owl & spade winter 2007

&The Alumni Magazine of Warren Wilson College

WINTER 2007

President Sandy Pfeiffer

owl SPade

EditorJohn Bowers

Contributing WriterBen Anderson

Alumni DirectorJonathan Hettrick ’88

Publications DirectorLaura Herrman

DesignerMartha Smith

College Relations ContributorsJ. Clarkson ’95Tracy BleekerJulie Lehman

Kimberly Miller ‘07Alumni Relations Crew

owlSPadeWINTER 2007

Alumni Offi ce P.O. Box 9000 Asheville NC 28815-9000 828.771.2046 [email protected]

C O N T E N T S

1 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

2 AROUND CAMPUS & BEYOND

WWC RECEIVES NATIONAL CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD • FISKE, BARRON’S NAME WARREN

WILSON AMONG NATION’S “BEST BUYS” • DAUGHTER OF FARM SCHOOL ALUMNUS HONORS FATHER WITH ENDOWED

SCHOLARSHIP • THE NEWCOMBE CHALLENGE • WALKABOUT FOR CHURCHES • OWLS FINISH STRONG IN FALL SPORTS

• COMBINED BOARDS • DAVIDSON ROUNDTABLE • FOUR OUTSTANDING WWC ALUMNI RECEIVE AWARDS DURING

HOMECOMING 2006 • NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRANT TO AID BERRY SITE EXCAVATIONS • NEW FACULTY &

STAFF • SERVICE DAY 2006 • REUNION DINNERS: A GROWING PART OF HOMECOMING

9 FACULTY & STAFF NEWS

12 PRESIDENT SANDY PFEIFFER : HONORING THE PAST, SHAPING THE FUTURE

16 HOMECOMING ’06

18 EDUCATION MEETS ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION

19 ALUMNI NOTES

24 LOOKING BACK: 1965-66 WARREN WILSON COLLEGE CHOIR

&

ALUMNI BOARD 2006-2007

PresidentSue Carico Hartwyk 1966

President ElectFaris A. Ashkar 1972

Secretary Susanna M. Chewning 1987

Past PresidentJames M. Dedman 1965

Class of 2007Suzanne Daley 1977

David B. Grist 1975James Hilliard 1966

Ruth M. Roberts 1985 John Snider 1991

Amanda B. Styles 2000

Class of 2008Vicki (Vowell) Catalano 1996

Johnelle Causwell 2003Melissa Thomas Davis 1971

Stacie Greco 1999Michael Robert Washel 1972

Frances Moffi t Whitfi eld 1955

Class of 2009Harry L. Atkins 1956

Britta J. Dedrick 1993Mary A. Elfner 1985Susan Harriot 1995

A. Eugene Hileman 1956Peter C. J. Kenny 1982

James W. Oiler 1966

Graduating Class Rep.Timothy Manney 2006

www.warren-wilson.edu/~owlandspade/home

ON THE COVER: Warren Wilson College President Sandy Pfeiffer by Benjamin Porter, see page 12. Pumpkins and Silo by Michael Hitzelberger.

WARRENWILSONCOLLEGE

Owl & Spade (ISSN: 202-707-4111) is published twice a year (winter, summer) by the College Relations staff of Warren Wilson College. Address changes and distribution issues should be sent to [email protected] or Jon Hettrick, CPO 6376, Warren Wilson College, PO Box 9000, Asheville, NC 28815.

As I write, life at Warren Wilson is shifting from late fall to

winter. The leaves are down (excepting a few trees that give them

up grudgingly), many of us have enjoyed our fi rst fi re of the season

(with wood provided by the Natural Resources Crew), and students

are writing fi nal papers and exams (the completion of which will make the holiday season even more

special for them). The time seems appropriate for me to refl ect on my fi rst six months at the College

and to look toward the semester ahead.

My fi rst six months as president of the College included many fi rsts for me, some of which are

described in monthly reports that I send the campus community and that are available at the

“President’s Page” on the Warren Wilson website (under “Information”). Certainly this year’s

Homecoming activities presented new experiences I’ll long remember—meeting alumni, parents and

other friends of the College at class parties and around a bonfi re at the Farm on a beautiful full-moon

evening. Two fi ne soccer games and a craft fair at the athletic fi elds topped off the day, among other

events.

Another fi rst involved intensive planning sessions with other members of the Administrative Council.

The result of our efforts is an action plan sent to the campus for review this winter.

The plan will drive many decisions at the College in the next several years. Just as important as the

plan itself is our effort to involve many members of the campus community in reviewing it. I’ve also

briefed the Board of Trustees on our evolving planning process and will be asking them for their help,

especially with respect to our need to increase the endowment.

In six months I’ve learned a good deal about this campus, thanks to a wonderfully welcoming spirit

evident in all members of the community. Looking ahead to the rest of the year, I will continue

meeting with many individuals and groups who have a stake in the future of the College. Together,

we will make plans to strengthen programs and processes, to give the College more national visibility

and to add resources that will ensure our future success.

Sandy Pfeiffer

President

Warren Wilson College

Message from the President

Around Campus&Beyond

2

WWC receives national Campus Sustainability Achievement Award

The green awards for Warren Wilson College continue to pile up at the regional, state and even national level. The latest is the nationwide 2006 Campus Sustainability Achievement Award, in the category of four-year institutions with fewer than 1,000 students. The award was presented October 5 by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education at the AASHE conference in Tempe, Arizona. Stan Cross, education coordinator of the Environmental Leadership Center, accepted the award on behalf of the College.

In the letter to the College announcing the award, AASHE executive director Judy Walton wrote: “The judges were impressed with your across-the-board leadership in sustainability. We are excited about Warren Wilson’s continued progress and we hope that other schools learn from and follow the wonderful example you have provided.” She continued, “We had a very impressive pool of applicants this fi rst year, so winning one of these awards is a major achievement.”

The award continues a string of recognitions the College has received for its leadership in conservation/sustainability practices and facilities. Within the past year, the College was selected to receive a “Standing Ovation” award from the Western North Carolina Regional Air Quality Agency; named Conservation

Prospective college students and their families looking for an excellent value in higher education would be well advised to look at Warren Wilson College, according to two highly respected college guides.

The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2007 selected the College as one of its 26 “Best Buys” among private colleges and universities nationwide. In addition, the 9th edition of Barron’s Best Buys in College Education includes Warren Wilson among 247 schools that provide “a fi rst-rate education at an affordable price.”

According to the Fiske guide, the schools “qualify as Best Buys based on the quality of the academic offerings in relation to the cost of attendance.” With a total cost of less than $24,000 for the 2006-07 academic year, Warren Wilson is rated as “inexpensive” compared with other private schools in the selective guide.

The guide’s narrative on the College states in the closing paragraph: “Success at Warren Wilson is measured not only by grades, but by community service and a sense of stewardship…. Students who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty will see this small liberal arts

Farm Family of the Year in the Mountain Region by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources; won the 2006 N.C. Sustainability Award in the “Environmental Stewardship” category; and became the fi rst college or university in North Carolina to have a Gold Certifi ed Building under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. The LEED-certifi ed Doug and Darcy Orr Cottage also received the Green Building Project of the Year Award from the Carolina Recycling Association, comprising both Carolinas.

AASHE is an association of “colleges and universities working to advance sustainability in higher education in the United States and Canada.” The association’s mission is “to promote sustainability in all sectors of higher education…through education, communication, research and professional development.” Current N.C. member institutions are Duke University, N.C. State and UNC-Chapel Hill.

On the Web: www.aashe.org

college as a valuable place that combines the notion of thinking globally and acting locally.”

The Fiske guide, fi rst published in 1982, has been called “the best college guide you can buy” by USA Today.

Barron’s notes that colleges in its guide “are selected to appear based on various criteria, including tuition rates…. The fi nal

247 colleges chosen represent the best combination of sound data and student satisfaction.”

The College also continued to pile up accolades in the 2007 edition of America’s Best Colleges, published by U.S. News & World Report. Warren Wilson is one of only 25 schools across the country listed in the “Service Learning” category of “Programs to Look For” in choosing a college —programs the guide calls “outstanding examples of academic programs that are believed to lead to student success.” The recognition marks the fi fth consecutive year

that Warren Wilson has received the distinction.

In addition, the College ranks No. 1 among schools in the South with master’s programs in “Highest Proportion of Classes Under 20,” at 88 percent. Warren Wilson also achieved the top ranking in that category in the 2006 edition of the U.S. News guide.

Fiske, Barron’s name Warren Wilson among nation’s “Best Buys”

OWL & SPADE WINTER 2007

college as a valuable place that combines the notion of thinking college as a valuable place that combines the notion of thinking globally and acting locally.”globally and acting locally.”

The Fiske guide, fi rst published in 1982, has been called “the The Fiske guide, fi rst published in 1982, has been called “the best college guide you can buy” by best college guide you can buy” by

Barron’s notes that colleges in its guide “are selected to appear Barron’s notes that colleges in its guide “are selected to appear based on various criteria, including tuition rates…. The fi nal based on various criteria, including tuition rates…. The fi nal

sound data and student satisfaction.”sound data and student satisfaction.”

The College also continued to pile up accolades in the The College also continued to pile up accolades in the 2007 edition of 2007 edition of News & World ReportNews & World Reportschools across the country listed in the “Service Learning” schools across the country listed in the “Service Learning” category of “Programs to Look For” in choosing a college category of “Programs to Look For” in choosing a college —programs the guide calls “outstanding examples of —programs the guide calls “outstanding examples of academic programs that are believed to lead to student academic programs that are believed to lead to student success.” The recognition marks the fi fth consecutive year success.” The recognition marks the fi fth consecutive year

that Warren Wilson has received the distinction.that Warren Wilson has received the distinction.


3

During the 2006 Homecoming reunion luncheon, Asheville Farm School alumnus Harold McKnight ’44 got quite a surprise—his daughter Anne, whom he thought had accompanied him simply to see the campus, made her way to the podium and delivered a poignant tribute to her father. Anne said that her father always speaks of his time at Warren Wilson as a turning point in his life—it was a place that taught him not only the value of hard work, but also how he could succeed through the grace of God. After graduating from Warren Wilson, Harold served in the Army during World War II, then completed a mechanical engineering degree at North Carolina State University. He went on to start a successful engineering fi rm in Charlotte. Though very proud of her father’s many accomplishments, Anne said recognizing his professional life was not the reason she came.

“I am here today to recognize him as a father, with constant devotion to his family,” she said. “He has not had an easy time as a father, losing his only son at the age of 52 to cancer. However, his strength and faith through this time quite simply sustained the rest of us. I am his only remaining child. I have always known that I had my father’s complete support and constant love. He

fi rst encouraged me to choose a rather nontraditional career at the time, majoring in mathematics as an undergraduate and then going on to become a physician. I will never forget the pride in his face

when I received my medical degree. As Victoria Secunda wrote, ‘When a father gives his daughter an emotional visa to strike out on her own, he is always with her. Such a daughter has her encouraging, understanding dad in her head, cheering her on—not simply as a woman but as a whole, unique human being with unlimited possibilities.’ I have been blessed to have that type of a father.”

At the conclusion of the tribute, Harold was again caught unaware: “In simple

appreciation for everything he has accomplished for his family and with the greatest love,” Anne said, “I am most proud to announce the establishment of the Harold McKnight Scholarship here at Warren Wilson College, which will provide full tuition and living expense support for a fi nancially needy North Carolina student who has shown exceptional character and high academics.” Anne says that establishing the scholarship in her father’s name “is quite simply the least that I could do to honor him, and to thank this College for what it has done and meant to my father.”

Daughter of Farm School alumnus honors father with endowed scholarship

The Newcombe ChallengeWarren Wilson College has received a grant from the Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation to increase the College’s Newcombe Endowed Scholarship Fund for minority and economically disadvantaged students. The grant, one of seven endowment challenge grants made by the foundation in 2006, calls for a 1:2 match for a total of $100,000 from donors over the next two years. If donors are found to match this grant, the total endowment increase for the College will be $150,000. With this new grant, the foundation has contributed $215,000 to Warren Wilson’s Newcombe Scholarship Fund since 1981. The money generated by these endowments will address one of the College’s greatest need areas – scholarships for international and middle income students who don’t qualify for low income fi nancial aid, but whose families can’t afford to fund their child’s college education. The idea behind the Newcombe Challenge is to enable potential donors who might not be able to give the full $25,000 (the minimum for establishing an endowment) to be matched with a gift from the Newcombe Foundation. Such a gift would serve as a spark to strengthen ties between Church and College—the goal of the Offi ce of Church Relations—and between Warren Wilson and individual donors. By having a permanent, named endowment, Presbyteries, churches, and individuals can have a more permanent role in helping the College achieve its objectives. Please join us in making sure our doors are open to all. For more information, contact Julie Lehman at 828.771.2038.

Walkabout for churchesThe Green Walkabout©, the Environmental Leadership Center’s fl agship program for telling the ever-expanding story of sustainability on the Warren Wilson campus, now has a version adapted for faith communities. The Offi ce of Church Relations has partnered with the Environmental Leadership Center (ELC) to create a Green Walkabout© that helps faith groups see the variety of ways they can “green” their congregations. Other ideas are being explored for getting environmental studies majors involved in giving the tour, arranging for churches to have complimentary environmental audits and walking them through implementation of audit recommendations.

ELC student interns have begun marketing this program by visiting churches and giving presentations of their summer work during Wednesday night dinners or Sunday school classes. In September, they spoke at St. Marks United Methodist Church in Seneca, S.C. and in October they traveled to First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, N.C. with Bonner scholars and international students.

If your faith community needs help becoming more sustainable in orientation, the College has numerous green renovation and new construction projects to tour. Call Julie Lehman, director of church relations 828.771.2038 to schedule your Green Walkabout© for Faith Communities.


when I received my medical degree. As when I received my medical degree. As Victoria Secunda wrote, ‘When a father Victoria Secunda wrote, ‘When a father gives his daughter an emotional visa to gives his daughter an emotional visa to strike out on her own, he is always with strike out on her own, he is always with her. Such a daughter has her encouraging, her. Such a daughter has her encouraging, understanding dad in her head, cheering understanding dad in her head, cheering her on—not simply as a woman but her on—not simply as a woman but as a whole, unique human being with as a whole, unique human being with unlimited possibilities.’ I have been unlimited possibilities.’ I have been blessed to have that type of a father.” blessed to have that type of a father.”

At the conclusion of the tribute, Harold At the conclusion of the tribute, Harold


4

Impressive individual performances by Patrick Hurley and Kylie Krausshelped Warren Wilson fi nish second in the team standings (Division II) of the 2006 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships. The Owls placed second behind Western State College in the competition held Oct. 20-22 at Angel Fire Resort, high in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico. It marked the fourth year in a row that Warren Wilson was runner-up in the championships, after a third-place fi nish in 2002. Hurley, a sophomore from Arnold, Maryland, fi nished third in the men’s overall individual standings. Krauss, a junior from Bay Village, Ohio, took fi fth for the second consecutive year in the women’s overall standings. Other Owl cyclists with high fi nishes were Camille Prevost, fi fth in the women’s mountain-cross; and Lexy Lewis, eighth in the men’s mountain-cross.

Owls fi nish strong in fall sports

Combined BoardsPlans are underway for the second annual combined boards gathering for the spring of 2007. Last year’s shared meals and meetings allowed members of each board to hear about the mission and work of the other four boards. Members were able to meet each other over shared meals and social time. Feedback from all boards was positive, and staff noticed a renewed enthusiasm coming out of these gatherings. Due to the success of the events, the College plans on making the combined boards meeting a yearly event. Getting so many active friends of the College together at one time may also allow more opportunity for interaction with students in mentor relationships, and matching students with people who have experience and wisdom in occupations of interest to them.

The fi ve boards attending this event include the Alumni Board, the Council of Visitors, the Church Relations Council, the Environmental Leadership Center’s Council of Advisors and Friends of the Library. This year, the Friends of the Library hosted Ron Rash, author of Saints at the River, at the meeting.

In cross-country, several strong individual performances led the women’s and men’s cross-country teams to top-four fi nishes in the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships Oct. 27 at Buena Vista, Virginia. The women’s team fi nished third, sparked by top-20 efforts by freshman Aubrey DeLone (16th) and junior Christine Hulburt (19th). The third-place team standing marked the fourth consecutive year that the Owls have fi nished among the top three women’s teams nationally. Led by an 11th-place fi nish by junior Chas Biederman, the Warren Wilson men took fourth place in the team standings. Juniors Kevin Lane (14th) and Will Franklin (19th) also fi nished in the top 20 in the men’s competition. “Like last year, the course proved to be a real, in-your-face, true cross-country course,” coach Galen Holland said. “Every place counted, and everyone played a part in making this year’s national meet successful.”

The women’s soccer team fi nished the regular season with four straight wins, earning a bid to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) tournament at Rochester Hills, Michigan. The Owls lost 2-1 in the fi rst round to tournament host Rochester College, then defeated Robert Morris College 3-1 to take fi fth place. The eventual winner of the tournament was Southern Virginia University, a team the women Owls beat 3-2 in the double overtime Homecoming game.

Davidson RoundtableDr. Sylvia Earle, sometimes known as “Her Deepness” or “The Sturgeon General,” will be this year’s Davidson Roundtable guest lecturer. Named Time magazine’s fi rst “Hero for the planet,” she has been an explorer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society since 1998. During her long career, Earle has pioneered research on marine ecosystems and has led more than sixty expeditions worldwide, totaling over 7,000 hours underwater. She also holds the women’s depth record for solo diving at 3,300 feet. In the 1980s Earle teamed up with engineer Graham Hawkes to design and build the undersea vehicles Deep Rover and Deep Flight, which make it possible for scientists to maneuver at depths never before possible. She served as chief scientist of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration in the 1990s and was responsible for monitoring the health of the nation’s waters. Dr. Earle will spend time at Warren Wilson refl ecting on her life as a calling and what she has learned from her successes and struggles.

On the Web: www.nationalgeographic.com/bookmarks/earle


Kylie Krauss rides her way to a fi fth-place fi nish at the 2006 collegiate mountain bike championships.

Amy Witt takes on a defender during the Homecoming win against Southern Virginia.

In cross-country, several strong individual performances led the women’s and men’s cross-country In cross-country, several strong individual performances led the women’s and men’s cross-country teams to top-four fi nishes in the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships teams to top-four fi nishes in the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships Oct. 27 at Buena Vista, Virginia. The women’s team fi nished third, sparked by top-20 efforts by Oct. 27 at Buena Vista, Virginia. The women’s team fi nished third, sparked by top-20 efforts by freshman freshman standing marked the fourth consecutive year that the Owls have fi nished among the top three standing marked the fourth consecutive year that the Owls have fi nished among the top three women’s teams nationally. Led by an 11th-place fi nish by junior women’s teams nationally. Led by an 11th-place fi nish by junior Wilson men took fourth place in the team standings. Juniors Wilson men took fourth place in the team standings. Juniors FranklinFranklinFranklinproved to be a real, in-your-face, true cross-country course,” coach Galen Holland said. “Every proved to be a real, in-your-face, true cross-country course,” coach Galen Holland said. “Every place counted, and everyone played a part in making this year’s national meet successful.”place counted, and everyone played a part in making this year’s national meet successful.”

The women’s soccer team fi nished the regular season with four straight wins, earning a bid to the The women’s soccer team fi nished the regular season with four straight wins, earning a bid to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) tournament at Rochester Hills, Michigan. United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) tournament at Rochester Hills, Michigan. The Owls lost 2-1 in the fi rst round to tournament host Rochester College, then defeated Robert The Owls lost 2-1 in the fi rst round to tournament host Rochester College, then defeated Robert Morris College 3-1 to take fi fth place. The eventual winner of the tournament was Southern Morris College 3-1 to take fi fth place. The eventual winner of the tournament was Southern Virginia University, a team the women Owls beat 3-2 in the double overtime Homecoming game.Virginia University, a team the women Owls beat 3-2 in the double overtime Homecoming game.

Kylie Krauss rides her way to a fi fth-place fi nish at the Kylie Krauss rides her way to a fi fth-place fi nish at the

Amy Witt takes on a defender during the Homecoming win against Southern VirginiaAmy Witt takes on a defender during the Homecoming win against Southern Virginia..


5

Neil Edward Kendrick ’99 received a Community Service Award for his life-saving work with the North Carolina Marine Patrol. Kendrick, an environmental studies major from Jacksonville, North Carolina, was nominated for this award by his college roommate, Scott Blythe ’98. While on patrol on Christmas day, 2004, Kendrick played a pivotal role in saving the life of a teenager who was found clinging to a bridge piling. He was honored with the North American Wildlife Enforcement Offi cers Association Lifesaving Award.

J. Kim Wright ’81 received a Community Service Award for her work in the legal services fi eld. Born and raised in St. Cloud, Florida, Wright came to Warren Wilson in 1975 and majored in international studies and business management. After graduation, she continued her education at the University of Florida, earning a Juris Doctorate. Wright currently serves as the managing attorney of the Healers of Confl icts Law and Confl ict Resolution Center in Asheville and is involved with numerous volunteer agencies and efforts in the area.

Megan Davies ’84 received the Distinguished Alumna Award. After graduating from Warren Wilson, Davies worked as an editor at Mother Earth News, then attended medical school at the University of North Carolina. After receiving her medical degree in 1991, Davies worked as a family doctor for Blue Ridge Health Services, a community and migrant health clinic in Hendersonville. In 1998, she joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Epidemic Intelligence Service in Atlanta, and became a medical epidemiologist with the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control in 2001. Davies currently serves as the acting branch head of the General Communicable Disease Control Branch in Raleigh.

Terry D. Sybrant ’65 (AA), ’72 (BS), received the Distinguished Service Award. Originally from California, Sybrant came to Warren Wilson Junior College in 1962, earning an associate’s degree in 1965. He returned to Warren Wilson after service in the Navy and completed a bachelor’s degree in 1972. Sybrant then earned a master’s in social work from the University of Tennessee. After graduate school, he served in the Air Force as an offi cer working in mental health and social services. Sybrant is now the CEO of the Family Center in Columbus, Georgia. He has served three years as an Alumni Board member, two years as president-elect, two years as president and two years as past president—a total of nine years.

Four outstanding Warren Wilson College alumni receive awards during 2006 Homecoming



6

It’s a story that has been mostly forgotten and, at best, only partially told. Now, thanks to a major grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), archaeology professor David Moore and colleagues likely will come closer to piecing together the compelling tale of 16th-century Fort San Juan.

Moore and fellow archaeologists Robin Beck and Christopher Rodning have received a grant of $167,012 from the NSF for two summers of excavations at the Berry site near Morganton, about an hour northeast of campus. The 12-acre site along Upper Creek is the location of an ancestral Catawba Indian town named Joara, at which the Spanish captain Juan Pardo built Fort San Juan in 1567. [See Winter 2003 Owl & Spade.] The garrison was the earliest European settlement in the interior of what is now the United States, predating the “Lost Colony” by 20 years.

Under the auspices of the Upper Catawba Archaeology Project, the archaeologists are researching the long-forgotten episode of Fort San Juan’s founding and subsequent fiery destruction in the spring of 1568. Professors Beck, of the University of Oklahoma, and Rodning, of Tulane University, are working with Moore to help write this early story of European exploration and settlement in eastern North America.

“When we began planning our research project and field school in 2001, it was our goal to work systematically to have a legitimate chance to receive a major award such as this,” Moore said. “We consulted with friends and colleagues to refine our research design, and all our students and field school participants have worked so hard to bring us to this point.”

On December 1, 1566, Juan Pardo departed Santa Elena —the capital of Spanish La Florida, located on present-day Parris Island, S.C.—with a company of 125 men. Pardo had been commissioned to explore the interior, to claim the land for Spain while pacifying local Indians and to forge a route from Santa Elena to Spanish silver mines in northern Mexico.

In January 1567, Pardo arrived at Joara, a large native town located at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains. Pardo renamed the town

Cuenca, after his native city in Spain, and built Fort San Juan de Joara, leaving 30 men to defend the fort and occupy the town.

In May 1568, news reached Santa Elena that the native people had destroyed Fort San Juan during a surprise attack, rebuffing Pardo’s attempt to extend Spanish colonial ambitions into their dominion. Evidence of the burning of five large buildings serves as a chilling testament to how relations between the Spaniards and the people of Joara ended tumultuously after what appears to have been a peaceful beginning. Only one Spanish soldier survived the disaster, which ended Spain’s effort to colonize the interior of eastern North America.

Moore, Beck and Rodning have discovered numerous 16th-century Spanish artifacts in a small area on the northern end of the Berry site, including pieces of Spanish ceramics, lead shot, brass lacing tips and wrought iron nails. Excavations have uncovered five remarkably intact burned buildings that form a distinct compound around a central plaza. Preliminary research indicates that these were the buildings that quartered Pardo’s soldiers stationed at Fort San Juan.

The NSF award will fund complete excavation of one of the burned buildings and extensive sampling of two others. Given the buildings’ extraordinary degree of preservation, the work will require a broad range of specialized analyses. The project thus will bring together archaeological specialists from numerous institutions, including Southern Illinois University, Washington University, the University of Tennessee and Penn State University.

“Chris, Rob and I are really excited to receive this grant, and appreciate the support we have received,” Moore said. “We’re now actively engaged in planning for next summer.” As in years past, Warren Wilson students will be involved in the excavations.

On the Web: Images and reports of research at the Berry site can be found at www.warren-wilson.edu/~arch. A March 2006 article in Smithsonian Magazine, “Spain Makes a Stand,” can be retrieved at www.smithsonianmag.com/issues/2006/march/digs.php.


National Science Foundation grant to aid Berry site excavations


7

Zewde Belachew ’06 is the new electronic admission counselor. Belachew, a native of Ethiopia, graduated from Warren Wilson with a degree in business administration. He has worked with CARE International as a site supervisor for water development projects and studied at Oxford University for one semester through the College’s WorldWide program.

Kathryn Burleson, a native of Greensboro, is a new faculty member in psychology. She received her B.S. in psychology from Appalachian State University, an M.A. from Humboldt State University and a Ph.D. from the University of California at Santa Cruz. Burleson plans on adding service-learning and cross-cultural components to her courses and has already engaged her fall semester cultural psychology class in community service with local Ukrainian refugees.

Bates Canon has joined Warren Wilson as the director of career services. He graduated from North Carolina State University in 1983 with a B.A. in business management and economics. Canon comes to Warren Wilson from Clayton State University in Georgia, where he directed both the Career Services and Counseling Services programs. He is the son of Alfred Canon, president of Warren Wilson College from 1988 to 1991, and is proud to join the Warren Wilson community.

Erica Englesman ’03 returns to Warren Wilson as the residence life education coordinator. Englesman holds a B.A. in social work from Warren Wilson and was the Sunderland resident director from 2003-2004. She received master’s degrees in social work and special education from the University of Louisville. As residence life education coordinator, Engelsman is responsible for programming in residence halls for fi rst-year students and is also the RD of Sunderland.

Christine Hale is the Beebe Fellow for the 2006-2007 academic year. After earning her undergraduate degree at Pfeiffer College and an M.B.A. at UNC-Chapel Hill, she worked in New York City, squeezing in a stint on Wall Street. She took up creative writing and graduated from Warren Wilson’s M.F.A. program in 1996. Hale was an assistant professor of English at the University of Tampa before returning to Warren Wilson.

Miranda Hipple is the new assistant director of the annual fund. She earned a B.A. in French and M.B.A. from Eastern Tennessee State University. Hipple was a fundraiser for nonprofi t Christian radio stations in Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina. She is currently enrolled in Duke University’s nonprofi t management certifi cate program and is working to become a certifi ed fund raising executive.

Sue Quigley is the College’s new occupational safety and training coordinator. She holds a B.S. in safety studies and is currently working toward a master’s degree in safety and

Cruz. Burleson plans on adding service-learning and cross-Cruz. Burleson plans on adding service-learning and cross-

N e w f a c u l t y & s t a f f by Jesse Chen ’06

environmental compliance. She has worked in occupational health and safety in Boston and with Vermont’s state health department in preparing for bioterrorism and pandemic fl u.

Don Ray has joined the College as director of education assessment and institutional research. Ray comes to Warren Wilson from Mt. Union College in Ohio, where he taught psychology and conducted institutional research. Ray completed his undergraduate studies at Stanford University and earned

master’s and doctorate degrees at Bowling Green State University.

Catherine Reid, author of Coyote: Seeking the

Hunter in Our Midst and other nonfi ction works, has joined the undergraduate writing department faculty. Reid received her B.A. from Goddard College, an M.A. from the University of Maine, and a Ph.D. from Florida State University. Reid is currently teaching courses in creative writing and nonfi ction and makes it a priority to encourage her students to fi nd the best way to communicate their thoughts, both in terms of content and style.

Kristina Trivette ’02 has joined the College as the new payroll/fi nancial aid assistant. Trivette graduated from Warren Wilson with a degree in history. Her new position is familiar territory; as a student, she was a member of the accounting offi ce work crew.

Steven Vanover is a new public safety offi cer at the College. Vanover holds a B.S. in criminal justice and has extensive work experience with the Buncombe County Sheriff ’s Department and the Black Mountain Police Department.

Alissa Whelan has joined the MFA program as an offi ce assistant, working primarily on the program’s residencies. Whelan has a bachelor’s degree in English from East Carolina University and is working towards a master’s degree in secondary education.

Eleanor Will is the College’s new assistant director of fi nancial aid. Will completed her undergraduate degree at the University of New Orleans and a master’s degree at Ohio State University in anthropology. Her current position involves working with students and parents to understand the fi nancial aid process.

Marion Yeager ’88 is the new assistant to the registrar after working at Sonoma State University near San Francisco for 12 years. Yeager graduated from Warren Wilson with a B.A. in humanities and received an M.A. in interdisciplinary/Latin American studies from Sonoma State.

Joe Young is the new chemistry laboratory manager. Young has a B.S. in chemistry from the UNCA and Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Clemson University. He recently retired from Chicago State University as a professor of organic chemistry. In his new role he supervises the Chemistry Crew, plans labs, and tutors students.



Service Day 2006“I’m not doing much more than supervising,” said Sam Scoville, Warren Wilson College professor of English, as he hauled off a tangle of brush at Cragmont Park in Black Mountain. His actions betrayed his words as he toiled in the hot summer sun during the College’s annual Service Day August 25.

Dr. Sam, a fi xture at the College for 35 years, was hardly alone among faculty and staff—longtime and not so long—who pitched in on Service Day. Among their numbers were new President Sandy Pfeiffer and his wife, Evelyn, who worked on improving drainage among other projects at Lake Tomahawk Park. “It’s so great to have all these Warren Wilson people out here helping our town,” said LuAnn Bryan, director of Recreation and Parks for the Town of Black Mountain, as she took a short break from her work at the Lake Tomahawk pavilion.

But the real stars of Service Day, of course, were the more than 300 new Warren Wilson students who were getting their fi rst real taste of service to community, WWC style. Their projects, scattered about the Black Mountain area at sites ranging from the Black Mountain Community Garden to the Presbyterian Home for Children, were as varied as painting a beautiful mural at the Grey Eagle Arena recreation facility to building picnic tables for different sites around town. It’s a day that they—and the residents of Black Mountain—won’t soon forget.

Eleven reunion classes from 1951 to 2001 gathered for Homecoming 2006 reunion dinners on October 6. Each dinner was not only a get-together, but also a chance for College President Sandy Pfeiffer and his wife, Evelyn, to meet alumni and to recognize generous reunion class gifts to the College.

The classes of 1951 and 1956, along with other 1950s graduates, congregated at the Holiday Inn. Over dinner, speeches galore and a slide show by Harry Atkins ’56, classmates from both the high school and junior college reconnected. Gene Hileman, the reunion agent for the Class of 1956, presented College president Sandy Pfeiffer with a check to the College for $19,058.96 from the 1950s alumni, led by the Class of 1956.

1960s reunion agent John Wykle ’61 and classmate Nada Henderson Cail ’60 welcomed the Class of 1961 in Lower Gladfelter, where 26 graduates and guests gathered to enjoy good food and reminisce as several students sang and danced. Across Warren Wilson Road at Ransom Fellowship Hall, 41 members of the Class of 1966 and their guests met for food and fellowship. Reunion agent Jim Oiler ’66 led the ceremonies for Warren Wilson’s last junior college class.

In Canon Lounge, 64 alumni and guests attended the combined reunion of the classes of 1971, 1976, 1981 and 1986, which was organized with much help from J. Kim Wright ’81 and Enrique

Reunion dinners: A growing part of HomecomingAlonso ’71. At the pavilion, the classes of 1991, 1996, and 2001 gathered to listen to the Greasy Beans bluegrass band. Reunion agents Ben Kimmel ’91, Vicki Catalano ’96 and Heather Brooks

’01 welcomed somewhere between 75 and 100 young alumni to this event. The College thanks all the reunion agents for their support—we couldn’t have done it without you!

Many reunion classes presented generous class gifts to the College during Homecoming. The class of 1956 challenged all 1950s classes to make gifts in honor of their favorite mentors, Arthur and Lucile Bannerman, Samuel and Evelyn DeVries, Henry Jensen, William G.and Elizabeth S. Klein, and Bernhard and

Kathrine Laursen. The classes of 1961 and 1966 gave $3,824.95 to the class of 1961 Annual Scholarship Fund and $3,619.80 to the class of 1966 Annual Scholarship Fund. Thanks all alumni for their amazing generosity to these scholarship funds and the Warren Wilson College Fund.

Homecoming 2007s reunion dinners for the classes of ’52, ’57, ’62, ’67, ’72, ’77, ’82, ’87, ’92, ’97 and ’02 are already in the works. Reunion agents are needed to help plan, contact classmates and make these events a success. If you would like to be a reunion agent, help in any way for next year’s dinners or share an idea, contact Tracy Bleeker at 828.771.2039 or [email protected]. View more photos at www.alumni.warren-wilson.edu/gallery.

OWL & SPADE WINTER 2007 8

Gene Hileman ’56 presents President Pfeiffer with a reunion gift from 1950s alumni.

President Pfeiffer works with students at Lake Tomahawk in Black Mountain during Service Day.


Faculty&Staff News

Discovery Through Wilderness makes connections WWC professor and student co-author journal article by Margo Flood

The story of how recent Warren Wilson College graduate Jimmy Stultz ’05 has become perhaps the world’s leading expert on ectoparasites and ciguatera toxicity and co-authored an article with his professor in a peer-reviewed professional journal is one of educational opportunities well connected.

According to biology professor Paul Bartels, Stultz discovered his passion for this uncommon topic on a WorldWide summer course called “Discovery through Wilderness: Bahamas Coral Reef Ecology.” He then pursued it further through the Natural Science Seminar, which is required for graduation from Warren Wilson with a degree in the sciences.

WorldWide programs take students all over the globe, exploring diverse environments and studying the habitats and eco-social practices of other cultures. Discovery through Wilderness is a WorldWide course with a formal academic component. Students enroll in a spring seminar where they explore environmental issues related to a particular wilderness area. In the summer, they travel to this site where, through wilderness group experience, they learn fi rst-hand the issues they have studied.

“Jimmy Stultz was very excited about the course and began talking to me about the possibility of identifying a Natural Science Seminar topic while on the course,” Bartels said. “I had learned from a colleague many years ago of some interesting folk knowledge in the Caribbean about barracuda and ciguatera toxicity—that if the barracuda have visible ectoparasites on their heads, they are all right to eat. I asked Jimmy if he would be interested in this topic and he jumped on it. While on our trip, he sampled for a variety of ecological variables that might help predict ciguatera toxicity (barracuda size, weight, distance from reef, depth, etc.).”

Publishing an article as an undergraduate in a peer-reviewed professional journal is a diffi cult and worthy goal only a handful of students are able to accomplish. “I asked Jimmy if he was interested in doing the extra work needed to publish and he was very enthusiastic,” Bartels said. “I contacted the editor for the Bahamas Journal of Science and told him about the project. He said their journal was temporarily suspended, so I put the research aside, though Jimmy was in often in touch, asking what we could do to get it published. A year later, the same editor contacted me and asked if we had the paper ready; they had restarted the journal under the new name—Bahamas Naturalist and Journal of Science—and they wanted it, and fast. Jimmy put the fi gures and graphs into publishable form, we rewrote the thesis and quickly submitted it. It was reviewed, accepted, and appeared in the fi rst edition. Jimmy is now a published author! In fact, he is likely the world’s leading expert on ectoparasites and ciguatera toxicity.”

For information about WorldWide courses contact Naomi Otterness at [email protected].

9

According to biology professor Paul Bartels, Stultz discovered According to biology professor Paul Bartels, Stultz discovered his passion for this uncommon topic on a WorldWide summer his passion for this uncommon topic on a WorldWide summer course called “Discovery through Wilderness: Bahamas Coral course called “Discovery through Wilderness: Bahamas Coral Reef Ecology.” He then pursued it further through the Natural Reef Ecology.” He then pursued it further through the Natural Science Seminar, which is required for graduation from Science Seminar, which is required for graduation from

WorldWide programs take students all over the globe, WorldWide programs take students all over the globe, exploring diverse environments and studying the habitats exploring diverse environments and studying the habitats and eco-social practices of other cultures. Discovery and eco-social practices of other cultures. Discovery through Wilderness is a WorldWide course with a through Wilderness is a WorldWide course with a formal academic component. Students enroll in a formal academic component. Students enroll in a spring seminar where they explore environmental spring seminar where they explore environmental issues related to a particular wilderness area. In the issues related to a particular wilderness area. In the

wilderness group experience, they learn fi rst-hand wilderness group experience, they learn fi rst-hand

toxicity—that if the barracuda have visible ectoparasites toxicity—that if the barracuda have visible ectoparasites on their heads, they are all right to eat. I asked Jimmy if he would be on their heads, they are all right to eat. I asked Jimmy if he would be interested in this topic and he jumped on it. While on our trip, he sampled for a interested in this topic and he jumped on it. While on our trip, he sampled for a variety of ecological variables that might help predict ciguatera toxicity (barracuda variety of ecological variables that might help predict ciguatera toxicity (barracuda

Faculty&Staff News

Council on Aging of Buncombe County on supporting at-risk elderly patients in the transition from hospital discharge to successful return to home. Dr. Climo was one of 35 social workers, physicians and nurses involved in Hartford-funded scholarship on aging selected for the conference.

Physics professor Don Collins received a research grant from the American Astronomical Society to engage in remote telescope and camera control at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) near Rosman, North Carolina. Collins and a Warren Wilson student, George Keel ’07, will work with Drs. Mel Blake and Michael Castelaz at PARI on “The Observation of Cataclysmic Variable Stars with Remote Telescope.” The $4,950 grant will enable another Warren Wilson student, Michael Fink ’07 to do computer programming in order to develop classroom exercises associated with cataclysmic variable star light curves.

ELC education coordinator, Stan Cross, was elected to serve as president of the Evergreen Community Charter School board of directors. In addition, he received his North Carolina Environmental Education Certification from the North Carolina Governor’s Office, State Board of Education and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Psychology professor Vicki Garlock accompanied two senior psychology majors to the annual Carolinas Undergraduate Psychology Conference. Amanda Grant presented her research, “Relationships Between Meditation Experience, Mindfulness, and Cognitive Flexibility”; Ellen Graves presented “Differences in Health Locus of Control in College Students.”

English professor Carol Howard’s review of the Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche’s Purple Hibiscus was published in a recent edition of the Urban News and Observer, a newspaper serving Asheville’s multicultural community.

John Huie, director of the Environmental Leadership Center, served as mediator/facilitator in recent negotiations concerning the crisis of the mental health delivery system in Western North Carolina. Dr. Huie also delivered the keynote address for the Toe River Valley Legacy Workshop at Mayland Community College and led team building training for the Rainbow Mountain School in West Asheville.

Gary Copeland Lilley, creative writing instructor and graduate of the Warren Wilson College MFA program, now has four books of poetry, including two full-length collections, The Subsequent Blues and Alpha Zulu (Ausable Press, forthcoming 2008), and two chapbooks, “The Reprehensibles” and “Black Poem.”

An article by Julie Lehman, director of Church Relations, was published in the higher education issue of the Presbyterian Outlook in late October. The piece highlighted several of the College’s sustainable initiatives and encouraged other church-affiliated institutions to incorporate environmental leadership into their strategic plans. The Outlook is a national publication with approximately 10,000 subscribers and many more readers.

Laura Lengnick, environmental studies professor and director of WWC’s sustainable agriculture program, participated in the 2006 Terra Madre International Slow Food conference in Turin, Italy. Dr. Lengnick was one of only 200 academic delegates selected to represent colleges


Geography professor David Abernathy has been invited to be a member of the technology cluster of the HUB Project, a community collaboration focused on efficiently leveraging existing educational and technology assets for economic development in Western North Carolina. Biology professor Paul Bartels made three presentations at the 10th International Symposium on Tardigrada in Catania, Sicily in June. In addition, Dr. Bartels gave a presentation to the Association of Southeastern Biologists meeting in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Tracy Bleeker, director of the WWC Fund, served on the planning committee for the July 2006 Philanthropy Institute held in Asheville. Miranda Hipple, assistant director of the WWC Fund, participated in the institute as a presenter and was named planning committee co-chair of the 2007 Philanthropy Institute to be held next summer.

Dean of admission Richard Blomgren presented the session “Beer & Laundry Detergent: Small College Marketing” at the eighteenth National Small College Enrollment Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, in July.

Paul Braese, director of Facility Management and Technical Services, received his LEED AP (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Social work professor Ali Climo participated in the invitation-only John A. Hartford Foundation/American Federation of Aging Research Interdisciplinary Scholars Communications Conference in Chicago. She presented a pilot project between Mission Hospitals and the

10

Faculty&Staff News

and universities from 150 countries at the conference. The academic delegates joined 5,000 farmers, breeders, fishermen and traditional food producers and 1,000 chefs from five continents to share experiences and discuss the development of revitalizing local agriculture to produce good, clean and fair food. She participated in panel discussions on sustainable agriculture education, the use of local food in institutional food service and soil quality in small-scale farming systems and represented WWC at a meeting of the international academic delegation.

The 2006 Swannanoa Gathering catalog cover, created by Swannanoa Gathering director Jim Magill, was selected as one of the three finalists in the commercial category for a Guru Award at the 2006 Photoshop World conference. The event regularly attracts the world’s top graphic artists and designers from North America, Europe and Asia. Paul Magnarella, director of peace and justice studies, was recently invited to renew his term on the editorial board of the Journal of Human Rights and Human Welfare. Dr. Magnarella also authored the following: “Turkish-American Intellectual Exchange and Community Research in Turkey (1930-1980)” in Turkish Studies Journal; “The Hutu-Tutsi Conflict in Rwanda,” in Perspectives on Contemporary Ethnic Conflict; review of the books Human Rights and the Environment: Conflicts and Norms in a Developing World and Historical Dictionary of the Kurds in the Journal of Third World Societies.

Outdoor leadership and environmental studies professor Mallory McDuff gave a presentation with students Ayla Graden ’09, Eleanor Margulies ’09 and Renee Gaudet ’09 at the North American Association of Environmental Education conference. The title of

their presentation was “From local foods to second-hand smoke: Building environmental communication skills for behavior change on college campuses.” At the conference, Dr. McDuff also participated in a book signing for her book Conservation Education and Outreach Techniques, recently published by Oxford University Press.

Douglas M. Orr Jr., president emeritus, was selected by Gov. Michael F. Easley to receive the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest civilian honor in North Carolina. The award is given to “outstanding North Carolinians who have a proven record of service to the state.”

Naomi Otterness, director of international programs, completed a thirteen-month intensive program, The Academy of International Education, administered through the Association of International Educators and supported by funding from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. The program consisted of four training segments held in Atlantic City, Philadelphia, Montreal, and Washington, D.C., augmented by homework and mentor support. Participants were selected for the program to gain broader exposure and understanding of various areas of international education, enabling them better to assist their institutions in meeting particular international education needs.

The award-winning book Becoming German: The 1709 Palatine Migration to New York, by history/political science professor Philip Otterness has been released in paperback by Cornell University Press. The book won the Dixon Ryan Fox Manuscript Prize from the New York State Historical Association in 2003.


Mathematics professor Holly Rosson’s paper, “Central Values of Quadratic Twists for a Modular Form of Weight 4,” co-authored with Gonzalo Tornaria (Universidad de la República, Uruguay), appears in the book Ranks of Elliptic Curves and Random Matrix Theory, published by Cambridge University Press.

Psychology professor Bob Swoap conducted sabbatical research at CooperRiis, a healing farm community in Polk County for people with mental illness. While most of the research in the field of mental illness recovery has been conducted from a top-down approach, Dr. Swoap immersed himself in the community, recorded his observations and conducted over 30 interviews. He will present his findings at a faculty seminar in April and incorporate his experiences at CooperRiis into psychology courses.

The music of College organist and music faculty member Steven Williams can be heard on two new compact discs featuring the Asheville Symphony Chorus (ASC) in premiere performances of works by American composers Stephen Paulus and Michael Hosford. Heritage Songs (Five Folk Song Settings for Mixed Chorus and Chamber Ensemble) by Paulus was commissioned to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the ASC. Dr. Williams serves as assistant director and accompanist for the 100-voice ensemble that performs regularly with the Asheville Symphony. The live-performance recording also features other choral works by Paulus, with organ and piano accompaniment by Dr. Williams, and a complete performance of John Rutter’s Requiem. Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, a recording of chant music by Hosford, was produced by Open Door Teachings Inc. and Transformative Media. The highly repetitive music is intended as an enhancement to meditation.

11

12

Pfeiffer came to Warren Wilson in July 2006 to replace Doug Orr, who retired after leading the College for 15 years. Like any new college president, he has been consumed with learning the particular history, strengths and weaknesses of this singular institution.

“I like to go at least half an hour,” Pfeiffer says, running all the way down the hill from St. Clair to the College farm. He greets sleepy students, staff, and hogs as he strikes out on the trail along the Swannanoa River, nimbly avoiding roots amid the fallen leaves. He’s remarkably chipper, despite suffering a lingering case of jet lag that had him up at 1 o’clock this morning. But if you had an exciting and all-consuming project, like running a unique College with the Triad and sustainability at its core, you’d probably be pretty chipper yourself.

“So many schools are trying to fi nd that niche, but one reason I came here was that we were already in a good niche,” Pfeiffer says, waxing eloquent not only about the farm but also about Warren Wilson’s essential values of work, academics, service, multiculturalism and sustainability. “We don’t have to work hard to defi ne ourselves. Our challenge is to continue to give life every day to this defi nition.”

But as an academic, and as a consultant who had a side career in the craft of writing proposals, policies and procedures, he has not dallied in creating a plan for the next

by Welch Suggs

Sandy Pfeiffer jogs from the north entrance down to St. Clair guesthouse, apologizing for what he promises will be a slow pace. It’s 7:30 on the last morning of October, but Warren Wilson’s sixth president is ready for action, clad in black fl eece sweatpants and matching vest, talking merrily a mile a minute about the College, his children, and three decades of toiling in the vineyards of academe before he moved into administration.

chapter in Warren Wilson’s life. He notes, “Our challenge is to create a template for transformation to a College with greater national visibility, additional resources and more participation by all constituencies in the running of the institution.”

From professor to provostWilliam Sanborn Pfeiffer’s own story is one of transformations as well. He started out his academic life as a professor of English, before developing a specialty in professional and technical communication. His experience in international communication and his teaching experience in Asia piqued an interest in international affairs, particularly Japanese studies. He entered academic administration rather late but has made up for lost time by being a chief academic offi cer at two institutions and interim president at one of them during the fi ve or six years before assuming the presidency at Warren Wilson.

After graduating from Amherst College, he returned to his home state of Ohio and earned a Ph.D. from Kent State in 1975. Upon doing so, he found himself in a diffi cult job market. “That year was the toughest time in decades for anyone with an English doctorate,” he says. “There were the fewest jobs and the largest number of applicants.”

His plan at that point was to pursue a standard tenure-track job of teaching

President Pfeiffer gets to know the lay of the land through daily runs and weekend hikes with his wife, Evelyn. President Pfeiffer gets to know the lay of the land through

President Sandy Pfeiffer— Honoring the past, shaping the future


literature and writing. He initially taught a range of English courses and published an article in the esteemed Studies In Bibliography from his dissertation about Sherwood Anderson’s Mary Cochran. But the kind of research and writing being done by professors of American literature was not as appealing to him as the disciplines of rhetoric and writing, and in his fi rst tenure-track job in the University of Houston system, he made a conscious turn toward scientifi c and technical communication.

“I’m a practical person who has always been interested in direct application of knowledge,” he says. “I was brought up that way. My father was a fi ne writer and had a successful career as a copywriter in advertising.” As Pfeiffer developed a program in technical communication at Houston, he also began teaching internationally and consulting in private industry, particularly in writing documents with geotechnical engineers and environmental scientists. “I was helping them write reports that would solve problems for their clients,” he said. “That was really fulfi lling for me and also helped me collect experience for the books I would write later.”

In 1980 he and his wife, Evelyn, moved from Houston to what is now Southern Polytechnic State University in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta. There he taught English and helped develop undergraduate and graduate programs in technical

published on Japanese studies in several journals, including Journal of Popular Culture, East-West Connections: Review of Asian Studies, and Japan Studies Association Journal.

Over the course of 35 years of teaching, he developed an interest in the life of academe beyond his own discipline. In 2000, he was named interim chief academic offi cer at Southern Poly, and the following year became the university’s vice-president of academic affairs.

“In higher levels of academic admin-istration, you look for someone who listens well, who can take in and understand a variety of different perspectives on an issue, and from that variety, not only build a consensus but use it to move an institution forward,” says Dan Papp, former interim president of Southern Poly and now president of Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia. “Sandy had all those capabilities.”

Pfeiffer still hankered for the experience of the small liberal-arts college, and in 2003 he won the job of founding provost at Ramapo College of New Jersey. Ramapo is a public liberal-arts college in Mahwah, in the northeast corner of New Jersey. It’s part of the fast-growing phenomenon of state university systems creating small colleges to replicate the environment of institutions like Warren Wilson and Amherst. As a public institution, however, the board

communication that now rank among the best in the nation. He also began publishing prolifi cally: A sheaf of textbooks and pocket guides, all but one still in print, sits in the built-in bookshelves in his Warren Wilson offi ce. His magnum opus, Technical Communication: A Practical Approach (Prentice Hall, 2006), is now in its sixth edition, with a seventh being planned. Pfeiffer says he has been seeking co-authors for some books of late because his administrative positions require so much of his time.

“The interest was high on my part to show that I could write something for the working world, something practical,” he says. “I was trying to get away from the rhetorical approach and instead provide students and instructors with national and international case studies and assignments grounded in the working world.”

In the early 1990s, the international dimension of the fi eld of technical communication in which he had been working became as interesting as the primary subject itself. Several seminars in Japan, including a Fulbright summer seminar, enabled him to develop a familiarity with Asian studies. That focus deepened as he pursued further research on the subject stateside and eventually taught courses on Japanese culture at Southern Poly and Ramapo College of New Jersey, where he was founding provost and professor of international studies. He has

“Our challenge is to create a template

for transformation to a college

with greater national visibility,

additional resources and more participation

by all constituencies.”

13OWL & SPADE WINTER 2007

14 OWL & SPADE WINTER 2007

answers to the governor, creating political challenges for any administrator.

The president of Ramapo stepped down at the end of Pfeiffer’s first year at the college, and Pfeiffer decided to apply for the job of interim president rather than the permanent job (applications to both were not allowed). Jogging around Owen Pond near Warren Wilson, he notes that deep down, it was becoming evident to him that his ultimate goal was to move to the private sector in higher education.

“I wanted a different set of problems,” he jokes, adding that what drew him to Warren Wilson was the unique setting and the College’s distinctive mission. Private colleges have the flexibility and independence to be much more individualistic than most public institutions, so when the Warren Wilson position was advertised, he threw his hat in the ring.

Transparency and sustainabilityLater, in his office, he talks passionately about the need for more definition and transparency in Warren Wilson’s policies and procedures. This is, of course, one of his areas of study, and the chance to apply what he’s learned has inspired him.

“I came here believing that as much information as possible can and should be shared with everyone,” he says. “We began with the Administrative Council. Budget information was my first focus for transparency.” This kind of openness, which is not characteristic of many private colleges, is absolutely necessary to maintaining a sense of community at a modern college, Pfeiffer maintains. So is a higher level of consistency and evidence-based decision-making.

Pfeiffer is familiar with the College’s character and history, and he is becoming aware of the challenges it faces. He can talk policy and procedure with an assembled group of staff in a Gladfelter meeting room, even as a Halloween parade passes by outside, featuring a horse-drawn wagon and a green and purple, 1950s-vintage hearse.

But he also knows that colleges like Warren Wilson are at their best when their internal

operations are efficient and equitable. Many such colleges are endangered by rising costs and an inability to attract students in an increasingly competitive market. Fortunately, Warren Wilson has maintained its competitive edge and kept costs down compared to many other private colleges.

Warren Wilson has what many peer institutions desperately crave: a strong sense of identity that does not need to be built through branding or advertising. The key component of that identity is the College’s ethic of sustainability. “I take the broadest definition of sustainability—the ability to satisfy the needs of the current generation without impeding the ability of future generations to do the same,” Pfeiffer says. “Our society is so obviously violating that principle every day, both with respect to environmental sustainability and also social sustainability. We’re using resources and planning our lives in a way that endangers our children and grandchildren.”

As if on cue, Ian Robertson, Dean of Work, walks in with a trophy signifying Warren Wilson’s “2006 North Carolina Sustainability Award” in the category of Environmental Stewardship from Sustainable North Carolina, a nonprofit advocacy group based in Raleigh.

Sustainability, Pfeiffer says, ought to be a theme or underlying goal of all aspects of campus life. “We already live it in the work program, for example, with the cleaning products we use and the way students and staff do their jobs,” he says. “And we stress it in the academic program too, in terms of internships, senior projects, and other projects that focus on what Dean Casey has called ‘ecosocial sustainability.’

“I’d like to see the curriculum reflect the sustainability ethic even more than it does now. That’s the faculty’s challenge, of course, and they are now considering ways to work sustainability into the curriculum at all levels and, indeed, into the fabric of the College’s culture.”

That said, he knows the College should not be focused just on environmental studies in the manner of some specialized institutions. Instead, Pfeiffer envisions

sustainability as an ethic to undergird the entire liberal-arts curriculum, keeping the College appealing to a wide range of students who would embrace sustainability goals in their lives but who would have many different majors and career paths.

Looking aheadDespite his interest in improving processes and serving as a change agent, Pfeiffer is not envisioning major changes to the College in the near term. For example, he has delayed any decisions about increasing the College’s enrollment for several years, to allow the community to adjust to the current population of about 800-850 full-time students and to study the effect thatany changes might have on the College culture.

But he is looking ahead to what Warren Wilson will need as an institution. After years of improving the physical plant, the College will turn to focus on increasing the endowment. Endowments affect financial aid, staff and faculty salaries, and programs, and without a large endowment, colleges are forced to depend on tuition revenue to fund operations and capital projects. Pfeiffer hopes that the coming years will

Sandy and Evelyn at the piggery on the WWC Farm.

15OWL & SPADE WINTER 2007

bring the College more national visibility for its distinctive culture and, along with that, an increased endowment.

What Warren Wilson has, in spades, is culture. In The Distinctive College (Transaction, 1992), the classic account of American liberal-arts colleges, Burton R. Clark says that successful colleges are the ones that believe in themselves and their programs. Their students, faculty, staff, and alumni possess “a coherent belief system…expressed in valued practices that range from certain types of seminars to student extracurricular traditions.” That, Pfeiffer says, is as true of Warren Wilson as it is of any college in the country.

“Our heritage is fascinating in both its breadth and depth,” Pfeiffer points out. “In addition to our Presbyterian background, we were a farm school where kids were trained to have functional jobs and to receive a broad-based liberal arts education. Another thread is a strong environmental and sustainability focus. That’s our history, and we need to celebrate it as we attract new students, faculty, staff and donors to the College. Whatever new directions we choose,” he says, “the College will retain its distinctive culture and values.”

_______________________________

Welch Suggs is a former writer and editor for The Chronicle of Higher Education. A graduate of Rhodes College, he is working on a Ph.D. in higher education policy at the University of Georgia.

Settling in with Evelyn PfeifferAfter three moves in as many years, Evelyn Pfeiffer will be the fi rst to tell you she’s ready to be in one place for a while. She does admit, however, that the President’s House was a little empty at Thanksgiving. “This was the fi rst Thanksgiving we didn’t have at least one of the kids home,” she said. But the newcomers had a Warren Wilson-style holiday—they feasted on steaks from the Farm and explored hiking trails off of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Evelyn was born in Austria and came to the U.S. with her parents when she was an infant. They joined relatives outside of Cleveland, Ohio, to take advantage of good manufacturing jobs. She remembers having lots of freedom in those days. “My parents both worked, so I had quite a bit of independence, which was great.”

During her senior year in high school, Evelyn worked in a department store to help save money for college. She enrolled at Kent State University, double-majoring in school health education and community health. Over breaks she continued to work at the department store, then became a resident assistant during her junior and senior years. A young man by the name of Sandy Pfeiffer was a resident assistant in the same dormitory complex. The rest, as they say, is history.

After getting her degree from Kent State, Evelyn worked in public relations for a hospital system in Houston while Sandy taught at the University of Houston. “Working at the hospital was dissatisfying after a while and it wasn’t what I wanted as a career,” she said. With an abiding interest in all things artistic, she began taking art courses. “At the time I was thinking about what to do with the art classes I had taken, Sandy was offered the position at Southern Poly,” she said.

The couple decided to make the move to Georgia, where Evelyn pursued a teaching career in the public school system. With education credits from Kent State and art classes from Houston, she was certifi ed as a K-12 art teacher. She taught middle school for a couple of years before the arrival of their fi rst child, Zach. Less than two years later, their second child, Katie, was born. Evelyn took leave from teaching and focused her energy on raising the kids. When Katie started kindergarten, Evelyn picked up where she left off and taught art for fourteen more years. “At my last school, I had a huge teaching load and saw 1,200 students during a typical eight-day rotation. Like most public school teachers, we were with the students all the time. I loved it, but when Sandy was offered the position in New Jersey (Ramapo College), I was ready for a change.”

Sandy was hired as provost at Ramapo, but later served as interim president for a year. “We lived in the Havemeyer House when Sandy was interim president, then moved into a staff apartment when he returned to the provost position,” Evelyn said. It was quite a contrast, she remembers with a smile. “The garage in the Havemeyer House was bigger than our entire apartment. The president’s house wasn’t better than the apartment, just different. We’ve had to be fl exible and open to change in the past few years, and that’s okay with us,” she continues. “It was that way as an art teacher and Sandy embraces it in his life. He’s actually a little better at it than I am,” she says with a grin.

Since the move to Swannanoa in July (number three if you’re counting), Evelyn has had little time to do much else except get familiar with her new surroundings. “I’ve spent the fi rst few months unpacking and meeting lots of people associated with the College,” she said. “I’m just taking it as it comes and getting a sense of how I can best be involved and active in the life of the College.”

16

friends

Homecoming...

festivities

fellowship

17

family

fun

18


We’re not for everyone, but then . . . maybe you’re not everyone. It’s Warren Wilson’s slogan, but it might as well be the tag line for outdoor leadership/environmental studies professor Mallory McDuff ’s fi rst-year seminar, “Environmental Communications for Behavior Change.”

“I didn’t know it was going to be so intense,” said Ayla Graden ’09, who signed up for McDuff ’s class in the fall of 2005. “I was interested in environmental action on campus, but I didn’t know I would be doing a campaign.” Environmental action is precisely what she and her classmates got —they identifi ed an environmental need on campus and created a campaign to infl uence behavior related to that need.

Graden and classmate Reneé Gaudet ’09 focused on how the College’s cafeterias incorporate local food into their offerings, with the ultimate goal of increasing consumption of local foods on campus. “It was kind of a mess,” said Gaudet. The food delivered to Gladfelter was not marked by source or vendor, so students were unable to determine the source of a given item. Graden and Gaudet worked with Gladfelter Cafeteria manager Brian O’Loughlin to ensure that local food, including produce grown in the Warren Wilson garden and meat produced on the farm, was labeled on the entrée and salad bars. Graden and Gaudet also coordinated with the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) to create the posters that now hang outside Cowpie Café, the vegetarian eatery on campus. The posters describe three sources for local foods, including the Warren Wilson farm and garden.

Another group from McDuff ’s class worked to reduce exposure to second-hand smoke on campus. The students collaborated with the Wellness Crew and the Dean of Students offi ce on a campus-wide

Education meets environmental act ionby Elena Howells ’07

Mallory McDuff and her environmental education students practice a citizen science lesson outside their classroom in Morse Science Hall.

smoking cessation program and applied for a Campus Greening Seed Grant from the Environmental Leadership Center to create signage designating no-smoking areas. As part of the Seed Grant process, the appropriate administrators and committees have to sign off on the project. In this case, the Business Affairs Committee didn’t think the signs would be effective. Still, the students involved, including Eleanor Margulies ’09, think their campaign was effective in raising awareness. “Even though there wasn’t a concrete outcome, we feel like we brought the issue into a more prominent context,” said Margulies, noting a recent article about smoking in The Echo and a health psychology class that chose to focus on the topic of smoking. Reducing smoking on campus is also one of the top two issues that Student Caucus is dealing with in the 2006-07 academic year.

Understanding the complicated politics behind greening, such as how to deal with various stakeholders, be they administrators, students, or community members, is one of the skills McDuff hopes her students have learned from the class. “Learning how to navigate those political issues—even on a small campus—is such a life skill, and to do it with grace is so important,” McDuff said.

She need not worry; students are already looking for opportunities to use their newly acquired skills.

“I still have those tools in my head, even the language, so that people will take me seriously,” said Graden. Margulies agrees. “Especially as an incoming freshman, having the ability to infl uence policy change was a really good way to get assimilated into the greening culture,” she said. “I can apply for a Seed Grant . . . and there are a number of people on campus I now know I can go to about creating positive change.”

Graden, Guadet, Margulies and McDuff traveled to St. Paul, Minnesota, to attend the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) conference in October 2006. They presented their experiences from the environmental communications class and shared their successes and challenges in running campaigns to change behavior at Warren Wilson. “A lot of students from other colleges were there and were inspired by what we had done. One woman from the University of Florida wants to start a recycling program at her school,” Gaudet said. McDuff added that a faculty member from the University of South Carolina contacted her after the NAAEE conference. “They want us to speak to students and faculty in the spring so they can model a course after ours,” McDuff said.

“Environmental Communications for Behavior Change” teaches students how to plan, implement and measure results of environmental action on a local level, both in terms of changing behaviors and addressing policy issues, all within an educational framework. “I really loved that the class incorporated learning and education with improving the campus…I think it’s a model we could use with other subjects,” Gaudet said.

smoking cessation program and applied

alumni notes

19

30sThelma Marie Davis ’35 wrote in to let us know she is doing well and has made a smooth transition into Carillon in Shelby, N.C.*

40sMartha (Wells) Curtis ’43 is busy with her husband in the hospital after another stroke. She is fi nding that the aging process brings on new responsibilities.

50s

The 1950s Golden Anniversary Reunion Steering Committee thanks Billy Edd Wheeler for the generous gift of his CD New Wine from Old Vines for each reunion participant. Check out Billy Edd’s website: www.billyeddwheeler.com.

Barbara (Roper) Dauterman ’52 bought a new house in Roseburg, Oregon. In May, she sailed from Ft. Lauderdale to Denmark and returned home by plane. She hopes to journey next time to Sweden, Finland and Russia. She may be looking for a roommate on her next cruise if anyone is interested.*

Louise (Sparrow) Keener ’55 and husband celebrated the birth of their fi rst grandson on February 20, 2006, who joined twin sisters Caroline and Lauren (4). All three were born to Louise’s daughter Linda, who is a twin herself.

Mae (Caviness) McPherson ’58 retired from Wake County Schools in 1993. Recently, she has been busy traveling with her husband, Baxter McPherson ’60, and spending time with their three grandchildren. In 2004 they moved to Mebane, N.C. She would love to hear from classmates and learn about adventures experienced since their days at WWC.*

Sarah (Striggles) Davis ’59 and Phyllis (Williams) Stevenson ’60 had a great “roommate reunion” on April 22-23, 2006, at the home of Sarah’s daughter in Montgomery, Alabama.

Alma (Kidd) Hall ’59 sends her greetings to Warren Wilson friends. She enjoys keeping up to date through the Owl & Spade. Retirement continues to be great for Alma and her husband, Joseph.

60sMary Anne (Allen) Boose ’61 is proud of her fourth grandchild, born on November 11, 2005.

Joy (Ritchie) Powers ’61 and her husband, Scott, are enjoying retired life. They are spending time with their children, grandchildren and new arrival Weston Scott Fleenor, their great-grandchild.

Phyllis Stevenson ’60 is currently a framer and decorator at Brown Framing in Lake City, Florida. Her husband, David Stevenson ’61, taught Forestry at Lake City Community College until his retirement in January 2000.

Donald Laufer ’63 would love to hear from any classmates.*

70sRichard Kiprono Mibey ’77 has been named the vice chancellor of Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya. Mibey graduated from Warren Wilson with a B.A. in biology and earned a master’s degree in biology from Appalachian State University. He continued studies in biology and mycology at Oklahoma State University and the University of Nairobi. A world-renowned authority in fungal systematics, fungal taxonomy and biodiversity conservation, Mibey has contributed to the discovery of over 120 species of fungi. In his position at Moi, Mibey oversees Kenya’s second public university, established in 1984 as an academic center for science and technology. Mibey told Kenyan journalists, “The university has resources which can be utilized to make it a world-class institution and help alleviate poverty.”

80sCathy Lamkin ’82 sends her best to all who lived the dream over 20 years ago! Cathy is an independent sales representative in the ski and outdoor industry. When she isn’t traveling she enjoys life in Wisconsin with her husband and six-year-old son. She would love to hear from friends via email [email protected].


The 1950s Golden Anniversary

20

Dr. Bonnie Colleen McRoberts ’83 has been busy with veterinary medicine, renovating historic homes, managing the farm she lives on and parenting her daughter, Peary. Peary (5) came from Cambodia as an infant. Bonnie would love to hear from old friends and can be contacted at [email protected].

Nancy Daugherty ’83 sends a “hooty-hoo!” from Washington, D.C.

Nancy Olsen Ruben ’84 and Andy Ruben ’85 are both elementary school guidance counselors. They have two children: Abbey (12) and Connor (9). They would love to hear from old friends and they invite anyone to visit them in beautiful Naples, Florida.*

Julie A. Booth ’85 and William “Ed” Allen ’85 are still living and working in Portland, Oregon. Julie’s email is [email protected] and William’s is [email protected].

Susannah Chewning ’87 was recently promoted to associate professor at Union County College in Cranford, New Jersey. Susannah teaches English, women’s studies, and coordinates the fi rst-year seminar program at UCC.

90sLynn Bullman-Davis ’90 and her husband, Eric, announce the birth of their fi rst child, Charlie Madison Davis, born on March 28, 2006.

Gregory Wilkins ’90 accepted a job at Washington State University in July 2006 as the Director for Campus Involvement, advising the Associated Students, Inc. (student government) and managing the student leadership program. Gregory is having a blast living in the Pacifi c Northwest and hopes to connect with other WWC alumni. His email is [email protected].

Melanie (Packer) Payne ’93 announces the birth of her second child, Dannielle, born on September 13, 2005. Dannielle joins her big sister Allysanne (4).

Pavel Gmuzdek ’94 is currently working at Haliburton Forest and Wildlife Preserve in Haliburton, Ontario (www.haliburtonforest.com). He and his wife have a 14-month-old son, Jack, a future WWC student! Pavel and his family invite friends to come up for a canopy tour or dog sledding in the winter.*

John Chris Harris ’94 is currently living in Orlando, Florida, and is working for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. He and his wife celebrated the birth of their son, Bastian, on May 23, 2005. Friends can contact him at [email protected].

Todd Phillips ’95 and his wife, Christina, welcomed their son, Davis William Phillips, into the world on St. Patrick’s Day 2006. Born in Raleigh, N.C., he weighed in at 5 lbs., 6 oz. and measured 19 inches in length. Davis is now growing like a weed!

Harold T.D. “D.” Holden ’96 is currently a purchasing agent and U.S. Coast Guard-certifi ed captain for vessels of up to one hundred gross tons. D. is divorced and has two sons, Caleb (11) and Joshua (8). Life is good in sunny Florida.

Jennifer Girard Krebs ’96 enjoyed seeing everyone at Homecoming 2006 for the 10-year reunion!

Jaime Walker ’98 married Meyame Diezou Yanic-Kevin on August 21, 2004. They bought their home of three years a few months ago. In June, Jaime became the director of catering at Laurey’s Catering in Asheville. Still dancing, she now performs with the Avec La Force Percussion Initiative.

Sudi-Laura (Gregory) Overstreet ’99 married Jason Overstreet on November 23, 2005. They had their fi rst child, Isaac, on September 27, 2006.

Fong Choo ’88 has received much

acclaim for his tiny masterpieces—ceramic

teapots no larger than an egg. In April

2006, Choo earned the prestigious Bronze

Award at the Smithsonian Craft Show, the

nation’s most prestigious juried exhibition

and sale of contemporary American craft.

He has been adjunct professor and artist-

in-residence at Bellarmine University,

Louisville since 1990. Choo’s works and teaching were recently featured in

the Chicago Tribune (August 27, 2006 “Home and Garden” section). He has

been making miniature teapots for over 35 years and his works have been

shown in galleries worldwide.


“Lessons From Animals and Land”Read an article about the College Farm

by Lawrence Biemiller in The Chronicle of Higher Education at

www.chronicle.com/free/v53/i09/09a05601.htm.

21

George Whitman ’99 is currently the assistant director of the Lifetime television show “Lovespring.” He is also managing the formerly Asheville-based band “Scrappy Hamilton.” The group includes WWC graduate Walker Young ’99. George is living with his girlfriend, Rocio, and their dog, Sharpie.

00sLaura Carter ’01 returned to Asheville after volunteering and apprenticing in Scotland for three years. On July 28, 2006, she married Edward Thijs in the Beaverdam Valley of North Carolina. Both Laura and Edward will be working with Laura’s parents’ new garden business, Thyme in the Garden, located in north Asheville.

Eliza Lynn ’00 quit her day job! She is enjoying a full-time music career and has been overwhelmed with blessings of support. This winter she is recording her second album, which will include her full band. Visit her website at www.elizalynn.com.

Keri Parker ’97 is a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s International Affairs Program in the Division of Management Authority. Her offi ce issues permits under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) and the United States Endangered Species Act. While the position is a departure from her other adventures working as an island supervisor for the National Audubon Society’s Seabird Restoration Program, banding birds for the Powdermill Avian Research Center and working as an environmental educator for World Wildlife Fund, she fi nds that all her previous professional experiences are relevant when it comes to implementing wildlife conservation policy. Her training in environmental studies began at Warren Wilson College, and she continued her education with the University of Maryland’s graduate program in sustainable development and conservation biology, where she received her master’s degree in 2005. Her graduate research included completing a pilot assessment of conservation projects taking place in China’s panda reserve system that are funded by U.S. zoos through the United States Policy on Giant Panda Permits. Her research continues to aid stakeholders in China and the U.S. as they track and assess the conservation needs of the giant panda and its habitat. Keri’s goals change from day to day—one day she wants to become a globe-trotting wildlife photographer and writer, the next she wants to pursue a doctorate in conservation science, and the next day she just wants to stay home with her husband, dog, and cat, so she can play in her backyard and grow vegetables. With a little luck she’ll fi gure out a way to do all three.

Keri Parker and a newly banded sharp-shinned hawk at the Powdermill Nature Reserve in Rector, Pennsylvania, spring 2006.


The Warren Wilson Dairy Barn, or “the White Barn,” is often the fi rst sight visitors or future students see as they approach the campus on Riceville Road. For many alumni, it was the site of endless hours of hay bale lifting, cow milking, or bull dodging. Whatever our connection to the White Barn, it now needs our help. A new, long-life metal roof, paint, and other repairs to the barn and adjacent silo will keep them in good shape for the foreseeable future. The repairs are estimated to cost $75,000. If you would like to join in preserving the Warren Wilson Dairy Barn, please contact J. Clarkson ’95, CFRE, Director of Development at 828.771.3756 or [email protected].

WINTER 2007

At an elevation of 4,718 meters, Nam-tso (“Sky Lake”) is the highest salt-water lake in the world and an important pilgrimage site for Tibetans. Dr. Hun Lye (religious studies) taught a WorldWide course on “The Religious and Cultural Heritage of Tibet” that culminated in three weeks of on-site learning in Central Tibet. About a week was spent in Lhasa, the ancient capital of Tibet, and the remainder of the trip was spent in valleys, grasslands and mountain ranges outside of Lhasa. Director of Student Activities Dustin Rhodes ’95 co-led the class of 16 Warren Wilson students. While in Tibet, students came up with the idea of fundraising for free reading glasses for monks and nuns of the Drigung Valley. If you can give the “gift of sight,” please contact Dr. Lye at [email protected].

On the Web: www.warren-wilson.edu/~religiousstudies/tibet

Call ing al l farm hands! The Alumni Offi ce is organizing a reunion for Farm Crew members, and we need your help. All those who worked on the Farm Crew under Bernhard (’Fessor) Laursen, Ernst Laursen or John Pilson are invited to contact fellow student farmers and get the word out. The reunion will be held on the Farm at the Homecoming 2007. We need your help to make it a success, so start thinking about all those old stories of fun, mishaps and adventure!

MFA

Naomi Guttman ’88 has a forthcoming book, Wet Apples, White Blood, published by McGill-Queen’s University Press.

Steve Kronen ’88 has a new book of poetry titled Splendor, published by BOA Editions.

Stuart Robbins ’89 has a story collection coming out from John Wiley & Sons titled Lessons in Grid Computing: The System is a Mirror.

Alison Moore ’90 has a new collection of stories titled The Middle of Elsewhere, published by Phoenix International.

Lynda Dyer ’91 passed away in July after a six-year battle with breast cancer. A scholarship has been established in her honor for a poetry graduate to attend WWC’s annual MFA alumni conference.

Don Colburn ’92 won the Cider Press Review Book Award for his poetry manuscript “As if Gravity were a Theory.” His chapbook, Another Way to Begin, was published by Finishing Line Press.

Charlotte Matthews’ ’93 book of poems, Green Stars, has been published by Iris Press.

Laure-Anne Bosselaar ’94 has a third book of poetry out. New Hunger is published by Ausable Press.

Peg Alford ’96 and Cass Purcell ’96 have married.

Susan Kelly ’99 has a new novel out, her third, titled The Last of Something. The book was published by Pegasus Books.

Nate Pritts ’00 has two new poetry chapbooks out this year: Monday, Monday from Big Game Books and Big Crisis from Forklift, Ink. Check out Nate’s website at www.h-ngm-n.com/nate-pritts.

Greg Rappleye ’00 won the University of Arkansas Press Poetry Series Award. The university press will publish his book Figured Dark in fall 2007. He has two new chapbooks out, Eros, Psyche and

the Death of Narrative (Candle Creek Press) and The Afterlight (LSF/WVU of Law School Press).

Lara Tupper ’01 is anticipating the release of her debut novel A Thousand and One Nights by Harcourt in Feb-ruary 2007. She welcomes everyone to visit www.laratupper.com for advanced reviews and a peek at the cover.

Shannon Cain ’05 won a Creative Writing Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.

* Track down your classmates through the online CampusWeb Alumni Directory. Contact the Alumni Offi ce for your login information.

23 WINTER 2007

i n m e m o r i a mAlma Lee Shippy, a pioneer in racial integration

Mary-Elizabeth Roberts 1927-2006Mary-Elizabeth (Liz) Roberts passed away on August 10, 2006, leaving behind many friends at the College and among alumni, including her niece, Ruth Roberts ’85. Mrs. Roberts and her late husband, Marshall, were active members of the Friends of the Library Board at the College and in the Asheville community. A career educator, Mrs. Roberts taught English and GRE test preparation for many years at the Buncombe County jail. The Roberts enjoyed a lifelong love of the English language, and Mrs. Roberts established the Marshall and Mary-Elizabeth Roberts Endowed Scholarship at Warren Wilson to memorialize that love and their marriage.

i n m e m o r i a mLossesGeorge W. Barkley AF ’21August 10, 2006

William T. Garrison AF ’32July 29, 2006

Maude Sanders Phillips ANTC ’32July 17, 2006

Marie Rhodes ANTC ’32July 17, 2006

Laura Barkley Troutman ANTC ’36June 30, 2006

Mavis Williams Edwards ANTC ’37June 29, 2006

Rosa Stokes Hendrix ANTC ’39July 6, 2006

June Wallin Plemmons ANTC ’39September 25, 2006

Virginia Weaver DB ’39June 13, 2006

William G. Cody AF ’40Date of death unknown

Inez Edwards Banner ANTC ’41July 30, 2006

Sarah Masters Huffman WWC ’47September 9, 2006

Betty Plemmons WWC ’48June 28, 2006

Preston Neely WWC ’50 May 28, 2006

John Mellin Jr. WWC ’73June 9, 2006

Ramie Smith WWC ’99August 22, 2006

Alma Joseph Lee Shippy, the Swannanoa native who in 1952 became the fi rst student to break the color barrier at an undergraduate institution in the Old Confederacy, died Dec. 1, 2006, in Asheville. He was 72.

Shippy enrolled at historically white Warren Wilson Vocational Junior College two years before Brown v. Board of Education, and several years before most colleges and universities in the South integrated. At the urging of Marvin Lail ’53 and other students, and with support from President Arthur Bannerman and Dean Henry Jensen, Sunderland Hall residents voted 54-1 to accept Shippy as a fellow student. In recalling the historic vote, former Shippy classmates such as Lail and Billy Edd Wheeler ’53 said they and other students voted overwhelmingly to ac-cept him as a fellow student out of a simple sense of fairness.

Shippy, a graduate of Asheville’s Stephens-Lee High School who grew up in Buckeye Cove near the Warren Wilson campus, blazed a trail for other black students at the College. Among them was Georgia Powell ’55, who became the fi rst African-American to graduate from Warren Wilson. His watershed enrollment, done without fanfare, also helped pave the way for many other black students at historically white colleges and universities across the South.

In 2002, the Warren Wilson College Board of Trustees passed a proclamation recognizing the 50th anniversary of Shippy’s enrollment. At the emotional ceremony with the Board, Shippy said, “We had a wonderful closeness with the staff here. I still feel this is my family, right here.”

A memorial service for Shippy was held Dec. 7 in the College Chapel. He is survived by his daughters, Elizabeth Davis and Delynn V. Patterson of Gary, Ind.; and by brothers Glenn E. Shippy of Springfi eld, Mass., and Calvin B. Shippy, Michael Shippy and Perry R. Shippy, all of Swannanoa.

Alma Shippy with Billy Edd Wheeler ’53 and Rodney Lytle ’73

The 1965-66 Warren Wilson College Choir on the steps of the U.S. Capitol during their choir tour, the fi rst of many led by Dr. Robert Keener, pictured on the lower right. Dr. Keener served as choir director and professor of music from 1964 to 1995. A campaign is currently underway to establish the Robert and Jo Anne Keener Endowed Scholarship fund, which has raised more than 50 percent of its goal of $25,000. For more information on the campaign, contact J. Clarkson ’95, CFRE, director of development, at 866.992.6957. Photo courtesy of the Warren Wilson College Archives.

A dependable income for life

a legacy for generations

to comeElinor Martin was a long-time friend

of Warren Wilson College and often

visited campus to participate in archeological digs. When she found her securities were not returning the

income she needed, the College was able to help. In 1995, Elinor established a charitable gift annuity funded

with her appreciated securities. Because of her age at the time of the gift, the College was able to provide a 10

percent return to Elinor, some of which was tax-free. At her passing, the remainder of the principal came to the

College to establish an endowed scholarship for students with fi nancial need. For more information about how

an annuity might help you realize more income while providing a gift for future generations of Warren Wilson

students, please contact J. Clarkson ’95, CFRE, toll-free at 866.992.6957 or [email protected].

&

24

Looking Back

[email protected]

Attention alumni!Make plans to attend the 2007 Weekend@WWC J u n e 2 2 - 2 4 , 2 0 0 7

Weekend@WWC is a chance for alumni

to spend time with their families, reconnect

with friends and take workshops—from

fl y-fi shing to footstool caning—all while

enjoying the beautiful WWC campus.

www.alumni.warren-wilson.edu/weekend.shtml

The Installation of William Sanborn Pfeiffer Sixth President of Warren Wilson College

S a t u r d a y , A p r i l 2 8 , 2 0 0 7

A Celebration of Academics, Work and Service Learning at Warren Wilson College. Look for your invitation in the mail soon.

to spend time with their families, reconnect

with friends and take workshops—from

fl y-fi shing to footstool caning—all while

enjoying the beautiful WWC campus.

Nonprofit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit #575

Asheville, NCPO BOx 9000Asheville, NC 28815-9000

Address Service Requested

WARRENWILSONCOLLEGE

WWC on the Road.

February 18-25, 2007Come meet President and Mrs. Pfeiffer

in Richmond, Washington, D.C.,

Philadelphia, or New York City.

Invitations coming soon.

owl & spade winter 2007

Documents