201220 On April 16, Chalk Talk, Danville Public Schools' weekly news magazine, featured Averett University's student-teachers working with third graders at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School. The education majors began working with the third graders in the fall on science and economics for their Standards of Learning (SOL) tests. To see the video click here (look for the April 16 segment). 201218 Mike Fisher, assistant director of facilities, and Alonzo Jones, director of facilities, attended and completed Aramark's Facility Maintenance Training Academy at George Washington University in Washington D.C. April 23-27. They attended courses related to People Who Know and Care, Proactive Service, Continuous Innovation, Advanced Asset Preservation and Holistic Stewards of the Environment. After completing the course they had to present a written and verbal presentation in order to receive certification. 201218 I would like to thank everyone for the flowers, emails, cards and kind words that I received over the past few weeks during my mother's illness and passing. I feel blessed to work with such a kind and caring group of people! Ginger 201218 Tiffany Smart, a student in Averett's Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) Program, was asked to organize a volunteer team to orchestrate registration at one of the largest fundraisers for the Martinsville-Henry County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Checkers' Mutt Strut and Bike Ride was held at the Martinsville Speedway on April 14 and featured vendors, raffle drawings, K-9 officer exhibitions, a dog costume contest and a stroll around the racetrack. Smart brought in her fellow bachelor of business administration team members to help - Erica Hudson, Lori McAlexander, Misty Forbes and Kimberly Boyd. 201217 Dear Averett family, Thank you so much for your phone calls, cards and expressions of sympathy following the loss of my partner, Lynne Bjarnesen. Your kindness and caring has made a difficult time a little easier to bear. Kenneth Bond 201217 A farewell reception for Don D'Alfonzo, who has worked at Averett for 10 years, will be held Friday, April 27 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in Jut's Café. Join us for light refreshments as we wish him well! 201216 Randy King, director of marketing and communications, will be leaving Averett at the end of April to pursue an opportunity with McKesson Medical-Surgical. Randy, who has led the marketing and communications team since June 2010, will be the communications manager for the Richmond-based business. Click here for the rest of the story. 201216 Students in Assistant Professor Penny Sornberger's Stage Craft II class recently worked on a display for the 100 year anniversary of the Titanic at the Langhorne House. To read more about the exhibit click here. 201216 You are cordially invited to a meet and greet reception on Wednesday, April 18 from 3-4 p.m. in the garden behind The Schoolfield House Booksellers for Alexis Ehrhardt, assistant for academic affairs; Tom McMurtry, chief information officer and director of technology; and Kim McMurtry, instructional technologist. 201215 Linda Lemery, circulation manager in the library, recently published an article in Associates (2012, March, v. 18, no. 3), an electronic journal for library support staff. Entitled "Food for Thought--Visual Shelf Reading: One Library's Process," the article presents an organized, self-directed method for empowering student assistants to meet or exceed expectations in maintaining library book order in the stacks. To read the article, click here. Congratulations, Linda! 201213 The Averett Singers will perform a spring concert Sunday, April 1 at 4 p.m. at Ascension Lutheran Church. The concert is free and open to the public. Saxophonist Brentt Simmons will be a featured performer. 201213 Dr. Alice Obenchain-Leeson, associate professor of business administration for the GPS Program, has had a paper she co-authored with Dr. Louis Martinette, GPS adjunct professor and associate professor of business at the University of Mary Washington (UMW), accepted for publication in the Journal of Service Science this spring. The paper - "The Relationship between Learning Orientation, Business Performance and the Moderating Effect of Competitive Advantage: A Service Organization Perspective" - examines the role of any organization's ability to learn and its impact on performance. For more information about the paper and a presentation Drs. Obenchain-Leeson and Martinette made at Harvard University, click here. 201212 Kevin Harden, social science librarian and associate professor, enjoys playing pop rock acoustic guitar at regional music spots. He recently played at Tate Street Coffee House in Greensboro, N.C. Linda and Steve Lemery along with Jim Verdini were in the audience and really enjoyed the event. Linda particularly enjoyed the Bob Dylan pieces. Way to go, Kevin! 201212 Marquita Graves, administrative assistant to the vice president for academic affairs, will perform in the Broadway Musical "Dreamgirls" at The Prizery in South Boston March 22-24, 27, 29-31 at 7:30 p.m. and a 3 p.m. matinee performance March 25. Graves plays Lorrell Robinson, a character inspired by Mary Wilson, a member of The Supremes. Her character is a good-natured background singer with The Dreams who falls deeply in love with the married Jimmy Early and becomes his mistress. Tickets may be purchased online at www.prizery.com and are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and $10 for youth. 201212 Averett's GPS Danville team participated in a community service project to support our four legged friends on Feb. 23 - International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day. The GPS admissions team partnered with student services and encouraged students to give boxes of biscuits. The response from students and staff was fantastic! Over the span of a day, a large box filled with treats was collected and donated to the Danville Area Humane Society. 201210 Dr. Anne Lewis, associate professor of music, has been busy. On Feb. 24, she served as pianist for the All-County High School Chorus for Rockingham County Schools in North Carolina. On March 1 she sang in a large chorus for a film concert titled "Voices of Light: the Passion of Joan of Arc" for the American Choral Directors Association's Southern Regional Conference in Winston-Salem, N.C. The chorus and orchestra provided the underscoring for a 1920 French silent film. Then on March 2 she began serving as music director for "Little Women: The Musical," which runs for two weekends with the Theatre Guild of Rockingham County. 201210 Alumnus Scott Grimsey '05, who is stationed in Afghanistan, has been in contact with Sociology Professor Dr. Becky Clark about supporting U.S. service dogs that are part of an active military police unit. Clark is collecting money to purchase items for these dogs through Fosters & Smith, who will ship for free. If you would like to support this cause, take your donation to Clark's office in 317 Frith by March 21. 201208 If you've been wondering about the crisis in the eurozone and the state of the euro, your questions will be answered during a presentation by three business administration students - Ilona Kilpi, Ville Koivunen and Charles Terrell. They will hold a PowerPoint presentation entitled "€ - Euro: History, Present and the Future," on March 1 at 11:20 a.m. in the multipurpose room of the Student Center. 201208 Chef Terry McGhee, who has served as manager of food services, is leaving us at the end of the month to go to Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio, which is just north of Columbus. There he will serve as the general manager of foodservice, just like he has while here at Averett. The only difference is that he'll have a larger staff. He took a few minutes to answer some questions about his time here at Averett. What is your favorite event you've worked on while at Averett? I think the Board of Trustee events because of the creativity we were able to do with these events, and the locations we have had them at...they were challenges that I think we executed well. What was your favorite student event and why? I would say the iron chef competition we recently had, because I think the students that participated did a great job, and had a lot of fun doing it. What was your favorite part about working at Averett? Working with great leaders like Dr. Franks and Mr. Harris. What will you miss the most? My staff! 201208 The GPS Tidewater Region is proud to announce that members of cluster W429 have finished their masters of education degree program. Cluster members are thrilled to be finished and are looking forward to receiving their degrees at the spring Commencement Ceremony. Congratulations to all members of W429! 201207 It all started with an email from the office of economic development in Danville. It led to Averett art students displaying their artwork during the official ribbon cutting of the Noblis/Clay High Performance Computer on Friday, Feb. 10. "This is a great example of how the art department tries to involved art students in community events and to reinforce the planning and follow through for exhibiting art," said Diane Kendrick, art professor. "This event allowed students to meet, speak and engage in meaningful conversation about their work." The student's whose prints were selected for the exhibit were Lisa Santos, Jordan Bay, Ariel Barrett, Billy Newcomb, Cali Earp, Miles Morrison and Heather Reynolds. 201207 Karen Nelson, administrative assistant to the education department, has had an article published in the February 2012 issue of "It's All About Her," a special monthly publication published by the Danville Register & Bee. To read her article, "Organization is not a Luxury" click here and go to page 20. 201206 On Monday, Jan. 30, a group of Averett staff and students visited legislators at the Virginia General Assembly in Richmond. The purpose of the visit was the annual "Thanks for VTAG" Legislation Day. This is a day that Virginia private colleges come to Richmond to say thank you for the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant and to urge lawmakers to continue funding this very important financial aid opportunity for students. During the visit, Janet Schwalenberg, associate director of admissions; Randall Thornton, assistant director of student financial services; Brentt Simmons, a junior music major; and Lesley Cole, a junior sociology/criminal justice major, had the opportunity to have a photo taken with the Honorable Donald Merricks, delegate for Pittsylvania County. Merricks is an alumni and former employee of the University. 201206 One of the MBA study groups in the GPS Central Region collected 2,550 dental products including toothbrushes, dental floss and toothpaste for Freedom House, a non-profit organization providing food, shelter and assistance to people in crisis in the Richmond area. As part of their public relations efforts, the group contacted Kool Smiles, a dental corporation. Kool Smiles generously contributed 2,016 toothbrushes and dental floss to the community service project. One outcome of the project is a partnership between Freedom House and Kool Smiles to provide dental services to Freedom House residents. Students in the group are: Gloria Boyd, Cheryl Carlyon, Thomas Cary, Sarah Davis, Brian Griffith, Mary Jane Icalla, Kerwyn Phillip and Marc René. 201204 Brandy Perkins '07 will be working in Averett's Counseling Center this semester as an intern. Brandy completed her graduate degree in marriage and family counseling at Liberty University. She has experience providing individual and child counseling. While at Averett, she will conduct intake interviews, counseling sessions and facilitate psycho-educational groups. 201203 Dana Mehalko, academic advisor for the GPS Southern Region attended the Academic and Student Services Conference in Austin, Texas Oct. 20-21 to co-present "Cross-Campus Collaboration Drives Success." Her fellow presenter was a colleague from Warner Pacific College, Nicole Booker. In addition to presenting at the conference, she attended other presentations and participated in team activities pertaining to the 2011 theme - collaboration! 201202 Marsha Foster, director of resident life, has been promoted to assistant dean of students. She will continue to serve as head of residence life as well. During her five years on campus, Marsha has created an excellent residence life program that provides more than 80 programs per semester for our residential students, and serves as a leadership development opportunity for the resident assistants. Additionally, she has played a significant role in enhancing the student conduct system for campus. Marsha is always eager to collaborate with colleagues around campus to develop ways to enhance the experience of our students. She has served the University on numerous committees including strategic planning, assessment, and staff council - where she will serve as president next year. Beyond Averett, Marsha serves as a co-chair of the programming committee for the Virginia Student Services Conference. Congratulations, Marsha! 201201 'Click. Clicque. II,' an exhibition by photographers Kenneth Bond, Kurt Lindquist, Glenn Scarboro and Jonathan Scollo will be featured in the Lobby-Gallery of the Caswell County Civic Center. The show will open on Sunday, Jan. 8, with a 'Meet the Artists Reception' from 2-4 p.m., which is free and open to the public. The show will hang through Feb. 1 as part of the on-going 'Caswell Gallery Program,' which is co-sponsored by the Civic Center and the Caswell Council for the Arts. The Lobby-Gallery of the Caswell County Civic Center is open to the public from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday, and on those evenings and weekends when the facility is booked for use. The Civic Center is located at 536 Main St. East in Yanceyville, N.C., next to Bartlett Yancey High School. For more information, please call (336) 694-4591. 201201 Dr. Metta Alsobrook, director of institutional research and effectiveness, had a paper she co-authored accepted for publication in "Knowledge Management & E-Learning: An International Journal." The paper, "Learning and Teaching as Communicative Actions: A Mixed-Methods Twitter Study" examines the design of a course that used Twitter to spark thinking and communication based on classroom topics. 201201 Dr. Mary Vanderlinden has been promoted to dean of student success. Since joining Averett, Mary has completed her doctorate, and she has done superb work in the office of student success, overseeing the tutoring and writing centers as well as providing oversight for IDS classes and serving on numerous committees. This past summer, she also assumed leadership for Averett's Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) and will be drafting the impact report for our SACS Fifth-Year Review. Congratulations, Mary! 201201 During the holiday season, members of the Richmond GPS Team volunteered at Circle Center Adult Day Services, which provides care for dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and stroke patients in the Richmond area. The team, which was organized by Michelle Rateau, enrollment coordinator, decorated the facility inside and out and participated in various activities with the residents. Tony Wilson, corporate education liaison, read "The Night Before Christmas" and talked with the audience about their memories of the story and their special Christmas traditions. 201151 Nina Garrett, who has worked at the University for more than 40 years, has announced her retirement. Nina began working for Averett in 1970 as a housekeeper. During her many years with the University she worked under several presidents and witnessed many renovations. "Ms. Nina will truly be missed by all of the Averett and Aramark family," said Alonzo Jones, director of facilities. "She was an excellent worker and had the best interests of her co-workers, the faculty and staff and students at heart." 201151 Earlier this fall, Aramark conducted their FacilityFocus Survey. Those who completed the survey had the opportunity to win three prizes – two $50 Mastercards or $150 Ticketmaster giftcard. The winners, which were picked by the marketing agency who conducted the survey, are: Sherry McDowell - $50 Mastercard Priscilla Culley - $50 Mastercard Drew Wilson - $150 Ticketmaster giftcard I would like to congratulate each winner, and thank everyone for participating in the survey. Merry Christmas! Alonzo Jones, director of facilities 201151 The week of Dec. 5, the men's basketball team took some time off from knocking down jump shots and tried their best to knock down bowling pins instead. The team spent the afternoon volunteering at the local Danville Special Olympic bowling league, joining about 100 Special Olympics athletes at Riverside Lanes. The groups shared many smiles, high fives and hugs - celebrating every pin that was knocked over. "The team really enjoyed their time bowling with the Special Olympians," said head coach Matt Parke. "It was really a great experience to watch them interact with all the bowlers." "Our Special Olympics Athletes were so excited that the Averett men's basketball team joined us, they have already asked me when they were going to be able to come back and bowl with us again," said Special Olympics Area Coordinator Liz Parke. "To say that they enjoyed having the basketball team here is an understatement!" The men's team is making plans to host a basketball skills clinic for the Danville Special Olympians this winter break. They look forward to sharing their basketball knowledge and teaching the game of basketball to the special friends they made. 201151 Drew Boor, assistant director of admissions, received the VACRAO New Professional Award at the recent annual conference. This recognition is reserved for individuals with one to five years of experience in the profession. Awardees must have exhibited professionalism and expertise in their field at their institution(s). Their interest in and significant contributions to VACRAO are key considerations, along with their potential for leadership in VACRAO and other related professional associations. Congratulations, Drew! 201151 Dr. Lee Burton, director of the athletic training program and associate professor of physical education, spent the week of Dec. 12 at the University of Alabama and the week of Dec. 19 with the Cleveland Indians talking to the organizations' strength and conditioning and sports medicine staffs about implementing the Functional Movement Screen as part of the programs. In addition, he recently took part in the Nike NBA Performance Training Camp that was held at Nike's World Headquarters in Portland, Ore. During the camp, which was held over three days, Burton tested the top NBA players and provided feedback on their workouts. Players in attendance included LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade. While Burton has worked with numerous NBA teams in the past, this experience was unique because it was with Nike. He was recently named to their Advisory Board and will be doing more work with them in the future. 201150 Students in the athletic training program are working on a collaborative research project with Dr. Rob Butler, director of the biomechanics lab at Duke University. They are performing the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) on the AU men's and women's soccer teams. The goal of the project is to determine if the FMS results can be improved by giving exercise. The test is being performed on two different groups, and corrective exercise is given to one group. Then the students will go back and retest both groups to see if the intervention group improved their original scores. They will also track injuries and gather performance data to see if there is a relationship. 0 0 0 0 0 201150 The housekeeping and grounds department at Averett's North Campus donated a bike, clothes, toys and shoes for a seven year old boy that they adopted from a local Angel Tree. 201149 The Tidewater Region is pleased to announce the following MBA students have finished their coursework for the GPS Program: Back row (l to r): Kevin Rock, Linda Stevenson, Naveen Kumar, April Sherman, Gary Parker, Front row (l to r): Felicia Holland, Lindaleah Johnson, Crystal McNair Not pictured: Michelle Campbell and Samantha Heller Congratulations, everyone! 201149 Janet Schwalenberg, associate director of admissions, and Dr. Stuart Jones, vice president for enrollment management, will be featured presenters this year at the annual Virginia Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers conference on December 12-13 at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. Schwalenberg will present a workshop on "Cross Campus Communication for Independent Students' Enrollment and Success" and Jones will present on "Early Identification and Intervention of At-Risk Students." 201149 Dr. Richard Ferguson, chair and professor in the physical education wellness and sport science department, had an article published in "Running Journal" last month. To read his article visit Running Journal. 201148 Dr. Michael Jones, adjunct professor in the GPS Program, recently published an article with several colleagues in the prestigious "Journal of Knowledge Management Practice." The group's co-authored research was titled "Organizational Culture Types and Knowledge Management in U.S. Manufacturing Firms." Jones and his colleagues presented the information contained in their article at The Fifth International Conference on Knowledge Management in Asia Pacific (KMAP) in Xi’an, China. In addition to teaching at Averett, he is the Manager of Engineering at Intertape Polymer Group (IPG) in Danville and leads the IPG Corporate Energy Team. 201148 Our sincere thanks is extended to the Averett family for the gorgeous flower arrangement. We left the flowers at the church for the Sunday worship service. On Monday, the flower committee used those flowers to make small vases for the First Baptist Church shut-ins. This was a committee that Chloe was on for many years. I greatly appreciate the thoughtfulness and friendship of my Averett family. Fondly, Happy Slayton Trustee Emeritus 201148 Board of Trustee member Irving M. Blank has been named "Leader of the Year" for 2011 by Virginia Lawyers Weekly; he was honored at a reception in October. Blank is a managing partner at Paris Blank, a Richmond law firm. To read more about this story visit the Chatham Star-Tribune. 201147 On Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11, Katreena Arnold, regional director of academic services, represented Averett University as a community participant in the "Remembrance Day National Roll Call" at Thomas Nelson Community College in Hampton. The "National Day of Remembrance" was an event held at 170 colleges and universities across the country. It was a day to recognize all who have fallen during "Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom," now called "Operation New Dawn." Over the course of eight hours, the names of all 6,313 of "the fallen" were read. While the reading of names was the central focus of the event, the program also included the presentation of colors by the Langley Air Force Color Guard, invocation by a chaplain from Langley Air Force Base, patriotic music selections, remarks by Dr. John Dever, president of Thomas Nelson Community College, the "Nationwide Moment of Silence at 2:00 p.m." and continued with final reading of names. "I have to admit, about one third of the way through my reading of names, it hit me that these were the names of real men and women," said Arnold. "I felt a lump in my throat and tears threatened to well up, but I sucked it up and continued reading. It took real concentration to finish my list of names after I let myself feel human compassion for those lost lives." 201146 Dr. Evan S. Fiedler, adjunct professor for the GPS Program recently had his second running book, "Running Speed," published. This e-book is a plan describing in detail how he placed second and then first in the half marathon. The races were only two weeks apart. His first book was "Come Run With Me." Free samples of "Running Speed" are available through links on this website: Running Speed. 201146 I just wanted to let folks know that I have restarted chemotherapy treatments for November and December. The last CT scan was good, but the oncologists here and at Duke agreed that a few more chemotherapy sessions would be prudent. Plus, the Duke lung surgeon said he didn't need to see me again. Yeah! I have really appreciated all of your well wishes and support. Thanks. Steve L. 201146 Dr. Joanne Pereira, adjunct professor in the MEd program for the Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) Program, will be presenting at the 2012 National Title I Conference in Seattle Jan. 21-24. Her presentation is entitled "Date Driven Decision Making: Low performance to double digit gains, full accreditation and AYP." (AYP stands for annual yearly progress and is the federal standards for school systems.) Congratulations, Joanne! 201145 On Halloween night the men's basketball team went door to door, not asking for candy, but asking for cans of food. The team took part in the SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) sponsored can-o-ween festivities. The effort was part of the USA South Conference "Cans Across the Conference" food drive. In one night, the men's basketball team collected more than 170 cans, which turned out to be the most of any Averett team. As a school, Averett students brought in nearly 500 cans which will all be donated to benefit a local charity. 201145 The Central Region of Averett University's Graduate & Professional Studies (GPS) Program celebrated fall student appreciation in October. The team members traveled to five of our locations - two Richmond campuses, Charlottesville, Petersburg and Quantico - sharing goodies such as apple cider, popcorn and candy corn with the students. The Averett Cougar even made an appearance and posed for pictures with the students. The Cougar really enjoyed seeing all of their smiling faces and had fun visiting the classrooms. We received great feedback from the students and are excited for the upcoming winter student appreciation, which will take place in January. 201145 This semester the education department has started recognizing those students who are accepted into the program with a special pin. In late October, they inducted an honorary member into their faculty ranks - Dr. Franks, who received a letter and the special pin. Students who are accepted into the education program must have a minimum GPA of 2.5, three faculty recommendation letters (not education professors), a letter from the dean of students and they must have passed PRAXIS I. Typically, students enter the program at the end of their sophomore year. 201145 Thank you very much for the beautiful flower arrangement. Your kindness during this time has been much appreciated. Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Mary J. Fulton Wife of Frank H. Fulton 201145 Dr. John Guarino, associate professor in the business department, is joining the Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) faculty effective Jan. 1, 2012. He will continue working in the traditional program in the spring as an adjunct professor. Once he joins the GPS Program, in addition to his teaching duties he will be working with other GPS faculty to develop a concentration in human resource management as well as an online delivery for the concentration and other courses. Guarino has taught at Averett since 2003. 201144 Dr. Gene Steadman Jr., professor of business administration and chair of business administration for the Graduate and Professional Studies Program, presented a paper - "Marginal Revenue Product and Optimal Employment Levels: An Illustration of Student Involvement in the Classroom" – on Oct. 27-28 in New Orleans at The Seventh Annual Economics Teaching Conference. Steadman's paper, which was one of 18 accepted for presentation, featured his development of an "in-class" holiday wreath business that allowed students to become personally involved in all aspects of the business. Steadman has found that this personal involvement has resulted in major improvements in the learning of economics principles. 201144 Susan, Steve and I thank the Averett family for the beautiful flowers at mother's memorial service. Our mother loved flowers and she would have loved those. I cannot begin to tell you how much it meant to mother to be included in so many Averett activities. You made her feel needed and loved - what more could a person ask for! Thank you! It meant the world to her. Fondly, Sheryl 201144 And the winners of this year's Halloween Costume Contest are: 1st Place - Group Costume - Institutional Advancement - Hive of Bees 2nd Place - Group Costume - GPS - Around the World 1st Place - Individual Costume - Drew Wilson – Ghostbuster 2nd Place - Individual Costume - Robbie Hendrix – Werewolf Congratulations to our winners and thanks to everyone who chose to participate this year! 201144 Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, calls, cards, food and many, many well wishes during my recovery. I look forward to returning to the Averett campus as soon as I get the okay. I truly miss my Averett family. Faye Dix 201144 Dr. David Hoffman, professor of English/journalism, has a photo exhibit opening Nov. 5 at the Danville Science Center. The exhibit, called "Damsels, Dragons and Ladies," documents his Riverwalk Trail experiences through his photos of damselflies, dragonflies and ladybugs. The exhibit will be on display until April 1, 2012. Membership to the Science Center is required to view the exhibition. 201144 Adjunct Professor Lisa Witzig, along with two co-authors, recently had their paper, "Organizations' Use of LinkedIn: Small Businesses Outpace Nonprofits and Large Corporations," accepted to be presented at the 2012 Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Conference. The paper will also be published in the conference proceedings. Witzig teaches in the Graduate and Professional Studies Program in the Greater Washington Region and at Quantico Marine Corps Base. Congratulations, Lisa! 201143 Dr. David Hoffman, professor of English and journalism, had his second monthly column published in the Danville Register & Bee on Sunday, Oct. 16. The column is entitled "The Beauty of Nature" and includes his photos and an essay on various topics related to the Danville Riverwalk Trail. The latest column was called "The Flying Pigs on the Riverwalk." 201143 Valerie Dosier, enrollment specialist for IPD, and her family welcomed a new little one into their family on Friday, Sept. 30. Luke Anderson Dosier weighed 7lbs, 7oz and was 20 inches long. Congratulations, Valerie and welcome Luke! 201142 Earlier this month, members of the men's basketball team traded in their sneakers and jerseys for hardhats, rakes, wheelbarrows and work gloves as they joined forces with Habitat for Humanity, giving back to the Danville community. "It's a great way for our program to give back to our community and to help a family here in Danville," said Head Coach Matt Parke. "I thought our guys did a great job working together and really working hard. I was proud of them for generously donating their Saturday morning, doing work for a good cause. "The players each gave of their time and efforts to give back to the Danville community because they understand how fortunate they are to have the ability to be able to help others. We strive to be a part of the Danville community, not just the one here on Averett's campus." The house the team worked on is a part of the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative located on Lee Street in downtown Danville. The team helped prepare and seed the yard, installed insulation and moisture controlled the crawlspace. 201142 Dr. Rebecca Clark, professor of sociology, recently presented a paper - "Letting Their Hair Down: Community in the Barber Shops and Beauty Salons of Film" - at the 2011 Conference of the Popular/American Culture Association in the South in New Orleans. A version of this paper will also be presented at the 1859 Coffeehouse Lecture Series on Jan. 31 in Jut's Café. 201141 The master of education cohort 419 and the master of business administration cohort 461 have completed the requirements toward their degree. Congratulations, everyone! M.Ed. 419 Front Row: Randolph Vance, Natalie Dunagan, Corey Larson, Roberta Oser, Kim Mott, Rob Nichols, Brandie Miller Back row: Fransis Laury, Cortney Parker, Trisha Larson, Dana Bunn, Mary Davanzo, Susan Smith MBA 461 Front Row: Felicia Jackson-Robinson, Brittany Williams, Darryl Penn, Roxana Ballinger, Stephanie Powell-Organ, Tericka Brown Back Row: Terrance Johnson, Trey Knox, Masamba Moses, Paul Hunt 201141 Dr. Susan Huckstep, assistant professor of communication studies and journalism, has an essay broadcast on WVTF public radio out of Roanoke. To hear Susan read the essay, The Peppermint Patty Cure, click here. 201140 The Danville/Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce selection committee recently confirmed the Leadership Southside XVIII class. Marietta Sanford, director of academic services for the GPS southern region and Jennifer Robinson, technical services librarian and assistant professor were selected to represent Averett. Congratulations, Marietta and Jennifer! 201139 Our own Marquita Graves, administrative assistant to the vice president for academic affairs, will be performing in the "Behind the Makeup" monologues at The Prizery in South Boston Sept. 30-Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 2 at 3 p.m. The production, which is for mature audiences, tells the stories of 13 women who are victims and survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault. Graves plays Gloss, a wholesome high school good girl who looks for love in all the wrong places. She finds it in a guy named Shine who assaults her. Tickets may be purchased online at www.prizery.com and are $15 for adults, $12 for students and senior citizens 55+. The production is a fundraiser for the Tri-County Community Action Agency Domestic Violence Program. 201138 Brian Turner '00, assistant professor of business administration, was recently named a Virginia "Super CPA" in the individual tax category by Virginia Business magazine. This is the third year Turner has received this distinction - twice for individual taxation and once for corporate taxation. Congratulations! 201137 English/Journalism Professor Dr. David Hoffman will be writing a column for the local newspaper, the Danville Register & Bee, called "All the Beauty of Nature." The first column, "Summer of the White Twin Deer," will appear Sunday, Sept. 18. Be sure to read it when it comes out. 201130 Debbie Flinn, director of development, was appointed by Danville City Council to serve as the city's representative on the Dan River Alcohol Safety Action Program Policy Board. Congratulations, Debbie!