Blue

Volume XI
and Gold
May
No. 2 2006

Board of Governors
Norris Kantor, Esq.
Chair
Mr. Jeff Forlines
Vice Chair
Dr. Louis Aikens
Mr. John "Jack" E. Caffrey
Ms. Anne Crowe
Dr. Lyn Guy
Mr. Edward Knight, III
The Reverend Garry D. Moore, Sr.
Mr. James J. Palmer, III
Mr. Jack D. Stafford
Dr. Norman Mirsky
Faculty Representative
Mr. Daniel L. Frost
Classified Staff Representative
Mr. Eli Sharp
Student Representative
Administrative Staff
Dr. Albert Walker
President
Dr. Don Smith
Interim Vice President for
Academic Affairs and Provost
Ms. Shelia Johnson
Vice President, Financial and
Administrative Affairs
Mr John Cardwell
Executive Director, Enrollment
Management; Interim Vice
President of Student Affairs
Mr. Jim Nelson
Assistant to the President/
Director, Institutional/Media
Relations
Dr. Thomas E. Blevins
Dean of the Virtual College and
Information Technology and the
School of Teacher Education;
Professor, English/Education
Dr. Felica Wooten Blanks
Executive Director of
Institutional Development and
Advancement; Director
of Title III
Mr. David Lord
Director of Human Resources
Blue and Gold
A quarterly publication for alumni
and friends of Bluefield State
College. This project is supplement-
ed by the Federal Title III/BRACE
Program.
2 APRIL 2006 BLUE AND GOLD
A Message from the President
In many ways, the 2005-06 academic year has
been the most memorable of my four years as president
of this wonderful institution. The support of our stu-
dents, alumni, state legislators and elected officials, our
Board of Governors, the media, and the community has
been instrumental in positioning BSC to “kick it up a
notch,” as television chef Emeril might say.
First, the College received an increase in state
appropriations. Governor Manchin and his cabinet, our
Albert L. Walker
Senators and Representatives, and the Higher Education
President
Policy Commission provided us with opportunities to
discuss matters vital to BSC. Their concern and input
was invaluable in the state appropriations increase the College received.
The growth in student housing options should result in a larger number of out-
of-area students coming to BSC this fall. Our academic programs are career-
focused and they are affordable--permitting our students to receive the preparation
needed to enter high quality 21st century-relevant positions when they graduate.
We’re also preparing to add new baccalaureate and masters-level programs that
augment the degree options available. We hope to make a major announcement
regarding this very soon.
We can look back upon a year of achievement. Tom Ridge, the nation’s first
Secretary of Homeland Security, spoke to the College in March, and former U.S.
Secretary of Education Rod Paige will deliver the College’s commencement
address on May 13. Thanks very much for your interest and encouragement. Our
progress has come as a result of your support.
Board of Governor’s News
by Norris Kantor, Esq., Chair
The legislative mandated transfer of Bluefield
State’s Community and Technical College component to
New River Community and Technical College has been
completed and New River Community and Technical
College now has its own full-time president. Our own
Dr. Felicia Blanks served as an interim president for
NRCTC until Dr. Ted Spring was installed as its presi-
dent. There were a number of financial and budgetary
issues that were created by the transfer of multiple pro-
Norris Kantor
grams to NRCTC, but the overwhelming majority of
Chair
these problems have been resolved and the few remain-
ing issues are being resolved. Even the legislature has
recognized that the removal of approximately 50 percent of our programs and
approximately 50 percent of our student body to create NRCTC had a serious
impact on the financial stability of Bluefield State College, and has begun to pro-
vide some financial relief in an effort to alleviate some of the financial problems
that have been created.
Accommodating the legislative mandate regarding NRCTC took an inordinate
amount of time of the College’s faculty and staff. However, the faculty and staff
responded admirably and are to be complimented on the successful manner in
(continued on page 5)
Shott Lecture Series Brings Tom Ridge BSC Associate
to Bluefield State College Degree Nursing
Tom Ridge, the Graduates Achieve
nation’s first Secretary of
Homeland Security, 92.54% Passage
shared with his Bluefield
State College audience
Rate
the lessons learned from Graduates of Bluefield State
creating a vitally impor- College’s Associate Degree Nursing
tant new federal agency (ADN) Program achieved a 92.54%
to protect the United passage rate on the National Council
States against terrorist Licensure Examination-RN (NCLEX-
threats and attacks. His RN) for the reporting period of
presentation at BSC was January 1-December 31, 2005. The
made possible by the state passage rate on the NCLEX-RN
The Honorable Tom Ridge (third from left) was was 87.24% and the national passage
Hugh I. Shott, Jr. Lecture welcomed to BSC by (left-to-right) Dr. Albert Walker,
Series and gave his audi- The Reverend Garry Moore, and R. W. Wilkinson, rate was 87.29%. Successful comple-
ence of 1,000 an insight- the Shott Foundation’s chairman. tion of the exam permits the graduate
ful look at America’s to apply for licensure as a registered
progress in increasing its level of pre- Security. nurse.
paredness against disaster and terror- Addressing the balance between Sandra Wynn, Interim Director of
ism. privacy and security, Ridge observed, Associate Degree Nursing at BSC,
Ridge’s daylong visit to BSC “We’ll never eliminate all the risks to observed that the passage rate for
included a reception, luncheon, and a country as open as ours. However, BSC nursing graduates has exceeded
student forum in addition to his lec- we have made tremendous strides. both the state and national passage
ture. “When the Department of Although the challenge before us is rates for several years. “The success
Homeland Security was created,” he formidable, I am quite confident of our graduates is a tribute to their
said, “a three-fold approach was taken America will prevail. Americans commitment to excel as well as the
don't live in fear. We live quality of our faculty, our program,
in freedom.” and the hospitals with which we
His presentation also work,” Wynn noted.
included a consideration The Associate Degree Nursing
of the challenges of bor- program is approved by the West
der security and immigra- Virginia State Board of Examiners For
tion, biometrics as tools Registered Nurses and is accredited
of security, and disaster by the National League for Nursing
preparedness and Accrediting Commission. Nursing
response. courses are designed to provide learn-
Bluefield State ing opportunities for acquiring the
College President Dr. necessary nursing knowledge and skill
Albert Walker welcomed to practice nursing at the associate
Former Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge the Shott Lecture Series degree level. The focus is holistic
fielded questions during a student forum at BSC.
attendees, and Shott health promotion and wellness.
to combat terrorism. It involved man- Foundation President R.W. “Buz” Additional information about the
aging the risk, setting priorities, and Wilkinson introduced Ridge. He was Bluefield State College Associate
integrating the protections and the second Shott Lecture Series Degree Nursing Program can be
resources of nearly two dozen agen- speaker at BSC. Dr. Henry Kissinger obtained by calling the College (304)
cies. Following the tragic events of spoke at Bluefield State College on 327-4065, or visiting the web at:
9/11, President Bush asked Ridge October 1, 1991. www.bluefieldstate.edu
(then the Governor of Pennsylvania) (Cover photo taken by
to “stand up” the Office of Homeland David McNeil, Grubb Photo.)

BLUE AND GOLD APRIL 2006 3

Spotlight on the BSC School of Business
by Dr. Elaine D. Scott, Interim Dean, School of Business
Mahood Hall -- Home of the
Bluefield State College School of Business.
The nine School of Business fac-
ulty members housed in Mahood Hall
have been very productive over the
2005-06 academic year. With 284
Business Administration majors (the
largest degree program at Bluefield
State College) the faculty has big
plans for the future in terms of under-
graduate and graduate programs, and
outreach to the community.
In November 2005, The
Association of Collegiate Business
Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
removed the last condition on the
accreditation of the BSC School of
BSC Students and Student Support services Faculty
Participate in TRIO Student Leadership Conference
A Bluefield State College contin-
gent of seven students and three
Student Support Services (SSS) staff
members were active participants in
the recent TRIO Student Leadership
Conference at Pipestem State Park.
The three-day event was sponsored by
the Mid-Eastern Association of
Educational Opportunity Program
Personnel and the West Virginia
Association of Educational
Opportunity Program Personnel.
“Our students thoroughly enjoyed
4 APRIL 2006 - BLUE AND GOLD
Business. Ours is the only busi-
ness program in this area that is
nationally accredited. This places hundred students with the minimum
the BSC School of Business
among the top business schools in with community business leaders.
the nation and assures students
and employers that the curriculum tion. In May 2006, Delta Mu Delta
well prepares students to take
leadership positions in business.
Dr. Steve Bourne has been
working on the development of a
Master’s Degree in Business
Administration (MBA).
When adopted, this will be
the first graduate program
offered by BSC. The program
will allow students with a
Bachelor’s degree in business to
complete an MBA within one cal-
endar year by attending class two
nights a week.
Phi Beta Lambda is the busi-
ness student organization open to
all business students. Currently
these students are preparing to
take part in a national business
competition. In past competitions
BSC students have won numerous
awards. Delta Mu Delta is a busi-
workshops focusing upon leadership
and success,” noted Carolyn Kirby,
Director, BSC SSS program. The
BSC students taking part in the con-
ference included Ron and Heather
Goodman, Stephen Dickerson, Joanne
Smith, Amy McPherson, Jonathan
Harless, and Kevin Richardson. All
are SSS program participants and
tutors. Smith was chosen from BSC’s
delegation to receive a “Director’s
Award,” an Anne P. Crum Scholar-
ship, established in memory of a for-
ness honorary associated with ACBSP.
Instituted two years ago, over one
3.25 GPA have been inducted along
This is primarily a service organiza-
will hold their second annual invita-
tional golf tournament at the Fincastle
Country Club. This is a money-mak-
ing event that allows this organization
to continue its charitable works.
Programs in the School of Business at
Bluefield State College are nationally
accredited by the Association of
Collegiate Business Schools and
Programs (ACBSP).
mer TRIO programs director at Davis
& Elkins College.
Additionally, Kirby directed a
workshop entitled, “Developing a
Career Portfolio: Preparing for the
Job Market in the 21st Century.”
BSC SSS Educational Outreach
Counselors Carol Baldwin (BSC Class
of 1991) and Heather Simmons col-
laborated to present the workshop,
“Leadership Styles: Where Do You
Fit Into the Puzzle?”
BSC School of Education Receives NCATE Reaccreditation
Bluefield State College’s School
of Education recently received contin-
uing accreditation under the perform-
ance-oriented standards of the
National Council for Accreditation of
Teacher Education (NCATE).
NCATE is a nationally accrediting
body for schools, colleges, and
departments of education authorized
by the U.S. Department of Education.
“Accreditation is a process for
assessing and enhancing academic
and educational quality through vol-
untary peer review,” noted Dr.
Blevins, Dean/BSC School of Teacher
Education. “The achievement of
NCATE reaccreditation provides evi-
dence of the quality of our program as
measured by a national review. This
recognition speaks to the high quality
of our faculty, students, and gradu-
ates.”
NCATE currently accredits 623
institutions which produce two-thirds
of the nation’s new teacher graduates
each year. Accreditation assures stu-
dents and employers that BSC’s
Board of Governor’s News
continued from page 2
which they handled and met the leg-
islative challenge. Even though the
legislative mandate imposed time-
consuming burdens on the faculty and
staff, they never deviated from their
primary job of providing an outstand-
ing education for our students.
We are continuing to see new pro-
grams being considered and, in some
cases, implemented, such as the recent
approval by the Board of Governors
to have the College offer a four-year
Bachelor of Science degree in
Radiologic Science. The College also
continues to make strides in its effort
to offer a Master’s Degree in Business
School of Education continues to
meet rigorous standards. Teacher can-
didates must have in-depth knowledge
of subject matter that they plan to
teach, as well as the skills necessary
to convey this knowledge to students.
“NCATE accreditation is the ‘per-
formance standard’ for teacher educa-
tion,” added Dr. Albert Walker, BSC
President. “It assures students and the
world at large that the College has
high quality programs staffed by well
qualified faculty and that the students
who graduate from these programs are
fully prepared to be excellent teach-
ers.”
While visiting BSC, members of
the NCATE accreditation team inter-
viewed students, faculty, administra-
tors and school-based partners.
Additionally, they visited classrooms
and examined campus facilities,
including information technology
Administration and continues to work
with Marshall University in a joint
offering of courses leading to a
Master’s Degree in Nursing.
The College recently received full
and complete reaccreditation for its
School of Education and is the only
college in this region of West Virginia
with such accreditation for its elemen-
tary/middle school programs. The
students the School of Engineering
continue to excel in competition--both
nationally and internationally--and
bring world-wide credit to the
College. It should also be noted that
our two-year nursing students and our
resources and library, to ensure
NCATE standards are being met.
In the past decade, NCATE has
moved from an accreditation system
that focused on curriculum and what
teacher candidates were offered, to a
data-driven, performance-based sys-
tem dedicated to determining what
candidates know and are able to do.
The new system expects teacher
preparation institutions to provide
compelling evidence of candidate
knowledge and skill in the classroom.
Multiple types of performance assess-
ment are expected throughout the pro-
gram of study. Candidate qualifica-
tions are assessed upon entry, and
candidate competence is assessed
throughout the program as well as
prior to student teaching/internship
work, and before completion of the
program.
BSC’s School of Education has
held NCATE accreditation on a con-
tinuous basis since 1991.
RadTech students continue to do
exceptionally well on their licensure
examinations, and, in fact, their score
averages exceed both the national and
state averages.
Your Board is pleased with the
manner in which the faculty and Dr.
Walker and his staff, as well as the
classified employees, have responded
to the challenges posed by restructur-
ing the College and its student body
as a result of the legislative imposed
changes. The cooperation of all of
those involved was and is an absolute
necessity, and your Board appreciates
that cooperative spirit.
BLUE AND GOLD APRIL 2006 5
Dr. Howard Wade Tells Capacity Audience at BSC
How to Protect African-American Heritage
Dr. Howard Wade’s Black History
Month presentation to a capacity audi-
ence at Bluefield State College pow-
erfully addressed topics ranging from
more than 250 years of slavery to how
and why the African-American her-
itage must be protected. Wade, who
returned to southern West Virginia
and began teaching at BSC in 2002,
shared his insight with BSC students,
faculty, staff, alumni, community
leaders, and several area high school
students.
“Years ago, Carter G. Woodson
discovered that the history of African-
Americans was being neglected in the
schools of America,” Wade recounted.
"Since the year 1619, African-
Americans have been contributors in a
great way to America. Thus, Dr.
Woodson wanted to bring African-
American history to the classroom.
To accomplish this during segrega-
tion, he had to begin in Black schools.
“He chose February as the week
(later expanded to one month) for this
effort, because his great respect for
Abraham Lincoln and Frederick
Douglas, both of whom were born in
February,” he continued.
Gerald James Named “Business Development Project
Director” for BSC Research and Development Corporation
Gerald
James
brings the
insight
developed
over more
than 30
years’ expe-
rience in a
Gerald James variety of
military and
civilian
technology-reliant and management
positions to his new position as
6 APRIL 2006 - BLUE AND GOLD
Dr. Howard Wade
Wade noted that African slaves
arrived in Virginia in 1619 as inden-
tured servants who could earn their
freedom by working for seven years.
“When Europeans saw the land, ani-
mals, and resources in America, they
needed someone to do the work,” he
continued. “They tried unsuccessfully
to enslave Native Americans, then
they decided to enslave a race by
color--the first time in history that
people were enslaved as a result of
skin color.”
Wade expressed deep appreciation
to Woodson and W.E.B. DuBois for
“Business Development Project
Director” for the Bluefield State
College Research and Development
Corporation.
“I am grateful for the confidence
expressed by the BSC Research and
Development Corporation and
Bluefield State College,” noted James,
who had served as the interim project
director for the past nine months. In
September, 2004, the BSC R&D
Corporation purchased the former
Appalachian Power Company
Building with a focus upon directly
their work in documenting the contri-
butions and accomplishments of
African-Americans. “When integra-
tion came to the United States,” he
added, “we did not come to the table
empty handed. We had a culture.
However, in our desire to have a seat
at the ‘table,’ we made a mistake. We
forgot our culture.” The impact, he
said, was that African-Americans lost
their drive for education, music, and
the respect men held for women. “If
men don’'t respect their women, they
can’t expect others to respect their
women. If we remember our culture,
we have nothing to fear--therefore we
must teach our children who they
are.”
His presentation was sponsored
by the BSC student organization, the
“Black Student Association,” which
extended special recognition to Wade,
Bluefield Mayor Garry D. Moore, Dr.
Carolyn Browning, Deirdre Guyton,
Dr. Anthony Woart, Dr. Cravor Jones,
Gene Wyatt, Robert Shanklin,
Anthony Dillard, Dr. Felica Blanks,
Ophelia Sims, and organization advi-
sor Terry Thompson.
assisting local economic development
efforts, in part, by providing a site for
businesses to expand or relocate. The
Business Development Project
Director’s position was created to
recruit businesses to the facility and
expand those businesses’ potential
through timely technology transfer. “I
look forward to expanding our profes-
sional relationships with several
regional businesses, while also initiat-
ing discussions with new businesses,”
James continued.
BSC Nursing Grad Shares Third World Nursing Experiences
with 2006 Nursing Class at her Alma Mater
Two years ago, Jessica Walkup
was wrapping up degree requirements
in the Associate Degree Nursing pro-
gram at Bluefield State College. A
year ago, she traveled to West Africa
on a hospital ship that brought desper-
ately needed health care to Liberia
and Benin in West Africa. This
semester, she shared her experiences
with students in BSC’s “Community
Nursing” class.
“Jessica has taken community
health to an entirely new level,” noted
Sandra “Kay” Thompson, the BSC
Associate Degree Nursing faculty
member who invited Walkup to speak
to the class.
A Pocahontas County native who
graduated from BSC’s ADN program
in 2004, Walkup learned through a
friend's experience about Mercy
Ships, a Christian-based organization
that uses hospital ships to serve the
world’s poor. “Today, there are three
ships that bring hope and healing to
some of the world’ most needy peo-
ple,” Walkup explained. Shortly after
graduating from BSC and passing her
nursing licensure exam, Walkup
boarded the Mercy Ship “Anastasis,”
headed for West Africa.
“We traveled to Benin, West
Africa for four months,” she recount-
ed. Working as a dental receptionist,
Jessica Walkup (left), a 2004 graduate
of the BSC Associate Degree Nursing
Program, returned to her alma mater
recently to share her experiences from
a medical mission trip to West Africa.
She was invited by BSC nursing faculty
member Sandra Kay Thompson
(right) to speak to Thompson's
"Community Nursing" class.
she traveled to villages and set up
clinics. “I prayed that God would
give me a heart for Africa, and I got
it,” she said. “Most people in Benin
had ‘zero access’ to health care.” Her
team conducted nearly 430 surgical
procedures, treating more than 2000
patients and providing health educa-
tion classes.
During April, 2005, Walkup’s
team moved to Liberia--a nation, she
noted, that has only one physician for
every 50,000 people. “There was lit-
tle concept of proper hygiene,” she
said. “Some people believed that
birth deformities came about because
a baby or its parents were evil, and
sometimes the baby was left to die.
Some Liberians believed that tumors
were the result of a curse placed upon
people for being evil. We told people
that these conditions didn’t occur
because people were evil. They hap-
pened for medically-related reasons.
We loved these patients.”
“Liberia is still unstable after a
lengthy civil war,” she added. “It’s a
very poor country with no permanent
electricity and no running water. The
scars of civil war are very evident.
Some people have bullet wounds.
Others have scars from burns.”
Walkup recalled one patient, in
particular. “He was named Prince, a
small seven year-old boy who suf-
fered from burn contractures. When
he was four, rebels shot his father,
then poured boiling water over him,”
she said. “His mother grabbed him
and fled, but in the three years since
that time, scarring had severely
deformed his neck, shoulder, and arm.
Even though the surgery and rehabili-
tation were very painful,” she noted,
“he regained some range of motion
and, along the way, he became a very
special patient to several members of
the team.”

BSC Honors College Students

Visit New York City
During Spring Break
Bluefield State College Honors College participants
recently toured New York City during an academic enrich-
ment trip. The Honors College students pictured atop the
Empire State Building include (front row, left-to-right)
Susan Wilkins and Danielle Hawes, as well as (back row,
left-to-right), Patience Hall, Corey Flanagan, Tabitha Pack,
Cynthia Barnes, Jesse Farmer, Abdul Nasiru, and Lee Rose,
Jr.

BLUE AND GOLD APRIL 2006 7

BSC Receives HEPC Grant to Establish
Student Success Center
John Cardwell
Interim VP/Student Affairs
& Enrollment Management
A $7,500 mini-grant award from
the West Virginia Higher Education
Policy Commission (HEPC) will help
Bluefield State College establish a
Student Success Center, designed to
help students succeed as freshmen,
then move smoothly into their sopho-
more year of studies.
The grant application, submitted
by John Cardwell, BSC’s Interim
VP/Student Affairs & Enrollment
Management, focuses upon improving
BSC’s freshman-to-sophomore reten-
tion rate for first time, full-time stu-
Actor’s One-Man Show Reminds BSC Black History Month
Audience of the Legacy of Muhammad Ali
For two hours, the Basic Science
Auditorium at Bluefield State College
became a boxing ring, the streets of
Louisville, Kentucky, and a stage to
examine the societal changes and
challenges that have taken place dur-
ing the lifetime of Muhammad Ali.
Vincent Cook, an actor/comedian
who studied Ali’s life and worked
with Wil Smith and Jamie Fox in the
movie “ALI,” portrayed the former
world heavyweight boxing champion
for a large audience at BSC. The pro-
gram was the College’s first 2006
Black History Month event.
Cook permitted his audience to
“meet” Ali, portraying the legendary
sports figure from his youth to his
retirement and subsequent battle with
Parkinson’s Disease. In detailing how
8 APRIL 2006 - BLUE AND GOLD
dents.
“Through the grant, a Student
Success Center will be established to
focus upon and consolidate various
intervention strategies to help students
succeed during their first year of col-
lege, then continue toward their edu-
cational goals,” Cardwell said. He
also noted that the Student Success
Center will also serve as a catalyst for
expanding a college-wide commit-
ment to retention.
Plans call for the implementation
of the Student Success Center this
summer. Goals and objectives include
identifying factors that place freshmen
at risk in their quest to continue their
college education, training at least
five faculty to conduct one-on-one
advising of all new freshmen students,
then training at least 25 BSC employ-
ees and students to serve as mentors.
Approximately 280 new freshman
will be advised and a cohort of at
least 100 freshmen will be involved in
Vincent “Ali” Cook (left)
spars with Dr. Walker
Ali gained an interest in boxing and
continuing through his rise in the
sport's amateur and professional
ranks, Cook also pulled no punches in
describing the challenges Ali faced
when confronted by racism and mat-
ters of faith. “After I won an
Olympic Gold medal,” Cook as Ali
the Student Success Center’s mentor-
ing program, according to Cardwell.
Future plans call for additional
training in advising and mentorship,
as well as ongoing intervention and
support for students utilizing compati-
ble retention strategies.
Fall Semester
Registration
August 17 - 18, 2006
Classes Start
August 21, 2006
For additional
information,
call (304) 327-4065
www.bluefieldstate.edu
said, “I wanted more. What better
time to claim your rights than right
after you win the Olympics.”
He provided an insightful “first
person” narrative that took his audi-
ence through Ali pro career, during
which he became the only three-time
heavyweight champion of the world.
He also talked about his historic bat-
tles inside and outside the boxing
ring, his conversion to Islam, and his
biggest fight of all-against the debili-
tating effects of Parkinson’s.
“Life is not about getting knocked
down,” he said. “It’s about getting
back up after you’ve been knocked
down.”
(Photo courtesy of Joan Buchanan,
Coordinator of Student Activities)
BSC’s Faculty and Staff Accomplishments
Dr. Felica Wooten Blanks,
Executive Director of Institutional
Development and Advancement/
Director of Title III, was honored as
the 2005 recipient of the “Education
Award,” presented by the West
Virginia Minority Business Develop-
ment Center (WVMBDC) during the
organization’s third annual Awards
Ceremony. The WVMBDC presented
awards to individuals whose achieve-
ments and accomplishments support-
ed the continuous development of
their communities, regions, and the
state of West Virginia.
Kendra Blanton, Administrative
Assistant, and Jennifer Humphries,
Instructional Designer, recently
received certification by Learning
Tree International as a Web
Development Certified Professionals.
Dr. Tom Blevins, (1971) Dean of
the Virtual College and Information
Technology and the School of Teacher
Education, Professor, English/
Education chaired an NCATE visit to
Virginia State University, April 22-26,
2006.
Dragich Honored as Recipient of
George M. Cruise Endowed Chair in Nursing
Dr. Bernadette Dragich
Professor of Nursing
Dr. Bernadette Dragich was
recently honored as the second recipi-
ent of the “George M. Cruise
Endowed Chair in Nursing” at
Bluefield State College during a
Don Bury, Professor/Department
Head of Architectural Engineering
Technology, recently received special
recognition at the Technological
Education Initiative Capstone Con-
ference in Washington, DC. Bury’s
presentation poster, “Individual
Advisory Board General Assessment
of Program Outcomes Through Direct
Observation,” was selected as one of
the top five posters at the conference.
Jerry Conner, (1981) Cable
Television Services Coordinator, was
a featured guest at the Technicon 23
Science Fiction Convention in
Blacksburg, Virginia, March 31-April
2. He presented a talk on independent
filmmaking, as well as premiering the
short film “Appalachian Gothic,” a
thirty-minute film produced jointly by
Bluefield State College and McArts,
the arts consortium of McDowell
County. The film is based on the short
story “The Applebys of Johnnycake
Mountain,” one of the short stories in
Kimball author Jean Battlo’s
“Appalachian Gothic Tales.”
Melissa Haye, Radiologic
luncheon program that attracted sever-
al members of the Bluefield State
College community. Dr. Betty Rader,
Interim Dean, BSC School of Nursing
and Allied Health, recognized Dr.
Dragich’s scholarly activities, which
include numerous presentations at
state and national conferences, as well
as her grant-writing success.
Additionally, Dr. Dragich provides
leadership in the operation of the
Student Health Center and is an active
member of the BSC Wellness
Committee and the National Youth
Sports Program’s advisory board.
Dr. Albert Walker, BSC President,
also saluted Dragich’s professional
BLUE AND GOLD
Technology program director, has
been appointed to membership on the
West Virginia Radiologic Technology
(WVRT) Board of Examiners. Haye,
who received the BSC Foundation’s
“Outstanding Faculty Award” in 2004,
will serve on the State Board through
June, 2007. Her appointment to the
Board was made by West Virginia
Governor Joe Manchin in February
and confirmed by the West Virginia
Senate earlier this semester.
Bruce Mutter, (1986) Associate
Professor of Architectural Engineering
Technology/Director of the Center for
Applied Research and Technology
(BSC-CART), was a featured presen-
ter at the Joint Committee on
Technology at the West Virginia
Legislature’s December interim meet-
ing at the State Capitol.
Sandra Kay Thompson,
Professor of Nursing, has been select-
ed to be included in the Manchester
Who’s Who Among Executive and
Professional Women in Nursing and
Healthcare.
accomplishments and her commitment
to service. Dragich holds membership
in the American Nurses Association,
West Virginia Nurses Association,
National League for Nursing, and
Sigma Theta Tau International Honor
Society of Nursing.
Her community service includes
council membership with the Mercer
County Head Start Program, member-
ship on the United Negro College
Fund’s Special Programs Committee,
American Red Cross, Mercer County
Sexual Assault Resource Board, and
the Higher Education Alcohol Aware-
ness Council.
NOVEMBER 2005 9
Tom Jessee -- A BSC Coaching Success Story
Tom Jessee
BSC Class of 1988
Tom Jessee is a long way from
West Virginia, but he remains very
close to his West Virginia roots. The
former Matoaka High School basket-
ball standout is head women’s basket-
ball coach at the University of Tampa
and he piloted the Lady Spartans to
24-7 record in 2005-2006. He credits
the lessons he learned as a player, stu-
dent, and coach in Mercer County for
providing the foundation that’s helped
him win four conference champi-
onships, two district titles, and three
Coach of the Year awards.
“I learned a tremendous amount
from every coach I met along the
way,” he noted. “The players and
coaches I’ve worked with have
defined who I am today.” Jessee’s
basketball life story began as a junior
high student in Matoaka. “Danny
Gaither (BSC Class of 1974) was my
coach and when he moved up to
Matoaka High School, I played for
him there, too,” Jessee recalled. “He
provided discipline and structure.”
Jessee averaged nearly 20 points per
game as a senior at Matoaka High,
attracting the attention of several area
college coaches.
“Terry Brown, BSC Class of 1975,
(Bluefield State College’s basketball
coach at the time) showed a lot of
interest in me, so I went to BSC,”
Jessee stated. “I didn’t have great
athletic ability, but I was a ‘blue col-
lar’ worker and could play inside or
on the perimeter. That was the begin-
10 APRIL 2006 - BLUE AND GOLD
ning of a long association with the
College. Bluefield State opened a lot
of doors for me.”
After one season at BSC, the coal
mine at which Jessee’s father was
employed had shut down. “I had to
make a choice--either drop out of col-
lege and go to work, or find a way to
work and go to school,” he said.
Later that year, BSC women’s basket-
ball coach Kenny Mandeville, BSC
Class of 1976, contacted Jessee. “He
knew I had an interest in coaching
and he offered me an assistant coach’s
job,” the Tampa coach said. In 1985,
his first year with the Lady Blues,
BSC advanced to the NAIA national
tournament in Kansas City.
“Kenny taught me how to deal with
kids,” Jessee said. “At the time, I was
like a sponge--trying to learn from
anyone I could talk to. I went to clin-
ics, watched games, and learned along
the way.” When Mandeville stepped
down after several successful seasons
at BSC, Jessee was named head
coach. “We won my first game (at
High Point College), and I thought
this coaching thing wasn’t so tough,”
Jessee said. “Then, we played a very
difficult stretch of games and lost our
next nine. However, our players had
a great will to win. They embraced
being the underdogs and, together, we
were able to turn things around.”
During Jessee’s nine seasons as
head coach at BSC, the team com-
piled a 181-82 mark, often advancing
to the championship round of the
WVIAC tournament. “Those were
some great years,” he said. After an
18-10 season in 1996-97, Jessee
moved to southern Florida. “When I
got here, I found that Gulf High
School (New Port Richey, Florida)
needed a women’s basketball coach. I
applied and was fortunate enough to
get the job,” he stated. Gulf High
had never advanced to the state tour-
nament in its 75 year existence, but
during Jessee’s first year at the helm,
they landed a spot in the state tourney
and he was named the Tampa
Tribune’s “Pasco County Coach of the
Year.”
Opportunity knocked again, and
Jessee answered. “I had taken an
intramural director’s job at the
University of Tampa and got a call
from a new high school in New Port
Richie,” he said. As Mitchell High
School’s first coach, he built the pro-
gram from the ground up, designing
the logo, the uniforms, and coaching
the boys’ team for two seasons.
That’s when he got another call.
“The volleyball coach at the
University of Tampa told me that
there was an opening as head
women’s basketball coach there. I
applied and got the job,” he stated.
Jessee’s first Lady Spartans team set a
school record for wins during the
2002-03 campaign and reached the
NCAA Division II Sweet 16.
The West Virginia connection
extends even more. When WVU’s
basketball team played a December
game at the University of South
Florida, Jessee attended. WVU coach
John Beilein needed a court upon
which the Mountaineers could work
out on the day after the game, and he
accepted Jessee’s invitation to practice
at the University of Tampa.
“I’m grateful to the people in
Mercer County who supported me.
They helped get me started in my
coaching career,” he summarized. “I
live in Florida, but the mountains will
always be my home.”
Correction
Latasha Dowell was crowned
Miss Senior in the 2005
Homecoming Ceremony. This
corrects information as
previously printed in the Blue
and Gold December 2005 issue.
BSC Representatives Accept Invitation to Participate in
International Optical Engineering Organization Conference
Bluefield State College faculty
members Dr. Robert Riggins and
Professor Bruce Mutter will be among
featured presenters at the “Optics-
East” international conference later
this year in Boston. The four-day
event brings together researchers and
the research behind many of the cur-
rent breakthroughs in a comprehen-
sive array of optics-related topics.
The BSC faculty will deliver a
professional paper that addresses two
aspects of autonomous navigation--
sensor integration and path-finding
navigation--in intelligent vehicles.
Riggins and Mutter (Director of the
Blue Chicory Players at BSC
Presented the “Curious Savage”
“The Curious Savage” -- (left-to-
right) Lily Belle, portrayed by Kathy
Kish, is upset with mother, Ethel
Savage, played by Jamie Epperson,
for biting her, and encourages Mrs.
Savage to “gnaw it to the bone.”
The Blue Chicory Players at
Bluefield State College presented its
production of “The Curious Savage,”
by John Patrick on April 13-14, 2006,
in the Basic Science Auditorium on
the BSC campus. The group was
under the direction of Dr. Alma
Center for Applied Research and
Technology [CART] at BSC) devel-
oped the paper following the success
and experience of BSC student team-
designed autonomous vehicles that
won four world championships during
the past three years at collegiate-level
competitions. “Our students’ research
provided important information in the
development of the paper,” Riggins
noted.
The CART-developed intelligent
vehicles rely on three very different
robotic platforms whose sensors yield
radically different formats. The
CART presentation details a method
Bennett, Assistant Professor of
Speech.
“The Curious Savage” is the
warm-hearted tale of Mrs. Ethel
Savage, a slightly eccentric, extremely
wealthy widow. Being the recipient of
her deceased husband’s estate, she
wants to make the best use of it,
despite her greedy stepchildren's self-
ish attempts to get their hands on it.
The cast include Jamie Epperson,
Melissa Roland, A.J. Carr, Lee Rose,
Becky Dale, Cynthia Repass, Samuel
Owens, Kathy Kish, Daniel Clark, and
Shamatee Mitchell. “The students
involved in this production have been
greatly challenged,” Dr. Bennett
noted. “They have not only worked
hard learning lines and characteriza-
tion, but they have also invested many
hours constructing a beautiful box set
to represent “The Cloisters” (the sani-
torium in which Mrs. Savage has been
placed). I am confident the audiences
enjoyed the performance immensely
for combining this information to pro-
vide sensor input and environmental
feedback that permits accurate and
effective navigation.
The conference, October 1-4,
2006, is expected to attract more than
130 exhibitors in addition to several
hundred researchers and professionals.
Entitled “Photonics for Applications
in Industry, Life Sciences, and
Communications,” the event is spon-
sored by the International Society for
Optical Engineering (SPIE) and is
designed to explore breakthroughs in
nanotechnology, biology, telecommu-
nications, and environmental science.
and took away a good feeling about
what should be truly valued in life.”
(Photo courtesy of Joan Buchanan,
Coordinator of Student Activities)
In Memoriam
Betty J. Peery Hatfield Sykes
Betty J. Peery Hatfield Sykes,
passed away on March 16, 2006.
She was an administrative assistant
at Bluefield State College for 34
years in the Physical Plant depart-
ment. Betty was employed at BSC
through the terms of six presidents
and five interim presidents.
BLUE AND GOLD APRIL 2006 11
 Bluefield’s New Police Chief Credits BSC
for Solid Career Foundation
Bluefield State
College’s impact upon the
Bluefield Police
Department is significant,
according to the city’s new
police chief, Joe Wilson,
and as a 1988 graduate of
BSC, he’s in a good posi-
tion to make that judg-
ment. “Several members
of our force are either BSC
graduates or they’ve taken
classes at the College,” he
observed.
Wilson was appointed Bluefield Police Chief Joe Wilson (BSC Class of 1988)
to his new position after
serving as interim chief since
November, 2005. He joined the
Bluefield PD 16 years earlier. A
multisport standout at Big Creek
High School, Wilson initially attend-
ed Virginia Tech and was a member
of the Hokies’ track team. “I began
taking summer classes at Bluefield
State while I was enrolled at Tech,
then I really focused on law enforce- firm foundation for his career. “Bill
ment as a career, and I transferred to Aldridge always made things very
BSC Student Jim Fowler Participates in
Frasure-Singleton Legislative Intern Program
Jim
Fowler, a
Bluefield
State
College stu-
dent major-
ing in
Social
Science,
Jim Fowler
recently
returned to
campus following his week-long par-
ticipation in the Frasure-Singleton
Student Legislative Program. He was
one of 50 students selected from all
West Virginia institutions of higher
education to take part in the initiative,
12 APRIL 2006 - BLUE AND GOLD
BSC,” he recalled. “I got a job with
the War (WV) Police Department,
working the 11-7 shift, and I drove
to Bluefield every day to take class-
es.”
He credits BSC faculty members police work as a career don’t do it
William Aldridge and Mike Lilly,
both of whom are Associate
Professors of Criminal Justice
Administration, with providing a
which is designed to give students an
opportunity to observe the state leg-
islative process for one week during
the regular session.
“I shadowed Senator Clark
Barnes (Randolph County), attended
Senate sessions and committee meet-
ings, conducted research on specific
bills, and helped draft legislation,”
Fowler explained.
Fowler was nominated for the
program by Dr. James Voelker, BSC
Associate Professor/Political Science.
During his week at the Capitol,
Fowler received briefings on the
state’s budget-making process and the
role/powers of the legislative leader-
interesting. His 50-minute
classes seemed like they
were just five minutes long.
He and Mike Lilly always
stressed that a police officer
must use discretion, realizing
that not everything is ‘life
and death,’” Wilson added.
He also pointed out
Aldridge’s continuing con-
nection to the Bluefield
Police Department. “He’s
the president of the Police
Civil Service Commission,”
Wilson said.
As he looks to expand
Bluefield’s Police Department,
Wilson projects that his biggest prob-
lem will be to “recruit and retain
good people. People who get into
for the money,” he explained. “They
do it so they can serve the communi-
ty.”
“I thoroughly enjoy what I do,
and Bluefield State prepared me
well,” he stated.
ship. Rules, procedures, committees,
and emerging issues were also dis-
cussed. A meeting between program
interns and Governor Joe Manchin
was also arranged.
“I held the belief, before entering
the program, that the legislative
process really does work, and my
experience at the Capitol strengthened
that belief,” Fowler noted. “I would
recommend the program, even to stu-
dents not immediately interested in a
career in politics or public service. I
have a greater appreciation now that
my vote counts. The American demo-
cratic system does works.”
Appreciation Program Honors Donors
and Scholarship Recipients
Scholarship and generosity were
saluted during the twelfth Bluefield
State College Scholarship
Appreciation Dinner, April 18. The
annual event provides the opportunity
for scholarship donors to meet the stu-
dents assisted by their generosity.
During the 2005-06 academic
year, more than 700 scholarships were
awarded to deserving students. Dr.
Felica Blanks, Executive Director,
Institutional Development &
Advancement/Administrator, Title III
BRACE, and her staff organized the
event, which featured a presentation
by Dr. Donald W. Caudill. Four years
ago, Dr. Caudill’s gift to the College
established a service award in memo-
ry of the late Brian Delp, a BSC stu-
dent who lost his life in an accident
while assisting a stranded motorist.
Dr. Albert Walker, BSC President,
Ms. Deirdre Guyton, the College’s
Director of Alumni Affairs, and John
Cardwell, Interim VP/Student Affairs
& Enrollment Management, saluted
the scholarship recipients’ commit-
Dr. Felica Blanks
ment to excellence and thanked
donors for their philanthropic efforts
in behalf of the students’ and the
College.
Individuals, foundations, and
organizations recognized at the event
for providing scholarships to BSC stu-
dents included: BSC Alumni
Association, BSC Auxiliary, BSC
Foundation, BSC Presidential, BSC
Big Blue Athletics, BSC
Neighborhood Investment Program,
BSC Annual Fund, BSC Tuition
Waiver, American Electric Power,
Bellamy, Dr. James Broady,
Consolidation Coal Company, Lionel
& Mary Craddock, Credit Bureau of
the Virginias, Douglas Crickmer,
Claude Dalton, Emerging Leaders,
Engineering, First Community Bank,
Frontier Communications, George
Cruise Honors, Grace A. Linkous
Memorial, H. L. Heaster, Philip
Horton, William Hight, Isaac
Robinson Jr. Book, J. Franklin Long,
Joy Manufacturing, June Oblinger
Shott Foundation, Sieglinde Lawson
Memorial, Knights Templar, A. T.
Massey, Alan McBride, PEMI,
Promise, Mrs. Tara Devi and Mr.
Udar Nath Pradhan, Rotary, Akhtar
Safder, Jacqueline & John Oblinger,
Mark & Martha Oblinger, Teresa
Dragich, Laurence E. Tierney
Educational Foundation, Verizon,
Virginia Anderson, Tom Joyner,
Bartlett-Welcher Memorial,
Wellington-Swindall Book, Elaine
Whittaker, and miscellaneous scholar-
ships.

Spring Sports “In Full Swing”

In Memoriam

Donald Eugene Bowen

Marcia Kelley Braxton
Joel Eugene Brock, Jr.
David Allen Carter
Cleo Epperson
Emily S. Frye
Warren "Pete" Oldham
The Bluefield State College baseball team’s new home is the June Oblinger
Dwayne E. Repass
Shott Baseball Complex/Higginbotham Field, officially dedicated last year. Robert Wayman Riffe, II
The facility permits BSC students, employees, alumni, and baseball fans Patricia A. Barbour Smith
throughout the area to attend home games on campus. Equipped with an
electronic scoreboard, field lights, a spacious parking lot, and a concession
area, the field gives the Big Blues a “home field advantage.”

BLUE AND GOLD APRIL 2006 13

 From the Desk of Dr. Louis Aikens
President, Bluefield State College Alumni Association, Inc.
This is the time of year when all of us start to think of “graduation.” This is espe-
cially true for the Alumni Association. First, the graduation exercise included the
complimentary induction of the graduates into the Association for the 2006 year with
the hope that they will continue that membership in and beyond 2007. Secondly, the
Class of 1956 will be recognized as its members celebrate the 50th anniversary of
their graduation from BSC. Both of these are initiatives taken very seriously, espe-
cially in view of the fact that both of these activities could have a positive impact on
our efforts to increase our membership.
Please recognize that membership numbers are very significant to the ability of
Dr. Louis Aikens
the Association to provide support to the College. For example, we presently support
the College scholarship program by awarding some $15,000 annually to deserving students. Other kinds of sup-
port have been provided in the past. We would like to do more, but to do so we need members.
I am urging you to become a part of the solution immediately. There is no better way to be significant than
that of collective contributions. Become a part of the solution, JOIN TODAY!!

Attention Graduates
Now is the time to join the Bluefield State College Alumni Association. Annual dues are $30
and Life Membership is $300. Please complete the information below, detach, make checks
payable to BSCAA and mail to:
Mildred Washington, Chairperson

450 W. Columbus St.
Pickerington, OH 43147

Name Class of

Address

Telephone

E-mail

14 APRIL 2006 - BLUE AND GOLD

Alumni Updates
Alumni Updates
Requested
If you have received awards, pro-
motions, accomplishments, recog-
nition, have married or recently
welcomed an addition to your
family, please let us know.
Mail your news to:
Karen Gordon
College and Media Relations
Bluefield State College
219 Rock Street
Bluefield, WV 24701
or by FAX to 304-327-4581or by
e-mail to kgordon@bluefield
state.edu
1960s
Dr. Bob Harrison (1968) wrote a
book review for the Fall 2005 issue
of FIRST READ, published by the
Reading First Teacher Education
Network (RFTEN). RFTEN is a net-
work of 37 higher education institu-
tions in the United States that are
historically Black, Hispanic and
Tribal. He selected the book,
POLAR EXPRESS, for his review.
1970s
Leroy M. Courts (1975) a 1994
Milken Family Foundation National
Educator Awards recipient for Music
Education, has been notified that he
has been nominated for 2005-2006
West Virginia General Music Teacher
of the Year. The selection process
began February 23, 2006.
1980s
Rodney Conner (1981) is
employed by the City of Winston-
Salem, North Carolina as an
Information Systems Senior Analyst
for the Information Systems
Department.
P. Gale Douglas (1982) received
a Bachelor's of Science degree in
Nursing from Winston-Salem State
University, in December 2005. She
was selected to be profiled by the
Competency and Credentialing
Institute for her dedication to the CCI
Champion Program and she recently
accepted a position in Atlanta,
Georgia at Northside Hospital as the
Service Coordinator of General,
Vascular, and Thoracic Surgery.
Melody Akers (1989) is a mem-
ber of the USDA Forest Service
Eastern Forest Use in Global
Economy unit at the Northeastern
Research Station in Princeton, West
Virginia.
Mary Agnes Weaver RN, BS,
MA, (1988) recently received a certi-
fication in Occupational Health
Nursing as a Certified Occupational
Health Nurse (COHN-S). She is
employed at Raleigh General
Hospital as an Employee Health
Nurse.
1990s
David Blankenship (1993) is the
Director of GIV Sales for General
Injectibles & Vaccines, Inc. in
Bastian, Virginia.
Bryan (1999) and Johanna
Sabo Buckner (1999) announce the
birth of their third daughter, Addison
Bray. Addey was born February 10,
2006.
Shane Compton (1998) has
been named
boys basketball
"Coach of the
Year" in the
Mid-
Southeastern
Conference for
the 2005-06
Shane Compton season. His
Scotland High
School team, which had won one
conference game during the previous
four years, won six conference
games during his first season as
head coach. The Mid-Southeastern
Conference includes eight AAAA high
schools (North Carolina's largest high
school classification).
Robert Davis (1992) has been
transferred to Smyrna, Delaware as
a Wal-Mart district manager, super-
vising 11 stores in Maryland,
Pennsylvania, Virginia and Delaware.
A. Jefferson Palmer, Jr. (1994)
is a computer specialist with the
USDA Forest Service, Northeastern
Research Station in Princeton, West
Virginia.
David M. Socks (1991) married
Sara E. White on September 23,
2005. He is employed by Response
Environmental Inc. of Mechanics-
burg, Virginia as a senior spill man-
ager.
2000s
Robin L. Boothe (2004) married
Kerry J. Johnson (2004) on January
7, 2006. She is employed at
Princeton Community Hospital as a
nurse, and he is employed by the
Tazewell County School Board.
Kevin Bragg (2001) is working
with Stanley Construction Company,
a site work developer, estimating and
survey-layout firm. He is working on
an Arnold Palmer-designed golf
course in Richmond, Virginia.
Melissa A. Hart (2004) married
Samuel J. Gattuso (2002) on
November 22, 2005. She is a
teacher at the Mercer County
Headstart, Athens Road Center and
he is employed as a managed
account representative at General
Injectable Vaccine of Bastian,
Virginia.
Elijah Testerman (2000) and
Jennifer Boone Testerman
announced the birth of their daughter
Emma Grace on November 1, 2005.
He is employed by Alliance
Consulting Inc. in Beaver, West
Virginia as an Assistant Project
Engineer.
BLUE AND GOLD APRIL 2006 15
BSC CUTS TUITION BY ONE-FOURTH FOR OUT-OF-STATE
STUDENTS RESIDING IN BORDER COUNTIES
BLUEFIELD STATE MAINTAINS LOWEST TUITION OF ALL PUBLIC FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES IN WEST VIRGINIA
Students living in out-of-state counties bordering West Virginia have just seen the annual tuition they’ll pay at Bluefield
State College drop by more than $2,000, beginning this fall. The WV Higher Education Policy Commission has approved a
proposal submitted by the Bluefield State College Board of Governors to reduce tuition for border county residents from
$7,760 per year ($3,880/semester) to $5,720 per year ($2,860/semester). That’s a saving of more than 26%.
“This new ‘metro rate’ and the recent growth in housing options permit us to offer a very attractive package of features for
students in 12 Virginia counties, including Tazewell, Bland, Giles, and Buchanan in Virginia, as well as four counties in
Kentucky, and border counties in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland,” noted John Cardwell, BSC’s Interim Vice President for
Student Affairs.
Bluefield State’s in-state tuition for the 2006-07 year ($3,649 per year/$1,824.50/semester) is the most affordable among
all public, four year colleges and universities in West Virginia. It’s 11.4% lower than the average tuition among these colleges,
and it represents an even greater savings when compared to regional private, accredited four-year college tuition levels.
“We have 14-nationally accredited programs of study, and each of our programs is designed to prepare students for a ful-
filling, productive career where opportunities exist regionally and nationally,” Cardwell continued. “We’re excited because
we’ve just become much more affordable for many out-of-state students who might have wanted to come here, but hesitated
because of tuition.
Students from the following counties may qualify for the metro rate: In Virginia—Tazewell, Bland, Giles, Buchanan,
Craig, Alleghany, Bath, Highland, Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Frederick; in Kentucky—Pike, Martin, Lawrence,
and Boyd; in Ohio—Lawrence, Gallia, Meigs, Athens, Washington, Belmont, Monroe, Jefferson, and Columbiana; in
Maryland—Washington, Garrett, and Allegany, and; in Pennsylvania—Beaver, Washington, Fayette, and Greene.
Additional information can be obtained by contacting John Cardwell by phone (304) 327-4567 or e-mail —
jcardwell@bluefieldstate.edu

STD MAIL A
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit #139
Bluefield, WV 24701
219 Rock Street
Bluefield, WV 24701
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