball season,” Kendrick said. “My main goal is to graduate and get my career started so I can finally accomplish my main goal.”

Women’s Volleyball Player, Katie Kendrick

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Faculty Features

28

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BC Professor Recognized as Fulbright Scholar

by Tanya Pinette

Communication • 2021

Dr. Teo said he will benefit tremendously from his experiences in multiple nations. He added that it has been an extremely exciting time for him and his family, and that he is thankful that his wife of 30 years will be able to join him during his time teaching and researching in Lithuania. “I was elated!” he said about receiving the Fulbright Scholarship. “My wife and children were so happy and proud of me for receiving this prestigious award. I felt a deep sense of gratitude to God and to those who came alongside and supported my work these past 15 years.” Dr. Teo said his wife has been his biggest supporter of growth and innovation in his field. They will celebrate their wedding anniversary on December 30 with their children in Charleston, South Carolina, before heading to Klaipeda, Lithuania, to begin the Fulbright program. “I am also very appreciative of my colleagues who supported and recommended my application,” Dr. Teo said. “Dr. Flowers (BC’s vice president for academic affairs), my mentor, has played a crucial role in encouraging me to develop innovative educational approaches to cybersecurity.” Faculty and staff can submit applications to Fulbright at any time. U.S. Faculty Scholars are required to submit a problem statement along with their applications. A problem statement gives applicants the opportunity to introduce a problem in a specified location of interest that they hope to overcome while teaching there. However, Dr. Teo warns that the application process is long and requires great dedication. “The application process was extremely rigorous,” he exclaimed. Applicants are expected to answer all application questions thoroughly and to provide supportive references and links from peer- reviewed articles in support of their problem statement. “You must articulate what the problem is, why it is worth addressing, and how you will solve this problem,” he added. “Competition for U.S. Faculty Scholar is ultra-competitive, and the ‘reject’ rate is high. I am particularly grateful as this was my first application, and it was successful. All glory to God.” Dr. Teo mentioned that not only are faculty and staff eligible for awards from Fulbright, but Bluefield College students are also permitted to apply for Fulbright’s distinguished student exchange program. Interested students can find more information about the U.S. Student Scholars Program at us.fulbrightonline.org .

D r. Jeff Teo, professor of cybersecurity at Bluefield College, was recently recognized as a Fulbright Scholar. The Fulbright Scholarship is a prestigious award presented by the U.S. Department of State that allows professors all over the United States to teach classes

Dr. Jeff Teo

abroad by providing educators with the funds to do so. “A Fulbright Scholar is chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential, where the scholar is given the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns,” Dr. Teo said. “As the inaugural cybersecurity scholar for the Fulbright program, I am particularly honored by this distinction and will strive to do my very best to serve its mission and principles.” As a Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Teo will have the opportunity of a lifetime to work with highly recognized individuals. He will perform tasks with 37 Heads of State, 60 Nobel Prize Laureates, 75 MacArthur Foundation Fellows, 86 Pulitzer Prize recipients, and 16 U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients. Dr. Teo and his wife will spend five months at Lithuania Christian College International University (LCC), a Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) affiliate partner, during the spring semester of 2020. “My scholarship will involve teaching, curriculum development, and research in cybersecurity,” Dr. Teo explained. “At the Pre-Departure Orientation sponsored by Fulbright this past July at the University of Kansas, I was approached by a U.S State Department official and asked to consider additional speaking engagements to other European countries as there will be additional funding for my travels to network countries in Europe. This is very exciting as it will allow me to reach a wider audience in addition to Lithuania.”

The Rampage

Faculty Features

30

From Journalism to Teaching

by Clara Blevins Graphic Communication • 2021

Allen Roberts is an assistant professor and chair of graphic communication at Bluefield College. In addition to his teaching, he handles various multi-media duties around campus. He went to Concord University and graduated in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design, and he earned his master’s degree in integrated marketing communications online through West Virginia University in 2017. Roberts is married and has two daughters, ages 10 and 3. He is originally from Pikes Fork, which is not far from Bluefield. HIS STORY

“It was very stressful, but I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything,” Roberts said. “Just the pressure of working under deadlines in the news business has been so invaluable to me.” Before Roberts started working for WVVA, Bluefield College was in need of a graphic design instructor. It was a unique opportunity that Roberts believed God was calling him to at least try, so he did. During the four years Roberts worked at WVVA, he also worked part-time at Bluefield College. He started teaching two classes, Photoshop/Illustrator and photography. He was spending his lunch breaks at WVVA teaching the photography class, and he was teaching Photoshop/Illustrator as a night class. “I took a semester off, and I really started to miss it,” he recalled. Now as a full-time professor at Bluefield College, Roberts enjoys being back in the design world again. While working at the newspaper and TV station, Roberts was deep in journalism. Now he gets to live vicariously through students and do creative things around campus.

Roberts said his love for design has always been a part of him. When he was a kid, he was fascinated with logos and packaging. “My favorite part of childhood vacations was getting on an interstate and seeing the exit signs with all the restaurants coming up,” he said, “and they’d have all the different logos

of Burger King and whatever on the signs. I loved that.”

Roberts realized that design was something he was interested in during his junior year of high school. He said he had been cutting pictures out of other magazines to create his own magazine layouts. In high school, he had always been one of the artists. Junior year he entered a contest to create a mascot for East Bay Catalogs, and they chose his drawing out of 3,800 entries. Until he won the contest, he had never stopped to think that design could be a profession. “In the brain of an artist or a designer, I think there is something there,” Roberts explained. “Sometimes you realize it; sometimes you don’t. Sometimes maybe it takes a class to pull it out of you.” After graduating from Concord University with a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design, Roberts worked as an editor at the Bluefield Daily Telegraph. His original plan was to only be there for a year or so to pad his resume, but he ended up working there for seven years. “The Daily Telegraph got me deep into journalism, which is not a field I ever thought I would be in,” he said. At the newspaper, Roberts proof-read, designed the layout, and did some writing. He said that newspaper life is very hard, and there is not much room for a social life. After his eldest daughter was born, Roberts was looking for something more stable, so he went to work at WVVA-TV, which ended up being even more of 24/7 job.