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, Aug. 25, for a Wednesday, Aug. 30, publication.
Athletics Welcomes New Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Baseball and Men’s Basketball Assistant Coaches
A native of Clara, Ireland, Matthew Carragher joins Averett as an assistant coach for the Men’s Soccer team. Carragher comes to Averett from Bluefield College, where he served as an assistant coach at his alma mater for one season. His coaching experience also includes time as a volunteer coach with Fredericksburg F.C.
Carragher played four seasons of collegiate soccer, finishing his final two seasons at NAIA Bluefield. While at Bluefield, Carragher was an National Christian College Athletic Association Honorable Mention All-American and a team captain. He helped the Rams make their first NCCAA national tournament appearance in 2014, and helped Bluefield notch its first ever conference tournament win in 2015. To learn more about Carragher, click here.
A native of Titusville, Fl., Meghan Mauzy joins Averett as an assistant coach for the Women’s Soccer team. Mauzy played four seasons of collegiate soccer, including her final three at Division II Mississippi College. Mauzy earned Gulf South Conference honor role all three years in the classroom and was a starting midfielder on the field.
Mauzy was a team captain during her senior season and also served on her school’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). She began her playing career at Eastern Florida State College. To learn more about Mauzy, click here.
A native of Kernersville, N.C., Robby Swab joins Averett as an assistant coach for the Baseball team. Swab comes to Averett from the University of Virginia, where he served as the program’s director of baseball operations for three seasons — including the 2015 season when Virginia won the Division I national championship. Swab’s role included assisting with game-day operations and on-campus recruiting.
Prior to Virginia, Swab was a volunteer assistant coach at Division I Gardner-Webb University, where he worked with coaches and hitters while serving as the first base coach. His coaching experience also includes time as an assistant coach with the Kernersville Post 36 American Legion baseball team and time as a baseball instructor at various camps. To learn more about Swab, click here.
A native of Virginia Beach, Va., D.J. Woodmore joins Averett as an assistant coach for the Men’s Basketball team. Woodmore brings a wealth of basketball knowledge to the Cougars following a successful professional and collegiate career. Woodmore starred at Division III Virginia Wesleyan College, earning All-America honors from multiple organizations, including First Team All-America accolades from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) in 2011-12 and 2013-14.
Following four years at Virginia Wesleyan, Woodmore played professionally in Europe with PIS Baskets Speyer in Germany for several seasons, along with one season with Baskets Club Gries Oberhoffen in France in 2016. To learn more about Woodmore, click here.
Averett Professor Publishes Journal Article
Dr. Sergey Samoilenko, associate professor and chair for computer science and information systems, published an article titled “An analytical framework for exploring context-specific micro-economic impacts of ICT capabilities” in Journal of Information Technology for Development (Taylor & Francis). You can read it by clicking here. Congratulations, Dr. Samoilenko!
GPS Student Spotlight
Meet Karlee Wynn, a student pursuing her master of business administration who is expected to graduate in 2018.
QUESTION: Please share one tip for your fellow classmates and future Averett students.
ANSWER: “Stay focused and in communication with your classmates. When taking classes online it can be difficult to hold yourself accountable and stay focused on your work, so you have to learn what works for you in order to be successful. In addition, remain in contact with members of your cohort that are going through these classes with you. Exchange contact information with someone at the beginning of each course. You all can then discuss any questions and/or concerns you have about the course with one another and also provide assistance when needed/allowed.”
Live & Learn
Join us for the Health and Wellness program Live and Learn, the hot topic of Debt Solutions featuring Sheila Walker tomorrow Thursday, Aug. 24, at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., in the multipurpose room. Take a break to learn about how we get into debt, tips on reducing debt and how debt can affect us. If you have questions or still need to save your spot, contact Tammy Wall at [email protected] or (434) 791-5679.
Arts@Averett Presents: Ethan Uslan Ragtime Piano
Come check out the first event in the 2017-18 Arts@Averett series tomorrow night! Ethan Uslan will be playing a ragtime piano scoring of the silent movie “The Freshman,” a 1925 comedy film that tells the story of a college freshman trying to become popular by joining the school football team. As with old-time silent movies, live piano music accompanied the action on the screen. Join us tomorrow, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. in Pritchett Auditorium. Faculty and staff receive two free tickets. Averett students get in free with their Student ID. All other tickets are $5.
Save the Date: Graduate Assistants’ Pinning
Please save the date for a graduate assistants’ pinning ceremony. All current graduate assistants are invited to be pinned by Dr. Franks on Tuesday, Aug. 29, from 8:30-9:30 a.m., in the multipurpose room. Invites have been sent, please check your email and RSVP.
Save the Date: Medicare Program Presentation
Please consider joining Carolyn B. Smith, President & CEO of The Marketplace Insurance Agency & ElderCare Associates, Inc. for an informative workshop on Medicare. Respond to Kathie Tune of your interest in order to make sure we have a packet for each attendee. The workshop will take place on Monday, Sept. 11, in the Carrington Conference Room from 5-7 p.m.
TIAA-CREF Representative on Campus
Plan on visiting with Matt Meade, our TIAA representative, who will be on campus to discuss your retirement plan and future retirement income needs. He welcomes anyone thinking about joining the Averett plan or who is planning their retirement in the next few years. All Averett employees (part or full time, non-student) are eligible to join the Averett retirement plan. Meade will be on campus, Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 19-20. Click here for additional information or to make an appointment.
Mindset Minute: Averett’s QEP
Have you helped a student think with a growth mindset today? Need ideas for encouraging students? Each week we will provide a snapshot into the world of growth mindset research and practice through “Mindset Minute,” where you can check back for tips!
Growth Mindset Tip of the Week: Acknowledge and embrace imperfections. Hiding from your weaknesses means you’ll never overcome them.
Academic Support Seeking Additional Assistance
The Student Success Center primarily hires peer tutors to assist our traditional student population; however, the Center has a history of hiring retired professors/teachers from the local community to tutor. The Student Success Center would like to extend an offer to faculty and staff members who are qualified and interested in tutoring our traditional student population; please note that only exempt employees can be considered. Hiring considerations include subject-area need, academic background, traditional student experience and soft skills. Please contact Holly Kilby if interested at [email protected] or (434) 791-5788.
Get Your Tailgate and Reserved Parking Spot Now!
Averett Football season tickets are now sold out! Tailgate and reserved parking spots are still available. Act fast, spaces are filling up fast! Click here for the full details. If you have questions or would like to make a purchase, contact Bren Taylor at (434) 791-5677 or [email protected].
Thank you for supporting the New Employee Orientation!
The comments heard around the campus are so complimentary; we just had to share with the entire Averett community. A successful event is always the work of many and that certainly is true of our fall orientation program. Thank you to everyone who assisted in the details leading up to and after the event, the pop-up presenters, our lunch guests and especially to Dan Hayes, who served as our lively moderator for the morning. A good time was had by all.
With great appreciation,
Kathie Tune, HR Director
Thank You for Your Kindness
Dear Averett Family,
Thank you all so much for the calls, texts, emails, cards and your prayers with the recent loss of my grandmother. I am very grateful to all of you and thankful to be a part of this Averett family.
Thank you, Chloe Mayhew
