western Winter 2013 carolina the Magazine Of WEstern Carolina University

Health Haven A new building’s high-tech features and community spaces have the campus abuzz

Santas cubed Marching band adopts ‘Monday Night Football’ convene in cullowhee little drummer boy welcomes WCU alum western carolina winter 2013 | Volume 17, No. 1

The Magazine of Western Carolina University is produced by the Office of Communications and Public Relations in the Division of Advancement and External Affairs for alumni, faculty, staff, friends and students of Western Carolina University.

Chancellor David O. Belcher A colorful yarn Vice Chancellor of Advancement The Catamount statue at the main entrance and External Affairs of Western Carolina University, pictured last Clifton B. Metcalf winter, models the holiday sweater it received courtesy of a WCU-based fiber arts group. Managing Editor Bill Studenc MPA ’10

Associate Editors Jill Ingram MA ’08 Teresa Killian Tate

Art Director Rubae Schoen

Chief Photographer Mark Haskett ’87

graphic designers John Balentine Will Huddleston Zack Keys

Staff Writers Keith Brenton Randall Holcombe Daniel Hooker ’01 Leila Tvedt

Staff Photographers Ashley T. Evans John Witherspoon

production Manager Ashley Beavers

Circulation Manager Cindi Magill

Search for this icon throughout the magazine for stories that feature online extras – videos, photographs and more, available ONLY online.

2 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University magazine.wcu.edu CONTENTS winter 2013 | Volume 17, No. 1

22 17 20 26

FEATURES Sections 17 A SANTA FOR ALL SEASONS 4 worth Repeating Three real-bearded Santas meet in the ’Whee for a jolly good time 5 opening Notes

20 LITTLE DRUMMER BOY 6 news from the Western Hemisphere The marching band’s percussion section finds a kindred soul in a stick-spinning 5-year-old 12 wcu Athletics

22 A HIGHER CALLING 36 alumni Spotlight A retired NFL referee has joined the ‘Monday Night Football’ team 40 class Notes

26 HEALTH HAVEN 48 Calendar The first building on the West Campus promotes collaboration, partnerships and service 50 the View from Here

51 last Look on the covers Front Students and faculty are conducting research related to mosquito-borne illnesses in Western , thanks to a secure insectary and lab in the new Health and Human Sciences Building.

Back Campus is aglow with signs of the holidays, and so is the Internet. Use the QR code on the back cover to visit a website with this season’s holiday video greeting, or visit seasonsgreetings2012.wcu.edu.

Winter 2013 | 3 “This is more than a college Worth marching band. It is a Broadway production!” – repeating Online comment to video of WCU’s Pride of the Mountains as part “As hard as it “Apparently I attend WCUofA. of CNN’s Battle might be to think Western Carolina University of the Marching about while of Alaska.” – Tweet from Bands competition. people are still WCU student Hayden Cairns being plucked during the freezing weather “Many games were from rooftops, brought on by Superstorm played in the rain, storms such as Sandy in October. sleet or snow. By Sandy represent halftime the field an opportunity “Having participated in was very muddy, to reassess well over 30 forums/debates and many times and improve during the primary and our marching future exposure general election, I was very shoes stayed of coastline impressed with the format and where we stood communities to professional manner in which momentarily and storms and ocean WCU conducted the debate.” we proceeded to surges.” – Rob –Congressman-elect Mark complete the show Young and Andy Meadows, commenting on a in our socks!” Coburn of WCU’s debate hosted on campus by – Art Dingee ’73 Program for the WCU’s Department of Political MME ’76 of Study of Developed Science and Public Affairs and Arlington, Texas, Shorelines in a the Public Policy Institute. a former member guest op-ed in of the marching USA Today after “We don’t care which party band, recalling Superstorm Sandy. you go to, as long as you look football games good going.” – Tagline of in WCU’s old the photo blog “Party Chic,” Memorial Stadium. created by Paige Hogan ’12 and WCU student Jeff Wilber to capture the competing street style of attendees of the 2012 Republican and Democratic national conventions.

4 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University Opening Notes

The holiday season offers everyone in the Western Carolina management and human resources are ranked “best buys” in University family an opportunity to spend quality time with terms of quality and affordability by the consumer advocacy friends and relatives, to take a well-deserved break from the group GetEducated.com. rigors of our academic pursuits and work, and to recharge Of course, 2012 always will have a special place in my heart our batteries before we head into the spring semester. The because it is the year of my official installation as Western approach of yet another January also prompts us to reflect Carolina chancellor. Susan and I truly feel blessed to be a part both on the highlights of the year that is coming to a close and of this extraordinary university and this wonderful community, on the opportunities inherent in the year ahead. It is a time to full of caring people and located in one of the most gorgeous celebrate the positive differences the university makes in the places on Earth. You have made us feel welcome, and we look lives of our students, the strong connections we have forged forward to working with you as we seize the opportunities with our community and region, and the lasting relationships awaiting us in 2013 – and beyond. we have built with our alumni and friends. Finally, while the holidays are a time for celebration For Western Carolina, 2012 will go down in the record books and introspection, they also are a season for giving. As I – literally – as a year to remember. Total student enrollment in mentioned in my installation address in the spring, Western the fall topped 9,600 for the first time in WCU history, thanks Carolina has made raising funds for endowed scholarships a to an increase of nearly 3 percent in the size of the freshman top philanthropic priority in order to enable us to meet our class and an uptick in our freshman-to-sophomore retention time-honored commitments to student access and student rate. When the dust settled, our total headcount enrollment success. In this difficult economic climate, too many students was at 9,608. With more than 51,000 inquiries already pouring simply cannot afford the cost of higher education, even at an in from prospective students for the 2013 freshman class and institution as affordable as ours. I invite you to join others who with our plans for strategic enrollment growth, I am sure our are giving back to the university, and to take advantage of the friends in the Office of Undergraduate Admission are among tax benefits that come with year-end charitable giving – all in those ready for the holiday break! support of the outstanding students who call Western Carolina It’s not just about quantity, though. It’s also about quality. home. For more information, visit the website give.wcu.edu. The average high school weighted grade-point average for You are part of Western Carolina, and I trust that you share fall’s freshman class is 3.63, up slightly from last year’s overall my pride and belief in the future of our university. freshman class GPA of 3.60. When students arrive better Susan and I offer our best wishes for a wonderful prepared for rigorous academic pursuits, they tend to stay with holiday season. us – hence our improved retention numbers! We also have received independent validation of our increasing academic quality. The latest edition of the U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” guidebook includes WCU among the top 15 public regional universities in the South. The Princeton Review once again lists our College of Business among the nation’s best schools at which to earn a master’s degree in business David O. Belcher administration. And our online graduate programs in project Chancellor

Winter 2013 | 5 Libby Kephart Hargrave, great-granddaughter of Horace Kephart, and her husband, John, hold up a charter of the Missouri Sharpshooters and a target that are part of a recent donation to Special Collections at Western Carolina University’s Hunter Library. The couple visited the yearlong exhibit “Horace Kephart in the Great Smoky Mountains” at WCU’s Mountain Heritage Center (pictured here) after announcing the donation in September.

Artifacts donated to Hunter Library reveal more about personal life of iconic figure Horace Kephart

From the weathered copy of to be available in early 2013 called the as a handwritten note about windy “Robinson Crusoe” believed to be the “Horace Kephart and Laura Mack conditions for shooting, distance to first book Horace Kephart ever owned Kephart Family Collection.” the target and type of gun. The bulk of to a Christmas card from George Masa The pieces reveal more about the new materials are personal letters, dated 1930 – the last Christmas before Kephart’s interests and who he was as including those Kephart exchanged Kephart’s death – the artifacts in a recent a “family man,” said Kephart’s great- with his wife and his children, from donation to Hunter Library are deeply granddaughter Libby Kephart Hargrave, whom who he lived apart after coming personal. They offer new insight into the in announcing the gift Friday, Sept. 28, to Western North Carolina. “There’s an iconic Western North Carolina figure at Hunter Library. A Florida resident, intimacy in his correspondence,” said who penned the classic “Our Southern Hargrave said items in the donation were Hargrave. “He was not as estranged as Highlanders” and with Masa helped so special to the family that she would some think he was. He loved his family. spearhead the movement to establish take them with her during hurricane Their marriage was unconventional, but Great Smoky Mountains National Park. evacuations. She said she was glad to for them, it worked. They were devoted “Kephart himself has been something of entrust them to WCU to “keep this to each other.” a mystery, and this new collection will treasure available, safe and respected,” Dana M. Sally, dean of library services offer one of the first glimpses of him she said. “These items help complete at WCU, said the library is honored to as a person,” said George Frizzell ’77 his life story.” receive the donation and noted that the MA ’81, head of Special Collections at The collection includes a charter and materials truly add a new dimension to Hunter Library. roster of the Missouri Sharpshooters, the history and biography of Kephart. WCU’s existing Horace Kephart a group that Kephart helped found “This is a philanthropy of a very special Collection, which features maps, and that volunteered to assist with and unique type, and is truly priceless,” reference journals, drafts and other items the Spanish-American War. With said Sally. primarily linked to Kephart’s work, has it is a target with bullet holes as well -By Teresa Killian Tate been one of the most sought-out from the library’s Special Collections. Now The Horace Kephart and Laura Mack Kephart Family Collection is in the process of with the approximately 700 recently being catalogued and placed in protective enclosures. WCU will explore digitizing the donated items from the Kephart family, collection, which could include around 2,500 images, to build on Kephart materials the library will create a new collection already available online at www.wcu.edu/library/digitalcollections/kephart/.

6 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University A new endowment will advisory board for the Honors College help groom Honors College and were instrumental in organizing this endowment.” students to compete for Whitehead said WCU has provided prestigious awards quality speakers for many CLE programs over the years. The gift to A longstanding relationship between establish the endowment to benefit the residents of the Macon County town Honors College’s “best and brightest” is of Highlands and Western Carolina’s a natural extension of the CLE’s focus Honors College reached a milestone on education and lifelong learning, when the board of the Center for Life he said. Enrichment, an organization that Railsback said the gifts from the promotes lifelong learning, voted CLE and individual members of the to make an initial gift of $25,000 to advisory board are just the latest establish an endowment designed example of the extensive support the to help the college’s students Honors College has received over compete for prestigious national the years from Highlands. Over the and international scholarships. past seven years, Highlands residents In addition, individual members of have donated more than $200,000 for the Honors College’s Advisory Board, Honors College initiatives, including composed primarily of Highlands funding to help WCU students from residents, have given gifts totaling a wide range of academic disciplines $25,000 for the endowment, boosting attend the National Conference on it to $50,000. Annual earnings from Undergraduate Research. The advisory the endowment will be used to benefit by the recession,” Railsback said. “This board established the college’s study students participating in the Center endowment will allow us to provide the abroad fund, which has helped 45 for Life Enrichment Honors College best mentoring possible for our highest- Honors students enroll in universities Scholars Program. achieving students.” in countries such as France, India and WCU’s Honors College initiated its The Center for Life Enrichment is South Korea. scholars program in 2005 to provide currently celebrating its 20th year of “The remarkable thing about this support for exceptional students providing continuing education classes relationship between the Honors who were interested in preparing and lecture opportunities for residents College and the people of Highlands is to compete for scholarships such as of Highlands and the local area. CLE that most of these individuals with the the Goldwater, Truman or Rhodes. President Ed Mawyer said Railsback CLE and advisory board are not WCU However, state budget reductions linked has been “an incredible asset” during alumni,” Railsback said. “What they to the recession have eliminated the his five-year affiliation with the CLE. have in common is a desire to enhance support students were receiving, said “After learning more about the Honors educational opportunities in their Brian Railsback, dean of the college College, our board voted unanimously community and the region. I know they who also serves as WCU’s representative to fund this worthy cause,” Mawyer said. have had a lasting and positive impact on the CLE board. “These gifts are “Two of our board members, E.J. Tarbox on our students.” resurrecting a program that was killed and Mark Whitehead, also serve on the –By Randall Holcombe online degrees earn A Consumer Group’s ‘best buy’ honors

Western Carolina University’s online master’s degree technology to better serve America’s business professionals,” said programs in human resources and project management Phillips, who in 2009 was called the “leading consumer advocate have received high rankings in affordability and “best buy” for online college students” by U.S. News & World Report. designations from the distance education information WCU has offered a master’s degree program in human clearinghouse GetEducated.com. The human resources resources since 1984. Based out of the College of Education program ranked No. 3 among 40 online human resources and Allied Professions, the program allows students to earn programs nationwide while the project management program the degree by completing 12 fully online courses. The master’s came in at No. 2 among 93 online master’s programs in degree program in project management, based in the College project management. of Business, is a two-year program designed for project “WCU’s rating as a ‘best buy’ among distance degree management professionals with a minimum of two years of programs honors the university as a nationally ranked leader work experience. in the field of online learning,” said Vicky Phillips, founder of “We are proud that this independent nationwide review of GetEducated.com. “Their online master’s in human resources online programs indicates that our graduate programs in human and online master’s in project management programs offer a resources and project management provide both high quality top-quality education to the citizens of North Carolina through and high value for our students,” said Mimi Fenton, interim the innovative use of educational technology. Together, these dean of Graduate School and Research at WCU. “We think the two programs provide an exemplary model for how public accolades earned by these two programs are indicative of the universities can, with vision and determination, combine the exceptional quality and value that can be found throughout quality of a traditional residential university with cutting-edge Western Carolina University’s graduate offerings.”

Winter 2013 | 7 Harrill Hall renovation includes upgraded living quarters and ‘green’ features

A rededication ceremony held Environmental Design certification in September to celebrate a $15.5 at the gold level. Harrill is one of two million upgrade to Harrill Residence campus buildings designed or renovated Hall represented more than just the to meet LEED standards. The new latest in a series of construction and Health and Human Sciences Building, renovation projects to provide students which opened in the fall on WCU’s with contemporary on-campus living new West Campus, was constructed to quarters. It also represented a major qualify for LEED certification at the step in the university’s commitment to silver level. sustainability. Taylor Medford, a senior from The yearlong project reconfigured Waynesville majoring in elementary Harrill Hall, a 71,367-square-foot, 400- education, said students are impressed bed facility originally constructed in with Harrill Hall’s transformation. 1971, into a 77,296-square-foot residence “It’s hard to believe you are in the same hall with modern suites of rooms for building,” Medford said. Keith Corzine 354 students. The renovation included ’82, director of residential living, said as a 6,000-square-foot addition with an a staff member and as an alumnus that it upscale meeting venue. The building means a lot to see new life breathed into also now features a geothermal heating Harrill Hall. “There’s something very and air-conditioning system that special about taking an older building transfers heat absorbed by the earth via and rejuvenating and modernizing it,” geothermal wells to heat the building, Corzine said. provide warm water for showers and Nearly 4,000 WCU students live on power the air-conditioning system. In campus, and rooms accommodating addition, exterior wall insulation and 2,000 of them have been part of new canopies to control sunlight entering construction or renovation projects the building were part of the project. within the last eight years, said Sam In the lobby is an energy dashboard Miller, vice chancellor for student and interactive kiosk called “Eco Screen” affairs. “That’s an incredible amount Photo by John Witherspoon that enables students to view real-time in just eight years – to take half of our energy and water use information housing capacity and upgrade it to this Natural resources students for Harrill Hall, said Lauren Bishop, level,” said Miller. “This was designed to campus energy manager. The 52-inch be a space for students to live and learn and faculty help restore a screen displays a breakdown by floor in for many years to come.” mountain treasure of water, lighting, plug loads and Harrill Hall is named in honor of the heating and cooling system. The W.B. Harrill, who was credited with A contingent from Western Carolina University’s natural system also offers weather and event building WCU’s summer school and resource conservation and management program recently information, details about the building’s public relations programs over a 19-year provided a helping hand as The Nature Conservancy began green features, and energy-saving and span, from 1947 to 1966. work to restore a bald high in the Plott Balsam Mountains conservation tips. “Students love seeing of Jackson County. Four students and two faculty members and touching something that can seem from WCU were among a group of workers who hiked to the intangible like energy,” said Bishop. A new facade and a 6,000-square-foot summit of Yellow Face mountain to clear vegetation from an The alterations qualify the building addition are part of the improvements to area that was once an open grassy area, said Megan Sutton, for Leadership in Energy and a renovated Harrill Hall. stewardship manager for the conservancy’s Asheville office. Sutton said the Yellow Face summit, which rises to 6,032 feet on the crest of the Plott Balsams about a mile southwest of Waterrock Knob, includes an area that was historically cleared and that has now grown up in high-elevation blackberry and fire cherries. The area is part of 1,595 acres known as the Krauss- Stansbury tract that The Nature Conservancy purchased in 1997. The property borders two miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway. “The work was focused on reopening the bald and reclaiming that area,” Sutton said. “Our hope is to clear a larger area every year.” The Nature Conservancy will probably not try to restore the entire bald, but “just enough of it to retain the view-shed and to maintain some early successional habitat,” she said. Peter Bates, director of the NRCM program and head of WCU’s Department of Geosciences and Natural Resources, said WCU NRCM students have been holding a workday each fall for the past six years to help maintain the trail that extends down the Plott Balsam ridgeline from Waterrock Knob to Blackrock, a peak overlooking the town of Sylva. That trail passes across the Yellow Face summit.

8 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University former poet-in-residence is named to the N.C. Literary Hall of Fame

Western Carolina University’s former Carolina at Greensboro and Lenoir- to have had her as a poet-in-residence poet-in residence is among three noted Rhyne University. in the 1990s, and we have continued to writers inducted into the North Carolina A native of Georgia, Byer sets most of benefit from having her as a neighbor Literary Hall of Fame during a ceremony her poems in the mountains of Western and friend of the department for so in October at the Weymouth Center for North Carolina. She lives near campus many years.” the Arts and Humanities in Southern with her husband, Jim, retired faculty Byer has been instrumental in the Pines. Kathryn Stripling Byer, the former member and former head of the WCU university’s annual Spring Literary N.C. poet laureate who still makes her Department of English. Festival and in providing support for home in Cullowhee, was among a 2012 Even after her time as WCU poet- the university, including mentorship of class of inductees that also included in-residence, Byer has remained active emerging authors, he said. “Her weblogs, best-selling poet and memoirist Maya and engaged in literary activities at the ‘Here, Where I Am’ and ‘My Laureate’s Angelou and 18th-century explorer and university, said Brian Gastle, head of the Lasso,’ have brought attention and naturalist John Lawson. Department of English. “It is extremely exposure to many N.C. authors,” Gastle Byer served as the state’s poet laureate fitting that Kay receive this recognition, said. “Kay has earned this honor not – the first woman to hold that role – since – more than virtually any poet I only for being ‘the preeminent mountain from 2005 to 2009. She has published know – she gives voice and language to poet,’ as the N.C. Writers’ Network six books of poetry, with a seventh due these mountains and this region. Hers calls her, but for being a truly superb from the Louisiana State University is a vision at once regional and global, poet – period.” Press this fall. In addition to her time personal and universal, and she was Byer’s poetry, prose and fiction have at WCU, she was previously poet-in- an exemplary poet laureate for North appeared widely, including publication residence at the University of North Carolina. We were extremely fortunate in the Hudson Review, Poetry, The Atlantic, Georgia Review, Shenandoah and Southern Poetry Review. Her first book of poetry, “The Girl in the Midst of the Harvest,” was published in the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Award Series in 1986, followed by the Lamont (now Laughlin) prize- winning “Wildwood Flower,” from LSU Press. Her subsequent collections have been published in the LSU Press Poetry Series and received various awards, including the Hanes Poetry Award from the Fellowship of Southern Writers, the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Poetry Award and the Roanoke-Chowan Award. The NCLHOF was founded in 1996 under the leadership of poet laureate Sam Ragan and is a program of the North Carolina Writers’ Network. –By Bill Studenc MPA ’10

Princeton Review gives College of Business high marks

A book published by the Princeton Review lists the WCU lot of personal attention from the “excellent, College of Business among the nation’s best schools at which accessible professors with relevant professional to earn a master’s degree in business administration. The experience.” One student said WCU offers a education services company included the WCU college in “quality MBA program with experienced, the 2013 edition of its guidebook, “The Best 296 Business grounded faculty at a great price.” Schools,” which is based on surveys of 19,000 students in The Princeton Review has featured Western business programs around the world. Carolina as home to a top MBA program for “We consider Western Carolina one of the best institutions several consecutive years, said Darrell Parker, a student could attend to earn an MBA,” said Robert Franek, a Buncombe County native who became dean Princeton Review senior vice president and publisher. “We of the College of Business in July. “We are always selected the schools we profile in this book – 280 of which are in pleased to see external validation and recognition of the U.S.A. and 16 are international – based on our high regard the quality and distinctiveness of our graduate programs. for their academic programs and our reviews of institutional With our new facility in Biltmore Park, we will be able to data we collect from the schools.” continue to expand our master of business administration The guidebook’s profile of WCU’s College of Business and master of accountancy programs to serve the region,” says it provides “solid preparation” for students in finance Parker said. “WCU’s College of Business is well-positioned for and management. Student who commented for the survey further expansion. Our graduates and their employers know said WCU’s MBA program has established “a reputation for that when students complete a business degree at WCU, they not being an ‘assembly-line’ program” and students get a are business-ready.”

Winter 2013 | 9 WCU enjoys record enrollment with more than 9,600 students

For the first time in university history, total student of entering freshmen who have declared a major in enrollment at Western Carolina topped 9,600 this fall. A engineering or have signed up for pre-engineering courses total of 9,608 students were on the books for the University of has doubled since fall 2011. Although some of those students North Carolina system’s official census day, representing a 2.7 will change majors before officially entering the program, that percent increase over fall 2011 enrollment of 9,352. The previous level of growth in one year signals that students are interested enrollment record of 9,429 was set in the fall semester of 2009. in WCU’s new stand-alone engineering program, Zhang said. Driving the growth in enrollment was an increase of 2.85 The fall semester marked the first cohort of entering freshmen percent in the size of the freshman class and an improvement since the UNC Board of Governors in February authorized in the university’s retention rate. The number of first-time, Western Carolina to offer the bachelor of science degree in full-time freshmen at WCU this fall is 1,550, up from the fall engineering with a concentration in electrical engineering. 2011 freshman class of 1,508. The average high school weighted WCU had previously partnered with UNC Charlotte to jointly grade-point average for the freshman class this year is 3.63, offer the bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering. up slightly from last year’s overall freshman class GPA of 3.61 In addition, total enrollment in programs in the College The university’s freshman retention rate – the percentage of of Health and Human Sciences grew by 11 percent over the first-time, full-time undergraduate students who return for previous year’s enrollment, with a 12.5 percent increase in their sophomore year – is 73.67 percent, an improvement over undergraduate enrollment. Students in those programs, which last year’s retention rate of 72.03 percent. were located across four buildings, are now studying in WCU’s University officials also attribute some of the growth new Health and Human Sciences Building, a $46 million, in enrollment to increased student interest in several 160,000-square-foot facility that features technologically undergraduate programs, including engineering, health and advanced clinical and laboratory spaces. (See related story the human sciences. James Zhang, dean of the Kimmel School on page 26.) of Construction Management and Technology, said that the

James Zhang named dean of the Kimmel School

There’s one less item on the “to-do list” for WCU’s new “James Zhang is not only a respected leader on all parts provost, Angi Brenton, who came to campus in August faced of the WCU campus, but also is a rising leader nationally with the task of filling several top academic leadership positions in the field of engineering education with the project-based among her most-pressing priorities. Brenton announced in educational model he has championed,” Brenton said. Associate October the appointment of James Zhang, who had been dean of the Kimmel School since 2008, Zhang fills a vacancy serving as interim dean of the Kimmel School of Construction created by the departure of former dean Robert McMahan, who Management and Technology since August 2011, as the school’s was named president of Kettering University in Flint, Mich., permanent dean. last year. Zhang joined the WCU faculty in 2003 with more than 10 years of industry experience in electrical engineering research, development and management. From 2009 to 2010, he also served as interim head of the Department of Construction Management. “We are not the only university who sought James as a leader, and we are extremely fortunate that he has chosen WCU. I am confident that he will lead the Kimmel School and the Center for Rapid Product Realization to even greater achievements in the future,” said Brenton, who has named search committees to help find the next permanent deans of the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Health and Human Sciences. Interim leaders also are serving as deans for the College of Education and Allied Professions, Graduate School and Research, and Division of Educational Outreach.

10 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University WCU’s shorelines program develops a website and mobile phone app to predict the impact of coastal storms Coastal storm surges – the rise of as well as speed and angle of impact water above sea level caused by high on the shoreline. Records as far back winds – are responsible for the greatest as 1928 yield information about 4,900 amount of casualties and property loss high-water marks associated with 40 from hurricanes, and Western Carolina hurricanes, “from Maine all the way University faculty, staff and students are down to Texas,” Peek said. collaborating on a website and mobile The trick then became making app to record and help predict storm the raw data more useful, not only to surge severity. The project began when scientists, but to the general public as Rob Young, director of WCU’s Program well. “After Hurricane Katrina, we began for the Study of Developed Shorelines, to realize there was a need to improve was considering the aftermath of 2005’s how we predict and contact the public disastrous Hurricane Katrina and how about storm surges,” Peek said. “Our to better predict and contact the public challenge was to reach the average about storm surges. person; get the information out to the “It’s hard to believe that nobody was public in the best way.” compiling all the relevant data in one The answer was an interactive website place,” Young said. Information about using Google Maps to display high-water storms, especially meteorological/ marks, pinpoint storm landfalls and plot weather data and post-storm flooding, their tracks to shore. The site, called was being collected by agencies within the Storm Surge Viewer, was built by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric mathematics and computer science Administration and many other sources, students Brian Lenau, Russell Gaskey but there was no central collecting ’11, Cristina Korb ’12, Brad Proctor point. Young and his students set about ’11, Chris Blades ’11 and professors in building one, a relational database to be cooperation with WCU’s Information of Mathematics and Computer Science is hosted eventually by NOAA’s National Technology department. Still in beta- working on a mobile phone application Climatic Data Center in Asheville. testing, the site will grow in time as more for the Android operating system. PSDS One of those students was Katie data – including information from the researchers plan to add even more McDowell Peek ’07, who went on to recent Hurricane Isaac – are added. information to help make accurate surge complete graduate studies and return Viewers can search for a particular predictions. “I’d like to team up with to PSDS as a research scientist. “Katie’s hurricane or storm by name or by modelers of storm processes to address done an incredible job in creating the location and area radius, then select open questions like why a big storm database from a complicated dataset,” surge/high-water marks and/or path. sometimes produces a small surge, Young said. Storm landfall information “Our hope was that the website would and vice-versa,” Young adds. “In the was imported from NOAA’s database; make it easier for coastal residents, past, weather forecasters would simply water-level data was collected from more emergency planners and land developers estimate storm surge based on the than 30 sources. Then PSDS calculated to have that information,” Peek said. To category of the storm. We’ve found no and added more from that information: make storm surge information even more direct correlation from that by itself.” storm track straightness or curvature, accessible, a team from the Department –By Keith Brenton

Task force issues recommendations on Millennial Initiative progress

A committee tasked with conducting a rigorous examination successful,” Belcher said. “This guidance resonates with my own of the university’s Millennial Initiative and developing a vision for our Millennial Initiative efforts, and I look forward road map for how the regional economic and community to digesting this report and exploring appropriate next steps development effort should move forward has completed its in order to take advantage of the extraordinary opportunity work and issued its final report. Among the recommendations that our Millennial Initiative affords us.” of the Millennial Initiative Select Committee, appointed by Belcher had charged the committee, which first met in WCU Chancellor David O. Belcher, is the appointment of “a January 2011, with three tasks: evaluate and propose strategic strong and energetic leader” whose sole task will be to manage uses and objectives of the Millennial Initiative, paying special further development of the initiative. attention to its mission and Western North Carolina’s The committee’s recommendations include selecting only opportunities, challenges and strengths; recommend a process future private business and industry partners that are “a good that will engage the institution and outside constituents in fit for the university,” stressing the importance of faculty considering and evaluating Millennial Initiative possibilities; involvement in the initiative, and linking WCU student and propose both short- and long-term goals. Asheville attorney learning to the activities of private partners. Steve Warren ’80, former chair of the WCU Board of Trustees, “Of particular significance from my perspective is the chaired the select committee, which consisted of 10 other committee’s clear (and welcome) statement that the Millennial regional business, industry and education leaders. Initiative must be grounded in the academic mission of the institution with buy-in from the faculty if the endeavor is to be The entire report can be found at the website millennial.wcu.edu.

Winter 2013 | 11 Catamount ATHLETICS

INDUCTIVE REASONING

Three former offensive and defensive lineman under head coach Dan Robinson ’50. Stanley student-athletes are was a part of three consecutive teams welcomed into the from 1964 through 1966 that finished the year with a record above .500. Athletic Hall of Fame Playing for WCU in the old Carolinas By DANIEL HOOKER ’01 Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, in 1967 he became the first, and only, Catamount to win the Kirkland Three former student-athletes Blocking Trophy. representing four varsity sports were The post-season accolades continued Eric Johnson ’04, Laura welcomed into Western Carolina in 1967 as Stanley was named to the Tieszen Kamarainen ’05 University’s Athletic Hall of Fame NAIA District 26 squad and was tabbed and Bill Stanley ’69 MAEd on Saturday, Nov. 3, becoming the All-NAIA along the offensive front. He ’72 display their Hall of 23rd induction class in WCU history. also received All-Carolinas Conference Fame plaques. Football’s Bill Stanley ’69 MAEd ’72, kudos as a defensive tackle, becoming two-sport star Eric Johnson ’04 and the last Catamount to earn honors on Laura Tieszen Kamarainen ’05 of offense and defense in the same season. women’s track and field were honored Stanley went on to a career in during a variety of activities. education, including a 27-year stint at Stanley, a member of the Catamount Halifax Community College in Weldon. football from 1964 until 1969, enjoyed Bill Stanley He began as the evening director in a solid four-year career as both an 1973, quickly progressing to serve as

12 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University Eric Johnson

with a team-best 118 tackles in 1998. In the 2004 javelin throw en route to being 2000, he was named a defensive back on named field MVP at the meet. WCU’s 20th Century Football Team. A native of Rapid City, S.D., On the diamond, Johnson was a Kamarainen dominated the SoCon’s first team All-SoCon selection in 1999, indoor pole vault competition from 2003 the college’s associate dean of evening pacing the squad with a school single- through 2005, winning the event three programs, dean of continuing education season record 83 runs scored on 100 base consecutive seasons. She additionally and, in 1989, vice president of the hits. Once on base, the speedy Johnson competed in the pole vault at the junior college. In 1999, Stanley was honored as remained a threat, collecting a school- national level as a true freshman in the college’s “administrator of the year.” record 46 stolen bases in 1999 – sixth in 2002. Also, she held WCU’s record in Under his direction, Halifax the SoCon record books. Johnson is fifth the indoor pentathlon from 2004 until Community College established a small in program history with 59 combined 2010, collecting 3,102 points. business center and industrial training stolen bags. He was a two-time SoCon Combined, Kamarainen was a programs. He launched firefighter All-tournament team honoree, in 1998 three-time SoCon Athlete of the Week training programs and provided and 1999. selection between the indoor and leadership to the campus in a statewide He was drafted by the Cleveland restructuring and reengineering process Indians following the 1999 season, mandated by the North Carolina selected in the third round with Community College System. One of 107th overall pick – the highest for a his most-recognized accomplishments Catamount player since 1993. was the organization and successful He remained in the Indians organization implementation of the college’s pulp and for three years, progressing to the Class paper technology program - the only A Kinston Indians before going back one of its kind in the state community to the gridiron, making the practice college system. squad with the as a Johnson was a two-sport athlete at defensive back in 2001. He returned to Western Carolina, playing both football the diamond in 2003-04 with the and baseball for the Catamounts from Red Sox organization, progressing to 1995 through 1999. A two-time All- the Sox’s Double-A affiliate in Portland. America selection, in 1997 and 1998, A track and field standout from Johnson is one of just two former 2002 through 2005, Kamarainen Catamount football players to earn captured 13 All- consensus first-team All-America accolades during her four-year career, accolades, joining Kerry Hayes ’96, winning in the pole vault, javelin and who did so in 1993. the pentathlon/heptathlon events. She Laura Tieszen Kamarainen Johnson also was a two-time All- was a six-time SoCon champion in the Southern Conference first-team women’s pole vault, including three selection on defense for the Catamounts, individual crowns split equally between while also garnering first-team league the indoor and outdoor seasons, also outdoor seasons, while also garnering plaudits in baseball. He is one of only five claiming individual championships in numerous Student-Athlete of the Week student-athletes in Southern Conference the outdoor heptathlon and the indoor honors recognizing her performance history to be named first-team All- pentathlon in 2005. both athletically and in the classroom. SoCon in football and baseball in the Kamarainen, who continues to hold She was also tabbed the league’s track same year. Additionally, as a rookie, both the league and school pole vault and field athlete of the month in the Shallotte native was named to the record set in the 2004 SoCon outdoor February of 2005. SoCon All-Freshman team. championship, was a three-time SoCon “These three former student-athletes Johnson remains tied for third Most Valuable Field Performer, earning are outstanding additions to our Hall in WCU career history for tackles, the recognition in both the 2004 indoor of Fame,” said Randy Eaton, director amassing 326 total hits including 219 and outdoor championships and again in of athletics. “Their accomplishments solo stops. He holds two of the top the 2005 outdoor championships. Also in the athletic arena, in the academic 10 single-season tackle totals, and is during the 2004 outdoor championship environment and in society exemplify fourth with 128 hits in 1997 and ninth event, she collected a runner-up finish in what it means to be a Catamount.”

Winter 2013 | 13 Catamount ATHLETICS

JERSEY? SURE! A freshman gets the OK to wear a legendary player’s retired number By TYLER NORRIS GOODE

Erika Joseph’s request was certainly bold. It even could be considered a bit presumptuous. But the only person whose opinion matters actually thought it was pretty darn cool that the incoming freshman sought permission to wear the lone retired jersey in Western Carolina women’s history. “I’m a coach, so I understand that numbers are special to kids,” said Jayne Arledge ’79, an Enka High School graduate who played at WCU from 1976-79. She’s starting her 34th season as coach at North Greenville (S.C.). “If they feel like that number is like a Superman’s ‘S’ on their chest, and if that’s the number they feel like they can play their best in, I say, ‘Go for it.’” A 6-foot forward from Lilburn, Ga., Joseph has worn No. 25 since she began playing recreation league ball at age 8. She sought permission from Arledge via email and formal letter to continue wearing it and said she was ecstatic when Arledge gave her the O.K. The quest to put that number back in circulation ultimately led to Joseph getting a crash course on WCU women’s hoops history. “I now know (Arledge) is the all-time leading scorer at Western,” said Joseph, who will be the first WCU women’s player to wear 25 since it was retired in 2006. “She’s in the (WCU) Hall of Fame, and she was the first female athlete to get an athletic scholarship to Western Carolina.” Arledge’s scholarship only covered roughly one-fourth of her education, and she remembers being happy about getting a pair of shoes in which to play the game. She scored all 1,928 career points before the NCAA offered championships in women’s basketball. Joseph acknowledged most women’s basketball players these days don’t have a proper appreciation for what players like Arledge endured. “I think it’s kind of lost on our generation,” Joseph said. “We take for granted what people before us had to work for and the barriers they had to knock down in order to get where they were. We’re just blessed to have those barriers “It would suit knocked down for us.” The first time Arledge wore No. 25 for the Catamounts, me just fine she helped WCU beat Tennessee (77-72, Jan. 14, 1976, in Cullowhee). Besides the all-time scoring mark, she holds three if by the time other career records and tops a trio of single-season categories she’s done, her at WCU. Her “retired” jersey hangs from the rafters alongside the uniforms of legendary WCU men’s players name hangs Ronald Rogers, Henry Logan and Mel Gibson ’63 MAEd ’67. right up there Only time will tell what impact Joseph might have on WCU’s program, but she is a “special talent,” said Coach Karen below mine.” Middleton. “She’s a tremendous rebounder,” Middleton said. “She’s versatile. She’s crafty. Even though she’s not real tall for -Jayne Arledge ’79 a forward, she finds a way to get it done.” Arledge certainly has high hopes for the young woman who’s bringing No. 25 out of retirement. “It would suit me just Freshman Erika Joseph is wearing the once-retired fine if by the time she’s done, her name hangs right up there No. 25 of Jayne Arledge ’79 (inset). below mine,” she said. Reprinted in edited format with permission of the Asheville Citizen-Times.

14 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University THUNDERSTRUCK Former Catamount joins Oklahoma City’s NBA team

Former Catamount basketball and is one of only two active NBA falling in five games to the . standout Kevin Martin is now a players, along with Dwight Howard, “I’m coming to an organization and a member of the NBA’s Oklahoma City to average at least 18 career points team that is building a great tradition Thunder after a multiplayer trade with per game on 13 or fewer field goal with a great supporting cast and the in late October, attempts per game. community,” Martin said in a story just days before the beginning of the “(Martin) is one of the most efficient on the Thunder’s website. “I just think regular season. The Thunder acquired offensive players in the NBA over the they have the right makings for any Martin, fellow guard , two last several years,” said Sam Presti, player to want to come play for them.” first-round draft picks and a second- of the Thunder. “He’s After arriving in Cullowhee from round draft pick in exchange for a guy that draws fouls at an incredibly Zanesville, Ohio, Martin needed only Houston’s , , high rate. He is a guy that has a great three seasons to rack up 1,838 career and . feel for the game, understands how points – and to catch the eyes of NBA In his ninth season as a professional, to score and knows the league. Our scouts. Following his junior season, the 6-foot-7 Martin has been one of the coaching staff has some history with Martin was drafted by the Sacramento most effective scorers in the league, him and knows him intimately. They Kings as the 26th selection in the first with the NBA’s were confident and excited about first round of the 2004 NBA draft, and later with the Rockets. He has having him.” becoming the first Catamount ever averaged 18.4 points, 3.5 rebounds Oklahoma City advanced to the selected in the first round of any and 2.1 assists per game for his career, NBA championship series last season, professional draft.

Photo by Richard A. Rowe / Winter 2013 | 15 Catamount ATHLETICS UNITED KINGDOM Plans are in the works for this spring’s second annual athletics department tour By DANIEL HOOKER ’01

On the heels of the inaugural “Catamounts Unite Tour” that ventured across the region during the winter of 2012, Western Carolina’s athletics department has announced plans for the second annual – and expanded – tour coming next spring. Director of Athletics Randy Eaton, Head Football Coach Mark Speir MAEd ’95 and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Larry Hunter, as well as several other Catamount coaches, will travel across North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, reaching out to members of the Catamount Nation. “It has become apparent to me over the course of my first year as AD that we in athletics have not done a real good job in the past reaching out to our supporters. Not only has this left many feeling neglected, but we have been unable to share our story about the great young people we have wearing the purple and gold,” said Eaton. “My hope is that these tour stops will allow us again to share our vision of today, tomorrow and beyond, while adding to the tremendous energy that currently exists within our fan base. Only by getting everyone recommitted to our success will we be able to meet our goals in the future.” The 2013 version of the Catamounts Unite Tour series of receptions is designed to allow Eaton, Speir and Hunter – as well as other Catamount coaches – to meet with 2013 Catamounts Unite Tour WCU alumni, supporters and Catamount fans as they craft together the vision and March 27 – Greensboro direction of Catamount Athletics. March 28 – Raleigh The two-month, 12-stop tour is scheduled to kick off Wednesday, March 27, in the April 4 – Andrews Piedmont/Triad of North Carolina in Greensboro and culminate with a Tuesday, April 5 – Atlanta May 21, stop in the Upstate of South Carolina. Along the way, the tour includes in- April 11 – Catawba Valley state visits to the Catawba Valley region, as well as Raleigh, Charlotte and Shelby. April 18 – Haywood County The tour will reach Catamount fans in Western North Carolina with stops slated April 19 – Sylva for Andrews, Franklin, Asheville/Hendersonville, Haywood County and Sylva. The May 1 – Shelby tour also will make an April 5 visit to Atlanta. May 6 – Charlotte May 14 – Franklin For more information or to RSVP, contact Stefanie Conley ’08, director of corporate May 16 – Asheville/Hendersonville sponsorships and special events for WCU athletics, at 828.227.2335 or by email May 21 – Greenville, S.C. at [email protected]. (Subject to change)

SoCon basketball tourney returns to Asheville in March The Western Carolina men’s halftime performances of WCU’s Purple being played in conjunction with the basketball team created an instant Thunder drumline and dance team, men’s tournament at the US Cellular To purchase tickets or classic when it took heavily favored Catamount fans painted the city purple Center. for more information, Davidson down to the wire before for the duration of the tournament. General admission tickets are call the Catamount losing in double-overtime in the finals The Catamount athletics department available now through the WCU athletics ticket office of last year’s Southern Conference is making plans to recapture the magic athletics ticket office. All-session passes at 800.34.GOWCU Tournament in Asheville. With the of 2012, as the 2013 SoCon men’s and are on sale for $90 each, for admission or 828.227.2401. team’s run in last year’s tournament women’s basketball championships tip to every men’s and women’s session Stay up-to-date at and the event returning to Asheville in off in Asheville on March 8-11. during the tournament. Fans who catamountsports.com. March, Catamount fans eagerly await All men’s games will be played at the purchase the first 50 all-session passes the 2012-13 season. 6,500-seat US Cellular Center. The first also will receive wristbands allowing From pregame gatherings at a two days of the women’s tournament will them sit behind the team bench for all popular downtown restaurant and be played at UNC Asheville’s Kimmel Catamount men’s games. Single session brew pub through the crowd-pleasing Arena, with the semifinals and final tickets also are available for $18.

16 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University Winter 2013 | 17 es, Catamounts, there is a Santa Claus. In fact, there are at least three of them. Tony Chapin ’69, Jim Hastings ’69 and Jim Lewis ’77 all are real-bearded professional Santas who work year-round spreading the holiday spirit. In July, they broke away from Santa conventions and Claus committees for some R&R in Cullowhee, where they toned up, cooled down and swapped stories before the busy season. And what a jolly old time it was.

SANTA John A. “Tony” Chapin ’69 When he’s not at the North Pole: Durham. Santa since: 2003. The following year, he turned professional after a close friend treated him to a class at Michigan’s prestigious Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School. Gigs at: Brier Creek Commons shopping center in Raleigh, Hope Valley Country Club in Durham and Crossroads Plaza in Cary. Memorable moment: “When a child’s face lights up at an unexpected sighting of Santa.” Santa fact: His business cards feature him in his red suit and the words “I met Santa!”

Santa James “Jim” Hastings ’69 When he’s not at the North Pole: Durham. Santa since: 2007, when he retired after 30 years as a special education teacher and trainer with Durham Public Schools. Gigs at: Company, community and family parties; the Streets at Southpoint shopping center in Durham. Memorable moment: “I became a Santa after a small child thanked me for her Christmas presents. From then on, I had to be THE man in the red suit.” Santa fact: Wife Barbara Hastings ’69 handmade her husband’s custom red wool suit.

Santa James “Jim” Lewis ’77 When he’s not at the North Pole: Asheville. Santa since: 1978, when he was stationed at Naval Medical Center in San Diego and served as an impromptu Santa at a staff party. Gigs at: The Biltmore House and Grove Park Inn; corporate parties and private events. Memorable moment: “Being able to visit a 6-year-old girl with a terminal disease. She was so excited to see me that a visit scheduled for 30 minutes lasted more than two hours. When I called her mother in January to see how the little girl was, she had passed away four days after our visit.” Santa fact: Lewis believes that a big part of being Santa is helping parents recall their own happy memories of childhood.

18 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University A Santa’s got to eat, you know. At top left, the Santas talk, toast and get crumbs in their beards at an eatery along the Tuckaseigee River in Cullowhee.

Before Christmas with all the trimmings, there’s pre-Christmas trimming (middle left). The Santas shape up (and perform a few team-building exercises) with laps in WCU’s Campus Recreation Center.

It’s hot in the ’Whee! When broiling summer temps threaten to wilt the Santas – more accustomed to the North Pole’s frigid climes – the flagging fellows revive by dipping their toes in Cullowhee Creek. Way to keep cool, Santas!

BY JILL INGRAM MA ’08

magazine.wcu.edu

Winter 2013 | 19 Little Drummer BOY The marching band’s percussion section finds a kindred soul in a Lo-fi tumblr helvetica stick-spinning 5-year-old semiotics, By BILL STUDENC MPA ’10 gastropub Austin artisan pop-up wayfarers. When Heather McMeans noticed the signs advertising a high school marching band competition near her home in the Enka community of Buncombe County earlier this year, she saw it as yet another chance to support her son in a musical interest he has enjoyed for the majority of his young life. Little did the single mother know that the event would spark a friendship between her 5-year-old boy, Elijah, and members of WCU’s Pride of the Mountains Marching Band drumline. “Elijah has been drumming on anything and everything since he was 2,” McMeans said. “Having nothing to compare official WCU drumsticks, a drumline T-shirt and, perhaps Elijah McMeans and it to, I didn’t realize there was really something there with his most meaningful, a pendant featuring a metal “W” made his mother, Heather, interest and skill level until we started drum lessons recently. from a cymbal once played by a drumline member. “He’s one watch the Pride of the I just recognized my son had a passion for something so, as of us. We were all like Elijah, 4 or 5 years old and drumming Mountains perform his mom, I wanted to present opportunities for him to explore on things,” said percussionist Victor Perez, a senior from (above); Justin Holmes that interest more.” Spartanburg, S.C., majoring in music education. “With the lets Elijah play a It was with that goal in mind that she took Elijah to the ‘W’ pendants, we all carry a piece of our past with us every few beats as Matt local marching band festival where the Pride of the Mountains time we play. And now so will he.” Henley ’93 MA ’95 was performing in exhibition. “My son brought his drum Matt Henley ’93 MA ’95, assistant band director and members of the sticks – some kids have a blankie, we have drumsticks – so he and drumline leader, presented Elijah with the honorary drumline cheer him on could play ‘air drums’ along with the bands,” she said. After membership. “We were lucky enough to run into this little guy, (below, left). the WCU band’s performance, which McMeans said left her this aspiring 5-year-old drummer, who has become a buddy of son “mesmerized,” several members of the drumline noticed ours,” said Henley. “As members of a university music program, the little boy holding drumsticks and came over to talk to the we try to inspire young people to get excited about music, to fledgling percussionist. One bandsman let Elijah play a few get excited about drumming. Hopefully, we lit a fire under beats on his drums. “These guys were so kind to my son,” she this kid and one day he’ll be standing up here like these guys.” said. “My son even showed them how he can flip his sticks, That “one day” actually proved to be just a few minutes too. It was just an awesome experience for a little 5-year-old later, when Elijah banged out several beats as members of the drummer who has big dreams.” drumline whooped and hollered their approval. Afterward, Elijah’s awesome experience did not end there, however. WCU drummers spoke of their musical connection to the The Pride of the Mountains invited him and his mother to 5-year-old. “I hope we have inspired him, but what he probably attend the annual Tournament of Champions invitational doesn’t know is that he inspires us,” said Hunter Black, a senior competition hosted at WCU in October. There, prior to the music major from Enka. “Sometimes you forget why you do band’s exhibition show, Elijah become an honorary member this, why you put in the long hours of practice. Things like magazine.wcu.edu of the Pride’s drumline, receiving a certificate of membership, this, like meeting Elijah, make us feel good, make us feel like we’re doing something that matters.” Ryan Hill, a sophomore music major from Morganton, echoed that sentiment. “Elijah reminds me of me. I was in a car seat banging everything in reach when I was a child. I can see a bright future if he keeps it up,” Hill said. “This has made us feel like we are actually giving back to the community and influencing someone else’s life.” That’s what has meant so much to Elijah’s mom. “Very seldom do people stop and acknowledge another person. We’re a busy society and often do not want to be bothered. Here, the opposite happened,” she said. “These guys stopped, they dropped what they were doing, and they made a little 5-year-old boy feel like he was one of them. The dreams that seem to be planted in my son’s heart were nurtured and the impact these guys have made is absolutely priceless. This is an experience my son is old enough to remember the rest of his life.” Elijah refers to the WCU drummers as his “new buddies,” she said, and “he can spot a WCU magnet or decal on a car a mile away now.” For Henley and his drummers, their encounter with little Elijah is another example of the band’s philosophy of “pay it forward.” Or, perhaps the group’s overarching viewpoint is best summed up by the title of the Pride of the Mountains’ 2012 field show, “How We Roll,” McMeans suggested. “If that’s how these guys roll all the time, they will be great examples to younger generations and will do well in life,” she said.

Winter 2013 | 21 R 34 Gerald D. Austin ’64 MAEd ’69 felt like he had been on the receiving end of a very personal foul a few years ago after a letter from the National Football League arrived at his Summerfield home informing him that his days as an NFL game official were over. Austin, who was then 67 and the senior official in the league experience-wise, wasn’t surprised at being taken off the field and put out to pasture after R 26 years of officiating NFL games, including 18 years as a referee – the head official. But that didn’t make it any easier. He had been officiating sporting events for more than 50 years. I“ got a great deal of satisfaction and enjoyment out of being an NFL official,” he said. “When I ran out of that tunnel and onto the field, there was no place I’d rather be.”

But, after sitting out four seasons as a league retiree, Austin As a game official, Austin worked his way up through is back making calls during the current NFL season – not down the ranks from high school to college. He served nine years on the field but up in the broadcast booth. He’s been traveling as a football and basketball official for the Atlantic Coast to a game each week to work as an on-air “rules analyst” beside Conference before getting the call to move up to the NFL announcers Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden during the ESPN in 1982. His years in the league wearing the striped shirt network’s “Monday Night Football” broadcasts. and No. 34 included three Super Bowls (one as side judge Austin’s life in striped shirts started when he was a 10th- and two as the referee), six conference championship games grader at Erwin High School near Asheville and began and three Pro Bowls. In 2005, Austin received the NFL’s Art officiating basketball games for seventh- and eighth-graders. McNally Award, given to a game official who exhibits exemplary After earning education degrees at Western Carolina and his professionalism, leadership and commitment to sportsmanship doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, on and off the field. He was inducted into the N.C. Sports Hall Austin embarked on a 31-year career in education that began of Fame two years later, and his other honors include the WCU Gerald D. Austin ’64 MAEd 34 ’69 (center) pals around with with him teaching in Buncombe County and included stints Alumni Association’s Award for Academic and Professional as a high school principal and associate superintendent of Achievement (he currently serves on the association board) ESPN booth buddies Jon schools in Guilford County. and selection earlier this year as the NFL Referees Association’s Gruden (left) and Mike Tirico.

A retired NFL referee has joined the broadcast team for ‘Monday Night Football’ By RANDALl HOLCOMBE

Photo courtesy of Gerald D. Austin

Winter 2013 | 23 college rules for announcers who often come from an NFL background. Conference USA provided the officials for last January’s Outback Bowl, and Austin served as rules analyst for Tirico and Gruden as they worked the matchup between “I told myself before the first game Michigan State and Georgia. “Two weeks later, producer Jay Rothman called me about being the rules analyst for ‘Monday that if I screw up now, everybody’s Night Football,’” Austin said. “I told him I’d love to do that.” Having an on-air rules analyst available to assist NFL football going to know about it.” announcers is a trend that started in 2010. The MNF season began with an exhibition game Aug. 7 (which happened to be a Tuesday) and ends with Atlanta at Detroit on Saturday, Dec. 22. Austin, part of an ESPN crew of 150 people who travel to game sites each week, said he wasn’t nervous before the first broadcast, adding that football officials “2012 Annual Honoree” in recognition of his on-field work are typically so intently concentrating on managing the game and support for that organization. that they don’t get antsy about being in front of television Austin has served as coordinator of officials for college cameras. But still, “I told myself before the first game that if football’s Conference USA for 12 years, and it was through I screw up now, everybody’s going to know about it,” he said. that affiliation that doors opened for him to join the “Monday Tirico discussed the talents of his new booth-mate on the Night Football” crew. For every college bowl game, Austin ESPN blog “Front Row.” “To have as great an expert as Gerry said, the NCAA requires the network broadcasting the game Austin, with his on-field experience, to pop in when something to have in the broadcast booth a representative from the happens to clearly and concisely explain what is going on is conference that is providing the game officials, to interpret a great addition to our ‘Monday Night’ team,” Tirico said. Comparing his current duties in the booth with his work on the field, Austin said the concentration that he gives each play during the MNF broadcasts is similar to what he had to do as an active official. He has to be prepared to analyze calls and interpret rules any time a flag is thrown. When he is called upon to provide on-air input, sometimes fans at home see Austin in the booth, while other times they just hear his voice. Throughout the game, whenever a flag hits the field, Austin uses body language to let Tirico and Gruden know when he believes a questionable call has occurred. The eyes of sports fans across the nation became more focused than ever on NFL officiating as the current season began, with the league using “replacement refs” to officiate games for the preseason and first three weeks of the regular season during a league lockout of unionized officials. Austin was in the booth for the broadcast of the now-infamous - matchup, when the game ended with what many saw as a botched call, giving Seattle a 14-12 win. NFL junkies were outraged by that call and others around the country, clamoring for the dispute between the NFL and regular officials to end. Even the nation’s president weighed in on the matter. “That was just the end of the game,” Austin told the Greensboro News & Record. “There was any number of calls throughout the game that were ruled incorrectly. That was just the one everybody’s going to remember.” Austin worked a total of 525 games during his days as an NFL official, so being on the road for the 20-game MNF broadcast season is nothing new for him. “I enjoy being in whatever city we’re in, even though usually all you ever see is the airport, hotel and stadium,” he said. Austin’s wife, Sylvia, has traveled with him several times this fall, and the two have stayed over in some cities for several days after the game. Austin said he has enjoyed working with Tirico and Gruden, “terrific people who go out of their way to accommodate fans when they ask for autographs or photos,” and is gratified to be back at the NFL games, where his goal remains “to get the call right.” But this grandfather of eight and great-grandfather of seven still feels the tug of the striped shirt. “I can tell you that the fire still burns in me,” he said. “I miss the camaraderie with other officials and being out on the field. If the NFL called me today and told me to start officiating again, I would be ready to go.”

Austin patrols his turf during his days as a National Football

Photo courtesy of Gerald D. Austin Photo courtesy of Gerald D. League referee. BROADCAST NEWS By DANIEL HOOKER ’01

An ESPN sideline reporter’s career path goes back to make-believe newscasts in the family den PhotoPhoto courtesycourtesy of Beth of MBcDadeeth McDade

Hard work and determination coupled with a million-dollar remains a mentor for McDade, described her as “a go-getter” smile have helped land Beth McDade ’02 right in the spotlight. and someone “driven by her passion to be a great journalist.” A communication major at Western Carolina who scored an “Beth has a great personality that the camera adores and she internship with ABC affiliate WLOS-TV in Asheville while has always liked sports, so she’s a natural for ESPN,” Bettes said. a student, McDade certainly has put in the hours behind the “I can see her being there for a long time. I could also see her camera. Earlier this fall, years of effort put her in front of the branching out into other sports, too. She’s a big NASCAR fan.” camera as she made her debut with the “Worldwide Leader After graduation, McDade was offered a position with WLOS in Sports” as a college football sideline reporter through the starting out on weekends. Faced with a fork in the road, she ESPN network’s online streaming outlet, ESPN3. declined the job offer and chose a different path, taking a “My degree from Western Carolina has opened up so many position with a pharmaceutical sales company. Yet on the doors for me,” McDade said. “Coming from a small town, WCU side, she continued taking occasional broadcast jobs. Being really changed my life. Without so many people’s love and in front of the camera was never far from McDade’s mind. “I support – the professors, sorority sisters, WCU alumni – I’m would always think about that TV tray and my granddaddy, not sure I would have made it to where I am today.” who was so proud to film me,” she said. Originally from Trinity, near Greensboro in Randolph In 2011, McDade’s career path took a drastic turn. A County, McDade comes from a football family. Her father, celebrity photographer from the West Coast took some David McDade, signed to play football at Clemson in the late professional pictures of McDade, which started her back on 1970s. Younger sister, Madison, is a kicker on her middle her journey in the broadcast world. She landed several stints school football team. in Las Vegas conducting celebrity interviews, working with McDade said that her longing to become a broadcast camera equipment and gaining journalist began at a young age. Growing up in the Piedmont, more knowledge, experience and she spent a lot of time with her grandparents. During the contacts within the industry. “Honestly, I thought about talking her 1980s, the family purchased its first video camera. Little did “I remember when she called me they know that it would plant a seed that would later grow and told me she wanted to get back out of it, but she was determined to into a profession. into broadcasting. I thought, ‘Oh make a go of it – and she did. I had “Having that video camera was a big deal,” said McDade. boy! You’re crazy,’” said Bettes. “It’s my doubts but can say she proved me “My grandfather bought it and was so proud of it. When I was a cutthroat business that is so tough 4, he would go into the den and set up one of those old metal to make inroads. Honestly, I thought wrong and I couldn’t be more proud.” TV trays. He would take a note card, bend it in half and write about talking her out of it, but she – Mike Bettes of The Weather Channel ‘Channel 8’ – our local TV station – and Granddaddy would was determined to make a go of it videotape me pretending to do the news.” Those childhood – and she did. I had my doubts but “broadcasts” would generally follow the same script, she said. can say she proved me wrong and I couldn’t be more proud.” “The weather today is … and I love my granddaddy because ….” From the deserts of Las Vegas back to the East Coast, Several years after those living-room recordings, McDade McDade continued to pursue her dream of working in broadcast became involved in dance and theater, taking summer classes journalism. She worked on other projects and built a portfolio at the North Carolina School of the Arts throughout her time until a fateful outing in the South Carolina Lowcountry. at Trinity High School. Following graduation, she chose WCU McDade was reporting a golf story at Kiawah Island titled for the next step of her life. But that major leap to further her “The Basics of Golf.” The right people saw her report, which education in the mountains was not an easy one. Many in her channeled her to ESPN. From there, she worked her way into her family believed that instead of attending college more than broadcast position, making her professional debut on ESPN3 four hours away from home, she needed to join the work force during the William and Mary versus Maryland game. right after high school. But she wanted to go to college and “I guess I always knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, ultimately made the decision to come to Cullowhee. Through yet I never realized how important it was to follow your heart her four years, determined to stay in school, McDade worked up until I got older. Being a journalist was all I ever wanted to to three jobs at one point while enrolled as an undergraduate. do,” McDade said. “I am proud to represent Western Carolina “I was as stubborn as a mule,” she said. “Getting the degree University in my position on the sidelines with ESPN3.” was all I could think about.” Bettes, who has witnessed his share of WCU alumni entering While at WCU, she rekindled her desire to work in journalism. the broadcast profession, said he is glad to see McDade pursuing She pursued an internship at WLOS, where she worked alongside her dream. “All of her successes wouldn’t have been possible Mike Bettes – the station’s chief meteorologist who now is without the solid foundation she got at WCU. She’s a shining employed at The Weather Channel in Atlanta. Bettes, who example of what every Catamount should be,” he said.

Winter 2013 | 25 By TERESA KILLIAN TATE

26 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University The state-of-the-art labs, classrooms and community spaces in the first building on WCU’s West Campus promote collaboration, partnerships and service

Outside, metallic sunshades stretch like giant blinds across the Health and Human Science Building’s walls of windows – letting in natural light while regulating heat in an energy-efficient way. Inside, students use computers at tall café tables in a multistory atrium, gather with study groups or professors in nooks and crannies throughout the building or take a break on the rooftop garden. Deeper inside, they work together and exchange ideas in dozens of high-tech laboratories, classrooms, seminar rooms, study areas and clinical spaces – all designed to offer extraordinary educational experiences and support a range of new, interprofessional collaborations.

Winter 2013 | 27 Physical therapy and ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES: Three sciences fields do not work in silos. she still can’t say enough good things nursing students learn how years after the $46 million building’s They work more efficiently and more about it. “First of all, the classrooms are their respective disciplines official groundbreaking, the four-story, effectively when they collaborate to amazing,” said Dodson. “The labs are work to assess and 160,000-square-foot facility nestled into help a patient or client. Whatever we huge. We can spread out. Everyone is mobilize patients. a mountainside has opened to more than can do to encourage learning from an together instead of working separately 1,000 students, faculty and staff from interprofessional perspective is only with some of us in the hall or different WCU’s College of Health and Human going to be better for our students and classrooms. The whole building enables Sciences. Now under one roof are everyone they will serve.” more collaboration. We would have colleagues in nursing, physical therapy, The facility, which opened this fall study groups meeting in the lobby and communication sciences and disorders, and will be dedicated Thursday, Feb. other places. During our lunch breaks social work, athletic training, emergency 28, already has won over students. we would go outside to get some fresh medical care, environmental health, Despite spending almost every day air. The rooftop garden is one of my nutrition and dietetics, and recreational for eight weeks in the new Health and favorite parts. It just brings so much therapy programs. Human Sciences Building, athletic personality to the building, which is “The possibilities in the new training student Kyra Dodson said so more than just a ‘normal’ building.” building are endless, especially for collaborative work involving students W w and faculty from different programs,” “ CU ill be on the leading edge of educating said Marie Huff, interim dean of the the next generation of health care professionals.” College of Health and Human Sciences. –Bruce D. Thorsen, President, Mission Healthcare Foundation “Professionals in health and human

28 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University GOING WEST: The facility is the first the academic side and the clinic side,” to be constructed on WCU’s West said Ogletree. “Our students are getting Campus, 344 acres across N.C. Highway a rich experience, and it’s only going 107 from the main campus acquired in to get better and better as there are 2005 as part of the Millennial Initiative. more interprofessional opportunities.” A comprehensive regional economic Another space will be used for a Balance development strategy, the Millennial and Fall Prevention Clinic expected to Initiative promotes working on campus open this spring. In addition, WCU is with private industry and government exploring partnerships, including one partners to enhance hands-on student that could enable a free community learning and collaborative research. The medical clinic to serve patients at the initiative already is coming to life in the HHS building. new building in such ways as making Meanwhile, the second floor of the space available within the building’s building hosts an atrium with floor- interdisciplinary clinic on the first floor to-ceiling windows that look out on THE BUZZ: the study of mosquito- for a sports medicine clinic in which the mountains, a community seminar physical therapy and athletic training room with the capacity to seat 175 borne disease benefitS from students will get hands-on experience. people, a 100-person auditorium and a insectary and lab The mission of the interdisciplinary coffee shop/restaurant. Just outside is a clinic is to offer specialized diagnostic rooftop garden featuring native plants A secure insectary and research lab in the new and rehabilitative services that address indigenous to the region, an element Health and Human Sciences Building is helping make needs in the community in a way that of the energy-efficient design that is it possible for students and faculty to fill a need for enhances and emphasizes student positioning the building for certification research related to mosquito-borne illnesses in Western education and training. Already at the silver level in LEED, or Leadership North Carolina. operating there is WCU’s nationally in Energy and Environmental Design, Legislative budget cuts in 2011 led to shuttering of recognized Speech and Hearing from the U.S. Green Building Council. the N.C. Public Health Pest Management Section of Clinic, which serves clients from the For athletic training student Nichole the North Carolina Department of Environment and community and involves students Eads, the space offered a sense of Natural Resources “This has created a significant void studying communication sciences and sanctuary during the eight weeks of in the state that left many other state and local agencies disorders. Bill Ogletree, head of the intensive coursework before going scrambling to coordinate control activities related to communication sciences and disorders to a clinical site. “It was pretty in the mosquito control,” said Brian Byrd, a public health department, said the new space offers morning walking up and seeing the biologist and assistant professor of environmental more treatment rooms, more ability to mountains,” said Eads. health. “This is an area where I feel WCU may play observe sessions and more opportunity Throughout the building are faculty a vital role in the education of local environmental to collaborate with the physical therapy offices, study spaces, classrooms, health professionals and provide resources and lab and recreational therapy programs. seminar rooms and 21 specialized labs. capacity to enhance local response and education “The new clinic allows us to expand They include a secure insectary, which is efforts. To work with mosquitoes safely, we needed an the solid interface we have between a laboratory for the study of live insects, appropriate laboratory infrastructure and protocols to prevent them from escaping.” The focus of the new laboratory is to address needs for surveillance, prevention and response of La Crosse encephalitis, the most common human mosquito- borne disease in North Carolina. La Crosse encephalitis can cause brain swelling, seizures, coma and even death. Features of the new lab space include a secure, two-door entry in which a whoosh of air blows down as visitors enter and exit to prevent any mosquitoes from leaving the premises. The facility will expand the capabilities of WCU students who have, since August 2008, presented related research at 25 national, regional and state venues. Currently, Tyler McKinnish, a senior from Canton majoring in biology, is using molecular methods to examine the validity of methods to indentify two similar-looking mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus. McKinnish said he is particularly grateful for the extra storage and bench space. “That has been the greatest thing for my project – the ability to spread out a bit and to easily and efficiently access the reagents that I use,” he said. For Michael Riles, a senior from Miami, the lab has made it easier to complete his work investigating where particular types of the mosquitoes capable of carrying the virus lay their eggs and Chairs equipped with tables for laptops or books enable students to study and work in the examining methods to distinguish two closely related building’s multistory atrium. species of the mosquitoes.

Winter 2013 | 29 Meghan Colescott, complete with double-door entry and HIGH-TECH TOOLS: Some of the most The building also has specially a student in an fans at the entrance powerful enough heavily used labs are the simulation designed features, such as space etiology class within to prevent any specimens from escape. laboratories in which students work with for environmental health students the environmental The measures are needed to allow for mock patients or mechanical patient returning from gathering samples health program, looks safe research of mosquitoes that carry simulators, including a “SimBaby,” in muddy, wet environments and an at a sample under a illnesses such as La Crosse encephalitis. in settings from hospital rooms to ambulance pad built into the back of the microscope. They also include facilities such as a apartments. Macey Bright, a nursing emergency medical care lab. In addition, quantity foods lab that enables nutrition student from Forest City, said those a hydrotherapeutic pool donated by and dietetics students to get experience experiences were valuable. “We did a MedWest – Harris is on-site for teaching on campus that they previously had to respiratory assessment on the manikins and performing aquatic therapy. The go off campus to acquire. In the lab, in the lab, and our professors set them to pool features jets that create current, students use industrial-grade equipment have rales, rhonchi, wheezes and other an underwater treadmill and video such as ovens, mixers and skillets to abnormalities that we would be assessing cameras to record clients’ movements. learn about preparing quantities of for in our patients,” said Bright. “After The features are particularly useful for food for hospitals, nursing homes or hearing these sounds in the manikins, I people such as injured athletes who need schools where there are a range of special was much more comfortable going into a safe way to train and older adults who diet considerations, said Wayne Billon, the clinical and doing assessments on have balance and fall issues and need director of the nutrition and dietetics my patients. We also were able to see help improving their gait, regaining program. “When our students go some of what the SimBaby could do, their strength and expanding their range into food service management, they such as turning blue, swelling of the of motion. The pool will enable athletic are expected to know how to use this tongue and what happens when a baby’s training, recreational therapy and equipment,” said Billon. lung collapses.” physical therapy students to learn about

30 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University aquatic therapy and benefit community “The possibilities in members whom the students work with, said Jay Scifers, director of the School of the new building are Health Sciences and professor of athletic endless, especially for training. “This is the only therapeutic collaborative work pool of its kind in the region, and it will provide some great benefits for involving students and members of our community as well as faculty from different our students,” said Scifers. Another highlight is the building’s programs.” technology features, which range from –Marie Huff, interim dean video capabilities in the interdisciplinary clinic that allow patients, health care of education for students. Athletic providers, faculty and students to review training has almost twice as much lab sessions, to vast telecommunication and space, said Jill Manners, director of the GOING GREEN: LEED certification videoconferencing capabilities. Guest program. Twice as many hospital beds sought for new building speakers off-site are able to meet live for nursing students are available as – virtually – with students, faculty or were in Moore Hall, previous home for Daylight bounces into the interior corridors of classes. Earlier this year, epidemiologist nursing students, said Judy Neubrander, the new Health and Human Sciences Building while Richard Wilkinson delivered a lecture director of the School of Nursing. The the reflective surfaces of the roof and rooftop garden live from England to 75 students, additional space also made it possible to keep heat absorption at bay. Such details position the faculty and community members return the senior pre-licensing nursing building designed by Asheville-based architects with at the Health and Human Sciences students to campus after several decades Pearce Brinkley Cease + Lee to meet the U.S. Green Building as well as participants at Wake of being located in the Asheville area. Building Council’s standards for Leadership in Energy Forest University and the University “Bringing the senior year of the pre- and Environmental Design, or LEED, at the silver level. of Tennessee. The technology enables licensure program back to Cullowhee is Its “green” features include: events in one classroom, seminar a true homecoming,” said Neubrander. Overall design – To minimize impact on the site, room, clinic or community area to be “It will give our senior nursing students the building’s footprints respond to existing contours streamed to other rooms in the building the true college experience all four years of the mountainside. or recorded for review at a later time. and provide for a seamless educational Reduction in copper – The use of hydroelectric The capability enhances WCU’s ability nursing experience.” Katlyn Moss, a power and electric heat system enabled a reduction to serve distance learners or host large nursing student from Hayesville, said in the amount of copper piping needed. community or continuing education nursing students appreciate being in the Natural light – The orientation of the windows events at the building. same building and are using the many and the pattern of the exterior sun screens allow for The sheer amount of space available group study spaces. “I have definitely natural light to enter and reduce lighting needs while in the new building is something faculty seen a community being built between supporting heating and cooling efforts. members say has enhanced the quality the nursing cohorts,” said Moss. Roof and rooftop garden – A 20,000-square- foot rooftop garden reduces the amount of heat the building gives off back to the atmosphere. Reservoir cups resembling a giant egg crate catch stormwater to be absorbed by plants. Stormwater filters – Sand filters and bioretention ponds reduce the amount of runoff and increase the quality of water that does run into nearby streams. Regionally made materials – Brick and precast concrete panels are manufactured within 500 miles of WCU, and wood used in the building is certified by the Forest Steward Council for the renewable way it was grown and harvested. Low-emitting materials – Building materials have a low volatile organic compound (VOC) content, often emitted as gases with potential adverse health effects. Occupancy sensors – The lighting system uses occupancy sensors that turn lights on when someone enters a room and off when unoccupied. A control system in the atrium also assesses the amount of light needed based on sunlight. Reduced water use – With low-flow toilets, pint- flush urinals and select sinks and plumbing fixtures, the building is expected to use 41 percent less water than a typical building of the same size. Individualized temperature control – The mechanical system offers more control of temperature From left, Brenda Marques, associate professor, and Laura Parker, nutrition and dietetics student, settings within groups of offices, a measure expected work in the quantity foods lab. to result in a 20 percent reduction in energy use.

Winter 2013 | 31 COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT: The therapy student, I tend to focus on the community is strengthened further patient’s movement capabilities or lack by the interprofessional collaborations thereof. The nursing students brought tying different disciplines together. In an entirely different perspective to the addition to the collaboration between situation and helped me think about nursing and physical therapy that has other aspects of the patient’s recovery,” occurred this semester, Anne-Marie said Helfer. Meanwhile, Bright, a Jones, assistant professor of nursing and nursing student, said it was helpful to undergraduate team coordinator, said practice sharing findings. “If we didn’t they hope to build future collaboration understand each other’s terminology with other professions in the college. or charting abbreviations, we were able Nursing students could work with to figure that out in the lab and learn colleagues from communication about them before going into the clinical sciences and disorders to enhance setting,” she said. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: An communication with patients as well Bruce D. Thorsen, president of asheville hospital system’s as work with patients with swallowing Mission Healthcare Foundation and issues, from social work to improve 40-year veteran in the health care gifts are HELPING students in collaboration in accessing resources field, underscored that the teamwork health-related majors available to patients, and from required to care for patients is one of the emergency medical care to learn about most important aspects of health care Twenty-four students who are enrolled this the critical communication that needs today. Mission Health System, which academic year in several of the bachelor’s, master’s to take place between nursing and contributed significant financial support and doctoral programs offered by the College of Health emergency medical personnel. to help establish WCU’s physical therapy and Human Sciences are attending the university Already this fall, physical therapy and nurse anesthesiology programs, thanks to a $250,000 gift from Mission Health System and nursing students worked together in September announced a $250,000 of Asheville. The Asheville-based hospital system is in several interprofessional collaborative gift to provide financial assistance to providing $50,000 annually over a five-year span lab experiences, including one in which students who will study in health- to WCU to be used for scholarships for students in they assessed medical status, history and related programs, many of whom are health-related disciplines. medications of a simulated patient – a participating in studies in the new The gift, announced last fall is providing financial 59-year-old recovering from cervical building. assistance to students from Western North Carolina fusion surgery. Together, they discovered “The beauty of the new WCU Health who want to study in health-related programs at how and what to communicate to make and Human Sciences Building is it will WCU. In announcing the gift, Chancellor David sure the patient received the best possible provide the space and the atmosphere Belcher commended Mission for its ongoing overall care from both: nursing students for the various health disciplines to commitment to the education of the next generation shared what the physical therapy study and interact together,” said of health care providers. students needed to know about the Thorsen. “That, coupled with its high “This gift, which represents the latest in Mission’s patient before beginning therapy, and technology both in its simulation long history of support for Western Carolina’s the physical therapy students advised laboratories and in teaching students educational efforts in the area of the health sciences, what kind of mobility assistance a patient how to use electronic medical records, will provide critical financial assistance to students might need. Hannah Helfer, a graduate means WCU will be on the leading edge who might not otherwise be able to afford to attend student from New Mexico studying of educating the next generation of the university, with the hope that these students physical therapy, said she valued hearing health care professionals.” will graduate and serve the region as health care from nursing students. “As a physical professionals,” Belcher said. “It’s a prudent investment by Mission, which through its generosity also is helping ensure that it continues providing the highest quality health care to the people of Western North Carolina.” Mission Health System previously has contributed significant financial support to help establish WCU’s physical therapy program and its program in certified registered nurse anesthesiology, joining other regional hospitals, medical centers and health care organizations comprising the WNC Health Network in efforts to address a shortage in those professions. “One of the goals of Mission’s community benefits committee is to ensure we are investing in our region. We felt there was no stronger investment than in helping motivated young people from this part of the state get interested in health careers at Western Carolina by providing them scholarships,” said Cindy Shivers, chair of the committee. “We feel this is a very wise and well-placed grant and will pay many rewards to the region.” Students in an emergency medical care course enjoy the technological capabilities of a lecture hall at the Health and Human Sciences Building.

32 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University GLOBAL REACH: A professor’s commitment to people who have fluency disorders such as stuttering leads him to an international leadership role | By TERESA KILLIAN TATE

As a person who stutters, David A. Shapiro swore an oath in six languages, and his book, “Stuttering Intervention: A that if he could find a way to talk, then he would do all he could Collaborative Journey to Fluency Freedom,” incorporates to help others. With loving acceptance and support, Shapiro international perspectives that cross disciplines and cultures in did find a way and in turn has served others for more than 35 its examination of ideas, practices and strategies for assessing years as a speech-language pathologist. As Western Carolina and treating people of all ages who stutter. University’s Robert Lee Madison Distinguished Professor of David A. Daly, professor emeritus of speech-language communication sciences and disorders, he also works with pathology at the , said Shapiro’s book, aspiring speech-language pathologists and with colleagues now in its second edition, captures the unique sensitivities and clients around the world. His service has extended to the and deep feelings experienced by many people who stutter. International Fluency Association, whose members presented “In my opinion, Dr. Shapiro’s understanding of the problem him the Award of Distinction for Outstanding Clinician in of stuttering and his thoughtful organization and presentation Dublin, Ireland, in 2006 and recently elected him president in of the vast research and clinical information on this topic is Tours, France. The organization is composed of researchers, unparalleled,” said Daly. speech scientists and speech-language pathologists from more To Shapiro, it is more than a textbook and reference than 30 countries on six continents. work; it is a love story. “It is hard to imagine the challenges “One of the most exciting developments is that WCU has people who stutter incur on a daily basis as well as the joy become the hub for dialogue related to fluency disorders among that communication success brings,” said Shapiro. “It is the professionals and consumers around the world,” said Shapiro. birthright of every person to be able to use speech and language In his first three months as president, Shapiro assembled freely and to enjoy communication freedom. Success is more a leadership team from across the world, held elections, than fluency. It is life-altering and freeing in many ways. completed a survey of more than 1,500 constituents, established Helping someone visualize dreams and work toward achieving a committee to revise the bylaws and develop a strategic plan, them is such a special and empowering experience.” and was offered space in the most recent and subsequent J. Scott Yaruss, professor at the University of Pittsburgh, said issues of the Journal of Fluency Disorders to summarize IFA’s Shapiro has truly carried his message throughout the world and activities. touched countless lives. “His international accomplishments “To serve as IFA president is a dream come true for me,” are unparalleled in our field – he is a model to us all,” said said Shapiro, who has engaged in teaching, clinical service Yaruss. Shapiro has helped people who stutter in places as far and research on six continents. In 2004, concerned with the away as Africa, and Moussa Dao, a pharmacist in Burkina Faso unavailability of clinical services for people who stutter in and coordinator of the Federation of African Associations on developing countries, he collaborated with Margaret Wahlhaus Stuttering, said he and many others are forever grateful. “He in Australia to introduce a concept to the International has changed the life of so many persons of my country and Stuttering Association called the International Speech Project other African countries,” said Dao. “He will remain in our – Stuttering. “Similar to Doctors Without Borders, the project mind forever. “ is now bringing information and coordinating self-help/mutual Locally, Shapiro and his colleagues provide service to clients aid projects where they otherwise did not exist in remote through WCU’s nationally recognized Speech and Hearing corners of the world,” said Shapiro. Clinic, part of the interdisciplinary clinic in the new Health His professional presentations number more than 150 and Human Sciences Building. For more information about and include “A Multinational Investigation of Stuttering stuttering, including treatment and self-help groups for people Intervention,” which represented the collaborative work of who stutter and their families, contact Shapiro at 828-227-3291 17 co-authors from 15 countries. His publications include or [email protected]. more than 60 articles, some of which have been published

Winter 2013 | 33 TAKE A TOUR

ADAPTIVE DEVICES such as special bicycles Two physical therapy provide opportunities for students to get hands- In two human anatomy labs offer students hands-on on training on therapeutic equipment they will laboratories, students experience with state-of-the-art use with patients facing a variety of physical and participate in traditional, equipment. developmental challenges. cadaver-based instruction.

w In three simulation Explore and celebrate the ne Health laboratories, students and Human Sciences Building at a practice assessment skills dedication ceremony to be held at with lifelike manikins that 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 28. mimic body functions such as breathing. Students practice CPR, dress wounds and collect For more information vital signs such as heart rate call 828.227.7271 or email and oxygen saturation. [email protected]

34 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University In the mosquito insectary laboratory – the only mosquito containment lab in Western North Carolina – faculty and students use incubators and work areas to study the basic biology and physiology of arthropods in connection with the assessment and prevention of viruses such as La Crosse encephalitis.

The environmental health laboratory serves students and faculty involved in research related to environmental problems. The state-of-the-art equipment provides technical and analytical support through the analysis of chemical and microbiological sampling of air, water and soil quality.

The human movement laboratory is dedicated to the investigation of movement An interdisciplinary and musculoskeletal disorders. clinic on the ground floor Students analyze human hosts the nationally recognized movement using data gathered Speech and Hearing Clinic through eight video cameras instructional space includes 11 technology-rich and space for specialized mounted on four walls and classrooms and seminar rooms spread throughout the clinics related to physical pressure-sensitive plates set into building and offers unique furniture configurations therapy, nursing, social work, the floor. Students, professors that promote active learning and team problem- nutrition, athletic training and and professionals can see a three- solving activities. Live, off-campus guest speakers recreational therapy. A Balance dimensional video reproduction can meet virtually with students, and events in one and Fall Prevention Clinic is of movement and develop a room can be broadcast live to other venues or recorded expected to open this spring. comprehensive analysis. for later viewing.

Winter 2013 | 35 alumni SPOTLIGHT

WCU’s WILLY WONKA A creative candy man is savoring sweet success with his confectionary concoctions By LEILA TVEDT

36 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University Photo courtesy of GGB of Raleigh Derek Lawson ’91 is having a blast. He talks exuberantly about the fun of being creator and maker of large gummy bears – not just slightly oversized gelatin-based candies, but the world’s largest, weighing in at 5 pounds apiece. What began as a class project became a joke and now has turned into serious business for Lawson and his older brother, Brett. As a WCU student, Lawson wrote an essay, “Twenty-Plus Ways for College Students to Make Money.” “I cringe to remember what some of those ideas were,” he said, but they were interesting enough to attract the attention of his professor, Mary Anne Nixon, who urged him to get involved in a new program in entrepreneurial studies. “I was one of the first to dive into that,” said Lawson, majoring in communication at the time. “It shaped my later success.” Nixon said she is touched to learn of her former student’s success. “To know that something you said has had such a positive impact is extremely gratifying,” she said. Shortly after Lawson’s graduation, the brothers started working with a family that managed candy stores. “We got the entrepreneurial bug and took over their store in Wilmington, N.C.,” Lawson said. It didn’t take long for the Lawsons to realize they could not compete in sales of existing candy with giant chain stores, so they began to create their own sweet things. “We were the first to make vitamin-enriched chocolate – chocolate infused with B12,” Lawson said, but other companies had greater success with that idea, too. “Out of utter frustration, as a joke, I said to my brother, ‘Let’s just make giant gummy bears, as big as two fists.’ He loved it.” A modern-day Willy Wonka of sorts, Derek Lawson ’91 And so they got started. It was just for fun at first, but friends gives a thumbs-up to his gummy bear creations, made who saw the big bears wanted them. “We sold two to make four in two manufacturing facilities (opposite page). and sold four to make eight, and now we’re making thousands Photo courtesy of GGB of Raleigh every day. We aspired to and have become the definitive name in giant gummy bears,” Lawson said. “A lot of people are vying to make gummy bears, but we took it a step farther.” The brothers branched out into gummy worms, bunnies and bottles and began making specialty gummies for sports teams and celebrities. For New York sportscaster Michael Kay and his fiancé, they made a gummy bride and groom. 25-pound bear with a concave belly that serves as a candy dish. For songwriter Wayne Coyne, they made a life-size gummy “We call it the Party Bear,” Salvatore said, and it is selling well. skull that holds a seven-pound gummy brain. Inside the edible Still to come – a 15-pound, two-color gummy snake. “It’s an brain is a flash drive of music by Coyne’s band, The Flaming awesome product,” said Salvatore, who is planning to dub it Lips. The skull-and-brain gummy was featured in an Esquire the Party Python. magazine article, and some of Lawson’s other creations have In addition to the energy and enthusiasm he brings to appeared on The Food Network, History Channel, “Modern his business, Lawson has a passion for encouraging others, Marvels” and “Ripley’s Believe it or Not!” especially recent college graduates. “The time to step out is when As the giant gummy bears and body parts began to catch you are young. You have less to lose and fewer responsibilities. on, friends such as Jennifer Wollan ’91 started calling Lawson Why not go all in?” he said. “You can’t be afraid to try or to fail. “a real life Willy Wonka” after the eccentric confectioner of I failed at several things before I found the thing that works for children’s literature. “I think it’s exciting that something so me. You can’t find out what works for you if you are afraid to creative and fun has grown into something so big and been so fail. Try. There’s no magic to it. If you walk enough beaches, successful,” said Wollan. “I wish Derek all the best and much you’re going to find the perfect shell.” In fact, Lawson said, if more success in whatever he decides to do or dream up next.” he could he would make a “fearless candy” – one that would Also watching for new ideas is Allison Rubin, brand manager make everyone step out and try. for IT’SUGAR, a confectionary entertainment company When he’s not promoting giant bears or imagining new specializing in unusual apparel, accessories and candy, with products, Lawson donates time and money to the Raleigh more than 30 retail stores nationwide. “Our campaign is ‘go big chapter of Autism Speaks. For an annual Walk Now for Autism or go home,’” Rubin said, and the giant gummy bears fit right event, he sponsors a float carrying youngsters who have been in. She is open to other gummy products, as well. “Derek brings diagnosed with autism. “You just want to reach inside these us stuff he is working on. He is very creative and innovative, kids and bring out the best in them. Sometimes you can do always up for a challenge. He has a very creative mind,” she said. that,” he said. “That makes all my hard work worthwhile. There Jamie Salvatore, owner of VAT19, an online store for novelty has to be a deeper reason for success than making money.” items, agreed. Five years ago, Salvatore began promoting the The brothers recently opened their second manufacturing giant gummy bears on video. “As soon as it got up on YouTube, facility in Raleigh. They are about to launch a new creation that it started getting tons of attention,” Salvatore said. Eventually, morphs two candies into one. Lawson is not yet ready to talk he asked Lawson to make an even bigger model. “His eyes went about that product. But could this creative candy man make wide, and he started thinking about it,” Salvatore said. “Derek a giant gummy Catamount? That’s a sweet idea he is willing came up with a product he calls Big Old Bear, or Bob.” It’s a to sink his teeth into.

Winter 2013 | 37 alumni SPOTLIGHT

Photo courtesy of Chris Keane

LEGAL ACTION A philanthropic attorney hopes others will learn to think for themselves By JILL INGRAM MA ’08

Learning to think Gaither Keener ’72 had always wanted to attend law school. importance of knowing his country’s history. From John as an undergrad He achieved his goal in 1977 when he graduated from the Wake Bell, he learned the love of North Carolina history. “Gerald has helped Gaither Forest University School of Law. Joining the firm of McElwee Schwartz and Andrew Baggs made me think through the idea Keener ’72 achieve Hall McElwee in North Wilkesboro, Keener tried civil and of socialism,” Keener said. And from Curtis Wood, history success as a corporate criminal cases in state and federal courts, even arguing a case professor emeritus, Keener learned “the love of common law attorney for Lowe’s. before the Supreme Court in 1987, the same year he transitioned and the constitutional history of England.” to Lowe’s as the company’s first in-house attorney. Keener, “I believe that education is the most important thing to bring recipient of WCU’s 2012 Professional Achievement Award, somebody above their means,” said Keener, who credited his now is chief legal officer of the Fortune 50 retailer and in 2011 WCU experience with preparing him for law school. In that was recognized by his peers, as published in Business North spirit, Keener and his wife, Beverly Bogle Keener, who live Carolina, as the state’s best business lawyer and deserving of in Mooresville, recently announced their intent to endow a an “elite lawyer status.” scholarship for education majors who are members of the But before all that, the self-described “boy from the Honors College, with the first scholarship planned for the 2013- mountains” had to learn how to think. Keener remembers the 14 academic year. It is the second such gift from the Keeners. In day he arrived on WCU’s campus after a five-hour drive from 2010, the couple endowed a scholarship to support one WCU Newton with his brother. “There were no four-lane highways, track or cross country runner each year in recognition of the we went a little bit on the interstate, then a three-lane highway late Terry Helms ’73, a standout runner and Keener’s college and two-lane highway,” Keener recalled during his acceptance roommate and longtime friend. remarks at an October ceremony. “It took forever. I remember Raising funds for endowed scholarships to make a university getting here – they dumped me off and they left.” education accessible for capable students is a priority for Engaging in a liberal arts education, the young man soon Chancellor David O. Belcher, who was enthusiastic at news of found his way. “The most important thing about being a history the gift. Keener is among those who “have taken from Western major and political science minor at Western was the fact that and given back extraordinarily to this institution,” Belcher they taught you how to think,” Keener said. His professors said. “What we are experiencing is a real tide of engagement “tried to mold you and your thinking processes. Not telling from our community, the community that hosts us, and from you what to think, but challenging you on what you thought.” the alums and friends of this institution.” magazine.wcu.edu From Brian Walton, an Englishman, Keener learned the

38 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University IN THE PINK A career with Mary Kay brings out a young alumna’s best side By JILL INGRAM MA ’08

Most freshmen arrive on campus with new bedding and Still, jumping all in to Mary Kay is a “faith walk,” Mauney Lori Ann Mauney ’11 is a window fan. Lori Ann Mauney ’11 arrived in 2008 with a said. In fact, after graduating, she bowed to pressure from those on the road to a custom machine to process credit cards and $5,000 worth of cosmetics around her to pursue a job in corporate America and found Mary Kay pink Cadillac, inventory that she kept stashed under her bed in Scott Hall. employment doing sales with Verizon. Within six months she which she plans to be Mauney entered WCU as a marketing major with a clear goal: had left the position and recommitted to Mary Kay. “People driving by spring. To carve a career in Mary Kay, one of the largest direct-sell say, ‘You went to college and you’re doing Mary Kay?’ They’re companies in the world – it operates in 39 global markets always surprised by that because they think a girl who wants and records annual sales in the billions. “I never changed my a college degree wants a corporate job, and I had that and I major,” said Mauney, who at the beginning of each semester walked away from that,” Mauney said. would hand professors a list of days she planned to be absent According to Grace Allen, WCU associate professor of from class on Mary Kay business. finance, it’s a matter of sales: Some people are naturals, others For some of that business, she never left campus. Kellie hate it. “Lori Ann knew early on that she was very good at Angelo Monteith, WCU’s assistant vice chancellor for student sales,” Allen said. “She has a really outgoing personality, she’s affairs, met Mauney when she set up a Mary Kay table at a start- very self-assured and she’s very motivated. She found her of-semester Valley Ballyhoo. “I love that talented young lady,” niche very early and she’s just run with it.” Could Allen ever raved Monteith, a loyal customer. “I just received something in imagine encouraging a student to pursue a career in Mary the mail yesterday.” Lip gloss, mascara, skincare products – “I Kay? “Probably not, but I don’t think that many people can be kept girls happy,” Mauney said. “Boyfriends would buy from me as successful in it as Lori Ann,” she said. Mauney is successful too – I had perfumes and things. I would meet people in the food enough that she managed to recruit her former professor. Allen court or library or whatever and get them set for Christmas.” herself is now a Mary Ann consultant, buying products for She even met her best friend at WCU, fellow undergraduate her daughter in hopes that the sales role will help develop the Olivia Lynch ’11, who also sold Mary Kay. 13-year-old’s confidence. Mauney’s introduction to Mary Kay came early. At 9 years old and suffering from acne so severe she was on a powerful prescription medication to treat it, Mauney began a Mary Kay skincare regime recommended by a family friend. Her acne cleared up and Mauney was hooked. She counted down the days until she turned 18, the requisite age to begin selling the products. Her mother bought her a starter kit for her birthday. While selling cosmetics is the way to enter Mary Kay, recruiting motivated salespeople, or consultants, is the way to advance. In this, Mauney excels, traveling extensively to develop her network and, in an unusual step, putting potential consultants through an interview process. “I’m very, very cautious about who I bring in,” said Mauney, noting that her own future depends on it. While she still maintains several cosmetics customers, these days Mauney, 22, spends most her time managing 33 consultants and is on track to become a sales director – a title claimed by only 2 percent of those working in the company – in December. By spring, she plans to be driving a famed pink Cadillac. Mauney, described by those who know her as an entrepreneurial and self-motivated young woman, considers Mary Kay an opportunity for autonomy, helping others and perks including worldwide travel. She even credits her work with the company for helping boost her feelings of self-worth. “I had zero, zero confidence before Mary Kay,” said Mauney, who works from a home office and at the time of this interview was planning a move from Arden to Charlotte to be nearer her top producers. The move also brings her closer to Lincolnton, where she grew up and where her parents, Debra and John Mauney, still live. While Mauney is “working her business at a very high level,” she is part of a larger trend in Mary Kay, said Pam Tull, a sort of mentor for Mauney who, in her 37 years with the company, has risen to its highest echelons. Women 24 to 35 are the fastest- growing demographic in the company, Tull said. “These young women are very capable, very talented, decisive and they want to be challenged,” she said. “They know what they want, and they want to be part of something big.”

Winter 2013 | 39 class NOTES 1954 Dorcas Howell Love and Charles H. Love Jr. ’55 celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary in 2012. Charles retired from IBM and Dorcas, who was a stand-in for Susan Hayward in the 1951 film “I’d Climb the Highest Mountain,” retired from teaching. The couple has two children and four grandsons. 1958 Longtime educator Charles “Tommy” Koontz MAEd ’61 has had a Buncombe County School named in his honor. Charles T. Koontz Intermediate School opened in 2012 to ease overcrowding in the southern portion of the county. 1966 Charles McConnell MAEd ’69 received a 2012 Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer Service, presented annually to the state’s top volunteers. McConnell has been volunteering in Jackson County for 20 years and is the chief fundraiser for Jackson County Neighbors in Need, a program that improves the homes of those who cannot afford to do so themselves. A former superintendent of Haywood and Jackson County schools, he started the New Century Scholars Program, which guarantees full scholarships to four years of college to qualifying students in Jackson, Macon and Swain counties and has so far benefited approximately 750 students. 1967 Carroll E. Emery MAEd was a 2012 inductee into the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Emery coached baseball for 38 years at T.L. Hanna High School outside of Anderson, S.C., where he racked up 427 wins before Photo courtesy of Nuvision Action Image retiring in 2006. He also coached Hanna High football for 35 years. He and his wife, June, live in Anderson.

SLAYING THE BEAST 1969 Gerald “Skip” Almond Jr. and Ken Beck In October, James Thomas ’02 (background) and Laura Myers Ernst ’06 MBA ’11 (foreground, an employee ’97 are members of the Elderly Brothers, of WCU’s OneStop) participated in the Carolinas Spartan Beast race in Winnsboro, S.C. The two friends, whose a band that performs a range of music spouses – Jennifer Gordon Thomas ’03 MEd ’06 (a WCU financial aid counselor) andAnderson Ernst ’04 from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s as well as – cheered from the sidelines, stuck together for the entire grueling 13.5-mile obstacle course and finished originals and beach music. The band, whose recording of “I Wanna Be Your in just more than four and a half hours. The couples, all experienced competitors, had planned to enter as a Rock” is included on a Carolina beach quartet in the race, which benefits an organization that builds homes for veterans, before injuries sidelined half music compilation titled “Judie’s Patio of the better halves. The Thomases, of Whittier, and the Ernsts, of Sylva, have set their sights on two other Party,” performed at the WCU Purple and obstacle competitions this spring. Gold Reunion dance.

40 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University Betty Jamerson Reed MAEd EdS ’82 in Lynchburg Reid has been chair of the Athens EdD ’00 is the recipient of an Award of City Schools in Academy humanities department since Merit from the American Association for Virginia and is 1987. He teaches U.S. history and a State and Local History’s Leadership in in his 10th year popular film and literature course and History Awards for her publication “School as professor has coached the girls soccer and Segregation in Western North Carolina, A at Lynchburg basketball teams. History, 1860s-1970s.” The award, in its College in 67th year, is recognition for achievement educational in the preservation and interpretation of leadership 1981 state and local history. studies. Terri Garland Hand Sessoms, a longtime public school servant and the recent MAEd ’70 was among the public information officer for Johnston first round of inductees to the Franklin 1975 County Schools, retired in September. High School Athletic Hall of Fame for Thomas Price MAEd ’81 is retiring from Sessoms served in a variety of capacities his athletic accomplishments at Franklin Marion Elementary School in Cleveland during her career in the schools, including High and contributions to athletics on the County after 37 years in education, most as a professional growth facilitator, collegiate level and beyond. At Franklin, of it as a first-grade teacher. Price attended beginning teacher coordinator, curriculum/ Taylor played football and ran track. He WCU as the only male in education literacy coach, assistant principal, played football for Gardner-Webb and, as classes for a kindergarten-third grade curriculum coordinator, teacher on loan, a transfer, at WCU. He went on to coach degree, according to his wife, Julia Lee elementary teacher, middle high school football, netting 10 conference Tiddy Price MAEd ’80. “He still practices school language arts and titles and two state championships while techniques we learned at WCU under science teacher, and high at Shelby High School. Since 2005, Taylor professors like Dr. Thomas Pickering and school English and science has served as the county athletic director Dr. Gurney Chambers ’61,” said Julia teacher. During her time for Cleveland County Schools. Taylor Price, who retired in 2011 after 36 years of service, Sessoms has also is one of this year’s inductees into in public education. received accolades for the North Carolina High School Athletic her leadership in school Association Hall of Fame. reform as well as creativity 1978 and innovation with the Randy Reid has classroom. Her most recent 1970 received the awards include the James Roger E. Jones has received the 2012 Distinguished Service B. Hunt Outstanding Distinguished Alumni Award from Brevard Award from the Teacher Award for her College, where he attended for two years Georgia Independent impact on the state’s when it was a junior college. Jones School Association public education and the transferred to WCU, attending on a track for having dedicated governor’s Order of the scholarship. Jones has served in a variety at least 25 years Long Leaf Pine for more of positions as an educator, teacher, of service to an than 30 years of exemplary principal and assistant superintendent independent school. service in education.

WCU honors Buckner with Distinguished Service Award

Western Carolina University has honored legendary want him. “I’ve had students where music was marching band director Bob Buckner ’67 with its 2012 the thing that got them through. They would Distinguished Service Award. Buckner, who developed come to that band room every day and they WCU’s marching band into a competitive, world-class had a family.” marching ensemble, was one of four award recipients Nearly 15 percent of the university’s honored during a ceremony held Saturday, Oct. 6, in the A.K. freshman class participates in marching Hinds University Center as part of Homecoming activities. band, and the annual Tournament of “These awards recognize and honor four of WCU’s most Champions invitational started by Buckner distinguished and successful alumni, and they have all is the single-largest recurring recruitment made us so very proud,” said Marty Ramsey ’85, director event on campus. In 2009, the Pride of the of alumni affairs. Mountains received the Sudler Trophy, the Buckner retired as director of athletic bands at WCU in nation’s highest and most-coveted award for 2011 after 20 years, during which he brought the Pride of college and university marching bands, from the Mountains Marching Band into the national spotlight. the John Philip Sousa Foundation. Capping The Waynesville resident arrived at WCU in 1991 and Buckner’s career was the band’s 2011 New helped grow marching band membership from fewer than Year’s Day appearance in the Tournament of 90 to nearly 400 students, turning the ensemble into a Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., which Buckner “funk-rock band” known for dynamic performances that described as a career highlight. incorporate nontraditional elements such as guitars, vocalists Buckner’s wife, Donna, worked alongside her and dancers. husband, launching the WCU color guard and working “Band connects people emotionally,” said Buckner, who, with the dance team. Through his company United Music in accepting his award, remarked that he remains available Enterprises, Buckner remains active with the WCU marching as a teacher to all his past students for as long as they band program and continues to design its shows.

Winter 2013 | 41 3,600 dentists in the state. Gillespie, past class 1982 1985 president of the Buncombe County Dental Marion Police Chief Mark Brooks plans Lisa Toney Harris married Barry Lee Society and the N.C. Dental Society’s First to retire from the post in April. Brooks Bralley in April in Shelby and was District, lives in Asheville and is married to NOTES became Marion’s chief in 2010 after escorted down the aisle by son Ryan Betsy Jones Gillespie ’86. serving nearly 22 years with the Shelby Wakefield, a WCU student. Harris is a Police Department. He began his law social studies teacher at East Rutherford enforcement career at the Asheville Police High School. The couple lives in 1989 Department in 1979. An incentive from Forest City. Sherri Holbert has been hired as the N.C. Local Governmental Retirement development officer for Park Ridge Health System is prompting the retirement, but Foundation events. Holbert, a native of Brooks said he hopes “to serve in another 1986 Hendersonville, previously was co-owner law enforcement or educational capacity and CFO of Heart Power, where she in the future.” facilitated workshops to help businesses improve customer service, business outcomes, employee engagement and 1984 talent management. Sandy Hunter has been elected as an Alice Salthouse has accepted the at-large educator on position of chief executive officer with the National Registry High Country Community Health Inc., a of Emergency nonprofit formed in 2010 with clinics that Medical Technicians Dr. Tim Gillespie has been elected offer fees adjusted to the patient’s ability board of directors. 2013 vice president of the N.C. Dental to pay. Salthouse formerly was director Society, which represents more than of community outreach for Appalachian

Tampa, Fla., a job he took after working as a campaign finance analyst with the Federal Election Commission in Washington. Ragan knows elections inside and out. His story starts in Watauga County, part of an Army family that lived all over the country. Because his dad had a fear of flying, the family traveled by car, always taking different routes so they could see the country. Sitting in the back seat, Ragan and his older sister watched changing landscapes – the Midwest, the salt flats of Utah, rugged Wyoming. Ragan thinks he was younger than 10 when he decided he wanted to do government work when he grew up. “To me, government was one big thing – I didn’t have any idea of how it worked,” he said. “But I wanted to do something to help people.” After his time at WCU, he landed the job in Washington. During 7 1/2 years there, Ragan soaked up a lot of history. On Sept. 11, 2001, he witnessed history in the making. Sent home early after the terrorist attacks, he rode the metro and saw flames shooting out of Gaston County elections director followed the Pentagon. The smell still haunts him: a long and winding path to his job burning embers, like a campfire except

“it didn’t have the joy of a campfire.” Photo by Jeff Willhelm of the Charlotte Observer As Election Day 2012 approached, Ragan’s goal was to register everybody These days, the Gaston County Board Ragan came to Gaston County from who’s eligible and then get a 100 percent of Elections is like a speeding train the State Board of Elections in Raleigh, voter turnout. He knew that wouldn’t getting a little bit faster. With his hand where he was a compliance specialist happen. But he didn’t stop urging folks on the throttle, engineer Adam Ragan in the campaign finance division. His to come out. What candidate they voted ’96 keeps things on track. Elections are job was to make sure committees and for wasn’t his concern; he just wanted his passion. The Nov. 6 general election candidates filed campaign finance people to vote. was the fifth since Ragan became reports on time. Before that, he was Written by Joe DePriest and printed in edited Gaston’s elections director. a political consultant with a firm in format with permission of the Charlotte Observer.

42 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University Regional Healthcare System and has Society’s Road to Recovery program. served in various health care leadership Deibert, himself a cancer survivor, roles since 1990. also coordinates the program’s other volunteer drivers.

1990 Dawn Rookey MA ’12 was named Lynn Rhymer, principal of Central Teacher of the Year for the Buncombe Cabarrus High School, has been selected County school system. An English teacher as the 2013 Wells Fargo Principal of at Owen High School, Rookey has taught the Year for Cabarrus County Schools. in North Carolina classrooms for 13 years, Rhymer has served as principal of Central including 10 at Owen. She is the wife of Cabarrus since August 2011. She joined Matthew Sweazey MA ’95. Cabarrus County Schools in 2006 as an assistant principal at Concord High School and then moved to the principal’s position 2000 at Northwest Cabarrus High School. 1991 Army Lt. Col. Robert Law has assumed command of the 900th Contingency Contracting Battalion at Fort Bragg. Law has served in the military for 28 years. He For WCU math education program, is the husband of Melissa H. Law ’92. the honors just keep adding up

Nathan Adcock and Charles “Chuck” When Hannah Watson ’12 received the 2012 1992 Allen hiked the Appalachian Trail in Outstanding Math Education Student award for the Christopher Johnson 2008. Adcock and Allen met and became western region of the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Yuma, Ariz., friends at WCU and both went on to received the Judge’s careers in nursing. The Appalachian of Mathematics this fall, she became the 23rd product of Award from the Yuma Trail extends 2,184 miles from Springer Western Carolina University’s mathematics education County Juvenile Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin program to receive the award in the last 26 years. Courts and the Rookie in Maine. “Our love of backpacking was “I feel extremely blessed and honored to have been of the Year Award kindled in the mountains of Western North recognized for this award,” said Watson, who is now from the regional Carolina surrounding Cullowhee, while teaching mathematics at Franklin High School in Macon Court Appointed we attended WCU,” Adcock said. Here, County, where she interned as a student teacher. “Ever Special Advocate program. Johnson, Adcock is on the trail north of Hot Springs since the day I made the decision to teach I have never who earned his doctorate in education in an April snow. looked back, and it has been my dream to teach math. with a concentration in higher education leadership from Capella University, has I couldn’t imagine a more fulfilling career. My students educational experience in classroom 2001 help me make every day an adventure.” instruction, faculty supervision and Musician Jeanne The daughter of Ken and Vicki Watson of Murphy, curriculum development. Jolly has returned to Watson graduated as valedictorian from Hiwassee Dam her folk and country High School in 2007. At Franklin, she is teaching alongside roots, moving home a previous recipient of the award, WCU alumna Emily 1993 from Los Angeles to Beller Awtry ’99, who won in 1999. “Hannah is a fantastic Benjie Brown was selected as the 2012- Raleigh in 2009. teacher and an inspiration to myself and others at Franklin 13 Principal of the Year for Thomasville Focusing on her High,” said Awtry. City Schools and will represent the own guitar playing system during the regional competition for and songwriting, Watson’s adviser, Kathy Jaqua, WCU associate Wells Fargo Principal of the Year. Brown she released a country-tinged album titled professor of mathematics and computer science, says previously won three consecutive state “Falling in Carolina” in 2010 and “Angels” she can tell that her former student already is settling in championships as a football coach at in 2012. She also is a member of the to her new profession. “When I visited during her student Thomasville High School. Foreign Exchange, a Grammy-nominated teaching at Franklin, I could see she was a good fit there,” R&B collective based in the Triad. Photo Jaqua said. “She had students involved in activities and by Celeste Young was using the technology there to make all 90 minutes of 1995 the class period count. Franklin has invested in advanced Debora Kinsland Foerst MA ’98 was technology and has a strong faculty – they think similarly recently named development coordinator 2002 for Cherokee Central Schools. Foerst about active, hands-on learning.” previously served as a teacher in the Active in WCU’s student affiliate of the NCCTM, Cherokee Central middle school and Watson presented research at the Smoky Mountain as a teacher and assistant principal Undergraduate Research Conference on the History in the high school. “As an alum of the of Mathematics, and also attended last year’s state Cherokee Central School system, I have conference as a student teacher. She was recognized as been honored to serve the students and an Outstanding Prospective Teacher and received the community through my various positions Outstanding Student Teacher in Mathematics Award there,” Foerst said. while a student. Allison Payne married Alexander Gnilka Last year’s winner for the western region was Caitlin 1996 in April in Charlotte, where the couple Yencha ’12, a native of Cary, now teaching at East Don Deibert helps transport patients resides. Fellow Catamounts (from left) Henderson High School in Flat Rock. “That’s great news diagnosed with a cancer to radiation Courtney Newton and Risha Burkett for Hannah,” Yencha said. “She deserves this award. She and chemotherapy appointments as Milner MPA ’04 were bridesmaids for the was always the hardest-working student in the classes a volunteer with the American Cancer wedding ceremony. we shared.”

Winter 2013 | 43 Dana Woodard Quick MAEd ’04 was class named the Smoky Mountain Counseling Association’s Outstanding Middle School Counselor for 2011-12. Quick, a native NOTES of Bryson City, was selected by her Did you know? counseling colleagues for excellence in her field. She has been a counselor at Vine Middle School in Knoxville, Tenn., for the past seven years. Most retirement plans, including 401(k)s and IRAs, are income tax deferred, meaning that income tax is not paid until the funds are 2003 distributed (in life or upon death). This taxation makes retirement Terri Latimer participated in the assets among the most costly assets to distribute to loved ones. The MuckRuckus MS, a five-mile race through taxes on retirement assets left to loved ones can be as high as 35 mud and over obstacles held in October percent. This means that an IRA worth $100,000 will be worth only in Atlanta. The race benefits the National $65,000 by the time it reaches beneficiaries. Multiple Sclerosis Society; Latimer ran in honor of her friend Nick Lemons ’05. On the other hand, the naming of a charity as the beneficiary of retirement assets upon death generates no income taxes. This makes Donnie Suttles is a territorial scout for the retirement assets an ideal gift to tax-exempt charitable organizations, San Francisco Giants covering North and which are eligible to receive the full amount and bypass any income South Carolina and parts of Virginia and taxes. In the above example, for instance, the WCU Foundation would West Virginia. Suttles played baseball at receive the full $100,000 benefit. WCU and professionally in the Cleveland Indians organization. He coached baseball for four years at T.C. Roberson High For more information, contact Herb Bailey School and spent the past two years as an assistant coach at Tennessee Tech 828.227.3049 | [email protected] University. He is the husband of Amy Williams Suttles ’00. 2004 Laurie Price has accepted the position of financial support supervisor for Curtis Sikes wrote and Sheena football scholarship, works for Big Rock the Alabama Department of Human Kohlmeyer illustrated a children’s book Sports as an export coordinator and Resources. The duties of this position titled “The Heart of a King.” The book, accounts manager. include supervising three areas of the about self-acceptance, is being sold at social services agency, which are child bookstores throughout Western North support enforcement, family assistance Carolina. and the JOBS program. Price lives in Douglas, Ala. Emily Weaver is a reporter for the Times- News in Henderson County, where she writes about Hendersonville city government, social service providers and other nonprofits. Weaver previously was WCU group wins international fraternity’s employed by The Kings Mountain Herald, top alumni association award where she served as editor for four years. 2005 In its first year of existence, Western Carolina University’s Anthea Neri was a featured vocalist in Zeta Xi Alumni Association of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity is “The Music of Steven Jamail” in April at the recipient of the 2012 William R. Nester Alumni Association New York’s Lincoln Center Library. Neri of the Year Award in recognition of the group’s philanthropic performed “Anyotherway” by composer activities and high level of involvement in campus events. and lyricist Jamail during the event, part The award, presented at the 2012 Pi Kappa Alpha of the Broadway’s Future concert series. International Convention held in Denver, is given annually to Neri also recorded a song titled “Grace” a group that represents the top 10 percent of the more than 150 by Emmy award-winning composer Peter chartered alumni associations of the national Pi Kappa Alpha Fish for the 2012 London Olympics. Neri is a genetic specialist at the Mount Sinai organization, said Jerry Matheny ’70, secretary of the Zeta Xi School of Medicine in New York. Luzene Hill has exhibited her artwork in Alumni Association. New York City and Russia. Her work was Among the accomplishments for which the WCU chapter part of an exhibit titled “Changing Hands: was recognized was donating more than $50,000 in money, 2007 Art without Reservation, 3” that ran materials and time for improvements to the fraternity house; Luis Herron was inducted into the West through October at the Museum of Arts providing funds for four scholarships that offer more than Carteret High School Athletic Hall of and Design in New York and will spend $3,000 in assistance to undergraduate students; involvement Fame. A 2001 graduate of West Carteret, three years traveling among venues in in eight major events held throughout the year that draw more Herron excelled in wrestling, football and the United States and Canada. Her work than 200 guests for activities such as reunions, Homecoming track and field. As a wrestler, Herron was also was included this fall in a show titled the team’s Most Outstanding Wrestler “Native Art in Russia” at the Ekaterinburg weekend and volunteer projects; a vibrant website and strong three times and achieved statewide and Museum of Fine Art as well as in an presence in social media; and regular submissions to the national rankings. In track and field, exhibit in the Russian city of Novosibirsk. fraternal organization’s international newsletter. he was conference discus champion in Here, an untitled work in charcoal, ink 2001. Herron, who attended WCU on a and tea stain.

44 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University The Empowerment Challenge A woman of action, Stephanie Goodell ’92 has responded Not only did Stephanie name the WCU Foundation as a to Chancellor David Belcher’s call for additional endowed beneficiary of her tax-deferred retirement account to further scholarship funds. Asking, “What else can I do to make a endow the scholarship, she also recruited her parents to difference?,” Stephanie and her husband, Doug, made a contribute. She has issued a challenge to some of her closest financial gift that will create an endowed scholarship in WCU friends in hopes that they will join the mission to create honor of her grandparents. more scholarships. As a student, Stephanie was an engaged campus leader, “All of us have the opportunity to contribute to a place that going on to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville for her gave us each far more than a great education,” Stephanie said. master’s degree in college student personnel. She embarked “It’s a place where we discovered ourselves, and discovered upon a career that reflects her passion for student leadership, our confidence to be contributing members of our communities directing student involvement programs at the University of and families. If you can save $167 a month for five years, Virginia and international internships at Wellesley College. you have enough to leave your WCU legacy in the form of After leaving higher education, she worked with Fortune an endowed scholarship. I could not have paid for college magazine’s Most Powerful Women Summit, eventually without the assistance of scholarship money from gracious creating a marketing outreach company focused on global alumni. Now I feel a deep sense of gratitude for being able companies led by women. to provide financial support to future WCU students.”

See “did you know?” on previous page for details giftplanning.wcu.edu | 828.227.3049 | [email protected] Erin Hambrick MA is a doctoral student class 2008 in the clinical child psychology program 2011 Daryl Matthew Howington is the 2011- at the University of Kansas, where she Tony McClain Hager Jr. married 12 Teacher of the Year for Robeson County is directing research for Project Share. Brittany “Taylor” Holden in September in NOTES Public Schools. Howington, a fifth-grade Through interviews with children ages Lincolnton. Hager works for Shaw Group mathematics and science teacher, is in 8-12 and their mothers, Project Share as a safety specialist, and the couple lives his fifth year at L. Gilbert Carroll Middle seeks to learn about the challenges faced in Mooresville. School. “I believe that it is through by families during and after the 2011 experience that we attain wisdom,” tornado in Joplin, Mo., with the hope Joshua David Okon married Monica Paige Howington said in a statement. “The most of understanding more about promoting Lowrance in September in Shelby. Okon is important factor that facilitated my need to well-being and positive adjustment in employed by Milliken in Spartanburg, S.C. become a teacher was my personal desire children following disasters. “We really to dedicate my life to helping others.” want to know more about factors that lead to distress versus resilience in kids,” said 2012 Hambrick in a television interview about Kelli Walker works in Greenville, S.C., 2009 the project. as a production assistant for American Hannah B. Cobb MSA has been hired Builder Productions, which produces as an assistant principal at Southern Mark Klamerus MCM is manager of content that has aired on NBC, FOX Alamance High School. Cobb most Disaster One Inc.’s new Wilmington and CBS. recently was assistant principal at office, where he will be responsible Northwest High School in Guilford County, for overall branch operations and a position she had held since 2008. development. Disaster One Inc. is a restoration company serving the Southeast. Klamerus previously served as a large loss project manager in the company’s Greensboro office. We want the scoop 2010 on your Edward J. McGowan Jr. MAc has been life events recognized as a Distinguished Toastmaster by Toastmasters International. McGowan, Email your news and photos to [email protected] or finance director for the Asheville Area mail them to Class Notes editor, 427 H.F. Robinson, Habitat for Humanity, attained the honor Cullowhee N.C. 28723. after many years of active participation in For more information, call 828.227.2988. the Toastmasters organization. McGowan and his wife, Nancy, live in Arden and have three grown children.

Alumna educator connects third-graders with Catamount Olympian More than 60 third-grade students at ARISE Academy his perseverance, the U.S. team would go on to earn a silver Bessie Goggins ’06 MA ’09 in the Upper 9th Ward of New Orleans who have “adopted” medal in the event. When asked by the young scholars why and her students at ARISE Western Carolina University and are known as “Catamount he kept running, Mitchell said that he wanted to meet the Academy in New Orleans. Scholars” participated in an Olympic-sized conversation about expectations of his team and his country. He told the scholars perseverance with former WCU track that they should persevere in all aspects of life. “Don’t give up standout Manteo Mitchell ’09. on anything or anyone you want to be,” said Mitchell. “Set The students met with Mitchell, a small goals, achieve them and go from there.” 2012 track Olympian and a former After the conversation with Mitchell, the scholars decorated all-conference track star at Western cards that expressed how excited they were to meet an Olympic Carolina, on a large screen via Skype. athlete and thanked him for showing such perseverance for his Bessie Dietrich Goggins ’06 MA country during the international competition. ARISE Academy ’09, a teacher at ARISE, connected is a transformational charter school that opened in 2009 in the athlete with the young scholars. response to the community’s needs after Hurricane Katrina. “After his amazing race during the It serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade Olympics, I kept thinking about with plans to expand to teach students up to eighth grade. how awesome it would be if my Mitchell has been busy since returning from London. For young scholars – whom I call WCU his Olympic efforts, he received the Kay Yow Courage Award Catamounts – could have a discussion from the Triangle Sports Commission. The award, named with him. Our classroom motto is for the legendary N.C. State basketball coach who died of ‘persevere,’ and it all just fits together breast cancer, was presented to Mitchell by Nora Lynn Finch nicely,” said Goggins. ’70 MAEd ’71, associate commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Mitchell performed in the Summer Conference and a longtime associate and a friend of Yow. Olympics held in London. He ran the Mitchell also was part of a group of Olympians honored by first leg of the preliminary heat for President Obama and his wife, Michelle, during a ceremony at the 4x400 meter relay and revealed the White House and served as a grand marshal in Asheville’s afterward that he broke his left fibula 2012 holiday parade. at the 200-meter mark. Thanks to

46 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University ALUMNI DEATHS Mark Douglas Parris ’75, Oct. 11; Waynesville. CLASS ABSENCE Julia Owings Adams ’46, Sept. 5; Greensboro. Priscilla I. Poole ’78, Sept. 19; Marion. Late teacher forged strong connections Robert Jack Baker ’65, between regional teachers and WCU Sept. 4; Bryson City. George Anthony Quesada Sr. ’50, July 15; Aubrey, Texas. Nicholas Bonarrigo ’50, Janice Holt ’76 MAEd ’77 EdS Sept. 20; Canton. Edward “Sandy” B. Sanderford ’60, Aug. 8; Selma. ’87 EdD ’12, a faculty member in Richard E. Bovender ’89, the College of Education and Allied Sept. 10; Winston-Salem. Mary Henry Shelley ’52, Sept. 14; Hamlet. Professions, died unexpectedly Maye Davis Boyd ’39 MA ’55, Thursday, Nov. 1. She was 58. Aug. 25; Waynesville. Michael L. Shields ’71, Holt, of Webster, was a National Oct. 20; Candler. Board Certified teacher who arrived Lavonda Shepard Christopher ’87, at WCU in 2000 after more than two Oct. 8; Canton. Dorothy Ruth Hampton Smith ’62, Oct. 24; Murphy. decades in Jackson County schools. Robert Warren Claxton ’48, She was instrumental in developing July 29; Bryson City. Edith Grove Scott Swaringen MA ’65, Sept. 1; Wilmington. the university’s programs to support Ted M. Daves ’79, beginning and career teachers and Sept. 18; Buckingham, Va. Frank Earl Williams ’49, maintain partnerships with regional Oct. 7; Whittier. schools. Since 2010 she was executive Hulet Lee “H.L.” Ducker ’71, director of teacher recruitment, July 21; Dandridge, Tenn. advising and career support at WCU. James W. Duff ’66, UNIVERSITY DEATHS “This was a tough administrative job and Janice was more than Oct. 14; Williamsburg, Va. Hazel Gaddy Bumgarner, former up to the task of leading those programs effectively,” said Michael John Thomas Evans ’52, faculty member in library science, Oct. Dougherty, professor emeritus of the College of Education and Oct. 23; Chattanooga, Tenn. 18; Tallahassee, Fla. Allied Professions. Employees of a school system in the Atlanta area had recently contacted Holt to work with them in establishing Leslie Daniel Ferguson ’92, William G. Haemmel, former business Oct. 7; Matthews. law faculty member, Sept. 20; a program to support beginning teachers, a testament to the quality Chapel Hill. of her work, Dougherty said. Robert Blair Goodman ’77, Holt earned her doctorate in educational leadership from WCU Aug. 7; Greensboro. Mary B. Holden, retired bookstore employee, Sept. 24; Cullowhee. in 2012, receiving the American Educational Research Association’s Jean McCall Gray ’59, Research on Teacher Induction special interest group’s first Sept. 13; Burgaw. Daniel Hosler, former faculty member Dissertation Award. Holt said her work supporting beginning in the Department of History, Oct. 12; teachers in Western North Carolina sparked her interest in the topic Larry Greer ’71, Forest City. Oct. 24; Shelby. that developed into her dissertation, which examined using data to Judith Leavengood King MAEd determine the effects of induction and alternative entry programs Tennie Irene Waldrop Guthrie ’49, ’84, former human environmental on new teacher retention and student achievement. Sept. 28; Danville, Va. science faculty member, Aug. 25; Hendersonville. “I believed that findings could assist educators to develop Alumna educator connects third-graders with Catamount Olympian Andrew J. Hall MAEd ’10, evidence-based comprehensive programs that provide critical July 28; Susanville, Calif. George W. Loftis ’78 MA ’80, former support to beginning teachers, improving their effectiveness and English faculty, Aug. 8; Weston, Fla. ultimately improving the learning of their students,” Holt said on Doyle Reid Hill II ’86, Aug. 21; Rutherfordton. Patrick G. Morris, former faculty receiving the award. member and chair of the Department Holt was named the 1999 National Science Teachers Association/ William M. Hensley ’48, of Anthropology and Sociology, July Space Foundation National Space Educator of the Year. At WCU she 13; Cullowhee. July 24; Johnson City, Tenn. taught the freshman seminar for the WHEE Teach Living Learning Charles Richard Hudson ’61, J. Dale Pounds, former dean of the Community and methods courses for the School of Teaching and Oct. 7; Belmont. College of Applied Sciences, Sept. 22; Learning. She received grants totaling more than $1.5 million that Avon Park, Fla. focused on the support of beginning teachers and college access. Harold G. Huffstetler ’60, Aug. 23; Gastonia. Richard Lee Schulz, former member of “Teachers, new or experienced, have lost a champion, someone the math and physics faculty, Aug. 18; who understood them, who loved them, and who worked to support Lynn J. Johnson ’71, Manchester, Pa. them throughout her career,” said Dale Carpenter, interim dean Oct. 18; Hilton Head Island, S.C. William Robert “Billy” Schulz, of the WCU College of Education and Allied Professions. Holt’s Roy Ellen Jolly MAEd ’65, former employee at Hunter Library WCU colleagues described her as a true leader, the consummate Aug. 31; Pendleton, S.C. and friend of the university, Sept. 2; Catamount, passionate about her work, upbeat, enthusiastic, Kingsport, Tenn. resourceful and a joy to work with. Paul B. Kuykendall ’58, Oct. 10; Danville, Va. Joneita Yantes, retired human Holt, a native of Cullowhee who attended elementary school in resources staff member, July 25; the McKee Building, was the daughter of the late Harrell Hooper. Trudi Ferguson Lamond ’86, Waynesville. She is survived by her husband, Robert Holt ’73; mother Phoebe Oct. 22; Charlotte. Revis Hooper; sons Adam Holt ’05 MSA ’10 and David Holt; sisters Robert Giles Manning ’79, Dianne Hooper Chadwick ’72 MAEd ’74 and Cindy Hooper Beuger Aug. 27; Shelby. ’86; and six grandchildren. Lois Henderson McNabb ’53, Sept. 18; Murphy.

Paul Downing Mounce ’07, WCU is establishing a scholarship in honor of Holt. Gifts may Oct. 12; Cleveland, Miss. be directed to the WCU Foundation. For more information, go online to give.wcu.edu or call 828.227.7124.

Winter 2013 | 47 eventsCalendar

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28 JANUARY Open House – Campus tours and Open House/Dedication – Showcasing SATURDAY, JANUARY 5 representatives from more than WCU’s new Health and Human Sciences Catamount Basketball – Women vs. 100 academic departments and Building. 10 a.m. HHS Building. Wofford. 2 p.m. Ramsey Center. programs. 8:30 a.m. Ramsey Center. 828.227.7271 800.34.GOWCU 877.WCU.4.YOU “The Vagina Monologues” – Eve Ensler’s SATURDAY, JANUARY 12 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18 series of 18 theatrical monologues Catamount Basketball – Men vs. UNC Catamount Basketball – Women vs. protesting worldwide violence to Greensboro. 2 p.m. Ramsey Center. Appalachian State. 7 p.m. Ramsey Center. women, presented annually to benefit 800.34.GOWCU 800.34.GOWCU local women’s charities. 6 p.m. Grandroom of A.K. Hinds University SUNDAY, JANUARY 20 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19 Center. (Also 7 p.m. Friday, March 1, Catamount Basketball – Women vs. Catamount Baseball – vs. Wake Forest. and Saturday, March 2) Chattanooga. 2 p.m. Ramsey Center. 4 p.m. Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. 800.34.GOWCU 828.227.73 38

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20 MARCH “Savion Glover’s SoLe Sanctuary” – Tap Catamount Basketball – Men vs. College SATURDAY, MARCH 2 dancer Savion Glover pays his respects to of Charleston. 7 p.m. Ramsey Center. Catamount Basketball – Men vs. Samford the craft that he has perfected. Part of the 800.34.GOWCU (DH). 4:30 p.m. Ramsey Center. Arts and Cultural Events Series. 7:30 p.m. 800.34.GOWCU Bardo Arts Center. 828.227.2479 WEDNESDAY–SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20–23 Catamount Basketball – Women vs. SUNDAY, JANUARY 27 “Rashomon” – The story of four separate College of Charleston (DH). 2 p.m. The Water Coolers – Musical-comedy accounts of a rape and murder as seen Ramsey Center. 800.34.GOWCU group The Water Coolers performs a through the eyes of four witnesses, musical revue about what people go examining perception and reality. Part of FRIDAY–MONDAY, MARCH 8–11 through just making every work week the Mainstage theater season. 7:30 p.m. Southern Conference Basketball happen. Part of the Galaxy of Stars Series. Hoey Auditorium. 828.227.2479 Tournament – Times T.B.A. U.S. Cellular 3 p.m. Bardo Arts Center. 828.227.2479 Center, Asheville. 800.34.GOWCU TUESDAY–WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26–27 TUESDAY, MARCH 12 Catamount Baseball – vs. Longwood. Inflame – The band’s name is derived FEBRUARY 4 p.m. Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. from the two cultures and musical genres MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11 800.34.GOWCU it blends, Indian and Flamenco. Part of the Catamount Basketball – Men vs. Wofford. Arts and Cultural Events Series. 7:30 p.m. 7 p.m. Ramsey Center. 800.34.GOWCU “Tarzan of the Apes” – Fourth annual Bardo Arts Center. 828.227.2479 live radio show produced by the School FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15 of Music, School of Stage and Screen, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13 Frank Vignola – Guitarist of choice for Ringo and the Department of Communication. Catamount Baseball – vs. Eastern Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, Wynton Proceeds will benefit scholarships. Kentucky. 5 p.m. Childress Field/Hennon Marsalis and legend Les Paul. Part of the 7:30 p.m. Bardo Arts Center. Stadium. 828.227.7338 Galaxy of Stars Series. 7:30 p.m. Bardo 828.227.2479 Arts Center. 828.227.2479

48 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University EXHIBITS FINE ART MUSEUM | 828.227.3591 | fineartmuseum.wcu.edu “North Carolina Glass 2012.” Works of North Carolina artists in celebration of 50 years of studio glass in America. Through Feb. 1. “Torqued & Twisted: Bentwood Today.” Functional and sculptural artworks created in bent wood. Through March 22. “Critology.” Works of nine artists who all produce work in parallel practices as contemporary art writers, curator and artists. Feb. 21-May 10. “Testify: Beyond Place.” Homage to Mt. Zion AME Church in Cullowhee by former WCU School of Art and Design faculty member Marie Cochran. Feb. 21-May 31. “Concepts of the Book.” Conceptual artist books from the collection of the Fine Art Museum (student-curated). Feb. 21-March 29.

MOUNTAIN HERITAGE CENTER | 828.227.7129 | mhc.wcu.edu “Faces and Places of Cashiers Valley.” Photos by Tim Barnwell from the Cashiers Historical Society. Through Jan. 21. “Comic Stripped: A Revealing Look at Southern Stereotypes in Cartoons.” On loan from the Levine Museum of the New South in Charlotte. Feb. 6-May 14. “Horace Kephart in the Great Smoky Mountains.” Examines the life THURSDAY, MARCH 14 FRIDAY–SUNDAY, MARCH 22–24 of one of the founders of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Symphony Band Concert – WCU’s Catamount Baseball – vs. Elon. 5 p.m. showcases the museum’s collection of his camping gear. Through Symphonic Band in concert, under the Friday; 2 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m. Sunday. Sept. 2013. direction of David Starnes. 7:30 p.m. Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. Bardo Arts Center. 828.227.2479 828.227.73 38 “Migration of the Scotch-Irish People.” Newly updated, focuses on early settlers to the mountains and explores the tension between SATURDAY, MARCH 16 FRIDAY–SUNDAY, MARCH 29–31 religion and law. Ongoing. Open House – Campus tours and Catamount Baseball – vs. The Citadel. “Western Carolina: The Progress of an Idea.” An examination of representatives from more than 5 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m. Robert Lee Madison’s “Cullowhee Idea.” Ongoing. 100 academic departments and Sunday. Childress Field/Hennon Stadium. programs. 8:30 a.m. Ramsey Center. 828.227.73 38 “A Craftsman’s Legacy: The Furniture of Jesse Bryson Stalcup.” 877.WCU.4.YOU Handcrafted furniture from the early 1900s. Ongoing.

For up-to-the-minute information, event details and a complete listing of university events, visit events.wcu.edu.

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WCU is a University of North Carolina campus and an Equal Opportunity Institution. 53,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $18,728.80 or $.35 each. Office of Public Relations/Creative Services | December 2012 | 12-918 Winter 2013 | 49 THE VIEW FROM HERE

Getting old? Let’s do something about it! By ELIZABETH TAIT

As a gerontologist and lover of words, I’ve been collecting First, complete your advanced directive, a legal document quotes on age, aging and life. Just what are these “golden for communicating your future health care preferences in the years” anyway? Any idiot can grow old – that’s just a matter of event that you can no longer make your own decisions. Google surviving each day and waking up the next morning. “advanced directives,” select your state of residence and start I believe the actual “gilding” of age is attitude. It’s how you reading. They all have their “flavor.” Pick one that suits you and Elizabeth Tait is an live every moment each day that makes all the difference. modify it to make it your own. Most Western North Carolina assistant professor in There’s a saying: “Life is not measured by the number of breaths hospitals have a copy of “Five Wishes,” a living will that covers WCU’s master’s degree we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” It’s issues from the kind of medical treatment you want or don’t program in health being aware of those accumulated moments that can indeed want to what you want your loved ones to know, that you can sciences. Passionate make every day “golden.” take home to fill out. Discuss the document, your feelings and about aging well, Tait Which is not to say that the physical process of aging is going your choices with those who love you. presents to university to be a picnic. As Bette Davis succinctly summed it up, “Old Once you have come to terms about how you wish to die, and community groups age is no place for sissies.” We don’t prepare for old age; we your family has been informed of your choices, and you’ve about advanced prepare for death. How many of us have wills but not advanced selected a health care advocate (health care power of attorney), directives. This column directives? Don’t let me lose you. I’m going to use scary terms get four or five copies signed and witnessed. Keep one yourself. originally appeared in like “legal” and “death.” Don’t be scared – be prepared. But Your advocate also will keep one. Give one to your attorney the May 2012 edition of first, let me scare you, just a little, so you pay attention later. and one to your doctor. Pack the fifth one in your purse or your WCU’s “Faculty Forum” In 1912 – 100 years ago – we died at home, after a short suit case because, yes, other states will honor your advanced and is being republished illness, surrounded by our family. It was, as my kids call it, directive, but you have to have it with you. We all write wills with permission in the “fast food death.” Death was “fast, cheap and easy” and to take care of our stuff. Isn’t a document to take care of our abbreviated form. “you had it your way.” Times have changed. wishes even more important? Death in 2012 generally follows on average a three-year Now, let’s talk about what you can do to pare down end-of- period of morbidity where we may or may not lose our ability life morbidity. When I give talks about “Aging Well,” I often to care for ourselves, from getting dressed to being able to start my talk by holding my hands out a yard apart. “This is take ourselves to the bathroom. We Americans have done a 100 years.” Then I mark the midway point, and say, “This is poor job preparing for this period. Scared yet? You should be. age 50. Per clinical studies we start to accumulate chronic We generally don’t have the money set aside for long-term conditions at or around age 50. Would you like to know the care, and frankly, we don’t want to be in an “institution” nor cure for dementia and how to push back that onset of morbidity do we want a “stranger” in our house to care for us – and whom to say, age 99 and 7/8ths?” Enthusiastic nods usually follow. we think will likely rob us blind! “It’s a recipe we all know,” I continue, “Eat a heart-healthy No, we want what our grandparents’ had. We want to die in diet, get daily exercise, maintain social relationships, keep our own bed, after a short period of illness, being cared for by learning and floss!” There’s always a wiseacre in the back who our family. However, our family has moved, our daughters have says, “I’ll wait for the pill.” To which I’ll reply, “It’s your funeral.” jobs, and the level of care expected now is far more complicated This is generally followed by laughter and then sober silence. than the comfort-care our long-ago relatives had. Aging can be a delightful process and a lot of that depends on But fear not! There are things you can do for yourself now our attitude. I hope you’ll take a moment to do the following: that will potentially lengthen your good years and shrink that First, find and read “Attitude” by Charles Swindoll. Then, call period of morbidity at the end. You’ll still die (and wouldn’t it be a friend, take a walk or, better yet, take a walk with a friend, creepy if we didn’t?) but hopefully it will be with you in control and be aware of wonder. of what and how you spend those last years, months, days.

50 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University Websurf through WCU’s past Last Seventy-three WCU yearbooks are now available online as part of a statewide digitization and preservation effort. Page through the annual from 1950, when Western Carolina was in the midst of Look building boom. Glance through the freshman photos of 1976 for the famous face of best-selling humorist David Sedaris, a fleeting Yearbooks offer a Catamount (top left corner of yearbook page). Access WCU’s glimpse of campus and yearbooks at wcu.edu/library/DigitalCollections. When the memories student life over time. come flooding back, share them at facebook.com/WCUAlumni

Winter 2013 | 51 WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY 1 UNIVERSITY WAY CULLOWHEE, NC 28723

Season’s Greetings from WCU