CoffeeBreak is an e-newsletter distributed to Averett faculty and staff to keep them up-to-date on campus activities and information.

This is the last CoffeeBreak for 2016. In January, please send information you would like included in the first CoffeeBreak of the new year via this form by 4:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, for a Wednesday, Jan. 11, publication.

Student Life Staff Achievements

Lesley Villarose, dean of students, attended a three-day intensive training to become a certified Civil Rights Investigator by the Association of Title Nine Administrators.

DeAndre Howard, director of residence life and housing was elected as the Southeastern Association of Housing Officers representative for Virginia at the Virginia Association of College and University Housing Officers’ business meeting at the annual state housing conference.

Sierra Braxton-Sears, assistant director of student engagement and leadership development, and Taylor Mahaffey, graduate assistant for student engagement and leadership development, presented at the William and Mary Elevating Change Conference. Taylor and Sierra also were on the planning committee for the Virginia Student Services Conference.

Graduate Success Stories

Virginia Wilson ’16, (pictured right) was the recipient of the Mary C. Fugate award. Congratulations Virginia!

Virginia majored in liberal studies with a teaching licensure. She is a member of Kappa Delta Pi and will be substitute teaching during the spring in the Virginia Beach Public School system, where she is from.

Caitlin Whitfield ’16, (pictured left) has accepted a position as a second grade teacher at Stories Creek Elementary School in Roxboro, N.C. Caitlin majored in elementary education and double-minored in history and English.  She is originally from Roxboro. Congratulations Caitlin!

GPS Graduate Spotlight

As we celebrate the 234 GPS graduates this month, we are delighted to share these words from master of education in special education graduate, Michelle Staub.

“My experiences with Averett University have been personally fulfilling and instrumental in my present and future successes! Averett was the perfect choice for me, as a full-time working mom of three busy kids. I was able to complete my coursework online, yet I felt intimately connected to my professors and even keep in touch with some of my classmates. I always felt that everyone had my best interest at hand. While taking my courses at Averett, many successes began to materialize in terms of job success and still continue today. I attribute much of this to the incredible team of support at Averett and the relevant coursework. I am truly set up for a future of gratifying accomplishments, thanks to the knowledge and advantage Averett has given me.”

We truly have an amazing Averett Family, and Michelle’s comments about her Averett experience reflect the hard work and dedication of the many departments, faculty members and staff who interacted with and assisted Michelle along her journey here at Averett. On behalf of the Graduate & Professional Studies leadership team, we want to sincerely thank all of our faculty and staff members who worked tirelessly to prepare our December 2016 graduates for their next chapter. You all work hard every day to ensure our students are at the heart of everything we do, and we appreciate you!

Student Success Center Candidate Presentation

Faculty and staff are invited to attend a candidate presentation for the Student Success Center assistant director position. Candidate Aries Wilson will be giving her presentation today, Dec. 14, at 11:15 a.m. in the Carrington Conference Room, fourth floor of the Student Center. Email Sherill Anderson at [email protected] with any questions.

Carry Out. Carry On.

Averett Women’s Network presents “Carry Out. Carry On: Challenges of Professional Women and Empowering One Another.”

Dr. Alexis Ehrhardt, executive director of the Center for Community Engagement and Career Competitiveness at Averett, and Dr. Leanna Blevins, acting executive director, associate director and chief academic officer at the New College Institute, will be speaking. Our colleagues from Danville Community College and Patrick Henry Community College will also be there.

The event will take place tomorrow, Dec. 15, at 4 p.m. in the multipurpose room. To see the flyer, click here.

Doctored Dinner 2.0

Averett Professor of English, Dr. Marc Muneal, is hosting an “Interactive Trini Christmas Experience.” Dr. Muneal is asking folks to come experience some classic Trinidadian/Caribbean Christmas culture and this time, you get to participate! You can take a break from Christmas week preparations and share the gift of food with friends, strangers and special guest, Marc Muneal’s mother, Dawn!

You will learn how to make pastelles, a Trinidadian Christmas dish that’s like a cross between a tamale and a mince pie. You’ll get to press the dough, fill the pastelles, wrap them in banana leaves, and enjoy your creations after they’ve been steamed to perfection.

The dinner will take place on Monday, Dec. 19, from 6 to 9 p.m. at 2 Witches Winery & Brewery Company, 209 Trade Street in Danville. For tickets, click here.

Goodbye Gathering

Please join the Student Success Center staff in wishing Ms. Karen Duhamel both luck and success as she transitions from her position of coordinator of academic support, into graduate school at Simmons College to study library science and history.

Join us for light refreshments and snacks to be served on Tuesday, Dec. 20, at 1 p.m. Congratulations Karen!

Community Holiday Light Show

Remember to check out the 2016 Community Holiday Light Show at Ballou Park. The park is open for the light show through Dec. 25 (closed on the 24th), Sunday-Thursday from 6-9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 6-10 p.m. It costs $7 a car. Discount nights: $5 a car, Tuesday, Dec. 13; Monday, Dec. 19; and Tuesday, Dec. 20. Please vote for Averett’s display!

MLK Day

The region’s 2017 MLK weekend theme is “What Will You Stand For?” with a focus on our region’s history. We chose this theme because Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood up in the face of injustice and is admired for his commitment to his beliefs.

This year, the Danville City and Pittsylvania County Schools will participate in our MLK Contests. All elementary school students will participate in the Art Contest, and all middle and high school students are invited to participate in the Story Contest.
Please join us in selecting the winners for each category.

Judging will take place on Jan. 4 and 5 from 1-3 p.m. at Averett’s Library. Volunteers, this is a great opportunity to use your Engaged Employer service leave if you have not already done so! Click here to sign up by Dec. 19.

The MLK Day of Service will be held on Monday, Jan. 16, at Averett’s North Campus from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and winners recognized at this event. Thank you for your participation!

Touchscreen Install

On the week of January 9, you will see work in the Violet T. Frith Fine Arts Center lobby outside of Pritchett Auditorium, in the Grant Center Lobby, and in Averett Central. We are having touchscreens and visual displays installed in these three areas, which will be a source of information for guests, students, faculty and staff. We will update you with more details once the touchscreens are live.

Sam’s Club on Campus

Karen Shields, our Sam’s Club representative, will be in the dining hall from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the following dates: Tuesday, Jan. 17; Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 1-2; Tuesday and Wednesday, Mar. 14-15; and Wednesday, Apr. 19.

She welcomes new memberships and renewals. Renewals can be done several months in advance.

2017 Health Insurance Cards

The only new health insurance cards that will be issued for Averett University will be new enrollees or members switching to another plan and dependents. Please keep your current card. Do not discard unless you made changes to your health plan.