CoffeeBreak is a 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. March 6 for a March 11 publication.
Free Concert Tickets
A limited number of tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis for a performance this weekend by The American Chamber Players. The American Chamber Players, which is sponsored by the Danville Concert Association, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7 in Pritchett Auditorium. To reserve your tickets, contact Jennifer Hooper.
The American Chamber Players were formed in 1985 by Miles Hoffman from a core group of artists of The Library of Congress Summer Chamber Festival. The ensemble performs repertoire ranging from familiar masterpieces to neglected gems to newly commissioned American works, and its fascinating and delightful programs with varied instrumental combinations have been as enthusiastically praised as its extraordinary, dynamic performances.
Annual Summer Faculty Institute
The Center for Community Engagement & Career Competitiveness (CCECC) invites faculty to discover service-learning this summer during Old Dominion University’s Annual Summer Faculty Institute May 19-20. Space is limited, so if you are interested in attending, contact Bridgid Belko, director of experiential learning, at [email protected].
Take a Trip to Biltmore Estate
The AU Alumni overnight trip to Ashville to visit the Biltmore Estate and the Downton Abbey costume exhibit was rescheduled for March 13-14 (during spring break). There are a few rooms left. Cost is $180 per person, double occupancy, and includes ground transportation, the Folk Art Center, dinner at a local restaurant, Double Tree Hilton Hotel, admission to the Biltmore and exhibit, breakfast and a visit to Antler Village and the Biltmore winery. Contact Larry Wilburn at 434-770-3285 or [email protected] for information/reservations.
Alumni Golf Outing
A group of alumni from the classes of ’89 to ’12 will be visiting the area later this month. They plan to play golf on Saturday, March 21 and have requested faculty and staff join in as they are able. For details contact Dan Hayes at [email protected] or 434-791-7252.
Student Leadership Conference
This year’s Student Leadership Conference will be held March 28 from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. If you know of a student who would benefit from this conference, please encourage them to attend. The registration deadline is Friday, March 20 at 4:30 p.m. Please contact Sierra Braxton-Sears for more information or to register click here.
Trustee Visits Entrepreneurship Class
On Tuesday, Feb. 24 Board of Trustees Member William Gentry visited Dr. Gene Steadman’s entrepreneurship class on campus. This was his second time visiting students in this course, the first time being during the fall 2014 semester.
During the visit, Gentry discussed with the students his many entrepreneurial businesses – including The Golden Leaf Bistro, the Gentry Horse Farm and Piedmont Precision Machinery Co., Inc., among others. Gentry questioned all 17 students in the class about their business ideas before offering offered thoughts and suggestions on those ideas.
Chamber Rolls Out Initiative for Women
The Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce is rolling out a new initiative – Women Empowered (WE!) Lead – that is designed to encourage women in the Danville-Pittsylvania County region to pursue their ambitions and to change the conversation from what we can’t do to what we can do. The first event will be today (March 4) at 4 p.m. in Blount Chapel. Dr. Tiffany Franks, our President, will be one of the featured speakers along with Ildiko Furjesova, Factory Manager Division, Flatline, for IKEA Industry here in Danville; and Connie Nyholm, owner and CEO of Virginia International Raceway. There is no cost to attend.
Programs will be held bi-monthly with speakers who can provide inspiration and support to assist other women in their professional journeys, in community and civic engagement, and in work-life balance. For more information, or to register for this event, contact the Chamber at 434-836-6990 or [email protected].
Reminder: Trustee’s Wife to Speak
The Wednesday Club will host Dr. Diane Burke on Wednesday, March 11 at 3:45 p.m. at 1002 Main Street here in Danville. This event is open to the public and Averett faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend.
Burke is a retired educator who spent 35 years working in K-12 through college learning environments. Upon retiring, she decided to share her life-long passion of reading books about real women. She created and continues to edit her website, www.booksaboutrealwomen.com. For as long as she can remember, she has searched for books about interesting women. This quest has allowed her to discover and read about women who don’t necessarily appear in history books or the front page of the newspaper, but who have lived rich and fascinating lives. Burke will share the stories of some of these women and also provide a review of her website. She currently resides in Chesapeake, with her husband, Dr. Joseph Burke, a member of Averett University’s Board of Trustees.
IHSA Team Sends Three to Zones
By Jessica Stipic
This past Saturday (February 28) our Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) team hosted the IHSA Regional Competition at the Equestrian Center for the first time ever. Home field advantage brought the team luck as three riders are moving on to zones on March 28 at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland.
Team captain, Hailey Brown, was champion in the open flat division and reserve champion in open over fences. In the intermediate flat division, Dana Ellwenger rode for the champion spot. Cary Carrington, in the advanced walk trot canter class, also took home the blue ribbon. Zuri Lamper had a flawless ride in novice over fences and after a nail-biting jump off; she placed third in the region.
Congratulations to the team and those riders moving on!
