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FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS Furman OF THE UNIVERSITY A HUB for Improving COMMUNITY HEALTH SPRING 2017 QUOTABLE Q&A NOTES FROM THE COMEBACK How can finding Legal and Program IACH THE FIELD A crash course at time for reflection Compliance Director Furman’s Institute for the Advancement of Clay Hendrix ’86 the BMW Driving change your life and Cameron Tommey ’08 Community Health is providing meaningful out- named head Performance School career outlook? pg. 12 of-classroom experiences for students pg. 22 football coach pg. 50 pg. 64 pg. 16 VOLUME 60 NUMBER 1 SPRING Table of Contents 2017 pg. 22 Maddie Ritter, who works with patients at North Greenville Hospital, confers with Biology Professor Victoria Turgeon. LETTER FROM Features Q&A THE PRESIDENT Cameron Tommey ’10 works Elizabeth Davis on The for the U.S. Endowment for Furman Advantage. pg. 3 IMPROVING COMMUNITY HEALTH Forestry and Communities as by Kelley Bruss the director of legal and pro- AROUND THE LAKE Furman’s Institute for the Advancement of Community Health gram compliance. pg. 12 John Harris ’91 and his is working to improve healthcare and provide meaningful daughter, Sophie Harris ’19, out-of-classroom experiences for students. pg. 22 NOTES FROM THE FIELD have published a children’s Clay Hendrix ’86 returns book about integration at a RAPTOR RAGE home to lead the Paladin foot- Georgia public school. pg. 5 ball team. pg. 16 by Ron Wagner ’93 Work has been completed to Jeff Curtis ’86 has a passion for falconry, a practice that is some Men’s rugby makes a run at a improve the aesthetics and 5,000 years old. pg. 28 national championship. pg. 19 ecology of Swan Lake. pg. 6 SHELF LIFE A chance meeting between ON TOP OF THE HEAP The story of Furman’s greatest an art professor and middle by Ron Wagner ’93 basketball player is masterful- school coach produces a Austin Watson ’05 (AKA Xavier Woods) has risen to the top of ly retold in Frank Selvy, Coal community partnership that World Wrestling Entertainment. pg. 34 Miner’s Son. pg. 46 Discover is benefitting students at the ultimate travel experience Legacy Charter School and THE COMEBACK Furman. pg. 8 A WITNESS TO CHANGING TIMES Hang on. You’re about to by Courtney Tollison ’99 experience the BMW Driving A gift from former President Performance School. pg. 50 David Shi ’73 and his wife, As National Public Radio’s Paris-based correspondent, Eleanor Beardsley ’86 has reported on the Syrian refugee crisis, Angela Halfacre Shi ’92, CLASS NOTES terrorism, the Arab Spring and Brexit. pg. 42 will support student fellow- Where you have been, where Furman University offers unique opportunities for alumni ships. pg. 10 you are going. What life is like After the Aisle for Brittany to travel the globe together. Discover the culture and history of THEN, NOW, NEXT COVER DeKnight ’07 and Nick Kline exciting destinations as revealed by local guides, trained historians, Reflections on what was, Maddie Ritter ’17 and other Furman students ’07. Getting Up Close with FURMAN UNIVERSITY ALUMNI JOURNEYSis and will be important at are getting unparalleled access to health facilities, Elizabeth Bishop ’89, Zach and members of the Furman faculty. Featured journeys will include Furman. pgs. 7–11 patients and physicians through the university’s Kelehear ’81, Judi (Harris) PRESENTED BY: Alaskan and Iberian cruises, the Scottish Highlands, the Grand Canyon, Institute for the Advancement of Community Health. Wilson ’90 and Ashley Gess Presented by ’95. pgs. 56–63 Iceland, the Canadian Rockies, and Cuba. Learn more and view full itineraries at alumni.furman.edu/connect/travel-programs FLEMING JEREMY FURMAN | SPRING 2017 1 Overheard FURMAN MAGAZINE Letter from the President Furman magazine is published pared for life. Conversely, of the 3 percent for alumni and friends of the university who reported having all six, 85 percent of by University Communications, Furman them felt prepared. FOR ALUMNI University, Greenville, South Carolina Commitment Breeds Courage AND FRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY I’m proud that the 2016 Gallup-Purdue 29613. Correspondence may be Furman report highlighted in its first page the work directed to [email protected]. The Furman Advantage paves a pathway to success. that Furman is doing through The Furman EDITOR THE FURMAN John Roberts Advantage to provide “the key collegiate ex- periences identified through this research.” ADVANTAGE ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR FROM FURMAN’S ROOTS his past fall, we launched The In fact, in the most recent Gallup We’re on the right track, and people are no- EMERGES A NEW PATH Carol Anne Ward ’02 IN HIGHER EDUCATION Furman Advantage—our promise survey, 88 percent of incoming freshmen ticing. Such recognition gives us confidence CREATIVE DIRECTOR to provide an unparalleled edu- in colleges of all types and sizes across the as we work to fully realize The Furman Elizabeth Geer cation that combines classroom country said that getting a “good job” was a Advantage. We’re off to a good start. Since “Hope is the thing with feathers” Still –Emily Dickinson ART DIRECTORS “It is difficult/to get the news from poems/ learning with real world experience and critical factor in their decision to enroll in its launch, we have implemented a number yet men die miserably every day/ Katherine Irvin for lack/ of what is found there.” T WHAT IF EMILY – William Carlos Williams discovery. Combined with mentoring and college. At the same time, only 11 percent of of supporting initiatives: DICKINSON WAS Chris Turner WRONG … What if Emily Dickinson was wrong … Kaylee Welgraven reflection, The Furman Advantage creates business leaders agreed strongly that col- • Developed and promoted a Personal and there were no feathers— only accidental hollows holding hope interrupted, hidden debris of bare wings, a bruised insufficiency? an individual pathway to success for each leges are equipping students with the 21st Financial Literacy seminar for seniors Emily would have a lot to answer for in that case, except poetry’s sufficiency elides that whole DESIGNER answer (dare I say hoped-for?) imperative and every student. century skills needed to be successful. that attracted more than 100 students preferring, instead, to plume itself sometimes Cara Sanders Robb in the hard raptures of reasonless flight, the airy real estate of both poet and metaphor This promise takes courage. In turn, it In this regard, the Gallup-Purdue Index • Increased stipends and housing that gives ground to the unsayable. CONTRIBUTORS delivers the same. Our vision guides fac- Study identified key, critical undergrad- support for the Summer Research ABOUT THE AUTHOR Connie Ralston ’70 enjoys pursuing the nuanced art of the table tennis smash and European traveling. CREDIT ART Kelley Bruss She is a retired editor and writer. ARTWORK I’m a bird now, 2015 by Furman True Inspiration Artist in Residence Janke Klompmaker Jack Dylan ulty and staff as much as it creates a pur- uate experiences that relate to positive Fellowship Program. Brian Faulkenberry poseful structure to ensure students have outcomes. The 2016 report was clear: “The • Launched a new career support model, Jeremy Fleming ’08 Erikah Haavie the education, experience and courage research (in this study) is designed to pro- “Customized Connections,” linking Sophie Harris ’19 needed to take on life beyond graduation. vide a road map for continuous improve- career services and students with fac- Lori Hendrick It is our North Star. ment, focusing on those outcomes prospec- ulty, alumni and other mentors. LETTER TO THE EDITOR Eli Hestermann Grace Honohan ’18 The painter Pablo Picasso said it well: tive students expect to achieve as a result • Launched the Institute for the Ad- Susannah Kay “Our goals can only be reached through a of obtaining a bachelor’s degree, including vancement of Community Health, a UP CLOSE Linda Lee vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently a great job and a great life.” collaboration with the Greenville Nan Melville Vince Moore believe, and upon which we must vigorously This research shows, in fact, that grad- Health System that makes Furman Jim Stewart’s fine tribute to Marguerite Hays in the Fall 2016 Cathy Nelson ’01 act. There is no other route to success.” uates who were “emotionally supported” unique as a liberal arts and sciences issue is certainly faithful to my long-ago experience with her Lindsay Niedringhaus ’07 The Furman Advantage builds on our and who had “experiential and deep partner in an academic health center. Damien Pierce - learning” in college were more likely to be (See page 22.) when she recruited me to write what turned out to be the lead David Poleski tradition of excellence, intentionally com article for the women’s issue of the Furman magazine way back Charlie Register bining our outstanding liberal arts and sci- engaged in their work and thriving in all • And, we’re weeks away from launching in the early ’70s. I was an unknown to her, and she contacted John Roberts ences education with guaranteed engaged aspects of their lives. Yet only 14 percent the first version of the four-year path- Courtney Tollison ’99 learning opportunities and enhanced of the graduates surveyed had expe- way tracking and reporting system. me based on a single letter of mine that was published in the Chris Turner Paladin newspaper regarding the first woman president of the Ron Wagner ’93 advising and mentoring, all integrated and rienced all three indicators related to While this is a clear sign of our prog- student body. I will always be grateful to her for extending that Mike Wilson ’88 tracked in a four-year pathway with an emotional support: ress, we know we will have to continue opportunity to me; and if one believes in anything like karma, Noah Zimmermann ’18 “exit plan.” • At least one professor who excited to test, assess and adjust as we move that Stewart’s article about her and my poem “What if Emily CLASS NOTES EDITOR This is amplified through our institutes them about learning.