THE Fall 2019 | Resilience C HOWAMAGAZINE NOK A for alumni and friends InaugurationPRESIDENTIAL OF DR. KIRK E. PETERSON President Peterson and family joined by the Presidential Ambassadors following his inauguration as 23rd President of Chowan University. THE CHOWANOKA MAGAZINE for alumni and friends FALL 2019 | VOLUME 78 A UNIVERSITY RELATIONS PUBLICATION Editor and Designer: BROOKE REICH Staff Writers: BROOKE REICH, STEPHANIE PEEDE '15 University Relations Interns: DAVID CROSS '19, OLIVIA BORER '19 Additional Contributors KENDALL BUTLER '20, EVANN CARPENTER '13, CAROL HEDSPETH, CHARLES REVELLE, AMANDA SHARPE '10, CHRISTINA THOMAS '16, SEAN TIMMONS '19, ANGELA TODD Cover Photography: CAROL HEDSPETH, CONWAY PHOTO Printed by: PROGRESS PRINTING OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT Vice President for Development JOHN M. TAYLOE ’94 | (252) 398-1232 Assistant Vice President for Development Director of University Relations & Communication BROOKE REICH | (252) 398-6526 Senior Development Director Director of Alumni Relations KAY THOMAS | (252) 398-6436 Director of Church and Community Relations LOU ANN GILLIAM | (252) 398-6317 Director of the Annual Fund NICK KHOURY ’14 | (252) 398-6226 Administrative Assistant to the Vice President for Development TWYLA DUKE ’09 | (252) 398-1233 Administrative Assistant to the Chancellor STEPHANIE C. PEEDE ’15 | (252) 398-6233 CONNECT WITH US Admissions: 1 (888) 4-CHOWAN Athletics: (252) 398-1239 Office of the President: (252) 398-6221 Office of the Chancellor: (252) 398-6233 WWW.CHOWAN.EDU/WEGIVE WWW.GOCUHAWKS.COM CONT cover story & theme special features PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION AN EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN 24 It was a grand celebration as Dr. Kirk E. Peterson 16 The legacy of one ground-breaking woman took the mantle as Chowan University’s 23rd continues to pay dividends. President at his inauguration. WELL TOLD 32 Hobson Prize recipient Wiley Cash shares the secrets of a good story. resilience | noun | 36 THE CHOWAN SPIRIT 1) the capacity to recover Randy Harrell retires after a long and faithful career in service to the University. quickly from difficulties; toughness; 2) the ability of a THE PSYCHOLOGY OF JOY substance or object to spring back 46 Jennifer Zak Place radiates a contagious into shape; elasticity. contentment across campus. "the often remarkable resilience of the human spirit" 2 | THE CHOWANOKA | Fall 2019 ENTS alumni & friends in every issue THE CALL OF THE DIVINE LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 20 Our student spotlight Sean Timmons solidified his 4 How can we practice resilience both as individuals purpose and is following the call. and a community? SIMPLY TRUST AND OBEY OUT AND ABOUT WITH THE 50 The life of one donor and alumnus shows us how 34 CHANCELLOR sweet it can be to follow Jesus. Dr. White's remarks from the Presidential inauguration. HANDS AND FEET 54 Ministry chaplains provide peer-to-peer ministry ATHLETIC UPDATES and create a safe space in CU residence halls. 40 News for Brave Hawks fans. NO MOUNTAIN TOO HIGH CLASS ACTS 56 Our featured young alumna defied the odds to 58 Alumni news & notes. achieve her dream and become a teacher. /ChowanAlumni /ChowanUniversity /ChowanUniversity /ChowanAlumni /ChowanUniversity 3 | THE CHOWANOKA | Fall 2019 letter from the editor BROOKE C. REICH, ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT This is our fifth issue of the Chowanoka magazine, and the eighth issue since I took over as editor and designer of your alumni magazine. I've been waiting all this time, and now it's finally my turn to write to you. One of the first things anyone learns about me is that I'm a big reader. This comes right after learning 1) I was born and raised in Texas, 2) I graduated from Baylor University, and 3) that I love Chowan University. I spend most of my free time with a book in my hand, and if I'm not reading books I'm probably talking about them. I reference and recommend them in almost every conversation and can't help prescribing books like medication for any and every need. It's helpful if I go ahead and disclose that up front. Over the last several years, I've been captivated by the works of Brené Brown and am steadily making my way through everything she's written. She's a research over her 170+ years, and yet she always manages to come professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of out the other side more true to herself and her mission. Social Work, a fellow Texan, and has devoted much of her From the day Chowan was founded with the (at the time) career to the study of a concept she calls wholeheartedness. audacious notion of educating young women there have She describes it as "engaging in our lives from a place been many transitions. We've been an all-female institue of worthiness and cultivating courage, compassion, and and a coed institution. We've granted four-year degrees connection in our lives." Couldn't we all use a little more and been a junior college. We've been Chowan College of that? and Chowan University. We've been braves and hawks. Brown studied wholehearted people to discover what We survived the Civil War and reopened our doors they have in common. One of the key shared attributes she after closing them only briefly during World War II. We identified is resilience—the ability to overcome adversity experienced financial struggles and then went on to see and cope with stress and challenges in a way that allows years of unprecedented growth and renewal. Some might us to move forward. She says resilience allows us to move call these mere adaptations, but anyone paying attention through an experience without sacrificing our values, and can see that where Chowan truly excels is transformation. to come out the other side with more courage, compassion, It is our resilience that makes these transformations and connection than we had going into it. Based on that possible, and it is our faith that undergirds that resilience. standard, I'd say Chowan University and her people are On an individual level, we foster that same resilience one of the best examples of resilience I've ever known. and faith in our students. They arrive on campus young Chowan has weathered some incredible challenges 4 | THE CHOWANOKA | Fall 2019 “ Resilience allows us to move through an experience without sacrificing our values, and to come out the other side with more courage, compassion, and connection than we had going into it.” and inexperienced. Even those who believe they are In the midst of it we may struggle, doubt, or even lose fully prepared for college can have no idea of all that lies our way for a time. This is when we need our resilience ahead. They will face challenges and triumphs, traumas the most. We remind ourselves that we know and trust and tremendous joys—both in and out of the classroom. the God who authors our story and ordains our steps. We It is our job to educate them, yes. But it is also our job to remember God's faithfulness to guide us, individually and help prepare them for everything else life has to offer, and together, with tenderness and with great grace. to instill in them a sense of worthiness that will allow Carl Frederick Buechner is another of my perennial them to live wholeheartedly. For more than 170 years, we favorite authors; an American writer, novelist, poet, have transformed ordinary students into extraordinary autobiographer, essayist, preacher, and theologian. graduates, and we do it well! Buechner describes the grace of God in this way: "Here is We can trace the threads of resilience through the the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't stories in this issue. Sean Timmons began his Chowan be afraid. I am with you." journey with a question and departed to pursue the next We may not know what will happen next. We can't chapter with confirmation and a clear calling. Julian Mills always see where the next chapter of our story will take pursued his calling through an extensive dual career as a us. But we can know this: the God of the universe—the minister and in public affairs for the Air Force. His trust almighty maker of heaven and earth—knows us, and and obedience took him across the world and back home loves us, and has promised to be with us. No matter what again, and he continues to follow the call to this day. beautiful or terrible things life brings our way, we need Akevia Wilson was determined not to become another not be afraid. With faith and resilience we will continue to statistic and, with the resilience instilled in her by a great be transformed in God's image, becoming ever more what cloud of witnesses, broke the cycle of poverty to pursue we were created to be. her dream. Jennifer Zak Place demonstrates the steady pulse of contagious joy as it radiates from her own life and Onward together, heart to instill resilience in the lives of others and Randy Harrell is the Chowan spirit of resilience personified. Even author Wiley Cash, who joined us for a single day in April, reminded us that change, uncertainty, even conflict, are the building blocks of stories. It is our resilience that gives those stories happy endings. We all experience challenge and change, adversity and uncertainty, both as individuals and as a community. 5 | THE CHOWANOKA | Fall 2019 NEW TRUSTEES (from left to right): Jimmy Eason, Mick Outten, Billy Howell, Lisa Turner, and Walt Pierce; (not pictured): Mike Hendley Carolina, and had a 26-year career as a ON THE BOARD substance abuse counselor. AID INCREASED Meet the Newest Additions Captain Milton “Mick” Allen Outten $1M Increase Projected for to the Board of Trustees (’71) previously served on the Chowan Student Financial Aid The following six individuals joined the University Board of Visitors, and earned Chowan University announced a Board of Trustees in December: the honor of Chowan Distinguished projected $1 million increase in Alumnus.