Volume X 219 Rock Street, Bluefield, WV 24701 Number 4

July 2005
A Message from the President
Within each challenge are these students entered the company of scholars.
the seeds of opportunity. As we prepare for the start of a new academic year,
Certainly, during the 2004-05 several developments will undergird BSC’s future.
academic year, Bluefield State Scholarship support has been augmented substantially
College encountered several through the College’s partnership with the Tom Joyner
obstacles--operating effective- Foundation and the response of many alumni and friends.
ly despite reduced state fund- Housing options for our students have increased, permit-
ing and complying with leg- ting BSC to serve students from a much broader region.
islative mandates that have Students and faculty have performed with distinction in
Albert L. Walker resulted in reshaping the numerous academic settings, regionally and nationally.
President College. Throughout this The College and community have expanded the scope of
period, the College’s commit- their collaboration, brokering many “town/gown” partner-
ment to educational excellence has remained constant. It ships that benefit all who are involved.
has been the spirit of tough-minded optimism, resilience, Thus, as I look toward the challenges that await us, I
and ingenuity that has helped to sustain BSC. Your sup- do so with a renewed sense of confidence that is strength-
port during these times has been invaluable and much ened by the knowledge that Bluefield State College has,
appreciated. for 110 years, overcome the obstacles and hurdles that
The recent commencement program in which more have appeared in its path.
than 470 Bluefield State College students received their In closing, I am thankful for your support and I am
diplomas was a vivid reminder of our wonderful institu- grateful for the opportunity to share with you the stories of
tion’s reason for being. An audience of 5000 students and achievement that are included between the covers of this
their relatives, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and issue of the “Blue & Gold.”
friends witnessed the landmark occasion during which

From the Bluefield State College Board of Governors

John Barnes, Chair
With my second (consecutive one
year) term as chairman of the
Bluefield State College Board of
Governors drawing to a close, it’s an
appropriate time to look back at the
College's accomplishments, then look
ahead to its challenges.
I believe the College will experi-
ence significant enrollment growth in
the short term future. With the addi-
tion of several very attractive student
housing options, students from a
much larger region can now attend
BSC. A focused marketing and
recruiting effort will attract hundreds
of talented students from all parts of
West Virginia and surrounding states.
BSC’s academic programs are
designed to help students acquire
knowledge and skills that lead to ful-
filling and productive careers. The
numerous academic accomplishments
of the College’s students and the
scholarly activities of faculty under-
score the excellence of the programs
of study at BSC.
Throughout my years as a mem-
ber of the original Board of Advisors
beginning in 1999 and now the Board
of Governors, it has been a privilege
to work with a diverse and skilled
group of Board members, all of whom
have been and still are committed to
strengthening the College’s ability to
serve current and future students. I
am grateful for the work of this Board
during my terms as its chair.
As state appropriations for higher
education continue to decline, one of
the most compelling challenges facing
BSC revolves around the need to
expand its base of support. Students,
employees, alumni and this Board,
along with the community, have ral-
lied effectively to help the College
through particularly trying times.
Now, the same commitment of time,
talent, energy, and input from each of
these groups is essential if the College
is to grow stronger in its devotion to
the same ideals and traditions of
excellence in the years to come.
As a Board, we are grateful for
your input and insight, and we look
forward to working with you in the
years to come.

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More than 470 Graduate During BSC’s 2005 Commencement
Dr. Yvonne Thornton
Keynote Speaker
More than 470 Bluefield State
College students received degrees
during the 108th commencement
exercises at the Brushfork Armory.
Nearly 5000 people attended the
program.
Dr. Yvonne Thornton, a well
known physician and author, deliv-
ered the commencement address.
Her late mother, Itasker (Edmonds)
Thornton, was a student at BSC in
the 1930s. “My mother was not
able to complete the work for a
college diploma because of eco-
nomic hardship, but she recog-
nized and stressed to her daughters turned to their alma mater on the 50th
the importance of a college
degree,” Dr. Thornton noted.
Dr. Thornton challenged and Mildred Washington (standing, left-to-right)
encouraged the Class of 2005.
“Bluefield State College plants the William Presson.
seeds of knowledge, tills the soil,
and nurtures the students,” she said.
Dr, Steve Bourne
James H. Shott Endowed
Chair in Business
“As graduates of Bluefield State, you
are now able to compete with any-
body, anywhere, any time, and at any
level.”
The audience of family members
and friends of graduates and commu-
nity residents also received greetings
from BSC President Dr. Albert Walker,
Board of Governors’ Vice Chairman
Norris Kantor, Alumni Association
President Dr. Louis Aikens, Student
Government President Eli Sharpe, Dr. Bernadette Dragich
Faculty Senate President Professor BSC Foundation Outstanding
Lionel Craddock, and Staff Council Faculty Award
President Peggy Turnbull.
Dr. Walker also presented an
Kenneth F. Cooper (4.0 grade
honorary doctorate degree
posthumously to Mrs. Itasker
(Edmonds) Thornton. Dr.
Thornton accepted the honorary
doctorate on behalf of her late
mother.
Five members of the BSC
Class of 1955 returned to their
alma mater to participate in the
program on the golden anniver-
sary of their graduation. BSC
Alumni Association President Dr.
Five members of the BSC Class of 1955 re- Louis Aikens, a member of the
BSC Class of ’54, also adminis-
anniversary of their graduation. They includ- tered the alumni oath to all mem-
ed (seated, left-to-right) Ramonia Longs, bers of the graduating class of
2005, providing each new gradu-
William Anderson, Dr. Ruth Payne Brown, and ate with a complementary mem-
bership to the Alumni Association
for the year.
point average/Regents Bachelor of
Arts program) was recognized as the
College’s 2005 valedictorian.
Dr. Bernadette Dragich, Professor
of Nursing, was named the “Bluefield
State College Foundation Outstanding
Faculty Award” recipient for 2005,
and Dr. Steve Bourne (BSC Class of
1974), Professor of Business, was
awarded the first James H. Shott
Endowed Chair in Business.
BSC graduating senior Ronnell
Thompson was selected to receive the
Ronnell Thompson
“Brian Delp Service Leadership
Brian Delp Service
Award.” Leadership Award
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Spring Semester Has Begun - Enrollment Management Update
John Cardwell
Executive Director of
Enrollment Management
Each semester, Bluefield State
College welcomes many new students
who are “diamonds in the rough.”
They have the ability for academic
excellence but, for a variety of rea-
BSC to Host “College Summit” Workshop to Help West
Virginia Students Enroll in College
With an emphasis on ensuring
that West Virginia high school stu-
dents who can succeed in college
actually make it to college, College
Summit will conduct a four-day work-
shop at Bluefield State College,
August 4-7. The workshop at BSC is
one of eight conducted by College
Summit at West Virginia colleges and
universities during the summer
months.
“We’re proud to be partnering
with colleges and universities to help
West Virginia students bridge the gap
between high school and post-second-
ary education,” noted Randy
Shillingburg, Director of
Development for College Summit
West Virginia. “At our workshops,
students complete an on-line college
application, receive quality one-on-
one college counseling, and write a
personal statement they can utilize for
scholarships or as an entrance essay
for college.” Shillingburg also said
students at the workshop will receive
sons, they may not have tapped that
potential. During their years at BSC,
these students discover the fact that
they can succeed in the classroom.
They are transformed into scholars
who ultimately earn college degrees,
then begin successful careers.
At Bluefield State College, our
courses are challenging, but our facul-
ty and staff are committed to provid-
ing the support and concern that will
help students develop the knowledge
and skills that will serve them well
after graduation. As a small college,
we know most of our students by
name and we care about their future.
Certainly, as a new academic year
resources and encouragement to
strengthen the belief that they are
“college capable” along with the
training to help them gain an under-
standing of how to get to college.
“We have so much potential talent
in West Virginia that remains uncov-
ered. Our mid-tier students just need
someone who cares, someone who
believes in them, and someone who
will provide accurate information
regarding access to college,” com-
mented Sarita A. Johns-Gattuso, exec-
utive director of the West Virginia
Access Center for Higher Education
(WVACHE). “West Virginia College
Summit is the capstone for the
WVACHE program, helping those
students who don’t know they are col-
lege material realize that they, too,
can go to college and be successful.
We are delighted to be hosting West
Virginia College Summit at Bluefield
State College this summer.”
College Summit is a comprehen-
sive college transition system that
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approaches, there are several exciting
developments at the College — the
growing number of very attractive
student housing options and the
accompanying opportunity to serve
students from a much larger geo-
graphic area, the scholarship support
available for our students, and the
news that our students continue to
compete and excel in national and
international academic competitions.
Amid these developments we
maintain a commitment to work with
our students and help them along the
way as they gain confidence and skill,
then move on to a productive, fulfill-
ing life after graduation.
includes intensive summer workshops,
a curriculum guide to lead students
through the high school-to-life transi-
tion, and on-line tools to help students
and educators manage the transition
process. Additional information about
College Summit can be obtained by
calling College Summit West Virginia
(304-346-1981) or visiting the website
www.collegesummit.org
Fall Semester
Registration
August 18 and 19, 2005
Classes Start
August 22, 2005
For additional information,
call (304) 327-4065
Bluefield State College Alumni Carl and Selba Boyd Open
Doors of Opportunity for Future BSC Students
More than 50 years ago, Carl Boyd re-called. Meeting her future
and Selba Meadows Boyd enrolled husband shortly after the program,
in Bluefield State College. Fifty she entered BSC in the fall of
years ago, they were married and 1953. As sophomores in
continued their studies at the December, 1954, they were mar-
College on the “terraced hills.” ried. “I worked several jobs and
In May, they returned to donate we moved into married students’
$100,000 to their alma mater to housing,” Carl Boyd stated.
help another generation of While they were undergraduates,
students attend BSC. the couple welcomed the arrival of
From their Philadelphia resi- their first and second children.
dence, the Boyds traveled to “In addition to the faculty and stu-
Bluefield, presenting the first of BSC alumni Carl & Selba Boyd (left) recently dents, the community of Bluefield
made a $100,000 donation for scholarships to
ten annual $10,000 gifts to the also looked out for us,” he contin-
BSC through the Tom Joyner Foundation
College through the Tom Joyner ued. Working as a waiter at a
Partner School Program. Barbara Dunn-
Foundation Partner School Pro- Harrington (third from left), a Tom Joyner popular Bluefield restaurant, he
gram. As a Tom Joyner Foundation representative, and Dr. Albert remembered, “Often, customers
Foundation Historically Black Walker (right), BSC President, received the increased the size of the tips they
College of the Month (May 2005), gift during a brief ceremony at the College. left for me because they knew I
BSC is benefiting from the Tom was going to school and raising a
Joyner Foundation’s national pro- 40+ years as a clinical researcher, family.”
motion to raise funds to support stu- Boyd retired recently. Each year, they return to BSC,
dent scholarships at the College. “I owe so much to the College,” sharing memories and photographs
“The generosity of Carl and Selba Selba Boyd added. “Without with other alumni. Although the size
Boyd is tremendously appreciated and Bluefield State, Carl and I would of their gift to the College this spring
has set a wonderful example for other never have met and married. We’ve was substantial, they prefer to deflect
graduates and friends of the College returned to Bluefield State to give the spotlight to their alma mater.
to follow,” noted Deirdre Guyton, something back to the College.” “God has really been good to us,”
BSC’s Director of Alumni Affairs and As high school seniors, Carl Carl Boyd said. “With the help of
chairperson of the Tom Joyner (from Tazewell County High School) others along the way, we’ve had what
Foundation initiative. and Selba (from Elkhorn High we needed throughout our lives. Now,
“When we were students here, the School) attended a program at BSC. we have the opportunity to give back
faculty and students became our ‘fam- “I saw Carl, who was a spokesman for to assist students who will need a lit-
ilies’ away from home,” Carl Boyd his school, and I told my friends, ‘“He tle help to achieve their goals.”
recalled. After a successful career of is going to be my husband,’” Selba

BSC Student Nancy Rausch Selected for Tom

Joyner Foundation/Nationwide Insurance
Summer Internship
Bluefield State College student Nancy Rausch has been selected to participate in the
prestigious Tom Joyner Foundation/Nationwide Insurance summer internship program at
Nationwide’s worldwide headquarters in Columbus, OH. The Nationwide “On Your
Side” Internship Program selects one student from each of the Tom Joyner Foundation’s
2005 featured institutions. Successful candidates must be rising college juniors or sen-
Nancy Rausch iors, possess a grade point average of at least 3.0, and major in a business/business relat-
ed or computer science field.

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Student Support Services Program Notified Federal Grant
Renewal for Four More Years, Receives $340K in First Year
The Student Support Services
(SSS) program at Bluefield State
College will receive federal funding
for another four-year cycle, beginning
September 1, 2005. Carolyn Kirby,
SSS Interim Director at BSC, recently
received official notification of the
grant renewal from the U.S.
Department of Education. Grant fund-
ing for next fiscal year will exceed
$340,000, permitting BSC to continue
to offer educational assistance to eco-
nomically disadvantaged and/or first-
generation college students, and stu-
dents with a physical or learning dis-
ability.
“We’re gratified that the U.S.
Department of Education has
approved our grant application,”
Kirby noted. “The Student Support
Kalling All Kappas!
Alpha Tau Chapter of
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity,
Inc. will be celebrating its
70th Anniversary in the fall
of 2005 on the campus of
Bluefield State College.
If you are interested in par-
ticipating or have sugges-
tions for planning activi-
ties, contact:
Mychal Guyton at
guyton85@hotmail.com
Deirdre Guyton at
dguyton@bluefieldstate.edu
or
call (304) 327-4569
Services program at BSC helps 265
students each year to move toward
successful completion of their post-
secondary education.” SSS helps stu-
dents in the program at BSC improve
their class performance, stay in col-
lege, and graduate, and provides a
wide range of services that includes
tutoring/mentoring, advising (academ-
ic, career, and financial),
seminars/workshops, cultural travel,
and personal counseling. During the Pictured are Student Support
most recent reporting year, students in Services staff members (seated,
the program exceeded national aver- left to right) Michelle Noe
ages for retention (matriculating suc- (Administrative Secretary), Carolyn
cessfully from freshman to sophomore Kirby (Interim Director), (standing,
left-to-right) and Educational
years) and maintaining good academic
Outreach Counselors Carol
standing.
Baldwin and Heather Simmons.
Student Support Services is one of
three Federal TRIO programs offered
at BSC. The others are the Veterans
Upward Bound and the Educational staff that we can continue to provide
Opportunity Center programs. the program’s very timely services to
Kirby expressed special apprecia- students at Bluefield State College,”
tion to members of the SSS staff— Kirby noted. “Student Support
Educational Outreach Counselors Services has helped thousands of stu-
Carol Baldwin and Heather Simmons, dents during the past 30-plus years at
and Administrative Secretary Michelle BSC and we look forward to helping
Noe. “We are extremely pleased as a many more in the next four years.”
B.S.C.A.A. Awards Scholarships
The Bluefield State College Alumni Association (BSCAA) has
announced its scholarship recipients who will attend BSC during the 2005-06
academic year. Each of the 15 students will receive a $1000 scholarship.
They include Mychal Guyton, Danny Dillow, Josephine Falasinnu, Whitney
Hatfield, Jennifer Hornick, Marviene Johnson, Erica Marcus, Abdul Nasiru,
Joseph Greenfeder, Kelvin Hayden, Bryant Haywood, Denise Hurst,
Shamatee Mitchell, Jacqueline Parrish, and Brenda Wade.
Scholarship recipients must be fulltime students at BSC and maintain at
least a 2.0 grade point average.
The BSCAA was established more than 75 years ago and now has 15
local chapters throughout the United States. A primary emphasis of the
Alumni Association is to provide scholarships to deserving BSC students. To
date, the BSCAA has awarded more than 800 scholarships and approximately
$750,000 in scholarship support. Applications and/or additional information
regarding the BSCAA scholarship program can be obtained by calling (304)
425-6756.
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 BSC’s Collaboration with Regional Public Schools
1 - College Tech Prep: This program, now in its fourth year, has brought approximately 8000 high school 10th
grade students to the Bluefield campus of BSC. Students identify career cluster areas of interest, “attend” college
classes in that academic area, learn about financial aid and admission processes, and enjoy lunch in the Student
Union. The aim is to solidify the students’ goal of continuing their education after high school.

2 - College Day programs: BSC hosted this year’s “College Day,” during which approximately 600 seniors
from four Mercer County High Schools (Bluefield, Princeton, PikeView, and Montcalm) visited the College, met
admissions personnel from area colleges, asked questions and receive information about programs of study that
are of interest to them. Also, the program provided financial aid information, along with a “how to” of applying
for admission, scholarship availability, etc.

3 - Partner in Education: BSC works closely with the students and faculty at Brushfork Elementary as our part-
ner in education through a Mercer County Board of Education program. College employees speak to elementary
school students, assist in obtaining grants (recently BSC helped Brushfork Elementary obtain a Macintosh com-
puter grant for training and software), and help faculty.

4 - Associate Degree Nursing Students: BSC ADN students present health education programs to area Head
Start students, cultivating healthy lifestyles for these students.

5 - MathCounts: BSC faculty and staff coordinate and host the regional MathCounts competition, during which
area middle school students compete in a program designed to cultivate excellence in mathematics. Winners
advance to the state competition. Last year, teams from eight area schools took part.

6 - Model United Nations: BSC hosts and directs a regional Model United Nations program. This spring,
approximately 70 middle school students and 60 high school students competed in the two-day event on BSC’s
Bluefield campus. The program is designed to cultivate an appreciation for world issues, human rights initia-
tives, critical thinking skills, and public speaking ability among the students.

7 - Neighborhood Youth Sports Program: Now in its fourth year, the NYSP program at BSC provides a five-
week schedule of programs for disadvantaged area youth (age 10-16), with a combination of athletic and aca-
demic activities. Two meals per day and limited transportation are provided and approximately 200 students
from Mercer, McDowell, and Tazewell Counties will take part. Students receive a free physical exam and
instruction in healthy lifestyles.

8 - Bluefield Consortium of Professional Development Schools: BSC works with Bluewell Elementary,
Bluefield Middle, and Bluefield Intermediate Schools, focusing upon strengthening the preparation of teacher
education candidates, enhancing instructional services to students, and providing collaborative professional
development activities. The Consortium was created in early 2003.

9 - Kids Club: Organized by BSC nursing students and faculty, Kids Club is a month-long program, one day a
week each spring, during which area elementary school students receive after-school attention and instruction in
healthy lifestyles. Students also receive free pizza.

10 - Mercer County Schools Academic Competitions: Served as host site for Mercer County Schools’ annual
Battle of the Books (two programs), Reading Bee, Math Field Day, and Spelling Bee academic competitions.

-7-
Regents Bachelor of Arts Program
at BSC Helps 78-Year Old Student Earn Bachelor's Degree
Reverend Robert Day
As someone who is 78 years
“young,” The Reverend Robert Day
wasn’t the most youthful of the 400+
students to receive diplomas at
Bluefield State College’s May 14
commencement exercises, but he was
among the proudest. That’s because
his walk across the graduation stage
completed a journey toward a college
degree that began more than 50 years
earlier. Day has packed a lot of living
into his years and, in fact, it’s his var-
ied life experiences that helped him
significantly as he progressed toward
a bachelor’s degree in the Regents
Bachelor of Arts (RBA) program at
BSC.
“I’ve been a paratrooper, a mine
foreman, and, for nearly 40 years, a
pastor,” he recalled during a recent
visit to BSC’s Bluefield campus.
“I’ve taken courses at vocational/
trade schools, and I enrolled in col-
lege for the first time in 1947.” Day’s
very interesting life story began in
McDowell County in 1926. “I was
born on Belcher Mountain,” he
recalled. “My father and grandfather
were both in law enforcement in
McDowell County and both were
killed in the line of duty.”
He attended Welch and
Baileysville High Schools, leaving
school in his junior year to enlist in
the Army. After World War II, he
enrolled in Concord and, one year
later, transferred to Bowling Green
(KY) University. Because of family
health issues, he left school and
returned to the region, enrolling in a
trade school in Pineville. After work-
ing in the coal mines for two years, he
became a mine foreman.
Moving to Columbus, OH in 1953,
he joined the Air Force Reserves.
“Four years later, I made the most
important decision of my life,” he
noted. “I accepted Jesus Christ as my
savior and was called to preach.” As a
Church of God pastor, Day preached
in Marianna, WV (near Pineville),
then continued preaching at churches
in New Haven, CT for seven years,
Florida for five years, Mill Creek,
WV for ten years, and Sophia, WV
for 12 years before retiring in 1998.
That’s when he thought about return-
ing to college.
“My wife, Betty Jo, had earned a
degree from Southern West Virginia
Community and Technical College
and she kept encouraging me to get
my degree,” he explained. “I enrolled
in the RBA program at Bluefield State
about six years ago because it permit-
ted me to receive college credit for
my work and life experiences, but I
left the program shortly thereafter.”
Returning to the BSC RBA pro-
gram last fall, Day earning his bache-
lor’s degree this spring. “It was
tremendously satisfying to walk
across the stage and reach out to get
my diploma. It meant I’ve had com-
pleted something I started in 1947.”
Day’s success has inspired several
other individuals to consider the RBA
program as well. “Our pastor in Man,
WV learned what I’ve done and he’s
now back in college,” Day said, “and
a parent of one of my instructors at
Bluefield State has also decided to
enroll in the RBA program.”
“My message to other older stu-
dents is this,” he summarized. “It’s
-8-
never too late to go back to college. If
I can do it, so can you. It’s one of the
most fulfilling things you can do for
yourself and your family.”
B.S.C.A.A.
Columbus Chapter
presents
HAWAII
with Norwegian Cruise
Line on the Pride of
Aloha
8 Days - 7 Nights
November 6-13, 2005
Inside Cabin Category I
$2,003
Outside Cabin Category F
$2,143
Outside Cabin Category E
$2,203
Rates are per person, double
occupancy, and include cruise,
roundtrip airfare from Columbus
or Cleveland, air tax, port
charges, government fees and
transfers. To add a two-night
post-cruise at the Marriott
Waikiki, add $188 per person.
Deposit Policy: An initial
deposit of $450 is required to
secure reservations and assign
cabin numbers. Final balance is
due July 23, 2005.
For more information,
contact
Mildred Washington
at (614) 837-6632.
BSC’s Faculty and Staff Accomplishments
Anita Barilla (BSC Class of
2002) was promoted from Executive
Secretary for the Institutional and
Development Office to Administrative
Assistant to the President in March
2005. She received a certificate in
fund raising management from the
Center of Philanthropy at Indiana
University in November 2004. She is
also a Weight Watcher’s Group
Leader in Bluefield and Princeton,
West Virginia.
Carol Baldwin (BSC Class of
1991) has been elected Chair of the
Bluefield State College Staff Council.
Eleanor Barnett (BSC Class of
1990) was promoted from Accounting
Assistant II to Supervisor of Accounts
Receivable in the Business Office in
March 2005.
Dr. Thomas Blevins (BSC Class
of 1971), Dean of Technology and the
Virtual College and Professor of
Education and English, will be chair-
ing the NCATE visit to Virginia State
University November 3-7 and will be
a North Central visitor in mid-
November to a state college in North
Dakota. In July he will attend a Web
CT conference in San Francisco.
Joyce Brown, was promoted
from Administrative Secretary Senior
to Records Officer in the Registrar’s
Office.
Softball coach Todd
Buckingham was the recipient of the
2005 West Virginia Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference (WVIAC) coach
of the year award.
Daniel “Frosty” Frost (BSC
Class of 1989), Educational Outreach
Counselor/Veterans Upward Bound
program at Bluefield State College,
has been selected for inclusion in the
2005 edition of Madison’s Who’s Who
Registry of Executives and
Professionals. He was also re-elected
to serve as the classified representa-
tive to the Bluefield State College
Board of Governors for 2005-2006.
Dr. Patricia Hilton, Bluefield
State College Professor of Education,
has been recognized for leadership
and mentoring excellence by Kappa
Delta Pi, International Honor Society
in Education.
J. Alvin Lester (BSC Class of
1970) Bluefield State College
Professor/Department Head of Civil
Engineering Technology, has been
selected for inclusion in Who’s Who
Among America’s Teachers, 2005. His
inclusion in the publication makes
Lester a multiple year honoree.
Dr. Melinda Maher, Director/
Institutional Research and Assessment
at Bluefield State College, delivered a
pair of presentations at the
Association for Institutional Research
Forum in San Diego, California. The
event attracted more than 1300 insti-
tutional researchers, planners, and
decision makers from higher educa-
tion institutions around the world.
Bonita Mitchell (BSC Class of
2002), Educational Outreach
Counselor for the Educational
Opportunity Center at Bluefield State
College, has been selected for inclu-
sion in the 2005 edition of Madison’s
Who’s Who Registry of Executives and
Professionals.
Dr. Norman Mirksy was elected
to serve as the faculty representative
to the Bluefield State College Board
of Governors.
Roderick Neal, Associate
Professor of Psychology, participated
in the Drug Court Planning Initiative,
Skills Based Training Program, devel-
oped and presented by the Bureau of
Justice Assistance, U.S. Department
of Justice in collaboration with
National Drug Court Institute. He
also coordinated a workshop for
approximately 70 teacher education
students titled “Educating All of One
Nation.” The workshop was held at
-9-
Concord University, Dr. Raphael
Heaggans, Director of Multicultural
Affairs and Dr. William White,
Director of Undergraduate Leadership
Studies at Mountain State University,
BSC alumni helped facilitate the
workshop.
Dr. Garrett Olmsted’s fame as
an authoritative source on the Celtic
culture, religion, and arts has prompt-
ed a television production company in
England to invite the BSC Professor
Social Sciences to travel to England
this summer. Olmsted will be work-
ing with Oxford Television in its pro-
duction of four one-hour programs
that will be telecast on the British
Broadcasting Company (BBC) and
the History Channel.
David Sexton (BSC Class of
1985, 1987, 1988) Database
Administrator, graduated with Master
of Science in Strategic Leadership
from Mountain State University.
Dr. Michael Smith, Associate
Professor of English, participated on a
panel of outdoor writers in the 11th
annual Virginia Festival of the Book
in Charlottesville in March.
Tammy Tabor transferred from
Administrative Secretary Senior for
the School of Arts and Science to the
Education Department at Bluefield
State College
Sandra Kay Thompson,
Bluefield State College Assistant
Professor of Nursing, has been select-
ed for inclusion in Who’s Who Among
America’s Teachers, 2005.
Dr. Albert L. Walker, President
of Bluefield State College, has been
appointed to the board of directors of
the West Virginia Humanities Council.
Sandra Wynn (BSC Class of
1999), Assistant Professor of Nursing,
has been selected as an honored mem-
ber of the Empire Who’s Who Registry
of Executives and Professionals,
2005-2006.
 BSC’s Classified Employees Receive
Special Recognition

Kathy Hill Sarita Gattuso Vivian Sidote

Veteran employees Kathy Hill and Sarita Gattuso (BSC Class of 1990) have been named the Bluefield State
College Foundation’s “Outstanding Classified Employees of the Year.” They were honored during the annual BSC
employee appreciation ceremony in May. Each received a $500 award from the Foundation.
Hill serves as administrative assistant for the Academic Affairs and Student Affairs offices. BSC President Dr.
Albert Walker noted, “Kathy is quietly confident and she has been a source of stability at the College for more than
20 years. In addition to her many responsibilities, Kathy is the College’s point of first contact for many students,
parents of students, and employees, and she is a calming, reassuring presence.”
Gattuso is executive director of outreach programs, which includes the Educational Opportunity Center and the
West Virginia Access Center for Higher Education. A BSC employee for more than 10 years, she serves as a mem-
ber of the recruitment and hiring committees, College Summit, and West Virginia Advisory Board. “She is a recog-
nized speaker and presenter at multistate and national meetings and she has helped hundreds of students realize their
dreams of earning a college degree,” Walker observed.
Vivian Sidote (BSC Class of 1994) was awarded “staff emeritus” status during the annual Employees
Appreciation. She retired from BSC in December, 2004 after 35 years as an employee in West Virginia higher edu-
cation in 2004, with the last 32 of those years spent at BSC. She held a variety of positions including Secretary,
Administrative Secretary, Executive Secretary, and Administrative Assistant to the President.

Dr. Robert Moore Retires after 30 Years of Service

Dr. Robert Moore
Dr. Robert Moore was honored in
May upon the occasion of his retire-
ment. Moore, a Professor of
Education and former president of
BSC, served the College for more
than 30 years as an educator and
administrator. He taught within the
Division of Physical Education and
Recreation, then served as division
chair. After four years as Assistant
Dean of Teacher Education and Chair,
Division of Education and Physical
Education, he accepted the position of
Dean of Curriculum and was actively
involved in curriculum for eight years.
He later served as Vice President and
Dean of Academic Affairs for two
years, then became Vice
President/Dean, Community and
Technical College for two years.
In 1993, Dr. Moore accepted the
presidency of Bluefield State College
and directed the institution for nearly
nine years. He retired as president in
June 2002 and returned to a faculty
position. He was active in community
and civic initiatives throughout his
30+ years at BSC.

- 10 -
 A Message from Doris J. Payne
Chairperson, BSC Alumni House Advisory Council
Bluefield State College Alumni Association, Inc.

PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL

BLESSINGS FLOW!

$100,000 Financial Obligation to BSC

PAID IN FULL (May 2005)
THANKS to all Contributors for your Financial Support!!!
Without your AWESOME support we would not have been successful.

Hatter Hall Advisory Council Minnie Marshall, Co-chair

PROCLAMATION
In honor of Chairperson Doris J. Payne for her tireless efforts
toward the establishment of Hatter Hall as an Alumni House
WHEREAS, Doris J. Payne graduated magna cum laude from BSC, Class of 1951, where she was
crowned Academic Queen, and;
WHEREAS, Doris J. Payne traveled hundreds of miles over the hills of West Virginia and through the val-
leys of Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania and by way of the streets of Washington, D.C. to meet with
alumni in the interest of Hatter Hall, and;
WHEREAS, Doris J. Payne became chairperson of the Hatter Hall Advisory Council accountable for the
overall responsibility of establishing Hatter Hall as an alumni house, (1996), and;
WHEREAS, Doris J. Payne collaborated with BSC former President Dr. Robert E. Moore to list Hatter Hall,
the President’s home, on the National Register of Historic Places to encourage its preservation, (1999),
and;
WHEREAS, Doris J. Payne conducted a full-pledged campaign to raise a $100,000 obligation to a match-
ing grant written by Dr. Felica Blanks, BSC Director Title III Program, (2000), and;
WHEREAS, Doris J. Payne worked in conjunction with Sheila Johnson, Vice President of Financial and
Administrative Affairs to ensure the restoration and renovation of Hatter Hall, (2001), and;
WHEREAS, Doris J. Payne generated ideas for three fund raising projects that rekindled and promoted a
spirit of unity in the BSC family, (2001), and;
WHEREAS, Doris J. Payne worked in tandem with the fiscal officers of the BSC Foundation to keep
abreast of all monies collected and disbursed for Hatter Hall, (2001-), and;
WHEREAS, Doris J. Payne continued the positive relationship with BSC President Dr. Albert Walker
regarding the Hatter Hall initiative between the College and the Association,

NOW, therefore be it resolved that the members of the Hatter Hall Advisory Council hereby express appre-
ciation to our stalwart leader who never wavered from her dedication and commitment to make Hatter Hall
of the BSC Alumni House.

And be it further resolved that a copy of this proclamation be placed in the BSC Archives and in Hatter
Hall.
Duly adopted the 13th day of June 2005
Hatter Hall Advisory Council
Dr. Ruth Payne Brown, Dr. Ervin Griffin, Ora Johnson, Warner Baxter, Lola Harris, Minnie Marshall,
Carl P. Boyd, Virginia Hebert, Dr. Maposure Miller, Edward Coleman, G. Jackie Holley, Leonard Pitts and Elsie Shaw

- 11 -
 UPDATE: Replicas of Hatter Hall/Alumni House
An architectural miniature
Designed by - Hatter Hall Advisory Council
Bluefield State College Alumni Association, Inc.

Produced by - Shelia’s, Inc.

Charleston, South Carolina

Project Director - Ruth Payne Brown, Ph.D.

COMMENDATIONS TO OUR MOST RECEPT SUPPORTERS!

Dr. Albert Johnson, Jr. Dr. Mildred V. Thompson
Sylvester Myers Fred McKenzie
Howard Wade E. Ray Williams
Mayme Swanson Barbara Patterson
William L. Williams, Jr. Dr. Thomas E. Eaves
Clara Cooke J. Leroy Smith
Nansie S. Ward Dr. Blanche J. Skirnick
Thomas Mack James Wright
Margaret Dowdell Thomas Parham
Orlando Henderson Philip Horton
Edward Coleman Dr. Albert Walker
Dr. Robert E. Moore Julia Smith
Paul Tuffin, Esquire

FUND-RAISING PROJECT GOAL - 100

STATUS - MAY 2005 - 85
Add your name to the Owners Scroll that will be displayed in Hatter Hall in October, 2005. The
replica will be showcased in the Bookstore and Hatter Hall for your perusual.

A Final Opportunity
To purchase a replica of Hatter Hall, please remit your $100 tax-deductible contribution. Make
checks payable to BSC Foundation/Alumni House. Replica of Hatter Hall should be written in
the “memo” section of your check. Mail to:
Ray Guy, Fiscal Manager
Bluefield State College Foundation
Bluefield State College
219 Rock Street
Bluefield, WV 24701
Your replica will be shipped expeditiously and your cancelled check will be your receipt.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

REVERENCE FOR THE PAST, ENSURES THE FUTURE

- 12 -
McDowell County Faculty Member Anthony Harris Returns to
his Alma Mater to Help a New Generation of Teachers
Nearly 25 years ago, Anthony
Harris was an all-conference basket-
ball star, providing offensive fire-
power and defensive tenacity for
Bluefield State’s title-contending
teams. In the years since his gradua-
tion from BSC, Harris uses the same
high energy approach to cultivate his
students’ love for learning at Mount
View Middle School and, in the
process, develop the teaching skills
of Jill Lockhart, a Bluefield State
teacher education major involved in
student teaching at the McDowell
County school.
Harris, an eighth grade social
studies teacher at Mount View
Middle School, attracted the attention
of Dr. Betsy Steenken, Assistant
Professor of Teacher Education at
BSC. ”The first time I walked into
his classroom, I knew he was one of
those wonderful teachers who makes
learning exciting,” Steenken recalled.
Anthony Harris
“His students love his class and his
personality, and at the same time,
have great respect for him.” Recently,
Steenken invited Harris to visit her
“Child and Adolescent Growth and
Development” class at BSC. “I want-
ed my students to hear from someone
who had taught for more than 20
years and was still enthusiastic and
energized about his profession,” she
said. “He cares about his students
and is very interested in their social
and emotional development, as well
as their academic progress.”
Harris was a two-time all-West
Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference player during his under-
graduate years at BSC, recovering
from a knee injury to lead the Big
Blues to the cusp of the WVIAC title
game in his senior year.
“I thought bringing Mr. Harris to
our classroom provided a great
opportunity for future teachers to
meet a wonderful teacher who is also
an alumnus of our College. He loves
Bluefield State and has said many
times that he owes much of his suc-
cess to the education he received here
and the faculty who touched his life
while he was a student. He makes us
all proud of our profession and he
reminds us of why we wanted to
become teachers,” she concluded.

Honors College
Launches Life
Enrichment Initiative
Bluefield State College Honors College
students Jesse Farmer (kneeling), (stand-
ing, left-to-right) O’Neil Carty, Abdul
Nasiru, Tabitha Pack, Danielle Hawes,
Zeshan Qayyum and Dr. Mindy Maher
(BSC’s Institutional Research and
Assessment Director) surround a space-
suit-garbed NASA host during their recent
tour of the Kennedy Space Center. BSC
Honors College students take part in aca-
demic enrichment, community service, and
leadership development initiatives each
year.

- 13 -
Alumni Updates
Alumni Updates
Requested
If you have received awards, pro-
motions, accomplishments, recog-
nition, have married or recently
welcomed an addition to your
family, please let us know.
Mail your news to
Karen Gordon
College and Media Relations
Bluefield State College
219 Rock Street
Bluefield, WV 24701
by FAX to 304-327-4581or by e-
mail to kgordon@bluefield
state.edu
1950s
Ruth
Payne
Brown
(1955) was
awarded the
Doctorate of
Philosophy
(Ph.D.) in
Dr. Ruth Payne Brown Education,
Policy,
Planning and Administration on May
22, 2005 from the University of
Maryland-College Park (Maryland).
The title of her dissertation was “The
Transition of a Historically Black
College to a Predominately White
Institution.” Bluefield State College
was the focus of Dr. Brown’s
Research. She is the immediate
Past President of the BSC Alumni
Association as well as the correspon-
ding secretary of the Hatter Hall
Advisory Council and as the Project
director of the Hatter Hall Fund
Raising Project.
1960s
Betty Ann Crews Graves (1960)
was a contestant in the Ms. Virginia
Senior America Pageant in McLean,
Virginia in May, 2005. In June, she
represented seniors age 65 and over
in the National Senior Olympics
games in bowling, basketball, and
table tennis.
1990s
Roger Lee Andrews, Jr. (1996)
received a master of social work
degree from Radford University in
May 2004. He is employed by the
State of Virginia in Marion and is cur-
rently working on his professional
licensure.
Jay Budner (1996) is employed
by Mercer Oliver Wyman as a
Training and Development Manager,
North America in New York, New
York. Mercer Oliver Wyman is a
leader in financial services strategy
and risk management consulting.
Rita Holcomb (1999) graduated
cum laude from Bluefield State
College in May 2005 with a Regents
Bachelor of Arts degree with an
emphasis in psychology. She is the
Program Assistant for the Center for
Workforce and Business
Development for New River
Community and Technical College
and Kids Kollege Coordinator and is
a member of the Gamma Beta Phi.
Edward Luers (1992) was pro-
moted to the rank of Corporal with
the Maryland State Police and reas-
signed as a Shift Leader on the
Governor Protection Detail.
James E. Smith (1998) is the
owner of Residential Design
Services, Inc. He is also working
with a writer in the UK to produce his
own film.
2000s
Brandy Bailey-Hoover (2000) is
employed with the department of
health and human resources in
Summers County, and works with
juvenile petitions for youth and aids
in family support services.
Ryan S. Farmer (2004) married
Amy C. Adkisson on April 23, 2005.
- 14 -
He is employed with Civil and
Environmental Consultants Inc. as a
staff engineer.
Vicky L. Hodges (2004) is a
social worker at Bland Department of
Social Services as a Foster Care/
Adoptions specialist.
J. W. Kiser (2003) was promoted
to assistant vice president/loan offi-
cer at First Century Bank, N.A.
Larry McKinney (2002) is
employed with Belvac in Lynchburg,
Virginia, as a a Mechanical Engineer
II.
Arnold Mollette (2002) is serv-
ing in the United States Navy as a
Marine Corps Cpl. and practiced
combat training procedures, while
assigned to Marine Aviation Logistics
Squadron 12, homebased at Marine
Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.
Shawn Nunn (2002) married
Tony Matney on February 19, 2005.
He is employed by Magnetic
Technologies Corporation in
Wytheville Virginia, as a Electrical
Design Engineer.
Cody L. Pearson (2003) is serv-
ing in the U.S. Army as an Kiowa
Warrior(OH-58D) pilot.
Eric Deshawn Strain (2001) is
employed in the Information Systems
Division of the Virginia Tech
University Bookstore as a Database
Analyst/Computer Programmer.
In Memoriam
Norman Bailey
Lloyd Bond
Jacqueline D. Carrington
Edward Elston, Jr.
Ann Carlene Froe
Willis Gravely
Randall Arland Hill
Dorothy Hendricks Lester
Lloyd Edward Mabe
Verona Simpson Polk
Sallie M. Jones
Cynthia J. Stephens
From the Desk of Dr. Louis Aikens
President, Bluefield State College Alumni Association, Inc.
Within this issue of the “Blue & Gold” is information regarding the 15 very deserv-
ing recipients of Bluefield State College Alumni Association (BSCAA) scholarships for
2005-06. We consider it a privilege to assist each of these students, and hundreds of stu-
dents over the past three decades, through our scholarship program.
Indeed, a primary emphasis of the Alumni Association is to provide scholarships for
young men and women to enable them to attend Bluefield State College. Each BSCAA
member, like many BSC graduates who read this column, has gained insight, understand-
ing, and knowledge from the experience of attending the “College on the terraced hills.”
As we move toward the start of a new a new academic year, I encourage you to join
Dr. Louis Aikens your College’s Alumni Association. We welcome the talent, energy, and input you can
provide. If you are a graduate of BSC, this is your Alumni Association. You can be a
vital part of the future of this organization, and your support can be invaluable by
enabling students to receive the support needed to attend this wonderful College.
Please take a moment to review and complete the BSCAA membership application
on this page, then join us in this very worthwhile endeavor. You can make a very posi-
tive difference in the lives of another generation of Bluefield State College's students
through your Alumni Association!

Attention Graduates
Now is the time to join the Bluefield State College Alumni Association. Annual dues are $30 and
Life Membership is $300.

Please complete the information below, detach, make checks payable to BSCAA and mail to

Mildred Washington, Chairperson

450 W Columbus St.
Pickerington, OH 43147

Name Class of

Address

Telephone

E-mail

- 15 -
19th Annual Klingensmith
Cup Invitational Golf
Tournament Student
The 19th annual Klingensmith Cup Golf
Tournament was held on May 16, 2005 at Wolf Creek
Golf Club in Bastian, Virginia. BSC graduates, faculty,
Housing
students, and employees participated in the annual
event, which was sponsored by Bluefield State
College’s School of Engineering Technology and
Computer Science.
For information
This year’s winners of the four-golfer “captain’s concerning housing
choice” event were Jerome Wolkoff, Rodney Mitchem,
Bill Roach and Rick Brown. The Belcher team won a for BSC students
drawing for cart and green fees at the Greenbrier Resort. visit
Prizes donated by BSC graduates’ employers, were
awarded to all participants. Robert Faulds served as
tournament director.
This tournament allows participants to take part in
www.bluefieldstate.edu/
some friendly competition and it also provides a unique StudentHousing.html
setting to renew old acquaintances and network with
others having common interests.

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

www.bluefieldstate.edu