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

Please send information you would like included in CoffeeBreak via this form by 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 6 for a Wednesday, May 11 publication.

Graduating Seniors have Exciting Plans

Carter Jones ’16 has accepted a position with Lowe’s Corporate Office in Charlotte, N.C. Carter will spend 18 months rotating between three positions of his choice and eventually choose which role to stay in permanently. He is a computer information systems major with a minor in business. He was a member of the men’s basketball team, an orientation leader, resident advisor, and peer instructor. Carter is from Lake Norman, N.C.

Zuri Lamper ’16 has accepted a position with Invicta Farms as an apprentice to the head trainer. Invicta Farms in located in Santa Fe, N.M. She will be riding client horses, teaching lessons to kids and adults of all ages, and traveling to competitions throughout the spring/summer/fall. Zuri majored in equestrian studies and minored in art.

Micah Andrews ’16 will be making her way to Wellington, Fla. to work with Heidi Degele as an assistant dressage trainer. Micah majored in equestrian studies, is a member of the IDA team, and is a resident advisor. You can also see her on the cover of the Averett Magazine. Micah is from Vermont.

GPS Student Spotlight

Throughout the month the Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) Admissions Team interviews and highlights our GPS students. We hope you will enjoy learning more about these amazing members of our Averett family!

Meet Adrienne Bracy, who is in our master of education in administration and supervision program. Adrienne will graduate in December 2017, and she writes, “It is so far away, yet right around the corner. I can’t wait!”

Why she chose the GPS Program: “The reason I choose Averett’s GPS Program was because of Andrea Levengood (an admissions counselor in the Chesapeake region) and one of my co-workers. I was very apprehensive about returning to school full time with my numerous adult responsibilities. Anxiety set in when it was recommended that I attend school online. I met with Andrea and she held my hand. She helped me to get acclimated to the new system.”

What is motivating her to earn her M.Ed.: “My motivation for obtaining my degree is more than just one thing. As a teacher, I believe we should be life-long learners. I was in the habit of taking a class here and there, but with no real feeling of advancement. It was finally time for me to invest in myself and return to school and obtain my master’s degree.”

What keeps her motivated: “What helps me stay motivated? Everyone! At the onset, I thought it best to keep it a secret that I was attending school. But, now that they know, they are my cheerleaders. I let everyone know, “Sorry, I cannot do that. I am in school.”

Tip for fellow and future classmates: “Do not be afraid to be yourself and be honest. In my cohort, we are a small family. I never would have fathomed that you can bond with people you may never meet. I am getting to know new people, and learn new things. I was hesitant about entering school again after 15 years, but very soon it was revealed to me that I was not in this situation alone.”

Day to Engage Thank You

This year, 171 volunteers from Averett, Danville Community College and Piedmont Community College served 400 hours during Day to Engage. That’s an economic benefit of $9,424 to our region, just in one day!

A special thanks to everyone who volunteered during Day to Engage: Dr. Franks, Chloe Mayhew, Emma Olsson, Janet Roberson, Jeff Hubbard, Sierra Braxton-Sears, Taylor Mahaffey, Carianna Beck, Dan Hayes, Donna Benz, Kyle Patterson, Sandy Bash, Tim Coston, Jennifer Robinson, Philip Wilson, Nick Carter, Sarah Chapman, Ashlyn Hardie and Nicole Barringer.

If you served, please take a couple minutes to complete this brief survey so we can continue to improve your volunteer experience!

Brenner Publishes Paper

Dr. Aimee M. Brenner, assistant professor of education, published a paper in TechTrends, a publication of the Association of Educational Communications & Technology (AECT). The paper was entitled, “Investigating Practices in Teacher Education that Promote and Inhibit Technology Integration Transfer in Early Career Teachers.”

The paper was coauthored with Dr. Jennifer M. Brill, associate professor and program leader for the instructional design & technology (IDT) program at Virginia Tech. It was based on research Brenner conducted with Brill for her dissertation study while pursuing her Ph.D. at Virginia Tech.

Thank You for Your Support!

The faculty/staff campaign is so important to the success of Averett. It sets the tone for giving and helps us obtain grants and encourages trusts to support us, especially if we have more than 80 percent giving. I know more gifts are coming in for the end of the year, but I am proud to announce that faculty and staff giving (159 donors) so far totals $36,944.97, which brings us to 82 percent!

Thank you so much for your support, the impact is long term! As a prize I will take requests to come sing for your office, and for an additional gift I won’t. (smile) But seriously folks, thank you.

Dan Hayes ’92, director of alumni and friend development

Parking Space on Woodland

One of the Day to Engage projects included the Storm Drain Art Project, where Averett art students designed and painted artwork on storm drains along Woodland Drive. The purpose of this project is to raise awareness about what is thrown, or dumped, into the storm drains since the contents drain into the Dan River.

To fulfill this educational purpose of promoting water quality, a parking space on Woodland has been designated “No Parking.” We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and we thank you for understanding.

If you haven’t already, take a walk down Woodland to check out the amazing art work from our students.

Staff Council Nominations

At the staff meeting in May, we will be voting for new staff to fill three vacancies on Staff Council. If you would like to nominate someone, please send the names to Sandy Bash. Ballots will be handed out at the campus-wide staff meeting Thursday, May 19.

EMT Initiative

If you have not already done so, please stop by the Security Office on the Main Campus to have your photo ID updated and a new ID card printed. Jamie Walker, director of security, has designated Thursdays from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. as the time he will be in the security office to take photos and issue new IDs. If you need to set up another time, you can email Jamie or call him at 434-791-5874.

TIAA-CREF Representative on Campus

Make sure to schedule your appointment to meet with our new TIAA representative, Matthew Meade, who will be on campus Thursday, May 12 and Friday, May 13. To schedule your appointment, click here.

Please note: Friday appointments will begin at 9 a.m. in the Schoolfield House Booksellers.

For additional information, contact Kathie Tune, [email protected] or 434.791.7106.